#disk usage warning

[alive-gh0st]

❝Marked❞

⋆｡˚✴︎⋆Veil!Mark Grayson x Trouble!Reader⋆✴︎˚｡⋆

•. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˚₊‧⟡꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ⟡‧₊˚ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.•

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

★ summary: he’s supposed to be your handler. a monitor. a leash. but mark grayson doesn’t follow orders—not when it comes to you. when they tried to reassign you, he rewrote the rules. now you’re stuck with him: veiled, violent, and watching you like he already owns you. you don’t play well with others. he doesn’t care. because underneath the blood, the missions, the slow obsession—he isn’t trying to control you. he’s trying to keep you. marked as his.

‪‪★ contains: nsfw (18+). enemies to feral co-dependents. handler x operative dynamic. forced partnership. obsession disguised as protection. surveillance with feelings. feral!mark. dangerous!reader. veil!mark. veil!invincible. slow burn to full meltdown. soft dom vibes. unhinged loyalty. post-mission patchups. emotional warfare disguised as flirting. “say that again and i’ll ruin you” energy. knifeplay (non-lethal, very hot). panty stealing. couch sex. praise kink. sacred-name usage. quiet confessions. dirty mouths, softer hearts. extremely earned smut.

★ warning: graphic violence. blood/injury. canon-typical trauma. stalking (narratively intentional, obsessive-not-malicious). emotional volatility. intense possessiveness. nsfw content (oral + penetrative sex). manipulation of power dynamics (non-abusive). toxic attachment themes. unhealthy coping. emotional depth. explicit devotion. mark being insane about you in every way.

‪‪★ wc: 8437

ᯓ★ requested by: @hyunniestharr (your idea haunted me. now it can haunt you, too)

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌a/n: this isn’t a love story—it’s a security breach with a heartbeat. a warning label on loyalty (also yes. he absolutely came untouched. twice.)

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

The knife slid in easy.

Too easy, honestly—especially after chasing this bastard across rooftops, sewer grates, and at least two levels of transit. Your lungs still burned, your shoulder throbbed, and your mood? Absolutely shot to hell.

The blade found its mark between his ribs, sliding in with that soft, sickening give that muscle memory never forgot. The target gurgled—wet, startled, pathetic.

“God, you’re dramatic,” you muttered, yanking the blade out with a practiced twist.

It splattered red across your boots.

“I mean, if you were gonna be this squishy, you could’ve just surrendered ten blocks ago and saved me a goddamn headache.”

He dropped like a ragdoll, face-down into the filth-streaked alley and joined the others in the room that already smelled like copper and regret. The puddle beneath him spread slowly, sluggish in the midwinter air. You stood over the corpse with a scowl, sweat slicking down the back of your neck. The quiet buzz of adrenaline had barely started to fade.

“Stubborn little shit. Had to bleed like a faucet.”

Blood—most of it not yours—stuck to your gloves, smeared across your thigh where the asshole’s last desperate swing had caught you.

“Perfect,” you sighed, inspecting the ruined leg of your suit. “Because what I really needed today was another reason to explain why my laundry bill rivals a war crime.”

The sting of shallow wounds tugged at your nerves. But you didn’t flinch. You never did.

“You better have intel worth all this laundry,” you muttered before crouching and rifling through the dead man’s pockets—only pulling out a charred disk drive and a mangled transponder. Useless. Still, protocol said bring everything, so you stuffed it into your pouch and rose.

“Dumbass bled out for nothing,” you muttered. ”Bet his last thought was about that ugly-ass tattoo he was so proud of. Shame.”

You rolled your shoulder, muscles groaning in protest, and started trudging toward the exit.

The concrete was slick from the mess. You didn’t bother avoiding the blood trail. Let Forensics earn their paycheck.

“This is what I get for volunteering for ‘cleanup duty,’ huh?” you grumbled. “Next time I see Dispatch, I’m stabbing them with this knife. Gently. Lovingly. But repeatedly.”

Your comm crackled.

You froze. Then sighed. Of course.

Swiping the screen open mid-step, you expected a location ping or evac window. Maybe even a rare “good job” if someone up top was feeling generous. Instead, you got flagged.

PRIORITY. LEVEL SIX.

UNSCHEDULED MEETING. MANDATORY.

FILE ATTACHED.

“Yeah,” you muttered. “That’s not ominous at all.”

The folder had your name stamped on it—but nothing else. No briefing, no subject tags, just a sealed file and an address string embedded in the encryption. You squinted at the coordinates.

Underground.

Of course.

You barked a humorless laugh. “Meeting in the bunker. Creepy as hell. Classic you, Command.”

Without even trying to clean up, you took a turn off the main street, ducking into a nondescript elevator shaft hidden behind a disused courier hub.

One retinal scan and two sarcastic clearance swipes later, you were riding down into the belly of the beast.

── .✦

The bunker hadn’t changed since the last time you broke into it. Still dusty, still freezing, still lit with that flickering LED buzz that made you want to file a complaint and commit arson at the same time. You moved through it like muscle memory: two lefts, a keypad, retinal scan. A hiss of doors unlocking.

No guards. No eyes on you.

Just one metal table, and a single paper folder sitting at its center like a damn horror prop.

“Oh, great,” you deadpanned. “We’re going analog. That’s never shady.”

You peeled your gloves off with your teeth, slapping them on the table before flipping the folder open.

“Really setting the mood,” you muttered. “All that budget, and they still print shit on recycled office supply.”

The folder wasn’t marked with anything obvious—just your designation and a date. No mission summary. No ops plan. Just bureaucratic psych jargon. Something about “disciplinary structure,” “high-risk autonomy,” “unstable behavioral metrics.” You rolled your eyes so hard your neck nearly cracked.

“Jesus,” you muttered. “Next thing they’ll say I’ve got commitment issues.”

Then—tucked at the very bottom—you saw it.

Reassignment. Oversight. Immediate effect.

You blinked.

And blinked again.

Your lips parted, half-laugh, half-scoff forming in your throat when—

The door hissed open behind you.

Footsteps. Heavy. Even. Slow.

You turned, instinctively reaching for your knife.

Then paused.

Because the man in the doorway?

Blue and yellow. No cape. No insignia. A form-fitting suit that clung to muscle and violence, with a strange veil that obscured his face like a curtain of secrecy—thin, sheer, barely hiding the line of his jaw.

His eyes glowed behind narrow goggles—calm, calculating.

You never heard him speak. Not really.

You’d seen him before—that’s for sure. Not clearly. Just flashes on rooftops. A distant signal you weren’t cleared to track. Everyone called him something different, if they talked about him at all. You never paid attention to other people anyway.

Until now.

He stepped inside like he owned the room—and maybe he did—and said nothing. Just looked at you. Sized you up.

He looked at you like he already knew how you fought. How you bled. Like he knew where to land a punch—or where it would really hurt.

You looked back.

What was his alias again… ?

You hated that it made you curious.

A beat lagged. Then two. No one said anything.

And then you looked back at the file, still open on the table. Read the fine print. The line that had made you scoff but hadn’t sunk in until now.

“Assigned to field partner. Behavioral reassessment ongoing. Expect prolonged oversight.”

You opened your mouth. Then shut it again.

“Oh, you’ve gotta be fucking kidding me.”

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ͙͘͡★⋆⭒˚.⋆

Invincible—or just Mark, depending on who was stupid or familiar enough to call him that—watched from the far end of the room.

Arms crossed loosely, leaning back against the wall like he didn’t have half a dozen other places to be. Like he wasn’t technically two hours behind on a recon run he’d already lied about completing.

But whatever.

You were here.

Pacing the concrete floor, muttering darkly under your breath, covered in blood that wasn’t yours. Eyes sharp. Shoulders tight. Currently ignoring him like he didn’t just walk in like gravity answered to his name.

Mark watched. Quiet. Still.

He liked watching you.

More than he should’ve. More than he’d ever admit out loud, even if someone held a railgun to his skull and promised painless disintegration.

Call it stalking, surveillance, an unhealthy attachment—he didn’t care. Not really.

It wasn’t just the way you moved—though that was part of it. You walked like you were daring the ground to talk back. You held tension like it was a weapon and he hadn’t been able to look away since the first time he saw you gut a guy without blinking.

Even now, you stalked around the empty room like you were half a second from breaking the table in two just because it dared to exist.

It made something in his chest tighten.

You didn’t know he’d been watching for a while. Not just today. Not even just this mission.

He checked in on you often. “Checked” was a generous word. It was bordering on surveillance. Okay, it was surveillance. He had a whole folder stashed away with flagged reports from your last five deployments. A few audio files. Maybe a grainy clip or two.

It wasn’t creepy. He wasn’t a creep.

He just needed to make sure you were okay.

(You kill people for a living.)

Still. He liked knowing where you were. So yeah. He watched. Checked in. Every day.

You were reckless. You didn’t follow orders. You acted on gut instinct, and half the time, it worked, which only made it worse. Because one day it wouldn’t work, and they’d send him in too late.

He’d seen the file before you did. Your reassignment.

They were going to put you under some no-name enforcer from another sector. Someone who thought “discipline” meant obedience and “partnership” meant paperwork.

So he said no.

Correction—he said: “If you send her to anyone else, I’ll break your fucking spine and write my resignation on the wall in your blood.”

Direct quote.

So now here he was. Assigned. Official. Watching you sulk around a room you clearly hated.

It should’ve been annoying. You hadn’t even acknowledged him properly yet. Just marched in, read your little file, stared at him for solid 6 seconds before muttering like the universe personally offended you.

He could name a dozen ways to silence you. He just didn’t want to.

He should’ve said something sooner.

But damn, you were beautiful when you were pissed.

Especially when it came with that cute little crease between your brows—like the universe had personally offended you.

Before you could actually spiral into something truly destructive—like ripping out the lights or kicking a chair through a wall (you’d done both before)—he finally decided to speak.

“Y’know,” Mark drawled finally, voice smooth, low, and way too amused, “for someone who just got a promotion, you complain like you got dumped via sticky note.”

You stopped mid-step.

Didn’t turn. Not yet.

He could see the tension coil in your spine like a loaded spring.

“You,” you said flatly. Like it was a diagnosis.

Even your voice sounded like a threat—like it could cut.

Mark’s grin sharpened under the veil.

“Me,” he confirmed.

A beat of silence.

Then, you turned to face him, arms crossed, blood still drying on your collar. “You’re my new ‘handler’?”

“I prefer ‘charming work husband’ but sure,” he said, lifting a shoulder. “Let’s go with that.”

No reaction.

(Okay. An eye twitch. That counted.)

He was delighted.

“I didn’t ask for this.”

“I know,” Mark said, smile curling under his breath. “That’s the best part.”

He stepped forward, slow and unhurried, until he was just a few feet away. Close enough to see the faint smear of ash on your jaw. Close enough to catch the faint chemical tang of blood and steel clinging to you like armor.

Blood, smoke, and a faint scent of whatever damn soap you use to scrub crime off your skin—it drove him fucking insane.

“You’re pissed,” he observed lightly. “That’s cute.”

You narrowed your eyes. “Are you trying to get stabbed?”

“Debatable,” he said. “Depends where.”

Another twitch. His grin widened.

He didn’t mean to flirt—okay, he did. But not too much. Not yet. You were still dangerous, still vibrating with aftershock fury, and the last thing he needed was for you to go fully feral.

Not until you liked him more, at least.

“I’m not here to babysit you,” he said after a moment. “Not in the way you think.”

You arched a brow. “No?”

“I’m here because I’m the only one who knows what it’s like to do what you do and still not break.”

A beat.

“I don’t break,” you said evenly.

“No,” Mark agreed, his voice softer now. “But they’re afraid you might. And you know what they do to things they think are broken.”

That hit.

You didn’t reply. Just stared at him. Longer. Slower. More like a threat than a conversation.

He could live with that. For now.

“Look,” he said, stepping even closer now, “I didn’t come here to coddle you. I came because if someone’s gonna keep you from getting killed, it’s gonna be me. No leashes. No lectures. Just… you and me. Doing what we do best.”

You said nothing.

Mark waited.

Then, quietly, with something almost close to sincerity—he muttered his final words.

“You can hate it. But you won’t hate me.”

Your eyes darkened. But your silence wasn’t as sharp as it should’ve been.

And Mark smiled.

Because he wasn’t wrong.

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ͙͘͡★⋆⭒˚.⋆

The rain was coming down in sheets, hammering the rooftops like it had a personal grudge.

You gritted your teeth, one arm tucked tightly around Invincible’s waist as you half-dragged, half-guided him down the dim corridor. His weight leaned into you shamelessly—dead weight, if dead weight had a smug attitude and a pulse like a drum in your ribs.

You didn’t say a word.

Not when he groaned dramatically into your ear, not when he stumbled a little more on purpose, not when you almost slipped trying to keep his dumbass from kissing the floor.

“You can walk,” you muttered through clenched teeth.

“I could,” he agreed, tone so casual it made your blood pressure spike. “But then I’d miss this beautiful team-building moment.”

You didn’t bother answering. You just pulled him harder, jostling his bruised ribs enough to earn a soft grunt from behind the veil.

Good.

His suit was streaked in blood—most of it his, some probably yours, and none of it helped your growing migraine. You were soaked to the bone, adrenaline long gone, fury in its place. The blast that tore through the wall back there should’ve hit you.

He’d made sure it didn’t.

And now you were stuck playing support for the goddamn golden boy of masked arrogance.

“You didn’t have to do that,” you hissed, not looking at him.

“Do what?” His voice was pure innocence. “Save your life?”

You scoffed. “I had it handled.”

“You were standing in front of a literal antimatter core.”

“I was moving out of the way.”

“Sure you were.” He leaned in, shifting more of his weight onto you, his breath warm behind the thin fabric of your collar. “Besides, you look better in one piece.”

Your fingers tightened where they gripped his side, and you seriously considered dropping him face-first into the nearest wall.

You didn’t.

But it was a close thing.

By the time you reached the medbay—a low-lit, sterile chamber lined with supply cabinets and outdated tech—you were seething quietly. You kicked the door open with your boot and hauled him inside like a sack of problematic groceries.

“Bed. Now.”

Invincible opened his mouth—about to reply with some flirty comeback—but one sharp look from you made him retreat.

He moved—slowly, with all the theatrical flair of a dying star—and flopped onto the metal exam table with a groan that would’ve convinced any sane person he was about to flatline.

You weren’t convinced.

“You’re not dying,” you muttered, already rifling through cabinets.

“Didn’t say I was,” he mumbled, watching you over the edge of the table. “But if I do… can I haunt your apartment?”

You threw a roll of gauze at his face.

It hit him square in the goggles.

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

You turned away before he could catch the twitch in your expression.

Because pain or not, the image of him stepping in front of that blast—of the way he threw you to the side like it was instinct—was burned into your memory. You were furious.

You were also, maybe, a little bit shaken.

Not that you’d ever admit it.

Not even to yourself.

You found the antiseptic, grabbed a few packs of gauze and tape, then returned to his side. You didn’t bother asking if he wanted your help. You didn’t wait for a nurse.

You’d stitched your own thigh shut in the back of a stolen van once. Wrapped a shattered wrist in duct tape and finished a mission. You weren’t squeamish.

His suit was torn apart—and underneath—muscle, blood, bruises. He was a mess, but he’d live. Unfortunately.

You dabbed antiseptic into the worst of it without mercy. He hissed.

“Don’t be a baby.”

“You’re enjoying this.”

“I’m tolerating this.”

His eyes caught yours—bright and unreadable under the goggles.

“You could’ve let me bleed out,” he said, voice lower now.

“I considered it.”

“Mm. That’s fair.”

You said nothing, focusing on a gash along his ribs. He didn’t flinch. But his gaze didn’t leave you.

“You’re pissed.”

You pressed harder.

“I told you I had it,” you said, quieter now. “You shouldn’t have stepped in.”

“I wasn’t going to let you get hurt.”

Your hands paused.

“I don’t need protecting.”

“I know.”

More silence.

Then, softer—closer, “But I like putting my hands on you. Even if it means getting thrown across a warehouse.”

You looked at him then. Really looked.

His veil was torn at the corner. Blood trickled from his temple, and his ribs looked like someone had caved them in with a wrecking ball. And for the first time, he wasn’t grinning. Not cocky. Not smug. Just—there. Honest.

You ignored the way your stomach twisted.

You ignored that it landed somewhere deep.

And worse—you hated that part of you was glad he did it.

Even if you’d never say it out loud.

So instead, you went back to cleaning him up. And he let you.

Touch lingering just a little longer than it needed to. His eyes stayed on you, quiet for once.

But of course, it couldn’t last.

“You know,” he said, voice low, teasing—dangerous, “if you keep touching me like that, I’m gonna pop a boner.”

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ͙͘͡★⋆⭒˚.⋆

The city sprawled beneath, a mosaic of lights flickering in the night. A hundred thousand lives in motion, none of them looking up.

The hum of distant traffic and the occasional siren were the only sounds accompanying the two figures perched on the ledge, threading through the darkness like familiar ghosts. While the rooftop offered a vantage point—both strategic and serene, if you let it be.

You rarely did.

This wasn’t your kind of quiet.

You didn’t like silence—not when it meant being left alone with your thoughts. Not when it reminded you that most of your work ended with blood on your hands and no one waiting for you when it was done.

You were good at what you did, but it came with solitude. That was the tradeoff. Had been, for a long time.

You sat with your knees drawn up, arms resting atop them, eyes scanning the horizon like something out there might change.

Invincible sat beside you—close enough that you could feel the heat of him even with the night air biting through your suit. He didn’t speak. He didn’t fidget. He didn’t even try to make himself useful. He was just there.

And strangely, that made it easier to breathe.

It wouldn’t last. It never did. But maybe tonight, it didn’t have to.

The surveillance gear nearby blinked and pulsed, quietly recording—but neither of you looked at it.

For once, it could wait.

“You ever think about what it’d be like to just… disappear?” you asked suddenly, the question slipping out like breath. Like you hadn’t meant to say it, but couldn’t help yourself.

Invincible turned his head, veil fluttering slightly in the breeze. “Sometimes,” he admitted. “But I think I’d miss the chaos.”

A quiet chuckle escaped you. Dry. Amused. “Figures.”

Silence settled again—but not heavy. Not cold. Just… still. You rarely got stillness that didn’t come with tension coiled in your gut. This was different.

And that scared you more than it should have.

“You know,” he said after a beat, voice quieter now, almost careful, “we’ve been through a lot together… and I don’t even know your real name.”

You glanced at him, surprised—but not defensive. Not tonight.

You hesitated for half a second, then gave it to him. Just your name. Nothing fancy, no ceremony. Like offering up something small and fragile just to see what he’d do with it.

He nodded. A small, rare smile played at the edge of his mouth. “Mark.”

Simple as that. And somehow, it meant something.

The name felt strange coming from him. Not because it didn’t suit him—it did. More than you expected. But because no one ever shared real names with you unless they were bleeding out or trying to make peace before dying. It had weight. It had risk.

You tilted your head slightly. “Nice to meet you, Mark.”

His gaze lingered on you a second longer than necessary. You felt the heat of it, sharp and warm, brushing your cheek like a touch he hadn’t made. Then, low and easy, ”Likewise, sweetheart.”

Your heart hiccuped in your chest—and you hated that it did.

He’d called you worse. He’d called you better. But something about hearing him say it now—gentle, sincere—made your stomach twist in a way no battlefield ever had.

You looked away, pretending to study the skyline again—even though you hadn’t really been looking at it for a while.

You were thinking about the last time you sat this close to someone without bracing for betrayal.

You were thinking about how you always worked alone because it was safer that way.

You were thinking about how, for the first time in what felt like forever, being alone didn’t feel so absolute.

He wasn’t touching you. Wasn’t even looking at you anymore. But he was there. And that mattered more than you wanted it to.

The city lights shimmered below, reflecting off wet rooftops and glass towers like starlight that had forgotten its way home. And for one small, stolen moment, you didn’t feel like a weapon in waiting. You didn’t feel like the monster they kept on a leash.

You just felt… seen.

You didn’t say thank you.

But maybe you didn’t have to.

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ͙͘͡★⋆⭒˚.⋆

Mark hadn’t meant to watch you.

Not like that.

Not in the beginning.

It started with a glitch in his comms. A rerouted signal. Someone else’s mission logs bleeding into his HUD. A red flag tagged with your designation, blinking across rooftops he wasn’t supposed to care about.

He should’ve ignored it.

He didn’t.

Instead, he paused mid-flight—just above Sector 4, the skyline burning behind him—and turned his attention to a grainy security feed from a busted drone two miles off-grid.

And there you were.

A blur of movement. Blood on your knuckles. Fire in your mouth.

He watched you take down five armed enforcers in less than a minute. Watched you move like violence was a second skin, like your bones had been carved to fit inside chaos.

He felt something shift in his chest.

It wasn’t lust—not at first. It wasn’t even admiration.

It was obsession—quiet, still, and cold.

It was yours.

── .✦

He told himself it was curiosity. A one-time thing. Professionals did that. Kept tabs. Cross-referenced reports.

But the next night, he checked again.

And the next.

And the next.

── .✦

You never noticed. Or if you did, you never said.

And god, that just made it worse.

── .✦

You drank your coffee black. No sugar. No milk. Always scalding.

He knew this because he’d watched you order it, three mornings in a row, from a corner shop you never paid for—just flashed a fake badge and walked off like you owned the world.

You untied your boots with your teeth sometimes—bit the laces, spat them out. It was feral.

You hummed under your breath when you cleaned your knives. Always the same tune. Off-key. He found it… endearing.

He memorized it.

── .✦

Mark knew your name before you even said it.

It was in your file—buried under layers of redacted bullshit, buried deeper than it had any right to be. But Mark had access. Mark was access.

He read it once, then never again.

He didn’t need to.

It was already carved somewhere behind his ribs.

── .✦

He knew your patrol schedule. Your blind spots. He knew which rooftops you liked. Which ones you avoided.

He knew you slept on your side, curled like you expected someone to stab you in your sleep.

He hated that.

He wanted to tell you that you didn’t have to sleep like that anymore. That he’d sleep beside you. That he would take first watch.

Every night. For the rest of your life.

── .✦

The first time he broke into your apartment, it wasn’t for anything weird.

Just to look.

Just to… be where you were when you weren’t there.

It was quiet. Small. Clean in some places, messy in others. Coffee cups on the counter. A half-assembled gun on the table. A pair of boots by the door.

Your scent clung to the air—warm, sharp, metallic, with the faintest sweetness underneath.

He stood in your living room for almost an hour.

Didn’t touch anything. Didn’t breathe too loud. Just existed in your space.

And then he left.

But he came back.

Again.

And again.

── .✦

Once, he barely made it out.

The click of your front door lock. The soft thud of your boots. He didn’t breathe until he was four rooftops away.

Heart racing. Hard. Excited. Terrified. Alive.

This wasn’t like how his father loved.

It wasn’t control.

It was gravity.

And you were the only thing keeping him from flying straight into the sun.

── .✦

Eventually, he started touching things.

Your mugs. Your books. Your hoodie.

Once, he sat on your couch and imagined you curled up beside him. Hair damp from a shower. Feet in his lap. Trusting him.

He got hard just thinking about it—and cursed himself for it.

But he didn’t stop.

── .✦

Then came the laundry.

Folded in a neat little basket by the window.

Fresh. Still warm. He touched a pair of panties—just brushed his fingers over the edge. Then brought them to his face.

He didn’t moan. Didn’t jerk off. Didn’t cross that line.

But he did smile, dark and private.

Murmured to himself, “Honestly? These feel way better than my veil.”

He left them exactly where they were.

Mostly.

Sometimes, he took one. Just one. Wore it like a badge under the suit—close to his skin. A reminder. A promise.

And then brought it back.

Washed. Pressed. Folded better than you ever did.

Because he wasn’t a monster.

He was just yours.

Even if you didn’t know it yet.

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ͙͘͡★⋆⭒˚.⋆

The air was thick with smoke and the metallic scent of blood. Neither one of you saw it coming.

Not the punch, not the burst of kinetic force that ripped through the alley like thunder. Not the split-second shift in Invincible’s stance that changed everything from strategic to savage.

The mission had been simple: recon and retrieve.

Minimal force. Bring the target in alive.

No one said anything about bait.

No one said anything about them using you.

But the second the bastard dropped your name—the second that oily voice curled your real name like venom in the air—it all went to hell.

“You really think she’s worth it?” the target had sneered, blood leaking from his mouth, grin jagged where a tooth used to be. “All that power, and you’re playing guard dog to a broken bitch with a kill streak.”

You froze, not from shock—but calculation. How close was Invincible? How fast could you—

Too late.

You barely got a word out before Invincible was on him.

You didn’t even see the punch. Just the aftermath.

The target’s body hit the wall like a meteor. Cracked brick. Concrete dust in your lungs. Something crunched that definitely wasn’t supposed to.

And Invincible—Mark—wasn’t stopping.

Not with protocol screaming in your earpiece. Not with the command feed blinking red in your HUD. Not even when you grabbed his arm and shouted his name like it was the only thing you could do.

His fist was cocked back, trembling. Veins bulging under torn sleeves. Breathing like he’d just run through war.

“Mark,” you snapped again, sharper this time, like a blade.

His eyes—those glowing, untouchable things—locked on you.

You saw it hit him then.

Not guilt.

Something deeper.

Like the thought of someone using you, threatening you, daring to speak your name out loud—was worse than death.

“Alive,” you said, jaw tight. “We need him alive.”

It took everything in you not to flinch when he finally stepped back.

The target coughed blood, slumped in a crater.

── .✦

You didn’t speak the rest of the mission. Neither did he.

The silence between you buzzed louder than the comms.

And when the drop team arrived, you didn’t look at each other. Not once.

But you felt him watching.

Still burning.

Still ready to kill the next person who dared say your name like it wasn’t something sacred.

── .✦

You didn’t storm off.

You didn’t say a word when Command debriefed, when the team cleaned up the mess, when the target got dragged off in a body bag instead of a prisoner transport.

You just stood there, fists clenched at your sides, your shadow overlapping his as you waited for someone to say it.

They didn’t.

They didn’t have to.

You could feel the way they looked at you now—like you were collateral. A variable. The reason their best weapon nearly lost control.

Again.

── .✦

You could still hear it.

Your name.

Twisted in the mouth of someone who wasn’t supposed to know it. Someone who used it like a curse—like a weapon.

And it worked.

Invincible—no, Mark lost it. You watched it happen in real time.

Not calculated. Not clean. Just rage. Unchecked. Unleashed.

And it scared you—not because he was angry, but because it felt like it was for you.

Like he would’ve killed a man for the crime of knowing you existed. And worse…

Some ugly, buried part of you wanted to let him.

── .✦

You didn’t sleep that night.

You sat on your windowsill in silence, one leg propped up, eyes on the skyline you usually found comfort in. It didn’t work tonight.

Because a small part of you knew he was out there.

Watching. Hovering. Probably furious that you stopped him.

Probably furious you had to.

But you weren’t sorry. Not really.

You’d gotten where you were by staying sharp. Staying smart. Staying in control.

And tonight?

He wasn’t.

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ͙͘͡★⋆⭒˚.⋆

Mark noticed how you didn’t look at him once.

Not when they ran your vitals. Not when they shoved the corpse into containment with a glare like it was his fault the bastard’s skull split open like overripe fruit.

He stood back—arms crossed, jaw tight behind the veil.

He didn’t say anything either.

Not when you passed by. Not when you shouldered past the medic—like you were afraid to stop moving. Like if you did, you’d shatter.

He hated that.

He hated that silence lived between you now, not comfort. Not tension. Not heat.

Just cold.

── .✦

He heard it on loop.

Your voice—sharp and panicked, calling his name like a lifeline.

Not “Invincible.” Not “hey.”

Just… Mark.

It made something in his chest twist.

Made his hands curl at his sides. He could still feel the way your fingers had dug into his wrist.

Not gently. Not soft. But grounding.

It was the only reason he didn’t finish the job.

He didn’t regret it.

But he hated the look you gave him after.

Like you didn’t know who he was anymore. Or maybe like you finally did.

── .✦

He didn’t go home.

He hovered three blocks from your apartment, high enough to be unseen, low enough to feel you through the walls.

He didn’t expect to see the light in your room flick on.

He didn’t expect to see you—barely out of your gear, face hard, eyes darker than he’d ever seen them—leaning out the window, staring dead into the dark.

He stayed still. Barely breathing.

You didn’t see him.

But maybe—just maybe—you knew he was there.

Because after a long moment, you whispered to the night.

“Next time you lose control like that… I’ll stop you harder.”

It wasn’t a threat.

It was a promise.

And fuck—he’d never wanted anything more.

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ͙͘͡★⋆⭒˚.⋆

They were doing it quietly. Behind walls. Sealed files. Passive phrasing and polite lies.

“Operative instability,” they’d said. “Emotional volatility.” “Unpredictable attachment to assigned partner.”

They meant him.

They meant you.

They meant that moment in the alley when his fist should’ve stopped—and didn’t. When he saw red and acted like a man who didn’t care about consequence.

Because he didn’t.

Because someone said your name and laughed.

Because someone tried to make you a weakness.

Because someone forgot you were his.

── .✦

Mark stood in the center of the server room like a loaded weapon someone forgot to disarm—veil pushed halfway up, breathing like he was trying not to detonate.

He didn’t move. Didn’t speak. Didn’t blink.

The lights overhead buzzed, flickering under the strain of faulty wiring. Or maybe that was him. Hard to tell.

His voice, when it came, was quiet.

Deadly.

“Who signed off on this?”

No one answered.

Just the soft flick of fingers on tablet screens. The nervous shift of boots. Everyone pretending not to feel the pressure in the air—like something was about to crack.

Mark didn’t repeat himself.

He didn’t have to.

Because the next second, the console nearest him exploded. Shattered metal and sparks.

A handprint embedded in the wall behind it.

“You don’t get to move her,” he said, voice sharp as razors now. “You don’t get to touch her file. You don’t get to breathe near it.”

A senior director tried to speak. “Invincible—this decision came from—”

“Say that name again. Go ahead. Say it like it doesn’t mean something,” Mark interrupted. “Say that designation. I dare you.”

He took a step forward. The floor groaned under his boots. Not because of weight. But pressure. Because he wasn’t holding back anymore.

Because he was done playing soldier. Handler. Puppet on a leash.

He wasn’t Invincible here.

He was yours.

And they were trying to steal him from you.

They just didn’t know it yet.

The man tried again, slower this time. “You need to understand the optics. She’s compromised. She compromised you.”

Mark’s laugh was low. Joyless. A hollow thing cracked open in the dark.

“She didn’t compromise me,” he said.

“She saved me.”

He stepped in close.

Close enough that the lights flickered again.

“I was ready to kill a man for saying her name. And you think I’m going to let you erase her?”

The air pulsed. No one moved.

“Try it,” Mark whispered. “Try touching her file again. I will wipe your existence so clean no one will remember you were ever born.”

Silence.

Then, slowly, he leaned in. Veil brushing the shoulder of the man in charge. And in a voice made of smoke and control, he whispered his final words.

“She’s not the dangerous one… I am.”

── .✦

He left the room in ruin.

Half the lights were blown. Several systems fried. Three agents too shaken to speak. And when he disappeared from camera range, no one followed.

Because everyone knew where he was going.

Straight to you.

Because if they wanted to take you away—

They were going to have to kill him first.

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ͙͘͡★⋆⭒˚.⋆

The window rattled before the door slammed open.

You were on your feet before your brain caught up—knife in hand, blade drawn, feet planted. No hesitation.

No fear.

And then you saw him.

Mark.

Standing in your apartment doorway like a storm that forgot where it was supposed to break.

Hair damp from the wind. Veil twisted, torn halfway up. Blood running in a thin, angry line down his throat—from the blade you were still holding to his neck.

You hadn’t even realized you’d moved that fast.

He didn’t flinch. Didn’t stop. Didn’t speak.

He just stepped closer.

Closer, until your knife dug deeper, a warning meant to halt.

But he didn’t stop.

Instead, he leaned in—slow, steady, unshakable—and rested his forehead against yours.

He was trembling.

Not from pain.

From relief. From rage still clinging to the edges of his breath. From the panic you hadn’t seen on him before—not like this.

You lowered the knife, slowly.

Confused.

“Mark—” you started, voice too soft.

But his hand was already reaching for yours. Gripping it—not hard, not desperate, but anchoring. Like you were the last solid thing in a world gone sideways.

You didn’t pull away. Didn’t speak.

You just led him to the couch, never letting go.

He dropped onto it like his knees gave out—but still kept hold of your wrist.

You started to pull back—maybe to grab water, a towel, anything—

But his hand caught yours again. Tighter this time. And when he whispered, it was raw and cracked.

“Don’t go. Please.”

You didn’t.

You sat beside him.

Quiet. Still. Warm.

And for the first time in days, he exhaled.

Like the war ended. Like he finally made it home.

Like you were it.

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ͙͘͡★⋆⭒˚.⋆

After that, things shifted between you two.

Not drastic. Not loud. Just enough to feel it.

A new gravity.

You joked more. He smiled more.

The air felt less like a battleground. More like a fuse, waiting. The silences weren’t sharp anymore—they held something warmer, heavier.

And when he touched you—guiding you around a corner, brushing against your arm during recon—you didn’t pull away.

Not once.

He still called you ’sweetheart.’

But now? You didn’t roll your eyes.

You answered him back—with something that sat halfway between sarcasm and a dare.

And Mark…

He took it.

Every word. Every smirk. Every sharp little comment that should’ve meant nothing—but didn’t.

You didn’t know how much it was driving him insane.

Or maybe you did. Maybe you saw the way his jaw clenched when you called him lover boy under your breath. The way his breath hitched when your hand lingered on his thigh for just a second too long in the drop ship.

You played with fire.

And he let you.

For a while.

── .✦

Until one night—

You were both heading back from an op. Low stakes. No injuries. Just exhaustion in your bones and grit in your teeth.

You made a comment—half-flirt, half-threat, maybe something about handcuffs.

You weren’t even trying to tease him. Not really.

But then—

He stopped.

Suddenly, you were pinned.

Like gravity finally decided to snap its fingers.

Your spine hit the wall with a soft thud.

You didn’t flinch. Didn’t move. Didn’t speak. You just looked up at him.

Chin tilted. Breath steady. Like this wasn’t new. Like you weren’t caught off-guard—like your heart wasn’t hammering under your ribs like it was trying to tell on you.

Mark’s hand was beside your head, fingers curled against the concrete like he was keeping himself from touching you. His body was so close you could feel the heat radiating off of him—his chest rising and falling like every breath cost him.

His eyes dragged over your face—slow and dark and deliberate. From your mouth to your eyes, then back again.

“Say something smart now,” he murmured.

His voice was velvet laced with warning. And that was all the invitation you needed.

You didn’t smile—but the look in your eyes said enough.

“You always this worked up when someone flirts with you?” You tilted your head slightly, like it was an honest question.

“Or is it just me?”

Something flickered across his bare face—heat, restraint, hunger—and then disappeared again, smoothed out like it had never been there.

“It’s just you,” he said, voice lower now.

“Always you.”

You felt it then.

The slow shift. The quiet unraveling.

His knee brushed your leg—just barely—but it was enough to remind you he could close the space between you in half a second.

He didn’t.

You leaned in, just slightly. Testing him. Letting your lips part, gaze heavy as your voice dipped.

“You gonna kiss me, Mark?”

He didn’t answer. Not with words.

He tilted his head. Slowly. Deliberately.

The space between you collapsed inch by inch, your breath catching as his eyes dropped to your mouth, lingering like he was counting your heartbeats.

You leaned in, too.

Half a breath away.

The heat between your mouths? Maddening.

His lips barely parted—his hand flexed beside your face—and your eyes fluttered shut—

But he stepped back.

Just enough to break contact. Just enough to make it feel like a fucking cliff-drop.

You blinked—slow, disoriented, like a dream just dropped you.

And when your eyes met his again—steady, unreadable, calm as sin—he smiled.

“Not yet.”

His voice was silk. Smug. Dangerous.

“You like pushing? Good.” He stepped back fully, leaving your body cold where his heat had been. “Because now I’m going to push back.”

You stayed against the wall, breath shaky, throat tight, skin burning.

Mark turned and walked away like he hadn’t just wrecked the room with a look.

Like he didn’t know you were seconds away from grabbing him by the collar and pulling him back in.

And god, that’s exactly what he wanted.

Because now? He wasn’t going to touch you.

Not until you begged him to.

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ͙͘͡★⋆⭒˚.⋆

It didn’t happen after a mission. It wasn’t triggered by adrenaline, or blood, or fury.

It happened on a quiet night.

No danger. No drama. Just you. Him. Silence.

The kind that didn’t feel sharp or heavy, but warm. Dense with everything neither of you had been saying.

You were sitting too close on the couch. Again.

Shoulders brushing. Fingers almost touching. Breaths syncing like they were conspiring against you.

The TV was on, volume low—some movie you’d both ignored since minute five. You weren’t looking at the screen.

You were looking at him.

And he was already looking at you.

── .✦

It didn’t start like a mistake.

It started slow. Desperate, but slow. Like two people who’d spent too long circling each other finally crashing in the middle.

You didn’t know who kissed who first—maybe it didn’t matter.

One moment you were breathing each other in, and the next, your mouths crashed together like you’d been starved.

Mark kissed like he fought—focused, consuming, always a little cocky. But there was something different this time.

Something fragile under all that control.

His hands didn’t grope—they cradled. His body didn’t press to dominate—it folded into yours like it belonged there.

And you let him.

Because right now, you didn’t want to be dangerous.

You wanted to be wanted.

You barely registered how you ended up on your back—couch creaking beneath you, clothes stripped away like memories he didn’t need anymore. His hands roamed like he was trying to memorize, to prove something. Not just to you—to himself. His mouth trailed heat down your throat, his hand sliding under your shirt like it belonged there.

Like he belonged there.

“You know how long I’ve waited to do this?” he murmured against your skin. “How many nights I had to stop myself?”

You didn’t answer. You just pulled him closer.

He growled—actually growled—and you could feel how hard he was already, grinding against you like he couldn’t stand the space between your bodies. Your clothes were in the way. Everything was in the way.

He kissed you harder.

Then slower. Then deeper. Like he had time to worship and ruin you all at once.

His mouth kissed down your stomach, slower than you expected. Watching you. Waiting. Not asking for permission. Just offering the space for you to stop him.

You didn’t.

You curled your fingers in his hair and impatiently pushed him lower.

When he finally got between your legs, he didn’t rush. No—Mark watched you. Settled between your thighs like he’d been dreaming of it. His hands curled around your knees, pressing them apart, and he groaned like the sight of you could end him.

“Fuck,” he muttered, dragging his thumb over the wet spot in your panties. “Look at you.”

You burned under his gaze.

“Say it,” you rasped. “Say what you’re thinking.”

Mark didn’t hesitate. “I’m thinking I’m never gonna stop doing this.”

Then—his mouth was on you.

He took his time. He devoured. But gently—like worship, not conquest.

Every movement of his tongue against your panties was deliberate, controlled, cruel in its patience. He hummed against your core like it gave him oxygen. You arched off the couch, hand flying to his hair, and he moaned into you like he liked it. Like you were feeding some part of him he kept locked away.

And below, as his mouth worked you over—he was grinding into the cushion beneath him. Slow. Needy. Unapologetic. Desperate.

You felt it. The tension. The line he was walking between control and chaos.

It snapped when you said his name. “Mark—”

He tore your panties in half. His eyes didn’t even blink.

His tongue worked you open with slow strokes, teasing flicks, and just when your breath caught—then he gave you more. His fingers joined in, sliding deep and curling with impossible precision, like he already knew what would ruin you.

And ruin you, he did.

You didn’t mean to gasp. Didn’t mean to arch your back or claw at his shoulders or chant his name like it meant something more. But you did.

You shattered under him—legs shaking, hands trembling, the world breaking open as pleasure crashed through you like a flood. You didn’t expect the way your body reacted—too much, too fast.

And when it happened—really happened—when everything clenched and poured out of you, when you heard yourself cry out his name like it was sacred—

Mark groaned against you, loud, eyes fluttering shut. His hips bucked one final time against the couch.

And just like that… he came. Hard. Without you even touching him.

You blinked, dazed.

Tried to say something snarky, maybe smug. But all you could do was stare at him, lips parted, chest rising and falling like you were still mid-fall.

He hovered over you now, flushed, panting, eyes blown wide. His expression was something you’d never seen before—half in awe, half in love, and still burning with want.

And then he kissed you.

You tasted yourself on his tongue—hot, sweet, raw—and it made your stomach twist in a way no one ever had. You moaned into the kiss without meaning to, fisting the front of his shirt as if letting go would send you spiraling again. He whispered into your mouth between kisses.

“Filthy little goddess,” he breathed. “You have no idea what you do to me.”

Your hips rolled up against him, greedy now. Unspoken things passed between you—need, trust, maybe something scarier.

Then he was inside you. Slowly. Deeply. The stretch made your back arch, your breath catch, your hand reach for something—anything—to ground yourself. But he was already there.

Gripping your waist like you were breakable, kissing your jaw, your mouth, your throat as he filled you, inch by aching inch.

He cursed under his breath, voice ragged and worshipful. “God, you feel better than your panties ever did.”

You would’ve teased him. Called him insane. But you couldn’t. All you could do was whimper as he moved—slow, smooth, deep enough to bruise. He took his time. Let you feel every inch. Let you cling to him like he was the only thing that made sense.

“Fuck, you’re so tight,” he groaned into your ear. “Made for this. For me.”

His thrusts started patient. Deep. His breath stuttering against your skin every time your body clenched around him. But he couldn’t hold back.

Not for long.

He gripped your hips and snapped into you—again and again—driving into you like he’d finally given up on pretending he could play it cool. You wrapped your legs around him. Let him have you. Let him ruin you.

And god, he did.

“Fuck, sweetheart,” he panted. “You hear that? That’s you. That’s how wet you are for me.”

You couldn’t answer. Could barely breathe. He kissed you through it. Sloppy, possessive. Full of need. And when you came—tight and gasping—he whispered more, somewhere near your ear. Praise. Promises.

Worship disguised as filth.

And when it was over—when he shuddered inside you, spilling so much it left you dizzy, when he dropped his forehead to yours and held you like he’d never let go—

Silence. Just your breaths. Your heart. His weight against you. Real. Heavy. Home. Neither of you moved for a long moment. When you finally found your voice—raw and quiet—

“This doesn’t change anything,” you whispered, breathless. The words weren’t cold. Just scared. Just stubborn. Just you.

Mark didn’t argue. He just nodded. Kissed your collarbone.

“Sure, sweetheart.”

But between the way he held you, the way your fingers tangled in his hair, the way neither of you moved to let go—

Hadn’t it changed everything?

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

•. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˚₊‧⟡꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ⟡‧₊˚ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.•

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌Months later…

The apartment was warm with the kind of quiet that didn’t need to be filled. The living room was dim, lit only by the soft flicker of a paused screen and the lazy sprawl of citylight bleeding through half-closed blinds.

The couch sagged under both your weights—you were curled into one side of the couch, socks mismatched, hoodie too big, legs draped across Mark’s lap.

There were pizza crusts on the coffee table. A half-finished soda on the floor.

It was perfect. Stupidly, quietly, mundanely perfect.

And it made you itchy in a way you didn’t hate.

Mark reached for another slice without looking, eyes on the screen. “You’re not even watching this, are you?”

“I am,” you said, then paused. “Well, I was. I just blacked out for a few episodes.”

He snorted. “We’ve been watching this for three weeks.”

You shrugged, chewing. “I was distracted.”

Mark raised an eyebrow. “By what?”

You side-eyed him over the crust. “Mostly your thighs.”

That earned a grin. “That’s fair.”

You glanced at him—barefoot, scruffed, hair tousled like he’d just rolled out of bed and never quite bothered to fix it—and smiled. Leaning back, you let your head drop against the cushion.

“Still can’t believe this is where we ended up.”

Mark didn’t look away from the screen. “What, the couch?”

“No. I mean… this,” you said, gesturing vaguely around the room. “Living together. Sharing pizza. Watching a show we’ve both pretended to like for five episodes.”

Mark didn’t answer. Just turned. Looked at you. Offended.

“You saying this is beneath you?”

You blinked. “What? No, I just—”

“You saying I’m not a good reward?”

You opened your mouth. “Mark—” But it was too late. He pounced.

“Mark—MARK—”

You shrieked—half-laughing, half-cursing—as your plate toppled, pizza slice flopping face-down on the carpet. Your back hit the cushions, his weight pressing down, hands braced beside your head. He was smirking. Infuriating.

You glared up at him, breathless.

“I dropped my pizza,” you hissed.

His grin widened. “You’re about to drop a lot more than that, sweetheart.”

“You’re an asshole,” you wheezed, pinned.

“You’re mine,” he said, nipping your jaw. “Big difference.”

And then he kissed you. Right there—on the couch, under the hum of a half-watched show and the sound of grease soaking into the rug.

You didn’t push him off. Didn’t want to.

Not when he kissed you like that. Not when you could still taste pepperoni on his mouth and feel his heartbeat against your ribs. Because this?

This was exactly where you wanted to end up.

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌With Love, @alive-gh0st

[sanjoongie]

ℓε ℓเѵ૨ε εƭ ℓε ρℓαเรเ૨

📖Second submission for the Dragon Collab hosted by @flurrys-creativity.

📖Pairing: Knowledge Dragon! Lee Heeseung x Organizer! Reader (f)

📖Genre: smut

📖Trope: employer/employee, idiots to lovers

📖Au: modern au, dragon au, hybrid au

📖Rating: 18+, MDNI

📖Word Count: 2,904

📖Warnings: penetrative sex with no barrier, kama sutra references, slow-paced sex, breast play, begging, usage of tail during sex, horn tugging (it's a dragon kink okay)

📖Summary: when a dragon hires you to organize his horde of information, you find that he wants to add you to his treasure

1- La Gemme at l'extase with Hyunjin {fantasy dragon} | 2- Le Livre et le plaisir with Heeseung {modern dragon} | 3- Le planète and le ravissement with San {sci-fi dragon}

Never in a million years did you think your love for organization would get you a job working for a dragon hybrid.

Lee Heeseung, a hoarder of knowledge, was your employer. After a very enjoyable interview, in which you were under the impression the dragon hybrid was flirting with you, you were hired on the spot. 

The owner of the sprawling renovated mansion gave you a tour immediately, to show off his hoard, of course.

“You can pick whatever suite of rooms you’d prefer,” Heeseung explained. He threw his arms out to emphasize his point. “But you will live here. I don’t want any flimsy excuse such as transit being a reason why you couldn't work more hours.”

He was haughty, this new employer of yours. He spoke as if everything he said was a fact. But if you had had thousands of years absorbing countless texts of knowledge, perhaps you’d speak that way too. 

“Where would you like me to start?” You wondered tentatively, as the both of you strode through featureless hallways. 

“Here’s probably good,” Heeseung announced. 

He threw open two large doors and you whimpered in pain. Books, scrolls, even thumb drives, were thrown carelessly into piles here and there in the large room.

“‘Suppose it was used as a ballroom once but I have no need for dancing,” Heeseung elaborated. 

You stood up a little bit straighter, determined to do a good job, even if you felt overloaded with the amount of work. “I’ll make the appropriate arrangements.”

“Good,” Heeseung nodded firmly. “It’ll be good to have a new smell around here.”

And then he sent you a crooked smile that made your heart skip a beat. This dragon was dangerous in ways that had nothing to do with breathing fire.

If you were being honest, you rarely saw the dragon hybrid after that. He didn’t care to keep tabs on you and it allowed you plenty of breathing room to do as you pleased. 

And boy, was there a lot of work to do.

Just when you thought you had gathered all the floppy disks, you’d discover a new room, and have to start all over again. You had an absolute meltdown when you discovered a few towers of computers with audio books in the basement that was meant to store kegs of liquor, but luckily, no harm had befallen the electronics. 

That incident made you track down your employer. You found him in one of his many studies that fine rainy morning. Flashes of lightning reflected off  his glasses and the tiny horns protruding from his hair. His tail swishing contently like that of a cat pushed you over the edge.

“Do you have no care over your treasures?” You shouted at him. “You simply dump them willy-nilly!”

“Isn’t that a part of your job now?” Heeseung replied, eyes glued to his book of Plato. 

“I organize, yes,” You raged. “But I am not in control of you finding more books and throwing them into a bathroom that leaks!”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Heeseung denied. You felt your hackles lower. Then he said, “I only put the audio recordings in there once.”

You let out a noise of frustration and left immediately after that. 

After that, you did your best to avoid the irritating dragon hybrid. Your job was to organize his hoard, after all, not engage in frustrating conversations. 

You fully dove into your job once again, pushing into the physical aspect of moving books around. You were careful with the older books, donning gloves to inspect the titles and dates they were published. Scrolls were a bit harder to categorize but you enjoyed rolling them and applying certain ribbons to keep them in their historic eras. 

Focusing on your work eased your heart and eventually you started to feel proud of what you had accomplished. You kept meticulous notes of how everything was organized, for reference for your employer, of course. 

Said dragon hybrid found you one day when you were struggling with a container of portable hard drives.

Heeseung walked in waving a book. “I found the original copy of The Hobbit! The version before JR Tolkein retconned it for the trilogy--”

You felt the dragon’s eyes upon you and you felt disgusting immediately. What did he see? A sweaty, gross blob that he had hired to paw through his precious treasures? You stared at the book Heeseung had, refusing to meet his eyes, fanning yourself. You were overheated and about to take a break anyways.

“I’ll put some gloves on. I know exactly where it’ll go. I found a lovely poem about poppies written in World War One, it’ll fit nicely there,” You murmured, looking around for your gloves.

Heeseung completed the steps it took to bring him flush with your body. He reached around you and pulled your gloves from your back pocket.

“They’re here,” he said, a slow smile pulling his lips as he offered them to you.

You swallowed, reaching to take the gloves from him. “Ah, thank--”

You were jerked forward when Heeseung yanked on the gloves instead of releasing them to you. “You smell like dust and books,” he informed you. Why did it sound like he was saying you smelled delicious?

“Well, I am working hard here, Heeseung,” You informed him, waving your hand indistinctly around the room. 

His eyes moved up and down your disheveled form. “I can see that.”

You refused to meet his eyes and tugged discreetly at the gloves. “If you would please…?”

“I mind greatly, in fact,” Heeseung murmured. 

Was it just you or were his lips getting closer to your face?

“Heeseung,” You whimpered.

The dragon hybrid’s pupils blew wide. “Say my name like that again.”

You shook your head. “I should get going.” 

You dropped your hold on the gloves and attempted to circumvent your hybrid dragon boss. Heeseung had other ideas, however. His tail wrapped around your waist and tugged you back to his vicinity. 

“Where are you going, little bookworm?” Heeseung drawled. 

You got shivers from the nickname. “To my room.”

Heeseung clucked his tongue mockingly at you. “I don’t think so. Why are you running away from your desire?”

The dragon hit the nail on the head. That was exactly what you were doing. 

“You’re my employer. We shouldn’t cross any lines,” You argued softly.

Heeseung cocked his head. “Who’s to say what we do is wrong? No one governs me and my treasure.”

Goosebumps littered your body. “Stop that.”

Heeseung chuckled deeply. “I like you. I think I’ll keep you.”

You had a moment of courage, dragging your eyes up to meet his. The lizard-like slit that served as a pupil was almost overtaking his silver iris’. “Where would you put me? With the books? The floppy disks?”

“In my bed,” the man said with no hesitation in his voice.

“Will we make it to your bed?” You wondered.

“No.”

Heeseung’s strong fingers dug into your hair as he held your head in place to kiss you. It was slow and sensual, and you felt like you were drowning in desire. His tongue swept along the seam of your lips and you automatically opened for him. You felt his moan against your lips as he plunged his tongue inside your mouth. His tongue slowly coaxed yours into submission, to the point when Heeseung ended the kiss, your tongue came out to chase his. 

Heeseung smirked confidently. “That’s a good look on you.”

You struggled to think through the lust-filled haze your head was currently. “I--”

Heeseung’s fingers untangled themselves from your hair and opted instead to wrap around your wrist. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you, my little bookworm.”

Take care of you he did. Amongst his treasures that you had been busy sorting, he rid you of all your clothes, and his own. The look of absolute hunger on his face never disappeared. It made your heart beat, being viewed as one of the scrolls he snatched up and wanted to read. The loud obsession written all over his face made you feel something a little bit more than lust. 

Heeseung bade you to lay down and his eyes twinkled, a slight smile pulling at the edge of his lips. “If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to try a position from the Kama Sutra. It's called Splitting the Bamboo.”

After you nod, curious as to what Heeseung wants to do with you. 

You watch with interest as he straddles your left leg and pushes your right leg upwards. He presses wet, open mouth kisses along your calf. He moved up your leg until his pelvis was lined up with yours. 

“Can I fill you up?” The dragon hybrid asked you seductively. 

You nod again, your mind filled with only thoughts of Heeseung--all thoughts of your ‘boss’ gone out the window.

Heeseung bit down on his lower lip as he pushed into your wet core. The process of sheathing himself inside of you was pleasurable, making you mewl as he did so. A confident smile continued to pull at Heeseung’s lips; as if he took pride in making you feel good. 

“Does my little bookworm want to be pleased some more?” He crooned softly.

You couldn't decide if he was being condescending or looking to take care of you, but either way your lower half became wetter at the phrase. “Move, please,” You pleaded.

Heeseung settled into gentle waves between your legs, slowly building the pleasure inside of you. Sweet, gentle kisses littered your leg that remained slightly over his shoulder. For someone who was so matter-of-fact and flirty, you had not expected such gentle lovemaking. It was making your mind swirl dangerously.

You reached down to swipe your finger through your folds to play with your clit but Heeseung’s tail wrapped around your wrist and intercepted you. 

“I’ll get you to your climax,” He informed you coolly. “Be patient.”

The maddening pace Heeseung set drove you wild. You begged, you raged, you negotiated but Heeseung would not speed up his thrusting. If anything, he played with your body, as if your words were simply buzzing flies around his head. He would grip your breast, squeezing appreciatively, tweaking your nipple but never did his fingers flirt with your clit. 

It felt like hours that you were in a lust-filled haze, your stomach curling and winding with pleasure. “Please,” You gasped, “Please, I wanna come.”

“You should appreciate the time,” Heeseung hummed. “This is an artform.”

You let out a groan of frustration, clawing through the lust, and reached up to grab Heeseung’s horns. The hybrid let out a breathy cry, like you touching his horns did something for him. You both froze. 

Heeseung changed positions, pressing your knees to your shoulders. You groaned at how deeply he was inside of you now. He placed both of your hands on his horns again. “Hold on,” he instructed.

Heeseung lost his poise as you held onto his horns. His thrusts became sloppy and quick. A groan grew in his chest and rumbled out of his mouth. All you could do was be a receptacle for his passion and you weren’t sure you wanted it any other way. His dick was hitting so deep inside you that your jaw fell open as your climax wound tighter inside of you.

“Oh gods, Heeseung!” You shouted out his name as your climax hit you like a train.

Heeseung arched his back and his eyes rolled into the back of his head as he came inside of you. He was muttering ‘mine,mine,mine’ under his breath as his hips chased out his own climax.

All you could hear for a while was Heeseung’s heavy breathing and your whimpers as you could feel his cock twitching inside of you. You had most definitely NOT expected that when you got hired. 

Then, abruptly, Heeseung was removing himself from you and gathered his clothes. “You should clean up and take a break. You worked hard today.”

You watched Heeseung as he wandered out of the room without another word. 

You clutched your clothes to your body, feeling foolish. Everything was simply a transaction for the dragon hybrid. Obviously he thought he could fuck you and then move on. You tried to pick up the pieces of your heart off the floor along with your discarded clothing. But it was hard.

After the sex session in the room that held most of the modern books Heeseung hoarded, you were unsure where the two of you stood. It had been lovely and Heeseung certainly hadn't ravaged you like a beast, but without any words to soothe your anxiety, you spiraled days later.

“It’s fine,” You spoke to yourself out loud. 

You decided to rearrange the floppy disks according to color, certain your brain couldn't handle any actual, productive organization at this time. “I’m just another piece of his hoard, after all. He can fuck me then discard me. No strings attached.”

My little bookworm~

The nickname was infuriating, to say the least. You had to admit it matched the scenario, not to mention it made you shiver in a good way the way he crooned it, but infuriating nonetheless. What did it mean?!

“Nothing, it means nothing,” You muttered.

You couldn't decide if a floppy disk was cobalt or purple and tossed it in frustration. 

“And you said I was the one that didn’t treat my treasures with respect,” Heeseung mused out loud behind you, scaring the shit out of you.

“Heeseung!” You exclaimed, jumping up like you had been caught red-handed.

The dragon hybrid cocked his head curiously at you. “What’s got you in such a mood, little bookworm? Usually you hum and are quite happy to do your job. It’s why you got it, you know. You said you loved to organize. Such happy vibrations are good for the aura of my hoard. What’s got your horn in a twist?”

Dragons had weird sayings. Aren’t their horns already twisted?

“Nothing,” You couldn't help but pout. 

What was the point of talking about it when you felt silly in the first place? It was just sex, after all. Or that’s what you tried to tell yourself.

Heeseung had his tail draped elegantly over the crook of his arm, almost like a lady with a long train of her dress. He took a step towards you. “Do you need to unwind? Perhaps we could--”

You threw your hand up, stopping him mid-sentence. “That’s what got us here in the first place, Heeseung, I’d rather not.”

The dragon hybrid sent you a confused look. Even with his eyebrows furrowed, he looked delectable. It wasn’t fair. “Did you not enjoy it?”

“I did!” You stomped your foot for emphasis. “That’s the point! I enjoyed it so much, I don’t know what my heart feels anymore. And you clearly don’t have one.”

The corner of Heeseung’s lip pulled up in a sneer. “Are you saying dragons don’t have hearts? I didn’t think you were one of those humans. Good enough to fuck but not good enough to give your heart to?”

The silly statement slapped you in the face. “What? No, I’m saying you’ve confused me! I think I might like you but you’re so cool and collected. You patted me on the back and sent me on my way afterwards for christ sake!” Your head hung low in defeat. “Clearly I’m the only one that’s feeling anything here.”

Heeseung chuckled softly. “Oh, humans are ridiculous.”

Heeseung pulled you close to him and nuzzled your cheek. “You’re a part of my hoard now, little bookworm. I claimed you as my own. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”

“That I’m your property?” You stated bluntly.

“You are mine,” Heeseung emphasized. “Mine to tease, mine to tempt, mine to love.”

You raised your head hopefully. “So you did feel something for me when we slept together?”

“I’m a dragon,” Heeseung said teasingly, winking down at you. “I feel deeply about everything. It was up to your human heart to catch up.”

“Well you certainly don’t show it well,” You continued to pout.

Heeseung let out a noise, caught between a growl and a laugh. “I’ve given you a place in my mansion, let you touch everything I cherish, including my body, and you say I don’t show it well? Should I gift you the scroll that Achilles wrote to Patraclus? Shall I find you a scribbled piece of paper with Romeo’s lines to Juliet? Share with you the movie Titanic where great love conquers all? What would you like of me, little bookworm? I would do it all.”

You gape at the most long winded speech you had ever heard from Heeseung. If you were being honest with yourself, you’d listen to him all day if you could. But it wasn’t about the lilt of his voice, it was about the contents. Who knew your haughty dragon boss could wax poetic so romantically?

“That would do it, I suppose,” You couldn't help but sulk.

Heeseung laughed. “Didn’t I say I liked you and that I was going to keep you?”

You swallowed, remembering the moment vividly. “Do I still belong in your bed?”

Heeseung’s pupils blew again but instead he responded with. “You belong in my heart.”

As it turned out, it was Heeseung that had something to teach you about organization.

1- La Gemme at l'extase with Hyunjin {fantasy dragon} | 2- Le Livre at le plaisir with Heeseung {modern dragon} | 3- Le planète et le ravissement with San {sci-fi dragon}

[maybecoffeemixed]

MAIN PLOT LINE OF DLC HAS BEEN FINISHED, SPOILERS UNDER THE CUT (long post, be warned)

7.8/10, kieran doesn't actually kill us.

Seriously though, I enjoyed it!! Since I don't actually own the game (we poor), I watched a no-commentary playthrough so there are plenty of things I very likely missed, including optional dialog, side-quests, and whatever that thing with the professors is (still lookin' for a video without some guy over it), so I can only comment on the bits I saw! That being said, here we go.

First of all, the BATTLES!! Despite not being able to play them myself, they looked SUPER fun!! I screamed when I saw Lacey's tailwind/lightscreen prankster whimsicott, and even MORE so when I saw it was sashed! I loved the usage of competitive items, and the fact that all their teams weren't completely mono-type, each having one exception to their type (Lacey's excadrill, Crispin's Exeggcutor, Amarys's Reuniclus, and Drayton's Sceptile) that they DIDN'T terrastalize was lovely touch!! Amarys's fight was super hype in particular, despite having an over 20 level advantage, the person I watched still nearly wiped to her! Her trick room AI does appear a bit goofy, but it's a small flaw. Finally, Kieran's battle... I personally adore a good rain team, but unfortunately Kieran's politoed was frozen at the start of the battle, and remained that way all the way til the end, so I can't honestly say how difficult it looked. The one thing I will say is that before the indigo disk was out, I created a hypothetical team for Kieran, and I CALLED that Grimmsnarl!! Literally even the focus sash. If anyone's curious, here was the hypothetical team I made. I'm a nuzlocker, not a competitive player, so it very well may be shit. Apologies in advance.

Next is the characters!! Every design slapped as always, and I enjoyed their personalities! Lacey was adorbs, Crispin was fun, and Amarys might just be one of my new favorites! As for Drayton? Let me tell you, I was side-eyeing him the whole time the MOMENT after he said THIS to Kieran.

After all the hype around dokutaro/peechikeen (now know as pecharunt, apparently), and all the speculation that Kieran would fall victim to its influence, him saying "that's just peachy" made my rat brain go into overdrive. In the end, I think it was just Legends Arceus giving me Volo flashbacks.

Now, the main event... KIERAN! Let me tell you, he gave me GOOSEBUMPS. Every time he appeared, I could feel a chill run up my spine, and his battle had my heart RACING. ESPECIALLY his breakdown at the end of it! One of the best times I've had in a good while. The animation, his reaction, all of it was GREAT!! It was so refreshing to see him not immediately heel-face turn.

Unfortunately, though, what happened after that all disappointed me. I admit I got too attached to the Dokutaro Posession theory, buy it was still disappointing for Dokutaro (I know that's not its name, leave me be) to not play any role in the main story. It felt like a natural conclusion to what the game was setting up, I thought he'd throw the master ball at terapagos, it'd fail, and he'd become so overwhelmed with everything that has happened that he'd succumb to Dokutaro's control and we'd have to fight the Dokutaro-Kieran with Terapagos's aid. That's not what happened, and I felt a bit sad. His recovery from his breakdown was still set up nicely and had some atleast sufficient justification, but it still felt like too-little too-soon. It felt more like he just gave up all together rather than defeated his demons. He'd never be as strong as the player, and that's that, which is a sour note to leave off on.

We see that he legitimately has nothing. All the other students left the MOMENT he was defeated. No one came to help the kid who was clearly having a panic attack. The BB league cares about him, sure, but I wouldn't consider them his friends. They all thought Kieran getting defeated would "fix" him, and even when he clearly wasn't any better after being defeated, they didn't do anything to assist him. Sure, sometimes when someone has climbed so high, you gotta let them fall, but once they do, you can't just leave them lying on the ground. You need to be there to lift them back up before they start digging.

This isn't an attack on the BB league at ALL. Like I said, I really enjoyed their characters! In fact, this reaction is part of the reason I like them so much. It adds depth.

I just wish that Kieran DID start digging, and that it led to something bigger. Even if Dokutaro wasn't involved, I atleast wanted the final battle with him to be that big thing, and not just a turtle that can't do anything but throw out weak earthpowers.

Though the biggest failing to me is that Kieran apologizes to us, but we don't apologize to him. We as in the player, and Carmine

Kieran's actions are his own and I'm not saying he shouldn't have apologized, but he wasn't solely culpable for how things turned out. We and Carmine purposefully lied, kept a secret that was dear to him, and were the straw that broke the camel's back. Even if we the player didn't apologize, Carmine should've!! Her treatment of Kieran heavily impacted him, and he mirrored her abuse (Kieran telling Carmine to "Shut it", just like she did to him, for example).

Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, was in the wrong here. Kieran took things too far, Carmine behavior is a serious problem, and the played character was complicit.

I'm not demonizing anyone here, I am the number one Carmine defender after all, but everyone needs to take responsibility. Not. Just. Kieran.

I relate heavily to both Kitakami siblings, as both an elder sister with younger siblings who she's accidentally mistreated, and as a little sister with an older sibling who treats me like I'm lesser.

I've lashed out at my older sibling, and while my reaction wasn't proportional, it doesn't mean my emotions weren't justified.

I have severe genetic anger issues (that I'm now thankfully medicated for), and have unjustly taken them out on my younger siblings.

Carmine needs to apologize too, or the cycle will just continue. Maybe she already did and I missed it, or maybe it happens in the post-game. However, if she didn't? It makes me feel unresolved.

Anyways, that all I gotta say on it!! Hope someone enjoyed this overly long rambling!!

(P.S. I still don't trust dragon boy. "Thats just peachy" my ASS, you know something ya toothpaste haired cunt. Why did they request to bring ya along to area zero anyways, ya plot relevant FUCK.)

[binsito]

disk 2.0 preview my little whores! 😈

perv!changbin x reader x bf!chan

as always mdni!!!!!!!

warnings: swearing, usage of the word "cockslut", "daddy", "babygirl", mentions of masturbating, fingering (f receiving), channie is sharing his cutie gf with his pervy bff .. etc etc

"see this, bin? she's always so fucking wet. she touched herself when i told her about what you did. came all over her own fingers.. heard her moan your name."

chris held your asscheeks open so changbin could see your pretty hole clenching around nothing "she's a bit of a cockslut.. but nothing i can't handle. look how easy she takes this.."

with that, he pressed two fingers in, your cunt sucking him in just how he knew it would. he pumped them a few times before bringing them out slowly, letting changbin see the slick coating his fingers

"here.. taste. it's the sweetest pussy you'll ever have." chris said as he held out his fingers for changbin to take.

all pride aside, changbin leaned in and took chris' fingers in his mouth, rolling his eyes back at the taste and humming. "good right? told ya so.. such a perfect cunt.." he emphasized his statement with a harsh spank. you whined as you felt chris pull you off his lap in order for him to get undressed. he threw his shirt off and pulled his pants along with his boxers down just enough for his cock to spring free.

"can you show binnie how you good you ride daddy's cock, babygirl?"

please refrain from reposting, modifying, translating, copying or stealing my work. - © binsito

[lazygirlie9]

Finding Home- Part one

Fandom-DC Titans (HBO Max)

Notes- Hello!, This is my first ever writing a DC fanfiction, please let me know if you guys have any suggestions for plots for this fanfic, do also let me know if you have suggestions for any other fanfic. Thank you, you can enjoy reading now. Happy reading!

Summary -In this version of events Jason Todd also had his own Batgirl, someone akin to Dick Grayson's counterpart(Barbara Gordon). Perhaps this would have steered him away from the downward spiral into drugs and heartbreak that ultimately led to his demise, or maybe not. The female OC's name is Sanny Benaxnoate. She is characterized by her bubbly and affectionate nature, coupled with her love for parties and taking risks. Despite her innocent demeanor, she possesses exceptional acrobatic skills and a unique situational intelligence that enables her to react swiftly and adeptly in perilous circumstances. Although she may be selectively intelligent, her loyalty and dedication to her friends runs deep, leading her to protect them at all costs. Her bubbly and outgoing nature masks a fierce determination and courage that only becomes apparent when push comes to shove.

Warning- Swearing, 18+,Descriptions of death, usage of drugs, Violence, injuries.

Character appearance and relevant information about the character:-Sanny's appearance is striking--shoulder-length blonde hair with a straight and pointed texture, deep green eyes, and a height of 5'7. She has a slim, athletic build and is proficient in acrobatics, Sanny has mixed fighting style of karate, Brazilian jitsu and muay-thai, she and Jason are the same age.

Character background and origin:- Sanny's parents were dead and she was taken care of by her aunt, Sanny was originally from Wales, where Sanny attended a private boarding school, when she was 10 years she found out that her parents had been murdered while they were on a trip to Spain , Sanny's aunt was later assigned as her guardian who lived all the way in Gotham in America, though her aunt lived in the wealthy Bristol side of Gotham, she was a lot abusive towards Sanny made her work all the extra work after Sanny came back from school, Sanny did start to idolize the superheroes in Gotham, Sanny knew that living in Gotham is not the same as living in Llantwit Fardre , the town she was born in, she read the news everyday and witnessed enough crimes in the city to know better , she was prepared, she had made a makeshift tools and weapons out of trash, rubber gloves, wires, broken cords, compact disks, sharp metal junk, she knew a bit of karate she had learnt before her parents died , when she still was in boarding school, she did practice all that to better herself. Once when Sanny was 16 coming back from her gymnastics classes at 8pm , she witnessed few masked robbers with guns robbing the most ostentatious and luxury jewelry shop in all of Gotham, The robbers had already stolen a significant portion of the jewelry and were preparing to flee when Batman entered the scene. He confronted the ten masked criminals, all of whom appeared highly skilled and proficient in their craft. It was a challenging ordeal for Batman to prevent the five robbers from successfully escaping in their van. Once he had successfully apprehended them, two more robbers attempted to attack him from behind, aiming to ensnare his leg with a crowbar and thereby throw him off balance but Sanny who was witnessing this, immediately runs into the scene in the alley with determination in her eyes and hits the guy behind batman with a rock with force on the head, she sprayed pepper spray on the eye area of the mask of the robber who was distracted, and tackled the other robber as she pushed him on his knees by locking his head with her arms from the back , while doing so she removed the makeshift weapon that she had made and stabbed it in the side of his neck , the metal of the weapon was poisonous as it was soaked in a chemical compound that Sanny had synthesized and had poured the chemical in the small glass weapon holder that she had designed , the robber yells in pain as he blacks out , after all the robbers had been defeated, batman stood there watching Sanny do fight them with calculated moves and creativity of the weapon she made with nothing but scraps, he was shocked yet had a look of admiration on his face, as Sanny begged him to let her be a vigilante with him just like robin(first robin-dick Grayson) used to be , Bruce eventually thought about it and saw her potential to become the second batgirl after Barbara , Bruce revealed himself to Sanny and sent her to Barbara to get her acquainted with her, Barbara saw the potential and the resoluteness in sanny's personality, Barbara passed her batgirl mantle onto sanny who latter got trained by batman to become the second batgirl , she and Jason were trained together since Bruce adopted Jason some time later he presented Sanny with the opportunity, consequently he sent Jason to find dick Grayson to warn him that members of Haly's Circus were being systematically murdered, after when the young titans arrive at san Francisco and get acquainted to the old titans' base of operations, a day after the young titans get settled there Sanny pays a surprise visit stating that she was sent by Bruce to train with the titans which dick latter calls Bruce and gets to know that it was because Sanny too needed some more experience and training and that it would benefit her and Jason both if they fought in a team.

Start-

It was a rainy day outside , storms and chilly air passing through San Francisco's air, it had just been the first week in the titans tower and he felt irritated, annoyed and basically bored, he desperately wanted to go back to Gotham , to Bruce, to Alfred, it was so boring and lonely here, even with Sanny here, dick was not the person he expected to be, he looked grim, stoic and strict leader like figure, he gave of vibes that he positively hated his existence in the tower, he made him fight blindfolded with the other new titans Gar and Rachel, or 'outcasted freaks' as he would have called them , he was more advanced than them, but then why was dick making him fight with them, heck!, the senior members of the titans looked at him as if he was some sort of annoying cockroach that wouldn't die, not that he wasn't annoying enough as it is, Sanny was being her hyperactive self as usual he thought, it had been two days since she came and already made friends with Rachel and gar, she seemed to make the stoic faced dick crack up from her ridiculous jokes that she would often say, hank already seemed to approve of her, liking her energy, donna and dawn seemed to like her as well, she was like her usual self , chaotic mess, Sanny seemed be taking this all too well is what Jason thought. It all seemed to fit the picture of a happy family, dick being the dad of the group trying to control 4 kids, Sanny being the chaotic energy , always bubbly and yapping of something, she was so casual with dick, like she was talking to some old friends even though dick was awkward most of the times, just nodding off to whatever she said , finding a reason to just run off from her constant chattering, and he was just a temper tantrum, nosey and sticking his shit where it didn't belong to, Rachel acted like dick was her father or something and doing some voodoo shit that he thought was creepy,Gar was like the obedient kid trying to follow whatever dick was saying and just being friendly with anyone. Jason was currently all alone in the tower, dick went off to meetup with hank, donna and dawn, Gar and Rachel went to the supermarket to buy some groceries since everything “vegan” was finished, just imagining eating all that tofu and that horrible disgusting green juice with all the godamm greens in the world made Jason want to puke , 'who the hell in their right minds would drink that inedible concoction of greens anyway ,looked more like vomit', he thought. Sanny went back to Gotham to visit one of her old friends, he would rather describe them as crazy like her, one of her friends named pansy literally carries a knife inside her under pockets of her skirt, not like Jason wouldn't approve of them , sure he had done such things when he was living on streets, you never knew who would attack you at any given point of time, now here he was all alone in the tower, his tummy grumbled since he hadn't eaten anything since the morning except that apple he ate before his workout, he got up and went to the kitchen to cook something and opened the fridge to check what was there, Rachel and Gar were right nothing much in the fridge except for few tomatoes, bread , leftover chicken and the fancy ass vegan ice cream they both whipped up yesterday called “sorbet” , he opened one of the cabinets and found a pack of Kraft mac and cheese, although he would rather prefer the homemade mac and cheese with real and fresh ingredients like Alfred would have prepared , this would do for the time being, he took out the left over chicken from the fridge and started to cook the mac and cheese in a pot, drumming the spatula to one of the songs he was listening to on his headphones

He can hear the rain outside the window, drumming gently on the glass. The sound is soothing, almost hypnotic. It reminds him of the rainy nights in Gotham, when he used to be out patrolling the streets with Batman. He missed those nights, the thrill of the chase, the adrenaline rush of dodging bullets and throwing punches.

He sighs, wondering if he'll ever get that kind of action here in San Fransisco.

As he finishes cooking the mac-and-cheese, his stomach growls loudly in anticipation. He serves himself a generous portion and grabs a fork, ready to drown his thoughts in the cheesy goodness.

With a frown, he shakes his head. No, he can't think like that. This is his chance to start over, to be a part of a team, to do good. And he's got Sanny here with him, the only person here who doesn't treat him like dirt under their shoe.

He glances over at the clock, wondering how much longer it will take for Sanny to get back.

He knew sanny was oh-too-busy with god knows what, besides all the training and vigilante stuff she did, she had taken a short term hybrid course in gotham university in the field of cybersecurity , where she had made some lame ass friends whom she chatted and did assignments with. Seeing this even Bruce wanted him to go to college which obviously he denied but knew a college degree would help him in the long run. He felt bored thinking all this, he was frickin robin , way smarter than those college nerds , he knew more than what the graduates would know since Bruce had taught important and essential subjects to both him and sanny but it was'nt his problem that sanny chose to be boring and is doing a course , but in her defence she was learning something useful atleast and sanny was coax him into joining some course to deepen his knowledge but he has time so he will think about it later...maybe...or maybe before its too late.

As he stirs the pot, the sound of the front door opening catches his attention. He turns off the gas and takes off his headphones, listening intently to the sound of footsteps coming from the living room. He couldn't tell if it was just Sanny or if it was both Rachel and Gar. His heart skips a beat and he hopes it was the former. He quietly steps out from the kitchen and peeks into the living room, only to see Sanny walking in through the door. She was still wet from the rain outside, her silky blonde hair sticking to her face and her clothes damp from the water, she looked tired with a big book about cybersecurity in her hand that she had cluched it on her chest with her bag slinging to her shoulder, she slumped on the sofa of the living room looking exhausted and checked her phone as usual, as she got a call and started talking while coming into the kitchen , she smiled at him and nodded her head at him to acknowledge him as she was still humming to the person on the phone, she stole a bite of his pasta , as she pulled the bowl to her side eating few spoons of pasta and giving him hand signals that it tasted good as she was listening and humming off to someone on the call, while she slipped away to the living room sitting on the couch with his pasta bowl in her hand Jason smiled back at her and rolled his eyes at her typical food thievery. He chuckled at her hand signals and sat down beside her on the couch taking the bowl back from her hands and jokingly waving it away from her reach, as she still on the call she just pouts not being able to do much, he looks at her and

says smirking“this is mine, go make one for yourself, besides who's the lucky person on the phone taking up all your attention?".

She puts the phone away from her ear and mouths “my professor” and goes back into listening to the call and humming to the person on the call with her.

Jason huffs in tiredness, knowing she was busy , she gets up from the couch with her belongings and move towards her room, As Sanny gathers her things and heads towards her room, Jason can't help but feel a pang of loneliness and abandonment. He was used to being alone, but somehow, it stung more this time. Maybe it was because he thought he finally found someone who cared about him, someone who wouldn't ditch him like everyone else, she did care about him and always stuck to him but these days even she had gotten a bit busy, He can't help but feel a pang of loneliness, even though he knows he should be used to it. He goes back to the kitchen and continues to eat his pasta.

the silence of the tower only making him feel more isolated. As he eats, he can't help but think about how much he misses the hustle and bustle of Gotham. He misses the routine and discipline of the Batcave, the way Alfred would nag at him for not taking care of himself, he walks away to the gymnasium to get himself to start training and distract himself .

Part two coming soon-feel free to give suggestions

Thank you for reading~

[clioseeker]

Chill Reviews : Do not take this cat home or the fear of being alone (spoiler-free version)

TW : this game has heavy topics that may not are suitable for everyone ! The content warnings of the dev are literally longer than my future. If you're uncomfortable and get triggered about abusive relationships, all forms of violence, heavy horror elements, animal cruelty, mental health related subjects or certain phobias please consider not playing this game. There's also flashing lights, imags and loud noises. Stay safe people, and take care of yourself <3

But if you're still curious, the dev put the entire list of warnings on the downloads, so you can take a peak yourself.

Soooooo, that an heavy one. Today I'm talking about a game that was quite a strange experience, Do not take this cat home. It's an horror visual novel created by Pixeliminal in 2023, it starts with a very simple premice : you (yes, you the player) is walking home on a rainy day, and you find a cute cat in a dark alley. Poor little thing is alone in a cardboard. After this, you have the choice to take it home... Or not.

Isn't that little fella cute ?

Why would you leave it outside ?

I'm not making a classic review with the qualities and the flaws, but more of an essay in fact. This is the type of game that feel more like a unique experiment more than actual gameplay when you turn your brain off and just enjoy. This post is spoiler-free, but the next won't be. If you want to read the second part anyway, I invite you to play or watch the game before.

---{ Graphics }--- ☐ You forget what reality is ☐ Beautiful ☑ Good ☐ Decent ☐ Bad ☐ Don‘t look too long at it ☐ MS-DOS

The graphics seems to be hand-made, it gives a unique look and atmosphere to the game. It's a simple style, cute and looking absolutely innocent. Like the cat is veeeery cute and I personnally want to hug and play with for days. It's a personal opinion but I rather so much 2D games over 3D realist games. The game can't really be dated and that's what it's so charming. It's unique and won't burn your eyes after a few years :3

---{ Gameplay }--- ☐ Very good ☐ Good ☑ It's just gameplay ☐ Mehh ☐ Watch paint dry instead ☐ Just don't

I don't have much to say about it. It's a visual novel, you just have to click dialogue options. You have different choices of dialogue or actions and it'll have a direct impact on the ending you'll get. Just a quick surprise at the last ending, your choices are timed.

---{ Audio }--- ☐ Eargasm ☐ Very good ☑ Good ☐ Not too bad ☐ Bad ☐ I'm now deaf

Dialogues aren't dubbed and the soundtrack is not that remarkable, but it's not bad to listen. In fact, the music perfectly blended with the atmosphere, I mostly keep impressions of cute musics mixed with creepy melodies which stressed me a bit.

---{ Audience }--- ☐ Kids ☐ Teens ☑ Adults ☐ Grandma

Like said above, the game's subjects are a bit tough to handle depending of your past experiences, your fears or your triggers. The horror is there, mostly psychological or body horror. Some endings gave me the itches because of that.

---{ PC Requirements }--- ☐ Check if you can run paint ☑ Potato ☐ Decent ☐ Fast ☐ Rich boi ☐ Ask NASA if they have a spare computer

---{ Game Size }--- ☐ Floppy Disk ☑ Old Fashioned ☐ Workable ☐ Big ☐ Will eat 10% of your 1TB hard drive ☐ You will want an entire hard drive to hold it ☐ You will need to invest in a black hole to hold all the data

---{ Difficulty }--- ☑ Just press 'W' ☐ Easy ☐ Easy to learn / Hard to master ☐ Significant brain usage ☐ Difficult ☐ Dark Souls

---{ Grind }--- ☑ Nothing to grind ☐ Only if u care about leaderboards/ranks ☐ Isn't necessary to progress ☐ Average grind level ☐ Too much grind ☐ You'll need a second life for grinding

---{ Story }--- ☐ No Story ☐ Some lore ☐ Average ☑ Good ☐ Lovely ☐ It'll replace your life

---{ Game Time }--- ☐ Long enough for a cup of coffee ☑ Short ☐ Average ☐ Long ☐ To infinity and beyond

My advice is take an evening or an afternoon when you're fully into into it, the game can me completed in 3-4 hours.

---{ Price }--- ☑ It's free! ☐ Worth the price ☐ If it's on sale ☐ If u have some spare money left ☐ Not recommended ☐ You could also just burn your money

I would even say it's cheaper than free x)

---{ Bugs }--- ☑ Never heard of ☐ Minor bugs ☐ Can get annoying ☐ ARK: Survival Evolved ☐ The game itself is a big terrarium for bugs

---{ ? / 10 }--- ☐ 1 ☐ 2 ☐ 3 ☐ 4 ☐ 5 ☐ 6 ☐ 7 ☑ 8 ☐ 9 ☐ 10

---{ Author }--- ☑ https://vojtastruhar.github.io/steam-review-template

Detailed and spoiler-free opinion : Do not take this cat home is an entertaining game at first, but the first impression of cuteness quickly gives his place to an eerie atmosphere. Strange events were happening to the MC and I was mixed between affection for the cat and curiosity for what were happening to our character. Then let's just say my opinion on my new fluffy friend changed after a few runs. If you're looking for an new whole horror experience, without jumpscares, the game may be for you. I find it excellent and it's definitely a 'must play' in the genre of horror free games.

[fruttymoment]

Whoa linux user

Do you have a guide on how to switch to it? I have zero coding knowledge (i think that's required) and I trust you with my life

I perfectly understand the "linux is scary and requires very big brain and coding its too hard to use!" thought coming from a Windows/Mac guy, i really do! But in the end, a linux distro is just a computer kernel that also has a desktop environment and just does what you want it to do like an operating system

Coding on linux is not required. Linux has so many distros at this point that designed to be beginner friendly, requiring "no knowledge but TO gain knowledge while using it"

The linux terminal is the thing that scares most of the users, but trust me once you get used to it you'll realize how efficent it is to operate your computer and do certain tasks from THE terminal instead! In the end, the cold looking white text with black background terminals are the REAL face of computers. Desktop environment is made so EVERYONE can use computers!

The terminal of gnu/linux uses the bash language. In a nutshell, it is pretty easy to learn basic commands actually!

Super beginner friendly linux distros are designed for people (YOUU) who has no experience whatsoever with linux! They are designed and engineered so you dont have to use the terminal much! For example, Linux Mint is the best distro you should start with. It looks and feels like Windows, even! And Mint does not require much terminal usage. That is also their mission, to make an linux distro friendly enough that no terminal usage is needed!

As easy as this sounds, i actually do not recommend staying this far away from the linux terminal. Please start with Linux Mint if you gonna, its just the best for beginners, but also please dont avoid the terminal much! The linux terminal is important to learn because it also teaches you how a computer really works, and certain operations are much more efficent to do via terminal anyway!

Push yourself to interact with the terminal, even. Learn very basic commands like "shutdown now" , and the "sudo" privilege and how it works (linux always asks your password while doing stuff and you also cant do muc without the sudo privileges!)

"sudo" is the command that gives you the REAL admin privileges to do ANYTHING. With your password and sudo, you can even delete your bootloader lol. Linux wont stop you

This means to be extremely careful while using sudo, though! You can do ANYTHING with sudo privileges, and that also contains accidently trashing your computer! Unlike Windows, that doesnt even let you uninstall Edge, linux has no boundries. Its like "we are gonna assume you know what you are doing."

Of course, friendly distros DO warn you on certain stuff, so dont worry too much!

So ye. U can use linux with no coding knowledge, but i dont recommend staying like that. After starting to use linux, you GOTTA let it teach you stuff!

And to the "switching to linux for the first time" part;

I recommend not deleting your main Windows, actually. For first time using linux i heavily recommend the "dual booting" , which simply means booting operating systems more than one in an computer! You can use BOTH linux and windows in thay way! Although, you need to shudown your pc if you want to switch between them and do it in the booting menu

This is because if something goes wrong, or you get very confused, just let Windows be ready in there. Only make the switch the moment when you feel you can operate linux with no issues and easily!

Dual booting basically slices your disk and creates partitions for operating systems. For example if you have an 512GB SSD, in dual booting you can slice it and make Windows use 256GB and Linux use 256GB too! Ofc u can change the numbers here (linux mimt will help u,.)

Before completely switching to linux; be aware that its a bit of a different world. Sure, very popular softwares exists in linux too but some softwares may not suppor linux. Adobe products dont support linux, for example! You can of course just emulate them with Wine software heh, but that would be a bit of a work!

Another problem will be certain online games. Online games does not like linux becuse how easy it is to manipulate the system, so they just either dont run on linux or they ban/kick you when you try to emulate it on linux

An example is Valorant. Valorant does not tun on linux!

And any online game that has a cheap anticheat system will be a problem!

With that being said, linux now supports every single game from Steam, with the Proton software. Just be careful about them online ones! If an online game natively supports linux (TF2, for example!) , it wont be a problem! Check the steam game's info thingy for it!

Oh and official Minecraft works in linux lol

Discord, Spotify etc. popular softwares also work on linux!

Linux in fact has an "app manager" software in their distros, making you install stuff with no terminal whatsoever! Think like Google Play Store but on le pc!

Anyways hehe thats it fo me bascallya! If u wanna switch to linux with no experience, start with the Linux Mint distro i say and explore it well! Tamper everything before fully installing it, dont worry about it! Linux is free. Linux does not care if you want to kill the entire system, even. Linux is freedom

Also please research the dual booting! You'll gonna be needing an 4GB+ USB for it, and a software like Rufus!

The site of Linux Mint has everything you need in detail, step by step ^^ good luck!

[thoughtfullyraggedpsion]

The New Standard: Why AI Enablement and Built-in Security Are Must-have Features on Modern Storage Environments

Modern enterprises are generating data at an unprecedented pace, forcing IT teams to rethink storage from the ground up. Storage environments must now be more than scalable—they must be intelligent and inherently secure. This shift has made it clear that AI Enablement and Built-in Security Are Must-have Features on modern storage environments.

Gone are the days of reactive IT strategies. Businesses now require storage systems that anticipate demands, respond to threats in real time, and optimize themselves continuously. At Businessinfopro, we help organizations adopt modern storage solutions that are built with AI and security at the core—because anything less is a risk to both operations and innovation.

The Shift to Smart, Secure Storage

The traditional role of storage was simple: archive data and retrieve it when needed. But this approach doesn’t scale in today’s world of 24/7 operations, remote workforces, and real-time analytics. Enterprises need storage that performs, adapts, and protects.

Here’s why AI Enablement and Built-in Security Are Must-have Features on Modern Storage Environments:

AI powers efficiency, predictive maintenance, and workload optimization.

Built-in security reduces exposure to ransomware, data leaks, and unauthorized access.

Combined, they create a resilient infrastructure that drives digital transformation.

To know more visit us @ https://businessinfopro.com/

Unlocking the Power of AI in Storage Systems

AI is transforming how storage environments function. It allows infrastructure to "learn" from usage patterns and adjust configurations automatically—freeing up IT resources and improving performance.

Key benefits of AI in storage include:

Proactive Issue Resolution: Predicts disk failures and auto-initiates replacements before disruption occurs.

Real-Time Data Classification: Tags sensitive data and routes it through secure channels.

Usage Analytics: Identifies inefficiencies in storage allocation to reduce waste.

Self-Tuning Systems: Dynamically adjusts performance thresholds based on activity levels.

The result is smarter infrastructure where AI Enablement and Built-in Security Are Must-have Features on Modern Storage Environments for efficiency and uptime.

Read More @ https://businessinfopro.com/ai-enablement-and-built-in-security-are-must-have-features-on-modern-storage-environments/

Integrated Security: Not Just a Layer, But a Foundation

Security threats are evolving faster than traditional defenses can handle. That’s why built-in security is now essential in the design of modern storage systems.

Here’s what integrated security looks like:

Zero Trust Architecture: No one is trusted by default—every access request is verified.

Immutable Backups: Data snapshots that cannot be altered or deleted, ensuring ransomware resilience.

Encryption Everywhere: Secure data at rest, in transit, and during processing.

Access Control Policies: Enforce who sees what, when, and from where.

When AI Enablement and Built-in Security Are Must-have Features on Modern Storage Environments, companies gain a proactive, policy-driven defense system embedded at the data layer.

To know more visit us @ https://businessinfopro.com/

AI + Security = Intelligent Threat Response

AI isn’t only used to improve operational efficiency—it’s also crucial for bolstering storage security.

Here’s how AI enhances protection:

Anomaly Detection: Recognizes patterns in access behavior and flags suspicious activity.

Rapid Threat Containment: Automatically isolates infected files or users before malware spreads.

Predictive Alerts: Warns administrators before security vulnerabilities are exploited.

Compliance Automation: Maintains audit trails and generates regulatory reports with minimal manual effort.

By embedding AI into security layers, storage platforms become active guardians of enterprise data—another reason AI Enablement and Built-in Security Are Must-have Features on Modern Storage Environments.

Read More @ https://businessinfopro.com/ai-enablement-and-built-in-security-are-must-have-features-on-modern-storage-environments/

Use Cases of AI-Enabled Secure Storage

Organizations across industries are already reaping the benefits of AI-driven, secure storage:

Healthcare: AI speeds up image recognition while secure systems protect patient records.

Finance: Fraud detection tools require rapid, encrypted access to transactional data.

Retail: Personalized shopping experiences are powered by AI models trained on safely stored customer data.

Logistics: Smart inventory tracking systems rely on secure, real-time data feeds from distributed nodes.

These examples highlight why AI Enablement and Built-in Security Are Must-have Features on Modern Storage Environments across every vertical.

To know more visit us @ https://businessinfopro.com/

Choosing a Future-Ready Storage Solution

When evaluating a storage system, organizations should look beyond basic features like capacity and speed. In today’s landscape, the real value lies in intelligence and security.

Must-have capabilities include:

AI-driven diagnostics and optimization

Built-in threat detection and recovery

End-to-end encryption and MFA

Cloud-native compatibility and edge deployment

Real-time monitoring dashboards and analytics

By prioritizing platforms where AI Enablement and Built-in Security Are Must-have Features on Modern Storage Environments, businesses future-proof their operations.

Read More @ https://businessinfopro.com/ai-enablement-and-built-in-security-are-must-have-features-on-modern-storage-environments/

The Cost of Inaction

Without AI and built-in security, organizations face escalating risks:

Operational Downtime from hardware failures

Cyber Breaches leading to financial loss and reputational damage

Compliance Violations with hefty legal penalties

Resource Drain from manual monitoring and patching

Today, it’s not a matter of if an enterprise should modernize—it’s how fast. Because the longer companies wait, the higher the cost of recovery and competition.

Read Full Article : https://businessinfopro.com/ai-enablement-and-built-in-security-are-must-have-features-on-modern-storage-environments/

About Us: Businessinfopro is a trusted platform delivering insightful, up-to-date content on business innovation, digital transformation, and enterprise technology trends. We empower decision-makers, professionals, and industry leaders with expertly curated articles, strategic analyses, and real-world success stories across sectors. From marketing and operations to AI, cloud, and automation, our mission is to decode complexity and spotlight opportunities driving modern business growth. At Businessinfopro, we go beyond news—we provide perspective, helping businesses stay agile, informed, and competitive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. Whether you're a startup or a Fortune 500 company, our insights are designed to fuel smarter strategies and meaningful outcomes.

[lakshmiglobal]

5 IT Cost Saving Strategies for Your Enterprise Infrastructure

Managing enterprise IT infrastructure is a balancing act between performance, reliability, and cost. As technology evolves rapidly, so do expenses. To stay competitive and efficient, IT managers must find smart ways to reduce costs without compromising service quality or security. Below are five proven IT cost-saving strategies that can make a meaningful impact on your enterprise infrastructure.

1. Extend the Life of Existing Hardware

Rather than defaulting to frequent hardware refresh cycles, enterprises can often extend the life of servers, storage devices, and networking hardware through proper maintenance and strategic upgrades. Partnering with a third-party maintenance provider for post-warranty support can reduce costs by 30-70% compared to OEM contracts.

💡 Tip: Use asset lifecycle management tools to monitor hardware health and optimize replacement timing based on performance, not just age.

2. Leverage Cloud and Hybrid Infrastructure

Moving specific workloads to the cloud—or adopting a hybrid cloud model—can reduce the cost of owning and maintaining physical infrastructure. Cloud services provide flexibility and scalability, allowing you to pay only for what you use.

💡 Tip: Use cloud cost optimization tools to avoid waste, identify underutilized instances, and right-size your resources.

3. Optimize Software Licensing

Licensing costs can quietly eat into IT budgets. Regular audits of software usage can help identify unused or underutilized licenses, especially with large suites or per-user subscription models.

💡 Tip: Consider switching to open-source or lower-cost alternatives for certain tools, and negotiate volume discounts or enterprise agreements with vendors.

4. Consolidate and Virtualize Resources

Server consolidation through virtualization reduces the need for physical hardware, power, and cooling. It also simplifies management, backup, and disaster recovery planning.

💡 Tip: Evaluate opportunities for workload consolidation across departments and assess whether underused servers can be decommissioned or repurposed.

5. Implement Preventive Maintenance and Monitoring

Downtime is costly. By implementing proactive monitoring tools and a preventive maintenance strategy, you can catch performance issues before they lead to outages or data loss—saving both money and reputation.

💡 Tip: Schedule regular health checks for your servers and storage systems, and set up alerts for threshold-based issues like CPU spikes or disk failure warnings.

Final Thoughts

Cost optimization isn’t about cutting corners—it’s about making smarter, data-driven decisions. With the right strategies, enterprises can lower IT infrastructure costs while improving agility, performance, and reliability. Evaluate your current infrastructure and consider where these strategies can have the most immediate impact.

[qureasy]

Optimize Your Mac: Fix Common Issues

Introduction to Mac Performance Challenges

Every Mac user eventually faces performance hiccups that can disrupt their workflow. Two common issues that arise are running out of storage space and browser crashes. These problems can slow down your system, cause frustration, and hinder productivity. Fortunately, with the right approach, you can resolve these challenges and keep your Mac running smoothly. This article explores practical solutions for addressing storage shortages and browser errors, ensuring your device performs at its best. By following these steps, you can reclaim space, stabilize your browsing experience, and maintain a seamless user experience.

Addressing Storage Shortages

One of the most frequent notifications Mac users encounter is a warning about limited disk space. How to Fix Your Startup Disk Is Almost Full on Mac is a critical skill to master. When your startup disk is nearly full, your system struggles to function efficiently, leading to sluggish performance and potential crashes. To resolve this, start by assessing what’s consuming your storage. Navigate to the Apple menu, select "About This Mac," and click on the "Storage" tab. This provides a breakdown of your disk usage, highlighting areas like documents, apps, and system data.

Begin by deleting unnecessary files. Check your Downloads folder for old installers, PDFs, or media files you no longer need. Empty the Trash afterward to free up space permanently. Next, consider offloading large files to an external drive or cloud storage. Photos, videos, and backups often take up significant space, and relocating them can make a big difference. For a deeper clean, use the built-in storage management tool to identify and remove redundant system files, such as old caches or logs. Regularly clearing these files prevents your disk from filling up again.

Another effective strategy is to uninstall unused applications. Some apps, especially those with large data files, can occupy gigabytes of space. Go to the Applications folder, drag unneeded apps to the Trash, and empty it. If you’re unsure about an app’s dependencies, use a third-party uninstaller to ensure no residual files remain. By consistently managing your storage, you can prevent the startup disk from reaching capacity and maintain optimal performance.

Stabilizing Your Browser Experience

Browser issues can be equally disruptive, particularly when you rely on the web for work or leisure. How to Fix Safari Web Content Quit Unexpectedly on Mac is a common concern for users facing frequent crashes. This error occurs when the browser’s web content process fails, often due to corrupted data, conflicting extensions, or insufficient system resources. Resolving this issue requires a systematic approach to identify and eliminate the root cause.

Start by clearing your browser’s cache and cookies. These files accumulate over time and can cause instability. Open your browser, go to the History menu, and select "Clear History." Choose to clear all data, including cookies and cache, to reset the browser’s temporary files. This simple step often resolves crashes caused by corrupted data. Next, disable or remove unnecessary extensions. Extensions enhance functionality but can conflict with web pages or consume excessive resources. Access the Extensions menu in your browser’s preferences and turn off or delete any you don’t actively use.

If crashes persist, check for software updates. An outdated browser or operating system may struggle with modern web content. Go to the App Store or System Preferences to ensure both are up to date. Updates often include bug fixes that address stability issues. Additionally, consider resetting your browser to its default settings. This removes custom configurations that might be causing conflicts. Be aware that resetting erases saved passwords and preferences, so back up any critical data beforehand.

Preventing Future Issues

To avoid recurring storage and browser problems, adopt proactive habits. Regularly monitor your disk space using the storage management tool and delete unnecessary files monthly. Schedule backups to an external drive or cloud service to keep your startup disk lean. For browser stability, limit the number of open tabs and clear cache periodically. Avoid installing unverified extensions, as they can introduce vulnerabilities or performance issues.

Advanced Optimization Techniques

For users comfortable with advanced tools, consider using disk utility software to analyze and repair file system errors. These programs offer detailed insights into storage usage and can identify redundant data that manual methods might overlook. Similarly, monitoring system performance can help identify resource-heavy processes that impact browser stability. Activity monitoring tools built into macOS can identify processes consuming excessive memory or CPU, allowing you to terminate them and prevent crashes.

[randbnetworkss]

The Role of Predictive Maintenance in IT Operations

In today’s digital-first environment, downtime isn’t just inconvenient — it’s expensive. IT systems are expected to operate seamlessly around the clock. That’s where predictive maintenance steps in.

Instead of reacting to issues after they occur, predictive maintenance uses data, analytics, and machine learning to anticipate problems before they impact performance. This proactive approach is reshaping how businesses manage their IT infrastructure.

⚙️ What Is Predictive Maintenance in IT?

Predictive maintenance involves analyzing system performance data — such as CPU usage, memory consumption, disk health, and network traffic — to identify early warning signs of hardware or software failure. It allows IT teams to fix issues before they result in downtime.

Think of it like a health check for your systems — powered by AI.

🧠 How It Works

Data Collection: Sensors and logs monitor system health in real time.

Analysis: Algorithms identify usage trends and anomalies.

Prediction: Based on patterns, the system forecasts when a failure might occur.

Action: IT teams get alerts to replace, repair, or patch before it’s too late.

🔍 Key Benefits of Predictive Maintenance

🕒 Reduced Downtime Fix issues before they cause outages — keeping operations running 24/7.

💰 Lower Operational Costs Avoid emergency repairs and extend hardware life with scheduled maintenance.

📈 Improved Performance Proactively optimize systems and reduce performance bottlenecks.

🔐 Enhanced Security Early detection of irregular behavior may signal a vulnerability or breach.

🧑‍💻 Better IT Resource Allocation Free your team from constant firefighting and allow them to focus on strategic tasks.

🔐 Where R&B Networks Comes In

At R&B Networks, we help businesses implement predictive maintenance solutions as part of a larger IT strategy that includes:

Endpoint & network monitoring

Microsoft Cloud services

Disaster recovery planning

Real-time analytics and automation tools

Whether you're scaling up or simply aiming for a smarter infrastructure, predictive maintenance is a key pillar for long-term reliability.

Final Thought

As technology becomes more integrated into daily business, reactive IT support is no longer enough. Predictive maintenance is the future — and it's available today.

🔗 Learn how we help businesses stay ahead of downtime: https://randbnetworks.com

#PredictiveMaintenance #ITOperations #ProactiveIT #CloudInfrastructure #RBNetworks #ITMonitoring #DisasterRecovery

[splitpointsolutions]

What Is Infrastructure Monitoring and Why Is It Essential?

Most businesses now depend on technology to function well. IT infrastructure is key to everything happening with customer data, the use of websites and running internal systems. That’s the reason why checking infrastructure is so important. So, what is success and just why is it so important?

Defining Infrastructure Monitoring

Infrastructure monitoring involves watching and analyzing the main systems in your technology network which include servers, networks, storage, databases and applications. This is done to guarantee that the business runs smoothly and correctly.

Thanks to specific instruments, IT teams can monitor CPU use, the amount of RAM needed, network traffic and data on disks. Thanks to this, they are able to spot and fix faults before they disturb users or and business activities.

Why Is It Important?

Let’s face it: if something breaks in your IT setup, it can cause delays, customer dissatisfaction, and even financial loss. Here’s why infrastructure monitoring should be a top priority:

1. Prevents Downtime

Should a server crash or the internet connection slow down, the business will feel it right away. When you monitor systems, you see any rising temperatures or growing memory use, helping you to fix problems before anything breaks down.

2. Improves Efficiency

Observing the use of resources can show a firm where its productivity is falling behind. It’s possible that some servers are handling most of the work, whereas others are left almost idle. Infrastructure monitoring uncovers where resources are misused, giving IT teams a chance to improve the whole system.

3. Supports Growth

With its expansion, the company’s IT needs change, too. With the data kept in monitoring tools, it’s possible to see patterns that help decide on upgrading storage space, servers or bandwidth in the future. You can identify needed upgrades and ensure you don’t add too much work to what you already have.

4. Enhances Security

It increases the safety from cyber threats. When access attempts are not allowed, traffic is uncommon or the company’s data usage rises suddenly, a security incident may have occurred. Sooner you identify a risk, the sooner you can deal with it and the less danger involved.

5. Better Troubleshooting

Whenever there is a problem, finding what caused it quickly is very important. If teams proactively monitor issues, they can solve any problem—hardware, settings or network changes—quickly.

What Makes a Good Monitoring Setup?

The best infrastructure monitoring tool should send alerts as soon as something is wrong, allow users to set their own dashboards and provide additional reports. Your system should be able to expand when your business grows. Today’s companies with hybrid IT setups appreciate it when their servers are also cloud-compatible.

Modern tools often come with automation which means you don’t have to manually start a server without warning if a system issue occurs.

Final Thoughts

Simply put, anyone using technology in their business must make infrastructure monitoring a priority. Monitoring means you can keep an eye on all your systems, make sure all is running smoothly and resolve conflicts before they become serious. Investing in the right monitoring software can save both small companies and bigger businesses both stress and additional costs.

[septic-tank-maintenance]

Why Your Water Bill Suddenly Spiked - A Septic System Investigation Guide

⚠️ QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE Average Monthly Water Usage (US Household):

Family of 2-3: 8,000-12,000 gallons

Family of 4-5: 12,000-16,000 gallons

Over 20,000 gallons? Red flag - keep reading

Look, I get it. That water bill hits your inbox and suddenly your coffee doesn't taste so good anymore. After 20 years of crawling through crawl spaces and diagnosing septic disasters, I can tell you one thing: that spike in your bill usually leads straight to your septic system.

Last month, I had a guy in Memphis about ready to go to war with his utility company over a $400 spike. Turns out his system was basically running an underground water park. Two hours later, problem solved, bill normal. That's the thing about septic issues - catch 'em early, they're usually quick fixes. Miss them, and suddenly you're financing my kid's college fund.

This guide? It's everything I wish homeowners knew before calling me in a panic. No fluff, no fancy plumber-speak - just the straight dirt on what's probably happening under your yard right now.

COST SAVER ALERT! 📊 Running toilet = 200 gallons/day Monthly cost = ~$70-100 extra 15-minute fix = $15-20 parts You do the math.

The Warning Signs Your Septic's Acting Up

Let me paint you a picture of what a troubled septic system looks like - and trust me, after two decades in the business, I've seen every variation possible.

Your first red flags aren't subtle, they're just easy to brush off:

That persistent toilet hiss? It's not background music - it's dumping 200 gallons daily down the drain. In dollar terms, that's like throwing a $20 bill into your toilet every week. I've watched homeowners ignore this for months, thinking it's "normal."

Phantom Flushes & Mystery Sounds:

Toilets refilling at 2 AM when everyone's asleep

Drains making sounds like they're auditioning for a coffee commercial

That weird gurgle every time you run the washing machine

Your Yard's Telling Tales:

Random patches looking like they've got premium fertilizer service

Spongy spots that feel like walking on a waterbed

That unmistakable swamp smell that hits you during yard work

Here's the kicker - these aren't just annoyances. Each one is a direct line to your wallet. Had a client in Phoenix ignore a running toilet for three months. His "small" problem turned into a $600 monthly water bill. Fixed it for under $50.

Think of these signs like your check engine light - sure, you can ignore it, but eventually, that cheap fix turns into a complete overhaul. Let's dig into what's actually causing these wallet-draining issues.

PRO TIP 🔧 Keep your water bills from the last 3 months. Compare these numbers:

Winter baseline (lowest usage)

Summer peak (highest normal)

Current bill Spike more than 30%? Time to investigate.

Common Culprits Behind the Spike

Look, after opening up thousands of septic systems, I can tell you there's usually a handful of usual suspects burning through your cash. Here's what's probably happening under your lawn right now:

Failed Flapper Valves:

Picture a rubber disk about the size of a CD. When it warps? Your toilet's basically running a marathon 24/7. Cost you maybe $15 to fix, but ignore it and watch your water bill climb faster than gas prices.

The Underground Money Drain:

Cracked pipes between house and tank (usually from that tree you planted years ago)

Loose connections that let groundwater seep in

Tank cracks that turn your system into a underground pool

Here's what drives me nuts: About 80% of the emergency calls I get started as tiny issues. Had a guy last week with a $900 water bill. His problem? A crack in his main line was letting in groundwater like it was running a secret car wash. Two months earlier, it would've been a $200 fix. Now? Let's just say his kid's not getting that PlayStation for Christmas.

Quick Reality Check - Most Common Issues I See:

Tank backups from years of "flushable" wipes (they're not)

Broken baffle that's got your tank running 24/7

Ancient pipes finally giving up the ghost

That DIY repair your brother-in-law swore he could handle

Listen, I'm not trying to scare you. But I've pulled enough dead septic systems out of the ground to know that a spike in your water bill isn't just numbers on paper - it's usually your system screaming for attention.

EXPERIENCE SNAPSHOT: ✓ 20 Years in Field ✓ 15,000+ Systems Inspected ✓ Licensed in [Your State] ✓ Certified Master Plumber

Quick DIY Checks - Save Your Cash

Before you burn a service call fee, here's exactly what I tell my own family to check. Twenty years of house calls have taught me these simple tests catch 90% of the obvious money-drainers:

The Famous Dye Test:

Grab some food coloring from your kitchen

Drop 5-6 drops in your toilet tank

Don't flush for 30 minutes

If your bowl turns color without flushing? Congrats, you found your leak

Water Meter Detective Work:

Write down your meter reading before bed

Don't use any water overnight (seriously, hold that midnight snack run)

Check again in the morning

Numbers changed? Something's running that shouldn't be

The 5-Minute Yard Walk:

Start at your tank's location

Walk in a grid pattern (trust me, be systematic)

Look for: sunken spots, weird puddles, grass that's way too happy

Bonus points: Do this early morning when dew makes wet spots obvious

Listen, I've saved folks thousands with these simple checks. Last summer, had a retired teacher about to drop $800 on a service call. Turned out her issue was a toilet flapper you could see was warped just by looking at it. $12 part, 15-minute fix.

But here's the thing - and I'm dead serious about this part - if you spot anything major, stop right there. Some problems need a pro before they turn your yard into a swamp or your wallet into a memory.

REFERENCE TABLE: When to DIY vs Call Pro

DIY-Safe:

Toilet dye tests

Meter readings

Visual inspections

Flapper replacements

CALL PRO:

Multiple drain backups

Yard flooding/odors

Tank access issues

Any digging needed

When to Call the Pros

Listen, I love a good DIY project as much as anyone. But after pulling three homeowners out of their own septic tanks last year (not kidding), I've got some hard rules about when to put down the shovel and pick up the phone:

Call Immediately When:

Your yard's starting to smell like a downtown bus station

Multiple drains are backing up at once

That wet spot in your yard's bigger than your car

Water's backing up into your tubs or sinks

The "Stop Everything" Scenarios:

Ground's spongy AND stinky (means your drain field's failing)

Sewage backup anywhere in the house

Multiple toilets running, even after checking flappers

Your water meter's spinning like a disco ball with everything off

Here's the brutal math: A typical service call runs $150-300. Sounds steep, right? But I just finished a $12,000 septic replacement for a guy who tried fixing a "minor" backup himself. He managed to crack his tank trying to "save money." That's about 40 service calls worth of cash down the drain.

Bottom line: Check the simple stuff yourself. But when things get sketchy, call someone who crawls through this stuff for a living. Your wallet (and your nose) will thank you later.

Remember - it's always cheaper to fix the issue you have than the one you create trying to be a hero. Trust me, septic work isn't where you want to start your DIY career.

Quick Summary - Save This Post

Trust me, your septic system picks the worst times to act up. Usually right before holidays or when you've got a house full of guests. So here's what you need to take away from all this:

Your Water Bill Is Your Early Warning System:

A sudden spike isn't random

Check the simple stuff first (toilets, visible leaks)

Don't ignore those wet spots in your yard

Save Your Cash With Prevention:

Monthly toilet checks are free

That $12 flapper beats a $900 water bill

Write down your normal monthly water usage somewhere

Look, I've been elbow-deep in septic systems for longer than I care to admit. The difference between a quick fix and a complete system replacement usually comes down to one thing: catching problems early.

Keep this guide handy. Do those simple checks we talked about. And remember - when in doubt, it's cheaper to get it checked out than wait until your yard turns into a swamp.

Your septic system's a lot like your car - give it a little attention now and then, and it'll keep running smooth. Ignore it completely, and well… let's just say I've got plenty of stories about what happens next.

Got questions? Drop them in the comments. I'll help if I can, but remember - some things really do need eyes (and nose) on the ground to diagnose properly.

[This guide's part of my Homeowner's No-BS Series. Follow for more straight talk on home maintenance.]

RELATED GUIDES:

Having septic system warning signs goes way beyond a high water bill

Essential water saving tips for septic systems to keep your bills in check

Our complete DIY septic inspection guide for the hands-on homeowner

Need more straight talk about septic maintenance? Check out Septic Tank Guy for weekly tips and guides.

[charliejoyce921]

Handling Starting Disabled Service Throttle Warnings

Starting disabled service throttle warnings are messages that often appear in system logs, typically on server-based or cloud infrastructure platforms.

These warnings occur when a service, application, or process has been disabled due to exceeding certain operational limits or restrictions, often related to resource consumption, timeouts, or misconfiguration. Handling these warnings effectively is crucial to maintaining system stability and ensuring that essential services run smoothly.

Understanding the Problem

A “Starting Disabled Service Throttle” warning generally indicates that a service was initially disabled due to excessive resource usage, such as CPU, memory, or network bandwidth. Throttling is a method used by systems to prevent overloading, ensuring that services do not consume excessive resources and degrade the performance of other processes. When this warning appears, it suggests that the service is trying to restart, but is being throttled by system parameters to maintain optimal performance.

Steps to Handle the Warning

Identify the Service: The first step is to identify which service is causing the throttle warning. Check system logs or error messages to pinpoint the specific service or application.

Review Resource Usage: Once identified, examine the resource usage (CPU, memory, disk I/O) of the service. High resource consumption could be a result of increased traffic, inefficient code, or an underlying performance issue.

Adjust System Limits: If the system’s resource limits are too stringent, it may be necessary to adjust the throttling limits. This can usually be done by increasing resource quotas, adjusting configuration settings, or modifying thresholds within the service or platform.

Optimize Service Performance: Optimization can be done by improving the service code, reducing unnecessary operations, or scaling the service horizontally. If possible, scaling the service (adding more instances or resources) can alleviate the pressure on the system and prevent throttling.

Test the Configuration: After making changes, ensure the service is performing as expected. Monitor system logs for any recurrence of the throttle warning, and assess whether the adjustments have resolved the issue without introducing new problems.

Automate Monitoring: To proactively address such warnings in the future, consider setting up automated monitoring and alert systems that will notify you before the service hits the throttle limit. This allows for faster response times and minimizes service downtime.

Conclusion

Handling starting disabled service throttle warnings requires a careful balance between resource allocation, system configuration, and service optimization. By identifying the root cause of the warning and applying the appropriate fixes, it is possible to mitigate future occurrences and improve overall system stability. Proactive monitoring and optimization are key to preventing these issues from affecting system performance.

FAQs

1. What causes the "Starting Disabled Service Throttle" warning? This warning is typically caused by a service or application consuming excessive system resources such as CPU, memory, or bandwidth, which triggers the system’s throttling mechanism to prevent performance degradation.

2. How can I prevent this warning from occurring in the future? Preventive measures include optimizing your services to consume fewer resources, adjusting system resource limits, scaling services appropriately, and setting up proactive monitoring to catch potential issues before they trigger throttling.

3. Is it safe to ignore this warning? Ignoring this warning could lead to system instability or performance degradation. It’s important to investigate and resolve the underlying issue to prevent potential downtime or disruptions in service.

[qcs01]

Automation and Scripting in Enterprise Linux: Ansible, Bash, and Python

Automation and scripting are crucial in managing enterprise Linux environments efficiently. They help in streamlining administrative tasks, reducing errors, and saving time. In this post, we will explore three powerful tools for automation and scripting in enterprise Linux: Ansible, Bash, and Python.

1. Ansible: Simplifying Configuration Management

Overview: Ansible is an open-source automation tool used for configuration management, application deployment, and task automation. It uses a simple, human-readable language called YAML for its playbooks, making it easy to write and understand.

Key Features:

Agentless: No need to install any software on target machines.

Idempotent: Ensures that operations are repeatable and produce the same result every time.

Extensible: Supports a wide range of modules for different tasks.

Example Use Case: Deploying a Web Server

---

- name: Install and configure Apache web server

  hosts: webservers

  become: yes

  tasks:

    - name: Install Apache

      yum:

        name: httpd

        state: present

    - name: Start and enable Apache service

      service:

        name: httpd

        state: started

        enabled: yes

    - name: Deploy index.html

      copy:

        src: /path/to/local/index.html

        dest: /var/www/html/index.html

Benefits:

Easy to set up and use.

Scales efficiently across multiple systems.

Reduces the complexity of managing large infrastructures.

2. Bash: The Power of Shell Scripting

Overview: Bash is the default shell in many Linux distributions and is widely used for scripting and automation tasks. Bash scripts can automate routine tasks, perform system monitoring, and manage system configurations.

Key Features:

Ubiquitous: Available on virtually all Linux systems.

Flexible: Can combine various command-line utilities.

Interactive: Useful for both command-line operations and scripting.

Example Use Case: Automated Backup Script

#!/bin/bash

BACKUP_SRC="/home/user/data"

BACKUP_DEST="/backup"

TIMESTAMP=$(date +%Y%m%d%H%M%S)

BACKUP_NAME="backup_$TIMESTAMP.tar.gz"

# Create a backup

tar -czf $BACKUP_DEST/$BACKUP_NAME $BACKUP_SRC

# Print the result

if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then

  echo "Backup successful: $BACKUP_NAME"

else

  echo "Backup failed"

fi

Benefits:

Directly interacts with the system and its utilities.

Excellent for quick and simple tasks.

Easily integrates with cron jobs for scheduled tasks.

3. Python: Advanced Scripting and Automation

Overview: Python is a powerful, high-level programming language known for its readability and versatility. It is extensively used in system administration, automation, web development, and data analysis.

Key Features:

Extensive Libraries: Rich ecosystem of modules and packages.

Readability: Clean and easy-to-understand syntax.

Cross-Platform: Works on various operating systems.

Example Use Case: Monitoring Disk Usage

import shutil

def check_disk_usage(disk):

    total, used, free = shutil.disk_usage(disk)

    print(f"Disk usage on {disk}:")

    print(f"  Total: {total // (2**30)} GB")

    print(f"  Used: {used // (2**30)} GB")

    print(f"  Free: {free // (2**30)} GB")

    if free / total < 0.2:

        print("Warning: Less than 20% free space remaining!")

    else:

        print("Sufficient free space available.")

check_disk_usage("/")

Benefits:

Great for complex automation tasks and scripts.

Strong support for integrating with various APIs and web services.

Ideal for data manipulation and processing tasks.

Conclusion

Each of these tools—Ansible, Bash, and Python—offers unique strengths and is suited to different types of tasks in an enterprise Linux environment. Ansible excels in configuration management and large-scale automation, Bash is perfect for quick and simple scripting tasks, and Python shines in complex automation, data processing, and integration tasks.

By leveraging these tools, organizations can achieve greater efficiency, consistency, and reliability in their IT operations. Whether you are deploying applications, managing configurations, or automating routine tasks, mastering these tools will significantly enhance your capabilities as a Linux system administrator.

For more details click www.qcsdclabs.com

[dollar2host]

Server Maintenance and Troubleshooting:

Servers are incredible works of technology that are essential to the operation of businesses. They are able to manage complicated procedures so effectively that consumers don't even need to consider the fact that they are there. The failure of servers, on the other hand, can be extremely disruptive and start a domino effect that can cost an organization tens of thousands or even hundreds of millions of dollars in lost chances.

Servers need to be monitored and maintained on a consistent basis in order to prevent them from failing when they are required the most. After all, they are merely different kinds of computing machines, just like desktops and laptops. A relatively modest issue with the server will not develop into a catastrophic failure if maintenance is performed regularly. Server failure is frequently the consequence of a scenario that could have been easily avoided but was allowed to spin out of control because timely preventative steps were not taken.

Creating a checklist of the items that you need to check or take action on a regular basis will go a long way toward guaranteeing that your servers will always function to the best of their abilities. The items detailed below must be included on any checklist of this kind.

Check your backups.

In the event that the production systems and data are corrupted or compromised for some reason, a failure of the backups has the potential to bring the entire organization to its knees. In the event that the backup data and systems cannot be brought back up, even the most comprehensive disaster recovery strategies would be rendered meaningless. Because of this, this particular maintenance task on the server is probably the single most crucial one.

It is recommended that backups be checked either once per day or once per week, with the frequency determined by the amount of data that is produced each day by the company. When it comes to mission-critical systems, normal testing can even include actual test recovery. If you are merely backing up a portion of the system rather than the full thing, you need to make sure that any newly installed apps have been given a risk rating and, if necessary, have been added to the backup routine.

Keep an eye on your disk usage.

If the amount of space used on the drive frequently approaches or exceeds 90 percent of the total capacity, you will need to either add extra space to the disk or clear the disk of unnecessary files. A level of disk utilization at such a level eventually brings about a degradation in system performance and raises the risk of data corruption.

You should prevent your production system from becoming an archiving system at any cost. Get rid of old emails and logs, as well as installation files and applications that aren't needed anymore. Your servers have a greater potential for security vulnerabilities in proportion to the amount of redundant data and systems they include. If something goes wrong, having a smaller data footprint means you can recover from it more quickly.

Keep an eye on the RAID Alarms.

RAID should be used for production servers because it has a low failure rate. The fact that this is the case is both good and bad news. It is bad news because it means that system managers may become acclimated to the reliability of RAID and may, therefore, be content with irregular or ad hoc monitoring. RAID controllers are programmed to emit warning and alarm messages whenever certain faults are detected. This is one of the reasons why the controllers have this capability.

The RAID status and any alarms should be monitored closely by system administrators. One of the hard disks in a RAID array may fail without anyone noticing if it weren't for the alerts that were being generated. In any event, given that the other disks in the array are operating as expected, it is anticipated that production systems will continue to operate without interruptions.

Therefore, administrators are required to verify that all hard disks are operational. You will be able to verify the condition of the RAID array at any given moment, thanks to the software that is included with RAID controllers.

Operating System (OS) Upgrades

Hackers frequently do vulnerability scans on company systems to determine which systems will be the simplest to compromise and exploit. Because of this, updates for server operating systems are made available on a very regular basis. Because of this, keeping up to date can be rather challenging, particularly if you are completely dependent on manually applying the updates. Because of this, having a system that manages patches automatically can be helpful.

You will be notified by an automated system as soon as a new patch is released, and the system will even permit you to define automatic updates. Create a manual schedule, however, in the event that you are unable to automate the patching procedure. It is recommended that you update newer OS versions once per week (because of the increased likelihood that they will contain more issues) and update older versions once every month.

The Control Panel needs to be updated.

Make sure that the server control panel or hosting control panel you use is kept up to date at all times. This refers to the control panel as well as the software that is controlled by the panel. For instance, in order to close any known loopholes in PHP, you must first update WHM/cPanel's version of the language. Simply updating the control panel won't solve the problems that are affecting the underlying versions of PHP and Apache that are being utilized by your operating system.

Keep your web applications up to date.

Applications running on the web have been the entry point for the vast majority of large-scale security breaches. Websites and online apps are particularly vulnerable to assaults because they are directly connected to the internet. In order to get a foothold in the organization's network, hackers will locate vulnerabilities and attack those weaknesses. From that vantage point, they are in a position to install malware and carry out reconnaissance in order to identify obvious possibilities that they can exploit.

Because of this, you should make updating your web app a top priority. If at all possible, check for new patches every day and implement updates with a high priority as soon as it is practically practicable to do so.

Maintain a Watchful Eye on Remote Management Tools

In the event that your servers are co-located or are managed by a dedicated services provider, you will want to ensure that all of the remote management tools and applications are operational at all times. If these tools do not work when you need them or when you need to respond quickly to an issue with the servers, you will be completely useless. You do not have physical access to the servers.

Keep an Eye Out for Errors Involving Hardware

Examine the audit and event logs to locate any new hardware problems that may be developing. Failures in the network, disk read difficulties, and notifications of overheating are examples of potential early warning signs of an impending hardware failure. Failures should not occur very frequently so long as you stick to employing hardware of sufficient quality.

Despite this, the likelihood of a hardware breakdown increases in proportion to the number of times that the limits of the system are consistently pushed to their limits. In light of this, let's move on to the following point on the checklist.

Examine How the Resources Are Being Used.

Increases in system use should, ideally, be reasonably steady and predictable, which will enable you to plan for expansion a significant amount of time ahead. There are some changes to an organization, such as unplanned corporate development, that might cause resources to be stretched more quickly than expected.

Examine the amount of usage on the network, as well as the RAM, CPU, and disk. If the system is often working at or close to its optimal limitations, you need to initiate the process of expanding its capacity or totally replacing the equipment if you want to maintain optimal performance. You are able to monitor utilization with the help of the basic tools that are offered on both Linux and Windows servers.

Perform Visual Examinations of the Equipment

Over time, system administrators may become so preoccupied with monitoring their systems using an application that they lose sight of the fundamentals of maintaining their machinery. There is no guarantee that a bug will be the cause of a system issue. Problems that you are unable to recognize when seated in front of a computer screen can sometimes be uncovered by taking a look at the physical condition of the servers, routers, printers, and network connections.

It's possible that one of the network cables is becoming disconnected or that the server room is becoming too crowded, both of which might cause the servers to overheat. A morning routine that includes an inspection of vital infrastructure should be a requirement for administrators.

Keep an eye on the temperature and humidity in the server room.

Temperature and humidity can both have an impact on the operation of servers and networks. Performance is hindered in the near term as a result of this. It shortens the amount of time that the equipment can be used effectively. For instance, if you run your servers at temperatures that are beyond the specified standard, this can result in consistent hang-ups as well as the occasional corruption of data.

In a similar vein, if the server room has a humidity level that is over what is considered acceptable, the condensation that forms there can lead to a short circuit or corrosion of the equipment. Obviously, if you're merely renting a server from a company like Dollar2host, you won't be responsible for any problems related to the hardware or the physical location of the server.

Carry out a check with your antivirus software.

The main function of antivirus software is to protect a computer from getting sick. Users will often be informed if they attempt to upload a file that is contaminated with a virus. However, there is always a chance that some files will slip through the cracks and go undetected as soon as they are added. In addition, the virus definitions are routinely changed, which means that files that were clean a few weeks ago may now be identified as contaminated if they are opened.

Set up a thorough malware detection and elimination scan with your antivirus software. Because of the potential burden that this may put on the system's resources, the scan needs to be scheduled during off-peak times.

Examine the various user accounts.

If you have lately experienced client cancellations, employee changes, supplier changes, or any other changes that have rendered certain user accounts obsolete, you will want to disable or delete these users from the system as soon as you get the chance to do so. Outdated user accounts pose a threat to one's data, finances, and reputation.

People who are no longer employed by the company but still have access to its computer network present a risk for the company since they could act as a conduit for corporate espionage. Angry workers who are terminated against their will have the opportunity to exact their vengeance by sabotaging the system. In point of fact, reviews of user accounts within mission-critical systems ought to be carried out on a daily basis. If someone were to gain illegal access to this system for just a few hours, they may cause irreparable damage.

Alter Your Login Information

The most powerful user accounts in the business are only accessible to the system administrators, database administrators, and network administrators. These super user accounts can, if obtained by the wrong people, be used to support actions that will have long-reaching harmful implications.

For instance, in a banking environment, someone who illegally gets a system administrator password may create unauthorized user accounts that they would later use to perpetrate fraud. This would be possible since the individual would have access to the system administrator's password.

Changing passwords at least once every half year is recommended as part of good security practices. Because the prerequisite may now be set up automatically in the majority of systems, it is a relief that administrators no longer need to perform this task manually.

Verify the safety of the system.

Always use remote auditing tools to determine the state of the security of the server, the database, and the network. Some departments of information technology place an excessive amount of reliance on their internal IT auditors, operating under the false idea that locating system vulnerabilities is an audit function. Due to the fact that IT auditors may not have the time to perform system audits on a regular basis, this can be an extremely expensive error in judgment.

Depending on the risk level that was assigned to each system, administrators should check the system's security once every month or once every three months. Updates to the operating system, changes to configuration, and any other potential hazards require special attention.

Conclusion:

An increasing workload and increased expectations for reliability can put a strain on technology despite the tremendous gains in redundancy and performance characteristics that are included in current servers. The more thorough your maintenance routine is, the less likely it is that you will suffer any downtime and the longer your technological infrastructure will continue to serve your organization.

You shouldn't wait for there to be a major setback before beginning to develop and stick to a program that is quite regimented. Make time for maintenance since the consequences of not doing so will take significantly more time and resources to resolve.

Dollar2host

Dollar2host.com

We provide expert Webhosting services for your desired needs

Facebook  Twitter Instagram