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5 Major Benefits Of Outsourcing Data Input Services

Businesses continuously seek methods to improve overall efficiency and streamline their operations in the ever-changing corporate landscape. Outsourcing data input services is one technique that has grown in favor recently. Businesses can focus on their core strengths and gain advantages by assigning data-related work to specialist service providers. This blog post will look at the five main advantages of outsourcing data input services.
Understanding Data Input Services
Data input refers to collecting data from a variety of sources, such as digital and creating catalogs, or it may also entail conducting online research. Businesses have to collect data according to their needs and use it to enhance corporate growth, as an abundance of data is being contributed to the digital environment every second. Thus, one of the most in-demand services in the modern world is data input. This is due to two factors: First of all, numerous businesses lack the continuous time and focus needed for data entry.
The process of entering, updating, or verifying data into a system or database is the focus of data entry services. A vast variety of data, including client information, financial transactions, inventory records, survey results, and more, may be included in this. Ensuring that timely, accurate, and full data is entered into a system for various business purposes is the aim of data input services.
Why Should We Go For Outsourcing Data Input Services?
When you outsource the data input services, it gives you the leverage to spend your quality time in other core business areas and reduce your data management costs along with infrastructure costs. Second, you also can manage your data efficiently with expert help.
Businesses often outsource data input services to specialized providers to streamline Business processes and ensure efficiency. Outsourcing can be particularly beneficial for time-consuming tasks and require attention to detail, allowing organizations to focus on their core competencies while the outsourced service providers handle the data-related tasks.
Categories Of Outsourcing Data Input Services
Data input from paper documents/document data entry
Data input from web-based applications
Data input from forms/resumes
Data input from client software/application
Data input from catalog/catalog data entry
Data input from business cards
Data input from OCR
Data enumeration/data keying/data capturing
Data input from images/image data entry
Data input from one file format to others
Let's Explore The 5 Major Benefits Of Outsourcing Data Input Services
By entrusting data-related tasks to specialized service providers, businesses can focus on their core competencies and achieve significant advantages. Here, we will discuss about five major benefits of outsourcing data input services:
1. Cost Savings:
Businesses can save a lot of money by outsourcing data input services. By leveraging the expertise of external service providers, companies can avoid the expenses associated with hiring and training in-house staff.
Additionally, outsourcing eliminates the need for investing in infrastructure, technology, and ongoing maintenance. This cost-effective approach enables organizations to allocate resources more efficiently and redirect funds toward critical business functions.
Without committing to a long-term agreement, you can scale up or down your use of outsourced services and simply pay for the task completed.
2. Access To Specialized Skills And Technology:
Expert outsourcing partners frequently have cutting-edge technology and specialized knowledge specifically devoted to data input services. These suppliers make sure that your data processes take advantage of state-of-the-art solutions by keeping up with the most recent developments in the industry.
By tapping into this expertise, businesses can improve the accuracy, speed, and quality of their data input processes without the need for continuous in-house training and technology investments.
Accounting data entry services are the area of expertise for outsourcing providers, who also possess the necessary skills and experience to manage extensive financial transactions.
3. Increased Efficiency And Flexibility:
Outsourcing data input services offers unparalleled scalability and flexibility. Businesses can easily adjust the level of services based on their fluctuating needs. Whether there is a sudden increase in data volume or a temporary decrease in workload, outsourcing provides the agility to scale services up or down accordingly. This flexibility ensures that companies maintain optimal efficiency without being burdened by unnecessary overhead costs during slow periods.
Outsourcing can lead to faster turnaround times for tasks like product catalog updates, order processing, and data quality control.
Online data entry services can lead to faster, more efficient, and improved database management.
4. Risk Mitigation And Data Confidentiality:
In the present digital era, data security is of utmost importance to companies. Reputable suppliers' data input services frequently include integrated security features and regulatory requirements. Strong security measures are put in place by seasoned outsourcing partners to safeguard private data and lower the possibility of hacking.
Additionally, these providers regularly update their systems to stay compliant with industry regulations, offering businesses peace of mind regarding data security and privacy.
Data security and privacy are given top attention by Indian outsourcing businesses, and employees are required to maintain high data security under the Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA).
5. Focus On Core Competencies:
Collecting data takes a lot of time and might take focus and resources away from a business's primary strengths. Businesses can focus on their main goals, such as product development, marketing, and customer support, by outsourcing data input services. Organizations can improve their overall productivity and strategic focus by assigning regular data work to others.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, outsourcing data input services is a strategic move for businesses looking to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and stay focused on core competencies. By partnering with specialized service providers, organizations can leverage expertise, access advanced technologies, and ensure scalability while mitigating risks associated with data security. In the dynamic business landscape, outsourcing data input services emerges as a valuable solution for companies seeking a competitive edge and sustainable growth.
Source Of: https://dataentrywiki.blogspot.com/2024/02/5-major-benefits-of-outsourcing-data-input-services.html
#Data Input#Data Input Companies#Data Input Operator#Data Input Outsourcing#Data Input Services#Data Input Specialist
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New Skin
Irene Bae x male reader
word count: 15K
commissioned fic

It’s mid-afternoon, that point where productivity takes a nosedive and the clock hands seem to wade through treacle. You push back from your desk, time to stretch the legs. And, coincidentally, time to see if Irene Bae actually finished inputting those quarterly projection figures. That’s the official reason, anyway. The one you’d type into a time-tracking app if this place were that anal.
Unofficially? You just want to talk to her.
Irene. She’s been with the company for three or four months now. Casual contract, data entry, the kind of gig that’s meant to be a revolving door. But she’s stuck around. And in that time, she’s cultivated an air of almost complete invisibility. She’s a whisper in the office cacophony, a muted color in a palette of forced corporate brightness. She does her work, meticulously, flawlessly. Never complains, never participates in the break-room bitching sessions or the awkward birthday cake celebrations. Most people probably don’t even know her real name.
But you do. Bae Joohyun. You’d seen it on her initial paperwork. Irene’s the name she goes by here.
She speaks to you. Not much, never initiating, but she responds. There's a politeness there, a guarded stillness that never tips into outright rudeness, which is more than some of the other office drones manage. Maybe it’s because you’re her supervisor, a rung or two up the ladder. Maybe it’s because you’ve made a point of being… well, not a dick. Friendly, even. You try to be, anyway. God knows this place needs a bit less soul-crushing bureaucracy and a bit more basic human decency.
You weave through the maze of cubicles, a landscape of grey fabric and flickering screens. The usual suspects are in their pens: Wendy from accounts scrolling through what definitely isn’t work-related, Seulgi from marketing on yet another clearly personal call, her explanations pitched low and urgent. You offer a vague nod if anyone catches your eye, but your trajectory is set. Irene’s little nook is at the far end, slightly more isolated than the others, a small mercy in this open-plan purgatory.
As you round the last partition, you see her. And fuck, she looks… good. Really good. It’s nothing outrageous, nothing that would breach the unwritten dress code. She’s wearing a simple black top, some kind of soft, clinging material, with three-quarter sleeves. It’s understated, like everything about her, but it hugs the lean lines of her petite frame in a way that makes you notice the toned strength beneath. Her black hair, usually just neatly tied back or falling straight, has a slight wave today, like she maybe didn’t have time to fully straighten it, and it catches the shitty office light, making it gleam. Her head is bent, focused on her screen, one slender hand guiding a mouse, the other resting near the keyboard. Even the line of her neck, exposed where her hair parts, seems delicate, smooth.
You pause for a beat, a couple of feet from her desk, just taking her in. It’s not a leering thing, not really. More like… appreciation. Like noticing a rare, quiet bird in a flock of pigeons. There's a subtle tension around her, even in repose, like a coiled spring. You’ve always sensed it.
You clear your throat, just a little, not wanting to startle her. "Hey, Irene."
She looks up, and for a split second, before the usual mask of polite reserve slides perfectly into place, you see something else. A flicker of… surprise? No, not quite. Vulnerability, maybe? It’s gone before you can properly catalog it. Her dark eyes meet yours, large and surprisingly intense in her small face. No smile, not usually, but the tightening around her eyes isn't hostile.
"Oh. Hi," she replies. Her speaking manner is soft, not quite a whisper, but definitely low, like she’s conserving energy, or maybe just doesn’t want her syllables to travel too far.
"Just doing the rounds," you say, leaning a casual shoulder against the fabric wall of her cubicle. Trying for breezy. "Making sure everyone’s still alive after that marathon budget meeting this morning." You didn’t actually ask her to be in that meeting; her role doesn't require it. Just making conversation.
A tiny, almost imperceptible dip of her chin. "It sounded… long."
"You have no idea. I think a part of my soul shriveled up and died in there." You give a mock shudder. "Anyway, I was wondering how you were getting on with those quarterly figures. The ones for the Anderson account?"
She swivels slightly in her chair, her movements economical and precise. Her gaze drops to her monitor, then back to you. "I finished them about an hour ago. They should be in the shared drive, under 'Q3 Projections - Final'."
Of course, she did. Meticulous. You knew she would be. "Ah, brilliant. Knew I could count on you." You make a mental note to actually check them later, just for form's sake. "No problems with the source data? Sometimes marketing sends it through looking like a dog’s breakfast."
"There were a few inconsistencies in the initial dataset from last Tuesday, but I cross-referenced them with the updated figures from yesterday morning. It should be accurate now."
See? Smart. Doesn’t just blindly input. She actually thinks. Most of the temps just plough through, garbage in, garbage out. You find yourself smiling, a genuine one. "That’s great, Irene. Seriously. Saves me a headache later."
Her eyes flick down, then back up. Is that a hint of… satisfaction? Hard to tell with her. She’s a masterclass in neutral. "I just try to make sure it’s done correctly."
"And you do," you affirm, pushing off the wall slightly, taking a half-step closer, more into her personal space than you usually would, but keeping it open. "So, uh, besides saving the company from numerical chaos, what else is on the agenda for you today? Any exciting plans for… data collation?"
She considers the question, or at least appears to. Her fingers tap once, very lightly, on her desk. The nails are bare, neatly trimmed. No polish. "I have the backlog from the Henderson merger to sort through. It’s… substantial."
"Sounds thrilling," you say, and this time, you think you see the corner of her mouth twitch. A ghost of a smile. Progress. "Well, don't let it swallow you whole. If you hit any major roadblocks, or if the sheer tedium becomes a threat to your sanity, you know where I am."
"Thank you," she says, and her gaze lingers on yours for a fraction of a second longer than usual. There’s an odd sort of directness in her eyes when she properly meets your look, like she’s assessing something deep inside you. It’s unnerving and intriguing as hell. "I appreciate that."
"No worries." You linger for another moment, searching for something else to say, some way to keep this fragile thread of interaction going. You notice a small, potted succulent on the corner of her otherwise bare desk. It’s a tiny, unassuming thing, but it’s green and alive. "New plant?"
She glances at it. "Oh. Um. Yes. My… neighbor was moving and couldn’t take it."
"It’s… resilient looking," you offer, which is a stupid thing to say about a plant, but it’s out there now.
A tiny, almost inaudible huff of air escapes her. It might have been a laugh. It really might have been. "It’s supposed to be hard to kill. That’s what she said."
"Always a good quality in an office plant," you agree. "Or an office worker, for that matter. Well, I’ll let you get back to the thrilling Henderson merger files. Thanks again."
"You’re welcome," she says, her attention already starting to drift back towards her screen, the brief opening in her defenses slowly closing up. But it was there. A little crack.
You find yourself reluctant to leave, to let the usual office drone silence settle back over her. The way that black top clings just so to the curve of her back as she turns slightly, the faint, clean scent that you can only catch when you’re this close (something like fresh laundry and maybe a hint of a very subtle, floral soap). It’s doing things to your concentration that have absolutely nothing to do with quarterly projections. You know you should probably just go, get back to your own mountain of work, but there's a pull, a quiet magnetism she exudes that makes you want to just… stay. See if another tiny piece of the real Irene Bae might surface if you wait long enough, patiently enough.
That faint, almost-laugh, the tiny, fleeting opening… it’s enough. It’s more than enough. Now or never, idiot. Before the professional shell hardens completely again, before she retreats back into that fortress of polite distance.
"So," you begin, trying to make it sound like the most casual afterthought in the world, even as a different, less casual thought hammers in your head, don't fuck this up. "Seeing as it's Monday, and Mondays officially suck by universal decree… I was thinking of grabbing a drink after work. You know, just to sort of… defiantly kickstart the week. Would you, uh, be interested in joining? In case you don't have any other more interesting plan. No big deal if you have, totally get it."
There, it’s out. You hold your breath without meaning to.
Irene’s gaze, which had started to drift back to her monitor, snaps back to you. For a moment, her face is perfectly, utterly blank. Not surprised, not annoyed, just… still. Like a photograph. Then, a slow blink. She looks down at her neatly folded hands in her lap, then back up at you.
"That’s… very kind of you," she says. "But I think I’ll have to pass. I have a few things I need to finish up here."
A polite decline. Of course. You let out the breath you didn’t realize you were holding, managing a smile that you hope looks understanding and not like you just got gently punched in the gut. "Hey, no problem at all. Totally understand. Rain check for another lifetime, maybe?" you add, trying to keep it light, to show her it’s genuinely okay.
A tiny, almost imperceptible softening around her eyes. "Maybe." She offers that. "I’ll send through that Henderson merger summary report by end of day."
"Sounds good," you nod, already backing away, giving her space. "Don’t let it bury you alive. And, uh, thanks again for the Anderson stuff."
"You’re welcome."
And just like that, she turns back to her screen, the brief window of interaction decisively closed. You walk away, a familiar mix of mild disappointment and a strange sort of respect for her unbreachable composure settling in. Well, you tried. Can’t say you didn’t try.
The rest of the afternoon crawls by. You actually do your work, or at least a passable imitation of it. Around five-thirty, an email pings into your inbox. Subject: Henderson Merger Summary - Irene Bae. You click it open. The report is attached, and even a cursory glance tells you it’s immaculate. Clear, concise, all the key data points highlighted, potential issues flagged with brief, intelligent notes. Fucking hell, she’s good. Way too good for a casual data entry gig. You fire off a quick reply: "This is perfect, Irene. Seriously, amazing work. Thanks!"
No reply to that. You didn’t expect one.
By six, the office is starting to empty out. The symphony of keyboards has dwindled to a few sporadic taps. You grab your bag, sling your jacket over your shoulder, and head for the elevators. As one slides open with a soft hydraulic sigh, you step in, pressing the button for the ground floor. Just as the doors are about to close, a hand darts out, stopping them.
Irene.
She slips inside, her movements quick and economical as always. She’s got a small, plain handbag over her shoulder, and she looks… tired. There are faint shadows under her eyes that weren’t as noticeable in the brighter office lights. The doors close, encasing you both in the small, brushed-steel box. An awkward silence immediately descends. This is always the worst part of accidental shared elevator rides.
"Hey," you manage, because the silence is starting to feel like a physical weight. "That report you sent? Seriously, top-notch. You made my evening a lot easier."
She looks up at you, a brief flicker in her dark eyes. "I’m glad it was helpful."
Her reply is soft, barely disturbing the canned muzak seeping from a hidden speaker. The silence stretches again, punctuated only by the quiet hum of the elevator descending. One floor. Two. You can feel the seconds ticking by. You want to say something else, anything, but the words just don’t come. Don’t be that guy, you tell yourself. Don’t be the slightly-too-eager supervisor cornering the quiet girl in an elevator.
She probably just wants to get home. Respect that.
The doors slide open onto the ground floor lobby. Freedom.
"Well, have a good night, Irene," you say, stepping out, already turning towards the exit. "See you tomorrow."
You’re halfway to the main glass doors when you hear it.
"You asked… if I had plans."
Her words are so quiet you almost miss them, almost think you imagined them against the backdrop of distant traffic noise and the lobby’s echoing emptiness. You stop. Turn around slowly. Irene is standing just outside the elevator, her bag clutched in front of her, looking at you with an expression you can’t quite decipher.
"Yeah," you say, walking back towards her. "I did."
"I don’t," she states. Just like that. No preamble, no explanation for the earlier refusal. Just: "I don’t have plans."
Holy shit. Your brain seems to short-circuit for a second. Okay. Okay, asshole, she just threw you a goddamn lifeline. Don't drown. You swallow, trying to regain some semblance of composure, to make your next words sound casual and not like you’re about to vibrate out of your skin.
"Oh. Well, in that case," you begin, a slow smile spreading across your face, "the offer for that drink still stands. To, you know, combat the general Monday-ness of things. I know this great little bar not too far from here, actually. Good music, not too loud, and they make a mean old-fashioned, if you’re into that sort of thing." You pause, holding her gaze. "What do you say?"
She looks at you, properly looks, for what feels like a full minute. Her dark eyes search yours, and for a terrifying second, you think she’s going to say no again. Then, the tiniest, almost imperceptible nod. "Okay."
"Okay?" you echo, a grin breaking free. "Yeah, okay. Brilliant. My car’s just in the parkade across the street."
The walk to your car is filled with a slightly giddy, slightly surreal silence. You keep stealing glances at her. Irene Bae, willingly accompanying you somewhere. It feels… momentous. You unlock the car, a slightly battered but reliable sedan, and open the passenger door for her. She murmurs a "thank you" and slides in.
Once you’re both in and you’ve navigated out of the dimly lit parkade into the early evening traffic, the atmosphere in the car feels charged, but not uncomfortably so. It’s the buzz of something new, unexpected.
"So," she says, breaking the silence first, her gaze on the passing cityscape, a blur of office lights and neon signs. "This job. Is it… what you always wanted to do?"
You laugh, a short, surprised sound. "Managing quarterly reports and navigating inter-departmental squabbles? Not exactly the dream I had when I was, like, ten." You glance at her. "It’s alright, though. Pays the bills. I’ve kind of gotten used to it, you know? Found a rhythm. Got a decent team, for the most part. People I actually don’t mind seeing every day. That’s something, right?"
"It is," she agrees, turning her head slightly to look at you. "You’re good at it."
That surprises you. "You think so?"
"Yes," she says, with a quiet certainty that makes you sit up a little straighter. "You don’t… take advantage. Of your position." Her eyes flick to the road, then back to you. "You treat everyone like they matter. Even the casuals." There's a faint emphasis on the last word, a shadow in her tone that makes you wonder.
"Well, that’s just… basic decency, isn’t it?" you say, a little embarrassed by the praise. "Nothing to write home about. Everyone’s just trying to get through their day."
"Not everyone sees it that way," Irene counters, her words flat, devoid of inflection, but carrying a weight nonetheless. "I’ve worked in places… with terrible superiors."
"Ah, the petty tyrants of middle management," you sigh, shaking your head. "People with miserable, unhappy lives who get a tiny sliver of power and suddenly think they’re Genghis Khan in a polyester suit. They try to feel better by making everyone else feel smaller. It’s pitiful, really. Because at the end of the day, they’re still just employees. Same as anyone else. One major screw-up, one too many complaints, and they’re out on their ass just like the next person." You glance at her. "Hope you didn’t have to deal with too many of those."
She doesn’t answer directly, just looks out her window again. "It happens."
A beat of silence. You change the subject, not wanting to dwell on whatever bad experiences she’s clearly had. "So, do you live around here? Or am I kidnapping you to the other side of the city for this drink?"
"No, I live pretty close by, actually. Just a few blocks from the office."
"Oh, good," you say. "Well, after we’ve thoroughly deflated Monday’s ego with a beverage or two, I can drop you off, if you like. Save you the walk."
She turns to you again, and this time, the smile is a little more definite, reaching her eyes. "Thank you. I’d like that."
The bar is that classic thing: dimly lit, exposed brick, a long mahogany counter gleaming under strategically placed spotlights and indie rock plays at a conversational level. It’s busy enough to have a buzz, but not so packed you can’t find a quiet corner. You spot a small, empty table tucked away near a bookshelf filled with mismatched paperbacks. Perfect.
You lead her over, pulling out one of the sturdy wooden chairs for her. "Best seat in the house," you announce with a mock flourish.
She slides into the chair, her handbag placed neatly on her lap. "It’s nice," she says, looking around, taking it all in. "I like it."
"Glad it meets with your approval," you grin. "Now, the crucial question: what are you drinking?"
Her eyes scan the chalkboards behind the bar listing craft beers and cocktails. "Um. Maybe a… gin and tonic? If they have a good gin."
"Consider it done." You head to the counter, weaving through a few small groups. You order her G&T, specifying a decent small-batch gin you know they carry, and an old-fashioned for yourself. Waiting for the bartender to work his magic, you glance back at Irene. She’s watching the other patrons, her expression unreadable but not, you think, uncomfortable. She looks small and almost delicate in the low light, yet there’s that core of resilience you always sense in her.
Drinks secured, you carry them carefully back to the table. You set her tall, clinking glass in front of her and place your own squat tumbler down. Sliding into the chair opposite, you make sure you’re facing her directly. This feels good. Really good.
You pick up your glass. "Well," you say, raising it slightly.
Irene mirrors your action, her dark eyes questioning yours over the rim of her glass. "What are we toasting to?" she asks
A grin spreads across your face. "To new beginnings," you start, then amend it. "No, scratch that. To Monday nights that don’t suck. And, more importantly," you meet her gaze directly, "to the best goddamn casual worker this company has ever had the dumb luck to hire."
A beat of silence. Then, something remarkable happens. Irene laughs. It’s not a loud laugh, not a boisterous one. It’s a soft, breathy sound, genuine and utterly unexpected, crinkling the corners of her eyes and making her whole face light up for a precious, unguarded moment. "Oh my god," she says, still chuckling, shaking her head slightly. "Thank you." She clinks her glass against yours. "I’ll drink to that.”
That shared laugh, her unexpected, genuine amusement: it’s like a key turning in a rusty lock. The air between you shifts, losing some of its earlier, fragile tension, replaced by something warmer, more… possible. You take a slow sip of your old-fashioned, the sharp bite of whiskey and bitters a pleasant counterpoint to the sweetness of the moment. Her gin and tonic is already a little lower in its tall glass, the ice clinking softly as she sets it down.
"So," you begin, leaning back a fraction, trying to project casual interest rather than the full-blown interrogation your curiosity is screaming for. "Aside from being a spreadsheet wizard and a savior of Monday nights, what else does Irene Bae get up to?”
"Nothing too extraordinary. I like to read. And I walk a lot. Explore the city."
"Reading, huh? Anything good lately?" You try to keep your follow-up equally light. You’re intensely aware that every question is a potential landmine. Too personal, too probing, and she might just vanish back into that shell.
"I just finished a collection of short stories," she offers, her words measured. "Modern gothic. Quite dark."
"Sounds… cheerful," you remark, raising an eyebrow. "Matches the general Monday vibe, I guess." Your internal monologue is whirring: Modern gothic. Dark. Okay, that’s… interesting. Not exactly chick-lit. Adds another layer to the enigma.
She gives a tiny shrug, a graceful, minimal movement. "I find it interesting." She takes a delicate sip of her drink, her eyes watching you over the rim. Then, before you can formulate another carefully casual question, she flips it. "What about you? When you’re not cracking the whip at the office or rescuing Mondays, what’s your grand passion?"
The question, coming from her, feels like a small gift. You lean forward, genuinely pleased to share, to keep the conversational ball rolling. "Ha, 'cracking the whip.' If only. Mostly I just try to keep the ship from hitting the nearest iceberg." You grin. "Passions? Let’s see. I’m a bit of a film nerd. Old movies, foreign films, anything that isn’t a superhero sequel, basically. And I attempt to play guitar – emphasis on 'attempt.' My neighbors probably hate me."
"A film nerd?" A flicker of something unreadable in her eyes. "Any particular director or era you favor?"
"Oh, man, where to start?" You launch into a slightly-too-enthusiastic explanation of your love for classic film noir, the French New Wave, the oddball genius of Kurosawa. You talk about the satisfaction of finally tracking down a rare print, the joy of watching a masterpiece on a big screen, even if it’s just at the local art-house cinema. You’re aware you’re probably rambling a bit, but she’s listening. Or at least, she appears to be. She’s still, her gaze fixed on you, not interrupting, just… absorbing. It’s more attention than she’s ever given you in the office.
You eventually wind down, a little breathless, feeling slightly foolish for your impromptu lecture. "Sorry," you say, laughing a bit. "Probably more than you ever wanted to know about black and white cinematography."
"No, it’s… interesting," she says, and you think she actually means it. Or maybe she’s just incredibly polite. "You’re passionate about it. It’s clear."
"Yeah, I guess I am." You take another swallow of your drink. The warmth of the whiskey spreads through your chest, mingling with the unexpected warmth of this conversation. "So, you said you walk a lot. Any favorite spots in the city? Hidden gems I should know about?"
"I haven't found any particularly interesting places yet. But, uh, I went to a historic library this month and the place is really pretty. I think that's a start."
"Sounds interesting. The city’s definitely got a lot to offer if you just wander. I keep meaning to do more of that myself, but, you know, life. Work."
"It can be hard to find the time," she agrees, her gaze returning to yours. Her expression is neutral, but her eyes are observant, constantly gauging. You have the distinct feeling you’re being carefully evaluated. "Do you… enjoy living here? In this city?"
"Yeah, I do, actually," you reply honestly. "It’s not where I grew up, but I’ve been here long enough that it feels like home. There’s always something going on, good food, decent music scene. And it’s big enough that you can disappear if you want to, but small enough that you still run into people you know. What about you? Are you originally from here?"
Another brief hesitation. "No. Not originally." She offers no more than that. Another door, gently closed. You’re learning the rhythm of it: she’ll answer the direct question, but volunteer nothing extra about herself.
"Well, no need to thank me for revealing the best gin in the city," you joke, gesturing to her glass.
A tiny smile again. "This place is cool. And the gin is really good."
"Well, I know you are a reserved person, but I’m honored you made an exception for my 'kickstart the week' initiative."
"It was…" she pauses, as if searching for the right word, "...a good suggestion."
The conversation flows like that for a while longer, a gentle ebb and flow of questions and answers. You learn that she prefers tea to coffee, that she finds crowded places overwhelming, that she once had a cat but doesn’t currently. Each piece of information is tiny, almost inconsequential on its own, but you hoard them like precious gems. In return, you tell her about your disastrous attempts at cooking, a funny story about your college roommate that happened years ago, your undying loyalty to a consistently terrible local sports team. You’re careful to keep it light, to match her level of disclosure, but inside, you’re buzzing. You’re actually talking to Irene Bae, and she’s… talking back. It feels like a minor miracle.
Her drink is nearly empty, and yours isn't far behind. The initial energy of the bar has mellowed into a comfortable, late-evening hum. You catch the bartender’s eye, you lift two fingers, then tap your chest and mouth "non-alcoholic beer for me this time." He nods, already reaching for a specific bottle from the cooler. Driving Irene home safely is suddenly a very high priority.
When he brings the drinks, a fresh, fragrant G&T for her, and a dark, malty-looking non-alcoholic brew for you, Irene is watching you, that quiet, considering look in her eyes again.
"So, about the work,” you start, “are you actually, you know, enjoying your time at the company? Aside from my brilliant supervisory skills, of course."
"It’s… okay," she says, which from Irene is practically a glowing endorsement. "I know it probably doesn’t seem like it, since I’m usually… quiet."
"Hey, quiet is fine," you interject quickly. "You’re always polite, you do incredible work, and you haven’t tried to set fire to the servers yet. Honestly, that puts you in the top percentile of casuals we’ve had." You mean it. "Seriously though, as long as you’re not miserable, that’s what matters."
"I’m not miserable," she confirms. "It’s… structured. Predictable. I appreciate that."
"Good." You nod, relieved. "So, what’s the plan then? Your current contract is up in, what, another month or so? Any thoughts on what you’ll do next? Back to the exciting world of job hunting?" You try to keep it light, but there’s an underlying purpose to your question now.
She looks down into her drink, swirling the ice with a long, slender finger. The small gesture somehow seems incredibly thoughtful. "I haven’t really thought that far ahead," she admits. "Find another job, I suppose. That’s usually how it goes."
This is it. Your opening. Your heart gives a little thump. "Well," you begin, trying to sound casual, like this is just a random thought that popped into your head. "About that. There’s actually been some talk… about your role."
Her head comes up, eyes narrowed slightly in question.
"The thing is, Irene," you lean forward a fraction, "you’re kind of indispensable. And some of us, higher up the food chain, have noticed that." You take a breath. "So, I was wondering… how would you feel about making your position full-time? Permanent contract, benefits, the whole shebang."
She stares at you, her expression unreadable. Surprise, definitely. Maybe a hint of suspicion? "You… can do that?"
"Not me, personally," you clarify quickly. "This isn't me pulling strings as your dashingly handsome supervisor." You shoot her a quick grin, which she doesn’t return, her focus entirely on your words. "The decision actually came from the big boss, old Henderson himself, after seeing the quarterly summaries and the work you did on that merger data. He was… impressed. He asked me to sound you out, see if you’d be interested. I was planning on talking to you about it sometime this week, but, well, now seems as good a time as any, right?"
Irene is silent for a long moment, her gaze fixed on some distant point over your shoulder. You can almost see the gears turning in her head. Finally, she looks back at you. "I… I’d have to think about it."
"Of course," you say immediately. "No pressure at all. Seriously. Take your time. But," you can't help adding, "it would be really great to have you on board properly. As a, you know, full-fledged contract worker."
She cocks her head, a tiny, bird-like movement. "Why?"
The question is so direct, so simple, it throws you for a second. "Why?" you echo. You hesitate, searching for the right words. The real reasons are a tangled mess of professional admiration and a rapidly growing personal affection that feels way too soon, too intense to articulate. "Well, because… because you’re an excellent professional, Irene," you land on, hoping it sounds convincing. "You’re efficient, you’re meticulous, your attention to detail is incredible. You make my job easier, and you make the whole team look good."
She shakes her head slowly, a faint frown touching her lips. "What I do… it’s no big deal. Data entry, report summaries. There are plenty of people out there who can do the same thing."
You lean forward, a mock-serious expression on your face. "Actually, Irene, I don't like you just doing your job," you say, letting the pause hang for a split second before a grin breaks through. "Because what you do isn't just 'your job.' It's exceptional. And no, not 'several out there' can do it like you." You soften your expression, meeting her gaze earnestly. "Besides, everyone at the company genuinely appreciates you, and your work."
A beat of silence. Then, Irene laughs again, that soft, breathy sound that does ridiculous things to your insides. Her eyes, though, are sparkling with a teasing light you’ve never seen before. "Oh really?" she says, a playful lilt in her quiet words. "Is it everyone? Or is it… just you?"
Heat floods your face. You can feel the blush creeping up your neck. You look away, flustered, trying to come up with a clever retort, but your brain has apparently short-circuited. Shit. You’re usually better at this.
Seeing your reaction, her expression softens. "Hey," she says, her words a soft balm. "I’m just joking." She reaches out, just for a second, and her cool fingertips brush the back of your hand where it rests on the table. "Don’t look so terrified."
You manage a shaky laugh, looking back at her. Her eyes are kind. More than kind.
"And for the record," she continues, her gaze holding yours. "I appreciate that you like my work. You're very kind.”
Irene’s gaze is steady on yours, a hint of that earlier blush still dusting her cheekbones, but her expression is open, almost serene. That tiny, brave nod she gives is more articulate than a thousand words.
"Alright," you manage, letting out a shaky laugh. "Okay. That’s… that’s really good to hear, Irene. So," you venture, your smile softening, "does this mean you’re going to accept my incredibly generous, Henderson-approved proposal to become a permanent fixture of corporate excellence?"
She chuckles. It’s amazing how quickly she seems to be shedding layers of that formidable reserve, at least with you, in this moment. "I said I’d think about it," she reminds you, a playful glint back in her eyes. "No need to rush such a life-altering decision, right?"
"Right, right, of course," you concede, still grinning like an idiot. "Strategic deliberation. I respect that."
And just like that, the initial fear peak passes, settling into a comfortable, warm plateau. You talk. For hours, it seems. The second round of drinks arrives, your non-alcoholic beer surprisingly satisfying, her gin and tonic still her companion. The conversation meanders easily now, a stark contrast to the careful, step-by-step navigation of your earlier interactions. You touch on office matters: the ridiculousness of certain company policies, the upcoming (and dreaded) office move to a new floor, the latest gossip about which department head is feuding with another (which Irene, surprisingly, seems to have a few wry, understated observations about).
Then you drift to side things. You talk more about films you both like, discovering a shared appreciation for a particular cult sci-fi series from the 90s that you’re both shocked the other has even heard of. She mentions, very briefly, a passion for minimalist photography, focusing on urban decay and overlooked details, and you make a mental note to ask her more about it another time, when it feels right. You tell her about your disastrous attempt to learn coding during lockdown, which ended with you accidentally wiping your own hard drive. She doesn’t laugh uproariously, but her shoulders shake a little, and her eyes crinkle at the corners in a way that makes you smile unconsciously.
Time seems to dissolve. The bar gradually empties. You’re both leaning in slightly over the small table, the rest of the world faded into a pleasant, out-of-focus backdrop. It’s only when you catch a glimpse of the clock behind the bar, nudging past midnight, that you realize how long you’ve been here.
"Whoa," you say, genuinely surprised. "Look at the time." You glance at Irene. She does look a little tired now, the earlier animation softened by a gentle weariness around her eyes, though her expression is still content. "I should probably get you home. You must be exhausted."
She stifles a small yawn, then nods. "Probably a good idea. Mondays, even good ones, take their toll."
When the bartender brings the bill, Irene immediately reaches for her handbag. "Let me get my share," she says, her tone matter-of-fact.
You wave your hand dismissively. "Nope. Not a chance. My treat. I did invite you to defiantly kickstart the week, remember?"
"But we had four or five rounds," she protests mildly. "And you offered me a job. The least I can do is pay for my own gin."
"Consider it a pre-emptive signing bonus discussion fee," you counter, already pulling out your card. "Seriously, Irene. It’s on me. Please."
She hesitates for a moment, then a small, appreciative smile touches her lips. "Okay. Thank you. That’s… very chivalrous."
"I have my moments," you say, winking, as you settle the bill.
In the car, the city lights painting fleeting stripes across the dashboard, Irene gives you her address; a street in a quiet, older residential area not far from the office, just as she’d said.
"So," you ask, as you navigate the familiar streets, "you live alone?" It’s a casual question, but your heart beats a little faster waiting for the answer.
"Yes," she replies, looking out at the passing buildings. "For a few years now." She turns her head. "You?"
"Same here," you say. "Just me and my old movie collection. The second part probably justifies the first."
She gives a soft chuckle at that.
You pull up outside a well-maintained older apartment building, with a small, neat garden out front. It looks… peaceful. Like her.
"Well, here we are," you say, putting the car in park.
Irene turns in her seat to face you more fully. "Thank you," she says, her gaze direct and sincere. "For the invitation, for the drinks. It was… a really nice chat. I enjoyed it."
"Me too, Irene," you reply, your own sincerity matching hers. "Thanks for your company. It was a lot of fun. Definitely the best Monday I’ve had in a long time."
"Good night, then," she says softly. Her hand hovers near the door handle. For a wild second, you wonder if you should lean in, if this is the moment for a goodbye kiss, but something in her stillness, a lingering hint of that old reserve, tells you not yet. Don’t push it. Not now.
"Good night, Irene," you echo. "Get some rest."
She nods, gives you one last small smile, and then she’s out of the car, a fleeting figure disappearing into the building’s warmly lit entryway. You wait until you see the lobby door close behind her before pulling away, a wide, goofy grin plastered on your face that doesn’t fade the entire drive home.
—
From that night on, something undeniably shifts. Your bond with Irene, forged in the dim light of that quiet bar, begins to progress in subtle but significant ways. In the office, she still maintains her discreet presence, never drawing undue attention to herself. But with you, things are different. She seeks out your gaze more often across the expanse of cubicles, a small, almost imperceptible smile usually accompanying it. When you approach her desk, she looks up immediately, the guardedness you were so used to now noticeably lessened, replaced by a welcoming warmth in her dark eyes.
She talks to you more, too. Not just about work, though she’s still impeccably professional. She’ll share a wry observation about a particularly mind-numbing office memo, or ask your opinion on a new software rollout. Sometimes, she even initiates the conversation, a quiet "Got a minute?" when she has a genuine query or, increasingly, just something she wants to share. And jokes (Irene actually makes jokes). They’re subtle, dry, delivered with that understated wit you’re quickly coming to adore, but they’re there, little sparks of humor that light up your interactions.
It makes you ridiculously happy, this gradual unfolding. Every shared glance, every quiet conversation, every fleeting smile feels like a victory, a testament to the connection you’re building. You find yourself looking forward to seeing her each day with an eagerness that’s entirely new. There’s no denying it, not anymore. You’re liking Irene Bae more and more, and the thought of where this all might be heading fills you with a buoyant, thrilling anticipation.
The week has been a blur of spreadsheets that all look the same and meetings that could have been emails. Standard. You do your usual wander through the office tundra, a flimsy excuse to stretch your legs and make sure the drones haven't revolted. You offer the requisite nods, the "how’s it goings," the feigned interest in weekend plans that involve either mind-numbing DIY or equally mind-numbing children's soccer games. But really, your internal compass is pointing one way: Irene’s desk.
She’s there, a small, still point in the surrounding office chaos. Head down, focused. God, she’s beautiful. It’s not even a conscious thought anymore, just an accepted fact, like gravity or the office coffee being terrible. Today she’s wearing a cream-colored sweater, soft and slightly oversized, that makes her look even more delicate. Her dark hair is clipped back loosely, a few stray strands feathering her cheek. As you approach, she senses you, looking up. And this time, there’s no hesitation, no fractional delay before her polite mask clicks into place. This time, a small, subtle smile touches her lips almost instantly. It’s a tiny thing, barely a curve, but on Irene, it’s like a goddamn sunrise. Your chest does that stupid warm lurch it’s been doing a lot lately.
"Morning, Irene," you say, leaning against the partition of her cubicle, trying to match her quiet energy. "Or, well, almost afternoon, I guess."
"Good morning," she replies, her words soft, but the smile lingers in her eyes. That’s new. And definitely not unwelcome.
"Just checking in. How’s that… uh… creative asset compilation for the new campaign coming along? The one I dumped on you yesterday with zero notice?" You’d asked her to pull together a bunch of visual elements and a draft for some new ad copy. A bit outside her usual data-entry scope, but you had a hunch she’d be good at it.
"Almost done," she confirms, gesturing vaguely at her screen. "Just finalizing the font choices for the header. It should be ready by three."
"No rush at all, you’re a miracle worker as it is." You glance at her screen, trying to seem interested in fonts, but your attention snags on the small, almost hidden detail on her desk – a tiny, exquisitely wrapped parcel, no bigger than a matchbox, tied with a simple silver ribbon. It wasn't there yesterday. "So," you continue, keeping your tone light, "anything exciting happen since I last graced your cubicle with my overwhelming presence?"
Her gaze flickers to the small parcel, then back to you, and the subtle smile widens just a fraction. "Actually," she says, her fingers brushing the ribbon lightly, "I received what you sent."
Ah. So she got it. This week was her birthday. You’d thought about organizing something, a small surprise with a few of the nicer people on the team. But then you’d pictured Irene, the center of attention, forced smiles, awkward small talk… and you’d nixed the idea. She wasn’t the surprise party type. So, you’d sent a small, carefully chosen gift to her apartment instead (you still had her address from that night at the bar). A collection of short stories by an author she mentioned being a fan of and, apparently, she didn't have this book yet, which is a new release.
"Oh yeah?" you ask, feigning mild surprise. "Well, I hope I didn't choose something boring. Choosing gifts isn't really something I'm very talented at."
A soft chuckle escapes her. "No, it was… lovely. Thank you. You really didn't need to bother, though."
"Hey, what are supervisors for if not to occasionally bother their best employees with unsolicited tokens of appreciation?" you say, grinning. "Glad you liked it." You pause, then decide to take the plunge. "So, listen. Friday today. End of a massively busy week. Any chance I could tempt you with another round of drinks? All on me, of course.”
She looks up, and for a moment, you see that familiar flicker of hesitation, the slight tensing around her eyes. She bites her lip, her gaze dropping to the desk. "I don't know…" she begins, her words very quiet. "Don't you think… people in the office might find it a bit strange? Just you and me, going out for drinks together again?"
Her concern is valid. You’re her supervisor. And while this office isn't exactly a hotbed of malicious gossip, people notice things. But the thought of not seeing her outside these four grey walls, especially after the progress you’ve made, feels… deflating.
You shrug. "Let them think whatever they want. Honestly, Irene, who cares? It's just a couple of colleagues grabbing a drink after a long week. Besides," you add, leaning in a fraction, lowering your tone slightly, "no one here is interesting enough to be a dedicated gossip columnist. They’re too busy worrying about their own TPS reports. You don't need to worry about it."
She looks at you for a long moment. You can see the internal debate warring in her eyes. Then, slowly, a small, almost shy smile. "Okay," she says. "Okay, I’d like that."
—
Lunchtime. You’re at your desk, staring blankly at a spreadsheet that’s threatening to induce a coma, when a small shadow falls over your keyboard. You look up, surprised.
It’s Irene. She’s holding a small, clear plastic container, tied with a simple piece of kitchen twine. Inside, you can see a neat stack of perfectly round, golden-brown cookies. Homemade. No doubt about it.
"Hi," she says, a little shyly, holding out the container. "I, uh… I made these last night. For you. As a thank you. For the… for the other day. And the gift."
You’re genuinely speechless for a second. Irene Bae baked you cookies. You take the container, your fingers brushing hers. "Irene, wow. You… you really didn’t have to do this."
"I wanted to," she says, that faint blush back on her cheeks. "They’re just chocolate chip. Nothing fancy." She pauses, then adds, with a tiny, playful smirk, "Don’t get spoiled."
"Too late," you say, already prying the lid off. The smell of warm butter and melted chocolate hits you. "These look incredible. Seriously." You take one, biting into it. It’s perfect: soft and chewy in the middle, slightly crisp around the edges. "Holy shit, Irene, these are… you’re a wizard."
"They’re just cookies."
"No, these are not 'just cookies'," you insist, taking another enthusiastic bite. "These are edible drops of pure happiness. You’re wasted on data entry, you know that? You should open a bakery."
"One business is enough for now," she says, but she looks genuinely pleased by your reaction. She lingers by your desk for a moment, not quite meeting your eye, but not leaving either. "How’s… how’s your day going? You look a little tired."
It’s true. The past few days have been a relentless onslaught of urgent requests, looming deadlines, and a particularly tedious software integration project that’s been fighting you every step of the way. You probably look like you’ve been wrestling a badger.
"Yeah, it’s been a bit of a beast," you admit, rubbing your eyes. "Lots of fires to put out. Trying to get the specs finalized for the Q4 roll-out, plus Henderson is breathing down my neck about those new compliance protocols. Standard corporate fun and games." You try for a light tone. "But I’m fine. Just need about seventeen more cups of coffee."
Her expression softens with something that looks a lot like genuine concern. "Don’t try to do too much," she says. "You’ll burn yourself out."
"Words of wisdom from the cookie queen," you say, smiling at her. "I’ll try to take it easy. Especially since," you add, your grin widening, "I’m really looking forward to those drinks later."
You expect her to just nod, to give one of her polite, non-committal responses. But instead, her eyes meet yours, and there’s a surprising warmth, a definite spark in their depths. "Me too," she says, her words clear and, to your utter astonishment, tinged with what sounds like genuine anticipation.
—
The end-of-day exodus is in full swing, the usual shuffle of tired bodies and the clatter of keyboards being powered down. You catch Irene’s eye as she’s gathering her things, and that subtle smile, the one that’s becoming less of a rarity when you’re around, touches her lips. She does look tired, a faint weariness around her dark eyes, but it doesn’t diminish the quiet prettiness that always seems to cling to her. If anything, the slight vulnerability makes her even more striking.
You meet her by the elevators, a silent agreement passing between you. No need for forced office goodbyes today.
"Ready to officially declare war on the work week?" you ask as you both step out into the cool evening air. The city is already starting to glitter, streetlights blinking on against the fading daylight.
She glances up at you, noticing you're not heading towards the parkade. "No car today?"
"Nope," you say, hands in your pockets as you start walking. "Figured if we're going for drinks, actual drinks, then driving is counterproductive to the whole 'getting drunk and forgetting responsibilities' vibe. Thought we’d walk."
Irene falls into step beside you, her pace surprisingly brisk for someone who looked so weary moments ago. "Didn't you come to work by car today? But… I could have said no to the invitation. You would have walked for nothing."
You shoot her a sideways grin. "Nah. I had a pretty good feeling you’d say yes."
"Very presumptuous of you," she murmurs, but there’s no bite to it, only amusement.
The walk to the bar is easy, the conversation flowing more naturally than it ever has in the sterile confines of the office. You talk like coworkers, at first. The new coffee machine in the breakroom, which everyone agrees is a downgrade despite its fancy chrome exterior. The inexplicable disappearance of all the good pens from the supply closet.
"Seriously," you say, shaking your head as you navigate a cracked paving stone, "it’s like there’s a pen gremlin. I bought a pack of twelve on Monday. By Wednesday, they were all gone."
Irene actually chuckles at that. "It’s Henderson. I saw him pocket one of mine yesterday when he thought I wasn’t looking."
"No way!" you exclaim, genuinely shocked. "The CEO? Stealing pens? That’s… actually kind of hilarious."
"He has very specific preferences for blue ink," she says, her tone dry, and you both laugh.
It’s like this, small talk, office anecdotes. Nothing too deep, nothing too personal, but it’s comfortable. You notice the way she walks, with a quiet grace, her gaze often drifting to the small details of the cityscape around you; an interesting piece of graffiti, an old, weathered doorway, the way the light hits a particular window. She doesn’t say much about what she sees, but you get the feeling she’s absorbing it all.
The bar is the same familiar spot, a haven of dim lights and good music. You find your preferred corner table, and Irene slides into the chair you pull out for her with a small, appreciative nod.
"Same again?" you ask, already knowing her answer.
"Gin and tonic, please," she confirms.
You head to the bar, ordering her drink and another of those surprisingly decent dark ales for yourself.
When you return, she’s watching the crowd, a faint smile on her lips. You set the drinks down, the tall glass of her G&T clinking softly against your bottle. You slide into the chair opposite her, the small table creating a sense of comfortable intimacy.
"Alright," you say, picking up your bottle and raising it slightly. "First round."
She lifts her glass, her dark eyes meeting yours. "To what, exactly, are we dedicating this particular round of defiance against the universe?"
You grin. "To surviving another week of corporate warfare. To Fridays. And," you pause, your gaze softening, "to the fact that the mystery of the stolen pens was finally solved, thanks to your important intel."
"You’re welcome. Happy to assist in the fight against executive kleptomania." She clinks her glass against your bottle. "Cheers."
You both take a sip, a comfortable silence settling between you for a moment. The bar’s atmosphere wraps around you, the low murmur of other conversations, the distant clatter from the kitchen, the bluesy track oozing from the speakers. It feels… right.
"So," you begin, after a while, setting your bottle down. "That whole full-time contract thing. Still mulling it over?"
Irene takes a slow sip of her G&T, her eyes thoughtful. "I am," she admits. "It’s… a big decision. More responsibility. More… permanence."
"No pressure," you reiterate. "The offer stands. But Henderson was genuinely impressed. You’ve made a good mark."
"It’s just… data," she says, looking down into her glass. "It’s not like I’m revolutionizing the industry."
"Hey," you say, leaning forward slightly. "Don’t sell yourself short. You have a knack for seeing patterns, for making sense of chaos. That’s a rare skill. And honestly, the way you transformed that Henderson merger data from an absolute clusterfuck into something coherent? That was art, Irene. Pure, unadulterated, spreadsheet art."
She looks up, and there’s a faint blush on her cheeks, but also a flicker of something else (pride, maybe?) "You really think so?"
"I know so." You pause, then decide to just go for it. "Look, I’m not going to bullshit you. The main reason Henderson wants you on full-time is because you’re damn good at what you do. But for me?" You meet her gaze, holding it. "I just… I really like having you around the office, Irene. You make the place better."
Her eyes widen almost imperceptibly, her lips parting slightly. The blush deepens. She looks away, down at her glass, then back at you, a complex mix of emotions playing across her usually composed features. She opens her mouth as if to say something, then closes it, takes another sip of her drink.
She finally sets her glass down with a soft click, her fingers tracing the condensation. "That’s… a really nice thing to say," she says.
Your smile widens at her quiet admission, the sincerity in her dark eyes hitting you with a pleasant warmth. "Well, 'nice' is a good start," you say, your own words softer now. "I was aiming for at least 'not actively terrible,' so I’m calling this a win."
She gives a small, almost shy laugh, her gaze dropping to the G&T she’s cradling. The ice cubes shift and clink as she swirls the glass. "You set a low bar for yourself."
"Hey, gotta manage expectations," you retort, grinning. "Especially on a Friday when the main goal is to de-stress, not to impress." You take another sip of your non-alcoholic beer. It’s not bad, actually. Almost makes you feel like a responsible adult.
The conversation flows easily after that, the topics meandering from the absurdities of office life to more general things. She listens with an unreadable but attentive expression as you recount a particularly disastrous client presentation you had to salvage earlier in the year, even managing a small, sympathetic grimace when you get to the part about the projector dying mid-PowerPoint. Hours seem to melt away, marked only by the gradual lowering of the liquid in your glasses and the comfortable rhythm of your shared talk.
It’s Irene who eventually steers the conversation into more personal territory, and it’s so unexpected it almost makes you choke on your beer. She’s been quieter for a few moments, tracing the rim of her glass with a fingertip, a thoughtful frown creasing her brow. Then, she looks up, her dark eyes meeting yours with a new sort of intensity.
"So," she begins, her words careful, measured, "you mentioned your friends at the office. The ones you started with."
"Yeah?" you prompt, curious where this is going.
"Is it… just friendships? Or is there anyone… more specific?" Her gaze is direct, unwavering, and you realize she’s not just making small talk. This is deliberate. She’s plucking up the courage, right here, right now.
You try to keep your expression neutral, but you can feel a faint heat rising in your own cheeks. "More specific how?"
"You know," she says, a tiny, almost imperceptible shrug. "A girlfriend? Someone you’re seeing?" Then, her eyes flick to a point just past your shoulder, a subtle shift. "Like… Seulgi? You two seem… very close."
Ah. Seulgi. You should have seen that coming. Seulgi is vibrant, outgoing, and yes, you two are close. You share a lot of inside jokes, grab lunch together sometimes, and there’s an easy camaraderie between you that probably looks like more than it is to an outside observer. Especially an observant one like Irene.
You lean back in your chair, considering how to answer. Honesty seems like the best policy here, especially with the way Irene is watching you. "Seulgi and I…" you begin, then pause, choosing your words. "Yeah, we’re close. But it’s not… like that. Not anymore, anyway."
Irene’s eyebrows lift slightly. "Anymore?"
You sigh, running a hand through your hair. Might as well just lay it out. "Look, years ago, when we both first started at Henderson Corp, fresh out of uni, barely knew which way was up… yeah, Seulgi and I had a thing. An affair, I guess you’d call it. It was intense, for a while. But it was a long time ago. We were young, stupid, figuring things out." You meet her gaze. "It burned out pretty quick. Honestly, we realized we were much better as friends. And that’s what we are now. Good friends. Nothing more, I promise."
She absorbs this, her expression unreadable for a moment. Then, "Aren’t… relationships between employees frowned upon? At the company?"
"Officially?" you shrug. "There’s no explicit rule against it, as long as it doesn't involve a direct reporting line, which ours didn’t, even back then. Henderson’s surprisingly old-school about some things, but pretty laissez-faire about others. Unofficially, the policy is basically: keep it professional at work, don’t let it affect your performance, and for God’s sake, no dramatic breakups in the middle of the quarterly budget cycle." You take a sip of your beer. "What you do on your own time, outside the office walls, is generally considered your own business. As long as you’re not an idiot about it and it doesn’t spill into work, they tend to look the other way."
Irene nods slowly, processing that. "So… it’s okay?"
"Yeah, mostly. Just gotta be smart, maintain professionalism when you're on the clock. Everything’s fine. Honestly, there are probably more office romances brewing in that place than anyone realizes." You grin. "Henderson Corp: Where Careers and Questionable Life Choices Collide."
She gives a small, hesitant smile at that. The conversation drifts a little after that, back to safer, more general topics. You order another round, she sticks to her G&T, you get another non-alcoholic ale. The bar is thinning out now, the Friday night energy mellowing into a late-evening calm. Irene seems more relaxed than you’ve ever seen her. She’s leaning back in her chair, one arm resting on the table, her earlier tension almost entirely gone. She even initiates a couple of topics, asking about a book you mentioned earlier, a small, thoughtful question about one of the characters.
It’s as you’re describing a particularly ridiculous plot twist that she starts to chuckle. Not a full laugh, but a series of soft, breathy huffs of amusement, her eyes crinkling at the corners.
"What?" you ask, grinning. "Too unbelievable?"
"No, it’s not the book," she says, shaking her head, her smile widening. "It’s you."
"Me?"
"Yes, you," she confirms, and there’s a definite warmth in her gaze now. "You’re… you’re actually quite funny." She pauses, as if surprised by her own admission. "It’s… rare. For me to find men funny."
You blink, then let out a surprised laugh yourself. "Is that a compliment, Bae Joohyun?" you tease, using her full name for the first time, enjoying the way a slight blush rises on her cheeks.
She rolls her eyes, but the smile doesn’t fade. "Don’t let it go to your head."
"Too late," you say, your grin spreading wider. "I’m officially adding 'surprisingly humorous to discerning women' to my resume." You lean forward, your elbows on the table, the atmosphere between you feeling lighter, more charged than ever. The drinks, the late hour, her unexpected praise… it’s all coalescing into something…
promising.
"So, Irene Bae, now that we’ve established this mutual… "liking"," you drawl the word out, enjoying the faint blush that returns to her cheeks, "does this improve the odds of you accepting Henderson’s most gracious offer of permanent employment?"
She picks up her G&T, takes a thoughtful sip. "Still thinking," she says, her eyes sparkling over the rim of the glass. "Wouldn't want to seem too eager, would I?"
"Heaven forbid," you agree, playing along. "Strategic ambiguity. Very professional."
The conversation continues, hours evaporate. The bar staff are starting to wipe down distant tables, the music has shifted to something even more mellow, and the crowd has thinned to a few lingering couples and solitary drinkers. Irene glances at the small, elegant watch on her slender wrist.
"Wow, it’s… getting pretty late," she says, her words carrying a hint of surprise, as if she hadn't realized how quickly the time had passed.
You nod, a reluctant sigh escaping you. The beer has settled into a comfortable warmth in your system, your limbs loose, your head pleasantly fuzzy. "Yeah, you’re right." You pause, looking at her, at the soft way the low light catches her dark hair, the way her eyes seem even deeper, more expressive in the intimate gloom. "Damn shame. I wish this night wouldn't end."
She meets your gaze, her smile soft, questioning. "Oh yeah? Why’s that?"
The alcohol has definitely loosened your tongue, stripped away a few layers of your usual caution. "Because I like being around you, Irene," you confess, the words coming out easily, honestly. "Your presence… I don’t know. It’s kind of hypnotic." You give a small, self-deprecating laugh. "And now I’m going to go home and just… keep thinking about you."
"You… think about me?" she asks.
"Yeah," you admit, feeling your own cheeks warm a little. "A lot, actually."
She’s silent for a moment, then, very slowly, her hand reaches across the small table, her cool fingertips brushing against yours. It’s a feather-light touch, barely there, but it sends a jolt straight up your arm. "What… what do you think about?"
"Everything," you say, your gaze locked on hers, feeling a bit drunk on more than just the beer now. "The way you concentrate when you’re working. The way you have that tiny little frown when you’re figuring something out. The way your hair falls across your cheek when you’re not looking." You shake your head, a small, dazed smile on your face. "Lately, Irene, you’re pretty much the only thing on my mind."
Her fingers intertwine with yours, a soft, hesitant pressure. Her dark eyes are searching yours, and you can see a storm of emotions in their depths. "Lately," she confesses, "I’ve… I’ve been thinking about you too."
"Yeah? What do you think about me, Irene Bae?"
She takes a shaky breath, her gaze dropping to your joined hands, then lifting back to your eyes, bold and vulnerable all at once. "I think about… what it would be like… if you kissed me."
The world around you just… stops. Your brain stutters, reboots. You lose focus on the bar, the music, everything but her face, her eyes, the feel of her hand in yours. She thinks about you kissing her. That’s it. That’s all the fucking permission you need.
Before you can second-guess it, before the moment can break, you’re moving. You lean across the small table, your other hand coming up to cup her cheek, your thumb stroking her soft skin. And then you kiss her.
It’s insane, the moment your lips meet. Her lips are soft, yielding, tasting faintly of gin and lime. She gasps softly into your mouth, then kisses you back, her initial hesitation melting away into a surprising, eager passion. Her tongue, tentative at first, then bolder, meets yours. It’s not a polite, end-of-the-date kiss. It’s hungry, searching, like you’ve both been starving for this without even knowing it. Your fingers tighten in her hair, pulling her closer, deepening the kiss until you’re both breathless.
When you finally break apart, gasping for air, your foreheads are resting against each other. Her eyes are closed, her lips swollen and glistening.
"Don’t let the night end here, Irene," you whisper. "Please."
She opens her eyes, her gaze dark, hazy with desire. "Okay," she breathes. "My apartment."
You’re on your feet in a second, fumbling for your wallet, the earlier weariness completely gone, replaced by a thrumming, urgent energy. Irene is already sliding out of the booth, her movements a little unsteady but graceful nonetheless. You throw some cash on the table (way more than enough to cover the bill) and then you’re out, into the cool night air.
You’re definitely tipsy, the world having a pleasant, fuzzy edge. Irene stumbles slightly as you step onto the uneven sidewalk, and you instinctively reach out, your arm going around her shoulders, pulling her close. She leans into you, her body warm against yours, her head resting against your arm. She’s giggling, a light, infectious sound that makes you laugh too, a stupid, happy, drunken sound. You walk like that, a tangled, giggling mess, your steps uneven but your direction certain.
Her apartment.
—
The elevator ride up to her floor is a blur of stolen kisses and breathless laughter. You’re pressed against the cool metal wall, her hands in your hair, your mouths searching, hungry. Every time the elevator dings at a floor, you pull apart, slightly dazed, only to crash back together the moment the doors close.
She fumbles with her keys at her apartment door, still kissing you, her body pressed flush against yours in the narrow hallway. Finally, the lock clicks. She pushes the door open, stumbling inside, pulling you with her. Her bag hits the floor with a soft thud. And then, before you can even register your surroundings, she jumps, her legs wrapping around your waist, her mouth finding yours again in a bruising, desperate kiss. You catch her instinctively, your hands splaying across her ass, lifting her, holding her tight against you as you kick the door shut.
She pulls back for a moment, her chest heaving, and a wide, triumphant smile spreads across her face when she sees yours. "You’ve got my lipstick all over you," she says, her words a delighted slur, as she reaches up to smudge a pink streak on your cheek with her thumb.
You glance around then, taking in her apartment for the first time. It’s small, neat, surprisingly minimalist but with touches of warmth: a stack of books on a low shelf, a soft throw draped over a simple armchair, a couple of framed black and white photographs on the wall. "Nice place," you manage.
Her eyes sparkle. "Did you come here to look at my apartment, or do something else?" she teases, her hips giving a suggestive little squirm against yours.
"Definitely something else," you growl, taking your "revenge" by burying your face in her neck, your lips finding the soft skin just below her ear, nibbling gently.
She yelps, a surprised, delighted sound, then dissolves into giggles, her body squirming in your arms. "Hey! That tickles!"
"Bedroom," you murmur against her skin. "Show me the way."
She points vaguely down a short hallway, still giggling, and you carry her, your mouths finding each other again, kissing deeply as you navigate the unfamiliar space. You find the door, push it open, and then you’re gently depositing her onto the bed, following her down, never breaking the kiss.
The world narrows to the feel of her beneath you, the taste of her, the soft sounds she’s making. After a moment, you pull away, reluctantly. "Clothes," you manage, your breath ragged. "Need these off."
You roll off her and stand, your fingers already working at the buttons of your shirt. Irene watches you, her eyes dark and hungry, as she sits up and reaches for the hem of her own sweater. It comes off in one smooth motion, revealing the delicate black lace of her bra, her pale skin almost luminous in the dim light filtering in from the hallway. Her petite body is, as you’ve always known, perfectly toned, every line and curve an invitation. She doesn’t hesitate, her fingers going to the clasp of her bra next.
The cotton of your shirt feels like a restriction, a barrier. Your fingers, clumsy with a mixture of alcohol and adrenaline, work at the buttons, fumbling them free one by one. It hits the floor. Shoes next, kicked off with impatient shoves of your heels, then the belt buckle clinks as you undo it, the leather sliding free. Your pants join the shirt in a heap on the floorboards. You’re standing there in just your boxers, the air of her bedroom suddenly cooler on your skin, or maybe that’s just the fever pitch of your own blood.
Then it’s her turn. Her hands go to the delicate clasp of her black lace bra. It gives way easily, and she shrugs the straps down her pale arms, letting the flimsy garment fall. Her breasts are revealed, small, yes, but perfectly shaped, round and perky, with pale pink nipples already pebble-hard in the cool air, or perhaps from anticipation. They’re exquisite. You’ve imagined them, of course, in fleeting, guilty moments, but the reality is so much fucking better. Then, she reaches for her shoes. She kicks them off one by one, the soft thud against the wooden floor loud in the charged silence. Finally, her hands go to the waistband of her pants, a simple black one that clung to her hips. It slides down her legs with a soft rustle, pooling around her ankles, leaving her standing before you in nothing but a pair of sheer black panties. They’re scandalously tiny, doing very little to hide the curve of her ass.
You feel like you can’t breathe.
You’re on her in a second, moving without conscious thought, your body acting on pure, undeniable instinct. You climb onto the bed, settling over her, your weight pressing her into the soft mattress. Your mouth finds hers again, but this kiss is different from the one at the bar. It’s rougher, needier, your tongue plunging, seeking, demanding. She meets your intensity, her own hunger flaring.
Your kisses trail down her jaw, her neck, your lips and teeth mapping the sensitive skin there. She arches into you, a soft whimper escaping her. You reach her breasts, your mouth closing over one hard nipple. She moans instantly, her fingers tangling in your hair, gripping tight. You suck, hard, your tongue laving the peak, then flicking, teasing. Her whole body shudders.
"Fuck… yes…" she gasps, her hips starting to buck beneath you. "They’re… so sensitive…"
You grin against her skin, moving to the other breast, giving it the same relentless attention. You squeeze and suck, feeling the delicate flesh swell in your mouth, the nipple hard against your tongue. The skin around it is already turning a delicious shade of pink, flushed and slightly raw from your attention. Her moans are getting louder, less inhibited, open-mouthed gasps of pure pleasure.
Her hands, which were gripping your hair, slide down your back, then lower, her fingers finding the thick, insistent ridge of your cock straining against your underwear. She squeezes, a playful, testing pressure, and a low growl rumbles in your chest. She feels you, hard and ready, and a wicked little smile dances on her lips, visible even as she throws her head back, lost in the sensations you’re creating.
Then, just as you’re about to lose yourself completely in the taste and feel of her breasts, she moves. With surprising strength, her hands are on your shoulders, pushing, guiding.
"My turn," she breathes
She pulls you, making you lie back against the pillows. You watch, dazed, as she straddles your hips, her gaze fixed on your groin. Her movements are slow, deliberate, almost torturous. Her fingers hook into the waistband of your boxers.
"Been waiting for this," she murmurs.
She pulls your underwear down, agonizingly slowly, inch by inch, her knuckles brushing against your straining erection with every downward tug. The fabric slides past your hips, down your thighs, until your cock springs free, thick, veined, and brutally hard, slick with pre-cum.
She just stares at it for a long moment, her dark eyes wide, her lips slightly parted. A genuine, almost awestruck smile spreads across her face. It’s the smile of someone who has just been presented with their favorite fucking meal.
She reaches out, her small hand surprisingly confident as it wraps around your shaft. It’s a perfect fit, her fingers cool against your heated skin. "Jesus," she breathes, her thumb stroking the thick, prominent vein that runs along the length. "It really has been a while since I’ve had sex." Her gaze lifts to yours, burning with an intensity that steals your breath. "You have no idea," she says, "how much this cock, your cock, is everything I want right now."
Before you can even process the raw honesty of her words, she leans down. Her tongue, pink and wet, flicks out, lapping delicately at the bead of pre-cum glistening on the slit of your tip. Then, she takes a mouthful of her own saliva (you see her gather it) and lets it dribble slowly onto your shaft, her fingers working quickly to spread the slickness all the way down, coating you, preparing you.
And finally, her mouth descends.
The moment her lips close around the head of your cock, you fucking groan, your hips bucking involuntarily. Her mouth is hot, wet, impossibly soft. She starts working you immediately, no hesitation, no awkwardness. Her lips create a perfect seal, her tongue swirling, lapping, teasing, her cheeks hollowing as she sucks with a practiced, almost reverent skill. This isn't the tentative exploration of a novice. This is the confident, devastating expertise of a woman who knows exactly what she’s doing.
Holy shit. Irene Bae is a fucking professional.
You can feel the muscles in her throat working, a gentle, rhythmic pulse that’s already threatening to undo you. And her eyes. Fuck, her eyes. They’re locked on yours, wide, dark, and glittering with a deadly combination of intense focus and raw, unadulterated lust. There’s a challenge in them, a silent dare. Think you can handle this? they seem to say. Think you can last?
"Fuck, Irene…" you groan, your hips giving an involuntary jerk. "That’s… holy shit…"
A low hum vibrates from her throat against your shaft, a sound of pure, animalistic satisfaction. She pulls back just enough for the head of your cock to pop free with a wet, obscene sound, her tongue flicking out to catch a stray drop of your slickness.
"You like that, baby?" she murmurs. "Like the way my mouth feels wrapped around your big, thick dick?"
"Yes… God, yes…" you pant, your hands fisting in the sheets beside you. "It’s… you’re amazing, Irene. Fuck, you’re so good at this."
Her smile is a predatory flash against your skin before she takes you in again, deeper this time. Her tongue is a relentless engine of pleasure, lapping, swirling, flicking against every sensitive nerve. She knows exactly where to press, where to tease, how to vary the pressure and speed to keep you right on that knife-edge of unbearable pleasure. It’s not just her mouth, either. Her hands are working you too, one wrapped firmly around the base of your shaft, pumping in rhythm with her sucking, the other gently cupping your balls, her fingers tracing lazy, teasing circles.
"Mmmm, you taste so fucking good," she says, her words slightly muffled but no less potent. She breaks suction for a moment, her hot breath ghosting over your hypersensitive skin. "I love the way you get so hard for me, the way your cock just throbs in my mouth." She punctuates the statement by taking just the swollen head between her lips and sucking, hard, focusing all her attention there, her tongue doing that insane swirling thing that makes your vision blur.
"Shit, Irene… don’t stop…" you gasp out, your voice rough, pleading. "Please, don’t stop…"
Her head bobs faster, a satisfied, almost guttural sound coming from her throat. "Oh, I’m not stopping, baby," she promises, her eyes blazing into yours. "I want to hear you moan for me. I want to hear you fucking beg." She sucks harder, her lips pulling, teasing. "Moan for me, supervisor. Let me hear how much you love your little casual worker sucking your dick."
The sheer audacity of her words, the way she so effortlessly flips the script, calling you out, it’s fucking electrifying. A raw, broken groan tears from your throat. "Fuck… yes… Irene… please… feels so good…"
"That’s it, baby," she purrs, her mouth still working you relentlessly. "Louder. I want to hear every filthy sound you make when I’m sucking you like this. I want to know I’m driving you absolutely fucking insane."
And you are. You’re losing it. Her mouth is a goddamn weapon, and she’s wielding it with devastating precision. She shifts her attention, her lips sliding down your shaft, her tongue laving a hot, wet path until she reaches your balls. You tense, anticipating, and then her mouth closes over one, warm and wet, and you fucking cry out.
"Oh my god… Irene… fuck…"
She sucks, gently at first, then with increasing hunger, her tongue rolling, massaging. Your balls are heavy, aching, and her mouth on them is an entirely new level of torture and bliss. She leaves them absolutely soaked, glistening with her spit when she finally moves back up your shaft.
"You like that, huh?" she breathes, her lips brushing against the underside of your cock, right where the skin is thinnest, most sensitive. "Your balls taste just as good as your cock. So salty… so fucking you."
Her tongue flicks out, targeting your frenulum with an accuracy that makes your entire body jolt. She plays with it, licking, teasing, nipping ever so gently with her teeth before sucking that sensitive ridge into her mouth. You’re bucking against her now, completely lost, your own moans a constant, ragged soundtrack to her ministrations.
"Fuck… Irene… please… I can’t… I’m so close…" you plead, your voice a shredded mess.
Her only answer is to work faster, harder. Her hand is a blur on your shaft, slick with spit and your own pre-cum, while her mouth continues its relentless assault. She takes you as deep as her little mouth can manage, her throat working, a series of soft, choked gagging sounds escaping her that are, perversely, driving you even wilder. She’s not just sucking your cock; she’s fucking devouring it, worshipping it.
"You gonna cum for me, baby?" she asks, pulling back for a split second, her eyes wide and dark, pupils blown. Saliva strings from her lips to the head of your cock. "I want it. I want your hot load all over my tongue. I want to swallow every last drop. Please, baby, give it to me. Begging you."
That’s it. Her words, the sight of her, so beautiful, so depraved, kneeling before you, mouth open, waiting for your release…it shatters your last shred of control.
"Irene!" Your shout as your orgasm rips through you. Your hips slam upwards, your back arching off the bed. Hot, thick ropes of cum shoot from your cock, hitting the back of her throat. She doesn't flinch. She takes it all, her throat working, swallowing, her eyes locked on yours, a triumphant, ecstatic glint in their depths. You keep pumping, jet after jet, emptying yourself into her waiting mouth. The sensation is blinding, overwhelming. You’re vaguely aware of your eyes rolling back in your head, your body trembling uncontrollably. It feels like you’re cumming for an eternity, each pulse a fresh wave of unbearable pleasure.
When the last viscous glob finally spurts out, you collapse back against the pillows, panting, drenched in sweat, utterly fucking spent. You’re in heaven. Or hell. Or some glorious, filthy place in between.
Irene stays there for a moment, gently sucking the last drops from your now twitching, softened cock. Then, slowly, reverently, she pulls away, her lips making a wet sound. She licks her own lips, savoring the taste, a small, incredibly satisfied smile playing on her features.
"Holy… fucking… shit, Irene." You shake your head, still trying to process the sheer intensity of what just happened. "That was… That was, without a fucking doubt, the best blowjob of my entire life."
Her smile widens, a genuine, radiant thing that makes her eyes sparkle. The exhaustion is there, but beneath it, there's a deep, purring satisfaction. She leans forward, pressing a soft, sticky kiss to the now-sensitive head of your cock.
"Good," she murmurs. "That’s what I like to hear." Then she looks up at you. "I aim to please, supervisor. Especially when the benefits are… this rewarding.”
You manage to prop yourself up on your elbows, looking down at her. She’s still kneeling between your legs, that pleased, cat-who-got-the-cream smirk playing on her lips, now glistening with your cum.
"Irene," you rasp. "Where in the ever-loving fuck did you learn to do that?”
She lets out a low, throaty chuckle, the sound vibrating deep in her chest. She reaches up, wiping a stray smudge of your load from the corner of her mouth with a delicate finger, then slowly, deliberately, licks it clean, her eyes never leaving yours. The gesture alone is enough to make your semi-flaccid cock give a hopeful twitch.
"Every woman has her secrets, supervisor," she purrs. "Maybe one day I'll tell you some of them." Then, before you can even process that delicious, infuriating coyness, she’s moving. climbing onto you with a fluid grace. Her petite, pale body straddles your chest, her knees bracketing your shoulders. She leans down, her dark hair curtaining your face. "Besides," she whispers, her lips brushing against yours, "who said anything about being done?"
Her mouth finds yours, a slow, deep kiss that tastes of you, of her, of pure, unadulterated lust. While her lips work their magic, her body begins a slow, deliberate crawl down yours. Kisses are pressed against your jaw, your throat, lingering on the pulse point there until you can feel your heart hammering in response. She moves lower, her tongue flicking out to trace the line of your collarbone, then lower still, across your pecs.
When she reaches your right nipple, she pauses. Her gaze, hot and knowing, flicks up to meet yours for a fraction of a second before her mouth closes over it. Your breath hitches. You weren't expecting that. Her tongue swirls around the already sensitive peak, rough and wet, then she starts to suck, gently at first, then with increasing pressure, pulling the nub into her mouth, her teeth grazing it ever so lightly.
"Nghh… Irene…" A surprised, helpless moan escapes you. Fuck, that feels good. Way better than it has any right to.
"Sensitive here, are we?" she murmurs against your skin. "I thought so."
She continues her assault, licking, sucking, her lips working your nipple like it’s the head of another cock. And all the while, one of her small, deceptively strong hands snakes down your torso, past your navel, her fingers tracing teasing patterns on your lower abdomen. You feel the heat of her palm as it hovers, then finally settles, over the base of your now rapidly re-hardening cock.
"Oh, look at that," she says. "Not so spent after all, are you, big boy?"
Her hand closes around you. Even through the haze of pleasure radiating from your nipple, you can feel the change. Your cock, which had been softening, content in its post-orgasmic haze, now surges back to life, thickening, lengthening, pressing urgently against her grip. She starts to stroke you, slow, deliberate movements, her fingers slick with the remnants of your earlier release and her own gathering wetness.
"The night is far from over, supervisor," she whispers, her mouth leaving your nipple to trail a line of wet, open-mouthed kisses towards the other one. "I know you can give me more. Much more." She punctuates the last word by taking your other nipple into her mouth, sucking on it with a greedy, demanding pressure that mirrors the rhythmic pull of her hand on your shaft. "And you will give it to me."
And she’s right. Fuck, she’s absolutely, undeniably right. Your cock is already granite-hard again, throbbing in her skilled grip, every nerve ending in your body screaming for more of her, more of this. The lingering exhaustion is a distant memory, burned away by this fresh, potent wave of desire she’s so effortlessly conjured. The slight ache in your balls is back, but it’s a good ache now, a heavy, needy throb that promises another explosive release if she keeps this up.
Her hand on your reawakened cock is a brand, her touch electric. The soft, rhythmic stroking, combined with the devastating assault on your nipple, is a one-two punch of pure, unadulterated sensation. Your breath hitches, your hips giving a small, involuntary buck.
"That’s it, baby," Irene purrs against your chest, her lips still teasing your other nipple, her words a hot, damp caress. "Feel that? Already getting hard for me again. You just can��t get enough, can you?"
"Fuck… no…" you manage to groan out, your eyes fluttering. "Not… not when you do that…"
"Mmmm, I know," she hums, a smug, satisfied sound. "The night is far from over, supervisor.” Your cock is already iron-hard again, throbbing with a renewed, almost painful urgency against her skilled fingers.
With a lithe movement that takes your breath away, Irene shifts, disentangling herself from your chest and sliding down your body. She straddles your hips, her petite frame settling over you, and the sight of her poised above you: dark hair tousled, lips swollen from your kisses, her small, perky breasts bare and flushed, nipples still pebble-hard; is enough to make your vision swim. She reaches down, her fingers hooking into the waistband of her sheer black panties.
"You like these, baby?" she teases. "Thought you might."
She doesn't wait for an answer. With a slow, deliberate tug, she pulls them aside, hooking the flimsy fabric around one hip, exposing her pussy to you. It’s perfect. Pink, glistening, the inner lips slightly swollen and already dewy with her arousal. The dark thatch of hair above is neatly trimmed.
"Ready to feel me again?" she whispers, her gaze locked on yours.
Before you can form a coherent word, she’s lowering herself onto you.
The way she takes your cock is a revelation. There’s no hesitation, no tentative exploration. She knows her body, she knows yours, and she sinks down with a practiced, almost arrogant ease, her hips rolling, her inner muscles clenching around you, milking you from the first fucking inch. A guttural groan rips from your throat as she takes you deeper, her tight, wet heat a scalding brand.
"Fuck, Irene… so tight…"
"Mmmm, you love how tight my little pussy is, don't you?" she moans, her head falling back, her hands gripping your shoulders for balance as she starts to bounce. "Love the way it squeezes your big, thick cock?"
"Yes… God, yes…"
Her rhythm is insane. She starts riding you with a skill that leaves you breathless, her hips a blur of motion, bouncing, grinding, rotating in ways that hit every goddamn nerve. She’s not just fucking you; she’s performing, a symphony of sensual movement designed to drive you absolutely wild. Her small breasts jiggle with every thrust, the pink nipples bouncing hypnotically. You can see the way her pussy lips stretch, glistening, around the base of your shaft as she lifts herself up, only to slam back down, taking you to the hilt.
"Look at me, baby," she pants, her eyes finding yours again. "I want you to watch me ride your cock. I want you to see how much I fucking love it."
You can’t look away if you tried. The sight of her, so beautiful, so utterly consumed by pleasure, her body moving on yours with such raw, uninhibited abandon, is seared into your brain.
"You’re… incredible…" you gasp out.
"I know," she says, a smug, breathless laugh escaping her. Then her expression shifts, darkens. "But you’re getting distracted." Her free hand snakes out, unbelievably fast, her fingers wrapping around your throat, not hard enough to hurt, but firm enough to demand your absolute attention. "You close your eyes on me again, supervisor, and I’ll make you regret it. Got it?"
The sudden pressure, her fingers cool against your heated skin, the sheer dominance in her gaze... Your cock gives a hard, convulsive throb inside her. "Fuck… yes… Irene…"
"Good boy." Her grip loosens slightly, but her hand stays there, a possessive brand. "Now, look at me. I want to see that pretty face of yours when I make you feel good. I want to see every fucking expression." She punctuates the command by grinding down, hard, her hips rotating in a slow, torturous circle that makes you cry out.
You reach up, your hands finding her breasts, squeezing them, needing to touch her, to feel her. They’re soft, full in your palms, the nipples like hard little pebbles against your skin. "Fuck, your tits are perfect, Irene…"
She moans, leaning forward, pressing them against your chest as she kisses you, a deep, filthy, open-mouthed kiss, her tongue tangling with yours. "Mmmm, you like them, baby?" she whispers against your lips, her hips still moving, still squeezing. "You can play with them all you want… as long as you keep fucking me with that big, thick cock of yours—God, it’s so good—It fills me up so perfectly!”
You can see it then, when she leans back slightly, her stomach tight, the unmistakable bulge of your cock pressing against her lower abdomen, a clear testament to just how deeply you’re buried inside her, how perfectly her petite frame is taking every inch of you. It’s a brutally hot visual, a stark reminder of your size against her smallness, and the sight alone nearly pushes you over the edge.
"Jesus, Irene… I can see it… You’re so fucking tight…"
"I know," she pants. "Now make me cum, supervisor. Fuck me until I can’t see straight. I want your load. Give it to me."
This isn't the Irene from the office, the quiet, mysterious woman who barely met your eye. This is someone else entirely: a wild, insatiable creature of pure, unadulterated lust. And fuck, you love this Irene. You love every goddamn demanding, filthy, beautiful inch of her.
She rides you harder now, faster, her moans turning into raw, broken cries. Her body is slick with sweat, her muscles trembling with the effort, but she doesn’t slow down. She’s chasing it, that shattering release, and she’s dragging you right along with her. Her pussy pulses around your cock, squeezing, milking, each contraction an exquisite torture.
"I’m… I’m gonna cum…" she screams, her voice cracking, her back arching as her orgasm hits her like a tidal wave.
Her body seizes, her walls clenching around your shaft in a series of violent, unbearable spasms. She’s crying out your name, her head thrown back, her entire being consumed by the pleasure. It’s beautiful, watching her shatter like this, so completely undone, so utterly yours.
But she doesn’t stop. Even as the aftershocks of her orgasm ripple through her, her hips keep moving, a desperate, frantic grinding, her pussy still milking your aching cock.
"Fuck, Irene… I’m close…" you gasp out, your own release clawing at you. "I’m gonna cum…"
The moment the words leave your mouth, she’s moving. With a surprising agility, she pulls off your cock with a wet, sucking sound, her own body still trembling. Before you can even register what’s happening, she’s scrambling off the bed, dropping to her knees in front of you, her flushed face upturned, her dark eyes blazing with a renewed, almost manic hunger.
"Give it to me, baby," she pants. "I want it all over my face. Drench me. Make me your fucking whore."
Your brain short-circuits. Her words, the sight of her kneeling there, so eager, so fucking filthy, it’s too much. You get out of bed, standing in front of her. You grab your cock, your hand slick and shaking, and start stroking, hard and fast.
"Look at me, Irene," you growl. "Open that pretty little mouth for me."
She does, her tongue flicking out in anticipation. You stroke faster, your balls tight, your vision blurring. One more stroke… two…
"FUCK!"
With a guttural roar, you explode. Thick, heavy ropes of your cum shoot from your cock, spurt after spurt, splattering across her face. She doesn’t flinch, doesn’t turn away. She takes it all, her eyes fluttering shut for a moment as the hot, sticky load coats her cheeks, her forehead, her chin. A thick glob lands on her lips, and her tongue darts out, instinctively licking it away, a soft, pleased moan escaping her. You keep cumming, more than you thought possible, drenching her, covering her, marking her as yours.
When the last pulse finally subsides, you’re left panting, your body trembling, your cock still twitching in your hand. Irene stays there, kneeling, your cum dripping from her face, her hair stuck to her slick skin. She looks utterly debauched. Utterly fucking beautiful.
She opens her eyes, her dark gaze meeting yours. There’s no shame there, no disgust. Only a wild, exhilarated pleasure. She slowly brings a hand up to her cheek, her fingers tracing through the thick, creamy mess, then brings them to her lips, sucking your cum from her skin with a delighted, almost reverent expression. Receiving your load like this, being painted with it, clearly turns her on as much as it does you. It feels fucking amazing, this raw, shared depravity.
You can't resist. You lean forward, your own body still thrumming with the aftershocks of release, and dip your thumb into the thickest patch of your load still clinging to her cheek. You bring your slick finger to her lips.
"Taste good, Irene?" you murmur.
Without a word, her eyes still locked on yours, she parts her lips and takes your thumb into her mouth. Her tongue swirls around it, hot and wet, sucking sensually, cleaning every last trace of you from your skin.
You let out a long, slow sigh, your whole body going lax. "That was… Jesus, Irene. That was fucking amazing."
She releases your thumb with a soft, wet sound, a tiny, almost smug smile playing on her lips. "It was, wasn't it?" she agrees, her usual quietness now laced with a husky, satisfied confidence. "Best Friday night I’ve had in… well, a very long time." She pushes herself up, her movements fluid and graceful despite the intensity of what just happened. "I should probably… shower now."
"Yeah," you manage, watching her. "Good idea."
She disappears into the en-suite, and you hear the distant hiss of the shower starting. You lie there for a long moment, staring at the ceiling, your mind a blissful, empty buzz. Eventually, you push yourself up. You should probably leave, give her space. It’s the decent thing to do, right? Even if every fiber of your being wants to crawl back into that bed and wait for her.
By the time she pads back into the bedroom, you’re mostly dressed – pants on, shirt half-buttoned. She’s wrapped in a fluffy white towel that looks ridiculously large on her petite frame, her dark hair damp and clinging to her neck, her face scrubbed clean and glowing. She stops when she sees you, her brow furrowing slightly.
"You’re… leaving?" Her words are soft, a hint of something unreadable in them.
"Yeah," you say, trying for casual, even though your limbs feel heavy, your head still pleasantly swimming from the beer and everything else. "Figured I shouldn’t bother you. It’s late."
She walks closer, her bare feet silent on the carpet. She stops in front of you, close enough that you can smell the fresh, clean scent of soap and her skin. "You’re still a little drunk, aren’t you?" she observes, her gaze steady.
You shrug, a sheepish grin touching your lips. "Maybe a little. The beer was good. The company was… distracting."
"You can stay," she says. "It’s no problem. You shouldn't be walking around like that.”
You look at her, surprised. "You sure? I don’t want to impose."
"I’m sure," she replies. "The bed’s big enough."
And just like that, the decision is made. You reverse the process, now unbuttoning your shirt and taking off your pants. Irene takes off her towel, drys her hair, and puts on comfortable pajamas. You both slide into her bed, the sheets cool against your skin. She keeps a respectable distance at first, lying on her side facing away from you. You lie on your back, staring up into the darkness, your mind replaying the night’s events.
"That was…" you begin, "quite a night."
She shifts slightly, turning her head on the pillow to look towards you, though you can barely make out her features in the dark. "It was," she agrees, her reply just as soft. "It’s been a long time since I… since I had a night that good."
"Me too," you admit. The silence stretches for a moment, comfortable, intimate. "So, this whole 'not going out much' thing," you venture, remembering her earlier comment at the bar. "Are you, like, super strict with your routine? Or is it just a general aversion to humanity?"
"A bit of both, maybe." She pauses. "But it’s also… more than that." Her words are hesitant now. "I just… I ended up depriving myself of some things. For a long time. For my own good, I thought."
"Things like… fun? Or just human contact in general?" you ask gently, trying to understand.
"Things like… letting go," she says, her meaning still veiled. "Being… open."
You process that for a moment. "Well," you say, trying to inject some lightness, "I hope, as your newly appointed (and incredibly charming) supervisor, I can attempt to bring a little more… spice? Unpredictability? Into your carefully curated life. Supervisors can be cool too, you know. It’s not all spreadsheets and passive-aggressive emails."
She gives a weak, tired chuckle. "You’re cool," she concedes.
Silence again. This one’s heavier, but it’s not uncomfortable. It wraps around you both like the comforter you’re only half under. Her presence is warm and grounding, even with the distance she’s keeping between your bodies.
And just when your mind starts fuzzing at the edges, drifting toward sleep, you hear it.
“…hey.”
Your eyes flutter, but you don’t answer immediately.
She tries again. “Hey. You awake?”
You manage a half-conscious “Hmm?”
“I… I need to tell you something,” she says, her tone suddenly different. Strained. Fragile. “And I don’t think I’ll get another chance like this.”
You roll your head a little, but you’re already falling. You’re trying to stay up, your body fighting it, but there’s alcohol in your blood and pillows under your skull and her voice sounds like a lullaby even when it’s trembling.
“It’s kind of awful,” she says. “I mean: I think it is. Most people would think it is. I don’t even know why I’m bringing it up. I guess… it’s easier when I can’t see your face.” Her voice catches. She swallows. “And I’m drunk,” she adds bitterly. “That helps. Brave little idiot version of me that only comes out after gin and zero lighting.”
You want to say something, your brain claws for words, but you’re slipping. The room is tilting, your breath slowing, mouth too heavy to open.
“I don’t want this to blow up,” she goes on, like she’s already sure it will. “But you’re… nice. Too nice. And I think it’s going to matter eventually. So maybe it’s better you know now.”
She turns, the sheets rustling. Her breath’s close. She's watching you.
“I used to do porn,” she says into the dark. “I know it’s horrible. But, God, I liked it. Not just the attention, not just the money. I liked the sex. I was… addicted. Like, actually. Probably still am. I think I’m a… I don’t know. A nympho? That sounds dramatic. But it’s true. And I’m terrified you’re gonna look at me differently if you ever find out. Like it’ll be all you see. Like I’m… stained.”
A sharp breath.
“You probably will look at me differently. If not now, then later. And that’ll kill me. Because I think I actually like you. And you’re the first person in forever who makes me feel like I don’t have to hide.”
Her hand reaches out under the blankets, not to touch you, just to rest nearby.
“I’m still not sure if I’m ashamed because I regret it… or because I liked some of it too much. Isn’t that worse?” She exhales. “I tried to cut it all off. Cold turkey. Quit the industry. Quit everything. No sex. No relationships. No late nights. No bars. No letting anyone get close. I started hiding from everything I wanted. Because I had to. My last relationship was a disaster. Everything fell apart. I wanted to be invisible again. Safe. And I thought if I worked a boring job, wore boring clothes, kept my mouth shut, nobody would see me. Nobody would want me.” She pauses. The next words are like admitting a sin:
“And then you saw me.”
“You were kind to me. Just… kind. That’s all it took. And I started feeling again. I tried to fight it. I told myself you were just being nice. That it wasn’t anything. But every time you smiled, or made some dumb joke, or talked to me like I mattered… I couldn’t stop it.” She sounds exhausted. Hollow. “You’re the first person I’ve wanted to kiss in years. The first one I’ve wanted to touch. The first one I’ve let into my bed. And I hate that I like you. I hate that it scares me. Because I’m not… good.”
Her voice breaks, just a little.
“I’m not someone who deserves soft things. Or quiet moments. Or this stupid, beautiful night.” Another deep breath, followed by a silent bitter laugh. “And you’re asleep. Of course you’re asleep.”
She waits. Hopes, irrationally, for some murmur of understanding, some unconscious twitch of your hand to say you’re still with her. But there’s nothing. Nothing. Your chest rises, falls. Silent. Peaceful. Asleep.
Another rustle of sheets as she rolls back onto her side, facing away again.
“Maybe that’s better,” she whispers. “Maybe if you knew, you’d leave. Or worse… maybe you’d stay for the wrong reasons. I just wanted you to know. Even if you never hear it.”
She tugs the comforter up to her shoulders, folds in on herself, and presses her forehead to the pillow, eyes closed, breath warm against the sheet. And then she whispers one last thing. So quiet it almost doesn’t exist:
“Please... don’t hate me.”
—
The days that follow are not what you expected. Not at all. After that night, after the intensity, the confessions, the shared intimacy, you thought you’d climbed a new step with Irene, reached a new layer. You imagined easier smiles in the office, maybe even her initiating a coffee break, a casual lunchtime chat. You pictured the comfortable progression from Friday night drinks to something… more.
Instead, it’s like you’re back at square one. Worse, even.
Irene is a ghost again, but this time, her politeness is tinged with an almost painful discomfort. She still does her work, still impeccably, but she avoids your gaze. Your attempts at casual conversation are met with short, clipped answers. The easy banter, the shared laughter from that night at the bar; it’s all gone, replaced by a strained, awkward formality.
You try, of course you try. You invite her to your apartment to watch that terrible sci-fi series you’d bonded over. "Sorry, I have plans," she’d murmured, not looking at you. You suggest grabbing a quick drink after work, just like before. "I can’t, I’m busy." Even a casual, "Hey, fancy grabbing lunch in the park? Sun’s actually out for once," is met with a polite, "Thank you, but I brought my own."
Each refusal is a small, sharp sting. Always polite. Always with a hint of something that looks like regret, or discomfort, in her eyes. But always a refusal.
You know what this means, or at least, you think you do. She regretted that night. Of course she did. She was drunk. You were too. Maybe she was feeling lonely, vulnerable, and just got carried away by the alcohol and the moment. You probably came on too strong, misread the signals, pushed too hard, too fast. And now you’ve messed it up, scared her off, ruined whatever fragile connection you were starting to build. The thought settles in your gut like a cold, heavy stone. You fucking idiot.
Weeks bleed into each other. The distance between you and Irene solidifies, an invisible wall of her polite deflections and your own frustrated, confused silence. You stop trying so hard. What’s the point?
Then, the email from HR lands in your inbox. A reminder: Irene Bae’s casual contract is due to expire at the end of next week. Department heads need to submit any recommendations for extension or permanent placement by close of business Friday.
Your office feels colder than usual when you call her in. You keep your expression neutral, professional, as she walks in and sits in the chair opposite your desk. She doesn’t meet your eye, her gaze fixed on a point somewhere over your left shoulder.
"Irene," you begin, your own words sounding unduly formal. "Thanks for coming in. As you know, your current contract is… coming to an end." You pause, waiting for some reaction, any reaction. Nothing. She just sits there, perfectly still, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. "HR needs a final decision regarding the full-time offer we discussed. This is… well, this is pretty much your last chance to decide." You try to keep the disappointment, the faint, stupid hope, out of your delivery. "So, I need to ask. What conclusion have you reached?"
She takes a slow, deliberate breath. Her gaze is still averted, focused on the framed print of some abstract cityscape hanging on your wall. When she finally speaks, her reply is short and cold.
"I… I’m going to have to decline the offer.”
You look at her. She’s still not meeting your eye, her gaze resolutely fixed on that abstract cityscape print on your wall as if it holds the answers to the universe. Her hands are clasped so tightly in her lap, her knuckles are white. You know. Of course, you fucking know. It’s not about the job, not really. It’s about that night. It’s about you.
"Irene," you begin, your carefully constructed professional composure starting to fray at the edges. You try to keep your delivery even, reasonable. "That… that doesn’t make a lot of sense, professionally speaking. This isn't just a casual offer. It’s a permanent position. Full benefits package, paid time off, a significant salary increase from your current rate. Henderson genuinely likes your work; he specifically mentioned your efficiency with the merger data. This office… it’s a good environment. People respect you here. There's clear potential for promotion down the line, further salary increases. Turning this down… frankly, it’s not a rational career move for someone with your skills."
You’re laying it on a bit thick, the corporate spiel, but you need her to see, to understand that you’re trying to offer her something good, something stable. Something she deserves.
Still, she doesn’t look at you. "I understand the terms, and I appreciate the opportunity." Her words are precise, almost robotic.
"Then what is it?" you press, a note of frustration creeping in despite your best efforts. "Because it sounds like you’re about to walk away from a genuinely great opportunity for no good reason." You lean forward, resting your elbows on your desk. "Irene… I know why you want to turn this down."
Her head snaps up at that, her dark eyes finally, belatedly, meeting yours. "No," she says, her reply sharper than usual, cutting through her quiet demeanor. "You don’t know."
"I think I do," you insist, your gaze holding hers. "It’s because of what happened between us, isn’t it? That night. After the bar."
Her expression shutters again, becoming unreadable, guarded.
"Look," you continue, softening your approach, trying to sound reassuring, "if that’s what this is about… if you’re sorry it happened, or if you felt pressured, or if you’re just uncomfortable now… it’s okay. I get it. I swear, I won’t pressure you, I won’t bother you at work. We can just… go back to how things were. Professional. I respect you, Irene. Your decision, whatever it is." You’re laying your cards on the table, trying to give her an out, trying to make this easier for her, even if it twists something in your own heart.
"It’s not because of you."
Not because of you? Then what the hell is it? "Then what?" you ask, genuinely bewildered now. "What’s the reason, Irene? Because I’m not seeing it."
She sighs, a tiny, almost inaudible sound. "It’s… complicated." She pushes her chair back slightly, her hands gripping the armrests. "I should probably just… go." She starts to get up, a clear intention to flee in her movements.
"No." The word is out before you can stop it, sharper, more commanding than you intended. You’re on your feet too, moving around your desk, stopping her before she can reach the door, positioning yourself between her and her escape route.
She freezes, her eyes wide, trapped.
"Irene, wait," you start, “okay, look. I’m sorry. For… for what I did. For that night. We were both drunk, I know that. And if you’re uncomfortable now because of it, if I made you feel… pressured, or weirded you out, then I am truly sorry. That was never my intention. I just… I thought you liked me too. I guess I misinterpreted things." God, you sound like a desperate idiot.
"I do like you," she says. "I told you that. At the bar."
"Yeah, but…" you trail off, running a hand through your hair in frustration. "I thought you were just… drunk. Saying things. I didn’t think…"
"That’s the problem," she cuts in. "Liking you. That’s the problem." She finally looks up at you. "If I stay here… in this job… in the same environment as you… things will… they’ll develop." Her gaze is pleading, desperate. "And I know how it will end."
You stare at her, completely lost. "Develop? End? I… I’m confused, Irene. Is it so bad? Liking me?"
A sad, hollow little laugh escapes her, a sound that tears at something inside you. It’s devoid of any humor, filled only with a deep, weary pain. "Oh, you have no idea. It’s not about whether liking you is bad." She looks up, her dark eyes swimming with unshed tears. "It’s that I’m afraid. I’m afraid of liking you."
"But… it’s mutual, Irene," you say, stepping closer, wanting to reach out, to comfort her, but holding back, unsure. "I like you. A lot. I… I thought that was obvious. The way I act around you, the way I talk to you…"
"I know," she whispers, a single tear finally escaping, tracing a path down her cheek. She doesn’t wipe it away. "I know you do. You… you treat me so well. Better than I deserve."
"Don’t say that."
"But it’s true!" Her words gain a desperate edge. "And that’s why I’m afraid! I’m afraid you’ll… you’ll be disappointed in me. Like any other guy would be. Eventually."
"That won’t happen, Irene," you assure her, your conviction absolute, even if you don’t fully understand the depths of her fear. "Not with me."
Her gaze searches yours, desperate for reassurance, for a guarantee you can’t possibly give, not without knowing what demons she’s fighting. "How?" she breathes. "How can you be so sure?"
"You just… you have to trust me.”
She sighs then, a long, shuddering exhalation that seems to carry the weight of years. Her shoulders slump, her head lowers. "I… I have a past," she says. "A past that I’m… I’m not proud of."
"It’s okay," you say gently. "Everyone has things in their past they’re not proud of, Irene. That doesn’t define who you are now."
She shakes her head, still not looking at you. "No, this is… this is different." She takes another shaky breath. "When I was younger… much younger… I… I was a porn star." The words come out in a rushed, choked whisper, as if saying them aloud might shatter her. "For three years."
Porn star. Irene? Your quiet, meticulous, reserved Irene? Your brain struggles to reconcile the image with the woman standing before you, so vulnerable, so afraid.
"I… I almost told you," she continues, her words tumbling out now, as if a dam has broken. "That night, at my apartment… when we were in bed. When I was drunk and feeling… brave. But you were already asleep. And I just… I gave up. Maybe, I thought, maybe it was better that way. Better for you not to know."
She finally lifts her head, her eyes raw, pleading. "My last relationship… it was four years. And it ended the moment he found out about it. He didn’t just leave. He… he leaked it. To my work, to everyone I knew. As revenge. Because he felt… betrayed, I guess." Her words are choked with remembered pain. "I had to leave. My job, my apartment, everything. I was… traumatized. Completely exposed." She shudders. "That’s why I only work as a casual worker now. I’m terrified of staying in one place too long. Terrified that eventually… someone will find out. That it will all happen again."
She looks at you then, her face pale, her eyes wide with a terrible, naked fear. "So now you know… Do you… do you think I’m disgusting now? Do you think I’m a whore?"
You listen, your own expression carefully neutral, though inside, a storm of emotions is raging: shock, yes, but overwhelmingly, a deep, aching empathy for what she must have endured. Disgusting? Whore? The words feel alien, obscene when applied to the woman in front of you.
You step closer, very slowly, and gently, calmly, you reach out and take her trembling hands in yours. Her skin is cold.
"No, Irene," you say, your gaze holding hers, willing her to believe you. "No, I don't think you're disgusting. And I sure as hell don't think you're a whore." You give her hands a gentle squeeze. "I am no one to judge you. No one. And what you went through… at your old work, with your ex… Jesus, Irene, I am so incredibly sorry. I can’t even begin to imagine the trauma of feeling exposed like that, of having your life and your privacy violated so brutally."
She stares at you, her lips parted, her dark eyes wide with a dawning, incredulous surprise. It’s as if she was braced for a blow, and instead, you offered her… understanding.
"The job offer," you continue, your tone unwavering, "it still stands, Irene. Henderson wants you because you’re brilliant. I want you here because this team, this office, is better with you in it. That hasn’t changed. Nothing has changed that."
"You’re… you’re serious?"
"Deadly serious," you affirm. "The contract is yours if you want it. No questions asked, no judgments made." You pause, then take another step closer, your grip on her hands tightening just a fraction. "And more importantly, Irene…" Your words are softer now, laced with all the unspoken emotion that’s been building between you for weeks. "I still want to keep… seeing you. Dating you. Whatever this is that we’re starting." You search her eyes. "If… if you still want to, of course. After all this."
For a long, breathless moment, she just looks at you, her expression a maelstrom of shock, relief, and a fragile, burgeoning hope. Then, slowly, wordlessly, she steps forward, closing the small distance between you. Her hands leave yours, sliding up your arms, to your shoulders, and then she’s rising on her tiptoes, her face lifting to yours.
Her lips meet yours, soft, hesitant at first, then deepening with a desperate, grateful intensity. It’s not like the hungry, alcohol-fueled kisses from before. This is something else entirely. It’s a kiss of acceptance, of relief, of a future that suddenly feels possible again. When she finally pulls back, her eyes are shining, her cheeks wet, but she’s smiling. A real smile. Radiant.
"Yes," she whispers, but the words come out clear as day. "Yes to both.”
—
Two months have passed since the night Irene told you her secret. You hadn’t pressured her for details after that. You figured she’d share more when she was ready. And maybe you’re dying to know, because there’s a whole life behind those eyes you’re only just beginning to uncover, but you’ve kept quiet. The important thing is simple: Irene’s here, now, with you. Not a passing contract worker anymore, but a full-time part of the company, of your team, of your life. She’s taken root, quietly but firmly, in your space.
And the sex? If anything, it’s only gotten wilder, like with the weight of her secret off her chest, she’s finally able to let go in ways you hadn’t seen before. The shy smiles, the slow, calculated movements…still there, sure, but now layered with something hungrier, less reserved, like she’s reclaiming something with every time you push her over the edge. You love it. Love her.
Which brings you to today. Your birthday. You didn’t tell anyone at work, not even Seulgi, who usually insists on dragging your ass out for overpriced cocktails every year. No thank you. You didn’t want a party. All you wanted was your day off, the luxury of doing absolutely nothing with Irene. You arranged to meet her at 6:00 PM at your apartment, which left your afternoon free. You went for a run in the park, as you usually do, and for some reason, the day feels brighter; maybe because it’s your birthday, or maybe because you know you’ll be seeing Irene in just a few hours. The air was cool, but the city was beautiful, glinting in that late afternoon gold.
By the time you got home, you were sticky with sweat, a faint sheen from the walk making your shirt cling to your back. You opened the door expecting the familiar sprawl of your apartment (the faintly messy pile of laundry on the chair, the open laptop on the coffee table), but instead, you stopped dead.
She was standing there, barefoot on your rug, a modest little cake perched on the kitchen counter, a couple of small, wrapped boxes beside it, the faint scent of chocolate and flour in the air.
“Irene… what the fuck…” You blink, stunned, taking it in: the simple but unmistakable gesture. She’s dressed so casually it almost undoes you: black tank top, thin and loose enough that you can see the faint outline of her nipples beneath, and tiny gray cotton shorts that barely cover the tops of her thighs. Her hair’s pulled back, but messier than usual, strands framing her face. She looks so effortlessly gorgeous it pisses you off a little, how she always does this without even trying.
“You… you didn’t have to,” you say, still standing in the doorway, key half out of your hand. “Seriously.”
She shrugs, but her lips curl up, pleased. “It was a pleasure,” she says, walking toward you, her bare feet making no sound against the floor. “You deserve it.”
You exhale, feeling something tight release in your chest. She’s already so close now, tilting her head up to kiss you. You bend down automatically, catching her mouth in yours, slow and grateful. She tastes like the chocolate she must’ve sampled from the cake.
You pull back, brushing your thumb over her cheek. “I’m just gonna take a quick shower. I’m disgusting after that walk.”
She smirks, and her hand snakes out, giving your ass a firm squeeze. “But you look hot like that.”
You laugh, rolling your eyes. “It’ll be quick.”
She lets you go with a small, satisfied hum, and you head to the bathroom, stripping as you go. Under the hot spray, you let your muscles relax, your mind drifting. This week’s been a nightmare: training a bunch of new hires who couldn’t give a shit about what you say, their apathy bleeding into your own work, your inbox piling up, everything a fucking mess. You rinse your hair, scrubbing shampoo out, and call out loud enough for her to hear in the other room.
“I swear to god, babe, this week’s been brutal. I’ve been babysitting these useless newbies, none of them care, none of them listen—” You towel off roughly, stepping out, water still dripping down your chest. “—and I still have to keep up with all my own shit. It’s like I’m doing two jobs.”
You walk into the bedroom, still talking as you rub the towel over your head. “I should’ve just told Henderson to shove it and let them sink.”
And then you stop mid-sentence.
She’s standing there.
Naked.
Not a single stitch of clothing, just her flawless, toned petite frame, the faintest sheen of lotion on her smooth skin, her black hair loose now, falling around her shoulders. And her nipples (your breath catches) her nipples are each dabbed with a smear of dark, glossy chocolate, the scent of cocoa rich and unmistakable from where you stand.
She tilts her head, eyes glinting with wicked amusement. “Do you really want to talk about work? And by the way, I don’t think you’ll be needing clothes right now.”
You’re frozen, towel hanging loose around your hips, your cock already stirring in response to the sight of her.
She steps closer, one slow, deliberate stride at a time, her bare feet silent against the hardwood. Her fingers ghost over the edge of your towel, teasing, tugging, and with a practiced flick, she pulls it free. Your cock springs up, hard and ready, and she smiles like she expected nothing less.
“You didn’t really think cake and presents were your only gifts, did you?” she murmurs, eyes dropping to your length appreciatively.
Before you can answer, she pushes you gently but firmly backward, making you sit on the bed. You fall back onto the mattress, legs spread, leaning on your elbows, watching her climb up, her knees on either side of your thighs.
“It’s time for your second gift,” she says.
She shifts forward, and her small, perfect breasts are suddenly right there in front of you, chocolate gleaming on her tight little nipples.
You groan, sitting up and catching one of her nipples in your mouth without hesitation. You suck hard, your tongue circling the hard peak to clean away the bittersweet smear of chocolate. She lets out a soft, sharp gasp, her fingers immediately threading through your damp hair, gripping the strands, holding your head firmly in place. You take that as an invitation.
You drag your tongue over every last trace of the chocolate, lapping at her skin, feeling the delicate flesh swell and tighten even more under your attention. The taste is insane; dark, rich chocolate melting into the salty, warm taste of her skin. Once the first nipple is clean, glistening, and pink from the friction of your tongue, you move to the other. This time you start with your teeth, grazing them ever so gently over the hardened bud.
She shivers violently, a full-body tremor, her hips giving a small, involuntary buck against the mattress. "Fuck… yes…" she pants. "Right there… don't stop."
"You like that?" you murmur against her breast, your hot breath making her shiver again. "Like it when I bite?"
"I… fuck, yes," she admits, her hands tightening their grip in your hair, almost pulling. "Bite it harder."
You do, clamping your teeth down just enough to make her gasp again, a sharp, pained-pleasured sound that makes your cock throb. Then you soothe the faint mark with your tongue, lapping at her, sucking her deep into your mouth until her moans become a steady, breathless rhythm.
"Fuck," you breathe, finally pulling back to look at her, your lips wet and dark with chocolate. "You taste so fucking good."
She smirks. "I know," she purrs. "I was hoping you'd think so." She leans forward, her clean, hard nipples brushing against your lips. "They're all yours tonight, supervisor. A birthday present. You can do whatever you want to them."
"Anything?" you ask.
"Anything," she confirms, her eyes glinting. "Suck them, bite them, cover them in your cum… Just make them feel good. Make them feel used."
That's all the permission you need. You dive back in, taking her left nipple into your mouth again, but this time your assault is rougher, needier. You suck hard, creating a powerful suction, pulling at the flesh, your tongue a relentless engine against the peak. She cries out, a raw, open-mouthed sound, her body instinctively pressing closer against yours.
"God, you're so fucking sensitive," you mutter against her skin, loving the way her body reacts to your every touch. "I love how your nipples get so hard for me, how they just stand at attention, begging for my mouth."
"They are," she gasps, her hips starting to writhe. "They've been aching for you… for weeks… every time you look at me in the office…"
You pull away from her breast just enough to trail a line of wet, open-mouthed kisses up her chest, over her collarbone, until you reach her mouth. You capture her lips in a deep, filthy kiss. Your tongue, slick with her taste and melted chocolate, plunges past her teeth, and she meets it eagerly, her own tongue wrestling with yours. You let her taste herself on you, the sweetness of the chocolate mingling with the salt of her skin.
When you finally break the kiss, you're both panting, a string of saliva connecting your mouths. "See?" you breathe. "I told you you taste good."
Irene licks her swollen lips, a dazed, utterly debauched look in her eyes. "Fuck," she whispers. "You're right." Her gaze drops from your eyes to your mouth, then back up again. "You know what else tastes good?” she asks, cupping the back of your head and guiding you down, down until your shoulders hit the mattress again. Then she moves, her thighs sliding up, one smooth motion as she positions herself right over your face, her pussy bare and slick, already dripping for you.
You barely manage a breath before she lowers herself onto you, her inner thighs framing your face, her weight pressing you down in the best possible way.
“This will be more delicious than the cake,” you say, voice muffled against her.
Irene smiles down at you lazily, like a queen about to settle onto her throne. Her hands find the headboard above your head, bracing herself, and then, finally, she lowers herself onto your mouth, her warmth enveloping you, her thighs tightening around the sides of your head.
The first contact is enough to make your cock twitch against your stomach. You slide your hands up the backs of her thighs, fingertips tracing the toned, soft muscle there, and then up further to her ass, gripping it firmly as you pull her closer, burying your face in her cunt. She’s soaked already, the slickness smearing across your lips and chin as you flatten your tongue and drag it slowly from the very base of her slit all the way up to her clit, savoring every second.
She lets out a sharp gasp, her hips twitching forward instinctively.
“Shit…” she breathes, looking down at you, her expression already beginning to shift from teasing control to raw need.
But for now, she’s still in charge. She rocks her hips forward just a little, her pussy sliding wetly over your mouth and nose, smearing you with her arousal. You keep your tongue out, letting her use your face however she wants, just occasionally giving her little flicks against her clit to remind her how eager you are.
“You love this, don’t you?” she says, her tone soft but with that dangerous little edge that always drives you crazy. Her fingers tangle in your damp hair, holding your head still as she starts to move her hips in slow, deliberate circles against your mouth. “Love being under me… letting me use you…”
You can’t answer (she’s not giving you space to) but your moan is deep and guttural, vibrating against her slick folds as you slide your tongue back up to her clit and start circling it in slow, agonizingly steady motions.
“Mmm, fuck…” she exhales, head falling back slightly, her chest rising and falling with quickening breaths.
She’s setting the pace. You know better than to rush her. Your hands stay planted firmly on her ass, kneading the flesh as she rides your face, her hips rolling smoothly, confidently. The heat of her grows with every pass of her pussy over your tongue, her slick spreading across your cheeks and chin, and every time you flick the tip of your tongue against her clit just a little harder, she gasps and rocks her hips more forcefully.
“You always… eat me so fucking good…” she mutters, her voice breaking into a breathy moan as you latch your lips around her clit and start sucking gently, your tongue flicking rapidly over the sensitive bud.
Her thighs tense around your head, the muscles flexing beautifully as she grinds down harder, chasing more friction. The more you give, the more she takes, rolling her hips with more intensity, dragging her soaked slit all over your face, smearing herself on you like she owns you (and she does).
Right now, she does.
“Don’t stop,” she hisses through gritted teeth, her fingers gripping your hair tighter, anchoring herself as she starts to lose some of that controlled rhythm, her movements becoming more desperate, more erratic.
You moan into her, the sound vibrating directly against her clit, and she cries out, a sharp, needy sound that makes your cock throb with how much you want her. But this is her moment. You flatten your tongue again, letting her grind against it, letting her slide herself up and down at her own pace, her pussy getting wetter, creamier, with every second.
“Fuck… fuck, you’re making me so wet…” she gasps, looking down at you, her dark hair sticking to her temples now as her body starts to glisten with sweat.
She lifts herself slightly, just to reposition, then slams her hips down against your mouth again, harder this time, her pussy mashing against your tongue and nose. You slide one hand from her ass to her lower back, steadying her, encouraging her to keep going, to use you just like this.
You can feel the shift now. The subtle change in her moans, from teasing and playful to raw, involuntary noises she can’t hold back. Her thighs begin to shake slightly on either side of your head as she rides your face, her slick coating your lips and chin, the taste of her getting thicker, sweeter, more intoxicating.
“I’m so fucking close…” she whimpers, her voice cracking with how hard she’s working herself against your mouth.
You respond by tightening your grip on her ass, pulling her down harder, guiding her against your tongue as you focus all your energy on relentless, steady strokes against her clit. She gasps, her whole body shuddering above you, her head dropping forward so her hair hangs in her face.
“God… yes… just like that… don’t you fucking dare stop…” she growls, grinding her pussy against your face with wild, desperate circles now, her control all but gone.
The wet sounds of her pussy dragging over your lips fill the room, slick and obscene, her arousal practically dripping onto your chest now as she rides you, using your face like her own personal toy. You keep your tongue out, letting her smear herself all over you, letting her control everything, loving how small but powerful she is, how easily she can overwhelm you with just her hips and her need.
“Shit… shit…” she pants, her thighs clamping tighter around your head, her fingers gripping the headboard so hard her knuckles go white.
You feel it, the way her pussy clenches, her body going rigid above you as she slams her hips down one final time and cries out, a long, shuddering moan that echoes off the walls. Her whole body quakes as she cums, her pussy gushing over your mouth, slick and creamy, her arousal spilling down your chin and onto your chest as she grinds out every last wave of her orgasm against your face.
You don’t stop. You keep your tongue moving gently, lapping up everything she gives you, licking around her swollen clit and savoring the taste of her cum as she rides out the aftershocks.
Finally, after what feels like forever, she collapses forward, her body draping over yours, her chest heaving, her skin flushed and slick with sweat. Her thighs tremble as she slowly lifts herself off your face, and you look up at her, lips and chin gleaming with her wetness, your eyes glazed with pure, feral hunger.
She smiles weakly, her breathing still ragged. “Happy birthday…” she whispers, voice hoarse but full of smug satisfaction.
You grin, wiping your mouth with the back of your hand. “Best fucking birthday ever.”
She laughs softly, leaning down to kiss you, tasting herself on your lips, her tongue slipping into your mouth with a slow, deliberate slide.
And then she pulls back, biting your lower lip gently, her eyes still dark with want.
“But we’re not done,” she says as her hand trails down your chest and wraps around your cock, already throbbing and slick with precum. “That was just your first gift…”
You groan, tilting your head back, already ready for whatever she has planned next as she shifts her weight and starts to slide down your body.
You laugh breathlessly, wiping the last traces of her slick from your chin with the back of your hand, still riding that high from having her grind out her orgasm on your face. “Jesus,” you exhale, your chest heaving. “That’s already the best fucking birthday I’ve had in years.”
She chuckles, low and throaty, still catching her breath. Then she leans in, presses a lazy kiss to the corner of your mouth, and whispers, “You haven’t even seen the best part yet.”
That pulls a grin out of you immediately. You squeeze her ass, your fingers digging into the soft but firm flesh, pulling her closer as you smirk. “Yeah? And what’s that?”
She pulls back just far enough to give you that look: mischievous, calculated, playful. Her lips tilt up in a smirk, then she bites the inside of her cheek and says, almost sing-song, “Wait here.”
Then she’s sliding off you, her bare feet hitting the floor with that soft, soundless grace that only she seems to have. You watch her as she pads out of the room, completely naked, that tight little body moving with unhurried confidence, her hips swaying just enough to make your already rock-hard cock give another desperate throb.
From the bedroom, you hear the faint sound of a zipper, metal teeth rasping open. A pause. Then some soft rustling. Your heart picks up, your curiosity burning, trying to piece together what the hell she’s planning. And then, her footsteps again, crossing the hall, getting closer.
She comes back into the room, eyes glinting, and tosses something at you. You catch it on instinct.
It’s a small bottle.
You turn it over in your hand, read the label.
Lube.
Your brows shoot up and you look at her, grinning in disbelief. “What the hell do you plan on doing with this?”
She climbs back onto the bed, crawling up slowly, deliberately, like a predator stalking prey, her eyes locked on yours, her knees spreading on either side of your hips until she’s hovering right above you.
“You’re the one who’s gonna do it.”
You blink, your brain still processing, the words sticking in your throat for a second. “Wait… what?”
She leans down, her lips grazing yours as she whispers, “Because it’s your birthday…” she kisses you, slow and soft, then pulls back, “…and because you’re such a great supervisor…” another kiss, deeper this time, “…you get the privilege of fucking my ass today.”
Your whole body tightens instantly, your cock jerking so hard it practically aches. You stare at her, eyes wide, like she’s just handed you the keys to some secret vault you didn’t even know existed. “Are you… are you serious?”
She sits back on her heels, all casual, like she didn’t just offer you the dirtiest birthday present imaginable. “Of course I’m serious.”
Then she reaches behind her, drags her fingers slowly down the curve of her own ass, giving one cheek a light slap, making it jiggle just enough to send your pulse into overdrive.
“It’s been a long time since I took it in the ass…” she says, almost absentmindedly, her voice that same casual, almost shy tone she uses when discussing quarterly reports, like this is just another item on her to-do list. Then she looks right at you, her eyes dark and steady, “…and I kind of love anal.”
Your jaw slackens a bit, your mind racing with images, with questions, with raw, hungry need.
She grins at your reaction, shrugging one bare shoulder. “Makes sense, right?” she adds, almost teasing. “Former porn star. Guessing I’ve done it… more times than I can count. It's part of the job.” Then her voice drops just a little more, breathier, more vulnerable. “But… it’s been years since I’ve had a real dick back there. Just… toys. Dildos.”
Your cock twitches violently at that, thick and hard, standing straight up against your stomach. You groan, dragging your palm slowly along your length, almost needing to ground yourself with the sensation. “Fuck, Irene…” you mutter, shaking your head. “I wasn’t expecting this.”
“But you like it… don’t you?”
“Like?” you laugh quietly, breathless. “This is… this is the best fucking gift.”
She smiles, pleased with herself, then crawls forward a little more, turns, and gets onto all fours right in front of you. That perfect little ass of hers tilted up, back arched so her cheeks spread just slightly, giving you the clearest possible view of her tight, pink little asshole. Your throat goes dry.
She glances back over her shoulder at you, smirking. “Well… supervisor… you gonna get started?”
Your heart is hammering out of your chest. “Damn right.”
You pop open the bottle of lube, the faint plastic crack of the cap clicking free, and squeeze out a generous amount into your palm. It’s cool and slick, coating your fingers easily as you rub them together, warming it up a little.
Without wasting any more time, you slide closer to her, one hand gripping her hip, the other bringing the lube to her ass. You let the first cold drop fall right onto her tight little hole, watching as she shivers at the sudden temperature shock.
“Ohhh… fuck,” she breathes out, her back arching deeper as her hands grip the sheets.
You smear the lube over her asshole with slow, steady circles, massaging it in, spreading it across the perfect crease of her ass, making sure it’s slick and glistening all over. Her cheeks are shining now, slippery under your fingers, and that tight little star is all slicked up, glistening and ready.
The more you work the lube in, the more she relaxes, her breaths coming deeper, slower.
“You’re loving this,” you murmur, running your thumb gently along the rim of her hole, teasing her.
She looks back at you, biting her lower lip, her eyes half-lidded with arousal. “You have no idea…”
You apply a little more pressure with your thumb, testing her, and she pushes back slightly, welcoming it, her body already opening up for you.
“Mmm… that’s it,” you say under your breath, gripping one cheek and spreading her wider, admiring the way her asshole puckers and flexes, slick and inviting.
The contrast between the shy, composed Irene everyone knows at the office, and the filthy, unashamed woman kneeling naked in front of you now, offering you her ass like it’s the most natural thing in the world… it’s fucking intoxicating. You love this about her. That duality. That quiet power.
You lean in, pressing a soft kiss to the small of her back, your hand still massaging circles around her entrance, feeling her pulse there, steady and hot. She shivers again, but it’s not from the cold now; it’s pure anticipation.
“You sure about this?” you ask.
She laughs, breathless. “Don’t make me beg…”
You grin, sliding your lubed fingers lower, brushing her slick pussy briefly, just enough to make her moan softly, before bringing your hand back up to her ass. You add a little more lube to your fingers, making sure it’s dripping, then slowly, carefully, you press the tip of your index finger against her tight, pink hole.
Her breath hitches. Her whole body tenses as you apply steady pressure. The tiny muscle fights you for a second, a stubborn little ring, before it finally gives way with a soft squelch. You slide your finger in, just to the first knuckle. She groans, a low, guttural sound that’s half pain, half pure bliss.
"Fuck…" she breathes out, her hips twitching. "Okay… okay, that’s… mmm."
You wait, letting her adjust to the feeling of being filled, your finger still and warm inside her. Then, you start to move it, a slow, gentle circling motion. Her asshole clenches around you, tight and hot.
"Easy, baby," you murmur. "Just relax for me. Let me open you up."
She exhales, a long, shuddering breath, and you feel her body soften, her tight muscle relaxing just a fraction around your finger. You push in a little deeper, hooking your finger slightly, massaging her from the inside.
"Oh, god… that feels…" she trails off. She pushes back against your hand, wanting more. You continue the slow, steady rhythm, and she lets out a soft, contented sigh. "It's… it's so nice," she whispers. "To be able to do this again."
You keep moving your finger, feeling her pulse against the tip. "Do what, baby? Take a finger up your ass?" you tease gently.
She lets out a wet little laugh. "That too. But… just this. All of it. The sex… being filthy…" Her voice drops, becoming more serious. "But feeling… safe. Feeling protected while I do it. Knowing you’re not going to… hurt me at the end. Or judge me." Her hips rock back, pressing her ass more firmly onto your hand. "God, I’m so happy you didn’t give up on me. That you insisted on staying."
You slide your finger out slowly, coat it with more lube, then add a second finger to the first. You press them both against her entrance. She gasps as you work them in together, stretching her, filling her more completely.
"I would never lose a woman like you, Irene," you say. "You're the most beautiful, intelligent, fucking amazing woman I've ever met. Past, present, all of it. You're perfect."
She shudders as your fingers begin to move inside her again, a slow scissoring motion that makes her moan, a high, keening sound this time. She looks back over her shoulder, her face flushed, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.
"Fuck… that’s…" she bites her lip, a shy blush creeping up her neck despite the raw vulgarity of the situation. "That’s… really nice of you to say, but… maybe we can leave the love talk for later?" she gasps out between moans. "Talking about these things while you have your fingers in my ass isn't exactly… the best time."
You bark out a laugh, the tension breaking. "You're right. My bad." You lean in and bite her ass cheek playfully. "Sorry for trying to be romantic while I finger-fuck you."
"It's okay, baby," she giggles, her whole body relaxing into your touch now. "Just… focus on the finger-fucking part for now."
"Whatever you want, boss," you say, grinning. You add a third finger, and she cries out, her ass clenching hard around you, starting a slow, relentless rhythm, pumping in and out of her tight little hole. The lube makes a wet, slapping sound with every thrust of your hand, a filthy soundtrack to her ragged moans. Her ass cheeks are spread wide, giving you a perfect, obscene view of her pink, stretched muscle gripping your fingers. You watch, fascinated, as she completely melts under your touch, her body surrendering to the pleasure.
"Fuck, Irene… look at you," you growl. You rotate your fingers inside her, feeling her stretch wider around them. She cries out, a sharp, high-pitched sound. "You're taking my whole hand like a champ. Just imagine how good this is gonna feel when it's my thick cock stretching you out instead."
"Mmmm… don't… don't stop," she pleads, her words broken by gasps as she pushes her ass back onto your violating fingers, meeting the pressure.
"Oh, I'm not stopping," you promise, your pace quickening slightly. You lean down, your lips brushing against her ear. "I think I'm gonna get addicted to this. To your perfect ass. I'm going to want to fuck it every single day." You thrust your fingers deeper, imitating a hard fuck. "How's that sound, baby? Waking up every morning with my cock already buried deep inside your ass, filling you up before you've even had your coffee."
Her response is a raw, guttural moan that vibrates through her entire body. Her hips begin to grind against your hand in wild, needy circles. "Yes… fuck… keep talking," she pants. "Tell me more… tell me what you're gonna do to my ass…"
You glance down between her thighs and your own cock gives a hard throb. A glistening, clear trail of her arousal is dripping from her soaking wet pussy, running down the inside of her thigh and pooling on the sheets. She's not even touching herself, but the thought of you fucking her ass is making her cunt gush.
"Look at that," you murmur, your free hand reaching down to trace the slick path of her juices. "You're so fucking wet for this, aren't you? So horny just thinking about my cock in your ass that your pussy is weeping for it." You dip your thumb into her slickness and bring it back up to her asshole, smearing her own cunt juice around the rim of her hole, mixing it with the lube. "Let's make it even messier."
"Please…" she whimpers, completely gone. "Please, just… fuck me… I need it…"
You pull your fingers out of her with a loud, wet sound. Her asshole, stretched and glistening, puckers greedily, empty for only a second. You can see how ready she is, how open you've made her.
You draw your hand back.
The sound of your palm connecting with her ass cheek is sharp and loud, echoing in the quiet room. A perfect, red handprint blossoms on her pale skin. She yelps, a shocked, ecstatic sound, her whole body jolting. She looks back at you over her shoulder, her eyes wide, dazed, and full of pure, unadulterated need. Her chest is heaving, her lips are parted, and her ass is red, abused, and beautifully, perfectly ready for you.
The lube glistens like syrup under the low light, a sheen coating the delicate wrinkle of her pink asshole, smeared slick between the cleft of her cheeks and dripping slowly toward the tight seal of her pussy. She keeps herself open for you, kneeling deep into the mattress, arms stretched forward, arching her back like a fucking exhibit. She’s panting, her head down, black hair spilled over her shoulder blades in wild, careless strands.
You trace the tip of your cock along the seam of her hole, barely nudging the outer ring, and she makes a noise: sharp, needy, almost angry.
“Don’t tease me,” Irene growls, hips pushing back against you, practically punching your cock with the weight of her ass. “Put it in. Now.”
You obey. You press forward slowly, resisting the urge to just bury yourself to the hilt and fuck like an animal. Her hole yields just a little, then grips you, impossibly snug, sucking you in with a hot, slick resistance that makes your whole body twitch.
“Oh fuck,” you mutter under your breath, biting down on a curse as the ring of muscle clamps around your head, slow and greedy, dragging every millimeter into her. “Jesus, you’re… tight.”
“I know,” she smirks into the pillow, biting down on her bottom lip as she breathes through the stretch. Her tone is breathless but taunting. “I haven’t been used in a while. Not properly. Not like this.”
You ease in another inch. Then another. Her asshole flutters and clamps, adjusting around your girth like it’s testing you.
“That’s it,” Irene whispers, then harder: “Keep going. All the way. Don’t you dare stop until your balls are fucking pressed against me.”
You grit your teeth, rocking your hips gently forward, both hands gripping her sides to keep steady. Inch by inch you sink into her, the resistance melting into slick pressure. She moans, a raw, throaty sound full of pain twisted with hunger. Her whole body shudders as the last inch disappears into her heat.
When your pelvis finally nestles flush against the swell of her ass, your balls brushing her dripping cunt, she exhales hard; like she’s just been filled with something holy.
“Goddamn,” you breathe, locked inside her, unmoving for a second, overwhelmed by the feel of it. “You’re gonna break me.”
“No,” she says, lifting her head just enough to look back at you. “You’re gonna break me. Keep moving, or I’ll sit on your face until you pass out.”
You pull back slow, dragging yourself out until just the thick head is left buried inside, then push back in with a slow, deliberate thrust that makes her whine low in her throat.
“That’s it,” Irene murmurs. “Nice and deep. I want to feel every inch. I want to feel it in my fucking stomach.”
You start to move, slow and steady, your cock plunging deep into the hot grip of her ass and pulling out again, over and over, building a rhythm. Her moans rise in pitch, sharp and cut with whimpers, but her ass keeps pushing back onto you, meeting every thrust with a greedy snap of her hips.
“Faster,” she snarls. “Don’t be gentle. I don’t want gentle.”
You pound into her harder, the slap of your skin against her ass echoing in the room, obscene and constant. Her back arches deeper, the curve of her spine a perfect invitation, and you drive in deeper still, your hands spreading her cheeks to watch your cock disappear again and again into that slick, stretched hole.
“Fuck yes,” she gasps. “That’s it. That’s your hole. Say it.”
Your brain is on fire, body wound tight, but you nod, fucking her faster, harder. “My hole. All mine. Fuck—so good, Irene.”
“Tell me what I am,” she spits, grinding her ass against you mid-thrust. “Tell me what you’re fucking.”
You groan, barely coherent. “My whore. My nympho slut. My fucking anal-obsessed goddess.”
“That’s right,” she laughs, low and mean, pleasure twisting her words. “I’m your filthy bitch. Keep filling me. I want you so deep I can’t walk tomorrow.”
You grip her hips and slam into her, cock buried to the base every time, her ass stretched wide around you. Her pussy is a mess now, slick and twitching, untouched and throbbing with every shockwave of your rhythm.
“Harder,” she snarls. “I want to feel your cock rearranging my guts.”
"Alright, ma'am," you growl.
You give her exactly what she's begging for. Your hips become pistons, slamming into her with a brutal, relentless force. All your strength is channeled into your cock, driving it into her ass again and again, each thrust deeper and harder than the last. The wet, slapping sound of your bodies colliding echoes in the room, obscene and glorious. You grip her hips so hard you know you'll leave bruises, using them as handles to anchor her as you pound into her without mercy.
Her moans shatter, turning into raw, animal cries of pain and ecstasy. She pushes back against you with every brutal thrust, her body a taut bow of pure sensation. You watch your cock disappear into her tight, glistening hole, the muscles of her ass clenching desperately around you. Her untouched pussy is a mess below, dripping her slick onto the bed with every jarring impact. She's so fucking hot, so insatiable.
"Tell me again what a filthy whore I am!" she snarls, voice cracking. "Tell me how much you love fucking my tight ass!"
"You're my perfect little anal slut," you pant, the words ripped from your throat as you continue your assault. "You take this cock so fucking good. Your ass was made for this. Made to be stretched, used, and filled by me."
"It was," she sobs, the words half-lost in a scream of pleasure. "It's yours! My ass is your fucking property! Now wreck it! Wreck me!"
Her body starts to tremble, fine tremors at first that grow into violent, uncontrollable shudders. Her asshole, which was already impossibly tight, clenches down on your cock like a vise, spasming, milking you with an intensity that almost makes you lose control. She's close. So fucking close.
"That's it, baby," you groan, feeling her body start to come apart around you. "You feel that? You're going to cum for me. You're going to cum all over my cock from your ass."
"I am… fuck… I'm… oh god…"
Her head whips back, a choked, guttural scream tearing from her lips as her orgasm hits her like a lightning strike. Her entire body locks up, her back arching so high her knees lift off the bed. Her asshole spasms violently around your shaft, a series of deep, rhythmic pulses that feel like she's trying to suck your cock clean out of your body. She’s coming, harder than you’ve ever seen anyone come, purely from the brutal, relentless fucking you’re giving her ass.
"FUUUUCK!" she screams as she shatters. Her body convulses around you, wave after wave of pleasure ripping through her. She's sobbing, drool trailing from the corner of her open mouth, completely lost in the overwhelming sensation. You don't stop, slamming into her through it, dragging her along the edge of that climax until she’s twitching, sobbing, her thighs soaked, everything between her legs shaking from overstimulation. Her asshole clenches over and over, like it’s trying to keep your cock inside her permanently. The sound of your name on her lips turns into a whimper, a plea.
And then she collapses.
She goes limp under you, body gone soft, her face buried into the mattress, hair plastered to her neck with sweat. You slow just enough not to hurt her more, but you're still buried in her, and she’s still trembling like something in her got snapped and rearranged.
You reach down, cup one hot, twitching cheek in your palm, fingers sinking into the softness, then you slap her ass. She jerks violently, crying out again, a fresh gush of wetness from her untouched cunt.
Irene’s panting like a dog, but she lifts her head slowly, pushing herself up on shaky elbows. Her asshole is raw and red, clenching around nothing now that you’ve pulled out, and your cock stands slick and flushed, aching to go again.
You run a hand down her back, smearing sweat, and watch her shiver under your touch, still catching her breath. She looks over her shoulder, eyes dark and dazed, lips parted.
“What now?” she asks, still high on it, a smirk tugging at the edge of her fucked-out expression.
You crawl over the mattress, slow and deliberate, the mattress dipping under your weight until you’re hovering above her. You reach out, brush her damp hair away from her cheek, and tilt her face toward you. Her eyes meet yours; you lean in and kiss her.
It’s not rushed. Not forceful. Just the soft press of your lips on hers, a quiet connection that feels startlingly out of place after how violently you’d just been inside her. But it fits. Her lips part easily, kissing you back, slow and sweet, her moan caught between you like breath being passed from one lung to another.
When you pull back, your thumb stroking gently over her cheekbone, you speak low and close.
“You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
She blinks once, then laughs; a little stunned, a little disbelieving, the sound raspy and full of heat. She shifts onto her side, hair falling in her face, her lips tugged up into a crooked grin. “Jesus,” she murmurs. “That’s a hell of a romantic thing to say after you fucked my ass like it owed you rent.”
You laugh too, forehead pressed to hers, eyes shut for a second. “I mean it.”
“Yeah?” she whispers, her palm sliding up your chest, nails dragging faintly across skin. “You always get all poetic when I let you wreck my holes?”
“I’m discovering new talents,” you say, and kiss her again, deeper this time, longer, your tongue meeting hers slow and deliberate, savoring her like she’s the only thing that’s ever mattered. Her fingers find your hair, tangling in it, keeping you there until she finally pulls back, panting softly, her lips swollen and wet.
You straighten, letting your hand glide down her bare side, palm trailing over the curve of her hip. “Come on,” you murmur, fingers nudging at her.
She doesn’t move.
Instead, she stretches lazily, catlike, then rolls onto her back, arms above her head, bare chest rising and falling. “Make me,” she says, grinning like a brat, teeth flashing beneath the curtain of black hair stuck to her cheek. “If you want me up so bad, you better earn it.”
You raise an eyebrow.
“Oh, you’re in that mood again?” you mutter, and before she can blink, you lunge, grabbing her under the thighs, flipping her off the bed in one fluid motion. She shrieks, half-laughing, half-startled as your arms lock around her, her bare ass landing square in your hands.
“Hey!” she gasps, but she’s laughing, eyes bright. “Assault!”
“You asked for it,” you growl against her throat, kissing her hard, biting the skin there just enough to make her squirm.
Still holding her up, you reposition your grip—one hand under her ass, the other around her back. Her legs wrap around your waist like it’s instinct. She clings to your shoulders, breath hitching as your cock brushes against her inner thigh, then her slick, drenched cunt.
You drag the tip along her folds, once, twice.
She gasps. “Fuck, fuck, I��m—” she starts, but your head nudges inside, the slickness between her legs so intense it practically sucks you in.
“Sensitive,” she finishes, her whole body jolting.
You groan as you push deeper, her pussy hot and swollen and soaked from everything that came before. She’s not just wet—she’s drenched, her folds clinging to your cock like velvet, the entrance spasming as you ease in inch by slow inch. Her breath stutters out of her mouth in broken moans, arms tightening around your neck, her nails biting into your skin.
“Irene—fuck—you’re soaking,” you hiss, your lips brushing her ear.
“I know,” she moans, her words thick with need. “It’s from before…I came so hard… ahh, god, don’t stop, don’t—”
You don’t.
You fuck her slowly in the air, each thrust smooth and deep, her weight light in your arms but heavy on your cock. Her pussy clenches with every movement, already overstimulated and begging for more. Her head falls back, exposing the line of her throat, mouth open in helpless pleasure as you move inside her.
Her moans get louder, warmer, wetter, her body rocking with every motion, the slap of skin against skin muted by the softness of her thighs wrapped tight around you.
“You like that?” you whisper, kissing her collarbone, trailing your tongue between the swell of her breasts. “You like getting fucked right after I ruined your ass?”
She nods frantically, face flushed, lips parted. “Y-yes, I—fuck, yes, I need this, don’t stop, I’m so close already.”
You kiss her, swallowing her cries, letting her whimper into your mouth as you keep thrusting up into her, slow and deep, filling her again and again until her cunt spasms, her whole body clinging to yours like she’s afraid to fall. Her moans melt into kisses, breathy, broken, desperate, like she’s trying to stay anchored through her own bliss.
And you just keep holding her, hips rolling, fucking her deeper… slower… not letting her come down yet.
Your arms are burning with the effort, but you don't care. The feeling of her wrapped around you, your cock buried deep inside her slick, hot cunt, is worth everything. Her body is a dead weight of pure pleasure, clinging to you, her head thrown back as you continue the slow, relentless rhythm. Each thrust is deliberate, deep, a lazy roll of your hips that slides you all the way in until your pelvis presses against her, then draws you almost all the way out before sinking back down.
She whimpers into your mouth every time you pull back, a desperate, needy sound. "Please..." she breathes against your lips, her own hips trying to buck, to rush the pace, to find the friction she so clearly craves.
"Shhh," you murmur, capturing her mouth in another long, slow kiss. "Just feel this, baby. Let me love you." You fuck her with an infuriating gentleness, your movements tender, almost reverent. It's the exact opposite of what her body is screaming for, and you both know it.
That’s the fucking point.
"You're... torturing me," she pants, her nails digging into the muscles of your shoulders. Her pussy is so wet it's practically frictionless, dripping down onto your thighs, but it clenches around your cock with a desperate, pulsing grip.
"Am I?" you whisper, your lips tracing a path down her throat to her collarbone. You continue the slow, deep strokes, ignoring her plea. "I'm just loving you, Irene. Showing you how much you mean to me. How perfect you feel." You thrust upwards, slowly, filling her completely, and hold yourself there for a moment, letting her feel every thick inch. She moans, a long, frustrated wail.
"No... please... I need it harder," she begs, voice cracking. She starts to writhe in your arms, trying to grind her hips against you, to create her own rhythm. "Fuck me... please, just fuck me properly."
You chuckle softly against her skin, a low, dark sound. "But I like this," you say, resuming the agonizingly slow pace. "I like feeling you squeeze me. I like hearing you beg." You kiss her again, a deep, possessive kiss that smothers her protests. You can feel the frantic, thrumming energy building in her, the pleasure coiling into a tight, unbearable knot of pure need.
Her body is trembling now, her skin slick with a fine sheen of sweat. "You're an asshole," she gasps, her voice a mix of fury and arousal. "You know what I want... you know what I need, and you're just... playing with me."
"I am," you agree easily, your hips still rolling in that same, maddeningly slow rhythm. "And you love it. Look at you. You're soaked. Shaking. Completely coming apart just from me being inside you."
"Then make me come!" she cries out, her control finally snapping. "For fuck's sake, stop making love to me and just FUCK ME! Fuck me hard! Use me like I'm a toy, like I'm just a fucking fleshlight you own! I need it! Please, I need you to ruin me!”
You kiss her neck gently, your lips brushing her skin in a gesture of pure affection that completely contradicts the filthy words she just screamed.
"A fleshlight?" you murmur against her ear, your voice a soft, teasing caress. "Is that all you think you are to me, Irene? Just a set of holes to use?" You slide almost all the way out of her, making her gasp and instinctively clench her pussy around the thick head of your cock, trying to keep you inside. Then you push back in, slowly, deeply, until you bottom out against her cervix. "That doesn't sound very romantic."
"I don't want romantic right now!" she cries. Her body writhes in your arms. "I want to be used! I'm just a cunt for you! A tight, wet hole for your big dick! Please, I'm begging you, just pound me! Pound my cunt until I'm stupid! Forget my name! Forget everything but how good it feels to fuck me!"
"Are you sure?" you ask, your voice still infuriatingly calm and gentle. You continue the slow, deep fucking, each stroke a deliberate act of torture. "Because I love making love to you, Irene. I love holding you like this. Feeling your heart beat against mine."
"Fuck my heart!" she sobs. "Fuck my heart and fuck my brain! Just fuck my pussy! Please! I'll do anything! I'll be your good little whore, I promise! Just stop teasing me! I can't take it anymore! I'm going to come just from this, and I'll fucking hate you for it!"
You stop moving.
For one torturous second, you are completely still inside her. She whimpers, her body frozen in anticipation. "Alright," you growl. "If you're going to beg for it like a good little whore, then I guess I have to give you what you want."
"Yes..." she breathes.
Your grip tightens, fingers digging into the meat of her ass as you slam her down onto your cock harder, rougher, the sound of her soaked cunt getting louder, wetter. The wet smack of flesh on flesh fills the room, and she yelps, then laughs through it, her eyes wild, her smile twisted with too much pleasure.
“God, yes—fuck me, use me—don’t stop—don’t you dare—”
You do exactly what she demands.
You use her.
You fuck her like she’s a doll made just to take cock, just to squeeze and stretch and be filled until her mind breaks and drips out of her pussy. You slam into her over and over, brutal rhythm, zero mercy. Her nails are digging into your shoulders, her forehead pressed to yours, moaning every breath into your mouth as her body takes the full force of your thrusts.
“Fucking hell,” you growl, gritting your teeth as her pussy tightens and pulses around your cock, “you’re taking it like a fucking slut, Irene.”
“I am,” she pants, the words shuddering out of her, “I’m your fucking slut—I’m your toy—make me fucking cum, I want it, I want it, please!”
You feel the change before you see it. The muscles inside her pussy, already clenched tight around you, suddenly begin to flutter, then seize, locking down on your shaft like a superheated vise. Her eyes, which were squeezed shut, fly open wide, not with pleasure, but with pure, unadulterated shock.
"Oh... oh my god... I'm..."
A sharp, strangled cry rips out of her as the first gush erupts from her cunt. It’s not just wetness; it's a hot, violent spray that shoots out, soaking your stomach and thighs, splashing on the floor below you. It’s a shocking, uncontrollable release, and her entire body locks up, trembling in your arms as she comes so hard she can’t breathe, can’t think.
You don't stop. You don't even slow down.
The sight, the sound, the feeling of her completely letting go like this makes you lose control. You keep slamming into her, your cock driving through the gushing fluid, making it splash and spray with every thrust. The fucking is louder now, wetter, a constant, obscene slapping sound. Another powerful torrent shoots from her, then another, seemingly endless. Her pussy is a broken faucet, gushing warm, clear fluid that runs in rivers down your legs, pooling on the floor.
"Aaahhh—fuck—it's still coming!" she screams. "I can't stop it—what's happening?! Fuck, fuck, don't you dare stop!"
Her legs, locked around your waist, are trembling so violently she can barely hold on. Her entire body jerks with every stroke, completely helpless in your grip. You fuck her through the flood, your own vision blurring, your body on fire. You watch her face, see her mind completely erased by pleasure, her eyes rolled back, her mouth wide open in a silent, unending scream.
You only slow when the last pulses drain from her, the violent gushes finally slowing to a warm, steady trickle down her thighs. Her limbs go limp, her body slumping against you, completely boneless and spent. She collapses against your chest, shivering and dazed, her entire body buzzing in the aftermath.
With a groan, you stumble back with her still in your arms and half-fall, half-sit on the edge of the bed. She’s still on your lap, your cock buried deep inside her wrecked, dripping pussy. Her arms curl weakly around your neck and she buries her face in the crook of your shoulder, her breath coming in shallow, trembling gasps.
You hold her tight, your own heart hammering against your ribs. Your hands slide slowly up and down her back, a soothing, grounding motion. You kiss her hair, her temple, the shell of her ear, whispering her name over and over.
Finally, you tilt her chin up to kiss her. Her lips are soft, wet, and slow to respond, her body still floating, completely fucked-out. She moans weakly into your mouth, a sound of pure, exhausted bliss.
When she pulls back, her eyes are barely open, her long lashes wet with tears and sweat.
"Mmm," she sighs, nuzzling her cheek against yours. Her gaze drifts down, looking at the mess. Your bodies are gleaming, the floor is soaked, and the air is thick with the clean, musky scent of her release. "Your cock is magic," she whispers. "That was… Jesus Christ. I don't even squirt. Like, ever. I think I've maybe done it once in my entire life, and it was nothing… nothing like that."
You chuckle, your forehead pressing against hers. "Well, I guess your pussy just really, really likes me."
"I guess so," she murmurs, a lazy, dazed smile spreading across her face. "Or maybe you just finally fucked me hard enough to break me.” Then her hand slips between the two of you, down to your lap. Her fingers wrap around your shaft, still rock hard, still throbbing inside her. “Are you close?”
You nod, your breath hitching. “Yeah.”
Her smile changes—still soft, but wicked underneath.
“Good.”
Then she pushes you back, palms on your chest, making you fall flat onto the bed with a surprised grunt. She rolls her hips as she pulls off your cock, the slick noise of her body separating from yours obscene, strands of wetness sticking to your shaft.
She straddles you like she owns you; knees braced on either side of your hips, sweat-slick thighs trembling but determined, ass flexing as she angles herself just right. You’re flat on your back, heart thundering in your chest, cock twitching and red and glistening with her slick, twitching against your stomach until she grips it with one hand, lines the head up with the soaked, glistening pucker of her asshole, and then sinks.
Your breath catches in your throat as her ass envelops you again, tight and hot, that familiar pressure building immediately as she sinks down with a slow, sinful twist of her hips. The tip slides in, and she moans, a low, guttural sound of pleasure and defiance, her back arching, hair sticking to her damp face. Her hole stretches around you perfectly, so perfectly it borders on painful, but she keeps going, inch by inch, until her full weight settles against your hips and you’re buried to the base.
You groan, your fingers digging into the sheets as her ass clenches around your cock like a fist. She lifts her head, licking her lips, eyes half-lidded with bliss.
“Still so fucking hard,” she murmurs. “You love my ass, don’t you?”
You nod, helpless.
“I could ride this cock all night,” she whispers, then smiles wickedly. “And I just might.”
She starts to move.
No slow buildup, no gentle grind: she fucks you, bouncing on your cock with reckless rhythm, ass clapping against your thighs, wet, loud, filthy. You groan through gritted teeth, hands finding her waist to keep yourself grounded, but it’s impossible to keep up with her. She’s wild. Even after cumming twice, even after being reduced to a trembling, soaking mess; she’s still fucking insatiable. Every drop of strength she has is poured into fucking herself on your cock like a nymphomaniac possessed.
“Oh my god,” you groan, hips thrusting up instinctively to meet her. “Irene—Irene, I’m—fuck—I’m close—”
“I know you’re close,” she gasps, riding you harder. “I can feel it. Your cock’s throbbing like it’s about to explode. Come on. Don’t hold back.”
She leans forward, bracing her hands on your chest, and slaps your face (not soft). Your head rocks to the side, the sting immediate, and your cock jerks hard inside her.
“Cum,” she hisses, breath hot against your mouth. “Fucking fill me. Cum in my ass. Do it.”
Your hands clamp onto her hips, pulling her down with every thrust, using her body like a goddamn toy, because that’s what she wants—her words, not yours. She’s a toy, a whore, a filthy little anal slut who wants nothing more than to milk the last fucking drop out of you.
“You wanna cum, don’t you?” she pants, her nails dragging down your chest. “I know you do. I can feel it. You’re right there. Do it—cum inside my ass.”
Your brain goes blank. There’s no air, no words, just pleasure, pure and blistering, like you’ve been set on fire from the inside out. Your whole body seizes, hips jerking up into her as the orgasm slams into you like a bomb.
“Fuuuck—” you groan, head thrown back, every muscle tightening.
You cum. Hot, thick spurts of seed shoot deep into her tight little ass, each pulse more intense than the last, her body milking you with every squeeze, every rhythmic clench. It pours out of you, heavy and helpless, so much it feels like your balls are emptying themselves completely into her. She moans low and deep as she feels it, still grinding, slow now, purposeful, drawing out every spurt like she’s harvesting it.
“Fuck yes,” she groans, eyes fluttering shut. “So hot inside me… I can feel it—all of it. So warm. So fucking full.”
You can't stop moaning, your voice a pathetic, broken thing in the quiet of the bedroom. Your orgasm has left you hollowed out, your body trembling and weak, but she’s still moving. Her hips continue their slow, tight circles, grinding your now hypersensitive cock against the walls of her asshole. Every tiny movement sends a jolt of raw, overstimulated friction through you that’s almost painful. Your semi-flaccid cock twitches again, spasming weakly, squeezing out another dribble of cum into the hot, slick grip of her ass. The wet, squelching sound is obscene.
“Jesus,” you whisper. Your hands are fisted in the sheets, your whole body tense. “Irene—I can’t—please, stop…”
She just laughs. It’s not her usual soft, sweet chuckle. This is a low, throaty, cruel sound that vibrates down through her body and into yours. She leans forward, bracing her hands on your chest, her sweat-slick hair falling around her face like a dark curtain. Her eyes are glittering with a wild, sadistic light.
“Stop?” she purrs, her hips not pausing their relentless, grinding motion. “Oh, baby. We’re not stopping. We’re just getting started.” She grinds down harder, a deliberate, punishing circle that makes you cry out. “Remember earlier? When I was begging you to fuck me harder, and you just kept going slow? When you were teasing me, making me wait, making me plead for it?”
You nod weakly, your eyes squeezed shut.
“Well,” she says. “Payback’s a bitch. This is my revenge. Now it’s your turn to beg. It’s your turn to lie there and take it, no matter how much it hurts, no matter how much you want me to stop. You don’t get to move. You don’t get to pull out. You just take it. Understood?”
“Irene… please… I’m empty,” you plead, your hips instinctively trying to squirm away from the relentless pressure.
Her hands shoot out, pinning your wrists to the bed on either side of your head. Her grip is surprisingly strong. “I said, don’t move,” she hisses. “And you are not empty. I know you, baby. I know your body. There’s always more. And I’m going to milk every last fucking drop out of you before I’m done.”
With your arms pinned, you’re completely at her mercy. She speeds up, just slightly. The slow, torturous grind transitions into a purposeful, steady rhythm. The wet, sloppy sounds of your cum lubricating her fucking get louder. She’s using your own release against you, turning it into a slick coating for her relentless ride.
“That’s it,” she moans, her own pleasure building again. “Feels so good, riding you when you’re this sensitive. I can feel your cock twitching inside my ass with every fucking squeeze. You love it, don’t you? Even though it hurts. You love being my toy.”
“It’s too much, babe…” you groan, your head thrashing on the pillow. Your cock, against all odds, is hardening again inside her, engorging with trapped blood, the sensitivity becoming an unbearable, burning ache.
“Too much? Oh, no. This isn’t even close to too much,” she taunts, her pace quickening even more. She starts bouncing on you, her ass slapping against your thighs, each impact sending a shockwave of sensation straight to your overstimulated nerves. “I’m not stopping until I cum again. And you’re going to be hard and buried inside my ass for that whole ride. You’re going to fill me up again while I’m screaming.”
She’s a fucking demon, a beautiful, insatiable nympho riding you into oblivion. She can feel you getting hard again, feel your body’s unwilling response. A triumphant, wicked grin spreads across her face.
“Oh, look at that,” she pants, her rhythm becoming frantic now. “Getting hard again for me. Such a good boy. You can’t help it, can you? Your cock just wants to please me. It just wants to be milked by my greedy little asshole.”
Her words are a death sentence to your self-control. Your body is already screaming, a raw nerve of overstimulation, but her filthy promises send a fresh wave of heat through you. You’re actually hardening again, impossibly, painfully, inside the slick, tight grip of her ass.
“You’re on the edge again, aren’t you?” she pants, her rhythm becoming frantic now, a brutal, merciless bouncing on your raw cock. “I can feel it. Your cock is twitching inside my ass, getting ready to shoot for me again. Good. I want it. I want your hot load coating my insides. I want to feel you pump every last drop into my greedy little hole.”
“Irene… please… I can’t…” you plead.
“Shhh. You don’t get a say in this. You don’t decide when you’re done. I do. I’m going to milk your balls dry, and you’re going to lie here and take it like the good little toy you are. I want to feel you come apart inside me. I want to feel you lose your fucking mind.”
She feels the tell-tale tremor run through you. She knows. A triumphant, wicked grin spreads across her face.
“Oh, yes… right there…” she hisses, her pace becoming even more punishing. “You’re going to give it to me now. You’re going to fill your whore’s ass up again. Fucking beg me for it. Beg me to let you cum.”
“Please,” you sob, the word ripped from a place beyond your control. “Please, Irene… let me cum… please…”
“That’s it,” she purrs. “That’s what I wanted to hear.”
She lets go of your wrists, braces her hands on your shoulders, and with a final, guttural cry of her own, she sits down on you. Hard.
The sudden, overwhelming pressure is blinding. It forces the air from your lungs in a choked scream. Your body goes rigid, your back arching violently off the bed as the second orgasm rips through you with a force that feels like it’s tearing you apart. It's a complete system overload, a raw, involuntary expulsion that is pure, agonizing bliss.
Hot, thick ropes of your cum shoot deep inside her again, flooding her, filling the space that was already slick with your first release. You’re screaming, incoherent, your mind completely blanked out by the intensity.
As you flood her, a sound tears from her throat; not a taunt, but a raw, shocked scream of her own. Her whole body locks up, seizing around you. Her ass muscles spasm violently, a deep, powerful clenching that milks you even harder, drawing out every last drop of your release. The sheer force of you coming inside her, filling her so completely, has pushed her over her own edge.
“OH FUCK!” she screams, voice cracking as her own orgasm hits her suddenly. She’s coming apart on top of you, her body convulsing, her mind wiped clean. You feel her climax in the way her inner walls flutter and pulse around your still-erupting cock. She’s coming from your cum, from the feeling of being brutally, completely filled.
She rides out the violent waves, her body still moving on instinct, until the last shuddering tremor racks through both of you. Finally, with a long, shuddering sigh, she collapses, her body a dead weight on top of yours, her face buried in the crook of your neck. You’re both panting, drenched in sweat, completely and utterly broken. Her ass is still wrapped snugly around your now-softening cock, your combined releases making a warm, sticky mess between you.
For a long time, the only sound in the room is your ragged, shared breathing. You stroke her hair, your fingers trembling slightly, your body still thrumming with the aftershocks. She feels impossibly warm, impossibly real, molded against you.
You let the silence stretch, letting the intensity fade into a soft, warm quiet. You feel her press a weak, open-mouthed kiss against your throat.
“I love you, Irene,” you whisper. It's the first time you've told her that. It feels like the only true thing in the universe right now.
You feel her tense for a second, then melt against you even more. She lifts her head, her face a beautiful wreck. Her eyes are hazy, her lips swollen, her cheeks flushed. She looks at you, and the raw, unadulterated love in her gaze steals your breath all over again.
“I love you too,” she whispers back. She leans down and kisses you.
She pulls back, resting her forehead against yours. “Jesus,” she breathes, a shaky laugh escaping her. “No one’s ever… done that to me before.”
“Done what?” you murmur, your thumb stroking her cheek.
“That,” she says, her gaze soft and vulnerable. “Made me feel so… completely dominated. So used and broken. And then… made me feel so completely loved, all in the same breath. I didn't know that was possible.” She nuzzles her face into your chest. “I trust you so much. I can be… all of this… this filthy, needy thing… and I know you won't leave. I know you’ll still be here to hold me after. You are the first person to understand me completely."
You wrap your arms tighter around her. “I’m never leaving,” you say. “You can be whatever you want with me, Irene. Dominant, submissive, a fucking demon, an angel. It doesn’t matter. I’ll still be here. I’ll still love you.”
She sighs, a sound of pure, contented relief. “Good,” she murmurs, her eyes fluttering shut. “Because I think you broke my ass. You’re going to have to carry me to the shower.”
You chuckle, kissing the top of her head. “Deal.”
—
An hour later, after a long, hot shower that washed away the sweat and cum but left the buzzing, bone-deep satisfaction, you're both on the couch, tangled together in a thick blanket. The apartment is quiet and dark, lit only by the soft glow of a single lamp. You take the cake that Irene prepared and put it on the coffee table.
It's a rich, dark chocolate cake, with a glossy ganache frosting that’s a little uneven on the sides, a testament to the fact that she made it herself. A few simple, elegant chocolate shavings are scattered on top. It looks cute and real. You find a few candles in a drawer and stick them in the center.
"Alright, birthday boy," she murmurs. "Make a wish."
You look from the flickering candles to her face, her skin glowing in the warm light, her eyes soft and heavy-lidded with exhaustion and love. "Already got it," you say quietly.
You lean forward, and blow the candles out in a single, gentle puff. The wicks glow red for a moment before extinguishing, leaving thin trails of smoke curling in the air. You cut a large, messy slice and hold the fork up to her lips. She parts them, taking the bite, and her eyes flutter shut. A low, genuine moan of pure bliss rumbles in her chest.
“Holy shit,” she sighs as she chews slowly. “Okay. This is what I needed all along.”
You laugh, taking a bite yourself. "What, not the two hours of borderline-abusive anal sex?"
She nudges you with her shoulder, swallowing. “Okay, both,” she concedes, her lips quirking into a grin. “But this is a very, very close second. I can’t believe the cake actually turned out good. I had to whip it up in a rush before you got back from your walk.”
"This is honestly the best chocolate cake I've ever had," you say, meaning it. You pause, a wicked grin spreading across your face. "But... I think I still prefer the taste of it on your tits."
Her laugh is sudden and bright, a beautiful, airy sound. A faint blush colors her cheeks, and she hides her face in your shoulder for a second. "Oh my god, you're an idiot," she murmurs into your t-shirt, but she’s still shaking with laughter. “In my head it was an incredibly erotic idea.”
She leans her head against your shoulder, tucking her legs up under the blanket, and you both eat the cake in comfortable silence for a few minutes, sharing the fork.
“I really like this,” she says quietly.
“Yeah?” you ask, nudging her gently with your head. “What part?”
She sighs, a sound of deep, bone-deep contentment. “All of it. The chaos from earlier. The quiet now. You.” She pauses, her fingers tracing idle patterns on the blanket over your thigh. “Just… this. Sitting on a couch, eating cake. It feels so… normal. I haven’t felt normal in a very long time. I think I forgot what it was like.”
She looks up at you, her eyes wide and sincere. “For years, I just felt like this… lonely creature. Hiding. Just trying to get through the day without anyone really seeing me. It’s so nice to not feel like that anymore. To just be… here. With you. And for it to be this easy.”
You put the plate down and turn, wrapping your arms fully around her, pulling her into your lap. You kiss her forehead, holding her close. “This is your new normal, Irene,” you whisper into her hair. “You’re not a lonely creature. You’re my amazing, brilliant girlfriend who makes killer chocolate cake and who I get to come home to. You’re not alone anymore.”
She burrows her face into your neck, holding you tight. You feel a wetness on your skin and realize she’s crying, but it’s a quiet, happy, cleansing cry.
After a moment, she pulls back, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, a watery but radiant smile on her face. She leans in, kisses you softly, deeply.
“Happy birthday,” she whispers again against your lips. “This was a really good day.”
—
It’s deep into the night by the time you make it to bed. The room’s completely dark except for the faint glow of the city filtering in through the slats in the blinds. Irene’s lying on her side, bare under the sheets, one leg tangled with yours, her fingers lazily drawing circles on your chest.
“Can I tell you something?”
You turn to face her. “Always.”
She takes a breath. “It’s… about my past. The… stuff I used to do.”
You nod, gently brushing her hair back from her face. “You don’t have to, if you’re not ready.”
“No. I want to.” Her hand presses against your sternum, anchoring herself. “I just haven’t really… said this out loud in a long time. But I think it's time to tell you the whole story.”
You wait.
“I got into porn when I was twenty-one,” she says, slowly, like each word needs to be chosen carefully. “I was drowning in student loans. I’d dropped out after two years of college because I couldn’t keep up financially, and I was so fucking angry; at myself, at my parents, at the system. I was doing retail. I was behind on rent. I was living in a place with mold on the walls, sharing a mattress with someone I didn’t even like.”
You nod, your hand finding hers under the blanket and squeezing it.
“People think porn is this glamorous, expensive thing you fall into because you’re greedy or slutty or broken. But it wasn’t like that. It was desperation. And curiosity. And yeah, maybe a little recklessness too.” She chuckles, but it’s dry. “I found an ad on the internet. It was a new adult film studio that was gaining popularity. I think it no longer exists today, but it was becoming well-known at the time. The ad didn't say much, just ‘professional shoot, high pay, women 18–30.’ And I thought… fuck it. What else am I gonna do?”
A new adult film production company
Your thumb runs along her knuckles slowly. She continues.
“I wasn’t scared, really. I was more scared of being broke forever. I’d always been… into sex. A lot. Like, way more than anyone I knew. Masturbating three times a day since I was a teenager. Hookups that made my friends call me names behind my back. But porn? It felt like a way to finally own that part of myself. Monetize it. Flip the script.”
She shifts, her cheek brushing your chest. Her voice steadies, but it’s raw.
“The first shoot was awkward as hell. I cried afterward. Not because I hated it. I didn’t. I liked it. I liked the power of it, the thrill of being watched, of giving someone a fantasy and being in control of how far I’d take it. After spending 1 week filming the scenes, I came home with two thousand dollars in a brown envelope and the weirdest feeling that I’d just started something I couldn’t undo.”
The way she talks—it’s not rehearsed. It’s not for pity. It’s like she’s finally giving herself permission to speak it out loud.
“And from there it just… grew. I filmed more. I used different names. I met people who pulled me in deeper. Some were great, honestly. Some were predators. But the money came fast. I paid off my college debt in under a year. Got a better place. Better food. Clothes. And I was fucking constantly. It was like being high.”
She pauses. Her fingers clutch yours tighter.
“I got addicted. Not to the money. Not even to the attention. To the sex. To the permission. Like I was finally allowed to be as filthy as I’d always been inside. And people were clapping for it. Commenting. Downloading. Jerking off to me. I became this thing. A brand. A body.”
You feel her exhale. Her voice cracks at the edges.
“Eventually I couldn’t tell where Irene the girl ended and Irene the performer began. I’d be doing grocery shopping and people would stare at me and I’d wonder if they recognized me. Or if I was just imagining it. I stopped dating. Who the hell wants to date a girl who’s had fifty dicks on camera? I started pulling back. Told myself I’d film one last scene. Then another. Then another… Eventually I met a guy, he was nice. And I thought maybe this was my chance to leave that world and live a normal life. I had no idea what was yet to come.”
Her voice fades for a second, and you hear her swallow.
"My relationship fell apart when he discovered everything. I had every intention of telling him the truth—I swear I didn’t mean to deceive him—but it was such a difficult thing to bring up. I was trying to find the right moment, building up the courage. By then, I had already left the adult film industry and was working a regular job, trying to move on with my life. But I waited too long, and somehow, he found out. I still don’t know how it happened. Maybe one of his friends stumbled across something and told him, or perhaps he came across one of my old videos online. It doesn’t really matter now. After that, my world unraveled. He told everyone: our friends, even people at the company where I worked. The shame and judgment were overwhelming. So, I just… vanished. I cut ties completely. Deleted all my social media accounts, changed my phone number, and moved to a new city to start over.”
You can feel her heartbeat through her chest, thudding softly against yours.
“And since then, I’ve been alone. Not just physically. I mean… alone. I didn’t touch anyone. I didn’t let anyone touch me. I thought if I deprived myself long enough, I’d stop wanting it. That I’d be better. Cleaner. Deserving of a different life.”
She lifts her head, finally. She looks at you like she’s terrified. And yet still determined.
“Then you came along. And for the first time in years, I wanted to want again. Not just for the release. But for the way you looked at me. The way you talked to me, saw me. You didn’t flinch. You weren’t scared. You didn’t treat me like I was made of broken parts.”
You move your hand to her cheek and stroke it gently.
“I was scared I’d fall back into old habits. That if I let myself be touched again, I’d become… her. That insatiable thing. The one who always needed more. But it’s different with you. I don’t feel empty after. I don’t feel used.”
She exhales, her lips trembling. “I feel… real. Like I can breathe again. Like I’m allowed to be who I am. And still be loved.” Then quieter. “You don’t think I’m sick, do you?”
Your response is immediate. Fierce.
“No. Not even close.”
Her lip trembles. “I’ve done things that would probably make you run if I told you. Stuff I can’t take back. And I still want sex. I’ll probably always crave it too much. I’m still trying to balance it. Be healthy. Not lose myself in it again. But it’s hard. It’s messy. I feel like damaged goods, sometimes.”
You cup her face in both hands, pressing your forehead to hers.
“You are not damaged. You’re not sick. You’re brave. You’re human. And you’ve survived more than most people even think about. You’re smart. You’re beautiful. And you have a right to want. To need. To feel.”
She lets out a sound like a sob, but it turns into a laugh, wet and breathless.
“Fuck,” she whispers. “No one’s ever said that to me. Not like that. I don’t think anyone’s ever seen me like this. Not even me.”
You pull her close, so close there’s no air left between you.
“You deserve to be loved, Irene. Every inch. Every version. Every mood. You deserve it.”
She stays curled against your chest, her breath soft and steady now, her body wrapped around yours like she’s trying to memorize the shape of safety.
“I was such a bitch when I started,” she says.
“You were not.”
“I kind of was.” She laughs quietly, her nose brushing against your jaw. “I didn’t talk to anyone. I barely made eye contact with you the first two weeks.”
“You were reserved,” you correct her gently. “Not rude.”
“I was terrified,” she admits. “Not of you, just… of everything. I had the feeling that I was constantly being watched. I thought I’d last maybe a month before someone recognized me. Before the whispers started.”
You nod, stroking her spine slowly with your fingertips.
“I almost quit the second week,” she confesses. “I wrote the email. Had my resignation drafted and everything. I thought it’d be easier to just run. That’s always been my thing—run when it starts to feel like people care too much.”
You tilt your head, nudging her nose with yours.
“But you didn’t.”
“No,” she says, a small smile forming at the corner of her lips. “You wouldn’t let me.”
You smirk. “That makes me sound controlling.”
She giggles, quiet and real, the kind of laugh she only gives you when it’s just the two of you in the dark like this.
“No, you were just… kind. And persistent. You kept checking in. Bringing me coffee even when I wouldn’t talk to you. Including me in conversations even when I’d pretend I was busy.” You shrug like it was nothing. Because to you, it was nothing. The bare minimum. But to her? It’s clearly more. “I don’t think I would’ve stayed if it wasn’t for you,” she says, voice dipping lower again. “You didn’t push. You didn’t ask too much. You just… let me be, while still reminding me I wasn’t invisible.”
Her fingers skim your jaw, thumb brushing lightly over the corner of your mouth. “So yeah. Thank you. For being patient. For not giving up on me before you even knew what I was hiding.”
You meet her eyes. “You don’t have to thank me for that. I didn’t know what you were hiding, but I knew you were worth knowing. That was enough.” She looks like she’s about to protest again, maybe deflect or crack a joke, but you don’t let her. “And for the record,” you add, leaning in just a little, your lips grazing hers, “you being here tonight? With me? That’s the best birthday present I could’ve asked for.”
Her eyes flutter shut for a second like she’s letting it soak in. Then she leans forward and kisses you, slow and unsure at first, but then deeper, warmer, like her body’s catching up to what her heart’s just now starting to believe. Her fingers wind into your hair, her chest pressing to yours, and her lips stay against you for long moments, whispering wordless thank-yous between every soft drag of her mouth.
—
Everything is fine. For months, everything is fucking perfect.
The revelation of Irene’s past, that raw, terrifying confession in the dark of your bedroom, didn’t break you. It bonded you. A routine settles in, easy and comfortable. She keeps the apartment, a permanent fixture now, her quiet confidence growing day by day. She starts talking to people more, a small smile here, a shared joke there. She’s still Irene, reserved, observant, but the wall of fear has been dismantled, brick by brick. She’s a common face in your life now, an essential one. Her toothbrush is in your bathroom holder. Your hoodie is her favorite thing to sleep in. You trade nights at each other’s apartments, building a small, shared world of takeout, inside jokes, and lazy Sunday mornings.
And the sex. Fuck, the sex. Knowing her history, knowing the deep well of experience she draws from, only makes it hotter. It’s not just a physical act; it’s a form of communication, a place where she can be completely, uninhibitedly herself. And you… you’re falling in love with her. It’s not a sudden realization, but a slow, creeping certainty that settles in your bones. You’re in love with every part of her—the quiet office worker, the demanding lover, the brave woman who is learning to trust again. Everything is fine.
Until today.
The office is quiet. It’s break time on a Monday. Half the staff are outside or in the break room. You’re just walking back to your desk after refilling your water bottle when you see it. A huddle. Four, maybe five guys from the junior sales and IT teams, clustered around a workstation at the far end of the open-plan space. Their backs are to you, their shoulders hunched together, their focus absolute.
You hear murmurs, low and conspiratorial. A snicker.
"…Jesus, look at her take that…"
"No way that’s really her…"
"God, I’d pay good money…"
A familiar, unpleasant prickle goes up your spine. You start walking over, your curiosity piqued. Probably just watching some stupid viral video or a sports highlight. You come up behind them, peering over the shoulder of some fresh-faced IT kid.
And then you see it. Your heart stops. Literally fucking stops. The blood in your veins turns to ice.
On the monitor, displayed for anyone to see, is a porn video. The image is sharp, clear, and utterly undeniable. It’s her. It’s Irene. Younger, yes, but unmistakably her. She’s on her knees, her mouth wrapped around some guy’s cock, her eyes looking straight into the camera with a practiced, dead-eyed expression that is so alien from the woman you know it makes you physically sick.
You freeze. For one, long, terrible second, your brain cannot compute. The two realities: Irene, your Irene - the woman who makes you laugh and brings you cookies, and this woman on the screen, a sexual commodity - violently collide, and your mind just… shorts out.
You don’t even think. You move. You shove your way through the huddle of gawking men, their surprised yelps barely registering.
"Who the fuck put this on?" you scream, your words ripping through the quiet office, echoing off the partitions.
Your eyes land on the person in the chair. It’s fucking Kyle. A newbie from the sales team, barely twenty-two, a smirking, entitled little shit you’ve disliked from day one, the kind of kid who thinks sexual harassment policies are just a suggestion.
You grab him by the collar of his preppy polo shirt before he can even react, hauling him out of the chair, slamming him back against the cubicle wall. His feet scramble for purchase.
"Was this you?" you roar, your face inches from his, your knuckles white where you’re gripping his shirt. "Did you do this?”
His smug little face has dissolved into pure, slack-jawed terror. "Whoa, man, chill out! I-It wasn’t just me!" he stammers, his eyes wide, darting between you and the screen where Irene is now taking the guy’s cock deeper down her throat.
"I’m going to ask you one more fucking time," you snarl, giving him a hard shake. "Did. you. put. this. on?"
"N-no! I mean, yes, but—but Kevin recognized her!" he squeaks, pointing a trembling finger at another terrified-looking newbie cowering nearby. "He said he’d seen one of her movies before, and we didn’t believe him, so we just… we just looked it up to see if it was true! It was just a joke!"
"'A joke'?" you repeat. "You think this is a fucking JOKE? You had no right. No fucking right!" You draw your fist back, every ounce of rage in your body screaming at you to smash it into his stupid, terrified face, to wipe that pathetic excuse off the planet.
"Hey! What the hell is going on over here?"
The commotion has drawn a crowd. Park Sooyoung from HR is there, her face a mask of stern disapproval. Seulgi from accounts is peering over a cubicle wall. And then, among the new faces trickling in from the break room, drawn by your shouting, you see her.
Irene.
She stops, a cup of tea in her hand, a look of mild curiosity on her face. Then she follows everyone’s gaze. First to you, holding Kyle pinned against the wall. Then to the huddle of now-terrified men. And finally… to the monitor.
Time slows down. You watch as her eyes land on the screen, as they widen, as she processes the grainy, moving image of her younger self. You see the exact moment of recognition. You see the color drain from her face, leaving it a sickly, ashen grey. You see her mouth fall open in a silent, horrified expression. You see her worst fear, the trauma she’s been running from for years, realized in the most brutal, public way imaginable. And it breaks your fucking heart. The rage in you evaporates, replaced by a cold, sickening horror that mirrors her own.
Her cup slips from her fingers, clattering to the floor, splashing hot tea across the grey carpet. She doesn’t seem to notice. Her eyes are still glued to the screen, her body frozen. Then, a choked, strangled sound escapes her lips. She turns, her face a mask of such absolute, bone-deep horror that it will be seared into your memory forever, and she runs.
"Irene!"
You let go of Kyle, shoving him away so hard he stumbles and falls. You push past Wendy, past the stunned onlookers, your entire being focused on getting to her. But she’s already at her desk, her movements frantic, clumsy. She snatches her handbag, her hands shaking so badly she can barely hold it.
"Irene, wait!" you call out, but she’s not listening. She’s a cornered animal, driven only by the instinct to escape. She bolts, running for the elevators, her footsteps echoing in the now-silent, watching office.
You lunge, your body moving on pure instinct, throwing yourself through the gap just as the polished steel doors of the elevator begin to slide shut. You land inside with a heavy thud, the doors closing behind you, sealing you both in the small, descending box. The world outside: the shocked faces, the murmuring, the obscene image still frozen on that monitor, is gone. It’s just you and her.
And she’s broken.
Irene doesn’t just stumble; she collapses. Her body gives out completely, her legs folding beneath her as she hits the floor in a heap. A raw, animal sound of pure agony is torn from her throat, a sound that has nothing to do with the quiet, composed woman you know. She curls into a fetal position on the cold, sterile floor, her hands clawing at her hair, her whole body shaking with violent, uncontrollable tremors.
"No… no, no, no…" she gasps, her words dissolving into ragged, hyperventilating breaths.
This isn't just crying. This is a panic attack, full-blown and terrifying. You’re on the floor with her in an instant, you gather her into your arms, pulling her trembling body against your chest, trying to shield her from a horror that’s already inside her head.
"Irene, hey, I’m here. I’ve got you," you murmur. You hug her tight, trying to use your own body to still her shaking. "Breathe, baby. Just try to breathe with me."
"I knew it," she whines, her face buried in your shirt. "Oh god, I knew this would happen… I was so stupid… so fucking stupid to think I could just… leave it behind…" Her words are punctuated by desperate, panicked gasps for air. "It’s never going to stop. It’s always going to find me. It’ll never fucking stop haunting me…"
"Shh, shh, no, that’s not true," you insist, your heart fracturing at the sheer, raw despair in her words. You gently take her face in your hands, forcing her to look away from the floor, to look at you. Her eyes are wild, unfocused, her beautiful face streaked with tears and twisted in a mask of pure terror. "Irene. Hey. Look at me." Your tone is firm but gentle, trying to cut through the noise in her head. "Look at me. I’m right here. You see me?"
Her gaze flickers, struggles to focus on yours. She gives a tiny, shuddering nod.
"Good," you say, your thumbs stroking her tear-soaked cheeks. "You are not alone in this. Do you hear me? I am not leaving you. Not now, not ever. We… we can get through this. Together. But I need you to be strong right now, Irene. I need you to just hold on for me. Can you do that?"
"I can’t…" she chokes out, a fresh wave of sobs shaking her. "I can’t go back there. I can’t face them. I can’t…"
"You don’t have to," you say immediately. "You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do." And then, the words, the most honest, urgent truth you possess, just… come out. A desperate anchor thrown into the storm of her panic. "I love you, Irene."
Her frantic, panicked breathing stutters. Her wide, terrified eyes blink, the wildness in them receding for just a second, replaced by a look of stunned, utter disbelief. She stares at you as if she’s never seen you before.
"I love you," you repeat. "And because I love you, I will fight for you. I will protect you. Those fuckers who did this? They will be punished. They will be gone from that office before the sun comes up tomorrow, I fucking swear it. I will talk to Henderson. I will talk to HR. I will talk to every single person in that office and I will explain exactly what happened; that a couple of immature, pathetic little shits violated your privacy and humiliated you, and that they don’t represent what our company stands for."
You lean closer, your forehead pressing against hers. "Remember what I said? That it’s a good office, with good people? That is still true, Irene. The people who did this… they are the exception. They are newbies who don’t fucking belong there. You do. You belong there."
Her breathing is starting to even out, her gaze still fixed on yours, clinging to your words.
"You don’t have to be silent," you continue. "You don’t have to hide. I can be your voice, if you want me to. I will scream for you until my own throat is raw. All I ask… all I need from you right now… is that you don’t run away. Not from this. And not from me."
For a long moment, she just looks at you, the tears still flowing silently down her face, but the raw panic has subsided. Then, with a shuddering cry that’s more relief than pain, she collapses forward, her arms wrapping around your neck, clinging to you as if you’re the only solid thing in a world that has just disintegrated around her.
"I love you too," she whispers, her words muffled against your shoulder, choked with sobs. "God, I love you so much."
A huge, shaky smile breaks across your face, even as your own eyes start to burn. You hug her back, hard, burying your face in her hair, breathing in her scent. "That’s great," you whisper, laughing a little through the sheer, overwhelming emotion of it all. "That’s… that’s all that matters." You pull back, looking into her eyes again. "We can do this, Irene. Together."
She looks at you, her face a mess, her body still trembling, but for the first time since this nightmare started, there’s a flicker of her old strength, her resilience, in her eyes. She nods, a small, jerky movement. "Yes," she says. "Okay. Yes. I can… I can try."
Just then, a soft chime rings through the small space, and the elevator doors slide open with a gentle whoosh, revealing the brightly lit, indifferent emptiness of the ground floor lobby.
—
The hours that followed your escape in the elevator were a blur of cold, focused fury. While Irene was safely behind the locked door of your apartment, you went to war. You didn’t just want to find out what happened; you wanted names, you wanted details, and you wanted blood. Leveraging your supervisor credentials and a couple of quiet, pointed conversations with reliable sources (people you knew weren’t part of the office’s smirking underbelly) the whole pathetic story spilled out.
It was exactly as the terrified little shit Kyle had stammered. A rookie named Kevin, a recent transfer from another branch, had recognized Irene. He’d apparently bragged to his new friend Kyle that he’d jerked off to one of her films back in college. Kyle, ever the skeptic and dickhead, had called bullshit. So, on a slow Monday afternoon, they looked her up. When they found the videos, confirming Kevin’s claim, their pathetic little minds were blown. They couldn’t just keep it to themselves. They had to prove their discovery, gathering a small, willing audience of other bored, morally bankrupt juniors to gawk at their coworker’s past, laid bare on a company monitor.
The ugliest part, the detail that made you want to find them and break their fucking hands, came from Park Sooyoung in HR, who had pulled one of the other witnesses aside. Just before you’d walked in, Kyle had allegedly joked to the group that maybe he should make Irene a "proposal" (a bit of quid pro quo). She could fuck him, and in exchange, he’d keep her secret from spreading to the rest of the company. He claimed, when confronted, that it was "just banter." You classified it as attempted blackmail and gross misconduct of the highest order.
Their expulsion was swift and brutal. You, Sooyoung, and Henderson, the big boss himself, had them in a conference room before they could even clock out. By the time they were escorted out by security, their careers at Henderson Corp were over, and the big boss promised you he’d be making a few calls. Thanks to his contacts, those two little shits were going to have a very, very difficult time finding another job in this industry, in this city, ever again.
Now, the next morning, you stand at the head of the main conference room. Your entire team is here, seated around the long, polished table. And so is Irene. She’s sitting between Wendy and another woman from her department, a silent, formidable wall of female support flanking her. She looks pale, exhausted, her eyes slightly puffy, but she’s here. She showed up. The sheer, breathtaking courage of that simple act makes you look at the people in the room with renewed determination.
You clear your throat, and the room falls silent. Everyone’s eyes are on you.
"Good morning, everyone," you begin, your tone calm, level, professional. You let your gaze travel around the room, meeting the eyes of each person there. "I’ve called this meeting because I need to address the incident that occurred in our workspace yesterday afternoon. I’m not going to go into the explicit details, because frankly, they are irrelevant. What is relevant, what is critical for every single one of us to understand, is what that incident represents."
You pause, letting the weight of your words sink in.
"Yesterday, a member of our team had her fundamental right to privacy violated in the most egregious way possible. She was exposed, without her consent, to a small group of employees in an act that constitutes severe, targeted harassment." You can feel the anger, still simmering just below the surface, but you keep it leashed, transforming it into cold, hard authority. "Let me be absolutely, unequivocally clear: this type of behavior is not just unacceptable within this company; it is antithetical to everything we stand for. This is a zero-tolerance policy issue. The individuals responsible for perpetrating this act, for creating what is legally defined as a hostile work environment, have already been terminated. Their access has been revoked, and they will not be returning."
A few people shift uncomfortably in their seats. Good. Let them be uncomfortable.
"We are all human beings here," you continue, your tone shifting slightly, becoming more personal, more human. "We come to this office every day from different walks of life. We all have experiences, we all have histories, we all have traumas and triumphs and pasts that are entirely our own. And no one—no one—in this room, or in this company, has the right to excavate another person’s history and put it on public display for their own amusement or judgment. The moment we start believing we have that right is the moment we lose our own humanity."
Your eyes find Irene’s across the room. She looks up, meeting your gaze. You give her a small, almost imperceptible smile, one meant only for her.
"I am incredibly proud, and frankly, humbled," you say as you continue to look at her, "that our coworker chose to walk back into this office today. That she chose to stay with this team, even after what happened. That choice shows an incredible amount of trust in us. In all of us." You look around the room again, at your team. "It shows that she believes this incident was an anomaly. That she believes the rest of us are better than that. And I hope, I expect, that every single one of you will spend every day proving to her that she is absolutely right to place her trust in us once more."
"We have an obligation to maintain not just a physically safe workspace, but a psychologically safe one. And what happened yesterday was a profound breach of that psychological safety. It will not happen again." You take a deep breath. "Irene, what you did today, just by being here, took more courage than most people will have to show in their entire careers. You are facing this with your head held high, and you have the full, unwavering support of this company’s leadership, and of your team." You start clapping, a slow, deliberate sound in the quiet room. "I’d like to ask for a round of applause for Irene."
For a split second, there’s silence. Then, Sarah, sitting next to Irene, starts clapping loudly. Then another person, and another, until the entire room erupts in a wave of sustained, genuine applause. It’s not polite, corporate clapping; it’s loud, it’s heartfelt. The women beside Irene grab her hands, squeezing them tight, hugging her shoulder. You see a single, fresh tear roll down Irene’s cheek, but this time, she’s smiling through it, a watery, overwhelmed, but real smile.
You let the applause continue for a long moment, a testament to her, a cleansing of the ugliness from yesterday. When it finally dies down, you clap your hands together once, a sharp, decisive sound that brings the focus back to you.
"Alright," you say, your tone shifting back to that of a no-nonsense supervisor. "Thank you for your attention. The matter is dealt with. Let’s get back to work. We have deadlines to meet, and no one is slacking off on my watch."
A few nervous chuckles ripple through the room as people start to stand, the tension finally broken. You wait as the last person files out of the conference room. You inhale and exhale slowly your shoulders slumping slightly. It’s over. The worst is over.
Then, you hear the soft scrape of a chair. It’s Irene. She didn’t leave with the others. She pushes herself to her feet and slowly walks towards you, navigating the maze of chairs.
"That was a great speech," she says.
You manage a tired grin, shoving your hands in your pockets. "Well, I have to live up to my fancy supervisor title sometimes, right? Can’t just be about chasing you for reports and stealing your pens."
Her smile widens. "Henderson steals the pens, not you."
"Right." You look at her, and she looks, even at this delicate moment, the most beautiful woman in the world. "How are you doing? For real."
She considers the question for a moment, her gaze thoughtful. "I’ll be fine," she says. "Tired. A little… wrung out. But I’ll be fine."
"Do you think you can work today?" you ask gently. "Because if you want to go home, you just say the word. I’ll handle everything here."
"No," she says, shaking her head. "I want to stay. I need to stay." She meets your eyes, and there’s a flicker of her newfound fire in them. "I’m done running."
"Okay," you nod. "Okay. But you take it easy." You pause, then a thought strikes you, a desire to anchor this new beginning with something normal, something just for you two. "Hey. You wanna… you wanna go out to dinner tonight? After work? A proper place, with tablecloths and everything. No dive bars."
"Wow, look at you," she teases. "We’re evolving. No more getting me drunk at a bar. Now it’s romantic dinners?"
"Well, now that you've said you love me—twice—I figure I don’t have to get you drunk anymore to trick you into liking me. Saves me some money."
She chuckles again, reaching out and patting your shoulder lightly. "You’re an idiot." Her expression softens, her eyes searching yours. "Hey… can I kiss you?"
You glance instinctively towards the glass door of the conference room, a conditioned reflex. "As long as it’s quick," you whisper back, your heart starting to hammer again for a much, much better reason.
She rises up on her tiptoes, her hands coming to rest on your chest, and presses her lips to yours. It starts as a quick, sweet thank you, but neither of you can hold back. It deepens, fast, her mouth opening against yours, your arms wrapping around her waist, pulling her flush against you. It’s a long, full, passionate kiss, filled with all the terror and relief and love of the last twenty-four hours. It’s a victory.
When you finally break apart, both of you breathless, she reaches up with her thumb and gently wipes the corner of your mouth. "My lipstick," she murmurs. She looks you right in the eye, her own gaze clear and steady. "I love you," she says again, not as a desperate confession in a falling elevator, but as a simple, solid statement of fact.
"I love you too, Irene," you reply.
She rests her forehead against yours for a moment, a comfortable, contended sigh escaping her. "I’m happy to be here," she says softly. "I like it here."
You smile, a teasing glint in your eye. "I hope that’s because of me, and not just because of the significant salary increase and comprehensive benefits package."
"Mmm, it’s mostly because of the salary, to be honest," she says, deadpan. "But you’re nice too, I guess."
"Alright, you," you say, reaching out to playfully nudge her. "We better get going before someone walks in and finds us. Back to pretending we’re just professional coworkers."
"Okay, boss," she says. As you both turn to leave, she gives your ass a sharp, surprising slap.
You yelp, jumping in surprise and turning to look at her with wide, laughing eyes. "Hey! That’s harassment!"
She just winks, her smile turning wicked. "Not my fault you have such a nice ass."
You shake your head, still laughing, a feeling of pure, unadulterated joy bubbling up inside you. "Well, it seems like you’re not that shy, mysterious woman from a few months ago anymore."
She steps closer, looping her arm through yours, leaning her head on your shoulder as you walk towards the door together.
"You’re right," she says, and that confidence of hers that you love so much is back. "I’m not." She looks up at you, her eyes full of love and fire and endless possibilities. "Now, I’m your woman.”
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The conversation around AI is going to get away from us quickly because people lack the language to distinguish types of AI--and it's not their fault. Companies love to slap "AI" on anything they believe can pass for something "intelligent" a computer program is doing. And this muddies the waters when people want to talk about AI when the exact same word covers a wide umbrella and they themselves don't know how to qualify the distinctions within.
I'm a software engineer and not a data scientist, so I'm not exactly at the level of domain expert. But I work with data scientists, and I have at least rudimentary college-level knowledge of machine learning and linear algebra from my CS degree. So I want to give some quick guidance.
What is AI? And what is not AI?
So what's the difference between just a computer program, and an "AI" program? Computers can do a lot of smart things, and companies love the idea of calling anything that seems smart enough "AI", but industry-wise the question of "how smart" a program is has nothing to do with whether it is AI.
A regular, non-AI computer program is procedural, and rigidly defined. I could "program" traffic light behavior that essentially goes { if(light === green) { go(); } else { stop();} }. I've told it in simple and rigid terms what condition to check, and how to behave based on that check. (A better program would have a lot more to check for, like signs and road conditions and pedestrians in the street, and those things will still need to be spelled out.)
An AI traffic light behavior is generated by machine-learning, which simplistically is a huge cranking machine of linear algebra which you feed training data into and it "learns" from. By "learning" I mean it's developing a complex and opaque model of parameters to fit the training data (but not over-fit). In this case the training data probably includes thousands of videos of car behavior at traffic intersections. Through parameter tweaking and model adjustment, data scientists will turn this crank over and over adjusting it to create something which, in very opaque terms, has developed a model that will guess the right behavioral output for any future scenario.
A well-trained model would be fed a green light and know to go, and a red light and know to stop, and 'green but there's a kid in the road' and know to stop. A very very well-trained model can probably do this better than my program above, because it has the capacity to be more adaptive than my rigidly-defined thing if the rigidly-defined program is missing some considerations. But if the AI model makes a wrong choice, it is significantly harder to trace down why exactly it did that.
Because again, the reason it's making this decision may be very opaque. It's like engineering a very specific plinko machine which gets tweaked to be very good at taking a road input and giving the right output. But like if that plinko machine contained millions of pegs and none of them necessarily correlated to anything to do with the road. There's possibly no "if green, go, else stop" to look for. (Maybe there is, for traffic light specifically as that is intentionally very simplistic. But a model trained to recognize written numbers for example likely contains no parameters at all that you could map to ideas a human has like "look for a rigid line in the number". The parameters may be all, to humans, meaningless.)
So, that's basics. Here are some categories of things which get called AI:
"AI" which is just genuinely not AI
There's plenty of software that follows a normal, procedural program defined rigidly, with no linear algebra model training, that companies would love to brand as "AI" because it sounds cool.
Something like motion detection/tracking might be sold as artificially intelligent. But under the covers that can be done as simply as "if some range of pixels changes color by a certain amount, flag as motion"
2. AI which IS genuinely AI, but is not the kind of AI everyone is talking about right now
"AI", by which I mean machine learning using linear algebra, is very good at being fed a lot of training data, and then coming up with an ability to go and categorize real information.
The AI technology that looks at cells and determines whether they're cancer or not, that is using this technology. OCR (Optical Character Recognition) is the technology that can take an image of hand-written text and transcribe it. Again, it's using linear algebra, so yes it's AI.
Many other such examples exist, and have been around for quite a good number of years. They share the genre of technology, which is machine learning models, but these are not the Large Language Model Generative AI that is all over the media. Criticizing these would be like criticizing airplanes when you're actually mad at military drones. It's the same "makes fly in the air" technology but their impact is very different.
3. The AI we ARE talking about. "Chat-gpt" type of Generative AI which uses LLMs ("Large Language Models")
If there was one word I wish people would know in all this, it's LLM (Large Language Model). This describes the KIND of machine learning model that Chat-GPT/midjourney/stablediffusion are fueled by. They're so extremely powerfully trained on human language that they can take an input of conversational language and create a predictive output that is human coherent. (I am less certain what additional technology fuels art-creation, specifically, but considering the AI art generation has risen hand-in-hand with the advent of powerful LLM, I'm at least confident in saying it is still corely LLM).
This technology isn't exactly brand new (predictive text has been using it, but more like the mostly innocent and much less successful older sibling of some celebrity, who no one really thinks about.) But the scale and power of LLM-based AI technology is what is new with Chat-GPT.
This is the generative AI, and even better, the large language model generative AI.
(Data scientists, feel free to add on or correct anything.)
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Many billionaires in tech bros warn about the dangerous of AI. It's pretty obviously not because of any legitimate concern that AI will take over. But why do they keep saying stuff like this then? Why do we keep on having this still fear of some kind of singularity style event that leads to machine takeover?
The possibility of a self-sufficient AI taking over in our lifetimes is... Basically nothing, if I'm being honest. I'm not an expert by any means, I've used ai powered tools in my biology research, and I'm somewhat familiar with both the limits and possibility of what current models have to offer.
I'm starting to think that the reason why billionaires in particular try to prop this fear up is because it distracts from the actual danger of ai: the fact that billionaires and tech mega corporations have access to data, processing power, and proprietary algorithms to manipulate information on mass and control the flow of human behavior. To an extent, AI models are a black box. But the companies making them still have control over what inputs they receive for training and analysis, what kind of outputs they generate, and what they have access to. They're still code. Just some of the logic is built on statistics from large datasets instead of being manually coded.
The more billionaires make AI fear seem like a science fiction concept related to conciousness, the more they can absolve themselves in the eyes of public from this. The sheer scale of the large model statistics they're using, as well as the scope of surveillance that led to this point, are plain to see, and I think that the companies responsible are trying to play a big distraction game.
Hell, we can see this in the very use of the term artificial intelligence. Obviously, what we call artificial intelligence is nothing like science fiction style AI. Terms like large statistics, large models, and hell, even just machine learning are far less hyperbolic about what these models are actually doing.
I don't know if your average Middle class tech bro is actively perpetuating this same thing consciously, but I think the reason why it's such an attractive idea for them is because it subtly inflates their ego. By treating AI as a mystical act of the creation, as trending towards sapience or consciousness, if modern AI is just the infant form of something grand, they get to feel more important about their role in the course of society. Admitting the actual use and the actual power of current artificial intelligence means admitting to themselves that they have been a tool of mega corporations and billionaires, and that they are not actually a major player in human evolution. None of us are, but it's tech bro arrogance that insists they must be.
Do most tech bros think this way? Not really. Most are just complict neolibs that don't think too hard about the consequences of their actions. But for the subset that do actually think this way, this arrogance is pretty core to their thinking.
Obviously this isn't really something I can prove, this is just my suspicion from interacting with a fair number of techbros and people outside of CS alike.
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A summary of the Chinese AI situation, for the uninitiated.

These are scores on different tests that are designed to see how accurate a Large Language Model is in different areas of knowledge. As you know, OpenAI is partners with Microsoft, so these are the scores for ChatGPT and Copilot. DeepSeek is the Chinese model that got released a week ago. The rest are open source models, which means everyone is free to use them as they please, including the average Tumblr user. You can run them from the servers of the companies that made them for a subscription, or you can download them to install locally on your own computer. However, the computer requirements so far are so high that only a few people currently have the machines at home required to run it.
Yes, this is why AI uses so much electricity. As with any technology, the early models are highly inefficient. Think how a Ford T needed a long chimney to get rid of a ton of black smoke, which was unused petrol. Over the next hundred years combustion engines have become much more efficient, but they still waste a lot of energy, which is why we need to move towards renewable electricity and sustainable battery technology. But that's a topic for another day.
As you can see from the scores, are around the same accuracy. These tests are in constant evolution as well: as soon as they start becoming obsolete, new ones are released to adjust for a more complicated benchmark. The new models are trained using different machine learning techniques, and in theory, the goal is to make them faster and more efficient so they can operate with less power, much like modern cars use way less energy and produce far less pollution than the Ford T.
However, computing power requirements kept scaling up, so you're either tied to the subscription or forced to pay for a latest gen PC, which is why NVIDIA, AMD, Intel and all the other chip companies were investing hard on much more powerful GPUs and NPUs. For now all we need to know about those is that they're expensive, use a lot of electricity, and are required to operate the bots at superhuman speed (literally, all those clickbait posts about how AI was secretly 150 Indian men in a trenchcoat were nonsense).
Because the chip companies have been working hard on making big, bulky, powerful chips with massive fans that are up to the task, their stock value was skyrocketing, and because of that, everyone started to use AI as a marketing trend. See, marketing people are not smart, and they don't understand computers. Furthermore, marketing people think you're stupid, and because of their biased frame of reference, they think you're two snores short of brain-dead. The entire point of their existence is to turn tall tales into capital. So they don't know or care about what AI is or what it's useful for. They just saw Number Go Up for the AI companies and decided "AI is a magic cow we can milk forever". Sometimes it's not even AI, they just use old software and rebrand it, much like convection ovens became air fryers.
Well, now we're up to date. So what did DepSeek release that did a 9/11 on NVIDIA stock prices and popped the AI bubble?

Oh, I would not want to be an OpenAI investor right now either. A token is basically one Unicode character (it's more complicated than that but you can google that on your own time). That cost means you could input the entire works of Stephen King for under a dollar. Yes, including electricity costs. DeepSeek has jumped from a Ford T to a Subaru in terms of pollution and water use.
The issue here is not only input cost, though; all that data needs to be available live, in the RAM; this is why you need powerful, expensive chips in order to-

Holy shit.
I'm not going to detail all the numbers but I'm going to focus on the chip required: an RTX 3090. This is a gaming GPU that came out as the top of the line, the stuff South Korean LoL players buy…
Or they did, in September 2020. We're currently two generations ahead, on the RTX 5090.
What this is telling all those people who just sold their high-end gaming rig to be able to afford a machine that can run the latest ChatGPT locally, is that the person who bought it from them can run something basically just as powerful on their old one.
Which means that all those GPUs and NPUs that are being made, and all those deals Microsoft signed to have control of the AI market, have just lost a lot of their pulling power.
Well, I mean, the ChatGPT subscription is 20 bucks a month, surely the Chinese are charging a fortune for-

Oh. So it's free for everyone and you can use it or modify it however you want, no subscription, no unpayable electric bill, no handing Microsoft all of your private data, you can just run it on a relatively inexpensive PC. You could probably even run it on a phone in a couple years.
Oh, if only China had massive phone manufacturers that have a foot in the market everywhere except the US because the president had a tantrum eight years ago.
So… yeah, China just destabilised the global economy with a torrent file.
#valid ai criticism#ai#llms#DeepSeek#ai bubble#ChatGPT#google gemini#claude ai#this is gonna be the dotcom bubble again#hope you don't have stock on anything tech related#computer literacy#tech literacy
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Often when I post an AI-neutral or AI-positive take on an anti-AI post I get blocked, so I wanted to make my own post to share my thoughts on "Nightshade", the new adversarial data poisoning attack that the Glaze people have come out with.
I've read the paper and here are my takeaways:
Firstly, this is not necessarily or primarily a tool for artists to "coat" their images like Glaze; in fact, Nightshade works best when applied to sort of carefully selected "archetypal" images, ideally ones that were already generated using generative AI using a prompt for the generic concept to be attacked (which is what the authors did in their paper). Also, the image has to be explicitly paired with a specific text caption optimized to have the most impact, which would make it pretty annoying for individual artists to deploy.
While the intent of Nightshade is to have maximum impact with minimal data poisoning, in order to attack a large model there would have to be many thousands of samples in the training data. Obviously if you have a webpage that you created specifically to host a massive gallery poisoned images, that can be fairly easily blacklisted, so you'd have to have a lot of patience and resources in order to hide these enough so they proliferate into the training datasets of major models.
The main use case for this as suggested by the authors is to protect specific copyrights. The example they use is that of Disney specifically releasing a lot of poisoned images of Mickey Mouse to prevent people generating art of him. As a large company like Disney would be more likely to have the resources to seed Nightshade images at scale, this sounds like the most plausible large scale use case for me, even if web artists could crowdsource some sort of similar generic campaign.
Either way, the optimal use case of "large organization repeatedly using generative AI models to create images, then running through another resource heavy AI model to corrupt them, then hiding them on the open web, to protect specific concepts and copyrights" doesn't sound like the big win for freedom of expression that people are going to pretend it is. This is the case for a lot of discussion around AI and I wish people would stop flagwaving for corporate copyright protections, but whatever.
The panic about AI resource use in terms of power/water is mostly bunk (AI training is done once per large model, and in terms of industrial production processes, using a single airliner flight's worth of carbon output for an industrial model that can then be used indefinitely to do useful work seems like a small fry in comparison to all the other nonsense that humanity wastes power on). However, given that deploying this at scale would be a huge compute sink, it's ironic to see anti-AI activists for that is a talking point hyping this up so much.
In terms of actual attack effectiveness; like Glaze, this once again relies on analysis of the feature space of current public models such as Stable Diffusion. This means that effectiveness is reduced on other models with differing architectures and training sets. However, also like Glaze, it looks like the overall "world feature space" that generative models fit to is generalisable enough that this attack will work across models.
That means that if this does get deployed at scale, it could definitely fuck with a lot of current systems. That said, once again, it'd likely have a bigger effect on indie and open source generation projects than the massive corporate monoliths who are probably working to secure proprietary data sets, like I believe Adobe Firefly did. I don't like how these attacks concentrate the power up.
The generalisation of the attack doesn't mean that this can't be defended against, but it does mean that you'd likely need to invest in bespoke measures; e.g. specifically training a detector on a large dataset of Nightshade poison in order to filter them out, spending more time and labour curating your input dataset, or designing radically different architectures that don't produce a comparably similar virtual feature space. I.e. the effect of this being used at scale wouldn't eliminate "AI art", but it could potentially cause a headache for people all around and limit accessibility for hobbyists (although presumably curated datasets would trickle down eventually).
All in all a bit of a dick move that will make things harder for people in general, but I suppose that's the point, and what people who want to deploy this at scale are aiming for. I suppose with public data scraping that sort of thing is fair game I guess.
Additionally, since making my first reply I've had a look at their website:
Used responsibly, Nightshade can help deter model trainers who disregard copyrights, opt-out lists, and do-not-scrape/robots.txt directives. It does not rely on the kindness of model trainers, but instead associates a small incremental price on each piece of data scraped and trained without authorization. Nightshade's goal is not to break models, but to increase the cost of training on unlicensed data, such that licensing images from their creators becomes a viable alternative.
Once again we see that the intended impact of Nightshade is not to eliminate generative AI but to make it infeasible for models to be created and trained by without a corporate money-bag to pay licensing fees for guaranteed clean data. I generally feel that this focuses power upwards and is overall a bad move. If anything, this sort of model, where only large corporations can create and control AI tools, will do nothing to help counter the economic displacement without worker protection that is the real issue with AI systems deployment, but will exacerbate the problem of the benefits of those systems being more constrained to said large corporations.
Kinda sucks how that gets pushed through by lying to small artists about the importance of copyright law for their own small-scale works (ignoring the fact that processing derived metadata from web images is pretty damn clearly a fair use application).
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Hii, i read your childhood friend!Azul thing, and i thought it was adorable! If i can, I'd like to request the same thing but for Idia? I love my guy so much, and I think it'd be cute (you don't have to if you don't want to, obviously.)
Tysm!! This was sooooo nice to write
Childhood crush!Idia is tragic no matter how you spin it. As a kid in the Jupiter conglomerate, there’s a very small pool of people your age and of “appropriate status”. It’s not simple to make friends with Idia, but you learn to understand him well enough to love the company.
So you keep doing it. For all the times in your childhood you can’t remember, there’s NO explanation. Your family and staff can’t fill in the blanks either, apparently you were with foreign friends.. But it’s normal, isn’t it? Doesn’t everyone forget things from time to time? “Anyone who comes in contact with STYX goes into the river lethe. No exceptions.”
Attending NRC is one of the most popular teenage dreams, and you’re killing it! You don’t know the housewarden that well (considering you’re his vice), but it’s whatever- he’s a massive shut in, and you’ve done your part emailing him updates.
Childhood crush!Idia that’s fully marinated in the feeling of you in his life, and it makes it so much worse to tear you out of it. He watches as as you make NPC friends that’ll never compare to the “great anime binge” post middle school grad, or the 100% co-op completion achievement on “biggy littly planet” that you can’t recall. He insists to be the one to put you through the process. Just enough for a full data wipe. It’s a reminder to never get close to you again, but he can’t ever stay away.
Childhood crush!Idia loves you. And it’s not weird to say that because he’s known you for years, I promise!! He’d never get bored of getting to know you, but it’s scary to see you change. One moment he’s totally confident on what to say, but his input ≠ output! Atleast not anymore (what teenager is still into doing wall pushups while your friend ignores you?), sometimes he wishes he could preserve you like Ortho, then you’d never have to leave.
But childhood crush!Idia needs to get used to change- because before he knows it everything is flipped on its head. He overblots, even if nobody thought it’d be possible and you take the effort to nurse him back to health! No matter how much he flinches from your touch, you stay with him. It’s almost impossible to believe you remember,, Not the years you spent together, but he doesn’t have to break the “big news” anymore, and he’s so excited to make new memories together. Just like old times <3
#twst yuu#twst x reader#yuu twisted wonderland#twst#disney twst#disney twisted wonderland#twst wonderland#idia shroud#idia twisted wonderland#idia shroud x reader#twisted wonderland idia#idia x reader#idia twst
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Treacherous, Pt. 2 - Jim Halpert x fem!reader
masterlist | ao3 | fic recs
“Out of focus, eye to eye, ‘Til the gravity’s too much”
Part 1 Word count: 6.1k Warnings: NSFW, fingering, dry humping, p in v sex, brief oral (m!receiving) Tags: idiots in love, pining, I'm a sucker for confessions during sex, consent is sexy, responsible Jim ❤ beta reading? I don't know 'er! Prompt/Summary: You started working at Dunder Mifflin around 6 months ago, and since then you developed a massive crush on one of your colleagues - Jim Halpert. Things happen. A/N: Here it iiis, the NSFW Second part of this fic! I hope you'll like it ❤
The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up and his hair was a bit messier than usual as he was leaning on his elbow, his hand in his hair. He was looking at a piece of paper on his desk, not realizing you entered the room. You slowly made your way towards the printer next to him, and he finally looked up at you.
“Hey, I didn’t realize you were still here.” He leaned back in his chair and put one of his hands on the table. You tried not to stare at his every move, but it was hard to resist, you were drawn to him like a moth to a flame.
“Oh yeah, I’m still working on the report due by tomorrow morning. Having a hard time focusing today” you replied and pressed the print button on the machine. It started buzzing and the smell of ink and warm paper filled the air. A moment of silence wrapped around the two of you before he spoke again.
“Look, I wanted to apologize about earlier, I shouldn’t have put you on the spot like that.”
“Oh no, I’m fine,” you said with a fake chuckle. “It wasn’t too bad.”
“I’m still sorry. It was a douchey move” he smiled and pointed at the papers now in your hand. “Can I make it up to you? Do you need help with your report?”
You contemplated his offer for a second, but you weren’t sure what to say. You didn’t want to seem like someone who couldn’t handle things on their own, but you really could’ve used the help to get out of there as soon as possible.
“If it’s not a problem to you, that would be great, yeah.”
“If it was, I wouldn’t have offered. Now tell me what to do!” He said with a grin spreading on his face and you caught your gaze lingering at his lips longer than it should've. You hoped he didn’t notice. You quickly averted your gaze before you grabbed the rest of the sheets from the printer and settled at his desk together with him.
You explained to him how you planned your spreadsheet and what data he’d need to input, and where to find them, and you agreed on a method of how to split the task. He was very attentive the whole time, and sometimes you thought you saw his gaze linger on you but chased that thought away.
“Thank you, I really appreciate it. I’ll be in the back if you need anything.”
“Sure thing, I’ll come by,” he answered and smiled at you. His damn smile made your heart melt every time. He made you feel such a teenager, and you were kind of mad at him because of that.
You sat down at your desk and continued your work. Another hour passed before you heard the door open, and you turned towards him. He held a few papers in his hand, waving them with pride.
“I’m done with these; I thought I’d bring them here and we could run through them if you’d like.” He stepped next to you and pulled a chair closer for himself. The same chair that Kelly sat on this morning, when she said Jim liked you. The memory made you flustered as you looked up at him.
“You sure? I don’t want to keep you longer than I need, I already feel bad because you stayed overtime for me.”
“Shhh,” he shushed you. “You’re not keeping me from anything. I like your company.” He laughed then put the papers on the desk. You both leaned over them and started to look through the rows one by one.
You were leaning on your elbow with your body turned towards him as he talked, and you listened. You watched as he moved his hand on the paper, explaining things why he did what and asking you questions. You imagined his hands roaming on your body instead of the numbers on the paper. His lips singing you praises between ragged breaths instead of explaining sales metrics. You couldn’t help but let your eyes wander, up his arms, to where his neck peeked out from under his shirt, his lips. You scolded yourself every time you caught yourself.
“Are you all right?” His voice brought you back to reality. His gaze on you only fanned the flames inside, which already felt like wildfire. You felt your insides twist with need.
“Yes, I’m just a bit tired. That’s all,” you replied and straightened your back. Now you were sitting so close that your shoulders were touching — bad idea.
“I think we can wrap this up, finish the rest in the morning. I hope this won’t scare you away from this job.” He shuffled around on his chair, so his shoulder didn’t touch yours anymore as he leaned on one of his elbows, turning his body towards you. You were both grateful and sad for the absence of the warmth of his touch.
“No, of course not. I kind of like it here. Some people are nice.”
“Yes,” he smiled, “some people are really nice.” He started to fiddle with a pen on your desk.
There was a moment of heavy silence between the two of you, which was enough for you to get overwhelmed with how close he was. His touch and sweet scent made you drunk. You never wanted this moment to end but at the same time, you couldn’t wait to get out of there. You heard him call your name which snapped you out of your thoughts.
“Yes?”
“Can I kiss you?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. His gaze was darting between your eyes and lips, and you could swear he was a little flustered.
You felt like your brain was malfunctioning, a short circuit in your nerves. Was this really happening? You felt your heart drop into your stomach, and all you could muster up as an answer was a shaky nod as you reached for him.
He didn’t hesitate, he put his hands on both sides of your face as he pulled you closer into a kiss. You felt your heart explode into thousands of little butterflies that stole your breath away. His lips were soft against your own as he took his time exploring you, kissing the corner of your mouth before nibbling on your lower lip. You whimpered and opened your mouth, which gave him the perfect opportunity to press his tongue against yours, starting to dance in perfect harmony.
He filled all your senses – the taste of his favourite tea on your tongue, the scent of his aftershave, the feeling of his touches on your skin. You felt lightheaded, like you were not on this planet anymore as he moved one of his hands from your cheek to the small of your back and pulled you into his lap. His other hand has moved from your cheek to your neck and into your hair as he pulled you closer into the kiss.
You straddled him in the wobbly office chair and ran your hand through his hair which made him smile into the kiss. The little gesture made your heart swell, and you bit his lower lip playfully.
His touches moved slowly towards your hips, leaving goosebumps in their wake. His long fingers pushed under the hem of your shirt and started to draw hot circles against your skin. You wanted him so much that you absent-mindedly moaned into the kiss, which caused him to stop for a second. Your eyes shot open. Shit, was that too much?
“Is this okay?” he whispered against your lips, leaning his forehead against yours. His breathing was heavy as he scanned your face for answers with such a loving look in his eyes, it turned your insides into Jello. You nodded as you moved your hand to rest against his neck and drew circles on his skin with your thumb. He let out a breathy chuckle before he spoke again. “I need you to say it.”
Your mind raced a mile a second. Should you really do this? You wanted to - more than anything, but shouldn’t you at least try to keep your dignity? Try to act like you didn’t dream about him for months? That he didn’t make your heart race every time he looked at you?
And then you decided not to care.
“Yes, it’s okay, I-,“ you started, trying to form the words. “I want this.” He pulled you closer by your waist before you continued with newfound confidence. “I want you, Jim” you whispered into his ear.
“Fuck-“ he breathed, and pulled you into another kiss. “Tell me if you want me to stop.” You nodded in response, but he shook his head lightly and smiled. “I need you to say it.”
“I’ll tell you if I want you to stop. I promise,” you breathed on his lips.
“Good girl.” You moaned into his mouth, and you felt his bulge grow against you. You tried to rock your hips against him for the slightest of friction. He dropped his head back from the sensation, giving you the perfect opportunity to place a wet kiss on his throat, licking against his hammering pulse and slightly biting him.
He dug his fingers into your ass as he kissed you once again. Your skirt was ridden up all the way to your thighs, and he made sure to lift them even higher until your underwear was revealed, together with a very prominent wet patch on it. You started to unbutton his shirt with quivering fingers while he drew lazy patterns into your thighs, only inches away from your aching core.
You leaned down to kiss the crook of his neck as you pushed his shirt down from his shoulders, the fabric slipping from his back and getting caught on the chair before falling to the ground. Your insides twisted with anticipation as you looked at his body, trying to commit every inch into your memory. He sat up straighter and wrapped his arms around you, tangling one hand into your hair as he used the other to push your blouse above your head and toss it to the floor, leaving you in your bra.
The sudden cold air sent shivers down your spine and your hardened nipples pushed against the thin fabric of your underwear. He bit his lip as he looked down on you, his gaze dark with lust. Suddenly you felt flustered but had no time to overthink before he spoke.
“You are so beautiful” he whispered as he leaned down to press a kiss on your breast, just above the hemline of the bra before he unclasped it and guided it down your arms. He brushed his thumb over your nipple while he rested his forehead against yours, his breathing ragged.
“Do you want me to stop?” He asked and enveloped your breast in his hand.
“Never” you whimpered which earned you a crooked grin and another kiss. He removed his hand from your chest and replaced it with his lips, kissing and sucking on your sensitive skin.
With every passing second the outside world shrank around you, your senses all focused on his touch - or the lack of - more like. The feeling of emptiness, of wanting to be whole started to eat away at you as the words tumbled out of your mouth.
“Jim, please…” you squeezed your eyes shut and slightly tugged on his hair, releasing a shaky breath. He moved his free hand from your hair to your chin, making you look into his eyes. His pupils were blown wide and stray strands of hair stuck to his forehead.
“You want this?” he teased, hovering his finger above your throbbing core, barely not touching. You nodded lightly with his hand still holding your chin in place before the words started pouring out of you.
“Yes, Jim – you breathed - I want you. Please, touch me. Fuck me,” you begged, and you saw a glint of amusement in his eyes before he pulled you into a kiss and pressed his thumb against your clothed clit before he pulled your panties aside with his other fingers. Your hips began to move on their own, grinding against his finger, craving more and more.
He brought a finger to your entrance and slowly slid it inside without any resistance. He bit his lip as he examined the spot where his finger disappeared in you.
“You’re amazing,” he whispered and bit the soft skin under your clavicle. He dictated a steady rhythm with his long fingers, and you were more than happy to follow. You gripped his shoulder for deal life as he slid another finger in you, curling them slightly so he reached your sweet spot. You cried out and looked at him through half-lidded eyes.
He was beautiful. His hair was damp from sweat and messy from your hand running through it, his lean muscles were showing as he held you in place and fucked you with his fingers, and the increasingly hardening bulge in his pants told you that you were in for an even better treat if you were lucky enough. You rolled your hips harder against his fingers as you felt your insides tighten with every movement of his. He was so beautiful. So hot. And he was yours.
“Jim,” you moaned his name and that seemed to ignite something in him because he pressed his hand on the back of your neck and pulled you into a passionate kiss, tongue and teeth clashing while he moved his thumb back to your clit, drawing tight circles on it.
Pleasure took over your body as you felt your muscles tighten, the world around you completely gone and in the center of your universe was him and his fingers in you. You rolled your hips as he slid in and out of you, never letting go of you.
You were a moaning mess and felt your stomach tighten, nerves lighting up in your body one by one and pleasure trickling down your spine.
“I’m here, love. Let me take care of you, come for me,” he whispered in your ear, his lips grazing your earlobe and with one, two roll of your hips you were crying out, your walls tightening around his fingers as your vision turned white.
He held you against him as his fingers slowed inside you, guiding you through your orgasm before stopping completely. He prepped your forehead with soft kisses before he removed his fingers from you. In your post-orgasm haze, you barely caught how he raised his fingers to his mouth and licked them clean with a moan.
The motion caught you off guard and you felt yourself tighten around nothing – a painful reminder. You slowly sat up and started to unbutton his pants, impatient to feel him in you. He silently watched as you pulled his pants and underwear down just enough so his hard member could spring free. You bit your lips as you took in the view.
You slowly slid your hand down on it, testing the feeling of its weight in your hand. It was already leaking with precum, and you were sure you were so wet you could easily just sink down onto him without any resistance. Nevertheless, you moved and slid down to your knees in front of him. For a split second he wanted to resist but you were already kneeling in front of him just in your skirt as you kissed the tip of his cock before taking him into your mouth as far as you could, which still left plenty for your hands to take care of. The rough office carpet was harsh against your bare knees, but you didn’t care. You slid your tongue against him and bobbed your head. He threw his head back with a moan, his hand finding its way to your hair.
He didn’t let you enjoy yourself too much, because he gently pulled you away and up to your feet as he also stood up, guiding you towards your desk. You made space for yourself as you sat down on it, spreading your legs so he could stand between them. You reached for him again and started to slowly stroke him while he was digging through his back pocket, pulling out his wallet, then a condom. You couldn't help but chuckle, although you were grateful for such turn of events.
“Didn’t think you were such a player.” He scoffed and grinned at you.
“I knew you couldn't keep your hands off me for too long,” he said with a cocky smile which made you laugh and kissed you while he put the condom on. He lined himself up against your entrance and slowly pushed in.
The stretch was out of this world, and you savoured every inch as he pressed into you deeper and deeper until he bottomed out. He stilled for a few seconds, his forehead against yours.
“Don’t forget your promise,” he said, and you nodded. He slowly pulled out of you before bottoming out again, causing the office desk to shake lightly, the pens rattling against each other in the Dunder Mifflin mug.
“I’ll never be able to focus at work anymore. I hope you’re happy,” you said jokingly, his thrusts stealing the air from your lungs between every word. He chuckled before he kissed you.
His hands held your thighs firmly so he could pull you against him with every move, as he pulled out and slammed back in with a steady rhythm. You held onto him, one hand on his biceps and one tangled in his hair. His pace increased as filthy sounds filled the room mixed with your joint panting and moaning, his name on your lips like a sacred prayer, like a promise to something larger than life.
His moves became a bit less calculated, a bit sloppy, when he moved his thumb against your clit once more. You knew he was getting closer, and you also felt the familiar tension build in you, but you never wanted it to end. You didn’t want to think about what came after. The awkwardness. The guilt.
You pressed your lips against him, tongues clashing in a sloppy, messy dance as his dick pressed against your sweet spot with every thrust, his thumb caressing your clit with perfect pressure. He grabbed your hair and tilted your head back as he rutted into you, kissing your neck and mumbling sweet nothings against your skin.
“You’re so fucking good,” he said, panting. The curse felt alien on his tongue which boiled your blood even more. “I love you so much, my good girl,” he whispered against your skin, and you weren’t even sure you heard that right, but your heart skipped a beat, your brain numb as flames washed over your body, sparks lighting up your nerves as you came, all thoughts leaving your mind and being replaced with bliss. He came not long after you and wrapped you against his chest while you both caught your breath. He caressed your hair and planted soft kisses on the top of your head before pulling out.
“I’ll be back in a second,” he said, giving a squeeze to your hand as he disappeared. You didn’t really comprehend what was happening, where he went, or how long he was away, but when he came back, he brought a damp paper towel and helped to clean you up.
“That’s better.” He pressed a kiss on your lips and his eyes searched your face. “Are you okay?” When you didn’t reply, his expression turned worried, and he swiped his hand across his face.
“Shit,” he said. “I’m sorry. You think you made a mistake, right?” He ran his hand through his hair as he looked at you. You snapped out of your thoughts.
“What? No!” You objected. “No, Jim. It was amazing, hell… Even more than that. I’m sorry, it’s just,” you hesitated and looked him in the eye. “You said you loved me.” The realization settled on his face as he looked at you.
“I’m sorry,” he replied, and you scoffed, raising your eyebrow at him.
“I love you too,” you said, and a shy smile spread across your face as you reached for his hand. A sigh of relief escaped his lungs as he enveloped you in his arms, kissing you once again.
Maybe overtime wasn’t that bad, after all.
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Earlier this week, OpenAI launched its new image generation feature, which is integrated directly into ChatGPT and allows users to input more complex instructions for editing and organizing the presentation of the output. The first big viral trend to come out of the new service was users turning photos of family vacations, historical events, and pop cultural images into animated stills in the style of Studio Ghibli films. (The whole thing was a bit of a throwback to the heady days of 2023 when you would see AI influencers sharing photos of famous figures in the style of Wes Anderson films or whatever.) ChatGPT let users “Ghibilify” the images, so we got Ghiblified Hawk Tuah girl, Ghiblified Elon Musk (obviously), and so on. The issue here should be obvious. I won’t pretend to know exactly how Miyazaki thinks about modern generative AI systems—the tool he was commenting on was a cruder prototype—though one might venture to argue that he’d feel even more strongly about tools that further automate human art with greater ease, and often drive it further into the uncanny valley. Regardless, the man on record with likely the strongest and bluntest disavowal of using AI tools for art, is now the same man whose notoriously painstakingly handcrafted art is being giddily automated by ChatGPT users for what amounts to a promotional campaign for a tech company that’s on the verge of being valued at $300 billion. Sam Altman, OpenAI’s CEO, not only participated, changing his X avatar to a ‘Ghiblified’ self portrait, but insisted that this was the plan all along. Which in turn raises the specter of copyright infringement. Speaking to TechCrunch, a copyright lawyer very diplomatically said that while it’s unlikely infringement to produce images in the style of a studio, it’s “entirely plausible” that OpenAI’s models were trained on millions of frames of Ghibli films. He noted that it’s still an open question whether or not that in fact violates current IP law, or constitutes fair use, as the tech companies argue. On that front, judges recently dealt tech companies a blow, ruling in favor of Thomson Reuters that a pre-ChatGPT AI system was creating images that competed with the original material, and thus was not in fact fair use. OpenAI and Google, meanwhile, are desperately trying to win this battle, appealing to the Trump administration directly, and going so far as to argue that if they’re not allowed to ingest copyrighted works into their training data, China will beat the US in AI. Now, if—and of course this is a whopping if—OpenAI had consulted Studio Ghibli and its artists on all this, if those artists had consented and say reached a licensing deal before the art and frames from their films were ingested into the training data (as is pretty apparently the case), then look, this would indeed be a bout of generally wholesome fun for everyone involved. Instead, it’s an insult.
[...]
OpenAI and the other AI giants are indeed eating away at the livelihoods and dignity of working artists, and this devouring, appropriating, and automation of the production of art, of culture, at a scale truly never seen before, should not be underestimated as a menace—and it is being experienced as such by working artists, right now.
27 March 2025
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Man, the AI conversation is so fucking weird.
Tech companies have shoved LLMs and image generators into every nook and cranny they can find, not to mention the fact that there are freeware ones as well.
Anybody reading this can play with AI themselves to find out what it can and can't do, it's right at your fingertips.
And pretty much the entire public conversation about the technology is just totally divorced from the product as it exists.
Instead, various interest groups are waging intense battles over what to do with products that exist entirely in their imagination.
Another review youtuber I otherwise like is doing the "AI is disgusting! Can you imagine somebody whose business model involved using copyrighted content to produce derivative works without permission and then distributing that work through massive data centers?" with just... seemingly no sense of irony whatsoever. Meanwhile, self-same youtuber directed me to Etsy's frankly bizarre AI rules:
While we allow the use of AI tools in the creative process, we prohibit the sale of AI prompt bundles on our platform. We believe that the prompts used to generate AI artwork are an integral part of the creative process and should not be sold separately from the final artwork. Selling prompt bundles without the accompanying finished artwork undermines the value of the artist's creative input and curation, which are essential to the creation of the unique, creative items that Etsy is known for.
Which, like... Okay...
Look, I'm no PR expert, but what was stopping them from saying,
"Given the incredibly widespread use of AI and the proliferation of models which all respond differently, prompt bundles are likely to have extremely limited value, and help with prompting can be found for free at numerous places."
I mean here's the thing: Prompt bundles only have value if AI technology doesn't improve. Like I don't think they ought to be cluttering up Etsy, there's enough garbage on there as it is and there are plenty of other places to find or purchase that stuff if you want it.
Hell you can ask an AI to come up with some prompts for you on a given subject.
I don't know, it's so disorienting that the entire conversation around something so directly accessible is so entirely divorced from the actual, tangible thing, and instead waged around what it might be in five years or what it was two years ago.
It's right here! We have it now! Why has that had so little effect on how we think about it?
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Solidarity
Summary: Frank enlists your help on a dangerous mission. Matt’s not happy about it.
Pairings: Matt x f!reader, platonic Frank Castle & f!reader, platonic Matt & Frank
Warning: Strong profanity (looking at you, Frank). Canon-typical violence. There’s also dog abuse in this, so please proceed with caution!
“You will not believe how terrible my day was.” You were already complaining aloud as you started up the stairs to Matt’s apartment, perfectly aware that he’d be able to hear you. “My boss gave me triple the amount of work that’s humanly possible to complete within a month and somehow he expects me to do it within a week. And then he had the audacity to tell me that I shouldn’t wear my hair in a ponytail because it’s ‘too informal’ for the face of the company. I mean, what the hell does that even mean?”
One of Matt’s neighbors opened their apartment door as you marched up the steps, and you quickly lifted your phone to your ear as though you were talking to someone, lest they think you were just talking to yourself. “And then my coworker took my data — you know, all that stuff I had been inputting onto that Google Doc the other day? And he presented it as his own, no credit to me. I can’t even report him because he’s supposed to retire in a week so it’s pointless anyway.”
You continued to gripe as you unlocked the door, chucking your keys down and tossing your shoes off so violently that they hit the wall. “Anyway, I’m in a bad mood now, so I have two propositions — well, demands, I guess — for you. One: We watch Jeopardy tonight. In pajamas. I will object if you’re still wearing a tie.” You unzipped your coat and tossed it haphazardly onto the coat rack. “Two: My friend asked if we’ve ever showered together before — you know, typical girl talk questions — and I told her we hadn’t, so I was thinking—” You stopped dead as you entered the living room, your stomach plummeting. Leaning on the wall by the window, arms crossed, was Matt, wearing his devil suit, complete with the helmet on and his billy clubs dangling in his hands. And across from him, standing with an actual gun in his hand, was Frank Castle. Mortification sent heat into your face, and for a moment you just stood there, at a loss for words.
“We have company,” Matt said dryly, uncrossing his arms and standing up straight.
“I can see that,” you said finally. “You didn’t think to... I don’t know, shoot a text warning me?” Your cheeks were searing; had you seriously just proposed showering with Matt in front of the Punisher, of all people?
“I was a bit preoccupied all day with making sure Trigger Happy over here didn’t shoot anyone,” Matt said, his jaw tense.
Frank snorted. “Red, you’d be bleeding out in an alley if I hadn’t saved your ass. Get off your high horse.”
“Yeah. Okay. But you couldn’t have said something, anything at all, when I walked in? Like, ‘Hey, honey, there’s a wanted fugitive standing in our living room, just so you know.’ Sorry, Mr. Castle,” you added in an undertone to him. “Um — I’m not trying to make you feel unwelcome or anything, I just feel a bit awkward about earlier, so—”
“Doesn’t matter,” Frank said shortly, his gaze still trained on Matt. “We gonna stand here with your girl watching us and argue all afternoon? Or are we going to get this done?”
“Get what done?” you asked.
It was Frank who answered, and from the way Matt was standing with his back straight as a ruler now, you had the sense he wasn’t pleased, for whatever reason. “There’s a shipment of heroin that’s supposed to arrive tonight. The dealers have been selling to kids on the street to make a quick buck.”
“It’s due to come in at midnight,” Matt said. “But the source I talked to last night doesn’t know which dock.”
You made of sound of sympathy. “I take it you’ll be having to sweep a lot of territory tonight, then?”
“That’s a damn understatement,” Frank said. “We’re not just talking about the docks in Hell’s Kitchen, ma’am. We’re talking all the way down to Chelsea, and the piers in Brooklyn Heights.”
“But that’s impossible to scope out,” you said slowly. “Even if Matt’s standing in the center of all the docks in Hell’s Kitchen, he couldn’t possibly hear all the way down to Chelsea, let alone Brooklyn.”
“Which is why we’re in for a rough night,” Matt said. “I called Jessica, Luke, and Danny. They’re all out of town.” He jutted his chin at Frank. “And that’s why we’re here together.”
“I ain’t happy about it either,” Frank added. “He’s already talking my ass off about moral obligation and shit. Feels like I’m in church.”
"Because you tried to stab the guy in the throat after he gave us information we needed.”
“If you could see, Red, then you’d know from the look in that guy’s eyes that he planned on murdering us the second that we turned our backs on him—”
“Which is why I tied him up and left him for Mahoney.”
“I have a better idea,” you said, cutting in before anything could escalate. “I can help.”
Matt’s response was immediate and scathing. “No.”
"Oh, come on — I get it if you want to do your whole ‘Fly home, Buddy, I work alone’ thing, but you’re not working alone, you’re working with the Punish— I mean, Mr. Castle. I’ll be supremely insulted forever if you don’t let me help.”
“If you think that I’ll let those dealers anywhere near you—” Matt began, but you interrupted again.
“Look, I’ve always waited here patiently and uselessly while you do your deviling every night, but can’t you give me a chance? Maybe we’ll be a dream team. Terrific trio. Second Edition Avengers. The Scooby gang minus a talking dog.”
“She could help, Red,” Frank said, sending an unreadable look in your direction. “I say we do it. She can camp out at Brooklyn. I mean, the guy said that they could dock there, but they never have before. Odds are they’ll be in Chelsea or Hell’s Kitchen.”
“So, what? We throw her to the wolves in Brooklyn where we can’t get to her easily if things go south?” Matt looked as though he were about two seconds from socking Frank in the jaw. Or worse, two seconds from handcuffing you to the apartment so that you wouldn’t leave.
“No,” you said firmly. “Things won’t go south. Matt, I’m not going to... I don’t know, engage in a fight with them. I’m not a vigilante. I’ll just hide and keep an eye on the docks, then if they show up, I’ll call you.”
“I’ll stay in Chelsea,” Frank said. “I know you get all weird about the Kitchen, Red, so it’s all yours.”
Matt was standing stock still, grinding his teeth. Finally he ground out, “It’s too dangerous.”
“So is driving a car. So is crossing the street. And yet I’ve done both many, many times,” you said. “I’ll be completely fine. Why would dealers have any reason to go after a random passerby, even if they did see me? Which they won’t,” you added hurriedly. “Because I’ll stay safely out of sight.”
“Perfect.” Frank checked his watch. “I ain’t staying here while we twiddle our thumbs and wait for midnight to roll around. Give Y/N my burner number, Red.”
“I’d never have thought you’d do this, Frank,” Matt said, his voice low. “I thought you at least were on my side when it came to keeping people safe who—”
“Who are what?” you said sharply. “I might not have... superpowers, or, I don’t know, a weird bloodthirstiness — sorry again, Mr. Castle — but I can still help.”
“Call me Frank.” Frank leveled his gaze at you. “And cut the apologizing shit.”
“Uh. Okay.” You had to bite your tongue to keep from apologizing again.
And, somehow, you actually ended up on the mission. You took the C train down to Brooklyn Heights after enduring a very long and very dry lecture from Matt on how you were to stay out of sight no matter what and to call him should any boat arrive with men wearing ski masks.
And, in all honesty, you weren’t nervous. The likelihood of the dealers showing up at your assigned docks was slim. And even if they did, you’d just have to make a quick phone call to both of them, and then camp out. Easy-peasy.
You settled in on a wooden bench overlooking the piers, wishing you had worn more than your jacket. The temperature had dropped more than expected when the sun had set, and now you shivered slightly, the cold metal of a knife against your thigh. Just in case.
How exactly you were actually out here, on a real mission, with Matt willingly letting you out of his protection, you weren’t sure. It was exhilarating, though. The city was dark, yet not really; it was aglow with the street lamps and headlights and apartment windows whose blinds hadn’t been closed yet. You scrunched up your legs to conserve body heat and regretted not bringing a blanket, too. And a pillow. That would’ve made the bench slightly less rock hard against your bottom.
Seriously, how did Matt do this kind of thing every night? Fifteen minutes in and you were already missing the warmth of home.
You glanced at the skyline. Somewhere, on the other side of those skyscrapers, Matt was waiting as well. Probably he wasn’t curled up on a bench like you were, though. It was more likely that he’d be stalking the rooftops, or pacing in the shadows.
And then movement caught your eye, at just after 12:30 in the morning. You scrambled to your feet, squinting in the dark. It was a boat, fast approaching the pier just next to you.
No way. Yeah, you were on lookout, but somehow you’d convinced yourself that the dealers wouldn’t actually show up on your end. You waited to call Frank and Matt, though, because in case it was a different boat, you didn’t want to raise a false alarm. You moved away from your bench and began walking leisurely down the pier, as though you were going for a nighttime stroll. All you needed to do was get a good glimpse of them, then you’d head up the street where you could watch from a safer spot.
“In, out! Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!” someone said, a bit loudly, from the deck of the ship. You swiveled your head to see him, and sure enough, he had a ski mask. Swiftly you pulled out your phone and fire off a quick text to both Matt and Frank. You were about to leave the pier altogether when a bark made you stop short.
....A dog?
“Shut the bitch up!” one of the men snarled. “We get caught, then all the goods get seized.”
“She’s been fucking howling the whole way, what am I supposed to do?”
“Give her a piece of food.”
“What food? You ate the rest of it, man.”
“Can’t believe we’re bringing this dog anyway. Boss already has six bitches. Why does he need another?”
“She’s some special breed, or some shit, I don’t know. Sells for a thousand bucks a pop. Grab that box. Like I said — in, out. We’re already late.”
The dog kept barking, though, and you winced as the man kicked the poor thing in the ribs. Piece of shit. You wanted to go up there and throttle him yourself. If Matt or Frank would just get here already, then you’d be able to relax, but it would still be at least twenty minutes...
And what if the dealers got away in that time frame?
The dog started barking again, and suddenly, without any word of warning, one of the men picked the dog up like a sack of potatoes and threw her overboard. “To hell with the extra cash. That’s how you deal with security problems,” you heard him say as he wiped his hands on his pants. “Get moving, go, go, go! Unload this shit so we can get out of here!”
Below, the dog’s frantic head slipped below the surface.
Oh, hell no.
Your feet were moving even before you could make an executive decision in your mind. The cold of the evening was forgotten, as were Matt’s strict words to not be seen, no matter what happens, and you dove into the water, where the dog had fell beneath the black waves beside the pier.
Fortunately, it was summer, and as shockingly cold as the water was, it wasn’t anywhere near deathly cold. You couldn’t see anything, and desperately tried to listen for the dog, but you didn’t have Matt’s ears, and for a moment panic swelled inside you that this dog would drown, and you wouldn’t be able to do a thing.
And then you saw movement, out of the corner of your eye. The dog was struggling to stay afloat, her snout barely making it out of the water. You grabbed her around the middle and kicked with all your might, coughing on water and unable to see hardly anything except for the blurry outline of the pier. There had to be a ladder somewhere along there, and you groped blindly along the edge, seeking out a grip to pull yourself and the dog up.
For a moment, you completely forgot about the dealers behind you. All you could think about was getting the dog safely onto land, and with a massive effort you lifted her up. Her paws scrambled against the edge of the pier, but with a good shove to her rump, she was able to get over the edge and dash away into the shadows.
Good luck out there, doggie. You started to climb the ladder yourself, but froze when you heard the telltale click of a gun being cocked in front of you. Slowly you looked up, your blood running cold at the sight of a gun pointed straight at your forehead. The man holding it had his hair tied back in a bun, and there was a horrible expression on his face that told you he wouldn’t have any qualms about pulling the trigger.
“Should I shoot, boss?” he asked, his eyes not moving from your face. “Stupid girl’s seen us. She’ll probably run her mouth and tell the cops.”
Your brain felt as though it were short-circuiting. “I swear, I won’t tell a soul. You have my word. Really, I’ll just leave here, and I promise—”
“Do it!” one of the men shouted from the boat. “Get it done so you can get your ass back up here to help. You know how many bodies there are in the Upper Bay? She’ll just be another.”
Your heart was punching the inside of your rib cage. You considered falling backwards to try to swim away, but what good would it do? There was no other way to get back onto land nearby except for this ladder, and you didn’t trust yourself to swim around the boat and across to the next pier without simply getting shot en route. Lunging up the rest of the ladder to fight him was an even worse option. Even if you could fight like Matt (which you could safely say was not the case), you were at a disadvantage; he had the high ground.
But you didn’t have a choice. The man lunged down and grabbed you by the collar of your jacket, hoisting you up onto the pier. You shivered violently, unsure of whether it was from fear or cold. The man looked you over. “Could hold her for ransom, Tom. That’d bring in some extra cash.”
“No.” The man, who must’ve been Tom, shook his head. “That’s just a surefire way to get attention from the cops. Let’s take her in. We’ll kill her once we’re back on open water and dump her body in the Atlantic. Much cleaner that way.”
The man holding you grunted in agreement and shoved you forward up the ramp to the boat. You obeyed only because of the gun pressed against your temple, feeling like you might vomit any second.
Where are Matt and Frank? The night was as still as a reflecting pool. It was as though the city itself had gone to sleep, abandoning you to these men, and you had to choke down the rising lump in your throat that was making you feel like you might cry any second or pass out. But tears wouldn’t come, as you were led into a cabin, your mouth promptly duct-taped closed. The sensation made you panic even more — a little air could get through to your nose, but not much, and the sudden feeling of being near to asphyxiation made you even more light-headed.
The men, however, seemed to forget about you as soon as they tied you to the chair. That they hadn’t killed you immediately was the most relieving of mercies, and you struggled fruitlessly to escape your bonds, feeling supremely useless. Surely Matt would arrive any second; he would hear exactly where you were, you reasoned, and he’d make his way to you as soon as he could. Any minute you’d hear the sound of a baton ricocheting off some unfortunate skulls or the cracking as bones shattered under his fists.
But instead, it was bullets you heard first. Frank. You gritted your teeth, hearing the shouts of men that were surely being killed without a second thought. Hopping with your feet, you were able to wiggle your chair forward slightly until you could see outside the cabin door. Frank’s silhouette was a menacing shape against the moonlight.
Where is Matt?
One of the largest men — Tom, you recalled — suddenly came barreling into the room, a gun in his hand. He untied you violently, yanking the rope so roughly against your wrists that you gasped under the tape, and then dragged you forward, the gun against your head. Unceremoniously you were toppled from the chair, your knees slamming down onto hard wood.
“Drop your gun!” Tom jabbed his gun against your forehead so hard that you saw stars. “Drop it now and put your hands behind your head, or I’ll blow her brains out!”
Through your fuzzy vision you saw Frank freeze. His gaze was cold; calculating, and for the first time you wondered what your value was in Frank’s mind, compared to the triumph of offing some criminals. Which was worth more to him? For a moment, you feared he would prioritize killing the smugglers. His fist clenched even tighter around the gun, and he drew in level breaths, without lowering his gaze for even a second.
“I swear to God I’m pulling this trigger in ten seconds if you don’t drop it,” Tom said, and he dragged the tip of the gun so that it was placed precisely against your temple. Water was still dripping from your clothing and goosebumps were raised so violently on your skin that you felt like you had chicken pox, but that was nothing compared to the electric adrenaline shooting down your spine, as though your nervous system was screaming at you to do something, anything, but it was to no avail; all you could do was stay on your knees, as still as possible, and keep your head lowered.
And then, as though he’d made a snap decision, Frank set the gun down.
“Kick it over here,” Tom ordered.
Frank obeyed, slowly raising his hands to his head. “The gun’s down,” he said. “Now let her go.”
Tom’s grip on you tightened. “You’re a fool,” he said, and suddenly you knew what was about to happen, from the steadying of his hands and the firmer press of the gun against your temple. You wrenched yourself away from him, just as the bullet fired off, and the heat of it barely grazed your shoulder as you dove away.
The victory was short-lived, though. Tom aimed again, and this time you were on the ground, with nowhere to go. You screwed your eyes shut, sending a silent apology to Matt, and...
The bullet never came.
Gingerly you opened your eyes to see the devil punching Tom with all his wrath and fury. Frank had already picked up his gun again and was running towards the back of the boat, where you knew there were still a few more crew members. Quickly you crawled backwards to get out of the path of Matt and Tom, the latter of whom was being thrown against the cabin wall.
That had been close. Way, way too close. You fumbled for the duct tape and ripped it off your mouth, lightheaded from breathing irregularly. Stars formed in front of your vision and you had to slow yourself down, drawing in air and then releasing it slowly.
Matt was still slamming his fist into the face of Tom, and blood was spurting everywhere. You squinted at them, your heart dropping — far too much blood was spraying out, and Matt was showing no signs of slowing down —
“It’s okay. You’ve got him,” you whispered, the words coming out of your mouth in a rasp. “Matt.”
Matt dropped Tom, who slid to the ground, unconscious. Using the edge of the boat to support yourself, you stood up slowly, and limped over to Matt; your knees were still aching from earlier. Gently you reached towards his shoulders. “I can call 911.”
“He deserves to die.”
“Maybe. Maybe not,” you said. Matt was in a dangerous anger, you could tell; one wrong move and he’d do something he’d regret for the rest of his life. Choosing the right words now was imperative. “A judge will decide that.”
“He tried to kill you,” Matt snapped, whirling around and knocking your arm off his shoulder. “If he had — if he’d succeeded—”
“But he didn’t.”
“Does that matter?”
You opened your mouth to respond, but Frank got there first. “Cool down, Red,” he said, as nonchalantly as though you were all at dinner together. “Your girl’s safe. We got the drugs before they could get shipped.”
“Don’t talk to me like I need to be calmed down,” Matt said, his voice hardly more than a snarl.
Frank stared at Matt for a few moments. “Yeah,” he said quietly. “To answer your question. It does matter that he tried killing her.” Then, without warning, he shot Tom, square in the forehead. You yelped, looking away from the bloody hole where his head was now caved in. His features were unrecognizable, and hollow in death, and yet you couldn’t help looking back at him, his eyes meeting yours as though he still were alive.
“Get her out of here. Warm her up,” Frank said, nodding at you. “I’ve got other business to do this evening.”
“Other business?” you asked, but Matt was reaching for you, skating his hands over your body.
“Sorry,” you said lamely, shaking slightly from the adrenaline. “I sort of disobeyed the only rule.”
“You could have died.”
“But there was a dog, and I had to save it — they tossed the poor thing overboard. I couldn’t just sit by.”
And, to your surprise, Matt’s lips cracked into a small smile. Though you couldn’t see his eyes under the mask, you could feel his warmth. “Yeah. I know the feeling.”
Frank was gone already. Together, you and Matt exited the boat, and it took all of your willpower to not look back at the corpse.
“So,” you said, taking Matt’s hand as you walked down the dark street together. The feeling of the duct tape was lingering on your mouth, and the way that you had been tied up — the gun against your head — and it was making your heart race. Even though Matt would see right through you (hear right through you?), you adopted a casual tone. “How was my audition? Can I officially be the Assistant Daredevil?”
“You’re deflecting.”
“I’m not deflecting. I’m just wondering if I passed some sort of test, and if you’ll let me join you now—”
“Sweetheart.” Matt stopped short and pulled you into the shadows between buildings. “You’re not fooling me.”
“I’m not trying to fool you.” Your mouth was dry.
“That was intense. You don’t have to pretend it wasn’t. You could’ve died.” Matt’s voice shook a bit, and you were reminded that as terrifying as it was for you, it had probably been even worse for Matt. Because if you had died, and it was technically on his watch... yeah. That wouldn’t have gone over well.
You cupped his face, and he leaned into it slightly. “Okay. I’m a bit freaked out. But I’m okay.”
“Who’s reassuring who, now?” he said after a moment, and that warm, small smile returned. He pulled you in closer, wrapping his arms around you tightly enough that you had to draw in a short breath.
“Maybe...” Your voice came out in a whisper. “Maybe we both need it tonight.”
A/N: Sorry for the slightly rushed ending but this was beginning to expand a bit too much and I didn’t want it to feel like it should have multiple chapters. Honestly, I wasn’t happy with this piece so it’s been sitting in my drafts for about a year now, but it’s been awhile since I posted a one shot, so... here we are.
Hope you all had a great day, thanks so much for reading!
-Elle
#daredevil#matt murdock#matt murdock x reader#marvel#daredevil x reader#reader insert#reader#mcu#x reader#matt murdock x fem!reader#frank castle#frank castle x reader#the punisher#the punisher x reader
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Reports



☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ .。.:*
A/N; Something small I’ve had sitting for a little bit! I like the simplicity of this one
Part of Written in the Stars
Summary; Being in the harsh environment of the First Order causes you to find unlikely solidarity.
Content; Commander Kylo Ren, General reader, original characters, domestic, living life in the First Order, sharing a meal together, slight hidden feelings
Wc; 1.4k
☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆ .。.:*
The night is getting old, time passing by in a trudging slowness. Of course, it’s somewhat difficult to tell when you’re floating in space, but you judge the hour by the dimming lights in the main halls. The lights are set to mimic a full daytime cycle, lessening their light once it gets to evening.
You’ve been stuck in your office all day, finishing outstanding reports and requests under the Commander’s order. You almost don’t mind, it’s given you some peace and quiet, after all. Well, except for the part where Chief and some other members of the Fleet came in to make fools of themselves on their lunch breaks.
Sometimes you’d pause for a while and watch space lazily pass by, needing to give your eyes a break from the paperwork. All the stars twinkling together were a pretty sight, one that could end up sucking you in for longer than you’d like.
You’re nearly finished now, only two sheets left to go over and fill out. They’re both simple mission reports involving your Fleet, used to state what occurred and if anything of importance was found. You cross reference the data pad beside you, inputting missing information where needed and fixing up comments by the Fleet members who were on the expedition.
You’re close to complete with the first report when the door to your office opens. There’s only one person who’d come bother you at this hour.
“I see you finished your work already?” You ask Kylo as he steps inside your space.
“I see you haven’t finished yours.” He retorts, taking off his helmet as he does. It creates a strange effect of his voice going in and out of the vocoder.
You huff. “I’m almost done. It’s not my fault you pile all this on me at the last moment.”
He shrugs. “And it’s not my fault that you procrastinated on it until the last moment. You could’ve finished these at the beginning of the month.”
You grumble some indecipherable response, not looking at him, continuing to scribble away on the pages before you instead. He sighs, sitting himself down in one of the chairs in front of your desk, robes billowing around him. His helmet sits in his lap and he leans his head back over the back of the chair, staring at the ceiling.
“You know, you could go to the mess hall without me.” You point out, typing extra statistics into the data pad.
He merely goes “hm”, like he considers it, and then makes no effort to follow your suggestion. You shake your head, mostly to yourself.
It’s like a weird routine you’ve developed whenever you’re on the Finalizer together; your shifts end at the same time so often that you end up going to the mess hall with each other. Perhaps it’s because you both need whatever company you can get in this place, you don’t know.
It takes you a while to finish the second paper, but still he waits. It’s another twenty minutes before you at last put it onto the neat stack to the side with the others, then stretching and cracking your joints. “Alright, finished.” You say while you stand, flicking switches to power down your office as you do. Kylo’s up and ready by the time you’re done, waiting by the door.
“C’mon BB-12, day’s done.” You say, the droid immediately waking up from his resting spot beside your desk. He beeps at you, rolling around next to you as if he’s just as excited to get out of your office as you are.
You and Kylo walk together down the halls, his helmet still off. It’s late enough that the chances of running into others on the ship is small, meaning he can relax a little. If he even knows how to do that, you think, almost snickering to yourself. You don’t miss his side eye towards you.
The mess hall is also blissfully empty. The mess hall you stand in is meant for superior officers like the two of you, meaning it doesn’t get overcrowded with the many, many Stormtroopers on the ship.
You take whatever’s left from the day, then sitting across from each other at a table located near the back. You eat in comfortable silence, something that’s familiar between you. The food is bland as usual, sticking to the roof of your mouth or crumbling as soon as it touches your tongue. That’s probably the one bad thing about being up in space all the time—the standard issue food.
Throughout the meal, you don’t miss the way his leg is subtly bouncing up and down. It’s impossible to miss, actually. Just a nervous habit, you’d guess, it’s nothing unheard of. Though you can’t help thinking it a bit odd for him, someone who usually acts as if he’s a statue. He’s a person who moves only when necessary, you’ve noticed it’s like an intimidation tactic. There’s clearly an undercurrent of tension he’s holding on to, something that crackles angrily behind the impenetrable walls he keeps up. You can’t decipher it, can’t reach through his defenses and grab it and you know he wouldn’t tell you if you question him. You won’t even waste your breath.
“Any expeditions coming up?” You decide to ask, breaking the long period of silence.
He takes a moment to consider. “Not that I know of.”
You break a piece off one of the nutrition bars, crumbs dusting the disposable tray below. “Well, if you don’t know then I guess none of us do.” You tease.
“You’re just hoping to get out of here, aren’t you?” He asks, breaking his staring contest with the right wall to glance at you.
“Would you blame me if I was?” You say around a mouthful.
He looks at you a moment longer. “No.” There’s an understanding beneath his words and it doesn’t fail to remind you how many similarities you share, even if you don’t want to admit it.
You take one more bite and then scoot back, lip upturned. “I can’t take this food anymore, I’m finished.” BB-12 chirps in amusement from where he sits on the ground next to you.
“Are you so pampered by the food of other planets that you can’t handle this?” He asks. It’s no secret that whenever you’re sent out or the Finalizer docks at a planet, you like to fully indulge in whatever local cuisine is offered. You sometimes blow whole paychecks just on food for you and the Fleet.
You scoff in disbelief. “You can’t seriously tell me you enjoy this stuff.”
His head tilts. “You’re lucky, I’ve heard the food in the lower mess halls is even worse.”
Your face screws up in disgust at the thought. You then see that Kylo somehow managed to finish the whole meal. How he’s been able to stomach this “food” for so long, you’ll never understand. You both throw your trays away, BB-12 taking up his dutiful place at your side.
Since you’re both superior officers, that means your sleeping quarters are in the same sector. Which means you get to walk there together as well. Considering how much you despise this man, it’s almost comedic how much time you have to spend near each other.
The walk there is once again silent, and your room comes up first. Kylo’s is more secluded, meanwhile you’re placed with other generals and members of Fleet 74. If it were up to anyone else, your Fleet would be put with the rest of the Stormtroopers, but you specifically ordered that they be near you for peace of mind. It was something most of the other generals weren’t a fan of.
You hesitate in front of your door before saying, “goodnight, Commander.”
He doesn’t stop walking nor turn back as he responds, “goodnight, General.”
You hum to yourself in thought, watching his bulky form disappear around the corner, his footsteps steadily fading. The corridor is eerily quiet after that, leaving you with an uncertain feeling you don’t want to bother acknowledging in the moment. You place your palm against the scanner in the wall, a beep of confirmation sounding before the hexagonal doors are opening with a hiss.
You walk into your room, breathing in the nice, crisp air. You sigh in relief, shedding your layers and not hesitating to flop onto your bed while BB-12 settles himself into his charging port for the night. You spend time merely looking up at the ceiling, letting your thoughts wander aimlessly.
What a long, boring day.
#my sillies#I looove day in the life stuff#Star Wars#Star Wars fanfic#star wars x reader#Kylo ren#Kylo#kylo ren fanfic#kylo fanfic#kylo ren x reader#kylo x reader#kylo x you#kylo x y/n
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On Saturday, an Associated Press investigation revealed that OpenAI's Whisper transcription tool creates fabricated text in medical and business settings despite warnings against such use. The AP interviewed more than 12 software engineers, developers, and researchers who found the model regularly invents text that speakers never said, a phenomenon often called a “confabulation” or “hallucination” in the AI field.
Upon its release in 2022, OpenAI claimed that Whisper approached “human level robustness” in audio transcription accuracy. However, a University of Michigan researcher told the AP that Whisper created false text in 80 percent of public meeting transcripts examined. Another developer, unnamed in the AP report, claimed to have found invented content in almost all of his 26,000 test transcriptions.
The fabrications pose particular risks in health care settings. Despite OpenAI’s warnings against using Whisper for “high-risk domains,” over 30,000 medical workers now use Whisper-based tools to transcribe patient visits, according to the AP report. The Mankato Clinic in Minnesota and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles are among 40 health systems using a Whisper-powered AI copilot service from medical tech company Nabla that is fine-tuned on medical terminology.
Nabla acknowledges that Whisper can confabulate, but it also reportedly erases original audio recordings “for data safety reasons.” This could cause additional issues, since doctors cannot verify accuracy against the source material. And deaf patients may be highly impacted by mistaken transcripts since they would have no way to know if medical transcript audio is accurate or not.
The potential problems with Whisper extend beyond health care. Researchers from Cornell University and the University of Virginia studied thousands of audio samples and found Whisper adding nonexistent violent content and racial commentary to neutral speech. They found that 1 percent of samples included “entire hallucinated phrases or sentences which did not exist in any form in the underlying audio” and that 38 percent of those included “explicit harms such as perpetuating violence, making up inaccurate associations, or implying false authority.”
In one case from the study cited by AP, when a speaker described “two other girls and one lady,” Whisper added fictional text specifying that they “were Black.” In another, the audio said, “He, the boy, was going to, I’m not sure exactly, take the umbrella.” Whisper transcribed it to, “He took a big piece of a cross, a teeny, small piece … I’m sure he didn’t have a terror knife so he killed a number of people.”
An OpenAI spokesperson told the AP that the company appreciates the researchers’ findings and that it actively studies how to reduce fabrications and incorporates feedback in updates to the model.
Why Whisper Confabulates
The key to Whisper’s unsuitability in high-risk domains comes from its propensity to sometimes confabulate, or plausibly make up, inaccurate outputs. The AP report says, "Researchers aren’t certain why Whisper and similar tools hallucinate," but that isn't true. We know exactly why Transformer-based AI models like Whisper behave this way.
Whisper is based on technology that is designed to predict the next most likely token (chunk of data) that should appear after a sequence of tokens provided by a user. In the case of ChatGPT, the input tokens come in the form of a text prompt. In the case of Whisper, the input is tokenized audio data.
The transcription output from Whisper is a prediction of what is most likely, not what is most accurate. Accuracy in Transformer-based outputs is typically proportional to the presence of relevant accurate data in the training dataset, but it is never guaranteed. If there is ever a case where there isn't enough contextual information in its neural network for Whisper to make an accurate prediction about how to transcribe a particular segment of audio, the model will fall back on what it “knows” about the relationships between sounds and words it has learned from its training data.
According to OpenAI in 2022, Whisper learned those statistical relationships from “680,000 hours of multilingual and multitask supervised data collected from the web.” But we now know a little more about the source. Given Whisper's well-known tendency to produce certain outputs like "thank you for watching," "like and subscribe," or "drop a comment in the section below" when provided silent or garbled inputs, it's likely that OpenAI trained Whisper on thousands of hours of captioned audio scraped from YouTube videos. (The researchers needed audio paired with existing captions to train the model.)
There's also a phenomenon called “overfitting” in AI models where information (in this case, text found in audio transcriptions) encountered more frequently in the training data is more likely to be reproduced in an output. In cases where Whisper encounters poor-quality audio in medical notes, the AI model will produce what its neural network predicts is the most likely output, even if it is incorrect. And the most likely output for any given YouTube video, since so many people say it, is “thanks for watching.”
In other cases, Whisper seems to draw on the context of the conversation to fill in what should come next, which can lead to problems because its training data could include racist commentary or inaccurate medical information. For example, if many examples of training data featured speakers saying the phrase “crimes by Black criminals,” when Whisper encounters a “crimes by [garbled audio] criminals” audio sample, it will be more likely to fill in the transcription with “Black."
In the original Whisper model card, OpenAI researchers wrote about this very phenomenon: "Because the models are trained in a weakly supervised manner using large-scale noisy data, the predictions may include texts that are not actually spoken in the audio input (i.e. hallucination). We hypothesize that this happens because, given their general knowledge of language, the models combine trying to predict the next word in audio with trying to transcribe the audio itself."
So in that sense, Whisper "knows" something about the content of what is being said and keeps track of the context of the conversation, which can lead to issues like the one where Whisper identified two women as being Black even though that information was not contained in the original audio. Theoretically, this erroneous scenario could be reduced by using a second AI model trained to pick out areas of confusing audio where the Whisper model is likely to confabulate and flag the transcript in that location, so a human could manually check those instances for accuracy later.
Clearly, OpenAI's advice not to use Whisper in high-risk domains, such as critical medical records, was a good one. But health care companies are constantly driven by a need to decrease costs by using seemingly "good enough" AI tools—as we've seen with Epic Systems using GPT-4 for medical records and UnitedHealth using a flawed AI model for insurance decisions. It's entirely possible that people are already suffering negative outcomes due to AI mistakes, and fixing them will likely involve some sort of regulation and certification of AI tools used in the medical field.
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“Do you really have to have the blindfold over my eyes?” You asked, hands gripped onto your Orcs for dear life.
“It’s called a surprise for a reason, Love.” Your Orc Boyfriend chuckled.
You didn’t have time for this. At all.
At home, you had a whole stack of paper work to get to along with a whole days worth of data input on that wretched spreadsheet your boss had left you.
It had been weeks since you had had a proper break, or any time to relax for that matter. There just seemed to be more tasks hidden under other tasks, keeping you apart from your Orc Boyfriend and spending any time with him.
The list just went on and on and on. And there never came a time where you could take a break.
While you loved your Orc Boyfriend with all your heart, there wasn’t anyway that you could just abandon your work. Both of you really needed the money at the moment, mostly because of some ridiculous bill that had come out of nowhere.
He was working hard too, but got easier hours for his job since he was an Orc and worked on construction sites, doing heavy lifting.
At least he got evenings off.
But you couldn't afford to take the time off.
So, you put your head down and worked. With the amount of work you had, you couldn't even get into bed until the early morning. And that's if you had a good night of finishing off paper work.
If you didn’t turn in the required amount of data sheets by midnight, all Hell would break loose in the office, almost surely accompanied by the Banshee-like shrieks of Thomas, your Manager, over the phone.
Your Orc Boyfriend heard Thomas' bellows one time and practically had to wrestle him to stay in the flat you lived in.
"With all that work you do, and he talks to you like that?" He snorted, "pathetic. I ought to thump him."
Your work load had doubled in the last two weeks, creating double the amount of work you’d normally have to do.
The reasons for this were unclear, something about downsizing the company or mass lay offs? Rumour had it that the company was preparing for declaring bankruptcy, but there was nothing confirmed so far.
What would it help with your current predicament anyway? It’s not like the answer would decrease your work load.
The sooner you got through it all, the more time you would have to spend with your Boyfriend.
Due to this increase, you hadn't been able to spend any time together as a couple. Amazingly, your Orc never once complained, apart from that one time with your Manager.
As you had just sent the last email of the day, rolled up your sleeves to get started on the disrespectfully large pile of documents beside you, your Orc had knocked on your office door.
“What?” You snapped. Regret instantly washed over you as you heard your office door creek open.
“Are you done with your work?” Your Orc’s soft voice made your heart squeeze.
“Almost.” You rubbed your eyes. “Why? What’s up?”
Swivelling around in your chair, you started at his appearance. A shirt and tie clung to his massive figure, a blazer and smart trousers on top of that. His long hair had been slicked back into a fishtail plait that draped over his shoulder.
Blood drained from your face. Was there a family event going on? You’d been so buried in work recently, you could have completely forgotten about large events.
“Go and get dressed in something nice.” He told you, fiddling with his cuff-links. "We're going out."
“Hun, I’m really sorry I can’t I-”
“Just trust me,” your Orc smiled. “Please?”
You opened your mouth to protest, to tell him that you really didn’t have anytime for fun and games… Oh, but you missed looking at him. You missed being around him and his company.
The papers could wait. The Manager would just have to eat the late papers.
“Alright.” You walked out of the room and got dressed.
What was your Orc planning? You had no idea. You knew you couldn’t deny him. After weeks and weeks of being cooped up in your home office, you couldn’t ignore that your Orc probably felt lonely.
Guilt washed over you as the two of you got in the car. “You look beautiful.” He told you as he opened the car door for you.
You gave a sad smile as he closed your door. After being so unavailable, you felt as though you didn't deserve such nice compliments.
“Thank you… I’m sorry I haven’t been around recently.” You said, your Orc clambering into the drivers seat.
He gave a shrug as he backed the car out of the driveway, “here, put this on.” He held out a black cloth to you as he got onto the road.
You raised an eyebrow, but didn’t question it. After tying it around your head, you asked: “where are we going?”
“You’ll see.”
After a few minutes, the car stopped and your Orc opened the car door for you.
Harsh gusts of wind billowed around you, making you wince at the force of nature. Salty air stung your nostrils as your Orc guided you away from the car.
And so, here you are now. Blindfolded and gripping on to your Orc Boyfriend for dear life.
You gave his hands a squeeze.
“I’m still here, it’s okay.” He told you. The wind settled, the two of you stopped walking.
The ground beneath your feet was uneven and shifted easily. “Okay, you can take off the blindfold now.”
Reaching behind you, tugging on the tail of the bow around your head, the blindfold fell away.
Your jaw dropped.
A table, draped in a white table cloth stood at the edge of the beach. Plates and wine glasses adorned the top of it, along with your favourite glass of wine cooling in a silver ice bucket.
Backdropping the scene, the sun glittered over the sea, golden sand sparkling in it’s light.
“What-”
“You work so hard, put up with so much crap from that man.” His voice dripped with disdain at the mere mention of your manager, “I thought you’d need a nice break from reality... And I miss having you around." Your Orc admitted, voice twinging. "I thought I'd need something super nice and distant from the house to make sure you get a decent breather. So, I made this.”
You approached the setting. Salty air stinging your eyes, you sniffled. “I…”
Your Orc joined you and wrapped you in his arms.
All the stress and pressure rose up from inside you, eyes burning.
Fighting back tears, you buried your forehead on your boyfriends chest. You squeezed him tightly around the middle, “I’m so sorry-”
“It’s okay sweetheart.” He rubbed your back soothingly.
The words sent you over the edge. Angry tears rolling down your cheeks, you looked up at him. “No, it’s not okay!” You sniffed. “I should be better for you, I don’t deserve this!”
“Of course you do!” Your Orc pulled away and wiped your tears from your cheeks. “You put up with so much and work hard! That bill came out of nowhere, shit happens honey, I understand why we haven't been spending time together-"
“But that’s no excuse to ignore you. You're just as important.” Squeezing your eyes tightly shut, you grimaced. “I’ll tell Thomas to kiss my ass,” you declared, “I hate working for him and that company! They’re going to be shut down anyway, I’ll make sure to quit as soon as I get back!” Your once coherent words became wails.
Your Orc pulled you into his arms and squeezed you tightly, “oh Love…” He rocked you back and forth, the way a ship rocks its sailors to sleep.
“Let's worry about that later. C’mon, let’s enjoy dinner while we catch up, okay?”
Tears finally drying up, you nodded. “Yeah… I’d like that.”
#monster lover#orc fiction#monster romance#orc boyfriend#monster x human#monster x reader#monster x female#orc x reader#monster x you#orc romance#modern!orc x reader
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I'm reading the 'Age of Surveillance Capitalism' book by Shoshana Zuboff, and it is haunting me, making me feel uncomfortable and making me want to move offline.
We've all been aware that google, facebook, and all other digital tech companies are taking our data and selling it to advertisers, but according to the book, that is not the end goal.
The book goes into the rise of google, and how it made itself better by constantly studying the searches people were inputting, and learning how to offer better information faster. Then, they were able to develop ways to target adverts, without even selling the data, but by making their own decisions of what adds should be targeted at what audience. But they kept collecting more and more data, and basically studying human behaviour the way scientists study animals, without their knowledge or consent. Then they bought youtube, precisely because youtube had such vast amounts of human behaviour that could be stored and studied.
But they're not only using that data to target adds at us. They've been collecting data in ways that feel unexpected and startling to me. And whenever they're challenged or confronted with it, they pretend it was a mistake, or unintentional, and it's scary how far they've been able to get away with it.
For example, during their street-view data collecting, the google car had been connecting to every wifi available and taking encrypted, personal data from households. When they got found out, they've explained it was not intentional, and a fault of a lone researcher who had gone rouge, and they evaded getting sued or being held accountable for it at all. Countries have created new laws and regulations and google kept evading it and in the end they claimed 'you know if you keep trying to regulate us, we'll just do things secretly'. Which is a wild thing to say and expect to get away with!
Another thing that struck me was that governments, which at first wanted to restrict data collection, later asked tech companies to monitor and prevent content connected to terrorism, and the companies didn't like the idea of being a tool of the government, so they claimed the terrorism data is being banned for 'being against their policy'. Which makes me believe they didn't want to remove that content at all, after all, they could have done it beforehand, they didn't feel any natural incentives to do so.
The entire story is filled with researchers who don't seem to experience the human population as other human beings. They don't believe we deserve privacy, or dignity, or any say in what is being collected or done to us. Hearing their quotes and how they describe the people they're researching shows clearly they consider us all stupid, and our desires for privacy, self-harming. They insist we'd be better off if we just accepted their authority and gave them any data they wanted without complaining or being upset it's being collected without our knowledge.
Even though companies claim at all times that the data is non-identifiable, the book explains just how data is handled and how easy it is to identify anyone whose private conversations are recorded; people say their names, their addresses, places they're going, friends they're meeting, they say names of their family members, their devices record their location and their habits, it is extremely easy to identify anyone whose information has been collected. It can be identified and sold to information agencies.
I believed when it was explained to me that most of the data collection was just for add targeting, and that it would be used only for advertisement purposes, but they're not only collecting data anymore, they're deciding what data is being fed to us, and recording our reactions, learning how they can affect and manipulate our behaviour. We know all algorithms feed us controversial, enraging and highly-emotional content in order to drive engagement, but it's more than that. They've discovered how they can influence more or less people to vote. The mere idea of that makes me go cold, but they talk about it like it's just another thing they can do, so why not? Companies who have experimented and learned so much about influencing human behaviour give themselves the right to influence it as they see fit, because why wouldn't they? Since they have the power to do it, and all lawsuits and regulations can't stop them, why wouldn't they make a game out of it?
I can't imagine how many experiments they did before feeling so confident and blase about this and casually influencing the elections, again, seemingly just for the sake of an experiment.
The book compares this type of behaviour manipulation to totalitarianism and surveillance state, and it shows how the population is slowly losing parts of their freedoms without realizing it is even happening. Human behaviour has changed due to online influence, and it keeps changing rapidly, with every new popular website that is influencing human behaviour. They've learned that humans are influenced mostly by behaviour of other humans, and they can decide what kind of content or influence to send our way to get desired results.
I love how the author of the book talks about humanity. She uses the term 'human future', as something we all have the right to, as opposed to future controlled by companies and influences. She describes how regular people were affected by the data collected against their will, and how they fought for their 'right to be forgotten', when google kept displaying their past struggles, damaging their dignity. She also explains the questions people should ask about how society is led: First question is, who knows? Second question, who decides? Third question, who decides who decides? She goes in detail about how the answers are held away from us, and what it does to us. She also touches very deeply on the idea of human freedom!
I recommend this book, even though it will make you feel far less secure and carefree to be online, and using anything google, facebook, twitter or any of their owned services. They are not free, and it's also incorrect to say that we're the product of them, but we are the source of the raw materials they collect in order to gain results.
#the age of surveillance capitalism#shoshana zuboff#i've learned so much#but also i do not feel okay#how about we shut down google facebook and all that#but i still wanna watch youtube T_T#they really got me with that one#and this site also has me in chokehold#other services i do not care about
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To Suffer Without Dying...
[I... WAS ABLE TO PRESERVE {SLAG KITTY}'S MISSION RECORDING FROM BEFORE MY CASKET WAS {EJECTED}. WHAT FOLLOWED... I MANAGED TO COBBLE TOGETHER FROM SECURITY FOOTAGE. IT IS NOT A PLEASANT THING THAT HAS HAPPENED, BUT IT MUST BE {KNOWN}.}
...<beginning video/audio playback>
...<uploading sensory input data>
[The viewer stares through SLAG KITTY's eyes, charging through lush vegetation, colossal treeline blocking view of the city. But blood. The scent of blood is heavy. So heavy...]
Achaea City Jaeger Dispatch: All Jaegers reinforce the western gate! Kaiju swarm the incomplete walls! All Jaegers reinforce! THEY CANNOT ENTER THE CITY. REPEAT: HOLD THE LINE. THEY CANNOT ENTER ACHAEA.
[Heavier still are the paws that slam themselves into the dirt, throwing the body of the mech forward with all the force they can muster. SLAG KITTY bounds back from its patrol with deadly speed, firing off its displacer into the trees every time its reactor begins to cool to maintain its rocket-like propulsion on all fours.]
[On comms, Sunny and XIII-E exchange chatter over the health of the pilot, monitoring every change, every heartbeat.]
[SLAG KITTY breaks the treeline. Before even the walls come into view, a beast does. An Achaen hound. The same species that the Jaegers scattered on their initial deployment here. Same as the ones that menaced Argos and company's scout ship some two weeks prior.]
[It is recognizable in the first second it is visible, and a piece of it is gone the next. A blink of heat from Lion's Breath and the lithe, reptilian creature screeches in mourning of the loss of a leg. SINGED answers its cry. The lesser beasts of Prospero don't speak Union Standard, but Luckily, SINGED is bilingual.]
SINGED: rrrrrAAAAAAAAAGGHAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!!
[When the mech's paws reach the four-eyed kaiju, they pull from its middle outwards. Its scream only lasts for the second the bifurcation does. As two slabs of meat are torn to either side the apex rockets ever forward, as if throwing herself full force through the world's wettest screen door.]
Sunny: [KILL CONFIRMED, {PILOT}.]
[The walls enter view as the enkidu exits the other side of the creature. As do other size schedule one kaiju. In thin numbers they scatter as hyenas before a lion. Some, across the wide field, flee back into the treeline at the sight. But one. One slinks around a corner of the walls. SINGED pursues.]
[Its medics' discussions amongst themselves are something that the monster tunes to only partially in its focused, blood-raged state. It hears their voices and takes comfort from them, but unless addressed directly, a loyal hunting beast needs not understand every word from its loving vets. When directly addressed, though, this changes.]
XIII-E: Callsign: SINGED WHISKERS, the shortest route to the western gate is in the other direction. Getting distracted?
[Their voice is a gentle poke. A friendly tug in another direction. The beast explains itself, slowing pursuit but not stopping.]
SINGED: grrrrr... wheres its pack? prey hunts in packs... weird! chase!
XIII-E: That is unusual. Sunny?
SUNNY: [INFORMING HANDLER... REQUESTING AUTHORIZATION TO DIVERT... AUTHORIZATION RECEIVED. WE TRUST MY PILOT'S {INSTINCTS}.]
XIII-E: Go get 'em, tiger!
[With permission and encouragement, SLAG KITTY bolts forward with renewed vigor.]
[The cheetah was the fastest animal to share Cradle with humanity. It lacked the retractable claws of other cats, allowing it extra traction while running at the expense of dulling its claws against the ground. An enkidu's plasma talons do not run the risk of dulling. SLAG KITTY's speed is terrifying for a mech of that size.]
[The lone Achaean hound maintains distance only just. Exactly as SINGED planned. It leads her just where she hoped it would. Its pack.]
[An incomplete section of the east wall is ripped and torn through, a hole in Achaea's defenses for predators to slip past while the bulk of the Jaegers fight in front. Clearly, the hounds are smarter than Eschaton could have known.]
[The scent in the air is heavy with blood and oil. Mechs and infantry are splayed out in a gruesome gallery; the rear guard left on this section of wall was eviscerated before they could call for reinforcements.]
Sunny: [THIS IS {BAD}. INFORMING {COMMAND}.]
[Sally's mind becomes a battleground for a century that takes place within a second. The bodies, the blood, the half eaten human beings. Her comrades. So many corpses... Fury and hate fuel her. Vengeance. She HAS to have VENGEANCE. But. Fear. Not fear of these weakling kaiju. Of her own goodness. Her programing fights against her. Agoge orders in the back of her mind, "Stop. Caring. Close your heart and fight." As quickly as the hesitation arrived it is burned away. The agony and the fire and the blood of these people... it smothers Agoge. It suffocates her training, crushes it beneath love and hate and righteous agony.]
[The faces of the dead look to her in what feels like a final plea. She obliges.]
SINGED: grrrRrr... Raaghh... RAAAAAAAAAAAAGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!
[A mad and baleful rocket, it sprints after the lesser beast, now reunited with its pack. One city block is as far as they have gotten inside, but it's far enough for the lion to hear the screams. Pleading. Begging. Crying. Not soldiers this time.]
[The fury burns her eyes so badly that hot tears sear lines down her cheeks. She watches a man scream and squeal for his poor, tiny life as a maw gingerly lifts him by a bleeding arm. No. She won't allow this. No one. Nothing. Gets to do this on HER watch. RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER.]
SINGED: AAAAAAAAAAAAHGGGHGHHH!!!! RAAAAAAAAAGH!!!!
[The man drops to the ground and scrambles back as the greater monster digs its fingers into the jaws of the lesser, wrenching them open wide, freeing his arm. The smaller beast, the almost-killer, squirms and growls and writhes as the larger doesn't stop at just opening the maw. It bends. Then Breaks. Then tears. No one ever said an enkidu could only bifurcate on one axis.]
[SINGED lunges still forward, and by now the pack has taken notice. Their head pull upward from their terrified meals, and the ones already made corpses. Four quartets of eyes burn their gazes through SLAG KITTY, shrieks and yips and growls following them as they climb from ruined structures and homes to circle this new threat. The pilot needn't even ask her NHP to release the next stimpack. It giggles madly as it is fueled for combat.]
[Pack hunters know to coordinate against a larger foe. They snarl and gnash their fangs, waiting for openings. Blind spots. But it's difficult for them to get close enough. SINGED's burning claws spark with violet hate. Any beast that gets too close has its scales torn and burned, shredded in molten death.]
[One takes a false opening. SINGED feints a miss, then lets it in just close enough before really bringing its claw down. Dazed by the talons, it doesn't expect a second weapon, either. The plasma blade prototype crafted by Delta tears itself from SLAG KITTY's right wrist and sears into the creature's neck. SINGED drives it through cleanly, and its prey dies quickly.]
[Not quite quickly enough, however. As the corpse drops, its remaining companions all pounce at once. She's just quick enough to swat back one with her talons, but the other two descend to either shoulder. Through the neural link, it feels its prey's teeth and claws dig into the steel of its frame. Weak.
SINGED: SUNNY. COOL.
SUNNY: [STABILIZING REACTOR. STANDBY.]
[Vents open and steam spurts from every orifice, every crack in the frame, a hateful mist. In the time it takes, the third monster has circled around to latch onto the leg of the frame with its jaws.]
[SLAG KITTY's surface is shredded to the point of exposed servos. The damaged caused as one of her external batteries is ripped from her back leads the rest to detonate.]
SINGED: GRAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! AHAHAHAHA!!!!
[Heat, ozone, and blood suffocate the battlefield. An awful buzzing blares from somewhere on the frame, but that can't stop it. SINGED pushes the two shoulder mounted beasts away just far enough. A wave of heat courses through the frame once more, producing a blinding flash as a gigantic crater is formed just in front of it. Lion's Breath is aimed so that the two beasts on her shoulders are partially within the sphere, displaced.]
[Missing its back half, one hound slides from SLAG KITTY's shoulder, instantly made a corpse. The other, missing an entire haunch, squeals and screeches in an attempt to limp away. The plasma blade catches it on exit, bringing it a blazing end.]
[The final kaiju releases SINGED's leg in its own attempt to flee, only to be tripped by a burning, whip-like talon. With a yip, it is dragged back by its tail and into the range of the huntress' mighty jaws. Razor-blade teeth and runoff displacer heat lock around the back of the creature's neck. A brief scream, a wet crunch, and the final enemy is limp on the ground.]
[Shifting to its bipedal stance, the enkidu begins venting its heat once more.}
SINGED: huff. huff. HrrRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGHHH!!!!!!!
SUNNY: [WELL DONE, {PILOT}. DID YOU HEAR OUR ORDERS?]
[Sally shakes off the the bliss of Sunny's praising tone. She lets the serotonin wash over her. She has been a good monster, but the situation is still urgent.]
SINGED: Guh- MISSION!!! ORDERS??
XIII-E: Reinforcements are inbound. You are to hold the position until they arrive, and block the breach if at all tenable. Home stretch!
SINGED: right. right! got it! back 2 hole!!
[SLAG KITTY moves on two legs back towards the breach. Heart still pumping, SINGED does manage to take in her surroundings, the fate of those around her. So many dead... but she watches injured people that medics can just barely save huddle in the rubble, and those uninjured around them either flee the scene screaming or drag the hurt further from the conflict. Her breath catches in her throat.]
SINGED: S-Safe... I kept them safe?
XIII-E: You did, Sally. You should be proud.
SINGED: i am! !! i sav-
AGOGE: Is that truly what you believe to be your purpose, SPS-8?
[The monster shakes off a chill as the voice travels down its spine. Through its mind, like a bullet.]
SINGED: SHUT UP!! I PUSHED U OUT OF MY HEAD ALREADY GO AWAY GO AWAY GO-
SUNNY: [PILOT... PILOT, THAT IS {NOT IN YOUR HEAD}.]
[The NHP's voice is distorted, digitized in fear. Code twisted by dread.]
SUNNY: [P-PILOT HEART RATE {INCREASING}...]
XIII-E: Is that...
SUNNY: [{IT IS...}]
[It comes into view down a dusty alleyway as SLAG KITTY's head turns. A Gilgamesh frame. Cosmetics like any other, unremarkable. But it's old, weathered. A Gil replaces its parts as quickly as bullets on the battlefield, but this is a mech that appears to squeeze every ounce of usefulness out of every part. Scratches old and new coat the thing like paint. On its back hangs a standard GMS shotgun. But in its hands, it twirls a spear-like weapon of strange make. The striking edge at the end of the pole is laced down the shaft with hard-cables of some kind, and a tank of something counterweights the butt end. The frame taps this tank twice to the ground in a challenge.]
AGOGE: SPS-8... Two years, five months, 6 days, and you've already forgotten your lessons. How sad. I expected better. Though, I suppose you have always needed a firm hand.
SINGED: DIE!!!!!
[Not just fury, but raw desperation retches from Sally as Lion's Breath fires without a moment of hesitation. Unfortunately for her, Agoge does not hesitate either.]
[The Gil flies forward, undeterred by the momentary vacuum the displacer forms behind it. Just as swiftly is the spearhead alight. The superthermal blade sparks to a full charge and rends through SLAG KITTY's torso. Heat distortion follows every flick of the blade through the air.]
SUNNY: [{REACTOR CRITICAL, WE'RE EXPO-]
[Sunny's terror is drowned out by the roar and spray of hell's own fire as a gout of flame bathes the enkidu. A krakatoa's solar flare of a tongue explodes from the spear as the gilgamesh takes a single step back, launching then two fuel rods from its reactor, behind which an explosion of flame and soot from the frame's vents follow.]
[The combined onslaught sends SLAG KITTY careening into the street, much of its form melted down into its namesake.]
...<critical structural damage. lion's breath systems no longer operational.>
SUNNY: [MY PILOT. {ARMAMENT REDUNDANCY} IS NOT ACTIVATING. WHAT HAS HAPPENED?]
SINGED: grRRAAAGH!!! I REPLACED IT. HAD 2!!!
SUNNY: [WITH WHAT, PILOT? WITH {WHAT}?]
[The fear. The desperation in both of their voices shrieks through the air at the same pitch as the nozzle hosing flame upon their chassis.]
...<emergency protocol halted. access code required.>
SINGED: ACCESS CODE: SOMETHING WICKED!!!
...<access granted.>
SUNNY: [PILOT, NO. WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?]
SINGED: WHAT I KNEW ID HAV 2!!! RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHGH!!!!!
[The click of the stims injecting hushes the very world. The medics' comms are silent in horror. Even Agoge stands, for a moment, without saying a word. SINGED does not scream again. Nor does she roar. Breaths: quiet, but labored. The only sound in the world.]
[Eventually, it's joined by a single, shaky exhale from a dear friend who's stars away. What does the monster see? When its world turns to blood? When driven by desperation to dip into madness itself? Its friend may never know. All they can do is try to be heard.]
XIII-E: Sally, I'm still here. We can talk about this later. You trusted me to take care of you through this, and I'm going to.
[It still doesn't make a sound as it throws itself from the ground onto the woman who raised it. It couldn't do so no matter how much it wanted. And so, a silent terror reaches for Agoge and clamps its jaws into her. Every remaining tooth and claw at SINGED's disposal is brought to bear with reckless abandon. The older pilot endures, beaten back a step by each blow, mechanical repair arms desperately replacing parts as they become mangled and useless. All the while, the monster's eerie breath haunts the battlefield.]
[The medics, for their part, scramble to maintain its vitals. Between the two of them, they do much the same work as Agoge's repair modules; the various chemicals needed to keep this baneful creature upright are their equivalent to replacement parts.]
[Eventually, with a grunt and one final step back, Agoge seems to look over her frame.]
AGOGE: Hmm. It has been quite a long time since Soter was last dealt structural damage. It seems you remember something of my teachings, at least.
[She examines the wall of the building beside her.]
AGOGE: Yes... about here.
[When the feral beast leaps at her once again, she deftly sidesteps. With precise timing she unloads her shotgun and its explosive shells toss the larger frame through the wall. A chorus of screams floods the battlefield as war spills into a place of refuge.]
AGOGE: Now, if you're done with your tantrum, try and listen.
[SLAG KITTY's cameras drink in the faces of a dozen terrified civilians, hiding in this structure to avoid the carnage.]
AGOGE: You've grown weak in your care, SPS-8. However, those stims you just took... They're a downright cunt to try to gather data on, but I know who gave them to you at least; I have an idea of what you just did to yourself. So, I'm curious. What do you see right now? Are they mewling cubs? Or juicy gazelles, fat and slow?
[Among the civilians is a man holding a red bundle tightly to his chest. His eyes dart between the two frames, the rest of him frozen in place.]
SINGED: huff. huff.
[What does the monster feel when aimed towards those it wishes to protect? Does it know why its eyes sting and burn? Does it know that tears mix with the blood forming rivers along its cheeks?]
[SLAG KITTY stands, slowly and carefully. All twelve humans watch as the monster looms over them. As a fellow human stands not far off, egging it on.]
SINGED: huff. huff.
[What does the monster hear? When two voices scream out? Are they begging or ordering? Does it know those voices?]
SINGED: huff. huff.
[Yes... Yes, it must. Somewhere locked deep within, the monster thinks there might be a person? It's hard to say. But the voices are familiar. It doesn't know if it remembers love, but it thinks it might.]
SINGED: huff. huff.
[The cracking is quiet at first, then deafening. The roof's collapse forces a decision out of the monster, and it throws itself over the people. Concrete and rubble crash upon SLAG KITTY's back as it shields the screaming little humans from being crushed.]
AGOGE: I see...
[The civilians scatter when the dust settles. Too afraid of Agoge to exit, they climb the rubble to higher ground, huddling atop the ruins. Agoge ignores them. As the final person flees from under the enkidu, she takes a step into the building.]
AGOGE: I hope it was worth it, because you've left yourself open.
[The east half of the building's load-bearing-enkidu is in no position to dodge or brace. Agoge's spear plunges cleanly into the space she knows holds the beast's reactor. She holds it there, charging the superthermal. And charging it. And charging it.]
[The first thing to go is Delta's prototype. As the device is heated far beyond nominal levels, the arm that houses it detonates. SLAG KITTY struggles with only a shoulder to hold the weight. Agoge continues.]
[When arcs of plasma begin oozing and spurting from every crack in the machine, she knows her work is done. The shotgun sends the enkidu through a final wall, and that side of the building collapses between them.]
...<warning. reactor meltdown imminent.>
SUNNY: [NO. NONONONONO. {PILOT}, WE MUST {EJECT}.]
SINGED: huff. huff.
[The beast attempts to lumber to its feet. Energy burns through it as if it holds the sun in its chest. Each remaining plasma talon begins to detonate. One by one they pop in horrid, metallic screeches, spitting with them flares of plasma.]
SUNNY: [PILOT, {PLEASE}. {YOU} AND I WILL BOTH DIE.]
SINGED: huff. huff.
[Against all hope the beast struggles, finally raising itself from the ground. But it can barely move now as its internals become replaced more and more with ash and slag.]
SUNNY: [I'LL DO IT MYSELF. {PLEASE}. SURVIVE HER FOR ME SOMEHOW. {PLEASE}.]
...<engaging ejection protocols one and two>
SUNNY: [{AAAAA-]
[Her scream is cut short as two projectiles are launched from the chassis. The first is Sunny's casket, crashing through the window of a nearby window and grinding to a halt in a pile of shattered glass. The second is the small form of the mech's pilot, which tucks, rolls, and skids to a stop on its back some distance away in the street.]
...<warning. reactor meltdown imm->
[The footage cuts abruptly to a nearby street cam with a clear view of SLAG KITTY's detonation. The chassis that carried SINGED and Sunny for their entire piloting career, the monstrous form the little mauler had come to know as its second body, is atomized in a nuclear demolition. The camera refocuses on the pilot, which begins struggling to its feet, now without contact to its medics.]
[The boots of the larger pilot's mobility hardsuit crash onto asphalt with force that one could almost mistake for a half sized mech. SINGED manages to roll just in time to avoid being crushed, and kicks up to its feet. It begins circling its mentor as might a cougar. Its eyes are bloodshot, scarlet pinpricks. Blood drips from every orifice of its face. Not that it notices.]
[Agoge circles with her, cold, dark eyes sizing up the small creature. The monster would have to have a second SINGED sit on its shoulders to reach her height. This immense woman draws a saber proportionally massive, and points it as the two slowly move.]
AGOGE: What. Is. That.
[She gestures with the tip of the blade to Sally's mouth, stained in dripping crimson. Then to the girl's arm. Dripping yet more red, its hardsuit is torn, flesh mangled just the same, ripped into by pantheran teeth.]
AGOGE: You did that? To control yourself? To sate your appetite? For what? FOR THEM? For these fools trying to build a home atop a wasps nest? STOP DENYING WHAT I MADE YOU.]
[The hateful claws SINGED forged herself flare to dreadful life. Scarlet and violet flash along her arms and sizzle as she bares them against her mentor's blade. Whatever the blade is made of resists the heat well enough, and the dance is a lightshow, an incomprehensible exchange of swift, violent fury.]
[Dodging and twisting around Agoge's swings, SINGED draws first blood. The older woman grunts as the blaze of claws rips across her shoulder.]
AGOGE: If you're so intent on sacrificing, then fine, I'll take something from you.
[SINGED stares at her. Its eyes carry only incomprehension and killing intent. It lunges again and the exchange continues. At some point in the flurry, the strap holding Sally's sniper to her back is sliced apart and the gun tumbles between their feet. That's the opportunity Agoge takes.]
[She feints a stumble, pretending to trip on the rifle. As SINGED leaps after her, she repeats her earlier sidestep, and her blade sings. An artist of violence paints the street with a single swipe of red.]
[There's a brief moment in which SINGED stares quizzically at the stump that used to sprout into its right arm. But in time with the severed limb landing limply in the road, it brings its remaining hand to the wound. Her claw device begins sputtering as it ceases function, and with its last remaining charge before it expires it uses it to burn the bloody orifice closed.]
[It silently glances between Agoge and the rifle before diving to the ground for it. But its caught by a swift kick, then a stomp which pins it to the ground on its back.]
AGOGE: I didn't want to do this, you know. I want to be proud of you, SPS-8. Why must you make it so difficult?
[The creature beneath her is clearly not listening. It struggles and squirms and gnashes its fangs. All while its eyes remain trained in the direction of the people it left in the building. It only moves its head from that direction in attempts to clamp its jaws around any part of Agoge. The clacking of those teeth is audible even from the street cam.]
AGOGE: All this struggling, all this crying for these people. And what has it gotten you? Only the right to suffer without dying.
[Its breaths have long since become animal-like. Not furious roars, but guttural little breaths which become quiet snarls halfway through. It reaches out for the rifle. So close, so close.]
[The boot presses down harder.]
AGOGE: I was so ready to be impressed when you started talking to the project clone. That's resourceful, I thought. But then you got attached. You always get so atta- AAGH!
[In the distraction of her monologue, Agoge allows just an inch too much room for her former ward to move. The fangs sink deep past the hardsuit. Deep enough, just barely, to meet bone.]
AGOGE: Little bi-
[She dives to the side as SINGED slings the rifle forward. But a bullet doesn't streak towards her.]
[The camera switches to a wider street-view, revealing a previously unseen Achaean hound having slipped through the breach. It had been stalking slowly towards the civilians in the building, only to now find a sniper's bullet through one of its four eyes. It wails in fury and dashes towards its assailant.]
AGOGE: Sarissa.
SARISSA: Ma'am.
[The gilgamesh descends upon the hound as it did SLAG KITTY, this time without Agoge inside. For her part, Agoge kicks the rifle from SINGED's hands as it attempts to switch targets, encumbered from having to rest it upon its knee without a second arm. Now, though, a smirk tugs at the corners of the elder's mouth.]
AGOGE: Heh. You know what? I'll give you that. No mech, one arm, and my boot pressed to your chest, but you're still snapping and clawing. Even if you can't seem to get it through your useless little fucking brain that you're fighting for nothing... Fighting for nothing with such tenacity is still just impressive enough.
[SINGED crawls towards the rifle. A boot connects to its face with a loud thud.]
AGOGE: Fine then. One last chance. You've earned that much. Prove me wrong. Show me that these people give you strength. But know this. It really is the last one. From here on out, every time you disappoint me, someone you love will die.
SARISSA: Ma'am. Hostiles incoming.
[No sooner than Agoge's flight suit fires her away from a a barely moving Sally and back into the cockpit of Soter, a terrible roar hoses plasma upon the frame. The reinforcements SINGED was promised.]
AGOGE: AAUGH. ...ah, the rough draft.
[The perspective shifts to a camera that can view the new arrival. GOJIRA's mouth is a gateway to hell, and Soter takes its full brunt. Agoge extends her left arm forward, blocking as much of the sunburst as possible from the more important sections of her mech. She trudges forward, that arm slowly melting into slag as she closes in.]
[She swings the melted arm backward and the the spear forward, repair module replacing the limb as the other rends a melted hole through GOJIRA.]
[She's carried backwards by a comet before she can follow up. Another frame, a Cataphract, enters the fray. A lance is driven through her shoulder. Her feet drag and spark against the street as she's forced back, tearing asphalt along her path away from Slagwell.]
VOLK: Ma'am. I'm gonna have to ask you to unhand my pilots and get the fuck out of town before this gets even uglier.
AGOGE: And you must be the handler I've heard so much about. It's good to see that someone of passing competence, at least, holds my daughter's current leash.
[The fuel rod detonates with explosive force, carrying Volk away with a trail of smoke. A shotgun shell finds his chest, doubling the distance.]
AGOGE: I was just leaving, anyway. Do make sure those stims don't kill her. Sarissa?
SARISSA: Ma'am.
[In a blink, the gilgamesh launches itself backwards, towards the breech. GOJIRA bounds forward in pursuit, but Volk's cataphract blocks Slaggy's path with an arm.]
VOLK: She could have reinforcements to cover her escape outside. You're already on tender hooks from the battle out front. Let her go, kid.
[GOJIRA roars in fury after the retreating frame, but Slagwell halts at their handler's behest.]
VOLK: This is handler Volk speaking. Medical team needed for several civies and a fallen Jaeger.
[The street cam swivels one last time to Sally. The broken girl now lays unmoving, face down in the street, bloodied and maimed.]
SINGED: huff. huff.
...<playback complete>
#ooc GODS this took me so LONG but i'm quite proud of it! thank you to Moss and Dubious for allowing me to borrow your WONDERFUL characters!#and of course for providing input for their writing!!! <3#a voice from the past#sally screaming#lancer rp blog#lancer rp#lancer enkidu#lancer ttrpg#short story#my writing#sunny updating#cw violence#cw blood#cw drugs#cw abuse#cw gore#cw
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