#bleach 555 chapter

[vnyu73]

hands down my favorite outfit of ichigo thank you senjumaru-san

[pikapeppa]

Professor Solas AU: Wrong

Chapter 7 of Inadvisable (Solas +Abelas + Felassan modern university AU) is posted! 

In which Tamaris decides whether to bother replying to Felassan’s message, and Solas talks shop with Abelas... then fantasizes thinks about Nare.

~4500 words; read on AO3 instead.

*********************

- TAMARIS -

Tamaris opened the apartment door for Feynriel and gave him a stern look. “All right, follow those aftercare instructions properly. No swimming, no scented moisturizer shit.”

Feynriel nodded and smiled, then winced. “Ow. Smiling hurts my face.”

Tamaris smirked. “Yeah, that’s what happens when you get tattoos on your cheeks. It’ll stop hurting in a couple of days.” She tapped the aftercare instruction pamphlet in his hand. “If you have questions, problems, you call me, okay?”

He nodded and stepped out of the apartment. “Okay. Thanks again, Tamaris. For the history lesson and everything as well as the vallaslin.”

“Anytime,” she said. She waited for him to make his way down the stairs, then closed the door behind him and went to clean up the detritus of their tattoo session.

She padded down the hallway that led toward Athera’s bedroom and turned into the fourth bedroom, which did double-duty as her tattoo studio and Nare’s art studio. She threw away the crumpled witch hazel and alcohol wipes and the unused tattoo ink, and as she placed the used needle into the sharps container, she made a mental note to change the nearly-full container to a new one. 

She sighed wearily as she wiped the counter down with bleach; she already had another full sharps container in the corner, so it was probably time to take them all to the pharmacy down the street to dispose of them properly. 

When the space was clean once more, Tamaris plopped down onto her padded stool with a sigh, then reached for her phone. Just as she was about to pick it up, she remembered the message she’d received that morning.

Her belly jolted. She hesitated for a second, then picked up her phone and swiped through to her PMs on Instagram.

felassan 08:13AM Deep mushroom sometime?

She huffed to herself. She could practically see his shit-eating grin in the letters on her screen. 

She pursed her lips as she studied the short message. In all honesty, she was surprised to hear from him. After coming home from the mixer last night with Athera and Nare, Tamaris had spent some time wondering why the fuck Felassan had left her in the alley instead of coming home with her, and she could only conclude that she must have offended him somehow. She had a tendency to do that, after all; when you were as short-tempered and indelicate as Tamaris could be, pissing people off kind of came with the territory. 

It must have been when she called him a playboy. Everything seemed like it was going fine until that point. But that’s hardly an insult if it’s true, she thought in disgruntlement. Despite Felassan’s protests that he wasn’t a smooth operator, she didn’t believe him. She had no reason to believe him, after all. He was a handsome and charming man who seemed to know all the right things to say to soften her up, and the way he kissed her was nothing short of perfectly seductive, so of course she didn’t believe him.

Tamaris ultimately went to bed last night concluding that even if she had offended Felassan, it was for the best. Someone that handsome and smooth-talking could only be full of shit, so she was better off without him.

But then she’d woken up around ten to find that he had messaged her early this morning. The fact that he’d contacted her had thrown her off so much that she’d closed the app and not replied. 

Now, almost five hours after he’d sent that message, Tamaris still hadn’t replied. And she wasn’t sure she even should. What was the point, after all? She didn’t want anything other than simple and uncomplicated sex. This contact with Felassan was already more complicated than it needed to be, with his whole disappearing act last night followed by this coy message on Instagram this morning.

Too much trouble,  she thought, and she closed the app once more. But as she sat there on her stool with her phone dangling from her hand, she couldn’t help but think about some of the things he’d said last night. 

He’d said she was looking for a reason to smile. It sounded like a smooth line, but there was something about the way he said it that made her think he actually meant it. Something about the look on his face, like he somehow knew what it was like to be looking for a reason to be optimistic and hopeful and all that shit. 

And if he really did mean it, if he really did think she’d been searching the for a reason to smile…

All the more reason to avoid him, she thought grumpily. The last thing she needed was someone who was going to act like he knew her based solely on the look on her face. 

She sat idly on her stool for a few minutes. Then she opened Instagram and swiped through to Felassan’s profile.

It was devoid of any helpful insights, unfortunately. His profile was empty with no photos at all, not even a profile photo.

Fucking weird, she thought. She stared at her screen for a moment longer, then swiped back to her PMs. 

felassan 8:13AM Deep mushroom sometime?

She stared at the message for a moment. Then, before she could change her mind, she replied.

tamaris_tattoos 12:43PM  your empty insta makes you look like a predator. or a grandma

She minimized the app without waiting for a response and checked her emails instead. She read through her emails for a minute, then returned to Instagram. 

felassan 12:43PM Is that how you speak to all of your potential clients?

She scoffed before replying.

tamaris_tattoos 12:45PM shut the fuck up. you’re not a potential client

felassan 12:45PM Not with that charmingly rude attitude, I’m not.

tamaris_tattoos 12:45PM what do you want then

felassan 12:45PM A repeat of last night wouldn’t go amiss.

Her heart skipped a beat, but he was typing another message. 

felassan 12:45PM The deep mushroom, I mean. Whoever your source is, the quality of their product is excellent.}

Tamaris smirked despite herself. He was such a cheeky shithead.

tamaris_tattoos 12:45PM no source. i grow my own and no, i won’t sell you any, so don’t bother to ask

felassan 12:45PM I wouldn’t dare ask. It wouldn’t be the same if I couldn’t enjoy the taste of your lips on the joint.

She barked out a laugh before replying.

tamaris_tattoos 12:46PM you’re so full of shit lol you say you’re not a playboy and then you throw down a line like that

felassan 12:46PM And yet you replied. With a ‘lol’ to boot. I must be doing something right.

tamaris_tattoos 12:46PM you’re fucking bold you know that

felassan 12:46PM Only when I’m deeply inspired. But I will back off if that’s what you want.

Tamaris hesitated for a long moment. She hated to admit it, but his cleverness was extremely attractive. And the way he kissed her last night…

She nibbled the inside of her cheek for a second. Then, slowly, she tapped out another message. 

tamaris_tattoos 12:47PM fine. drinks later. what’s your number

felassan 12:47PM Now who’s bold?

tamaris_tattoos 12:47PM for fuck’s sake do you want to meet up or not

felassan 12:47PM I would be honoured. Let me know the time and place. 519-555-3352

tamaris_tattoos 12:48PM ok i’m not bringing any deep mushroom though so you’re shit out of luck if that’s what you wanted

felassan 12:48PM I assure you that deep mushroom is the last thing on my mind.

She huffed and closed the app. He was way too smooth. There was no way he wasn’t a playboy.

It was fine, though. She’d just meet up with him, have a drink, fuck him, and then she’d never have to see him again. 

Good plan, she told herself. She went back to her bedroom and grabbed her laptop, then sat down in the living room to read her emails and messages from possible clients until her two o’clock client arrived. But as she looked through the reference pics that one possible client had sent her, she found herself thinking about Felassan and his surprising lack of tattoos – specifically of vallaslin.

She supposed she shouldn’t be that surprised that Arlathani elves didn’t share the same traditions as Dalish elves. The elves that had eventually split off into the Dalish clans had left Arlathan hundreds of years ago, after all. Maybe even a thousand years ago? Athera would know the exact dates if she was here. Regardless, it was long enough for traditions to change. But still, the way Felassan described the difference between the Dalish and the Arlathani elves was interesting: so far removed as to be incomparable. That was a pretty intriguing statement, if Tamaris was honest. Not to mention that thing he’d said about there being a reason he had decided to stay in Orlais instead of going back to Arlathan… 

She mulled this over for a moment, then shrugged it off. It’s probably just a ploy, she thought. All part of his charm to try and get her interested enough to see him again. And here she was, falling into his charming trap. 

She tsked at herself and got up to make a cup of coffee. It’s not falling into his trap if this is the last time I see him, she thought. And really, that’s all there was to it: she’d see him this one time, have sex with him, and that would be the end of it. It’s not like she was emotionally equipped to actually fall for anyone, anyway.

And certainly not for a smooth-as-fuck player like Felassan.

- SOLAS -

Late that afternoon, after all the students and research assistants had gone home, Solas sat at the desk in his office staring absently at his computer screen. 

He really should be working. He had meant to finish editing the response piece he was submitting to the Journal of Orlesian History by tomorrow afternoon, and he had an early meeting with Merrill in the morning, so tonight was really the only time he had to finish the edits. 

He put on his reading glasses and signed into his computer, then opened the response piece and stared at it without taking in a single word. He really needed to focus, but his thoughts were spinning fruitlessly through his head like leaves in a windstorm, and they kept coming back to Nare. 

Nare, the irresistible woman from the bar last night — the student from the bar last night. 

Nare, his Master’s student. 

He rubbed his forehead. It still felt surreal that the beautiful and tempting woman who had approached him so boldly at the bar last night was his new Master’s student. 

And to his shame, the fact that she was his student hadn’t diminished his interest in her at all.

Quite the opposite, in fact. In his art theory and critique seminar today, she had asked so many incisive questions about the ancient Elvhen principles of art criticism that he’d had a hard time keeping a straight face while answering her. And then she’d actually engaged him in a rousing debate about whether those principles were still relevant today when there was so much interaction between different forms and traditions of art. Solas was as impressed by the quality of Nare’s logic as he was by the fact that she dared to debate with him — something that few students did. 

All in all, she was proving to be just as keen and inquisitive as she was beautiful. And for Solas, this was a terrible problem. 

He blew out a bracing breath. It is not a problem, he assured himself; after all, he and Nare both wanted the same thing: a good mentor-student relationship. And her behaviour during the seminar had been very professional.

If he didn’t count the intense way she watched him during the lecture portion of his seminar, or those mischievous little smiles she gave him when no one else was looking. 

He frowned at himself and ran a hand over his scalp as though to brush the thoughts away. There was no reason for him to think that she was trying to flirt with him during the seminar with her oceanic eyes or her little smiles. He was probably just imagining her to be a vixen because of the way she’d approached him last night.

That was over now, though. He ought to forget entirely about the Nare he had met last night at the campus bar, and focus solely on the Nare who was his clever and sharp-minded Master’s student. 

He sighed. If only he wasn’t finding her intelligence as alluring as her smile or the enticing curve of her spine. 

Then someone knocked on the door.

Solas’s heart leapt into his throat. Was it possible that it was Nare?

He cleared his throat subtly. “Yes?” he called. 

When Abelas opened the door, Solas couldn’t decide whether to be relieved or disappointed. “Abelas,” he greeted. “Are you heading home shortly?”

“Not yet,” Abelas said. He entered the office and closed the door behind him. “I wanted to discuss a few things with you before we part ways for the night.”

“Certainly,” Solas said. “What’s on your mind?”

Abelas handed him a report. “The waitlists for our program’s classes are growing longer still. We should consider speaking to the head of the history department about an increase in class sizes.”

Solas scanned the first page of the report, then looked up at Abelas in surprise. “The waitlist for your fourth-year literature class has more students than the class itself.”

“You see the problem, then,” he said.

“This is not a problem,” Solas said. “This is excellent.” He smiled at Abelas. “You should be pleased that your class is so popular.”

“Hm,” Abelas grunted. “Your first- and second-year classes are also particularly in demand.”

“Not the upper year ones, however,” Solas said drolly. 

Abelas raised one eyebrow. “It seems that your reputation precedes you, Fen’Harel.”

Solas laughed. “Hearing that nickname from Felassan is bad enough. Am I to suffer it from you as well, then?”

Abelas grunted again, and Solas fondly noted the twitch of a near-smile at the corner of Abelas’s mouth. Then Abelas pointed to the report. “Speaking of Felassan: his courses are overly popular as well.” He folded his arms. “I believe it’s because he is being too lenient with grading.”

“What makes you think that?” Solas asked.

“He said as much today,” Abelas said.

Solas frowned. “He did?”

“Yes, when he was speaking to Athera.”

Solas relaxed. “Ah. It was more than likely a joke.”

Abelas pursed his lips. “I have my doubts. I will find some time to audit his classes in the next two weeks.”

 “Why?” Solas said in surprise.

“To ensure that he is fulfilling his duties properly.”

Solas eyed him with growing exasperation. Abelas has always had an admirable devotion to his work, but ever since they had come to Orlais, his devotion had almost become an obsession. 

“I don’t believe that such extreme measures are necessary,” Solas said.

Abelas frowned. “It doesn’t bother you to imagine him making a mockery of our work here? You would rather let him have free reign than allow me to audit his classes?”

Solas raised his eyebrows at Abelas’s waspish tone, then slowly sat back in his chair. “It is not my place to allow you to do anything,” he said evenly. “You are the program director, after all.”

Abelas clenched his jaw, and Solas sympathetically regarded his longtime friend. “You are doing it again, you know,” he said gently. “Taking on more than is necessary to keep things running smoothly.” 

“I am not taking on too much,” Abelas snapped. “I am doing what my duty requires of me.”

Solas steadily met his eyes, then switched to Elvhen. “This is not the military, Abelas.”

“I am aware of that,” Abelas retorted.

“Are you?”

Abelas clenched his jaw and looked away before speaking in the common tongue once more. “I will have a word with Felassan. In private.”

“That sounds like a much better plan,” Solas said. He put his reading glasses back on and turned to his computer. “Is there anything else? I have some editing to do that requires my undivided attention.”

Abelas frowned. “For the response piece? I thought you had intended to finish that before your seminar.”

“I had, yes,” Solas said wryly. “But I have been unusually distracted.” He forced his expression to remain pleasantly neutral as he spoke. He was telling the truth, after all; he had been regrettably distracted all afternoon. There was absolutely no need to tell Abelas that the distraction was in the form of his alluring new Master’s student.

Abelas raised his eyebrows. “Distracted? That is unlike you.”

Solas gave him a small smile. “There is no need to rub it in.”

“That was not my intention,” Abelas said. He clasped his hands behind his back. “Are you in need of assistance?” 

Solas shot him a wry look. “And add another task to your overfilled plate? I wouldn’t dare, for fear that you would actually agree to take it on.”

Abelas harrumphed, but before he could reply, there was another knock on Solas’s door. 

Solas raised his eyebrows at Abelas — who else was still here at this hour? — then called out to the person at the door. “Come in.”

The door opened, and Athera poked her head in with a smile. “Hi Solas, I — oh, Abelas! I mean, Professor Abelas. I didn’t… um.” She broke off and shot them both a sheepish smile. “I didn’t mean to interrupt. I was just going to let you know I finished digitizing the contents of one shelf in the archive room. I’ll—”

Abelas cut in. “You finished the first shelf?”

“Not the whole bookshelf,” Athera said quickly. “Just the top shelf of the first bookshelf.”

Abelas blinked. “You — the entire top shelf?”

Athera’s smile was fading into a cautious look. “Yes. Is that okay?”

“It’s excellent, Athera,” Solas said firmly. “Thank you.”

“No problem,” she said. “I’ll keep going tomorrow when I have time.”

Solas nodded and smiled, and Athera smiled back at him before shifting her gaze to Abelas. “Let me know if you want me to start that proposal for the NAS system,” she said.

“Not yet,” Abelas said brusquely. “I must review the program budget first.” 

To Solas’s mild surprise, Athera wasn’t cowed by Abelas’s unfriendly tone; instead, she widened her grey eyes. “I know. I’m just saying to let me know when and I’ll get started.”

Abelas folded his arms and nodded. Then Athera tugged her ear and gave them both an awkward little smile. “Okay, uh, goodnight.”

“Goodnight,” Solas said politely.

She shot Abelas one last glance before leaving the office. Once she was gone, Abelas sighed and ran a hand over his braid.

Solas raised his eyebrows. “You were nearly polite. I’m impressed.”

Abelas shot him a resentful look, then rubbed his chin. “I… snapped at her earlier today,” he admitted.

Solas sighed. “Abelas…”

“Do not act as though you are surprised,” he complained. “You knew I didn’t want her here. I didn’t want a lab coordinator.”

“You said you understood the necessity of the position,” Solas said.

“I know what I said,” Abelas said in a hard voice. “I am allowed to understand the need but still be resentful.”

“As long as you don’t remain resentful for too long,” Solas said. He clicked his mouse to wake up the screen, then looked at his colleague over the top of his glasses. “You know I insisted on this position out of concern for you.”

“I am aware,” he muttered. “You remind me incessantly.”

Solas lifted his chin slightly, and Abelas sighed. “I understand the necessity, Solas.”

“All right.” Solas quickly corrected a typo, then shot him a sideways glance. “You don’t have genuine concerns about her competence, do you?”

Abelas hesitated for long enough that Solas actually paused his activities to look at him fully. “Do you truly have concerns?”

“No,” Abelas said. “She appears to be…” He sighed and ran his hand over his hair once more. “She is more organized and efficient than she appears to be.”

Solas raised his eyebrows. “That sounds like praise. I don’t know if I should believe my ears.”

Abelas shot him an annoyed look. “She is trying to change things after a single day here.”

Solas smiled faintly. “Some change was inevitable when bringing in a new member of the lab. And I know you have no great love for change–”

“Don’t make me sound so inflexible,” Abelas snapped. “I left Arlathan to come to this place, did I not?”

“Reluctantly, yes,” Solas said.

Abelas folded his arms, and Solas leaned his elbows on the desk. “It is temporary, Abelas,” he said soothingly. “Just remember that. Our contract lasts for three more years, and then we can return home. But we must—”

Abelas interrupted him. “We need to obtain exclusive rights to the Elvhen ruins in the Arbour Wilds first,” he said testily. “I haven’t forgotten.”

“I know you haven’t,” Solas said. “Just remember this when you are feeling irritated. The situation is temporary.”

Abelas nodded, then took a step back from his desk. “I will leave you to your work.”

Solas shot him a knowing look over the top of his glasses. “You should leave for the night.”

Abelas replied in Elvhen. “The rose should not disdain the holly leaf for its thorns.”

Solas laughed. “Don’t quote classic Arlathani poetry at me. My current circumstances are exceptional. You are a workaholic.”

Abelas harrumphed and left without a reply, closing the office door behind him. Solas chuckled as he settled back into his work, and for a time, he was actually able to concentrate on his edits. 

When his phone chimed with a text, however, his mind instantly went to Nare. 

He glanced eagerly at his phone, but a little thud of disappointment jolted his belly; it was just a text from Dorian inviting him for lunch next week. 

He sighed and turned back to his computer, but his focus was once again spoiled by thoughts of Nare — guilty thoughts about the fact that he was hoping she would text him. She had no reason to text him, after all; they wouldn’t need to meet one-on-one for another week. In fact, she would likely not need to return to the lab until their next meeting, so it was possible that he might not have any contact with her at all for an entire week. 

That thought shouldn’t disappoint him so much, especially since they had only just met. There was absolutely no reason that Solas should be this preoccupied by thoughts of Nare’s keen mind and her scintillating laugh. There was no good reason that he should be thinking this much about the way her smile shifted from shy to coquettish to heatedly brazen and bold. 

There was no reason why three encounters with this one woman should be enough to bring him to his knees. 

Or better yet, to imagine her on her knees in front of him. 

A sudden flash of a fantasy invaded his mind: Nare on her knees before him wearing that lovely red dress from last night, her palms resting demurely on her knees while Solas tilted her chin up with one hand. Nare lifting her chin eagerly, bringing her smiling lips closer to the rising hardness of his shaft. Nare panting and struggling to remain upright while Solas knelt in front of her in a similarly compromising position… 

His trousers felt tight around his groin. He scowled at his lap and shifted in his chair to try and relieve the pressure. Stop this, he scolded himself. It was wrong to feel this way. It was wrong to feel so drawn to Nare – to feel as though the connection they had made last night was something rare and precious, and to want to foster that connection.

Just like it had been wrong of him to confess to her during their meeting today that she was so thoroughly distracting. And it was certainly wrong for him to feel a distinct unfurling of satisfaction in his gut at the hopeful widening of her eyes when he’d made that forbidden confession.

He sighed and leaned back in his chair, momentarily defeated by his own traitorous libido. He closed his eyes and briefly ran his palm over his own hardness through his trousers. Not enough to bring himself any kind of release, of course, but enough to soothe himself… and unfortunately, to worsen the fantasies that were running unchecked through his mind. 

Solas sat idly in his office chair for a time, thinking terrible tempting thoughts and cursing himself silently for his lack of discipline while his work sat untouched on the screen before him. If wanting Nare was so completely wrong, why did the wanting have to feel so torturously good? 

[joe-mazzello-archive]

The Strangers - Chapter Two - Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’

A Joe Mazzello x OC fic

Rating: 18+

Word Count: 6.2k

Chapter Warnings: Language, alcohol consumption, sexual references, slight angst (if you squint)

A/N: It’s finally here! So while the first chapter focused on Joe, this one lets us get to know Marley a bit more. Two down, four to go! Feedback is appreciated and my taglist is open!

Marley woke up with a dull headache and an awful taste in her mouth. The sun shone through the window across from the bed, bathing the room in a soft light. She threw an arm over her face to shield her eyes from the brightness. With a groan, she sat up, her head spinning as her eyes adjusted to her surroundings. Something shifted in the corner of her eye and she quickly realized she was not the only one in the bed.

She was not in her apartment. Oh right. Memories of the night before came flooding back to her. A series of events had led her to some random club somewhere in town. The guy was easy on the eyes and was clearly there for the same reason she was. She was horny and he was willing.

Marley eased her way out of the bed while her eyes scanned the floor for her clothing. She located her shirt, jeans, and boots, but her undergarments were nowhere to be found.

Fuck it. She threw on the clothes she could find and glanced back at the poor lad still asleep in his bed before slipping out of the bedroom. What was his name again? Tom? Todd? Whatever.

She found her phone and purse unceremoniously tossed on the ground. She said a silent prayer as she clicked the home button on her phone. 17%. Thank fucking god. It was enough to figure out where the fuck she was and how the fuck she was getting home.

As she left the apartment and made her way down the stairs, she pulled up the front-facing camera on her phone. She cringed at the sight of her obvious bedhead and the black smudges under her eyes. She ran her fingers through her bleached locks and attempted to rub off the dark makeup before she made her way out onto the street. She caught sight of a dark mark under her right ear and rolled her eyes. Fuck you, Todd. Or Tom. Whatever.

After a quick Google search of the nearest bus stop, Marley locked her phone and shoved it in her pocket with a sigh. Another day, another walk of shame. But she didn’t feel shame. She felt nothing. Maybe that was the problem. She always ignored the knowing looks people gave her as she made her way home. Fuck what they thought of her. So she sleeps around. Big deal. At least she didn’t have to deal with the bullshit that came with relationships any more. She glanced around at the cast of characters who filled the rest of the bus seats. The woman playing with her wedding ring could be dealing with marriage issues. The guy glued to his phone screen could be swiping through every dating app out there to try and find a mate. But Marley chose not to deal with any of it. If she didn’t get attached, she couldn’t get hurt. But she could still get laid.

Marley dug through her bag and pulled out her headphones, plugging them into her phone. Might as well enjoy the last of my phone battery. She hit shuffle and smiled at the song that popped up first. She immediately felt herself relax.

Anthony works in the grocery store Savin' his pennies for someday Mama Leone left a note on the door She said, Sonny, move out to the country Workin' too hard can give you a heart attack You oughta know by now Who needs a house out in Hackensack? Is that what you get with your money? It seems such a waste of time If that's what it's all about Mama if that's movin' up Then I'm movin' out I'm movin' out

She couldn’t help but mime the drum part to one of her favorite songs of all time. She knew people were probably staring. Fuck it, she was enjoying herself. These days music was her only solace. She didn’t have to think about anything. She could just feel. The music could flow through her, bringing her instant relief to whatever was plaguing her mind.

Eventually, the bus pulled up to Marley’s stop. She hopped off, already in a better mood than before. She made the short walk to her building and climbed the stairs two at a time, wanting nothing more than to plant herself in front of her drum set for the next few hours. A cacophony of sounds rang out through the hall; Marley’s building was full of musicians so that no one could complain about the noise. She could make out Leon’s trumpet blaring and clearly hear Brenda rehearsing for whatever musical she’d be auditioning for that week. She finally reached her door at the end of the hall and let herself in, letting out a deep breath as she closed the door behind her.

After a quick shower, Marley scoured her messy room for some clean clothes. She was super behind on laundry, spending most of her time lately behind her home drum kit or behind the one at Sully’s. She threw on an old band tee from her closet and plucked some black jeans off the floor, giving them a sniff and determining they were clean enough.

Marley plopped down at her drum set with a sigh, instant relief flowing through her body. She always felt her most comfortable in that exact spot. She felt in control, like nothing and no one could shake her. As she began to warm up with some quick trills, her mind went clear. She closed her eyes and let the sounds flow through her body.

Then she let loose. She went to town on the drums in front of her, unleashing every feeling and emotion with each beat. She felt power flow through her fingertips and her entire body buzzed. This was home. This was heaven.

After riffing for a few minutes, Marley began to work through the band’s normal setlist, humming the melody to herself as she played. Her body went into auto-pilot, playing the songs as if it was second nature. She then shifted focus to one of the songs they would be playing for the first time that night. It was a little slower in the beginning, but towards the end of the song, she could absolutely lose control.

Marley repeated the new song a few more times before being satisfied. She checked the time and cursed under her breath. She had been practicing longer than she wanted to and now she was barely going to have enough time to grab food before heading to the bar.

Marley tucked her drumsticks into her boot, grabbed her phone and bag, and rushed out the door. After stopping at the deli for a sandwich and a coffee to go, she made her way to the bus stop. As she went to sit down on the bench, suddenly a guy on a bicycle appeared and nearly hit her.

“FUCK!” she shouted, dodging out of the way, spilling some coffee on her t-shirt in the process.

“Sorry!” the guy shouted back at her.

Marley rolled her eyes. Asshole. She dug through her food bag to try to find a napkin to clean herself off but came up empty. She searched her purse, hoping to find a tissue or something. Nothing. As a last resort, she reached into her pants pockets, her fingers closing around something. She pulled it out in confusion. It was indeed a napkin, with something scribbled on it.

Joe (random guy) 555-401-3734

The memory came flooding back to her. Joe. The guy who kept staring at her last week during her set.

Marley smiled at the memory. The guy was kind of cute. She couldn’t help but meet his gaze every once in a while during the set. She had never seen someone watch her perform with as much intensity as he watched her. She felt like he was staring into her soul.

And then when he attempted to flirt with her, she determined he was harmless. He challenged her but didn’t come off as an asshole. She thought about the moment he scribbled his number on the napkin and slid it towards her.

In case you want to banter with me again.

Marley had all but forgotten about the exchange until she rediscovered the cocktail napkin. But she was curious about the guy. It wasn’t every day that a guy casually asked her opinions on Hamlet while drinking in a dive bar. She pulled out her phone, opened a new text, and was just about to enter Joe’s number when the bus pulled up.

And just like that, the thought was gone. She hopped on, using the napkin to dab at the wet spot on her shirt before shoving the napkin into her purse and putting on her headphones.

Twenty minutes later, the bus pulled up to the stop right in front of Sullivan Street. Marley finished scarfing down her sandwich as she pulled the bar door open and headed up the stairs.

Marley spotted Gwil behind the bar with his back turned, completely focused on whatever he was doing. She snuck up to the bar and suddenly slammed both palms on the counter, her usual greeting.

“GWIL!”

“FUCK!” Gwil spun around and threw a hand over his heart. “Marley. Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”

“Of course not. Who will put up will my bullshit if you keel over and die?” she replied, plopping down on one of the stools.

“Absolutely no one. I barely put up with it myself,” the tall man replied before turning back to his task.

“And that’s why you’re my favorite English bartender.”

“I’m pretty sure I’m the only English bartender you know.”

“You and your logic.”

Gwil turned back to Marley and sighed, shaking his head lovingly. He grabbed two glasses and filled each with beer before handing one to Marley and clinking his own with hers. After taking a sip, he cocked his head to the side, eyeing the woman in front of him.

“Nice hickey,” he commented, nodding towards her. Marley threw her head back with a laugh.

“Thanks for reminding me,” she answered before pulling some concealer and a compact mirror out of her purse.

“Who was the lucky guy this time?” Gwil asked, grabbing a towel to wipe down his station. Marley rolled her eyes. Typical. Gwil was always way too curious about her personal life.

“Some guy from the club last night. Honestly, I don’t even remember his name,” Marley replied as she dabbed concealer on the purple mark.

“Classy,” Gwil countered, taking a sip of his beer. “How did you kick him out?” Marley rolled her eyes.

“Oh please, I never bring guys back to my place.”

“Ah, so you screw them and escape while they’re still asleep. Even classier.”

“Hey, at least I’m not celibate!” Marley challenged, nodding towards the bartender.

“I’m not celibate.”

“Come on, when was the last time you got laid?”

Gwil’s eyes dropped to the floor as he pondered the question. He gave a simple shrug, causing Marley to facepalm.

“You know you could get literally any girl that comes into this bar, right? I mean, look at ya!” Marley gestured towards him. She had always considered Gwil attractive. She’d be lying if she said she hadn’t thought about him in that way. But the fact that he was essentially her coworker marked him as a huge no-no.

Gwil blushed at the comment. He paused for a moment before responding.

“Not any girl,” he finally said, looking right into Marley’s eyes. Marley swore she heard a hint of sadness in his voice.

“Eh, fine. But the amount of women who bat their eyelashes at you while you make them drinks tells me you have a rather large selection,” Marley added with a smirk before finishing off her beer and hopping off her stool, leaving Gwil to finish his prep.

As she got settled behind her kit, the other members of Parkway Diner began to trickle in. Tony arrived first, chatting away on the phone with his wife while he started to unpack his bass. Next was the ever quiet Eddie, who greeted the other two with a quick nod before taking his place behind his keyboard and warming up his fingers with some exercises. And finally, Jack, clad in a denim jacket and sunglasses, leisurely strolled in with a cigarette between his lips.

Marley and her bandmates knocked out some quick warmups before rehearsing the two new songs they were adding to the set that night. Soon enough it was time for the doors to open to the public. The members of Parkway Diner each ordered another drink from Gwil and took their normal spot at the high top table closest to the stage. They made idle chit chat as bar patrons slowly filled the upper floor. Marley scanned the room as she always did, scoping out the crowd for a potential mate for after-work mischief. She spotted a few candidates, filing them away for after the band’s first set.

Finally, the time had come for the band’s first set and Marley breathed out a sigh of relief, wanting nothing more than to retreat to her home behind the drum kit. Marley and the boys took to the stage, Jack taking his place at the front microphone.

“In case you’re new here, we’re Parkway Diner. Hope you enjoy,” he said, giving Marley the signal to begin. She started the slow drumbeat of the newest song in the band’s repertoire, the three other members of the band coming in with their own sound before Marley leaned into her mic.

You make me weak, I wanna die Just when you said we'd try Loving, touching, squeezing each other When I'm alone all by myself You're out with someone else Loving, touching, squeezing each other

You're tearing me apart Every, every day You're tearing me apart Oh, what can I say? You're tearing me apart

The lyrics struck a little too close to home to Marley. She felt each word as it left her lips. Memories flooded her vision. She gripped her drumsticks tightly and took out her feelings on the drums in front of her.

It won't be long, yes, 'til you're alone When your lover, oh, he hasn't come home 'Cause he's loving, ooh, he's touching He's squeezing another

He's tearing you apart Ooh, every, every day He's tearing you apart Oh, girl, what can you say? Cause he's loving, touching another Now it's your turn, girl, to cry

Marley began the first set of “nah’s” on her own, her bandmates joining in on the second set. She allowed herself to look out into the crowd, gauging their response to the new addition to the setlist. She smiled as her eyes passed over a mob of already drunken bar-goers, swaying and singing along. Towards the back of the room, a familiar head of auburn hair caught her attention.

No fucking way.

Joe sat at the bar, eyes trained directly on Marley, nodding along to the beat with a beer in hand. She recognized the blonde guy next to him; Gwil’s friend whose name was escaping her. She made direct eye contact with Joe, arching an eyebrow. He raised his glass towards her before taking a sip of it. Marley shifted her focus back to finishing the song. Finally, the last round of “nah’s” rang out a cappella and the song was over.

The crowd cheered and clapped, but Marley couldn’t help but look back over at the two familiar men. The blonde was conversing with Gwil, but Joe still hadn’t broken his gaze on her. She was annoyed with how much this guy was distracting her. He took up her attention last week and here he was distracting her again. She couldn’t figure out what it was. Obviously, she thought he was attractive, but something about him intrigued her even more. She tried to shake it off as the band started the next song.

Throughout the first half of the night, Marley tried as hard as she could to ignore Joe. She tried to lose herself in each song and focus on her performance. The band finished the first half of their set, and Jack announced a quick break. Marley slowly made her way over to the bar, wanting to make sure she didn’t seem too eager to see the man perched on the stool.

Luckily, when she arrived, Joe and the blonde guy had struck up a conversation facing away from her, allowing Marley’s arrival to go unnoticed.

“Gwil?”

“Already got it,” the bartender replied, handing Marley her drink. The sound of her voice made Joe spin around to face her.

“Fancy seeing you here,” Joe commented, offering his glass towards her. Marley clinked her glass with his and took a sip before replying.

“Yeah it’s almost like I work here or something,” she replied with an arched eyebrow. “Why are you here?”

“We finished up exams today and I figured we could use a night out,” Joe countered while gesturing to the blonde next to him, who gave a quick wave. Right, he’s a professor. “Plus I like seventies music and cheap beer.” Marley nodded, narrowing her eyes.

“Fair enough. Just wanted to make sure you weren’t stalking me or something,” she challenged. Joe chuckled.

“Well I never got a text, so I figured I’d try to banter with you again in person. Besides, if I were stalking you, I’d be more subtle about it.”

“Yeah you’re not subtle at all, Joe,” Marley replied, smirking. Joe’s eyes sparkled and he smiled, and Marley couldn’t help but smile back. Damn that smile.

“You remembered my name,” he pointed out. Marley chuckled before taking a sip of her drink.

“Well I may be an asshole, but I’m not that big of an asshole.”

Marley felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to find Jack behind her.

“Band meeting real quick,” he said before disappearing again. Marley turned back to Joe with a sigh.

“Duty calls,” Marley said with a shrug before downing the rest of her drink. “See you around, professor.”

“Hope so.” Joe raised his beer towards her once again with a wink.

Marley pursed her lips and headed towards the rest of the band members, who were crowded around their high-top.

“Alright, what could possibly be so important that we need to have a meeting right now before we finish the set?” Marley asked incredulously, annoyed that she had to cut her conversation with Joe short.

“I don’t think we’re ready to do ‘Scenes.’ Eddie isn’t confident enough,” Jack answered curtly, his arms crossed.

“What the fuck are you talking about? He killed it during practice earlier!” Marley countered, nudging Eddie with her elbow. The quiet man flashed a small smile. “Come on, Jack. Pull the stick out of your ass for one night.”

Jack rolled his eyes at the comment and uncrossed his arms with a sigh.

“Fine, but if it goes poorly, I’m blaming it on you!”

“You always do,” Marley replied, patting him on the shoulder. The group headed towards the stage, sharing an anxious energy. They were premiering a song they had been practicing for weeks, one of the most difficult songs they’ve ever attempted.

Marley found herself excited as she took her usual place behind the drumset. She glanced over at Joe at the bar and suddenly felt a twinge of nerves. What the fuck. Marley never got nervous. But something about Joe made her want to impress him. She worried for a second if Jack was right. What if they weren’t ready to perform the song? What if they were about to make fools of themselves?

Marley was pulled from her stupor by Eddie’s piano melody, signaling the start of the song. She leaned into the mic and sang out the first verse of the iconic song.

A bottle of white, a bottle of red Perhaps a bottle of rose instead We'll get a table near the street In our old familiar place You and I, face to face A bottle of red, a bottle of white It all depends upon your appetite I'll meet you anytime you want In our Italian restaurant

Marley finally came in with a cymbal swell, with the normal sax part substituted by Jack on the guitar. Marley closed her eyes and lost herself in the musical interlude, bobbing her head to Jack’s melody. She sped up her drumming before coming in with the next verse.

Things are okay with me these days Got a good job, got a good office Got a new wife, got a new life, and the family's fine We lost touch long ago You lost weight, I did not know You could ever look so nice after so much time

Do you remember those days hanging out at the village green? Engineer boots, leather jackets, and tight blue jeans Drop a dime in the box play a song about New Orleans Cold beer, hot lights My sweet romantic teenage nights

Marley had forgotten all about Joe. She was completely wrapped up in her own musical world. She jammed with the rest of the band, each member feeling more and more confident as the song progressed. Then it was time for the moment Jack had been worried about. The drums, guitar, and bass cut out and it was just Eddie soloing on the keys. He nailed each riff with perfect precision, and Marley couldn’t help but smile. She felt a strong sense of pride, listening to the band perform her favorite song with such passion and perfection.

Marley and the rest of the band finally entered again, but they were almost completely drowned out by the roaring applause for Eddie’s solo. Marley shook her head lovingly as she began the next verse.

Brenda and Eddie were the popular steadies And the king and the queen of the prom Riding around with the car top down and the radio on Nobody looked any finer Or was more of a hit at the Parkway Diner We never knew we could want more than that out of life Surely Brenda and Eddie would always know how to survive Oh, oh, oh Oh, oh, oh

Marley emphasized “Parkway Diner” with a wink, earning a rousing cheer from the audience.

Brenda and Eddie were still going steady in the summer of '75 When they decided the marriage would be at the end of July Everyone said they were crazy Brenda you know you're much too lazy Eddie could never afford to live that kind of life But there we were wavin' Brenda and Eddie goodbye Oh, oh, oh

They got an apartment with deep pile carpets And a couple of paintings from Sears A big waterbed that they bought with the bread They had saved for a couple of years They started to fight when the money got tight They just didn't count on the tears Oh, oh

Marley was in absolute bliss. She sang each note and beat each drum like it was the most important thing she could ever do. The crowd cheered and shouted, with some even singing along. Eddie tore it up on the keyboard as Jack expertly strummed each note of the sax solo on his guitar.

Well they lived for a while in a very nice style But it's always the same in the end They got a divorce as a matter of course And they parted the closest of friends Then the king and the queen went back to the green But you can never go back there again Oh, oh

Brenda and Eddie had had it already by the summer of '75 From the high to the low to the end of the show For the rest of their lives They couldn't go back to the greasers The best they could do was pick up the pieces We always knew they would both find a way to get by That's all I heard about Brenda and Eddie Can't tell you more ‘cause I told you already And here we are wavin' Brenda and Eddie goodbye Oh, oh, oh Oh, oh, oh Oh, oh, oh

The song’s tempo slowed again as it neared the final verse. Marley’s heart felt full, knowing that all the hard work they had been putting into practice was paying off. Eddie’s fingers tickled the keys with perfect accuracy, the melody ringing out over the crowded bar. Marley closed her eyes as she sang out the remaining lyrics.

A bottle of red, a bottle of white Whatever kind of mood you're in tonight I'll meet you anytime you want In our Italian Restaurant

As the band played the last musical interlude, Marley felt a stray tear roll down her face. Eddie’s last few notes rang out and the crowd went wild, shouting praise for the band’s performance. All the band members exchanged knowing looks with each other; they had absolutely nailed it.

Marley finally let her gaze drift towards the audience and her eyes centered on Joe, who was on his feet clapping and cheering. She felt a blush across her cheeks and ducked her head in embarrassment. It was not every day a guy made Marley blush.

The rest of the set went by in a blur, the band riding off the high of their successful performance of the new song. By the end of their final song, Marley was emotionally exhausted. She always tended to leave everything on the stage, but this was a new level for her. Her body hummed with pride and excitement as she hopped off the stage. She only knew one thing to be true: she needed a beer.

Marley made her way to the bar, weaving through the drunken bar-goers who showered her with praise and acknowledging them with a nod. She reached the bar to find the stools that Joe and the blonde had been occupying empty.

“Joe’s in the loo and Ben stepped out for a smoke,” Gwil said, grabbing Marley’s attention. She simply nodded and slid onto the other empty barstool. “And for the record, Joe really likes you.” Marley scrunched her face in confusion.

“He barely knows me,” she countered. Gwil set a beer down in front of Marley as if he had read her mind. “And how would you know?”

“Isn’t it obvious? He’s here again!”

“So?”

Gwil pinched the bridge of his nose before responding.

“You’re so fucking aggravating. He clearly likes you and you clearly like him, considering you haven’t told him to fuck off yet,” Gwil pointed out. Marley rolled her eyes. Why did Gwil always have to get involved? “At least take the time to get to know the guy more. And play nice.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Marley asked, crossing her arms. Gwil sighed and ran a hand through his hair as if he was taking the time to choose his words carefully.

“Love,” he began, clearly using the pet name to ease her into whatever harsh thing he was about to say. “You do have a tendency to take your anger towards men from your past out on men in your present,” he said, before turning his attention to a bachelorette party at the other end of the bar. Marley pursed her lips, attempting to come up with a witty comeback, but came up short. She shook her head and scoffed at Gwil’s words. Who the fuck was he to tell her what to do when it came to her personal life? Marley swirled the beer around her glass, annoyed at how quickly Gwil soured her good mood.

“Well don’t you seem chipper?” Joe commented as he sat back down on his barstool. Marley felt immediately calmed by his presence. “Still mad at the world as usual?”

“I am not mad at the world,” Marley responded defensively. “I just tend to be extremely cynical about everything and everyone, that’s all.” Joe chuckled, and Marley felt a sting of pride for her little joke.

“And how did someone so young become such a pessimist already?” he asked. Normally Marley would scoff at the personal question and his jab at her age. But she found herself oddly comfortable with the man beside her.

“Oh you know, the usual. Used and abused. A man done me wrong. And then another one. And then another one,” Marley replied casually, eyes focused on her glass so she could avoid Joe’s stare. “You’d think I would have learned after round one.” Marley snuck a glance at Joe, who’s playful expression had changed to one of concern. “Your pity is unwanted, professor.”

“Sorry. It’s just unfair that you’ve had to deal with all of that. You deserve better,” Joe offered. Marley was thrown by the statement.

“And how would you know what I deserve? You don’t even know me,” she countered, trying to play it off. Joe paused for a moment before smiling.

“Well, I sure would like to.”

Marley turned to meet Joe’s gaze. A warmth came to her cheeks and she finally took a moment to really look at him. His hazel eyes were soft as he searched hers for a response. He had a bit more scruff decorating his jaw than the week before. Marley looked down at her lap in embarrassment. She hated that this guy was making her feel this way; almost giddy. She felt butterflies in her stomach, and she internally chastised herself. Get a grip.

“So theatre, huh?” Marley asked, eager to change the subject to something other than herself. Joe chuckled, seeing right through her attempt, but obliging anyway.

“Yeah, it’s just something I’ve always enjoyed. Nothing quite like performing in front of a live audience. I’m sure you can understand that,” he offered. Marley simply nodded, so Joe continued. “And I just love telling stories. Plus now I get to share my passion with students and get paid for it.”

“Sounds like a pretty good gig.”

“It is.” He paused and took a sip of his beer. “What about you? How does one become the lead singer slash drummer of a seventies cover band?” There it was. Another question about herself. Marley instinctively hesitated, trying to come up with a clever retort. But nothing came.

“Music is the only thing that has ever made sense to me. And I had the privilege of being properly educated on the classics when I was a kid.” Marley stopped for a moment before sighing. “They really don’t make musicians like they used to. Or songs for that matter.” Marley took a sip of her drink, shaking her head. She glanced at Joe, who was eyeing her with an intense gaze. Marley raised her eyebrow, daring the man in front of her to reveal what he was thinking.

“You’re a pretty fascinating person, Marley,” Joe finally blurted out. Marley nearly spat out her drink laughing.

“I am?” she questioned, entertained by Joe’s statement. Marley had been called lots of things over the years, but ‘fascinating’ was not one of them. She worked, she ate, she slept, and rarely did anything else. What about that could be fascinating?

“Yeah. I mean I can see it when you’re up there. You have so much passion and love for music. You lose yourself in every performance and it’s almost addicting to watch.” Marley found herself staring dumbfounded at the man as he spoke. “And then you get off that stage and you put up this wall. Life and everyone in it become an inconvenience. It’s...beautifully tragic.”

Marley knew she should be offended by his words. In fact, she should probably slap him. Who the fuck was he to analyze her like that? But instead, she found herself smiling.

“I mean, that’s life, isn’t it? Beautifully tragic,” she replied with a shrug.

“It doesn’t have to be,” Joe argued.

“What do you mean?” Marley asked almost incredulously.

“I mean if you find something you love to do and you surround yourself with people who love you, I think life can be beautiful, period. Without the tragedy.”

Marley smiled and sighed at his words, fighting back the urge to roll her eyes. She almost admired his naivety. She wished she could see the world through his eyes. She even felt a pang of jealousy; he obviously had never been hurt as she had been.

“If only it were that easy.”

An awkward silence followed. Marley knew it was her fault. Maybe she’d done it on purpose. Easier than opening up to him even more. Marley downed the rest of her beer. After a few moments, the man finally spoke up again.

“Can I take you to dinner sometime?”

Marley instinctively cringed at the question, her heart thumping out of her chest. She hoped he hadn’t noticed the movement, but when she met his gaze again, there was a look of defeat on his face, as if he already knew the answer.

The impulsive side of her wanted to say yes, to say “fuck it” and throw caution to the wind. She wanted to pretend that the world was good and that everything would work out in the end.

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” Marley finally answered.

“Why not?” Joe asked, a bit of hurt in his voice. Marley turned herself to face the man, hoping to let him down easy. As cliche as it was, it wasn’t him. It was all her.

“Because I know how this song goes, Joe,” Marley said with an exasperated sigh. “In your head, I’m this manic pixie dream girl who’s ‘not like the others.’ But then you get to know me, and you find out that I’m uninteresting as fuck and emotionally unavailable, and you get bored and I come home to you and stick-thin blonde in our bed.”

Joe’s jaw dropped and his brows furrowed in concern.

“Marley, I--”

“It’s okay, Joe. Like I said, I don’t need your pity,” Marley rambled, the words flying out of her in a panic. “I’m a big girl, I’ll be fine. We can be friends. I like you too much to date you.” She was on a roll, not letting Joe get a word in. She needed to escape before Joe said something charming that would cause her to give in and change her mind. She slid off her barstool and started to walk away.

“Wait--”

“I’ll see you around, Joe,” Marley called out behind her before heading through the door next to the stage, leaving a dumbfounded Joe behind. She closed the door behind her and threw on the light in the storage-room-turned-band-lounge. She sank onto the small couch that was shoved into the corner and finally let out the breath she had been holding.

Marley tried not to picture the upset look on Joe’s face as she had walked away from him. She ran her hands through her hair, stressed at the situation she found herself in.

She wasn’t lying, she did like Joe. He was charming, funny, and definitely easy on the eyes. He wasn’t an asshole, which was a refreshing change of pace. He challenged her, and she could tell just with the few interactions they’d had that she would get along well with him. But Marley had learned that if she wanted to keep people around, she needed to keep them at a bit of a distance. Gwil was a prime example of that. Marley had wanted to jump his bones when she first met him. But as she got to know him, she realized that he was a great guy and that hooking up with him or starting a relationship was the wrong move. She just didn’t want to lose any more people.

Marley threw herself face down on the couch with a groan, replaying the night’s events in her head. A knock on the door shook her from her stupor.

“Mar? It’s just me,” Gwil timidly spoke on the other side of the door. “Can I come in?” Marley groaned again in response. “I’m taking that as a yes.”

Gwil gently opened the door and peeked in. Marley barely moved a muscle. She knew exactly why he was there. There was no doubt he had overheard the exchange between her and Joe.

“Mar.”

“What?” Marley’s voice was muffled by the couch cushion.

“Stop being a pain in the ass for like one second so I can talk to you.”

With another groan, Marley shifted to sit up, allowing Gwil to squeeze in next to her.

“I know you don’t want to hear it right now, but I think you’re being dumb about this Joe thing,” Gwil revealed. Marley rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. Classic Gwil.

“Gwil--”

“Shut up and let me finish. I can tell you like him. He obviously likes you. You’re just scared,” he continued. Marley glared at the bartender. She didn’t want to have this conversation. She always hated when Gwil got preachy with her.

“I’m just being realistic. We’d be better as friends,” Marley replied curtly. “I don’t need your meddling, Gwilym.” Marley grabbed her bag, slinging it over her shoulder. “I’ll see you next week.” She squeezed her way past Gwil and pushed the door open.

“I just think you’re cutting yourself off from something good!” Gwil shouted after her, but Marley didn’t stop. She made her way through the bar, down the stairs, and out the door into the heat of the summer.

-

Taglist: @hellysthings, @queenspur, @briarrose26

[aparnasonali-blog]

Future Growth of Multiwall Paper Bags Market to Grow at a CAGR of 10.4% During 2019 To 2024 Forecast Period

The worldwide market for Multiwall Paper Bags is expected to grow at a CAGR of roughly 3.0% over the next five years, will reach 4470 million US$ in 2024, from 3740 million US$ in 2019, according to Acquire market research study.

Get Full Sample Copy @ https://www.acquiremarketresearch.com/sample-request/1584

The technical barriers of Multiwall Paper Bags are relatively low, and the Multiwall Paper Bags enterprise disperse in many countries, and the relative large companies include Mondi, Trombini Hood Packaging, Orora, Sealed Air, Gateway Packaging, Smurfit Kappa and others.

There are companies adding new capacities and aiming at the cost and quality leadership which shall improve profitability. As the same time, companies are focusing on technological innovation, equipment upgrades, and process improvements, to reduce costs and improve quality. The competition in Multiwall Paper Bags market will become more intense.

Multiwall paper bags are an efficient and versatile packaging option made from a sustainable and renewable resource. They are available in a variety of constructions and used for items such as pet food, chemicals, grains, cement, animal feed, resins, food products, yard waste and more. The multi-wall paper bags can be custom designed to meet any specific need.

The paper comes in natural Kraft or bleached white. The inner layers may include a vapour barrier, Polyethylene (PE) or aluminium liner as well as a number of other options in addition to paper.

Multiwall Paper Bags is widely used for Building materials, food, Pet Food industry, agricultural industry, Chemicals, Minerals. In 2016, Multiwall Paper Bags for Building materials, Agricultural industry and Food occupies 73.78%. As consumers focus on food safety, the increased consumption of downstream industries is expected to continue during the remaining years of the forecast period of 2017-2022. Multiwall Paper Bags industry will usher in a stable growth space

In the past few years, the price of Multiwall Paper Bags gradually decreased and we expected the price will decrease. However, the improvement of energy, transportation costs, employee wages, and equipment depreciation will play a significant role in promoting the cost of Multiwall Paper Bags. Therefore, to some extent, the companies face the risk of profit decline.

This report focuses on the Multiwall Paper Bags in global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.

Market Segmet by Companies, this report covers

   United Bags

   Langston Companies

   Mondi

   Manyan

   Material Motion

   Trombini

   NNZ

   Smurfit Kappa

   San Miguel Yamamura Woven Products

   Bag Supply Company

   The Bulk Bag Company

   Nebig

   Gateway Packaging

   Sealed Air

   El Dorado Packaging

   Oji Fibre Solutions

   Edna Group

   B & A Packaging

   Orora

   Global-Pak

   Hood Packaging

Detailed info and TOC @ https://www.acquiremarketresearch.com/industry-reports/global-multiwall-paper-bags-market-2019-by-manufacturers/1584/

Market Segment by Regions, regional analysis covers

 North America (United States, Canada and Mexico)

 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)

 Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)

 America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia)

 Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)

Market Segment by Type, covers

   Sewn Open Mouth

   Pasted Open Mouth Bags

   Pasted Valve Bags

   Pinch Bottom bags

   Self Opening Satchel

Market Segment by Applications, can be divided into

   Building Materials

   Food

   Pet Food Industry

   Agricultural Industry

   Chemicals

   Minerals

The content of the study subjects, includes a total of 15 chapters:

Chapter 1,  to describe Multiwall Paper Bags product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market driving force and market risks.

Chapter 2,  to profile the top manufacturers of Multiwall Paper Bags, with price, sales, revenue and global market share of Multiwall Paper Bags in 2017 and 2018.

Chapter 3, the Multiwall Paper Bags competitive situation, sales, revenue and global market share of top manufacturers are analyzed emphatically by landscape contrast.

Chapter 4, the Multiwall Paper Bags breakdown data are shown at the regional level, to show the sales, revenue and growth by regions, from 2014 to 2019.

Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to break the sales data at the country level, with sales, revenue and market share for key countries in the world, from 2014 to 2019.

Chapter 10 and 11,  to segment the sales by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2014 to 2019.

Chapter 12,  Multiwall Paper Bags market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2019 to 2024.

Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Multiwall Paper Bags sales channel, distributors, customers, research findings and conclusion, appendix and data source.

Table of Contents

1 Market Overview

   1.1 Multiwall Paper Bags Introduction

   1.2 Market Analysis by Type

       1.2.1 Sewn Open Mouth

2 Manufacturers Profiles

   2.1 United Bags

       2.1.1 Business Overview

       2.1.2 Multiwall Paper Bags Type and Applications

3 Global Multiwall Paper Bags Sales, Revenue, Market Share and Competition by Manufacturer (2017-2018)

   3.1 Global Multiwall Paper Bags Sales and Market Share by Manufacturer (2017-2018)

   3.2 Global Multiwall Paper Bags Revenue and Market Share by Manufacturer (2017-2018)

4 Global Multiwall Paper Bags Market Analysis by Regions

   4.1 Global Multiwall Paper Bags Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Regions

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[priyakadam137-blog]

Global Montmorillonite Clay (Bentonites) Market Growth 2019-2024

The name bentonite was first suggested in 1898 for clay hosted by the Benton Shale in Wyoming. It was initially described as clay formed by the alteration of volcanic ash, but the most widely used commercial definition is that bentonite is clay consisting essentially of smectite minerals (usually montmorillonite) regardless of occurrence or origin.

Most economic bentonite deposits are of Cretaceous age or younger and associated with marine shale and marl (Wyoming), calcareous sands and marls (Morocco), carbonaceous shales and coal (South Africa), sandstone and conglomerate (Australia), dacitic pyroclastics and tuffs (Milos), andesite (China) or rhyolite and obsidian/perlite (China and Mozambique).

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Bentonite is characterised by exchangeable cations such as Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+ or Li+ which affect its designation and properties. For example, bentonite is typically described as either swelling or nonswelling bentonite. Swelling bentonite (also known as western bentonite) is sodium bentonite that swells in water and is generally used in its natural state. Non-swelling bentonite is calcium bentonite (also known as southern bentonite) that is used as mined, after treatment with soda ash to produce sodium-exchanged bentonite, or treated with acid to produce bleaching clay. Li-rich bentonite is known as hectorite and is commercially mined only in the US.

Natural bentonites occur in two main forms: Na-based and Ca-based. While Ca-bentonite is more common, Na-bentonite is a more effective binder. To boost the binding power of Ca-bentonite, it is subjected to a chemical reaction with soda ash to activate its outer and inner surfaces, which increases its ability to bind water.

United States is the largest producer and consumer, due to its rich reserves and strong demnd of bentonite. In North America, the market concentration in very high, most of bentonite is concentrated in Wyoming and developed by few manufacturers like Amcol, Bentonite Performance Minerals LLC (BPM), Wyo-Ben Inc, Black Hills Bentonite and Tolsa Group (acquired the assets of U.S. Bentonite in the end of 2014).

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According to this study, over the next five years the Montmorillonite Clay (Bentonites) market will register a 4.2% CAGR in terms of revenue, the global market size will reach US$ 1400 million by 2024, from US$ 1090 million in 2019. In particular, this report presents the global market share (sales and revenue) of key companies in Montmorillonite Clay (Bentonites) business, shared in Chapter 3.

This report presents a comprehensive overview, market shares, and growth opportunities of Montmorillonite Clay (Bentonites) market by product type, application, key manufacturers and key regions and countries.

This study considers the Montmorillonite Clay (Bentonites) value and volume generated from the sales of the following segments:

Segmentation by product type:

Sodium Bentonite

Calcium Bentonite

Segmentation by application:

Molding Sands

Iron Ore Pelletizing

Pet Litter

Drilling Mud

Civil Engineering

Agriculture

Others

This report also splits the market by region:

Americas

APAC

Europe

Middle East & Africa

The report also presents the market competition landscape and a corresponding detailed analysis of the major vendor/manufacturers in the market.

The key manufacturers covered in this report:

Amcol (Minerals Technologies), Bentonite Performance Minerals LLC(US), Wyo-Ben Inc(US), Black Hills Bentonite(US), Tolsa Group (Spain), Imerys (S&B) (France), Clariant (Switzerland), Bentonite Company LLC (Russia), Laviosa Minerals SpA (Italy), LKAB Minerals (Netherlands), Ashapura (India), Star Bentonite Group (India), Kunimine Industries (South America), Huawei Bentonite (China), Fenghong New Material (China), Chang’an Renheng (China), Liufangzi Bentonite (China), Bentonit Uniao (Brazil), Castiglioni Pes y Cia (Argentina), Canbensan (Turkey), Ayd#n Bentonit (Turkey), KarBen (Turkey), G & W Mineral Resources (South Africa), Ningcheng Tianyu (China)

In addition, this report discusses the key drivers influencing market growth, opportunities, the challenges and the risks faced by key manufacturers and the market as a whole. It also analyzes key emerging trends and their impact on present and future development.

Research objectives

To study and analyze the global Montmorillonite Clay (Bentonites) consumption (value & volume) by key regions/countries, product type and application, history data from 2014 to 2018, and forecast to 2024.

To understand the structure of Montmorillonite Clay (Bentonites) market by identifying its various subsegments.

Focuses on the key global Montmorillonite Clay (Bentonites) manufacturers, to define, describe and analyze the sales volume, value, market share, market competition landscape, SWOT analysis and development plans in next few years.

To analyze the Montmorillonite Clay (Bentonites) with respect to individual growth trends, future prospects, and their contribution to the total market.

To share detailed information about the key factors influencing the growth of the market (growth potential, opportunities, drivers, industry-specific challenges and risks).

To project the consumption of Montmorillonite Clay (Bentonites) submarkets, with respect to key regions (along with their respective key countries).

To analyze competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the market.

To strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their growth strategies.

Table of content:

1 Scope of the Report

2 Executive Summary

3 Global Montmorillonite Clay (Bentonites) by Players

4 Montmorillonite Clay (Bentonites) by Regions

5 Americas

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[fatboistudios35-blog]

The Era Of Hipsters By Lazy Larry. Fat Boi Studios. A Critical Thinking Production. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I get home my mama yellin and all kinda shit and my brother drunk as fuck and passed out. I go in my room cram out on this english feed my math to the dog. Yep a great things always has been always will be. Then like every weekend my uncle Henry comes over. Man this my brutha I know his sister married older brothers dad. He ain’t even related to me but he go hard and show love.

A long hair skinny but big individual. Three t shirts on. A beanie with a blue Dodgers cap over it. Red Cincinnati hat over that one. Baggy jeans with a vodka bottle hanging out the pocket. Twenty five cent gold chains and a solid turquoise ring.

“Hey Carry sis. I got a hundred dollas for you if you let me take a shower.” Henry says. “One love god bless you.” Henry adds.

“Henry James you ain’t gotta give me nothin. You’re family just shut the fuck up and do what you gotta do.” Carry demands.

That mufucka man I gotta show love. Too just like the household. Naw sayin that’s how the indians do it. My brother gives him some big ass pants and some underwear. I give him a shirt and an old pair of shoes. Then he shows his gratitude not with money. But with the greatest shit of all. Himself. See ya gotta be able to see the beauty behind whatever the fuck all that is.

“What’s up nephews. Mari and Garry!”Henry shouts.Then calmly says. “Remember I’m not your uncle I’m your brother.” Henry chuckles as he babbles to himself.

“Ayy Uncle Henry what you been up to?” Mari asks.

“Man I been out there working!” Henry snaps. “They got me moving couches and shit and being nice to people. I go to work high everyday. See back then i was fuckin around and talkin too much now I focus and do my job.” Henry says. “Uncle Henry. 680-555-1961 we still prayin.” Pausing. “Then my boss and me became koo and he gave me a raise.” Henry putting pressure on the raise.

“Hell yeah Uncle a real one!” Mari yells as he chuckles.

My brother finds him amusing and looks to him like a god. Uncle Henry aww shit see got me thinkin smart and shit. Uncle Henry done seen or been thru some shit. He not on one he’s just crazy. Sometimes he is. That’s a whole other person tho.

“That’s right brother! We go way back my ex wife use to hate Mari.” Henry says. “mAN Garry check this out he used to come through she would make him leave! If I didn’t make him leave she would pour bleach on my clothes and just fuck with me the whole time until I made him leave! I said check this shit out here woman you lucky I don’t slap you cause Henry James ain’t no lame I never play that game! When she said that she slap me and I had to make him leave. I’ve beaten people twice my size, but won’t hit a woman ever in my life!” Henry says.

“Shut the fuck up Henry James.” Carry snaps.

“That’s aite aite. Henry James we love you. 212-555-1961.” Henry says.

As you can see he clearly out of his freakin mind. But he speak the truth it may sound like bullshit he got evidence watch this.

“Uncle you been rappin lately?” Garry asks.

“No I have not but you the third person to ask that so that means I gotta do it. Dude came up to me said do I remember him? I said no. He said we did a song together. I never heard of him.” Henry rapidly babbles on. “Then he played the song and that was him. See I never did the album all in one take. We came in at separate times because back then I was the shit!” Henry snaps.

I heard the songs he made they go hard. But as you can see under all the crazy shit he talkin about.

Henry sits there staring at nothing. Silent. “Man I wanna get drunk.” Henry says. “Carry if i be koo can I sit on the porch and drink my bottle. I promise I won’t be loud.”

“Go ahead but you do the most you getting your ass beat.” Carry says.

He sits there for about an hour before the poison gets that ass he says he’s headed out and running off down the street and yapping his ass off. But that’s aite because he came we showed em love. He gave us some hilarious shit. Himself. Huh. I guess to other people this might look bad. But that’s aite cause that’s family….man really I find that amazing? Well yeah human kind or what the fuck the hippies call it. Compassion and shit. You gahdamn right!

[recentanimenews]

"DYNAMIC CHORD" Dominates Akiba Souken's Fall 2017 TV Anime Popularity Ranking

Akiba Souken, a Japanese news site dedicated to the Akihabara-related pop culture/products, has revealed the result of its online popularity poll for the fall 2017 TV anime. It was conducted on its anime portal site "AniPota" from December 19, 2017, to January 4, 2018. The total number of votes was 18,848. The users were allowed to vote seven times for their most satisfied anime series that were premiered in October 2017.

  As expected, the previous season's most buzzed-about title DYNAMIC CHORD dominated the ranking, getting almost three times more votes than the second most popular series Blend S. The TV anime adaptation of honeybee's otome game franchise of the same name was produced by Studio Pierrot (Naruto, Bleach) and aired for 12 episodes. Check out the ranking for the 50 titles of the fall 2017 season below.

        1 . "DYNAMIC CHORD" - 4,026 votes

©ASGARD/DYNAMIC CHORD

   2. "BLEND-S" - 1,413

3. "Land of the Lustrous" - 1,409

4. "A Sister's All You Need" - 812

5. "My Girlfriend is Shobitch" - 763

  6. "The Ancient Magus' Bride" - 686

7. "Just Because!" - 675

8. "Girls' Last Tour" - 666

9. "Yuki Yuna is a Hero: Washio Sumi Chapter/Hero Chapter" - 652

10. "Love Live! Sunshine!! 2nd Season" - 632

  11. "Kino's Journey -the Beautiful World- the Animated Series" - 601

12. "Children of the Whales" - 578

13. "JUNI TAISEN: ZODIAC WAR" - 575

14. "Blood Blockade Battlefront & Beyond" - 555

15. "Konohana Kitan" - 493

  16. "Recovery of an MMO Junkie" - 489

17. "Himouto! Umaru-chan R" - 464

18. "The Idolm@ster SideM" - 403

19. "Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma: The Third Plate" - 349

20. "Hozuki no Reitetsu 2nd season" - 304

  21. "Mr.Osomatsu 2nd Season" - 279

22. "Our love has always been 10 centimeters apart" - 250

23. "Inuyashiki" - 232

24. "March Comes in like a Lion: The 2nd Series" - 222

25. "Wake Up, Girls! New Chapter" - 154

  26. "Anime-Gataris" - 133

27. "Infini-T Force" - 130

28. "Black Clover" - 120

29. "Code:Realize − Guardian of Rebirth" - 103

30. "Robomasters：The Animated Series" - 81

  31. "The Idolm@ster Cinderella Girls Theater 2nd Season" - 70

32. "TSUKIPRO THE ANIMATION" - 65

33. "TwoCar" - 62

33. "Sengoku Night Blood" - 62

35. "UQ Holder! Negima! Magister Negi Magi 2" - 56

  36. "King's Game The Animation" - 49

37. "Osake ws fufu ni Nattekara" - 45

38. "URAHARA" - 35

39. "GARO -VANISHING LINE-" - 27

40. "Omiai Aite wa Oshiego, Tsuyoki na, Mondaiji." - 23

  41. "Dream Festival R" - 23

42. "Dies irae" - 16

43. "EVIL OR LIVE" - 11

44. "aiseki MOGOL GIRL" - 10

44. "Time Bokan The Villains' Strike Back" - 10

44. "Dia Horizon" - 10

  47. "Fireball Humorous" - 9

48. "Taisho Mebiusline Chicchaisan" - 8

49. "Oretacha Yokai Ningen" - 6

50. "Ame-Con!!" - 2

    Source: Akiba Souken

  By: news+feed@crunchyroll.com

[vnyu73]

he lookin’ lookin’ adorable that’s what