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quillyfied · 6 years ago

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Mega Good Omens Fic Rec Post 1

OH BOY Y’ALL IT’S HERE

This is the first string of fics I would wholeheartedly recommend from my bookmarks (probably first of three, we’ll see). There are 65 fics sorted into 9 categories: Jaunts Through History/Canon; South Downs; Post-Apocalypse; Bus Ride/Night Before/Heaven and Hell; AU/UA (UA is Universe Alternate, where everything is the same, just...a bit to the left. I feel like that term has more nuance, idk); Soft; Touch-Starved/Body Worship/Wings; Bonus; H/C /Whump/BAMF. These will be the same categories for every fic rec post in this vein. I try to include warnings for sex and gore, if applicable, but please check the tags of each fic before you read, just in case.

Mega GOmens Fic Rec Post MASTER

PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF I BROKE A LINK OR MISATTRIBUTED SOMETHING.

I don’t read explicit works and I’m not a big fan of Human!AUs so there’s not any of those, but there’s a bit of just about everything else. Please enjoy! Hope the ReadMore works, sorry for folks on mobile if it doesn’t!

JAUNTS THROUGH HISTORY/CANON

1. Bright With His Splendour – Daegaer (T, specifically book-verse. This is an exquisite look at the developments in Crowley himself, especially as it relates to his war-related traumas in the War in Heaven and later WWI. The Arrangement is Aziraphale’s idea here, which is awesome. Highly emotional and visceral.)

2. Whatever Road We Choose – @ri-writing (T, the one where Aziraphale gets jumped by some demons and Crowley nurses him back to health, and Aziraphale has to confront his worldview when he realizes Heaven never responded to his call for help. Quiet and powerful as Aziraphale starts to realize Crowley isn’t everything he thought he was and maybe Heaven isn’t, either.)

3. Linked – @chekhov (T, the one where Crowley shows up in Bukhara and Aziraphale has to pretend to capture him so his angel intern doesn’t destroy Crowley entirely. Has a lot of fun moments and emotional growth in play. And yearning. Lots and lots of yearning.)

4. The Demon Favourite – @kanna-ophelia (T, the one where Crowley is posing as a nobleman and manages to build himself a little ramshackle family, and Aziraphale takes care of them when Crowley gets himself discorporated. Extremely tender, lots of Crowley cooing over babies.)

5. Akashic Records – @penig (Generally G, one T, the series where Crowley is head-over-heels from the start and broadcasts it loudly, and Aziraphale is in Panic Protective Mode. The series is gorgeous and vibrant, the characterizations are so spot-on and yet fresh, the dialogue is perfect, the character growth is delicious. I can’t gush enough about this one.)

6. But The Old Love Was Not So – BuggreAlleThis (G, the one written in the style of Le Morte d’Arthur about Aziraphale’s final few days in the court of King Arthur. Hilarious with the promise of emotional pain to come in the second half.)

7. flightless bird (dumb, wild, and free) – JennaCupcakes (@veganthranduil) (T, the one where Crowley and Aziraphale make out for half of history while Aziraphale has an ongoing existential crisis about being a broken angel. Poignant, sensual, culminates in a deliciously fraught confrontation where Aziraphale has to finally sort himself out and Crowley says some hard but true things. I once spent three hours trying to find this fic again without remembering the title so now it’s kinda ingrained.)

8. Nanny Knows Best – @patricianandclerk (M, rest of series is T, the one where Crowley endures some truly horrible experiences while serving as Warlock’s nanny. Adorable relationship between Warlock and Crowley, and it’s only getting better. The dynamic with Aziraphale is nuanced and beautiful. Rating for sexual harassment and groping, and it’s a bit of a difficult read at times during those moments, so be careful.)

9. The Holy Essence of Experience – Dragonsquill (T, the one where Aziraphale and Crowley have loved each other almost since the beginning, but have been very careful to not put a name to it. The yearning is real and so gorgeous. The scene just before they come up with their plan to avert Armageddon haunts me.)

10. The Arrangement – @writeonclara (T, the one where Aziraphale and Crowley try to get a handle on this sex thing. Non-explicit, hilarious, and unique! I can only assume the rating will probably be going up, which makes me sad because it’s hard to find nonexplicit fics that still deal with what sex brings to a relationship, but what’s written for now is well worth it.)

11. And After – @randomacts13 (T, the series where Crowley and Aziraphale work through their self-worth and have lots of flashbacks. The first one involves Crowley taking care of a seed that keeps dying and leaving another seed behind, which is not at all feeding into his self-hatred; the second has Crowley and Warlock gluing coins to the sidewalk; the third is about Aziraphale on a one-way flight to Complete Mental Breakdown if he doesn’t get some help for his anxiety and repressed emotions soon.)

12. The road to rapture has a lot of pit stops – emmagrant01 (E but only for the sixth chapter, the one where Aziraphale and Crowley have shared five kisses throughout history and one where they meant it. People like me who don’t like explicit material can skip Chapter 6 (or just read until they smooch) and go straight to the epilogue. The rest of it is amazing; every kiss is believable in context and has such good lead-up. Very romantic, very good.)

13. Round and Round the Garden – SanSanFanFan (G, the one where Brother Francis and Nanny Ashtoreth get up to some hanky-panky beneath a willow tree while Warlock sleeps in his pram. Just sweet and silly fluff.)

14. Flecks of Light and Dark – volunteerfd (T, the one where Aziraphale learns to deal with his emotions. Has a really beautiful recurring thing of Crowley and Aziraphale making up stories of who they’d be if they were human, and Aziraphale doing his best to do good and help even when Heaven ties his hands.)

15. Before the Water Rises – VitreousHumor (T, the one where Crowley and Aziraphale become friends while helping a village make rafts to escape the Flood. Has a lot of really cute moments and some pretty exquisite romantic tension.)

16. Beneath the Stars – @brooklynbabybucky (G, the one where Crowley asks Aziraphale to cut his hair. Just has some really lovely imagery and a sweet bonding moment.)

17. lit in the darkness – @toedenandbackagain (M, the one where Crowley and Aziraphale share a bed sometimes throughout history. Warnings for some sexual content in chapters 7 and 14, but each chapter has its own warnings in the description. Presents some beautiful bonding moments and the absolute finest pining known to man.)

SOUTH DOWNS

18. The Play’s the Thing – volunteerfd (G, the one where Aziraphale is cast in the local production of Hamlet and Crowley is trying his best to be supportive of his truly awful actor husband. Hilarious and light and absolutely a classic.)

19. Parsley, Thyme, Sage, Daffodils – @mostweakhamlets (NR, the one where Aziraphale has a cooking YouTube channel and Crowley is camera-shy. Tackles PTSD in a really thoughtful way and is Peak Soft Cottage Husbands aesthetic, it really packs in the most warm fuzzies in a small package.)

20. to carthage then i came – @lvslie (T, the one where Crowley and Aziraphale move to the South Downs and learn to work through their issues around being together and being their own people after cutting ties with Heaven and Hell. Poetic, poignant, the last chapter is a thing of absolute beauty. Very heavily symbolic, that one.)

21. A Better Place for Us to Be – @befuddledmackem (T, the one where Crowley and Aziraphale tour a particular cottage. Deeply emotional, the Absolute Best Real Estate Pr0n if you also secretly watch HGTV and weep, has completely ruined any future house-buying opportunity I might have because nothing will be this sweet and perfect.)

22. Something We Were Withholding Made Us Weak – trieduntrue (M, the one where Crowley and Aziraphale move to the South Downs and very carefully orbit into something more like a relationship. Exquisite tension, beautifully-done pining and slow-burn, really fun bits of world building. M is for a sex scene at the very end but it’s easy to skip over, it’s small.)

23. reasons wretched and divine – @stammiviktor (T, the one where Crowley storms out after a fight and finds himself in an actual conversation with God. Highly emotional and a great look into Crowley’s head, both in how he feels about God and how he feels about Aziraphale.)

24. The Sprawl of Life – @dietraumerei (T and G, the series where Crowley and Aziraphale settle into village life quite well. Has sex-positive asexual characters, which is fun (brief note about that: it’s not explicit, but the places it happens, there is clear leadup and it can get a bit intense, so take care of yourselves). Has touches of angst that balance beautifully with the fluff, lots of BAMF Aziraphale for the soul.)

25. Seashells and Fingerpainting – Vagabond (@waffleironbiddingwar) (T, and I recommend this one specifically from the series, can be read independently: the one where Gabriel is sent to the South Downs for a time out. This is quite possibly the best Gabriel character study I have ever seen; it’s tender and heartbreaking and somehow you find yourself rooting for Gabriel to figure out why he’s being punished despite yourself. All the warm fuzzies. All of them. Read the whole series, it’s great!)

POST-APOCALYPSE

26. Laugh When It Sinks In – @tenoko1 (G, the one where Crowley helps Aziraphale build a home in the bookshop flat. Another one that feeds right into my interior decorating itch. So sweet and uplifting, will absolutely make you feel proud of Aziraphale.)

27. Chosen and Unchosen – Bookwormgal (T, the one where the kids have to go save Aziraphale and Crowley from Heaven and Hell. Has some EXCELLENT Warlock characterization and some really good tension between him and Adam, and the angst is properly upsetting. A right good adventure romp that’s really starting to ramp up.)

28. Resonance – Macx (T, the one where Crowley and Aziraphale become something Else. Good world building, beautiful romance, and Gabriel getting told off. Love how Crowley and Aziraphale growing into their new roles is handled, and how Adam unexpectedly ties in at the end.)

29. Falling Heavenward – @kanna-ophelia (T, the one where Crowley unexpectedly has to win his angel back because of a really twisty deal with Heaven. This one is a pretty wild ride, but I would say the centerpiece is Fallen Gabriel, who becomes Asmodeus. It becomes a battle for Aziraphale’s heart, though Asmodeus isn’t in it for the feels so much as the revenge, obviously. Really interesting premise and something to read if rooting for Crowley is a way you like to spend your time.)

30. A Leisurely Stroll Down – Saturniidae (@Saturniiddae) (M, the one where Crowley and Aziraphale have to fight for their relationship. Has some sexual content that isn’t explicit, and gore that really sort of is. I have thrown things and cried a little at this one, but that was the price for reading while it was still updating. Absolutely gorgeous in every way. Also has God speaking through a household object and it’s hilarious.)

31. From God’s Perspective – Unfortunately (T, the one where God comes down personally to interfere in Her children’s business. The absolute best portrayal of God in any fic ever, really humanizes her in the best ways. I love how she interacts with her angel and demon children. It’s almost more of a character study of God than anything. And yes, the Sound of Music is sung.)

BUS RIDE/NIGHT BEFORE/HEAVEN AND HELL

32. Worth Knowing – summersage (T, the one where Aziraphale and Crowley discuss the Fall and manage Miltonian angel sex despite it. Has a take on how the Fall works that I was thinking about but couldn’t find words for until this fic, and it’s absolutely fantastic. The Miltonian angel sex is esoteric and weird and not at all erotic, but it is beautiful. The mortifying ordeal of being KNOWN indeed.)

33. Legendary Lovers; Your Hand in Mine – @tenoko1 (G, the one where Crowley and Aziraphale regroup in a hotel instead of his flat and have a bit of a knock-down-drag-out. Crowley is angry and scared and so in love he can’t stand it, and Aziraphale is practically going at light speed in confronting and knocking down his own barriers, and it’s highly emotionally charged and wonderful.)

AU/UA

34. Love of My Life – @ellewrites4 (T, the one where Crowley and Aziraphale get together very early and make it work all throughout history. Gorgeous romance, and the fallout from the Holy Water caper and the bandstand breakup are EXQUISITE. Peak emotional turmoil, sweet boundary negotiation, forgiveness and love and anxiety and fear—just delicious.)

35. True Love and High Adventure – @grifalinas (T, the one that’s a Princess Bride au. Absolutely on-point casting, wonderful writing style, the perfect escape fic for a little while. Incomplete but still worth the read.)

36. Inverse Omens – @amuseoffyre (T, the one where Aziraphale is a demon with a p0_rn shop and Crowley is an angel running a community center from a bombed-out church. Y’all recommended this to me on my demon!Aziraphale rating post, and it’s AMAZING. Perfect characterization and a wonderful retelling. Warning for Chapters 11 and 12, Aziraphale’s Nanny Ashtoreth messes with the Dowling parents in far more direct ways and there’s scenes of Mr. Dowling jerking it, so take care, friendos. Also Aziraphale makes the filthiest double entendres and it’s delightful. Also also Crowley needs all the hugs.)

37. A Blaze of Light – @wingedspirit (T, the one where Crowley is Raphael and he and Aziraphale make a Pact instead of an Arrangement. This one is a wild adventure, friends, and a riveting one. The Pact puts an interesting spin on their developing relationship, and by the time it gets to TV canon, it’s already off the rails in the best ways. Also Crowley has some pretty heavy depression that manifests in his former Archangel-level powers blowing up a bit, which is cool. Should be wrapping up soon and I’m pumped for it!)

38. it’s high time that you love me, cause you do it so well – mygalfriday (T, the one where Crowley can’t physically say the word “love” but can diddly dang well show it if he wants. Already super sweet but the confession scene at the end is just incredible.)

39. Hold the Line – sum_nemo (T, the one that’s a Pacific Rim AU. I adore PacRim, you guys, and this one is just *chef’s kiss*. Puts Crowley as Raleigh (lost his twin sister copilot) and Aziraphale as Mako and includes a pretty painful shared past between them, which is already simmering and delicious. Can’t wait to see where this one goes.)

40. The Truth Remains – @wanderingalicewrites (NR, the one where Crowley was Raphael, had a good relationship with his siblings, was in love with Aziraphale, and knew he was destined to Fall. Aziraphale is still in mourning for Raphael and Crowley is still working out the point of his existence, so there’s some very good pining and existential dread up in the mix. A highly interesting take on the situation and very, very good at punching you in the feels with the flashbacks to Heaven and how different things are now, especially with the other Archangels. LOL it just updated while I was writing this and I am UNDONE, I am in PAIN, the bandstand scene always hurts but NOT LIKE THIS. ALSO MORE ARCHANGEL FEELS, HOW DID THIS HAPPEN)

41. Everything Dark and Unseen – @enjambament (M, the one that’s a Psyche and Eros retelling. After the Fall but before Eden, Heaven and Hell need a truce, so they marry Crowley and Aziraphale to keep the peace in a symbolic sort of binding. A beautiful romance, an excellent action sequence, the cutest OC creatures, the best OC angels, and I wish there was a continuation of how canon progressed with this monumental change in their history bc I am THIRSTY for more. Rated M for a kinda-sorta sexy scene but there’s not really Efforts sooo…it’s more sensual than sexual? I guess? Either way, highly recommended.)

42. The Name of the Star is Wormwood – LusBeatha (T, the one where Crowley was Raphael and the Fruit of Knowledge of Good and Evil was a fly agaric mushroom. It is exactly as eccentric as it sounds, but presented in such a way that it actually makes sense. It jumps around in time, but the storyline taking place in the present is looking like Armageddon 2.0. Beautifully written, great take on canon.)

43. Sticks and Stones – @justkeeptrekkin (T, the one where Crowley takes on the guise of Casanova while trying to get over Aziraphale and Aziraphale shows up, whoops. GORGEOUS imagery, the most scrumptious pining, and if y’all appreciated the 2005 Pride and Prejudice dance scene, the one in here will about blow that one out of the water, if you can believe it. Knocked the breath right out of me.)

44. Yearning to Hold You Close – @guanin (T, the one where Aziraphale has a relationship with King Richard and asks Crowley to help save him, and there is a big sticky mess of feelings when they realize Richard and Crowley look almost exactly alike. In part inspired by David Tennant playing Richard II. A delicious, delicious emotional quandary where Crowley and Richard both wonder if Aziraphale only loves them because they look like each other, and Aziraphale doesn’t know how to say what he feels. Very sweet, very emotionally fraught.)

SOFT

45. Just This Once – @julia-writes-fanfic (T, the one where Crowley and Aziraphale kiss in the 90s and it’s amazing. The drunk 90s kiss is already good, but them revisiting it sober in 2010 makes both even better.)

46. A Sky Full of Stars – @kedreeva (G, the one where Aziraphale takes Crowley someplace where they can see the cosmos. The first GOmens fic I ever bookmarked, so I felt like including it, because it’s unbelievably sweet and has amazing visuals.)

47. The Serpent and the Seagull – @ineffably-good (G and T, the series where Aziraphale misses Crowley so he gets a little pet snake. Frederick the snake is among the best of the GOmens OCs, hilarious and foul-mouthed and once Crowley starts being able to understand him, it only gets better. Frederick likes helping his pets work their problems out so they’ll leave him alone to sleep. It’s extremely cute.)

48. The Discerning Black Swan – @lwtis (T, the one where Crowley is definitely not projecting on a black swan desperately trying to court a white mute swan in St James’ Park. I love how Crowley interfaces with his emotional problems through the swan, and the visual of the two swans is gorgeous.)

49. What A Demon Dreams – @whatawriterwields (G, the one where Crowley has some weird dreams, dude. I love the symbolism and the imagery in this one, it’s really vivid. It’s hard to pull off a concept like this so I respect how the author is able to do it and make it work.)

TOUCH STARVED/WINGS/BODY WORSHIP

50. Sunlight – crorvid (M, the one where Aziraphale is a touch-starved angel. Doesn’t deserve the M rating, in my opinion, but Aziraphale does feel the touching during their makeouts very intensely and it’s incredibly satisfying.)

51. The Curious Attractiveness of Others – @giddygeek (T, the one where Crowley finally gets to groom Aziraphale’s wings and Aziraphale gets to show Crowley how tender that can be. Another one with some great world building tucked into the corners, and emotionally satisfying grooming.)

52. Broken Wings – werebear (@werebeary) (T and M, the series where wing grooming is incredibly intimate and I got the vapors from the tenderness. Also the first time I saw anything about preen glands. The second one is rated M because the preening gets a bit…intense. Not sexual, exactly, but it’s close. Very passionate.)

53. Birthmark – Linebreaker (G, the one where Crowley has a scar on his lower back and a sad story to go with it. This one needs a bit of a harder rating, imo, and there’s one line that’s a bit Much, but otherwise it’s a sad and beautiful look at a potential reason why Crowley hates the fourteenth century so much. Lots of Crowley body worship packed into few words, very satisfying.)

54. They Are A Pale Picture of You – @ineffablefool (T, the one where they go for a walk during winter and things are just Soft. Ineffablefool has a wealth of body-positive asexual GOmens fics, but I think I like this one best, it’s sweet and adorable and some jerk who insults Aziraphale’s weight rightly gets the worst day of his life. Also Crowley compares Aziraphale in his winter wear to a plump little bird and it’s cute imagery.)

BONUS

55. Ineffable Bureaucracy Drabbles – Shift7 (T, the series of short fics where Gabriel and Beelzebub are kinda-sorta falling into friendship and being very judicious about it. Lots of paperwork, very orderly.)

56. Ineffable Bureaucracy – @eshnoazot (T and G, a series of longer fics where Gabriel and Beelzebub are navigating a careful arrangement of their own. Still lots of paperwork, of course, but there’s also emotional friction and conflict resolution. Excellent characterizations. Wednesday night Thai and Friendship night is a+++++. Gabriel deffo called a board meeting to talk about his feelings.)

57. A Bentley Sang in Berkeley Square – CastielHamilton (G, the one where the Bentley is sentient and a good, good girl. She is doing her best and I love her. Basically the series from her point of view.)

58. Fairest and Fallen – VitreousHumor (T, the series where Beelzebub and Gabriel encounter each other a few times and Gabriel tries his best to remember their shared pre-Fall history. Poignant, sad, and beautiful.)

59. Observer Effect – SquarePudding (T, the series where the Grigori in charge of recording Aziraphale’s Earthly movements starts to ship him and Crowley and records their romance. The Grigori, Rezathaniel, is a precious baby who needs to develop a better palate outside of “greasy literal garbage” and has 0 chill when it comes to their ship. They’re kind of like a celebrity blogger at this point but watching their character growth in the first story is very sweet.)

60. Soul of Vellum, Heart of Chrome – @29-pieces (G, the one where the Bentley and the Bookshop are sentient and very protective of their owners. This one is going to KILL ME with the plot I wasn’t expecting—Heaven and Hell are hunting Aziraphale and Crowley down again, so the Bentley and the Bookshop do their best to help. They’re doing so good and I’m so proud of them, it’s not their fault things went a bit south. Precious beans. Good, good things.)

61. Real Fire and Brimstone Stuff – @jessikast (G, the one where college-age Warlock helps accidentally summon his Nanny and a lot of things start to make sense. A very sweet story about Warlock getting closure and getting back in touch with Crowley and Aziraphale through the weirdest means possible.)

H/C /WHUMP/BAMF

62. Broken Hallelujah – @atlantis-is-burning (T, the one where Hastur comes to kill Aziraphale and Crowley and it’s ugly, folks. It is kinda gory and it is injury-ridden and painful, very touch-and-go for a bit. It ends well, though, and Hastur gets his, which is the Best. Tore me up one side and down the other in all the best ways.)

63. Fall Here – @marbledwings (T, the one where Aziraphale and Crowley are easing into a relationship in fits and starts, and then Crowley gets snatched. This one was AGONIZING to wait for it to update, so be glad it’s complete, because it gets pretty dark for a while. Be warned of torture, though it’s mostly implied and it’s the aftermath that’s dealt with most. It absolutely sticks the landing at the end, and has a great characterization of Michael.)

64. how deep the sand – Handful_of_Silence (G, the series where Aziraphale is trapped in a glass bubble in a wizard’s basement for fifty years and the ensuing aftermath. Feels mostly book-verse, but there are some cues from the show. Intense and realistic and emotional and heavy, drags you through the darkness and you appreciate the light all the more for it. A beautiful story.)

65. you taught me how to love, (it’s me who taught you how to stop) – @clankclunk (G, or the one where Aziraphale comes to find out that you can’t just rush into a relationship after six thousand years of repression. This one is absolutely murdering me. The angst is real. The hurt is real. I’m hoping the fluff and comfort promised in the tags is coming soon because WOW. Has a fantastically haunting view of what happens to angels, who are highly emotive beings, when they fall into depression. And Crowley’s adverse reactions to praise and love are so realistic and painful. Ouch.)

#good omens #good omens fic recs #mega gomens fic rec list #guys i'm so tired but it's so worth it #i love all of these #can't wait to rec more later

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svnthxsense · 6 years ago

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Genre/Rating: Fluff/smut ; M

Warnings: Fem reader, cursing, light choking, slight corruption (?), slight praise, oral, tiny bit of slow burn

Word Count: 9.8k i’m sorry

Author’s Note: I got very carried away... Anyways, Happy Mark Day! This oneshot is a standalone in my Neo Tech High School series and is loosely based off of the first verse & chorus of Shot Clock by Ella Mai. Please send in any feedback! Also, my apologies if the Keep Reading function doesn’t work on mobile but I can’t do much about it T-T

It was mid-March when news broke in your school that a tier-1 athlete had transferred in. Everyone was swarming with curiosity all for a certain Mark Lee. Most of the gossip came from the guys, who bantered about his stats as a starting point-guard and argued about whether or not he’d make a good addition to the school’s beloved team. The girls, of course, were looking forward to a fresh face on campus. You couldn’t help but be curious, too.

After a week of anticipation, people were stunned to see the actual image of the mysterious basketball player. He was attractive at the absolute least. Then there was something that neither you nor your peers expected: he was the shyest, most awkward boy you had met in a while. How was it that the star basketball player who was always in the spotlight happened to be socially awkward?

You were surprised to discover that you two had a lot of classes together, and you’d be lying if you said you never stared. It didn’t help that he always came into math class with basketball shorts and a tank top on, his skin lightly glistening with sweat even after his brief post-gym shower. His hair was tousled, yet he managed to make it work like no other. It was a sight that made your mouth water and your mind fill with less-than decent thoughts.

It was only halfway through his first week of school when Mark had gotten called into the principal's office in the middle of third period. And then you were called in- not even five minutes after.

“Good morning, Principal Yoon,” You greeted her politely, taking the only other seat left in the room right next to Mark. You felt his eyes on you but decided against looking back at the nerve-wracked boy. Every time you saw him, you seemed to have a new fantasy about things you’d love to do to him. Was it wrong to fantasize about what his hands could do other than dribble a basketball?

“Good morning, Y/N.” She sat down in her leather office chair, scooting along until she found a comfortable position. Her tone was firm yet extremely polite. Most principals were intimidating and loathed by students, while Principal Yoon was approachable and kind. The students of Neo Tech adored her and her methods of running the school.

“Good morning, Mark. I’m sure you’re both wondering why I called you in, and I can assure you that it’s nothing of concern.” She held a manila colored folder in one hand before opening it and examining the paper in front of her. The both of you sat a bit uneasily, wondering what could’ve possibly landed you in this predicament.

“Mr. Lee, your basketball skills are outstanding.” Immediately, Mark began rambling about his appreciation for her comment until her voice interrupted him. “Yes, well, the reason I called you both in has to do with that actually… You see, Mark, your last school was a bit behind in comparison to our curriculum here, and without the proper grades you won’t be able to be an active team member.”

Mark could’ve sworn he heard his heart drop. The whole reason he transferred to your school was that his tier-1 team was becoming mediocre at best. In order to stay on track with his plan of obtaining an athletic scholarship, he needed to choose the best of the best. And that’s what led him to your school, which currently holds the number one spot in the nation amongst all the tier-1 teams.

“That’s why I’ve brought Y/N in as well. It was brought to my attention that you two share more than half your classes together, and I’m well aware of how advanced she is in all subjects. So, to put it frankly, I’m going to suggest that you two become acquaintances. Of course, the final decision would be up to Y/N, but I’m hoping that both of you might benefit from this opportunity.”

Mark couldn’t help but feel a bit embarrassed about how Principal Yoon pressed the issue. It was bad enough that his old school had a less advanced curriculum; and to make matters worse, his tutor just had to be the prettiest girl he’s seen. The way you dressed, especially, drove him crazy. Your sheer black tights underneath your plaid skirt, with your skin-tight, off-the-shoulder top that exposed your collarbones. He gulped at the very thought of what was underneath those clothes. How was he supposed to focus when he wanted to study his tutor more than the material?

“I would be happy to help,” You answered, mindlessly sneaking a glance at the boy next to you. His gaze seemed to be set on the ground, looking at anything but you. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to add ‘tutor’ to my resume.”

Principal Yoon smiled in response, setting the folder down on her desk before gently lifting her glasses off her face. She was pretty young to be a principal, couldn’t be a day over thirty. It was one of the things that made her so approachable, she seemed to sympathize with the lives of students because she was in their place not too long ago.

“Well, then it’s settled.”

You strained yourself trying to hide the smirk forming on your face, finally allowing yourself to steal a look at the golden boy once again. He seemed flustered, as per usual, and still didn’t dare to look you in the eye. He seemed so innocent, yet so ready to be corrupted. The excitement bubbled deep within your stomach at the thought of how much time you’d really need to spend with him in order to get him caught up. And boy did you hope you had extra time for other activities.

Without a word, you rose from your seat to offer a ‘goodbye’ to your principal and sauntered out of her office. Mark fumbled to get up, hurriedly saying goodbye to Principal Yoon before he rushed after you. At the sound of his footsteps, you couldn’t help but grin to yourself. This will be fun.

“Hey, Y/N?”

You hummed in response, then turned on your heel to face him. He was breathing a little raggedly, but you knew it was from nerves because there was no way someone as athletic as him would be out-of-breath from a short jog.

“I- I was wondering when you’d be available…” He scratched the back of his head awkwardly, trying his hardest to sound anything but stupid. You waited for him to go on as he stared back at you but quickly caught himself. “Y’know, for the tutoring.”

Your smile almost made his breath hitch but he ignored the pounding on his chest and found the courage to keep eye contact with you. He regretted it as soon as it happened because he damn-near whimpered at the beauty in front of him. Your lips, a faint rose color, were glossy and plump. He imagined how they’d feel pressed against his, and against other body parts alike.

“How about we do an evaluation of sorts at the library this afternoon? This way I can see how behind you are and how much time I’d need to get you in shape. I wouldn’t want you missing the opening game.” You winked, and Mark found himself gulping down nothing in another attempt to calm himself.

“Y-Yeah, that sounds good,” He replied and waited for you two walk away first because he couldn’t quite will his feet to move.

The end of the day seemed to have come much too quickly for Mark’s liking. Of course, he was itching at the chance to get to know you, but even he knew his nervous habits. The last thing he wanted to do was embarrass himself in the midst of his first impression.

Mark made his way to the library like you had told him to, and he easily found you at one of the tables towards the back of the room. You had books laid out in front of you, with worksheets accompanying them.

“Hey, so I was thinking we could start by evaluating your trig skills and then get into some science. Does that sound good?” It felt like an eternity before you finally looked up to find him sitting directly across from you at the table. He nodded softly as you pushed over the first worksheet. While he diligently started scribbling across the paper, you had nothing to do other than watch him. You picked up on a few things in a short amount of time: math seemed to frustrate him. When faced with a particularly difficult problem, he would huff in annoyance. Nonetheless, he would complete it before moving onto the next one with a scrunched-up nose. It was incredibly cute and you couldn’t help the smile that found its way to your lips.

“Okay, I think I’m done.” He pushed the paper back to you before bringing his hands down into his lap, nervously toying with his fingers. He then brought his bottom lip in between his teeth, chewing delicately. You tried not to react, instead turning your attention to analyze his answers. Did he know what he was doing to you? After looking through all the questions, you tsked.

“Your trig teacher must’ve sucked.” You adjusted your sitting position so that the paper would be visible to the both of you. “For number four, you need to use the quadratic formula- which is X equals negative B plus or minus the square root of B squared minus 4 times A times C. Then you divide the whole thing by 2 times A.”

Mark tried to keep up with you as you explained, but his mind was way too focused on how good you looked while concentrating. On top of that, math was never his strong suit. He had always struggled since the moment variables were introduced into his lessons. Memorizing the quadratic formula was all too difficult when the explanation was coming from that pretty mouth of yours, he thought.

“B…? Wait where is the X comin-”

“Mark.” You interrupted, trying to the best of your ability to keep the smile creeping up on you at bay. The way his name rolled off your tongue so naturally enticed him. “I can already tell that you’re about two months behind with the trig curriculum. That alone will take me at least two weeks to catch you up on, and that’s if we meet practically every day.”

“I-I’m sorry,” Mark answers weakly, his eyes retreating down to the desk below him. Immediately, your demeanor softens at his vulnerability. “I know this probably isn’t how you’d like to spend your free time. I’ll find another way to catch up, I’m sure-”

“Hey. I said it would be a lot of work, I didn’t say I don’t want to tutor you. Luckily for you, I’m pretty much free this semester anyway. Now, the issue is if you are willing to put in the work.”

Oh, was he willing.

[two days later]

“So, after school at the cafe?” You ask, grabbing your books from your locker and securing them in one arm. The tutoring sessions would have to be extremely consistent to make any noticeable progress before the school’s opening games. They were a big deal within Neo Tech’s school community, and the pressure was on to see how the new point guard would compare to all the hype.

“Yeah, if that’s fine with you,” He murmurs before eyeing the small stack of books and papers cradled in your arm. Naturally, he feels the need to take that burden off your hands. After all, you would be the reason he even gets to play this season. Without you, it’s unlikely he would’ve caught up in time to make a good impression on Neo Tech and other schools alike. “Let me carry your books for you.”

“You don’t have to,” You insist, moving slightly so the books are a bit more out of reach. Mark pouts in response, leaning forward again in another attempt to grab the materials. He succeeds this time, his hand slipping around the stack and drawing them away from you. “Persistent, huh?”

“Guess you could say that.” He chuckles, wrapping the books in his arm just as you had done. This is the only plan he thought of to spend time with you outside of a studying environment, but he hopes you don’t notice these intentions. “We have class together anyway.”

“And where are your books?” You raise on eyebrow questioningly, beginning to walk with him beside you. History was never your favorite class, but you stayed on top of the work anyway. It was easier, you realized very early on, to get the work out of the way so you’d have more time for studying and other extracurricular activities.

“I leave them in my desk.” He shrugs, looking over to see you smiling widely. The baby pink color that takes over the apples of his cheeks is extremely obvious, but you don’t comment on it. Seeing Mark flustered is cute, you determined as soon as you had met him.

As the two of you walk through the large doorway of your history classroom, bubbly conversation fills the air. Your teacher, Miss Han, sits perched on her desk patiently. She was a nice lady, but it didn’t change the universal distaste for history among your class.

“Well, uh- I guess I’ll see you at the cafe.” Mark sets your books down on your usual desk quickly, scurrying to find his seat among some of the other basketball players that had this period with him. You recognize one of them as Hendery, a friendly acquaintance due to all the classes you two shared last year.

“I see you, Mark.” Hendery’s eyebrows raise in a teasing matter, shoulder bumping the boy next to him. Mark stares back at him, confused as to what he meant. “You carrying Y/N’s books.”

The explanation causes Mark’s blush to reappear, the heat becoming warmer and warmer upon his flesh. Hendery is one of the only guys on the team that he’s fairly close with, yet he still didn’t feel ready to tell him about his little crush.

“It was nothing, really. She’s tutoring me and I thought- why not?” He tries desperately to make his response seem nonchalant, but the act he puts on is no match for his flushed cheeks. Hendery, with one brow raised, eyes Mark’s cheeks. “Okay, maybe I think she’s kinda cute.”

“Bullshit! You like her!” He accuses in a whisper-shout type of voice. Mark groans in response, softly hitting his shoulder with a closed fist. A cackle leaves Hendery’s lips, his hand coming up to muffle the sound. “Dude, just ask her out! You’d be a very lucky guy.”

“I can’t just ask her out!” It comes out as a high-pitched shriek. “It’s not that simple. I mean, it is that simple. But what if she says no? Then I’ll have to deal with rejection and seeing her every day for our study sessions and-”

“Mark, you’re way too worried. Do you want me to talk to her? Find out some dirt? We had a few classes together last year-”

“N-No! That’s too obvious!” His voice sounds so exasperated by now, Hendery is afraid he’ll pass out. Talking with his hands is a nervous habit that happens when he’s rambling, and right now is no exception. “I don’t know what I’m gonna do, dude.”

“Better hurry before someone else beats you to it.” At this, Mark’s head snaps in Hendery’s direction. Before he can even formulate a proper response, Miss Han clears her throat and silence falls upon the whole classroom. Throughout the lesson, though, Hendery’s words echo in Mark’s head. What did he mean by that?

“One iced americano and one green tea please.” Mark pulls out his wallet before you have time to protest, and by the time your mouth opens to say something, his receipt is already printed. You didn’t expect him to order for you when he asked what you liked from this shop. Oblivious, he turns to you and stops in his tracks when he sees your surprised expression. “Huh?”

“You didn’t have to pay for me.” Your voice is firm but you’re grinning over at him, ignoring the way your whole body feels warm because of his display of generosity. Buying drinks shouldn’t be such a big deal, you remind yourself. “I owe you a lot now- carrying my books and now coffee.”

“Don’t worry about it.” He shrugs, before examining the shop to find the best seats. He decides on the small table in the corner, shuffling towards the spot silently. Your brows furrow at his response, hoping for something a bit more engaging in terms of conversation but realizing that Mark wasn’t quite good at conversing in general. At least, around you, he didn’t seem to be.

The cafe became a regular stop before your tutoring sessions, the two of you eventually decide that the library was a better spot for studying. So, almost every day after school, you two would rush over there to pick up your usual orders before racing back to the library. Most of the private rooms filled up after dismissal, so you two always made it a point to manage your time efficiently. Coffee runs and then studying- that was your routine.

You had hoped to test the waters with some flirting, but your efforts seemed to go unnoticed. And when they didn’t, Mark would be a nervous wreck in response. You wondered if you should try your luck outside of your study sessions, but you didn’t have many opportunities since he sat nowhere near you during your shared classes. Study sessions and coffee runs seemed to be your only options.

On numerous occasion, Mark would slip his wallet out and pay for your coffee without a second thought. These events would result in a whole lot of whining on your part, always arguing that you should treat him once in a while too. He liked the idea of spoiling you, he wanted to say, though the invisible filter that was stuck in his throat never allowed him such a luxury.

Plus, the look on your face was equally as cute as your whines. Although you tried to be angry, the lopsided grin that always appeared made Mark’s stomach do flips. How was it possible to be that effortlessly pretty? It would take the nation’s top philosopher, Mark thought, to figure that one out.

“Mark!” You call, jogging over to his locker where he stands, putting his books away. He focuses on not being a clumsy mess then looks over at you, spending extra time admiring your all-black outfit: leggings and a v-neck. He forces his eyes not to travel south of your face, instead putting on a small smile. “I was wondering where you think we should study? The library is gonna be closed for a staff meeting today.”

Without thinking anything through, Mark immediately answers with, “Actually, my parents are out of town this week. We can study at mine if you want.”

Fuck. His eyes widen at his own words as soon as they come out. You can’t help but be surprised too, but your shock quickly turns into something much less decent. At this point, you’re dying to get your hands on him. You know that if you two have your study-session today, you’ll jump his bones the minute his hand so much as grazes yours.

“Oh, okay. Cool. So I’ll meet you after 8th,” You conclude with your voice sounding like pure honey to Mark. As you turn and walk away, Mark is unsurprisingly staring at your figure in those damn leggings. He wonders how much thought you put into your outfit, if you’re wearing it on purpose to torture him. He shakes the thoughts out of his head when he feels excitement course through his veins and towards the southern region of his body. No way is he going to get a boner now. Demanding his attention elsewhere, he rips his eyes away from you and tries to think of anything but how good your ass looks.

P.E. was always Mark’s favorite class. For most of his life, his Phys. Ed teachers had consistently been carefree and maybe a bit lazy. Their go-to lesson plan comprised of a few laps around the gym and then free-choice sports. Most of the girls opted for volleyball and badminton while almost every single boy could be found on the basketball court in the midst of a friendly scrimmage. Today is no different from the rest of those times.

Mark enjoys the friendly competition but easily leads his team to a win. He has gym with some of the other guys on Neo Tech’s basketball team, and it was easy to see how well he’d fit in with the pace of the other guys. At his old school, it always felt like he was being held back. He had to slow down his plays and examine the court thoroughly before he was able to make a proper judgment of his next move. With the Neo boys, everything seemed to come naturally.

He was able to gauge each player’s strengths and weaknesses fairly quickly too. For example, Hendery was a great shooter under pressure. When he gets boxed in by other defenders, that’s when his shooting is the most precise. So with that in mind, Mark always looks for Hendery when he notices that the opposing team’s defense is particularly aggressive that day. His judgments haven’t failed him thus far, with today’s scrimmage resulting in another win that should go down in the books.

Basketball was something that came easily to Mark his whole life. Talking to girls though? Not as much. He excelled on the court, took the lead and kept a risky attitude with unexpected plays and passes. He fits in well with Neo Tech’s strategy and game style. Plus, the guys on the Neo Tech basketball team were quick to befriend him and make him feel right at home. That is, of course, until he overhears one of his teammates, Lucas, talking to another teammate in the locker room as he begins to pack up his stuff after their particularly long scrimmage.

“Bro, are you really gonna shoot your shot with Y/N?” The other one- Xiaojun, he thinks- asks the taller boy. Lucas shrugs a little, folding his gym clothes neatly before placing the pile back in his locker. He’s not wearing a shirt, and Mark can’t hide the feeling of insecurity that seeps into his veins. Mark’s never been as built as that, but he never thought much of it until now.

“I mean, probably. She usually comes to our games, right?” He looks back at Xiaojun, eyebrows raised. The boy nods back slowly, a look of uncertainty on his face. “She’s so hot, especially in that one skirt she always wears.”

Mark’s jaw tenses and his whole body becomes rigid before he can calm himself down. He knows, in his mind, that he doesn’t technically have a right to feel possessive. He hasn’t made a move, so who was he to stop Lucas’s plans? This thought doesn’t stop him, however, from feeling the sudden urge to punch Lucas in his pretty face. It annoys him that all Lucas has to say about you is ‘She’s hot.’ To Mark, you were so much more.

He loves the way you insist on helping him and accept nothing less than 100% effort on work. He loves how you smile proudly at him when he finishes his worksheets with no errors, how you blush every time he pays for your coffee before a study session, how you always find a way to get something done if you commit to it, how you genuinely care about how his day went when no one else seems to ask. You’re more to him than a nice body in a short skirt. Much, much more.

Hendery notices his tense shoulders and pensive facial expression, quickly grabbing the shirt that was draped over his shoulder and sending a soft wack to Mark’s back. This seems to do the trick, his face softening when he realizes it was Hendery who hit him.

“Ignore them,” Hendery orders, folding the shirt in his hands and placing it back in his locker. He’s friends with both Lucas and Mark, but he can tell how much Mark likes you. Lucas’s crush would pass with time, it was a never-ending cycle with that one. “Lucas isn’t her type, trust me. And if you’re so worried, make your move.”

This time, Mark realizes that Hendery is all too right. He needs to do something-anything, before it’s too late.

Yet again, the end of the day comes too quickly for Mark to process. He blankly shuffles out of the lab room and is taken by surprise when he sees you leaning against the wall opposite the doorway. You push yourself off the wall when you spot him, and take into account how good he looks when he’s out of it. It makes you wonder how he’ll look when he’s all fucked out and-

“Ready?” Mark interrupts your thoughts. Instead of saying anything, because you don’t trust your voice at this point, you simply nod and begin pacing your walk so you’ll be shoulder-to-shoulder. Your shoulder brushes against his occasionally, but neither of you shows any sign of being bothered by it.

The car ride is full of thick tension and utter silence aside from the soft hum of the radio. Mark’s grip on the wheel is tighter than he’s used to but he can’t help it. He can feel your eyes on him, his skin beginning to warm underneath his usual basketball shorts and a loose tee. You study him shamelessly: the veins of his arms that bulge occasionally when he shifts the wheel one way and the other, his habit of biting his lower lip when the car in front of him drives too slow, and the simple things like the contour of his jawline.

He pulls into a driveway and you aren’t surprised by how lavish his house is. His mother and father are both high-ups in some big company, as Mark had put it. They take business trips often but still find time for their beloved son, while his older brother is away at the number one university in the country. One might ask why Mark needs an athletic scholarship if his parents have so much money. He thinks of it more as a pride thing. His father, before becoming a businessman, was also on an athletic scholarship for soccer. His older brother has one for baseball while he studies Marketing and International Finance. Sports scholarships were almost like a family heirloom for the Lee’s, along with a business degree.

He jumps out of his seat, closing the door behind him before rushing to the passenger side to open the door for you. Under normal circumstances, you might’ve blushed. But with Mark, you know you have to be the confident one between the both of you. No matter how flustered his smiles make you and how weak in the knees his deep voice makes you, you force yourself to put on a bold front.

“Welcome to my humble abode,” Mark snorts as he leads you through the foyer to the carpet-clad staircase. Humble was one way to put it. The whole interior has a simple, all-white color scheme. Upholstered leather loveseats were positioned neatly down the halls, with minimalistic tables to match. You let yourself take in your surroundings as both of you walk through the maze of his house towards what you presume will be his bedroom. Your guess is right; he stops in front of a white-painted wooden door and opens it just a bit to peek inside and make sure nothing was out of place. He breathes a sigh of relief that he decided to move anything remotely embarrassing to his walk-in closet as soon as he started his new school. Opening the door wider so that you could enter, you step in hesitantly and watch a little too intently at Mark closing the door firmly behind him.

His room is somehow exactly how you pictured it; a light blue color paints the walls. His full-sized bed leans against one wall, with posters of his favorite movies hovering above the headboard.

“Shit, I just realized that my desk-” You glance behind you, seeing his computer which took up most of the space that the desk had to offer and the somewhat large gaming chair that was tucked comfortably underneath said desk. Almost thanking fate for throwing this curveball in your favor, you just smile reassuringly at him.

“It’s fine, Mark. We can study on your bed.” Mark’s eyes widen suddenly and you realize that you probably gave him too much to process at once. “Or the floor, that’s fine too.”

“N-No! I mean- whatever’s more comfortable,” He manages to stutter out. Mentally, Mark would have said something spicy just to see you blush. However, in reality, Mark just couldn’t muster up the courage to openly flirt like that. His lack of confidence had posed many obstacles for him over the years. It seemed the one place he was truly confident was on the court.

“Well, it’s your room so I’ll sit wherever you sit.”

He nods once before setting his backpack at the foot of the bed and jumping back onto the soft mattress. Scooting up towards the headboard, he waits for you to do the same. You ignore the excitement that bubbles knowing his eyes are on you, and take a seat next to him with your bag still in hand.

“So uh- what are we gonna start with today?” Mark tries so hard not to seem phased by having a girl like you in his bed, but his patience is wearing thin and he can only blame himself. Maybe if he just made a move…

“We always start with trig.” You furrow your brows in confusion because it’s become a set routine already. Trig was always first because that was the subject he was most behind in. English was obviously not a problem for him and in terms of science, he was just behind with lab work that he could complete in school. “Then, we brush up on some science. I don’t really think you need it, though. You’re almost caught up with your lab work.”

“Oh, yeah. Right, of course.” He has to physically focus on not rambling or he’d be a mess all over. Of course, you know this by now. And while his shy and awkward demeanor is definitely adorable, it also makes you hesitate to try anything with him. After all, what are the chances of the shy boy in front of you gripping you up only to have his way with you?

Mark begins working on the sheets you give him almost as soon as you hand them over, eager to complete the work and somehow finesse his way into spending more time with you. He was being dumb, Hendery would continuously tell him. He should just go for it, because with a tutor ‘as hot as Y/N,’ why wouldn’t he? His lack of confidence makes him want to pull his hair from the roots, but he resists the urge and silently completes the worksheets. He double-checks all of his work carefully so that no time will be wasted in going over stupid mistakes. With a sigh of relief, Mark hands the papers over to you and looks up at you nervously. You always look so stoic when analyzing his answers, it intimidates him yet also lights a spark of excitement at the same time.

“Well done. There were no errors, just make sure you remember to show your work because the question requires-”

“Y/N?” Your name slips out of his mouth before he realizes it. You fall silent, eyes lifting to meet his dark brown ones. “Um… Can we maybe t-take the day off? I think I’d rather be doing almost anything other than trig right now.”

You don’t expect this question, because he’s never asked for a break. It was always about him being up to date with the curriculum so he’d be able to be part of the starting five. What you also don’t expect is for his eyes to flicker, very briefly, to the exposed skin of your upper body. There’s only a bit of cleavage showing, and a peek of your collarbones visible from certain angles. Suddenly, you realize that the time for making a move is now. And you can’t pass up the opportunity.

“What did you have in mind?” Your voice dripping like honey in the air. Slowly, you push the papers and books away from you and they hit the carpeted floor with a light thud. Mark gulps, finding his mouth dry when his mind goes blank with what to say next. Come on, Mark. Keep it together.

Instead of saying anything that might ruin the moment, he simply mimics you and pushes the books off his lap and onto the floor. When he turns back to face you, he’s met with your challenging gaze and he can’t help himself as he leans towards you without any doubt in his mind.

Your noses brush against each other, his face so close that you could feel every minty breath he lets out. You know what’s about to happen, and you no longer have the patience to delay it any further. Mark’s hesitant ways, while sweet and gentlemanly, drive you to the brink of insanity. And so, with a deep breath, your hand lifts to pull his face to yours. Your lips softly press to his, letting him process the fact that you’re actually kissing him before you grow impatient. Feverishly, you move your mouth against his. Mark swears he’s in heaven when he slowly opens his mouth a bit wider and your tongue automatically swipes against his. He’s been waiting for this moment- to feel your lips against his, to taste you in more ways than one. He needs it all, right now.

“Y/N,” He separates from you to breathe out your name. You practically bite back a moan, humming in response while his hands grab your waist. You expect him to say something, but he just kisses you again with more confidence than before. As he slowly leans back against the headboard, you follow him absentmindedly, simply chasing the heat of his lips against yours. You’re straddling him now, his hands moving to grip your ass cheeks with greed. The force makes you roll your hips in response, grinding down onto him unintentionally which makes Mark’s breath hitch.

You experiment, repeating the movement and pulling away from him only to see his reaction. His eyes are focused on the movements of your hips above his, concentration straining his face. After flipping your hair to one side, you continue your slow torture and lean down to kiss the spot below his ear. With his hands firmly clasping around your hips, you suck at his supple skin and lick over the spot when you’re done. By now, his breathing is a little heavy and uneven as his erection pressed against your clothed core. You feel him against you, his basketball shorts doing little to conceal his excitement.

“You’re driving me crazy,” He whispers as he drops his head to the crook of your neck, his breath tickling you slightly. You relish in knowing that the feeling is mutual. With every huffed-out breath, every soft kiss on your skin, you only become more reassured that you want this- and it makes it all the more worth it knowing that he wants this too.

You break the kiss to rid yourself of your t-shirt, the material on your warm body frustrating you a bit more than you’d like to admit. As you meet his eyes again- they’re filled with a hunger that causes your stomach to clench and arousal to pool within the confines of your panties- you can’t help the absolute urgency you feel to make him putty in your hands. So instead of kissing him again, you play with the hem of his loose tee, letting your hands graze over the skin of his abdomen. He hesitates, remembering the locker room fiasco with Lucas and suddenly he feels that insecurity itching at his skin again. He isn’t extremely built, his athletic body on the more slender side, but you don’t mind at all.

From his demeanor, you can already deduce what’s bothering him. You press a sweet kiss to his lips, almost silently telling him that you liked him just as he is. A kilowatt smile lights up his face, and your cool hands against his heated skin make him grab at the material to discard it himself. He stares up at you, waiting for your next move because quite frankly, he likes you in control.

“These too,” You order, pointing at his basketball shorts. Mark is quick to shimmy them off of his body, leaving only his boxers to conceal the length of his cock from your eyesight, though the bulge is very much prominent. You debate whether or not to fuck him then and there, but decide that having him writhing from your mouth alone would satisfy you more.

With a quick motion, you bring your lips down to the skin above the waistband of his boxers. He twitches slightly at the contact, and then feels your nails gently rake against his sides. He’s much too sensitive to your touch, and it almost scares him. How could you have so much power over him? Maybe it’s the way your plump lips push against his skin so confidently, how your eyes find his without a second thought. He envies your confidence, but he also finds it unbelievably addicting to have such control taken away from him.

Mark isn’t a virgin. But he also isn’t very experienced. His past sexual encounters were vanilla, with him hesitantly taking control because his girlfriends always expected such. His first time was awkward at best, his hips didn’t quite know how to fluidly move nor did his tongue know how to expertly flick against hers. He did get a bit better as time went on, or so he likes to think. But he feels so foreign to sex with you.

It might be because you seem so opposite of him- in terms of how easily everything comes to you. However, he doesn’t find it in him to assume anything about your sex life, because he doesn’t particularly care. He ignores any thoughts of how many guys you’ve been with or if they’d be better than him, because as your hands slowly pull his boxers down, he’s content with knowing all you’re thinking about is him, at this moment.

You hum pleasantly at the sight of his length free from its confines, a small bead of precum ready to drip from the head. Much to your surprise, your mouth salivates on its own at the sight. You stroke him twice in your small hand, before your spit comes down on the side of his dick. He watches you in awe as you slide him into your mouth without hesitation, your tongue running along the underside of his length. A guttural groan emits from the awestruck boy before he can stop himself, much to his dismay. It would make you grin if your mouth wasn’t preoccupied.

You begin to slowly, tentatively bob your head up and down on him as your hand twists up to meet your mouth. You look at him expectantly for his response, and it doesn’t disappoint. His hands fly to your head, fingertips smoothing over your scalp while he sucks in a harsh breath. His mouth drops open soon after, the warm and slick tunnel of your mouth proving to be quite the pleaser.

He feels nervous under your stare once again, but he certainly can’t look away from the sight before him. With your plump, infamously glossy lips wrapped around the tip of his dick and your tongue sliding obscenely over the slit. He wants to memorize every detail of the picture painted for him, so he stares at you and forces himself not to look away. He sees everything: the way you blink slowly as you take him further into your mouth, the way you search his face for reassurance that you’re making him feel good, the way you twist your wrist in an almost tortuous way that feels so, so good.

“Fuck, I need to feel you.” He gently, regretfully pulls your head away from his crotch. Your mouth detaches from his cock with a quiet popping sound, a string of spit connecting his dick to your bottom lip. Your mouth is tinted red and a little swollen, a bit of spit still left on the side of your mouth. Even so, Mark still thinks you’re the most beautiful girl he’s ever seen.

He decides that, eventually, he’ll ask you out. The turn of events today is unexpected and definitely not what he had in mind, but he’s in too deep to put a stop to it now. He wonders if he fucked up his chances by going along with this, if you’d reject him because of the irony of him asking you out after he’s had his way with you. He swallows the nervous feeling that is rooted deep in his chest and stems out to the entirety of his body, pushes it aside to deal with later.

You undress quicker than Mark can process his thoughts, and for the first time since you’ve met him, your confidence wavers. Confidence was always something that came and went for you- the brave front you had put on didn’t quite prepare you for feeling Mark’s hungry eyes all over every inch of your body.

“Y/N- you’re so beautiful.” He motions you to get on top of him again, and you comply shyly. He kisses your lips once, then your cheek, then your neck, then your shoulder. All until you’re smiling so wide that you feel a pinch of pain in your cheeks. Mark Lee definitely owns your heart, no point in denial any more.

“W-Would you want to uh- ride me?” He stutters out clumsily, his hands finding purchase at his sides. This is why he likes that you take control. For one, it’s sexy as hell. For another, it gives him less room to be the nervous mess that he usually is.

At his question, your demeanor changes from a slightly nervous girl feeling so bare underneath his gaze to something even you didn’t know you had in you. You can feel your arousal as you slowly move closer to him, your thighs on either side of his. His boxers are still hanging just below his knees and he hurriedly kicks them off all the way.

“Condom?” You ask, eyes searching around his bedside but to no avail. Mark fumbles a bit, keeping one hand around your waist securely while the other rummages through the bottom drawer of his nightstand. After finally locating the box of condoms his mom insisted on giving him during freshman year, he pulls the foil packaging into sight. It’s almost embarrassing how quickly his hands make work to slide it securely over his length, but his desire is clouding his judgment more than he expected.

“You’re sure you’re okay with this?” His voice is a bit breathless as he carefully tucks some of your hair behind your ear. The action makes your face warm and quite possibly your heart. But you don’t admit that. Instead, you nod curtly before pressing a reassuring kiss to his lips. Without skipping a beat, you take hold of his cock and align it at your entrance. You run the head back and forth between your folds, but realize you’re only putting yourself through further cruelty with every second that passes with no relief to the throbbing of your core.

So without warning, you sink down on him at a painfully slow pace. Your slick folds welcome the stretch of his girth, the very feeling of him making you shiver with sensitivity. Mark looks down to where his dick is being swallowed by your core, finding it harder and harder to hold on to his sanity as you sink further down on him. You let out a soft, delicate moan when you feel him fill you up completely, and Mark swears he could cum just from hearing those angelic sounds. He then decides, if you two do this again, he’ll fuck you into his mattress until you’re crumbling at the seams because of him.

“Shit,” He mutters under his breath when you start bouncing on top of him. The sound of skin slapping against skin proves to be quite the soundtrack as you desperately grip his shoulders. You bite your lip in an attempt to muffle the screams of pleasure just aching to come out. Your moans come out in whimpers when Mark uses his thumb to draw figure 8’s on your clit. He’s biting his bottom lip, his facial muscles strained between a fucked-out state and a concentrated one.

“Such a good boy,” You muse lightly without even thinking. Your voice mumbling such praise causes Mark to gulp, and he’s strangely even more turned on. Then again, you’d been awakening emotions and sensations that Mark hasn’t quite felt before, didn’t even know were possible. On your side, you’ve never tried much dirty talk during sex, but for Mark, you were willing to try. You can tell he likes it by the way his grip on your hips tightens and his breathing becomes heavier. And so, as he pants and groans softly next to your ear, your pace turns merciless. You bounce on him with an unrelenting pace and he knows you won’t stop until he cums, hard.

“Oh fuck. Oh shit.” Profanities spill from his mouth, his eyes screwing shut intently at how good the friction between your folds was. He forces himself to continue rubbing circles into your clit, albeit a bit sloppy, but circles nonetheless. You’re only more motivated by his lewd sounds, feeling your walls clench even tighter around his throbbing cock. The sensation causes an idea to form in your head, and you decide that his reaction will be the most satisfying part.

“Feels so good. Are you close?” Innocence laces your voice as you grab his hand and guide it to one of your breasts. Watching as he instinctively grabs it greedily in his palm, you notice how hot his fingers look wrapped around your flesh which only fuels your idea. Mark nods eagerly at your question, his breathy pants coming out shorter, more frequent, and sinful enough to make your head spin.

Abruptly, you begin rolling your hips against him rather than bouncing, causing him to look up at you. Then, you grab his hand again and bring it to your throat, making him wrap his fingers around the width of your neck slowly. Mark’s mouth drops open a second time this afternoon, feeling his hand tenderly squeeze around your neck. Your breathing becomes a bit restricted, but not enough to cause any discomfort. The force only makes your eyes roll back, while Mark turns to putty underneath you. After a few seconds, he releases his hold and brings his hand down to knead your ass, whispering something about how good you feel. Despite his seeming increase of confidence, all that Mark is thinking about is the power trip he got from choking you. Holy fuck, did that really happen?

“Gonna cum now, baby?” You force the question out when you feel him begin to pulse inside of you, leaning down to suck on the skin where his shoulder and neck meet and then licking your way up to just below his ear. Gently and carefully, you take his earlobe between your teeth and pull away slowly. Mark, by now, is a writhing mess underneath you. He can no longer contain his sounds nor his desperation to climax, bucking his hips up to meet yours. The combination of his thumb running over your clit repeatedly and his dick hitting just the right spot has a white-hot pleasure burning through your entire body. “Mmph- Mark!”

“Fuck! I’m g- gonna cum,” He yelps when he hears you moan his name, his thumb’s movement over your clit becoming rougher, sloppier by the second. He gives up on trying to thrust up into you, instead letting you ride him with an almost animalistic nature. His face scrunches up, a choked groan falling from his open mouth as he feels his climax course through his entire body. His seed fills up the condom, the sensation of release so utterly euphoric that Mark isn’t sure if he’s ever felt this good. Your pace on his dick slows before coming to a complete stop, breathing heavily and feeling so out of it even without an orgasm.

“Lay down, beautiful,” He rasps out, moving from his position and running his hand along your thigh delicately. His half-lidded eyes meet yours before you obey his command, positioning yourself in the middle of the bed with your head resting comfortably on one of the pillows. Mark hovers over you, pressing affectionate kisses all over your upper body before traveling lower.

“I’ve never done this before,” Mark admits shyly, sucking on the skin of your inner thigh before repeating the action to the other one. As he licks a stripe up from your dripping core to your clit, you feel a shiver run all the way up your body. Noticing your reaction, he sucks your clit into his mouth and rolls his tongue over the sensitive bud. Your drawn out moan tells him he’s doing something right, so he continues to flick his tongue over the bundle of nerves while he looks up to see your face.

“Shit! More, p- please.” Your pleads leave his ears red and his mouth watering, his tongue moving to slide between your folds with a soft moan. The vibration combined with his tongue darting in and out of you languidly makes you see stars at this point. “Oh my god- are you sure you haven’t done this before?”

He chuckles lightly, seeing your brows furrow in concentration as he forces his tongue to fuck your core faster and faster. One of his hands comes down to rub over your clit, your juices creating a squelching noise every time his tongue moved inside of you. Mark swears he’s never felt more proud when your hand comes down to grip at his hair, pushing his face further into you just as your thighs clench around his head.

“You’re so wet,” Mark praises before going back to thrusting his tongue between your folds. The taste makes him hum, vibration spreading through your lower region and making you whimper in satisfaction. Mark’s a quick learner, you see, when he continues to hum and groan into your pussy as his finger circles your clit consistently. “Cum, baby.”

You give in to his command, letting yourself fall apart at the seams underneath his mouth. Your pussy throbs around his tongue as you ride out your orgasm, a moan caught in your throat as your mouth hangs open in an ‘O.’ Mark happily laps up your juices, diligently downing every last drop before collapsing on the mattress next to you.

“Wow,” He remarks in awe, peering at you through the corner of his eyes. You’re still trying to catch your breath, but you laugh lightheartedly anyway as you turn your body to face him. A few pieces of hair cling to your forehead, and he delicately pushes them away from your face before caressing the curve of your jaw.

“The game’s coming up,” You comment, your hand toying with the one that wasn’t touching your face. The game was so important to him, you couldn’t think of anything else you’d rather talk about in this moment. “Aren’t you excited?”

“Well, yeah of course. A little anxious, but I think that’s normal before a big game.” Basketball might be the one thing he could talk about without a nervous bone in his body. No stuttering, no confusion, just speaking his mind. “Do you like basketball?”

You nod in response, giggling at the face he makes that’s somewhere between surprised and overjoyed. Basketball was something you enjoyed watching and analyzing, especially since it was such a big thing for the students of Neo Tech. Most schools prided themselves on their football team, but not Neo. Basketball had always been like gold.

“What do you think of our starting five? Maybe you can tell me something I haven’t picked up on.”

“Hmm,” You start, fully prepared for the rant that’s about to happen. “Xiaojun is a pretty amazing shooting guard, he almost always knocks down shots whether he’s open or not. Ten can’t be matched when it comes to being a small forward. He’s quick as hell, and I see him use that to his advantage a lot when he’s trying to get open. Hendery- where do I even start? He’s so versatile when it comes to shooting, perimeter shots and jump shots- it doesn’t matter, he can make them all. And his defense skills are crazy, he’s fearless even up against bigger guys. I mean, I guess that’s normal among power forwards but-”

Mark zones out a bit as he prepares for you to talk about Lucas. What were you going to say? Would your eyes light up when talking about him? Would you gush about how good he was? He hopes not, especially not after what just happened.

“Lucas is a good choice for center. He’s tall, so it makes sense that he’s the best at rebounds. His shooting ability is fairly decent, but he needs work on his passing in my opinion.” He’s surprised to see that you keep your comments completely analytical, not even blinking an eye as you continue your commentary. If Mark liked you a lot before, hearing you talk about basketball has him on the verge of calling out for cupid.

“And you-” Mark’s ears twitch, his attention completely and utterly focused on you. Had you seen videos of him playing at his old school? He dreads the thought, knowing that he wasn’t playing to his full potential back then. “Well, I guess we’ll just have to see this Friday.”

“Is it too early to say ‘marry me?’“ He jokes, and both of you laugh. Secretly, though, you wish he had been more direct from the beginning. Seeing him with his newfound confidence is even more attractive than seeing him flustered. You wonder what today will bring of your relationship, but decide to wait and bring it up after his big game. He needs a clear head, and so do you if you want to see him perform to the best of his abilities on game night.

[game night]

You aren’t disappointed in the least bit, savoring every minute of the game and concentrating on how good Mark is. His position was always point guard, and now you understand why. He has a certain talent, it’s not technical. Sure, he’s a great shooter and he’s ruthless with defense. But more importantly, he facilitates the team in a way that makes all of the players better. He plays using their strengths, knowing exactly who to look for in any given situation rather than making himself the star.

He leads the team flawlessly, and you’re sure everyone feels it too. The momentum the five boys build up in the first half is too strong for the other team to compete with. By the time half-time is up, it’s clear that Neo Tech will come out on top. There’s a certain feeling lingering in the air as the coach switches out Ten and Hendery for Yangyang and Jungwoo. No matter what the coach does, who switches out, the outcome is secured.

Despite how certain victory is, it doesn’t stop everyone holding their breath as the shot clock winds down to its final seconds and Mark steps back to launch the ball into the air. Everyone is still as the ball seems to move in slow motion, a loud swoosh sound echoing throughout the gym seconds before the final buzzer blares, indicating the end of the game. The crowd is immediately on their feet and cheering, high-fiving and fist-bumping all around.

You’re sitting in the first few rows, so it’s easy to run out onto the court. The school’s sports reporters, Chenle and Jisung, are already holding the microphone towards Mark to record a post-game interview for tomorrow’s newsreel. They only get to ask a few questions, though, before Mark’s eyes are on you.

A bright, proud smile graces your face and Mark is sure he wants to see that same smile every day of his life. You’re standing a few feet away, facing him and the rest of the boys on the team. This reminds him of Lucas’s conversation in the locker room, and he knows that now is no time to be shy.

So, he answers one final question before brushing off the two boys and turning towards you. His walk is confident now, as if he’s done this millions of times before. Now, he stands with you toe-to-toe and he lets his arms wrap around your waist slowly.

If it’s even humanly possible, you push your body closer to his and drape your forearm over his shoulder. His eyes stare directly into yours, the shy boy long gone and replaced with the same courageous Mark that was on the court tonight.

“How’d I do?” He whispers as he leans his forehead against yours, his breath tickling your nose. Everyone on the team is watching, but it doesn’t bother either of you. Instead of answering, you grasp his jaw and press your lips against his. It doesn’t take long for him to respond, his mouth moving against yours slowly and affectionately. You pull away after a few moments, still beaming up at him.

“I guess you finally got together, huh?” Hendery smirks from his spot on the bench beside the two of you, and Mark laughs quietly. Though, Hendery’s statement reminds him that he never did ask you out. His brow quirks upwards when he meets your eyes, the silent question spelled out right in front of you.

“Yeah, we did.” Your answer is what he’s been dying to hear since the moment you walked into Principal Yoon’s office, and it feels even better knowing that he isn’t daydreaming this time. This is real, you returning his feelings- it’s all real. And Mark couldn’t be happier.

“I told you she liked Mark!” Xiaojun throws a victorious, high pitched scream at Lucas as they walk towards the locker room.

#nct #mark lee #nct scenarios #nct reactions #mark scenarios #mark imagines #nct imagines #nct smut #mark smut #nct fluff #mark fluff #neo tech high school series #happymarkday #nct 127 #nct dream

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adustierstar · 5 years ago

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Lawblr Book Club

Hello naughty children, it’s time for Nissa’s Opinions

Coming in RIGHT under the wire for October book club, but still. I have read the reboggles I could find on T’s tag (bc tumblr search is what it is), and now it’s my turn.

General Questions:

1 - What did you like best / least?

I liked the worldbuilding a lot - I want to know more about the Reaches and the Travelers and why everything is made of wood in Kolonya?? Least... we will get to lol

2 - Would you read more by this author?

mmmmmmmmmmaybe. Like I want to know wtf happened, but I’m also still pretty mad about the ending. We shall see.

3 (a) - If this story followed a different character’s POV, who would you pick and why?

tbh the last thing this book needs is more POVs

3 (b) - Did you like how the three different sister’s POV was used to push the narrative forward? Did it make your reading experience more or less enjoyable?

idk, it was a little slow for my tastes. I did like that the girls all had different perspectives, but I wish they’d had more different personalities. Like Ren and Akeylah are the same person, just brought up with different abuse. And if Zofi has a personality beyond anger, she’s probably the same, too.

4 - What scene stuck with you the most?

I really liked the first time Ren and Zofi confronted Akeylah in the library - it was kinda “did we just become best friends?! YUP!” but also FINALLY gave them a team vibe and distinct specialties.

5 - What kind of lingering questions were you left with (besides the obvious cliffhanger WHY DID YOU DO THAT TO ME ELLEN)

literally what was the point of this being its own book if the single main conflict wasn’t actually resolved???

6 (a) - Could you relate to the characters & their story arcs?

Meh. I mean, a little bit? But overall I didn’t find them terribly relatable.

6 (b) - How do you feel about each character’s ending?

WHAT. ENDING.

7 - Were there times you disagreed with a character’s actions / would have done something different in their shoes?

YES MANY.

8 - Were you rooting for any character or pairing in particular?

I wanted to like Akeylah best bc she seems really sincere and genuine, BUT then suddenly all of her “I’m a secret genius” calculating stuff comes up and it’s a little tough to reconcile those things. I liked each of the girls okay, but I didn’t feel like there was a clear answer to who should rule (aside from Ren’s musing about all 3 of them, maybe).

9 - Do you picture any specific fancasts when reading the book?

The only one I have any clear idea what she looks like is Akeylah, but I can’t think of anyone who looks like that, you know? I think of Zofi as looking like an angry Ice Climber from Smash Bros. And like...idk maybe Letitia Wright for Ren? Maybe Lupita Nyong’o or Gugu Raw for Rozalind, unless she’s supposed to be the girls’ age, then somebody younger, I guess? Idk.

Story Specific Questions:

11 - Did you enjoy how each girl’s secret was teased out? Do you like when authors slow-roll this kind of information?

I do like a slow rollout (”who taught him ‘rollout’?!”), I think there’s a lot to be said for setting readers loose in medias res, BUT I also think it wasn’t handled amazingly here - idk maybe it’s just me, but I felt like it was sort of stage-whispering. Like “oh no I hope no one guesses my TERRIBLE SECRET!!! I would be in SO MUCH trouble!!” It just felt very obvious to me, although the secrets themselves weren’t obvious (the first time we learned about them).

12 - Do you think each character was fleshed out sufficiently, such that you had a sense of the different personality for each sister?

Not really? Kind of. An attempt was made with the girls, but basically no one else got any dimension whatsoever.

13 - Do you have guesses on who the blackmailer is?

Not really, bc this book broke every rule of how to write an engaging mystery. Like literally the only people who could POSSIBLY be it from the information we have are Rozalind, Vidal, and Andros, none of which really make sense given everything else, but like???? I guess Rozalind is my best guess bc she was acting kinda sus re: the acolyte etc. But I think that would be a bad choice unless a lot of other things change between now and that reveal.

14 - Was Yasmin a believable antagonist to you?

Like. I thought she was SCREAMINGLY obviously a red herring the entire book. She was brusque with the girls, and there was some weirdness in the first scene where the girls meet the king where I thought maybe she was possessing him, but that’s obviously just the weird mind link thing they did, and that’s it. Like being a bitch isn’t illegal.

15 - Do you think the daughters’ secrets were defensible actions?

Kinda? Like, definitely understandable, but like, is murder ever defensible? Ren had no reason to suspect her information would be used the way it was (whether or not Danton knew is something I’m not convinced on either way), Akeylah had no reason to believe she wasn’t cursing the man she fully expected to kill her (although MAYBE she should have paid closer attention during the cursing itself?? Like, the distance seems like it should have played a role in how hard it was to find “her father”), and Zofi perhaps overreacted, but used what seemed like appropriate force at the time in defense of another’s life (or rather she couldn’t/didn’t want to think of a way to simply restrain or incapacitate Nicolen, so stabby stabby). Was it stupid? Yes, for all of them. But they’re children (are they 18? I forget how old they’re supposed to be. Also, why are they the same age, if they are? was that just Andros’s Good Fuckin Year?)

16 - How do you feel about this unique system of magic?

WEIRD. I NEED MORE INFORMATION. WHY does the blood have to be drawn? Where does it go? What is the scarring situation with these people? What about the SHARDS OF GLASS permanently embedded in Zofi’s legs? Speaking of which, how the FUCK are Travelers out here hand-blowing glass in a mobile way??? That’s not a pick-up-and-carry craft! What’s the cooldown period for tithing? Why is it CALLED tithing? Who are you tithing TO? What negative effects are there for tithing for too long? Zofi mentions that they exist, but this is never explained. I feel like after all her reading, Akeylah should be able to answer these questions for me. BUT SHE DIDN’T.

17 - Was the theme of racism sufficiently handled?

Handled..??? If by that you mean vaguely suggested as existing and occasionally seems to have affected some characters’ lives, sure. Like, the closest we got was “Vidal’s not as racist as some other people yay!”

18 - Do you have any theories about the poem found in the library?

tbh I don’t even remember a poem in the library, just the notes about the weird echo situation.

19 - How did you feel about the cliffhanger ending?

BAD. VERY BAD. It was like the ending of Cars in that it retroactively ruined a lot of the book for me. NOTHING was accomplished in this ENTIRE book WHY

#lawblr book club

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breatheandblossom · 5 years ago

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House Moving Tips Every Homeowner Should Know

Transferring to a brand-new house can be exciting. Despite giving you a fresh start, it provides you with an opportunity to have a brand-new place you can call your own, and explore new opportunities. The truth that moving is terrific does not mean it is a bed of roses. It comes with its fair share of challenges. Primarily, moving is doubtlessly among the most demanding ordeals that homeowners deal with. It includes great deals of procedures, which require one to invest a lot of time, energy, and resources. The good news is, there is a way to prevent the discomfort that comes with moving. Below are some of the leading tips that will make your next move simple and smooth. 1. Select a removals firm as soon as possible Look-- there are countless movers in the modern-day market. Therefore, finding the best mover can not be challenging. Well, if this is what you are thinking, then you need to relax and think again. The availability of many removalists in the market makes it harder for property owners to find ideal movers for their needs. With a flooding market, it ends up being challenging for local authorities to regulate this trade efficiently. This makes it super easy for masquerades to thrive. What is much more perplexing is the fact that all movers use different types of advertising, therefore persuading their potential clients that they all offer excellent services that can not be found anywhere else in the market. This makes it simple for house owners to pick movers who fail to deliver their needs. To ensure your move is trouble-free, don't wait on the last week so that you can find an excellent mover. Do that as soon as now. You can find the best mover using a variety of methods that include; • Get referrals from friends, relatives, or associates There are high possibilities that at least one of your friends, colleagues, or members of your family have engaged a moving expert at some time. Therefore, seek to get as many referrals as you can. Ask all the questions that you feel will assist you determine the best mover. When you collect all the details you get, evaluate it, and recognize the suitable specialist for your needs. • Get referrals from other professionals such as roofers, builders, and electricians Do you have contacts with home builders, roofing professionals, or electrical experts? Well, these professionals continuously work with movers, and they might recommend a company that will offer you a smooth transition. Therefore, seek their advice, take your time, and do research about the referrals you get and make an ideal choice. • Go online With an internet connection, you do not need to leave your home to find the best moving professional, all you need to do is visit numerous review websites, evaluate different experts, see what previous customers and experts are saying about them, and select the one you feel can fulfill your desires. Search for the mover who takes pleasure in the most positive remarks, and one who has the highest ratings. • Check out local shops This is a challenging, yet the most reliable technique of discovering a fantastic removalist. Check out numerous movers yourself and do your due diligence. The movers you shortlist should have licenses and insurance coverages, should be certified, and should display the highest levels of professionalism. Likewise, they need to show you a portfolio of works done in the past to prove their experience and offer you a totally free no-obligation quote. Because you might get many movers who surpass your expectations, select the very best that you can afford. Also, do not forget to trust your instincts! In addition, hire a mover who can provide you with specialised services such as packing, animal moving, car removals, and piano moving.

Removals

Trusted Professional Removals Service in Blacktown and Western Sydney Our pledge at Reliable Sydney Removalists is a professional first class service. We treat everything we move as if we owned it and we take pride in being the movers you can trust in Sydney.

2. Make a list The second and the most essential thing you need to do when preparing to move your home is to make a list. Write everything that you need to do and include a timeline. Obviously, you are months away from the move, and you don't have to do everything now. However, you will experience a lot of stress if you decide to do everything during the last couple of days. Create a checklist and mark every item as soon as you achieve it. Doing this will ensure that you don't experience the inconvenience that comes with moving. 3. Get rid of anything you don't need ahead of time Look-- movers will charge you for the house move based upon the weight of your load. This merely means that the more items you have, the more the amount of money you will spend for your move. Considering that you will not need everything you have in your new home, consider decluttering now. Doing this will save you a great deal of time and money in the long-run. Remember, you don't have to throw away items you believe you will not need. There are a host of other choices available, including recycling and donating. These are doubtlessly, the very best alternatives to consider! 4. Produce a packing plan-- and pack now! Packing things can save you a lot of money. If you believe you have the time and you are able to pack things yourself, don't wait up until the last week so that you can begin carrying out the task. Packaging takes a great deal of time. Therefore, begin doing it now. First, buy packing boxes, or hire them from your mover when possible. Then, dedicate a few hours every day to pack a particular section or room. When you are done packaging, note that you will have lots of difficulties attempting to put everything in its place when you get to your brand-new home. For that reason, don't forget to label your boxes. Labelling packages might be as simple as writing "bed room stuff" on the top of the box. However, you may have numerous boxes consisting of bed room stuff. Therefore, you will find it much easier when unpacking if you could add more details in your description, such as "clothing for the master bedroom." When packing yourself, avoid overpacking boxes. Heavy boxes are tough to move and can break down and harm the individual carrying them. If you have the budget, consider hiring professional packers, so that you do not have to go through the tiredness and other challenges that ride together with this ordeal. Besides, why do all the grunt work while there is somebody happy to do it for you at a small cost?

5. Know what you can't move There are lots of things that movers are not allowed to move. They include plants with soil, tins containing chemicals and paints, aerosol sprays, explosives, guns, and a host of other harmful materials. You can donate a few of these things such as cans of paints and aerosol paints to your neighbours or to charity. Nevertheless, you will need to get rid of anything dangerous before you move. You may also need to check with your local authorities so that you can determine how some items, such as firearms, can be moved. If you do not want to leave the plants, you have looked after for several years, eliminate all the soil from the roots, place them in pots covered with plastics, and move them yourself. Nevertheless, there are movers who provide plant relocation as a special service. Eliminating items that can not be moved assurances your safety and that of the moving team. 6. Know what to move yourself and pack it There are some things that you can not leave in the hands of your mover, even if he holds the highest degree of professionalism. They include sensitive business files, home deeds, scholastic certificates, insurance papers, and wills. Others are super-expensive jewellery and paintings. If you are moving these items yourself, make sure you load them early. Because these items will not be covered by your mover's insurance, take care of them throughout the move. For files, scan them and save copies in a flash drive or in your mobile device. 7. Make sure your brand-new home is ready for occupation You do not want to prepare your brand-new home the minute you get in. You want your movers to find it prepared so that they can put everything in its place, and you can settle in a day. For that reason, have the house cleaned up and ensure it has all the fundamental utilities needed. If you have the time, you can clean the house yourself, if you do not, consider hiring professional cleaners, or better still, deal with a mover who provides cleaning services.

8. Load a moving day survival kit Now that you have everything is all set for the move, how will you and your loved ones survive on the moving day? Make sure you have a moving day survival kit loaded with the basics. It should have all the items that will take you through the day, such as phone chargers, treats, hot beverages, and toiletries. It is vital to have simple access to things that will keep you well-fed and hydrated during the hectic D-day. With everything ready, you will be able to fall straight into bed as soon as the move is over and you are settled in your new abode. 9. Don't exhaust your mind! Obviously, moving home is a big deal. You have lots of expectations, and there are countless things you need to be accomplished. Nevertheless, don't strain your mind. Do not have impractical expectations on what should be done. Look-- it is highly unlikely that you will have everything unpacked and settle on the first day. It will take time to ensure your brand-new home illustrates your personality. For that reason, do not establish the impression that everything needs to come together swiftly. As soon as you get to your new home, take some time to unwind. Enjoy the night in a local entertainment joint, or go out with friends (if you have some currently in the new place). You can even use your survival kit for a few days before getting things in order. Moving is not a walk in the park. Nonetheless, with the tips pointed out above, your relocation will be simplified, and it might become among the best experiences in your life.

#home living #abode #renovation #home ideas

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airailef · 28 days ago

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Arialief Reviews AU: Is This Natural Supplement Worth the Hype in Australia?

In recent years, the wellness industry in Australia has witnessed a growing demand for natural alternatives to pharmaceutical pain relievers. Among the rising stars in this space is Arialief, a supplement that claims to provide effective pain relief using a blend of natural ingredients. But does it actually live up to the hype? In this detailed review, we explore Arialief reviews in Australia, its ingredients, benefits, user experiences, potential side effects, and whether it's worth trying.

What is Arialief?

Arialief is a natural supplement designed to alleviate pain, reduce inflammation, and promote general well-being. Marketed primarily to individuals suffering from chronic pain, joint issues, and stress-related discomforts, Arialief has quickly grown in popularity across Australia.

What sets Arialief apart is its holistic approach—it doesn’t just mask pain but aims to address the root causes through a blend of plant-based extracts, essential nutrients, and anti-inflammatory agents. With the wellness market shifting toward clean-label and side-effect-free solutions, Arialief’s formula appeals to those seeking alternatives to conventional medications like ibuprofen or paracetamol.

Arialief Ingredients: What's Inside?

According to the manufacturer, Arialief includes a blend of scientifically-backed natural ingredients known for their anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties. While exact formulas can vary slightly by batch, here are the core ingredients commonly listed:

Turmeric Extract (Curcumin) – Known for its potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, turmeric is often used for joint pain and arthritis.

Boswellia Serrata – A herbal extract used traditionally in Ayurvedic medicine to treat inflammation and pain.

Ginger Root – Supports digestion and helps relieve muscle soreness and inflammation.

Magnesium – Crucial for muscle function and may help reduce cramping and discomfort.

Vitamin D – Supports bone health and immune function, especially important for individuals with joint issues.

These ingredients are non-GMO, gluten-free, and sourced naturally, making Arialief a suitable option for Australians looking for clean wellness products.

Benefits of Using Arialief

Based on verified customer reviews and testimonials from Australian users, here are some of the most commonly reported benefits of using Arialief:

1. Natural Pain Relief

Users consistently report experiencing reduced joint pain, back discomfort, and muscle soreness within 1-2 weeks of regular use.

2. Reduced Inflammation

Ingredients like turmeric and Boswellia Serrata help minimize systemic inflammation, making the supplement useful for conditions such as arthritis and chronic pain syndromes.

3. Improved Mobility

With regular use, users mention better flexibility and ease of movement, especially in the morning or after long periods of inactivity.

4. Fewer Side Effects

Compared to NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), Arialief is praised for causing fewer digestive issues and long-term health concerns.

5. Mental and Emotional Benefits

Some users note better stress management and mood stability, possibly due to reduced pain and physical tension.

Arialief Reviews in Australia: What Are Customers Saying?

The real test of any supplement is how it performs in the real world. Here’s a summary of what Australian users have said in online reviews:

★★★★★ – "Best natural remedy I’ve tried!"

"I’ve been dealing with arthritis for years and have tried everything from fish oil to prescription meds. Arialief has genuinely helped me reduce my daily pain. I’ve even cut back on my medication. Highly recommend it to anyone looking for a natural alternative." — Michelle D., Sydney, NSW

★★★★☆ – "Good results but took some time"

"I started noticing results after about 3 weeks. It’s not an instant fix, but the pain in my lower back has definitely become more manageable." — Andrew T., Brisbane, QLD

★★★★★ – "Game-changer for my joint pain"

"After a bad sports injury, I was relying on over-the-counter meds daily. Arialief helped reduce inflammation and let me stay active without popping pills all day." — Sophie L., Melbourne, VIC

★★★☆☆ – "Worked well, but a bit pricey"

"I think Arialief works well, but I wish it was a little more affordable for long-term use. Otherwise, great product." — Darren J., Perth, WA

Who Should Consider Using Arialief?

Arialief may be ideal for the following individuals:

Seniors dealing with arthritis or age-related joint stiffness

Athletes or fitness enthusiasts recovering from minor injuries or soreness

Office workers who experience chronic back or neck pain

People with inflammatory conditions looking for a natural alternative

Those sensitive to traditional pain meds or looking to avoid harsh pharmaceuticals

However, Arialief is not a miracle cure. Results vary from person to person, and it works best when paired with healthy lifestyle habits like stretching, physical therapy, and proper nutrition.

Are There Any Side Effects?

One of the most appealing aspects of Arialief is its low risk of side effects, thanks to its natural composition. Most users tolerate it well. However, a few potential side effects have been reported in rare cases, including:

Mild stomach discomfort (especially when taken without food)

Allergic reactions in individuals sensitive to ingredients like ginger or turmeric

Interactions with certain medications (especially blood thinners)

If you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking prescription medications, it’s best to consult your doctor before starting Arialief or any supplement.

How to Take Arialief

The recommended dosage for Arialief is typically two capsules per day, preferably with meals. For best results, consistent daily use is advised over several weeks.

Most users report seeing noticeable effects between 2 to 4 weeks of regular use. As with most natural supplements, patience and consistency are key.

Where to Buy Arialief in Australia

As of now, Arialief is not widely available in Australian pharmacies, but it can be easily purchased through the official website and select online wellness retailers. Buying directly from the manufacturer ensures you receive authentic products, valid discounts, and refund guarantees.

Many suppliers also offer multi-bottle discounts, free shipping in Australia, and a money-back guarantee, making it a risk-free purchase for first-time users.

https://www.santelog.com/actualites-sante-nasdaq/arialief-vitamins-reviews-complaints-exposed-2025-arialief-neuropathy-and officlewebsite:-https://finance.yahoo.com/news/arialief-supplement-vitamins-reviews-complaints-120300453.html https://finance.yahoo.com/news/arialief-supplement-vitamins-reviews-complaints-120300453.html https://finance.yahoo.com/news/arialief-reviews-doctor-investigation-reveals-144800523.html https://finance.yahoo.com/news/arialief-complaints-exposed-2025-user-122200912.html Facebook: - https://www.facebook.com/ArialiefOfficial/ https://www.facebook.com/arialiefau/ https://www.facebook.com/ArialiefAustralia/ medium:-https://medium.com/p/b4a39c31f17d groups google:- https://groups.google.com/g/arialiefreviewsau/c/Kq-Cn-8RyQ4 quora:- https://www.quora.com/profile/Arialiefau

#arialief

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lolasuarezmakeup · 5 years ago

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Home Moving Tips Every Homeowner Should Know

Transferring to a new home can be amazing. Regardless of giving you a fresh start, it provides you with a chance to have a brand-new place you can call your own, and explore new opportunities. The reality that moving is excellent doesn't mean it is a bed of roses. It features its reasonable share of obstacles. Firstly, moving is doubtlessly one of the most stressful experiences that homeowners face. It includes lots of procedures, which require one to invest a lot of time, energy, and resources. The bright side is, there is a way to prevent the discomfort that comes with moving. Below are some of the top tips that will make your next move simple and smooth. 1. Choose a removals company as soon as practicable Look-- there are thousands of movers in the contemporary market. Therefore, finding the best mover can not be challenging. Well, if this is what you are thinking, then you need to unwind and think again. The availability of many removalists in the market makes it harder for house owners to find perfect movers for their needs. With a flooding market, it ends up being difficult for local authorities to regulate this trade effectively. This makes it super easy for masquerades to thrive. What is much more bewildering is the fact that all movers use different forms of advertising, therefore persuading their potential clients that they all offer outstanding services that can not be discovered anywhere else in the market. This makes it easy for property owners to choose movers who fail to fulfill their needs. To ensure your move is hassle-free, don't await the last week so that you can find a great mover. Do that as soon as now. You can find the very best mover using a selection of techniques that include; • Get referrals from friends, family members, or colleagues There are high chances that at least one of your friends, coworkers, or relatives have engaged a moving specialist at some point. Therefore, seek to get as many referrals as you can. Ask all the questions that you feel will help you identify the very best mover. When you collect all the details you get, evaluate it, and determine the perfect professional for your needs. • Get referrals from other professionals such as roofing contractors, home builders, and electricians Do you have contacts with home builders, roofing contractors, or electricians? Well, these professionals constantly deal with movers, and they might recommend a company that will give you a seamless transition. Therefore, seek their advice, take your time, and research about the referrals you get and make an ideal choice. • Go online With an internet connection, you don't need to leave your home to find the best moving professional, all you need to do is visit multiple review websites, analyse different experts, see what previous clients and experts are saying about them, and select the one you feel can fulfill your desires. Look for the mover who delights in the most favorable remarks, and one who has the highest rankings.

• Check out local stores This is a challenging, yet the most effective approach of discovering a terrific removalist. Visit numerous movers yourself and do your due diligence. The movers you shortlist should have licenses and insurances, should be certified, and should show the highest levels of professionalism. Likewise, they should show you a portfolio of works performed in the past to prove their experience and provide you a totally free no-obligation quote. Given that you may get many movers who exceed your expectations, pick the very best that you can afford. Likewise, do not forget to trust your instincts! In addition, hire a mover who can provide you with specialised services such as packaging, pet moving, car removals, and piano moving. 2. Make a list The second and the most essential thing you need to do when planning to move your house is to make a list. Write everything that you need to do and include a timeline. Obviously, you are months away from the move, and you do not have to do everything now. Nevertheless, you will experience a great deal of tension if you decide to do everything during the last few days. Create a checklist and mark every item as soon as you accomplish it. Doing this will ensure that you do not experience the inconvenience that comes with moving. 3. Get rid of anything you do not need ahead of time Look-- movers will charge you for your home move based upon the weight of your load. This merely means that the more items you have, the more the amount of money you will spend for your move. Since you will not need everything you have in your brand-new home, consider decluttering now. Doing this will save you a great deal of money and time in the long-run. Remember, you do not have to get rid of items you think you will not need. There are a host of other choices available, consisting of recycling and donating. These are doubtlessly, the best options to consider!

movers Northern Beaches

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4. Create a packaging plan-- and pack now! Packing things can save you a great deal of money. If you think you have the time and you have the ability to pack things yourself, don't wait up until the last week so that you can begin carrying out the task. Packing takes a lot of time. Therefore, start doing it now. First, buy packing boxes, or hire them from your mover when possible. Then, commit a couple of hours every day to pack a specific section or space. Once you are done packaging, note that you will have lots of difficulties attempting to put everything in its place when you get to your new home. For that reason, do not forget to label your boxes. Labelling the boxes might be as simple as writing "bed room stuff" on the top of the box. Nevertheless, you may have several boxes consisting of bed room stuff. Therefore, you will find it simpler when unpacking if you could add more info in your description, such as "clothes for the master bedroom." When packing yourself, avoid overpacking boxes. Heavy boxes are hard to move and can break down and injure the person carrying them. If you have the budget, consider hiring professional packers, so that you do not have to go through the tiredness and other challenges that ride along with this ordeal. Besides, why do all the dirty work while there is somebody willing to do it for you at a small cost? 5. Know what you can't move There are many things that movers are not allowed to move. They include plants with soil, tins consisting of chemicals and paints, aerosol sprays, explosives, guns, and a host of other hazardous products. You can donate a few of these things such as cans of paints and aerosol paints to your neighbours or to charity. Nevertheless, you will need to eliminate anything dangerous before you move. You may likewise need to contact your local authorities so that you can determine how some items, such as firearms, can be moved.

If you don't wish to leave the plants, you have looked after for many years, get rid of all the soil from the roots, place them in pots covered with plastics, and move them yourself. However, there are movers who provide plant relocation as a special service. Getting rid of items that can not be moved assurances your security and that of the moving team. 6. Know what to move yourself and pack it There are some things that you can not leave in the hands of your mover, even if he holds the greatest degree of professionalism. They include sensitive business files, house deeds, academic certificates, insurance papers, and wills. Others are super-expensive jewellery and paintings. If you are moving these items yourself, make sure you pack them early. Given that these items will not be covered by your mover's insurance, take care of them throughout the move. For documents, scan them and save copies in a flash drive or in your mobile device. 7. Make sure your new home is ready for occupation You don't wish to prepare your new home the moment you get in. You want your movers to find it prepared so that they can put everything in its place, and you can settle in a day. For that reason, have your home cleaned up and ensure it has all the basic utilities required. If you have the time, you can clean up the house yourself, if you don't, consider hiring professional cleaners, or much better still, deal with a mover who offers cleaning services. 8. Load a moving day survival kit Now that you have everything is all set for the move, how will you and your loved ones make it through the moving day? Make sure you have a moving day survival kit loaded with the basics. It should have all the items that will take you through the day, such as phone chargers, snacks, hot drinks, and toiletries.

It is vital to have easy access to things that will keep you well-fed and hydrated during the busy D-day. With everything all set, you will be able to fall straight into bed as soon as the move is over and you are settled in your new home. 9. Don't strain your mind! Obviously, moving home is a big deal. You have lots of expectations, and there are thousands of things you need to be accomplished. However, don't overwork your mind. Do not have impractical expectations on what should be done. Look-- it is highly unlikely that you will have everything unpacked and settle on the first day. It will require time to ensure your brand-new home depicts your character. Therefore, do not develop the impression that everything needs to come together swiftly. As soon as you get to your brand-new home, take some time to relax. Enjoy the night in a local entertainment joint, or go out with friends (if you have some already in the new place). You can even use your survival kit for a few days before getting things in order. Moving is not a stroll in the park. Nevertheless, with the tips discussed above, your relocation will be simplified, and it may become one of the best experiences in your life.

#home decoartion #room decoration #room ideas #home style

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professionaldevelopmenttara · 6 years ago

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Terms for UX Design and what they require you to know:

When researching jobs in relation to UX Design, I came to the realisation that many had different titles and required different sets of skills...even though it is the same job. I was already expecting this as a result of my research in relation to my dissertation topic where I explore the role of a user experience designer and how there isn't a clear cut as to what the job entails.

I began looking on Indeed where I can find a collection of jobs listed instead of having to individually pinpoint each individual job on the agencies website.

Here are a list of titles as a UX Designer I’ve come across and what they require:

Lead UX Designer (UCD/Agile)

https://www.indeed.co.uk/jobs?q=designer&l=Lancashire&start=130&vjk=196066371f424dc9

Responsibilities:

Inform aspects of user-centred design including information architecture, task analysis, user flows, content hierarchies, interaction design, prototypes, personas, mental models, task flows, rapid prototyping and usability testing

Leverage user research insights, business strategy to help create informed and innovative web/mobile/tablet concepts and drive them to completion

Collaborate with researchers on conducting user research and testing

Involvement in workshops, research and testing

Develop and produce artefacts across the full design spectrum as required by projects (sketches, prototypes, storyboards, annotated wireframes, experience maps and narrative)

5+ years of experience

Ideally a relevant degree - HCI, Interaction Design, Usability or Cognitive Psychology

Definition of Cognitive Psychology:

What HCI involves:

Good experience and competency across a wide range of design tools, design software, techniques, UX methodologies and processes - and know when to use them. You have broad experience across the full design spectrum but deep specialist knowledge of UX design and always ensure the highest quality output, rooted in a deep understanding of your audience

Experience of working in an Agile/Lean UX environment with Designers and Product Managers

Demonstrable knowledge and passion for user-centred design practices for web, service or software development

Working knowledge of prototyping tools such as Sketch, Marvel, InVision, and Framer.

UX Researcher:

https://www.indeed.co.uk/jobs?q=designer&l=Lancashire&start=120&vjk=30881730ae24309e

Key Requirements:

An exceptional ability to build relationships with cross-functional stakeholders- Product Managers, Tech Leads, UX Designers- and provide the right motivation and detail for stakeholders to help make the customer product experience as easy to use and seamless as possible.

Ensure that the User Experience across all products is well understood, documented and communicated across all business areas for a multitude of business owners.

Working closely with the UX and Product Designers, Product Managers and key stakeholders to understand and quantify the commercial impact of your research.

Expert knowledge and hands-on experience with : usability testing, ethnography, contextual enquiry, creation of user personas, journey mapping, surveys, competitor analysis.

Notes from this:

Seems to be very much relying on ability to communicate with other team members of the different roles to be able to for fill the position. Which also ties in with my dissertation, that UX Designers/Researchers need to work together with the other roles in order to create a product.

UX/UI Designer with HTML experience Required

https://www.indeed.co.uk/jobs?q=designer&l=Lancashire&start=80&vjk=65f39f04222e2652

Required Experience

Minimum of 5 years experience as a UX/UI Designer

HTML experience/Coding Experience

Highly successful problem solver that is organised, detailed and extremely collaborative

Strong communication, presentation, and creative challenge-solving skills

Have an eye for great design and good background knowledge of UX design principles and practices.

Knowledge & experience in lean/agile product development, mobile platforms, and European market trends.

Strong skills of strategic creative thinking, user-centric design process/principles, verbal and written communication, and teamwork.

Experience dealing effectively with non-creative decision makers

Solid understanding of web and mobile technologies.

Strong analytical skills, with a working knowledge of Google Analytics, SEO and SEM

Working experience with prototyping tools such as Axure, Invision, etc.

Experience in java script, html and css with an excellent understanding of front to back-end processing, API service experience, testing and debugging.

Notes on this:

Notice a lot of adverts mention agile and lean product development (something I need to look more into). This job requires 5 years experience within UX Design...could this because it is such a new role? Also requires knowledge one SEO and SEM which could also be seen as a separate role from what the UX Designer should do.

Service Designer (Creative,UX,Product)

https://www.indeed.co.uk/jobs?q=designer&l=Lancashire&start=70&vjk=c0322a17cde5a3bc

Experience and skills

A trusted and tenured reputation for leadership, design excellence and commercial savviness

Experience leading a team of service or product designers

In-depth and hands on experience of end to end design processes and tools

Proven talent for nurturing, developing, inspiring and leading teams

A storyteller with experience crafting narratives for senior audiences and bringing them along the journey.

Notes on this:

A lot of the experience within this job role is based surrounding leadership and working in teams rather than actual UX Experience.

Freelance UI Designer

https://www.indeed.co.uk/jobs?q=designer&l=Lancashire&start=60&vjk=c8665be547884a23

Skills:

4+ years industry experience

Outstanding digital design skills

Ability to make sure designs are easy to use and meet accessibility standards

Lots of experience in wire framing

Understanding of UX principles

Notes on this:

Isn’t this UX Design combined with UI?

User Experience / User Interface Designer (UX/UI)

https://www.indeed.co.uk/jobs?q=ux%20designer&l=Manchester%2C%20Greater%20Manchester&advn=9567474416701384&vjk=aed8426ac49da372

The successful candidate will have:

Strong UX design, wireframing, prototyping, mapping user journeys and design tools such as Axure and Invision

Ability to plan and execute user researcher, A/B testing and analysis

Workshop skills for gathering requirements and generating ideas

Notes on this:

Very research based and wire framing/prototyping skills required.

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under-atomic-skies · 6 years ago

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The Crooked Kind. Ch. 2

Let the River In

Summary: Fiddleford is a student at Backupsmore University. He meets a stranger at a payphone and makes an unlikely friend who, unbeknownst to him, has a long, complicated relationship with his roommate. The pair become close and eventually, a romance buds between them. What could possibly go wrong? (Tags will be updated as fic is updated)

Warnings: none for this chapter

Word count: 3,991

AO3

Ch. 1 || Ch. 2 (HERE) || Ch. 3 || Ch. 4

But now you’re drifting away

Now you’re floating along

And soon you’ll disappear

Stanley didn’t get that much sleep that night, more or less figuratively tossing and turning seeing as the front seat of the Stanleymobile didn’t leave much room for Stan to move around. His mind played through that prior evenings events over and over in his head, looking for any sort of excuse to not go to the cafe the next day.

It wasn’t like no one ever showed him kindness over the years. It just happened to be few and far in between. Old people tended to be the most generous. They’d hand him a few bucks with well wishes on their tongues, or sometimes would see him by his car, then come back a bit later with a warm meal for him.

However, these encounters made up just a small percentage of his interactions with others. Usually, they’d at least cast a harsh, disgusted look his way that he couldn’t help but compare to the looks his father (or even Stanford) would give him if only they could see him now. Shivering at the thought, he sighed and glanced out the window at the snow still drifting down from the sky. He couldn’t afford the gas to keep his car running all night, so it was downright freezing inside the Stanley mobile.

He sighed again. He couldn’t afford to pass up the chance for a free winter coat. Maybe that was all some cruel lie, that after meeting him at this coffee shop, the college student would return back to his friends, laughing at the joke he just played.

Yet a small voice in the back of his head nagged that the man didn’t seem capable of such things. Of course, appearances could be deceiving, and people could lie (Stan knew this better than anyone), but if Stanley was confident of one thing, it was of his ability to read people. The man seemed nothing but kind and generous. Hell, it was close to Christmas, maybe he had chosen for Stan to be his charity case.

That thought alone brought him little comfort. He never wanted to be anyone’s charity case, no matter how much he might need it.

‘Think of getting a coat and coffee this guy as stealing’, he told himself, ‘It’s for free so what’s the difference? It’s not like you can afford to pass an opportunity like this just because you’re nervous. What’s the worst he can do?’

Stanley mulled that thought over in his head. What could the guy do? He was so tiny, it wasn’t like he’d be able to actually fight him. The worst would be this was just one big joke with Stan as the punch liner. Considering how unlikely that was, Stan was willing to take that chance.

The next morning, he was up rather early considering he had been too cold and too busy wrangling his thoughts to get much sleep. The guy had said to meet him at the coffee shop in the afternoon, so Stan had several hours to blow before he needed to be there. That gave him just enough time to explore the town.

He couldn’t recall the name of the town, having driven past the old, dingy sign late at night. It hadn’t been his plan to stay this long considering he only needed to find a payphone and find a place to rest for the night, but it had been obvious this was a college town.

He always did fairly well in college towns. Or at least he did for a while, until he inevitably got chased out of town, or in some extreme cases, banned from the state. He still sold his silly little inventions like he did soon after he had gotten kicked out, but he realized there was a whole other untapped market in college towns, one that he wasn’t proud of but hey, money was money.

Seeing as he had enough gas in his tank to afford driving around rather than having to brave the frigid weather, he backed out of his parking spot and left the parking lot to coast through the town. Scanning the shops along the street, he was pleased for find that, like most college towns, there was a fair amount of bars lining the street. In the day hours, the bars had tables where patrons could eat and enjoy a drink at the bar, but Stan knew that by night, the bars would be a hotspot for college students itching to forget the stress of their studies by getting shit faced.

Mentally noting a few bars that looked rather populated, Stan planned to return that night.

When he had driven to the edge of the town where the shops were fewer in between, instead replaced by town houses, he pulled over, mulling what he would do next. He had only wasted about maybe fifteen minutes. He still had a lengthy amount of time until he had to go to the cafe.

Fingers rhythmically tapping along the steering wheel, he racked his brain. He supposed he could park the car and go into some of the bars and see if there was a bouncer he could make an arrangement with, but it was likely the bouncers were only there during the nights, so that was out. Glancing in his back seat, he noted the surplus amount of Stan Co. products that seemed to have made their home in his back seat. Stan Vacs, Total Shams, and Rip Offs were some of the more numerous. He’d been trying to clear out his inventory, so to say, for the past few years now, but as time stretched on, it got harder and harder as word of his shitty products got around.

But now he was several states further away from where he normally set up shop (metaphorically speaking). It was unlikely these people have heard of Stan Co., or any of his various alias’ that he had taken up over the years. Plus the weather was in his favour for once. People could sympathize with some poor bastard trying to make a living out in the cold winter weather. Deciding to stop in a gas station, he got the key for the bathroom and nubbed a razor from their small shelf of home supplies before closing himself in the dingy bathroom and locking the door.

Looking in the mirror caused him to wrinkle his nose at the sight of him. He quickly got to work shaving off the stubble he’d been accumulating and used water from the sink to wash his hair and face. There wasn’t much he could do about the bags hanging from his eyes, unfortunately. When he was content enough with his appearance, he flushed the toilet for good measure and returned to his car. He rooted through the trunk where he kept his good, professional looking clothes safely stored. Quickly changing into his suit, he straightened the bow tie in the drivers mirror before taking a deep breath, steeling himself to face the townsfolk.

He spent the better of the rest of the morning doing this. Most people slammed the door back in his face, and even more came up with some polite excuse to not buy his products, but he managed to get a few people to bite. He was walking back to his car when he glanced at the worn watch he had stolen years ago and cursed. He was going to be late!

He rushed back to his car and stuffed the rest of his inventions back into the back seat before quickly changing out of his suit and back into the same t-shirt and worn jacket he had worn last night. Tires screeching as he pressed down on the gas pedal, he whipped around and made his way back to the parking lot where he had spent the night.

He turned down the street in the opposite direction that he had seen the man take when he returned home and scanned the shop signs for a coffee shop. Sure enough, he found it a few shops down and walked in.

Scanning the people occupying tables, he quickly found the man’s mop of sandy blonde hair hunched over a textbook, eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

He was stabbed with a brief feeling of endearment, as well as betrayal, recalling seeing that exact expression on his brother on many occasions throughout their school life. He pushed that idea from his head and forced himself to stride over to the man. Once he got close, he looked up and broke into a grin, one that confused Stan.

“There ya are!” he exclaimed, “I thought ya weren’t gonna show for a moment there, but I’m glad t’ see ya!”

“Heh, sorry about that.” Stan replied tentatively, rubbing the back of his neck nervously, “I got a bit lost on the way here. Still don’t really know the town all that well.”

He felt bad lying to this guy, but he just couldn’t help himself. The less this guy actually knew about him, the better.

“No worries. Come on, let’s get ya a drink t’ warm ya up.” The man motioned for him to follow him as he led him to the counter. He ordered a drink and pastry for himself and stepped aside so Stan could order something for himself.

He glanced at the chalkboard behind the barista, and decided on a cup of coffee with cream and sugar. Stan stepped back out of the way for the man to pay when the man gave him a confused look.

“Don’t ya want a pastry?” he asked, as if it were some unspoken rule to get a pastry with his coffee. Stan hesitated, but as his gaze lowered to the glass case full of delectable pastries, his mouth watered too much to say no.

“I’ll get a cinnamon bun.” he told the barista, shooting a timid but thankful glance towards the man’s way.

He only grinned back and handed a few bills over to the barista.

“So, whatcha in town for?” the man asked as the pair waited for the barista to retrieve their pastries from behind the class case.

“Oh, uh…” Stan mumbled, glad when the barista straightened back up, offering their pastries. They took it and moved to the side to wait for their coffees. “I’m a traveling salesman.”

“No way!” the man exclaimed, and Stan was sure that he wasn’t actually as excited as he led on, “So you must have traveled all over the country, huh?”

Stan laughed awkwardly, “Uh, yeah, I guess you could say that. I’ve been outside of the country as well.” This part wasn’t a lie, but if Stan knew anything, it helped to sprinkle a bit of truth into his lies.

“What did ya say your name was?” The man asked as the barista handed him his cup of coffee.

Hesitating, Stan replied, “Uh.. it’s Sam. Samuel Pence.”

The man grinned and set his coffee on the counter to offer a hand to Stan. “It’s a pleasure to meet ya Sam. The names Fiddleford McGucket.”

Stan reached a hand out to shake his, but his gaze snapped up when the man mentioned his own name. Fiddleford McGucket? Yeesh that was a mouthful. Unable to help himself, a bellowing laugh tumbled from his lips.

“That’s quite a mouthful you got there. I’m just gonna call ya Fidds, alright? There’s no way I’m going to remember all of that.”

Fiddleford laughed in good nature and nodded. “Alright Sam. Fidds it is then.” The barista finally came over with Stan’s coffee and the two of them sat back at the table Fiddleford had been occupying previously.

As he sat down at the table with his coffee in one hand, and cinnamon bun in the other, his stomach gave a loud rumble. He hadn’t realized quite how hungry he was until the food was right under his nose. With the voration of a wild animal, he devoured the cinnamon bun, relishing in the sweet taste of the cinnamon and icing. He had been so wrapped up, that he hadn’t noticed Fiddleford’s look of sympathy as he watched this strange man woof down his food.

Leaning back in his chair, a smile, a genuine smile, tugged at Stan’s lips, that when his gaze finally met Fiddlefords, the other man couldn’t help but mirror it back at him, any trace of sympathy gone.

“I respect a man that enjoys sweets,” He joked, “If ya liked that, you should really try some of my ma’s homemade cinnamon buns.” he replied fondly. His eyes briefly widened as if recalling something, “Speaking of which, how was your mother?”

Stan’s smile didn’t disappear, but that forced strain had returned, “Oh she’s good.” he replied almost too quickly. Sure, his mother was good, but when he was late to call her, she had fretted and worried over him, shooting question after question at him. Are you eating? Are you safe? Are you warm? Have you talked to Stanford? His ma always asked the same tirade of questions, and Stan always answered with the same response. Yes, ma. I’m safe, I’m warm. You know I haven’t talked to Stanford. His mother was a pathological liar by trade, and he knew she could tell when he was lying, but she never pushed the subject unless he was late to call her.

“Are ya going home for Christmas?” Fiddleford asked before raising his cup of coffee to his lips.

“Heh, about that,” he replied, “My family is Jewish so we don’t celebrate Christmas, but no, I’m not going home for the holidays.”

“Not going home for the holidays?” Fiddleford replied, shocked as if he couldn’t imagine why someone wouldn’t go home for the holidays. Someone like him probably had a perfect, Hallmark family.

Stan shrugged, “Eh, yeah. Too busy here, ya know? Gotta make a livin’ somehow.” he replied. As if to deter any other further comments, he added, “Plus I don’t really got any family besides her, and she already has plans for the holiday. I wouldn’t want to impose.”

Fiddleford opened his mouth as if to reply but closed it, probably thinking better of it. He took another sip of his coffee, so Stan mirrored him, feeling the warm liquid trickle down his throat and warm him.

“Well, I know ya don’t celebrate Christmas, but how about I bring ya some of my Ma’s famous cinnamon buns that I was tellin’ ya about?” he offered, grinning as if he wasn’t about to take no for an answer, “You’re going to be in town for a while, right?”

Stan bit his lip. He really hadn’t been planning on it. He was just planning on passing through until he got to a bigger city, one that was hopefully further down south where it was warmer. Then again, when was the last time someone had actually wanted him around? This guy seemed to genuinely enjoy having him around, and wasn’t treating him like some charity case (even if he was) he could feel good about when he had returned to the warmth of his home. Still, to stay in town just for one person was a big deal.

“Oh come on! Just stay a bit! I can show ya around town if that’s what you’re worried about.” He playfully pouted, giving Stan the most pitiful pair of puppy dog eyes he’d ever seen.

Dammit. Maybe this guy was a better conman than he was.

“Fine, fine, I’ll stay for a bit.” Stan agreed, heaving a dramatic sigh, “You’re the youngest kid, aren’t ya?

Fiddleford’s eyes widened and looked at Stan with a shocked expression, “Yes, I am! How’d ya know?” It was unsaid, but Stan knew he was thinking ‘Are ya a psychic?”

Stan laughed, thinking his Ma would be proud to hear some poor kid thinks he’s a psychic, “‘Cause youngest kids always know just what to say, and how much puppy dog eyes to give to get what they want.”

Fiddleford gave a laugh, “So you’re an older brother then, huh?”

Stan scoffed and shook his head, “No, no. I’m a middle child; even worse.” he said, genuinely laughing. Sure, Ford was only older by a couple minutes, but he wasn’t quite ready to bring up his twin quite yet.

The two shared in their quiet laughter. Briefly, Stan wondered how he could have possibly thought this man was going to make a joke out of him. It was still so early to say so, but it had been so long since he had a friend, and Stan forgot what it had been like to just enjoy someone’s company.

The two idly chatted for a bit, merely enjoying the company of one another. Stanley gradually relaxed around the other man’s company. His strained, salesman smile he usually wore around other people gave way to a genuine smile as the southerner cracked jokes. He was feeling freer than he had in a long time. The impending stress that usually sat upon his shoulders was momentarily forgotten in favor of simply enjoying the company of the other man.

Unfortunately, Fiddleford glanced at his watch and cursed– or well, it might have been a curse in the south. Where did this guy even come up with something like sugar honey iced tea?

“I’m so sorry, Sam, I have to go! I totally forgot I have a class in a few minutes.” He replied, hastily packing up his belongings into a bag that Stan hadn’t noticed was hanging off his chair.

He couldn’t help but feel disappointed, not that he showed this. “Is that why you were readin’ when I came in?” Stan asked, gesturing to the textbook that Fiddleford was packing up. The southerner nodded. “Yes, finals week is comin’ up, so I’ve been scuttlin’ around trying to get everythin’ done.”

Stan only nodded, taking a sip of his coffee as he watched the man finally pull something out of the bag. “Oh! Here’s that jacket I promised ya! Thank ya again for takin’ it off my hands!”

Stan reached out and took the jacket from him. It sure was a thick ass jacket. The southern man really must not be acclimated to the colder winters. Other than a slight scuff on the sleeve, it was practically spotless.

As if Fiddleford could read his mind, he added, “Sorry about the sleeve. I’m afraid one of my mares bit it.” he replied.

Wait what? Mares? “You have horses?” Stan asked, cocking an eyebrow.

Fiddleford chuckles, “Back at home, yes. My family has a bunch of farm animals. We do live on a farm after all.”

Damn, so this man really was a farm boy. He should have guessed. He might be small, but his hands had the appearance of someone who could handle hard work. Stan shrugged the coat on over his jacket, smiling at how well it fit despite appearing to be heavier than the twig of a man.

“Oh good! It fits just like a glove.” Fiddleford responded. He set his coffee cup down and reached out. Stan couldn’t help but flinch, not used to people reaching towards him unless they had ill intentions. However, as the man’s hands turned the coat collar down until it was laying neatly, he felt his cheeks redden.

To his relief, the man didn’t acknowledge his flinch. “There ya go. It looks mighty fine on ya, Sam.”

Stan’s cheeks reddened even more, if that were even possible. He rubbed the back of his neck, not used to such kind words. “Hey, how about I walk ya to class? It’s the least I can do for you considering everything you’ve done for me.”

Fiddleford didn’t even hesitate. In fact, he seemed excited, and when was the last time someone had been excited to be around Stan? “Alright. It’s in a buildin’ not too far from here.” he replied, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

Stan nodded and stood up, coffee cup in hand. He and Fiddleford exited the coffee shop and Stan fell into step beside Fiddleford as the southern man led him towards his class.

“So, what are ya studyin’ anyway?” Stan asked curiously.

His jaw dropped as the man responded, telling him that he was studying mechanical engineering.

“Ain’t that hard?” Stan asked. He didn’t know much about college. Hell, he hadn’t even graduated high school, but he wasn’t dumb enough to not know what was generally considered hard to even people who were smart.

Fiddleford laughed shyly. “I guess so,” he replied modestly, “I’ve got a bit of an advantage though. Growin’ up on the farm as a youngin’, I was always fixin’ or improvin’ on the farm equipment even from a young age. Not to mention I used to build all sorts of silly robots to prank my siblin’s.” He chuckled at fond memories, a distant look briefly clouding his bright blue eyes.

Stan scoffed, shaking his head at the man, “You know, I gotta hear some of these stories.” he replied, laughing. Having pulled plenty of pranks himself as a kid, he could relate to pranking siblings, only he hadn’t been smart enough to actually build an entire robot to do it for him.

By now, they were standing outside a fairly large building. Students with backpacks slung over their shoulders walked around them, each heading to their own destinations. Fiddleford stopped and turned to Stan, chuckles tumbling from his lips.

“Somethin’ tells me you have some stories on your own, so why don’t we swap some when I show ya around town?” Fiddleford asked. Damn, this guy was good. Yet somehow, the thought of seeing this strange yet kind man again gave Stan a fluttery feeling in his gut that he just told himself was him being happy to finally have someone that he could maybe call a friend.

“Yeah, ok,” he replied.

Fiddleford grinned and patted Stan’s shoulder amicably, “Great! Since I won’t have classes tomorrow seein’ as it’s a Saturday, how abouts your and me meetup by the cafe again, get some hot chocolate before we hit the town? How’s noon sound?”

Stan thought for a moment. Tomorrow at noon gave him plenty of time to hit the bars that night and be ready by the next afternoon. He nodded, “Noon tomorrow it is!”

Grin ever present, Fiddleford nodded. “It’s a date then! See ya then, Sam!” He turned away to head into a building, raising his hand to wave just as he had the night prior by the pay phone. Stan waved back and turned to walk back to his car.

He hadn’t gotten back to the coffee shop when Fiddleford’s words rang back in his head. ‘It’s a date’. He halted in the middle of the store front, quizzical look on his face. He couldn’t really mean— no, he scoffed to himself. It was just an expression. Fiddleford was just a kind southern man. Those people had all sorts of weird sayings for things. He found it hard to believe that someone like Fiddleford would even want to be friends with someone like him, let alone anything else.

Shrugging his jacket closer to him, grateful to finally have some defense against the cold winter air, he resumed his walk back to his car, pushing the thought from his head as he instead focused on his plans for that night. Luckily Fiddleford didn’t seem like the type to frequent bars; Stan didn’t want the man to know what he did to put food on the table, so to say. He couldn’t imagine he’d be too happy if he knew, and didn’t want him to know that he was not merely some simple yet troubled traveling salesman. He couldn’t imagine that Fiddleford would want him to stick around if he knew the truth about ‘Sam Pence’.

#the crooked kind #ch. 2 #gravity falls #gravity falls fanfic #gravity falls fanfiction #fanfic #fanfiction #stan pines #stanley pines #grunkle stan #fiddleford mcgucket #fiddlestan #ford pines #stanford pines #grunkle ford #great uncle ford #stangst

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raptorginger · 7 years ago

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Netherfield Is Let at Last: Chapter 4 - Pull

moodboard by @prinecssleia, because they are awesome

Rey tossed and turned all night, unable to find any respite. She even added more pillows, but their downy softness did nothing to soothe her frazzled mind. So, she did what she always did on nights she couldn’t sleep; she wrote. Well, not write precisely, brainstormed might be more accurate. She stomped downstairs and made a cup of Sleepytime tea, settling herself with her cup on her couch under a handknit blanket. She pulled her laptop into her lap and lifted the screen, the bright light momentarily blinding. Opening the “Notes’ document in her Drive folder, she began to type furiously. Her editor and publisher had been pressuring her to add a love interest for the main character of her series, and an idea had finally come to her. Rey told herself that her sudden inspiration had nothing to do with the impossibly arrogant yet very attractive man she had just met. Nope, none at all, she thought as she typed a brief description into her notes that for all the world sounded like the Ben she had just met, except she added a vicious scar across one side of his face. Maybe her heroine, Kira, would be the one that bestowed it upon him. That could work, she mused. Rey chewed on her nail as she tried to think of a name.

‘K-Y-L-O R-E-N. V-I-L-L-A-I-N,’ she typed slowly, deliberately. She paused again, squinting in concentration as more ideas flooded her. The adversarial relationship Kira and Kylo would have early on. The differences in their ideals and methods. The realization that they were stronger together than they could ever be apart. Rey shivered as the chill of the summer evening began to finally envelope her exposed skin. She reached for the black cashmere sweater she’d thrown over the arm of the couch, tugging it over her head. She pushed the sleeves up just past her fingertips, giving a content sigh as the smell, Ben’s smell, fainter now, teased her nose. She began typing again.

‘V-I-L-L-A-I-N-?’

***

Rey awoke with her computer still in her lap, the screen black. She rolled her neck this way and that, trying to dispel the cramp that had taken root there. Sunlight was pouring into the room, illuminating dancing dust motes. Rey set her laptop aside and stretched long and painfully, her joints cracking after having been in a cramped position all night. She staggered to her kitchen and made herself a quick breakfast of toast and tea, munching and sipping while she watered the various small pots and planters scattered on the window sill and about the room. Looking through the window in the kitchen door, she saw Finn’s Mini Cooper still parked in her small back drive by her tiny garage. She sighed. Finn hadn’t come back last night. Her stomach gave a strange lurch when she realized she’d absolutely have to go back to Poe’s today to check on Finn. Where Ben was staying also. She pushed the feeling aside to examine later. Right now she needed to get ready.

When she rang the bell at Poe’s front door about an hour later, Rey was dressed in well fitted khaki capris, a pale blue three quarter sleeve top, and her favorite pair of black Converse, well worn and loved. She’d washed and dried her hair, wearing it in a low ponytail. She’d forgone makeup intentionally. She was not dressing up or wearing makeup to check on her friend. She hoped the sun hadn’t brought out her freckles too much. Finn always tried to reassure her that her freckles were adorable, but Rey was still insecure. Too many kids had teased her in the past about her freckles for her to feel confident about them now. She held Ben’s sweater tight to her chest. She absentmindedly wondered if he minded freckles.

As she reached toward the button to ring the bell again, the large front door opened abruptly. Rey had to practically crane her neck to look up at the platinum blonde who opened it. Dressed in dark skinny jeans, a white t-shirt, and a black leather jacket, they cut quite an imposing figure. They arched one pale brow, their pale blue eyes firm but not unkind. Rey vaguely recognized them as one of the people Ben had hung around with most of the night.

Rey cleared her throat, “Hi, I’m Rey! Umm, I’m here to check on my friend Finn? His car is still in my driveway, so I think he’s still here.”

“I’m Gwyn Phasma. Everyone calls me Phas. You were the one who Ben wouldn’t shut up about last night,” Phas said, the timbre of their voice quite pleasing to the ear. Amusement danced in their icy eyes. “Bravo on the excellent mic drop.”

Rey smirked. “That’s me, and thanks.”

Phas stepped back, admitting Rey into the impressive foyer. Rey’s mouth fell open as she took it all in - the gleaming golden wood, the curve of the large staircase, the beautifully inlaid floor. Large contemporary paintings and tapestries in bright colors were hung from high walls and beams. The odd shaped skylights in the ceiling let in an abundance of natural light, making everything glow.

“Impressive, isn’t it?” Phas commented.

Rey could only nod.

“Your friend might be out on the patio. A few people had to crash after the party last night, but most of them have gone by now. Just head that way,” Phas instructed, pointing Rey toward the back and to the left.

“Thanks,” Rey murmured. “Oh!” she called as Phas turned to walk away, “Could you give this to Ben? He let me borrow it.”

“I’m about to head upstairs to pack. He’s around here somewhere,” Phas replied with a smirk, heading up the stairs.

Rey sighed and wandered slowly in the direction Phas had pointed. It was easy to find the patio, since Rey could hear Poe’s voice echoing down the hall. She approached the large glass doors cautiously, hesitant to interrupt. She saw Poe and the red headed man seated in some comfy and expensive looking patio chairs, casually sipping mugs of what looked like coffee. Empty plates were on the low table in front of them. BB was sprawled in a bright patch of sunlight, napping. They’d clearly just had breakfast. Sticking her head further out, Rey saw Ben sitting alone, typing away on a laptop. She saw no sign of Finn. She jumped as Phas came up quietly behind her and breezed past, heading toward the red head and leaning on his chair. All three heads, save Phas, turned towards her. Ben stood abruptly, his large frame bent awkwardly as he tried to keep his fingers on his table. Rey stepped timidly out onto the patio, still clutching Ben’s sweater, looking apologetic.

“Sorry to interrupt, but I’m looking for Finn?”

Poe held his arms open in a welcoming gesture. “No worries! He crashed upstairs. Second room on the right.”

“Thank you,” Rey murmured. Turning to Ben, she approached him slowly, nervous as a rabbit. He was staring at her strangely. She held his sweater out to him, folded neatly. “And thank you for letting me borrow this,” she whispered so only he could hear. “Do you have my comb?”

Ben blinked at her and made no move to take his sweater from her. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he whispered back, his deep rumbly voice causing a shiver to chase down Rey’s spine.

In spite of the pleasant shivers, she frowned up at him, pulling the soft garment back to her chest. “Don’t lie, I know you took it,” she replied petulantly.

The corner of Ben’s mouth quirked upwards. Rey would have missed it if she had blinked, and she knew he was definitely lying. “Fine,” he said, straightening to his full height to look down at her. “Weren’t you going to check on your friend?”

“I’m keeping this until you give it back,” Rey scowled at him, turned on her heel, and walked back through the glass doors. She missed the quirk of the red head’s eyebrow and the wide grin on Poe’s face. Phas coughed into their hand, hiding an amused smile.

“Wipe that shit eating grin off your face before I do, Dameron,” she heard Ben mutter as she walked inside.

***

“He didn’t make a move!” Finn wailed, flopping dramatically onto the bed.

Rey laughed. “Maybe he missed your signals,” she replied in a reassuring voice as she patted Finn’s leg.

“I got completely shit faced. A deaf and blind dog couldn’t have missed my signals, Rey.”

Rey sighed and, unsure of what to say that would be helpful, said nothing. She simply reached for Finn’s hand and gave it a friendly squeeze. Maybe she had misinterpreted Poe’s interactions with Finn last night. She was so sure there had been sparks.

“Might as well show my face I guess,” Finn groaned, rolling off the bed. Rey looked around the room as Finn gathered up his things, which mainly meant finding his sweater under the bed. For a guest room, it was well appointed, with a monstrously heavy looking dark wood bed frame and large deep leather chairs. A door led to an attached bath, and there was even a small fireplace.

Rey stood as Finn got back on his feet, looking sheepish. Rey gave him a reassuring smile as they headed downstairs and back towards the patio. Everyone was still where Rey had left them, except for Phas who had taken a seat beside the red headed man and was gracefully spreading butter on a breakfast roll.

“Phas. Hux,” Finn muttered as he nodded to the couple. They nodded in return.

“I’m quite surprised to find you mobile this morning, Finn,” Hux said. In his posh voice, his words couldn’t help but come out in a snooty tone.

“Come on, Hux. We’ve all had nights like that,” Poe replied, jumping to Finn’s defense, and quite literally jumping to his feet to put a reassuring arm around Finn’s shoulders. Finn caught Rey’s eye, looking startled but pleased, and Rey winked. She hadn’t been wrong then.

Rey took a seat next to Finn, which was also conveniently at an angle that she could watch Ben type on his laptop surreptitiously. Finn helped himself to some of the coffee that was sitting on the table in a carafe, drinking the strong smelling brew down in greedy gulps. Rey made a face; she hated coffee.

“I’m sorry if I made an ass of myself last night,” Finn muttered to Poe.

Poe patted finn on the shoulder, his hand lingering maybe a moment longer than was necessary. “No worries. You didn’t,” he replied in a kind voice.

Finn looked at Poe and smiled. Rey suddenly felt like an intruder, and she pushed herself off the chair ad set the sweater down beside Finn, intending to walk around the patio, hoping she appeared casual. She was surprised when Hux joined her, linking his arm with hers. Rey saw Ben out of the corner of her eye raise one of his dark brows, but he quickly returned his focus to his laptop.

“Quite a striking pair they make, don’t they,” Hux murmured.

“Indeed,” Rey replied, nodding. She was still a bit off kilter from the surprise of Hux joining her nervous pacing.

“Poe has this easy going way about him, and Finn seems to compliment that beautifully. Poe’s always had a bit of a wild streak, but I think he may have found someone special, if the fact that he didn’t try to jump his bones last night is any indication.”

Rey looked at Hux confused. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Oh I’m a horrid gossip and I don’t know you,” he replied, flipping his hand casually. “Phas knows all about that, don’t you, Phas?” he called over his shoulder.

“About how you’re like a bored old biddy with your blathering and making people you just met uncomfortable? Yeah,” Phas snarked.

Hux looked mildly offended. “I am NOT an old biddy. I’m a young biddy.”

Phas rolled their eyes, but gave Hux a loving look. Rey smiled, reassured.

“Now our Benny Boy over there just got out of quite the exciting relationship,” Hux said in a stage whisper.

“Shut up, Hux,” Ben practically snarled.

“With one of the Netal sisters. You know, the models? How tall was she Ben? Five eleven?”

Ben said nothing, but stared daggers at Hux. Rey felt her stomach flip unpleasantly, but she carefully kept her face neutral. She noted glumly that last she checked, she was five three, if she was being generous.

Hux made a sad tutting noise. “But alas, the woman had a wandering eye and roaming hands. She begged Ben to take her back of course, but our boy would not hear of it, no matter the scene she made on the prestigious Wildemount campus. Our Ben can certainly hold a grudge, even against a gorgeous model.”

Ben had turned back to his laptop, but his hands were tense and still. “I find it hard to forgive others’ offenses against me. My good opinion once lost, is lost forever,” he muttered, somewhat sadly.

Rey looked at Finn, her eyes wide. Finn’s eyes were wide as saucers and he mouthed “Oh my God!” at Rey.

“‘You have chosen your fault well. I really cannot laugh at it,’” Rey replied softly.

#reylo #reylo fanfic #fanfiction #pride and prejudice feels #modern au #ben solo #rey #ben x rey #hux #phasma #finn #poe dameron #stormpilot #phux #hehe #romantic af #netherfield

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researchcognizance · 3 years ago

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xhxhxhx · 7 years ago

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the best thing about Perry Anderson’s American Foreign Policy and Its Thinkers is all the opportunities he takes to dunk on George Kennan

In later years Kennan would represent his conception of containment as a political strategy of limited geographical application—not a call for worldwide armed activity, as charged by Lippmann, a rare early critic—and contrast it as a stance of prudent defence with the adventurist notions of ‘rollback’ advocated by Dulles, and ‘flexible response’ by Kennedy. Legend has since canonized the image of a sober adviser whose counsels of moderation and wisdom were distorted into a reckless anti-communist activism that would bring disasters against which he spoke out, remaining true to himself as a critic of American hubris and intransigence. The reality was otherwise. Unstable and excitable, Kennan lacked the steadiness of his friend and successor Nitze, but in his days of power in Washington was a Cold Warrior à l’outrance, setting the course for decades of global intervention and counter-revolution.

[In the extravagance of his fluctuations between elated self-regard and tortured self-flagellation—as in the volatility of his opinions: he would frequently say one thing and its opposite virtually overnight—Kennan was closer to a character out of Dostoevsky than any figure in Chekhov, with whom he claimed an affinity. His inconsistencies, which made it easier to portray him in retrospect as an oracle of temperate realism, were such that he could never be taken as a simple concentrate or archetype of the foreign-policy establishment that conducted America into the Cold War, his role as policy-maker in any case coming to an end in 1950. But just insofar as he has come to be represented as the sane keeper of the conscience of US foreign policy, his actual record—violent and erratic into his mid-seventies—serves as a marker of what could pass for a sense of proportion in the pursuit of the national interest. In the voluminous literature on Kennan, Stephanson’s study Kennan and the Art of Foreign Policy, Cambridge, MA 1989 stands out as the only serious examination of the intellectual substance of his writings, a courteous but devastating deconstruction of them. An acute, not unsympathetic, cultural-political portrait of him as a conservative out of his time is to be found in Harper’s American Visions of Europe, pp. 135–232. In later life, Kennan sought to cover his tracks in the period when he held a modicum of power, to protect his reputation and that of his slogan. We owe some striking pages to that impulse, so have no reason to complain, though also none to take his self-presentation at face value. His best writing was autobiographical and historical: vivid, if far from candid Memoirs—skirting suggestio falsi, rife with suppressio veri; desolate vignettes of the American scene in Sketches from a Life; and the late Decline of Bismarck’s European Order: Franco-Russian Relations 1875–1890, Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1979.]

At the outset of his career as a diplomat, [Kennan] had decided that the Bolsheviks were ‘a little group of spiteful Jewish parasites’, in their ‘innate cowardice’ and ‘intellectual insolence’ abandoning ‘the ship of Western European civilization like a swarm of rats’. There could be no compromise with them. Stationed in Prague during the Nazi takeover of Czechoslovakia, his first reaction was that Czechs counted German rule a blessing; later, touring occupied Poland—he was now en poste in Berlin—he felt Poles too might come to regard rule by Hans Frank as an improvement in their lot. When Hitler attacked the Soviet Union, he told his superiors that, from Scandinavia to the Black Sea, Russia was everywhere feared more than Germany, and must bear the ‘moral consequences’ of Operation Barbarossa alone, with ‘no claim on Western sympathies’.

[Under Nazi rule, ‘the Czechs enjoyed privileges and satisfaction in excess of anything they “dreamed of in Austrian days”’, and could ‘cheerfully align themselves with the single most dynamic movement in Europe’, as the best account of this phase in his career summarizes his opinion. In Poland, Kennan reported, ‘the hope of improved material conditions and of an efficient, orderly administration may be sufficient to exhaust the aspirations of a people whose political education has always been primitive’: see David Mayers, George Kennan and the Dilemmas of US Foreign Policy, New York: Oxford University Press, 1988, pp. 71–3. For Kennan’s letter on 24 June 1941, two days after the launching of Hitler’s attack on the USSR, described simply as ‘the German war effort’, see his Memoirs, 1925–1950, New York: Little, Brown & Co., 1968, pp. 133–4, which give no hint of his initial response to the Nazi seizure of what remained of Czechoslovakia, and make no mention of his trip to occupied Poland.]

After the war, promoted to Deputy Commandant of the National War College, he declared that if Russian military industry should make faster progress than American, ‘we would be justified in considering a preventive war’, unleashing nuclear weapons: ‘with probably ten good hits with atomic bombs you could, without any great loss of life or loss of the prestige or reputation of the United States, practically cripple Russia’s war-making potential’.

[C. Ben Wright, ‘Mr “X” and Containment’, Slavic Review, March 1976, p. 19. Furious at the disclosure of his record, Kennan published a petulant attempt at denial in the same issue, demolished by Wright in ‘A Reply to George F. Kennan’, Slavic Review, June 1976, pp. 318–20, dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s of his documentation of it. In the course of his critique of Kennan, Wright accurately observed of him: ‘His mastery of the English language is undeniable, but one should not confuse gift of expression with clarity of thought’.]

At the head of the Policy Planning Staff in the State Department, and as consigliere to Acheson, he initiated covert paramilitary operations in Eastern Europe; advocated, if need be, US military intervention in Southern Europe and Southeast Asia; urged support for French colonialism in North Africa; supervised cancellation of reforms in Japan; endorsed repression in Latin America; proposed American seizure of Taiwan; exulted when US troops were dispatched to Korea.

[Taiwan: ‘Carried through with sufficient resolution, speed, ruthlessness and self-assurance, the way Theodore Roosevelt might have done it’, conquest of the island ‘would have an electrifying effect on this country and throughout the Far East’: Anna Nelson, ed., The State Department Policy Planning Staff Papers, New York 1983, vol. III, PPS 53, p. 65. Korea: ‘George was dancing on air because MacArthur’s men were mobilized for combat under auspices of the United Nations. He was carrying his balalaika, a Russian instrument he used to play with some skill at social gatherings, and with a great, vigorous swing, he clapped me on the back with it, nearly striking me to the sidewalk. “Well, Joe,” he cried, “What do you think of the democracies now?”’: Joseph Alsop, ‘I’ve Seen The Best of It’. Memoirs, New York 1992, pp. 308–9. Alsop, with prewar memories of the young Kennan telling him that ‘the United States was doomed to destruction because it was no longer run by its “aristocracy”’, reminded him tartly of his excoriations of democracy only a few days earlier: pp. 274, 307. Two million Koreans perished during an American intervention whose carpet-bombing obliterated the north of the country over three successive years: see Bruce Cumings, The Korean War, New York 2010, pp. 147–61.]

Containment was limited neither in its range nor in its means. It was an Ermattungskrieg, not a Niederwerfungskrieg, but the objective was the same. America could hope that ‘within five or ten years’ the USSR would be ‘overwhelmed by clouds of civil disintegration’, and the Soviet regime soon ‘go down in violence’. Meanwhile ‘every possible means’ should be set in motion to destabilize Moscow and its relays in Eastern Europe.

[David Foglesong, ‘Roots of “Liberation”: American Images of the Future of Russia in the Early Cold War, 1948–1953’, International History Review, March 1999, pp. 73–4; Gregory Mitrovich, Undermining the Kremlin: America’s Strategy to Subvert the Soviet Bloc, 1947–1956, Ithaca 2009, pp. 6, 29, 180, who observes: ‘There would be no delay: containment and a “compellent” strategy would be pursued in parallel, not in sequence’.]

In their intention, containment and rollback were one from the start.

he keeps going

Kennan, an admirer of Schuschnigg and Salazar, rulers who showed that ‘benevolent despotism had greater possibilities for good’ than democracy, argued on the eve of the Second World War that immigrants, women and blacks should be stripped of the vote in the United States. Democracy was a ‘fetish’: needed was ‘constitutional change to the authoritarian state’—an American Estado Novo.

[‘Fair Day Adieu!’ and ‘The Prerequisites: Notes on Problems of the United States in 1938’, documents still kept under wraps—the fullest summary is in Mayers, George Kennan and the Dilemmas of US Foreign Policy, pp. 49–55. For a cogent discussion of Kennan’s outlook in these texts, see Joshua Botts, ‘“Nothing to Seek and … Nothing to Defend”: George F. Kennan’s Core Values and American Foreign Policy, 1938–1993’, Diplomatic History, November 2006, pp. 839–66.]

After the war Kennan compared democracy to ‘one of those prehistoric monsters with a body as long as this room and a brain the size of a pin’, and never lost his belief that the country was best governed by an enlightened elite immune to popular passions. Acheson dismissed ‘the premise that democracy is some good’, remarking ‘I don’t think it’s worth a damn’—‘I say the Congress is too damn representative. It’s just as stupid as the people are; just as uneducated, just as dumb, just as selfish’.

[Acheson: interview with Theodore Wilson and Richard McKinzie, 30 June 1971. Johnson was cruder still: ‘We pay a lot of good American dollars to the Greeks, Mr Ambassador’, he told an envoy, after drawling an expletive, ‘If your Prime Minister gives me talk about democracy, parliament and constitution, he, his parliament and his constitution may not last long’: Philip Deane [Gerassimos Gigantes], I Should Have Died, London 1976, pp. 113–4. Nixon and Kissinger could be no less colourful.]

Such confidences were not for public consumption. Officially, democracy was as prominent a value in the American mission to the world as in the time of Manifest Destiny.

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Japan, surrounded by sea, was secure against the risk of Soviet invasion. There, where the US was the sole occupying power, American political control was tighter and economic assistance less than in Europe. Postwar reforms were abruptly cancelled after a descent by Kennan had installed the Reverse Course, preserving the zaibatsu and reinstating the prewar political class with its Class A war criminals, as was not possible in Germany. The Occupation, he remarked, could ‘dispense with bromides about democratization’.

[Confident that he had ‘turned our whole occupation policy’, Kennan regarded his role in Japan as ‘the most significant constructive contribution I was ever able to make in government’: Gaddis, George F. Kennan, pp. 299–303. Miscamble—an admirer—comments: ‘Kennan evinced no real concern for developments in Japan on their own terms. He appeared not only quite uninterested in and unperturbed by the fact that the Zaibatsu had proved willing partners of the Japanese militarists but also unconcerned that their preservation would limit the genuine openness of the Japanese economy. He possessed no reforming zeal or inclination’: George F. Kennan and the Making of American Foreign Policy, Princeton 1992, p. 255. The PPS paper Kennan delivered on his return from Tokyo called for the purge of wartime officials to be curtailed.]

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Elsewhere—principally Italy and France—covert American funding of parties, unions and periodicals helped the anti-communist cause. Military intervention, though on standby, was not required.

[See, for such contingencies, Kennan’s cable to Acheson, 15 March 1948: ‘Italy is obviously key point. If Communists were to win election there our whole position in Mediterranean, and possibly Western Europe as well, would be undermined. I am persuaded that the Communists could not win without strong factor of intimidation on their side, and it would clearly be better that elections not take place at all than that the Communists win in these circumstances. For these reasons I question whether it would not be preferable for Italian Government to outlaw Communist Party and take strong action against it before elections. Communists would presumably reply with civil war, which would give us grounds for reoccupation of Foggia fields and any other facilities we might wish. This would admittedly result in much violence and probably a military division of Italy; but we are getting close to a deadline and I think it might well be preferable to a bloodless election victory, unopposed by ourselves, which would give the Communists the entire peninsula at one coup and send waves of panic to all surrounding areas’: Stephanson, Kennan and the Art of Foreign Policy, p. 99.]

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Covert operations against Russia had a pre-history under Wilson, who preferred clandestine to overt means of overthrowing Bolshevik power, and made ample use of them, bequeathing both methods and personnel to their renewal thirty years later. Set in place two years before NSC–68 by Kennan, such operations escalated through the fifties, in due course becoming the public objective of a strategy of rollback, depicted by Dulles as a tougher response to Moscow than containment.

[For Kennan’s role in introducing the term and practice of clandestine ‘political warfare’, and launching the paramilitary expeditions of Operation Valuable into Albania, see Corke, US Covert Operations and Cold War Strategy, pp. 45–6, 54–5, 61–2, 84; and Miscamble, George F. Kennan and the Making of American Foreign Policy, pp. 110–1: ‘Kennan approached covert operations with enthusiasm in 1948 and does not appear to have made apparent any sentiment on his part that covert operations would be limited in extent. Nor did he display any reservations concerning the extralegal character of much of what the OPC would undertake’. For the recruitment of ex-Nazis to its work, see Christopher Simpson, Blowback, New York 1988, pp. 112–4. Kennan’s connexions to the underworld of American intelligence, foreign and domestic, went back to his time in Portugal during the war, and would extend over the next three decades, to the time of the Vietnam War.]

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Military encirclement of the Soviet bloc was practicable, political intervention was not. That left ideological warfare. The United States was defending not capitalism—the term was carefully avoided, as vocabulary of the enemy—but a Free World against the totalitarian slavery of communism. Radio stations, cultural organizations, print media of every kind, were mobilized to broadcast the contrast.

[The front organizations set up by the CIA for cultural penetration at home and abroad—the Congress for Cultural Freedom and the like—were another initiative of Kennan, an enthusiast for this kind of work: see Hugh Wilford, The Mighty Wurlitzer, Cambridge, MA 2008, pp. 25–8.]

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As Communist advances from base areas close to the Soviet Union accelerated, direct American intervention in such a vast country looked too uncertain of outcome to be risked. The loss of China could not be stopped. To planners in Washington at the time, the victory of the Chinese Revolution, heavy a blow as it might be, was still strategically a sideshow.

[Kennan, whose opinions about China skittered wildly from one direction to another in 1948–1949, could write in September 1951: ‘The less we Americans have to do with China the better. We need neither covet the favour, nor fear the enmity, of any Chinese regime. China is not the great power of the Orient’: Gaddis, Strategies of Containment, p. 45. There was no doubt an element of sour grapes, along with blindness, in this pronouncement, at which Spykman might have smiled.]

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Financing the French war had been cheaper for Washington, and domestically less conspicuous, than fighting it. But the upshot was plainly shakier. If the South had been kept out of the hands of the Vietminh, there was no DMZ to seal it off from the North in future. The Republic proclaimed by Ho in 1945, before the French arrived back to reclaim it, had extended throughout the country, and enjoyed a nationwide legitimacy that the DPRK, founded after division in 1948, had never possessed. Elections in the South, supposedly scheduled at Geneva, had to be cancelled in view of the certain result, and a weak Catholic regime in Saigon propped up with funds and advisers against mounting guerrilla attacks by the Vietminh. There could be no question of letting it go under. As early as 1949, Kennan had urged American support ‘to ensure, however long it takes, the triumph of Indochinese nationalism over Red imperialism’.

[Kennan, ‘United States Policy Towards South-East Asia’, PPS 51, in Nelson, ed., The State Department Policy Planning Staff Papers, vol. III, p. 49. See, on this document, Walter Hixson, ‘Containment on the Perimeter: George F. Kennan and Vietnam’: Diplomatic History, April 1988, pp. 151–2, who italicizes the phrase above. In the same paper, Kennan explained that Southeast Asia was a ‘vital segment in the line of containment’, whose loss would constitute a ‘major political rout, the repercussions of which will be felt throughout the rest of the world, especially in the Middle East and in a then critically exposed Australia’ [sic]. Kennan would later support Johnson’s expansion of the war after the Tonkin Gulf Resolution, endorsing the massive bombing of the DRV—Operation Rolling Thunder—in February 1965 as a weapon to force, Kissinger-style, the enemy to the negotiating table. Though increasingly critical of the war as damaging to the national interest, it was not until November 1969 that Kennan called for US withdrawal from Vietnam. At home, meanwhile, he wanted student protesters against the war to be locked up, and collaborated with William Sullivan, head of COINTEL-PRO, a longtime associate, in the FBI’s covert operations against student and black opponents of the government. See Nicholas Thompson, The Hawk and the Dove: Paul Nitze, George Kennan and the History of the Cold War, New York 2009, pp. 221–2—a characteristic exercise in New Yorker schlock, by a staffer who is Nitze’s grandson, that sporadically contains material at variance with its tenor.]

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British and French colonialism had perforce both enjoyed unstinting support in Southeast Asia, once they were battling communism, the former with ultimate success, the latter—faced with a much more powerful movement—with failure requiring an American relay. For two reasons, Dutch colonialism was another matter. Relatively speaking, beside Britain or France, the Netherlands was a quantité négligeable on the European chequerboard, which could be given instructions without ceremony; while in the Dutch East Indies, unlike in Malaya or Vietnam, nationalist forces put down a communist uprising during the anti-colonial struggle.

[The presence of communists in the anti-colonial struggle had been cause for acute alarm in Washington—Kennan deciding, in typical vein, that Indonesia was ‘the most crucial issue of the moment in our struggle with the Kremlin’. Its fall would lead to nothing less than ‘a bisecting of the world from Siberia to Sumatra’, cutting ‘our global east–west communications’, making it ‘only a matter of time before the infection would sweep westwards through the continent to Burma, India and Pakistan’: Miscamble, Kennan and the Making of American Foreign Policy, p. 274.]

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From the last years of the nineteenth century to the Great Depression, the US had dispatched troops and warships to crush strikes, put down risings, oust rulers or occupy territories in the Caribbean and Central America, with uninhibited regularity. Since then there had been no obvious call to do so. The US had made sure of the allegiance of a Latin American cortège—numerically the largest single bloc—in the UN before it was even founded, with the Act of Chapultepec in early 1945. The Rio Treaty of Inter-American Defence followed in 1947, capped by the formation of the Organization of American States, headquarters in Washington and expressly devoted to the fight against subversion, in 1948. Two years later Kennan, warning against ‘any indulgent and complacent view of Communist activities in the New World’, made it clear that ruthless means might be required to crush them: ‘We should not hesitate before police repression by the local government. This is not shameful since the Communists are essentially traitors’, he told US ambassadors to South America summoned to hear him in Rio. ‘It is better to have a strong regime in power than a liberal government if it is indulgent and relaxed and penetrated by Communists’.

[See Walter LaFeber, Inevitable Revolutions, New York 1993, p. 109. On getting back to Washington, Kennan hammered his message home: ‘Where the concepts and traditions of popular government are too weak to absorb successfully the intensity of the communist attack, then we must concede that harsh measures of repression may be the only answer; that these measures may have to proceed from regimes whose origins and methods would not stand the test of American concepts of democratic procedures; and that such regimes and such methods may be preferable alternatives, and indeed the only alternatives, to communist success’: see Roger Trask, ‘George F. Kennan’s Report on Latin America (1950)’, Diplomatic History, July 1978, p. 311. The Southern hemisphere, in Kennan’s view, was an all-round cultural disaster zone: he doubted whether there existed ‘any other region of the earth in which nature and human behaviour could have combined to produce a more unhappy and hopeless background for the conduct of life’.]

there’s actually more of this, but I got tired of copying it down

Perry Anderson has convinced me that George Kennan single-handedly won the Cold War, so kudos to Kennan

9 notes · View notes