#benefits of bulk voice call

[cloudshopetechnologies]

9 Incredible Benefits Of Bulk SMS Marketing

Bulk SMS marketing, or sending a large volume of text messages to a targeted audience, can offer several benefits for businesses. Here are nine incredible advantages of using bulk SMS marketing:

Instant Delivery:

Real-Time Communication: Bulk SMS messages are delivered almost instantly, making it an ideal channel for time-sensitive information, promotions, or alerts. High Open Rates:

Readily Accessible: SMS messages have high open rates, as they are typically read within minutes of being received. This ensures that your message reaches a significant portion of your target audience. Cost-Effective:

Affordability: Bulk SMS marketing is a cost-effective way to reach a large audience compared to traditional advertising channels. The cost per SMS is generally lower, making it suitable for businesses with varying budget sizes. Wide Reach:

Mobile Penetration: Almost everyone has a mobile phone, and SMS is a universal communication method. This wide reach ensures that your messages can reach a broad and diverse audience. High Engagement:

Direct and Personalized: SMS messages are typically viewed as more personal, and recipients are more likely to engage with concise and direct content. Personalization features can enhance this engagement. Opt-In and Opt-Out Options:

Permission-Based: Bulk SMS marketing is often permission-based, meaning that recipients have opted in to receive messages. This ensures that your messages are reaching an audience interested in your products or services. Additionally, including opt-out options demonstrates respect for privacy. Time-Sensitive Promotions:

Flash Sales and Promotions: Bulk SMS is effective for time-sensitive promotions and flash sales. You can create a sense of urgency and encourage immediate action from your audience. Trackable and Measurable:

Analytics and Metrics: Many bulk SMS platforms provide analytics and metrics, allowing you to track the success of your campaigns. You can monitor delivery rates, open rates, click-through rates, and more. Integration with Other Marketing Channels:

Multichannel Campaigns: Bulk SMS marketing can be integrated with other marketing channels, creating cohesive and synchronized campaigns. For example, you can use SMS to complement your email marketing or social media efforts. It's important to note that while bulk SMS marketing offers these benefits, it should be used judiciously to avoid becoming intrusive. Respecting the privacy and preferences of your audience is key to building and maintaining a positive relationship through this channel.

[reverie-starlight]

kenma for the soul <3

gn!reader, no physical descriptions. this was in my drafts for so long that I forgot abt it. based off of my own routine when I get a panic attack. I believe I wrote the bulk of this after one, actually.

warnings: depictions of a panic attack, my own personal coping methods (I swear they make sense in my head) and kenma being soft for you. this was edited at like 2 am so if there’s some mistakes… no there’s not.

it’ll pass.

you know that. you’ve known that for years, actually, yet somehow the sentiment doesn’t hold up in the moments you need it to the most.

kenma watches as you switch between sitting on the edge of the bed with him and pacing the length of your bedroom.

he really feels for you. he still gets panic attacks from time to time, after all, so he knows the basics of what you’re going through like the back of his hand.

he’s still trying to learn your specifics, though.

he’s observant and he’s strategic. with those skills, he’s gathered that you do not respond well to sitting still and taking deep breaths.

you continue pacing and wringing your fingers together, clenching and unclenching your fists and shaking your arms out (he recognizes this as literally trying to dispel the panic from your body).

he watches you closely, wanting to figure you out as soon as possible so he can utilize his strategic side and end your suffering. are you trying to tire yourself out? why is it that you don’t find the breathing exercises useful? why doesn’t sitting still and meditating benefit you?

oh… of course, why didn’t he think of that sooner?

you don’t like those coping methods because you see it as another opportunity to focus on your trigger. by trying to stop it, you just end up thinking about it more. they require you to be aware of every sensation in your body, but if you’re moving around a lot instead, it acts as a distraction.

so he’ll need to help you redirect your train of thought some more.

“babe,” he calls out quietly, not having the energy or willingness to be any louder at two in the morning.

you don’t stop pacing, but you look at him and nod to let him know you’re listening.

“let’s go to the kitchen.”

you blink as he gets up and takes your hand, leading you out of your bedroom. he hopes the change of scenery and mystery of what he has planned brings you out of your head a bit.

“kenma-“ you start, voice raw from the crying you did earlier.

“do you want to make cookies?”

you watch as he goes to the fridge and gets some water and ice cubes. (he read once that the ice can shock you out of panic and act as a good redirection strategy.)

you take the glass when he hands it to you and allow the chill of the ice ground you a bit.

your head feels clearer now. the panic had mostly subsided well before you were led out of the bedroom, but you had continued pacing anyway.

in your mind it makes sense- relaxing too soon, when it’s not quite gone, gives it the chance to come back and restart the cycle all over again. tiring yourself out and distracting yourself with the familiar movement patterns that helped stopped it in the first place…

it’s always worked for you.

and now, sitting up on the barstool by the kitchen island with kenma, you definitely feel the exhaustion.

so you shake your head. “no, I’m too tired, babe.”

he nods, successfully getting a read on your energy level. “okay,” he says. “drink your water, I can make toast for us.”

you blink at him. “why?”

he shrugs. “you must’ve worked up an appetite with all that walking, right? I got winded just watching you.”

you snort, surprisingly, and the corner of his mouth lifts up a bit. “I guess so… oh but kenma, I kept you up, you must be tired too.”

he gets the bread ready to put into the toaster and glances at you over his shoulder. “you do realize you’re dating someone who once streamed for twenty-four hours straight, right? one late night is nothing.”

you sip your water and hold an ice cube in your cheek, letting it melt. “still, I’m-“

“and don’t apologize. I know that’s what you were about to do.”

you sheepishly look down into your glass and let the silence linger until he presents you some buttered toast. “remember how I told you I used to get really bad panic attacks in high school? the ones I get now aren’t nearly as intense as those, but I do still know how draining they are,” he rips off a chunk of bread and feeds it to you. “it’s not too much to care for you, okay?“ he knows the feeling of being afraid to be a burden well, too, unfortunately.

you smile and knock your head against his as you chew. “thanks, kenma. I love you.”

there’s still a lot he has to learn for you, but he knows that if this were a video game, it’d be the easiest level he’d ever complete.

“love you too. now let’s finish this and get to bed.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

@dira333 some kenma :3

[drdemonprince]

By now, a majority of Autism researchers and clinicians are aware that the existing assessments for Autism are profoundly flawed. 

They know the standard evaluation of Autism is sexist, with assessors excluding women for reasons like wearing makeup, having a boyfriend, being superficially polite, or not being fixated on suitably ‘masculine’ topics like ancient Roman history or barometric pressure. 

They know Autism evaluations are racist, deeming Black Autistics “oppositionally defiant” or even “borderline” rather than acknowledging any social alienation or sensory pain they’re experiencing, and believing they must be overstating the difficulty they face in moving through the world.

And they certainly know that conventional Autism measures weren’t designed with adult Autistics in mind. Many of us are still asked to make up stories based on paintings of frogs in a toddler’s picture book, when we sit down for assessments at age 20, or 30, or 45 — because all the evaluation methods were written for young kids. 

The data has already proven the far-reaching consequences of using such shoddy measures of Autism. People of color, gender minorities, older adults, and women are diagnosed at later ages, and also go undiagnosed at massive rates. 

A growing population of scientists are admittedly interested in fostering a new literature of what they call “patient-driven” Autism research, but they never stop thinking of us as mere patients, the passive receivers of care rather than the leaders of communities and political movements who are the ought to be the primary authors of the studies about us, and the sole determinants of what our desired outcomes should be. Even when they observe that their work could benefit from a greater Autistic perspective, researchers do so from closed rooms, filled with other professionals who are largely not Autistic, wondering amongst themselves what it is that we want instead of learning to quiet their voices and follow our lead. 

Though many basically well-intentioned Autism researchers believe that Autism assessments need reform, what neurodiversity really needs is to abandon the diagnostic process altogether. If Autism is a benign, neutral, naturally occurring form of human difference that requires acceptance rather than a cure, then there’s no need to diagnose it as if it were a sickness. And if hundreds of thousands of Autistic women, people of color, queer people, and older people have been able to give a voice to ourselves and find one another without having ever been given a label by a professional, then improved professional labeling is not what we need. 

Autistic self-realization is the future of Autism assessment. We hold the collective wisdom, organizing ability, insight, and political power to define who we are. No authority figure should have to sign off on our identities. 

Because psychiatrists fail to diagnose such a large percentage of the Autistic population, many Autism researchers now accept self-identified Autistic adults within their subject pool. Within the peer-reviewed journal Autism in Adulthood, self-realized Autistics often make up the bulk of the participant sample, and they have repeatedly been found to be indistinguishable from their formally diagnosed peers. 

A growing body of research now also considers the presence of Autism-spectrum traits as qualifying for inclusion in many Autism studies. The data makes it quite obvious that Autistic people exist within all human groups, spread all throughout the world, and that a great many people have experiences in common with us who have not been formally diagnosed. This itself reveals that a formal diagnosis is hardly necessary, and that a psychiatric paradigm of accepting self-identification is inevitable. The researchers are increasingly already doing it.

You can read the full essay for free (or have it narrated to you!) at this link.

[thewintersoldierdisaster]

a/n: i’m normally an islanders girly, but i have a soft spot for svech, especially after the horrible news of his acl injury 🥺 honestly have no idea where this came from except i saw one of @ryanpulock ‘s anons mention taking care of svech after an injury, so here we go! entirely unedited because i hate rereading my own work lol

tw: smut, gratuitous and potentially wrong use of russian terms of endearment

summary: you want to take care of andrei a little after he gets a cut on his thigh.

The text from Jordan - “Don’t worry, he’s fine” - would be concerning on it’s own, but when it’s followed-up approximately ten minutes later with a text from Andrei - “Don’t worry, I am fine” - you’re heading quickly into a panicky state. Ignoring the fact that you’re out with friends, you open up Twitter and navigate to the Canes’ hashtag, scrolling anxiously until you spot the familiar last name.

A tweet from Cory Lavalette: Svechnikov is down and hurt.

Another one from Cory: Svechnikov did the splits while getting checked and was holding his left inner thigh.

Three minutes later: Further review, it looks like Kevin Hayes' skate caught Svechnikov in the thigh.

You feel like you might throw up. A cut from a skate blade is no joke. Depending on where on his thigh the blade caught him - you force yourself to stop that line of thinking and keep scrolling, breathing a sigh of relief when you see that Andrei was back on the ice a minute or so later. It’s solidly thirty minutes after the game’s ended (you didn’t realize it had gotten so late!), so he must be okay, if his and Jordan’s texts are the only ones about the whole thing. “Sorry, guys,” you sigh, gathering your jacket and purse, pushing away from the table. “I have to go. Just Venmo request me what I owe.”

Your best friend looks up, surprised, but then after she checks her phone, a sly grin stretches across her face and she teases, “going to get the benefits of those post-game endorphins?”

“A lady doesn’t kiss and tell,” you smirk, trying to hide your anxiety and worry about Andrei.

That gets the whole table jeering and heckling you, with your best friend laughing and proclaiming, “you’re sure as hell not a lady. Or do I need to bring out the keg stand video again?”

Waving her off with a snort of laughter and a vaguely rude gesture, you head for the door, blowing a kiss and slipping your arms into your jacket. The sounds of your friends’ voices follow you out of the restaurant, finally quieting once the door shuts behind you. You suck in a shaky breath, closing your eyes briefly. He’s fine - Jordan said so and Jordan wouldn’t lie about something like this. Even still, you’re nervous for the entire fifteen minute drive back to yours and Andrei’s apartment.

“Drei?” You call out his name when you push open the front door, kicking off your boots and dropping your house keys in the little bowl on the front hall table.

“In here,” his deep, accented voice echoes from the back of the apartment - your bedroom.

Shedding your jacket and draping it and your purse over the back of the couch - a bad habit that you’ve been trying to kick - you hurry down the hall towards him, needing to see him in one piece.

You freeze in the doorway when you finally lay eyes on him. He’s stretched out on the king-sized bed, shirtless and damp from his shower, clad only in a pair of tight black boxer-briefs. His legs are stretched out in front of him and he’s got one hand tucked behind his head, making his tricep bulge.

“Damn,” you mutter. It’s unfair how good-looking he is. And then your gaze lights on the thick white bandage wrapped around his left thigh, making the well-muscled bulk look even thicker. For some reason, the sight of the bandage makes his injury all the more real and tears prick at your eyes. “Andrei…” you whisper his name, hand pressing against your mouth to keep your emotions inside.

He shakes his head and smiles a little at you, a shadow of his dimple popping out on his cheek. “Ah, solnyshka, I’m fine. Just small scratch,” he says, voice warm and soaking over you like a blanket.

“But you got cut with a skate blade! A really sharp skate blade!” Your voice cracks a little. “It could’ve been really bad.”

Andrei gestures you forward with one hand and you obey instantly, not even thinking about it. His hand is warm on your wrist and he lifts your hand to his mouth to press a kiss to your palm. Your knees tremble. “But it was not,” he mumbles against your palm. “A few stitches, a bandage, and I’m good as new.”

“Stitches?” Your eyebrows lift and you look down at the bandage as if you’ve developed x-ray vision in the last thirty seconds.

“Two, three maybe. It is nothing,” he tugs at your wrist again, the dimple deepening on his cheek. His eyes twinkle. “But I think maybe I’m going to need a nurse to bring me back to 100%.”

His voice is low and you look up at his face, taking in the slow smirk that’s forming. “Oh a nurse, huh?” you murmur, warmth flooding your stomach from the way he’s looking at you.

“Mhm,” he hums, a deep rumble in his chest. His thumb is tracing an arc over your wrist, liquid heat crawling through your veins. “Now that I think about it, maybe it does hurt a little,” his lower lip pokes out in a small pout.

“Poor baby,” you whisper, licking your lower lip. Your throat feels dry. “I’ll have to be very gentle…”

Andrei’s eyes are dark, the tips of his ears are growing pink, and you can see the bulge in his boxer-briefs practically growing by the second. “What if I am a bad patient?” He lifts one eyebrow. “Will you be gentle then?”

You giggle. “Now, Mister Svechnikov, I know you can behave,” you dart forward and ghost a kiss over his lips. “When you want to.”

He tries to pull you down onto the bed, but you dance away quickly. “Solnyshka,” he pouts, “I’m not supposed to move. You have to come to me.”

“Let me change,” you reply, already pulling your sweater over your head. “These clothes are dirty.” The sweater gets tossed onto the chair in the corner and you kick off your jeans, leaning one knee on the bed. Andrei’s hands reach for you, the right one close enough to rest on your hip. He slides warm fingers around the curve of your ass and tries to pull you closer.

“Please,” he says. His accent is thick, vibrating around your brain and melting your heart. You love his voice. “I will be a good patient, I promise.”

You crawl closer to him, both of his hands on your hips now. One thick finger brushes under the waistband of your panties, sending a shiver down your spine. “Well, if you promise….” you trail off, dipping your head to press a kiss to inside of his bicep. One of your hands rests on his knee, fingers brushing over warm skin. He twitches, a little ticklish at your light touch. You grin at him, dragging your fingertips up the inside of his good thigh. The hair on his leg raises with goosebumps and the bulge of his cock grows. “You relax,” you murmur, “let me do the work.”

With a groan, Andrei drops back against the pillows he had propped behind his back, watching you with blown pupils as you climb in between his legs. He widens the space, offering you room to work. You lean back on your thighs, resting your hands lightly on Andrei’s shins. “You’ve got to tell me if you start hurting or it’s uncomfortable, okay?” you say, massaging your fingers into his calves. “I don’t want you to get hurt even more.”

“Maylshka,” Andrei groans the term of endearment, his hand stroking at himself through the fabric of his boxer-briefs, “you’re hurting me more by taking so much time.”

A snort of laughter leaves your nose involuntarily and you scoot up the bed, scraping your nails over his legs. “So impatient,” you mutter affectionately, a weird twist in your stomach when your gaze lands on the bandage again. A reminder that he was hurt. That it could’ve been more serious. Swallowing heavily, you duck your head and press a kiss to the inside of his right knee, scraping teeth over skin as you move up his inner thigh, kissing and biting gently as you go.

Andrei shifts under you, the bed dipping and swaying as he adjusts. One of his large hands twist in your hair, tangling the strands between his fingers and tugging, just this side of painful. The other hand bumps against the top of your head as he wraps it around his growing cock, stroking himself firmly. The steady movement of his hand makes his body move, in turn making your own body jostle. You bite into the corded muscle of his inner thigh and Andrei hisses, hand jerking out of rhythm.

“I thought I was taking care of you?” you mumble against his heated skin, leaning back and angling so your shoulder doesn’t bump against his wrapped thigh. Your fingers curl in the waistband of his underwear, the fabric already stretched to its limits between Andrei’s hand and erection. “You can take care of yourself on the road.”

His voice is raspy when he replies, “just helping you along, malyshka. Don’t want you to get tired.” He groans when you slide your hand over his and squeeze.

“I’m wide awake, Drei,” you murmur, knocking his hand aside and replacing it with your own. He’s hot and hard in your hand, a familiar weight. Your thumb brushes over the red, weeping tip of him and his hips buck involuntarily. A slow smirk spreads across your lips. Before you can bend your head, Andrei uses the hand that’s still tangled in your hand to force your face up to his. He cups your chin in his free hand and slants his lips over yours in a hungry kiss. You return it in kind, leaning into him, enjoying the groan he lets loose into your mouth when your hand twists around his cock.

He pulls back from the kiss, dropping his head against the headboard with a thunk. “I want to flip you over on your back and make you come until you cry,” he mutters, stretching out his left leg a little.

You laugh and kiss the side of his neck, licking at a bead of water that’s dripped down from his hair. He shivers. “Give yourself a little time to heal and then you can have me any way you want,” you promise. “Just let me take care of you tonight.”

Without giving him a chance to answer, you slide down his body, pressing soft kisses to his chest as you go and flicking one flat nipple with your tongue, drawing a strained laugh from Andrei’s throat. He murmurs your name and you kiss his stomach, just under his belly button, “lift,” you command, hooking your fingers in the elastic waist of his underwear and tugging them down. His erection jumps free, curving up to his stomach, thick and red and waiting for you. Your mouth waters at the sight of him and you dart your tongue out and lick the tip of him delicately.

“Fuck!” he curses, hand tightening in your hair. You press down on his good thigh with your free hand to keep him in place, not that you have a chance in hell of holding Andrei down if he really wants to move. But your fingers curl against his skin and you take him into your mouth, hollowing your cheeks. The head of his cock bumps against the roof of your mouth and you shift on your knees to change the angle, taking him deeper. Andrei groans and moans above you, vocalizing his approval. He’s too big to take all of him in your mouth, so you wrap your hand around the remaining inches and squeeze, knowing he loves the pressure. His hand pushes your face down and your nose bumps his lower stomach. His hold on your head is loose though, and you could pull back if you wanted. You don’t want to.

Bracing yourself on his thigh, you lean forward, taking him deeper. Spit dribbles out of your mouth, making a mess of Andrei and the sheets below him. He bucks his hips, trying to restrain himself so he doesn’t hurt you, but when you him around him, flattening your tongue against the underside of his cock, he shouts and pushes further down your mouth, hitting the back of your throat. You breathe sharply through your nose, trying to stave off a gag, and inhale Andrei’s familiar musk mixed with the lavender-citrus body wash you’d bought for yourself but had been sneakily stolen by your boyfriend. You press your thighs together, pressure to help the throbbing between your legs. Andrei moves, like he wants to reach down and touch you, but you squeak a little when your head gets trapped between his pelvis and his stomach.

“Sorry,” he rumbles, “sorry.” His free hand strokes at your cheeks, your forehead, the back of your neck, and you shiver. You him around him again, sucking hard. Andrei groans your name, barely resisting the urge to thrust into your mouth. You encourage him, squeezing his shaft.

He tenses under your touch and comes in your mouth with a shouted string of Russian curses. You swallow quickly, a little overwhelmed, and Andrei’s grip on your hair loosens. He looks down at you with glazed eyes as you release him with a wet pop. a string of saliva connects your lips and his softening cock and you swipe at it quickly. “You are….” he mumbles, chuckling, speechless.

“I know,” you grin at him, wiping at the corners of your mouth. You wiggle up the mattress, rest your wrists on his shoulders, and kiss him sweetly. Andrei’s hands are heavy on your hips, sliding down the curve of your ass.

He yawns a little, blushing and mumbling an apology. “It’s not you,” he rushes to say and you giggle, kissing his cheek.

“You’ve had a long day, baby,” you reply, sliding out from between his legs and climbing off the bed. “Get comfy, I’m going to shower really quick and rinse the day off.”

Andrei catches your hand as you turn for the bathroom, a pout on his lips and a furrow between his brows. “But I didn’t get to have my way way you,” he whines.

“Tomorrow, big boy,” you promise, ignoring the throbbing between your legs. “I wanted to take care of you tonight.” You slip from his grip and dance off to the bathroom, loving that he wants to make sure you’re satisfied too. You take the world’s shortest shower, soaping up and shampooing in record time. You skip conditioner, willing to pay the price of slightly dry hair in order to cuddle with Andrei sooner.

By the time you pad back into the bedroom, clad in one of Andrei’s old shirts, he’s flat on his back, eye shut, and snoring softly. You smile softly at him, heart filling with even more love for your boyfriend. He looks even younger when he’s sleeping. Carefully, you climb into bed and tuck yourself against Andrei’s right side. His mouth hangs open a bit and his left arm is thrown over his forehead. As soon as you touch his side, he stirs a little, blinking and scrunching his face. “Mmm,” he hums, wrapping his arm around your back and pulling you close. You go easily, draping your arm over his stomach and resting your head on his chest.

“Night, Drei,” you whisper, brushing your nose against his skin.

“Ya tebya lyublyu,” he mumbles, breathing evening out again.

When you wake up in the morning, Andrei’s head is pillowed on your chest and he has both arms wrapped around you, holding you like a teddy bear. You blink sleepily and rest your cheek against the top of his head. Your legs are tangled with his, the bandage brushing against your thigh. You comb your fingers through Andrei’s hair gently, easing him awake.

“Hi, sleeping beauty,” you giggle as he blinks awake.

“Ditto,” Andrei says, voice hoarse with sleep. He buries his face into your chest. “Stay in bed.”

“I wish, but someone has to work so we can afford this life we’ve become accustomed to,” you joke, laughing even harder when Andrei’s fingers dig into your side, tickling you now that he’s wide awake.

This is absolutely your favorite way to wake up.

[ohnoproblems]

for the Treatise on the Peregrine Phoenix series i've been working on i've had two dedicated protagonists to share the bulk of POV duty. usually my process starts with the outline of the broad plot points that happen in any given chapter/scene, and often it happens that i haven't settled on which POV to use until i actually start writing each chapter. scenes often expand into multiple chapters before i hit all those plot points and move on to the next scene, which also is a bonus because it gives me the option to hop into the other character's head mid-scene if it's called for.

if the scene only has one of those two characters, then picking POV is easy, but they're usually doing things together. in that case, the number one consideration that drives whose POV i settle on is: who's got the juiciest feelings here? who's the biggest freak about what's happening? who's got the most interesting perspective/experiences informing how they're approaching this moment they're a part of, and would they actually voice any of that for the benefit of those sharing that moment with them? what's lost in that moment by not being in their head, and is it an interesting loss? can i write these characters so well that my readers have some idea of what they might be thinking even if we aren't seeing it directly in the narrative?

often it's obvious. if i've asked all these questions and i'm still torn (these can be hard questions! this is a brutal calculus! language, as the gal in the library in 1000xRESIST says, is an act of excruciating violence!) then i have a few rules of thumb. though, usually, i run over the thumb rules in the process of asking those other questions. if it's our first time seeing a particular locale in qud on-screen, then mokou is an obvious pick - she's new in town but she's got such depth of experience that often gives me an opportunity to dredge up some bit of touhou project esoterica. if agate has a question about magic, or spell cards, or any of the aforementioned esoterica that mokou might have been driven to actually talk about instead of just think about, then agate's perspective becomes juicier - it's a chance for this well-traveled skeptic to learn more about the strange world that mokou comes from, in the hopes of perhaps better understanding why she's like that.

of course, book 2 had several chapters from special guest Seeker E'Beth, the master of ceremonies at kitchen heptagon (original city do not steal). in those chapters, it wasn't just that the ceremony of the moment was so strong that i needed to be in her head. it's also that she's a powerful esper! while we're in her head, she can be in the heads of everyone around her. diegetic limited omniscience for those chapters' narrations. it's challenging but fun!

and in book 3... well, the party's expanding. there will be quite a few more special guests.

[hibewriter]

Mountain Glory

Masterlist   Read it on AO3

Call of Duty | Ghost x Reader / Poly!141xReader | 5.7K | E 

Tags: Public Sex | Somnophilia | One Bed | NonConsenual Voyuerism

John Price was dead to her.

Not truly. But if she ever survived this god forsaken mission she was going to have words with her legendary Captain and the fucking cigar he always inexplicably held in his mouth. The mission didn't seem real — there was something surreal about his grumbled words of a base on the top of a mountain in the Himalayas — some inexplicable feeling of dead as she was one of the few singled out of fresh faced Sergeants with something to prove. There was barely any time to pack, let alone process anything other than the zero dark thirty time call and mission brief.

There was room between the cold metal of the hanger and her point lead, but just barely. He was massive, a hulking figure she'd only ever seen at the periphery of the mess hall, but now his thigh was pressed snuggly against hers and she refused to acknowledge the warmth that spread through her — not while they were hurling over the Atlantic and various European countries for nearly fifteen hours. She was a professional. She knew how to do her job, had climbed the ranks to be here; lost enough blood, sweat, and tears fighting for a faceless leader.

Yet it's right when she's preparing to jump — geared up and harnessed into parachute — she realizes she's forgotten it. Her baklava, standard issue to prevent the cold. She pictured it clearly, sitting on the bed of her barrack bunk waiting to be packed into a bag that's a world away. And it's not John Price's fault. It's hers and hers alone. But god, it was easier to blame him.

Her point hands her the spare with barely a glance, simply locks into his parachute. She thinks maybe he won't speak, and she can pretend that her silence isn't rude. She locks herself into the harness, prepares herself to drop into the tundra below.

"How copy, Sergeant?" Ghost asks, but she refuses to meet his gaze. Instead she straightens her back, squares here shoulders.

"Good, copy, LT." The exit light turns green, she's in the air before he can speak again.

It's not the weather that has her cursing the whole thing. Though it certainly didn't help. She squinted against the wind through her borrowed baklava, the snow slamming into her face doing little to mask the scent of its owner from filling your nose. A clean aftershave and the muted hint of menthol that lingered couldn't be masked by the crispy wet of the mountain top. Though it seemed that her teammate's scent was the only thing the snow couldn't cover.

What had her cursing was Price's audacity to assign her with this team. This teammate to spend the bulk of her mission besides. It made sense — she was a sniper, Ghost was a higher rank who trained snipers. How many countless silent nights in the barracks did she spend, hand shoved down boxers brought on sale — a long forgotten pipe dream of a boyfriend loaning them to sleep in and an impulse purchase after another failed date — thoughts of Ghost seeping in to every fantasy she conjured. Each fantasy deeper, more vivid, until she came — voice muffled as she bit into her palm, fingers finally slowing and breaths coming down.

The only benefit to the promotion so far was having a private bedroom, and that wouldn't be found here.

_____

The ground, the sky, the flurry of pellets in the wind – it was all white. White as far as she could see with her natural eyes. If it wasn't for the locater preventing her from stuffing her hands into the standard issue field jacket, she would've believed the base they were searching for to be a myth. But no. It all came down to Makarov. Chasing Makarov, stopping Makarov – taking him out of the equation for good. But, as she was coming to find, chasing Makarov was one thing. Chasing him through the Himalayas is another.

"Ye'd think he'd hide a base i Miami," a gruff voice says over the comms. Soap. Two clicks south and a lot more annoying when he's cold and wet. Try being in the thick of the storm, she thought. But she learned early on it was best to keep her thoughts filtered. "At least then A wouldnae be freezin ma balls aff."

Maybe he is a dog, she thinks. A small smirk plays on her lips as she imagines an old chocolate lab with a mohawk, whining after stepping foot in the snow.

"Piss off," a different, graver voice says. It echoes in her headset, slightly off from the origin about two feet to her right. Ghost. "You'll be fine."

Maybe she grips the locator a little tighter. Maybe she doesn't. Still, she looks down at the device rather than evaluate why. Blue dot, flashing true and steady as it moves as quick as one could through a snow storm toward the yellow square. Soap was almost in position.

"Soap what's your non-ball related status?" She calls out.

"From yer mockery o ma pain? Severe, neit an evac."

"Captain," Ghost's voice comes, admonishing.

"Half a click. Ma engine is still runnin sae we're guid tae gae, mini-Sarge."

"Gotcha Cap," she says. She didn't have to look to see Ghost's disapproving stare. He hadn't said anything yet, but she had a sneaking suspicion that the Lieutenant didn't like the shortening of their ranks. But she wasn't going to defend light banter in a lights out mission. Their coms weren't being recorded, no one besides Price was monitoring their location. No one even knew they existed.

She withholds a huff, trudging forward. She doesn't bother to spare a glance at Ghost — knows he's barely struggling while the snow comes to her upper-thighs. It's easy to feel a little grateful, in the moment. Ghost didn't have to let her lead them to their pick off point. He didn't have to let her struggle through the snow either. Easily he could've hauled her and the gear up this mountain. But that's not what they did, not in this task force. Not in these units. She doubted they'd carry her anywhere if she was anything short of missing her legs.

Less than five yards away.

She was already doing adjustments in her head, trying to determine the likelihood of success for her shots. They'd scoped the point two weeks before. But the sky hadn't been flinging snow all around them and the wind had been calmer then. It was already pushing her max distance from her training, already pushing on the weak points she knew she'd not fully trained out of her system yet. But this was Soap's life in her hands. She couldn't miss on this mission. Maybe she shouldn't even —

"Relax, Viper." His voice was closer than she thought, and mentally she cursed herself for not tracking how close he was to her. Her code name sounded like a threat, a hiss in his voice that clawed the fear she'd spent so long trying to instill into her enemies. "Worrying won't make your hands steady."

She swallowed, pausing for just a moment. The gear dug into her shoulders, despite the padding on her flak jacket. The snow was beginning to seep into the material of her field jacket, her neck only protected by the borrowed baklava. A short nod.

"You got it, LT."

_____

It fell apart almost instantly.

They arrived just before Soap was supposed to get in position. Silently, quickly, she set up her rifle alongside Ghost. The locator sat perched next to her. Her eye tracked the blue dot diligently, waiting for Soap to get to his observation point. A second blue dot appeared on screen — Gaz, finally dropping in from the stealth jet above. They arrived at their positions at the same time, and for a brief moment, it looked like everything would go according to plan.

Soap was only in the correct position for five minutes. Five minutes of absolute silence besides the steady breaths that could be heard over comms. Just as she positioned her rifle, the scope zooming through the thick to show her the grey building in the small ridge, the locator goes off — Soap was running. The blue dot on the locator moved slowly but still, it seemed faster than she could track with her scope.

From the buildings the snow mobiles emerged, cloaked in the grey and white camouflage but those were easier to track. One breath — pfft — one combatant down.

The locator chimes again. This time, Ghost has fully set up, his position higher but equally as efficient. He's shooting in the opposite direction — Gaz. The only thing keeping her nerves steady were the soft breaths of her Lieutenant. Ghost was efficient — or maybe the definition of a robot — taking down the combatants chasing down their teammate while she concentrated on protecting Soap.

Pfft. Two.

Pfft. Three.

Three down, two to go, she thinks. Soap stumbles. He's sliding in the snow and the combatants are advancing quickly. She hears the pfft of Ghost's rifle, finds comfort in the knowledge he's there.

Pfft. Pfft. Four. A missed shot, a disaster in the making. If she dwells on it, the last shots will be worthless. Shut it down, take a breath. In. Out.

Pfft. Five.

Soap catches a rock. She can hear his pants on the comms, but nonetheless he's alive. So she starts to scan the area, her scope her second eye. Expanses of white.

"LT, combatants confirmed to be Makarov's," Gaz's voice calls. She furrows her eyebrows, confused for just a moment until Ghost speaks.

"I know," he says. He's already moving, only the sound of the shifting snow indicating her as such. "Seals on fallen confirmed. No sight of Makarov. "

"Sae we gae find the bastard," Soap chimes in. There's a grunt, a heavy thud over the comms before Soap speaks again. "A got a snow mobile. Wish we haed this earlier."

She looks to Ghost, watching as he surveys the land before him as he considers Soap's proposal. The mission, though a bit more violent than anticipated, was a success. Technically they had no reason to stay. But there was still a building Makarov thought important enough to defend, completely off the Nepal and Tibetan governments' radar. Shouldn't they know what he was hiding?

"Into position, Sergeant." Ghost's voice sounds off after a minute. A hoarse grumble that forces her mouth to involuntarily go dry. She refuses to evaluate the warmth that spreads through her body, a flush that makes her grateful for the baklava and winter gear. "The boys are going inside."

_____

Safety doesn't come on missions – this she knew. Still, for her first mission with the 141, she expected it to go better.

_____

The second the boys breeched the building, she heard nothing but gunfire and shouting. The base didn't have a lot of windows, but that didn't seem to matter to the boys when they breeched the building. It's was undeniable the sound of shots firing, blades stabbing, as Soap and Gaz made their way through enemy after enemy, traversing from room to room with a skill that only came from doing missions like this every time. Deeper, deeper. She trained her scope on the surrounding terrain, helpless from her position. But she can't move. Ghost didn't tell her to.

"LT," Gaz comes in, sudden quiet for just a moment. "We've found something, sending to you."

The screen of the locator changes, the feed from Gaz's body camera replacing the scene. The space was massive, bigger than it looked like from the outside. But the room was full, rows and rows of tall black boxes that stretched well past the view range of the camera. Gaz moved in, closer. The black boxes were made of blued steel, and encased on them? Wires. Miles of wires leading in and out of boxes that probably encased more wires.

"Servers," Ghost said, almost like a curse. Hurried and whispered as he shifted in his position. The connection finally forms in her head.

"Makarov's entire connection to the outside world, housed here." The silence is all the confirmation she needs. She's astonished at the magnitude of it. The room expanding into distance like some cliche out of an Indiana Jones movie. There had to be hundreds of terabytes of storage available for use, hundreds of isolated networks that connect Makarov across the globe with a mere click.

"Na wonder tis guarded lik' a jyle," Soap says, a low grunt accompanying him. There was only a slight muffle of a shift – a small thud on one of the server racks.

"Alright there, Captain?" She asks. She hates the tremble that accompanies her voice. The sudden rush of adrenaline that she thought was beginning to subside. She'd only known Soap for a week, barely knew his real name, but the idea of losing her teammate gripped her worse than she cared to admit.

"Juist peachy, ne'er better."

"He's grazed," Gaz states. Doesn't give her time to react, barrels through with the rest of his update. "It's wrapped he'll be fine."

She lets it go, instead leaning on the rock in front of her. She holds back her sigh of relief, forces herself to straighten.

"If we leave it be, Makarov might have this place fully guarded and operational again within a few days. Maybe sooner." The words surprise her too, flowing from her mouth before she had time to full think of the implication of what she was saying. Break the protocol, go well beyond the mission.

"Price wull be happy," Soap groans.

"It's against protocol," Gaz retorts. "We still have to —"

"Wait for Makarov to get up and running again before trying to take this place down? Let him use it to kill again?" She says. It's curt, a little too short for someone with no skin in the game. The comms fall silent, the team processing. She feels Ghost's eyes on her, guarded and inquisitive, but she refused to look back, stares into the snow.

"Right," Ghost speaks, breaks the silence. He returned to looking down the scope of his rifle. "Blow it."

"LT —" Gaz starts, but he doesn't let him finish.

"That's an order."

_____

The flamed reach the heavens, fire and smoke kissing the sky. Destruction to break the peace – yet it's as calm as she's felt the entire week. She watches, patiently, as Soap and Gaz take the snow mobiles as far as they could, before beginning to take the remaining click by food. There's silence between her and the Lieutenant, only Soap's muttered curses coming through.

The sky darkens – from the smoke and ash, yes – but the wind also strengthens from the billowing chill to a full blown howl. The snow increased, the white flurry mixing with the carried ash, removing almost all sight and visibility.

"The balloon's gone up," Price's voice crackles over the comms. The sky was blackened at this point. Soap and Gaz only visible on the locator held less than a foot from her face. Ghost grunts, adjusting the strap on his backpack as he did. "Sky's out, evac will be delayed until this thing gets cleared, likely in the morning."

"Right," Ghost replies, shifting as he looks out into the smog. "Ruck up, Sergeant, looks like we're camping."

_____

She's grateful she didn't do something as stupid as forget her part of the tent. The borrowed baklava still protected most of her face, though it's loose fit didn't quite keep it all away. Making camp without the required pieces and parts would be worse — she didn't quite think she'd survive that embarrassment, a rookie mistake that couldn't be overlooked. Though she doubted it could get much worse than trying to secure the tent poles in nearly three feet of snow. Or keeping the insularly tarp layer secured as they worked. Or locating their sleeping bags.

Maybe it was the fact they worked in silence. The only comfort was the huffs and grunts from Soap on Gaz over the comms, her eye constantly drifting to the locator to make sure they were on the right track. They were slow moving, but they never veered too far off the path. Maybe it was the way Ghost would silently take the cleaver from her hands when he saw her struggling with a particularly difficult stake. There was a warmth in her cheeks, a burning not caused by wind that happened to cut through her winter gear.

Was it indignation? Was it rage? Embarrassment? It could be frustration. But deep down she knew it was all and none of those things. She could do it herself. It could be slower, but also she would've done it. Instead she began to feel an ache. Not just in her head, but beneath the near hundred pounds of weight on her person. There was a hunger burgeoning, and she hated it. Each seemingly meaningless gesture was another pulse, another ache in between her thighs that she did her best to ignore.

He's just doing it to get done faster, she'd reasoned when he took over hammering the spikes to the ground.

He's just particular, she thinks when he stops her from zipping the bottom flaps of the tent to their insulated pouch.

This is just how Ghost tries to be nice, she lies to herself when he pulls her sleeping bag inside, directly next to his.

By the time the boys reached the checkpoint the tent was up and she wasn't sure the first layer of her gear wasn't soaked in her arousal. It felt pathetic, and she was determined not to think about it. It was just niceness and here she was no better than a school girl with a crush, turned on by the bare kindness shown to her. It was insane and embarrassing.

"Please tell me ye hae a fire gaun or somethin'," Soap's voice rings as they approach. She's not used to the baklava on his face. It makes him look like an imitation, the only thing missing a painted on skull and half a foot of height.

"We have a tent," she huffs. Bites back a remark about not helping, but now she just wanted to crawl into the tent, fall asleep, and put this behind her. Not every mission would go well, and she could always relocate to a different team. One that wasn't hunting Makarov across the globe. One that didn't make her lose all sense or reason.

This mission was a curse.

"How copy, Sergeant?" It was Ghost, again. She shrugged, shaking off her thoughts and emotions with a practiced ease.

"Good copy, LT."

_____

The tent was deceptive in it's size. From the outside it made sense that four people would fit into it with no problem. Maybe if her teammates were a normal size, that would be true. But Soap and Gaz alone took up over half the space, their sleeping bags regulated to little more than blankets they could wrap around themselves.

"I can sleep outside," Ghost offers.

"Don't be stupid," she says. "I'm smaller than all of you, I'm sure it'll be fine."

_____

Fine was an overstatement. Or perhaps it wasn't fine, and she just said it so that she could get through the night. Because while she was smaller than all of them, that didn't mean her gear was. It became apparent after crawling in after her Lieutenant. There was no way for her to lay without invading Ghost's space. Whether it was her thigh or her shoulder, every shift brought her into contact with her Lieutenant. It's after her fourth attempt that she lets out a low curse. Abruptly, she stands, unclasping the buckles on her flak jacket.

"What are you doing, sergeant?"

"Making room," she says. She doesn't pause, peeling out of the weighted jacket and over coat. Each layer resituated with her sleeping bag to help insulate it further, the outwear on top, the middle layer stuffed inside. She could press her bag against the wall of the tent, she could fit, and it wasn't like she was going to —

"Just bring your bag here."

"I'm sorry?"

Ghost stands, his presence more intimidating now that he was looking down at her. His eyes bore into hers, and she tried not to audibly swallow as he took a step towards her — full gear, fully masked. She felt small. Her heart racing as she watched him pick up her small nest of objects.

"We share tonight," he says. Finally he breaks eye contact, shifting his gaze to begin zipping their bags together. "Otherwise you'll freeze, and I'm not unnecessarily sending you to med bay because you're insane."

"I'm not —"

"Oi!" Soap's sleepy voice comes from under his lump of bag and equipment. "Juist cuddle, we've a' dane it."

This time she does visibly swallow, lips pursed as she looks from Soap's form to Ghost's. Ghost who was busy already taking off his flak jacket and —

"Wait," she hisses, "what are you doing?"

Ghost stops, shirt halfway up his torso as he stares back at her, entirely uninterested.

"Making it even." As if that were obvious. She watched as he stripped. The first layer of his shirt gone, then the first layer of pants. She averts her eyes, turning the second he starts to pull his thermals lower. "We're in rack ops, Sergeant. If you want to sit around waiting for daylight in your thermals go ahead. But the rest of us are going to sleep."

When she turns he's already under the blankets and clothes. He doesn't look at her, simply squishes himself against the wall she'd planned to. His eyes were closed, the only thing she could see beneath the baklava were his eyelashes, light and fluttered shut against each other. She bit her lip, shifting on her feet for a moment. The cold was beginning to seep into the tarp flooring, the only thing close to giving her saving grace was the small padding he'd made on the floor with their clothes and sleeping bag.

I'd freeze, she thinks as she sinks to her knees.

It's just for warmth, she reasons as she slips under the covers.

He's a fucking furnace, she's shocked to learn. She leans into his chest, hoping that he wouldn't mind. He simply wraps his arms around her, not opening his eyes as they shift into laying comfortably. She barely feels the chill that surrounds them, the insulation of the sleeping bag and the body heat coming from his body did everything to block out the frigid air.

Soon, his breaths were steady. Deep inhale in, deep exhale out. His hand, thick and large, rested on her lower back, just above where it would be inappropriate. She'd never felt so comfortable. Never felt so safe. Soon, her own eyes fluttered shut, and all her worry about propriety evaporated into her dreams.

_____

The dream is sickly sweet, almost too much so as it overtakes every inch of her mind. She should be having a nightmare, marred by the events of the day. Instead, with this dream, she knew it well, wrapped in a cocoon of warmth, floating on a cloud of syrupy goodness while she waited for — fuck.

Soft pressure, slow and focused at her cunt. Her clit, each soft circle of pressure ended there. She felt herself clench on nothing, a soft groan slipping from her mouth. Hungry. Demanding. She wanted to move her hips, grind into the sensation with abandon. But she couldn't. A weight was leaden on her hips, pinning them in place as the soft pressure grew into more. Something feverish, quick and decisive as she's rendered immobile, forced to just take and take the ceaseless pleasure as it zinged through her.

That was new.

The dream morphed. Something larger, thicker, took over. Each swipe now pressed against the lips of her cunt, slick and wet from the movement, the pressure. She wants to chase the feeling, each swipe against her slit driving a new ache inside her. An ache for that pressure to come inside, to burrow it's thickness inside of her as she begged, sleepy-drunk for it.

She still thinks it's a dream with the first push. The slow, too big, stretch of a hard cock as it pushed it's way into her. She whimpers, trying to shift but the weight is actually a hand, pressing her hips into the ground as the cock forced itself into her space. She goes to scream, but there's a hand around her mouth, muffling her when thick hips meet her ass.

"Shh," a thick voice whispers. It's low, deep. A voice she'd heard all day. One she'd clenched her thighs together to, just for him to part them whenever he wanted. "Just be good for me, okay?"

She nods, just barely, as he withdraws. Each inch of his cock rubs against her walls with ease, a soft squelch escaping before he snaps his hips back in, filling her in an instant. She grunts, muffled into his hand. Still, she feels the gush of arousal from his antics. The bunch of clothes underneath her are uncomfortable — odd lumps pressed into her stomach as she scrambles for some sort of purchase. She ends up gripping his jacket, feeling the cotton blend material yield to her fingernails as he continues to drive his hips into hers.

He pushes past where she's taken before, and before she can even cry out into his palm, he's angling her face up. Her back arched, eyes watering. It's dark, still in the night, but she can just make out his form above her. Still wearing the baklava, but those eyes bore into hers. Finally, finally, his composure was broken. His eyes almost seem black, pupils blown as he railed into her. And she clenches, her whole body tightening but she knows he can feeling it.

His grunt is long and low, his hips stilling for just a moment.

He removes his hand from her mouth, placing it on the ground as he withdraws. This time she knows she can't rely on him to keep her silent. She bites her lip, tears welling in her eyes as he pushes in. And he repeats. Slow, steady, punishing. Each thrust makes her forget their locale, the fact of how she woke up. Soon, soft ah, ah, ahs escaped her mouth. It's too much, it's not enough. The tears begin to flow.

Ghost turns feral.

He pulls out, ignoring her soft whine in favor of turning her over where she lay. Her thermal pants are still on, barely shoved to her knees, but it doesn't deter him. He gathers both of her legs together, pulling them so they rested on his shoulder as he presses back in. Her hands scramble, grasping again at what she could, until she feels his skin — the flesh of his forearm — under her fingers.

Her shirt had only been pushed just enough to show her stomach, the clear rush he was in to get inside her another aspect to turn her insane. Almost enough for her not to notice when she looks down, the skin of her belly stretching slightly as he stretched her past her limits.

He notices it too, eyes blazing as they seem transfixed on where they're connected. She only looks away when he places a particularly harsh thrust inside, hitting a spot inside of her that sent her reeling. He was forging a place inside her, reshaping her cunt to him.

"Fuck," she breathes. Her legs drop back, and she's suddenly thankful for adding yoga to her free hour in her early days in the army. Her knees leisurely at her chest as Ghost presses himself closer. She doesn't imagine it's comfortable, the scratch of her thermals on his chest, but it doesn't seem to bother him, he lifts his mask – just enough for his lips to come into view – and slams his lips into hers.

Its sloppy – a mashing of teeth as he drove into her. Each shift of his hips an attack on her senses. She whines when he pulls away, ripping the thermals from her legs. It almost made her giggle, the feel of it being ripped from her body. But then he's dropping her legs again, and she goes to wrap them around his waist. Too thick to cross her ankles, the best she can do is hang on as he sets a new pace.

Slower, but he was hitting that spot inside of her. The one she could never reach with her own fingers, and she had to wonder if he was able to tell. Each retreat she did her damndest to keep him inside, thighs cand cunt clenching around him.

"Fuck," she cried, louder than intended. "Ghost, I can't I'm –"

She's cut off with a whine, his hips stilling entirely inside of her. She shudders, tears truly streaming now. The frustration of a cut off orgasm, right on the edge of the precipice.

"You're going to ask nicely for it," he says and she wonders how his voice is so calm as he's wrecking her. "You're going to ask or you won't get it at all."

She bites her her lips, eyes wide. She knows they haven't been exactly quiet, but the idea of Soap, or even Gaz, hearing her as she — there's a mirth in Ghost's eyes. He tracks his eyes over to their teammates, and she follows his gaze just to feel her heart clench at the site in front of her.

"I don't think they mind, do ya Johnny?" Ghost gives a sharp thrust, forcing her mouth to drop open as she took in the sight in front of her.

The blankets were off, the chill in the room apparently not a problem as Gaz's fist wrapped tightly around Soap's cock, pumping slowly as Soap looked intently at her, barely registering Ghost's question.

"Nae at a', Si," he breathed. She could hear the hitch in his breath as Ghost resumed his thrust. Gaz, peering over his shoulder, making sure his hand moved at the same pace.

"In fact," Gaz says, and she can finally see the way his hips are moving – no, grinding – into Soap. "I say she needs to beg."

She whimpers. Eyes transfixed, her brain on overload but there wasn't a coherent thought between her ears. Her hands gasp as the arm next to her head, her vision torn away from the scene in front of her when a thumb swipes across her clit, circling it in rushed patterns. Ghost's eyes are ravenous, watching each twitch and writhe of her body as he plays her like a fiddle.

"Sounds tempting," Ghost muses. He leans down, whispers in her ear. "Don't worry, this is as much as I'm willing to share."

It breaks her. The last shred of her sanity snapping as she begins to babble.

"Please, please, please," she whines, lip bitten as she gazes up at him. "Wanna come, need you please."

It's like a switch goes off in his head, and he begins to punish, pressing in deeper, faster, harder. His hips practically drill her into the packed snow beneath the tarp. Cool on her back, but fire above her. His thumb moves against her clit, and she can hear how quickly Gaz's hand was moving against Johnny, the tent filled with nothing but the sound of skin slapping against skin, the soft grunts and moans as they began to lose themselves.

And then it happens. His voice, raspy as he finally gives into the feverish heat of her, directly in her ear. Incoherent as he is, it's enough.

"Come for me," he pants, his hips stuttering their pace. And who was she to deny her commanding officer? She only last a thrust or two more before she's falling apart. Her body clamps down, the sudden rush of release as she clings to him, nails digging into his shoulders.

"Oi, she looks lik' a dream whin she comes," Soap groans out. She see it, his hips humping into the air, chasing the firm push and pull of Gaz's hand.

"You wouldn't believe," Ghost sighs. It drives her as close to insane she's ever felt. Her body feels taught, oversensitive as she begins to feel a second wave. It's too much, Ghost doesn't stop, pressing on as his hips never slow. She can't help but watch Soap now, the desperation on his face as he watches, eyes wide and feral as Ghost continues his punishing onslaught.

"Fuck," she breaths, head knocking back onto the pad of clothing. Her body goes limp, but he presses on, hips never slowing. In fact, now it felt as though he was chasing that sweet release, pushing closer and closer to his completion.

"Wanted this the second I saw you on base," he murmurs into her ear. If she could speak, think of anything better to say, she would've. Instead she brings a hand up, grasping at the hair at the base of his neck. She can't help but moan, barely above a whisper as she holds him tight.

Soap and Ghost come at the same time. She feels the warmth flooding her as Soap's cock sprays, landing on his arm, chest, and over Gaz's hand. It's a mess but all she can think about is the mass of weight that sinks into her. Ghost lies fully, panting as he catches his breath. He's softening inside her but he keeps pushing his hips, as if to drive the last vestiges of his spend inside her.

They lay there, breath catching in their throats. She can't tell if he's just as frazzled, brain empty except for the orgasmic haze of contentment and satisfaction. The haze is broken by the cackling of the comms in her ear, coming to life for the first time since they'd fallen asleep.

"You're all getting reprimanded when you get back," Price's voice crackles through, barely audible over the static of their receiver.

There's silence for a moment. Every person frozen as they realize that they never turned off their mics. That Price heard it all. She should be embarrassed. But instead the laughter bubbles up in her chest. She's giggling like a child, only stopping when Ghost pulls his softening cock out of her.

"Aye, Captain," he says, before leaning in to kiss her again.

"We wur juist welcoming her tae th' 141," Soap calls out, and she devolves into a fit of giggles again.

[virtualcarrot]

[KKIR] Modern AU - Teaching Pains Pt4

Part 3

Prompt 4: Shall we dance spar?

.

Kakashi isn't one to stay after hours at the secondary school, especially when he has a lecture early in the morning at KU that he plans to only be fifteen minutes late to; that is, unless Iruka bashfully asks him to lend a hand setting up for open day, in which case Kakashi feels compelled to cave like he has taken a sudden interest in spelunking.

He's not sure Iruka is entirely aware of it, which he counts as a small blessing.

He sees Kotetsu and Izumo moving one last plank over and follows them with the two trestles they forgot to set up ahead. In all fairness, he doesn't blame them: the buzz of the preparations is clearly taking a toll.

Izumo groans when he notices and thanks him for the help. To the side, Suzume and Ebisu argue over whose brownie recipe is superior and merits selling in the morning.

Mizuki shakes his head. “It's like this every year,” he says softly with a little smile and his eyes downcast.

Kakashi doesn't get his meek attitude. He's more than once caught Mizuki and Iruka shoving each other like schoolboys, and the man also is no stranger to snide jibes, eyes flint-sharp when he snaps. But then, who's Kakashi to judge a man putting up a mask?

“Where’s Iruka?” Anko asks, punching the corners of an informative poster until the Blu Tack concedes to do its job.

“Having a moment in the gym,” Mizuki replies with that edge to his voice that all his gentle breathiness can't quite smooth.

“I'll get him,” Kakashi says, because he needs a break.

Kotetsu mutters something that sounds suspiciously like ‘I bet you will ’, but Kakashi gives him the benefit of the doubt and chooses to ignore it.

He doesn't bother with his coat--the gymnasium’s right across the schoolyard after all--though the nippy weather of early February does drive him to elongate his stride in concession to its bite.

Inside, the empty hallway has an eerie quality to it, the few lights Iruka bothered turning on making it a play of half-shadows. They give a dull shine to the trophies in the cases along the wall.

He finds Iruka near a side door of the main hall, barefoot and down to his undershirt while going through the motions of a kata by a pile of neatly stacked tumbling mats. He's surprisingly fit, out of the loose clothes he seems to favor, especially for someone living such a sedentary life. Kakashi hadn't missed the definition of his forearms--he's not entirely blind--but the details of his full arms on display and the bulk of his shoulders make for a whole new view.

Also, he's not half bad.

“Nice form,” Kakashi calls out once the other man’s done with this set.

The leap and yelp Iruka makes answers any question as to his awareness of Kakashi's presence.

“Playing hooky, sensei?” Kakashi teases, making his way over.

Iruka pulls a face and gestures to the tidy alignment of spotting blocks and slanted steps that usually sit much droopier in a corner.

“Hardly. These didn't stack themselves,” he says, though whatever smugness about him dissolves at Kakashi’s approach. “What are you doing?!” he asks, voice rising in pitch.

With his hands on the last buttons of his dress shirt, Kakashi blinks. “Not the reaction I usually hope for when I undress,” he confesses, prompting a garbled groan from the back of Iruka's throat. “Come on, let's spar.”

Iruka perks up in surprise and, wouldn’t you know, barely veiled excitement.

“You practice?”

“I dabble,” Kakashi replies airily.

Done laying his shirt on the nearest foam block and now equally barefoot, he shoves his mask in his back pocket. Iruka watches him get ready with his arms crossed and a spark of laughter.

“You’re about to wipe the floor with me, aren’t you?” he asks, moving to face him.

“Depends how good you are,” Kakashi says. He meets Iruka’s eyes and smirks, raising his hand in a come-at-me gesture. “Is Iruka-sensei scared?”

Through the play of emotions on Iruka’s face, he catches the exact moment the teacher accepts his challenge.

Iruka drops into a fighting stance. “I won’t make it easy.”

“Promise?”

Instead of an answer, he gets to catch and push back a high-kick to the head. Iruka moves away easily, clearly having meant it more as a warning to take him seriously than as a proper attack.

It makes for an excellent excuse to whine, though. “That wasn’t very fair, Iruka-sensei.”

“You think I don’t know when I’m being hustled?” Iruka retorts, quickly shuffling a step back when Kakashi puts his foot forward. “I’ll take any advantage.”

The lacquered wood floor of the gym squeaks as they move. Kakashi lets Iruka try to land two more hits, gauging his skill, before going himself on the offensive. Iruka manages to evade the first strike, blocks the blade of Kakashi’s hand inches from his midsection, and gets caught full chest by the flat of Kakashi’s other palm. He staggers back, gasping for the air that was just pushed out of his lungs.

Kakashi lets him have this respite.

Then: “again?”

Iruka doesn’t hesitate a moment before nodding.

It takes two more hits for Iruka to realize just how out of his depth he is, and from then on clearly decides to treat it as a game to see how long he can keep up. Truthfully, though nowhere near Kakashi’s level, he isn’t exactly bad; what he feels, mostly, is really very rusty. Kakashi can’t pretend not to be intrigued by the way he gets to watch old instincts awaken as they go on, and decides to nudge them in this direction.

The second time Iruka finds himself flat on his back on the floor, he looks up suspiciously.

“Are you… Is this a lesson? Are you giving me a lesson?”

Kakashi shrugs with a smile and approaches to help him up again.

He’s tugged Iruka halfway there when a foot hooks the back of his calf and sends them both tumbling down together. Kakashi barely has time to get his hand under him and break his fall before landing on a half-sprawl on Iruka’s chest.

The other man's too busy laughing to wince properly at the weight.

Kakashi watches him for a moment, bemused, before pushing off with a mild sigh. “What even was the point of that?” he asks, sitting on his haunches.

Braced on his elbows, Iruka grins up at him. His eyes crinkle as he does. “Healing my pride.”

“You also fell down,” Kakashi feels the need to point out.

“I was already down. Just brought you to my level.”

Radiating smugness as he is, his smile pulls his flushed cheeks high on his face. Fine hairs have dropped out of his ponytail, framing his face; the rest are held back in place by the sweat gathering at his temples. His chest heaves with the last of the exertion, the shiny hollow of his throat fluttering with it. And yet, none of this takes away from the pleased twinkle in his eyes.

Kakashi props up a hand to park his own chin and takes it all in.

When Iruka’s laughter has faded and the silence begins to drag, he bends a leg to nudge Iruka with.

“So, where did you learn?”

Iruka sits up, rubbing the scar on his nose in his customary self-soothing motion. “Right here, actually,” he says sheepishly. “Won a few trophies or two,” he adds, puffing up his chest. But the boast feels empty, with no true intent to back it up.

“I can see why,” Kakashi says honestly.

He doesn’t miss Iruka's curiously self-deprecating wince.

He rises to his feet. “If I help you up, will you let me this time?” he asks, holding out a hand at the answering nod. “Alright. C’mon, show me,” he prompts, herding them to their clothes and then towards the exit.

The full light of the hallway, when Iruka turns it on, burns way too bright after the intimacy of the half-dark. Taking care not to dislodge his eyepatch, Kakashi discreetly pinches the place between his brows while Iruka leads the way.

They stop in front of a nondescript case like so many others.

“Here it is,” Iruka says, rubbing the back of his neck.

Refusing to look inside quite yet, Kakashi stares at him instead, making him wriggle under the weight of his gaze. He doesn’t have to wait long until Iruka adds in the tone of a shameful confession:

“I shouldn’t have been at the tournament. I wasn’t anywhere near as good as Mizuki. But he got hurt in a fight because of me, so they sent me in his stead.”

“And you won.”

Iruka nods. “And I won.”

His curiosity satisfied, Kakashi finally peers inside.

Front and center amid the trophies on the middle shelf sits a picture of a team, multiple kids in white karate gi standing and smiling for the camera. Barely taller and probably propped on a gym mat of some sort for the occasion, Hiruzen can be seen behind them, one hand on the shoulder of a light-haired boy with his wrist in a brace, and the other on top of the head of a kid with his hair in a ponytail. That one has a distinctive scar bisecting his face. With his hands wrapped around a trophy, he’s grinning so hard his eyes are nearly shut with joy.

“Cute,” Kakashi says, “I like the bangs.”

But when he looks back for the expected simmer of fond annoyance, Iruka's busy gazing wistfully at the picture. Kakashi's chest aches at the sight. It’s unlike him, to be so sentimental, but he can’t find it in himself to mind. It's a tragedy he can relate to, that a proud memory from golden years should be tainted by much later born regret.

“Hey,” he murmurs, bumping Iruka’s shoulder with his own and startling him out of his thoughts. “Let’s get going, yeah?”

Iruka gives him a thankful smile, and together they turn the lights off on the gymnasium.

-

Part 5

@kakairu-rocks

[kybercrystals94]

When Fears Are Faced

By KyberCrystals94

Read here on Ao3!

Bad Things Happen Bingo | Prompt: Facing their phobia

Rating: G

Words: 721

Summary: Hunter faces his greatest fear… [[this story might make more sense if you’ve read Where Fears Are Born (by me!) & Phobia (by @just-here-with-my-thoughts) first!]]

(This story takes place mid season 1)

TW: Arachnophobia (you might wanna skip this little story if you have issues with spiders…)

It isn’t fair.

None of this is fair.

Tech is the one who suggested swim lessons in the first place, so, really, he should be the one standing here compromising. That would be fair. That would be reasonable. But instead, somehow, someway, Tech is standing a dozen meters away and half a step behind Wrecker’s bulking, trembling form. At least the cowards have the decency to look sympathetic.

“Are you sure this is safe?” Hunter asks, forcing a gruffness into his voice to hide the way it wants to pitch an octave.

“Yes, Hunter, it’s perfectly harmless,” Echo says. Hunter isn’t looking at the cyborg’s face, but he can practically hear the eye roll.

“It’s true,” Tech calls from his safe distance, “I double checked the data myself.”

Shut up, Tech, Hunter wants to retort, but he bites his tongue. You’re doing this for the kid. If she can handle it…you can handle it.

“And look how cute it is!” Omega croons, holding her cupped hands up for Hunter’s horrified inspection, “It’s fuzzy!” Hunter does not look at it, averting his eyes. Omega pulls her hands back, and gently strokes the demon with her pinky. “Do you think it likes this, Echo? Me petting it?”

“Arachnids do not register affectionate gestures in the same way that traditionally domesticated creatures do,” Tech offers, voice carrying on the gentle breeze that has picked up.

Hunter grits his teeth. “If you know so much about them, why don’t you come over here and do this?” he asks.

“That was not the agreement.”

Omega smiles up at Hunter with the sweetest, most affectionate show of teeth he’s ever seen. “I promise it won’t hurt you,” she says.

Hunter wants to crawl out of his skin. He wants to call this whole thing off. He wants to knock Tech and Wrecker’s heads together for getting him into this mess. Instead, he tries so hard to smile back at his little sister. “Okay,” he says, “if I hold the spider—”

“—for thirty seconds—” Echo puts in quickly.

Hunter shoots him a look but turns his focus back to Omega. “If I hold the spider for thirty seconds,” he emphasizes for Echo’s benefit, “then you’ll let us teach you how to swim, right?”

Omega nods eagerly. “If you face your fear, I’ll face mine!” She bounces on her toes, so excited.

This isn’t fair!

Hunter wrings his hands together nervously. This is one of the worst moments of my life.

“Are you ready?” Omega asks.

No! Hunter holds out his hand. “As I’ll ever be.”

Wrecker and Tech lean in from their safe distance.

Omega drops the spider in Hunter’s hand.

Hunter can’t ever hope to try and deny the pathetic creak of his voice when the eight-legged monster scrambles confusedly across his palm. It finally settles near the base of his fingers, perching with its legs drawn up. He might as well be holding literal flame.

“Awww,” Omega lilts joyfully, “it likes you, Hunter!”

“How much longer?” he asks Echo.

Echo is watching his chrono. “It’s only been five seconds.”

“No it hasn’t!” Hunter protests.

“Now ten.”

Hunter’s muscles feel taut as Omega’s bow string. He might be shaking a little, but he isn’t sure if he actually is, or if it’s just his vision going a little foggy.

“You are doing so good, Hunter!” Omega says encouragingly, touching his arm. “I am so proud of you!”

This is kriffing humiliating. A little kid is telling a full-grown man that she’s proud of him for holding a karking bug!

“Twenty seconds.”

“You’re over halfway there, Hunter! Just a few more seconds.”

“Five, four, three, two, one…Done!”

Omega snatches the spider out of Hunter’s hand before he can hurl it across the meadow (and maybe directly in Tech and Wrecker’s direction). “You did it!”

Hunter has to lock his knees to keep himself upright. He can feel the cool beading of sweat across his brow. He wipes his hand harshly against his pant leg, trying to get the feeling of spider legs off his skin.

Omega trots over to a nearby tree and lets the spider crawl off her hand and onto the bark. She watches it until it climbs out of her reach before she skips back to Hunter. “I’m ready for my swim lesson!”

END

I dedicate this story to @just-here-with-my-thoughts! Thanks for the fun idea…I hope it lives up to your expectations 😂

Tag List: @isthereanechoinhere96 @followthepurrgil @amorfista @mooncommlink @arctrooper69

✨Let me know if you’d like to be added to the Tag List!✨

[thetentaclecommander]

20 questions for fic writers

Sures, I'll bite @the-bar-sinister!

1. How many works do you have on AO3? 49 on my TheTentacleCommander main 2 on SerpentineAndWet 1 on SoftTentacledJazz (which I will get back to!) and 1 on Waymaiden Jelecia (shelved for now) so in total: 53

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?  471,114 in total spanning all accounts the huge bulk being under TTC.

3. What fandoms do you write for? Resident Evil. I'm very much a ride or die writer when it comes to fandom longevity lol

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos? Electronic Brawling (the Nem/Reader fic I wrote over a weekend, 322) Tentacles Are -Not- Toys (Until They Are) (the Nem/Jill I wrote over a weekend, 288) To Teach a (b)oy (the femdom Jill/Nem fic I wrote cause I wanted to just be as kinky as possible about it, 138) Need. Excite. Take. (a morning warm up I did for a Tyrantfucker chat, 130) Teaching the Devil (my 'serious' drabble that turned into a longfic/1st part of a myth arc around Nem/Jill and all the whatifs that could happen, 105) *yes, I'm aware the smut is what sells lol*

5. Do you respond to comments? Yes! I love receiving them and answer, especially in depth ones.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? Ah, ha haha this one's tough. My main ship (Nemesis/Jill) is in my hands intentionally angsty so many do end on that note. If I had to chose it'd be a tie between After The Fall - Where Nemesis *really* struggles between caring for her and wanting to hurt the absolute fuck out of her. Necromancy - It's hard surreal/dreamy on purpose (also a fic staple of mine) that ends with Nemesis having done all he has to make Jill 'happy' is so deeply unhappy with himself in the end - but still continues to perpetuate the lotus eater world he's crafted for them.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?  Where the wild things... - a really hard surreal dream fic of where Nemmy's head was at halfway through the 3rd arc. He has such an idealized, near childlike hope which is big for a generally angry and resentful creature. He clearly wants the world with Jill, where the chase benefits them both but a lot of the edges - like her own traumas - are shaved off. It's telling his dream was inspired by a children's book about dealing with anger, fear and finding/seeking comfort. But it's happy in the sense he gets that comfort he wanted so badly throughout his creation, and that when he awakens, it's with him now determined to reunite with her and their offspring. (con't after the cut)

8. Do you get hate on fics? Not really? When I was on ff.net I got snippy comments (I was a young babby then) but looking back it was just what we'd call today fanpol wanking to wank. These days I assume ppl are aware what I'm about so if I were to garner hate, I'd just laugh and write Nemmy fucking Jill even harder in unfortunate places. I can always go darker, kids.

9. Do you write smut? *stares at the camera deeply* Yesss? All the smut? They tend to range from soft heartwarming lovemaking, to conflicted should we be doing this, to rapey horrors, just weird monstery shit and then the kink. Just kinky shit all over the place. Very character study leaning.

10. Do you write crossovers?  Nah. I already have a lot in my head just handling one franchise!

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?  Not to my knowledge but with the way I write it's gunna be a pretty fun time in pulling off imitating my voice as I sound high on my own fumes about a decidedly rare pair no one seems to wanna admit liking rofl That and all the formatting hell

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?  Yea! In Russian.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?  Nah, I'm too much of a prima donna to share billing /jk I just don't like collabing unless it's for an rp but I'm also never say never about such things!

14. What’s your all-time favorite ship? *stares even harder at the camera* I...I'm the longest running one trick pony about having a parasitized Tyrant try to not murder with prejudice the most well trained person on the RE cast I make no secret about this :3 Also let me note my other most liked ships I have written on: Weskertine, Creva, and the Ada and Carlos tour. Valenfield ig (I do truly like em but they aren't as exciting to write for in comparison but I indeed do write them sometimes). Note these are for canons, I have loads more favs but they are ocs.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? I have like 15+ wips in my drafts. I don't wanna pick one cause it's just painful to look at them begging to be finished. The ones on my account I have every intent to finish. Mostly because they are related to the AU and it wouldn't make sense if I didn't finish them.

16. What are your writing strengths? The sex lol (and being weird with it). I've been told my imagery and word play in general is stellar.  

17. What are your writing weaknesses? I feel my dialogue could be better and it's where I struggle (unless it's my muses Nem, Jill, Trent and Zeus as they are the ones I've written for the most in fic/rps) so I always try to improve on that always.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic? Don't wanna. I tried, hated not knowing if the language was correct (looking at you, Carlos) so just did ye old << >> to imply he's not speaking English.

19. First fandom you wrote for?  Resident Evil. I am nothing if not persistent. (like my first fic was like in 2005-6? I think?)

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?  Again another tie but it's a 3 way *eyebrow wiggle*! A Slumber Recalled, A Devil Held - this was my 'can I do something soft but pained at the same time' fic. It's a revisit of the time they finally after 20+ chapters did the do, and it's from her pov instead. A lot of re contextualizing and 'wow both of these people have baggage and are doing this not out of love but to feel heard and it *hurts*'. Proved to myself that I can write something hard hitting without a single cry of physical pain. St. Valentine - where what was to be a simple Valentine's Day fic became a fun sacrilegious love poem from a very not at all obsessive Tyrant and then had an added chapter of the reverse side of Jill sounding mentally not all there almost fragmented in her feelings towards what this was between them. So much enjoyable word play was had. Necromancy - discussed above but has my brand of word play, leaning on the fourth wall/formatting/surreal and increasing uncomfortable.

------- All my writer mutes, have at! @damadisangue @naerwenia @coiled-dragon @s-dei @lmshady @azulas-daddy-kink @depraveddove @unchartedperils @sweet7simple @goth-automaton @dekujin @katophoenix (If I missed one of ya or you do write also join in :D)

[jimothy-g-brooks]

Ethrikos Archetypes

Original Post: Ethrika the Nemeses, the Princes of Darkness

Advanced Mnemosyne with traits and powers in common with Vampires called vrykolas that use Shadows in place of Vitae.

Vandal

Also called simply the Thug, granted all the power of a kindred without an ounce of the restraint, and all this creature can think to do is victimize the weak with overwhelming brute strength.

Attributes:

Strength 3 Presence 3 Intelligence 1

Dexterity 3 Manipulation 1 Wits 3

Stamina 3 Composure 2 Resolve 2

Skills: Athletics 4, Brawl* (Grappling) 4, Larceny* (B&E) 1, Drive* 2, Intimidation 4, Streetwise* 3 (Navigation), Medicine* 4  [Stealth (Moving Silently)]

*May be replaced with Weaponry (Improvised) or Firearms (Handguns or Shotguns), Stealth (Moving In Woods), Survival (Navigation), Animal Ken and just about anything respectively

Derived Traits: Health 8, Willpower 4, Size 5, Defense 7, Initiative 7, Speed 6

Caligines: Enervation, Drag-to-Darkness 4, Grotesque Bulk 1, Loathsome Weapon 3, Zombie Flesh 3, Avoid All Eyes, Gathering Shadows, Hear Darkness Slither, Voice-Eating Hunger + Umbrae: Corruption Of Blood, Grip Unto Your Fear

Caligo Discussion:  Enervation isn’t strictly necessary but the modification granted by being an ethrikos makes it a worthwhile tool for the physically oriented thug. Grapple your victim and suck the life out of them like a real vampire until death, gain Shadows if you do it to the right kind of victim. Activating Grip Unto Your Fear is especially good for this. Grotesque Bulk, Loathsome Weapon and Zombie Flesh are all simple, brutish caligines that grant the Monster-type Vandal the offense and defense needed to bring hurt and take it in turn. However, a cost of 3 WP total is a steep price to activate all of them at once. A possible work around would be a custom caligo, possibly tied with Inhuman Form, that would allow the Monster to gain the benefits of all three at the cost of 1 WP. Perhaps, as a downside, it’s a Full turn action. Suggested names: “Monstrous Transformation”, “Brute Form”, “Into Hyde”, “Hulk Out”. Loathsome Weapon, not to mention Grotesque Bulk, may be substituted for Shadow Blade by the Vandal who thinks they have more class or by Vile Gobbets by one who decidedly doesn’t. Drag-to-Darkness at 4 dots may allow a Kidnapper-type Vandal, letting the thug take an unwilling victim to their lair for whatever purpose. This may horrifically pair well with Cruel Mercy if they decide to take that as well or I Have You Now My Pretty. Avoid All Eyes and Voice-Eating Hunger are tools for the Killer-type Vandal, allowing them to get the drop on a victim and murder them in silence, with no chance of them screaming for help. Hear Darkness Slither goes in the opposite direction, helping a Vandal ensure no one gets the drop on them. Gathering Shadows works for a Warlord-type Vandal who would gather to himself a horde of monsters to lead against a target. I Am Your Master could also help with this build, giving the Vandal darkened or mnemosyne voulos minions, or the umbra Subsumed By Another Shadow. Darkness Enfolds might be worth taking if this dark prince is an assassin or hunter of the light princesses, granting them the ability to properly track down their quarry.

Vrykolas: Celerity 1, Vigor 1, Resilience 1

Add and/or substitute Animalism, Auspex and/or Protean if you want a more wild Savage crazed-hobo-in-the-woods type character.

Inner Night: 1

Shadows: 4

Grandsire

An evil creature taken with the idea of founding a new line of wickedness. It is not as simple as it is with kindred, an ethrika cannot metaphorically exsanguinate just anyone but must find, or create, withered mnemosyne. An ethrikos intuitively knows how many and which of the prerequisites a person has fulfilled necessary to be envenomed into another dark prince. Unlike one of the kindred, they cannot intuit if that person already is an ethrikos or what exactly fulfilling the rest of the prerequisites might entail, leaving an aspiring grandsire to muddle through that part on their own.

Attributes:

Strength 1 Presence 1 Intelligence 3

Dexterity 2 Manipulation 4 Wits 3

Stamina 3 Composure 4 Resolve 3

Skills: Athletics 2*, Stealth 1, Weaponry 1, Empathy 5 (Personalities), Persuasion 5 (Temptation), Socialize 1, Occult 4 (Dark Magic), Politics 2, Computers 1

*Move this 2 around the Physical skills as flavor demands. Calculate Defense appropriately.

Derived Traits: Size 5, Health 8, Willpower 7*, Defense 4, Initiative 7, Speed 4

*Eaten away by creation of heirs

Caligines: Enervation, Venom Of The Soul, Drag-to-Darkness 2, Liar’s Heart 1, Shadowblade 2, Zombie’s Flesh 2, Darkness Enfolds, Gathering Shadows, Mummia, Shadow Cloak, Taste Of Sin, Evil Influence, Sin Whisperer, The Demon Within, Drink Pain Like Wine, Everyone Dies Alone, Embrace Your Shadow

Caligo Discussion:  The two highlighted Caligines, being modified by the nemesis template, are the centerpieces of this template, being the two step process by which an ethrikos may sire a new dark prince. Rather than being called childers, these “artificial” ethrika are called heirs or nomoi. Taste Of Sin, Evil Influence and Sin Whisperer are ways by which the Grandsire might steer a prospective heir down the path of darkness and ready them for Enthronement. Dark Thoughts Consume may also do it, but it seems less reliable. Infectious Hate is also a good Umbrae for this. Mummia is a useful tool for the longevity it grants, allowing the faux vampire sire the years to work and appreciate their growing “family”. Undying Heart will do the same thing but better, but it is far harder to get and more extreme in its application. I Am Your Master, modified by the nemesis template, is a tool for the Patriarch-type Grandsire that wishes to maintain a firm control over their heirs. Drag-to-Darkness, Liar’s Heart and Gathering Shadows are useful tools for a Shadow Master-type trying to remain hidden or just get away scot free with their proteges as needed. So are the Umbrae Hollow As A Shadow and Faceless In The Crowd, especially if they are made into Caligines to be turned on and off. Shadowblade and Zombie’s Flesh are just means by which a Grandsire may defend themself, and a certain amount of elegance is imagined over the Vandal. They may, instead, rely on Voidblast if they’re a more sorcerer type of person, Loathsome Weapon if making a mess isn’t objectionable or entirely on their Vrykolas if they feel those are sufficient. Or the Grandsire may rely on a projective shield of heirs, assuming that their nomoi aren’t all birds of a feather. Encacogen, Gathering Shadows, The Demon Within and Embrace Your Shadow are all excellent ways for an Overlord-type to get some extra muscle that isn’t their heirs. As is the Umbrae Subsumed By Another Shadow. I Am Your Master, not even needing the nemesis upgrades, could help make these creatures controllable.

Vrykolas: A Grandsire may normally have any Disciplines in their special faux-vampiric powers, although Majesty is a good one. Usually 5-9 dots if they’ve been at this for a while. All Disciplines they have access to, so too will their heirs, nomoi.

Inner Night: 2-3

Shadows: 5-7

Suggestion: This may be mixed together with the Vandal, the Thug, in order to create the leader and sire of a horrid little gang of thugs.

Mastermind

This being plays a role more traditional to the dancers of the Requiem, shadowy manipulator. They will have voulos servants, minions, bonded to their master and carrying out their will, as well as mortals simply in their pocket or charmed by their silver tongue. Unlike a proud Ventrue, the Mastermind does not just seek to climb the social ladder, but to spread discord and strife for its own sake, even sometimes to the detriment of their standing. Some are capable of being more careful than that and they perhaps can be the worst. Masterminds of that sort will orchestrate grand plots to bring society to ruin with themselves standing tall upon the ashes or simply engineer culture into something more cruel and callous.

Attributes:

Strength 1 Presence 3 Intelligence 1

Dexterity 2 Manipulation 4 Wits 3

Stamina 2 Composure 2 Resolve 3

Skills: Larceny 2*, Stealth 2*, Empathy 1** (Inciting), Expression 2**, Intimidation 2**, Persuasion 2** (Temptation), Socialize 2**, Streetwise 2**, Subterfuge 3** (Long Cons), Politics 4 (Bribery)

*If you wanted, appropriate specialties would Sleight-Of-Hand and Crowds respectively

**The character template is a skill sink. If you wanted, consolidate some points into more specialized pools and/or add one or two dots to each social skill to represent a more seasoned manipulator.

Derived Traits: Size 5, Health 7, Willpower 5, Defense 2, Initiative 4, Speed 3

Caligines: I Am Your Master, Liar’s Heart 3, Darkness Enfolds, Taste Of Sin, Burying The Crime, Dark Thoughts Consume, Evil Influence, Scapegoat, So Many Of Me, Blood Diamonds, Call The Black Dog, Handful Of Dust, Sin Whisperer, Skinmask, Demon Within, Disloyal Susurration, Drink Pain Like Wine, Everyone Dies Alone, Oblivion Sign, Embrace Your Shadow

Caligo Discussion:   I Am Your Master is nearly the centerpiece caligo in this build, being modified by the nemesis template to allow the ethrikos to turn Darkened and Mnemosyne into flesh-slaved minions, voulos, like vampiric ghouls. With this, the Mastermind can build a network of loyal followers to carry out their bidding. Liar’s Heart, at 3 dots, is also very nearly essential for any version of the Mastermind, for the simple expedient reason of avoiding detection from the Enlightened. Darkness Enfolds, Scapegoat, So Many Of Me and Skinmask are of particular use to an Espionage-type Mastermind hoping to avoid detection. Taste Of Sin, Dark Thoughts Consume, Evil Influence, Sin Whisperer and Drink Pain Like Wine all offer direct ways to learn about and manipulate someone, good for a Tempter-type of Mastermind. Perhaps the Mastermind will only choose a few that fit their temptation style. They’re good ways to Darken somebody and leave them open to be turned into voulos. Oblivion Sign is a more direct way for a more literal Control-type. Disloyal Susurration and Blood Diamonds are good tools for the Merchant Prince-type of Mastermind, allowing them to destroy rival organizations and reap profits from anything. Consider brewing a variation on Blood Diamonds that allows the user to reap social influence instead of profit from the destruction of a place. Call The Black Dog, Handful Of Dust and Everyone Dies Alone are various ways for a Mastermind to break a target down, either removing an obstacle, making someone more pliable to other manipulations or both, and are excellent tools to choose from. Demon Within and Embrace Your Shadow are two different ways to create powerful minions on demand. The latter has the added benefit of creating a hostage all-in-one for those who would care about the person trapped in the Akuma Shadow. The Umbrae Faceless In The Crowd, Hollow As A Shadow, Light Is Dark, Scuttling Spider Sense, Sound Of Silence and Thief’s Touch are also useful to take as Caligines to a Mastermind that might need to get their hands dirty and then put away after. They may also be the preferred tools for their voulos minions. Subtle Tongue is something a manipulative Mastermind might keep on, until it too needs to be put away, Tainted Allure Of Vice if they’re feeling particularly dangerous. Infectious Hate might just be taken as a straight Umbra.

Vrykolas: Majesty 2, Dominate 2 A dot or two more spread among these may represent a more experienced and dangerous Mastermind. A dot of Obfuscate may be used  by a Mastermind with some hands-on needs or a second dot to aid her minions, and/or a dot or two of Nightmare in the backpocket for some self-defense if necessary.

Inner Night: 2-3

Shadows: 5-7

Suggestions: Mixing, matching or just adding up the best bits of this template and the Vandal (originally called the Thug) may pair well together is some kind of Crimelord type or just a Mastermind you wouldn’t mind actually putting up a fight when the final confrontation comes to be. It, of course, pairs well with a Grandsire to create a true Shadow King, fostering a legacy of darkness in both heirs and a powerbase for you to begin an era of darkness. All three and you have a Dark Kingpin, a kind of mafioso creating a warped crime family.

Puppetmaster

A dark and immortal sorcerer who has delved deeply in the magical powers granted to them by their status as a Prince Of Darkness. They have moved beyond bare imitations of the Kindred with unreliable ghouls and willful childers and have taken to the creation of perfectly obedient, undead automatons, the kukles or puppets.

Attributes:

Strength 3 Presence 1 Intelligence 4

Dexterity 1 Manipulation 1 Wits 1

Stamina 3 Composure 4 Resolve 4

Skills: Athletics 4, Brawl 3 (Dirty Tricks), Drive 1, Stealth 3 (Moving In Darkness)*, Subterfuge 2, Occult 5 (Dark Magic), Medicine 3 (Surgery)

*Could be Moving In Woods instead if their schtick is keeping their activities away from civilization

Derived Traits: Size 5, Health 8, Willpower 8*, Defense 5, Initiative 4, Speed 4

*Eaten away by creation of puppets

Caligines:  I Am Your Master, Undying Heart, Venom Of The Soul, Crafted With Love And Care, Drag To Darkness 4, Liar’s Heart 1, Cruel Mercy, Hear Darkness Slither, Shadow Cloak, Voice-Eating Hunger, Void Magic, Grasping At Shadows, I Have You Now My Pretty, Nowhere Untouched, Inhuman Form, Walk In Darkness, Out Of The Depths

Caligo Discussion: The highlighted caligines, being modified by the nemesis template, are the keystone of this build, allowing the Puppetmaster to Vassalize some poor soul into a Kukla. There is no need to Darken the potential puppet first, the Puppetmaster just need the time and resources to murder someone and literally carve out everything they were to turn them into perfect servants. Each and every caligo central to this build is an enormous sink of not just xp, but willpower to put them to use, both in creating a kukla and maintaining it. The Puppetmaster heavily relies on their Vyrkolas for personal power, works through their hollowed-out puppets and invests in caligines that don’t require willpower to work. Nowhere Untouched, Inhuman Form, Walk In Darkness and Out Of The Depths are good examples of this and useful powers in their own rights. They’re also xp sinks but the Puppetmaster has have had to used Undying Heart on themselves and is an immortal monster with plenty of time to gather the resources. Hear Darkness Slither, Shadow Cloak and Void Magic are a lot less costly and do not cost willpower to use. Enervation would be modified by the nemesis template but it is it’s base function that could be extremely useful to a Puppetmaster short on willpower. It’s not necessary to the creation of puppets but it sure would help. Autophage is another excellent choice if the Puppetmaster is willing to absorb the hurt. A combo might be having a puppet use Autophage and then the master use Enervation on the puppet. Grasping Shadows and Drag To Darkness are good caligines for disabling and storing a victim respectively for Vassalization that cost no willpower. I Have You Now My Pretty and Cruel Mercy are also good for the same things but they have a willpower cost. The umbra Grip Unto Your Fear may also work, made into a caligo or not. Voice Eating Hunger is an excellent way to take down a victim and let no one hear them scream. Faceless In The Crowd, Hollow As A Shadow and Hunger Means Nothing are in-character umbrae for a Puppetmaster to develop as they fit well with their anti-social tendencies and may take as caligines if not form them supernaturally.

Vrykolas: Like the Grandsire and their nomoi heirs, a Mastermind and their voulos minions, the kukla puppets are limited in the vrykolas they can learn from their Puppetmaster. However, these can be anything, but a Puppetmaster does not benefit much from Majesty. As they’ve been at this for a very long time, and likely rely on them because Shadows are far easier to gain and retain. Possibly 6-8 dots.

Inner Night: 3-4

Shadows: 6-9

Suggestions: Of all the templates, I would say Masterminds and Puppetmasters are the most diametrically opposed. One deals with people as they are(-ish) and the other one murders and hollows out poor suckers so they don’t have to deal with different opinions or any personal opinions at all, really. Combining the Puppetmaster with the Vandal probaby fits best with the Wood Hobo, an immortal serial killer in the forest that turns his victims into his undying slaves. With the Grandsire, you have a host of helpers split evenly between the “unworthy”, who get vassalized into kukla, and the “worthy”, who are enthroned as nomoi. Maybe with the Mastermind, it’s split between the “on thin ice” voulos and the kukles who “failed me for the last time” but were too useful just to kill off outright.

Occultist

Another dark and immortal sorcerer who has delved deep into the powers of Darkness for the sake of it. The Occultist commits horror out of a spiritual fascination with it and their transformation into a nemesis is more likely a result of this devotion. This is as opposed to the Puppetmaster who may have explored these powers in order to properly exploit their new state.

Attributes:

Strength 1 Presence 2 Intelligence 3

Dexterity 2 Manipulation 2 Wits 2

Stamina 3 Composure 3 Resolve 3

Skills: Athletics 3, Larceny 1, Stealth 2, Weaponry 2 (Knives), Intimidation 2, Persuasion 2 (Sermons), Streetwise 2, Subterfuge 2, Academics 1, Computer 1, Investigation 1, Occult 5 (Dark Magic)

Derived traits: Size 5, Health 8, Willpower 6, Defense 5, Initiative 5, Speed 3

Caligines: Dark Dreams 1+, Encagogen 2+, Night Air 1+, Voidblast 1+, Darkness Enfolds, Defiling Touch, Gathering Shadows, Open Hellmouth, Vex, Void Magic, Autophagy, Burying The Crimes, Enervating Hex, Nowhere Untouched, Wither, Flesh Of My Flesh, Such Pretty Eyes, Walk In Darkness, World Corroding Entropic Trouch, Dance Puppet Dance, Hope’s Eclipse, One Of Us, Trophy Hunt, Profanation, Shadow Step + Umbrae: Animate Shadow, Corruption Of Blood, Hollow As A Shadow, Infectious Hate, Light Is Dark, Miasma Of Madness, Subsumed By Another Shadow

Caligo Discussion: If there is a fiend who goes about inventing new and terrible dark powers, it would be one of these.

Vrykolas: The kind of Disciplines that would form in an Occultists are liable to be the more esoteric sort, such as Nightmare, Protean and Obfuscate. He’s also most likely to experiment with Devotions. 4-7 Dots sounds potentially like the right range.

Inner Night: 3-4

Shadows: 6-9

Suggestions: Mixing with the Puppetmaster is the hardest thing to do, since you’ll have so many demands on your willpower, but if you manage to make a Dread Necromancer this way, great. Combined with the Mastermind would create a great Cult Leader, with the Grandsire a Dark Father and with the Vandal a kind of Death Knight.

[liminaldaze]

So, I decided to use a dream I had as a springboard for some writing, and, well, this is what I ended up with.

---------------------------------------------------

Try as she might to center herself, the anxiety induced by the situation was only building. Even if she hadn’t been running on fumes, the loud, unfamiliar surroundings wouldn’t have been to her liking. Nell tried her best to look less like she was nervously hugging herself and more like she was simply crossing her arms, but she didn’t imagine she was fooling anyone. 

She'd been left to awkwardly wait by her lonesome atop the bar that doubled as the front desk of the establishment. Not by it, no, she was quite literally standing on it. Owing to the range of clientele that made use of the place, the countertop Nell stood on had to be, if she were to estimate, well over sixty feet off the ground. 

It was unfair. She’d merely been towing along, there to help get a move on carrying up some luggage while Rolan handled the matter of finalizing their crew’s lodging arrangements. Nell had intended to follow his lead, but it became increasingly apparent that he was likewise out of his element, that the I’taeri filled room had him just as rattled as it did her. With a concerning storm inbound everyone was seeking out the nearest shelter capable of weathering it, and while the waystop was fitted with fixtures to accommodate those of human stature the bulk of clientele happened to be the giant aliens. 

The two waited, Rolan opting for a less than proactive approach, likely hoping the others would start trickling in before he had to handle any interactions. Jenna and Kyle had said they’d be right behind them, but that turned out to be very much not the case. Their explanation came in the form of a call via their AR headsets. 

There had been an issue with the other truck it turned out and, though no one asked for it, Rolan felt the situation would benefit from his “expertise.” Which was to say, he had found an excuse to bail on her. He told Nell to “watch their stuff” and sit tight in case someone turned up to assist them before beating a hasty retreat towards the lift they’d used to ascend the counter. She hadn’t even been afforded the chance to voice her objections, of which she had many. 

And so there she was, marooned with a pile of luggage that she’d be hard pressed to lug around on her own. 

“Fucker…” she muttered bitterly. In that moment, from the very depths of her heart, Nell swore that there would be a reckoning. 

If by chance one of the larger customers did fancy their belongings then “watch” would be precisely the full extent of what Nell could do about it. Of course, it was less their stuff that Nell was worried about. One often heard… stories concerning I’taeri and humans. Of all sorts, but it was a particular subset, those of a darker nature, that surfaced in her mind as she watched the titanic beings go about their business. 

She cast her head this way and that, but there weren’t any other humans that she could immediately see, making her feel all the more vulnerable for it. And small. Very small. 

She swallowed thickly, trying not to flinch anytime she inadvertently met someone’s gaze. Heaven forbid it be misconstrued as interest in further interaction. All she wanted was to crawl into her sleeping nook, to curl up into a ball and cocoon herself in the blankets, allowing sleep to ferry her away from the myriad stresses of the waking world… At least the ones that didn’t manage to find her even in sleep. 

“Yup, that’s a human,” a voice cut above the others.

Jolting her back to the moment, Nell realized she’d closed her eyes. It doesn’t take her long to catch sight of an I’taeri woman who, no mistaking it, had her own sights trained on Nell, an easy smile on her face as she began making her way towards the counter. 

It sent veritable alarms blaring in her head. Oh nonononono! All at once, exactly the sort of thing she’d been hoping to avoid had seemingly been set into motion. She instinctively started to backpedal away, sprawling atop the bags she’d forgotten about right behind her with a startled “Eep!” 

Nell was blinking up at the ceiling, her mind trying to make sense of what had just occurred when she became aware of a particular set of booming steps that had only grown in intensity. In short order the ceiling was obscured by an impossibly tall, and fetching, individual smirking down at her from on high. Stunned and utterly mesmerized by the stranger’s presence, Nell could do little more than drink her appearance in.

Aside from the obvious disparity in scale, I’taeri weren’t all that different from humans in appearance, following a similar template, though they had their fair share of noteworthy features. The long, elegant tapered ears evocative of elves were certainly a highlight. Said ears possessed an impressive range of motion and were highly emotive. Both I’taeri eyes and hair came in colors not naturally occurring among humans, this one opting to keep her dark violet hair cropped to about shoulder length. Then there was the wide brimmed hat that encircled the I’taeri’s face like a halo from the angle Nell was viewing her from, the obscene amount of material that had to have gone into making the article staggering to contemplate. The hat cast her face in shadow, and from beneath it her crimson eyes almost appeared to emit a faint glow. 

“Uh-oh, had yourself a bit of a spill there,” the face hovering above Nell remarked, jolsting her out of her trance-like state. 

An intense blush rose to her cheeks, the amused expression on the I’taeri’s face telling Nell that her outright gawking hadn’t gone unnoticed.

“Here,” the stranger supplied, her hand rising into view, its fingers honing in on the quivering little human. As if expecting the worst, Nell’s initial reaction was to stiffen and screw her eyes shut. Instead, she felt the tips of said fingers gently slide behind her back in a scooping motion, assisting her onto her feet. “But my, you are a tiny thing~ If I hadn’t already been looking I may have missed you entirely.”

“Th-Thanks?” Nell uttered, a little shell shocked. Then the rest of what the woman had said registered. “Wait. Looking… N-Not for me!?”

The woman laughed softly. “No, not you specifically. Cute as you are,” she said with a wink.

That little addendum both threw Nell for a loop and filled her stomach with butterflies. She also seemed to be feeling… lightheaded? She thought? Her own experience in dealing with the I’taeri was very limited, and she was finding the mere presence of one that had thier undivided attention trained on her disorienting enough without having to contend with... whatever else was going on here. The expression on her face must have been amusing, as the other two I’taeri standing behind the first, who she hadn’t registered until that moment, chuckled to themselves. So not just one, but three of the giant aliens were peering down on her.

Joy.

“I do, however,” the woman continued, “suspect you might be associated with a business contact I’m to meet here. Jennifer Rosario. Know of her?”

“My, uh, boss.” Nell blinked up at the woman, indeed recalling something about a client. 

“Just so,” the behatted woman smirked, making a gesture reminiscent of a finger gun at the human. “Last I heard from her, your crew had made it safely and she was on her way up to the lobby. And yet…” She made a show of glancing around.

Nell jerked, realizing that she was dealing with a potentially dissatisfied customer and rushed, if clumsily, to offer an explanation.“Sh-She was!  But we got a call, and, uhm… Well, something went wrong with one of the trucks, so she probably got caught up with that a-and…”

The woman brought her hands up in a ‘slow down’ gesture. “Easy, there, I’m not mad,” she assured, a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. “Here’s what we’ll do.” Then, glancing back at her companions. “You two head down to the garage and offer a hand. I’ll keep our new little friend company.”

“Y-You don’t have to…” Nell stuttered, uncertain if she’d even been heard.

“Hah, one hand may be all that’s needed,” one of the two women joked as they made their departure, Nell briefly watching after them.

“I should at least call, give them a heads up,” Nell fretted. 

“It’s fine,” the woman assured, noisily dragging over a bar stool capable of towering over some human buildings. “Those two can explain themselves. Meanwhile, I’ll stick around to deter any untoward strangers that might be tempted to snatch a little thing like you up.” She rested her arms on the counter and leaned forward, bringing herself closer to the ‘little thing’ in question. 

Nell chuckled nervously, her instinct to back away from the immense entity encroaching upon her space nearly causing her to trip over the bags once again. The already intimidating amount of attention she’d been receiving before suddenly felt far more concentrated. Then there was that sparkle Nell thought she saw in her eyes.

 “Uh, well.. You’re also a…” she started, then paused, anxiously trying to retain some measure of tact as she pointed out the obvious. “That is to say… We don’t exactly know one another, either.”

The giant woman barked a laugh at that, Nell’s proximity to the booming exhale of air making her jump. “We don’t, now, do we?” Sitting back up, the I’taeri woman removed her hat and held it to her chest. “In that case, you can call me Lyen. And who do I have the pleasure of meeting?”

With Lyn’s hat removed, Nell could see that she had her hair partially pinned back in a short ponytail. The hat itself, she also noted, now that she had a different angle of it, looked like some iteration of a cavalier style hat. Once more, her mind drifted towards wondering at just how much in the way of resources, and what materials exactly, went into actualizing such a prodigious article. And that was just the hat. What about the coat she wore? And- Nell had to blink, making sure she had seen it correctly, but that certainly looked to be a human space grade helmet dangling from her ear. 

“Hrm?” Lyen hummed encouragingly, the slight tilt of her head jostling the unconventional accessory 

Nell blushed, realizing she’d fallen back into gawking. “My… My name’s Nell.”

“Nell…” Lyen repeated, as if evaluating the feel of the name as it rolled off her tongue. It caused Nell to shiver, though with what she couldn’t quite say. Lyen meanwhile gave an approving nod of her head. “Lovely~”

She set her hat down atop the counter, the object producing a prominent displacement of air that rustled Nell’s clothing and the straps on some of the bags. Nell was staring wide-eyed at it, having been set only a little ways down from her own position. It occurred to her, with no shortage of wonderment, that she could probably fit under the dome of it at a complete stand. There was a small part of her, even, that wanted to find out. 

“How about some food and drink to commemorate this auspicious meeting, eh?” Lyen’s voice drew Nell’s attention back to her face, noting her pleased expression. She flashed one of those easy smiles of her’s. “And perhaps some appropriately tiny seating while we’re at it,” she added with a chuckle. 

Nell was about to insist that wasn’t necessary, but Lyen had already started to wave down an I’teari staff member from on the other side of the bar. 

Taking a deep, shuddery breath, it was all Nell could do to steel herself for what yet lay ahead. 

[space-edge-technology]

How Bulk Voice Call Services Can Enhance Lead Generation for Indian Startups

Bulk voice call services are automated systems that enable businesses to send pre-recorded messages to a large number of phone numbers simultaneously. The bulk voice call service india method of communication is particularly beneficial for startups looking to optimize their outreach strategies without overwhelming their resources.

How Do Bulk Voice Call Services Work for Startups?

These services typically operate through a user-friendly platform where startups can upload their contact lists, craft engaging messages, and schedule calls. The system then automatically dials the numbers and delivers the pre-recorded message to the recipients.

For startups, this means a streamlined approach to reaching potential clients or customers. With the ability to track metrics such as delivery rates and recipient responses, startups can gain valuable insights into their outreach efforts.

Utilizing Bulk Voice Calls for Lead Generation

Outreach Campaigns

Startups can leverage bulk voice call services to conduct large-scale outreach campaigns. Whether launching a new product or promoting a service, pre-recorded messages can effectively introduce the offering to a broad audience.

By crafting a compelling message that highlights key benefits and a strong call to action, startups can capture the attention of potential leads. The personal touch of a voice message can create a connection that text-based communication often lacks.

Follow-Up Calls

Following up with leads is critical in the sales process. Bulk voice call services allow startups to send timely follow-up messages to potential clients who have shown interest but may need a nudge to make a decision.

These follow-up calls can include reminders about special offers, additional product information, or invitations to webinars or events. This consistent communication reinforces the startup’s presence and keeps leads engaged.

Nurturing Leads

Lead nurturing is an essential aspect of the sales funnel. With bulk voice call services, startups can maintain a relationship with their leads over time. Sending periodic updates, success stories, or helpful tips can position the startup as a valuable resource.

Voice calls can also be used to gather feedback or conduct surveys, allowing startups to tailor their offerings based on customer preferences. This two-way communication fosters trust and loyalty, increasing the likelihood of conversion.

Segmented Campaigns

To maximize the effectiveness of bulk voice calls, startups can segment their contact lists based on various criteria, such as demographics, interests, or previous interactions. This targeted approach ensures that the right message reaches the right audience, enhancing engagement and response rates.

By customizing messages for different segments, startups can address specific needs or concerns, making their outreach efforts more relevant and impactful.

Conclusion

In a competitive landscape, startups need to utilize every tool at their disposal to enhance lead generation. Bulk voice call services offer a powerful way to streamline outreach, maintain engagement, and nurture leads effectively.

SpaceEdge Technology: Digital Marketing Service Provider

SpaceEdge Technology is a digital marketing agency committed to helping businesses thrive in the ever-evolving online landscape. Our mission is to deliver tailored digital marketing solutions that drive growth, boost brand visibility, and create lasting customer relationships.

[infinitywebinfopvtltd]

Twilio API Integration: Powering Communication Solutions with Infinity Webinfo Pvt. Ltd.

In the rapidly evolving digital world, businesses increasingly rely on real-time communication to engage customers and streamline operations. Infinity Webinfo Pvt. Ltd., a leading IT solutions provider, specializes in integrating innovative technologies that drive efficiency and customer engagement. One of the key solutions we offer is Twilio API Integration, enabling businesses to add scalable, cloud-based communication features to their web and mobile applications.

Twilio API Integration by INFINITY WEBINFO PVT LTD

In this article, we'll explore how Infinity Webinfo Pvt. Ltd. leverages the Twilio API to transform communication processes and why it’s must-have integration for businesses seeking to optimize their customer interactions.

What is Twilio?

Twilio is a cloud-based service that provides APIs for handling various forms of communication, including SMS, voice calls, and video. With Twilio, you can:

Send and receive SMS messages.

Make and receive phone calls.

Use Twilio Video for video calls and conferences.

Verify users with two-factor authentication (2FA).

Twilio's flexible APIs can be integrated with a wide range of applications, making it easy for developers to build custom communication solutions.

Why Use Twilio?

There are many benefits to integrating Twilio's APIs into your application:

Scalability: Twilio's cloud infrastructure can scale with your business, ensuring that your application remains responsive and reliable.

Global Reach: Twilio enables businesses to connect with users globally through various communication channels.

Ease of Integration: Twilio provides easy-to-use APIs, detailed documentation, and SDKs for different programming languages (JavaScript, Python, PHP, Node.js, Ruby, etc.).

Programmable: You can create custom workflows for handling incoming calls, sending notifications, and managing contacts.

Cost-Effective: Twilio offers pay-as-you-go pricing, which means you only pay for what you use.

Core Features of Twilio API Integration

1. SMS and MMS Messaging

With Twilio’s SMS API, businesses can send and receive text messages globally. Whether for promotional campaigns or transactional alerts, Infinity Webinfo Pvt. Ltd. ensures seamless integration for bulk messaging, two-way conversations, and SMS automation.

2. Voice Calls

Twilio’s Voice API enables businesses to make, receive, and control phone calls through applications. From setting up call centers to automating customer support calls, Infinity Webinfo Pvt. Ltd. makes it easy to deploy these solutions.

3. Twilio Video and Chat

With remote work and virtual communication on the rise, Twilio’s Video API is an excellent solution for creating real-time video chats, conferences, or webinars. Similarly, Twilio’s Programmable Chat API allows for seamless integration of chat services within your apps.

4. Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

Security is a top priority, and Twilio’s Authy API enables businesses to implement two-factor authentication (2FA) via SMS, voice, or email, ensuring secure access for users.

Twilio Webhooks

Twilio uses webhooks to notify your application about certain events, such as when an SMS is delivered or when a voice call is received. To handle these webhooks, you need to create an endpoint on your server that Twilio can send HTTP requests to.

Twilio API Pricing

Twilio operates on a pay-as-you-go model, meaning you only pay for the services you use. Pricing varies based on the type of service:

SMS: Charges are typically based on the message length and the recipient’s location.

Voice Calls: Pricing depends on the destination and duration of the call.

Video and Other Services: Twilio Video and other services like authentication and fax have their own specific pricing models.

Best Practices for Twilio Integration

Use Environment Variables: Keep sensitive information like Account SID and Auth Token in environment variables to avoid hardcoding them in your code.

Set Up Error Handling: Always implement proper error handling to catch and resolve any issues with API requests.

Rate Limiting: Be mindful of rate limits for sending messages or making calls. Twilio can throttle your requests if they exceed certain thresholds.

Security: Use secure HTTPS endpoints for webhooks and verify that incoming requests are genuinely from Twilio by validating the request signature.

How Infinity Webinfo Pvt. Ltd. Delivers Twilio API Solutions

At Infinity Webinfo Pvt. Ltd., we follow a streamlined process to integrate Twilio APIs into your business systems:

Consultation: Understanding your communication requirements and business goals.

API Integration: Configuring and customizing the Twilio API for your specific needs.

Testing: Conducting thorough tests to ensure seamless communication and error handling.

Deployment: Launching the integration in your production environment.

Support: Offering continuous monitoring, troubleshooting, and scaling solutions.

Conclusion

As businesses increasingly rely on real-time communication to engage their customers, Twilio API Integration is a game-changer. With the help of Infinity Webinfo Pvt. Ltd., businesses can harness the full potential of Twilio's APIs to streamline their communication processes, enhance customer experiences, and stay competitive in the market. From SMS messaging to secure two-factor authentication and video conferencing, our team of experts is here to deliver cutting-edge communication solutions that drive success.

For More Contact INFINITY WEBINFO PVT LTD NOW: - +91 9711090237

[whatsappapi01]

How to Handle WhatsApp Blue Ticks in Your Daily Chats: Tips and Tricks

In the digital age, WhatsApp has become an essential communication tool, connecting people worldwide through instant messaging, voice, and video calls. One of the platform's most recognizable features is the blue tick system, which indicates that a message has been read. While seemingly straightforward, these blue ticks can impact our daily communication more than we might think. In this blog, we'll explore how to handle WhatsApp blue ticks in your daily chats, along with tips and tricks, and delve into how WhatsApp API services, chatbots, and AI are revolutionizing communication.

WhatsApp Blue Ticks

Before diving into the strategies, it's important to understand what WhatsApp blue ticks represent. When you send a message on WhatsApp:

Single Gray Tick: The message has been sent but not yet delivered to the recipient's device.

Double Gray Ticks: The message has been delivered but not yet read by the recipient.

Double Blue Ticks: The message has been read by the recipient.

These blue ticks serve as a confirmation that your message has been seen, but they also bring about certain social expectations and pressures. For some, the blue ticks create a sense of urgency to respond immediately, while for others, they can lead to anxiety if a message is read but not replied to promptly.

Tips for Handling WhatsApp Blue Ticks

Manage Expectations:

Understand that not everyone is available to reply immediately. People have different schedules, and sometimes, they may read your message but cannot respond right away. Give others the benefit of the doubt and avoid jumping to conclusions if you see blue ticks without an immediate reply.

Disable Read Receipts:

If you find blue ticks stressful, consider disabling the read receipts in your settings. This will prevent others from seeing when you've read their messages, and you won't see when others have read yours. Note that this applies to individual chats, not group chats.

To disable read receipts, go to Settings > Account > Privacy and toggle off Read Receipts.

Use the "Mark as Unread" Feature:

WhatsApp allows you to mark messages as unread. This can be a helpful way to remind yourself to respond later, especially if you've read a message but can't reply immediately. However, this doesn't reverse the blue ticks on the recipient's end.

Respect Others' Privacy:

If someone hasn't replied to your message despite the blue ticks, respect their space. They may be busy, distracted, or simply not ready to engage in a conversation.

Communicate Clearly:

If you're unable to respond to a message immediately after reading it, consider sending a quick note to acknowledge the message and let the person know you'll reply later. This can help manage expectations and reduce potential misunderstandings.

The Role of WhatsApp API Services in Modern Communication

With the advent of WhatsApp API services, businesses and developers can now leverage WhatsApp's powerful platform to enhance communication with customers and clients. The WhatsApp Business API allows companies to send and receive messages at scale, integrate chatbots, and automate interactions.

WhatsApp API Service:

The WhatsApp API provides businesses with a scalable solution to communicate with customers through personalized messages, notifications, and customer support. It’s an essential tool for companies looking to integrate WhatsApp into their customer relationship management (CRM) systems.

WhatsApp Chatbot Integration:

Chatbots have become a vital component of customer service. By integrating chatbots with WhatsApp, businesses can provide instant responses, automate common queries, and even guide customers through purchasing processes. This not only improves efficiency but also enhances customer satisfaction.

WhatsApp Bulk Message API Software:

For businesses looking to reach a large audience, WhatsApp bulk message API software is a game-changer. It allows companies to send mass messages to their customer base, whether for marketing campaigns, updates, or announcements. These tools are essential for businesses that need to communicate efficiently with thousands of customers simultaneously.

WhatsApp Business API:

The WhatsApp Business API is specifically designed for medium and large businesses to manage customer interactions at scale. It supports automation, integration with CRM systems, and analytics, providing businesses with insights into customer behavior and engagement.

Conclusion

WhatsApp blue ticks are a simple feature with complex implications for our daily communication. By managing expectations, respecting privacy, and using the platform's features wisely, you can navigate WhatsApp chats more effectively. For businesses, WhatsApp API services, chatbots, and AI are transforming how companies interact with customers, making communication more efficient, personalized, and scalable.

[voipminutes]

Unlocking Communication Potential: The Strategic Advantage of Wholesale VoIP Minutes for Modern Businesses

Introduction

Brief introduction to VoIP technology and its growing importance in business communications.

Explanation of what wholesale VoIP minutes are and why they are crucial for businesses, especially those involved in call centers, telecom services, and international communications.

What Are Wholesale VoIP Minutes?

Definition of VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) and how it works.

Detailed explanation of wholesale VoIP minutes, including how they differ from regular VoIP services.

Overview of the key features of wholesale VoIP minutes, such as cost-efficiency, bulk purchasing, and scalability.

Benefits of Using Wholesale VoIP Minutes

Cost Savings

How buying minutes in bulk reduces per-minute costs.

Comparison with traditional telecom services.

Scalability

Easy scaling of communication needs as your business grows.

Flexible plans that cater to businesses of all sizes.

Global Reach

Access to international markets with affordable rates.

The advantage of seamless global communication.

Reliability and Quality

How wholesale VoIP providers ensure high-quality calls.

Importance of choosing a reliable provider for consistent service.

Customization

Tailoring VoIP solutions to fit specific business needs.

Custom routing, call monitoring, and other personalized features.

How to Choose the Right Wholesale VoIP Provider

Factors to consider: pricing, service quality, customer support, and global coverage.

Importance of checking for hidden fees and contract terms.

Evaluating providers based on customer reviews and industry reputation.

Challenges and Considerations

Potential challenges with wholesale VoIP minutes, such as connectivity issues or quality fluctuations.

Tips for mitigating risks, including testing services before committing and ensuring robust infrastructure.

Case Studies/Examples

Real-life examples of businesses that benefited from wholesale VoIP minutes.

Insights into how they utilized VoIP to enhance their communication strategy.

Conclusion

Recap of the advantages of using wholesale VoIP minutes for businesses.

Final thoughts on the importance of partnering with the right provider for maximizing communication efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

[mycountrymobile9278]

The Future of Wholesale VoIP: Unlocking Unmatched Efficiency and Growth in a Competitive Market

Introduction

Overview of Wholesale VoIP and Its Growing Importance

Wholesale VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is a critical component in the telecommunications industry, providing a cost-effective way for businesses to manage large volumes of voice traffic. Unlike retail VoIP services, which are aimed at individual consumers, wholesale VoIP involves the bulk purchase and resale of voice services between providers. This model supports a wide range of applications, from international calling to integrated communication solutions for businesses.

In recent years, the importance of wholesale VoIP has surged. As global connectivity demands grow and businesses seek more efficient communication solutions, wholesale VoIP offers scalability and flexibility. It enables providers to offer competitive pricing and advanced features, contributing to the overall efficiency and effectiveness of communication networks.

Purpose: Exploring How Wholesale VoIP Drives Efficiency and Growth

This blog post delves into how wholesale VoIP is revolutionizing the industry by enhancing operational efficiency and fostering growth. We will explore the technological advancements that drive these benefits, identify key growth opportunities, and discuss strategies for staying competitive in this evolving market. Through this examination, we aim to provide insights into how wholesale VoIP can be leveraged for superior performance and expanded market reach.

The Evolution of Wholesale VoIP

Key Developments and Technological Advancements

Wholesale VoIP has undergone significant evolution since its inception. Initially, it was driven by the need for cost-effective communication solutions, but advancements in technology have greatly expanded its capabilities. Key developments include:

Cloud Technology: The transition to cloud-based infrastructure has revolutionized wholesale VoIP by enhancing scalability and reducing costs. Cloud platforms offer flexibility, allowing providers to manage and adjust services with greater ease.

Advanced Compression Techniques: Innovations in voice compression have improved call quality while reducing bandwidth requirements. This advancement has made it possible to handle more calls simultaneously without compromising on quality.

AI and Automation: The integration of artificial intelligence and automation tools has streamlined network management. AI-driven analytics and automated routing systems optimize call handling and reduce operational costs.

Current Trends Shaping the VoIP Landscape

Several trends are currently influencing the wholesale VoIP market:

Increased Demand for Unified Communications: Businesses are seeking integrated solutions that combine voice, video, and messaging. Wholesale VoIP providers are adapting by offering bundled services that enhance communication efficiency.

Focus on Security: With growing concerns about data breaches, there is a heightened emphasis on security features such as encryption and fraud prevention. Providers are investing in robust security measures to protect their networks and customers.

Emergence of 5G Technology: The rollout of 5G networks is set to enhance VoIP services by providing faster speeds and lower latency. This will enable better quality and more reliable voice communication.

Global Expansion: As businesses operate on a global scale, there is an increasing need for international VoIP services. Providers are expanding their networks to offer better coverage and competitive pricing across different regions.

Enhancing Efficiency with Wholesale VoIP

Technological Innovations

Cloud Technology: Cloud-based VoIP solutions have significantly boosted efficiency by providing scalable and flexible infrastructure. Unlike traditional on-premises systems, cloud technology allows providers to manage resources more effectively, scale operations quickly, and reduce hardware costs. This adaptability is crucial for meeting varying demand levels and optimizing service delivery.

Artificial Intelligence (AI): AI technologies enhance VoIP efficiency through advanced data analytics and automation. AI-driven systems can analyze traffic patterns, predict network loads, and automate routine tasks such as call routing and troubleshooting. This not only improves service quality but also reduces the need for manual intervention, leading to faster resolution of issues and lower operational costs.

Automation: Automation tools streamline many aspects of VoIP operations, from provisioning and monitoring to maintenance and updates. Automated systems can manage large volumes of calls with minimal human oversight, ensure consistent performance, and reduce errors. This results in more reliable service and a more efficient operational workflow.

Operational Best Practices

Streamlining Operations: Effective management of wholesale VoIP operations involves adopting best practices that enhance efficiency. This includes utilizing centralized management platforms to oversee network performance, implement real-time monitoring to quickly address issues, and standardize processes to ensure consistency across the board.

Scaling Effectively: To accommodate growth, wholesale VoIP providers must plan for scalable infrastructure. This means investing in technologies that support easy expansion and flexible resource allocation. By leveraging cloud solutions and automation, providers can scale their services up or down based on demand without significant disruptions or additional costs.

Growth Opportunities and Strategies

Emerging Markets

High-Growth Regions: The wholesale VoIP market is expanding rapidly in several emerging regions. Areas such as Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America present significant growth opportunities due to increasing demand for affordable and reliable communication services. These regions are experiencing economic development and digital transformation, leading to a surge in VoIP adoption.

Sector-Specific Opportunities: Specific sectors are driving demand for wholesale VoIP solutions. For instance, the healthcare sector requires secure and reliable communication channels for telemedicine and patient management. Similarly, the financial sector benefits from VoIP solutions that offer secure transactions and customer support. Identifying and targeting these sector-specific needs can open up new revenue streams and growth avenues.

Strategic Partnerships

Building Alliances: Forming strategic partnerships is crucial for expanding market reach and driving innovation. Collaborating with technology providers, network operators, and industry-specific vendors can enhance service offerings and introduce new capabilities. These alliances enable providers to leverage each other's strengths and access new markets.

Mutual Growth: Effective partnerships focus on mutual benefits, such as shared resources, co-developed solutions, and joint marketing efforts. By working together, partners can tap into each other's customer bases, reduce costs through resource sharing, and accelerate innovation. This collaborative approach not only drives growth but also enhances competitive positioning in the wholesale VoIP market.

Navigating the Competitive Landscape

Market Dynamics

Key Players and Their Strategies: The wholesale VoIP market is competitive, with several major players shaping its dynamics. Leading providers often focus on offering a wide range of services, including international calling, advanced features, and robust customer support. They also invest in technological advancements to improve service quality and efficiency. Some of these key players differentiate themselves through extensive network coverage, competitive pricing, and innovative solutions tailored to specific market needs.

Differentiation

How to Stand Out: In a crowded market, distinguishing your wholesale VoIP services is essential for attracting and retaining customers. Focus on offering unique value propositions, such as superior call quality, exceptional customer service, or specialized features that meet specific client needs. Leveraging advanced technologies like AI and cloud solutions can also provide a competitive edge by enhancing service reliability and operational efficiency.

Adding Value: Beyond basic services, adding value can set your offerings apart. Consider providing additional features such as integrated analytics, advanced fraud protection, or customizable service packages. Building strong relationships with clients and offering flexible solutions that adapt to their evolving needs can further differentiate your business from competitors.

Future Trends and Outlook

Technological Breakthroughs

Upcoming Advancements to Watch: The wholesale VoIP industry is poised for several significant technological breakthroughs. Key advancements to watch include:

5G Integration: The expansion of 5G networks is set to enhance VoIP services with faster speeds and lower latency, improving call quality and reliability. This technology will also enable more seamless integration with other communication services.

AI and Machine Learning: Continued development in artificial intelligence and machine learning will drive smarter call routing, enhanced fraud detection, and predictive analytics. These technologies will further automate processes and improve service efficiency.

Blockchain for Security: Blockchain technology is emerging as a solution for enhancing security and transparency in VoIP transactions. Its potential for reducing fraud and improving data integrity is being actively explored.

Regulatory and Market Changes

Anticipated Shifts and Their Impact: The wholesale VoIP market will also be influenced by several regulatory and market changes:

Regulatory Developments: Expect ongoing changes in regulations related to data privacy, security, and telecommunications standards. Compliance with new regulations will be crucial for maintaining operational integrity and avoiding legal issues.

Market Consolidation: The industry may see increased consolidation as smaller players merge with or are acquired by larger entities. This could lead to a more concentrated market with fewer, but more dominant, providers.

Globalization Trends: As businesses continue to expand globally, there will be greater demand for international VoIP services. Providers will need to adapt to diverse regulatory environments and offer solutions that cater to a global clientele.

Conclusion

Wholesale VoIP is advancing rapidly, driven by innovations in cloud technology, AI, and automation that boost efficiency and scalability. Key opportunities lie in emerging markets and strategic partnerships, offering pathways to growth and competitive advantage. As the industry evolves, staying ahead of technological trends and regulatory changes is crucial. The future of wholesale VoIP promises continued transformation, with enhanced services and global expansion. Providers who adapt to these changes and differentiate their offerings will be well-positioned to succeed. Embracing these opportunities and remaining agile will be key to thriving in the competitive landscape of wholesale VoIP.