#i think this is the best quality i can offer or else my phone will blow up

[calithso]

genshin women warm up after my severe art block

[imloyaltoscoups]

you're safe | kim mingyu ft jeon wonwoo | part 1

It's 10 am, and you're still on your dorm bed, lost in the comfort of your blankets as you stare at your phone screen, the weight of your decision feels heavy. You've been contemplating this for weeks, but finally, you've made up your mind to end things with Mingyu. Typing out the message to Wonwoo feels surreal, yet necessary. He's been your rock through thick and thin, even if life has taken you on different paths.

The vibration of your phone breaks the silence, and you see Wonwoo's reply. His words bring a mix of comfort and validation. "You mean that giant dog, your schoolmate?" he asks, and you can almost hear the concern in his voice through the text. Your thumbs move across the screen as you reply, "Who else? I've been seeing him for three years."

The familiarity of Wonwoo's understanding fills you with a sense of relief. "I know, I've had my doubts about him too," he responds, and you can't help but feel grateful for his unwavering support. Wonwoo's been there through it all, even when distance and time tried to pull you apart.

Reflecting on the past, you remember the strain Mingyu's jealousy put on your friendship with Wonu. It wasn't easy, navigating between your boyfriend's insecurities and your lifelong bond with your best friend. But now, with Wonwoo's reassurance, you feel a sense of clarity. Maybe it's time to prioritize your own happiness and well-being.

You think back to all the times Mingyu's behavior raised red flags. His overly friendly interactions with other girls, the way he'd discourage you from talking to Wonwoo, citing baseless concerns about guys and girls being friends. It's become exhausting trying to decipher whether his actions stem from genuine care or something more sinister.

Wonwoo's agreement brings back memories of that painful period when you distanced yourself from him under your boyfriend's influence. It's a reminder of how toxic Mingyu's controlling behavior has been for your relationships outside of him. Maybe it's time to reclaim that lost connection with Wonu, to rebuild what was once a cornerstone of your support system.

As you lay there, your thoughts swirling, you can't help but dwell on Mingyu's positive qualities. He's been a pillar of support through thick and thin, always there to lend a helping hand or a listening ear. His kindness, his patience, his unwavering presence – they're all reasons why you fell for him in the first place. He also helped you with your studies that's a bonus points from him.

But amidst the warmth of his affection, there's a nagging doubt that refuses to be ignored. The way he interacts with other girls, the way he brushes off your concerns, the way he restricts your friendships – they're all red flags waving in the back of your mind.

You shake your head, trying to push away the doubts and uncertainties that threaten to consume you. Maybe you're just overreacting, letting your insecurities get the best of you. After all, Mingyu has never given you a reason to doubt him before.

But then again, there's that gut feeling, that sinking sensation in the pit of your stomach that tells you something isn't right. You've always been intuitive, able to sense when things are unsual, and right now, things definitely feel off.

Lost in your thoughts, you don't notice the soft buzz of your phone until it draws your attention back to the present. Glancing at the screen, you see a text from Wonwoo, his words a reminder of the support and understanding he's always offered.

With a sigh, you realize that you can't keep brushing aside your concerns, pretending that everything is fine when it clearly isn't. You owe it to yourself to trust your instincts, to stand up for what you believe in, even if it means facing the uncomfortable truth.

Taking a deep breath, you reach for your phone, fingers hovering over the keys as you prepare to confront your long time boyfriend and finally address the doubts that have been eating away at you. It's not going to be easy, but it's time to stop second-guessing yourself and start listening to that inner voice that's been trying to tell you something all along.

As you wait for his response, you take a moment to gather your thoughts and prepare for your own classes. You quickly gather your books and notes, double-checking that you have everything you need for the day ahead.

With a final glance at your phone, you see Mingyu's reply, a simple acknowledgment of your message that you'll be the one picking him up after his class. It's not much, but it's enough to reassure you that he's on board with the plan.

--

Rushing out of your lecture hall, you quickly pack your things and make your way outside your building. Your heart races with anticipation as you check your watch, knowing that his class is likely finished by now.

As you navigate through the lobby of Mingyu's architecture building, your eyes catch sight of a couple locked in a passionate embrace near a gap in the wall. At first, a flicker of recognition crosses your mind, the tall silhouette triggering a momentary sense of alarm.

But then you shake your head, reminding yourself that there are plenty of tall guys on campus besides Mingyu. You try to push the thought aside, focusing instead on fetching your boyfriend from class.

However, despite your efforts to ignore them, your instincts urge you to confront the couple. Taking a deep breath, you approach them, your heart pounding in your chest.

To your surprise, it's not him that was entangled with the girl in the embrace. Relief floods through you, quickly followed by a pang of guilt for assuming the worst.

"Sorry to interrupt," you say, your voice laced with sincerity as you apologize to the couple for intruding on their moment.

With a polite nod, you swiftly make your exit, the encounter serving as a reminder to trust your instincts but also not to jump to conclusions too quickly.

But as you reach Mingyu's lecture hall and spot him waiting outside, a warm smile on his face as he sees you approach, those doubts fade into the background. You push aside the lingering unease, choosing to focus on the present moment and the person standing in front of you.

"Hey," Mingyu greets you with a hug and a kiss on the cheek, and you return the embrace, feeling a sense of comfort wash over you in his familiar arms.

"Hey," you reply, forcing a smile as you try to shake off the lingering unease from earlier. "Ready to go?"

He nods, as you two step outside the building, the weight of your decision to break up hangs heavy in the air. Taking a deep breath, you steel yourself and finally broach the topic.

"Mingyu, we need to talk," you begin, your voice trembling slightly.

His eyes widen in surprise, and you can see the beginning of tears forming in his eyes. "Did I… Did I do something wrong?" he asks, his voice cracking with emotion.

You notice the curious glances from passersby and quickly take his hand, leading him to a more secluded spot nearby. Cupping his face gently in your hands, you feel a pang of guilt at the sight of his vulnerability. He isn't the type to get emotional easily, and seeing him like this only adds to your turmoil.

"I just… I don't think we should be together anymore," you say, your voice barely above a whisper.

"Why? Why would you say that?" he responds, his voice desperate and pleading. "I would never cheat on you. You're the only girl I have eyes for."

Your heart aches at his words, but you can't shake the feeling of unease that has been gnawing at you. "It's not about that," you explain, your voice tinged with frustration. "It's about the other girls, the ones who keep flirting with you, and you just let them."

Mingyu's expression darkens, hurt flashing in his eyes. "Don't you trust me?" he asks, his voice tinged with disappointment.

You take a deep breath, struggling to find the right words. "I… I don't know," you admit, feeling a knot form in your stomach.

His gaze softens, and he reaches out to take your hand. "Look, if it bothers you that much, I'll stop talking to other girls," he offers, sincerity lacing his words. "Even though I know you and your 'boy' friend have started talking again."

You bristle at the mention of Wonwoo, but you quickly defend yourself. "Won and I are just friends, Gyu. Nothing more, nothing less."

He furrows his brow, considering your words. "But Wonwoo never had a girlfriend, right?" he asks, a hint of accusation in his tone.

You nod, feeling a sense of unease settle over you once again. "That's beside the point," you say, trying to redirect the conversation back to the issue at hand. "What about the girls who keep throwing themselves at you, Mingyu? And you just let them…"

Mingyu's expression softens, and he pulls you into a tight embrace. "I'm sorry, Y/N. I didn't realize how much it was bothering you," he says, his voice filled with remorse. "But I promise, from now on, it'll just be you and me. No more distractions, no more doubts."

Feeling a mix of relief and guilt, you can't help but apologize to Mingyu, realizing that perhaps you've been overanalyzing things. His gentle demeanor and golden retriever-like friendliness have always been one of his endearing qualities, and maybe you've let your insecurities get the best of you.

"I'm sorry, love," you say softly, meeting his gaze with a sense of regret. "I think I've been overthinking things. I know you're just naturally friendly, and I shouldn't have let it get to me."

Mingyu's expression softens, and he leans in to give you a soft peck on the lips. "It's okay, love," he reassures you, his voice warm and comforting. "You don't need to worry about these things. I'm here for you, always."

Feeling a weight lifted off your shoulders, you return his kiss with a grateful smile. Maybe you were letting your insecurities get the best of you.

As Mingyu drops you off at your dorm, he suggests going out together on the weekend, and you agree with a smile. "That sounds great," you say, feeling a sense of relief wash over you.

You give him a tight hug, savoring the warmth of his embrace, before leaning in to give him a goodbye kiss. "Thanks for understanding," you say softly, feeling grateful for his patience and reassurance.

Mingyu returns the hug with equal warmth, pressing a gentle kiss to your forehead. "Of course, Love. I'll see you soon," he says, his voice filled with affection as he reluctantly pulls away and heads off.

As you watch him go, a smile tugs at the corners of your lips. Despite the doubts and misunderstandings, you know that your relationship with Mingyu is stronger than ever.

Once he's out of sight, you pull out your phone and quickly text Wonwoo, letting him know that the misunderstanding has been resolved. "Hey Wonu, just wanted to let you know that Gyu and I talked things out. Everything's fine now. Thank youuu," you type out, feeling grateful for his understanding and friendship.

ꕤꕤꕤꕤꕤꕤꕤꕤꕤꕤ

Mingyu's POV

As Mingyu steps out of Y/N's dorm building, a sense of relief washes over him. He takes a deep breath, feeling grateful that they were able to resolve their misunderstanding. He then pulls out his phone, opening his group chat with his friends, feeling the need to share his thoughts.

"Y/N's instincts are scary accurate," he types out, his fingers tapping out the message quickly.

His friends respond almost immediately, curious about what happened. "Uh oh, did you get caught?" Minghao teases, adding a winking emoji for good measure.

Dokyeom added, "Seriously, if you got caught, it would've been game over."

Mingyu chuckles, shaking his head as he types out his reply. "Nope, all good on my end," he responds, feeling a sense of satisfaction at successfully navigating the conversation with Y/N.

As he walks, he runs a hand through his hair, feeling a surge of confidence coursing through him. Mingyu prides himself on his ability to charm and manipulate situations to his advantage, and tonight was no different.

Feeling a buzz from his phone, he glances down to see his friends' responses. Dokyeom jokes about him meeting up with some girl, but Mingyu quickly sets the record straight.

"Nah, different plans tonight," he replies, keeping his tone casual as he continues on his way.

As he navigates the bustling campus, Mingyu can't help but feel a sense of satisfaction at his ability to play the game. Pretending to be vulnerable, shedding a few crocodile tears – it's all just another day in the life of Kim Mingyu.

With a smirk, he sends one final message to the group chat, informing his friends that he'll be radio silent until midnight. With that, he pockets his phone and heads off to meet the girl who's invited him to join her. After all, when you're as charming and charismatic as he is, it's all just a game.

part 2, part 3

author's note: hi there, you reached the end. congratulations. i think you guys already know what kind of "genre i want" to write, hahaha. if you're wandering if someone hurt me. nope, no one.🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻. am i enjoying this? yes, yes i am. this is one of the mini series i'll be posting.

....... ≿━━━━༺MINGYU༻━━━━≾ .......

[flwrkisses]

bf! jungwon.

first post of 2024! and this just so happens to be the end of my boyfriend enhypen series! thank you for showing it so much love! hope you all enjoy!

genre: fluff. established relationship. idol x reader!

warnings: mentions of arguments and skinship such as kissing and etc.

heeseung. jay. jake. sunghoon. sunoo. jungwon. ni-ki.

- jungwon is so best friends to lovers coded. it's written all over his being. i see it happening so perfectly.

- at first every thing is soooo platonic. going out to lunch, studying together, going bike riding, everything as friends until one day you get tired of him not understanding the multitude of hints you're throwing at him. so, you end up confessing.

- to be honest he's a little confused at first, because how could he miss the fact that you liked him ?? especially all this time?? luckily, he didn't have to think about it much and told you he'd be your boyfriend right then and there. he didn't see too much of a difference from what you guys were doing before. but now he had kissing privileges.

- you guys are almost always on facetime with eachother, like almost everyday talking for hours. sometimes you both fall asleep while in the phone and other times he ends the call with a loud kissy noise to let you know he loves you.

- jungwon is someone who likes to take interest in things you like or enjoy. if it's a show he'd watch it, book, he'd read it, or game he'd play it just so he's able to relate to you and spend time with you doing something you enjoy doing.

- his love languages are so clear, he cant help but express them. they cone to him naturally like, acts of service, quality time, and physical touch.

- when he's away on tour you guys are almost always on facetime. before bed he needs to hear your voice regardless of the timezone. most times you guys both fall asleep on the phone and have facetime calls that last anywhere from 5 minutes to 16 hours.

- without thinking he shares his food with you. most times he's mindlessly talking or scrolling through his phone as he offers you a bite of his food from his chopsticks.

- jungwon listens to any and all issues and concerns you may have in that pretty little brain of yours. sometimes he asks you if you want advice, solutions, or just someone to listen regardless of what he thinks.

- sometimes when he's in a playful mood he'd hide your things, that he knows you need. like a straw to a reuseable cup, your computer mouse, your favorite mug, maybe even a shoe. he does it just to see how long it would take you to notice he had it. plus watching you freak out and look for your lost item made him laugh.

- he likes to pretend to trip you. he purposely sticks his foot out only to move it away at the last second. sometimes he does actually trip youto which he laughs and helps you up.

- jealousy is his middle name. regardless of who you're attracted to he's always tentative and reading body language around you. he's not worried about you, he's worried about others getting too friendly with you, but he'd never tell you that.

- if you get sick he'd playfully scold you and make sure you have what you need to get better. like meds, soup, water. he's not exactly sure how to take care of you but, the best he can do is make sure you're taking your meds on time and drinking water.

- he remembers ever little detail you've shared about yourself with him. he plays coy most of the time, but when you have specific orders for foods or drinks he some how always brings you things exactly as you ask for it.

- if you dig deep into his phone you'll find the note he made on his notes app when you guys first started dating with all the things you like and all the things you dont and maybe even your usual fast food orders.

- jungwon's your biggest fan. number 1 supporter. he would cheer for you even if no one else is. he loves you so much everything you do is golden in his eyes.

- with that, jungwon loves seeing you supporting him. you guys are so supportive of eachother. he feels like seeing you the audience energizes him because he wants you to be proud and have something to brag about.

- saying "i love you" came so natural to him. he probably said it one night about 3 months into your relationship. it was kinda shocking and honestly even took him by suprise. but it was just so easy.

- your phone is always being blown up with his texts. he sends you everything and anything. he loves texting you. good morning texts, good night texts,bored daily selfies. you get it all.

- his phone is full of pictures of you, most of them off guard or blurry. and everytime you see them you tell him to delete it because you think you look bad. but he thinks theres no bad pictures of you.

- jungwon's the type to look over at your over your shoulder at your phone. not because he doesn't trust you, but usually because his eyes just happen to land there if you guys are together. to be annoying he sometimes taps the screen to mess what ever you're doing up and get your attention.

- without you having to ask, jungwon brings you your favorite snacks everytime you both hang out. he just always brings things, and they all happen to be your favorites.

- if you're looking for something under a table or cabinet he puts a hand over the edge so you don't hit your head against the hard surface while getting up.

- he loves nights where you both can just chill out and watch movies. you guys obligatory monthly movie marathon nights with popcorn and candy.

- jungwon is always planning dates. he loves coming up with fun and creative ways to spend time together so its not all repetitive and expected.

- to make sure he has time with you, he designates a day in the week for it to be date night. something like every thursday. if he's on tour on your date night we would take time out of his day to have a virtual date playing video games or watching a movie together online while still on facetime.

- arguments with jungwon are very rare. he's usually so understanding and tends to see your side in conversations. he also articulates and expresses his feelings really well when he feels like he must.

- obviously he would never admit it, but jungwon lives to see you in his clothes. infact, you both trade and share clothes often and he lives for it.

- he rests his head on yours all the time. it's always iust you and him. cheek to cheek. its a simple act of affection.

- you always try to poke his dimple everytime it pops out and he has successfully turned his head fast enough to bite your finger before you could.

- skinship is something you get a lot of with him. especially in private. sometimes it's usual sweet things like kisses and cuddles and other times it's him playfully tackling you onto the couch. its almost like he's glued to you.

- sometimes he shows you tiktok trends couples are doing all over his fyp and begs you to make a tiktok with him because it would be cute. he can't help but post it and make everyone jealous about your relationship.

- you guys have a shared playlist on a music app that allows you both to just dump songs into it. you guys listen to the playlist when you hang out all the time. some songs are ones he likes, others you like, and some you both love. at this point the playlist has over 200 songs you both just love listening to.

- he tries to be crafty and cute for you. key word is tries. he wants to make you sweet handmade cards or a mug in a pottery class. they're not terrible and you obviously keep each thing he hand makes you. he knows you love him if you're keeping the lopsided hello kitty mug he painted for you.

- you hardly ever need to verbally tell him you need something because he observes and knows when you run low of things you use daily and just buys you things like that. your favorite perfume is low? he got you a new one. your fabric softener is out? he got you more. he ate the last bowl of clyour favorite cereal? he's replacing it with a whole new box.

- expect him to keep every little thing you give or gift him. you see the little stickers you give him on the back of his phone or on his laptop, the scrunchies you leave at his house are around his wrist incase either of you needs them, and the weird little blind bag figures you get him are neatly placed on his desk for him to see everyday.

- he usually calls you by your name because part of him thinks pet names are cringe. if he's feeling funny he'll probably call you something like "booger" or "bun head" out of love.

- for some reason valentine's day means a lot to him, so he goes full on out every year and thinks on ways to out do himself in the next year.

- loves stay at home dates where you both just enjoy eachother's company. maybe do a facemask, maybe cook some ramen, and maybe you sleep over. it's just perfect.

- overall, jungwon is such a sweet, caring and orotective boyfriend. i think he's the most boyfriend material out of the whole group!

©flwrkisses ; please do not copy, translate, repost and/or reuse my work without my permission. (2023)

masterlist. — requests are open!

[zoropookie]

Give me my Beidou x Yn :/

“Alright, the films gone.” Gaming sighed, eyes dull as he drew the camera back.

“Seriously? It took ten minutes to even get everyone in the same proximity,” Xingqiu threw his hands up in frustration. “Give me it.”

He shrugged, looking just as exasperated. “It happens, we’ll just have to get another one…from the store ten miles away.”

You, who had been trying to corral everyone around, turned around and grinned. “We can always take it with a phone instead.”

“You’re so right, but we’re trying to go for quality.” Xingqiu pointed. “Alright, spread out. It’s going to be a while until we get this right.”

Bennett, who had been fidgeting with the heart decorations, sighed in relief. “I feel like I’m a light pole right now.”

“You had to be the chosen one. There wasn’t anyone else whose undertones go so well with pink.” Beidou said.

“What does that even mean..?”

The staff were all getting ready for their annual Valentine’s Day photo at the restaurant. It was a casual photo taken for the next’s days promotion of their limited edition sweets they bake. It was going to be a busy day, so they collaborated a little party before all of them were at each other’s throats in the back.

You had the best time of all decorating with your employees, making everything spick and span, readdressing anything that seemed out of place. The walls were covered with garlands of delicate pink and streaks of red cascading through the whole bakery. There was a soft glow from the pink fairy lights they hung on the decorations, tables covered in crisp white linens and rose petals.

The windowsill had tiny decorated hearts. The hearts were similar to plush and cushioned in your hands as you grabbed one. You felt a sense of accomplishment, turning towards Beidou who was stapling the event posters to the blank side of the wall.

"Might I have your heart in the palm of my hand?" You asked, awaiting for a reaction, but Beidou turned around once you got her attention and rose an eyebrow. You opened your hand up to show her the heart, grinning cheekily. "I never knew it was so small!"

She gave a small huff of a laugh, crossing her arms against her chest. "Are you flirting or insulting me?"

"The pun didn't really go well," You lowered your head. "I think I lost my touch...if I had one at all."

"I liked it," Beidou said with a wink, tone playfully alluring. She took a stride forward to rustle your hair, your eyes looking away abashed. "But you'd have better chances just asking me out."

"Are you offering...?" You hesitated, a nervous laugh coming through. You weren't sure if what you were asking was to jest or not, but your face failed you, your cheeks heating up. "Was that better?"

Beidou's lips parted in speculation of how genuine you were before smiling. "Tell ya what. If you're still single in a month, I'm next in line. Express pass." Her shoulders squared, her index and middle finger giving a soft jab at your forehead before going back to checking the decorations.

You stood there frozen, jaw dropped wide. You tried to keep your cool, though. You just had hard time remembering what you needed to do again.

[invisibleraven]

From @theamd426 Falling asleep in class/work for teenage Reggie and Julie please!!!!

Reggie sighed as he clocked in, donning his vest. Overnight shifts were always the worst, but they paid more, so he took them on occasion. At least this way he didn't have to deal with customers, all he had to do was restock the shelves and take inventory.

"Hey Reggie!" Julie called as she clocked in. "Ready for an exciting night of work?"

He shrugged but offered her a smile. "It's better now that you're here. I was terrified I would be stuck with Brett."

Julie wrinkled her nose at that. "Ew, no one should suffer like that." Then she giggled, and Reggie joined her. Brett was a useless layabout who usually smelled of weed and made terrible racist jokes, so no one wanted to work with him.

"At least I get half the music choices with you," Reggie said, elbowing her. They had similar tastes, and had a playlist for whenever they worked together, a mix of the stuff they both liked, since no one else was working, no one else could argue about the music.

"Well crank it up and we'll get started," Julie said with a hip check.

With the music blaring, they got to work; first tossing out the spoiled produce, and taking out anything expired from the coolers. Rotating stock so the older stuff went in front as they put the new in the rear.

Reggie started on the inventory as Julie filled the shelves, then they switched the next aisle over, taking turns as they went to make the night go faster. Chatting as they went, about their upcoming senior year, their co-workers, their friends, and plans for university. The two of them had been friends for awhile, and had come to work here by coincidence, making their bond even deeper.

Being good friends also made it easier to get through the long night shifts together, even if they finished long before they were due thanks to how well they worked together.

"Wanna go chill in the patio furniture before we start on the cleaning?" Reggie suggested.

"Sounds good," Julie agreed, covering a yawn as they went. "Sorry, I should have napped this afternoon but Flynn was having relationship drama and best friend duties trumped my need for sleep."

"Ugh tell me about it, I have to listen to Alex whine about his ginormous crush on Willie more than I don't," Reggie replied. "However my nap plans got waylaid by Luke and his new bridge for Destination Nowhere."

"Think we'd get in trouble for sneaking in a snooze?" Julie asked as they lounged on the patio furniture.

"As long as we wake up in time to wipe the cameras," Reggie said. "Though you know Kenneth doesn't care as long as everything gets done."

"I'll set an alarm," Julie said, taking out her phone, yawning again. Reggie already had his eyes closed but murmured his consent.

This wasn't the first time they had done this-though they usually did so in the staff room where the cameras weren't, but like Reggie said, their manager wasn't a big harper for the rules given they had caught him napping amongst the holiday blow ups more than once.

They never napped long-half an hour at most, but it was a much needed refresher. Even if they were both a bit groggy when Julie's alarm blared.

"Alright, I'm up, I'm up," Reggie protested, rubbing his eyes.

"Five more minutes," Julie moaned.

"No way Molina, we gotta get the cleaning done then I propose we clock out early and go back to yours for a lengthy snooze," Reggie proposed.

"Why my house?" Julie asked as she stretched.

"You have a million couches and your family will let us sleep, unlike mine," Reggie replied.

"Fair enough," Julie said. "Let's get too, I can hear my bed calling my name."

Reggie nodded and they went back to work, leaving as soon as it was done and getting a quality amount of sleep once back at the Molina house.

Of course, they also forgot to wipe the cameras, and the next shift they were on, there was a screenshot of them snoozing printed out in the break room for them-surrounded by a big red heart and Kenneth's name signed underneath it. They both blushed, but decided that next time they caught him cuddling the stuffed animals, they were definitely getting proof as revenge.

Even if he was right about the heart by the end of the summer.

[sullina]

i think one of the biggest steps we, as a society, will be able to take towards sustainability (of, like... everything) is to eliminate the concept of manufactured obsolescence. For big stuff like houses and buildings, but also smaller stuff, especially electronics of all kinds.

And this got a bit long, but the TL;DR (too long; didn't read) is: capitalism is evil and gonna destroy the entire planet unless we abolish it as soon as possible.

There's no real reason why any kind of computer/tablet/phone/etc. can't last more than like 3 years max. It should be highly illegal for companies to push updates onto our electronics that purposely slow them down, or to stop support of "old" operating systems that aren't even 5 years old yet, in favor of getting a new phone with a new operating system for no reason other than to sell people a new phone.

Same goes for storage, kinda. I have an SD card that's about as big as a SIM card and can store 250GB of data. There's no reason why my phones internal storage is only 25GB, except to push "cloud storage" onto people for companies to secretely mine that data to push more advertising onto us. And why is it always ads, anyway? Like, at least offer me a service, but they're not doing that.

And not just phones, but literally everything. There's no reason why a fridge or an oven or an automatic feeder or ANY kind of smart device should need a wifi connection to just do the one thing it's supposed to do. None. These things worked just fine in the part when we didn't have any internet of things type bullshit, there's no reason to make these things worse except to squeeze more money out of people. (I am aware that "smart things" can be incredibly helpful for disabled people to live an independent life. However, in those cases as well, there's no reason why "no internet" should be a fatal point of failure, and there's no reason why something like a thermostat needs to have an internet connection to recieve voice commands. I mean it needs to know like... 3 or 4 words: an activating phrase, "higher", "lower", and numbers. It cannot be complicated enough to require regular updates via internet.)

and non-electronics as well.

Just take clothes.

So many clothes are made out of "polyesther" or "polyacryl" or something else with the word "poly-" at the start, which usually just means "plastic". And I'm sure there are some uses for plastic clothes like if someone has complicated allergies to a bunch of natural fibers, but there's no reason to have more than 80% of all clothes available on the market be either pure plastic or half plastic. 1) it's absolutely atrocious for the environment, because these clothes leech microplastics into waters like no tomorrow while only lasting like 5 years at best 2) they're just terrible quality-wise. I used to wear a plastic jacket in winter, and i would either sweat to death with it closed without even exhausting myself, or freeze like hell with it open. Neither of which are ideal. Then i got a cotton sweater to wear in winter and i didn't sweat, but i wasn't cold either. I was comfortably warm without getting sweaty, because the sweater let my skin breathe. Plastic can't do that. 3) Vegans can yell about this one all they want, but "vegan leather" is also just plastic. there's no such thing as "vegan leather", but ACTUAL leather may harm an animal (though with as much beef that's sold all over the world, there's no way there's a shortage of cow leather), but it's only gonna "harm" ONE animal. Not every single animal on earth due to byproducts of the manufacturing process and the fact that it never fucking goes away. And real leather is so durable. Like, sure, you kill one animal and get its skin for leather (but also its meat for food and everything else, i don't even know how much), if you care for the thing you made from its skin, you're set for literal generations, because it doesn't break after like 5 years. And if that thing does eventually break, you can still break it up and use the leather for new, smaller, things. And once those things break, too, to the point where the leather can't be reused, you can throw it away, knowing that it will decompose soon, instead of sticking around forever.

And I'm sure there's plenty more things, but it all ends up leading back to money and capitalism. Capitalism tells companies to get money. More money. More money. Get absolutely obscene amounts of money.

and of course the first question that regular people always ask is "but why?" But here's the thing: the "why" isn't important in capitalism. There's no reason behind the hoarding of wealth, because the hoarding of wealth is the reason.

and remember the saying "When the Last Tree Is Cut Down, the Last Fish Eaten, and the Last Stream Poisoned, You Will Realize That You Cannot Eat Money"?

Yeah, capitalism doesn't care about the fact that you're cutting down the last tree, killing the last fish, and poisoning the last stream. As long as you're making money, the damage you're doing is irrelevant. There's no cost too great for making money, as long as that cost isn't money.

[geralt-of-baevia]

Begin Again: Chapter Three

Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three

Summary: When Penny starts working at AFC Richmond as their new head photographer, she catches the eye of a certain mustached, happy-go-lucky, head coach of the team. But can their spark endure through the season’s pressures and the demons of their past?

Pairing: Ted Lasso x OFC (Penny Fletcher)

Word count: 4.5k (YOWZA!)

Warnings: Drinking, flirting, etc.

A/N: Alright, I know this chapter took a while but it's a BIG one. This chapter was so much fun to write and I think you're all going to like it 😍😍😍

Beta: Thank you to @midnightswithdearkatytspb for proofreading and the AMAZING banner! I love it.

Tiny Tag List: @tegan8314 @rosesheerio @eugene-emt-roe @floralsightings @imvibin69 @justsomefunshit (Let me know if you want to get added!)

The next morning I was terrified to go to work. I paced the apartment, looking at my phone every two minutes, counting down until I had to leave. 

“Penny, why are you so nervous?” Jo asked, giving me sarcastic smile. Sometimes I just really wanted to slap her. I narrowed my eyes at her, folding my arms across my chest and shifting my weight to one hip. 

“Oh, I don’t know, Jolene, maybe because my colleague I fancy saw me showering naked-”

“I mean, that’s usually how you shower-”

“-so not only do I have to face Ted over that, but I’m terribly nervous about what Jamie bought as replacements…”  I said, shifting my weight to my other hip. She playfully rolled her eyes at me. 

“Penny, Jamie is loaded. I have no doubt that he got you only the best quality things to replace your equipment,” she told me, “Also, it's nice to finally hear you say you fancy Mr. Lasso because I thought I was going to have to waterboard you or something to get it out of you.” 

I let out a big huff, finally going and deflating in the armchair as an act of defeat. 

“Joey, I just can’t face Ted-”

“Would you like me to drive you to work today? I’ve got the day off so I can take you, Even walk you in if that’ll help?” she offered. I gave her an over-exaggerated pouty face, sticking my bottom lip out. 

“I would wove that vewwy much,” I said in a mock baby voice. She laughed, shaking her head at me. 

“Go get the car warmed up, I’ll get ready really quickly,” she said, walking over to the hallway, “keys are on the hook.”

I squealed excitedly and shot up out of my seat. “Thank you, Joey!” 

My leg bounced the entire way to work, and every so often Jo would put a comforting hand on my knee to calm me. 

“Honestly Penny, I think you’re making a way bigger deal of this than you need to,” she told me as we drove onto Nelson Road. My heart started nervously pounding in my chest. 

“Okay, but what if he doesn’t bring it up? Do I need to? I just don’t want it to be a giant naked elephant in the room!” I exclaimed with a laugh. 

“I mean, you could make it fair-”

“Jo, I don’t want to see him naked-”

“HA, that’s a lie. I know your pervy little mind,” she said as she tapped her pointer finger to her temple, “you’ve already thought of that man naked, plenty. And now probably in the shower with you…” I felt my cheeks burn hot and rosy. She wasn’t wrong, but that wasn’t something I wanted to think about as I went into work and had to see him. 

Jo pulled into the parking lot and parked. Once the car was off my body grew hot with anxious anticipation and I could feel my heart beating in my entire torso. We got out of the car and as I was getting my bag from the backseat, I heard my name being shouted. I looked to my left and saw Jamie approaching me, a large shopping bag in his hand. 

He gave me a giant smile once he saw I had his attention. “I got the goooooooods!” 

I giggled a little bit as he jogged over to us the rest of the distance. 

“Jamie, thank you so so much for doing that,” I told him once he was at the car. He scoffed. 

“Penny, it's the least I could do. How else are we supposed to get that wicked sliding shot?” he gave me a friendly wink and I pulled him into a hug. 

“Oi, so you’re the one who broke my little bird’s camera, huh?” I heard Jo ask. Jamie pulled back from our hug and turned to Jo. 

“Now Penny, why haven’t you introduced me to your gorgeous friend here?” he asked, looking Jo up and down. I looked over to her just in time to see her roll her eyes playfully. 

“Jamie, this is my best mate and roommate Jo, Jo this is-”

“Jamie Tartt doo doo doo doo doo doo, oh I know who he is,” she said with a smug smile, also looking him up and down. The sudden tension between them made me feel like I shouldn’t be there. 

“Well, now that this has been such a lovely and not at all awkward introduction, shall we go inside? I’m going to need to set up the camera before I do anything today,” I said with a huff. Jamie and Jo both nodded in agreeance, and we all went inside together. 

We walked with Jaime to the locker room, and the closer we got the harder my heart beat in my chest, and my stomach grew sour. But to our surprise, Ted wasn’t in the coach’s office; only Coach Beard and Roy were to be found. 

“Oi, where’s Coach?” Jaime asked Beard, and Beard shrugged in response. 

“I’m not sure. He just said something came up last night and he wasn’t going to be able to make it today,” he explained before turning to me, “I know we were supposed to get some coach shots today, but maybe we’ll wait until next week?” 

I nodded, my stomach easing a little knowing Ted wasn’t at work today. Jo nudged my side and leaned close to my ear and whispered, “I’m sure something came up alright…” I shot her a look, rolling my eyes at her. 

“Is everything okay, Fletcher?” Roy asked. He had gotten in the habit of calling me by my last name. I didn’t know why, but I didn’t question it. I looked up at him from Jo and shook my head.

“No my friend Jo here was just making an inappropriate comment,” I said, looking back at her and giving her a stern stare. She stifled a laugh before turning back to Roy. 

“And I’m Jolene by the way, so nice to meet you all,” she said, giving them both a small wave. Coach Beard’s eyes grew wide at the mention of her name and I giggled. 

“God, I wish Ted was here so that I could have experienced you two learning her name for the first time together,” I said, causing Roy to break his stony stare and crack a small smirk.

“We’re a fun pair, huh? Best mates who are both named after famous songs. What are the odds, right?” Jo piped in. 

“You’re really named after the song?” Beard asked. Jo nodded. 

“My parents went through a country phase when my mom was pregnant with me,” she said with a shrug, “they had just wished I was born a red head and not a blonde.” 

We all chatted for a few more minutes before Jo and I left the guys to start practice, heading out into the club to go to my uncle’s office. Once the door was shut behind us, I turned to Jo. 

“Okay, but what the actual fuck was that with Jamie?” I asked with a breathy laugh. She threw her head back with a laugh. 

“Oh god, nothing is going to happen with that boy. He thinks he can try, but I don’t think so,” she proclaimed proudly. I playfully rolled my eyes at her. Knowing her as long as I did, I knew when she was into someone, even if she played it cool. 

We made it to our destination, and I knocked on the door after we approached it. 

“Come in!” I heard Uncle Leslie say from the other side. Jo opened the door and my uncle’s face lit up when he saw us. 

“Hello, Penny! And hello, Jolene! It’s been forever since I’ve seen you!” he said excitedly. He closed his laptop and placed his elbows on the desk, resting his chin on his now intertwined fingers. “How can I help you ladies?” 

“Hello Mr. Higgins, it’s very nice to see you as well,” Jo said cheerfully. 

“Well, I don’t know if you heard, but Jamie broke all of my camera equipment yesterday,” I said with a sigh, sitting down in one of the chairs in front of his desk and gently setting the fragile bag in front of me. He gave me a forced, flat smile. 

“I did indeed. Jamie came to me after you left to ask what he should get,” he told us, “did he get the correct equipment? I only know so much about photography. But I did tell him the person at the camera store would know best.”

“I mean, honestly I haven’t even looked at it…”  

I pulled over the bag that Jamie brought me and opened it up, my eyes lit up at the site of what he got me. 

“Well? Is it okay?” Jo asked. I nodded as I pulled the box that had the camera body out of the bag, putting it in my lap. 

“Okay? This is like, top-of-the-line stuff,” I said, looking up with a huge smile. I was in disbelief. The camera I was holding in my lap cost more than I was willing to truly consider. 

After we looked over the new equipment together, I got myself set up in a corner of my uncle’s office and Jo left to go get her day started, not needing to stay any longer since Ted wasn’t here.

I spent the rest of the day setting up my camera, replying to emails, updating my computer, and catching up with my uncle. I hadn’t spent this much time with him since I was a teenager, so it was nice to reconnect with him. He was always my favorite uncle. 

“Do you have any fun plans for the weekend?” my Uncle Leslie asked me as the day was finishing up. I sighed, looking at my phone to see if I had any notifcations. 

“Well, I think Jo and I are going to go to the pub. She wants to celebrate my first week at my new job,” I said with a content smile. I was very much looking forward to having a couple of drinks and just shooting the shit with my best mate. 

“Oh that sounds like a good time. You deserve it! You’ve honestly blown all of us away just on your first week. I’m very proud of you,” he said, a sincere grin spreading across his face. 

I felt tears sting behind my eyes. Quickly I tried to blink them away, but it was no use. They spilled down over my cheeks and I hotly wiped them away. 

“Thank you, Uncle Leslie. That means a lot.”

When I got home, Jo was already at least a third of the way ready for going out. I set my stuff down next to the door and she came out into the living room, toothbrush still in her mouth. 

“You need to get ready,” she mumbled flatly around toothpaste. 

“But it’s barely 6 o’clock,” I half whined at her. She rolled her eyes at me before heading back into the bathroom. I followed her, leaning against the doorframe as she spit into the sink. 

“Well, it’s going to take you at least 30 minutes to get ready, and then we have to still get there which will probably take around the same amount of time. So we won’t even get to the pub until like 7. And we can stop at that fish shop you like before we go too,” she explained, “so in other words, get your arse ready. Please.” 

I jokingly rolled my eyes at her and headed to my room to get ready. I threw on something acceptable but still comfy, an outfit that wouldn’t turn too many heads but was still sexy. 

Once I was done getting ready, I went over to Jo’s room and hovered in the doorway again. 

“How does this look? Yeah?” I asked before spinning to show off my outfit. 

“You look fit,” she said with a cheeky grin before turning back to her mirror to finish her makeup, “if only Ted could see you…”

I scoffed at her. “Yeah, well, I’d like to forget about him for an evening and just relax, mmkay? So no mention of him from here on out.”

She turned to me again, drawing an X over her heart with her pointer finger. “I cross my heart and hope to die, I will not mention the mustached coach for the rest of the night.” 

I giggled. 

“You better not.”

After a train ride and a stop at the chip stand, we reached our destination. I was thankful for the little pub that Jo and I always went to. It was small and quaint, in the basement under some other business. The exposed brick walls and dim lighting made it feel homey and comfortable. We found it one night while searching for somewhere to get a drink after work when we lived in this neighborhood a few years back. One visit and we were won over, it becoming our 'usual' spot.

We ordered two pints and a shot of whisky each at the bar, and then went over and sat in a small corner booth by the fireplace. We took our shots and I quickly moved on to my beer. After downing about half of mine in one gulp, Jo shot me a disheartened look.

“Penny, you need to relax-”

“What do you think I’m trying to do?” I asked with a sarcastic laugh as I gestured to my drink. 

“No no, we need a toast!” she exclaimed. She raised her glass up and I followed suit.

“To Samantha Penelope Fletcher! The bird who has overcame so much shit in her 29 years and finally got her dream job!” she said with exaggerated enthusiasm, clinking our glasses together. We each took a large swig of our beers, me finishing mine. 

As we set our drinks down on the table, I watched as Jo’s eyes flickered to just behind me, before returning her gaze to me. She raised her eyebrows, a mischievous expression growing on her face. 

“What?” I asked. Her face slanted into a sarcastic grimace, her eyes shifting away as she took another drink of her pint. 

“Jolene, what?” 

“Well, lets just say ‘he who shall not be named’ is sitting over there at the bar,” she said with a nod of her head. My whole body grew hot and my stomach soured. I wanted to turn around and look, but my body wouldn’t move. “And it looks like someone here needs another pint…”

I huffed, my lips trilling. “And you’re not going to go get it for me, are you?”

She shook her head no. 

“You’re going to make me, me, your bestest mate in the whole world go?”

This time she nodded her head. “Go my little nymph, go!” 

I narrowed my eyes at her before gritting out a, “fine,” to her through my teeth. A wicked grin played across her face. 

“Man, I might have to move to a closer booth so I can hear…” I rolled my eyes at her as I stood up, shimming my fitted black dress down to its proper position before grabbing my empty glass and heading towards the bar. 

I felt as though another person was in control of my body, telling my legs to keep moving in the direction of Ted. Once at the bar I stood behind him for a second, trying to figure out the best way to approach this. I decided that buying myself a drink and just 'noticing him' would have to do.

As I took a seat at the bar next to him, I raised my hand up to get the barman Albert’s attention, raising my empty glass once I had his attention. After ordering my drink I pretended to not notice Ted at first, but did a fake double take to realize it was him.

“Ted?" I asked, giving him another look over. He glanced up from his drink, apparently not having realized that anyone had sat down next to him. He gave me a look over, before realizing who it was, or at least I hoped so.

"Oh! Well hello there Penny Lane," he said a bit more cheerfully than his facial expression showed, “I almost didn’t recognize you…”

My face furrowed in confusion. “How so?”

"Well, I'd have to say you're much more dolled up than you are at the club," he said, hiding a grin in his glass before taking another drink. 

I felt myself blush, hoping that the dim lighting would hide that from him, but I doubted it would. Thankfully, Albert came over and handed over my drink, momentarily distracting me from my warm, rosy cheeks. I thanked him, holding out cash to give to him, but Ted stopped me.

"No, no. Put it on my tab," he said. I slowly retracted my hand back away, putting my money back in my bra. Albert gave me a knowing wink before nodding to Ted.

"Well, thank you. You didn't have to do that," I told him before taking a sip of my drink. He shrugged, giving me a small smirk and a sideways glance.

"It's the least I can do. After…you know," he said before trailing off and gulping down the last of his drink. He set it down on the bar, motioning for another. I couldn't read the emotion on his face. 

“Oh, Jesus, Ted, I mean, honestly-”

He cut me off. “I apologize for cutting you off because my grandma taught me you never interrupt a lady like this, but I’m currently the perfect mix of guilty, booze and well, stupidity, and I have to get this out before I burst like a can of Pillsbury crescent rolls,” he sighed before turning to me, our eyes meeting. 

“I need to say how sorry I am about yesterday. I can’t- I can’t stop thinking about how vulnerable and exposed you must have felt. I mean, gosh Penny. I don’t even know what to say. I’m just-I’m just so embarrassed. If I had known that you were in there-”

I put my hand on his forearm to calm him and stop him from rambling on. 

“Ted, first off, please breathe,” I said, giving his arm a soft squeeze. Not breaking eye contact with me, together we took a deep breath through our nostrils and then out, my eyes darting to his slightly parted lips. I nodded in approval, and he nodded back. “Better?”

“Yeah, yeah better,” he said with a sigh. I moved my hand from his arm and picked up my beer, taking another drink. 

“You know,” I said, wiping the corner of my mouth with the pad of my thumb, “I didn’t realize I had a triple threat see me naked…”

His eyebrow knit together and I giggled at his confusion. The booze was definitely settling in my bloodstream. 

“Yeah! Now tell me, how does one become whisky? Exactly how much whisky are you? Is it an even ratio to the guilt and stupidity?” I explained. A stupid grin suddenly appeared on his once forlorn expression at my dumb joke. 

“I’d say it’s probably a 40/30/30 thing,” he replied with a scrunch of his nose. 

“Is the 40% whisky, because if so we have a problem Coach Lasso,” I giggled. He took another sip of his drink, resting it in his hand. 

“Then maybe a 10/40/30,” he corrected. I paused, doing the mental math through my beer fog before laughing. 

“Ted! That’s only 90%,” I joked, pushing on his shoulder playfully. I watched my hand almost like it was a foreign object, it seeming to have done that all on its own. I brought it back to my beer, taking a drink. 

“How did you know this was whisky?” he asked, lifting the glass in his hand. 

I shrugged. “I know I might be drinking pints right now, but trust me, I know a good whisky when I smell one. May I?”

I put my beer down and held my hand out for his drink. His eyes lit up, both taken aback and impressed by my actions. He held his short glass out to me and as I took it, my fingers brushed his. My heart started pouding in my chest at the feel of his skin under my finger tips, and I had to remind my tipsy brain to focus on the drink and not it’s owner. 

I swished the glass around before bringing it up to my lips and taking a small sip. The amber colored liquid stung as it hit the back of my throat, causing my face to wince slightly. 

“Good god Ted, you’re drinking this whisky neat? Like, not even on the rocks?” I asked, making a face at the glass as I handed it back to him. He chuckled. 

“Well, what can I say? I’m a purist at heart when it comes to drinking,” he said proudly. 

“Or your tastebuds are just shot after only drinking something you could sterilize a wound with during WWI,” I said with a laugh. 

As I picked up my own drink to get the taste of the whisky out of my mouth, Ted took it out of my hand, bringing it up to his lips without saying a word. His eyes widened as he realized what I was drinking. His face soured as he swallowed, coughing a little. 

“So you’re-you’re telling me, you just now were talking about how mine tastes like rubbing alcohol, when you’re sitting here in front of me drinking a Guinness? That drink is more bitter than Scar when Simba was born and he knew he was never going to be king,” he said, giving my glass an amusing glare. 

“Um, yes. This tastes like hops and has hints of coffee and chocolate. It’s absolutely delicious,” I stated proudly, taking my beer back from him, “and didn’t your grandma teach you to not take a drink from a lady without asking when she taught you about cutting them off mid sentence?”

The expression on his face was nothing short of impressed. “You have happily surprised me, Penny.”

“How so?” I questioned, genuinely curious for his answer. As I took another drink waiting for him to reply, I felt my body grown warm, my vision getting a tinge fuzzy around the corners. The temperature of my body continued to rise between the alcohol and my nerves, even though those were currently masked by faux confidence from the before mentioned booze. 

He opened his mouth to talk as I began to take my jean jacket off and placed it on my lap, exposing my shoulders to the cool air. His voice hitched in his throat, causing him to cough a little, his eyes never leaving me. 

“Yes?” I pressed, raising my eyebrows at him. 

“Oh, yes, um, sorry,” he said, and I could tell he was fending off embarrassment. “Just that I never expected you to drink pints of Guinness and know whisky by the smell or…”

His cheeks turned red, and after his eyes scanned down my body he buried his nose in his drink, taking an audible gulp. My eyes widened and I couldn’t help but let out a giggle. Ted’s eyes darted back to me as he brought the drink down to the bar. 

“Well, I think there’s a lot that would surprise you about me,” I teased with a smirk, picking up my drink and chugging the last half. I set the glass back down with a loud clang, wiping my mouth on the back of my hand. He raised his eyebrows, cocking his head to the side in interest.

Before I could get other word out, I felt a familiar hand on my shoulder. Ted looked over my shoulder at someone and I followed his gaze, turning around to see Jo. 

“ It’s Joey! TED! You have to meet my friend. You’re going to LOVE her name,” I exclaimed a little too loudly. 

“Hello, I’m Jolene, this little blonde bundle of Guiness’ best friend and roommate,” she said, putting a hand out to Ted. He took her hand in his and shook it. 

“Nice to meet you Jolene- wait Jolene?” he asked, it dawning on him. A stupid, drunk, shit eating grin spread across my face. “Wait, you mean like the hit song by our Lord and Savior, Miss Dolly Parton?”

Jo smiled. “That’s the one!”

“Well butter my butt and call me toast. Best friends with names from song titles? That’s pretty gosh darn cool if I do say so,” he said, his speech slightly slurring. 

“Isn’t it the best?!” I stated, still too loudly.

“Alright, well it was very nice finally meeting the man I shouted ‘wanker’ at for a long time, but I do believe I need to get this little light weight home. Did she drink an entire pint while over here?” Jo asked Ted. He nodded. 

“And made fun of me drinking whisky,” he added.

I giggled to myself, thinking back to that interaction. “It was hilaaaaaaarious. You should have seen his face!”

“Ohhhhhkay Penny, let’s say goodbye to Ted,” she said, putting her hands on my shoulders to help me get up. As I stood my knees wobbled, thankfully Jo caught me though. I draped my jacket over my shoulders, it making me want to be in my bed cozy and warm. 

“Are you going to be okay getting her home, Jolene?” Ted asked, a look of concern on his face. 

“That’s very sweet of you Ted, but I’ve got her. This isn’t going to be the first time I’ve had to cart her drunk ass home…or the last,” she said, turning to me and giving me a wink. I scoffed, giving her an over exaggerated face. 

“Alright then. Well, was nice to meet you Jolene,” he said, nodding to her with a large grin, “and it was good seeing you Penny.” 

“It was good seeing you, too, Coach. And thank you for my beer! That was very kind of you,” I said, giving him a smile. 

“Anytime, Penny.”

As Jo and I began to walk away, I stopped, my brain acting before my common sense could catch up and stop it. I leaned in close to Ted, my lips practically brushing his earlobe. 

“I was going to tell you,” I started softly into his ear, “one thing that might surprise you about me is that I didn’t hate you walking in on me naked, and I don’t think you hated it either.” I stepped away, giving space for me to see the shocked but relieved look on his face. 

I gave him a scrunched nose smile. “Goodnight, Coach.” 

Jo and I exited the bar, and the moment we were outside she stopped me, holding me arm’s length. 

“Did you just tell Ted what I think you did?” 

I giggled. “Mmhmm.”

She wrapped an arm around my shoulders and began to walk us in the direction of the tube. “I can’t wait to tell hungover Penny what you just said.”

[hiddenwritingsintheworld]

Man After Midnight Ch. 6

Rich Mans World Series | Chapter 5| Donations | Thoughts & Feelings

Listen to the Song Here!

“Y/N!!!” you heard the front door open and footsteps rush in, glass crunching underneath them as they ran. Chris came around the corner first. You were seated at the island, a glass of ice tea in front of you, a man's dead body laying across the island. He stopped in his tracks and stared at you. 

You turned and looked at him, your lip busted open and a slight bruise on your cheek. “I guess the Irish are keeping an eye on us,” you spoke in a calm quiet voice. Chris rushed over to you, holding you in his arms while looking at his men. “Get this scum out of here, I’ll be with you guys in a minute.” he helped you up off the stool and looked around for your cane. You stood up and started to slowly walk out of the kitchen when Chris scooped you up in his arms. “I got you,” he whispered, kissing your temple. You smiled a little and wrapped your arms around his neck, “Thank you,” you whispered back as he carried you into the living room, “I'm gonna have to lay down on the couch, I’ll check in on you every once in a while okay?” you nodded up at him as you stared at him. He smiled a sad smile at you, but you grabbed his shirt pulling him down and kissing him deeply. When you both broke apart, you gave him a small smile. “I’m so very lucky,” 

Chris stared down at you before he smiled softly, “I am too,” he kissed your head before he turned a show back on and covered you up on the couch. You laid there listening to everyone moving around the house, cleaning and getting everything reorganized, you ended up dozing off in the middle of it all. 

Chris POV

You stood in the doorway watching her sleep quietly on the couch. Why didn’t you leave someone home to guard her? Why did you assume nothing would happen? Hadn’t you learned your lesson by now? Something always happens. You wanted to give her the world, but that deep rooted fear still lingered. “Everythings cleaned up, the package has been delivered, boss, anything else?” Anthony asked from behind you. “Yeah…I can’t do this alone anymore. Things are getting too deep, too fast. It’s time I take action and to do that, I need my best men. Make the call.” You told him, while staring at her. 

Pushing off the doorframe, you turned the lights low, and walked toward your office, pulling out your cell phone, your thumb hovered over the screen for a moment. You stepped into your office closing the door quietly behind you and sat down at your desk, quickly tapping the small icon. The chat you hadn’t used since watching over her in the hospital popped up and you quickly started texting on it. 

C: “I’m trying to commit better to my wife and I can’t seem to let go of that fear that she will leave me once I give myself to her completely.” 

T: “It’s nice to hear from you again, it’s been a few weeks. Why do you think you’re still having the fear she will leave?” 

C: “Because what if I'm not everything she needs or wants? What if I’m the reason for her stress and problems? She’s smart, strong, independant. She has all these amazing qualities, why stay with someone who has as many issues as me? She can find anyone in the world.” 

T: “Maybe the answer is more simple than you’re realizing. What if she loves you, not for what you offer, but for who you are, when you do open up to her, like you’ve told me about in the past?” 

C: “What if…at the end, it's not enough?” 

Three chat bubbles popped up, then disappeared, then started back up again. You groaned putting your hands over your face, when you pulled them down, you opened a desk drawer and pulled out a photo, it was of Y/N, on your wedding day, she was standing in the church, her veil over her face, she was standing sideways, her gown outstretched behind her as well as her veil. The sun had been shining in on her, so you couldn't really see her face, but you knew she looked sad. 

Your phone chimed alerting you to a new message. Opening it, you felt your heart drop into your stomach. 

T: “That's why they call it love. It doesn't come easily, it’s hard work. But from what you’ve told me, it sounds like you just need to learn to trust her. Maybe the real question isn't what if it’s not enough. But, what if she’s not enough for you? You move from woman to woman because at the end of the day, you’re worried of getting bored, if you sit still long enough you’ll become miserable, you'll think there's no way out of this life, but the issue is, you have trust issues. You must learn to trust your wife.” 

You stared at the phone and huffed. Obviously you had trust issues; you were a fucking mob boss for fuck sake. You groaned laying your head back when Anthony knocked on your door. “Yeah?” you looked up at him. “Got connected. It’s handled.” he nodded as you let out a sigh and a nod. “Thanks, enjoy your evening,” you said, getting up and fixing a drink for yourself. 

Your POV

You heard the front door close and rolled over stretching on the couch, you groaned and winced in pain, before slowly sitting up. You looked around noticing how dark the house was, you carefully got up and turned a lamp on, before limping through the house before you made your way to Chris’s office. You looked in the doorway to see him sitting in front of the fireplace, a drink in his hand, watching the flames dance. 

“Hey,” you spoke quietly as you stood there. Chris glanced back at you, gave you a small tired little smile and nodded, “Hey sweetheart,” he sighed and stood, downing the amber liquid in his glass, he walked over to you wrapping you up in his arms. “How was your nap?” he asked as you snuggled into his chest, “cold,” you whispered. “I missed you,” you whispered. 

Chris pressed his lips to your head, unmoving, he closed his eyes. “I missed you too,” he whispered back. Things were comfortable, and as the silence grew between the two of you, you enjoyed just laying your head on his chest. You wished your entire relationship could be this peaceful, but you cherished these few soft moments you got. 

“Why don’t I take you upstairs, draw a hot bath and we just relax?” Chris whispered to you, not wanting to disturb the moment you two were having. You smiled softly, glancing up at him, you nodded “That sounds wonderful actually,” you smiled softly as he picked you up bridal style and began walking out of his office. “You know, you never cease to amaze me, just like today, that Irish man that broke into the house.” Chris said softly. 

You smiled up at him, kissing him softly. “Thank you,” you whispered quietly as he walked up to your bedroom. 

A few weeks had passed, and you were missing Chris being by your side. He was constantly out dealing with business, which, you knew was bound to happen. You were okay with that, you were just lonely. That’s why you’d made a girls night, one night where all your friends came over, and you had fun. Snacks, booze, movies, music, all the things you were never allowed as a kid, you were gonna do tonight. Brooke, Maddie, Marie and Henry Russo's girlfriend, Mia, were all coming over to hang out with you. You weren’t up for going out to the clubs, and it seemed they were all just as excited as you were about this girls night. You hadn’t realized Chris had hired himself a new assistant, and that She would be coming over to babysit you. 

You had it all set up and ready, excitedly you hurried, as best you could, to the door and threw it open, screaming with glee as your friends did the same. Overnight bags, blankets, and purses were thrown to the side as they made their way into the living room gasping at the set up. You all began listening to music, gossiping,laughing, just having the time of your life. Each girl ended up inviting another girl, and another and soon, there had to have been at least 25-30 girls over, and you were having the time of your life. So much so, you hadn’t seen Chris’s new assistant come in, or the anger that she glared at you with when she stormed off to his office, calling him in the meantime. 

You were standing on the dining room table with Brooke, singing karaoke, a bottle of your favorite wine in hand, a microphone in the other. You laughed as you sang the Mama Mia song loudly with all the girls. The kitchen, as well as the living room, foyer and dining room looked like a tornado had gone through it. Drinks, bottles, snacks, wrappers, candy, food, ice cream, all the workings of a big party, littered every surface possible. Everyone had done hair and make up, laughing loudly about how this is what 12 year olds did. You eventually all changed into pajamas. You wore a pair of short shorts, with one of Chris’s Patriots t-shirts. The large scar on the side of your right leg was on display as you partied with your friends, but you didn’t care. You were having the time of your life. 

Chris and his men walked into the man cave you had so cleverly designed behind his back, and froze hearing the music. “Yes, it's been that way for hours, hence why I called.” his new assistant spoke in a British Accent. “Thanks for the heads up Peggy, what’s going on?” he asked as the music got louder. He looked a little annoyed, he turned to his right and looked at the stairs. “We’ll talk in the morning, come on guys, might need some help.” he grumbled as they all headed up the stairs. Peggy sighed and looked down at the wedding invitation on his desk from Sharon. 

Chris stood in bewilderment at the sight when he came up the stairs, the house, practically destroyed, he glanced at the maid in the kitchen who gave him a nervous smile. “She’s having the time of her life Mr. Evans, in the dining room, on the table.” she scurried back to cleaning dishes. Chris walked toward the dining room, spotting girl after girl rushing around laughing, drinking, having a blast. He froze with bewilderment when he walked into the dining room, the sight before him made his brain fog over and his mouth go dry. 

You stood on the table, barefoot, short shorts, one of his shirts, a bottle of confetti wine in one hand, a black microphone in the other as you belted out the song. 

“Oh, Lord, save me

My drug is my baby

I'll be using for the rest of my life

(Using for the rest of my life. Oh!)

Don't blame me

Love made me crazy

If it doesn't, you ain't doing it right (doing it right, no)

Lord, save me

My drug is my baby

I'll be using for the rest of my life”

You belted the oh, and Chris thought he was going to burst right there in his pants. “Seems to me that Mrs. Evans wants the world to know somethin,” Anthony smirked, talking over the music in Chris’s ear. Chris looked over at him, and then back to you. You were grinning and laughing at the end, another Taylor Swift song coming on as you passed the mic off to another girl and hopped down off the table. You winced as you landed but brushed it off. You went to look at someone when your eyes landed on Chris for a second before you looked away, then suddenly back, doing a double take. Your face fell and you stood frozen. Chris stared for a moment before he smiled at you. Your shoulders dropped relaxing as you pushed through the girls coming over to him. You grinned as you walked toward him before your grin fell a little and you stared beside him. “Sebastian?” you called out over the music as you stared at the man to your husband's right. “You’re back?” you called out. He grinned and nodded before he smiled at Chris.

[password-door-lock]

Mystictober Day 10-- Lover/Midnight

You try your best to stifle a yawn as you scroll through the messenger for what has to be the sixth time in the past half-hour. There isn't much to do at Magenta; you've been here for nearly a week, and you've already finished the book that you brought. Had you known that the library would be functionally empty (there are indeed books there, but most of have been redacted to the point that they border on unreadable) you likely would have sacrificed a little bit of packing space in your bag to bring at least a second volume. After all, you have yet to wear any of the clothes that you packed— when you arrived, Ray furnished you with a brand-new wardrobe, a seamless blend of your tastes and his of much greater quality than anything that you could have bought from home. In retrospect, this should have been a pretty good indication that you were not actually at a video game company, but there’s something about Ray that has always made you trust him, even against your better judgment.

You glance at your phone: it’s 12:01am. Ray should be here soon, you assure yourself, though you have no way of knowing either way. Sometimes, when he says he'll visit you in the evening, he's here at eight o'clock. Other times, he doesn't make it to your room until very late at night. You don't care much when he arrives, as long as you get to see him eventually— you enjoy spending time with Ray, and not just because there isn't much else of substance to do around here. Before you can glance at your phone again (not that you would be able to glean much new information that way) a resounding knock comes at your door. “Come in,” you call. Nobody but Ray would be here at this hour, after all.

“I'm so sorry I'm late,” Ray begins falling all over himself before he's even closed the door. “I got so caught up in my work, and—”

“Ray, it's alright,” you assure him, rushing over to grip his gloved hands in yours. “I know you're really busy. Thanks for making time to see me.”

He offers you a sheepish little smile that melts your heart. There's something about Ray that catches you off guard and makes you swoon when you least expect it. “I couldn't stop thinking about you, even while I was finishing my task. I never stop thinking about you, my MC,” he confesses, absently stroking the back of your hand with his thumb. “I came as soon as I could.”

“I'm glad,” you beam at him, “I missed you. I couldn’t stop thinking about you, either.”

Sometimes, when the two of you are alone, the air is heavy with the words unsaid— it's strange, you think, because Ray seems like such a bold and forward person. After all, he wasted no time in letting you know that he would like you to stay by his side forever, and you've overheard him addressing the other residents of this place in a stern tone, especially where your safety and happiness are concerned. But, then, he seems afraid to tell you whatever it is that's really on his mind... though you suppose you can’t hold that against him. You are equally repressed, equally nervous about naming your feelings. You've known Ray for only a few days, and yet…

“I missed you, too,” Ray breathes, still holding onto your hands. You never want to let go of him for as long as you live. “MC…”

“I'm worried about you,” you admit gently, leading Ray to sit down on the edge of your bed. You figure that you could both use at least a little bit of rest. “I know you've got a lot on your plate right now... is there anything I can do to make it easier for you?” At the end of the day, you want to be able to look out for him just how he's been looking out for you, even if that means staying up until midnight to greet him after he's finished with his work. 

“You're doing more than enough for me just by being here,” Ray informs you smoothly, still rubbing soft circles on the back of your hand. “All you need to do is keep talking to the RFA, and I’ll be happy.”

You have mixed feelings about these instructions— how could you not have mixed feelings about manipulating a group of strangers to achieve an end that no one will explain to you?— but ultimately, you trust Ray's judgment. If he tells you that this is the right thing to do, then you're more than happy to go along with it. “Of course, Ray. Anything for you.”

He gives you that sweet, bashful smile again. You wonder if he has any idea what that expression does to your heartstrings, whether he’s intentionally tugging on them or merely doing so without thinking. “You're so kind to me,” he muses, his voice as smooth as ever, regardless of his obviously flustered state. “How did I get so lucky?”

“That's funny,” you can’t help but break out into a grin. “I've been asking myself the same question since the moment we met.” After all, there's something about Ray that has made it very easy for you to fall in love with him.

[harleyquilt]

The Fire That Burns Us All (TouKen/KaneTou Fanfic) - Chapter 5

Summary: Struggling with his own investigations, Kaneki decides to distract himself by meeting some friendly faces, both new and old.

Word count: 2961~

Notes: Hope the quality is ok for y'all, trying to be as consistent as I can be with my schedule. Lemme know what you think, though! I hope you enjoy~~

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Kaneki leaned back in his seat, his eyes scanning over his pinboard. It was covered with photographs, messily scrawled notes, and lines of thread connecting each piece of information to an enlarged map of Tokyo. The city was sectioned off into their separate wards, separated further with markers signifying territory and safe zones. At the very top of the board were several blurred photos of an Aogiri ghoul Kaneki had been trying to hunt down, but there was little else to see except for a few dead-end leads. 

He tuts and tugs away one of the threads, tossing it aside and sitting back back down onto his seat, looking at the board over the rim of his glasses. He rubs his eyes and squeezes the bridge of his nose, his eyes darting to the clock. It is already two in the morning, and still, he could not bring himself to sleep, despite his apparent exhaustion. 

He sat leaning his head against his hand, the silence sinking into his skin and his mind going numb by the growing static of his restless thoughts. He could feel himself sinking into his seat, the darkness thickening, and the images before him losing their shape. His eyes bore into the photos looming over him, mocking him for his continued failure. They eluded him even now, as he sits there wasting away the night with his brooding. Still, he had been given this task by Arima, and Kaneki had no intention of failing him. 

He forces himself forward and slaps his cheeks. It does little to wake him, but he manages to pull out his phone and call Furuta, who answers after the second ring, as he always does. 

"What can I do for you, boss?" Furuta answers with his chipper voice. 

"I would like to meet with Akira Mado, if I can. Please look into our schedules for me."

Furuta hums for a moment, filling in the silence over the phone. "Ah," he says finally. "She and Amon will be free at two in the afternoon for a late lunch. Will that do, or would you like something more official?" 

"No, that's fine. I'll spend my lunch with them, then." He strums his fingers against the table, thinking to himself. "One more thing. Please make sure that my evening is free - I have a few things I need to attend to."

"Will do. I'll be sure to give you my report tomorrow morning."

"Make that later tonight. I'll be finished before nine." 

Without waiting for a response, Kaneki ends the call and stands from his seat. Almost immediately, his stomach begins to rumble, and looking down, he frowns. With a shake of his head, he dismisses his hunger and decides to have a late night shower. 

. . . 

Amon watches with strained worry as Akira shakes more chilli powder onto his curry. One, two, three…five shakes. With a pleased smile, Akira places aside the powder and mixes her own curry into her rice. 

"You know," she begins, breaking off a piece of her naan. "The best way to eat curry is with your hands." As if to demonstrate, she scoops a handful of curry and rice with her naan and shoves it into her mouth. "Mm, delicious." 

"I see…" Amon continues to frown at his dish and Akira raises a brow.

"It's going to get cold if you keep staring at it." 

Suddenly distracted, Akira waves over Kaneki as he enters the cafeteria, eager to catch up with her old partner. Amon, meanwhile, eats a small mouthful of untainted rice. Kaneki sits to Amon’s side and gives both a small bow in greeting. 

"Always so formal." Akira smiles, taking another handful of curry. "How have you been, Kaneki-kun?" 

Kaneki offers a wry smile. "I've been okay. I haven't made much progress with my investigations, I'm afraid."

"You look tired." Amon remarks, pushing aside his half eaten lunch. "I've noticed you taking on a lot of late night shifts, too." 

"Your performance will suffer if you don't get your eight hours." Akira adds with gentle scrutiny. Kaneki nods with a smile, bowing his head.

"Yes, ma'am." He says and she nods in approval. 

"Good. I don't like thinking that you're keeping yourself awake with all these difficult assignments."

"Speaking of which," Kaneki says. "How are your respective investigations going? Have you found Torso yet?"

Amon shakes his head. "He's slippery, that one. We haven't quite cracked the pattern he's following just yet. It won't be long now, though."

Finishing her curry, Akira dabs at her mouth with a handkerchief. "We think he's using a vehicle of sorts, but it'll be hard to find him with that theory alone. It is likely he uses something innocuous, like a taxi, perhaps." 

"A taxi…" Kaneki mulled over the thought, having seen Akira and Amon’s notes on the case. "If I find anything suspicious, I'll be sure to let both of you know." 

"That'd help." Amon says. "With your nose and all. But there's no need to push yourself even harder."

"Please, this will be a welcomed break for me." Kaneki laughs lightly, waving off Amon’s concern. "I'll keep an eye out." 

. . .

By the time he arrived at the cafe, a light shower of rain began to fall across Tokyo. The clouds gathered and darkened against the evening sky and the lights of Tokyo began to light up the streets with their bright, fluorescent urban glow. The cafe was comfortably warm, the fragrance of freshly brewed coffee lingering in the air. He found himself smiling as he waited by the door for the waitress to walk around the counter, greeting him with slight familiarity and kind hospitality. She guided him to a corner booth and waited for his order with a knowing smile. 

“Black, please.” Kaneki asked. 

“No sugar and milk. Got it.” She gave him a small bow and moved back behind the counter to prepare his drink. Kaneki let out a deep breath he had been holding in unknowingly and leaned back against his cushioned seat. 

There were a few more customers this time. Some were alone, some with a friend or two, a few students, and a couple of elderly customers. They all spoke with a gentle quietness, their words hidden behind the hum of the coffee machine and the clatter of cups and cutlery. It was strangely tranquil in a way that could not be felt in other coffee shops, a relaxing mix of the mundane and a seamless detachment from the outside world. Like a hidden realm that only he and these few customers could find solace in. Or perhaps he was overthinking it, he thought to himself, suddenly embarrassed as the waitress returned with his drink. 

She placed it down and asked if he wanted anything else. He hesitated for a moment, looking down into his coffee, and he chewed on his lip. “Forgive me if you find this uncomfortable but,” he kept his eyes lowered, his brow furrowed. “But could I ask for your name?” He mumbled. 

“I’m sorry, could you say that again?” She asked, though in a kind, patient tone. She leaned forward slightly and turned her ear towards him. 

He lifted his gaze and his eyes darted between each of her features. Her smiling lips, her mesmerising eyes with her thick, dark eyelashes, the sheen in her raven hair - he was captivated with each part of her face, yet he couldn’t bear to look for too long in fear of how he must seem to her. He forced the words out quickly and repeated his question, looking away again afterwards.

“Ah, I see.” She let out a nervous laugh. “It’s Touka. Touka Kirishima.”

Kaneki nodded to himself, clutching his cup tightly. “My name is Ken Kaneki.”

She does not respond right away, but shows little in her unchanging expression. “Well, it’s nice to see you, Kaneki-kun.” 

Hearing his name spoken with sudden familiarity sent a jolt through his chest and he suppressed a shiver, nodding again in acknowledgement. She leaves him soon afterwards and he heaves out another pent up breath, taking a sip of the coffee to help calm his nerves. It was peculiar; he was an elite investigator in charge of some of the deadliest tasks known to the CCG, and yet, when interacting with this waitress, he is left nervous and fumbling under her gentle gaze. He wanted to know more about her, but did not have the courage to seek it out. It was almost ridiculous considering everything he has faced as an investigator. Still, this was something he has had no experience in dealing with before, and knowing the person that he was, he was unsure if he was even allowed to experience such simplicities. Though, perhaps for now, it would be alright to know her as an acquaintance, he thought as he took another sip of the coffee.

Another young woman entered the cafe then - a petite girl with short, brown hair and a pleasant, rounded face with large, doe-like eyes that seemed to exude a youthful innocence. She walked straight to the counter and leaned against it, eagerly waving for Touka, who in turn asked her to wait for a moment. She turned around and leaned back against the counter with her eyes drifting across the cafe. 

Meeting his, they come to an abrupt stop and they widen for a moment, her complexion paling. Showing little reaction, Kaneki continues to drink his coffee, glancing back at her over the rim of his cup. She quickly looks down, her lips pressed together, and she moves behind the counter, grabbing Touka’s arm. She whispers into Touka’s ear and Touka stiffens, her face moving slightly towards the girl. She whispers something back and the girl looks back at Kaneki for a brief moment with a wild look of fear. Stepping back, she hurries away to the staffroom and Kaneki sets down his cup, his expression cool and calm. 

After a short while, Touka heads back to Kaneki’s table, keeping her composure. She asks if he would like a refill and Kaneki shakes his head. “No, thank you.” He meets her eyes for a moment before looking away again. “Have I made your friend uncomfortable? The one that came in a few minutes ago?”

“My friend?” She tilts her head to one side, her eyes widening as if suddenly remembering who he was referring to. “Ah, that was my younger sister.” She presses her hands together and bows. “Please forgive her. She’s quite skittish and thought you looked…um…” She hesitates, shrugging her shoulders helplessly. “She was worried you might be someone shady. I am very sorry.”

“Ah, I see.” Kaneki smiles. “Well, I was going to leave anyway. Please tell her that I am sorry for causing her distress.”

Touka’s eyes widened again, her smile fading. “Please wait!” She says suddenly. “Are you sure you would not like another coffee?”

“Not right now, no.” Kaneki stands and places down the money he owed her. “Maybe another time.”

He gives her a bow and leaves, feeling her eyes watching him as the door closes behind him. He glances back at the shop momentarily, deep in thought, before calling for a taxi. The rain is cold against his skin, the smell of wet concrete permeating the air, and the bitter taste of the coffee lingering on his lips.

. . .

The look Touka’s sister gave him continued to haunt his thoughts, along with Touka’s words. He knew he always had an intimidating presence and he was sure to use that to his advantage, and rarely had he thought anything more than that. And yet, seeing the way the girl had looked at him and knowing how that must seem to someone like Touka gave him a shudder. It made him wonder how Touka must really think of him and he felt his heart clench with a growing shame at the thought that her friendliness was nothing more than the usual hospitality that she showed  to all of her customers. If that was the case, he would do well to stay away from the cafe, even if she had the kindness in her heart to not turn him away. He refused to be more of a nuisance than he already was. And with this thought, he looked up and noticed the taxi he had called for arriving.

The taxi slowed to a stop to where Kaneki stood and he quickly got into the back. He leaned back and gave the driver a random address, pulling his gloves onto his hands. The driver nodded and started to drive, his fingers tightening around the wheel. 

Kaneki rested his head against the window, his nostrils flaring. This was the fifth taxi he was taking that night in hopes to help Akira and Amon narrow down their search. He considered it part of his own patrol, though perhaps he was simply hoping to distract himself from his own investigations. Regardless, the last four drivers showed no signs of suspicious behaviour and he concluded that they must be regular humans - they had even shown compliance in sharing their worker’s ID so that he may check on their profiles later on, all four showing concern for any potential danger of ghouls in their workplace. 

This taxi, however, immediately set him off; it stunk of blood, both new and old, and it permeated the whole vehicle. Kaneki had thought that this Torso killer would be more discreet in handling his victims, though he likely could not have anticipated a fellow ghoul as an investigator entering his vehicle. Disgusting creatures, Kaneki thought with a sneer. All of them. With this thought, he looked to the streets outside, the car driving closer to an isolated patch of land. 

“Just ahead.” Kaneki ordered, tilting his chin up. “If I may ask, how long have you been working in this profession?” 

The driver hesitated and met his eyes in the rearview mirror. He swallowed and parted his thin lips. “About a year, sir. Why do you ask?”

“I see. Do you enjoy your job?”

“Well…I suppose so.” The car pulls over to a nearby curb. “Is this okay?”

Kaneki does not answer right away, his eyes narrowed. “I think you must enjoy your job.” His hand grips onto his briefcase tightly. “After all, it has made it much easier for trash like you to kill your victims.”

The driver’s eyes widen and he slams his foot down onto the accelerator, thrusting the car forward. Kaneki grabs onto the driver’s seat with one hand to keep himself balanced and pierces the other through the seat and into the driver’s back, crushing his spine with his fist. The driver yells out and swerves the car around. It slams against the corner of a building and he leans forward, his kagune shooting out from his lower back. Kaneki pulls his hand back and ducks as the kagune flies over him and through the back window, shattered glass falling across the backseat. The driver takes the opportunity to leave the car, stumbling forward onto the ground with thick drops of blood trailing behind him. 

Kaneki kicks the door out and begins to follow the fumbling ghoul, releasing his yukimura quinque. He slowly walks closer to Torso, who is now on all fours as the wound in his back begins to knit itself back together. With wild eyes, Torso snaps his head towards Kaneki, his rinkaku claw thrusting out and towards him. And with little effort, Kaneki moves to one side, easily dodging the attack. Torso scrambles forward onto his feet and begins to run, throwing out another attack with his kagune that Kaneki knocks back with his quinque. 

“There’s no use running.” Kaneki yelled, his eyes tracking the ghoul as he ran. “If you were wise, you’d give yourself up willingly. It would save me the trouble of having to cut off your legs.”

Torso begins to slow and his kagune withers back into his skin. He heaves heavily, his dark hair plastered against his sweating skin. From here, Kaneki could see him more clearly - the ghoul’s gaunt face, sunken eyes, slender frame. He’s more like a twig than a ghoul, and still, this creature is responsible for the slaughter of countless lives. He is a sickness, a disease, and in that sense, Torso looks as despicable as the rest of them. Kaneki looks up and sees the moon hanging high up in the sky and his stomach groans with unsatiated hunger. He looks back down to Torso, who has forced himself to run further ahead, and he sighs. 

“I’m tired.” He muttered to himself and he raised his quinque, readying his stance. “Let’s end this quickly.”

Just then, Kaneki is knocked forward with a flurry of light blows against his back that pierces through his skin with searing heat. He rolls forward and pushes himself back onto his feet and faces his attacker, his body stinging with sudden pain. Examining his surroundings, he sees a figure standing on top of a nearby lamp post - a ghoul with a flaming ukaku and a black rabbit mask. They stood lightly and wore a long, dark coat, but Kaneki could recognise the figure almost immediately. 

“Black Rabbit.” Kaneki grunted, his knuckles white as he held onto his weapon. “I guess you’re here to pick up your trash.”

The ghoul dropped to the ground and kept a crouched stance, their kagune flaring out. “That is none of your concern, dove. Get out of my way.”

Gritting his teeth, Kaneki glared. “You’re an idiot if you think I’ll give you what you want.”

The ukaku swirls against the dark sky, like a blazing fire, and begins to crystallise at the root. 

“Then die.”

[ymcr]

-

work thoughts 6pm

i can't remember the last time i had a boss who stressed me out so much i needed to take an ativan after having a meeting with them and wanted to cry at the end of every workday. i don't know why this woman hates my guts. some of my many grievances include:

she is so reluctant to offer what i had thought were extremely reasonable schedule accommodations (namely, switching my days off from wed/thurs to tues/thurs so i can take an animal cognition course this fall—didn't think it was that big of an ask but apparently it's a huge inconvenience). she granted this one but said this will be the last schedule change i'm allowed to have.

i feel pressured to pass through/post up in conspicuous areas because i have been reprimanded for being "difficult to locate." i feel like my location is being monitored at all times and i am afraid to so much as go to the bathroom or go to the break room to get a drink of water without informing her first as if i'm in fucking elementary school. she will literally call me on the phone to ask where i am on the property.

such a huge caseload is put on my plate every day and i am compelled to do my job quickly but not necessarily thoroughly, or compassionately. i deal with very emotionally charged situations and i try to be patient with clients and bring my best self to all of my (animal and human) interactions, but quality is not rewarded, only speed and efficiency.

i've been chastised for leaving early even though i make sure to check in with people before i go, and was under the impression that staff are allowed to leave when their work is done, even if that's before the end of their scheduled shift. (side note on that topic: today i was scheduled until 4, finished a multiple cat intake at 4:30, and figured i was done, so i punched out, but then saw people doing EOD walks for the dogs, and i didn't want anyone to see me walking to my (busted ass piece of shit miracle it still drives after getting t-boned in a hit and run a week ago, but that's a whole other can of worms) car, because it "leaves a bad taste in people's mouths" when they see me leave while they're still working, so i hurriedly went back inside and helped walk some dogs as if i had never left. then at 5, an hour after i was supposed to go home, i was in the kitchen writing notes about my walk like we're supposed to, and one of my better coworkers passed by and exclaimed "remy!! i thought you left at 4, what are you doing here?!" to which i replied that i had been told not to leave while people are still working. she reassured me that i should leave when i'm scheduled to leave and not to worry about everyone else, which i appreciated but i would have felt extremely paranoid and guilty if i had actually left at 4:30. and of course my boss was long gone by this point bc she's salaried and can leave whenever the hell she wants.)

i could go on but i'd prefer not to have this woman occupy so much of my brain. i just feel like there's no winning with her because my personality is not a match with hers. i know i'm a good person and that i'm doing my best, and i have received glowing feedback from volunteers, interns, clients, & coworkers....so it's sad that the entire workplace vibe can be so thoroughly ruined by one person, because otherwise i think things are (or could be) going well. i only see her 3 days a week, but at the end of each of those 3 days i feel literally sick with anxiety. i want to try to push through because working here is giving me a lot of hours towards CPDT licensure, but i'm not afraid to real-winners-quit this situation if it comes down to that.

[nobully]

[ reassure ] uvu

the  intimacy  of  hands. | [ reassure ] – for the sender’s muse to place their hand over the receiver’s in a moment of stress and squeeze reassuringly.

Surely, somewhere out there, Wang Yi thinks to himself, Nicolette's having the same problem.

He stares at the assortment of items for sale in the stationery store and gives a long sigh. Sure, buying writing utensils is a no brainer for a scholar, but he knows better than to just give a bundle of pens. The more you honed your craft, the more sensitive you were about details. Zhilan's not the type to openly voice his complaints about anything, but damn if Wang Yi wasn't going to get him something he enjoyed writing with.

For one thing, the Liyuen script Zhilan's familiar with best has intricate characters, so he'd definitely prefer something with a thinner tip. 0.7 or 0.5mm both seem too thick, especially with how many notes the scholar can take in one session, so he looks for 0.4mm or less. 0.38mm is typically the sweet spot, but Zhilan has a few pens like that already, so he should aim for something slightly different...

Wang Yi's spent the good part of an hour staring down the pen selections (turning down three offers of help from store employees along the way) before his eyes trail over to the fountain pens. Of course, he'd used one in school too—but it was one of those cheaper models with disposable ink cartridges. He remembers that Zhilan's more used to a brush and might find the Western equivalent interesting—but if that was the case, he wants to buy him something nice.

A good fountain pen could last for years, if not generations. Plenty of modern high-end models used cartridges as well, so Zhilan wouldn't have to worry about carrying around bottles of ink. He could also get a mix of permanent and water-based ones, depending on how durable the guy wanted his notes. His eyes skim past the models, skipping past the ones with unnecessary bling for something practical and classy.

Not this one...not that one either...

This one has brass, that's too heavy...that other one's too showy...

And then he spots it: the perfect mix of past and present, a fountain pen with a retractable nib, its body adorned with neat stripes of traditional mother-of-pearl maki-e that glimmer in the light. The body is a little fatter than he expected, but he realizes the girth might be more comfortable for a guy used to holding brushes and besides—it's lightweight enough not to be a bother.

Wang Yi takes a closer look at the sticker on its side and blanches.

What the hell is this price tag?!

He bursts out the doors of the shop the next second, fingers tapping furiously on his phone. Whatever, there were ways to get this without breaking the bank...too much.

***

On the morning of Zhilan's birthday, he holds out the neatly wrapped box to his friend and clears his throat nervously.

' So I got you this pen—not just any one I mean, but a fountain pen. The tip's retractable so you can store it when not in use—plus it comes with a pen holder, so you don't have to worry if you drop it by accident. There's instructions for changing the ink inside if you've never used one before. '

' It's a brand I've seen in my world...their quality's solid and I picked a F nib on purpose so you can write really fine lines. It's also really smooth but...um... '

He shuffles in place and looks away.

' It's not new, though this one's barely used! I, I tested it to make sure it was working before I packed it. But uh, if you don't like it I'll get you something else... '

The words trail off. There's a hand resting over his own, which Wang Yi realizes have tensed around the box so much that they're wrinkling the wrapping paper.

' Sh—shoot, I didn't mean to crush it, uh— '

"Wang Yi." Zhilan's soft voice brings him back to reality, and he looks up like a guilty schoolboy caught breaking the rules.

' Y-yeah? '

"It's okay." Zhilan smiles at him and squeezes. You're okay.

And with that, Wang Yi relaxes until his fingers uncurl around the box, until he sees Zhilan accept it from his hands, until the scholar's unwrapped the thing and holding up his new pen to the light. The raden bands sparkle just like he'd hoped they would under the sun.

He exhales and finally breaks into a smile.

' Happy Birthday, Xiao Lan. '

[monstermoviedean]

seen a few friends job-hunting lately and wanted to offer a few potentially helpful tips! disclaimer that i am not an hr professional and have limited formal training and experience with hiring. that being said, i have served on a few hiring panels lately and wanted to share in case this helps!

during the application:

double-, triple-, quadruple-check all your documents to be sure there are no errors or typos.

clearly title your documents. it's not a dealbreaker but it could make someone's life a little easier when they're sorting through documents! "name - type of doc" is safe and easy.

make sure any documents you're submitting are in a standard format that others can access. i think pdfs are the safest bet.

submit everything you're required to submit!!! it's a huge reason people get disqualified - attaching a cover letter but not a resume, for example.

check your resume again. just to be safe :)

regarding formatting/style, your resume is most likely fine so long as it's readable and the formatting is not distracting.

apply for jobs even if you don't think you're fully qualified for them. yes, really! a lot of businesses are in flux right now and that could lead them to be more flexible in hiring people who don't meet all the qualifications.

email and phone number are fine for contact info unless the employer specifically requests something else. you probably don't need to include your address. you definitely don't need to include your entire academic record or your full unredacted social security number (yes people did this, no they did not get hired).

interviews:

digital asynchronous interviews are weird and awkward for everyone involved. i think a lot of people will be more forgiving towards candidates who seem a little nervous or stiff during a pre-recorded interview. worry less about body language or mannerisms and more about the content of your answers (see below).

answer the question. answer the entire question. as thoroughly and accurately and specifically as possible! i cannot emphasize enough the importance of answering a question when asked. a lot of people will meander through an answer, touch a lot of related topics, and not address the full question. sometimes we'll prompt them to answer it again and they still miss. this is a problem! it becomes unclear whether the person forgot the question, is purposely being vague, or is a poor communicator - but none of those are good.

you can ask interviewers to repeat a question! you can also ask something like "did that fully address the question?" at the end of your answer. only speaking for myself here, but i wouldn't mark someone down for that - i'd be glad they cared enough to ask.

seriously, answer the question. again, only speaking for myself here, but the only thing my company scores candidates on is the quality of their answers. you could be the most likable, genial, enthusiastic, conscientious, hardworking person in the world and give the best interview we've ever seen, but if you don't answer the questions, you won't score well.

emphasize growth, flexibility, adaptability, responsiveness, etc. this can absolutely suck to do as a candidate but interviewers will appreciate it if you acknowledge that you aren't perfect! as an example, we usually ask a question about when you made a mistake and what you learned. some people's "mistake" is actually a mistake someone else made that they responded to, or a time that someone they supervised made a mistake and they took it as a failure to "manage someone." it doesn't suggest a lot of self-awareness or ability to be reflective when someone names a mistake that's actually someone else's. so be honest and identify a mistake, but emphasize what you've learned and how you have improved as a result.

interviewers are just people. mostly people with regular jobs who are not trained interviewers. they most likely will not notice that wonky hair you couldn't get right or if you're fidgeting a little.

if you are looking at notes during the interview (especially if you get questions to review in advance) you can let people know! it's okay to say "if you see me looking down at my desk it's because I'm looking at my notes." again, I can only speak for myself, but i wouldn't penalize anyone for that.

you can also prepare answers even if you don't know the questions! most employers will ask some general questions that you can anticipate - about your organization skills, ability to work individually and with a team, ability to stick to deadlines, experience with responsibility for a project, how you communicate, when you made a mistake and how you learned and grew from it. you can have "stock answers" for these and even come up with a few examples in advance.

when possible and relevant, explain why the work is important to you. you don't have to give explicit detail, but you can say things like what interests you about the work, what prior knowledge you have, what you'd like to learn, or a personal connection (if you want to share). i think showing enthusiasm/care for the work can never be a bad thing.

that being said: if you don't care about the work/the field, don't fake it. instead, try to find something in the work you can care about and latch onto that. maybe you don't give a shit about customer service but you do enjoy talking to people, or making people's lives easier. maybe you have a knack for answering questions or recalling the right resources you can share with people. maybe you're just looking for a paycheck (fair!!!), but try to find something to care about within that job.

ask good follow-up questions! everyone asks technical questions like salary, hours, day-to-day work - and there's nothing wrong with that. but asking a thought-provoking question that shows interest in/connection to the work can help you stand out. here are a couple i've used (no guarantee they work but feel free to try!): what do you love most about your job? what do you think is most important for a candidate to know about this job? what is the most important trait/skill for you in the candidate who fills this role? if you had unlimited money and resources to spend on one project related to the work of the organization, what would you spend it on/what kind of project would you create?

post-interview, a follow-up email saying "it was great to speak with you, thank you so much for your time" never hurts :)

good luck friends!!!!!! let me know if you need any help ❤️

[paypant]

10 Ways to Listen to Audiobooks for Free

I love audiobooks, but they can get expensive. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to listen to audiobooks for free! Here are ten tips and tricks that will have you listening to your next favorite book while saving money.

Borrow audiobooks from your public library.

Check with your local library to see if they offer audiobooks. Many libraries do, and many of them are free. Even if you're not a library member or don't live near one, it's worth checking out—sometimes libraries will let you use their services even if you aren't a resident or member. Most libraries' audiobooks are digital, meaning you can download them directly onto your phone or tablet without needing physical CDs or DVDs (though some still offer these options). If the audiobook is available in both formats, I'd recommend opting for the digital version since it's more accessible and easier to move around than physical copies. Audiobooks usually come with time limits—you may have only three weeks (or one month) after check-out before they expire and must be returned. Be aware of this when choosing what books to borrow from your local library—you might not want something that'll leave you disappointed after only a few days.

Use digital services like Overdrive and Libby.

Here are some ways to listen to audiobooks for free: Use digital services like Overdrive and Libby. If your local library or school district offers audiobook borrowing through these platforms, you’re in luck! You can borrow ebooks and audiobooks from your library using this service. You only need an internet connection and a device that supports the Overdrive app (iOS, Android, desktop). Download podcasts about books. Loyal Books has hundreds of free podcasts for readers who want more information about books they read or are thinking about reading (this is my favorite). Open Culture also has many free podcasts on its website that discuss books in detail.

Check out your local library's site and download any apps they have.

Your library may have audiobook apps. The best way to find out is by checking the library’s website and searching for “audiobook” or “audiobooks” on their app page. Ask them if they can make one if they don't have one. If your local library doesn't have an app available, you can still listen to audiobooks on your phone through apps like Audible, Overdrive (which works with many libraries), and iTunes. You can also listen to audiobooks on your computer and tablet using these same methods.

Get audiobook apps on your smartphone or tablet.

Find audiobook apps. If you’re looking for an app that will let you listen to audiobooks, search the Google Play Store or Apple App Store for “audiobook.” You can also check out Audible and Overdrive. They both have similar features and are great places to start your search. Look for an app with a user-friendly interface that is easy on your eyes and ears. The first thing that attracts me to an audiobook app is its design—a simple layout with large fonts makes it easy to read while driving or doing other tasks around the house. What's more important than design? The sound quality, of course! Ensure it has clear speakers, so no buzzing noises disturb your enjoyment when listening on headphones (or better yet: earbuds). Download free content from public libraries or buy individual episodes or entire series as downloads through these apps when possible so they don't eat away at data limits when streaming over cellular networks. Especially if you're paying per MB with plans like T-Mobile ONE Plus International plan, which offers unlimited high-speed data abroad but charges $25/GB after reaching 50GB each month domestically—and always requires WiFi connection everywhere else except those regions where cellular coverage exists like Japan where all providers offer 4G LTE speeds indoors.

Free trials for audiobook subscriptions.

Take advantage of free trials for audiobook subscriptions. Listen to audiobooks for free on Amazon. Listen to audiobooks for free on iTunes.

Use the free audio content on YouTube.

Listen to audiobooks on YouTube with a free trial of Audible. YouTube has a vast collection of free audiobook content that you can access with your computer or phone. You can use YouTube's built-in player on your desktop or download the app from Apple or Google Play and listen directly. You'll be able to find new releases and classics alike, as well as multiple versions of each title (audio only, text-to-speech reading of the book). The selection's not too bad either—there are over 75,000 books available. One caveat: many readers will be marked "properly licensed" when they're not, so if it bothers you that some authors aren't getting paid enough money for their work (or at all), skip those.

Join a podcast community focused on literature.

If you deeply love books and want to surround yourself with other like-minded people, joining a podcast community focused on literature may be just what you're looking for. Many podcasts focus on literature, some more educational and some more entertaining, but all of them will help keep your love for reading alive. Some focus on different genres of literature, such as memoirs or poetry, while others focus on specific authors and their works. Still, others are more general and cover everything from the writing process to how best to approach particular topics in our daily lives (such as love or death).

Invest in Audible.

Consider investing in Audible to get more flexibility with audiobooks. If you'd like to get the most out of your audiobook collection, consider signing up for a monthly subscription service like Audible.

Not only does this give you access to thousands of titles that aren't available elsewhere, but it also provides the option to cancel at any time and restart or extend your membership later. You can try the service with a complimentary 30-day trial before committing yourself.

Download for free from Loyal Books or Open Culture.

If the book is in the public domain, you can download it for free from sites like Loyal Books or Open Culture. Public domain means that a work has expired and can be used freely. This includes books whose copyrights have expired or been forfeited by their owners, which means they're available to anyone who wants them—including you.

The Internet Archive has an enormous collection of public domain books, organized by categories like "French children's literature," "Russian literature," "Utopian novels" (which is my favorite), and more. Some full-text versions are available at Gutenberg Project, but if you want the audio version, try one of these other sites instead.

Non-fiction books with Free Audiobooks.

Non-fiction books are a great place to start with free audiobooks because there are many great ones. You can find a lot of great non-fiction books on the internet. The website Librivox has over 15,000 audiobooks in the public domain, and they're all available for streaming or download as MP3s. You can also find plenty of non-fiction books in your local library. Go to their website, check the catalog, and request the text you want to listen to! Libraries often have more than one copy of each title (sometimes many), so don't be afraid that yours might not be available when you call them up and ask for it.

Best Free Audio Books

There's no question that the best free audiobooks come from Librivox recordings of public-domain texts. The oldest are from the 1900s, and they all have a unique feel with different readers and styles. These are an incredible value since they're free but high quality simultaneously. For these reasons, these free audiobooks should be your first stop when looking for great things to listen to for free.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a free version of Audible? The short answer is that there isn't a free, unlimited version of Audible. However, some ways exist to enjoy listening to audiobooks without breaking the bank. If you're an Amazon Prime member, you can get two free monthly books and listen to them on your phone or computer with the Audible app. Of course, there are some limitations to this version of Audible: they're restricted to two books per month, and they'll expire at the end of that month. But if you're a voracious reader and want to get in on all those great deals before you start paying for books, this option is perfect for you. How can I download audiobooks for free? The best way to download audiobooks for free is through a podcast. Podcasts are audio files that you can subscribe to on your phone or computer and listen to at any time, usually while you're out walking or driving. The big disadvantage is that they are usually very short (5 minutes or less) and come out very infrequently (usually just one per week or month). Related article: 17 sites to get paid to read e-books Which is the best audiobook app? Audible is a subscription service that costs $14.95 monthly for one book (plus a credit on the site for buying additional books). You can find more than 100,000 audiobooks from popular authors like JK Rowling, Tom Clancy, James Patterson, and Suzanne Collins here. The app has a nice interface—you can easily search for everything available or see what's new and trending. You can also browse by genre and subject matter, so it will be easy to find if you're looking for something specific. How do you listen to audiobooks from the library? If you want to listen to audiobooks from the library, you'll first need a library card. You can get one at your local library branch, or if you live in the U.S., you can sign up online at your local library's website. Once you have an account, the most common way is to download them instantly onto your computer or phone (or other listening devices) using OverDrive, which is free and available for many devices. It may take a little time for OverDrive to process your request (they give a processing estimate with each book), but once it's ready, it downloads and stores the file. Then you have to plug in your phone or computer (or whatever device you're using as a player) and listen away. What is the cheapest way to get audiobooks? There are plenty of ways to get audiobooks for free or nearly free. Here are some of my favorite resources for getting audiobooks for cheap: Your local library – Your local library is a great resource for free audiobooks. Each library varies in how many they have available. Still, most should have many fiction and non-fiction titles you can borrow and download to any device you have (computer, tablet, smartphone). Audiobook apps – Many apps let you download audiobooks onto your phone or tablet. What equipment do you need to listen to audiobooks? You don't need any special equipment to listen to an audiobook. Obviously, an audiobook is a recording of someone reading out loud, so all you really need is a way to ensure that you aren't listening to anything else–like music–while listening to your book. The easiest way to ensure this doesn't happen is just to plug in some headphones and go about your life.

Summary.

The good news is that there are many places where you can find free audiobooks. With the rise of digital books and e-readers, more people are turning to audiobooks for entertainment and information. If you’re looking for an alternative format that won't cost much but still offers excellent content, audiobooks may be just what you need. Read the full article

[constructionaccounting]

571: Practical Tips To Improve Your Construction Marketing Strategy

This Podcast Is Episode 571, And It's About Practical Tips To Improve Your Construction Marketing Strategy

Stepping up your marketing game as a construction business owner is always a welcome topic in my client conversations. Often, contractors chat with me about the best way to promote their company, primarily because no one else is running it. 

  You may focus more on accounting and taxes at times, and at other times, your business may slow down, and sales become more challenging. Given this trend, establishing and maintaining connections with existing and potential customers has become more critical. 

  So, if you're looking to do some construction business promotions to attract more quality clients, what do you do, especially on your own? Here are some practical tips that I highly suggest to consider:

  1. Build a solid online presence:

Create a website showcasing your services and experience, and make sure it's easy for potential customers and homeowners to contact you. Plus points if you know how to optimize it by location and keywords, or you can always learn a thing or two when you Google: Local Search Engine Optimization. It's essential to show up first in SERPS (Search Engine Results Page) when someone looks for "plumbing emergency in (city)" or "HVAC installer nearby."

As you build and edit your pages, keep in mind your USP (Unique Selling Proposition):

What your business does.

Whom it serves.

Why it's different from other companies?

How is it beneficial to your prospective client?

Note that some of these elements can be divided into sections and published on one page; for instance, Services and Testimonials can work well together. This gives your visitors much-needed assurance that you have had successful projects and happy clients. 

Create informative content: Share blog posts, videos, and infographics that provide value to your target audience and establish your business as an industry expert.

Remember to include your Awards and Recognition (if you have any) and place it strategically. Add value to your website footer by including your contact details, policies, and other relevant links. Include appropriate CTAs (Call-To-Action) throughout your site so prospective clients can take the necessary steps and hire your services. For example, a 'Contact Us' button or a 'Request a Quote' form can be effective CTAs.

2. Use social media: Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn are great for sharing your projects and engaging with your audience. Create posts regularly to update on services or special offers. 

Local SEO is mainly about getting listed in local online resources and optimizing your website's and other platforms' online content to reference location-relevant key phrases and regional names rather than generic keywords. 

Your construction business listing must be consistent across all platforms you use, mainly because changing it later will be challenging (think about logo placement, colors, and font).

3. Register your business on online directories: This will help increase your visibility and attract more local clients. 

Google Business Profile - This is a free tool for promoting your business profile and website on Google Search and Maps. Even if you don't have a website, your Google business profile is the most crucial resource for local businesses. Claiming and verifying your business's listing will help your efforts appear in local search results.

Bing Places - Microsoft's version, which might be less popular, still needs attention. It works the same way, allowing you to claim and verify your business's physical location and have it appear in Bing Maps and on mobile devices running the Windows Phone operating system.

Yelp. Yelp is an online urban guide that provides local business listings. It recently replaced the relatively unsuccessful Apple Maps app for iPhones and iPads, and these devices now use data from Yelp to display local information with their included mapping apps. Given the enormous popularity of iPhones, the advantages of getting listed on Yelp should be obvious.

4. Attend industry events: Trade shows, conferences, and networking events are great opportunities to meet potential clients and connect with other professionals in your industry. 

Remember, networking is about building relationships, not just collecting business cards. Be genuine, be interested in others, and follow up with people after you meet them to continue the conversation.

The key here is to stop looking at every person in your networking group as a potential sale. Especially early on, be more concerned about what you can give than what you can get from these meetings.

Give materially by sponsoring group events, donating to fundraising, or bringing bagels to the meeting. Give your time and effort by contributing to a service position, or be free with great ideas and a welcoming smile.

The long-term value of networking groups lies in building strong trusting relationships that will give you influence beyond the people in your immediate group.

5. Word-of-mouth referrals are the most cost-effective way of gaining new customers because you don't have to spend anything on advertising or marketing. Research has repeatedly shown that referrals have a higher conversion rate (inquiries to sales) and spend more than other customers. People have more confidence in a business recommended by friends or colleagues.

Referrals will happen naturally if you provide excellent service and good value, but you can improve your referral rate through an active incentive program.

Final thoughts

This seems a lot to do, especially if you're single-handedly working and managing your business. But unless your construction company has lots of work stacked up, there will be times when there is nothing to do, and that is the best time to think about Strategic Marketing and following the adage:

"Dig your well before you are thirsty."

You will only build a loyal client base if you earn your visitors' trust, which is why companies value social proof highly. Proving your construction business's value online takes a unique skill set, but boosting it during your downtime is a great practice. 

PS 

We offer free resources to help you save time and money that you can download and print now. 

About The Author:

Sharie DeHart, QPA, co-founded Business Consulting And Accounting in Lynnwood, Washington. She is the leading expert in managing outsourced construction bookkeeping and accounting services companies and cash management accounting for small construction companies across the USA. She encourages Contractors and Construction Company Owners to stay current on their tax obligations. She offers insights on managing the remaining cash flow to operate and grow their construction company sales and profits so they can put more money in the bank. Call 1-800-361-1770 or sharie@fasteasyaccounting.com

Check out this episode about Contractors Marketing - Accounting - Production (M.A.P.)!

[mobilegooshopp2]

Second Hand Phones: The Surprising Truth Behind Their Rising Popularity

Welcome, friend! Let's chat about something that's been gaining a lot of traction lately - second hand phones. Yeah, you heard it right. We're diving into the world of pre-loved gadgets to uncover some surprising truths behind their rising popularity. So, grab your favorite snack, and let's get started!

Why People Opt for Second Hand Phones

Cost Effectiveness

The most obvious reason people tilt towards second hand phones is the cost. Let's face it, not everyone wants to or can afford to shell out big bucks for the latest model. I remember snagging my first smartphone, a model from two years prior, at half the price. The thrill of getting such a deal? Unbeatable.

Environmental Concerns

More and more of us are waking up to the importance of being kind to our planet. Buying a second hand phone means one less device produced and potentially one less device ending up in a landfill. It's a small step, but it feels good knowing you're contributing to a greener Earth, right?

The Quality of Refurbished Phones

There's a common misconception that second hand means second best. But, many refurbished phones are as good as new! They go through rigorous checks and repairs to ensure they meet high standards. Purchasing my refurbished phone was an eye-opener—it worked flawlessly, and I've been a convert ever since.

The Thrill of the Hunt

Let's not overlook the joy of finding that perfect model in mint condition. It's like a treasure hunt where patience and persistence pay off. Remember that time I stumbled upon a rare model in pristine condition? Oh, the satisfaction!

How Second Hand Phones Are Changing the Market

The Impact on New Phone Sales

Interestingly, the rise of second hand phone is gently nudging the smartphone industry. People opting for pre-loved devices might mean slower sales for the newest models, but it's also pushing companies to innovate and offer value that justifies the price tag.

Sustainability Efforts

The growing market for second hand phones is a win for sustainability. Manufacturers and sellers are now thinking about the lifecycle of their products more than ever. It's heartening to see recycling and refurbishing becoming part of the conversation.

The Growth of the Second Hand Market

Business is booming in the world of second hand phones. With specialized online platforms and retail stores dedicated to refurbished electronics, it's never been easier to buy or sell a pre-loved phone. This expanding market is a sign of changing consumer attitudes towards ownership and value.

Personal Anecdotes: My Second Hand Phone Journey

I'll never forget the day I decided to take the plunge and buy a second hand phone. Skepticism turned into surprise as I realized that my pre-loved phone could do everything I needed, without the steep price tag. It was liberating! And when I eventually passed it on to someone else, it felt great knowing its story didn't end with me.

Conclusion: Embracing the World of Second Hand Phones

The surge in popularity of second hand phones is more than just a trend; it's a shift towards more conscious consumerism. By choosing pre-loved, we're saving money, helping the planet, and still staying connected in this digital age. So, why not consider making your next phone a second hand one? Go on, join the movement and let's make a difference, one phone at a time!