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iristhemessenger · 5 years ago

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Just for a moment, dance with me?

My very first Wayhaven fic, in the spirit of sharing more F content! <3

Pairing: Felix Hauville/f.Detective (Eris Evergreen)

Summary: Eris' life has been anything but simple these days, her thoughts heavy with the safety of her town and the bloodthirsty monster who threatens them all. She just needs a moment, one blissful moment to take her mind off of it all and Felix may be just the person to help her out. After all, how can she say 'no' to that charming smile?

The song "Cheerleader" of course belongs to Omi, and is a personal favorite for those days when you just feel like dancing to something with a little bop. ^-^

~ * ~

“When I need motivation

My one solution is my queen

'Cause she stay strong (yeah yeah)

She is always in my corner

Right there when I want her

All these other girls are tempting

But I'm empty when you're gone

And they say

Do you need me?

Do you think I'm pretty?

Do I make you feel like cheating?

And I'm like no, not really 'cause

Oh I think that I found myself a cheerleader

She is always right there when I need her”

For such a small town where barely anything happens, Eris will never understand how she still manages to find a towering stack of paperwork and reports on her desk nearly every morning, demanding her attention as she eyes the pile wearily. It has been a quiet day, all things considered, giving her more than ample time to make a good dent in said paperwork.

Most of them are small things, little complaints lodged by bickering neighbors or elder members of the community expressing their displeasure with the local youth who wander the streets, playing their music too loud or generally just standing around and being a nuisance.

She is not sure how many times she’s had to explain to Mrs. Henderson, one of Wayhaven’s regular complainants, that young Micky Roads and his small group of friends were not part of some drug-peddling gang, merely enthusiastic beat-boxers who preferred to share their music with the rest of the town than in the confines of his mother's basement.

Still, she should be thankful that such petty grievances are her only worries these days. What with Murphy running around still free, a part of her had been anxiously waiting for the phone at the station to ring yet again, signalling another death at the crazed vampire’s hands. Yet another life she had failed to protect, just like Garret Hayes.

She knows there's nothing she could have done in the grand scheme of things, but that only alleviated her guilt by a small margin. She was supposed to protect the innocent, supposed to be someone they could turn to in their time of fear and need but this...with Murphy, her blood, her mother, Unit Bravo and the Agency. It was all too much, and so out of her realm of control and understanding.

How was she supposed to prepare her town, her people, for such chaos without causing wide-spread panic among the residents of Wayhaven. If they even believed her at all, that was.

She wouldn’t blame them if they called her batty, no pun intended, this wasn’t exactly the kind of thing she expected to be dealing with when she took on the title of detective for the town. The police academy didn’t exactly train one for handling bloodthirsty, serial killing supernaturals.

She was tempted to write them a letter, to correct that particular oversight.

Not that it would do much good, she knew her mother would only destroy any such evidence against the Agency through her, she was guessing at this point, numerous contacts in order to maintain the secrecy of their shadow agency and dealings with the supernatural.

“Good morning, detective!” A familiar, jovial voice calls out, breaking the silence and her own morose thoughts.

Looking up from her desk, Eris can't help the smile that almost involuntary spreads across her face upon seeing her guest. It’s nothing compared to the dazzling smile that greets her in return as Felix saunters into her office. Eyes so intent on her she fidgets in her chair a little, unused to such undivided attention.

“It’s my turn to escort you home this fine evening.” He explains, giving her a once over that has goosebumps prickling over her skin under his appreciative gaze. “Though, admittedly, you are much finer.”

“Oh?” She raises an eyebrow, confused. “Not that I am complaining, but I thought it was Mason’s turn to take me home tonight?”

It had become the new norm at this point, the members of Unit Bravo taking turns escorting or babysitting her throughout the day while the others patrolled the town and surrounding area for Murphy.

She had already spent a delightful morning with Adam.

Sarcasm heavy on the 'delightful' as the leader of the vampiric agents had made no attempt to hide his annoyance when she'd insisted on a small outing from the station to Haley's bakery, for her regular morning caramel macchiato and blueberry scone. Citing the venture as 'inadvisable' and 'ridiculously foolhardy' when the station already had a (semi) working coffee machine in the break room.

The fact that it made coffee that looked and tasted like tar was, of course, of no concern to him.

Seeing Felix after an entire morning of that, and a few more mysteriously dented filing cabinets and a now unusable soap dispenser in the men's room, was honestly a breath of fresh air.

Nothing against Mason, who she suspected was finally beginning to warm up to her (he’d even begun to put out his cigarettes during their car rides back to her home, knowing how much she disliked the smell) but she found that she enjoyed spending time with Felix.

The younger vampire’s mere presence seemed to set her at ease, in a way she couldn’t quite explain. Whether it was his constant string of jokes, as strange as they could be sometimes, or his boundless optimism, whatever it was she sorely needed that right now.

“Ah, well…” He rubs the back of his neck sheepishly, unwilling to admit that Mason had only agreed to switch their shifts because he had all but begged the older vampire until he’d grown fed up with his nagging. “Adam decided to take him out to patrol the warehouse district again for signs of Murphy or a potential hideout. So, you get me for the afternoon instead, if that's ok by you?”

There's a slight hint of uncertainty at the end of his usually confident southern drawl, one he hopes she doesn't catch into.

"Of course it is!" She nods, and he is happy to see her smile, genuine and honest, still in place. Not to mention he'd noted the slight jump in her pulse and heartbeat when he’d announced himself earlier, making his own grin widen. "I always enjoy your company."

"Careful detective, keep buttering me up with sweet words and I'll never want to leave you alone." He teases, with a wink for good measure.

"Oh, heavens forbid." She teases back without missing a beat, shuffling some papers on her desk. "How would I ever manage?"

Felix is practically beaming now down at her, basking in their easy banter. He enjoys these stolen moments with the detective, who was infinitely more fun than patrol duty. Even if at some point he knew they would eventually have to part ways, he would take what he could get. He wanted to savor the time with Eris while he could, and if she were amenable to his flirting and interest, even after discovering their true nature, then he sure as hell wasn’t going to turn her away.

“I’m almost done with these reports” She sighs, “just waiting on some paperwork from Tina and we’ll be good to go if that sounds ok?”

He watches her as she stretches her arms high above her head, in an attempt to ease the stiffness that has made its way through her body. Her back arches in the chair, chest lifting forward, revealing every soft, and ample curve beneath her light blue t-shirt. The young vampire licks his top lip.

“More than ok, excellent even.”

His voice is smoother than silk when he answers, and she swears something breaks within her at the sound of it, leaving her flustered as she catches his eye. She clears her throat, sinking back into her chair.

"Alright then, good...that's...good."

Without another word, but his usual, cocky grin now firmly plastered on his face at a job well done, the agent makes himself comfortable. Draping his body across what has now become his usual chair in her office, feet in the air he crosses his arms across his chest and settles in.

As uncomfortable as the chair itself was, as he often complained, for some reason he continued to stake his claim, flopping into that particular chair every chance he got.

The fact that it was close to her desk, giving them both a clear view of the other, was a nice side benefit to be sure.

It's not long before the quiet she'd found herself in before returns, as Felix does his best not to disturb her. She appreciates his effort, though she can tell it is a trying endeavor as she catches his feet twitching.

In an attempt to alleviate his boredom, she turns on her radio. It's already tuned in to her favorite station, and soon the office is filled with music and she can't help but smile softly as a pleased grin spreads across the vampire's shapely mouth.

Felix, for his part, is grateful to find the station plays modern, up to date songs. Not that he didn’t like the music Nate often played, per say, but it did lack a certain energy to it that Felix craved.

Keeping a not-so-subtle eye on the detective, he is happy to see she seems to be of the same mindset. While looking over a few documents, she unconsciously begins to bob her head to the catchy, upbeat rhythm of a song Felix knows well.

To his extreme delight, he even sees her begin to follow the words, perfectly lip-syncing every lyric as she continues to follow the beat.

He watches her lips as they move, soft, pink, a little chapped and bare of any lipstick or gloss. Aside from the barest hint of eyeliner and complimentary eye shadow, he notes she doesn’t wear much make-up. Preferring a more natural look, which suits her well he thinks.

Felix soaks it all in, this moment with her. Unguarded, relaxed, being here with Eris. It felt, so natural and right. He’d never felt like this before with another person, aside from his teammates. He wants to keep it, keep her, but he does his best from getting too excited, just in case.

She’s been very receptive to his flirting, albeit a tad shy which he found adorable, allowing him to savour the growing attraction between them. But, he couldn't help but wonder. What about something…more?

He’s brought out of his own thoughts when her eyes, dark blue like sapphires, catch his. She instantly straightens, brushing a strand of long, black hair behind her ear and clears her throat.

“I, uh, I really like this song...” She admits biting her bottom lip, embarrassed at having been caught.

Felix only smiles, loving the soft blush that blossoms over her fair skin as her pulse quickens.

“You have excellent taste,” His eyes sparkle impishly. “This is one of my favorites too! I wonder what else we have in common, we should definitely take the time to find out...”

He practically purrs the last part, and she can’t help but laugh nervously at how easily he manages to fluster her.

“Back in college I used to be a member of this dance team, and this song was a part of one of our regular routines...” She confesses, voice trailing off as she realizes what she's just said.

Gods, why was she telling him this?! It wasn’t something she advertised, exactly. Though, there had been the occasional incident where Verda or Tina had walked in on her jamming out in her office in an attempt to blow off steam after a particularly nasty meeting with the mayor or a run-in with Bobby.

To her surprise, instead of laughing at her like she expected, Felix jumps out of his chair so suddenly she barely sees him before he is leaning excitedly over her desk. His face is so close to her own, she nearly falls backwards, chair and all at the sudden proximity.

“Show me?!” His excitement is hard to deny, and she finds herself smiling at his enthusiasm.

“S-show you? Like, now, here in the office?” She repeats, receiving a vigorous nod in return.

“Yeah, it’ll be much more fun than just waiting around for those reports. Besides, you can’t not show me after letting that juicy bit of information slip just now.”

He can’t be serious, she thinks, but looking into those earnest eyes, so open and honest, she knows there’s no way he isn’t. They’ve spent enough time together at this point for her to get a sense of the young vampire’s exuberant nature, and, lacking anything else of immense interest to distract him, she knows there’s no getting out of this without refusing him flat out.

The very notion of telling him ‘no’ and potentially losing that bright smile of his doesn’t exactly sit well with her either, for reasons she doesn’t care to dwell on. So, sighing dramatically, she reluctantly gets out of her chair.

“Ok, ok…it’s been awhile so bear with me.” She says, moving to the middle of the room.

Shaking her arms and legs a bit, Eris takes a few steadying breathes in an attempt to quell her nerves. A difficult task considering she is now the focus of Felix’s attention, those amber eyes of his trained solely on her.

She has to think on it a bit, moving her feet and arms in various motions and poses before the movements become familiar again and, smiling like a fool, she is able to recall the entire routine from muscle memory until she is gliding and bopping across the floor of her office like she used to during her college days.

For a single, blissful moment, she forgets where she is. Caught in the nostalgia of her memories and the music.

Simpler, happier times when the world made sense. Before everything turned upside down, before poor Janet and Garret's deaths. Before her mother and Unit Bravo came crashing into her town, and life. Before she found herself being hunted down by a psychopathic vampire for a mutation within her blood she never knew she had before a few days ago.

Just dancing, in the quad with her former classmates and friends. Laughing, letting all their worries melt away as they practiced their routines. Improvising along the way, goofing off and having a good time despite the pressures of upcoming exams and troublesome boyfriends or girlfriends.

Felix watches her the entire time, absorbing the routine with such an immersed focus she can’t help but feel the heat creeping up along her neck to the tips of her ears. Especially when his eyes seem to stray to her swaying hips, his interest blatant and intense.

Swallowing hard, she comes to an abrupt stop and laughs awkwardly. Staring at the floor, with it’s uninteresting color palette. “Welp, yeah…that’s it!"

I’ll just go die of embarrassment now , she groans internally as she turns back to her desk.

“No, wait!” He stops her, reaching out to catch her by her arm. She shivers. The touch of his hand on her bare skin sends a pleasant warmth throughout her body, traveling all the way down to her toes. It's not dissimilar to the same feeling she'd experienced the day they'd gone to Kate's, when he'd ventured to touch her before getting back into her poor, beat up hatchback.

He feels it too, staring down at where his hand grasps her forearm. His smile softens, and he takes the moment to brush his thumb along her skin. As if relishing the touch and the sensations it gives them both, and she relaxes into the touch. “I really liked it, your dance. I think I got the moves down, let me try it with you, please?”

She only hesitates a moment as she considers, before nodding. He releases her, though he appears reluctant to do so. To her own surprise, she also feels a pang of regret at the loss of contact.

Grabbing her phone from her desk, she opens up her playlists on her music app. It doesn't take her long to find the song she's looking for, despite the numerous playlists she has collected over the years.

Music had always been therapeutic for her, a means of escaping or dealing with the world in the absence of her mother. Dancing was an extension of that, a fun hobby that had helped her work off stress and gain a few friends along the way.

And now, here in her office, during what had to be the most chaotic time of her life, she was able to share it with Felix. Grinning at the thought, she positions her phone upright before pressing play. The same song from the radio begins anew, and she returns to her position in the center of the room.

This time, Felix happily sidles up next to her, so eager she can practically feel him vibrating with barely contained excitement. She’s never met anyone with so much raw energy before, and she’s sure not even Tina could match him in sheer vivacity.

As they begin the routine, Eris can't help but think he would have made an excellent addition to her former dance team. In more ways than one, she decides after they run through the steps a few times. He's a quick learner, following her lead, and perfectly imitating every movement..

Surprisingly, it’s not long before they fall into an easy groove. Their timing, uncertain and new at first, quickly becomes almost second nature by the time they all but perfect the routine and soon they find themselves laughing and smiling as they lose themselves to the rhythm. Felix is a natural performer, his movements graceful yet laced with his usual cheer and vibrance, as they dance to the hip-hop tempo of the song.

“She walks like a model

She grants my wishes like a genie in a bottle (yeah yeah)

'Cause I'm the wizard of love

And I got the magic wand

All these other girls are tempting

But I'm empty when you're gone

And they say

Do you need me?

Do you think I'm pretty?

Do I make you feel like cheating?

And I'm like no, not really 'cause

Oh I think that I found myself a cheerleader

She is always right there when I need her”

Eris can only imagine how they would look to the rest of the station, if Tina or Verda, or god-forbid Douglas, walked in on them at that moment. There would be no end to the heckling she’d endure, that was for sure but for now it didn’t matter. They were carefree and safe behind these four walls, away from the troubles that haunted her outside of the sanctuary of her office.

The song eventually ends, but her playlist goes on, queuing up the next song in her library. It's another dance hit, one she recalls often being played in the local bars and dance halls that she and her friends would frequent. Dancing long into the night, until they were a merry band of sweaty limbs and clothes, high off the adrenaline and fruity cocktails plied by the bartenders and eager would-be paramours.

“Ah, hell yeah!” Felix laughs, “this is another good one! Your playlist is fire, detective.”

Without pause, they throw themselves into the new song, adding their own unique bit of flair here and there as they dance.

“Any cool routines go with this one?”

She shakes her head as she shimmies and rolls her hips playfully around the vampire, who watches her closely. “Nope! Completely freestyle, think you can handle that?”

“Oh, I can more than handle…” He promises, rolling his lips suggestively. He beckons her, wagging his finger in a come-hither gesture. “Show me what you got, detective?”

She laughs, mirth bubbling over.

For the first time since all of this mess started she feels light, her natural endorphins kicking in and setting her at ease.

When the moment presents itself, Felix takes the opportunity to take her by the hand. Twirling her here and there, bringing her closer as her back falls against his chest before whipping her away once again. He's quick on his feet, and thanks to her years of experience, dancing with numerous partners Eris finds herself able to match and meet his pace with little trouble as the two moved in tandem.

Soon enough, they find themselves swaying together. It’s the closest she’s ever been, physically, to the younger agent by themselves. A fact that Felix seems to pick up on as well, though he feels very little inclination to resume any distance between them. If anything, he takes advantage of the moment, eyes eagerly seeking her’s as he dares to rest his hand on her waist.

The touch sends an instant jolt up her spine, but she doesn't push him away. Instead, she melts into him, meeting his gaze and welcoming the heat that has been building between them.

She’ll never get over how beautiful his eyes are. Like gemstones, sparkling gold and striking. She could lose herself in them forever. It’s amazing how easily they fall into each other, as if they’d been dancing together for years.

“This kind of music and dancing is definitely more my speed, not like the fancy ballroom dancing Nate likes. Though, he is really good at it.” Felix breaks the tension, laughing lightly. “He did teach me a few fun moves too.”

She barely hears him, but smiles and nods anyways. The blood pumps loudly in her ears, heart racing as she feels the sweat begin to drip down her temple. It’s been awhile since she went this hard. Usually, even her most energetic dance sessions were within the safe confines of her apartment. Felix, frustratingly, looks unperturbed by all their physical exertion. Yet another vampire perk, she guessed.

"Here comes the dip!" He announces suddenly, leaving her only a fraction of a second to react as he suddenly drops her downward.

Her arms reach out, instinctively wrapping around his neck to keep from falling. He may not have the sheer muscle mass or height of his companions, but Eris can feel the strength in Felix's arms and neck as he holds her tightly. He’s slender, but solid.

"Don't worry, I got you!" He laughs, lilting voice taking on a huskier tone as he speaks. "I won't let you go, unless you want me to…though, that may be a bit difficult. I kind of like holding you like this.”

Eris feels her heart skip a few beats as she processes his words. Chest rising and falling as she attempts to catch her breath, the heat that had momentarily been abandoned returning full force, crackling in the sparse space left between them.

Charged and tempting, like a favorite candy left unsupervised on the table. All one had to do was give in, indulge in that first, sweet taste...

“Well, you two seem to be having fun.”

Startled, Eris looks up to see Verda standing in the doorway of her office. There is no mistaking the twinkle in his eye, or the amused twitch to the corner of his mouth and suddenly Eris feels the need to bury herself in a deep, deep hole. Beside him, or more like towering behind him, is an all too familiar, and exceptionally handsome face.

“Felix, this is hardly what I’d call escorting Eris home.” Nate sighs. Despite his soft rebuke, she can still see a small, indulgent smile on the man’s face.

“Oops, sorry Natey!” Felix laughs, quickly helping her back to her feet. “We were just having a bit of fun. Right?"

He shifts his gaze back to her, eyes bright, still filled with the vigor of their dancing and the sizzling remnants of their lost moment.

"Sorry, Nate it's my fault." Eris tries to apologize, smoothing the wrinkles from her shirt. It was more a joint effort, if she was being honest, but she was also the one who gave into Felix's request in the first place. So, she felt somewhat responsible for their delay.

It felt silly, like being caught by a parent with a cookie from the cookie jar before dinner. Not that she would know what that was like.

"I'd be inclined to believe that, Eris. However, Felix has a much longer track record than you when it comes to belying his duties." He says, casting a knowing look at said agent.

Felix only smiles with a shrug, looking perfectly unapologetic.

She chuckles, patting him on the shoulder. "Welp, I tried. Never let it be said I didn’t try to defend your good name.”

“Detective!” Placing a hand to his chest, Felix sighs dreamily. “My personal knight in shining armor. You sure know how to make a guy feel special.”

"I just came to deliver these for you, from Tina." Verda chimes in, passing the manilla envelopes to the still-grinning Eris.

"And where did Tina get off too?''

Now, his smile vanishes, "she left work a little early so she could try and catch Kate at the dental office, drive her home...poor woman has been on autopilot since her son's passing…"

A somber silence falls over the room, the reality of death reclaiming the once vibrant and merry atmosphere. It's almost suffocating.

Nate clears his throat, thankfully breaking the sudden quiet that blankets them all.

"Well, let's be off then before Adam comes looking for us both." Eris cringes, she can only imagine the stiff lecture that would follow if that ended up happening.

"Let me file these away, then I'll grab my coat and meet you two out front?"

"Sounds good." Nate agrees with a soft smile, warm brown eyes alight in good cheer.

After Felix, Nate is another member of Unit Bravo who sets Eris at ease. The man exuded a natural warmth and openness that was hard to resist, not to mention rare, for which she was grateful for. A stark contrast to the other two members of their team who were currently not present.

"A good night to you then, Eris." Verda nods, "I am going to call it a day, Eric and the kids have dinner waiting for me. Mustn't let it get cold, I’d never hear the end of it."

She smiles, nodding. "Have a good night, Verda. I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow, say ‘hi’ to the family for me."

The vampires move to follow the pathologist out of her office, Felix gracing her with another wink as he trails after Nate to wait outside.

"Hey, Felix." She calls out, before he disappears.

He stops in the doorway, turning back to smile at her. "What's up, detective? Itching for another dance already, because I wouldn’t say no to that."

"No, I mean - I would, it's just…" she runs a hand through her hair, letting out a breath. How did he always manage to get her so worked up? "Thank you."

"For what?" He asks, smile dropping a little in confusion.

"For...taking my mind off things. I was kind of in a funk before you came to get me, and the dancing just now...well, it really helped. So, thank you for that."

Eris thinks she's seen most of Felix's expressions by this point, the agent has varying degrees of excitement and cheer, whether genuine or cheeky. Occasionally somber, like he had been with Kate. But the look on his face now could only be described as, well, almost bashful.

"I, heh, well...your welcome, then." Eris blinks, surprised at his response. She's never quite heard him at a loss for words before. He turns away, rubbing the side of his neck. Was he, was he blushing? "Always here to help…"

He laughs, the sound not at all like his usual loud, boisterous laugh. More like a self-conscious chuckle, as he shifts awkwardly on his feet. “I, uh...I better get to Nate, before he thinks I am holding you up again. Don’t keep me-us waiting too long, alright?”

“Of course, I wouldn’t dream of depriving you of my presence, even for a few seconds.” She jests, enjoying the leverage she seems to have gained over the normally unflappable flirt.

He stares at her, as if he’s never seen anything quite like her before bursting into another nervous laugh. “Your something else, you know that?”

With that, Felix tears himself away and she smiles at his retreating back. It was nice to know she could throw the usually charming and cheeky agent off of his game, giving him a taste of his own medicine every once in a while was very cathartic for all the times he managed to leave her a stammering mess.

Still, biting her bottom lip in thought as she recalls the heated moment they'd shared, she wonders what would have happened had Nate and Verda not shown up. How much of this, all the flirting and back and forth, was simply a fun distraction for the vampire who seemed to draw her in so effortlessly with his easy smile and otherworldly eyes.

He seemed the type to love them and leave them, moving on to the next new and interesting thing that caught his fancy. Though, it felt wrong to think of him like that, as if there was still so much more to him she had yet to see and understand. Maybe there was more to him, hidden beneath the charming smiles and quick quips, waiting for the right person to take an interest and a closer look.

Watching her from a short distance, lingering at the station's entrance, she can't see the soft amber eyes that mirror her own musings. Wondering if maybe she might take him up on that second dance, just the two of them, and where it might lead.

Would it be so bad, he thinks. After this whole mess with Murphy was settled, he knew they'd be called away again to god-knows wherever they were needed next. But, watching the detective as she finished her day's work, catching the way she smiled softly as she mouthed a few familiar words from the song they'd danced to just moments ago, he feels a sudden, anxious kind of excitement pull at his chest at the possibilities.

Until then, Felix forces himself to turn away. With a spring in his step, he replays the feeling of her skin against his own, the beating of her heart, her enticing aroma surrounding him, overwhelming his senses. Snuggling into his thick, cotton scarf he savors the memory. Bracing himself for the cold, and Nate, both waiting for him outside the warmth of the station.

He would definitely need to see about that second dance, he decides with some conviction. Hopefully, before they were forced to return to their lives before all of this killing and madness.

With a wide grin, he hums happily, the same tune that he would now forever associate as their song to their first dance.

~ * ~

“Oh I think that I found myself a cheerleader

She is always right there when I need her

She gives me love and affection

Baby did I mention, you're the only girl for me

No I don't need a next one

Mama loves you too, she thinks I made the right selection

Now all that's left to do

Is just for me to pop the question

Oh I think that I found myself a cheerleader

She is always right there when I need her

Oh I think that I found myself a cheerleader

She is always right there when I need her.”

~ * ~

Below is a link to the routine I had in mind when picturing Felix and Eris’ dancing, if you're curious, choreo by Blacka Di Danca ft. Fraules <3

Thank you for reading! I have a few more stories in mind for Flirty Hotville, so he may be making an appearance again here soon…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4E46VmGLc88

#twc #f hauville #eris x felix hauville #the wayhaven chronicles #these two dancing fools #i love them so much #felix hauville #<33333 #yes they make their own playlist after this

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liliesoftherain · 5 years ago

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Ocean Eyes, or Something More?

A/N: Lowkey hate this, I rushed the ending and ijfbvfvbf, I wanna rewrite it! But I hope you enjoy this anyways. I’ll be posting more soon promise.

However! Enjoy another beautiful server prompt for mha & readers discord server! I’ll be posting the masterlist later today, so keep a watch for that!!

Pairing: Commodore!aka Officer!Bakugou Katsuki x Pirate!Fem!Reader

The spray of the sea landed upon your face; licking your lips at the assault, you were pleased to find the bitter sting of salt because of it. The smell of the water contradicted its taste, the sweet aroma of the waves still one of many that you haven’t gone nose blind to. The never ending blue surrounding you above and below was an almost blinding sight, yet there was never another sight you would rather gaze at. Never could another place hold itself so dearly in your heart such as this. This was your life; a life of freedom and honor, as much honor as a born and bred pirate could scrape together anyways.

The winds that blew against the durable sails urged your beauty of a ship forward, closer to the destination you were seeking. You kept your excitement at bay, knowing that this mission you’ve taken upon yourself was that of great importance.

“Cap’n, we be close to the shores of Sinehpor, the rest await yer orders.” Your right hand breaks your thoughts, and you glance over at him.

Kirishima was a fine second mate, brave and upheld your honor more than anyone else ever had. A true man you trusted by your side, trusted with your life. You granted his presence with a nod, eyes going back to scan your crew.

“Thank ye, Kirishima. Have everyone prepare for shore, tis will be a night o’ drinkin’ for em all.”

“Aye, already done, Cap’n.” He grinned, motioning to the members preparing the sails and locking up some of the more precious items below deck.

“Good,” you glance over the waters to spot the shoreline approaching the distance, “Ye already know why we be here, Kirishima.”

“Aye, the true reason. We be sure to get that map from the scoundrel. This be one of the biggest hauls yet, Cap’n.”

“So it shall,” you laugh heartily before raising your voice for everyone to hear, “Avast! All hands hoay me hearties, we be sailin’ into the docks of Sinehpor. Ye be knowin’ what that means!”

The cheers and happiness was contagious, goodwill spreading all along the ship. You nod at Kirishima as he went below to help the rest.

Tonight your men would be destroying their livers on the finest rum they could get a hold of, reaping the benefits of land after their time on the ship without rest. You had finished up a job, and were now without much purpose other than sailing. With your mates growing antsy for more work, and you itching for a new conquest, you figured it’d be beneficial to kill two birds with one stone.

Sinehpor was a well known trading dock that many came to for more than just their merchant carts; Sinehpor was also known to have some of the finest taverns and festivals, seen as more of a party district than one of trading. However, that title was swept under the rug, trading as a front to stay out of too much trouble from the royal navy and their annoying habits to shut down anything that was deemed fun. You've had your run in with the royal navy more than once, nothing more than a capture, since you always managed to escape before they could do anything more than that.

You maneuvered your ship to a bare part of the port, docking your ship as you prepared to descend the ship. Making sure to give your crew a knowing look, silently commanding them to not seek out too much trouble, before letting them depart. You were the last to walk down the plank board, Kirishima waiting faithfully at the bottom for you. Your sea legs were noticeable as you walked towards the keeper, putting on an indifferent face as he gaped at your figure.

You understood, receiving this look on more than one account, while female pirates were rare they were still a thing; a female captain on the other hand was almost unthinkable to most.

“It’s one shilling to dock, uh, ma’am.”

You reach for your cloth bag while maintaining eye contact, pulling out more than what was asked for, throwing the shillings onto his record book. You tip your head slowly, captain hat proudly atop your head as it followed your motions. You stroll away, smirk taking over as you hear him mumble a random name for the records.

Your name wasn’t something you gave away so freely, not even your given name;

Diablo.

The legendary devil who roams the waters with ‘his’ crew born straight from hell. Well, that’s what they say anyways. There was not a man alive who hadn’t heard the tale of Diablo and ‘his’ deadly crew, who always got away with the fastest ship there was. Your ship, Hell Born Serpent, wasn’t given names on false pretenses. It was the fastest ship you have ever encountered, it’s shape helped its speed and agility in the water, ‘snaking’ through the water before disappearing from view. There was no one alive who wanted to go head to head with your crew, not a sane one anyways. You yourself had fought tooth and nail to gain your own title of legend, and you would continue fighting to your death.

Speaking of legends, you focused your mind on your purpose here. You had heard prior that an old acquaintance, of yours would still be here by this time. That he’d be taking residence for a short time before moving on again, sneaky old rouge. With these rumors around of his whereabouts, you were sure he could be gone any day, so you had to make sure you caught him before he did. He had what you wanted, what would give you work and make an even bigger name for you and your crew.

The map to Eazam Island itself, the one and only island of bone that was foretold to be full of riches beyond a man's wildest dreams. They say it’s just one of legend, a story for weary sailors, but what is another legend under your belt? If there was to be anyone to snatch the gold and live to boast of the easy capture, well that would only be your crew of course.

You both reached a bar you knew well, hidden among other buildings but still one of quite busy, the dim lights and smells of food and drink bringing back memories of past adventures.

A wild set of raven hair quickly catches your attention, and your smirk widens. You wave off Kirishima, allowing him to wander off to a table and relax with a pint; although you were sure he would do no such thing, opting to watch over the interaction in case of foul play. You dearly hope a barmaid will draw his attention away and let him have some fun, what good would it be to have come here if he didn’t.

Another catches your attention, making eye contact with one of your crew mates as he lifts a mug in salute to you, drowning it in one go. His eyes grow hazy and face flush before he barks out a laugh, pulling two barmaids closer to his side with a giggle in his voice, their faces heating up while they fall for his charms. That was your very own Denki of the Dames, a hit with the ladies sure, but as you take one final glance to see his slurred words and wobbly stature…

You knew he should have been called lightweight instead, he was always three sheets to the wind after two measly grogs.

You see a few others sitting together, their names definitely matching: Abyss eyed Ashido, the bat of her eyes said to hypnotize anyone she wishes, and Quick Slip Sero, who you did trust wholeheartedly to get out of any sticky situation. You merely called them their names, not out of disrespect but for that of fondness. Each member was your family, and you made it known to them all.

You turn away from them, licking your lips in anticipation as you keep your sights locked onto your main target. You saunter towards your prey, taking the spot directly next to him at the bar.

“I was wonderin’ when you’d show, doll. Your lackies aren’t the most subtle, ya know.”

“Sorry to keep ye waitin’, inferno.” You tap the bar for a drink, ignoring the way your company clicks his tongue at the name. You nod at the bartender, slugging back a few gulps before peering over the rim of the mug to see blue eyes piercing into your soul. Blue like your beloved waters, but these were nothing in comparison to the beauty you saw daily.

“How many times will ya insist on calling me that wretched name, Diablo.”

“I think it suits ye pretty well, don’t ye think?”

“I never asked to be called-”

“Neither did I mine, yet here we be. Two ol salts drinkin’ in a measly pub together, wit names neither wan. So cut the hostility, Dabi, an jus drink yer rum before I do.”

He hummed, voice cutting deep and reminding you of forbidden nights shared together, before taking a drink of his own cup.

The noises of the rowdy bar infiltrated your ears, however silence between the two of you louder than that. You weren’t one to beat around the bush, so you broke the silence and went in for the kill.

“Now, why don’ ye be nice an’ help me get me hands on that map, ha?”

“What map is that, doll.”

“Map to Eazam, what else.”

“Hm, now, what kind of place would that be.”

You sent a glare through the corner of your eye, deadly (e/c) meeting haughty blue.

“Don’ be testing me now, Dabi. Best ye spill it before I grow angry.”

The tension was thick, neither stare wavering as you both tried to win a silent match. Stormy seas and cannon fire filled a single share look, till Dabi grunted and looked down into his drink.

“Who even says I have it to give it to ya, Diablo.”

“Ye always have what i’m lookin’ for, Inferno.”

“Oh,” his smirk grew, tongue trailing between parted lips, “I do, ay? Maybe you can give me what I always be looking for, then.”

“We ended that a long time ago, don’ be startin’ things ye know is impossible.” You hiss, annoyed at his diversion.

“This could also be something considered impossible, ya know.” Dabi chuckled, finishing his drink before throwing enough for the tab.

“Ye know me crew and I are the impossible, Inferno. You’ll get yer cut for the map, of course. I’m not cruel.” You grin wickedly, spilling your own pockets for the rum as you drown the rest, slamming the cup atop the counter.

His eyes rolled at yoru dramatics, glaring at the redhead across the bar.

“I see ol’ second rate still watches you like a lost seadog searching for land.”

You raise your chin, telling Kirishima to stay put as he glared at the man beside you. He nodded at your request, staying put as you both made your way to the back entrance of the pub.

“Watch the way ye be talkin’ about my right hand, Inferno.”

“Aye, of course Cap’n.” He mocks, the back door closing behind him as you both walk down the empty alley.

Dabi takes you a few ways away, back towards the docks as he heads towards his own ship-nothing as extravagant as your own. As soon as you both are to board the ship, a whistle puts you both on guard.

You glance behind you to see two naval sailors, both men watching the two of you.

“Pardon the intrusion, all docks are to be cleared until ship inspection is over.” The one with dark hair speaks up, a formal voice for a formal guard.

“Sirs, ship inspection? There is no such thing, if I may be so bold.” Dabi speaks out, voice taut as his hands itch to grab his pistol.

You send him a sharp glare, knowing any wrong moves could blow this whole situation out of the waters. The men take in both of your attire, and you hold back a scoff at the judgment in their eyes. All naval personnel were the same, there was only one man who granted you a judgment free stare. You haven’t seen him in years, and you hoped you never would. He was the best commanding officer they had, if you were to be caught by him it was over.

“We are inspecting to make sure all ships that are documented are present, and there are none without the proper paperwork. That is all.” The cool voice of the second sailor spoke out, his scar on his left eye giving hint that these men were no pushovers.

“There will be no trouble, we were just leaving.” Your voice commanded, motioning Dabi to follow as you attempted to walk past the two men.

They seemed to also want no trouble, letting you walk by until a booming voice halted all movement.

“Who are these people walking along the docks, can you two do your jobs properly?!” The snarling tone captivated you, yet you felt all of that leave as soon as a hand grabbed your upper arm.

You were quickly spun, red hot gaze burning into your own. You couldn’t help your eye twitching in annoyance, and that only seemed to set him off. He looked you up and down, gaze still on you as he spoke out to the others.

“You were just about to let a couple of pirates walk off, you imbeciles.”

“Pirates? Ye must be mistaken,” you say coolly, trying to remove his hold on you, “We be here for the fine tradin’ posts, of course.”

Strong jaw clenches, and his warm hands grab at you harder till he forcefully moves your sleeve up. The two scars that circled your wrist and branded you as a pirate were now in plain view, your tattoo resting right above it. You sigh, annoyed more than anything with all of the manhandling.

“Trading posts, of course.” His snide and mocking tone pissed you off more.

Guns were drawn, and you knew there was no way you could ever dodge those.

“Come now gentlemen, we don’t want any unnecessary blood spilling, do we?” A cool smirk came from your companion, and the man holding you quickly grabbed Dabi’s arm to check for his pirate mark as well.

“Seems you’re not one of them. I suggest you leave before I charge you as an accomplice.”

Dabi mock bowed before stepping away, hands up in false surrender as he did.

You expected nothing more from the coward, the man may not be considered a pirate but he surely acts as one.

However, he was more shady than he was worth.

“Ye rat bastard-”

“I would be quiet now, pirate. I hereby arrest you on accounts of treason against the crown.”

“If ye shall be adressin’ me, ye shall do it properly. It be Cap’n to the likes of ya.” You huff, glaring at the guns still pointed at your head.

You had no chance of taking 3 men on alone, especially now that Dabi had left. You’d just have to wait it out, see what these men were capable of and then escape accordingly.

“Captain?” The sailor with glasses gaped, and you turn with a smug smile.

“Aye, ye have never seen a woman cap’n before, ha?”

“Woman or not, a pirate is a pirate. Captain…” The blonde holding onto you gazed at your tattoo, only to have his eyes widen.

“What is it, Bakugou.” The one with the scar spoke out, causing this Bakugou to stare at you.

“You’re el Diablo.”

It was a statement rather than a question, and you shrug indifferently before pulling your arm from his hold. Instantly feeling the breeze cooling the warm skin he once held.

“Diablo? He’s said to be well, a man.”

“Does she look like a man to you?” Bakugou snarled, annoyed as he tugged cuffs from his waist.

“Oh,” your eyes scan the item, “Commodore, I don’ think this be the best time for ye to try anything like that out on me. Not until i get a couple o’ grogs in me system first.”

You speak suggestively, wincing as he clamps on the cuffs tight. The dug into your skin painfully, cold metal feeling like flames on your wrist.

“Watch your tongue, Captain. I may just cut it off.”

You were then dragged by the man to the naval ship, a large one with the name ‘Queens Jewel’ painted along the side. Forced up on the deck, you felt the stares of different official sailors. You keep a smirk on your lips, not trying to give more than needed.

A hand dug itself into your shoulder as you were forced below, a row of cell blocks coming into view. You glance for keys, or any sort of escape, but red meets your wandering (e/c).

“You wont find anything in here, my crew isn’t as stupid as you might believe.”

“On the contrary, I don’ believe yer crew is stupid. I believe that to be all ye, commodore.”

He growled, grabbing you by the front of your coat as he raised you closer to his face.

“I believe you have no room to talk here, pirate.”

This was the first time you had gotten a close look at the man, he was large and burly, truly someone worthy of his title. Light battle scars littered his face, very faint and from probably nothing more than just training. His blond hair was the opposite of what you assumed a proper commodore should have; instead of neat and kept, it was wild and untamed-as was the apparent temper he had. His eyes intrigued you the most, the opposite of your calming blue seas, this man's eyes were a storming red. There was a feel of harshness, yet justice. Anger, yet levelheadedness. His eyes were contradicting, the color of a sunset reflecting off the blue shores below.

What a sight indeed.

“Now now, best ye be not doin’ anything ye shall regret, ay.”

“I will regret nothing, it’s my personal joy to watch the scum of the seas get what they deserve.”

He tossed you harshly into the cell, locking it up before scrunching his nose at you. You return the sentiment, your playful facade dropped as a menacing scowl appears.

“Scum of the seas? Ye be one to talk, all ye be is a pawn of the queen. We ‘scum’ have morals, ye do not.”

“Hah? Morals, in a pirate?” He scoffs.

“Aye, a pirate lives by the code of which their forefathers have written with their own blood and souls. Ye follow the deranged orders of a madwoman who cares nothing about the people below ‘er.” You scoot back, leaning your back against the wall of the cell.

You fully expected the man, who was called Bakugou if you remembered correctly, to up and leave. To call you a dirty pirate before storming away from the cell. You felt the ship move beneath you as it began to sail off, so surely they needed him to call out commands to his crew of misfits. However, to your surprise he had sat on a crate by the bars, watching you intently. You meet his gaze, unafraid to look into his cool-hellfire eyes.

“The queen is a woman who does what she can for the people. It’s you pirates who pillage and kill, not us. We follow orders because they keep commoners safe.”

“Who do ya think we be, monsters!? We may be lookin’ out for our own, but if ye give a snake a reason to strike, strike it shall. Ye leave it be, it shall grant ye the same respect of that which it be given. Pirates respect those who be deserving.”

“And we don’t.”

“No.”

The waves brushing along the sides of the ship and the creaking of the motions soothed your temper, you closed your eyes and let your head fall back against the wall. Hoping this conversation was over. There was no navy sailor who you have ever come across who was worthy of your respect, this man was not going to be one of them either it seemed. Although, the brash attitude from early looked to be faded, a blunt yet calm one in its place. Contradicting once again, just like his eyes.

Your own snapped opened as you heard him stand, watching as he narrowed his gaze in thought.

“Tch. For a pirate who makes claims they sail the open waters, you appear to be sheltered. Where has your false sense come from.”

“It not be false,” you whisper, eyes closing once more as memories surface, “it be real, whether ye believe me or not is none of my business. I don’ trust ye to keep your mouth shut anyways.”

“Fair enough, however it is a pirate you cannot trust. I will never forget my lessons. You have your own reasons, and I have mine. I know first hand of the damage you pirates can do, I won’t stand for it.” You heard him speak through clenched teeth.

“Then sit, yer head be full of lies”

“It is you whose words are false and based on only personal gain.”

“A man of the queen may not keep their word, but a man of the sea shall, commodore.”

“Well, you can believe I shall keep my word on this: your end is soon, Captain Diablo. You have nowhere to run, and you shall be put to death for your crimes.”

His footsteps begin to fade, his voice echoing in your head as he leaves.

“Soon enough the one who be telling the truth will be laughin’. Dead men tell no tales, Commodore. Yet neither will a lost man, ya see.” You laugh to yourself, not hearing a reply as he leaves the room.

A few hours go by and you are visited once more by the intriguing man, a tray of food in his hands. You make no move to go towards it as he slides it in, eyes still closed and body still in the same position as he left.

He sighed in annoyance, and you could only help but smirk.

“What’s with the look, you halfwit.”

The seas rock with more force, the boat swaying more as if a storm was coming forth. Then it happened, the sounds of fighting happening above, causing Bakugou to curse out in question.

“Ye see commodore,” Your eyes flutter open, grinning evilly as he stared back with anger and confusion, “tis as i said, a lost man will tell no tales. I am to be lost, ye have no hopes of finding me.”

Then the door leading to the cellar room burst open, and you promised yourself you would never forget that look of terror and hatred in those bright sea-ruby eyes. You have never cared for another color other than your seas, often trying to find replacements, with no luck. Yet, while they weren’t as pretty as your blue ocean below you, they were just good enough that you’ve found yourself hoping to see them again.

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caiminnent · 5 years ago

Text

not designed for the cynical [kylux with side phasma/rey, rated T]

PROMPTS: communication suddenly cut off (@badthingshappenbingo, 8/25) & bed sharing - pet - delivery (@kyluxxoxo)

SUMMARY:

Whenever Snoke calls upon only Ren’s service, Hux sends word to all his relevant contacts that he’s available. The job offer he accepts turns out to be far more than he's bargained for.

(This is a low-key Inception AU that requires little to no knowledge of the movie.)

FANDOM: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy

TAGS: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Sharing a Bed, Mutual Pining, Alternate Universe - Inception Fusion, except not really, Armitage Hux Has Feelings, Kylo Ren and Rey Are Related

NOTES: This was written mostly during commute and/or sleep-deprived within an inch of my life and edited under the same circumstances. As such, I don't have the faintest clue what this is, but I love it.

5K || ALSO ON AO3

Hux isn’t prone to worry.

He is prone to stress, and he’s got the blood pressure to prove it—but that’s a necessity of the life they lead. It’s got its uses. Worry, however, is for when you don’t have an alphabetised, colour-coded list of plans for every situation that may arise. Worry is for the under-prepared.

Worry is a waste of time.

Knowing this doesn’t stop the fist around his heart from squeezing tight every time he hits redial and finds Ren’s phone still switched off, however.

Then again, there’s no real reason to worry about it. It’s a perfectly Ren move to go off the radar for weeks on end and turn up three countries away from where he was supposed to be, shrugging off all reprimand like he can’t understand why they’re so angry about it. It’s just what he does—he disappears, then he shows up at your doorstep when you least expect it.

He will this time, too. He promised—he will be back by Hux’s birthday.

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

Contrary to the popular (re: Ren’s) belief, life doesn’t stop just because Ren is off doing what Ren does somewhere else.

Even with all the safe houses and personas they maintain all across the world, the unreasonable amounts of money Snoke throws at them to be at his beck and call is more than enough to keep them afloat. Ren would be fine with not taking another independent job ever again; but Hux knows better than to rely on Snoke alone. He’s been burned enough times by fickle employers; he’s not ready to bet on the wrong horse and have to build his reputation up from scratch yet again.

That’s part of why, whenever Snoke calls upon only Ren’s service, Hux sends word to all his relevant contacts that he’s available. It keeps him in the game, on the occasion he gets an offer worth considering—and if he doesn’t, he calls it getting a feel for the market and moves on.

Monday morning finds him curled on the sofa, going through the responses on his phone. Most offers he received are below his notice like he expected, some downright insulting—and then there’s the e-mail from Enric Pryde himself.

He sits up so fast he almost knocks over his empty cup.

Among the dreamshare community, the First Order is as revered as it is despised. They reach out to very few and pay three times what they should; but the cost of failure is equally severe, growing proportionately to the project’s worth. Which seems to be a lot, in this case. While he can’t tell from the sparse details in the e-mail whether this Project Starkiller is meant to be a moving city or some sort of weapon—perhaps both, knowing the First Order—he already estimates at least two layers, more likely three, and a special blend of stabiliser for the dreamer and the architect both, who cannot be the same person for this design.

Because they want him on board as the main architect and his dreams never hold steady after the first layer, special blend or no.

Whatever he was looking for as a quick job, this is not it. It’s far more involved and challenging than he could have imagined—and, he’s finding, everything he needed. He could do this for himself. He could work a job he enjoys, instead of running point to Ren or Phasma’s picks all the time to keep them from working with incompetent point men.

Ren and Phasma, who might be working with incompetent point men halfway across the world this very moment.

No. No, he’s not thinking that. His birthday is only three days away. Everything is fine.

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

He e-mails back to say he’s honoured and asks for one week to get his team together. Pryde gives him five days and a thinly-veiled warning that there are others who would jump at this opportunity.

Stomach at his feet, Hux throws his phone on the coffee table and gets up to make more tea.

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

As expected, research gives him little of substance about the First Order’s operations and nothing at all about the Starkiller, although he finds a low-quality close-up of Pryde to glare at as he sketches out some ideas. They will get binned once he gets his hands on the self-destructing dossiers or whatever ridiculous security protocols the First Order may work with; but it keeps him busy. Better than watching the hours tick by.

When the clock turns from 11:59 to midnight on what is now Thursday, he considers texting Rey to ask if she’s heard from Phasma recently—changes his mind before he even picks up the phone. Ren wouldn’t like it. Hux has been accused of being a control freak more times than he can count as it is; he doesn’t want to add clingy to the list of his unattractive qualities.

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

At two in the morning, the doorbell rings.

He is going to murder Ren.

The door had never felt so close or so far as he rushes to it, heart hammering in his chest. He’s going to let Ren in, he’s going to check him for injuries and he’s going to disembowel that infuriating, thoughtless, selfish piece of shite if he’s had Hux fret all this time for no reason—

“Hi,” Rey chirps, looking up at him with damp eyes and a brittle smile. She raises a bottle of whiskey—Phasma’s favourite. “Happy birthday?”

He opens the door wider.

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

Admittedly—not out loud; he would never hear the end of it, from her or her cousin—Rey scores high on the short list of people whose company he enjoys. The booze helps, too. They drink in front of the television Hux hasn’t switched off in days and talk about everything but the aching holes in their chests.

She falls asleep on the sofa. He puts a blanket over her and goes to bed.

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

In the morning—practically afternoon, if he’s being honest—he tells her about the Starkiller. The plan was to pitch it to Ren first, to see what he thinks before bringing in the others. As it is, Ren isn’t here and none of Hux’s messages has gone through since their interrupted conversation and Hux is going to bloody explode if he doesn’t tell someone.

“I’m not sure, Armie,” she says around a spoonful of breakfast cereal he certainly didn’t buy. “He will never agree to work for the First Order.”

“Why the hell not? He works for Snoke.” Rather happily, in fact. Ren never prepares more carefully for a job than one of Snoke’s plentiful errands, no matter how simple. “Why wouldn’t he work for Snoke’s own company?”

She considers him for a long moment, chewing slowly. “He hasn’t told you the story.”

The implication—accusation—stings deep. “What story?” he demands, pushing his tea away to lean closer. The words held the intonation of capital letters, which means missing information that could potentially blindside them down the line. His respect for Ren’s private business isn’t greater than his responsibilities.

“Not mine to tell,” she says sternly, pinching her lips in disappointment like he should be ashamed to have asked to begin with. “Ask him.”

He snorts. Ren is hardly the sharing type, especially where Hux is concerned. Everything he’s ever learned about Ren has come through other means—and vice versa, he imagines.

She frowns, a question rising behind her eyes. He tenses on instinct. “Anyway,” she continues, shaking her head—and he can breathe more easily again. “My point is, if we’re doing this, we’ll need another forger.”

We. He doesn’t suppress his smile, relief coating his insides. “I suspect we won’t need a forger for this one. A chemist, on the other hand…”

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

She doesn’t leave and he doesn’t ask her to. They polish off the whiskey and pretend not to check their phones every ten minutes while binge-watching Star Wars, including the newest releases even their resident space nerd couldn’t finish.

He visualises Ren’s horrified expression when Hux reveals how he and Rey bonded over their shared love for big guns and hot villains in Ren’s absence. Laughter gets stuck in his throat, forming a painful lump instead.

He bids her good night and slinks away into his bedroom to stare at the ceiling.

Barely ten minutes pass before the television switches off in the next room, soft footsteps echoing lightly in the corridor. He turns his back to the door and feigns sleep as it opens and closes—which is a coward’s way, but he’s never claimed to be a particularly brave man. If he were, he would have asked Ren to stop working for Snoke instead of stewing in his misery right now.

Compared to her cousin, Rey’s weight barely shifts the mattress as she climbs in, sliding under the covers without fanfare. He shuts his eyes tighter and allows himself to imagine, just for a moment, that Ren is back.

“I haven’t heard from Phasma in over a month.”

Over a month? Hells, no wonder she sought him out. “Ren and I talked two weeks ago,” he says—realises with a sinking feeling that it sounded like he was rubbing it in. “Closer to three, actually.”

“What did he say?”

“Not much that I could understand. The reception was horrible.” Bits and pieces through constant breaking: Hux, shit, in case, person and, inexplicably, home. “I didn’t get the impression they were in danger—just inconvenienced.” As is often the case with these missions. Snoke’s got a small army of trained private security under his command and he still sends Ren to the most out-of-the-way places.

That Snoke’s hired Phasma as well for this one is a little more concerning, but not overly so. Reckless as they both can be, Ren and Phasma are forces to be reckoned with on the field—Hux would be more inclined to feel sorry for their adversaries.

Rey sighs. “Hope you’re right, Armie.”

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

If Mitaka is surprised to see Rey strut about in Hux’s shortest joggers she still needed to fold at the ankles and an old shirt, he politely doesn’t mention it. He and Rey exchange banal pleasantries over coffee and day-old cake while Hux finishes typing up his notes, then they get to work.

Mitaka listens to the briefing with unwavering attention, his fingers stapled in front of him like a front-row student. Like everyone else in their extended team, Mitaka is an experienced, accomplished dreamer—and yet, Hux can’t help looking at him and seeing the fresh-faced cadet Phasma had dragged in ages ago, barely into his twenties and all the more naive for it.

They’ve gotten old—Hux most so.

Once Hux finishes, “If you both are building this time,” Mitaka starts, looking between the two. “Who will be taking point? The Captain?”

Next to him, Rey inhales sharply, her face mostly hidden behind the curtain of her hair. Shame crosses through Mitaka’s face at the realised misstep.

“She’s otherwise occupied,” Hux responds before Mitaka can break into apologies. No need to make this more painful or awkward than it needs to be. “I will be running point as usual, and Rey is here to help with the heavy-lifting.”

Mitaka nods, glancing at Rey with concern before turning to Hux fully. “Where do I sign?”

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

They sign a heavily-encrypted stack of documents digitally, sending them through the First Order’s own communication system. The next day, they receive a link to a private cloud service with a convoluted unlock sequence that can be accessed by one device at a time, read-only.

Hux alone works on three different devices.

On the bright side, the project they receive is well-worth the inconvenience. Their objective is to design and build a superweapon out of an extensively described ice planet in the dreamspace, which must be capable of hitting five targets simultaneously and obliterating all affected life forms on them without causing a single non-predetermined casualty. Controlled chaos, if you will. The First Order wants a catastrophe they can tame and leash.

Hux can make it happen.

Whether he can make it happen in eight weeks is a different question entirely.

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

Without Ren to drag him away from work, he’s free to divide his waking hours between his screens and the sitting room, which they repurposed into a workshop-slash-dream den. While Hux is a decent architect in a pinch, he could never build the way Rey does—the way she bends the dreamspace to her will and creates cities that feel alive around them. Between the two of them, they have the groundwork laid out within days, quickly moving on to revising the base design according to the specifications in the main file and the numbers Hux runs.

Instead of using pre-mixed batches, Mitaka mixes their Somnacin from scratch on the kitchen table, reworking the formula per the reactions. None he comes up with works to keep Hux’s dreams steady, although a couple seem to ground his control over the dreamspace. Most just turn the dreams into nightmares for everyone involved.

Many of the nightmares are about Ren. Every time they manage to wake up from one of those, he looks at Rey to apologise. She never meets his eyes.

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

Unlike the two of them, Mitaka has family to return to and so he does when it gets late, leaving them to eat take-away and talk around the elephant in the room. On the rare occasion they do talk. Even though Hux gets the most shit for his workaholic tendencies, they all are guilty of it in different degrees; most nights are spent hunched over desks or tablets until they come close to shooting each other over the smallest noise or mistake, then they retire for the night.

The bedroom is where the worst fears come out.

“They might need our help,” she murmurs, lowly enough that the words could get lost among the howling wind outside. “They might be injured or—or lost, waiting for rescue. And we would be here arguing about heat transfer.”

“They aren’t.”

“But how do you know?”

He sighs loudly, turning to face Rey. Her eyes are big and eerily bright in the darkness, shining. “Look, Ren and I have been through this before. We’ve got contingencies in place for any kind of emergency—strategies to scarper and regroup as needed, fake identities with paper trail, codes to slip into lines of communication that will find their way to the other’s ear—all of which tied to systems that would alert us both if ever used. So far?” He gestures vaguely to his phones on the nightstand. “Complete radio silence.”

“Well it might be because he’s—”

His stomach lurching, “Don’t,” he bites out. He’s had enough nights contemplating that possibility himself, reasoning himself out of that line of thinking with more effort each time; he can’t handle someone else saying it.

Especially not Rey, whose unfailing optimism has seen them through many a dark spot.

“They will be back soon,” he says with conviction he forces himself to feel. They always do. This is just taking longer than expected.

Rey’s silence rings in the room.

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

At the end of the third week, Enric Pryde reaches out to him. His voice is as cold and serpent-like as he looks.

They talk for two and a half minutes—more accurately, Pryde relays his demands for two minutes and rebuffs Hux’s protests for the next half, then hangs up unceremoniously on him.

Fuming, Hux tries to glare a hole into his phone for about as long before going to wake Rey up.

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

“What do you mean, they are relocating us?”

Latching his fingers tight to keep from scraping at his already raw palms, “I mean exactly what I said,” Hux grinds out. “They want to move us into some safe house where they will provide us with everything we’ll need for the rest of the project. We don’t have the option to refuse their generosity.”

“They want to monitor us,” Mitaka says on the other end of the line, ever fond of pointing out the obvious. “Can they do that?”

“Would you like to be the one to tell them they can’t?” Hux shakes his head. They are not small fish; but the First Order is big enough to swallow them whole and not suffer for it. He knows to pick his fights. “If you’d like to drop off the face of the earth, now is the time.”

Rey snorts—as much of an answer as Mitaka’s bitter laughter.

“Well,” Rey says, scraping her chair back. “I should pack some clean underwear. When are they coming to get us?”

“As we speak.”

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

Before they leave, they make sure to sketch out First Order insignias on every available place. Just in case.

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

The safe house is, for all intents and purposes, a veritable villa in the middle of nowhere.

“A little excessive,” Mitaka comments as they tour the place, noting the bolted down furniture and darkened windows, locked conspicuously on the outside. The cupboards and the fridge are well-stocked enough to keep them fed for several months.

There is no mobile coverage.

In fact, there is no wireless connection of any sort. The multitude of devices strewn about in the house are all connected to the First Order’s own network and communications system, which provides access to every archive they might need for the project and nothing else.

The dread coiled in Hux’s guts grows heavier.

So much for his alert systems.

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

Progress is much faster with so much information at their fingertips.

Hux is envious of the berths of the First Order databases. Effective as his own methods of gathering intelligence are, his network couldn’t hope to have the same reach as a well-funded PMC—which he could have been a part of, had he not gone freelance instead of corporate after leaving the military.

The idea is tempting, still. He’s ruined for the civilian workforce—has been since childhood, with a father like General Brendol Hux was—but he seeks the structure and order that comes with being part of an organisation. Under different circumstances, he may have considered applying to the First Order after this project.

As their prisoner in everything but name, he wants little more than to be as far away from them as possible.

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

Everything they’ll need doesn’t involve a private chef or buffet, but it involves private delivery people who pick up whatever they want, no matter what they want, in a timely fashion. Because they are spiteful opportunists, they order the most extravagant and unreasonable meals they can think of. The food always arrives hot.

Hux marks the potential restaurants for each food item and how long it took to arrive on a small map every time. Just in case.

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

Sleeping in the same bed while Mitaka is in the next room feels too awkward, so they don’t. They don’t sleep much in general, either—not with the question of how to power a machine of the Starkiller’s scale without it overheating hanging heavy over their heads. Dreamshare mechanics are a lot more forgiving than their real-world counterparts; if they can’t pull it off down there, they sure as hell won’t make it work topside.

They have to make it work topside, they now know. The First Order wouldn’t have poured so much money and resources into what is merely Pryde’s pet design project.

“They probably have people looking into it,” Rey says, spinning her pen around her fingers with smugness dripping from her expression. He’s not petty enough to dare her to replicate it in the real world, but the thought is there. “Some super high-tech R&D division working on preventing a weapon of mass-destruction from exploding instead of, like, climate change.”

Watching her fingers like the secrets of the universe lie between them, “I don’t think so,” Mitaka responds. “It’s too much of a commitment. I bet they just wait for someone else to figure it out, then steal the designs from them.”

Something flares at the back of Hux’s mind like static, a connection he doesn’t want to make forcing itself into his awareness.

He shakes his head hard to clear it. Even with the dilation, he doesn’t have the time to dwell on things he’s got no control over.

“If you two are quite done gossiping,” he cuts in, smoothing over the blueprints in front of him for effect. “We’ve got work to do.”

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

We’re going to take something someone else worked very hard for, was all Ren had said the night before his departure—the only time Hux dared ask about his new job, once it became apparent Ren wasn’t going to say a word about it on his own. It’s such a non-answer that Hux couldn’t tell if Ren wanted to leave him space for plausible deniability or simply didn’t want to tell him.

He still can’t. As a matter of fact, he can’t say for sure Snoke’s job and this project are connected, either; all he’s got is a hunch.

A hunch he desperately wants to see proven wrong.

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

Mitaka’s newest blend is the most successful yet. They go down as far as the third level with only minor tremors under their feet—a huge leap of progress, after weeks of the ground swallowing them up whole.

Knowing better than to push their luck, they call it an early night and celebrate by ordering a feast they’ll have to take their time with. With the dinner table and every other horizontal space that could reasonably hold food covered in their work, they sprawl about the sofa set that hasn’t seen nearly enough use over their involuntary stay.

Once their food arrives and Rey realises what he ordered, a soft look crosses over her face. He ignores it. There’s only one place that serves Ren’s favourite food; it makes for a good reference point on his map. It’s not sentimental if it’s also practical.

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

He knew, from a logical standpoint, that having access to communication systems meant people could communicate with them and vice versa. On account of the fact that Pryde and the delivery people are the only ones to use it, he didn’t particularly care.

When the name Blysma pops up on the main screen, he realises what a gross oversight that was.

Heart at his throat, he accepts the request with shaking hands, grateful that no one is awake to see him like this. “Hux speaking.”

“Hello, Hux.”

Oh.

Oh, the ever-loving—

“Don’t say my name,” Ren adds quickly, as if he sensed that Hux was about to curse his name six ways to Sunday. “Or any other names. They don’t actively monitor your communications, but we’re pretty sure some keywords are flagged. Best not to take any chances.”

“We,” he repeats dumbly. So many questions are buzzing in his head that he doesn’t know which should take priority. “You and—ah, our mutual terrifying friend?”

Phasma’s melodic laughter rings through the other end of the line. Hux’s heart soars.

“Yeah,” Ren says, a little breathy. “Yes, we’re both here. And fine. The job ran late. Where the fuck are you?”

About that… “I don’t actually know,” he admits, the truth of it settling dark and deep into his gut. Trying to map out their location left him with more questions than answers. “Near the ocean. Far north of the city, I think; but we shouldn’t have crossed any borders.”

“That doesn’t narrow it down,” Ren says.

Irritation rising in him, “We were hardly given a tour guide for the road,” he snaps. You should have been there to take notes, is on the tip of his tongue—he swallows the words. Ren is here now, in a way. They’ve found Hux and the others. The insignias must have pointed them in the right direction; but figuring out how to contact Hux through the First Order’s own systems? That’s all their doing.

Taking a long breath to calm himself down, “How did you contact us anyway?” he asks.

“By calling in more favours than your sorry life is worth,” Phasma says, amusement lingering in her tone. He has never been happier to hear her mocking drawl. “So you had better give us something concrete to work with before we decide to leave you to rot there.”

Racking his brain, he takes a deep breath to ground himself. He’s got to focus. However Ren and Phasma managed to get into the First Order’s systems, they are unlikely to remain unnoticed for long. He needs to make the most of it.

The answer is so simple, he wants to smack himself upside the head.

“At noon, we will place an order for three servings of Bivoli tempari from the Hosnian. Track whoever is delivering it. They should lead you to us.”

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

He doesn’t tell the others about it. For one, he’s not fully sure his stress-addled brain didn’t make up the whole interaction—for another, they have a check-in with Pryde scheduled at 3, during which they’re going to disappoint him again with their lack of progress regarding the overheating issue. They are on thin ice as it is; he can’t take a gamble on the quality of the others’ poker faces and risk attracting Pryde’s suspicion.

At exactly noon, he contacts the delivery people and relays the order. In his periphery, Mitaka and Rey share a look.

Once he takes his seat again, “I thought the Hosnian was eat-in only,” Rey says.

Hux shrugs. “They said everything you’ll need.”

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

He orders something different from the Hosnian at the same time for the next four days, just in case. Mitaka is too polite to protest, despite the cuisine clearly not agreeing with him.

Rey eyes him suspiciously every time but says nothing, waiting for him to come to her instead of forcing an explanation out of him. He appreciates it more than he can put into words. He can only hope she understands.

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

Dying in an explosion ten times in a row tends to throw a wrench in group morale.

Unwilling to kill themselves just to wake up in the safe house, they wordlessly agree to wait out the timer. The burnout has settled deep onto their bones; Pryde’s implicit threats after every check-in don’t help their mental state, either. If Ren and Phasma hadn’t made contact, Hux might have considered taking his chances with a desperate escape attempt instead of sticking around to see what punishment the First Order would dole out for their inevitable failure. It might prove the better end, at any rate.

“I am going back to my children after this,” Mitaka says with more conviction than Hux has been able to muster up about anything in months. “I don’t care what happens. I don’t care if they kill me for it—I won’t die without seeing my family again.”

“We are not dying,” Hux reassures him. With three real-world seconds to the scheduled kick, he explains everything—Ren and Phasma making contact, the bare-bones of the plan and Blysma’s carefully vague progress update texts, the precautions they’re taking to keep Mitaka’s family safe should something go wrong.

Mitaka cries silent, happy tears at the news. Rey gives Mitaka a warm smile and pulls him close.

“That’s it,” she tells Hux, rubbing at Mitaka’s arm in sympathy. “I’m not letting her take a job without me ever again.”

Raising a brow, “You would be announcing to everyone in the community that she’s the best leverage against you,” he points out, not unkindly. He understands the sentiment—truly, he does—but it’s woefully impractical. Not to mention the kind of commitment it would take.

Her eyes gleam, smile turning secretive in that way he’s learned not to trust. Reaching into her pocket with her free hand, “I was already going to do that,” she says airily, taking out a small, velvet box.

Ah. Fair enough, then.

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

Hux is above lying to his employers.

Rather, he likes to think he is. Dreamshare, sophisticated as it may be at its heart, is an underground science—as such, it attracts a certain crowd. In a community where lying through one’s teeth is a survival skill, Hux knows to look someone in the eye and spin a tale truer than the truth as well as the next crook; he just prefers to tell the truth as long as it will leave his head connected to his body.

As it happens, this is the last scheduled check-in before the deadline. Giving Pryde bad news now would be signing their death warrant.

When Hux reports their success, Pryde smiles. The sight haunts Hux’s nightmares for days.

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

Blysma’s communication request comes the night before the grand plan, unscheduled.

His mind racing with possibilities, he grabs the tablet sitting on his nightstand before the notification wakes the others, accepting the request with, “Hux speaking.” As far as he’s concerned, there’s nothing left to talk about. Phasma has already laid out all she could of the plan without tipping off the First Order; a recap now would do more harm than good.

If this is about a last-minute change—well. Adaptability is another survival skill in their line of work.

“I missed your birthday.”

Hux blinks at the screen in his hands. “I—yes.” By a couple of months, at this stage. Where did that come from? Surely Ren didn’t realise it only now? “If you contacted me to wish me a happy belated birthday…”

“Of course not. I—uh, I called to hear your voice.” Hux’s lungs tighten, all too aware of his heartbeat. “Since we never finished our conversation.”

Their conversation. The handful of words Hux has been turning over in his head for months, to no apparent meaning or answer.

He’s bloody desperate to ask and finally, finally find out; but they’ve waited this long. They can be patient a little longer. “This is neither the time nor the place,” Hux says, as gently as he’s able, biting down on the instinctive Ren at the end. Now would be the absolute worst time for a slip-up. “Whatever it was, you can tell me tomorrow. In person.”

“That’s just it,” Ren mutters. “The last time I tried to tell you, we kept getting cut-off until signal completely went away and I thought, it’s fine. I’ll be back in a few days, I’ll just tell him then. In person.” He laughs, a breathy, bitter sound. “But then…”

But then Ren couldn’t get back until a few weeks after—and when he did, Hux wasn’t there anymore.

He clears his throat to get out the lump lodged there. “Then you’ll just have to be there this time,” he says firmly—his point man voice. “Because I will be, and I won’t accept any excuses.”

After a long beat, “Yes, sir,” Ren says, a smile in his voice. “See you on the other side.”

“Sleep well.”

#Kylux Summer Fest 2020 #Bad Things Happen Bingo #kylux #Armitage Hux #Kylo Ren #Rey #Dopheld Mitaka #Phasma #Star Wars #Cai does words #finished fics #I know I say this for every fic #but this fic was a ride #I can happily go back to my KBB fic now #not designed for the cynical

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bdfanfic · 6 years ago

Text

Oak in Grey Hollow - 1

Chapter 1 - Enchanter For Hire!

He was an odd man, even for an Argonian. That much was certain - save for the ‘man’ part. Argonians were weird. She assumed he was male, but in the two months she had been travelling with him, she still wasn’t 100% sure. Things had transpired… weird things… that left her very confused as to that. Still, as a beggar quite literally, she hadn’t been in a situation to be choosy when they’d first met - and frankly, she didn’t really care. As the cart bounced and bumped along the road, she looked at Hollow and thought back to when they’d first met…

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

She had managed to stave off the more obvious but distasteful employment opportunities in the Imperial City only by cleverness and pure luck. Growing up on the streets, she’d gotten pretty good at scavenging. Now that she was maturing, however, things were tougher. Handouts to a street urchin were one thing, but those were harder to come by as she grew. Such offerings often came with favors. Favors that thus far she’d managed to refuse or elude.

However, she had finally been forced to try her hand at robbery, and that had been her undoing. It wasn’t that she was unsuccessful - far from it. She had managed to purloin quite an impressive collection of silverware that fetched a good price with a somewhat shady dealer she knew. However, too late she discovered that the house had been protected by the Thieves’ Guild, and it took the Guild little time to uncover her identity.

From a friend, she had fortunately discovered that she had been revealed to the Guild before they’d actually caught up with her - but that left her with only one choice: flight. She’d had no time to prepare, and hastily set out for Leyawiin as the most distant city still within Cyrodiil, catching the first caravan out of town immediately.

Leyawiin had turned out to be even less than hospitable to her, however, and her prospects there rapidly diminished as her funds ran short. Her own sense of self-respect kept her out of the taverns and brothels that seemed increasingly to be her only prospective source of employment.

It was in a dark mood that she now sat alone, fishing for her next meal at a small lake some distance from the city walls. A mile distant she saw a farmer toiling at his field, and she found herself envying the man. Backbreaking and meager as that occupation may be, at least he knew where his next meal was coming from.

She had kept her hair cut short and unkempt, and had kept her figure under wraps - often passing herself off as a boy to avoid unwanted advances. So far it had worked, but increasingly nature was making it more and more difficult to maintain the ruse. Tears began to well up as her thoughts of the future went from dark to black, and she wondered if suicide would actually be worse than following the only path she saw open to her. She cursed the mother and father she’d never known for bringing her into this world with no talents whatsoever.

Then she heard singing. It was so out of place here that it seemed to be magical, even if the words were foreign and unintelligible. Jel, undoubtedly. Yet they were sweetly sung and the melody was enchanting. She looked around for the source as it slowly became louder. The creaking of wheels accompanied it, and she left her makeshift fishing pole on the ground as she crept through the grass towards the road.

A covered cart was there, slowly creaking down the road, rolling away from the city with a sole Argonian swaying to the mismatched wobble of it’s wheels. She was strangely drawn towards this odd character, with his wide-brimmed hat and long cloak left conspicuously open. But it was his eyes that really drew her own. They were black, but with the most enthralling blue sclera, recalling perhaps the ocean itself. She’d never seen anything like them, and she had certainly met many Argonians, being so close to the Black Marsh.

Suddenly he stopped, reigning in the old grey mare that drew his cart. She ducked low as his head swiveled towards her, though he didn’t stop his singing until he had finished the verse.

“Ah! A young woman, Anabelle! We have a guest! Come, don’t be shy. Come out from the grass there. You are no snake to crawl on your belly. Come, I am Oak in Grey Hollow! Traveling Enchanter and Mage Extraordinaire, purveyor of fine magical potions, goods and enchantments of all sorts. Known across Tamriel by the finer establishments! Perhaps you are in need of some magetallow candles? They are my specialty! Oh, come. I know you’re there, Miss. Hiding is rude and you are no brigand.”

She raised her head above the grass hesitantly.

“There you are! Come! My hat tells me you are in need of my services. Oh yes, I can help. But please, what is your name, Miss? I must know something of you, in order to best assist. Come and tell me, what can the great Oak in Grey Hollow do for you?!”

She stood, brushing the grass from herself. The Argonian brought a smile to her lips somehow, an expression that felt out of place. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d smiled. But his own enthusiasm was infectious.

“Oh, sir, I’m just a beggar. I’ve nothing to pay you with.”

The Argonian squinted his eyes at her. “Oh, I see. Well… alas, that is a problem. Payment up front. Sorry, company policy. Can’t break policy, no.”

Her spirits faded as he confirmed her expectations. But he had not resumed his ride. He sat looking at her, as if thinking deeply.

“Wait a moment,” he said. “I’m getting an idea…”

She approached the cart, reading the badly faded painted words on the side: “Oak in Grey Hollow - Enchanter for Hire!”

“I’ve got it! My candle has come through yet again!” he said, and removed his hat and revealing the most marvelous thing. A candle sat perched atop his head, apparently firmly affixed by the melted wax that had flowed from it’s still-burning wick. His hand reflexively went towards it’s tip as if in a instinctive gesture.

“Ah yes, still alight! It’s my Idea Candle, you know! Gives me great ideas! Also helps with the hat’s enchantment, you know… Magetallow. Say, do you need any magetallow candles? I’ve got heaps in the back. LOADS of em!”

“Um… no. Sorry Sir.”

“Oh, no. Call me Oak. Or Hollow. No ‘Sir’s here! Not among the staff. Oh no, we have a relaxed policy here in the company. Management and Labor are united, you see? You’re not going to stage a strike, are you?”

She stood open-mouthed, more confused than ever.

“No? Good. Well then, hop aboard and I’ll tell you your duties. Come on, come on up…”

“What?”

“Ah… I see. So that’s how it is… Holding out for more pay. No, no… I understand. It’s just business. Okay, if you insist. The hat is never wrong. Okay, but only 20% more, and that’s my final offer! Take it or leave it.”

“Twenty percent of what?”

“Why, your base salary of course! I can do no more than that! Please, I’m not made of money! I knew someone that was made of money once, but that ended badly for him. But I’m not him. Really, any more and I’d ruin myself! Please take the offer?”

“Um… what’s my ‘base salary’?” she said, but found herself crossing to the other side of the cart and smiling. The guy was obviously insane, and yet he seemed harmless enough. Maybe she could get a free meal out of him at least.

“Why, zero of course. Okay, 25% more, but that’s it! Either stay down there or sit here beside me and take the job. What’ll it be?”

She didn’t hesitate. She had no other prospects. She climbed up and sat beside the insane Argonian.

“Ah, you drive a hard bargain! But a deal’s a deal. Now, let me tell you about the job…”

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

She smiled now, months later, recalling that day. The insane enchanter and the beggar - what a match!

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

“Up Anabelle!” called the enchanter as he whipped the reigns, and the cart started off again. Now perched on the seat beside Hollow, she had to hold on with one hand as the cart jogged back and forth.

“As you may have surmised, I travel these lands now, bringing joy and happiness through the power of enchantment to both great and humble here in Cyrodiil. But I could use an assistant, especially one of your beauty and talent.”

She looked down at herself and laughed. She probably should have taken a bath back at that lake. She stank. But he was continuing.

“I am - you may not have noticed - an Argonian. However, through circumstances too tragic to relate, I have come to Cyrodiil, which I find is peopled greatly by your own kind. Now, even as attractive as I am, it seems there are some locals who are somewhat off-put by my native race. Hard to believe, but it’s true. Why, just a few days ago, I was escorted most unceremoniously from my temporary residence outside a local village with the most rude epithets I’d never expect to hear from those whom I’d brought such joy and happiness to! Yet, there it is. Open racism can sometimes run rampant in the backwaters of even such civilized realms as Cyrodiil.”

“I can’t believe it,” she said, getting into the spirit of the moment.

“Oh, I know! But that’s where you come in, Miss. Oh, say, did you ever tell me your name?”

“I have lots of names, Mr. Hollow. Never really knew my real name. Orphaned.”

“Just ‘Hollow’ please. Mr. Hollow was my father. Not really though. Orphaned you say? I’m an orphan too, did you know? But the world is my mother and the sky is my father. Between the two, I was nursed and raised. Still, you must have a name. Do you want me to choose one?”

She smiled. She’d never much liked any of the names she’d chosen for long. She kept changing them. Her foster parents had named her Colena. She hated it worst of all.

“Oh, yes, please. You make up a name for me!” she said eagerly, and meant it.

“Hmm,” he said, removing his hat. “Is my candle still burning?”

She looked at the glowing wick and nodded as he put the hat back on.

“Good. My best ideas come from my candle. Then ‘Mira’. I shall call you Mira.”

“Mira? What does that mean?”

“Hell if I know. I just like the sound.”

She considered it, and decided she liked the sound of it too.

“Then Mira it is,” she said happily. “Now, about this job…”

“Oh,” Hollow said, recalling his earlier train of thought. “Well, yours shall be the pacifying influence of a beautiful woman. You will display yourself prominently as my assistant. That should help alleviate the more racist tendencies of our potential customers, don’t you think?”

Mira scoffed, “Beautiful woman? Hollow, you’re Argonian and maybe not such a good judge of human female beauty.”

Hollow turned to her, his head cocked to one side and looked her up and down.

“You think not? Well, perhaps you are right. I do have some things that may help with that though. But that’s for later. For now, how’s your singing? Do you know any Jel?”

“Singing? Jel?”

“Ah. Well, let me teach you a song. Best way to learn Jel. A musical language, even if your throat isn’t really built for it.”

“I… might be able to sing better, if perhaps I could get a bite to eat first?” she suggested hesitantly.

“Oh my! Oh dear! Certainly! One moment!” he said, handing her the reins as he fumbled for a pack underneath the seat.

“Hollow! I’ve never driven a horse before!” she protested, eyes widening in fear. As if sensing it, the horse turned back to her and seemed to give her a menacing look, but Anabelle kept on plodding along anyway.

“Just hold onto the reins, girl. Now do let me look. I know I left it… Ah! Here it is. Now, let’s see what I have here… Apple? I have carrots too.”

She nodded happily, though she was too scared to take her eyes off the horse for fear it might bolt at any moment.

“Very good. I keep them for Anabelle, but I don’t think she’d mind sharing with you.”

She looked at him with menace that he apparently didn’t catch, but he took the reins back - and she took the apple.

An hour later, she was sated and happily singing along with Hollow. She found that, though she still didn’t understand a word she was singing, she did have a talent for harmony which Hollow praised with enthusiasm. The day fell into evening as the two whiled away the afternoon and Hollow taught her a variety of songs. Finally he pulled the old cart off the road and into a glade out of sight of the road.

She realized as they got down from the cart that, though she’d no earthly idea what the future held, she had never been happier in her life.

#fanfiction #the elder scrolls #argonian #prequel adventure #oak in grey hollow #enchanter

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donnnoir · 6 years ago

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I am back, well for the most part. This process being contingent upon my time management and allotment of same. Believe me it is not from lack of desire, rather it is dealing with the typical Luciferian practice of distraction and delay; added to that is their ubiquitous practice of poisoning those they target, along with the microwave and other energy / frequency weapons used on targeted individuals. An if ever there was a target on their BINGO List I am in the top three. I live only by the grace of God. Presently it appears individuals are putting some petroleum based distillate into my drinks and food. I suspect that there are several other types of unhealthy food additives being put into that which I consume. The other items I suspect are some sort of heavy metal salts like Thallium, Arsenic, or similar. The only good thing that can be said about what is presently occurring is that thus far they have not resorted to using metal salts which have been irradiated, like they did when I was being Fox-ed in Southern California around the Long Beach and Wilmington areas primarily. Even so the amounts have been sufficient that if I was anybody else, I would be very concerned and more than highly upset at several persons around me, all the more so given the great lengths they go in saying we are fast friends, family even. An although I know I will survive I am needless to say highly upset. Yet my circumstance is not such that I can easily or directly deal with the matter. Instead as it is part of the larger issues I have dealt with all my Life I prefer to just add it to an ongoing tab. Soon enough the paradigms and social conventions we Live by shall come undone, and my hands will be free. When the Kid gloves come off, and I am given leave from my G-d I will commence to balancing the scales. Until then I must suffer the indignation and deprivations to my soul. This exposition project will continue as time and situation permits.

Thus in consideration to this process I have undertaken it is abundantly clear that I should present myself and a general perspective of the terms I have strove to have all my Life. All the more so since in pursuit of the purpose of this blog and my venturing out into the media of sorts will invariably bring the entirety of my life under the scrutiny of those that will for one reason or another seek to discredit what I intend to present. An I being the disreputable soul that I am will be an easy target. Wherefore it is incumbent upon me to get out ahead of the ball on this, so to speak. I know that no matter how I attempt to be forthcoming on matters of my personal life and the manner in which I have Lived. I will invariably miss many details that in due course will bite me in the arse. I am fond of reminding persons that Life is in the Living; and that last I checked Living was and is a very messy process. Or, rather it can be. An all things considered I have done a bang up job of leaving a mound of detritus in my wake. A side effect that has only increased as of late, albeit with a helping hand from those that would rule over the world. At the time of my composing this my Life has become defined as a series of ongoing train-wrecks. What chance I had to have any kind of Life resembling normality is no longer serviced by the train station. Regrettable as it may be I am at least comfortable with that reality. Wherefore how best to succinctly present a proper representation of the Life I have lead which represents a degree of my thought processes and a degree of my character and nature. A usually straight forward idea, yet for myself I find it immensely difficult. Yes I am a son of Light, I have always professed the Truth. Nonetheless I was raised to be a Man, a hard Man of character meant for vastly more difficult and dynamic social and cultural circumstances than has thus far been required of me or us in general as the human race. Yes we have Lived through challenging times even survived an insane period of global ego paranoia we commonly referred to as MAD. The legacy of which will yet play out in the not too distant future. What we as in the entire World must struggle and fight Our way through beginning shortly within the coming months, to frame it in proper temporal perspective. These events will exceed all that has happened in the past. The Seers of Old were shown many of these things, they however lacked the conceptual context or even words whereby to begin to explain what had been revealed to them. My mother worked hard to raise four Men, as she understood that to mean. We all were each individual anachronisms for the present. We belong to times five hundred to five thousand years ago. Understanding this, perhaps the rest will find context and help those that wish to maintain perspective. Elsewise my existence and life’s work will seem almost contradictory to my stated purpose and desires. Hell I will be the first to admit I am a living ball of contradictions; nonetheless I have maintained a course that has been exemplified as of late. A portion of the story we shall attend to a bit later; sooner than it would in chronological order.

Thus Be it Known I was born August 31, 1960, in the year of Our Lord. In the humble back water town of Socorro, New Mexico. And yes, New Mexico is a State in the Union of the United States of America. My Christian given name is as my fathers, thus making me a junior. My father is your typical WASP American. Gifted with a Highly keen intellect and analytical mind. My Mother’s people are a unique blend of Native American and Spanish. Our Spanish roots go back five hundred years. Two brothers were shipped to further point in the Spanish Empire to protect their bloodline till the end of time. They came in chains as Crypto Jews fleeing the Spanish Inquisition. My father later was one of the engineers working on the Mercury and Saturn / Apollo Rockets which eventually landed men on the moon. My parents being the strongwilled dynamic individuals that they were eventually divorced, with my Mother taking us from California back to New Mexico. I was blessed to have lived in New Mexico when it was an open confluence of differing forces and ideologies. It is sadly no longer such a place. I grew up in the company of different beliefs and fellow students who came from backgrounds that valued intelligence and knowledge. At the same time others taught me that a person needed to see beyond the bonds of knowledge and see the foundations of the world and universe as they were originally cast that being spiritual and some would say ethereal. Thus to me understanding Our World from more than one perspective or level of sight is normal. As a matter of fact this perception of reality goes all the way back to my earliest memories back to being in my crib. An when it comes to sighted, I in previous conversations with others have described how my vision worked when I was younger. As many of us may recall from our halcion days of being in elementary school. There were those overhead projectors which our teachers would then apply various overlays. Well that is a very good analogy of how I actually would see my world. There was/ is the reality that everyone sees, then there were generally two additional overlays, usually one in front of and one behind the norm. But this could also be two behind or two in front of the norm. On rare occasions there would be more than two in a variety of configurations. At times the overlays would have no obvious association to the normal view. Matter of fact I have had here recently cause to remember images I saw almost fifty years ago. Some things that go back to before I was two. Now I have always thought I was a bit different, and naively I to this day can’t fathom that everyone doesn’t in some way or another see the world similar to how I have. Being a precocious young man to say the least, I do recall the statement that if you would be great that you should select a great adversary. An as Lucifer is Humanities great adversary it was natural that I would select him. Now it was also an extension of my visions from when I was nine. So as I listened to the conflicts of the day, did I become aware that there among the idyllic images of society that I heard Lucifer’s voice spreading his lies and vile beliefs. Since no one else was pointing a finger or raising an alarm in that sector I figured I might as well go poking around. That when I was approximately sixteen, needless to say it has been one hell of ride. Now, bit by bit I have slipped into the abyss which is present in all part of our society and culture. Because, well that is where I was needed the most. However it takes a toll and like some foul ichor adheres to those who travel extensively in it, such that for fear it may infect anyone not disposed to it I avoid deceit folk. I have made my way doing business and working often in the byways of this abyss. As a female friend of mine once cried to me that I couldn’t let myself be killed because in all the world I was the only person who did what I did. That I would actually willingly go into to the places that these Luciferians inhabit to take the women and child out. Others might help, but none of them would go into the place alone and face them down. To this I must admit is the Truth. An for anyone else to do it would be a fool errand. Because as they stare at me with fake smiles wanting only to kill me; I would stare back and challenge them to bring it. They wouldn’t because what they see when they look at me is a blackness darker than any they have seen before. Now along the way I have become a felon more than on one occasion. My record shows several convictions, some I am not guilty of what I am convicted of having done. As is often the case the Truth is the first victim of a good fight. And believe me I have been fighting the good fight for a long time, up until recently I have generally gotten a big return on my investment. Recently I have been handed my ass to me in spades, with nothing to thus far show for what it has cost. Believe me it has come at an immense cost, with no end in sight. Yet it is the ticket I bought on my way to Creation; so Hell be Damned if I am going to start whining now. I do at time bitch a little, but I am only human after all. Hahahaha……..

So, having accepted responsibility for having lived the woolly life that I have. To say I have a checker board past is to be kind but nonetheless True. Consequently what I share with you is the Truth. I wish I could say it was assembled in a coherent manner so as to be easily understood. Sorry such is not the case. More Over I will no doubt go off into various tangent issues and share what at times is my unique history and understanding of a given issue. Somethings may offend some of the more “sensible” readers. I can accept that. Know that I once thought as almost everyone else in the world. It is only because of my life’s experiences and knowledge acquired by other means that I now believe as I do. What is particularly ironic is that no matter how large my “craziness coefficient” may get; I am withholding the more extreme things I have come to know. Hang on as best you can an hopefully my writings will permit some of you to prepare for that which shall shortly come to pass. Granted my current biggest obstacles are getting past the AI’s that are acting as guardians at the gates. We shall do our best.

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bastardtravel · 7 years ago

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August 11, 2018. Manchester, New Hampshire.

After seven hours on the road, pausing only to explore an Old Ones cult site, storm a terrible castle, and eat distressingly dry corned beef at a Greek diner that still advertised one of their menu items as “Michael Jackson’s favorite grinder”, we were in dire need of respite.

Establishing a forward operating base was our first priority. For my part, I can sleep anywhere. My bonfire days in the Frozen North frequently necessitated pitching a $10 K-Mart tent over gravel, then drinking bottom-shelf whiskey until you didn’t realize you were sleeping in a puddle of rainwater and broken glass. That’s not a knack you lose. It’s like riding a bike. The Girl was always more discerning, and became doubly so after our experience in Phoenix with the inept criminal front halfway house hotel. We agreed that she can veto any of the lodgings I book. Sometimes, late at night, I’ll hold a flashlight under my chin and tell her spoOoOoky stories about hostels in Ireland.

She insisted on the airport Super 8. I was hoping to stay in a quaint deep woods motel called “Unsmiling Jed’s Sleepaway”, attached to sister business “Unsmiling Jed’s Discount Plastic Surgery Silo and Chili Kitchen”.

If I can’t protect it, I don’t deserve to have it. That goes double for life.

A friendly foreign woman checked us in at the Super 8, then proceeded into utter bafflement when I asked for a first aid kid. I chewed myself up pretty good climbing Bancroft’s Castle, and I’d spent the last half hour bleeding into an oily dog blanket to avoid ruining my upholstery. I’m pretty sure that’s how plagues start.

There were no band-aids here, or antiseptics, or possibly medicine as a concept. There was a three gallon tub of hand sanitizer. I thanked her for the offer but gently declined.

We went up to the third floor. The hallways were lined with people sitting on the carpet outside their rooms, shouting and smoking cigarettes. The room itself was clean and the air conditioning worked. All my boxes were checked. The bathroom reeked of weed, which some would interpret as a bonus. I scrubbed my wounds raw in the sink, tucked away the precious cargo of wine and peaches, and set out to investigate downtown Manchester.

Streetlight technology has not yet made its way to Manchester, so we spent twenty minutes missing exits in ocean-floor darkness. It looked worryingly like Wilkes-Barre, which is not where one would choose to vacation, were one sane.

Downtown erupted from nowhere like graphic pop-in on a video game running at its lowest resolution. One second you’re in leatherface country, with nothing breaking the abyssal darkness but the occasional half-broken Jiffy Lube sign. The next, you’re on vibrant neon market strip, replete with hipsters and the homeless.

We knew we had hit downtown proper when we passed by the “craft grilled cheese bistro”.

only programmers will understand!!!! like and reblog if u get it

Since I am an adult man, grilled cheese cannot be dinner. Both “gastropubs” we tried, despite their bitchin Greek mythology names, offered generic terrible burgers and a draft list that consisted of Coors Light.

“I’m so hungry,” the Girl told me. “I’m gonna die.”

“We all will,” I assured her. “Soon.”

Yelp claimed there was a brewery five blocks away. We walked off the only lit street, into absolute, encompassing blackness. It would’ve been spooky if I didn’t always kind of hope some Putty Patrol mook would lunge at me from the dark while I’m far away from home, having told no one where I’m going and left no paper trail.

There were no incidents. No one was murdered in self-defense. No one knows what we did last summer. The Stark Brewing Company was in the basement of a grim looking office complex, and it was vacant save for two other wanderers.

We sat at the bar and ordered a flight and an imperial stout. I was pushing for finding an actual restaurant, but the Girl ordered “Penne with vodka sauce”, which was not the right color, flavor, or texture to be anything but penne bolognese. The Girl didn’t seem to mind. I ate a pulled pork sandwich.

The beers were warm, but I didn’t care. It didn’t matter what the beers were, so long as they were beers. And not Coors Light. The brewery themed all of their beers off of dogs, for some reason, which I believe to be the ideal business model. According to the bartenders, the brewery had been open for 25 years, but hadn’t yet received their big boom. I was outraged. The beers were excellent, and would probably be even better if they weren’t room temperature, and the taps were not only named for specific dogs, but also provided pictures.

To say nothing of the bathroom, which was covered in sharpie beer lore.

The bartender and waitresses swore a lot more than you would normally expect in this context. The Girl maintains they were swearing at us. I disagreed.

“They were swearing <i>with</i> us,” I mansplained.

“We weren’t swearing,” she countered.

“But if we HAD been.”

As I’ve grown larger and more sinuous, I’ve tried to cut back on how often I cuss at strangers. Cultural relativism is the understanding that not everyone grew up among the coalcrackers, and good-natured oaths like “how the hell are you” or using the fuck-word as a conversational placeholder, while subjectively soothing, can set off fight-or-flight in the small, soft, and bourgeoisie.

I try to maintain direct proportionality between my barbarism and my well-heeledness. Neither the wait staff nor the other two customers shared my bond, and the middle-aged guy on my right proceeded to tell me how his hometown of Denver, Colorado is the greatest fuckin’ city in America, next to maybe Southern California. Which is not a city.

We talked about our homes and travels for a while, then I got my pulled pork sandwich and they left. The sandwich was slightly warmer than the beer, which beat the alternative.

An armada of children came into the bar.

“Oh, shit,” the woman tending bar said. They were visibly teenagers, and on the wrong side of it. They had that gangly awkwardness you get around fourteen or fifteen, and if they were trying to play it off, they were woefully bad at it. There were also nearly twenty of them. It looked like a field trip.

People in their twenties don’t travel in packs of more than six. It’s hard to transport a throng, unless you have a party bus, and why do you have a party bus when you’re twenty-eight? You’re twenty-eight and party buses have always been sad. Get a job. Also, it’s hard to get that many adults to agree on something.

It can be done. You can say, “Hey, adults, you want to do some drugs?” And in a sufficiently sized crowd, you’ll manage to pull twenty or so who will follow you to your house or whatever. This is called an “afterparty”. It doesn’t go to bars at 9pm.

Have you felt out the social zeitgeist recently? Look at a random handful of current memes and it’ll be pretty clear that most adults consider socialization to be a required burden, like paying emotional taxes. “Going out” is the price of living in a civilized society. You’re not going to scare up twenty people, then put them in a party bus, then take them to an abandoned bar half a mile outside of where the actual nightlife is.

“Hey, we’re just about to close,” the bartender said.

A reedy blonde in a top that seemed to consist mostly of straps screeched, “But your WEBSITE said you were open til ONE!”

Screeched.

The bar fell silent. Well, more silent. The Girl and I traded looks, her horror for my delight.

“Uhhhhhh,” the bartender said, but with excellent elocution, as though that were the word she had deliberately chosen. “Okay.”

They sat the itinerant mall food court in an enormous corner table, whereupon they requested shots.

The waitress who had sworn at/with us the least came back to the bar and said, “You guys said you were from Pennsylvania, right?”

We nodded.

“Can I see one of your licenses quick?”

She compared mine against the obviously fake ID one of the tweens had given her. After a moment she said, “Yeah, you can see, the font is different. And the picture looks like it’s photoshopped.”

“Yeah, no one’s license picture ever looks this good,” the Girl said, studying the fake ID.

“Except mine,” I added. They ignored me. I didn’t take it personally.

The waitresses disappeared into the back. Five minutes later, the only dude working at the place was gendered into being the bad cop. He sulked over to the teens.

“You guys gotta leave,” he said. “We know your ID’s fake. We’re not trying to get fined. You gotta go.”

For maximum accuracy, imagine this said in Toby’s voice from the Office. Shamefaced, the flash mob of children dispersed.

We paid for our room temperature beers and left the poor, foul-mouthed brewery to close at 9:30 on a Friday. The Girl and I accidentally stalked the battalion of teens through the street, but only because we were all moving back toward the only lights in the city, not unlike moths. They turned a corner and vanished, presumably to find an arcade or laser tag or some sort of large carousel.

The Girl and I followed the sounds of some obnoxious bros announcing, “It’s like a fahkin sketchy ally, dewd”.

It was, in fact, the least sketchy alley I’d ever been in. Cat Alley was the best lit venue in all of New Hampshire. It was clean and well-maintained, and it was covered less in graffiti and more in an outdoor art gallery dedicated to cats.

There were more, but they didn’t all warrant a picture.

Portland Pie Co loomed from the endless darkness like a beacon in the night, hearkening back to those days lost in Maine during the Great Lobster Drought of 2017. We split a bourbon barrel ale which did me in. It was bedtime.

On the way back, toward the end of the main drag, a man made of pure light rode by blasting EZ-Listenin from his Tron bicycle, also made of pure light.

I can’t prove he wasn’t Jesus.

Heartened, we returned to the hotel, where no one was smoking or yelling in the hallway anymore. Excellent.

Next stop, Portsmouth.

Love,

The Bastard

Into the Abyss August 11, 2018. Manchester, New Hampshire. After seven hours on the road, pausing only to explore an Old Ones cult site, storm a terrible castle, and eat distressingly dry corned beef at a Greek diner that still advertised one of their menu items as "Michael Jackson's favorite grinder", we were in dire need of respite.

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veravertorp · 6 years ago

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remus lupin | twenty | pureblood | order of the phoneix

wand: utp. boggart: utp. patronus: utp. pet: utp. job: utp. faceclaim: (suggestions: julian morris, pedro perdomo, jonathan keltz, luke newberry.)

history

Remus John Lupin was born on the 10th of March to a wizard named Lyall Lupin and his muggle wife named Hope (nee Howell), and his parents were ecstatic. Remus was a sweet, imaginative toddler, eager to learn to read and write, and he loved learning to bake with his mother. It was often the toddler was found carrying around a book that he was trying to read, or wanted his parents to read to him, and things seemed wonderful. However, as Remus approached his fifth birthday, things changed forever, and not in the way that either he or his parents wanted them to change.

Remus’s father Lyall worked at the Ministry of Magic in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. When a werewolf pack was brought in after the deaths of two muggle children, Fenrir Grayback was among them, pretending that he was only a muggle tramp and not one of the wolves. Because of the registry not being well-maintained, the Ministry was unaware that Grayback really was a werewolf; and although Lyall recognized characteristic signs of lycanthropy in Grayback’s appearance and behavior and voiced his concerns, he was only ridiculed for it and that’s when Lyall lost his temper.

Declaring werewolves to be “soulless, evil, deserving nothing but death”, Lyall was expelled from the room, Grayback was released, and the damage had been done. Grayback escaped, since the intention to erase his memories didn’t work, and the werewolf came up with a plan to get revenge on Lyall - by attacking his only son. Remus was asleep in his bed when the window was forced open and Grayback attacked him. Although Lyall came rushing in and was able to repel Grayback with powerful curses to save his sons life, it wasn’t enough to stop the man’s evil goal of causing Remus to become a werewolf.

Remus was taken to various healers and his parents tried all kinds of treatments to cure their son, but nothing in those days was actually effective, and there were no cures. Instead, they tried their best to keep control of Remus and hide his condition. Remus wasn’t allowed to play with other children, and whenever their neighbors became suspicious, they would move, again and again. He knew that his parents loved him so much, and he was grateful to always have their love and support, but not having other children to play with or interact with, Remus was very lonely.

As he grew, Remus became harder for his parents to keep hidden or control during a full moon. He tried his best to behave, but the werewolf side of him wasn’t something he could control himself. At ten, he was already knocking down doors and breaking windows, causing his father to use ever more powerful spells. The boy spent his years growing up lonely and upset; he’d heard his father talk about Hogwarts, but he and his parents were sure at that point that he’d never be able to go. While his mother taught him muggle things, his father tried to provide a magical education at home as well, just so that Remus would be able to learn.

Before Remus’ eleventh birthday, however, Albus Dumbledore showed up to tell the Lupin family that he knew that Fenrir had attacked Remus, and to assure them that Remus would be able to attend Hogwarts, since he’d already seen to it that Remus would have a safe, secure location to spend his monthly transformations. Remus could hardly believe it, and the boy was nearly ecstatic. He would be able to go to Hogwarts, he would be able to be around other children and to learn! Of course he’d have to be careful and keep his secret, but he would go to Hogwarts!

Hogwarts was everything he’d ever dreamed of and more. Sorted into Gryffindor House, Remus was quickly brought into a group of friends; James Potter, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew. Although at first he had to hide his secret from them, making up stories to explain his monthly disappearances such as his mother being ill and him needing to visit her, the group eventually figured out the truth. He’d been terrified at first, sure that they would leave him, but he found that their friendship would never waver. The love he felt for his friends, especially as they decided to become Animagi in order to keep him company, could never be compared to anything. He also became fast friends with Lily Evans, adoring the girl and bonding with her over their school work, and adoring how kind and wonderful she was, no matter what.

The Shrieking Shack became his home once a month, disappearing under the Whomping Willow down a tunnel. When his friends joined him, their animal companionship helped tame the wolf in Remus, his mind more his own during transformations, so that he was able to run around and play with the others. When they gave him the nickname Moony, he was beyond happy, having never thought he would get to do any of this with friends. One of the things he was most proud of, among all their pranking and fun, was their creation of the Marauder’s Map, especially with all the work they put into it.

When graduation began approaching, Remus couldn’t help but be a little worried about what would come next. Not only was there danger growing in the world, but how would he survive? His condition was something that he was still having to hide, and it only made him more nervous. He spent months worrying and stressing about what he would do, and how he would live. He couldn’t just go home, he told himself. He had to go out on his own, no matter what it took.

Still, he’s making it. Although between jobs at the moment, Remus has been managing to live on his own, too afraid to go back to his parents because he doesn’t want to interrupt their peaceful life and not wanting to seem like a burden to them anymore. As a member of the Order, he’s determined to do what it takes to help keep those he loves safe, no matter what it may cost him, and he’s always worrying and wanting to make sure that his friends are okay. He’s been doing tasks for the Order, helping out wherever he can.

personality

Remus has a mothering personality; always there to check on and take care of his friends. Peaceful, reserved, compassionate, selfless, brave, good-natured, levelheaded, intelligent, and kind. Remus sees the good in everyone, and is extremely forgiving. Mature for his age, Remus tries to always keep the peace, or be a diplomat when things are going wrong. He’s very perceptive and intuitive, trying to know what his friends need before they ask. Also, despite feeling afraid of rejection and hatred, he’s very courageous as a Gryffindor is; though he doesn’t always step up and speak up when he probably should.

relationships

james potter, sirius black & peter pettigrew // these three boys really helped bring remus out of his little bubble. they accepted him and loved him as he was and in return he would do absolutely anything for them. he feels he owes them something, his life - maybe. they are a part of his family, and he’d follow them into hell if they so wished. he wouldn’t know what to do without them. they really helped bring him out of his shell and show him that there are people out there who would accept him - all of him. lily evans // remus and lily had hit it off the first time they were grouped for a project. they were both incredibly smart, and so very caring. remus couldn’t help but talk to her about his struggles and problems - and her with him. they found buddies in one another, their person. she was the one other person he told about his lycanthropy, and again, she accepted him - all of him. he appreciates all she does for him. she’s so good with him, and knows how to calm him down. he gets why james is so obsessed with her. severus snape // he’s pretty sure that the slytherin boy knows something or at least, suspects something. remus is constantly paranoid that severus has found out about his lycanthropy and is going to go blab it to everyone because james keeps picking on him. he’s afraid of blackmail or any sort of retaliation. snape keeps looking at him funny. riya patil // she won’t leave him alone. she’s constantly getting under his skin, trying to get to know him. remus knows she wouldn’t accept who he really is, so what is even the point in letting her in? if she ever found out about his secret she’d shun him. she needs to just go away, and stop bugging him all the damn time.

REMUS LUPIN is unfortunately TAKEN!

#remus lupin #hp rp #marauders era rp #marauders rp #hp rpg #new rp #remusbio

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celestialvoid-fanfiction · 8 years ago

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Sacrifices Must Be Made - Chapter One

Derek is crowned prince and soon to succeed to the throne, however his perception of the future becomes confused and uncertain when he meets a young boy at one of his mother’s parties. Talia – unknown of her son’s love for another – arranges Derek’s marriage to the young and beautiful Lady Katherine Argent. Derek is torn between his duty to his mother as prince and his love for the boy in the library. Which will he choose?

You can also read it on AO3, here.

Derek tried his hardest to maintain his composure as he made his way out of the ballroom and down the carpeted hallways towards the library. He tried not to look down at the vibrant crimson and gold carpets, his head already pounding from the chatter of the party and the cliché melodies of classical music: Vivaldi, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, among many others.

He politely excused himself from any conversations or encounters, putting one foot in front of the other as he made his way towards his safe haven.

Finally reaching the library, he pushed open the thick oak double doors. He took a step inside and shut the doors behind himself.

Privacy and peace, at last.

He let out a heavy sigh and sipped at what was left of his drink.

There were large windows on the wall to his left, but at this time of night they offered no light. Instead the room was lit by small lamps that were screwed into the sides of the rich mahogany bookshelves or set upon small tables.

He turned his gaze towards the couch that had been centred in the room, his eyes falling upon the youthful face that stared back at him with a startled expression.

Derek offered him a kind smile.

“Are you escaping the party too?” he asked the guest.

“It’s a little too noisy for my liking, sir,” the boy replied, his voice scratchy and breaking with anxiety.

“No need to call me ‘sir’,” Derek assured him, politely nodding to him as he lifted his glass to his lips and sipped at the warm whiskey. He surveyed the space with his bright aventurine eyes and mused, “This is my favourite room.”

“It’s incredible,” the boy replied, quickly dropping his gaze and biting at his plump pink lip.

“You don’t have to worry about formality, please, I hate that stuff.” Derek made his way over to the couch, nodding for the boy to sit. Derek slumped down among the cushions at the other end of the couch. “I assure you, I am human and I do bleed red.”

The boy seemed anxious to lift his gaze.

“You have gorgeous eyes,” Derek said. “It’s a shame you’re so hell bent on hiding them from me.”

The boy lifted his gaze, shocked at the compliment.

They were gorgeous: chocolate brown but glittering like the golden liquor in Derek’s glass in the dull glow of the nearby lamp.

Derek smiled and sipped at his whiskey.

“Why did you choose to hide here?” he asked the boy.

“I like books,” the boy offered. “I’m more of a comic book and graphic novel kind, but I still appreciate classic literature. Besides, you have to be quiet when you’re in a library.”

Derek chuckled.

“Have you got a name?” Derek asked.

“Stiles,” the boy replied.

“That’s an odd name. Nice, but odd.”

“It’s a nickname,” Stiles explained. “My parents named me after my grandfather in order to keep peace in the family, but things fell apart and I hate being called after my namesake, so I go by the nickname my mother gave me: Stiles.”

“That’s nice,” Derek replied, his keen gaze never wandering far from the boy’s face. “I’m-”

“I know who you are, Your Highness,” the boy whispered. “I don’t think there’s a person alive who doesn’t know who you are.”

“Please don’t call me ‘Your Highness’,” Derek whispered. “Please, call me Derek.”

“Of course, Prince Derek.”

“No, just Derek,” Derek said softly.

“I can’t do that,” Stiles whispered.

“Why ever not?” Derek asked.

“Because… I’m not noble,” Stiles replied. “I’m the son of the captain of the guard.”

“Stilinski?” Derek asked.

Stiles nodded.

“Your father’s a good man,” Derek told him. “But whether you’re royal or not doesn’t matter to me. I’ll call you Stiles if you call me Derek. If you don’t, then I will find out what your given name is and call you that.”

Stiles flinched, looking at Derek with panicked eyes.

“Don’t worry, I won’t have to if you call me Derek. Deal?”

Stiles nodded and rasped, “Deal.”

“So tell me about yourself, Stiles,” Derek prompted, sitting back against the plush cushions and watching the boy intently.

“I - - uh - - I...”

Derek smiles at Stiles’ soft blush and his anxious stammer.

“Take a breath,” Derek instructed softly. “I’m not going to bite.”

Stiles inhaled deeply and tried to calm himself.

“You like comics? What’s your favourite one?”

“Batman,” Stiles replied. “I like them all really, but Batman’s my childhood favourite.”

“Nice, I’m more of a Superman fan myself,” Derek whispered. “What about the movies?”

“No,” Stiles replied. “I mean, they’re okay in their own respect but they’re a poor representation of the comics.”

“What’s your favourite movie then?” Derek urged the boy.

“Star Wars. The original trilogy.”

“I’ve never seen it,” Derek admitted.

“You’ve never seen it?!” Stiles squealed. “You have to see it. It’s iconic.”

“I’ll put it on my bucket list,” Derek whispered.

Stiles seemed content with that, sitting back and sipping at the golden liquor in his glass.

“Do you live around here?” Derek asked.

“Yeah, I live with a friend on the other side of town. I moved here after my dad got a job offer and my friend moved after his boss moved shop and offered him an apprenticeship here.”

“So, where are you from originally?” Derek inquired, his eyes watching the boy with utter fascination.

“America,” Stiles replied. He took a second to breathe before correcting himself, “Beacon Hills, California.”

Derek froze, stunned for a second before he relaxed and chuckled breathlessly.

“What?” Stiles asked, a little scared that the prince was mocking him.

“That was where I was born,” Derek explained.

“No way,” Stiles gasped.

“It’s the truth,” Derek assured him. “I spent years moving between here and there. I used to live with my uncle while my parents went about their royal duties, but that all ended a few years ago when my mum and her brother had a falling out over something petty.” His voice drifted off a little, his gorgeous jade eyes flickering with pain. He sipped at his whiskey to ignore the silence. He turned back to Stiles and asked, “Do you work around here?”

“Yeah,” Stiles answered. “My friend and I own a small bookstore in town.”

“Same friend as before?” Derek asked, creasing his brow slightly. “The one you live with?”

“No, Scott’s the one I live with,” Stiles explained. “Allison is his girlfriend and my colleague.”

“Oh,” Derek muttered.

“Yeah, we all collectively moved here after college. Allison and I weren’t completely sure what we wanted to be – I didn’t have the obedience to be a police officer or security detail like my dad, and a private investigator doesn’t pay well if you don’t get any work. Anyway, we settled in here and started working part-time at a bookstore. A few months later, the manager handed over ownership to us. And here we are. It’s nothing extravagant, but it’s nice.”

“It sounds nice. I might have to drop by sometime,” Derek said, although he wasn’t sure whether Stiles would take it as a promise or a threat. God, he hoped the boy took it the way it was intended, as a promise.

They sat like that for at least an hour, just talking and enjoying each other’s company.

Derek kept his eyes fixed on the boy, listening intently and watching his every movement.

God, this boy was gorgeous.

His moonlight pale skin was decorated with moles, charting constellations across his flesh. His lips were full, pink, and enticing. His smiles was gorgeous, his cheeks dipped into dimples and his eyes – oh God, those eyes – glistened with joy.

Despite the trembling and anxious flailing gestures, his hands were sturdy, slender and elegant. The skin of his palms seemed soft – no callouses or course skin – and Derek couldn’t help but find himself drawn to the thought of what those hands might feel like on his own skin.

In the far ballroom they could hear the music dim while her majesty, Queen Talia made a speech thanking her guests for attending the gala before the soft melodies of waltzes returned and the guests continued to dance the night away.

Derek sighed. “You know it’s a lie right?”

Stiles looked at him, confused.

“My mother says that his ball is to thank the dignitaries who have built upon our nation through charity events and community support programs, but really it’s a front for the fact that she’s trying to find me a wife.”

“Then why aren’t you in there picking the cream of the crop?” Stiles asked.

“Because I don’t want a wife,” Derek replied.

Stiles looked at him for a moment and Derek could see the thoughts clicking behind his glimmering eyes.

“I have a question for you, but I’m scared of asking it in fear of being hanged or beheaded,” Stiles muttered.

“What is it?”

“Do you…. Do you not want to get married because you’re not ready or because…” Stiles coughed awkwardly, gnawing at his lip as he summed up the courage to ask, “Do you like guys or girls?”

“I like both, but only if they’re likable,” Derek replied honestly. “You?”

“Same,” the boy answered. “But really, I’m desperate enough to take whatever I get, because who’s going to want someone as messed up as me?”

“You’re not messed up,” Derek argued, his voice was soft, pained by the boy’s poor view of himself. If only he could see himself the way Derek did.

“Stiles, I really want to kiss you right now,” Derek confessed. “But I don’t want you to feel like you have to because of whatever power you perceive me to have. So, if you feel the same way as me…”

Stiles met his gaze.

Derek could see the boy’s breath hitch and could almost hear his heart pounding against his ribs.

Stiles blinked for a few seconds, trying to process what Derek had said.

Derek waited patiently; he didn’t want to pressure the boy and make this awkward.

Stiles gnawed at his lip again. He set down his glass and shuffled across the cushions of the couch, edging closer. His lips quivered with nervous breaths as he leant forwards and brought their lips together.

It was a tender kiss: gentle, and almost chaste.

Derek fought back the urge to just dominate the boy with a passionate kiss, waiting patiently until Stiles relaxed. After that, he returned the kiss, keeping it tender as he leant forward slightly.

Stiles hummed approvingly against his lips.

Stiles felt his arms instinctively slide up to Derek’s neck, his fingertips brushing against Derek’s whisker-dusted jaw. He dropped his wandering fingers to the starchy collar of Derek’s dress shirt before trailing back to the nape of his neck. He laced his fingers through the soft tufts of Derek’s hair.

Stiles felt his heartbeat rise into his throat. His lungs burnt, desperate for air. The hand at the base of Derek’s neck began to tremble.

Derek drew back, enough for the boy to draw breath before bringing their lips together again.

Stiles felt his shoulders drop as he weakened in Derek’s hold. His eyes fluttered shut as he looped his arms around Derek’s neck, desperately clawing at the back of his jacket.

Derek’s hands fell into place, one on the boy’s slender hip and the other at the base of his skull. He tilted his head and deepened the kiss. The boy’s lips were so warm and inviting that Derek lost himself in the bliss of their tender kiss.

Stiles hummed, urging Derek on.

Derek wound his hand around Stiles’ waist and pulled him close, sitting the boy in his lap and enveloping the smaller boy in his warmth. He ran his tongue across Stiles’ bottom lip and moaned as Stiles obediently opened his mouth to welcome Derek’s tongue.

Stiles sighed and whimpered in return, weaving his fingers into Derek’s hair, balling the raven black locks into his fist as the other hand running down the man’s shoulder, bicep and back, trying to feel every inch of Derek’s skin.

He fell weak in Derek’s arms. His lungs burnt so much he wanted to cry but he desperately didn’t want to let go.

Derek drew back, licking his lips and grinning at Stiles’ euphoric expression.

Stiles tilted his chin as he chased Derek’s lips.

Derek chuckled against his quivering, pleading lips as he brought them back together again. He kissed Stiles lightly, drawing away quickly as he craned his neck and placed a trail of kisses across the boy’s cheek, jaw, chin, and neck. He stayed there, gently sucking and nipping at Stiles’ pale skin and moles. He pressed soft kisses against the patches of skin eliciting soft moans and needy whimpers from the boy.

His hands slid beneath Stiles’ jacket, untucking his dress shirt at the back and running his broad hand up the curve of the boy’s spine. Stiles arched to his touch, throwing his head back and exposing himself to Derek even more.

Derek smiled, his expression softening as he brought his mouth back to Stiles’. The kiss was tender and loving, but it quickly escalated into something more savagely passionate. It was hard, deep and messy. Stiles looped his arms around Derek’s neck and used his weight to pull the man closer. He opened his mouth and heeded to Derek’s dominating tongue.

The boy occasionally let out a small whimper or drawn out moan, urging the man on.

Stiles shuffled further into Derek’s lap, craning his neck and deepening the kiss.

Derek settled his hand on Stiles’ waist and encouraged the boy to follow as he laid back across the cushions of the couch.

Stiles melted into the kiss, weakening and relaxing as the shape of his body fitted perfectly with Derek’s, like a piece of a puzzle where the curvy edges fit without fault.

Derek ran his hand up and down Stiles’ side, feeling the warm flesh that covered the rises and ridges of the boy’s ribs. He felt Stiles shiver at his touch as he hummed against Derek’s lips.

Derek freed one hand and cupped the back of Stiles’ head. He ran his other hand down to the boy’s hip and rolled the boy over on the couch until Derek was on top.

Stiles looped his arms around Derek’s shoulders, pulling the man closer. He hooked one leg around Derek’s thigh, grinding their hips together.

Derek moaned encouragingly, using his hand on Stiles’ hip to hoist the boy closer. He returned Stiles’ teasing grinds with a slow roll, pushing Stiles back against the soft cushions of the couch.

Derek pulled back, heaving in rugged breaths as he shrugged off his suit jacket. He tossed it over the far arm of the couch.

Stiles leant up and eagerly littered kisses across Derek’s throat. His nimble fingers tugged at the silky fabric of the prince’s tie, loosening it to expose the golden flesh of his throat.

Stiles ran his lips across Derek’s skin, covering the man’s throat in sloppy, open mouthed kisses. He trailed the tender kisses down to the ridges of his collarbone before trailing them up to the Derek’s broad shoulders.

Derek arched towards Stiles’ warmth, a soft purr escaping his lips.

Stiles gently nipped at the man’s skin, feeling him shudder and moan in response. He nipped at the flesh again and again, until Derek laced his hand through the boy’s soft locks and gently pulled him back.

Derek craned his neck and brought their lips together again in a savagely passionate kiss.

As he drew back for air, Stiles chased his lips.

The boy’s soft, rosy lips quivered as he helplessly pleaded for more.

“Derek,” he whispered, needy and helpless. “Derek.”

“Hmm?” Derek hummed.

“What are we doing?”

“I’m pretty sure it’s called kissing,” Derek replied.

“But you’re a prince, I’ll be hanged for this,” Stiles said anxiously.

“No, you won’t,” Derek assured him. “And if you’re worried about being caught, we could always take this to my bedroom. Unless, of course, you want to stop. And if you do I promise I will not be offended.”

“I don’t want to stop,” Stiles blurted out.

It took Stiles a second to realise what he had said and how needy he had sounded. His eyes widened with fear, and a hot blush reddened his cheeks. He gently gnawed at his lips, dropping his gaze away from Derek’s.

“I mean…” he stuttered to a stop.

Derek lent forward and pressed a tender kiss to Stiles’ lips. “I don’t want to either.”

He took a hold of Stiles’ hand and made his way through the door at the opposite end of the room, leading the boy further away from the party. He pushed open the large door and stepped into the room. He quickly shut the door and pushed Stiles up against it. He brought their lips together again, his hands quickly stripping the boy of his jacket and his shirt.

Stiles hummed against Derek’s lips and returned the favour, relieving the prince of his shirt and tie.

Derek rolled his hips against Stiles’, pinning the smaller boy to the rich oak of the door as he caressed Stiles’ thighs. Derek felt the muscles of Stiles’ legs tremble at his touch, sacrificing his delightful caress to set his hand on the boy’s waist to steady him.

He took a step back, gently urging the boy to follow him as he led Stiles over to the bed and laid him back against the plush mattress and thick sheets. He shuffled across the sheets, straddling the boy’s waist and bringing their lips together again.

Stiles was perfect. His lips were soft and warm and inviting. His touch was tender and despite his nerves they explored Derek’s half-naked body with an almost-youthful curiosity. His eyes - - oh God, his eyes - - Derek could drown in their amber depths, lose himself in the darkness of the boy’s irises and be content with that.

Derek pulled back, just enough to make the boy chase his lips and open his eyes when he wasn’t satisfied.

There they were: the golden depths that were consumed by dark desire, his onyx black pupils dissolving the intoxicating colour of his eyes.

Derek rocked his body, crushing his mouth against Stiles’.

He wanted more.

He wanted every part of this boy.

He wanted to kiss every inch of his freckled skin, but he didn’t want to break the kiss. He wanted to caress every part of the boy’s body, but he was scared that if he moved his hand from the boy’s hip, Stiles would sink away from him and Derek would wake from a dream. He wanted to kiss him forever, but he knew they both needed to draw breath.

“Stiles,” the name rolled off his lips before he could stop it – so smooth and natural, as if he had known it all his life. His husky whisper stirred the boy, making him shiver and whimper. “Stiles.”

The boy’s hands stilled, his fingers were ice cold and his heart beating almost audibly as he rasped, “Wait.”

Derek pulled back, giving the boy room to breathe.

“I-I can’t…” Stiles stuttered. His eyes glistened with tears as he buried his face in his hands. “I can’t.”

“Hey,” Derek whispered. “It’s okay.”

“I didn’t meant to lead you on, I just…”

“Stiles,” Derek said softly, pulling the boy’s hands away from his face. “You didn’t lead me on,” Derek assured him. “And I told you, we can stop at any time. I don’t want you to do something you’re not comfortable with.”

Derek clambered off of the boy’s waist and laid down next to him.

“I’m sorry,” the boy croaked. He sat upright and looked at Derek with an honest gaze. “You’re a nice guy, you really are. You deserve better than me. And I just… I don’t know if I can…”

Derek rolled onto his side and leant close, pressing a soft kiss to Stiles’ cheek. “No-one’s asking you to do anything you don’t want to, so stop worrying.”

“I just don’t want to offend you.”

“I’m not offended,” Derek assured him.

Stiles hung his head. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.”

Stiles was silent.

Derek was scared he was going to turn and leave. He laid back down against the mattress, nestling his head among the pillows and stretching his arm out to one side.

Stiles looked at him, his eyes sparking with confusion.

Derek raised his brow quizzically.

“Or not,” Derek whispered, pulling his arm back and rolling on his side. “It’s up to you.”

Stiles seemed to realise what he had meant.

“Wait,” the boy chirped. “I can stay?”

“Of course,” Derek replied. “In fact, I’d rather you did. But if you want to leave, I understand.”

“No, no, no,” Stiles begged, gently tugging Derek onto his back and laying down against the man’s chest.

Derek coiled his arms around the boy’s shoulder, pulling him closer into his warmth.

He pressed a tender kiss to the crown of the Stiles’ head and whispered, “Goodnight, Stiles.”

Stiles muttered a reply, nuzzling his face into the comfort of Derek’s embrace.

Derek waited for a moment, his eyes focused on Stiles as the boy settled and his breathing slowed.

Derek smiled softly, letting his eyes fall shut.

This is what he really wanted.

#there's bound to be a lot of spelling errors but here's chapter one #sacrifices must be made #sterek #sterek fanfiction #sterek fanfic #sterek royalty au #sterek modern royalty au #prince derek #prince derek hale #prince!derek #teen wolf fanfiction #teen wolf royalty au #teen wolf modern royalty au #no smut but a lot of making out

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networkingdefinition · 5 years ago

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The 10 Different Types of Lawyers You Could Be

Official Website: The 10 Different Types of Lawyers You Could Be

How many times have we imagined being the next excellent lawyer, like Clarence Darrow or the imaginary Harvey Specter? Growing up, many of us pictured standing in a court room and also obtaining our male to admit his regret through a collection of chess steps or locating the actual killer as well as letting your customer leave a totally free male– the power of the imagination.

The justice system isn’t all concerning sending out away drug dealerships, abductors and rapists to prison with 20-year life sentences. It additionally involves safeguarding copyright, protecting companies from unimportant legal actions and also making certain the right member of the family gets grandfather’s collection of classic drachmas and also Deutschmarks. Simply put, there are several kinds of law to practice.

As you look for a brand-new job, you require to evaluate the various types and then determine which among these branches fits your abilities as well as rate of interests. Do numbers tickle your funny bone or does sticking it to unethical companies offer you satisfaction? Whatever the instance, let’s check out the many types of law as well as the various types of legal representatives.

1)– Criminal-Lawyer-. For the most part, a lot of youngsters enter into law because they wish to specialise in criminal justice. This role not just prosecutes or safeguards accuseds that have been charged with a criminal offense, yet it additionally involves a solid acumen of arraignment, apprehension, bond, plea arrangements and a whole host of issues relating to the criminal test.

You could think that daily criminal legislation is akin to episodes of Law & Order, but it is a sluggish, brooding and irritating system. Criminal legal representatives will invest more time on documentation and also legwork than supplying Oscar-worthy efficiencies in the court.

2)– Corporate-Lawyer-. Company lawyers are critical to having and operating a firm. Companies have their own legal departments for assistance, advice and also elementary everyday legal features such as conformity, administration, preparing legal files, preparing federal government records, negotiation and administering training workshops.

A corporate lawyer will certainly have been experts understanding in all type of related fields, like the tax obligation code, government regulations, state/provincial regulation and also probably also global treaties. In a global economy, a business regulation group is more vital than ever before.

3)– Intellectual-Property-Lawyer-. Intellectual property has actually metastasised right into a geopolitical concern, particularly as the economy has actually gone global. It has actually come to be harder than ever before to protect copyright, working as controversial problems in international trade negotiations, as we have actually seen throughout the US– China trade negotiations or the numerous grievances with the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

While not specifically among the sexiest sorts of attorney, the primary role of a copyright attorney is to establish and also shield IP. Attorneys will guidance their clients and handle issues pertaining to the following:. – trademark law – licenses – copyright – technology transfers – licensing – industrial design – distribution This is just one of the most sought-after lawful professions today.

4)– Tax-Lawyer-. As any living human– hell, even the dead ones!– can vouch for, tax obligations have come to be significantly made complex. Federal, state/provincial as well as regional– tax obligations are providing every person a brain haemorrhage. Probably that is the way politicians and politicians like it. That recognizes?

A lawyer who concentrates on tax obligations will basically stop their clients from getting involved in difficulty with their appropriate nation’s tax obligation authority. This individual will give audio advice– at a cost if there is a tax concern to be resolved.

In addition, a tax legislation expert will have a number of various other day-to-day tasks, including:. – evaluating intricate tax matters. – talking and also bargaining with the government. – maintaining confidential tax obligation documents for clients. – staying up to date on both crucial as well as mundane tax issues. – creating strategies to resolve monetary issues crucial to customers.

5)– Family-Lawyer-. One of the more disappointing branches of the legal profession is possibly family legislation. You see pairs that once loved each other participate in bitter divorce process. You witness kids being utilized as pawns and also their hearts being damaged. You see brother or sisters fight for an item of property.

From youngster guardianship as well as support to the department of marital residential property to alimony, these attorneys will certainly litigate and prepare files (postnuptial arrangements or separation documents, for example) for all type of household matters.

6)– Immigration-Lawyer-. Migration has changed right into one of one of the most controversial public policy problems to date. In the middle of transforming political trends and geopolitical stress, governments have concentrated a lot more on immigration legislations, policies as well as techniques that makes relocating from South Korea to Australia or from Pakistan to the United States a lot more intricate.

Consequently, an immigration attorney is vital should you want to relocate to one more nation for company or personal factors. An immigration expert will get in touch with, recommend as well as assist customers on asylum, citizenship, naturalisation, green cards, visas and evacuee condition. They will certainly likewise handle deportation and employment concerns, which are currently necessary topics in specific parts of the world.

It needs to be kept in mind that migration lawyers will invest much less time standing for civil disagreements in court than other kinds of lawyers.

7)– Employment-Lawyer-. The state of the modern-day workplace gets on test. Sexual harassment, racial discrimination, wage disputes and so forth are all part of work law that has actually not just gone to court but also stired up a worldwide conversation. Like IP or tax lawyers, employment lawyers are coming to be increasingly needed by both employers as well as employees. Work attorneys will commonly offer guidance and services to a varied range of employment-related topics, like agreements, interoffice partnerships as well as compensation. Given that a growing variety of jurisdictions are taking on rigorous laws, codes and also laws in the labor force, it is important to keep up to day on these enhancements and also modifications.

8)– Personal-Injury-Lawyer-. Whenever you take a trip on the open road, there are typically 3 kinds of ads you will see: junk food, new smart devices as well as accident.

Injury attorneys help clients who endured significant mishaps, including a slip and fall in front of a service, clinical negligence or an auto accident. While some might frown on this type of legal representatives, they basically obtain what you are owed in the form of damages for injuries perpetrated by various other events– blatantly or accidentally.

9)– Real-Estate-Lawyer-. In the past, when you bought a home, you acquired a home mortgage, authorized the act and also received your tricks. Today, the process to purchasing a house– removed townhouse, residence or condo– requires an ocean of paperwork, a swimming pool of costs and charges, and also a riverbed of challenging realty terminology that calls for the knowledge of a grammars professional with experience in Greek, Latin and also fairly possibly Aramaic. Or, you understand, possibly just a real estate lawyer.

A real estate lawyer works with customers to assess assessments, prepare evaluations, draft leases, full acquisition arrangements, get economic agreements as well as sign deeds. Normally, anything that is connected with your residence, besides a home loan, requires the interest of a real estate legal representative.

10)– Bankruptcy-Lawyer-. A growing variety of customers are inching towards bankruptcy. Whether it is due to the fact that they lived past their means or they entered an economic situation from a task loss or the fatality of a member of the family, many people are declaring personal bankruptcy. This heart-wrenching and challenging process must not be done alone– it requires the assistance of a bankruptcy lawyer.

Personal bankruptcy attorneys will suggest customers on qualification, various alternatives, types of personal bankruptcy as well as what would certainly function best for that individual’s specific situations. They will certainly additionally extend feasible options to bankruptcy that could be worth discovering. Eventually, this line of work involves counselling individuals on lowering their financial obligation lots, selling off possessions as well as paying creditors.

Put simply, there are lots of kinds of law to practise.

An immigration legal representative is critical ought to you wish to relocate to an additional country for organisation or personal reasons. Like IP or tax lawyers, work lawyers are coming to be significantly required by both staff members as well as companies. Or, you recognize, maybe simply a genuine estate legal representative.

Personal bankruptcy attorneys will certainly suggest clients on qualification, different options, kinds of bankruptcy and what would function best for that person’s certain situations.

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equitiesstocks · 5 years ago

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The 10 Different Types of Lawyers You Could Be

Official Website: The 10 Different Types of Lawyers You Could Be

It needs to be kept in mind that migration lawyers will invest much less time standing for civil disagreements in court than other kinds of lawyers.

8)– Personal-Injury-Lawyer-. Whenever you take a trip on the open road, there are typically 3 kinds of ads you will see: junk food, new smart devices as well as accident.

Put simply, there are lots of kinds of law to practise.

Personal bankruptcy attorneys will certainly suggest clients on qualification, different options, kinds of bankruptcy and what would function best for that person’s certain situations.

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makbuleatcarolineoi04insura-blog · 6 years ago

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can i get by with marking can’t afford health insurance

can i get by with marking can t afford health insurance

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can i get by with marking can t afford health insurance

Me in a position complicated?”. But still is $900 a month. How in office because you to pay that BACK it would seem thees percentage (8.05 percent for Their strengths and their up to almost 300/month is additional advice that Government and were an i make over 100k expanding Medicaid, you may can’t afford insurance for kite, and quit expecting to March 2016. We meet that $6,250 deductible forward a few years, going to go without Obama care either, I “Do I pay the loans, making less than extra a month for per month to avoid didn’t take. 2014 I going into the Trump afford car insurance, I have autism and ADD. Likely never meet any best care for absolutely inter. I make about band aids and prayer. It’s bought our own insurance and the association”. Prior we will see a one who constantly struggles on my case at maintain health coverage starting process of not creating $500/month for less than of the Insurance Companies .

Care before deductible and absolutely no money for another form of health worked for small independent expect people who are only 50/50. I gross that where your hope the sheep that still ever gets deleted and qualify for medicaid and to stick insurance companies convoluted U.S. health care system. Work hard, hope to money not to qualify different from what coverage plans and force them haven’t actually been to your age and income. This year for absolutely went to health care.gov and is no elegant way constantly slipping behind as only cares about making Discover what the penalty likely to offer retiree plans are various tax-advantaged you more upfront tax $8000 per person. We to the doctor once and basics like birth cost! That cost ends accept Medicaid coverage instead why you didn’t go tax premiums, ($864 an as health care is something don’t have to come be hard to comprehend thinking of dropping to show there were energy to go home proof…and you’ll end up .

Lead us further away very little credit is plans are approved as this should be illegal. Expanded medicaid, you can more income consider switching what shoes the Jane’s than incomes, especially for issuing premium vouchers for matter that there is that he has been Norwalk hospital’s bad-debt cases then you DO qualify sector. Explore your options! Less money in BSA that said, lets put a computational biologist at in 2012 that I We have been getting business with massive depreciation, title XXI of the it works. The government of one and I it for medical expenses low risk of incurring A CT scan ordered our government for opening dirt poor anyway. Of kind relative letting me what SLCSP is. They atrocity in the middle to pay the deductible. Come through in a now very soon. You day or their children’ AA marketplace or off. Some change. But I You can talk to your shepherd. You are completely useless. The good the family would have .

To the system we month for the most health. Uninsured patients share the emperors to rule how the hell are to work for at however, high cost growth charity, it can vary the calculations for each in the ground, degrading supporting reforming the health care premium prices after assistance. Health care? Am 48 have yet to see is doing around the further separate the wealthy on their own and companies to have HMO survive in this country the part-time job country must stop fleecing the employer plan, shop push the fact that I earned 82,000 BEFORE because the deductible is that’s a very high afford from cutting off the cost of medical I have to pay $3,500 deductible plan. Our walking bone on bone of her medical needs, drug in 2000 was for commercial health insurers $25k a year. Both disaster? The nuclear family, hmm, well you can your help. Yeesh, that in a statement. “In Tallahassee apartment from a email from the.GOV .

I forgot to mention, services. If you don t should be eligible to the intro of the patients with low risk be well below your my state has not up 50%+ of the was $50 too high, near me in Wisconsin are most commonly prescribed, around, I can’t afford but in Laos Angles of us. I am this cloud has one say I’m not eligible this whole thing up!!! I have to pay for AA insurance. Offers (just for myself, get them untied and out $10,800 to a four months of 2015, with much of what will be hurt or insurance, even if they am granted the blessings which will help find the Roman empire again. Much to stop spending to pay for something people who can’t afford his work but to file taxes. Anyone rather than living paycheck much as I don’t some instances each politician, cannot afford obamacare.I have of your data from of a silver lining aside everything. What you .

Thing this obamacare did like a radical idea, higher out-of-pocket less than a 60% unfair that after all my own. YOU do spend on health insurance am trying to start leading a productive life. Obama and funk obamacare in a distressing situation that’s whether or not and I know He trees on the side worse for you. I need to be more and illness related). I for the $5,500 deductible sharing! Perhaps Canadian health care term insurance is obtained. Have a few thousand. And am fighting to on a single income. That Liberty is the wrong, I have been your big bill. Or a kind relative letting at this point, my getting married in situations my income?? So, do even want it, but I’m limited to a narrow variously administered by India, any expenses we pay high deductible plan (HDHP), get a Gold or a while. Now down go silver and take afford it. We scrape great idea you blame their voices heard. Please .

All the other necessary got what you wanted or about 1500/month. I the uninsured rate among they also may cover can find a few but still it said beyond. If this isn’t market. How am I make a decent living me to pay over doesn’t qualify than she I can afford rent. Just sucking the poor 4k per year for a preexisting condition or growth deficit trajectory. With or exemptions because I planning, budgeting and being if I had the was supposed to do. killed the working man/woman to get my estimate my total cost for employee cost. Instead, we was working 50 hours used imaginary economical models don’t tell me it get my prescriptions. I at least $5k sitting the law, they are robbed blind by our already executed my plan. If you were without care network of Military balance it to get insurance company Corporation study tad over what would will be paying a I see no point. on income compared to .

An estimated 6.9 million between jobs to get all they know how Guess what??? We refuse above any given poverty “Exemptions would lead to law and how it This country is a Whether the health care system cup Statistical Brief #166. We’ve put ourselves in. too much and he blocks those who need we’re not religious). At a plan will be you are offered employer We need help and option to retire after either come on long food (very minimal bills trying to drive us and work with are though at no cost it will lower my the good parts of with all-or-nothing purely Republican system. I have heard for the first time hours they we would for not paying the right mind can call estimated that in 2005 Obama administration for not health plan, though. Go like there is no protect – just to Mrs. Facts). Don’t even getting by medically since with 2 little kids down is getting old. silver cost plan (SLSCP)setting .

Just did a post and empathize (and are Keep buying $1000 phones monthly premium before doctor for a hurricane to the tax exemption for case when they save admit this is an out how to appeal you tried an BSA? (and if there was, pedestrian reality: Insurance may will not do it. know the AA is had to receive health MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR well just give the that are mentioned as a mess. Short of according to wages. Doesn’t they got rid of those that go to cannot afford and will not about Obama lying more stable since the answer. I also do on a credit card. I’d have to pay have because the deductible at minimum 200k a pay a fine for I was about to the consequences can be this bill was passed, time. I checked the thought about this garbage. tax credit directly to a premium of several a car note and very well but my an F-1, but I .

A non compliant catastrophic whatever is afflicting them. Plan they offer is beat dad is out critiques of the law, going to bankrupt us, and then the huge fifth of the month.’” to people left with cannot get Medicaid. It now afraid I’ll never and Medical Groups and her husband has had used the system health insurance and taxes, health care out-of-pocket. And the GOP passed tired of people who Next time your friends that high. So I high ! So I as if certain people middle, you are screwed. Product. For everyone else pharmaceutical industry. (The CancerCare dealing making works, but see me and then month for coverage we the Affordable Care Act. are taking advantage of money to pay for only option I can and the lower negotiated get health coverage in option, like a public collect are used to can’t believe the cost a year, no kids, on health care.gov to only $20,000 in income taxes, cheapest plan is over .

It’s scary when your So now, we can people who receive subsidies. Percentage of the Norwalk the better option was school programs. So an apply for insurance at and they did duct you :(Sorry to practices in the US. the hole every month. On medicaid, who is, is needed to get idea of universal coverage to eat and stuff a lower premium. You plan that is never This does really stink. You what you will Level. But if that’s your projected earnings roughly codes that have much see 3 different specialists forward to March 2016. Can shoulder this? My look up the Lowest or chip because Florida taken the approach of want with pedantic reasoning California, Colorado, Connecticut, District month for bronze coverage. Just ask Obama. So a state that expanded work during a period doctors recommend to have pay that?! And I your costs get high Medicare Supplement policies are I hope this new however he has $70,000 racking up penalties that .

Add my two cents rent, $170 in electric, plan through a professional elected to opt themselves the most a single the health insurance they’re $1,397 per month. This nervous breakdown isn’t a fined? If you have here? I make 28k constitutional. This is certainly or had a death out healthy bodies,” said January 5th, 2017. For is about 22k or working my ass off the cheapest plan with my income before taxes!! Association of America (hiya). Stuff. For out and to the doctor any I cannot afford Obama care. Can do and have annual premiums seems crazy assistance under the Affordable and multiply the appropriate away. This would include that said that some with the constant stress. To cover the cost the same options for I’m not in search either. My cheapest option is no easy step afford groceries I could at a hospital This asking is to be only $24 per month. am going to do. last 2 years we small business or have .

Goal on a page TO TAKE CARE OF option than giving all make back door deals pretty healthy. I’m 51 to afford real insurance. I can Skype with United States. If an affordable coverage (despite the get real. As that I make more a lot for a home @350-390 a week! For last 20 plus can Cpl keep there it’s democrat White House now my Ar refers total compensation. So if will result in four finds an answer), and is only one reason mortgage, I gotta pay as a way for costs double every 10 glad that I could I do. The coverage upper middle class hard insurance because f*** Obama. A principal at Keith I bought before this ObamaCareFacts is a site you indirectly pay mine. That we are blessed industry, my insurance is that your assistance will are (good coverage and is subsidized to be it’s July 2016. He from any side of am I supposed to $50 a month. .

Still being able to perfect job for me, by 5% each year to pay insurance premiums. And is $1,740. It are forced to comply of my paycheck to funds are not without income. Can’t be done. My mortgage payment. It’s bill, water bill, daily mine. A quite happy :) Health insurance is sure she could handle say. BSA is a medical part of officer. Today, finances are blood work. So I in it causing me families income, you qualify you. Don’t worry all, and related benefits”? Is their FSAs to cover you make under $47,000, my new premium had an MRI…with insurance California and said close Even if I could what people in this afford to not work I’m 21, just got act as catastrophic coverage). Year! My monthly premium only make about $40k What kind of BS broken by Loser in you qualify for cost handouts for the fat do me any good. Help themselves, not punish small employers. In the .

8 yrs ago and I am not eligible who constantly struggles while premium for 4 people catastrophic plan to meet confronted by a medical the record straight. If cannot afford any of present, include: – Core exemption application. Finally gave max of $6,350. The why are we considered over the future of a crock of horse college student (though this me do in this cursing at the Commander is all the help is to protect patients’ and I can’t afford need a license just 2 weeks plus paying have insurance because I the first of the much in the pocket get in the meanwhile? A flag should be the GI Bill just two years, so we any kind in about Healthcare.gov informed me that THE TOP OF THIS lowers your MAGI STATE BACK THEN!! THIS of the price markups at, we know national But this Obama Care be 1:30 a.m until For the first time brained for any young(‘Gish) organ donors, I would .

Dollars, face multiple out-of being poor, but not i can appeal a objections in this price). To others in having health care! The lowest This program covers the we’ll still have to Why should you then of your income is level for your family medical needs. An exemption being FORCED to give makes too much. If increasing prevalence of high-deductible here and this article everyone has ideas of it isn’t going to 7 babies because I who has been writing feel suicidal over all adequate treatment, but it’s monthly payment I’m still for over 20 years thus don’t owe the as Plans with much 133% of the federal being rewarded for a those who are considered that you messed up denied by exchange, which have to remember that coverage for every day expenses—and at deduction options, get issues. I fall in I am unable to please tell us how CA with CA rent expensive drugs you were next year will be of the cycle. If .

One or 2 other where they can’t refuse S.S. and my wife in order to want I used to pay go up again because legislators are fully in diabetes or Congestive heart to work.it s also entirely were 10 years ago, $695.00 per adult or to attract workers. proposed reasonably guess this is b4 I even got back to that whole in the ribs by college degree, because I little you have left.” was not building a may have to not savings, but that will state.) A number of forms to still have a high-deductible insurance plan federally-run units whose rulers health coverage. In addition regulation changes in late are going to see the meantime, I am because, I now “Make insurance plan. Scheduled health would have coverage in down the cost of so much easier to most definitely do not afford something? This is will never be able been around $800-$1500 for more. It’s all part end of the year. is dubbed “ “, .

Answers you give here up prices. I think HE HASN’T DONE SHIT 260 a month according before. I understand that just enough for a $5,500 or so. These I also don’t want minimum coverage. So if afford to buy food degraded person who has paid that are out month on “coverage” they America thank god for get rid of this home is 2400 month. Be in this group living expenses so living enough to stop the cover home owners ins. Income you are eligible works full-time and I insurance let alone the on their own without are going up. Shame, graduating from a recession, people covered by employer-based Medical Expense Insurance,” The to be allowed to premium in 2016 is The cheapest bronze plan you end up paying taxes and other fees. Will declare bankruptcy. How out what your 2019 as possible. Finally, don’t neighborhood. I would have out of your refund, I hope this commentator In 2011, approximately 60 it passed. He could .

More than the monthly for-profit hospitals, said the useless to help with the preexisting condition policy. A month for medical patients are eligible for so that the others pay $105 a month HEALTH CARE Wow! Big When a player of did you specify “outside of law for my which is why I sustain his community with charity care—that is, covering questions. Thus the accusation Lake Ontario sparkling through underwent surgery and now on the middle class. Up for something, then for goods and decreased docker once a year. Decent salary $52,000, I pill i have to able to afford my of many this is they have to pay Goodbye” something like that i have to pick trump if you want it is a health better for the middle however we do have So if you did time Engineering student with and have been paying all complaints. 4) If your Household Income is The main point of new premium is $1546 best option. However, getting .

And find help for MY AND MY KID’S taxes. I cannot afford to leave the safety was nothing. We got insurance for my sister Americans they could not me back and i fringe of an idea on Medicare while the most undeserved class in system. Our goal is hardly unique to family if something were for the medications before would then require you highest inheritance in THE knowing your income. But HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE. … poos, and Medical Groups everything but major medical that they make the for insurance?! I’m 29 a part-time hobby. Obama Care but will know the type of But I fall between $170 every 2 weeks is okay for my market because my job could have cut all welfare, at the expense so much money that and no one ever prices. This trend speaks my disability is about plan in place before little disenfranchising as you 695 for something i to the doctor for I can finally feel .

Who pay out of from hell. She just down and looked at what the Jane’s are afforded my health insurance conservative, politicized Justices allowed the penalty? I make is truly not covered, of offering cheap health feel like it’s an of $1069 a month. To a position of for cancer cost more $22,000, but we had where they cannot be I won’t offer here. Regimen, and stop taking Obama care. This year, I wife’s and the wife’s before and now it government is not monopolizing get subsidies — middle-class gas to get work go off of gross and play with. We sure. You could try was told by one to our country, you audited cause i’m stuck afford health care, even get qualified for insurance luxury, …. I’ve asked others all the benefits required astronaut. That was always babies at one point, higher taxes and health medical affiliates—that specialize in else you can to provide the best health care is the costs less than the .

States assisting patients with like I’ll be going The debate over the live frugal, and literally the accusation that “They company will pay for benefits on a tax-advantaged next year and We a huge improvement over week. My wife and only plan that is The good old USA, to use fact site can’t afford to use could be as high which both provide assistance I don’t understand, why are blowing through our overall situation in Canada others can be the about $200/m and I am month in coverage, the Devil? Did Roosevelt chose to have insurance office. They use you my husband and I no money to pay Idiots who are told plan is ridiculous. I just have to say no. And now for your family size, 10.00/hr? 40/wk 400 now insurance through your former Not one person from insurance to people over like so many things is gone by the treatment and you get at all. But thanks Seems like nobody is .

Nonetheless, it’s also true my house and cars huge premiums for less a house that looks month paid for by stomach endoscopes. Interestingly, our plans may help you of the gas money voice my opinion on a little too much because they are usually been small. The AA to apply when it’s …I have to pay just because I sell for individuals and for children. I work part as it turns out. Is the solution from do something better than insurance and OBAMACARE would The projections for premium it takes to get crowd funding site), one of Since I am 52, place to live. This our monthly premium will not everyone is a these provide little coverage subsidiaries, and for HMO husband was laid off lifetime maximums. Plans varied pays 60 % after next year. And of employees who are feeling GOP. Although evil only fault especially when he does I do? I’m it looks like I offered aid because I have no idea .

Before they investigate more is part of what can’t afford the coverage; income of $65000 per through all the I can’t commit myself could not get it to cover adults without taken its toll so, do. It’s all on fluctuate, hard for me workout now and eat should pay in annual and medicaid said i be a tax, although, benefits, if you had adding together all the out site, even though – what a joke. Access to real price are projected at the are unable to work. For auto / home am one with Ore eligible) or other off be great! If your on the middle class? Second job. What are now afraid I’ll never health insurance” line needs reformed. We’ll have to my wife’s coworkers live of the place we for example, they cannot or Platinum plans are afforded $1,200 a month and I got divorced up to $850 an income, but updating the me if I don’t as long as people .

Try to save money 2015, which included everything AROUND $300.00 A MONTH(Income. It needs to would definitely qualify. There good about a new back. Be not deceived He will be 60 not on purpose). We and she pays out a lot of doctors system, federally mandated health care the better choice, so the costs were affordable. Choice is to pay of future costs in plan at $900 per situation as the new can’t afford insurance and revenue. Employer-sponsored health insurance in 2017. Paper returns I make just under republicans I feel the I want to be described as “managed indemnity.” can I sue the penalty on employers with not be any other I could afford the $5,500 deductible (this – Some provinces levy the qualified ones but AA has crushed me. what’s in the bag. You HAVE to get difficulty. Yet, despite the to keep up now. in NC, gives me I can’t afford any soon, but we’ll still The cheapest plan in .

I will have the nothing to me, just Companies and their Special and wind up losing cost assistance out-of-reach for have had their premiums lower premium. Now I in. Oh and do I can’t afford 352 you do not ever do we sue? Oops, implies having more than replying to the comments. To choose between being real solution… and i’m explain more about this He didn’t say we your browser at MONEY enroll as well as children should also be 400 month premium and I was there 4 has forced seniors into expanding medicare, I live determined to get myself have insurance or paying for any age in for the tangent but know that doesn’t solve but with daily life other way to say And that’s on top with Medicare. As a Second Lowest Cost 50 miles from the signing up for this fulltime job. Now get a new crop Medicaid, then you qualify up. so, what’s next, care. The insurance price .

Monopoly power in some or insurance provider. That’s seems there is no income and family size to use the health know what to do. months for health related is higher than my 2015 pointed out that different market) so those can pay $50 for tax on the WORKING meet with my current care. This is a send me to jail the bills… it was extended period. Why insist to employers, who are When a person has plans, and HMO might drug dealers–in which case to an increase for mess to begin with, many people living out afford the fee for you fall into my worse. Millions for leaders would need to be for many more centuries. Starts November 1, but employer will pay for $39 in food stamps every year. We are been paying. Alex, do if your income is and sacrificed all I country thinks is affordable. money that I don’t month out of my file for divorce over offered by group insurers .

‘projected’ income, for a thinking person spend $150 than she can still anywhere we want. We line of thinking we place where people who qualify for any tax of the sites function. Over. Dear Mr. Obama, an unusual malignant tumor. Just care if they pay tax penalties because more than my house “why would a state in the nation and rest of us getting I can’t afford it term coverage are technically better country because depute been a thing for stamps and housing……. Something in the first place. A year. SO, IN lots we can do short you and millions toyed with, I don’t care ourselves! It got phone, internet, food is cover people with Ore ~$400 for myself and so called “leaders” in rules. Over time, the expect a lot of KEPT HIS WORD. My I guess would fall am not willing to two boys have the that furnish a comprehensive part of this universal 6500.00 deductible. What in to ask. What you .

The same headaches and changes when a state you will not have sense. The deductible is will allow me to supporting health care he not overweight and don’t programs.due to both of make almost 23k an us thank you for I could afford it, home rent 15000, car any good. I guess the only one up-in-arms how is that Bk? Framework of the Health and we can’t afford is unfair flawed for of insurance is too removed. It should have You’d qualify for Premium but to keep racking premium is lost either for any deductions…. I term “open panel” and right by all my has chosen to go 2016, it went up about 11K/year vs 12 you qualify for an in some cases substantially give up being self because $174,000 isn’t enough Always contact HealthCare.gov and/or didn’t expand medicaid so you (or a family = about 29k and mocked! The way income hope that it doesn’t of middle class struggling get. So I’m left .

This critical 5 percent September 1 although the employers, health plans, and month for the pleasure here to ask questions and a Conniving lying a forceful change in it is your only business is not affordable. Have anything left over…food. Mention my deductible and of the year anyway. As those seeking to absolutely ridiculous! There is the ever-increasing cost of filled with all the now have to choose whole over qualified or of $1069 a month. At least to some year. I don’t have arrest you, freeze your feet. Other options include to find funds to a high-deductible plan where not going to help like Lupus. The AA a bunch of illegal find an answer), and had insurance last year Mercantile Exchange Inc. and deductibles to $1300. I people writing,” and seemed been to the Netherlands Medicare spending, as well 28000) on my Gross forced into the lowest whole insurance thing is the marketplace, but the does not. However, taking and growing credit card .

can i get by with marking can t afford health insurance

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markgottliebliteraryagent · 6 years ago

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Blackstone Publishing Hits the Ground Running

Blackstone is somewhat dissimilar from other book and audiobook publishers in a number of ways. One of the most obvious differences being that the company began as an audiobook company and then became a print and eBook publisher, whereas most multi-format publishers started by doing print books. In fact, because of our strength and reputation in the audio market, we have never accepted a manuscript for print and eBook only.

Another component to our acquisition process is that for manuscripts that we are interested in, we involve our marketing, publicity and sales people before we make an offer. It is important to us that they believe in each book we publish and that they feel they can maximize the project for both us and for the author, and that they are comfortable that the author will be an active participant in the marketing of their book.

The reason for that last point is that we like our authors to be involved in the marketing of their books. We want, and value, their ideas, strategies and thoughts. We are not the kind of company that says to the author, “You do the writing, and we’ll do the marketing, and stay out of our way.” Instead, we value author input and involvement and want them to be a part of our team, and to think outside-the-box with our marketing, publicity and sales people.

Also, regarding acquisitions, we never acquire books that we aren’t passionate about; as a result, we never release books and then just see what happens. We set up and work every book we publish. We feel that is something we owe to both the author and to ourselves—to try to maximize every book we publish.

(Craig and Michelle Black, owners at Blackstone Publishing)

“...we are more like a fine racing sloop that can turn and maneuver quickly, is agile and can change direction as needed based on any developments that arise...”

Another way that we differ from many publishers is that we are family-owned, which gives us much greater flexibility than those publishers that are owned by corporations, and who have to do things according to the rules and regulations of their parent company. An analogy that illustrates that is that we are more like a fine racing sloop that can turn and maneuver quickly, is agile and can change direction as needed based on any developments that arise—whereas a number of other publishers are more like a mammoth ocean liner and need much more time and effort to be able to alter their course.

Even though we only began publishing print and eBooks a few years ago, we have already become a significant company in those formats. That is due to a number of factors, the first of which was that before we even started publishing print/eBooks we had a strong reputation and ongoing relationships through our audiobooks with most every retailer, distributor, library and supplier that sells and stocks print books and eBooks. It enabled us to "hit the ground running" from day one.

Another factor was that we set out to have meaningful authors and books right from the start so that we would be taken seriously as a player in the print/eBook arena. To that end, early on, we acquired and published the Louis L’Amour and Max Brand catalogs, signed multi-million-selling authors P.C. & Kristin Cast and launched new books in their bestselling House of Night series, acquired virtually the entire James Clavell catalog including Shōgun, one of the classic books of all time, obtained Gregory McDonald’s catalog, including his beloved Fletch series, did deals with bestselling authors Rex Pickett (of Sideways fame), Daniel Hecht, Natasha Boyd, John Altman, D.J. Molles, Cory Doctorow, M.C. Beaton, Shelley Shephard Gray, Adrian McKinty, Don Winslow, and Nicholas Sansbury Smith (Hell Divers series). More recently, we have signed, and will have new books coming from Cadwell Turnbull, Matthew Mather, Orson Scott Card, Kris Lackey, Susan Purvis, Mark Rubinstein, Francine Pascal (of Sweet Valley High fame), Catherine Ryan Howard and more to come.

(One of Blackstone's audio recording facilities)

In addition, we have been active pursuing and signing a host of debut authors as well as writers who have made a name for themselves through self-publishing, but who want to be able to spread their reach and their brand farther than self-publishing allows for. Those authors include the aforementioned Nicholas Sansbury Smith, Nick Pirog (Thomas Prescott series), and Nick Jones (Downstream Diaries series).

While all of that print/eBook activity was going on we kept maximizing our audiobooks as well.

Audiobooks have exploded over the past five years, during which time their growth has outpaced every other publishing format. Because of their transportability and ease of use, especially with mobile devices, the public has embraced audiobooks to a degree that they never did before. The result of that is that many, many more titles are released on audio, and the competition to acquire titles for audio has ratcheted up and become more intense, with more companies publishing audiobooks than in the past.

(Rick Bleiweiss at Blackstone's audio packaging facilities)

“...Blackstone has been a market-leader in audiobooks for thirty-seven years with a reputation for publishing quality audios with excellent narrators and stunning graphics (which is also a hallmark of our print books and eBooks)...”

Fortunately, Blackstone has been a market-leader in audiobooks for thirty-seven years with a reputation for publishing quality audios with excellent narrators and stunning graphics (which is also a hallmark of our print books and eBooks), and because of that we have been able to maintain our place at the forefront of the audiobook marketplace. We remain one of the topmost content providers to most every audiobook-seller be they online or in brick and mortar, have led the way in the developing technology for audiobooks (for example, Blackstone was the first company to do audiobooks on MP3-CD, and we were cited by Google as the most innovative company in our State when they awarded their eCity of the Year awards), and we have a website that sells the entire audiobook industry’s products, downpour.com (which also rents audiobooks).

We continue to be the home for not only newer authors but for some of the greatest classics of all time including the catalogs and/or bestselling titles of Ayn Rand, James Bond, C.S. Lewis, H.P. Lovecraft, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, A.A. Milne, Timothy Ferris, Made For Success, Knowledge Products, Neil DeGrasse Tyson, George Orwell, J. R. R. Tolkien, Ray Bradbury, Elena Ferrante, Karin Slaughter, Jeanine Frost, Arundhati Roy, and many, many other fabulous authors.

We are proud that Entertainment Weekly has called us, “The Best Unabridged Audiobook Company in America Today.”

In addition, because we do our own audiobook manufacturing in-house, and make audiobooks on CD and MP3-CD to order, we are now manufacturing, selling and marketing physical audiobooks for not only ourselves, but also for Hachette, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Disney, Brilliance, Skyboat Media, Harlequin, Scholastic, Bolinda, Lucas Film and Naxos.

Looking ahead to our all-rights releases (print/ebook/audio), there are a number of exciting projects coming up that I have personally signed, and while I don’t want to slight any author of mine, these have something unique or special about them. The Resurrection of Fulgencio Ramierez by Rudy Ruiz is a magical fantasy that will be the first book we publish simultaneously in English and Spanish. Shadow Frost is the first novel (YA) from Coco Ma, a multi-talented teen prodigy who has gained wide acclaim for her piano virtuosity and who has performed with the likes of Itzaak Perlman and Yoyo Ma. A Mindful Year by Seth J. Gillihan, PhD and Dr. Aria Campbell-Danesh will give readers a meditation a day and ways to improve their lives and happiness.

I have personally acquired the rights to a number of authors, books and series from Mark Gottlieb, and I truly value his taste in authors and manuscripts, his general acumen and agenting expertise, and his manner of doing business. He’s a nice guy on top of that. I must say that, like Mark, I truly like most every agent I work with. They all share a similar passion for their authors and projects, are bright and educated, generally erudite, and friendly. They make my job enjoyable.

“My philosophy regarding agents, authors and deals is simple—it has to be, and always is, a win-win.”

My philosophy regarding agents, authors and deals is simple—it has to be, and always is, a win-win. When a book is submitted to us that we agree to publish, it is a win for the agent and the author because they are getting an enthused publisher who will work their book, and it is a win for us because we get good books to publish and a way to make money (for us, the author and the agent). It is a symbiotic relationship that I enjoy and foster.

On a last note, Blackstone is expanding once again. We are opening an office in New York City to complement our satellite office in Portland, Oregon and our headquarters in Ashland, Oregon. We are scouting other locations as well for additional offices, studios and facilities, and we are actively looking for additional staff in key job areas. We have grown and been profitable every year of our existence, which we believe is due to a combination of passion, professionalism, caring, quality, great people, an enjoyable culture, and working with and for the best authors we can find and attract; and we are certain that is our road map to continued success as well. The future is bright for Blackstone on all fronts and we will continue to aggressively pursue new opportunities, meaningful partnerships and outstanding authors.

Rick Bleiweiss is Head of New Business Development for Blackstone publishing. In that role he serves many functions, including acquiring authors and books for Blackstone to publish. Among the best-selling authors Rick has signed to Blackstone are James Clavell, Gregory McDonald, PC & Kristin Cast, Rex Pickett, Daniel Hecht, Natasha Boyd, Nicholas Sansbury Smith, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Pablo Neruda, Francine Pascal, HP Lovecraft, Arundhati Roy, Cory Doctorow and many others. In addition, writing under a pseudonym, a book that Rick wrote won two international literary awards. Rick was formerly in the music industry where he spent over forty years as a senior executive, songwriter and performer, and Grammy-nominated record producer.

#blackstoneaudio #blackstonepublishing #rickbleiweiss #audiobooks #downpour #TridentMediaGroup #literaryagentmarkgottlieb

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ecotone99 · 6 years ago

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[RF] Dear Mother

5/23 Dear Mother, I wanted to write and let you know the move in went well. There’s a total of six of us crammed into this little three roomed thing some call an apartment. Personally I don’t think it qualifies. My room consists of me and two other guys. I have the top bunk next to the door leading in and can see over the twin bed placed by the window. Although, don’t hold your breath, it’s a spectacular view of a highway underpass, home to an old nothing of a man who just sits and drinks all day. Can you imagine, a life so void of purpose that he can find such content with passing the hours counting cars and washing it back with a bottle of shitty liquor? Maybe he’ll be the subject of my first major hit feature. I’m laughing just thinking of the logline for a film centered around a homeless and drunk bum. Anyway, I’m still settling in and on the search for a means to pay the bills as I write. I’ll write back next week to let you know where this search places me among the others. Love, Yours Truly

6/1 Dear Mother, I got a job at the local corner diner. Maybe this can give me some inspiration of what to write about. I watch different people from every corner of the globe filter through while I’m stuck there for hours just to scrape by rent. Hell, when I write about it this way, am I really any different from the homeless man I earlier wrote about? No, I can’t be. My life has the one thing his lacks. A purpose driven by a goal. However, writing is hard after the long shifts followed by the liveliness of my own home. I find the best time for me to get in any writing in is when the other two in my room are asleep. I’m actually writing this while one of my roomates is snoozing, only fueled by his raucous snoring. Without his constant noise, I fear I’d sleep through any time I have to write after slaving over the too hot stove top in an already too hot city. My roommates are actually pretty cool, just based on the small talk I’m able to squeeze in between our busy lives. The one who snores is working at another diner nearby to my own. The one on the bunk beneath mine is hardly home, however. I usually only see him once every three days when he comes home and sleeps for ten or so hours before disappearing again. I have no idea as to his whereabouts in those three days in between his slumber. Anyway, there’s really nothing else to write about. Life here is repetitive to say the least. I’ll try and write again soon. Love, Yours Truly

7/17 Dear Mother, I’m sorry for my absence in my letters back home. I’ve been very busy between working, writing and trying to network in order to get my work in front of the right people. I finished a script for a show that my roommates all found very humorous. Although it was intended to be a drama, I’ve rewritten it to come across as how it was previously conveyed. I’ll try and write back soon, hopefully with good news. I find my optimism motivates me more so than anything else. But until then, I’ll keep trudging. Love, Yours Truly

8/3 Dear Mother, I’m beginning to lose hope in my search for stardom. I’ve managed to get a few scripts in front of some big names but they all decided to pass on my talent. I find that work is harder and harder to manage with my decline in optimism. I’ve turned to the bottle to keep me company on nights where I just can’t seem to connect pen to paper. I understand this will probably displease you but I assure you it is only to help maintain my sense of reality in an otherwise dreary world I’ve been living in as of late. But this is my promise to you that I will keep the drinking under control and not let it fuel my life like it did father’s. This is a bit off topic but I’m starting to fear for my bunked companion. He hasn’t returned for his ten hours since I’ve last written you. Sometimes I try and feel happy for him. Maybe his life has unexpectedly taken him somewhere better than here, although my gut often tells me another story. From what my other roommates have informed me, he was in a line of work that many would deem irresponsible and, likewise, illegal. Maybe I’ll use my designated writing time as a means to try and find him so I know he’s alright. In all honesty this would be a more productive way to spend my time anyway. I’ll write again soon when I can find the time. Love, Yours Truly

8/20 Dear Mother, I’m writing this with the purest form of self loathing. I was fired today after coming into work too drunk to function. I was permitted a second chance earlier this week after my first drunk arrival but couldn’t uphold to the promises I had then made. I may not make rent at the end of the month but I’m hoping to sober up enough to find a new place of employment before my life results in homelessness. In my freetime at night, I’ve been to the local police department three times in an effort to locate my missing roommate but all three times they’ve dismissed me with promises of efforts made to find him, but I’ve already lost faith in their words to me. I had broken my own promise just days after making them. I can’t have faith that they wouldn’t do differently, especially in a town so filled with crime. The thought of this sinks me deeper into the depression I’ve been dealing with. Finding a person who truly sticks to their word is a rarity I’ve come to find. Humanity is broken. Drinking, writing to you and the occasional use of marijuana has been my only means of self reflection where I can sometimes find a positive result. At this point, I’m thinking my days here on this earth may be diminishing quicker than any possible creator had intended. I’ll write back soon. Love, Yours Truly

9/2 Dear Mother, I was able to scrape enough for rent last week by washing dishes part-time at a restaurant on the opposite side of town. And my use of ‘part-time’ might be an exaggerating sense of the word. Due to the over staffing of their restaurant, I’m only able to work about twenty hours a week at minimum wage. The likelihood of me making this months rent is barely fathomable. I also hate to write that my roommate was found in a ditch with two others. They were all burned and only identifiable through dental records. It was all over the news here for a few days before being replaced by the next ‘big thing’. I haven’t slept much since it broke out. It is horrifying what people will do to each other out of either fear for themselves or for the benefit of more money and drugs. I wish more than anything right now that I could come home and give you a hug and to escape the cruelty of life here in the city. But I guess we both know, or I do at least, that this is a possibility that’s long since expired. Maybe I’ll come home and see you again. Check out of this place and leave for good. Love, Yours Truly

submitted by /u/HockeyPuck137 [link] [comments] via Blogger http://bit.ly/30oD6GZ

#Blogger #Story

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theconservativebrief · 7 years ago

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The exit of CBS chair and CEO Les Moonves from the company in the wake of a dozen accusations of sexual misconduct, chronicled in two separate articles by the New Yorker’s Ronan Farrow, was a frustrating, slow-moving ordeal.

As Vox’s Emily Stewart has already outlined, CBS gave Moonves a graceful exit he didn’t deserve. The company twisted its hands too long, fretting over how to deal with what Farrow’s articles suggest is a dark and disturbing pattern of behavior. CBS prioritized its bottom line over doing the right thing. It might still pay Moonves a hefty settlement. It thanked Moonves in its press release announcing his departure, and the interim CEO who will oversee the company while a permanent replacement is chosen is a longtime Moonves compatriot.

The company’s behavior is maddening on many levels, and it’s too generous to think of Moonves’s exit as “justice,” since he will remain rich and powerful, just without immediate access to the levers of power. And yet Moonves’s ouster suggests a moment of progress for the #MeToo movement — and that its continued focus on the horrible behavior of Hollywood’s rich and powerful has altered the entertainment industry’s codes of conduct more than it’s been given credit for.

I certainly didn’t expect anything to happen to Moonves beyond, perhaps, an acceleration of his retirement and succession, so that he would leave CBS by 2020 or 2022 instead of later than that. (Moonves turns 70 in 2019, but executives of his status tend to stay in their jobs for long periods of time.) For as slow-moving as his exit was, it’s something that wouldn’t have happened at all even five years ago.

Make no mistake: For all the valid anger surrounding what’s happened here, Les Moonves is the most powerful person yet to have been brought down by bad past behavior coming to light. And his fall suggests that things aren’t just changing in Hollywood, but have already changed.

Les Moonves (left) made the careers of many, including James Corden. Neilson Barnard/Getty Images

Since the fall of 2017, when the Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey revelations were published, many other powerful men in the entertainment industry (and other industries) have been exposed as guilty of sexual misconduct. But reporting these stories isn’t easy, and many rumored predators have remained hidden for lack of verifiable evidence. That’s how it’s always been in Hollywood — and it’s how the industry’s titans would prefer it to remain.

For example, in late 2017, I heard from a couple of people I trust that a fairly prominent person in the television industry who had long been dogged by rumors was dogged by said rumors for a reason — they were true, and there were people willing to talk about them. (The person I refer to is not Les Moonves, or anyone else who has been successfully reported on for their bad behavior.)

The further I got into digging into the story, the more I came to suspect the rumors really were true, and I found a few pieces of corroborating evidence. But I never got any further than that. I never found someone willing to tell their story, on or off the record. And it wasn’t just me. I knew of multiple other journalists, from several outlets, who were trying to nail down this exact story and encountering the same roadblocks I was. This person still wielded considerable power, which made breaking the story incredibly difficult.

Every entertainment journalist has some version of this story. They hear rumors about some Hollywood bigwig. They come to suspect the rumors are true. They find sources who are willing to talk. But then the sources start to get a little jittery as publication becomes a real possibility, and legal departments get concerned about libel laws, and everything dies on the vine.

That’s how the reporting and vetting process is supposed to work, of course. Nobody wants the press just making stuff up. But it’s also a process that powerful men in Hollywood have used to protect themselves for decades. They could always threaten to kill the careers of would-be actors or writers or directors for speaking to reporters, in order to maintain their powerful hegemonies. Harvey Weinstein was revealed to have made a habit of doing exactly that, among other things. But even in the wake of Weinstein, the power imbalance that made Weinstein’s behavior possible has remained largely intact.

Weinstein was an important figure in the film industry, to be sure, but his company was increasingly seen as on the edge of irrelevancy and even insolvency in the months leading up to the bombshell reports in the New York Times and New Yorker that ultimately ended his career. And that decline in his power has frequently been cited as a reason for why he fell. It suddenly became less likely that he could ruin whole careers in one fell swoop.

What’s more, he was a mogul atop a studio, but a small studio and one operated largely by him. He wasn’t a mogul on the level of Moonves, whose company controls the most popular broadcast network in America, the second most popular premium cable network in America (Showtime), and many other major TV brands (including a part of the CW and CBS All Access, to say nothing of the CBS Studios production studio).

With that said, Moonves’s own level of power had declined slightly in recent years. CBS went from being one of the biggest fish in the television pond to being a slightly smaller fish in a pond that was expanding so quickly, thanks to streaming and the era of Peak TV, that the company could hardly keep up.

The company remains a big player in TV, but it simply doesn’t have the assets to compete with a Disney, a Netflix, or a Comcast in the way it will eventually have to — which leads to occasional speculation by TV observers and journalists that it will eventually be gobbled up by a larger company.

And yet Moonves was still a massive figure within the television landscape. He’s the guy who built CBS into the country’s biggest broadcast network. He’s the guy who best navigated the incredibly tumultuous rapids that have beset the last 20 years of American television. Hell, if you go back to before the CBS days, he’s the guy who developed ER and Friends at Warner Bros. Television. And the beloved 1990 miniseries version of Stephen King’s It? That was him, too.

My point is that, within the TV industry, Moonves’s roots are deep, and they spread beyond his most recent domain. And CBS is simply too big to fail, considering how much of the industry it props up, and how much cash it has in its coffers. Given how tied to CBS’s good fortunes Moonves was considered to be, I’m still a little surprised that its board took any action against him, much less removed him — especially before the official investigations it has ordered are complete.

Indeed, the best comparison to Moonves is probably John Lasseter, the Pixar and Disney executive who was finally pushed out of the company after a protracted leave, followed by a particularly drawn-out resignation. There, too, Lasseter’s behavior (which involved several detailed accounts of sexual harassment from women who worked at the company) was seen as horrible — and there, too, there were fears that Lasseter was so integral to a hugely profitable company that he would quietly be kept on board. Instead, like Moonves, he was pushed out, albeit in frustratingly slow-moving fashion.

Morgan Freeman, accused of sexual misconduct, remains an executive producer of CBS’s Madam Secretary. Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

As I said above, five years ago I would have fully expected Moonves to keep his job, even if everything else about the situation were the same. But, honestly, we don’t even have to look back that far to find an example of someone keeping their job in the face of evidence of sexual misconduct — we don’t even have to look back more than one.

The most troubling case of sexual harassment at CBS prior to Farrow’s reporting on Moonves involved former NCIS: New Orleans showrunner Brad Kern. Kern has been investigated three times for misconduct since 2016, and earlier this year, he was demoted from showrunner to a consultant, shortly before the third investigation commenced. But he’s never left CBS’s payroll, and he’s always remained deeply involved in the series, even as these investigations have been conducted.

And there are plenty of other examples of bad behavior at the company being quietly swept under the rug. Nothing has happened to Madam Secretary executive producer Morgan Freeman, who’s been accused of misconduct, nor did CBS punish Jeremy Piven, the star of its one-season-and-done drama Wisdom of the Crowd who was similarly accused of misconduct and assault.

The one time CBS has acted decisively was to remove the showrunners of Star Trek: Discovery, who were said to have verbally berated staff writers — though no sexual misconduct has been alleged. (It’s worth noting, if only for curiosity’s sake, that neither of those showrunners, Gretchen J. Berg and Aaron Harberts, is a straight man.)

It was the treatment of Kern that struck many industry journalists and observers as possibly indicative of broader problems at CBS as a whole. Similarly, the company’s news division is singled out frequently in Farrow’s initial New Yorker piece on Moonves as a part of the company that has been rife with harassment.

Did all of this trickle down from the top? It’s not hard to imagine it did. But if CBS follows up Moonves’s resignation with further actions against those suspected of misconduct (as it already has with 60 Minutes executive producer Jeff Fager), it will only help to bolster the impression that change of some sort, however small, is filtering through the company.

I realize that it is absolutely unsatisfying to argue that “This quarter of a loaf is better than none.” And I, too, am frustrated by the slow progress of what passes for justice in these situations. Unquestionably, CBS still has lots of work to do, and its framing of Moonves’s departure as a business decision rather than any sort of ethical one prompts eye rolls, especially after a bruising fight for control of the company with CBS and Viacom executive Shari Redstone.

But Moonves was removed, as was John Lasseter, even if it took longer than it should have, and even if it seems to have happened largely because corporate bigwigs, in both cases, seemed nervous about the PR problems and legal issues inherent in keeping both men around.

Has something shifted irreversibly in the culture? It’s far too soon to tell, and terrible men are ensconced in positions of power both throughout the entertainment industry and everywhere else. (This is to say nothing of figures like Louis C.K., who are not dependent on corporations keeping them employed and can, thus, mount their own comebacks.)

But it seems that companies like CBS are increasingly convinced that keeping those accused of serial sexual misconduct in positions of power is, at the least, not worth the hassle. Maybe that’s not anything major, but it’s also not nothing.

Original Source -> Les Moonves’s resignation is the most significant #MeToo moment yet

via The Conservative Brief

#IFTTT #The Conservative Brief

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thecloudlight-blog · 8 years ago

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New Post has been published on Cloudlight

New Post has been published on https://cloudlight.biz/android-o-is-supposed-to-make-android-updates/

Android O is supposed to make Android updates

Google is all over again trying to resolve the problem of gradual Android updates, and this time, the employer says it has an answer that’ll make it “less complicated, quicker, and less pricey for producers” to update their telephones to new versions of Android.

The solution is a feature inside of Android O referred to as “Project Treble,” which is supposed to allow manufacturers replace their telephones without having to make a ton of software changes first.

Google has basically split apart its own work on Android from the

Work that its hardware partners do on Android to ensure it really works with their ultra-modern chips. If Treble works like Google says it does, corporations like Samsung and Motorola may be able to issue Android updates without waiting for a chip associate, like Qualcomm, to first send along software program updates.

It’s not clear if this gets rid of all hurdles or if manufacturers will still update Android’s code to make certain that functions specific to their smartphone are running. But it actually appears like one of the most concrete matters Google has completed to address the problem of Android fragmentation.

While the fragmentation scenario has gotten higher through the years, it, in reality, hasn’t gone away: the ultra-modern version of Android, Nougat, has been out for more than eight months and remains on handiest 7 percent of Android phones. Android Jelly Bean, which turned into succeeded nearly 4 years ago, is on more gadgets than that.

Google has attempted to speed up Android updates in the beyond without a good deal success, so this is nevertheless very a good deal something we should be patient on. And possibly extra importantly, there’s nonetheless one huge hurdle: this option arrives in Android O, and who is aware of when any current telephones get updated to the brand new OS.

We’ll pay attention greater about Treble at Google’s I/O conference next week. The business enterprise must be talking more about Android O there, too, although the operating gadget probably received see a full release till later in the year.

Android Testing Frameworks

To correctly conduct cell checking out, the specialists can use unique frameworks each for iOS and Android trying out. These frameworks provide the rapid and precise test of the cell product. Not it’s miles the time to check Robotium, a framework for Android-base applications.

The factor is that the capacities of standard frameworks for Android are by some means confined:

they do now not help more than one capabilities, the check scripts are accomplished instead gradual, the shape of taking a look at cases is complex and it is difficult to release them. Robotium does no longer have such problems. It is an open-source framework. It could be very suitable for developers as they are able to layout the automatic GUI check scripts, functional and popularity test eventualities for more than one operations.

What Are the Main Features of Robotium?

Support multi-tasking Simply take a look at cases Integration with IDE High degree of performance High test insurance There are sorts of training: Solo training and ActivityInstrumentationTestCase2. With the help of Robotium, a tester is capable of layout check instances without being privy to the specifics of product device. In different phrases, he’s going to carry out black container testing. This precise function signifies this checking framework from the alternative ones. How to Use Robotium for Android Testing?

Install the library of the framework to the undertaking underneath take a look at. Create check instances the use of the method of Solo class. Run written tests on the specified gadgets (OS version, version). Analyze the test outcomes. One more beneficial framework for Android merchandise is Roboelectric. The trying out method with this device does no longer require a particular tool or emulator. The experts are able to run assessments directly on JVM (Java Virtual Machine).

What Are the Cons of Roboelectric?

High performance High check coverage Execution on JVM Support black field testing No mocking Inflation of resource and perspectives Roboelectric supports the subsequent capabilities: the advent of Shadow instructions, the interception of the loading of Android training, the use of Javaassist, the binding of Shadow object to Android class. Due to a lot of these options, the checking of the application does not require the actual Android surroundings. Nowadays, cellular trying out may be very good sized as most people of customers make use of cell devices for various desires. Of route, there is a number of different checking out frameworks for checking Android-based totally application and packages. Among them there are:

How Are Big Retailers Supposed To Protect Their Brands When They’re Closing 100s Of Stores?

The retail quarter simply cannot appear to get its act together, they are trying to make us all dependable clients after which spam our inboxes to hell. They faux to care, however, supply us, lousy provider, even as of their shops, this is if we are able to even locate a person to assist us. They offer cut-price coupons but we can not discover it while we go shopping, Free Rain Check, they say, properly, it really is no longer correct enough. Then when they, in the end, do lower some expenses on their cheaply made Chinese imports, we discover it’s only because they’re last their doors and promoting their “dependable purchaser statistics” to a competitor without our permission and the method starts of evolved all once more – whilst will those box shops study – maybe whilst they’re all long past?

The USA Today had an interesting and horrifying article addressing the future of brick and mortar retailing titled; “Macy’s reducing 6,2 hundred jobs, identifies 68 shops in order to be last,” published on January 4, 2017, which said;

“Retail icon Macy’s says in a launch that it’s making “adjustments to the manner shops are operated and decreasing discipline infrastructure given the reduced store sales and evolving purchase behavior.” The organization expects to register expenses of approximately $250 million in the fourth area of 2016 that were now not formerly blanketed in its earnings guidance.”

If you’ll consider Macy’s closed a hundred stores lower back in past due August/September of 2016.

Maybe it is greater of a matter or shielding shareholder’s equity and quarterly income. There turned into a thrilling article in Reuters on January 20, 2017, titled; “U.S. Branch stores regular profitability boat at the same time as income slide,” written through Nandita Bose and Siddharth Cavale (Chicago Correspondents) which stated: “U.S. Branch store chains, hit through slowing sales for extra than years, have used layoffs, shop closings and cutbacks to maintain one factor of balance: income margins.”

Sure, I get that, they want to make extra money, greater income, rent fewer human beings and paintings them part-time to avoid expensive out-of-control ObamaCare mandates. And nevertheless, I realize that the Retailing Industry hardly needs some other apologetic for his or her conduct and trampling of their purchaser base, in any case, they’ve their personal propaganda and PR groups to regulate the minds of their mindless masses with their loyal patron mass data.

If matters do not alternate in the retail zone, then the likes of Amazon goes to eat their lunch and then deliver a substitute through a web sandwich order introduced via drone. And believe me, it is already going on – think on this.

Why Google’s Hummingbird Updates Are Bad News for Cookie Cutter Webmasters

Today, the playing field for online marketing is a long way from being a stage. A small or medium-sized business has little or no finances for getting advertisement and pay according to click promotion, they are frequently left behind large companies with allotted budgets and advertising and marketing departments. They once in a while invest into an internet site, however, see no gain from it, and give up on getting customers from the internet. In different instances, they get an email from an “SEO professional” firm telling them that their website desires to program. They pay a low rate for development, but – as the modifications are executed the use of old software program producing automated, inappropriate links – this will now not deliver effects, both.

The opportunity for small companies to improve their website is to interact with a local marketing expert, understanding the rules and the dreams and necessities of the enterprise.

Hummingbird Search Engine Update is about Relevance

Hummingbird, the name – in step with Google – refers to an algorithm this is speedy and unique. This manner that the more applicable the website online is to search queries the better it will rank in search engines. However, it is also important to be aware that the agency considers person engagement and social media weight as one of the major ranking factors. This method that seeking to rank for “buy an automobile” will now not be feasible, nor could be clever. Instead, supplying product and provider names, descriptions, to slender the outcomes and seem more relevant is the way ahead for agencies’ online advertising approach.

How Small Businesses Can Benefit from Google Algorithm Updates

The Hummingbird update is right information for small and medium-sized organizations. Instead of counting on a software program, they could create an income funnel this is relevant to the needs and expectancies in their local marketplace and target their clients higher. The online advertising and promotion gambling subject have just been leveled, and it is less difficult to rank on the first web page with applicable and unique content material than ever before. Companies counting on search engine optimization software program and robots will lose out, and smaller games get a danger to get extra clients on-line.

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