#friday job circular

[jobscirculars]

Saptahik Chakrir Dak 1 July 2022

Saptahik Chakrir Dak 1 July 2022

Saptahik Chakrir Dak 1 July 2022 pdf Download here http://www.jobscirculars.com The Most Popular job media Saptahik Chakrir Dak Weekly Jobs Newspaper 1 July 2022 has published on Friday 1 July 2022. Upcoming Next 08 July 2022 Saptahik chakra dak jobs newspaper also will publish here.  At the official newspaper of weekly jobs news Lokkho Bekarer Priyo Patrika. The Weekly job newspaper’s all pages…

[hxzbinwrites]

Vox x Emotionless! Reader | Ignorant In Love

(Lovestruck Part 2)

Warnings ⚠️: Cussing, Violence, Vox being annoying

————

4:30am

Vox woke up, yelping as he sprung out of bed. Not a great decision for his sore back as his clawed hand immediately went to brace it. Groaning, his eyes fluttered, attempting to recall what got him in such a tizzy waking up

Right. Another dream.

Vox had been, haunted, by that humiliating event last week. Even more so that he finally realize how incredibly enamored he was with her.

His screen flushing red at this realization of his current situation, Vox decided to rise out of bed. What good was sulking going to do?

Since that day, (Y/n) hadn’t smiled once more at him. Oh how he craves it. Vox acts like he doesn’t care, but he’s aching for another fix. Another high of seeing that smile. He would do anything and everything just to experience that euphoria one last time, just one drop of it.

Getting dressed for the day, Vox was looking at his bow tie collection, seeking out one of his favorite ties before realizing it had been ruined from the coffee.

Frustrated, he grabbed a random one from the pile, not really thinking too much about it as he put it on.

He stomped out of his quarters, his heels dramatically clacking against the floor as he made his way to his office. It was far too early in the morning for anyone to be active, too late for Val to be doing work (at least IN the office, and not at the club), so the quite walk gave his ever-running mind more time to think

What the hell has gotten into him?! He’s a VEE, THE VEE. If anything, this is woman should be loosing sleep and foaming over him!

‘That’s what I like most though’, He thought to himself,’She’s real. She doesn’t tell me just what I want to hear, or cause problems for me, she’s just…her, and she simply does it best.’

His internal conflicts were brought to an end once he finally sat down in his chair. Cracking his sore, aching joints, before booting up his monitor system.

————

8:30am

(Y/n)‘s heels clacked against the tiled floors, making her way to her desk. Her desk was one of those circular desks that curved around the middle and touched both sides of the wall. There was a small door on the side that she could enter from, but it blended in seamlessly with the black desk, so it would be hard for someone who didn’t work here on a daily to find.

Once she entered her cubicle-like desk, she logged onto her monitor, clocking in. 8:30am sharp, as always. She began to work on her boss’s meetings, but her eye caught a certain one for today “errand.”

This caught her eye, as Vox always made her run errands during work hours. Mostly for coffee, but she’s ran to the convenience store in the lobby for strange things as well.

“Hmm” she mumbled, before printing off the schedule regardless and putting it in her folder for later at 10.

That was her routine, print off the original schedule for the day, present it to him at 10, and if edits are needed, she’d come back and re-arrange some things, and repeat the process until it was to his liking.

(Y/n)‘s hardest part of the job was the PR portion of it. Normally, it’s for the PR team, but they got sick of the Vees tantrums and the entire department up and quit. Now, (Y/n) handles Vox’s PR, Velvette’s assistant handles hers, and Vox handles Valentino’s himself.

Speaking of PR, she was in for a doozy today. Last Friday, when the coffee incident took place, apparently Vox said some…choice words…to the Radio Demon, and Alastor relayed that information back to his listeners on his radio show.

Sighing, (Y/n) began typing a public rebuttal, going for the “deny and victim blame” strategy, as Velvette called it.

‘Why does Vox have to act so…stupid’ (Y/n) thought, her stoic face staying steady as her fingers flew across the keyboard,’For someone so smart, he sure acts dumb. Maybe he should just be a model for Velvette instead, he’s sure got the looks for it, but he doesn’t have the social skills for a public viewpoint like this-‘

“(Y/N). MY OFFICE. IMMEDIATELY.” Vox yelled.

Her eyes flicker up from her monitor, which was now adorned with two clawed hands gripping the top of it. Vox was leaning over it, his tall, slender frame allowing his screened face to intrude (Y/n)’s personal space, but it’s not like that hasn’t been done the before the weekend.

Locking eyes, he saw the flick of emotion run through her, he almost for a moment let his anger go, almost. He could hear her mumbling those things about him. About how “stupid” he was, his “dumb actions….how “he’s got the looks”….never mind that last part.

“Sir..?” She said, her face immediately turning back cold. Ah, there it goes again, fleeting like time itself.

“Don’t sir me,” Vox said, shoving the monitor who knows where. He crawled on the desk towards (Y/n), before grabbing her chin, pulling her towards him. The force from his arm made it where she was on her feet, but she was now hovering over her chair. Vox cocked his head at her, narrowing his eyes and he whispered towards her.

“I heard you mumbling about me over there. Insubordination will not be…tolerated, at this company. If you want to keep this job, and your soul, I suggest you meet me in my office.”

He let go of her chin, before sliding back off of her desk, and walking towards his office. Vox’s hands were clasped behind his back, as he glanced over his shoulder one last time to look if she was following him.

(Y/n) got up and started walking behind him, her face not giving away any emotion.

‘DAMN IT.’ He thought, his mood growing worse,’That whole little stunt was just to get a rise out of her. To get something!’

————

10:00am

Once they arrived in his office, the door slammed shut behind them. Vox’s electrical bolt from his fingertip locked the door, as he walked towards his chair, took a seat, and swiveled it around to see an unamused (Y/n) awaiting his words.

“So, (Y/n)” He started, his claws tapping against one another, “Would you like to repeat, word for word, what you were mumbling about me, or should I repeat it for you?”

“Okay, I asked myself why you acted so stupid. Your actions are ignorant and your social skills need heavy improvement.” (Y/n) said,”also, for your schedule today you have a meeting at-“

“No no no sugar.” Vox said, smirking as he crossed his legs,”Tell me everything you said.”

“I did” She lied, standing her ground.

“Ah, so Im not good enough to be a model anymore? That’s a shame, I would’ve loved to give you a show, but alas.” He sneered, trying to desperately to get a reaction out of her, but failing miserably.

“Ah, a shame indeed.” She said, deadpanned,”Now, todays schedule consists of one meeting with Valentino at 7:30pm and during your 3:30 slot all it says is ‘Errand’? Sir, I’m confused about that portion, don’t I normally run your errands..?”

Vox gritted his teeth, his hand now clenching the sides of his chair. This was getting ridiculous, no emotions out of this one. God, he should just pour an entire mountain of coffee on himself, muck up his PC and everything just to see her smile.

“I was originally planning to get my clothes back from the dry cleaners myself, but I see that as punishment enough for today. Do it and get out of my office.”

“A-Alright sir.” (Y/n) said. They locked eyes, and Vox immediately regretted pushing so far for a reaction. Her eyes showed hurt in them.

Vox couldn’t bring himself to say anything, his face contorted with many emotions. One side of him was over the moon, he made her show something! The other side was in immense regret, he didn’t want to hurt her, that was by far from the plan.

Once she left the office, he started throwing monitors again in frustration.

————

10:30am

(Y/n) didn’t even return to her desk, instead opting for a little stroll down to the convenience store down in the lobby. She picked up a drink and a candy bar to take back to her desk as a little pick me up

Well, she attempted to go back to her desk, she ended up just going to a secluded corner in the building, only adorned by a lonely bench, a plant, and a security camera in the hallway.

(Y/n) sat there on the bench, sighing from stress and she took a chunk of her candy bar.

Sitting there, she replayed the interaction in her mind once more. The way he was so, powerful, it made her cheeks dust pink, with equal parts admiration and humiliation as she smiled to herself, lowering her head. She softly chuckled before taking her wrapper of her snack and going to seek out a trash can.

Little did she know that Vox was watching her every move on his monitor, stalking every security camera that tipped off her motion. He was nearly short circuiting at her little smile. Vox noticed how her shoulders bounced as she chucked slightly. He really wished he could just call her into his office, but it was already time for her to pick up his dry cleaning. Sighing to himself, he adjusted his bow tie.

Out of his entire collection, he just had to pick the most irritating one out of all of them. It was entirely too tight and the material was so unpleasant.

Sighing, he just untied it and threw it on his desk, reveling a small sliver of his skin beneath it.

————

3:45pm

“I’m here to pick up Vox’s clothes.” (Y/n) said, making the worker scramble to go retrieve the Overlord’s clothes.

“H-Here you go ma’am! Do you mind checking to see if everything is in there? We don’t want to forget any article of our valuable costumer’s clothing!”

“Sure” She replied with her signature neutral expression, opening up the box of neatly folded clothes to see his entire wardrobe from that day, except something was missing…a key part of his ensemble.

“Ah, where is his bow tie?”

“Oh, did he not tell you? We had to return it to him, the fabric of it was too thin, it would’ve burnt up in the dryer.”

“Oh, well thank you.” (Y/n) said,”everything looks like it’s in order.”

“Have a good day!” The worker said, earning a nod from (Y/n) as she walked out of the dry cleaners.

‘He wore that bow tie often’ (Y/n) thought to herself,’ Maybe since I pissed him off earlier today, I can get him another to make it up to him.’

She strolled by the clothing district before entering the tailors shop, browsing the different selection of items for a while before the clerk cleared his throat.

“Ma’am, is there something I can help you with?”

“Ah yes, I’m looking for a bow tie with a certain fabric to it. It’s rather thin, I need a replacement.”

“You? A replacement?” The man chuckled, looking over at her,”I think I know which one you’re talking about, but I dare say I don’t think you’re in the tax bracket to be purchasing that.”

“I’ll purchase what I please.” (Y/n) retorted, her dead eyes looking into the man’s cocky ones

“Oh really? And who is this for?”

“Vox.”

The man started howling in laughter,”YOU?! FOR THE TECH OVERLORD?? OH PLEASE I-“

(Y/n) briskly walked over and slammed the man’s head down on the table.

“Yes. I suggest you make it quick due to your little interruption.”

“And why should I?”

(Y/n) gripped him by the hair, making his eyes meet hers,”Vox is my boyfriend, and so help me I’ll let him tear you limb from limb just because I said pretty please, now fucking do it.”

“Y-Yes ma’am.” He said, as she let go of his hair, he scrambled to the back room to give her a lavish tie. Instead of the navy blue one he had previously, it was near black with bright blue strips adorning the sides of the fabric where it curved in on itself.

“Hmm, this will do.” (Y/n) said, snatching the box before walking away.

“W-Wait, aren’t you going to pay?”

“Pay? You should be dead where you stand for messing with me today. This is your pay.”

And with that, she walked out of the store, leaving the man shocked.

————

8:00pm

Walking into Vox’s office, (Y/n) looked around to see Vox nowhere in sight.

“Ah right,” (Y/n) muttered to herself, despite the fact that very action got her in a tight situation with her boss earlier that day,”Meeting with Valentino. I’ll just set his stuff down here.”

(Y/n) looked around once more, before setting his clothes neatly on the desk. Patting it down to remove it of any lint that couldn’t accrued on the bag, before setting the nicely wrapped gift atop of it, adorning it with a letter signed to him.

————

9:00pm

Vox groggily walked back into his office, after his “productive” meeting with Valentino on his public image. Not a word went to that moth’s head. One ear and out the freaking other.

He closed his eyes, plopping down unceremoniously into his chair, not even bothering for the brooding dramatics this time.

Rubbing his eyes, he really contemplated calling it quits early tonight. But alas, Vox never does, that’s the mantra of a workaholic.

His digital eyes fluttering open once more, he gazed upon the clothes neatly laid there for him. Smiling he looked at it before his smile turned into confusion. Why was there a box? Wrapped with a ribbon…?

He slowly and gently grabbed onto the small box, unwrapping it like an inpatient child on Christmas morning, only to reveal a new bow tie, the one he ached for the entire day.

This one was nicer though, how she scrounged up some money to “buy it”, he didn’t know, but he was eternally grateful.

His eye caught the letter that was now sitting beside where the box was, it fell off when Vox took the box. He held the envelope and slit the seal with his claw like a letter opener.

“Dear Vox,

I sincerely apologize for this morning. I was out of line. I just don’t really know how to process everything. I feel like you’d understand being mechanical and all, but I don’t know how to process emotion.

Normally, I feel nothing towards anyone, but there’s something weird going on. This strangely warm feeling in my chest and my face, I feel clammy around you, and you specifically.

Feel free to ignore this, but here’s my number. Contact me if you are willing to help my predicament. Enjoy the gift regardless, you deserve it. Also, stop coming to work at 5 in the morning. You’re not sneaky, I see when you’ve clocked in on your schedule.

-(Y/n) (L/n)”

Vox was beaming, a pure genuine smile. He might be a lovestruck fool, but she’s ignorantly in love.

————

Word Count: 2,540

(Part 3?)

TAGLIST

@burningfishkidlamp

@koji-akeme

@callmechito

@neito327

@chocolat3pudding

@yellowsubiesdance

[celeryb1tch]

how you and spencer meet!

receptionist!reader starts a new job at the BAU, and a very handsome coworker shows her around!

content: meet cute, fem!reader, pov you’re an idiot who’s sensitive to blood, fainting for the plot and not in the way it works in real life lol, confident-ish but pretty canon compliant mid-seasons spencer!

—

the FBI certainly isn’t the place for squeamish little pansies…

at least, that’s what you were told in your interview. and you had nodded diligently, ignoring the lump in your throat as you thought about how you almost fainted the last time you had bloodwork done. but as a secretary, how bad could it get, right? you tried to assure yourself of this when you got the job offer.

on a brisk friday morning, you were wandering through the FBI Academy campus in an attempt to find your office. everyone around you seemed to be in a hurry, and no one had given you the time of day when you attempted to ask for directions. so fifteen minutes before your first day started, opposed to the promised half hour, you entered the NSAVC building with your tail between your legs.

the bullpen was empty. you had expected to be met by a trainer, or perhaps the person whose job you would be taking over, but you instead faced a grouping of empty desks. as you peered around the open area, your eyes landed on a conference room with large windows, allowing you to see a group of agents. with a sigh of relief, you headed up the stairs and knocked on the door lightly before letting yourself in.

before you was a circular table seating five people, all with their eyes trained directly on you. “hi!” you chirped. “i was looking for-“

“i think you’re lost, miss. students shouldn’t be allowed access into this department,” demanded a man in a full suit, who seemed to be in charge.

your smile faded as you saw the various displeased faces looking back at you. “oh no, i’m not…” in an attempt to avoid eye contact, you raised your sight to the opposite wall, projector casting images of open wounds and a dismembered corpse. and in only a second, your vision was going black.

—

the white of fluorescent bulbs seared even through to the inside of your eyelids, but despite this you still blinked a few times to shake the disorientation and open your eyes.

your legs were eased up in the air with a chair, brand new pencil skirt hiked slightly up your thighs. you felt the texture of carpet against your back through your blouse and the cool of ice on your forehead. your first instinct was to sit up and reorient yourself, which you tried to no avail.

“hey, hey, easy,” an unidentifiable voice said soothingly. you scanned your surroundings, finding a man with chin length chestnut hair in your periphery who couldn’t be much older than you. he was crouched beside you, apple juice box in hand and concern in his eyes. god, his eyes were pretty, you thought. like pools of dappled sunlight.

it took you a few seconds to recognize him as one of the displeased members of the conference room, and the previous events rushed back to you, bringing a flush to your cheeks. “i am so sorry, sir. um, agent. detective? there was a misunderstanding, and that was so unprofessional of me.”

he had a small smile playing on his lips as he scanned your face. he seemed to be entertained by the fact that you were so flustered, letting you finish rambling before he replied. “doctor spencer reid, and no worries at all. a freeze response to gore is a fairly common reaction. while you were unconscious we were able to identify you as the new front desk secretary, we thought you were starting next week so we weren’t expecting anyone.”

you visibly relaxed at his explanation. it seemed possible that you wouldn’t be fired on the spot for this. you took the hand he outstretched to you, helping you up from the ground slowly. he offered you the juice box, to which you shook your head. “i’m okay, but thank you.”

“i would recommend it. after fainting it’s likely that your blood sugar is low, and fruit juice is packed with natural sugars that will allow you to feel better almost immediately.”

“doctor’s orders, huh?” you joked, to which he cracked a smile again.

“i’m not exactly that kind of doctor. but yes, i do strongly advise it.”

so you took the juice box, and spencer walked you down the few steps from the office you’d been laying in toward the bullpen. suddenly you were filled with anxiety once again as the faces you had seen minutes ago holding inconvenienced stares now looked on with concern.

the man from before who was so clearly the leader of this operation approached, offering a hand to shake. “supervisory special agent aaron hotchner, i apologize for the misunderstanding.”

you winced away from him slightly, worried that any further mistake would result in you losing the position you had yet to start. “thank you, sir. i am so sorry for interrupting a meeting like that, and fainting. that wasn’t exactly the first impression i wanted.”

he had an easy smile, that of a reassuring father. “i can assure you that no punitive action will be taken, if that’s what you’re concerned about. if we knew you were coming today we would not have left graphic case evidence up on the screen.”

oh, thank god. you exhaled deeply, feeling the tightness in your chest subside. you stepped back toward spencer, whose gaze had never left you. “what should i be doing now? i was never informed of what my training would be, not to mention where my desk is.”

“linda’s out sick today, which is why we thought you weren’t coming until monday,” said the woman sat in the desk rightmost of you. her hair was pure black, with straight, blunt bangs that suited her well.

“we don’t exactly have training for you today without your predecessor here, so i thought you could shadow my agents to familiarize yourself with the office. and i’m happy to show you to your desk, but since you’ll mostly be seeing our faces daily, we should get introductions out of the way first,” agent hotchner said.

you glanced at spencer beside you almost unconsciously, in search of reassurance. despite knowing him for about three minutes, he was the closest thing you had to a friend or ally so far. and seeming to sense this, he shot you a smile that crinkled the edges of his eyes. you felt your anxiety melt a little, and you realized that everything was going to be okay.

—

by lunchtime, you had your things at your desk and nothing to do without a computer login or training. you remembered that hotchner had suggested shadowing someone, but the idea of asking one of the agents made your stomach churn. they sat only a dozen feet away from you, laughing and bantering as if they’d known each other all their lives. who were you to butt into their dynamic? so you sat twiddling your thumbs for the rest of the lunch hour, peeking at the group occasionally to confirm that you hadn’t spontaneously gained the confidence to approach.

spencer specifically appeared to be deep in thought once he got back to work. you thought that it would be best to shadow him if possible, given you were most familiar with the tall brunette, but you really had no business to interrupt his work. still, you worked up the courage to advance to his desk.

“would you like some more coffee, dr. reid? i could go get some for you, you seem pretty busy,” you offered in an attempt at nonchalance. but uncertainty and regret crept up quickly when you received no reply.

emily prentiss, the previously unnamed woman with dark hair, noticed the interaction. with a slight grin on her lips, she interjected. “don’t take it personally. he gets so into his case readings, it’s hard for him to pick up on anything else.”

“hey, pretty boy,” cooed derek morgan from another desk. “someone’s trying to talk to you.”

spencer lifted his head reluctantly, eyes following a moment later. he looked dazed, not quite focused on anything in particular. “sorry, what?”

“i noticed your coffee was almost empty, would you like some more?” you asked meakly. it took everything in you not to run and hide of embarrassment.

he finally registered the question, shaking his head fervently. “no, i couldn’t ask you to do that. i’m perfectly capable of refilling my own coffee, but while i do i could show you the kitchenette? it’s crucial to the operation of the office.”

and with a nod, the two of you headed to the tiny kitchen adjacent to the bullpen. you stood slightly out of the way as spencer placed his mug on the counter, refilling the drip coffee maker for a fresh batch. you watched him card his fingers through his hair, looking around casually.

“so, the kitchen is important why?” you inquired, head tilting slightly to emphasize your interest.

spencer finally met your eyes again, letting out a little breezy laugh. “oh, it’s not. i noticed that you were having trouble potentially asking one of us to show you around, so i thought this was an opportune moment.”

you flushed slightly at the confession, apparently caught red-handed in your effort. “wow, you’re pretty good at reading people. or was i just that transparent?”

“is that a joke?” his eyebrows knotted as he looked at you, no air of humour on his face.

you stared back, equally confused. “am i supposed to know that? do you have a particularly well known judgement of character?”

“well yes, you’re in the behavioural analysis unit.”

and with that, you were sure that you had damaged your ego and reputation in this job position irrevocably.

—

after a brief explanation of the lack of background information provided when accepting the job, spencer assured you that he wouldn’t tell the others. he expressed his surprise that the FBI hadn’t been as diligent as they usually are, and you had to agree.

“i mean, i told them that this was my first job after graduation. i was doing my field placement two months ago, and that was in a law firm!” you stifled a giggle, feeling at ease leaning against the kitchen counter with spencer taking occasional sips of his coffee.

“that’s astounding. they hired me young, but i’d argue that i was overqualified for the position,” he admitted. “you, however…”

you gasped in feigned offence, rolling your eyes. “hey, i learned a lot in that law office! i can photocopy anything you need me to, and schedule dry cleaning for same-day pickup.”

it had been well over a half hour at this point, with you and spencer getting gradually closer until your clothed elbow rubbed against his. no one else had come in, until mid-reply spencer was greeted by agent aaron hotchner himself, who happened to also need a fresh cup of coffee.

“reid, i see that you’ve taken it upon yourself to let our new team member shadow you. but maybe you should show her some places other than the coffee counter?” he suggested with a raised eyebrow.

spencer looked caught, eyes flitting from you to his boss. your boss too, you supposed. “of course. sorry hotch, we got a little caught up.”

“i can see that. as long as you get your files finished by end-of-day, it’s really none of my business.”

“yes, sir,” spencer yelped. he gestured rapidly for you to follow him, exiting the kitchen to return to his desk.

you watched him put his mug down and shuffle some papers around before his eyes lit up in recognition. “i actually do need you to photocopy this for me,” he admitted shyly.

“of course!” you replied, just before your smile dropped. “you actually never showed me where the copier is.”

spencer chuckled with you, getting up from his chair once again. “no problem, i’ll show you.”

and as the two of you began walking down the hallway together, the others laughed upon hearing, “by the way, would you like to go for dinner with me once we clock out? i have a lot more to tell you.”

derek grinned. “i didn’t know that kid had the balls.”

—

(hi guys!! thank you for all of the love on my first spencer post!! i’m having so much fun writing these! psa tho: as i said before, i’m a lesbian i just have a weird thing for this one particular fictional man- so if u follow me, pls expect woman-centred content mostly!!)

[wholoveseggs]

HIIII DARLING!! it’s me and i’d love to request a 3some (f!reader) with Elijah and Kol. my birthday just passed so can i make it into a christmas birthday celebration and reader’s presents are her two men? make it as smutty as you’d love it to be with a sprinkle of christmas in there. please and thank you!! 🤍💋

Birthday Lessons

18+ ---- {Masterlist}

☆♡☆HAPPY NEW YEAR☆♡☆

On your birthday night at Rousseau's, tension fills the air as Kol and Elijah compete for your attention, promising a celebration like no other.

~♡♡ Happy belated birthday Aurora ♡♡ I hope you enjoy this little ménage à trois!~

5k words - Warnings: drinking, blow jobs, dp, tiiiny bit of choking, Kol being a huge flirt, Elijah being Elijah ♡

You never imagined it could actually happen; you felt far too shy to initiate or boldly tell them what you want. Elijah's politeness and Kol's cockiness leave no room for either of them to propose anything. So, in your quiet desperation, you settle for the little affection you are given and try to ignore the ache. Instead, you let the idea linger in your mind, a fantasy building up slowly each day.

That is until one evening, on your birthday no less, you find yourself at Rousseau's. It's a Friday night, and the bar is brimming with lively festive energy. The soft glow of Christmas lights hangs overhead, jazz music plays softly, and the sound of chattering and laughing bounces off the walls. Sipping on your second drink of the night while Elijah tells you about his day.

You love to hear him speak; it could be about literally anything, and it's always interesting. He is just so formal—not that you mind; his diction is sexy. Hearing him say words that most people would abbreviate and shorten, using lengthy and flattering expressions instead, just does something to you. He makes everything seem important and interesting; his speech is so gentlemanly and polite. You like his authority and command over words.

You listen to him intently, laughing every now and then at something he says. Sitting next to each other in a booth, knees touching due to the cramped space. He places his hand on your thigh as he starts another sentence, running his thumb back and forth along the skin exposed by your short dress.

This little touch alone is making you wet. He is good, knowing exactly what to do. Just enough to keep you wanting more without building up the anticipation too much. A fleeting, lust-filled thought of him bending you over and pounding into you goes through your mind. You try to pay attention to what he is saying, but you can't help your imagination.

That is when Kol walks in, ordering a drink from the bar then leaning against it, casually sipping on bourbon as he scans the crowd. He sees you, and his eyes light up, smiling, raising his glass to you before finishing his drink and heading in your direction, weaving his way through the crowd. You raise your eyebrows, and Elijah lets out a sigh as he turns his head to look at the cause of the sudden interruption.

"Hello, darlings," he says when he reaches the table. Without invitation, he sits down next to you, sandwiching you between the two of them.

“Happy birthday, pretty Aurora,” He adds, leaning in to give you a kiss on the cheek. He places his hand on your knee, fingertips tracing circular patterns along your thigh as he leans back and looks to his brother. Elijah's jaw tightens, his lips pursing together. Kol does not even bother to hide his smug expression. He knows just how to push his brother's buttons. “Enjoying your night?”

"We were," Elijah states, and Kol laughs at the agitation in his tone. He turns back to you, looking you up and down appreciatively, clearly undressing you with his eyes.

"Don't mind me," he says with an innocent smile. Elijah's brows furrow, and his jaw clenches as he looks away, clearly annoyed, but you don't mind this new arrangement at all.

"Kol, dear brother, do you not have somewhere you need to be?" Elijah asks after a while.

"What's the problem, Elijah? You don't like me spending time with your girl?" Kol teases.

You nearly spit out your drink; you and Elijah were barely in the talking stage, far too soon for anyone to be calling you his girl. But Elijah doesn't correct Kol; instead, he just glares at him. Kol smirks, knowing exactly the reaction he'd receive from his brother. He decides to take it further.

He leans back into your ear, running his fingers along your thigh now. He nibbles at your earlobe playfully, inhaling the scent of your hair. You feel hot, already dizzy from the three drinks you've consumed. But now, you're really feeling like you could use another. Kol's hand moves up further, creeping under your dress slightly and rubbing your inner thigh.

You push him away, uncomfortable with his aggressive flirting. "Kol, stop it," you say softly.

"I apologize for my brother; he has always had the subtlety of an elephant," Elijah says. He doesn't look at you but rather focuses on Kol, who is glaring back at him.

You just shrug, thinking they are both being ridiculous. You take a sip of your drink, trying to ignore Elijah's hand that is now squeezing your thigh possessively.

"And I apologize for my brother, for being so incredibly uptight that he can't even handle a little teasing," Kol says.

You put down your drink, a rush of heat coursing through you as the realization of what is going on hits you. Is Kol really flirting with you, or is he doing it to piss off his brother? Elijah's grip tightens on your thigh, and you run your hand along his forearm soothingly. He relaxes his muscles, his eyebrows lifting as he looks down at where you are touching him. His hand leaves your thigh, and he sips at his drink; Kol then lets out a hearty laugh.

You look back and forth between the two of them, feeling uncertain about how to proceed. The tension and excitement of their proximity and undivided attention are turning you on immensely. 

A huge grin spreads on Kol's face; he places his palm on your leg again and digs his fingers into your skin. You keep your hands in your lap, eyeing his palm and wondering if you should just leave. But truthfully, you don't want to leave. Maybe it's the alcohol or the fact that your secret desire finally has a possibility of becoming real.

As he goes to slide his hand up your thigh once more, Elijah seizes his wrist, squeezing it hard enough that his knuckles turn white. Kol cries out in pain, reaching his free hand down to loosen his grip.

"Elijah, it's alright," you say, not wanting things to escalate. "Can you both just chill out? I can't stand all this posturing," you say firmly, gently pulling Kol's wrist free from Elijah's hand.

"Whatever you'd like, doll, it is your birthday after all," Kol says, rubbing his sore wrist. Elijah leans back in his seat and signals to the waitress to bring him another drink.

You decide that instead of being annoyed at their behavior, you are going to take advantage of it. They both clearly desire you, and you know exactly how to manipulate the situation to fulfill your fantasy. You finish off your drink, using the liquid courage to finally get a little risky.

"Elijah, as the older brother, what advice would you give Kol on his rather aggressive flirting style?" you ask.

Kol huffs, laughing through his nose and smiling to himself as he looks off to the side. Elijah runs his finger over the rim of his now full glass, thinking for a moment.

"There is a place for his style of flirting, but in order to truly understand a woman's needs and satisfaction, it requires selflessness and patience," he says evenly, tipping his head forward as he speaks, his voice slightly deeper than usual.

"Please, Elijah, do explain," Kol counters, sipping his own drink, trying to hide his annoyance at his older brother's condescending attitude. Elijah's eyes never leave your face. He leans towards you, so that his lips are merely inches from your ear.

"To truly please a woman, I believe the best approach is to start off slow," Elijah whispers, "tease her just enough to make her wet, but not enough to make her cum."

You can't help the thrill of arousal that runs down your spine at the sound of his voice and the words that he is speaking. You take a deep breath, trying to steady yourself, desiring to maintain some sort of control in the situation.

"Would you say Kol's methods are too... hasty?" you ask, trying to keep your voice even.

"I'm afraid so," Elijah replies, leaning back slightly.

You turn to Kol, who is still sipping at his drink and looking rather disinterested. You reach out and put your palm on his knee. He looks up at you, his eyes narrowing as a smirk crosses his face.

"Care to defend yourself?" you ask, raising your brow at him.

"Well, Elijah isn't exactly known for his flirting skills either," Kol drawls. "He tends to silently pine for a woman rather than properly seducing her."

"Sounds like you could both learn from each other," you state. You can hardly hold back your smile as you take in the sight of them. Playing them both like a fiddle, and it was almost too easy.

"I've always believed the best way to learn is through practice," you say slowly, drawing out your words with the most innocent tone you could muster. You remove your hand from Kol's knee and stand up. The two brothers watch you for a brief moment, eyeing you carefully. Elijah then quickly stands and moves out of the way, letting you walk past him.

Your heart is pounding in your chest, but you muster the courage to turn around, trying to keep your composure. "Well, what are you waiting for?" You ask, looking back and forth between them.

The two vampires stare at each other, their eyes narrowed in silent communication. They look back at you and without hesitation, follow you towards the door. You lead them outside, hoping that the night air would cool you down. You need to keep your wits about you; otherwise, you are certain you'd melt into a puddle right there on the snow-covered sidewalk.

The twinkling lights and festive decorations add a magical touch to the atmosphere as you walk down the street. It had taken you forever to gain the courage to seduce them, you wanted them both, so badly, and now you could hardly believe that your fantasy was coming true.

The three of you walk in silence; you don't even know where you are going, but neither of the men seems to care. They keep an even pace behind you but stay a few feet apart, making it obvious that they still want nothing to do with each other.

Christmas carols echo from distant shops, and the scent of cinnamon fills the crisp air. Dark clouds are gathering, and they hurried through the crowded streets, dodging couples, last-minute shoppers, and revelers as they go by. The occasional snowflake drifts down, adding a touch of winter magic to the scene.

You stop for a moment and turn to face them, "Where?" you ask, trying to sound confident and casual. You can feel your body heating up, the alcohol mixed with the excitement and your own lust creating an intoxicating blend that clouds your thoughts.

"The compound," Elijah said. You nod, your stomach fluttering at the thought of what was to come. They continue walking, heading towards their home. It's only a few blocks away, and you make it there quickly, all of you eager to be behind closed doors.

The snow starts to fall in earnest, the flakes sticking to your hair and eyelashes. You're grateful when you finally arrive, brushing the snow off your jacket and entering the house, taking off your boots and jacket in the foyer. Kol and Elijah remove their jackets, hanging them neatly next to yours, and the three of you walk towards the library.

You take a seat on one of the leather sofas. Kol walks over to the bar and grabs a bottle of bourbon and a glass, pouring himself a generous amount before taking a large swig. Elijah sits down across from you, leaning back with his arms outstretched as he looks at you intently.

"So, how do you want to proceed, darling?" Elijah asked.

"How does one proceed when they are about to fuck a girl silly with their younger brother?" you ask bluntly, the alcohol and anticipation making you feel bolder than usual.

"Such a filthy mouth, and yet so beautiful," Kol said as he poured himself another drink. Elijah was unfazed by your brash words, and he stood up, moving to sit next to you.

"I suggest we start off slow," Elijah said softly, placing a finger under your chin and gently tilting your head upwards, leaning forward and pressing his lips to yours.

You kissed him back, savoring the taste of his lips and the softness of his tongue. He tasted like bourbon, and the kiss was sweet and gentle.

"Don't hog her," Kol said. Elijah pulled away, and you looked over at Kol, watching as he approached the sofa. He set his drink down, settling down in front of you, parting your legs gently as he moved closer to you.

"You look gorgeous," Kol whispered against your lips. You smiled, and he kissed you, his hands gripping your hips as his lips moved against yours. His kiss was rough and hungry, his tongue slipping into your mouth.

Your heart was beating wildly, and you were almost certain the two of them could hear it, but you didn't care. All you cared about was the way their lips felt against yours, the way their hands were roaming your body, and the way their eyes were darkening with lust.

Kol broke the kiss, and you opened your eyes, staring up at him. He smiled, and then his gaze shifted over to Elijah.

"Any pointers?" He asked sarcastically. Elijah chuckled, and you looked back and forth between both of them, a smirk crossing your face. Elijah reached his hand out and tilted your face back towards him, pressing his lips against yours once more.

You could feel Kol's hands slowly traveling up your legs, his fingertips brushing against the bare skin of your thighs. Elijah's lips trailed from your mouth to your jawline, peppering soft kisses along your skin.

You gasped as you felt Kol's fingers brush against the crotch of your panties, rubbing your clit through the fabric. Elijah took advantage of your parted lips and slipped his tongue into your mouth, his kiss growing more passionate and demanding.

Kol's fingers slipped beneath your panties, his fingertips tracing circles around your clit, causing you to moan into Elijah's mouth.

"So hasty, Kol," Elijah said, his lips brushing against your jaw as he spoke.

"She doesn't seem to mind," Kol replied. You let out a soft moan, the feeling of their hands on you, their lips on your skin, was driving you wild.

"Do you want me to show Kol how it's supposed to be done?" Elijah asked, his lips trailing down your neck.

"Yes," you whispered, your voice shaking with arousal. Elijah chuckled, and you felt him move away from you. Kol's fingers continued their teasing, and you moaned softly, arching your back as he slipped one inside you.

"Oh fuck," you said breathlessly. Kol smirked and leaned forward, his lips brushing against your ear.

"That's what I thought," he said smugly.

"Please Kol, would you mind?" Elijah asked. You could hear the amusement in his voice, and you opened your eyes, looking at the two men. Kol rolled his eyes and removed his fingers from you, moving back and sitting on the adjacent sofa.

"Show me how it's done then," Kol said mockingly.

Elijah's hands moved to your waist, and he lifted you up, setting you down on his lap so that you were straddling him. You could feel his cock pressing against you, and you shifted your hips, rubbing yourself against him.

"Be patient," Elijah said, his lips curving into a smirk. He kissed you deeply, his tongue exploring your mouth as his hands roamed your body. You ran your hands up his chest, and you could feel his muscles tense under your touch.

"Take off your clothes," Elijah commanded. You obliged, lifting your dress up over your head and tossing it onto the floor. You reached back and unclasped your bra, letting it fall to the floor as you exposed your breasts.

"Beautiful," Elijah murmured, his eyes raking over your body. You blushed and moved your hands down to his shirt, undoing the buttons one by one.

Once his shirt was fully open, you trailed your hands down his chest, your fingertips brushing against his hard muscles. You bit your lip as you felt his cock twitch beneath you.

Elijah took one of your nipples into his mouth, sucking on it gently. Your head fell back, and a low moan escaped your lips as his teeth grazed your skin. He switched to your other nipple, and you rolled your hips against him, seeking friction.

"Patience," he said again, his lips brushing against your skin as he spoke. He kissed his way up your chest, along your neck, and then up to your ear. "Stand up and take off your panties," he whispered.

You obeyed, standing up and shimmying out of your underwear. Elijah looked up at you, his eyes dark and hungry. In one swift move, Elijah grabbed you by your waist, and pinned you underneath him on the sofa. You let out a surprised yelp, but then your body relaxed, enjoying the feeling of his bare skin pressed against yours.

"I'm going to teach my brother a lesson," Elijah said, his voice low and seductive. "I'm going to make you cum so hard that you'll forget he's even here," he promised. You let out a whimper as his hands slid down your body, parting your legs slowly.

"You see Kol, patience and precision are the keys to truly pleasing a woman," Elijah said, his eyes never leaving your face. He leaned down and pressed his lips against your neck, kissing and sucking your sensitive skin.

"I don't see how this is any different than what I was doing," Kol countered. You could feel Elijah's lips curve into a smile against your skin, and you moaned as his finger slipped inside you, stroking you just right.

"That's the problem, you don't see," Elijah said, his thumb rubbing slow circles around your clit. Kol sighed and took a sip of his drink, shaking his head as he watched his older brother work.

“You're both being ridiculous,” you muttered, your eyes closing as pleasure began to wash over you.

"Hush, sweetheart," Elijah whispered, his lips brushing against your ear. His fingers continued to work, his pace steady and perfect.

"Are you going to cum for me, darling?" He asked, his voice thick with lust. You nodded, and he sped up his movements, fucking you with his fingers.

"Fuck, yes," you moaned. Your orgasm hit you hard, your hips bucking and your back arching as pleasure surged through your body.

Elijah pulled his fingers out and licked them clean, smiling down at you. 

"Delicious," he said, his eyes darkening. 

"So, am I dismissed, or should I stick around for the main course?" Kol asked. Elijah chuckled, his eyes never leaving you.

"I think Kol feels left out," he said. You smirked, reaching up and pulling him down, kissing him hard. 

"Do you think I should help him out?" You asked.

Elijah smiled and moved off of you, allowing you to get up. You turned to Kol, kneeling down in front of him, your hands moving to his belt. He looked down at you, his eyes wide and his breathing heavy.

"I'm sorry, Kol, I didn't mean to ignore you," you said innocently, unbuckling his belt and tugging down his pants and boxers. His cock sprung free, and you wrapped your hand around it, stroking him slowly. You looked into his eyes, licking your lips and smirking.

"Can I make it up to you?" You asked sweetly, your hand moving faster. Kol nodded, his eyes full of desire.

You leaned down, taking his cock into your mouth. You could taste the pre-cum on his tip, and you swirled your tongue around him, taking him deeper into your mouth. Elijah sat down next to him, freeing his erection from his pants and stroking himself, watching the scene unfold.

"Fuck, you're good at that," Kol moaned, his hand tangling in your hair. You hummed in response, the vibration causing him to moan louder. You continued to suck him, bobbing your head and taking him as deep as you could. He let out a groan, and you felt him twitch in your mouth. You pulled away, not wanting him to cum just yet.

"Did you enjoy that?" You asked, your hand continuing to stroke him. 

"God yes," Kol said breathlessly. You turned your attention to Elijah, who was still touching himself. You crawled over to him, pushing his hand away and replacing it with your own.

"How about you, Eli? Did you enjoy the show?" You asked, your fingers moving up and down his length. 

"Very much so," he replied, his eyes darkening. You grinned and leaned forward, taking his cock into your mouth. You could feel him twitch, and you bobbed your head, swirling your tongue in a way that drove any man crazy.

Reaching out, you took Kol's cock in your other hand, stroking him in time with your movements. You desperately wanted both of them inside you, but you wanted to drag this out, to make them squirm.

The two brothers let out a groan as you worked your magic, your tongue and hands teasing and pleasing them. Then, you suddenly pulled off Elijah with a loud pop and released Kol. They both let out a grunt of disappointment.

You sat back on your knees, relishing the way you were able to have the two of them exactly where you wanted them. They looked at you with hungry, lust filled eyes, their chests rising and falling 

"Aurora, come here," Elijah ordered, his voice thick with need. You smirked, but remained where you were.

"Are you going to beg?" You asked, your voice sweet as honey. 

"No," Elijah growled. 

"Not a chance," Kol replied. You chuckled, amused by their defiance.

"Alright, then I suppose I'll just go then, what a disappointing birthday," you said with a mock sigh, standing up and gathering your clothes. You made a big show of getting dressed, making sure to turn away from them as you bent over, giving them a perfect view of your ass.

Suddenly, you felt yourself being lifted off the ground and you let out a squeal of surprise as Kol threw you over his shoulder. He carried you to his bedroom, with Elijah following close behind, chuckling softly.

"Where do you think you are going?" Kol said as he tossed you onto the bed. You giggled, loving the way his eyes were devouring you. You sat up, your gaze traveling between the two men as they began to undress. They were both beautiful, and your gaze lingered on their cocks, your core aching to feel them.

"Which one do you want first?" Elijah asked. You bit your lip, unable to choose.

"Both?" You suggested, your voice small and hopeful. Elijah smiled, and he and Kol shared a glance.

"Are you sure you can handle that, sweetheart?" Kol asked. You nodded, your eyes darkening with lust. The two men crawled onto the bed, and you felt your heart race as they drew closer. 

Elijah moved behind you, pulling you back against his chest, his hands moving to cup your breasts. He pinched your nipples, rolling them between his fingers, eliciting a moan from your lips.

Kol knelt in front of you, his eyes meeting yours. You reached out, taking his cock in your hand, stroking him slowly. His gaze locked onto yours and he gave you a wicked grin. 

"Darling, I'm going to make you cum all over my cock," he promised. Elijah chuckled, and you felt him nip at your neck.

"And I'm going to fill your tight little ass," he whispered, his hands roaming your body. You whimpered, your need growing with each passing moment.

"I love it when you two cooperate," you said, your voice laced with desire.

"Just this once," Elijah replied. Kol rolled his eyes, and you laughed, the sound quickly turning into a gasp as Kol's lips captured yours. He kissed you roughly, his tongue exploring your mouth.

You felt Elijah's fingers dip in between you, circling around your ass, and you arched your back, pressing against him. His free hand reached for the lube on the nightstand, and he generously coated his fingers, slowly pushing one inside you.

You moaned against Kol's lips, and he broke the kiss, his lips trailing down your neck and to your breasts, taking a nipple into his mouth. Elijah's fingers moved slowly, stretching you and preparing you for his cock. You could feel his tip press against you, and you bit your lip, anticipating the sweet sting of pain that would accompany his entrance.

"There you go darling, relax for my brother," Kol whispered, his lips moving back up to yours, kissing you hungrily. You could feel Elijah slowly push himself into you, the burn mixing with pleasure.

You broke the kiss and looked into Kol's eyes for reassurance, your hands gripping his shoulders. He smiled at you, and you took a deep breath, trying to relax your body.

"So tight, my dear," Elijah grunted, his fingers digging into your hips as he slowly pushed deeper into you. You closed your eyes, the sensations overwhelming you.

"Look at me," Kol ordered, his tone harsh. You opened your eyes, and he smiled, his eyes filled with lust and mischief. "I want to see the look on your face when I make you cum."

Elijah pulled out and then pushed back in, setting a slow pace, his hands gripping your hips. Kol moved closer, his cock brushing against your clit, sending a wave of pleasure through you.

"Yes," you moaned, your nails digging into his biceps. 

Elijah picked up the pace, his thrusts growing rougher and faster. Kol leaned down and captured your lips in a rough kiss, his tongue battling with yours.

"Does the lovely Aurora enjoy Elijah's cock in her ass?" Kol asked, breaking the kiss. You could only nod, your mind fuzzy from the pleasure.

"Such a naughty girl," Kol said, his voice low and thick with arousal. He wrapped his hand around your throat, applying just enough pressure to send a thrill of fear through you.

"Do you want me too, birthday girl?" He asked, gently squeezing. You whimpered and nodded, your body on fire from their touches and words.

Elijah slowed his pace, his hands running up your sides. Kol pushed you down, your back now flush against Elijah's chest. You moaned as Kol rubbed his cock against your clit, and he smirked, pushing himself inside you.

You gasped, the feeling of being so full was intense, almost too much. Elijah's warm hands caressed your sides, soothing you softly.

"You feel so good," Elijah whispered, his cock sliding in and out of you. Kol's eyes were fixed on your face, watching your reaction as he slowly pushed deeper inside you. You cried out, your back arching, as he began to move, setting a slow, deep pace.

"Such a pretty little thing you are," Kol said, his voice strained. "Look at her Elijah, isn't she beautiful?"

"Absolutely stunning," Elijah agreed, his breath hot on your ear. The brothers picked up their pace, and your moans grew louder, your body burning with pleasure.

"You see Elijah? This is how you please a woman," Kol said, his tone smug. Elijah chuckled, his hands roaming your body.

"If you say so," he replied, his hands controlling the pace, pulling you back as he thrust into you.

"Oh god," you cried, your head falling back onto his shoulder. You felt the familiar heat coiling inside you, the tension building with each thrust.

"Do you like the way we fill you up, Aurora? Do you like being our little fuck toy?" Kol asked, his voice low and husky.

"Yes," you moaned. "Oh fuck, yes."

The three of you moved together, the sound of your skin slapping filling the room. Elijah's fingers dug into your hips, holding you steady as he thrust harder into your ass. Kol leaned down, capturing your lips in a bruising kiss.

You could feel your orgasm approaching, the heat inside you becoming unbearable. Kol reached down, his thumb rubbing your clit, and your whole body shook, the pleasure crashing over you like a tidal wave.

You moaned into Kol's mouth, your pussy tightening around his cock. The sensation sent him over the edge, and he came with a groan, spilling deep inside you.

Elijah gripped your hips, pulling you back against him as he thrusted into you, the room filled with your moans and heavy breathing. With a final grunt, he came, filling your ass.

You collapsed in a tangle of limbs on the bed, trying to catch your breath. Kol pressed a kiss to your temple, and you smiled, your body spent and your mind dizzy from pleasure.

"Happy Birthday, Aurora," Elijah said softly, his lips brushing against your cheek.

"Thank you," you replied, your voice hoarse. "That was a very generous gift."

Kol chuckled, and you nestled between the two men, the warmth of their bodies lulling you to sleep. The last thought you had before drifting off was how much you hoped your birthday would end like this every year.

~♡ Could someone please create some Elijah and Kol gifs? The current shortage is truly devastating ♡~

[hananoami]

Secret Times: Starry Witness

Memory: 4☆ Xavier: Starry Witness (Emerald/☼) Obtained via: Oracle of Stars / Traversing Deepspace

𝑯𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒂𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒕𝒉 𝒐𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒑 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓.

What’s wrong?

It’s fine. The snow won't melt that quickly.

There's no rush. Take your time.

Are you curious about what’s going on outside?

People are making snowmen.

Looks like there’s going to make a snowman as big as that statue in front of the neighborhood.

Are you also interested?

…

Don’t worry. With my strength, it won't be hard to make a snowman bigger than theirs.

Mmm… There are also kids having a snowball fight under the pine trees. They’re already covered in snow.

… you sound eager to try.

What do you want to bet on?

The loser buys the winner milk tea for a week?

All right. But.. can I phone a friend?

Okay, I guess I can’t bring along my Snow Helper robot.

When you started wishing it would snow more often, I bought one.

Sure, I’ll bring it along.

Huh?

It’s nothing. I saw the kids outside stopping to get something.

They’re now… each holding a baguette.

I don’t get kids these days.

Do you also want to eat baguettes?

Then we can go the bakery nearby after we finishing building the snowman

Ready?

Oh? Are we missing something?

Hand lotion?

That’s a bit too much.

I don’t need any.

All right… Ugh, it’s so sticky and oily.

It smells different from the ones you used yesterday.

…

So you use freesia-scented lotions on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and the chamomile one on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. What about Sunday?

You give your skin a break on that day…

Sundays are for resting anyway. It’s okay to relax.

Is this how you apply it?

Like this? On the back of my hand, my palm…

Did I miss a spot?

When you rub my hands like this… It tickles.

Okay, I won't move. Keep going.

Your hands are small.. But they’re very warm.

Do people with big hands waste a lot of hand lotion?

…

Doesn’t that depend on how hard you squeeze the bottle?

…you want to compare our hands?

Or do you want to see who uses more hand lotion?

The person who uses less wins?

Is there any point in winning or losing…

All right.

What happens if I win?

I get your favorite hand lotion?

I don't need that…

But since you want to do it, let’s do it.

You squeezed a lot for yourself and not a lot for me. You’re cheating, aren’t you…

So you just wanted to give me hand lotion?

All right… then I lost.

You’re giving me your favorite hand lotion just like that. Won't you miss it?

You won't as long as I use it “well”?

Hmm… how do I use it “well”?

Mmm, you squeezed this much onto the back of your hand.

Apply it evenly.

Massage in a circular motion…

Then rub your hands together.

I get it now.

But.. what’s this scent? It smells like snowy pines.

What a wonderful fragrance.

I understand why this is your favorite now.

Don’t you want to test me to see how well I do?

Keep your hands there.

It tickles?

I told you it tickled. Now do you believe me?

Don’t move.. You’ll get used to it soon enough.

Mmm… apply it evenly, make circles, rub your hands…

See, didn't I do a good job?

Are you satisfied with the results?

All right… I’ll make sure to follow your instructions and use it well.

Thank you for the hand lotion.

All right, let’s go.

Wait…

Don’t forget your scarf.

Does the scarf smell like hand lotion?

…

You’re right.

Ah, I got some lotion on it?

But your hands smell the same as mine.

You used less lotion than me, so the scent is stronger on my hands, huh?

…

Let me take your hand. There. Your hands should smell the same now.

Let’s go.

[kryptonitejelly]

Hi lovely!! Can you please create a blurb about Aaron who absolutely loves the taste of the chap stick/lip balm reader uses, so he keep stealing kisses from reader. Only if you have time no worriess bestie also I love all your works, Thank you!!

A/N: This idea is SO cute bestie 🥰 thank you for sending it in. I really love this one and I had fun with this idea!!

Requests for blurbs are currently open here.

-

It was one of those once-in-a-blue-moon type of weekends where everything lined up. You had both had slow Fridays at work, and your weekend had been strangely clear - no emails on your work phone, and no calls on his. 

It had started on Friday evening when you had both decided to head out for dinner, taking advantage of the Friday and Saturday which Jack was spending with Jess and his grandpa. 

Aaron Hotchner was, despite the steely exterior which he maintained at the BAU, a man that was equal parts affection and playful in his personal life. He would hold your hand when you were walking down the street, guide you through crowds with a hand firmly on the small of your back, have his knee against yours during dinners when you was sitting across from you, or a hand slung across the back of your chair when he was sitting beside you. 

His lips often found you when you were out in public, brushing across your knuckles, planting themselves against your temple, forehead or the top of your hair, meeting your cheek, and of course, stealing affection from your own lips. But what you had noticed, since Friday, was that the focus of his lips had been centred on yours, it started when you had kissed him hello outside the restaurant on Friday evening, continued throughout dinner, and followed on during your Saturday morning errands - not that it was a problem, but simply, out of character. 

So when he had kissed you on the lips, for the umpteenth time, and right after you had put your coffee cup down during a late lunch at the place you guys had finally gotten the chance to try, you found yourself cocking your head to a side, eyes narrowing in suspicion at him. 

“What is it Hotchner.” 

He meets your narrowed expression with surprise and raises a brow, yet while still managing to look innocently at you. 

“What is what Sweetheart?” His hand reaches across the table to grasp yours in a loose hold before you can snatch it up and cross it over your chest. 

“You know what,” you find yourself studying his expression, “the kisses, Hotchner.”

Realisation clicks into his features, rearranging them into an expression of understanding, and you watch as he bites back a chuckle, managing to don an expression that is half sheepish and half mischief as he tugs you towards him, easily pulling the side of your arm against him as you slide across the bench of the circular booth you are in. 

“Can’t I kiss my wife?” He states as he leans forward, a quick peck to your lips. 

“Thats not what I’m saying.” 

“Then what you saying counsellor.” He jabs at your day job in jest, a grin slipping onto his face. 

“What I’m saying Agent,” you emphasise, returning the favour, “is that a disproportionate number of the kisses, if not all, have been directed to my lips, and this court, Sir, wants to know why.” You follow up, teasing with your choice of words.    “Permission to approach to bench?” He breathes out, tone playful, still jesting, his face inches from yours.

“I’ll allow it.” You feel his hands drop from your shoulders, to circle your waist, palm dropping to rest casually on the curve of your hip. 

“It’s your new chap stick,” he admits, against your lips as he goes in for another kiss, “I love how it tastes.” 

“You know I can just give you a chapstick of the same flavour.” You respond. His admission makes you roll your eyes.

“It won’t taste the same if its not on you.” His fingertips skim down, across the hem of your skirt, squeezing your thigh before he pulls away. “But of course, if other parts of you are feeling neglected, all you had to do was ask.” 

He smirks, throwing a wink at you before following up by pressing a kiss on the side of your jaw, the skin of your neck, and ending on the exposed skin of your collarbone. 

[this-is-z-art-blog]

Hi, I saw your answer to someone asking about what a Hannuka celebration is usually like and I thought it was really well thought-out and helpful. I was wondering if you might be willing to give me some insight on other Jewish holidays. This was actually inspired by the DP Hannuka challenge. I'm writing a long DP fanfic that's largely from Sam's perspective and when I saw the challenge I thought this was a great time to write some holiday scenes. But when I started researching Hannuka I read that it's not really a major holiday I wanted to know which holidays hold more significant meaning and...well, I went down a rabbit hole and I feel like I HAVE to make sure I do Sam's cultural heritage justice.

The part I'm writing right now takes place in autumn. I wanted to include a little bit about her family celebrating/participating in Rosh Hashana and the ten days of awe. The thing is, I have absolutely no frame of reference; I hadn't even heard of it until a few days ago. Its surprisingly difficult to find descriptions of what exactly people do to observe that holiday besides food. There's plenty to read about the food haha.

I was wondering if you might be willing to share with me your experience with autumn traditions. Your description of Hannuka was so helpful and you seemed open to more questions. But if you're not comfortable please don't feel any pressure, my goal here is to be respectful and I honestly don't know enough about Jewish Culture to know if I'm being rude so please tell me if I am. I live in a predominantly Christian area and the majority of my cultural knowledge on the subject comes from TV which tends to only bring up Judaism when a character talks about Hannuka instead of Christmas so I am basically an uncultured goldfish.

First of all, thank you, and thank you for reaching out. I love talking about this stuff in general, and I especially really enjoy helping people navigate representing characters' Judaism in their works. I know it can be really intimidating to do research on your own- you don't know what questions to ask, or what's a reliable source, or what's unilaterally true vs what varies community to community, and you want to do a good job and not perpetuate something hurtful or harmful- it's a lot! So while I want to be clear I'm just one person speaking from my personal experience and knowledge, Jews are not a monolith and Jewish thought and experience varies a lot, you can always reach out and I'll do my best to help.

Note, the Jewish calendar is lunar, which is about ten days shorter than the solar year, which is why Jewish holidays don't have the same Gregorian date year to year. Every three years (roughly) we have a whole extra 'leap month' to keep the seasons on track, because certain holidays have to be in certain seasons (most notably Passover). Jewish days also begin at sundown and end at about an hour past ('three stars in the sky') the next day, ie Shabbat is Friday evening to Saturday night each week. The high holidays are in the fall, generally, but to know when specifically something is myjewishlearning or chabad are websites you can look up 'what date is [holiday] + [year]'

Rosh Hashanah (literally translated 'head of the year'), New Year's (one of four actually). Kicks off the high holidays, both very joyous and very reflective. Apples and honey is the classic holiday treat, for a sweet new year. Challah for this holiday is often made in a circular shape, for the cycle of the year, rather than the normal Shabbat braided loaves, and sometimes people will make it with cinnamon sugar or raisins for sweetness. You also begin reaching out to make amends to people you may have hurt over the past year, a process that continues throughout the high holidays. A big theme of the high holidays is Teshuva, which is sometimes translated as repentance but is more closely 'return'. It's about making sincere apologies and doing the work to get better and avoid repeating the same kinds of harm. I once texted a non-Jewish friend of mine an apology for a previous fight of ours around this time that for her came kind of out of nowhere, which made her think I was dying. People often have a family meal together. Fun fact, the current Jewish year is 5784. Two days long kinda. Holy

The ten days between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, as you flagged, the Days of Awe or Days of Return (or in Hebrew they're the aseret yamei teshuva) are more on this theme of reflection and amends. Many participate sometime in here in a practice called tashlich, where you symbolically release bread crumbs (or some other crumpled foodstuff that may be more suited to your local aquatic life) into the water (typically a river, but sometimes your local Water is a lake or ocean) as a way to release your guilt and regrets and move forward into the new year knowing you've done all you can and you now have a clean slate

Yom Kippur ('day of atonement'), holiest day of the Jewish calendar. One of two major fasts (full day, rather than dawn to dusk). Very thoughtful and contemplative, typically a full day of synagogue services reflecting. We spend most of the day thinking about death. For many communities it's traditional to wear white or to avoid gold. You think about your wrongdoings and how to improve in the coming year, and deeply consider whether you've made your amends and if you've sincerely put in the work to change and improve where you need it.

Sukkot! Rounds off the high holidays, eight day festival that starts five days after Yom Kippur. You build a small structure called a sukkah (you BET there are a hundred specific details) in your yard and take meals in it together, big holiday for guests and visiting. First two and last two days are holy, middle four are still part of the holiday but are more mundane, and you go about your regular life (ie you can use electronics and go to work). Many observe the daily mitzvot of eating something in the sukkah, and shaking the lulav and etrog (a gathering of four plants, the lulav (palm frond), myrtle branch, willow branch are bundled together and the etrog (citron) in your other hand, symbolizes gathering in all the different kinds of our people). At the last days of Sukkot is the holiday Simchat Torah ('the joy of the torah'), where we reach the end of the annual cycle of reading the Torah and begin it anew. VERY joyous and boisterous, big holiday for dancing.

Also, here's an extremely quick and dirty rundown of other the other more prominent Jewish holidays (I'm basically skipping a number of minor fasts and smaller celebrations, but also, hannukkah is on this list, and it is nowhere near the scale of importance as Rosh Hashaha).

Hannukkah. Eight day festival in the winter, lighting a nine branched menorah (the ninth candle lights the others, one more each night ie night one you light one night eight you light eight, once again a THOUSAND little laws and specifics. we are a pedantic people). You have heard of this one

Tu B'Shevat! Late winter/early spring holiday that is the new year for trees. (The name is just the date, the 15th of the month Shevat. Most though not all Jewish holidays are on the 1st or 15th of the month, or, the new or full moon). Big holiday for planting trees or trying new fruits

Purim! Early spring. In a leap year this happens twice (though 'little Purim' is a much smaller holiday). This one is bonkers and criminally underrated. Costumes, giving gifts both to charity and to your friends and family, telling the story of that time a guy tried to kill us all and failed so hard we eat cookies shaped like his stupid hat to this day (hamantaschen or oznei haman, it's just the Yiddish or Hebrew name for them respectively)

Pesach or Passover, you have probably heard of this one. Springtime! Can't eat leavened grains (wheat, spelt, barley, oats, rye) so you gotta clean ALL your stuff out. Most Orthodox Ashkenazim also don't eat 'kitniyot', basically, similar food categories that include nuts, beans, corn, and rice, so if that's your tradition it's pretty thorough. First two nights are the Seder, a large, meandering meal where we tell the story of the holiday (in my family we regularly sit down around seven, don't get to the 'eat the Meal' part until nine, and are at the table til midnight. Many families are a little more effecient but many are even less). First two and last two days are holy, first two days especially are a big time for visiting family

The seven weeks from Passover to Shavuot are a period of time called the Omer, mostly just focused on counting up (not down) the days to Shavout. On the 36th day, Lag B'Omer (name is once again just the day) it's a holiday celebrated largely with bonfire parties

Shavuot (name just means 'weeks', for the seven weeks we count to get here) is the holiday that celebrates receiving the Torah. Celebrated with study of Torah and many have a custom to eat dairy (or just not meat), holy, two days-ish

Tisha B'av is a day of mourning, and the other major fast. Commemorates a lot of various tragedies and traumas. The weeks leading up to it go through a few stages of mourning and mourning practices

Elul is the full month leading up to Rosh Hashanah, and is something of a 'ramp up' to the attitudes and festivities, where you start thinking about your past and coming year

Shabbat. As mentioned this one is every week, holy day of rest from sundown Friday to a little later Saturday. Many celebrate by going to synagogue and/or holding a meal together Friday night and/or Saturday afternoon

Miscellaneous note, safety always comes first. If there is an emergency that would require you to break a rule of the holiday, do it. The principle is called pikuach nefesh, or protection of the soul (life)

Holy days are traditionally (though not everyone observes in this way and specifics vary, it is none of my business, repsonsibility, or interest to tell other Jewish folks what to do) observed by a number of restricitons that I like the categorize as just being part of the world, not trying to create or destory anything within it. The specifics have a lot to do with laws tracing back to not participating in argricultural or textile labor, but most relevant to my life personally is not turning on or off electronics (or fire), and no writing/drawing/fabric crafts.

Again NOT every Jew does full traditional observances of every holiday and that a) is NONE of my or anyone's business b) does not somehow make them 'less' Jewish. Judaism belongs to every Jew and is theirs to decide what to do with. That said, it is a chip on my shoulder when the only Jewish characters I see depicted in media, overwhelmingly written by gentile creators, go over the top to stress how much they hate following Jewish law or how much they love not doing it; feels like people are only interested in having Jewish characters whose Judaism is either a total joke, or it has to be as unobtrusive as possible- which is another reason I try to make myself available to answer questions you might have about how TO include your characters' Judaism

[saikourobyn]

Japan 2020 - Day 5

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Our continuing Tokyo travels take us to a dark warehouse, an abandoned museum and some tasty beverages.

Friday 28th February 2020

Tokyo

Today was out last day staying with Hiroshi and Aiko, they were getting married on Saturday and we needed to get out of their way.

Aomi, Koto City

We headed out early to catch the train to Aomi (青海) an area of reclaimed land in Tokyo Bay. To get there we travelled across the Rainbow Bridge which is 798m long! At night the towers that support the bridge are lit up in rainbow colours.

After getting off the train we enter an area known as Palette Town (not to be confused with Pallet Town from Pokémon) we walk between two buildings, into the circular area in the bottom right of the picture above, the VenusFort Venice-themed mall on the left and the Toyota City Showcase on the right. We were meeting up with Oli's parents, they had just gotten back to Tokyo from sightseeing elsewhere in the country.

We had some time to kill so we had a quick look at what shops and eateries the mall had to offer but decided to head in to the Toyota City Showcase, I'm not really in to cars but they did have some interesting exhibits of what they though cars might look like in the future (with jet packs... what do you mean I already made this joke 🤫) You can see more about it here.

We walked through the Toyota City Showcase and on the other side we found the Daikanransha (大観覧車) Ferris Wheel, Oli suggested we ride it, I was initially hesitate because it seemed expensive but I realised that I was on Holiday and I should try and experience things if I can.

We opted for one of the smaller 360­­° view cars and got some lovely views, the sky was nice and clear and it did the job of killing some time while we waited.

When Oli's parents arrived we headed in to teamLab Borderless, I won't be able to do it justice here, it's a visual and auditory experience, when you enter you get lost in a giant maze and lose track of time much like Ikea.

It's mostly dark except for projectors shining lights and imagery on to the walls, in other areas LED strips hang from the ceiling, these were controlled by the visitors from an app, to add a bit of interactivity.

On the left is a sign showing different kanji's and the pictographs and on the right the corresponding symbols appear in the app.

This is a great place to come and take some beautiful selfies, though beware some areas feature a mirrored floor, so skirts may not be the best choice of clothing. Although these areas are often in side rooms so you don't have to go in if you don't want to.

We had been in here for awhile and I was starting to get hungry, I left Oli and his parents and decided to head over to the food court of the mall next door. I didn't take any pictures here, it looks just like a mall food court with Venice theming and lots of Japanese food.

Just a short walk from the mall in Palette Town is the Unicorn Gundam Statue (実物大ユニコーンガンダム立像) I don't anything about Gundam but it was impressive to see such a big structure just standing outside I had to stop by to admire it.

II had hoped to visit The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (日本科学未来館) but unfortunately it was closed from today until 17th March 2020, I'm sure it'll all have blown over by then.

I met back up with Oli and we headed back to Hiroshi and Aiko's place, we had to change at Tokyo station so took the opportunity to stop off at the Pokémon Center Tokyo DX (ポケモンセンタートウキョーDX) here I picked up an squishy Oddish and a Snivy plushie. There's also a café where you can enjoy cute Pokémon themed food and drinks, but we didn't try it this time.

It took until the last day we were staying with Hiroshi and Aiko for me to check out their nearest BookOff, it was a short walk away from the station, practically on the way to their apartment. There I purchased a Wii Remote, the idea being I could use it with the Wii U I had bought to test out the Taiko no Tatsujin Drum Controller before I took it home.

Hiroshi and Aiko kindly let us store some luggage at their place so we could carry on our journey across Japan with just one suitcase each, before we left they took us out to a local restaurant.

We met up with Oli's parents again and visited Junpei (じゅん平) for some okonomiyaki, Hiroshi took care of ordering for us all which was nice not to have to worry about. After the meal Hiroshi and Aiko left as they had a busy day tomorrow. We stayed in the restaurant for another drink, Oli's dad wanted Sake 🍶 but was having some trouble communicating with the waitress, I watched her trying to work out what drink he wanted for a moment. She was asking questions which didn't seem to relate to sake, I suddenly remembered that the word Sake just means alcohol and that in the west the drink we know as Sake is called Nihonshu (日本酒) with this information we were now able to narrow down the choices from alcohol to a specific beverage.

After our drinks we hopped on the train to Shibuya, the station was being renovated and it was quite confusing to navigate after escaping we then found road works blocking our way so it took us a little longer to get to our AirBNB.

Once there we then had the confusion of working out how to get in to the building, but Oli found the code for the door and we got inside. The small apartment featured two sofa beds, a small kitchen, a washing machine a small shower room and an even smaller room with the toilet. While seated on the toilet you could reach out and touch the wall in front of you.

Tomorrow was the big day for Hiroshi and Aiko, I was invited to the wedding reception in the evening, so I had big plans to explore Akihabara on my own.

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[mardereads19]

The Bar

Day 1 - April writing challenge

Alex wiped down the counter in lousy circular motions, nose crinkled as the vomit was mostly absorbed by the fabric. He looked to the side and reached for the empty bucket by the floor. He threw the rag inside before taking up the last clean one Mitchell had left for him. The lazy asshole never could do his job right.

Indeed, there against the wall was the makeshift hamper with a week’s worth of dirty rags.

“I have to do everything around here,” muttered Alex as he took up spraying the bar with a multi-purpose cleaner.

Two taps against the counter were the only warning a man gave before calling, “A whiskey on the rocks over here, buddy!”

Alex debated between answering or pretending not to hear him over the tacky music playing through the bar. In the end, he judged that if he just ignored the man, he would only bother him again. That would not do.

He finished up with the rag, deeming the counter clean enough, and made his way over to the left end of the counter. “A whiskey on the rocks, you said?” Alex placed his forearms on the bar. “Would you like something else to go with that? An appetizer, perhaps? Maybe some caviar, hors d’oeuvres?”

The man, dressed in a long-sleeved button-down shirt, pants and a tie, raised his eyebrows in consideration.

Alex smirked. “Take a look around you, buddy. We have no whiskey here.”

The man frowned. “But… this is a bar.”

“Yeah. It tries to be.” Alex straightened, head turning, already scanning for an actual task to do. “The best thing I can offer you is beer.”

The man tapped his finger in exasperation. A sigh escaped his mouth, and Alex could make out perfect white teeth. The polished fella didn’t say anything as he turned to leave. Alex was already making his way to the other end of the counter when the bell over the door announced his departure.

“Hey, handsome.”

Alex looked up. “Estella.”

She looked as lovely as always, a crooked smile lighting up her face. Her black hair framed her face in waves. Her brown eyes reflected the flickering light above. She was a welcome sight in this hellhole. “I’ll have some of that caviar, if you’re still offering,” she whispered, her accent thick and beautiful.

“For you, I’d go to the end of the world to get it.”

She beamed, gifting him his favorite kind of laugh. He would get it tattooed, if that was possible. Though he doubted his skin had any available space for one more.

“What are you doing this Friday?”

“Hmm.” Estella’s lips pouted. “I’m busy all day. Hospital working me hard.”

Alex’s shoulders dropped. “They should let you rest.” Even now, she was wearing her nurse uniform, a dark blue that accentuated her tanned skin.

“No luck, I’m afraid.” She shrugged. “At least I love my job.” Unlike you, was what she left unsaid.

“As soon as I can, I’m getting out.”

“Where would you go?”

Alex shook his head. “Where they’ll have me.” It was bound to be better than here. Anything. Anywhere.

Estella reached across the counter and placed her hand on his stubbled cheek. Her thumb caressed where he knew an inked snake should be. “You’ll find something.”

His chest was near bursting. His heart a wild drum that would only get like this with her. The only woman who had never feared him. Even after learning his story. Never seen him as a spectacle. She was older than him. Maybe fifty. He was forty-three. But he loved her. She had to know. She had to. It was obvious.

Her hand was gone too soon.

“I have to go. A shift.” She waved around the room, a frown furrowing her brows. “This place could use some lightening up.”

“Then you should stay,” he said. Even he could tell the longing in his voice.

A crash of a bottle rang out somewhere to Alex’s right and he could make out the yelling of a fight.

“No chance.“ Estella laughed. “If I stay any longer, I’d start nursing these people, and I have a job to get to. I just came by to say hello.”

“I never heard you come in.”

“I came in behind that fancy dude.” She smiled. “I wanted to surprise you.”

Some times, when Alex allowed himself to, he wondered whether she felt it, too. That pull. That desire. Did it mean anything—that she wanted to surprise him? Or was she just saying hi as a friend? As the only friend he’d made in the last six months.

“I have to go,” she said, glancing at her smartwatch. Alex nodded, disappointment a common feeling he was used to. “See you!” Her hips swayed as she left. A man with missing teeth whistled after Alex’s girl, and Alex shook his head. Estella turned to him one last time before disappearing out the door.

He would never deserve her. She, a nurse with a PhD in whatever it was nurses studied, and him—an ex-convict who would never get hired anywhere decent with his criminal record.

He made his way to where the fight had broken out, boots stumping over wooden floorboards with stains long-ago sustained. “Okay, break it up, you two.” He reached in between the two drunks, and easily pushed their faces away from each other. One of them slumped over the chair before stumbling to the floor. Passed out.

The other threw weak punches at Alex, but Alex just pushed him away until the man burped and forgot what he was doing, laughing instead at his new hilarious ability to dispel gas.

This was what Alex put up with daily.

“You’d think they’d get tired by now.” A man around Alex’s age said. Alex knew him very well.

“Hey, old man,” he greeted.

“Sleep. Wake. Drink. Fight. That’s all these men do. That’s all they’ll ever do. It’s an endless cycle, and they seem satisfied. They don’t even care that it’s not living.”

“What do you know about living?” Alex laughed. “ And you, too, are here constantly. A pest I have to put up with.”

The man smiled. “At least I don’t puke all over your counter.”

“I appreciate that.” Speaking of, Alex saw another drunk doubling over in the corner of room, retching.

The man leaned back on the chair, enough that Alex could see the hole on his undershirt, and a wound underneath. He was bleeding. But Alex knew better than to ask if he was okay. “You going nowhere with that Stella chick.”

“Es-tella.” Alex corrected. “She gets pissed off when people don’t say her name correctly.”

“Sorry. Estella.” The man nodded, his beard twitching as he smiled. “She’s a beautiful woman.”

“She’s too good for me,” Alex admitted, turning his back on the man and leaning against the bar. “She’ll never have me.”

“Aren’t you at least gonna try?”

“Nah.” A fly buzzed over to the wall. “She deserves better.”

There was silence for a while. Or, at least—silence from the man. That damn music kept blaring out of the speakers. It would never allow for a second of peace.

“Your mother deserved better.”

Alex stilled. “She did.”

The man grunted. “I should have been better.”

Alex did not reply to this as quickly. The man was right. “You’re better now,” he settled with truthfully.

The man laughed an ironic kind of laugh. Alex did not join in.

“You’re a good man, Alexander.” The chair scratched the floor as the man stood. “You proved to be twenty-two years ago. And you can still finish what you started in college.”

Alex turned in time to watch the man pressing his hand against the knife wound. It was worse, blood soaking his white undershirt, and leaking on the floor.

“You’re alive. And that woman makes you want to live even more. Do what you have to do to deserve her, but don’t give up so easily. You have a chance. Some of us don’t.”

Alex did not flinch. “Thanks, pops.”

The man nodded, face paling fast with the loss of blood. He opened his mouth as if to say something else, but in the end he just nodded again and turned, slowly making his way out. Alex watched as his father reached the door, opening it. No bell sounded as it shut.

The father Alex had killed was not the same one his mind conjured up. The father Alex talked to daily was kinder, softer. A better father than he ever was when alive.

When Alex looked to the floor on the other side of the bar, the blood was no longer there.

His phone vibrated inside his pocket.

It was time for his fifteen minute break.

[mysticalnightenthusiast]

S.N.A.F.U CH64 ‘Murder in Aisle 9!”

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

A/N:  Sorry for the long ass wait for this update peoples my getup and go got up and went then I was flooded with loads of inspiration and motivation and couldn’t figure out where to end this chapter!  Again my knowledge of English law/law in general is negligible so I apologise for any inaccuracies.

Enjoy!

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

Darren adjusted his robes and approached Jem who regarded the QC with a look of distaste on her face.

“Thankyou for your interpretation of the truth Miss Boskovich it was quite enlightening,” he began cheerfully.

“Interpretation?” Jem scoffed “it was the truth.”

“Hmm yes, quite,” Darren replied in a ‘I don’t believe you’ tone I want you to cast your mind back to the end of two thousand eighteen....can you do that for me?”

“I suppose.”

“What date was the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that year?”

“Sorry?”

“On-what-date-was-the-Abu-Dhabi-Grand-Prix-that-year?” Darren asked enunciating each word as if speaking to someone who didn’t understand English.

“I don’t know!” Jem exclaimed “that was nearly three years ago, can you remember the date of every event in your life?  I mean when was Easter that year?”

“Two thousand eighteen?” Darren said “Good Friday was March thirtieth and Easter Sunday was April first.”

There was a long, tense and very awkward silence.

“Awkwaaaaaaard!” Max muttered in a carrying whisper.

“Well good for you, you can remember the dates for Easter that year,” Jem snapped “well done, what’s your point?”

“Well for the sake of the conversation it was on November 25th.  No matter, let’s move on shall we?” Darren said cheerfully as he cast his eyes down to the notepad in his hands “are you aware of the London nightclub Cirque Le Soir?”

“Yes.”

“Is it an establishment you frequent?”

“Not now but when I worked for Louis Vuitton I did,” Jem replied “the company had a membership and I often joined the other staff from the Paris headquarters and the staff from the London office at various functions, birthdays, retirement parties Christmas parties etcetera.”

“Hmm and did you attend the club in November twenty eighteen?”

“Maybe? I mean it was toward the end of the year I used to go to a lot of functions with my job.”

“Is there a possibility you attended the club on November 25th twenty eighteen?”

There was a flicker of something in Jem’s eyes but she set her jaw and creased her brow.

“No,” she said “I was in Abu Dhabi that year obviously.”

“Were you?” Darren asked raising a single eyebrow as he returned to his chair and picked up a manila folder with a circular red sticker n the front “m’lady I would like to submit to the court some still photography taken from the closed circuit television footage of Cirque Le Soir, dated as you can see November twenty fifty two thousand eighteen at twenty two fifteen....”

Darren opened the folder and pulled out three glossy still photographs.  He gave one to Justice Wickstead then walked across the floor and gave one to Albrecht before turning on his heel and returning to the stand where he gave Jemma her own copy.

“Miss Boskovich could you please look at the photo I have just given you and identify the person circled in white please?”

Jem rolled her eyes then looked to the photo in her hands.

“It looks like me,” she said shortly.

“Riiight okay then, so m’lady That year the Abu Dhabi GP began at seventeen hundred hours or five PM local time which was eight PM GMT, the duration was a little over one hour and thirty nine minutes would  make it six thirty nine PM local time or nine thirty nine PM GMT....”

“Objection!” Albrecht called “what is the point?”

Darren took a deep breath and flashed Albrecht and Justice Wickstead a huge grin.

“I apologise if my statement sounds long winded m’lady but I assure the court and learned friend across the way I do have a point and was just finishing up making it when I was interrupted.”

“Very well Mr Cook, objection overruled,” Justice Wickstead replied “you may continue”

“As I was about to say m’lady the flight time between Abu Dhabi and London is about six hours and forty five minutes give or take half an hour so I’m curious Miss Boskovich how you managed to go from the Yas Marina Circuit to Abu Dhabi airport fly from Abu Dhabi to London, travel from any of the major London airports to your home in Wimbledon, get ready for a night out and make your way to Cirque Le Soir in time to be captured on their CCTV footage...what is it?  Thirty five minutes?  Did you apparate?”

Daniel’s friends and colleagues couldn’t help it ands let out a very audible collective titter of amusement

“I know what happened,” Jem snapped through gritted teeth “the ‘footage’ you have is obviously wrong.  Photos can be manipulated or doctored.”

“Hmm yes they can be,” Darren replied “so would it be a fair assessment to say Miss Boskovich you lied about your whereabouts on November twenty fifth two thousand eighteen?”

“I wouldn’t say that....”

“But you did suffer a broken nose that night didn’t you?”

“Yeah I did!” Jem replied petulantly.

“And would you be so kind as to tell us how?”

“How?  How? I’ve already said how.”

“You have said so yes, but if you could please repeat that....for the benefit of clarification.”

��You client punched me!”

“After you returned to your hotel room after the two thousand eighteen Abu Dhabi Grand Prix....?”

“Yes!”

“M’lday I would like to submit another piece of evidence to the court,” Darren continued going to his desk and retrieving an external hard drive from his bag “it’s a video file I feel is essential for today’s proceedings.”

“Go ahead Mr Cook.”

Darren made his way over to the TV near the witness stand and plugged it into the back. He then switched it on and selected a file labelled “CCTV”

“Miss Boskovich were you drunk on the evening of November 25th?” Darren asked.

“I can’t remember!  It was three years ago how many people do you expect to remember events from three years ago?”

“Everyone who has accused their former spouse of assault and battery Miss Boskovich.” Darren replied crisply.

“Murder in aisle nine!” Michael murmured.

 “Well I wasn’t drinking Capri Suns all night if that’s what you are asking!”

Eadaoin couldn’t help it and let out a loud snort of laughter that she immediately covered with and over the top hacking cough.

“You’re terrible Michael!” Eadaoin scolded the trainer with a smirk “behave!”

Darren caught Eadaoin’s eye and flashed her a barely discernable wink before continuing.

“I’d like to bring the court’s attention to this vision.” He said taking a remote control and clicking on the folder “I’ll let the vision explain itself but it’s from the morning of November 26th two thousand eighteen at oh two hundred hours GMT.  Please pay attention to the figure with the circle around it.”

A tense silence fell upon the court as Darren pressed play.

One the screen the black and white vision of the front of Cirque Le Soir appeared a tall slender female figure stumbled out the front doors of the club and into the street turning right and heading toward a park bench that was surrounded by a large group of people the figure tripped up and stumbled into another female figure who turned and with a clenched fist ploughed it into the drunken figure’s face, the drunken figure in turn stumbled into the park bench, then got up and ran toward the blond figure returning the punch.  The crowd parted and immediately surrounded the two fighting women and appeared to egg them on.  Punches were thrown, hair was pulled and kicks were delivered before the dark haired female figure fell into the park bench again.

The vision ended and Darren rewinded it to the beginning before pausing it right on the moment as the dark figure emerged from the club, he then zoomed in and the identity of the figure was revealed to be Jem herself.

“Miss Boskovich would you be so kind as to identify the figure on screen please?” he asked.

Jem’s face fell but she screwed up her nose and looked down her nose at Darren.

“It appears to be me.” She snapped.

“Hmm it does doesn’t it?” Darren replied cheerfully “I would go so far as to say it is you Miss Boskovich you lied about the broken nose you suffered being as the result of Mr Ricciardo’s actions and that in fact you were nowhere near Abu Dhabi on the night of November 25th twenty eighteen and the broken nose you suffered was as a result of a drunken fight with another club patron!  How can you expect the court to believe anything you have to say in regard to Mr Ricciardo when there is pictorial and video evidence to prove the contrary, admit it Miss Boskovich you couldn’t tell the truth for all the tea in Chin-”

“Objection my learned friend is intimidating the witness!” Albrecht bellowed.

“Proving your client is lying under oath isn’t intimidation Mr Albrecht it’s proving telling the truth is foreign concept to her!”

Justice Wickstead lifted her gavel and brought it down on its sound block.

“SILENCE!”” She bellowed “Mr Albrecht sit down, Mr Cook reword your statement.  You’re both grown men, a court room is not the place to act like a pair of squabbling five year olds understand?”

“Yes m’lady” Darren and Albrecht chorused in clipped tones.

Albrecht slumped back in his seat, giving Darren a look of deep disgust and Darren turned to face Jem with a huge grin on his face.

“Let’s continue shall we?” he said cheerfully “okay we’ve established you’ve already got a shaky relationship with the truth could you please explain why despite your declaration your injuries were as a result of a punch at the hands of Mr Ricciardo in Abu Dhabi after the twenty eighteen Grand Prix neither myself or Mr Hamilton or Mr Russell couldn’t find your name on any of the passenger manifests of the flying into Abu Dhabi every day leading up to the twenty eighteen race or leaving Abu Dhabi in the three days after the twenty eighteen GP?  There are sixteen airlines that fly directly to Abu Dhabi from London Miss Boskovich Gulf Air, Qatar Airlines, Emirates Airlines, Air France, Qantas, British Airways, Etihad Airways, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Oman Air, Egypt Air, KLM, Air India, Air Canada, Cathay Pacific, Lufthansa, hundreds of thousands of passengers travelled to and from Abu Dhabi on those sixteen airlines that week Miss Boskovich don’t you think it’s awfully weird not one of those passengers was you?”

In fact according to my team’s research the only places you travelled in the two weeks prior to and two weeks after the twenty eighteen Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was Nice to Heathrow two days before your attendance at Cirque Le Soir, Heathrow to Nice two days after your attendance at Cirque Le Soir then two weeks later when you travelled from Nice to Heathrow then Heathrow to Perth via Los Angeles the latter of which you did with Mr Ricciardo!” Darren exclaimed “if in fact Mr Ricciardo did inflict the injuries you suffered why would you return to Monaco co-habitate with him then travel to Australia where I have it on good authority you stayed at the Ricciardo family farm, slept in the same bed as Mr Ricciardo engaged in relations with him then returned to Monaco with him six weeks later!?  That doesn’t describe a battered woman Miss Boskovich it describes-”

“And what would you know about being a battered woman?” Jemma shrilled “you’re a man!”

“I’ve spent the better part of twenty years representing battered women Miss Boskovich and every single one of those women had proof of their situation, photographs, video, statutory declarations from doctors who documented their injuries. All we have from you is malicious accusations!”

“I know what happened!”

“Of course you do!” Darren replied cheerfully “let’s move on shall we?  Tell me about the end of your relationship with Mr Ricciardo.”

“What about it?” Jemma asked rudely.

“How did it come about?” Darren asked briefly looking down at the notepad in his hands. If you could please tell the court in as much detail as possible from your side that’d be great.”

Jem drew herself up and formed her mouth into a thin line.

“It was the end of the twenty twenty season in Abu Dhabi,” she replied crisply “Danny was pissed about finishing seventh in the race, he felt he could have gotten on the podium.  He went out drinking with some people from Renault and came back to the hotel, we argued abut him going off and not telling me where he was and one thing led to another and he punched me again.  It was then I fled to the airport and returned home to Lon-”

“Oh my fucking god what a load of shit!” Daniel exclaimed far more loudly than he intended “Jesus fucking Christ woman!”

Beside him Ralph grabbed Daniel’s forearm and leaned in to speak to him.  Eadaoin felt her chest fill with rage and she involuntarily squeezed Michael’s hand.  Max reached across her lap and grabbed her other hand and squeezed it as Justice Wickstead slammed her gavel down on the bench.

“Silence in my court room!” she bellowed “Mr Ricciardo please remain silent, you’ll have your opportunity to speak, refrain from foul language or I’ll expel you from the court and order an adjournment understood?”

Daniel clenched his teeth and inhaled deeply a look of deep rage plastered across his face.

“Yes m’lady.”

“Mr Cook you may resume your questioning of Miss Boskovich.”

“See?” Jem exclaimed “that sort of reaction is only the tip of the iceberg of all the bullshit I had to put up with from your client.”

“Hmmm is it Miss Boskovich is it really?” Darren asked in a sing song tone “I put it to you that you didn’t immediately flee Abu Dhabi once again your name didn’t appear on any flight manifests leaving Abu Dhabi that night or the following night.  In fact your name didn’t appear on any passenger manifest, commercial or private til three days later.  I have CCTV footage of you at Abu Dhabi Airport on December 16th twenty twenty in the company of a Mr Cyril Abiteboul looking rather cosy the flight you boarded didn’t go to London it went to Paris, Charles De Gaulle airport specifically and there you remained for one month!”

Jem’s jaw dropped as Darren unloaded all this information on her

“Holy shit this is a massacre!” Max muttered under his breath “I’m watching someone get murdered right in front of me!”

“I put it to you Miss Boskovich that the reason your relationship with Mr Ricciardo ended was not because of any alcoholically induced violence on his part it was because you decided to engage in sexual relations with Mr Abiteboul starting in March twenty twenty and Mr Ricciardo literally caught you with your pants around your ankles two days after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in the Renault garage.  I further put it to you that when Mr Ricciardo ended your relationship the next day you became jealous and enraged and since he ended your relationship you’ve been the one to pester and harass him with phone calls and text messages not the other way round as you so claim-”

“Objection, does the plaintiff have evidence of-” Albrecht exclaimed.

“For the benefit of the court, my learned friend and his client I’d like to introduce a hardcopy version of every text message Mr Ricciardo’s phone received from Miss Boskovich’s phone from December sixteenth twenty twenty right up until seven days ago the date of which was November thirtieth twenty twenty one!” Darren said retrieving three inch thick documents from another of the many manila folders on the desk at the front of the court “Mr Albrecht one for you, one for you m’lady and one for you Miss Boskovich.”

“What am I supposed to do with that?” Jemma snapped.

“That’s up to you Miss Boskovich,” Darren said cheerfully “let’s continue this shall we? I put it to you that when you got no response from Mr Ricciardo you began to stalk him and you alone are the sole source of the ‘information’ provided to Deux Moix, inclusive of two mobile phone videos that were attached to the online article containing the defamatory statements you made about Mr Ricciardo....”

“Objection, those videos could have come from any one of the patrons at the venue that night!” Albrecht exclaimed.

“Deux Moix said themselves your client provided them!” Darren exclaimed incredulously “do you seriously expect-”

Justice Wickstead tapped her gavel on the sound block in front of her.

“Gentlemen lower your voices we are not in a crowded room!” she exclaimed “objection overruled.  Mr Albrecht sit down, Mr Cook you may continue.”

“I further put it to you Miss Boskovich you continued to stalk Mr Ricciardo especially after he entered into a new relationship and were caught three months ago on the ninth of July twenty twenty one at the Viaduct Tavern filming him in the company of his new girlfriend Miss Eadaoin O’Siodhachain and their friends Mr Max Emilian Verstappen and Miss Kelly Piquet.  By Miss Piquet herself.”

“That bitch tripped me up!” Jemma exclaimed.

“Miss Boskovich please refrain from using foul language in my courtroom!” Justice Wickstead informed Jem sternly “you may continue Mr Cook.”

“And finally Miss Boskovich I put it to you that when Miss O’Siodhachain warned you of your legal obligations in terms of defining stalking and harassment you threaded her with and I quote “you’re going to regret that” and this confrontation is what motivated you to go to Deux Moix and give them the defamatory material that they published on their website three days later!  So not only have you lied and lied and lied throughout todays proceedings and under oath wasting the court and everyone in its time you-”

“I stand by what I’ve said” Jem snapped acidly “I know exactly what happened at the hands of your client.  This isn’t a criminal trial it’s a defamation one and I’m the one being sued in case you had forgotten.”

“Of course Miss Boskovich I don’t disagree with you,” Darren said cheerfully “this is a defamation trial not a criminal one and as such the characters of all participants are being assessed but what does it day about yours when I have evidence to refute every single one of your claims and have ten people present today willing to get up where you are and truthfully swear under oath that they have never seen Mr Ricciardo act in any way violent either when drunk or sober.  One of those people has known Mr Ricciardo for twenty years, longer than you have, and what about all the people who aren’t here today who have given me notarised statements to state similar?  I have statements from dozens of people from the staff at Renault/Alpine, Red Bull and McLaren and every single driver on the 2020 grid who are willing to declare that Mr Ricciardo is a kind, helpful, genuine decent person.  I don’t see anyone willing to do the same for you....”

“Objection!” Albrecht exclaimed “that last comment was snarky and unnecessary!”

“So is being such a jealous sourpuss about your ex catching you cheating that you run to a notorious gossip publication with the sole intention of defaming them!” Darren exclaimed incredulously “surely even you realise that!”

“SILENCE!” Justice Wickstead bellowed as she belted her gavel down on the bench her aged face clouded with anger “the pair of you grow up!  I will not have my court reduced to an arena for name calling and schoolyard squabbles.  I understand emotionally this is a highly charged session for client and counsel alike but that doesn’t give any of you an excuse to be, rude, insolent an insubordinate, you especially Miss Boskovich, think very hard about how you answer any question from here on in.  Mr Cook is correct in saying lying under oath is a very serious offence understood?”

Jemma’s eyebrows shot up.

“Y-yes m-m’lady.” She stammered

“Alright let’s continue this session like educated grown adults shall we?  Mr Cook you may continue.”

“I think I have gotten what I needed from the witness for now m’lady,” Darren replied a with a huge grin “I’d like to proceed with calling my first witness to the stand.”

“Very well, Miss Boskovich you may step down.”

Jemma stood up and returned to her seat beside Albrecht shooting Darren the deepest look of disgust as she went.  He just grinned then turned over a page of his notepad.

“M’lady I would now like to call Mr Michael Italiano to the stand.”

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

A/N2:  WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

[spookclimber]

okay rant/mini(large words of) mental breakdown below

i walked to my car for a lunch break i didn’t want to take and discovered i have a parking citation, because my plates are expired, which i fucking forgot to do a few months ago because my life was falling apart and now it lowkey feels the same. i have rent, other monthly bills and now this that i have to fucjing deal with and also not park anywhere that could be bad until i get my plates renewed, which idk how long that’ll be.

on top of that my new job that i was fairly excited for is fine, i guess, but it’s it and pays not nearly what my college degree says i’m worth. i cannot handle sitting at a desk doing actually nothing until someone asks a question like this one i saw today, “should i click this ‘you have 3 new viruses’ popup.”

i feel like i used to be able to do things, and now i’m always exhausted and this stress is piling up again cause i need to do things and i CANT and i need to buy i really can’t which makes me feel like shit and worse and it’s a circular system.

especially when i haven’t been able to fall asleep normally until it’s past 2 am or something at the earliest, which just leaves me even more tired. on friday i was sick for my second day at the job and once i called it in i proceeded to then sleep, after my night sleepof like 12-7:30 am, from 9am to 11 fucking 30 pm, then was up for a couple hours before sleeping until 5 pm on saturday. this isn’t sustainable and it’s terrible and because of that i struggle even more when i need to try to work towards the financial issues but I CANT and i’m almost crying at work right now ranting this out because i have to get some words out and try to articulate what i feel.

the. another smaller thing but it still weighs on me is i’m like the only person wearing a mask at my work and yeah it’s it and cubicles and shit but covid still is going strong and people don’t seem to give a damn

i used to be able to do things i applied for and worked in two great internships in college why now am i having a meltdown over an objectively easier job that pays less well maybe that’s a part of it but god fucking dammit am i so stressed and, i don’t know, fucking out of it all the time in ways that don’t help me fix the problem at all.

oh another thing that isn’t fun is i was enjoying being nonbinary with my friends and all but i’m terrified to idk be that publiclally so once more i’m cosplaying my worksona except i flinch every time i see my dead name all around me and people call me by it so like why do i do this for a job that will barely make me rent and will bore me out of my mind? oh wait it’s cause i literally was unable to get any other position and i even almost got scammed in this process by someone who posed as a hr hiring person and put me through a written interview and all that jazz and got me hyped up before eventually i concluded with help it was a scam. applying for jobs fucking sucks but i guess i need to do it again between trying to make money outside of work and also at work which i’m not sure i’ll be able to juggle everything in addition to trying to get enough sleep and at least some time for me to decompress (but i’ve been needing more and more of that recently to work out and it’s related to previously stated issues) so i’m just losing it.

ido honestly believe i’ve been making strides in regards to my mental health and identity but es problema es capital as they say but i’m having such issues of motivation and getting things done that it’s a huge problem and my apartment is too much rent because i couldn’t move out when i lost my roommate because i definitely wasn’t capable of it and that roommate taught me i will literally die if i live with basically anyone that isn’t a very small specific group but because of that i’m stuck with an apartment with no food, a broken dishwasher that i’m too scared to call the landlord to fix, double rent and such.

like i knew i had some issues but my cascade of emotions once i saw the ticket on my break that id been forced to take i guess shows me that i’m really not doing well with the massive stress just hanging over my head

well i guess that’s all the words i have now. if you read all that i’m impressed and sorry i guess, but maybe i’ll find a way to dig myself out of this hole. maybe

[beardedmrbean]

An old adage about Finnish culture is that the only place a Finnish person will freely speak to you is in a sauna. However, a Tampere sauna is leaning into the stereotype of the reticent Finn by not allowing any conversation whatsoever.

Finland's oldest city newspaper, the freely distributed Tamperelainen (siirryt toiseen palveluun), carried a piece on Rauhaniemi hosting a so-called silent sauna, one in which speaking to other sauna-goers is highly frowned upon.

The sauna building itself is a Mongolian-style circular pastoral yurt, heated by two wood-burning stoves and is a joint initiative by promotional outfit Sauna Konkeli and the local Rauhaniemi Folk Spa.

"We want to create a peaceful space to enjoy a relaxing steam. In the yurt sauna, we encourage bathers not to engage in conversation and to contribute to the peace of the sauna. In this sauna you can relax and immerse yourself in the steam," said Juha Kumara from Sauna Konkeli.

The yurt sauna will be heated up for the first time this Friday and continue everyday for the next month from 4pm to 9pm.

As the facilities at the Rauhaniemi Folk Spa are right on the shore of Lake Näsijärvi, it will naturally be possible to take a dip in the waters between sauna sessions, however, it is unclear whether or not speaking will be allowed while swimming.

Classroom turmoil

Helsingin Sanomat (siirryt toiseen palveluun) interviewed Helsinki's Deputy Mayor for Education Nazima Razymar (SDP), who spoke freely on the issues facing certain classrooms in Helsinki.

"I hate to say this, but we have children who have held more knives than pens. Some of these children are also a distraction for the rest of the group if they cannot be given adequate support in the classroom," Razymar told HS.

HS wrote that the elephant in Razymar's office this past year has been school policies of inclusion. These school policies, in principle, are designed to offer all students equal access to education, however, it has resulted in unintended consequences, according to Razymar.

Whereas in the past, students who required more support would have studied in separate classes or schools, but as a result of inclusion policies, these methods have been eliminated.

Over the past year, Razmyar has constructed a picture of chaotic classrooms where teachers find it, at worst, impossible to do their jobs.

Razymar stated that the main areas of concern in the city are those marked by low income, low employment rate and low education levels, but she refrained from naming specific neighbourhoods.

In Razymar's opinion, there is too little public discussion on segregation affecting these areas of Helsinki, due to a fear of populism.

"Sure, we could use more resources from the state, but reversing segregation is the responsibility of the city," she told HS.

While Razymar did not offer any solutions to the current situation, she said that this was a necessary discussion to have, otherwise the quality of education will decline and teachers will leave the field.

The Wolf Pack makes history

The Finnish national men's basketball team takes on Spain in the quarterfinals of EuroBasket on Tuesday. This marks the first time Finland has made the quarterfinals since 1967, when EuroBasket was hosted in Finland.

Coming off a 94-86 victory against Croatia, the Finnish team, nicknamed The Wolf Pack, was led by National Basketball Association (NBA) player Lauri Markkanen'scareer-high of 43 points.

Ilta-Sanomat (siirryt toiseen palveluun), citing Spanish paper Marca (siirryt toiseen palveluun), wrote that Markkanen, who was recently traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Utah Jazz in the NBA, caught the attention of the Spanish team's coach Sergio Scariolo.

"Preparing for this match has been particularly difficult. The opponent is a team that plays an atypical but very effective game. Excellent shooters and a world-class star [Markkanen]. He must be defended very wisely and precisely so that gaps do not appear elsewhere." Scariolo said.

The Spanish team is a juggernaut in international basketball having won three gold medals in the tournament since 2009. The last time the Spanish team walked away from the tournament without a medal was 2005.

[bereft-of-frogs]

friday! and a nice friday too, the sun is out and everything!

books:

(finished) This Wretched Valley - Jenny Kiefer: I maintain this would have been better/scarier if they had been good at their jobs lol, like I said last week. Like imagine how scarier if you're doing everything right and still can't escape and slowly realize there's some*thing* keeping you in the wilderness? Personal preference.

(finished) (phone book) Into the Dark - Claudia Gray: You know, I didn't love this one as much as I did on the first pass a couple years ago. A weird opinion shift: I really don't like Cohmac haha. I remember liking him before and this time I'm like...no you can't have custody of Reath, I don't like you. Ok, that's...not the most mature book critique but still. I wish either Jora hadn't died or Dez or Orla had taken custody of Reath :( But it does make me consider giving Midnight Horizon a second chance, because my opinions shifted so much, maybe the opposite will happen with that one. Or maybe I'll just be able to further justify my Cohmac dislike.

(in-progress) (phone book) The Rising Storm - Cavan Scott: Bell is back! I missed Bell and Ember. Not too far in yet but at least I am back on track. I feel like this is where things start getting sadder which makes me happy (sorry Bell) :)

(in-progress) The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien: I'm like 30 pages from the end lol, I only read this while I have my morning coffee, just to explain why it's taken me like three weeks to read a 250 page children's book.

tv:

(finished) Anthracite (Netflix): What an insane amount of subplots for 6 EPISODES?? Either Netflix needed to greenlight like...4x as many episodes or once they got their budget the writers needed to cut like half the subplots and tighten up focus. I'm still honestly reeling. It did do a good job getting you to care about the main characters despite all the insane plot stuff. Also this was weird: like 90% of it was really well shot, and then randomly there would be a scene that looked like it was shot by someone in high school. I don't know if they had to go back in for reshoots or what but occasionally it was like oof that's not good.

(finished) Baby Reindeer (Netflix): Everyone was talking about this so I had to check it out. It's very intense. Is it bad I found the comedy shows were the hardest scenes to watch, despite everything else?

(in-progress) Under the Bridge (Hulu): Seems like sort of a standard mystery but I'm really just here for Riley Keough and Lily Gladstone and the moody vibes and so far am satisfied.

(in-progress) Constellation (AppleTV+): Nice little bit of unreality/space horror so far. I actually got got by a couple scenes, I'm so desensitized to horror that it's nice when I actually get creeped out by something (the ARM in the second episode!!). Looking forward to seeing where this is going, judging by the first two episodes, seems like my pet conspiracy theory (the Lost Cosmonaut theory) is getting a high budget AppleTV adaptation, never thought I'd see the day. Also I got kind of hyped about the Canadarm cameo in the first episode. The shot panned over the space station and I out loud shouted 'it's the Canadarm!', startling the cat

film:

The Apology (2022): Apparently this was the only movie I watched this week, it was ok, mostly just background noise for making lunch/writing. I wish it had leaned more comedic, which is not something I usually say but I think it would have fit if they'd committed to making a really dark horror-comedy rather than flipping between predictable melodrama and some pretty funny catharsis.

craft update: I am free of the tyranny of having to purl! I joined up the two sides of my sweater so I'm knitting in the round now yay! It turned out I didn't have a problem with needle size, the whole thing did fit on one circular needle so now we're cooking with gas.

to do:

finish the work day. ick. but depending on how long it takes me to get through actual work, I can probably get some writing done too

laundry, both clothes laundry on my lunch hour (now) and sheets/towels at my parents'

I'm through 8 out of 12 chapters of current wip! Unfortunately chapter 9 is SO action-focused. why did I do this to myself. I mean I know why because then chapter 10 gets to be angsty but damn I have to block out so many action scenes. why.

I ordered a filing cabinet. it arrived. most of the negative reviews were about how hard it was to put together. so I should put 'assemble filing cabinet' on this list but I think 'let filing cabinet percolate' is a more realistic entry

I might go to a local yarn store on my way up to my parents' tomorrow, because it's local yarn store day and I do not need any more stitch markers but BUT I want more stitch markers. don't @ me I know I have plenty of stitch markers.

pick a new book: I'm torn between giving Kill Show another shot, starting the other book I have checked out of the library (The Deep Sky) or a secret third thing

have a good weekend everyone!

[rennyji]

appearances

Once upon a time I had hair. Me with hair and without it? I look radically different. I started losing my hair rapidly, upon realization of something surreal happening, while pursuing my Bachelors in Computer Science degree. Now, me with hair? Like other Asians or Europeans, I had a thing for leather jackets. My mother has good taste and would buy me quality shirts with collars in my high school/college years - that's right my mom bought my shirts! This is while my peers are wearing the freebies from joining a club in college.

So there's me with a leather jacket, my relaxed/fitting jeans, and buttoned up collar shirts exposing my, 80's style: minimal chest hair. Yes, I totally get shaving it all off is the norm! But that was my effortless look. But the cherry on top was my hair. In college, I was the guy who never got IDed at bars or parties, though I lost interest quickly. There's people pissing through the spaces in the floor boards, and bars weren't a place I enjoyed finding someone to walk side by side with. I was frequently met by frat guys, with their party invite professional cards, while walking through my initial engineering campus.

Kids in my old Church, thought I was the coolest guy. I was nobody. Just a guy who studied, while struggling with ADD/focus issues, with the hope of getting a decent job, so that I could start my life. My cousins would call me "the big man on campus" or "Mr. Bollywood." (Hollywood, but with a "B"). They all had these big impressions of me, but I was just a man with hair. Plain and simple.

At the onset of my "mind harassing" situation, I believe I experienced some accelerated male pattern baldness, within the years of 2012-2013. Now I'm not tall, I'm 5"8 or 5"9, I was beginning to get some gains from working out, but I wasn't like some of these East Asians on my campus, who were exceptionally cut. When I had my hair -and I"m a straight guy who enjoyed having bangs on his left and right temples ( because I wanted to look like 1980s "Billie Jean/Beat It": Michael Jackson) - I knew I was me. But when I lost my original look, I lost a part of me. I lost my face/I lost a core part of my identity. I went from being "that" guy and became "this" guy. If nothing else, it was my first experience with an aspect of mortality, or losing something I would never possibly regain, for as long as I live. That's somewhat of a big revelation, for a small thing, in the beginning of your 20's.

Dave Bautista, with his nicely "shaped" beard (and even without it), can pull of the bald look. And Jimmy Fallon has a lush/fluffy of a lions mane - I mean does he condition that/oil that? its clean/natural thickness where if you ruffled your hands through, it wouldn't get messed up/require hair gel...sorry man, or anyone, if I'm weirding you out-your hair is very much noticeable. I'm writing this, while watching Fallon's Friday night episode on March 1, 2024. I may not look horrible, but I'm no Dave Bautista, or The Rock (who pulls off the bald look nicely, compared to his "short hair combed down" look, from when he was wrestling: "Ifff yoouuu smeeellll ... what The Rock is cooking?! ... I think that was Dwayne Johnson's line.)

Now I say these things, not because I'm a narcissist. & Not because I think I'm exceptional. While I occasionally dabble with things like a Nutrafol supplement that just came out, now seen on TV, I've pretty much come to terms with not having my usual head of hair. I've accepted it. No need for sympathetic type comments like "You're still nice or good looking"...in a sense, I stopped caring.

So why do I say this now?

With a little bit of life experience, I come across News 4 like subjects, on Fashion Icon/Interior Designer: Iris Apfel , who passed away, with sentiments like "I'll never be good looking...", so I'll look flamboyant with big glasses and a Victorian big circular dress collar. At first sight, she looked a little scary or like someone who needs to be careful walking the streets. From my quick rush with her picture on the news, I wasn't a fan of her short hair (as I think women look better with chest level hair length, ending in twirls/curls/or just pin straight), but I saw nothing wrong with her face. I felt sad, even if this woman I didn't know/never saw before, had this sentiment. I realize everyone has a perception of themselves, as I did with my semi-long "hair gell-ed" hair. And all this coincides on a day, where I addressed flamboyant styles in the wrong places. On another news channel, I heard a newscaster say people have contradicting/coinciding/conflicting type thoughts. For someone to go through all the mental strain of, and settling on, something that makes them feel good/makes them feel like who they are, on the inside, who am I to make suggestions/corrections/comments?! I mean, in certain places, certain roles, you need to adapt for the sake of tradition/custom/location. That's not about telling you what to do or dominating your life. How you are on a typical day, stays with you, regardless, even when you have to make intermittent disappearances of aspects of you.

Over the years, outside of romantic interests, as I'm a bit of a perfectionist in terms of enhancing aspects of me, I see people for their innocent nuances or what they exhibit-kind of hard to explain what I'm thinking. Like, since my kindergarten days and my first Bollywood movie, I wanted someone that looked similar. But over the years, just from seeing different people, getting to know them, even though I may not have said it, even though I didn't expect it, even though it didn't match my Bollywood vision, I found myself quietly appreciating them, in their nuances.

In all honesty, I don't like saying or writing any of this. I'm not a creeper, but I just quietly witness/observe what goes on around me. When I give a viewpoint, there's always the risk, there's an individual who feels restricted or bound to what I'm saying. Ultimately, I say: you be you, I'll be me. If I say something, take it through the filter of your life, or see it through the lens of your own glasses/frames.

In my old/unanswered complaint forms to law enforcement and elsewhere, on my "mind harassing situation," I'd always say, regarding the things I mention, "these are my observations, not my botherations." I'm just going to/fro, where I ultimately return home to get away from it all (which hasn't been happening for more than a decade and frankly, for my personality: it's exhausting). I have no intention on burdening others by being overbearing, overreaching, or preachy. While born as a baptized Christian, influencing my views along with several other religions, my ultimate belief is in one, Big "G": God, who cares for me, as a parent for His child, and believes in me, even when I don't believe in myself.

In life, we're not machines. We can't live by rules, but only guidelines. Which is why the Golden Rule is important. From that everything else follows. Interpret what comes your way through those lens, and wake up to your self and surroundings.

One of my tweets on the matter:

Our Roles/Lifestyles/Personas InLife R like Quadrilaterals, which R 4 Sided Figures Like squares/rectangles/trapezoid/rhombus -shapes looking Different 2 Our Eyes-or illusions. Truth in them is they All Have 4 sides. Such R different people. We're all People, Of Varying Shades Which Is Y Golden Rule is Important. Another tweet in relation:

People R like analog signals. They don’t have fixedStates likeDigital 1’s & 0’s which are really electrical charges or the lack Of them. People are of all colors/shades of the spectrum, which makes them complicated, vague 2 understand, and not 2B judged 1 way or the other. Nothing is this or that.

I'm a programmer by trade. And in programming, we have something called if/else statements that tell a program or the computer, what to do for various situations (what's called: "conditions.")

It looks something like this:

if () { } else if () { } else if () { } . . . else { } We're not one thing or the other. Sometimes our beliefs and actions lie somewhere between the initial "if" clause above, and "else if ()", which is basically saying: "if this," "then that," "otherwise do that." With all the talk on meat on the news, an example would be: "if I'm hungry, I'll eat red meat" else "I'll eat white meat" What if you decide to eat a kabab with beef, chicken, and shrimp? Is shrimp even red meat or white meat? Isn't that seafood? This kind of setting throws off the if/else logic or you end up restricting yourself to a box with one or the other type rules. You need to be flexible and open minded. Look respectful, be respectful, but ultimately project your identity, while mindful of your situation and setting. No need to put yourself down or feel guilty. Respect yourself/others.

[theorist-influencer-untitled]

11.4.23 Saturday

12 am

Continuation from 11.3.23 of Friday♡♡ Our LOVE expression this early moaning with my BABY at 3:24 am before 4 am:

My BABY ( HIM ) starting to caress my body inside my white,big shirt ( Shirt that I borrow from HIM )... His left hand starting to run his fingers on my tummy going up to my chest then touching my right breast slowly.... His forefinger caressing my right nipple and slowly touching the entire part of my right breast while we continuously kiss each other. We kiss like our tongue is in the middle of battlefield....

My right nipple become hardened as well as my left nipple. I kiss him hardly that I don't want us to stop kissing from this moment...

Then,my right hand go down from his left cheek going down touching his chest and running down to his tummy down to his penis...

I hear again his first moan on this day while me caressing his penis, stroking it on a circular motion. I'm dying to pull down his classic white brief and we still kiss at this moment...

I'm holding the top garter of his BRIEF pulling it down while we can't stop kissing each other. I'm pulling down his brief for me to be able to touch his penis on skin and flesh...

I say BABY can you lift up a lil, I wanna remove your BRIEF then he pull-up his body on a side lying position... I can feel his BRIEF it is already down to his knees, I use my right toe to pull it down until it reach his toe and I totally clip it on my toe finger to remove his BRIEF.

We still kissing each other,you pull-up from me, I'm lying down on our BED, you are kneeling astride above me while you remove your own shirt.

I'm looking at you straight in your eyes, waiting for your next move while me trying to catch my breath... I see you smiling at me and I smile back at you...

Your both arms reaching both of my hands, you say lil hot mamah can I have your hands and pull-up for me... I'm on a sitting position from OUR bed while HIM still on kneeling position astride on me and he is starting kissing me again while his pulling my shirt up until he totally remove it away from my body.

3:05 am

Continuation from 11.3.23 of Friday♡♡ Our LOVE expression this early moaning with my BABY at 3:24 am before 4 am:

My BABY lead me to "scissor position" in-front of each other... He say to pull in both of my legs then put it over on his long legs. He extend now both of his legs in-front of me.He pull me onto his lap while we still kissing each other...Then he is starting caressing my pelvic and pulling my panty down to my legs and he say lil hot mamah lift up a lil then I bend both of my legs on an astride position then he take off my panty...

Now, I can feel his heartbeat....I put my arms around his neck, we're still kissing, I don't want it to end... He put both of his hands at my lower back bone, nearly going to my pelvic... I say to him on my whispery voice BABY be gentle my pelvic ohkay ( I'm not sure when this Pelvic or S-bones will be gone ). He suddenly laugh and kiss me again, I kiss him back touching each other's tongue...

I can feel my breast rubbing on his chest or body, my nipples starting to hardened again, as we kiss and I feel my breast touching his body...

He say hot lil mamah, please let me go in now... I put down my right hand this time, holding his erect penis and trying to insert it inside my vagina... When I feel his erect penis inside me, we suddenly moan at the same time... At the same time???

We starting to jounce wildly on each other... I'm starting to lose my mind but loving this moment with him forever...

9:15 am

Hmm... Still have windblow....Uncle Jun is here, I wonder why ( probably LBM )... He is just there watching on his mobile...

This big question mark Uncle DD is not responding again for something... Expenses...

Still, thinking of the continuation from 2 days ago... Still, thinking of money and job... Still, waiting for the rewave from Iqor and still, waiting for me to have the chance to transfer in sand-dunes ilocos where you can see some plastics and rocks and pebbles...

I still wanna leave Cavite coz there is no LIFE here and they are starting to smash me again. Cavite are known as not all but mostly traitor, 70% traitor and 30% real...

I have windblow and I can't get success for 16 years...

2:10 pm

Continuation from 11.3.23 of Friday♡♡ Our LOVE expression this early moaning with my BABY at 3:24 am before 4 am:

While I'm onto his lap as if a baby as well on his lullaby moan... We continuously bouncing wildly but gentle, our lips never apart while we keep on bouncing to reach our end... From his neck and shoulder,my arms go down to his broad chest we embrace as if no one can tear us apart but only Till MURDER do US part...

He say lil hot mamah, while he is moaning but still wanting to say something on me....I say YEAH! He say lil hot mamah wrap your legs around me like a clamp that holds strongly.

Then,my BABY fold both of his legs as well from our "SCISSOR POSITION GOING TO LOTUS POSITION" where he is shifting and folding both of his legs into indian sit,then I slightly pull up to sit over his legs...

I can really feel his erect penis inside me, even my breast are pressing into his chest, my nipples are hardened to the fullest... I can feel the shiver of my entire body while feeling his penis going in and out of my vagina while my nipples are rubbing his chest. We try to keep our lips pressing each other while me bouncing over him... We moan and moan like a soft melody in my ears... I feel his LOVE on me... I embrace his entire SOUL... I can't stop loving him... Then, I'm kissing his chest while we still keep bouncing and he is starting kissing and licking my right neck going to my right shoulder.

I'm starting to lick his chest alternately of sucking his flesh and kissing that body...I'm trying to reach his neck where I kiss and suck him... Kissing his neck,the way I kiss his thicked-cute pouting lips...

I love to feel his pouting lips on my skin... I feel the tremble inside my soul and I feel like my head will explode of this hellish heavenly feeling... I feel the fire of LOVE!

He ask me are you coming lil hot mamah? He say I can feel your water spring on me... It is so easy for him to go in and out...I say keep going, in a lil while I can feel something will burst out... He say tell me lil hot mamah so that I can still hold for awhile...

Lingering the moment with HIM... Now the end is near, ah ah ah I say BABY keep on going, I'm coming... I'm coming... Then he say ohkay, then we kiss again while bouncing, our tongue is colliding each other again... Until I say, I'm coming now and he just moan out load on my right ear and we embrace tightly...

I love you BABY.

I SUDDENLY FEEL JEALOUS ON THINGS THAT I DON'T KNOW...

3:29 pm

Back to present situation:

I texted Coach Melai about my rewave in Iqor....She texted me that she is already on her maternity leave but she sent my rewave approval to her manager that I should wait for the HR to mail me or contact me on my mobile number for my rewave, if there is possible new group to join in...

I wish Coach Melai a happy baby shower and a safe delivery as well... In fairness she is nice and professional and competitive...

I still have windblow and not satisfied being flatten unfairly... I need money and job coz I can't go to ilocos sand-dunes where I expect some plastics as well but there are some good rocks and pebbles....I don't know,my mind now is on my job, MY OWN MONEY, plus Borgy is in my head that I wanna see and talk to him... But I don't have a car now to use and no means for me to kidnap him... No life here and liking Borgy for a long time but no exposure for me... There are so many weird cryptic message but it stays as "CRYPTIC MESSAGE". It hurts me so much for 16 years...

I wanna transfer to ilocos coz I'm really hurting here in Cavite since 2007... I just wanna stay on a new place just like my brother RV who is now in Pampangga...

But when it comes to work issue of course it is really work. So, I have to be professional in a way coz there is no power.But there are some good people as well in Iqor... WheW!

I'm always asking a favour in Iqor whoever who can help me just for the job coz I need money....Yeah! Power is important but if there is none, I have this maturity to bow down.. In a real world it is so hard to be part of the harsh reality of the world...

But I have no fundings now, I mean MY OWN MONEY... I just wanna breathe in and breathe out... No LIFE here and no progress for 16 years... Still, irritated waiting for the rewave and I know it is basically a pancake world for me but I can survive even a lil but I'm still "broke"... I need to have money for some basics needs though I'm not that contented having basics but everything will start again from basics then I still hope for a progress... Coz I never lose my maturity since 2010 that I started to understand the real flow of the world... The harsh reality... But you have to be an adult for you to be able to flow and survive with the harsh reality of the world.

5:07 pm

Wow! I was able to have my coke float... I need money now... I bought rice just for 2 kilos then I bought coke zero and I found a vanilla with caramel syrup in a cup, "Creamline" and I'm out of money...

Super happy that I'm able to have my coke float! Then, I have to burn it....Burn some fats and calories but I'm super happy...

I love eating and sometimes I crave for sweets then I still need to exercise aside from my Sciatica/Priformis or S-Bones pain or Pelvic pain, that it needs stretching and exercise.

Grrr.... I need money... I need money and job. I want Borgy to be supportive of my addiction on the actual exercise aside from our SEX LIFE that can burn calories... How many sex in a week??? Let's see...

7:34 pm

Done,eating and self-care routine of John done as well...

I still have windblow... Hmmm... My story on love expression, will just edit later hmmm.... I forgot to remove my panty? Did I??? How the penis get in if there is still a panty in me..

Anyways, will discuss something about friendship and fake friendship and etiquette... Will just fix something here...

8:40 pm

Still have windblow...I'm starting to feel the stress coz of money and I feel bitter for not having SEX with Borgy...

Sex is a right of any person but of course with the right one... Sex is a right of person to express her or his inner sensual emotion most specially to experience his or her carnal pleasure...

People in Cavite are weird...I sense an unfair grouping here and I really wanna leave the hometown if I can but the problem I don't have money yet...The idea that I don't wanna die here in Cavite... Still, have windblow... I sense some people here are having sex and enjoying for 16 years and for 16 years I can't get a bf or I can't have sex... I can't get a consistent job... I'm always defeated for 16 years here. Those are the people who are controlling my life to the point that nobody wants me anymore...

It is impossible to think that Borgy is here in Cavite with some mystery ( I mean sleeping with people )???

I FEEL JEALOUS ON THINGS THAT I DON'T KNOW...

It makes my heart bleed and it can kill my SOUL-LIFE...

9:01 pm

If I'm gonna marry Borgy of course I wanna be with him totally heart,soul and belief... I wanna have a catholic wedding coz I'm really a Catholic now, the part of me being a Born Again Christian is because of old friends that hoping they are real on me.

Since Born Again Christian is not a religion but just a fellowship or group of people...

I start to eat blood the day I posted here that I wanna lick Borgy's penis up and down... I literally eat blood-blood coz of some ache that my old religion gave me, ( the INC or church of christ )they didn't even care at all on things that supposed to be they should give help... I ate blood and I ate flesh blood... I left the Iglesia Ni Cristo...

Still, the same emotion...I crave to eat blood and I really wanna lick Borgy's Dangling Balls and Banana...

Being a family is not based on religion but by blood and principle of being a good person. I want everyone to understand that... It is my anxiety somehow here in my family... I was scared before coz I was innocent that I shouldn't leave my old religion (Iglesia Ni Cristo ) for some outsider like Borgy... But I understand everything since 2011 that religion is a personal choice not our family members...

From the past years I dreamed of super magical big wedding but these days I don't want it anymore... I don't feel like having a super fancy wedding and I feel bitterish as well now on this flat and plain situation that I have...

Days passed me by and I was panicky and hurting...The day that I saw Borgy I feel like the force wants me to fade... To drift apart from our generation timeline. I told everyone so what if I'm younger or teenager again coz of the windspin aside from windblow, that I said I want him to be my "sugar daddy". A sugar daddy wants someone young and innocent but I was already awakened year 2010...

[grantgoddard]

Gonna make you a star/czar : 2001 : James Murdoch, Star TV

“I am sorry, sir, but you are not allowed in the tea room,” the head chai-wallah said to me politely but firmly. “It is OUR job to bring you cups of tea when you request them.”

I was learning that, in India, self-service was a social crime and servitude was still alive and well. I had wandered into this tiny room from my desk a few steps away in my quest for an alternative to the thick, sugary tea I had been served, reminiscent of the disgusting, syrupy ‘Camp Coffee’ my mother always drank in the 1960’s. In the ‘tea room’ was only one big aluminium machine on which there was a single large red button. Press it holding your cup underneath and it delivered ready-sugared, ready-milked tea. No options. Henry Ford would have been proud. Admonished, I skulked back to my desk, visions dancing in my head of unavailable herbal teas and a former existence in which I was allowed to make my own beverages.

My desk was on the edge of an open-plan space occupied by ‘Channel [V]’, a music video station whose ratings were failing to compete with ‘MTV Asia’. It was not hard to see why. Peeking over my desk divider I would observe the young, educated, urban team’s enthusiasm for American and European rock music which, for India’s largely rural audience, probably sounded as if it came from another solar system. At one nearby desk, a hip young man spent most of his day quietly strumming an acoustic guitar as if he were Dylan (the rabbit). This wing of the top floor of ‘Star TV’s building in Mumbai was as laid back as I imagined the Hunter Thompson-period ‘Rolling Stone’ magazine office to have been.

Why was I there? The team creating India’s first commercial FM radio network was so nascent that we had no office space of our own as yet and had to be squeezed into other channels’ unused corners. On the opposite side of my work station usually sat my young colleague, Sandeep Kapur. He was absent today sorting out paperwork that would prove he was not dead. This required him to purchase classified advertisements in several newspapers stating that he was, in fact, very much alive. After the stated period during which he hoped no objections would be lodged, he could then apply to the government for a ‘Life Certificate’, necessary for transactions such as a mortgage. In India it was insufficient to BE alive; you required a piece of paper to prove it.

At the end of every morning, the tiffin-wallahs arrived to deliver hot homemade lunches in circular metal lunchboxes to male workers at their desks. Each box was colour-coded, numbered and inscribed with symbols to designate a particular desk on a specific floor of our office building in the Andheri district. All had been collected from homes and conveyed long distances by bicycle, train and car within the previous few hours. Those of us unlucky enough not to have wives at home, or to be one of the organisation’s few female staff, could buy subsidised cooked lunches in the building’s ground floor canteen, at its busiest on Friday when the weekly Chinese fare was sufficiently admired to persuade men to forgo their wives’ home cooking.

Today had been designated a special day because the several hundred staff working in the building were to be addressed by the Great Leader via a live television satellite link. At the appointed time, I pulled up a chair alongside the hip Channel [V] dudes in a semi-circle around one of the many television sets affixed high on the corridor walls of every floor. There was an air of anticipation because we had been promised/warned that a major corporate announcement was about to be made. Reorganisation? Closures? Would a pink-slipped Dylan have to find another gig where he could continue killing his workmates softly with his songs?

The satellite connection flickered and we could see a fixed camera focused on a young man sat behind an ordinary office desk in Hong Kong. It was the very moment he started talking inanimately to the camera that the event started to become somewhat surreal. This man was chairman and chief executive of a huge media conglomerate broadcasting multiple television channels by satellite across most of Asia. He apparently had important developments to share with his workforce of thousands. So why did he have the air of a wayward son forced by his father to smile for the annual family group Christmas photo? Why was he oozing the reluctance of a boy ordered to attend his stepmother’s birthday bash and to bring a suitably expensive present that had not been manufactured in China?

I could not supress a snigger. My young Indian colleagues turned and stared at me as if it were heretical not to show the utmost respect to our ultimate boss. I realised then that they probably knew next to nothing about the twenty-eight-year-old James Murdoch who was addressing us or how he had been appointed to this job. His track record hinted at his posting to the furthest reaches of the Murdoch galaxy. Aged fifteen, daddy Rupert had given him an internship on his Sydney newspaper, only to find him photographed by a competitor asleep on a sofa at a press conference. Later on, how disappointing it must have been to buy your son’s education at Harvard to study film and history, only for him to drop out in order to launch a rap music company … which later you have to bail out.

Murdoch’s Star TV operation based in Hong Kong had been losing US$200m a year by 2000 so, naturally, it was decided to send a boy to do a man-sized turnaround job. What was the son’s new strategy to stem these losses? We learned from the television address that Murdoch Junior had come up with the amazing idea of changing the business’ name from ‘Star TV’ to … ‘Star’. I kid you not. This was apparently necessary because ‘TV’ was an outdated, fuddy duddy business while the ‘internet’ was the medium of the future, despite it having already existed for almost two decades. So it required us all to wave goodbye to the ‘TV’ brand and say hello to ‘….’.

This sounded remarkably like a rehash of Murdoch Junior’s lobbying of Pops three years earlier with his strategy that the internet was where it was at, resulting in News Corporation having submitted a $450m bid for online startup ‘Pointcast’. I had been an enthusiastic early adopter in 1996 of its application which downloaded news stories using ‘push technology’ onto a computer about topics and from leading global newspapers personalised by each user. Working months on end in Russian isolation, I would spend evenings redialling hundreds of times until my laptop’s modem connected to a landline good enough to receive the latest news stories to devour. The phrase ‘never look a Murdoch horse in the mouth’ must have eluded the Pointcast board who stupidly rejected Junior’s vastly inflated offer. Two years later, it sold the business for a meagre $7m to a different company that shut the news service after one further year of operation. Pops had been miraculously saved from a half-billion sinkhole dug by Junior on that occasion.

Quite why Junior’s ongoing affair with the internet demanded us to interrupt our work schedule for half-an-hour I had no idea, but we watched until the screens went blank again and then walked away … totally underwhelmed. I returned to my desk and found that fairies had magic-ed a hardback notebook with the new ‘Star’ logo onto every desk in the building. The change made absolutely no difference to my work. We were planning to launch our radio network with the brand ‘Star FM’ (though this plan failed once we found a competitor had already bagged the name). When I left the building that evening, I had to avoid a crew with a crane who were busy swapping the huge illuminated logo over the front door to one with the new name. Apart from losing the ‘TV’, the logo still looked much the same to me.

Less than three years after having banished Junior to Hong Kong, Pops called him back to manage a different part of his empire in Britain, claiming that his son had executed a hugely successful turnaround strategy during his posting to Asia. One Australian newspaper ran this story in 2003 under the headline ‘James Murdoch didn't shine at Star’.