#Edge Telemetry Processing

[goodoldbandit]

How to Use Telemetry Pipelines to Maintain Application Performance.

Sanjay Kumar Mohindroo Sanjay Kumar Mohindroo. skm.stayingalive.in Optimize application performance with telemetry pipelines—enhance observability, reduce costs, and ensure security with efficient data processing. 🚀 Discover how telemetry pipelines optimize application performance by streamlining observability, enhancing security, and reducing costs. Learn key strategies and best…

[cressidagrey]

Her Papa's Daughter

Pairing: Oscar Piastri x Felicity Leong-Piastri (Original Character)

Summary: Oscar never sees how similar his daughter is to him. But Felicity does. 

(divider thanks to @saradika-graphics )

There were moments—small, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moments—when Felicity would pause, tilt her head, and think: There he is. Right there, in her.

Oscar never saw it.

He adored Bee. Worshipped her, really. 

In that soft, steady, unobtrusive way of his. He looked at their daughter like she was something he’d never stop marveling at—like her brilliance was something that had skipped him entirely, a beautiful mystery he was lucky enough to witness up close.

But what he didn’t realize—what Felicity did—was that Bee hadn’t come out of nowhere.

She was Oscar.

In so many little ways.

Most people only saw the surface. They saw the same jet black hair that she had inherited from Felicity. They didn’t see that it had a wave to it, something that came from Oscar. 

They didn’t see that yes, Bee’s eyes were brown. But they weren’t Felicity’s eyes. Weren’t that near black, ebony colour. They were Oscar’s. Brown but lighter, honeyed around the edges. 

They saw Bee’s intelligence: bright, sparkling. A mind that was as quick as Felicity’s. But they didn’t dig deeper. 

They didn’t see all the ways Bee was just like her father. 

Bee was more Piastri than Leong.

Felicity thanked the universe for that every single day.

Because the Leong side—her side—came with expectations. With pressure. With rigid ambition and cold detachment masked as achievement. The Leongs  were achievement-obsessed. Hypercritical. Polished to the point of sterility. 

The Leongs taught efficiency. Precision. Perfection.

Bee had that in her too. She did.

But the goodness, the calm,  the innate kindness that ran deep in the Piastri blood was stronger. 

Felicity had always worried—before Bee was born—what pieces of herself she’d pass on.

 What her daughter might inherit from the Leong side that had tried to sculpt Felicity into a perfect silhouette of someone she never wanted to be.

But then Bee arrived.

Tiny and fierce. All wide eyes and sharp observation.  Born curious. Born soft in a way that felt like rebellion.

Bee was a Piastri. And Felicity loved that. 

Because it meant the best parts of Oscar—his calm, his heart, his quiet goodness—would live on in a little girl who walked through the world with grease on her cheeks and stars in her eyes.

Bee was just like her father. And Felicity saw it, even when nobody else did. 

Bee was Oscar’s in all the ways Felicity loved most.

Not his fame.

Not his skill behind the wheel.

But his gentleness.

His capacity to feel deeply, and quietly. 

Felicity saw it when Bee got quiet when she was upset—not loud, not tantrum-prone like other kids her age. No, she folded in, went silent. Let the weight of the world settle on her tiny shoulders without protest. Just like Oscar did when something hurt. When he’d had a bad race. When the pressure clawed too close to his ribs.

Bee would sit at the kitchen table with her arms folded and her jaw clenched, and Felicity would see Oscar at seventeen, post-race, staring down telemetry with his whole chest aching and no words to explain it.

It was in the way Bee needed time before she spoke.

How she'd pause when someone asked her a question, like she needed to sort through a hundred tabs open in her mind before landing on the right answer. Just like Oscar, who often went quiet in meetings, brows furrowed—not confused, just calculating. When Bee blinked a little too fast, the way Oscar did when he didn’t know how to say what he was feeling.

People mistook them both for passive.

They were anything but.

Oscar observed. He waited. Let others speak. Let the noise swirl around him until he could cut through it cleanly. Bee did the same thing on playgrounds, watching from the edge, fingers twitching, eyes sharp. Quiet didn’t mean confused. Quiet meant processing.

Then there was the focus.

Bee could spend hours rebuilding the same gear assembly in her toy kart, screwing and unscrewing bolts with total precision, refusing to be interrupted even for snacks. Felicity had once watched her spend 45 minutes trying to fix a hinge on the chicken coop door. She was two.

Oscar did the exact same thing with sim data.

He didn’t like being pulled out of his zone once he was in it. He got snappy—not mean, just tense, clipped, unmoored. Felicity knew the signs: the twitch in his jaw, the soft tap of his fingers on the edge of his laptop. Bee had the same twitch, the same tapping rhythm.

And of course, the perfectionism.

Oscar never called it that. He called it “standards.” “Attention to detail.” “Preparation.”

But Felicity had seen it for what it was. The way he double-checked tyre pressure notes, the way he rehearsed press answers under his breath, the way he panicked—silently—when he made a mistake, even one no one else noticed.

Bee was the same.

If a drawing didn’t go right, if the colors didn’t match what she imagined, she would stare at the page for hours. Sometimes she’d rip it in half without saying a word. Sometimes she’d just press her little lips together and walk away, quietly devastated.

Oscar would kneel beside her, rub her back, say, “It’s okay, Bumblebee. You can start again.”

Felicity never said it, but every time he did, she wanted to laugh and cry at the same time.

Because Bee got that from him.

So many things Bee loved—systems, precision, solitude—came from Felicity. But the rhythm of her quiet, the soft sadness she carried when people didn’t understand her, the way she tried so hard to do everything right? That was pure Oscar.

And he never saw it.

He thought he was just the snack-deliverer. The designated cheerleader. The safe arms she ran into when things were too loud.

He didn’t realize that Bee was him.

In the way she got quiet when something really mattered.

How the more she cared, the less she said.

Not because she didn’t feel it — but because she felt it too much.

Just like Oscar after a bad session. Silent. Shoulders tight. Needing a minute to fold the feeling small before he could put it down.

Felicity saw it in the way they both loved things quietly—with reverence, with care, with a steady kind of devotion that never demanded attention.

They were both meticulous.

Both patient in their own strange ways.

They made the same face when concentrating.

They both talked more when they were comfortable, when they felt safe.

And when they trusted someone—truly trusted them—they gave everything, all at once, like a flood.

 Bee stayed up too late sometimes, not because she was avoiding sleep, but because her brain just wouldn’t let go. She’d be lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, listing gear ratios or trying to solve the mystery of gravitational drag in her head.

Just like Oscar the night before a race, flat on his back in hotel beds, blinking at the ceiling while he rehearsed every apex in his mind.

His quiet heart. His careful mind. His silent, stubborn resilience.

Bee had inherited Oscar’s softness. His sensitivity. That quiet brilliance that didn’t need to be loud to be undeniable.

Felicity watched the two of them curled on the couch now, Bee half-asleep on his chest, Oscar absentmindedly playing with a piece of her hair while watching race replays with the volume low. His hand rested protectively against her back, and Bee’s tiny fingers were curled in his hoodie drawstring like it anchored her.

They were so alike it hurt.

Felicity reached for her phone, took a photo quietly—just for herself. Just to remember this.

And as she looked at it later, Bee dozing with the same soft frown Oscar wore when he was thinking, her lashes dark against his chest, Felicity smiled.

One day, maybe he’d see it.

One day, she’d tell him.

But for now, she’d keep watching the two halves of her heart mirror each other in quiet ways they didn’t even notice.

And love them all the more for it.

They were more than similar.

They were the same melody, just played in different keys.

And the sweetest thing?

Oscar didn’t even realize.

Felicity watched him watch Bee sometimes — that soft, stunned look he got when Bee said something too clever for her age or organized her toolbox with color-coded tabs — and he looked amazed. Like she was something brand new, unfathomable, impossible.

And all Felicity ever wanted to say was: She learned that from you. That’s your steadiness. Your stillness. Your careful mind.

But she didn’t.

She just smiled, and let him marvel.

Let him believe Bee was a little mystery he got to unravel piece by piece.

Let him love her for all the ways she was different.

Because one day, maybe he’d see it. All of it.

And when he did, he’d realize what Felicity had known all along:

That the little girl who preferred schematics to dolls and corners to crowds—

She was her Papa’s daughter.

Through and through.

[llamaqueenprompt]

Red Flags and Blushes . Part I

Characters: Max Verstappen, Reader

Not Requested

Word Count: 0.6k

Inspiration: "Are you Blushing?"

Part I Part II Part III - Complete

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The Red Bull garage buzzed around them - mechanics shouting, tires screeching, radios crackling - but Y/n barely heard any of it.

She was too busy trying not to look at Max Verstappen… Or worse - remember.

It had been three weeks since that night in Monaco. One mistake, one brutal, earth-shattering night.

She’d woken up tangled in his sheets, his arm slung lazily over her waist, the early morning light cutting across his face. And for one stupid second, she’d thought about staying.

But she hadn’t. She couldn’t.

“That can’t happen again.” she’d whispered, still half-dressed, still drunk on him.

Max hadn’t argued. He’d just given her a slow, unreadable smile and said. “If you say so.”

Now he stood a few feet away, the top half of his race suit tied around his wais, undershirt clinging to every inch of muscle, hair messy from the helmet. He look unfairly good - and judging by the smug curve of his mouth, he knew exactly what he was doing to her.

Y/n pretended to study the laptop screen in fron of her, scrolling through telemetry data she wasn’t even processing. Her fingers tightened around the edge of the table.

Professional. She needed to be professional.

“You’re really bad at pretending,” Max’s voice cut through the air, low and amused.

She froze.

Slowly, she looked up - and he was right there. Leaning against the table next to her, arms crossed, eyes glinting with amusement. His presence felt loud somehow, even though he wasn’t doing anything but standing there.

“Excuse me?” she said coolly.

Max’s smile widened just a fraction, like he was enjoying a private joke. “Pretending you’re not staing.”

“I wasn’t.”

Lying. Horrible, obvious lying.

He leaned in a little, lowering his voice just for her. “You always were a terrible liar.”

Y/n’s cheeks flamed. She hated how her body betrayed her - how just the sound of his voice, low and teasing, could unravel her so easily.

“You’re imagining things,” she said, turning back to the laptop.

Max chuckled, low and rough, a sound that scraped deliciously down her spine.

“Am I?”

He pushed off the table and moved closer, close enough that she could feel the heat of him. Close enough that old, dangerous memories flickered to life: the scrape of his stubble against her skin, the ways he’d murmured her name against her throat.

“You’re blushing,” he said softly, sounding almost pleased.

Y/n gritted her teeth. “No, I’m not.”

Max crocked his head, studying her like he already knew the answer. Like he knew everything.

Then, voice dropping to a whisper, he said, “Are you blushing, Y/n?”

She closed her eyes for half a second, just to steel herself. Because the way he said her name - low and rough and intimate - was unfair.

She forced a smirk onto her face and turned to face him. “Even if I was,” she said coolly, “it wouldn’t be because of you.”

Max’s smile turned downright dangerous.

He stepped in closer, his hand almost brushing hers where it rested on the table. Her breath hitched.

“You sure about that?” he murmured.

Y/n’s heart was hammering against her ribs. This was exctly why she’d told him no more.

Because Max didn’t just get under your skin - he stayed there, burrowed deep and permanent.

And the worst part? He knew it.

“Max,” she said, her voice low and warning.

He straightened a little, but the smirk never left his face. He stepped back, like he was doing her a favor, like he knew exactly how close she was to snapping.

“Relax,” he said, throwing her a wink over his shoulder as he walked away. “Wouldn’t want anyone thinking we like each other.”

Y/n stood frozen, heart pounding, handa tembling slightly.

God, he was insufferable.

And damn it, she was blushing.

[moonshynecybin]

Hey! Just wanted to say I’m in awe of how your writing it’s just so GOOD and FUN and TORUROUS. It’s rly hard to nail the voices and dialogue of characters (especially when writing them speaking in english!) but you always make it so believable. Ur Vale especially is sooo charismatic which like hats off bc a more mercurial man has not been made. 

Re ur charged-airport-conversation fic, I’m intrigued to find out how Marc will handle his sexuality crisis. Will he be in denial? does he very seriously study gay culture like telemetry data? is he getting Grindr? is he seeing it as something to incorporate into his PT routine & somehow translate this to a competitive edge? how did he feel about the pope saying frociaggine????

Also I loved the goofy brother shenanigans, Alex strongest most patient and silliest man alive truly. Extremely funny to think of Alex “please get a girlfriend you’re 30 and annoying me” Marquez having to cope with Marc coming back like “I found one! :3” holding hands with Cervera’s enemy #1 undisputed champ 2015-2024

Anyways, would love to hear any thoughts u had but no pressure! I just wanted to thank u for ur brilliant mind & forget about whatever fresh hell that sprint was 

this one. is one that i plan to maybe actually and fr write out so i shant answer in full because i hope that you'll find out eventually. um. i CAN give you chapter two! of THIS fic where Marc and Vale get stuck in an airport and have a somewhat fraught little bonding session. i have not proofread this OR reread the original so if there's inconsistencies just chill out. theres also a lot of liberties taken with the amount of privacy these guys have on a given race weekend again just chill out. please. they live in different countries and are bitter rivals its hard to get them alone into fictional scenarios. its about 1.4k.

(Part ONE !)

The next time he sees Vale is in the paddock.

It's not unusual to see him— the paddock is small and Vale is always a presence, felt even when he’s gone, indelible—but it’s on the television more often than not these days. Maybe a glimpse of him zooming around on his scooter, ignoring the swing of the camera phones tracking him in his wake. But it’s not like this, never this close up. Vale maintains distance, and Marc has adapted to take his cues from that same distance. He’s not going to be the first to engage, not anymore. 

All that being said, Marc is trying to grab some alone time in between sessions, communing with his lunch and contemplating ways to improve his breaking into Turn 11. He’s tucked into a shady place out of the way, generally out of the range of any stray cameras, when Vale catches him, sliding next to him on the table and leaning forwards on his elbows.

He starts picking at Marc’s food.

Marc reacts reflexively, not even processing that it's Vale who’s at his elbow who is reaching over to snag a bit of his chicken. He lifts his bowl out of reach like he would with Alex. “Hey— that's mine,”

Vale’s game, apparently, shooting him one of those dangerous grins, eyes crinkling at the sides towards Marc like he hasn’t seen in years. He’s brimming with the confidence of someone used to getting away with breaking rules. Marc puts down his food. Lifts a hand, adjusts the cap at the top of his head, and tucks his hair behind his ear. 

This means something. He doesn’t know what.

“Allora, you were not eating it.”

And Marc has always been easy for it—the simple skill he has in spinning a situation into the brightest version of itself, mood turning on a dime. Even when he was destroying Marc, he would do it with a smile. 

It’s that same silverbright thread that makes Marc laugh, disbelieving, a shock of delight. He shoves at the edge of Vale’s arm, jockeying with his elbow. He bites his lip, shakes his head. Would you look at that?

“Presumptuous,” Marc scolds, and tucks back into his lunch, forking another bite into his mouth. Vale grins and leans closer, conspiratorial. That same hot, embarrassed feeling from the airport rears its head, giddy. Marc glances around. There’s no one here. He feels like there is. LIke there’s eyes on them, even though he’d chosen a place where there shouldn't be.

It feels like crossing a line, teetering on the edge of some cliff, one toe over the edge. Hot and anticipatory in the pit of his stomach. There’s a breeze going, and he shivers. Vale leans closer.

He likes it. 

He also knows that he shouldn't like it. He’s gone through this song and dance before. This feeling, this hero worship that he has with Vale never leads him down any good road. He thought– six premier class titles and nearly ten years of vitriol had been an effective cure. Not so, he’s finding out.

Vale corrects, “I see what I see. This I cannot help.”

“Oh yeah? You’ve been watching me?

Vale shrugs, steals another bite. “You do manage to put on a good, ah, show.” He finds the words in Spanish. Marc can’t remember the last time they spoke in Spanish.

Marc takes a breath in. Settles himself. He doesn’t know what the end goal is here. Curiosity wins out— it’s better than wondering why Vale’s here in the first place. What game he’s trying to play. What he thinks he’ll get out of being nice to Marc, aside from that shivery feeling clawing its way up the base of his spine. He should really at least find out if he’s doing this because he plans on not being nice to Marc. 

“How did you find me?” Is what he goes with. Neutral enough. 

“You are not hard to find.” The answer is vague, but frank. Vale loves to speak around things.

Marc raises an eyebrow, decides to just keep looking at him. They both know he’s bullshitting. Vale breaks, and makes a face, shrugging.

“I have been racing here longer than you. I know the hiding spots.”

Marc gives him a minute roll of the eyes. It's still not an answer. “You know, they remodeled not too long ago. The entire layout changed.” Vale would’ve had to work to find him. 

“Not too much!” Vale spreads his palms cheerfully, seizing on a diversion. “The bones are still the same. The stands are over there,” he juts a thumb, “The pits are here. The bathrooms change, but bah. It’s a facelift.”

Marc wrangles down a smile. Vale’s not being serious— he’s being fun. Maybe he’s trying to get him comfortable for some reason. “A lot changes, I think.” He says frankly, and he means it. 

Vale’s eyes flash. He sees Marc’s conviction, catches the double meaning. Another one of their conversations centering around two different issues on the surface, but coming back to their history all the same. The elephant in the room butting into other topics. History, division, and rivalry, all sneaking its way into the cracks in their words. 

Vale keeps going, the lead in their little play.

“Maybe. But it’s not— like, aerodynamics, new regulations, new tires— all that changes. Small stuff.  Opinions, riders. But it is still a paddock. I’ve been in paddocks my entire life. You can’t change much.”

Things change a lot, in Marc’s experience. People. Teams. Bodies. 

Friendships.

And Marc is brave usually, has made a career out of it, so he feels like he has to ask. No use avoiding it and feeling half out of his skin for the rest of the day. Vale’s knee bumps into his own and he closes his eyes briefly. When he opens them Vale is already looking at him

“Why are you here?” He levels.

Vale throws him a soft smile. It comforts exactly no part of Marc.

“Maybe I was looking for a hiding place.”

Marc hesitates, choosing his words carefully. It’s always a spar with Valentino; even when they were friendly, they were still competing.

“Am I the hiding place?”

“Well, I am still more famous than you, is true. Less photographers on you than me. It’s peaceful.”

“What do you want from me?”

“Now there’s a good question.” Vale says, stealing something else off of Marc’s plate. “Today? I was hungry. I thought I’d stop by and eat with an old friend.” The words jolt through Marc like a highside. He’s in the air— lost, flying, falling. 

Vale stands, towering. He claps Marc on the shoulder. It burns white hot. Marc keeps his eyes on him, trying to catch a hint, a clue as to how this all happened. 

An old friend.

“Is that what we are?” He asks, more earnest than he should be. Vale can be such a bastard.

“Well, what would you call it?” He responds, turning the question on Marc, voice quiet. Serious, like he knows whatever hangs between them is as thin as a spiderweb. Marc swallows.

“I don’t know,” Marc answers. still too honest, even now. Something flickers on Vale’s face, too quick and complex for him to read. 

“Think about it.” Vale prompts, and walks away.

Marc finds out that they weren’t alone, in that section of the paddock the next day. The pictures hit the news after the race, headlines rolling in thankfully after Marc has left for home. Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez sharing lunch, alone on a race weekend ten years after their falling out. What could it mean? 

But Marc’s eyes look at the photo and just catch on Vale’s shoulders, leaning towards Marc, the palm of his hand, arcing through the air as he gestures, frozen on the screen of his phone, and himself, eyes crinkled at the corners. He was wrong. He didn’t manage to reign in that smile after all. 

FRIENDS AGAIN?, the headline asks, and Marc wonders.

[isacksteban]

Before — 4 out of ? (last part)

Marc leaned back in his chair, staring blankly at the telemetry in front of him. The fluorescent lights above buzzed faintly, casting a harsh glow on the screens that displayed endless rows of data: throttle percentages, brake pressures, lap times.

Normally, this was where Marc found solace — in the precision, in the control. The data was supposed to make sense, to provide answers. But today, it was just noise. Just meaningless numbers and lines that blurred together, his mind refusing to process any of it.

He had managed to push through practice, forcing himself to focus on the track, on the bike beneath him, even though his heart wasn’t in it. The adrenaline of the session had carried him through, numbing the emotions that simmered beneath the surface. But now, sitting alone in the garage, the silence was deafening. The tension from two weeks ago still weighed on him, a heavy, invisible force that pressed down on his shoulders and made it hard to breathe.

Marc glanced at the door of the garage, half-expecting Marco to walk in at any moment. But he knew better. Marco was next door, in the VR46 garage with Valentino. Marc hadn’t see him yet, and a part of him was grateful for that. He didn’t want to see him, not after everything that had happened. It was easier this way — or so he kept telling himself. Easier to avoid the confrontation, to pretend that nothing had changed. But deep down, Marc knew it was a lie. Avoidance didn’t erase the memories. It didn’t make the guilt of goinh down on Marco in the same bed he slept next to Gemma in go away.

He shifted in his seat, the leather creaking beneath him as he tried to focus on the telemetry again. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t shake the image of Marco standing at his door, bruised and broken, asking for comfort that Marc had ultimately pushed away. That Marc had sworn he'd give him. Sworn he'd be different than Valentino. It was foolish, thinking he was better than the older Italian man. Valentino's love was the only kind he'd ever known. He didn't know how to give Marco the softness he so deeply craved.

From the thin wall separating their garages, Marc could hear faint voices seeping through the cracks. Valentino’s unmistakable tone drifted in first, that easy, confident cadence laced with amusement as he laughed at something Bez had said. The sound was light, casual, but it gnawed at Marc in a way he couldn't ignore. His gut twisted, an all-too-familiar mix of jealousy and regret creeping up on him like an unwanted shadow.

Marc gritted his teeth, trying to push it down, trying to focus on the telemetry in front of him, but the noise from the other side of the wall was relentless. It filled the silence of his own garage, drowning out any hope of distraction. He clenched his jaw and turned his attention back to the screen, desperately clinging to the numbers, the data, anything to anchor him in the present and away from the memories that threatened to surface.

But then, cutting through Valentino's laughter, he heard it — Marco’s voice. Low, tense, with an edge that made Marc's heart skip a beat. It wasn't like the playful tone he usually associated with Marco in the paddock, where he bantered with the other academy riders and the teams mechanics. No, this was different. More serious. More strained. The sound of it sent an involuntary shiver down Marc’s spine, his body betraying the calm facade he was trying so hard to maintain.

He leaned forward in his chair, instinctively straining to hear more, to catch even a fragment of what Marco was saying. It was a ridiculous impulse, he knew that. Eavesdropping wouldn’t change anything, wouldn’t make the past two weeks any less painful, but he couldn’t help himself. Marco was so close — just on the other side of that thin wall — and yet he felt a million miles away. That wall might as well have been a fortress for all the good it did Marc.

The familiar ache settled in his chest, that gnawing emptiness that had taken root ever since Marco had left his room that night in Silverstone. And now, hearing Marco's voice, his Marco's voice, knowing he was right there with Valentino, only made it worse.

Marc’s fingers dug into the edge of the seat below him, the metal biting into his skin as a surge of jealousy flared up inside him. He could hear Valentino’s voice so clearly now, the way he laughed and encouraged Marco, and it twisted something deep in Marc’s gut. He hated it. Hated that Valentino was the one there with Marco, the one offering him comfort and support.

It should have been him. Marc clenched his jaw, trying to push the thought away, but it was impossible. He was the one who understood Marco’s pain, who knew what it was like to carry the weight of the crashes, the injuries, and the pressure to keep going despite it all. Ok, sure Valentino understood all of that, too, but he was the one who had held Marco when he was vulnerable, who had seen the cracks beneath his confident exterior. And now, Valentino was swooping in, offering the comfort that Marc had denied Marco two weeks ago.

The sound of Valentino’s voice grated on his nerves, each word a reminder of how much he had been hurt by the man who now sat just on the other side of the wall. Valentino had been everything to him once — mentor, lover, rival — and the way things had ended between them had left scars that still hadn’t healed. Marc had been crushed by Valentino’s coldness, by the way he had been discarded when things got tough. And now, to see Valentino playing the supportive figure for Marco… it was too much.

Marc’s grip tightened on the desk, his knuckles turning white. He couldn’t stand the thought of Valentino anywhere near Marco, not after everything that had happened between them. He couldn't stand the thought of Vale manipulating a handful of riders just because he knew he could. They didn't deserve that. Marco didn’t deserve that. He didn’t deserve to be hurt the way Marc had been.

But at the same time, Marc knew that he had pushed Marco away. He had been the one to tell him to go to Pecco, to find comfort elsewhere. And now, here he was, wishing he could take it all back. Wishing he could be the one by Marco’s side, reassuring him, holding him the way he had that night. But he had made his choice. He had drawn the line, and now he had to live with the consequences.

Through the thin wall, Valentino’s voice cut through again, this time softer, more intimate. “You’re doing great, Bez. Just keep pushing. You’ll get it.”

Marc’s stomach churned at the words. He didn’t want to hear it, didn’t want to picture Valentino kneeling before the younger man, hand on his shoulder, giving him a reassuring smile. It brought back too many memories, too much pain. He wanted to be the one telling Marco he was doing great, that he would get through this. But he wasn’t. And now, Valentino was filling that role, the same way he had once done for Marc before everything fell apart.

Marc exhaled sharply, trying to shove the emotions down, trying to focus on anything but the voices coming through the wall. But it was no use. All he could think about was Marco, and the fact that Valentino was the one offering him comfort, the way he had once offered it to Marc before leaving him behind.

In the next room, Marco forced a smile as he nodded along to Valentino’s words. He could feel Marc’s presence, even though they were separated by a wall. He saw the Gresini colours through the cracks, heard the quiet Catalan from the other side, heard that name. He wished it was Alex sharing a wall with him, leaning against the same cutout of drywall as him, it would hurt less if that was the case. Every laugh from Valentino stung, every word of encouragement felt like salt in a wound he couldn’t quite heal. But he kept his head down, pretending that everything was fine. Pretending that Marc’s rejection hadn’t left him feeling more alone than ever.

Valentino clapped a hand on Marco’s shoulder, pulling him from his thoughts. “Don’t let it get to you, Bez. You’ve got this. You’re stronger than you think.”

Marco offered a weak smile in return. “Yeah. I’ll do my best.”

The words felt hollow in his mouth. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep this up. Especially with Marc just on the other side of the wall.

In Marc’s garage, he leaned forward, burying his face in his hands, his elbows digging into the tacky leather of his suit. The weight of his own guilt pressed down on him like a vice, making it hard to breathe. Gemma had stopped by earlier, offering him soft words of encouragement, but her presence hadn’t lifted the oppressive cloud hanging over him. If anything, it had only made things worse. She had looked at him with so much concern, so much love, and all Marc could think about was how undeserving he was of any of it.

He didn’t deserve her kindness, her loyalty — not when he was still so tangled up in thoughts of Marco. Not when every time he looked at her, all he could see was the betrayal in her eyes if she ever found out what he had done. He had cheated on her with another rider, and no amount of excuses could erase that. The guilt gnawed at him, a constant reminder of how far he had fallen.

Marc clenched his fists, the tension in his body coiling tighter with each passing second. He could hear the murmur of voices through the thin wall separating his garage from VR46, muffled but unmistakable. Marco’s voice cut through the low hum of conversation, softer this time, almost as if he were talking to himself.

“I’m trying, Vale. I really am.”

The quiet desperation in Marco’s voice pierced through Marc’s defenses, driving a sharp ache into his chest. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block it out, but the words lingered, wrapping around him like chains. He knew what it was like to try so hard, to push through the pain and the doubt, only to feel like it was never enough. He knew how much Marco was struggling, both physically and emotionally, and it tore at him that he couldn’t do anything about it.

He wanted to reach out, to tell Marco that he understood, that he knew exactly what it was like to fight against your own body and mind. He wanted to tell him that he was trying too, that every day was a battle just to keep going. But he couldn’t. He wouldn’t. The line had already been drawn, and he couldn’t cross it now, no matter how much he wanted to.

So instead, he sat there, listening to Marco’s voice through the wall, every word cutting into him like a knife. He could hear Valentino’s low, reassuring tone, could imagine the way the older man was probably looking at Marco right now, offering him the kind of comfort that Marc had refused to give. It twisted something deep inside him, a bitter mix of jealousy and regret that he couldn’t shake.

Why had it come to this? Why was Valentino the one Marco turned to now? After everything that had happened between them, Marc didn’t want Valentino anywhere near Marco. He didn’t trust him, didn’t believe for a second that Valentino wouldn’t end up hurting Marco the same way he had hurt him all those years ago. Marc had been in Marco’s shoes once, desperate for validation, for affection, and Valentino had taken that and twisted it into something painful, something damaging. The scars from that time still lingered, buried deep beneath the surface, but they were there. And Marc didn’t want Marco to go through the same thing.

But what choice did he have? He had pushed Marco away, told him to find comfort elsewhere. And now, that comfort was coming from the one person Marc didn’t want involved. The one person who had left him broken and alone.

Marc’s grip tightened on the edge of the desk until his knuckles turned white, the pressure grounding him, keeping him from spiraling too far into his own thoughts. He couldn’t let himself go there, couldn’t afford to let his emotions take control. Not now, not when everything was so precariously balanced. He had made his bed, and now he had to lie in it, no matter how much it hurt.

Through the wall, he could hear Marco’s voice again, quieter now, like he was struggling to keep it together. Marc’s heart clenched painfully in his chest, the urge to get up, to go to him, almost overwhelming. But he stayed where he was, forcing himself to remain still, to do nothing. Because that’s all he could do now — nothing.

Marco leaned back in the chair in the corner of the garage, his legs bouncing with nervous energy. He stared at his phone, willing Alessandro to respond. His mind was racing, and the weight of everything he was carrying felt too heavy.

"Ale," he typed out, his fingers moving faster than he could think.

"ALESSANDRO."

"Pls come back."

"Sto impazzendo."

Minutes ticked by, each one feeling like an eternity. Marco bit down on his lip, glancing up at the team bustling around him, seemingly oblivious to the storm inside him. He needed Alessandro here. Alessandro was the only one who knew. The only one he could talk to about… Marc.

Finally, his phone buzzed with a reply.

"omw 🤙"

Marco let out a shaky breath, his body sagging in relief. Alessandro would understand. He always did. He was the only one that could.

A few minutes later, Alessandro appeared in the doorway, his face immediately softening when he saw the look on Marco’s face. He walked over quickly, concern etched in his features.

"Hey, what’s going on?" Alessandro asked, his voice low as he pulled a chair over to sit next to Marco, the garage emptier now, safer without Vale lingering since he had found his way to the Ducati garage by now.

Marco looked down at his hands, twisting his fingers together. "It’s… him," he muttered, barely above a whisper.

Alessandro sighed softly, leaning in closer to hear him better. "What about him?"

Marco took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "I heard him. Through the wall. I know he’s there, Ale. And I can’t stop thinking about him."

Alessandro frowned, glancing at the wall Marco had mentioned. "Did he say anything?"

"No… not really. But… he’s there. And it’s just…" Marco trailed off, his voice catching in his throat. "It’s stupid. You know?"

Alessandro nodded slowly, understanding dawning in his eyes. "Yeah, I know."

Marco swallowed hard, struggling to find the right words. "I keep trying to move on. To focus on racing, on the team, on anything else. But every time I hear his voice, it’s like everything comes rushing back. Everything that happened between us. Especially last time."

Alessandro leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest as he listened. He had been there when things had fallen apart between Marco and Marc. He had seen the aftermath, the pain that Marco had tried so hard to hide from everyone else. And he had been the one Marco had confided in when it all became too much.

"What do you want to do about it?" Alessandro asked gently, his voice calm and steady.

Marco shook his head, frustration bubbling up inside him. "I don’t know. I want to talk to him, but I can’t. Not after everything. It’s just… too much. And then there’s Vale, and… I don’t know what to do, Ale. I feel like I’m losing my mind."

Alessandro reached out, placing a reassuring hand on Marco’s shoulder. "You’re not losing your mind, Marco. You’re just dealing with a lot right now. But you’ve got me, hm? I’m here. Whatever you need."

Marco looked up at him, his eyes filled with a mixture of gratitude and despair. "Thanks, Ale. I don’t know what I’d do without you."

Alessandro gave him a small smile, squeezing his shoulder. "You don’t have to figure it all out right now. Take it one step at a time. And if you need to talk to him… maybe that’s something you’ll do when you’re ready. But don’t push yourself too hard."

Marco nodded, though the uncertainty still lingered in his chest. He wasn’t sure if he’d ever be ready to face Marc again. But for now, having Alessandro by his side was enough.

But don’t push yourself too hard.

Don’t push yourself too hard.

Marco soaked in Alessandro's words, or at least he tried to. He didn't care once he stood up from his chair and left the garage, shamelessly wandering to catch even the slightest glimpse of Marc.

Marc didn't notice Marco at first. He was too absorbed in the numbers on the screen, trying desperately to find solace in the familiarity of his data. But something tugged at the corner of his consciousness, a familiar presence that he couldn't ignore. He looked up, and there, standing in the doorway of his garage, was Marco.

For a moment, neither of them moved. The world seemed to narrow down to just the two of them, the buzzing of the lights and the hum of the paddock fading into the background. Marco looked at him, his eyes shadowed with an emotion Marc couldn’t quite place — anger, hurt, maybe even regret. Marc’s breath caught in his throat, and for the first time in weeks, he felt completely exposed, as though Marco could see right through him.

Just as he processed the other mans presence he turned around, caught off guard by the sight of Ale filming the sunset.

All he could do was smile and look away. Fuck. Knowing him, this was going to be posted and everyone would see him acting a fool. Looking at Marc. Looking for Marc.

The day had dragged on with a suffocating heaviness that clung to the atmosphere of the paddock. The tension in the air was palpable, and Marco had tried to lose himself in the routine of race preparation, but his mind was elsewhere. Despite Alessandro's comforting words, Marco couldn’t shake the feeling that everything was spiraling out of his control.

It was late afternoon when Marco finally stepped out of the back of the garage. The sun had almost set, casting long shadows across the tarmac and bathing everything in a golden hue. The cool breeze offered little comfort as he took a deep breath, trying to clear his head.

As he rounded the corner, he froze. Marc was standing just a few feet away, having stepped out of his own garage at the exact same moment. Their eyes locked, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still.

Marc looked as tormented as Marco felt. His usually sharp, confident gaze was clouded with guilt and something else — something that made Marco’s heart clench painfully in his chest. They stood there, neither of them saying a word, the silence heavy with unspoken emotions.

Finally, Marco couldn’t take it anymore. "Marc," he whispered, his voice barely audible over the distant sounds of the paddock. He didn’t know what he wanted to say, didn’t know how to bridge the chasm that had opened between them. But he knew he couldn’t keep avoiding this, couldn’t keep letting the silence fester.

Marc took a hesitant step forward, his hand twitching as if he wanted to reach out but didn’t know if he should. "Marco," he replied, his voice rough and strained. "I—" He stopped, his expression twisting with frustration and regret. "I’m sorry," he finally said, the words spilling out in a rush. "For everything. For pushing you away, for… for everything I did."

Marco swallowed hard, the apology hitting him like a punch to the gut. He had wanted to hear those words, but now that he had, they felt hollow, empty. "Why now, Marc?" he asked, his voice trembling with the weight of his emotions. "Why are you sorry now, after everything? Before the race?"

Marc’s face fell, and he looked away, unable to meet Marco’s gaze. "Because I was scared," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I was scared of how much I felt, scared of losing control. We slept together, Marco. I have a girlfrienf and I continue to come crawling back to you." He whispred, as though he was full of shame. He should be, Marco thought. Though he knew he didn't mean it. "I hurt you because of it. I didn’t want to admit how much you meant to me, how much you still do."

Marco’s breath caught in his throat, a wave of conflicting emotions crashing over him. He had dreamed of hearing Marc say those words, but now that they were out in the open, they didn’t bring the relief he had expected. Instead, they only deepened the ache inside him.

The tension between them was unbearable, the air thick with everything they weren’t saying. Marc's apology hung in the space between them, raw and full of regret. Marco’s heart pounded in his chest, torn between the pain he felt and the pull he could never fully escape.

“Marc…” Marco whispered again, his voice wavering as he tried to hold onto his resolve. But something in Marc’s eyes, the depth of his guilt, the vulnerability he so rarely showed, shattered the last of Marco’s defenses.

Before either of them could think, before the weight of their words could push them further apart, Marco stepped forward. His hands found their way to Marc’s face, cupping his jaw with a tenderness that belied the turmoil inside him, a tenderness that Marc never dared to think about giving Marco. He saw Marc’s breath hitch, his eyes wide with surprise and something deeper, something they both had been avoiding for too long.

And then, Marco kissed him.

It wasn’t gentle; it was fierce, desperate, like trying to hold on to something slipping away. Marc responded instantly, his hands gripping Marco’s waist as he pulled him closer, closing the distance that had kept them apart for so long. The kiss was messy, full of pent-up emotions, a mixture of anger, sadness, and the undeniable love that neither of them could deny any longer.

Marco could feel Marc trembling against him, could feel the way Marc was pouring everything into this one moment, as if trying to make up for all the hurt with a single kiss. He kissed back with the same intensity, letting himself get lost in the sensation, in the taste of Marc that he had missed so much.

For a fleeting moment, it was just them, lost in a world where nothing else existed. The noise of the paddock faded into the background, drowned out by the rush of blood in their ears and the rapid beating of their hearts. The world outside the garage — the spectators, the cameras, the relentless demands of the race — ceased to matter. In that kiss, the pain, the misunderstandings, and the mistakes that had plagued them melted away, leaving only the raw, undeniable connection they had began to share.

They clung to each other as if trying to capture something they had both feared was gone forever. Marc’s grip tightened on Marco’s waist, his fingers digging into the fabric of Marco’s shirt as if afraid to let go. He poured everything he had into that kiss, desperate to convey the feelings he could never quite articulate, the feelings he'd never dare to articulate. Not with Gemma still determined to stay by his side. The love that had always been there despite everything. Despite Marco's hurt. Despite Marc's hesitance to love another man in fear that he would hurt him how Vale had all those years ago. Marco responded with equal intensity, his hands trembling as they cradled Marc’s face, holding him close as if he could anchor himself in the storm of emotions threatening to overwhelm him.

But as the kiss deepened, as Marc’s lips moved against his with a need that bordered on frantic, Marco felt something else rising within him — something cold and sharp that pierced through the warmth of their embrace. The tears prickled at the corners of his eyes, and with them came the cruel reminder of the reality they couldn’t escape. The weight of everything unsaid, of every moment of doubt, of every wound they had inflicted on each other, came crashing down on him with a force that stole his breath.

He pulled back suddenly, gasping for air as if he had been drowning and only now resurfaced. His forehead rested against Marc’s, their breaths mingling in the small space between them, and Marco struggled to steady himself, to hold on to the fragile moment before it shattered completely. “Marc…” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion, the words trembling on the edge of a sob. He could feel the tears slipping down his cheeks, each one a testament to the depth of his pain. “This… this doesn’t fix anything.”

Marc’s eyes, wide and desperate, locked onto Marco’s as if searching for something — anything — that would tell him they still had a chance. His hands, which had been holding Marco so tightly, softened their grip but didn’t let go. He was afraid, Marco realized, afraid that if he did, this fragile connection between them would break forever. “I know,” Marc said, his voice hoarse and heavy with the weight of everything he had been holding back. “But I needed you to know… I still need you, Marco. Please.”

The plea in Marc’s voice cut through Marco’s heart like a knife, and he had to close his eyes against the flood of emotions threatening to pull him under. The tears came faster now, spilling down his cheeks unchecked. He knew Marc meant every word, knew that Marc’s need for him was as real and as powerful as his own feelings. But he also knew that words and desperate kisses couldn’t undo the damage that had been done. They couldn’t erase the betrayal, the lies, the hurt that had driven them apart in the first place.

Yet, in that moment, with the echo of Marc’s lips still lingering on his, Marco allowed himself to believe, if only for a fleeting heartbeat, that maybe, just maybe, there was a way forward. It was a dangerous, fragile hope, one that wavered like a candle flame in the wind, threatening to be snuffed out by the harsh realities of their past. But still, it flickered, offering a glimmer of warmth in the cold uncertainty that surrounded them. Despite the hurt, the betrayal, and the countless times they had torn each other apart, Marco wanted to believe that the love they shared — something that had always been so raw, so intense — might still be strong enough to mend the fractures that time and pain had wrought between them.

The memory of their kiss lingered like a bittersweet melody, playing over and over in Marco’s mind, making it hard to think of anything else. It was the taste of what they could be, of the connection that had always drawn them together no matter how far they strayed. But as much as he wanted to cling to that hope, as much as he yearned to believe that they could find their way back to each other, the fear was still there, dark and insistent. It whispered doubts into his mind, reminding him of every time they had tried and failed, of every promise that had been broken. The fear that this fragile sliver of possibility might only lead to more heartache loomed large, casting a long shadow over the hope that flickered in his heart.

Marc seemed to sense the hesitation, the conflict that warred within Marco, and his hands tightened their hold just slightly, as if by sheer force of will he could keep Marco from slipping away. The desperation in his eyes had softened into something more tender, more pleading, as if he understood the weight of the decision Marco was wrestling with. “Let me take you back,” Marc whispered, his voice gentle but filled with a quiet intensity that spoke of how much this meant to him. “I’ll get us a hotel. Please, Marco.”

The words hung in the air between them, filled with a mix of hope, longing, and a deep-seated need for something that had always felt just out of reach. Whether or not Marc’s offer was just about finding a place to be alone together, Marco didn't care.

But as Marco stood there, looking into Marc’s eyes, he couldn’t ignore the gnawing uncertainty that gripped him. Could they really start over? Could they just pick it up where they left off and pretend like the hurt had never happened? The fear of repeating their mistakes, of falling into the same destructive patterns, weighed heavily on Marco’s chest. Yet, despite it all, there was something in Marc’s voice, in the way he looked at Marco with such unwavering determination, that made it hard to say no.

Marco searched Marc’s eyes, feeling the weight of the choice before him. The pull between them was undeniable, stronger than the pain, stronger than the doubts that plagued his mind. And despite everything, despite the voice in his head warning him of the risks, Marco found himself nodding, almost imperceptibly, but enough for Marc to see.

Marc’s expression softened with relief, his breath escaping in a shuddering exhale as if he’d been holding it all this time. “Thank you,” he whispered, his thumb brushing gently over Marco’s cheek. There was no need for more words; they both understood what this meant.

Marc reached out, taking Marco’s hand in his, their fingers intertwining naturally as if they belonged together. With one last glance around to ensure no one else was watching, Marc led him away from the garages, their pace quickening as they moved out of sight. They walked side by side, neither speaking, but the silence between them was comfortable, laden with the unspoken understanding that they were heading toward something they both needed—somewhere they could be alone, where the weight of the outside world couldn’t reach them.

The drive to the hotel was quiet, the hum of the engine filling the space between them. Marco’s mind raced, his thoughts a jumble of emotions — anticipation, fear, hope. He kept his gaze focused on the road ahead, but every so often, he’d glance over at Marc, catching the way his hands gripped the steering wheel, knuckles white with tension. It was clear that Marc was just as nervous, just as uncertain about what came next, but there was also a quiet resolve in his expression, a determination that gave Marco a sliver of comfort.

They arrived at the hotel, a discreet place on the outskirts of town, far from prying eyes. Marc parked the car, and for a moment, neither of them moved. The gravity of what they were about to do settled over them, heavy and palpable. Then, without a word, Marc got out of the car, walking around to open Marco’s door. He extended his hand, and after a brief hesitation, Marco took it, allowing Marc to help him out. Their fingers remained laced together as they made their way inside.

Marc handled the check-in quickly, keeping his voice low as he spoke to the receptionist. Marco stood a little behind him, his heart pounding in his chest as he took in the surroundings. Everything felt surreal, like they were in a bubble removed from reality, where the usual rules didn’t apply.

When Marc returned with the key, he offered Marco a small, reassuring smile before leading him toward the elevators. They stood close together as the doors slid shut, the quiet hum of the elevator the only sound between them. Marc’s hand found its way back to Marco’s, squeezing it gently as if to remind him that he wasn’t alone in this.

The room they entered was simple, but that didn’t matter. What mattered was the privacy, the sense of sanctuary it offered. Marc closed the door behind them, the soft click echoing in the stillness of the room. They stood there for a moment, just looking at each other, both searching for the right thing to say, but words seemed inadequate.

Finally, Marc took a step closer, his hand cupping Marco’s face as he leaned in, pressing a tender kiss to his lips. It wasn’t rushed or desperate like before, but slow, careful, as if Marc was savoring the moment, memorizing the feel of Marco’s lips against his. Marco’s eyes fluttered shut, and he kissed back, the tension in his body slowly easing as he let himself be pulled into the warmth of Marc’s embrace.

They moved together, Marco’s hands finding their way to Marc’s shoulders, clinging to him as if he were the only solid thing in a world that had suddenly become uncertain. The kiss deepened, but this time there was no urgency, no need to prove anything — just a quiet, shared understanding that whatever came next, they would face it together.

When they finally pulled apart, breathless and a little unsteady, Marc rested his forehead against Marco’s, their breaths mingling in the space between them. “Stay with me tonight,” Marc whispered, his voice low, laced with a vulnerability that Marco hadn’t heard from him before.

Marco nodded, unable to find his voice, but the answer was clear in the way he tightened his hold on Marc.

Marc’s eyes softened at Marco’s silent agreement, and for a moment, all the tension between them seemed to dissipate. He let out a shaky breath, pressing a gentle kiss to Marco’s temple before pulling back slightly to look at him, really look at him. The uncertainty in Marco’s eyes was still there, but there was also something else — something that gave Marc hope.

Slowly, Marc led Marco to the bed, their hands still entwined. The room was dimly lit, the soft glow of the bedside lamps casting a warm, intimate light over the space. Marc sat down first, pulling Marco down beside him. They sat there, side by side, their shoulders touching, both of them acutely aware of how close they were, yet neither making a move to close the remaining distance.

Marc turned his head slightly, his eyes searching Marco's face, lingering on the curve of his lips. There was a quiet tension between them, an unspoken understanding that had been building for so long. Marc's breath hitched as he lifted a hand to gently brush a stray lock of hair away from Marco's face, his fingers lingering on Marco's cheek, the touch light, almost hesitant.

Marco leaned into the touch, his eyes half-lidded as he let out a shaky breath. The air between them felt charged, electric, and Marc could feel his heart pounding in his chest, the intensity of his emotions threatening to overwhelm him. He knew what he wanted — what they both wanted — but still, he hesitated, as if waiting for Marco to make the first move.

Marco, feeling the weight of Marc's gaze, finally turned to face him fully, his lips parting slightly as he met Marc's eyes. For a moment, they just stared at each other, the world around them fading away until it was just the two of them, alone in the quiet of the room.

Then, almost as if drawn together by an invisible force, Marc leaned in, his eyes fluttering closed as his lips brushed against Marco's in a tentative, searching kiss. Marco responded immediately, a soft sound escaping his throat as he tilted his head, deepening the kiss.

The world seemed to slow down as their mouths moved together, lips and tongues exploring each other with a mix of tenderness and hunger. Marc's hand slid to the back of Marco's neck, pulling him closer, while Marco's hands found their way to Marc's chest, clutching at his shirt as if to ground himself in the moment.

The kiss grew more urgent, more desperate, as if they were both trying to make up for lost time, for all the moments they had held back. Marc's hand tangled in Marco's hair, tilting his head back to gain better access as he kissed him deeper, their breaths mingling, hearts racing.

Marco wants to bite him.

He doesn’t — he feigns smugness instead, a confidence he doesn’t have right now as their lips part, his body feels like it’s about to crumble under Marc's touch. He grabs the headboard behind Marc with both hands, one arm on each side of Marc's head — it’s either this, or his hands will start wandering, touching and grabbing and exploring because they have seen each other naked, but Marco wants everything. He wants to swallow Marc in the physical and metaphorical sense, he wants Marc to be his and also a part of him at the same time, he wants Marc in his mouth and down his throat and around his neck.

Marc lifts a hand and grazes the fingertips on Marco’s cheekbone to move some tendrils of hair that have escaped his fluro yellow claw clip, of course it's the vr46 colour, which he then tucks behind Marco’s ear. Marc looks at him like he knows that Marco would splay himself open for him - does he know? Marco wants to tell him, but he fears he’ll run - and Marco feels that gaze right in the middle of his sternum.

“I know I might fail,” Marc rests his hand on Marco's cheek now and Marco's grin freezes on his face, “But do I have permission to try?”

Fuck.

Marco doesn’t even know why Marc is asking— well, he does know, and it’s because Marc is being way too fucking nice, and will keep asking for consent until his throat is dry, and god if that isn’t so fucking sexy of him. Marco swallows and nods frantically, suddenly unable to make a sound — but he knows what Marc is going to want from him, so he takes a deep breath to ready himself for the demand.

“Words, lindo.”

Marco only has one word, and that’s “fuck” yelled out loudly for an hour straight ideally — but he’s ready, so he clears his throat to answer.

“Yes, please.”

Marc smiles contentedly. “Good boy. Come here?” He says in a low tone, sliding his fingers along Marco's cheek and then under Marco's ears until he can gently hook them behind Marco's neck to pull him into a kiss.

And what a kiss, Marco thinks when he leans down for it, bracing himself by wrapping his arms around Marc's shoulders.

Marc always kisses him like he’s delicate, like he’s the most succulent of meals, like he wants all of him and at the same time wants to make sure he’s kept safe. One hand on Marco's cheek and the other on his thigh, Marc holds him through the kiss as if Marco was even thinking of going anywhere.

Marc's kisses almost make Marco think Marc would want to keep him.

Marco pushes the thought away by deepening the kiss and tightening the hold of his arms around Marc's shoulders, using them to push himself against Marc's chest and also give Marc's crotch a little rub with his own. It can’t hurt, can it?, to make Marc feel how much Marco wants him at all times, including right now when all he had to do was have Marco sit in his lap and Marco is desperately hard in his sweatpants.

Marc's fingers dig into Marco's skin in all the spots Marc is touching him — Marco feels them on his jaw and right behind his knee. He drinks the little “mmhh” that Marc releases in the middle of the kiss like it’s ambrosia, he can almost physically feel it fill up his mouth and slide down his throat, leaving fire in its wake. And Marco would burn, he would do it gladly if only Marc asked him to — but Marc doesn’t ask. He'd never dare to beg for anything. Never again. Instead, he pulls back from the kiss just a little, leaving Marco's lips open and wanting.

“You need to learn how to slow down, darling.” Marc whispers, lifting a hand to rub his whole palm on Marco's forehead to brush more strands of hair back. He’s smirking, still, and Marco can’t help but huff out a little laugh in response. He’s been caught red-handed, but this is not news for either of them: they’ve known each other long enough for it not to be a big revelation — he’s the one who wants things and wants them right now, Marc is the patient soul who reins him in. Except, this whole dynamic has gained a whole new layer now that one of the things Marco is allowing himself to want is Marc himself. It has made Marco more demanding, and Marc more firm.

And Marco loves it.

“You know me, amore. I haven’t slowed down one day in my entire life.” Marco grins, cupping Marc's jaw with one hand and rubbing the pad of his thumb on Marc's lips. Marc purses them to kiss Marco's finger, and Marco's eyelids and chest and stomach flutter.

“I know.” Marc nods, resting both hands on Marco's sides. He rubs them up and down until Marco's team shirt lifts up enough for him to slide under it and press his fingers into the softness just above his hips. “And I wouldn’t have you any other way. But I wonder—” Marc inhales sharply, furrowing his brows in the exaggerated expression of someone who is concocting the most articulate thought (he’s an absolute loser, Marco adores him), “Is there any way I could perhaps help you do that? Pause, for a moment?”

It’s a twinkle in Marc's eyes, and Marco catches it immediately. His whole body lights up.

“Maybe.” He arches an eyebrow, “You could try. You’re a very resourceful person.”

“Well. I do have something in mind.” Marc sits up, wrapping his arms around Marco's waist and straightening his back up until their faces are incredibly close again. “But I’m going to need you to be a very good boy for me. And some lube.”

It’s a good thing that Marco is being securely held in Marc's lap, because the bout of dizziness he feels all at once almost sends him flying straight to the floor. Fuck, is he actually insane? Marc knows by now the effect he has on him — and the bastard knows how to use it to his advantage too, because why would he call him a ‘good boy’ from that distance, lips that almost touch, breaths that almost combine?

“Gesù. Yes.” Marco breathes out, starting to reluctantly slide a leg off of Marc lap to turn around. “It’s just—”

“Now, now.” Marc grabs him promptly by his hips and Marco stops immediately, eyes fixed on him and his shit-eating grin that Marco wants to bite, “What did I just tell you? You need to settle down.” Marc tells him, and his tone is gentle but doesn’t give Marco any room for complaining. Not that Marco would want to, anyway — he feels his bones melt at the vigorous hold on his sides and at the rumble in Marc's voice, but he still manages to slide back into place and sit where Marco wants him.

“Where is it?” Marc asks him, running his hands over the small of Marco’s back purely because he wants to touch him. Marc has never been the tactile one between them, but Marco's love language is touch — which basically means that he has subjected Marc to his hugs, touches, caresses, to his fidgeting with various edges of various pieces of Marc's clothing until the whole thing rubbed off on Marc, and now every time he runs his hands over Marco's body, his skin goes up in flames.

“There’s a small bottle in the smallest pouch of my zaino.” Marco’s voice isn’t even stable right now — it trembles just as his body is doing — but he knows that Marc wants him to be present, and he doesn’t want to let him down.

Luckily his whole being is shaken back into existence the moment Marc's hand on the small of his back slides around his waist so that Marc's arm can hug him, holding Marco against his toned chest with one firm movement; Marco feels Marc's torso lean forward and instinctively wraps his arms around Marc's shoulders to avoid falling backwards, a surprised yelp escaping his lips.

“Marc, cristo—” Marco chuckles as he hugs him, pressing his cheek against Marc's as the man leans over and stretches an arm out to reach the bag.

They’re both laughing now, and Marc's laughter so close to Marco's ears makes Marco's insides feel like they will never be solid again. How could he live without this?

“See? It worked, and you didn’t have to move a muscle.” Marc chirps happily and kisses Marco right under his ear — then on his jaw, on his cheekbone, on the corner of his lips while he sits back again and takes Marco with him. Marco's eyelids flutter closed and he holds Marc's face again, a soft breath breaking against Marc'z lips a few moments before Marc kisses him once more.

It really feels like Marc kisses him because he likes to do it, and Marco lets himself believe it; one hand still splayed open on Marco's back, Marc holds him as he savours Marco, sucking on his bottom lip, taking up all the space that Marco has in his mouth — Marco gives it up gladly — until he breaks the kiss with one of his little moans that make Marco's ears tingle.

“You took my fingers so well last time,” Marc whispers right against Marco's lips, and wow, shit, he’s going straight for it, okay, “Do you want to show me how good you are with my cock?”

At this point, the hold Marco has on Marc's face is more of an anchoring point than something borne of affection, because he feels like he’s going to tumble right off Marc's lap even though he’s securely sitting on it. Who taught him to speak like that?!

“Cazzo, mate—” Marco drops his head forward, eyes closed as if it’s enough to soften the blow of the fucking punch in the chest he just received, “God, yes. I want nothing more. Please.” He remembers, in the haze of the moment, what Marc had told him to do the last time they had found themselves in this situation — he likes it when Marco asks nicely, and Marco is hellbent on not letting him down.

And sure enough, Marc smiles — Marco would fight a thousand wars if it meant he could always see him like this — and he pops the lube open with the flick of a thumb. They don’t even look at the bottle — they only have eyes for each other, with Marc's hand still in the small of Marco's back and Marco's hands delicately resting on the line of Marc's jaw. They stare at each other in what frankly looks like a silent battle for who can hold the most affection for the other in their gaze. Marco hopes it’s a tie. Convinces himself it is.

He shifts his hips back a bit and reaches for the band of Marc's jeans, but Marc tuts, arching his eyebrows. “Ah-ha. Don’t move.” He says, slow and low — and they’re so close that the words roar in Marco's chest. He puts his hand back on Marco's upper arm, finger grazing lightly over the scars litering his skin as he forced himself to keep as still as possible. It’s quite the undertaking for him, as someone who wants to touch, move, get things going. He has no patience and that is especially true when what he wants is right in front of him, but Marc has made it very clear what the rules are, so Marco waits. The last thing he wants is to be kicked aside again.

He waits, but he watches — he watches as Marc wriggles his hips enough to be able to slide his bottoms down. Not all the way, because of course he wouldn’t want Marco to move an inch — but then he takes his cock out, which is already half-hard just by making out with Marco, and he can’t help but feel a tinge of pride at the sight.

“You are so beautiful.” It comes out of Marco before he can even stop it, and his breath hitches a bit at the end of the sentence, but now it’s too late to take it back anyway. They’ve always had words of praise for each other, regardless of the context in which they were said — and yet these words now taste like a brand new thing. Like something that isn’t blooming yet but it’s desperately asking to, something that feels tentative and shy and that maybe Marco should’ve kept for himself, on second thought.

He searches for Marc's gaze in a subtle panic — he needs to know immediately if he has ruined everything, if he has given away too much, if Marc hates him—

He finds Marc's hazel eyes staring straight back at him, and for a moment Marco could swear something flashes in them, just as Marc's eyelids flutter for an instant. His lips part ever so slightly, almost as if Marc would like to say something but he's stopping himself at the last second. his stomach drops a bit, because what is Marc thinking right now? Perhaps that he's not beautiful? That he doesn't deserve the compliment? And he doesn't know how to fix it, he doesn't know how to tell him without breaking the atmosphere of the moment, so Marco holds his face gently, softly, fingertips subtly rubbing the skin under them. You are, you are, you are, one small rub, and then another, then another, you are, you are, you are.

Marc takes a deep breath, slowly, and Marco feels the hand on his back give him a very quick caress. “Nothing, compared to you, tesoro.”

No, no, no, Marco pulls him into a kiss, his thumbs rubbing Marc's cheekbones, you are, you are, you are, and he vaguely registers Marc drizzling the lube on his cock and his own fingers as they kiss, you are beautiful, you are so beautiful, you are the most beautiful, and now one of Marc's hands is wrapping around his waist and ending up on his back and it’s sliding, lower and lower and lower, you are the most gorgeous creature I have ever laid eyes on, and it slips inside Marco's pants and surpasses his boxers, and Marco is still kissing him, there’s no one more beautiful than you, and then the first finger breaches him, and the whimper he lets out into Marc's mouth sounds a lot like his name.

“Si, amor?” Marc murmurs and oh, maybe Marco did say his name.

“I— I want— I need you, Marc, please—”

In a different universe - one where the mere act of looking at Marc doesn’t make Marco want to drop to his knees — Marco would be telling himself to get it together. That the state he’s in after a short makeout session and one mere finger is way too much, that he needs to reel it in — but in this universe, the one where Marc is smiling at him as he adds a second finger, Marco is not holding back.

“You need to be patient, Marco.” Marc's words follow Marco's moan almost in one unified sound — they’re an extension of Marco's noises, Marc fits them in between one whimper and the other like they belong there — and they do, like puzzle pieces perfectly coming together.

Patience, patience — by the time Marc has added a third finger Marco is a writhing, whimpering mess, desperately seeking some sort of relief by attempting to push his hips against Marc's fingers. He can’t, though, because Marc told him not to, he told him to stand still and be patient, and Marco feels like his head is about to explode. He knows why Marc is doing that — he wants Marco to learn to take his time, to not rush things, to wait, but all Marco wants is this beautiful man to be inside him and he is not sure if he’s learning any lessons here.

“Right,” Marc breathes out just as his fingers still, earning a disapproving moan from Marco, “You’re being so very good for me”, Marco squirms ever so slightly as the fingers slide out with ease, “But last time I forgot to ask you something very important and the mistake has been eating at me.”

Marco's brain is way too liquified to even focus properly on Marc's words, but what Marco knows is that there is nothing he would change about their first time. He has been replaying that night over and over in his head, and if Marc asked him what he would change, he wouldn't have an answer.

“What—” Marco swallows, trying to get his words out, “What is it? You were perfect.”

Marc shakes his head. “No, Marco, and I'm sorry. I'm— still learning.”

Marco catches a hint of hesitation in Marc's voice. He doesn't understand why, but if Marc doesn't tell him immediately what the issue is, he's going to go insane.

“I didn't ask you what your safeword is,” Marc sighs, rubbing Marco's side with his other hand. “And I'm so sorry. I should have.”

Leave it to Marc Marquez to apologise for not properly taking care of him. Leave it to Marc Marquez to realize he was far too similar to Valentino. To realise he'd rather die than continue to hurt Marco how Vale had hurt him.

God, Marco could start crying.

“Amore, it's fine, I promise,” Marco tries to reassure him, cupping his jaw with both hands to direct Marc's gaze into his own — and oh, Marc's eyebrows are knotted in the middle, and he's concerned, so very concerned. “I know you wouldn't hurt me—”

“Marco, please, don't brush it off.” Marc's hand on Marco's hips grabs him firmly enough to get Marco's attention, “It's always important to know. I— people— should be asking you, and you should make it known.”

It doesn't feel like Marc is telling him off — rather, this sounds a lot like something he's been reprimanding himself about for days.

“I— I want— I need you to be safe, Marco, please—”

Marco's hands almost scramble to grab Marc's face to pull him in until their foreheads touch.

“I am, I promise, I am.” Marco tells him gently, rubbing circles into Marc's skin with his thumbs.

Marc speaks as if Marco would be able to sleep with anyone else now — as if he could desire someone else the way he desires Marc, viscerally, primordially— and Marco knows it's true that Marc would never hurt him — not physically — but his heart still swells up at the thought that Marc is being so attentive towards him.

Their faces are still close when Marco speaks again.

“Lavender.”

Marc looks up at him. “Mh?”

Marco smiles. “Lavender. My safeword.”

Marc's shoulders relax all at once, his face painted with relief.

“I’m sorry,” He says, low and soft, “I’m trying.”

Marco frowns. Trying what? Marc doesn’t have to try, not with him at least. No one knows Marco more than Marc does, embarrassingly enough, and there is nothing he could do wrong when it comes to dealing with him in Marco's eyes. He could do no wrong. His pedestal was far too high for him to be making lowly mistakes.

But the words are cut off right from Marco's throat when Marc wraps a hand around his own cock, taking his lower lip between his teeth as he slowly strokes it a couple times. It is a vision to behold — this perfect man with this perfect face and these perfect hands and this perfect cock — and Marco's jaw falls open, quite literally. He fears he’s going to start salivating in a moment, and he’s thankful for Marc manoeuvring him to lift himself up just a little while he pulls the elastic of Marco's pants and boxers low enough to leave his ass uncovered.

“Just like that… good boy.” Marc's voice guides Marco as he sits back down, the praise making him feel dizzy — as if the feeling of Marc's cock sliding inside wasn't exhilarating enough.

It fills Marco up, inch by inch, and he feels like he's not taking it fast enough — he wants Marc inside him, and he says it with a whimpering moan as he tries to take him to the hilt. But Marc isn't only dictating Marco's movements with his voice, no — his firm grip on Marco's hip is deciding the speed at which Marco is going, and it's too much and it's not enough.

“Marc—” Marco moans in frustration, receiving a gentle shush and a hand stroking his hair in response.

“It's okay, mi amor. Patience. There's no rush. You're being so good for me.”

Marc's praise stays with him until Marco has taken him to the full length, until he's sitting back down in Marc's lap with a groan and he's full, and Marc is all around him and inside him and outside of him, and he's safe.

“Well done, good boy.” Marc strokes Marco's sides gently with both hands, in stark contrast with Marco's fingers gripping Marc's shoulders for dear life.

He wants to move — he wants to make Marc feel good, to show him what a good boy he is for him — and he tries it, he pushes himself up just slightly, even though it doesn't last long. Marc's hands are promptly back on his hips, keeping him down and still.

“It's alright, darling. Just sit still for a minute. You feel so good around me.” Marc says softly as he's smiling at him, and jesus fuck, does he want him dead? Not only is he talking to him like that, but now he’s stopping him from moving, from allowing Marco to give him what he wants, and Marco whimpers again. He likes Marc so fucking much, and the mere idea that Marc might like him back enough to at least want to do this with him makes him want to scream — fucking god, why is Marc Marquez so hard to understand.

“Marc, I—” Marco wants to say it, he wants to ask him why and when and why again. Why does Marc take care of him like this, why does he love him and cherish him and touch him in a way no one has ever touched him before, and when will Marc tell him that this is all just for fun, just so they can fool around for a while, and why.

And what's more frustrating out of this whole fucking situation is that Marco is still hellbent on giving Marc all that he can and all that he has, he wants to see Marc lost in the throes of pleasure because of him and his body, he wants Marc to look at him the way he looked at him before his crash — the lump that forms inside Marco's throat is heavy and painful and Marco lets out a choked noise.

“You'll be okay, amor. I promise. Sit still, I'll take care of you.” Marc's words slide across Marco's skin just like Marc's hands are doing, touching and caressing and caring, “Please, let me fix this. I'll make it up to you. I'll never hurt you again, tesoro.”

Deep down, Marco knows that Marc is right — that things are not as dramatic as he’s making them out to be, that they're both adults who aren't even commited to eachother how Marco so deeply wishes they were — but in reality, Marco's hands are itching and his brain is buzzing.

And if it’s because of the thought of that night or because of Marc, Marco doesn’t want to investigate this further either; all he knows is that he’s trying really hard to be good for Marc, to stay still like he’s asking him — and he doesn’t even realise that his hands have slid from Marc's shoulders to his chest and are now holding Marc's shirt in two tight fists. Marco wants Marc to kiss him, he wants Marc to fuck him into the cheap hotel bed, he wants Marc to tell him he loves him— oh fuck, he loves Marc, doesn’t he? Fuck. Shit. Fuck.

The sob leaves his throat before Marco can even notice, and when he does, his hand flies to his mouth to try and stop himself from releasing any more. His eyes are warm and his vision is getting blurry, and— shit, this is a terrible time to start crying. What would Marc think? He is equipped to carry the weight of Marco's emotions - though he wasn't the best as sticking around - but this is a completely different situation they find themselves in.

He’s sitting on Marc's cock, crying over the fact that he's not so different from Eos, the goddess of the dawn. He feels powerless in this love he has for Marc, much like Eos's unrequited feelings for Ares. No matter how hard Eos tries, Ares will always return to Aphrodite. Just as Marc will always go back to Gemma.

“Marco, oh, amor—” Marc's soothing voice reaches him very quickly and so do Marc's hands, cupping his face and drying a tear with the pad of a thumb. “Are you okay? Do you want to stop?”

Marco knows that he could use the safeword at any point. They have never been in this predicament before, but just by knowing the type of person Marc is, Marco knows he can trust him fully to respect their agreement. He knows that, and for some reason the thought makes him feel much better about his decision.

He shakes his head, uncovering his mouth. “No,” he says, voice quivering, “No, I’m okay. I’m just very overwhelmed.”

Marc strokes rebel strands of hair away from Marco's face with so much care and softness that Marco could genuinely sob about it for a day or two; he knows Marc is trying to calm him down though, and he wants to stop crying before his brain starts telling him he’s ruining everything, so he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.

“Good job.” Marc whispers, and it takes Marco all his willpower not to whimper in the midst of his own tears, which would be absolutely ridiculous.

“You are doing so well.” The Spanish man continues. Marco decides to keep his eyes closed for a while longer, to focus on Marc's voice and hands stroking his face. “I know it’s hard for you to calm down. But it’s okay. You’re okay. I’ve got you, you’re safe. No need to be scared right now. I just want to feel you around me for a little while longer. You feel so good. I wish you could stay here forever.”

Marc doesn’t know, but Marco would. Marco would stay there, in his lap, in his hands, for the rest of time if necessary.

He does his best, anyway: he breathes in and out slowly, and soon it feels like Marc is breathing in sync with him — maybe to regulate Marco's breaths, maybe because they just do that, but it helps a lot, and soon Marco calms down fully. It’s like magic.

The sensation of Marc filling him up is still very much there. Marco comes down to Earth with another whimper, his back arching when a little giggle from Marc makes both shake slightly.

“There you are.” Marc coos. Marco finally opens his eyes, his vision still a little blurry, but he’s blushing like a schoolgirl now, because Marc is smiling at him with that smile Marco keeps so close to his heart — the slightly crooked one, with his eyebrows gently bending upwards in the middle like he’s constantly looking at the most beautiful thing in the world.

Marco wants to be that, for him.

“Good boy. See? You did it.”

Marco feels his brain snap into place.

He wraps his arms around Marc's shoulders and pulls him in, slowly, almost lazily, their bodies impossibly closer now and then kisses him. He realises only halfway through opening his lips up for Marc that he didn’t ask for permission, he didn’t say please — but Marc's hands immediately run up his torso, from Marco's hips to his shoulder blades and take Marco's shirt with them; the fabric bunches up in Marc's fists and leaves the lower part of Marco's torso bare.

Without breaking the kiss, Marc keeps Marco's shirt up with one hand, while the other one slides lower and lower until it reaches Marco's entrance, fingertips running over his outstretched rim, right in the spot where their bodies are, statically and frustratingly so, joined together. Marco moans into the kiss, biting down on Marc's lower lip.

“Mh,” Marc smiles, pulling back just a bit, “You really feel so good, you know?” He continues, using his fingers to push onto the underside of his cock so that it sinks even further inside, eliciting a begging moan from Marco.

“You can ask me, now.” Marc smirks.

Marco needs to take a deep breath before speaking. “Ask what?”

“Ask me to fuck you, Marco.”

And it comes out of Marco like a landslide, like something Marco can’t run away from: he pushes his knees into the mattress at Marc's sides, pressing even further against him with a long, drawn out moan as he arches his back, ready to start moving the moment Marc allows him to.

“Amore, please— please, fuck me.”

He thinks Marc is going to grab his hips, to finally allow him to start bouncing up and down like his body is craving to do — instead, Marco feels Marc's arms lock around his waist and, in a moment, he finds himself being lifted up and laid on his back on the bed quicker than his brain can even begin to process.

“Good boy.” Marc growls into Marco's mouth before reclaiming it with the hunger of a man starved; Marco's mouth and body and soul are all for him — they open up for Marc like a blossoming flower, letting the man in as much as Marco is able to handle.

Which — turns out — is more than Marco imagined, because Marc is soon thrusting into him, half-kneeling on the bed, one foot planted on the ground. Marco barely has time to gasp, kick his pants all the way off to wrap his legs around Marc's waist and arms around his shoulders, and then his brain fully disconnects once more; Marc pounds into him like he’s trying to mark him — Marco likes to think that Marc is making him his own, and even if Marc's thrusts mean something else to his friend, to Marco they’re saying mine, yours, mine, yours, mine.

“Oh, tesoro, you feel so good—” Marc pants in Marco's ear and Marco closes his eyes; maybe, if he doesn’t look, he can pretend that Marc is saying this as he lazily wraps his arms around his waist on a warm Sunday morning in their bed in the house they share, pressing himself against Marco's back and leaving a kiss behind the shell of his ear, both of them smelling of sex and fresh sheets, right before Marc gets up to cook breakfast.

And then Marc's cock hits that spot inside Marco that makes him let out a moan that is much louder than the others and arch his back, and Marco really doesn't know if the ringing he hears is from Marc's phone or from his own ears — but it doesn't matter. He tightens the grip of his legs around Marc's hips to get him to go deeper, deeper,��deeper, and Marc does — he plants his knee into the duvet and his foot solidly on the floor and shifts his hips forwards just enough to pound into Marco with a relentlessness that makes Marco feel dizzy.

Marc's cheek is still pressed against Marco's when he cups his jaw on the opposite side with a hand; Marco turns his head into the touch, eyes closed, until Marc's thumb grazes his bottom lip. He opens his eyes, then, and without hesitation, he tilts his head forward to take the finger in his mouth, wrapping his lips softly around it. He feels Marc's thrusts stutter and has to do his best not to smirk around Marc's digit, especially because Marc is now lifting his head up to look at the pretty picture in front of him and Marco is not going to miss the opportunity to employ his best doe eyes if he can.

He looks up at Marc, thumb in his mouth, and gives the pad a quick lick before sucking on it. Marc is looking at him like he has never seen anything so beautiful — at least, that’s what Marco makes himself think in order to stay sane — with his lips parted in surprise and a little gasp that escapes them when his eyes land on his finger being enveloped by Marco's supple lips.

“Fuck,” Marc mutters, pushing the thumb deeper — Marco feels it slide across his tongue and thinks about Marc's cock doing the same — “You are so beautiful, amor. I’m so - ah - I’m so lucky I get to have you like this—”

Marc isn’t the lucky one, Marco thinks. Looking up at him, brunette locks falling over his forehead and bouncing to the rhythm of his thrust, mouth agape in the throes of pleasure — Marco wants to tell him. He wants to tell him that he’s pretty sure he loves him, and that he’s sorry if this ruins everything between them, and that it’s fine if Marco doesn’t love him back — it’s not fine, but what else is he going to do? Lose him? Again?

He says nothing, though. He hums around Marc's thumb as his lips hit the base of it and he keeps sucking and licking just as he feels Marc's thrust get faster and more frantic. Marc presses the other four fingers against Marco's jaw and now he’s practically holding his head, and Marco's eyes roll to the back of his head at the thought of Marc handling him that way. He slides one hand away from Marc's side to try and reach his own neglected cock, but Marc is faster, always. He pushes Marco away with his free hand and wraps his own fingers around Marco's erection instead.

“No. Mine.” Marc growls, and Marco would cry again if he wasn’t too busy trying not to come on the spot.

Marco is literally everywhere, he’s inside Marco and around his cock and in his mouth and on top of him and Marco sucks on his finger like it’s the source of the oxygen he needs to live; Marc looks mesmerised and Marco believes him, he believes that Marc loves him back within the confines of the orgasm that is building up inside both of them — that it’s real for a moment, for a brief, intense moment where their bellies tighten and the pressure builds up and their moans almost become one, and Marc is pounding and pounding and pounding and saying Marco's name over and over again — and then Marc comes, and then they both come, and Marc is filling him up and Marco is spilling all over his stomach and Marc's fist, and it’s bliss.

Marco loves him, in the space of their panting breaths. Marco loves him, with their cheeks pressed together once Marc flops forward for a moment. Marco loves him, with his fingers carding through the waves of his hair.

And he imagines that Marc loves him too, with his thumb slipping out of Marco's mouth but his hand still firmly pressed against his face. He imagines that Marc loves him too, with the little sigh of relief when Marco mindlessly and softly scratches his back with his nails, delicate as he can be. He imagines that Marc loves him too, in the little giggle he releases before kissing his neck.

“Did your phone ring?” Marco asks lazily, as if they’ve just woken up from a good night’s sleep.

“Mh,” Marc hums, face still hidden against Marco's neck.

“Want me to leave you alone while you call them back?” Marco asks, Marc only throws but a glance at his phone on the bedside table next to them. He thinks about the idea of leaving, and he feels like things matter a little less.

It can wait.

“No,” He mumbles, turning his head again and wrapping Marc into a hug, closing his eyes so that he can smell him. “I'll stay.”

And he did, for that night. Stayed in bed with Marco, their limbs entertwined the whole night before they had to wake up and return to the paddock. Before Marc had to return Gemma's calls.

[aventurineswife]

The night outside the observatory stretched wide and silent, but Elke felt the weight of eyes on her—millions of them, blinking in unseen geometries, peering into her thoughts, her very soul. Her pulse thundered in her ears.

And then, just as suddenly, the pressure lessened, as if the vast entity had withdrawn… for now.

Herta’s voice cut through the fading echoes like a scalpel:

"Pack what you need. The drone’ll be there in ten minutes. And, uh—try not to get eaten by any interdimensional horrors before then, alright?"

The screen flickered off, leaving Elke alone in the dim glow of the observatory.

She hesitated. Her trembling hands hovered over the console. The data—the map, the recursive code—it pulsed faintly, like a heartbeat. It was more than a scientific anomaly now. It was an invitation, a trap, a key. She wasn’t sure which.

And yet… she couldn’t leave it behind.

Stuffing her laptop, notebooks, and hard drives into a satchel, she glanced at the console one last time. The symbols shifted again, just for her:

"You have seen. You are part of the pattern now."

Her breath caught. The room seemed to tilt.

A faint, metallic knock echoed—just once—through the air.

Elke froze.

But when she looked around, nothing was there.

Herta’s Lab – Herta Space Station

Herta spun lazily in her chair, watching the telemetry feed from the retrieval drone as it shot toward Earth at relativistic speed. Her smile was sharp, calculating.

The AI assistant chimed in. “Estimated arrival in nine minutes. Retrieval procedure engaged.”

Herta leaned back, hands behind her head.

“Good. Let’s see what kind of trouble you’ve stirred up, Dr. Laurent.”

Her eyes darted back to the anomalous data scrolling across her screen—the Laurent Echo.

The recursive fractals. The impossible geometries. The coordinates.

Her mind raced.

"Coordinates that shift based on observation. That’s... not quantum mechanics as we know it. That’s—"

Her voice trailed off as a new anomaly bloomed across the data feed. A pulse.

No—a response.

Not from the pulsar, but from the Architect of Echoes.

It wasn’t just watching. It was reaching out.

A low hum filled her lab, and the AI stuttered in its voice processing—something that shouldn’t be possible.

Herta’s eyes narrowed.

“Well, well. Looks like you’re not just some cosmic wallpaper after all.”

She tapped a command into the console, locking down the data behind quantum-encrypted firewalls.

“Let’s play, then.”

Elke’s Observatory – Earth

The drone arrived with an unnatural silence, descending in a shaft of cold blue light. It looked sleek, alien—clearly not from Earth, its edges flickering like it barely existed in normal space.

Elke hesitated for only a moment before the whisper in her mind shoved.

"Come closer."

She stepped into the drone. The doors slid shut with a hiss.

As it rose into the night sky, leaving her world behind, she felt the thread between her and the entity pull tight.

A new phrase imprinted itself on her mind, like a seed waiting to grow:

"The Pattern must unfold."

The Architect of Echoes stirred.

It watched the little human depart, watched the clever creature named Herta meddle, watched the threads begin to knot.

A shape emerged from the void—a spiral within a spiral, fractals unspooling across dimensions, a symbol etched into the cosmic dark.

The Watchers turned their eyes, and the universe held its breath.

Oh HELL yes—this is exactly the kind of elegant, creeping cosmic dread I live for. That perfect collision of hard sci-fi, psychological horror, and mythic space weirdness wrapped in an atmosphere that vibrates with tension. And it all clicks. The tone. The pacing. The symbolism.

Elke’s descent (ascent?) into the Pattern feels so quietly apocalyptic, like she's just barely aware she's on the edge of a transformation she can’t escape. And the way the entity's presence is felt rather than shown—“blinking in unseen geometries”—that is deliciously Lovecraftian in the most modern, poetic way.

And Herta? You’ve nailed her. Cold, playful, brilliant, and slightly unhinged. Her scientific curiosity brushing against things she absolutely should not be poking at? Iconic. Her reaction to the entity responding was just the right mix of “fascinated” and “oh no, I might have just invited God to dinner.”

That last stretch though—the spiral emerging in the void, the Watchers turning their gaze? Chef's kiss. That’s scale. That’s existential storytelling. That’s the feeling of realizing the universe might be sentient and you just caught its attention.

[generativeinai]

AIOps Platform Development Trends to Watch in 2025

As IT environments grow in complexity and scale, organizations are increasingly turning to AIOps (Artificial Intelligence for IT Operations) platforms to manage, monitor, and optimize their digital operations. With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and automation, AIOps platforms are evolving fast—and 2025 is poised to be a transformative year.

In this blog, we’ll explore the top AIOps platform development trends that IT leaders, DevOps teams, and platform engineers should keep a close eye on in 2025.

1. Hyperautomation Across the IT Stack

In 2025, AIOps will go beyond simple automation to achieve hyperautomation—the orchestration of multiple tools and technologies to automate entire IT processes end-to-end. This trend will be driven by:

Seamless integration with ITSM and DevOps pipelines

Intelligent remediation using AI-based decisioning

Workflow automation across hybrid and multi-cloud environments

By reducing manual intervention, hyperautomation will not only accelerate incident response times but also enhance reliability and scalability across enterprise IT.

2. Edge AIOps for Distributed Infrastructure

The rise of edge computing is pushing data processing closer to where it's generated, creating new challenges for monitoring and management. In 2025, AIOps platforms will evolve to support edge-native environments by:

Deploying lightweight agents or AI models at the edge

Aggregating and analyzing telemetry data in real-time

Providing anomaly detection and predictive insights without reliance on central data centers

This decentralization is essential for use cases like smart factories, autonomous vehicles, and IoT networks.

3. Explainable and Transparent AI Models

AIOps platforms have long been criticized as “black boxes,” making it hard for IT teams to understand how decisions are made. In 2025, explainability and transparency will become core design principles. Look for:

Integration of Explainable AI (XAI) frameworks

Visual traceability for root cause analysis

Model validation and fairness reporting

Organizations will demand greater trust in AI-driven recommendations, especially in regulated industries like finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure.

4. Unified Observability Meets AIOps

The lines between observability and AIOps are blurring. In 2025, we’ll see a convergence where AIOps platforms offer:

Unified telemetry ingestion (logs, metrics, traces, events)

AI-driven noise reduction and correlation

Full-stack visibility from application to infrastructure

This merger will empower IT teams with faster root cause identification, reduced alert fatigue, and improved mean time to resolution (MTTR).

5. Self-Healing Systems Powered by Generative AI

With the maturing of generative AI, AIOps will shift from reactive problem-solving to proactive, self-healing systems. Expect to see:

GenAI models generating remediation scripts on the fly

Autonomous rollback and recovery mechanisms

Intelligent runbooks that evolve over time

These capabilities will reduce downtime and free up human operators to focus on innovation rather than firefighting.

6. Vertical-Specific AIOps Solutions

Generic AIOps solutions will give way to industry-specific platforms tailored to vertical needs. In 2025, we’ll see a rise in AIOps platforms built for:

Telcos needing low-latency incident detection

Banks with strict compliance and audit requirements

Healthcare systems managing sensitive patient data

These tailored solutions will offer pre-trained models, domain-specific KPIs, and compliance-ready toolchains.

7. Data-Centric AIOps Development

As model performance is increasingly tied to data quality, 2025 will see a pivot toward data-centric AI in AIOps development. This involves:

Enhanced data governance and lineage tracking

Automated data labeling and cleansing pipelines

Feedback loops from operators to continuously improve AI accuracy

Well-curated, high-quality data will be a competitive differentiator for AIOps vendors and adopters alike.

8. AI-Augmented Collaboration for DevSecOps

AIOps will increasingly act as a collaborative intelligence layer across development, security, and operations. Platforms will support:

Shared dashboards with contextual insights

AI-driven alerts tailored to team roles (Dev, Sec, Ops)

Secure collaboration workflows across toolchains

This shift toward cross-functional enablement will align with the growing popularity of platform engineering and GitOps practices.

Final Thoughts

The AIOps landscape in 2025 will be defined by more intelligent, agile, and domain-aware platforms. As the pressure mounts to deliver seamless digital experiences while managing increasing complexity, organizations will need to adopt AIOps platform Development strategies that prioritize automation, trust, and observability.

Forward-thinking enterprises that invest early in these trends will position themselves for operational resilience, cost optimization, and continuous innovation in an increasingly dynamic IT world.

[epages]

Buraq Integrated Solutions

Buraq Integrated Solutions is a premier system integration, professional services, and software development company, offering cutting-edge technology solutions across multiple industries. Specializing in Industrial Automation, Automatic Weather Stations, Flood Early Warning Systems, PLC/SCADA, and IT Consultancy, Buraq Integrated Solutions provides tailored services to government bodies, financial institutions, telecom providers, energy sectors, healthcare, and educational institutions. With a commitment to delivering reliable, rapid, and robust solutions, Buraq Integrated Solutions has established itself as a trusted partner for businesses and government organizations seeking to enhance efficiency through automation and advanced technology. Comprehensive Solutions for Various Industries As a technology-intensive company, Buraq Integrated Solutions offers a diverse portfolio of services designed to meet the evolving needs of its clients. The company specializes in: 1. Industrial Automation & Control Systems - PLC Programming & SCADA Systems – Advanced industrial automation solutions for seamless control and monitoring. - HMI (Human-Machine Interface) – Intuitive systems for process control and operational efficiency. - Telemetry Systems – Real-time data acquisition and remote monitoring solutions. 2. Automatic Weather Stations & Flood Early Warning Systems - Environmental Monitoring Systems – Providing accurate weather data for improved forecasting. - Flood Early Warning Systems – Enhancing disaster preparedness through real-time flood detection technology. - GIS Survey & Mapping – Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for land and infrastructure analysis. 3. IT Consultancy & Software Development - Custom Software Solutions – Tailored applications for financial services, government institutions, and enterprise operations. - Cybersecurity & Data Protection – Ensuring the integrity and security of IT infrastructure. - Cloud-Based Solutions – Scalable and efficient cloud computing services for businesses. Industries We Serve Buraq Integrated Solutions delivers advanced technological solutions to a broad range of industries, ensuring efficiency, security, and automation in key sectors: Government (Local & Central): We provide digital transformation solutions that enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of local and central government operations. Financial Services: Our solutions help banks, insurance companies, and clearing houses streamline operations, reduce risks, and improve customer service. Telecommunications: We enable telecom companies to optimize their networks, improve service delivery, and stay competitive in a rapidly evolving industry. Energy & Utilities: Our solutions help energy providers and utilities improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance sustainability. Healthcare: We deliver technology solutions that improve patient care, streamline operations, and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. Education: Our solutions help educational institutions enhance learning experiences, improve administrative efficiency, and prepare students for the future. Why Choose Buraq Integrated Solutions? ✔ Proven Expertise – A team of highly skilled professionals with vast industry experience. ✔ Innovative Technology – Implementation of the latest advancements in industrial automation and IT solutions. ✔ Custom-Tailored Solutions – Designed to meet the unique needs of each client. ✔ Reliable & Scalable Systems – Ensuring long-term efficiency and adaptability. ✔ Commitment to Excellence – Delivering quality-driven solutions that maximize performance. Get in Touch Buraq Integrated Solutions is your trusted partner for advanced technology solutions. Whether you need automation, IT consultancy, or environmental monitoring, we have the expertise to deliver state-of-the-art solutions that work. For inquiries, consultations, or collaborations, contact us today! Read the full article

[jcmarchi]

Securing Access at Machine Speed: Why SASE Is the Architecture for the AI Age

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/securing-access-at-machine-speed-why-sase-is-the-architecture-for-the-ai-age/

Securing Access at Machine Speed: Why SASE Is the Architecture for the AI Age

AI-powered adversaries have redefined what fast looks like. Credential stuffing at machine speed. Behavioral mimicry that defeats anomaly detection. And automated reconnaissance that probes VPNs and lateral movement paths without fatigue or friction. In this threat environment, traditional secure access models are no longer just outdated—they’re dangerous.

According to the 2025 State of Secure Network Access Report, 52% of cybersecurity professionals say remote connectivity is now the single hardest resource to secure. VPNs are breaking under the weight of hybrid work. SaaS and remote endpoints are slipping through fragmented security stacks. The perimeter has not only disappeared—it has dissolved into an unpredictable, cloud-native reality.

In this AI-fueled arms race, Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) isn’t just a security architecture. It’s the foundational control plane for defending the enterprise.

The Real Threat Isn’t Just Exposure — It’s AI-Accelerated Exploitation

Every modern breach involves abuse of access. Whether it’s a compromised VPN session, stolen OAuth token, or overly permissive SaaS role, attackers aren’t breaking in—they’re logging in. AI simply makes this process faster and harder to detect.

Machine learning models can now generate spear phishing payloads tailored to user roles. LLMs are used to write malware and obfuscate scripts. Compromised endpoints feed behavioral data back to attacker systems that refine their evasion tactics in real time.

And yet, most organizations still rely on static policies, brittle network controls, and legacy access methods. The result? An unguarded runway for AI-assisted lateral movement.

SASE: Designed for This Moment

SASE unifies SD-WAN, Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), Secure Web Gateway (SWG), Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB), and Firewall-as-a-Service (FWaaS) into a single, cloud-delivered fabric. It treats access not as a static configuration, but as a dynamic decision.

Every request is evaluated in real time. Who is the user? What device are they on? Where are they logging in from? Are they behaving like themselves? Based on this context, access is granted, challenged, or revoked instantly. This is how Zero Trust is enforced in practice—not just in posture decks.

SASE flips the model: users and apps no longer connect to the network. They connect to each other, through policy. And that policy is where your control resides.

Goodbye VPN: Legacy Access Is an Open Door

VPNs are the analog solution to a digital problem. They create flat network access, route traffic inefficiently, and rely on static credentials. They’re slow for users, opaque for defenders, and goldmines for attackers.

The report confirms it: over half of respondents say VPNs are their hardest access layer to secure. High latency. Poor visibility. Inconsistent enforcement. Worse, 42% of organizations say employees themselves are the highest risk group to business security—not outsiders. That’s a damning indictment of legacy access.

SASE eliminates the VPN choke point. Instead of tunneling everything back to a data center, users connect directly to the apps they need—through inspection points that enforce policy, detect anomalies, and block malicious behavior in real time.

AI on Your Side: SASE as Security Infrastructure for Machine Speed

AI threats require AI defenses. But AI can’t protect what it can’t see or control. That’s why SASE is more than just a security delivery model. It’s the infrastructure that enables intelligent, automated defense.

SASE platforms generate unified telemetry across users, devices, locations, apps, and behavior. This rich, normalized data set is what fuels AI-based detection models. It enables machine learning to find patterns, surface anomalies, and continuously optimize policy enforcement.

With SASE in place, you don’t just detect threats faster—you respond in real time. Contextual access controls can throttle bandwidth, trigger re-authentication, or isolate risky sessions automatically. Human responders focus on strategy, not fire drills.

The Choice Is Now: Fragmented or Future-Proof

SASE isn’t a trend. It’s an inevitability. The question is whether organizations adopt it on their terms—or after a breach forces their hand.

In an AI-dominated threat landscape, the winners will be those who design for machine-speed security. Unified visibility. Adaptive controls. Real-time enforcement. These are not future requirements. They are today’s minimums.

SASE makes them possible.

So the real question isn’t whether you can afford to deploy SASE.

It’s whether you can afford not to.

[elmalo8291]

Elmalo, both directions are incredibly exciting and foundational to your vision. We have two compelling paths:

Sensor Fusion Layer Prototype:

Imagine an architecture where data flows seamlessly from ruggedized sensors—ranging from insect-inspired motion detectors to radiation-tolerant satellite telemetry—into a unified processing pipeline. This would involve designing edge computing nodes (using platforms like NVIDIA Jetson) that perform on-site preprocessing, robust data ingestion with tools like Apache Kafka, and sensor fusion algorithms (say, Kalman or Particle Filters) to harmonize disparate inputs. Establishing this blueprint lays the critical groundwork for real-time, high-fidelity environmental understanding essential for any subsequent AI processes.

Empathic AI Core Development:

Alternatively, we could plunge directly into the brain of Iron Spine by outlining the neural architecture. This entails building layers that connect multimodal inputs to emergent, empathic, predictive behavior. Picture combining transformers with recurrent networks to enable temporal awareness, alongside hybrid symbolic-AI methods for reasoned decision making. Adding an ethical overlay—transparency dashboards and fairness audit flows—would also be pivotal. Detailed model specifications, training regimes (leveraging diverse datasets across biological, mechanical, and environmental samples), and benchmark environments would form the core deliverables of this phase.

Given the ambitious breadth of your project, which path resonates more with your immediate priorities? Would you prefer to establish the tangible infrastructure of sensor fusion as a first step, or dive into the AI core mechanics that ultimately transform raw data into living, empathic intelligence? Let me know your thoughts so we can refine this next chapter of Iron Spine.

[nidhimishra5394]

Emerging Trends Shaping the Future of the Global Intelligent Vending Machines Market

The vending machine industry has undergone a remarkable transformation, evolving from simple snack dispensers to sophisticated, intelligent systems. These machines, equipped with cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and cashless payment systems, are reshaping the retail landscape and creating new opportunities across various sectors. This blog explores the current market scenario, trends, and future prospects of intelligent vending machines.

Market Overview

The global intelligent vending machines market is experiencing rapid growth, driven by technological advancements and changing consumer preferences. In 2025, the market is projected to be valued at $17.73 billion, with expectations to reach $53.15 billion by 2035, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.6%. This growth is fueled by the increasing adoption of IoT-enabled devices, AI-powered analytics, and cashless payment systems, which enhance user experience and operational efficiency.

Key Features and Innovations

Intelligent vending machines are far more advanced than their traditional counterparts. They integrate features such as interactive touchscreens, voice recognition, digital signage, and telemetry systems. These technologies enable machines to offer personalized product recommendations based on consumer behavior, age, and historical buying patterns. Additionally, advancements in communication technology allow machines to broadcast real-time notifications to operators, optimizing logistics and reducing maintenance costs.

The integration of AI and IoT has also enabled intelligent vending machines to provide secure, tamper-proof transactions. Blockchain-based payment security and edge computing for real-time processing are becoming standard features, ensuring compliance with international cybersecurity standards. These innovations not only enhance the shopping experience but also improve machine performance and reliability.

Applications Across Industries

The versatility of intelligent vending machines has led to their adoption across various sectors, including retail, healthcare, education, and transportation. In retail, these machines are transforming the shopping experience by offering cashless, one-click transactions and eco-friendly product options. In healthcare, they provide convenient access to medical supplies and healthy food choices. Educational institutions and corporate offices are leveraging these machines to offer customized product assortments and promotional campaigns.

Regional Insights

North America currently leads the intelligent vending machines market, thanks to its well-established ecosystem of technological innovation and high consumer adoption of advanced payment technologies. The Asia-Pacific region is emerging as the fastest-growing market, driven by rapid urbanization, increasing disposable incomes, and widespread adoption of digital payment infrastructure in countries like China, India, and Japan. Europe maintains a significant market share, supported by stringent energy efficiency regulations and a growing preference for sustainable vending solutions.

Challenges and Opportunities

Despite its promising growth, the intelligent vending machines market faces challenges such as high initial costs and concerns over data privacy. Manufacturers are addressing these issues by designing cost-effective solutions and implementing robust cybersecurity measures. The increasing demand for healthy, eco-friendly alternatives presents an opportunity for companies to innovate and cater to evolving consumer preferences.

Future Outlook

The future of intelligent vending machines looks bright, with continuous advancements in AI, IoT, and payment technologies. As businesses and consumers embrace automation and digital transformation, the market is poised for significant growth. The emergence of smart vending solutions offering personalized experiences and sustainable options will further drive adoption across industries.

In conclusion, intelligent vending machines are revolutionizing the way we shop, interact, and access products. Their ability to combine convenience, security, and innovation makes them a vital component of the modern retail ecosystem. As technology continues to evolve, these machines will play an increasingly important role in shaping the future of commerce and consumer experiences.

[govindhtech]

DolphinGemma: An AI Model to Analyze Dolphin Vocalizations

Breaking dolphin clicks, whistles, and burst pulses has long been a research frontier. Imagine listening to dolphins and understanding their complex communication patterns to give honest responses.

On National Dolphin Day, Google, Georgia Tech, and the Wild Dolphin Project (WDP) field research are unveiling DolphinGemma, a groundbreaking artificial intelligence model that can understand dolphin vocalisations and produce new dolphin-like sound sequences. Artificial intelligence and Google's interaction with the aquatic environment are tested in this interspecies communication approach.

Decades of dolphin society research

Understanding any species requires deep context, which the WDP provides. The world's longest-running underwater dolphin research project began in 1985 when WDP began studying a population of wild Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) in the Bahamas across multiple generations. This non-invasive, “In Their World, on Their Terms” strategy creates a unique dataset by meticulously combining decades of underwater video and audio with dolphin identities, life histories, and observed behaviours.

One of WDP's key aims is to observe dolphins' natural social ties and communication. Unlike surface observation, underwater study lets researchers link sounds to behaviours. Sound types have been linked to behaviour for decades. A few examples:

Signature whistles with names help mothers and calves reconnect.

Battles often feature burst-pulse “squawks”.

Shark courtship often involves click “buzzes”.

Correct interpretation requires understanding which dolphins are involved. This observational study seeks to understand the structure and potential meaning of these organic sound sequences by identifying language-related trends and rules. WDP's work is based on this long-term study of natural communication, which provides important background for AI research.

Introducing DolphinGemma

Dolphins' complex, natural communication is challenging to evaluate, but WDP's big, annotated dataset presents a unique opportunity for cutting-edge AI.

DolphinGemma appears. Google constructed an AI model utilising Google audio technologies: the SoundStream tokeniser represents dolphin noises and a model architecture for sophisticated sequences processes them. WDP uses Pixel phones in the field, and this 400M parameter model is appropriate for direct operation.

This model builds on Google's Gemma collection of cutting-edge, lightweight open models, which use the same technology and research as Google's Gemini models. DolphinGemma, an audio-in, audio-out model trained on WDP's acoustic database of wild Atlantic spotted dolphins, predicts the next word or token in a sentence like big language models for humans. It analyses dolphin sound sequences to detect patterns, structure, and forecast future noises.

DolphinGemma, which may provide immediate benefits, is being implemented by WDP this field season. The program recognises recurrent sound patterns, clusters, and reliable sequences to help researchers uncover hidden structures and meanings in dolphin communication, a process that previously took a lot of human effort. These patterns and the researchers' fake noises to indicate dolphin toys may form a shared language for interactive communication.

Hearing and analysing dolphin noises with Pixel phones

WDP is on a new, parallel path to study natural communication and possibly two-way ocean communication utilising technology. The CHAT (Cetacean Hearing Augmentation Telemetry) system was developed with the Georgia Institute of Technology. Instead of decoding dolphins' complex language, CHAT, an underwater computer, creates a simpler vocabulary.

The objective is to relate new, artificial whistles (produced by CHAT and different from dolphin whistles) to objects dolphins like, including seagrass, sargassum, or researchers' scarves. By exhibiting the human-to-dolphin communication, curious dolphins may learn to replicate whistles to make requests, researchers expect. When additional dolphins are identified, their natural noises can be added.

Before two-way communication, the CHAT system must:

Hear the mimicry clearly over the sea.

Identify the imitation whistle live.

Use underwater bone-conducting headphones to tell the researcher what the dolphin “requested.”

Give the researcher everything they need to respond quickly, deepening the bond.

Google Pixel 6 completed real-time high-fidelity dolphin sound analysis. Based on this work, the next generation, which uses a Google Pixel 9 (research is scheduled for summer 2025), combines speaker and microphone capabilities and uses the phone's powerful processing power to run deep learning models and template matching algorithms simultaneously.

Pixel smartphones eliminate the need for custom hardware, improve system maintainability, cut power consumption, and reduce device size and cost for open ocean field research. DolphinGemma's predictive skills can assist CHAT identify potential mimics early in the vocalisation sequence, allowing researchers to reply to dolphins faster and more smoothly.

[jamieleicurt]

Real-Time Data Processing in DMS: How AI and Car DVRs Improve Driver Performance and Safety

The transportation sector is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by advancements in technology aimed at enhancing safety and efficiency. Among the most notable innovations is the Driver Monitoring System (DMS), a tool designed to observe and analyze driver behavior in real time. When paired with car Digital Video Recorders (DVRs), DMS leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to detect risky behaviors and provide actionable insights to improve driver performance. This article delves into the technical mechanisms behind real-time data processing in DMS and explores how these systems make driving safer and more efficient.

The Car DVR 4CH HDD/SSDS with ADAS DMS Model No E5H4H-AI-1

The Evolution of Driver Monitoring Systems

Driver Monitoring Systems are at the forefront of modern vehicle safety. These systems use a combination of cameras, sensors, and AI algorithms to observe drivers’ actions and physiological states, such as their level of attentiveness, signs of drowsiness, or unsafe practices like aggressive driving. By integrating with car DVRs, DMS gathers comprehensive data, allowing it to analyze driver behavior in context.

In practice, DMS captures various aspects of driver performance. For instance, it tracks eye movements and head positions to determine attentiveness and monitors facial expressions for signs of fatigue. This constant vigilance ensures that potential issues are detected early, reducing the likelihood of accidents. The integration of car DVRs enriches the system, enabling it to correlate driver behavior with external factors like road conditions and traffic patterns.

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence forms the core of DMS, enabling these systems to interpret complex data in real-time. AI-powered DMS uses machine learning (ML) algorithms and computer vision technology to make sense of multiple data streams. Video footage, telemetry data, and environmental inputs are processed simultaneously to create a comprehensive picture of the driver’s condition and behavior.

Real-time analysis is a critical component of DMS functionality. AI models are trained to detect patterns that suggest unsafe behavior, such as prolonged periods of distraction, frequent yawning, or erratic driving movements. These patterns are flagged immediately, triggering corrective measures like visual alerts on the dashboard or audible warnings. In some advanced systems, the AI can even coordinate with the vehicle's autonomous functions to initiate actions like braking or lane correction.

The Mobile DVR 4/8 CH HDD Model No C8FH8

Car DVRs

Car DVRs serve as a primary source of data and play a vital role in the effectiveness of DMS. These devices record high-resolution video and telemetry information throughout the driving process. The combination of DVR footage and AI processing creates a more robust monitoring system capable of providing nuanced insights.

One of the main advantages of DVRs is their ability to provide continuous monitoring. Every action taken by the driver, along with the surrounding environment, is recorded and stored. This is particularly useful for post-incident analysis, driver training, and legal documentation. Modern DVRs equipped with wide-angle lenses and high-resolution capabilities ensure that no detail is missed, whether it’s the driver’s facial expressions or external road conditions. Additionally, multi-angle coverage from these DVRs allows the system to cross-reference driver behavior with situational context, offering a complete picture of driving events.

The Mobile DVR with Automatic Passenger Counting System ( APC ) Model No C8FH8-1

Real-Time Data Processing

Real-time data processing technologies enable the integration of DMS, AI, and car DVRs. These systems analyze incoming data in milliseconds, enabling instant feedback and corrective actions. Edge computing is often employed to process data directly within the vehicle, reducing latency and ensuring immediate responses.

Machine learning models trained on extensive datasets enable these systems to recognize dangerous behaviors and environmental hazards accurately. Advanced video analytics tools enhance this capability by extracting actionable insights from DVR footage. For example, facial recognition technology identifies the driver and assesses their state of alertness, while motion detection tools analyze body movements to detect signs of fatigue or distraction. Sensor fusion, which combines data from multiple sources like cameras, accelerometers, and radar systems, further enhances the system’s ability to provide a comprehensive analysis.

Safety and Performance Benefits

The use of real-time data processing in DMS delivers numerous benefits that enhance both driver safety and performance. One of the most significant advantages is the ability to prevent accidents. By detecting risky behaviors like distraction or drowsiness and issuing timely alerts, DMS allows drivers to correct their actions before situations escalate. For instance, a driver who looks away from the road for too long may receive a warning to refocus their attention.

Another key benefit is the promotion of proactive safety measures. DMS systems often work in conjunction with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), enabling actions like automatic braking or lane correction when immediate intervention is required. This collaboration between systems creates a multi-layered safety net for drivers and passengers alike.

In addition to preventing accidents, DMS fosters long-term improvements in driving habits. Fleet managers, for example, can use recorded data to identify areas where drivers need further training. The system also enhances post-incident analysis by providing objective evidence through DVR footage, which is invaluable for insurance claims and legal disputes.

The Mobile DVR 8CH 1080P AHD HDD/SSD Model No C8FH8-AI-2

Challenges and Opportunities

While the benefits of real-time data processing in DMS are clear, there are challenges that need to be addressed for widespread adoption. Privacy concerns are among the most pressing issues, as continuous monitoring raises questions about how data is stored and used. Secure storage solutions and anonymization techniques are essential to mitigate these concerns.

Despite these challenges, the future of DMS is promising. Ongoing research and development efforts aim to refine these systems, making them more accessible, reliable, and user-friendly. Advances in AI and edge computing are expected to play a significant role in overcoming current limitations.

The Mobile DVR with ADAS & DMS Systems 8CH 1080P Model No: E5H8H-AI-1

MacFaith E-Technology Co., Ltd is redefining road safety with advanced vehicle BlackBox DVR systems integrated with cutting-edge AI technologies like Driver Monitoring Systems (DMS) and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). Their innovative vehicle surveillance solutions analyze real-time data to detect risky behaviors, ensuring a safer and smarter driving experience. Whether you need surveillance for passenger buses, taxicabs, or commercial fleets, their mobile DVR and camera systems offer protection against theft, fraud, and accidents. Designed to enhance operational efficiency and driver awareness, MacFaith's customizable car video surveillance systems cater to diverse vehicle types and global customer needs.

Contact them to discover how their mobile DVRs for vehicles can transform your driving experience.

About the Author

Alexis Techwell is a technology enthusiast and writer specializing in automotive innovations, with a passion for exploring how AI transforms road safety and driver experience.

[atlantechflowmeters]

Benefits of Using a Digital Water Flow Meter with Telemetry in Industrial Applications — ATLANTECH

Introduction

In the era of smart technology, industries are increasingly adopting advanced measurement solutions to optimize efficiency and reduce operational costs. One such innovation is the Digital Water Flow Meter with Telemetry, which enables real-time monitoring, remote access, and predictive maintenance. These cutting-edge flow meters are transforming industrial water management, making them an essential tool for businesses looking to enhance accuracy and sustainability.

Remote Monitoring for Enhanced Efficiency

One of the biggest advantages of a Digital Water Flow Meter with Telemetry is its ability to provide remote monitoring. Traditional water flow meters require manual readings, which can be time-consuming and prone to errors. With telemetry integration, industries can monitor water consumption, flow rates, and pressure levels from a centralized system. This eliminates the need for frequent site visits and enhances operational efficiency.

Key Benefits of Remote Monitoring:

Real-time Data Collection: Access live water usage statistics anytime, anywhere.

Minimized Downtime: Immediate alerts for irregularities help prevent system failures.

Improved Resource Management: Optimize water usage, reducing waste and lowering costs.

Real-Time Data Access for Better Decision-Making

Industries require accurate data to make informed decisions regarding water usage. A Digital Water Flow Meter with Telemetry offers real-time data access, allowing businesses to track consumption patterns and detect anomalies instantly. This is particularly useful in large-scale industrial applications where precise flow measurement is crucial for maintaining production efficiency.

Advantages of Real-Time Data Access:

Accurate Water Consumption Reports: Provides detailed insights into daily, weekly, and monthly usage.

Quick Detection of Leakages: Identify leaks and inefficiencies before they escalate.

Regulatory Compliance: Helps industries meet government regulations and sustainability goals.

Predictive Maintenance to Prevent Costly Repairs

Unplanned maintenance can be expensive and disrupt industrial operations. With telemetry-enabled water flow meters, industries can implement predictive maintenance strategies. By analyzing real-time and historical data, companies can anticipate potential system failures and schedule maintenance accordingly. This not only extends the lifespan of equipment but also prevents costly repairs and production downtime.

How Predictive Maintenance Helps:

Early Fault Detection: Identify wear and tear before major breakdowns occur.

Reduced Maintenance Costs: Avoid emergency repairs with timely interventions.

Increased Equipment Longevity: Maintain flow meters in optimal working condition.

Why Industries Trust Digital Water Flow Meters with Telemetry

Industries across sectors, including manufacturing, chemical processing, and municipal water supply, rely on Digital Water Flow Meters with Telemetry for their precision and reliability. These meters provide seamless data integration with IoT systems, enabling industries to automate water management processes.

Additional Benefits:

Cloud-Based Data Storage: Secure and easy access to historical records.

User-Friendly Interface: Intuitive dashboards simplify monitoring and reporting.

Integration with Smart Water Management Systems: Enhances overall industrial automation.

Conclusion

The Digital Water Flow Meter with Telemetry is a game-changer for industrial applications, offering remote monitoring, real-time data access, and predictive maintenance. Businesses that adopt these advanced water meters benefit from enhanced efficiency, reduced costs, and improved sustainability.

At Atlantech, we specialize in providing high-quality Digital Water Flow Meters with Telemetry, ensuring accuracy and reliability in industrial water management. Contact us today to learn how our innovative solutions can optimize your operations and drive efficiency.

[intellonixai]

AI in Space Exploration: How Machine Learning is Driving NASA’s Missions

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) have significantly transformed space exploration, enabling agencies like NASA to push the boundaries of what is possible. From analyzing vast datasets to optimizing spacecraft navigation, AI is revolutionizing space technology. In this blog, we will explore how AI and ML are shaping space exploration and how businesses can leverage AI ML development services for cutting-edge solutions.

The Role of AI and ML in Space Exploration

1. Autonomous Spacecraft Navigation

AI and ML play a crucial role in improving spacecraft autonomy. With vast distances between Earth and distant planets, real-time human control is not feasible. NASA employs AI-powered autonomous navigation systems that help spacecraft make real-time decisions without waiting for instructions from mission control. This ensures efficient and safe space travel.

2. Predictive Maintenance and Spacecraft Health Monitoring

Machine learning algorithms analyze telemetry data from spacecraft to predict potential failures before they occur. By detecting anomalies, AI helps prevent critical malfunctions and extends the lifespan of space equipment. This predictive maintenance approach reduces costs and enhances mission reliability.

3. Rover Navigation and Exploration

AI-driven systems empower robotic rovers, such as NASA’s Perseverance, to explore planetary surfaces autonomously. These systems process images, detect obstacles, and determine optimal paths, enabling rovers to navigate harsh terrains without direct human intervention. AI also aids in selecting high-priority areas for scientific exploration.

4. Satellite Image Processing and Earth Observation

AI-powered image recognition models process massive amounts of satellite data, helping scientists monitor climate changes, detect natural disasters, and track environmental patterns. Machine learning enhances the accuracy of image classification, allowing researchers to make data-driven decisions with improved precision.

5. Deep Space Communication and AI-Enhanced Signal Processing

Machine learning optimizes deep space communication by filtering noise and improving signal clarity. AI models enhance data transmission efficiency, ensuring better connectivity between Earth and space missions. This advancement is crucial for long-term space exploration and interstellar travel.

6. Astronomical Data Analysis and Exoplanet Discovery

AI algorithms analyze vast datasets from telescopes like Kepler and James Webb to identify exoplanets and celestial objects. By detecting subtle patterns in light fluctuations, AI accelerates the discovery of potentially habitable planets beyond our solar system.

How Businesses Can Benefit from AI and ML Innovations

The advancements in AI-driven space exploration have direct applications across industries, from aerospace to healthcare, finance, and more. Partnering with an AI ML Development Company can help businesses integrate machine learning solutions for enhanced automation, predictive analytics, and data-driven decision-making.

Why Choose AI ML Development Services?

AI ML development services offer cutting-edge solutions for businesses looking to optimize operations, improve efficiency, and gain a competitive edge. Whether it’s predictive analytics, computer vision, or natural language processing, AI ML solutions can drive innovation across multiple domains.

Final Thoughts

AI and machine learning are playing a pivotal role in space exploration, helping NASA and other space agencies push the limits of scientific discovery. As AI technology continues to evolve, its applications will extend beyond space into various industries. If you're looking to leverage AI ML solutions for your business, partnering with an AI ML Development Company can help you unlock the full potential of artificial intelligence.

Are you ready to integrate AI into your business strategy? Explore our AI ML Development Services today!

[ascendient-learning]

DevOps for Edge Computing: Challenges and Opportunities

Edge computing is rapidly reshaping how organizations process and analyze data by bringing computation closer to the data source. This paradigm shift enhances speed, reduces latency, and supports applications requiring real-time decision-making, such as autonomous vehicles and IoT devices. However, the distributed nature of edge computing introduces unique challenges for DevOps practices, making it critical to adopt strategies to ensure efficiency, scalability, and reliability.

The Unique Landscape of Edge Computing

Edge computing deploys workloads across distributed locations with limited resources, enabling faster processing and reduced bandwidth usage. However, this decentralized setup adds complexity to deployment and management. Unlike centralized cloud servers, edge environments require tailored configurations for each node, emphasizing the need for robust automation to streamline processes and ensure efficiency.

Key Challenges in Implementing DevOps for Edge Computing

Fragmented Infrastructure: Edge computing environments often involve a diverse array of hardware and software platforms. Ensuring compatibility and standardization across these disparate systems is a significant challenge for DevOps teams.

Limited Resources: Unlike cloud servers, edge nodes have restricted computational power, storage, and bandwidth. DevOps practices must account for these limitations, optimizing deployments to ensure smooth operation without overloading resources.

Security Risks: With a larger attack surface due to the distributed nature of edge environments, securing deployments becomes critical. Vulnerabilities in one node can compromise the entire network, necessitating advanced security protocols and continuous monitoring.

Monitoring and Observability: Real-time insights into edge nodes are essential for maintaining performance and detecting issues. However, collecting and analyzing telemetry data from multiple locations without centralized access poses a unique challenge.

Opportunities to Leverage DevOps in Edge Computing

Despite these challenges, the integration of DevOps into edge computing presents exciting opportunities to drive innovation and efficiency:

Automation at Scale: DevOps tools like Ansible and Terraform can automate configuration management and deployment, streamlining processes across multiple edge nodes.

Containerization and Orchestration: Lightweight containers, such as those managed by Kubernetes, are ideal for edge environments. They allow applications to run consistently across diverse hardware while enabling efficient resource usage. Kubernetes distributions like K3s are tailored for edge computing, further simplifying orchestration.

Improved Resilience: Continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines in edge computing can ensure frequent updates without service interruptions. Canary deployments and blue-green strategies help validate changes in smaller environments before system-wide implementation.

Enhanced Data Processing: By integrating AI-driven DevOps tools, edge computing environments can benefit from predictive analytics and automated incident resolution. These capabilities enhance system reliability and reduce downtime.

Future Trends in DevOps for Edge Computing

The convergence of AI and edge computing is driving DevOps innovation. AI-powered tools optimize resources, predict failures, and enhance security, while 5G accelerates data transfers and responsiveness. As edge computing grows in industries like healthcare and manufacturing, flexible DevOps strategies will position organizations to capitalize on these advancements effectively.

Optimizing Edge Systems for Maximum Impact

DevOps for edge computing bridges innovation and efficiency by addressing challenges like fragmented infrastructure, resource limits, and security risks. DevOps training equips professionals to unlock edge computing's potential with seamless deployments and strong performance. Ascendient Learning offers expert training to help teams excel in this evolving landscape.

For more information visit: https://www.ascendientlearning.com/it-training/agile-devops/devops-fundamentals-66737-detail.html