#it can be a mutual growth for opener and headliner

[always-aqua]

‘You expect him to go on the road with nobodies?’ YES, anon, that is largely the point of support acts. They are smaller artists and bands, going on tour with a bigger artist or band in order to increase their visibility and up their profile with a view to at some point booking their own headline tour. Now, it doesn’t always work like that. Support acts sometimes have already done their own small venue tour, but in playing support for a larger band or artist at a larger venue, they’re able to increase the number of people they’re playing to and therefore increase the possibility of their own following growing. I am begging people to stop thinking of gigs as mini festivals where you pay money for a ticket to see two or three bands and that those bands therefore need to all be at a similar level of ‘fame’ for want of a better word (genuinely I think this is the way some people view Louis’ shows a) because he’s been vocal about supporting smaller bands and b) because of him curating acts for AFHF) and instead think of gigs as the chance to see your fave perform whilst also potentially discovering a new-to-you band or artist whose music you might want to buy etc.

I would hope for SOME name recognition. I understand the point about people expecting mini festivals and I want to be clear I am not expecting that. However, in this day and age, it’s completely normal to expect an opener of a major world tour to come with some weight…a viral song/popular single. Something!!!

Louis’s status deserves to have someone better than a Lad or Garage Band. I would also like to be clear there is nothing WRONG with being a Lad or Garage Band, I just want an expanded potential audience for Louis.

But at this point it could literally be any Not-Male person off the street and I would appreciate it.

[bestpvaaccounts123]

Mastering LinkedIn to Grow Your Business Step by Step

LinkedIn is an incredibly powerful tool for business growth. For small business owners, marketers, and entrepreneurs, it can be a game-changer in networking, brand building, and lead generation. But where should you start? This guide will walk you through the essential steps to leverage LinkedIn effectively.

Why LinkedIn is Crucial for Business Growth

LinkedIn isn't just another social media platform—it's a professional network where decision-makers, industry leaders, and potential clients are just a connection away. By mastering LinkedIn, you can enhance your brand visibility, build meaningful business relationships, and generate high-quality leads.

Optimizing Your LinkedIn Profile

Your LinkedIn profile is your digital business card. Ensure it's complete and professional to make a strong first impression.

Choose a Professional Profile Picture

A high-quality, professional photo increases your profile's credibility. Dress appropriately for your industry and ensure you're the focus of the image.

Write a Compelling Headline

Your headline should go beyond your job title. Include keywords that reflect your expertise and the value you bring to your connections.

Craft an Engaging Summary

Your summary is your elevator pitch. Highlight your skills, experience, and what sets you apart. Make it easy for potential clients or partners to understand how you can help them.

Building a Strong Network

A robust LinkedIn network can open doors to opportunities you never imagined. Here's how to build it:

Connect with Industry Leaders

Search for and connect with leaders in your industry. Personalized connection requests that mention a shared interest or mutual connection can increase your chances of acceptance.

Join LinkedIn Groups

LinkedIn groups offer a platform to engage with like-minded professionals and potential clients. Participate in discussions and share valuable insights to establish your authority.

Attend Virtual Events

LinkedIn hosts various virtual events and webinars. Attending these can help you learn from experts and network with peers.

Sharing Valuable Content

Content is king, even on LinkedIn. Sharing relevant, high-quality content can position you as a thought leader in your industry.

Post Regular Updates

Share updates about your business, industry news, and personal achievements. Consistency keeps you top-of-mind for your connections.

Publish Articles

Long-form articles allow you to showcase your expertise in-depth. Use SEO keywords naturally to enhance visibility.

Engage with Comments

Interaction doesn't stop at posting. Engage with comments on your posts and articles to build relationships and encourage more interaction.

Utilizing LinkedIn Features

LinkedIn offers numerous features designed to help you grow your business. Here are some you shouldn't overlook:

LinkedIn Pages

Create a LinkedIn Page for your business. This allows you to share company updates, post job openings, and engage with followers.

LinkedIn Ads

LinkedIn's advertising platform offers targeted ad options that can help you reach your ideal audience. Invest in sponsored content, text ads, and InMail to drive traffic and generate leads.

LinkedIn Analytics

Use LinkedIn's analytics tools to track your performance. Monitor metrics like profile views, post engagement, and follower growth to refine your strategy.

Leveraging LinkedIn for Lead Generation

LinkedIn is a goldmine for lead generation. Here's how to tap into it:

Use Advanced Search

LinkedIn's advanced search feature allows you to find potential leads based on specific criteria like location, industry, and job title. Save these searches for future use.

Send Personalized InMail

A personalized message can make a significant impact. Mention mutual connections or interests to increase your chances of a response.

Network with Purpose

Not all connections will turn into leads, but a purposeful approach can improve your odds. Be genuine in your interactions and offer value before pitching your services.

Showcasing Your Expertise

Demonstrating your expertise can attract clients who need your skills. Here's how to do it effectively:

Share Case Studies

Case studies highlight your success stories and provide tangible proof of your expertise. Share these on your profile and company page.

Offer Webinars

Hosting webinars allows you to share your knowledge with a broader audience. Promote these on LinkedIn to attract attendees.

Participate in Discussions

Engage in industry-specific discussions to showcase your expertise. Offer insightful comments and answer questions to build your reputation.

Engaging with Your Audience

Audience engagement is critical for building relationships and trust. Here are some ways to engage effectively:

Respond Promptly

Respond to messages and comments promptly. This shows that you value your connections and are approachable.

Ask Questions

Asking questions in your posts encourages engagement. It also provides valuable insights into your audience’s needs and opinions.

Share User-Generated Content

Sharing content from your followers can boost engagement and build community. Celebrate their successes and acknowledge their contributions.

Monitoring and Adjusting Your Strategy

Success on LinkedIn requires ongoing monitoring and adjustments. Here's how to stay on track:

Track Key Metrics

Monitor metrics such as connection growth, post engagement, and lead generation. These insights can help you understand what's working and what's not.

Adjust Your Approach

Based on your analysis, adjust your strategy. Experiment with different types of content, posting times, and engagement tactics to see what drives the best results.

Stay Updated

LinkedIn constantly evolves, so stay updated with new features and trends. Subscribe to LinkedIn’s blog and industry newsletters to keep your strategy fresh.

Conclusion

Mastering LinkedIn can significantly grow your business. By optimizing your profile, building a strong network, sharing valuable content, and leveraging LinkedIn’s features, you can position yourself as an industry leader and generate high-quality leads. Start implementing these strategies today and watch your business thrive.

And if you’re looking to give your LinkedIn presence an extra boost, consider buy bulk LinkedIn accounts from BestPVAAccounts.com. It’s a secure and reliable way to enhance your online presence quickly.

[my-music-1460]

Collaborations and Networking: Expanding Your Reach as an Indie Artist

In the ever-evolving music industry, standing out as an indie artist can be challenging. While talent and creativity are essential, building connections through collaborations and networking can significantly boost your visibility and career growth. Promoting your music as an indie artist requires more than just creating great songs; it involves forming relationships with other musicians, producers, and industry professionals. These connections can lead to exciting opportunities, such as joint projects, guest features, and live performances, all of which can help expand your reach and introduce your music to new audiences.

The Importance of Collaborations

Collaborations are a powerful tool for indie artists. Working with other musicians allows you to blend different styles and genres, creating unique and fresh sounds. It also exposes your music to the collaborator's audience, providing a valuable opportunity to gain new fans. Whether it's a feature on a track, a co-written song, or a joint album, collaborations can showcase your versatility and creativity.

For instance, consider the rise of indie artist collaborations in recent years. Artists like Billie Eilish and Khalid, or Tame Impala and Theophilus London, have successfully leveraged each other's fanbases to create hits that resonate across different music scenes. These collaborations not only benefit the artists involved but also provide listeners with new and exciting music.

Networking: Building Relationships in the Music Industry

Networking is another crucial aspect of promoting your music as an indie artist. The music industry is heavily reliant on relationships, and knowing the right people can open doors to new opportunities. Attending industry events, such as music festivals, conferences, and workshops, allows you to meet and connect with other artists, producers, managers, and influencers.

Building a strong network doesn't happen overnight; it requires time and effort. Start by engaging with your local music scene. Attend local shows, introduce yourself to other artists, and participate in open mic nights. Being active in your community can help you build a support system and create opportunities for collaboration.

Online networking is equally important. Social media platforms, music forums, and industry websites are great places to connect with like-minded individuals. Platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter can be valuable tools for connecting with industry professionals. Remember, networking isn't just about what others can do for you; it's about building mutually beneficial relationships. Be genuine, offer support, and show interest in others' work.

Leveraging Collaborations and Networking for Promotion

Once you've established relationships through collaborations and networking, it's time to leverage these connections to promote your music. Cross-promotion is a common practice among indie artists. For example, if you've collaborated on a song, both you and your collaborator can share the track on your respective social media channels, reaching a wider audience.

Another effective strategy is to host joint events or live performances. Co-headlining a show with another artist can attract fans from both of your audiences, increasing your exposure. You can also collaborate on promotional content, such as behind-the-scenes videos, interviews, or even podcast episodes. These collaborations can provide additional content for your followers and help you reach new listeners.

It's also essential to maintain these relationships. Regularly check in with your collaborators and industry contacts, show support for their projects, and look for new opportunities to work together. The music industry is dynamic, and staying connected can lead to unexpected opportunities.

Conclusion

Promoting your music as an indie artist involves more than just self-promotion; it requires building relationships through collaborations and networking. By working with other musicians and industry professionals, you can expand your reach, gain new fans, and create unique music experiences. Whether you're just starting or looking to grow your career, investing time in networking and collaboration can provide invaluable benefits. So, reach out, connect, and let your music be heard by a broader audience.

[positivesinglesdating]

How to Create a Profile and Disclose Herpes on PositiveSingles IOS App

In the world of online dating, finding a platform that understands and supports your unique circumstances can make all the difference.

PositiveSingles is an app specifically designed for individuals living with sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including herpes. Creating a profile and disclosing your herpes status on this app requires thoughtfulness, honesty, and a positive mindset. Here's a detailed guide to help you navigate this process successfully.

The first step is to approach the task with an open heart and a determination to present your true self. Remember, the goal is to connect with like-minded individuals who will appreciate and accept you for who you are.

When creating your profile, start with a captivating headline. This is your first opportunity to make an impression. It could be something that reflects your personality, interests, or a positive outlook on life. For example, "Seeking Genuine Connections Despite the Challenges" or "Embracing Life with an Open Heart."

In the "About Me" section, be genuine and descriptive. Share your hobbies, passions, and what makes you unique. Talk about your career, your travel experiences, or your favorite books and movies. This helps potential matches get a sense of who you are beyond your herpes status.

Now, let's address the crucial part - disclosing your herpes. It's important to do this in a way that is both honest and empowering. You could start by saying something like, "I believe in transparency and honesty from the start. I have herpes, but it has not defined my ability to love and be loved. I manage it well and am looking for someone who understands and is willing to build a meaningful relationship based on trust and mutual respect."

Explain how you have dealt with the diagnosis and how it has positively impacted your life. Maybe it has made you more self-aware, empathetic, or stronger in some way. Share any coping strategies or lifestyle changes you have adopted to keep yourself healthy.

Highlight the fact that herpes is just one aspect of your life and that you have so much more to offer. Mention your positive qualities such as your kindness, sense of humor, or loyalty. Let potential matches know that they will be getting a partner who is caring, understanding, and committed to making a relationship work.

Use positive language throughout your disclosure. Instead of focusing on the negatives, emphasize the lessons you have learned and the growth you have experienced. For instance, you could say, "Having herpes has taught me the importance of communication and vulnerability in a relationship. I am ready to share this journey with someone special."

In addition to disclosing your herpes status, it's also essential to talk about your expectations for a relationship. Are you looking for a long-term commitment, a casual friendship, or something in between? Be clear about what you want to avoid any misunderstandings later on.

Upload recent and attractive photos of yourself. Choose pictures that show you having fun, smiling, and living your life to the fullest. This will give potential matches a visual representation of your positive energy.

Finally, before hitting the submit button, review your profile for clarity, grammar, and spelling errors. Make sure your message comes across as sincere and well-presented.

Remember, creating a profile and disclosing herpes on PositiveSingles is a courageous step towards finding love and acceptance. Be patient, stay positive, and trust that there are people out there who will appreciate and embrace you for exactly who you are. With an honest and open profile, you increase your chances of forming meaningful connections and finding that special someone who will stand by your side through thick and thin.

Good luck on your dating journey!

[dugo838]

The Crown Jewel: Unveiling the Essence of Guest Posting

Introduction

In the digital realm, guest posting stands tall as the crown jewel of content marketing strategies. It's a potent tool that not only bolsters brand visibility but also nurtures valuable relationships within the online community. Delving into its significance and intricacies illuminates its undeniable allure.

The Power of Guest Posting

Guest posting transcends mere content dissemination; it's a strategic partnership between brands and platforms. By leveraging established audiences, businesses can amplify their reach and establish authority in their niche. The symbiotic relationship between host and guest fosters mutual growth, positioning guest posting as a cornerstone of modern marketing.

Crafting Compelling Content

The efficacy of guest posting hinges on the quality of content offered. Crafting compelling pieces tailored to the host's audience is paramount. From captivating headlines to engaging narratives, each element must resonate with readers, driving traffic and fostering credibility for both parties involved.

Building Relationships

Beyond its marketing merits, guest posting nurtures invaluable connections within the digital ecosystem. Establishing rapport with influencers and industry peers opens doors to collaborative opportunities and enhances brand credibility. Genuine engagement and reciprocation form the bedrock of enduring relationships in the guest posting landscape.

SEO Benefits

Guest posting isn't just about visibility; it's a potent weapon in the arsenal of SEO practitioners. Backlinks from reputable sites not only drive referral traffic but also signal search engines about a website's credibility. Strategic placement of keywords and optimization tactics further elevate the organic ranking, enhancing the overall digital footprint.

Conclusion

In the vast expanse of digital marketing strategies, guest posting reigns supreme as the crown jewel, offering a multifaceted approach to brand promotion. Its power lies not only in amplifying reach and bolstering SEO but also in fostering meaningful relationships within the online community. Crafting compelling content and nurturing partnerships are integral to unlocking its full potential, making it an indispensable tool in the modern marketer's toolkit.

FAQs

What makes guest posting so effective? Guest posting harnesses the collective power of established audiences and authoritative platforms, amplifying brand reach and fostering credibility through strategic content placement.

How can businesses ensure their guest posts are impactful? Crafting high-quality, tailored content that resonates with the host's audience is crucial. Attention-grabbing headlines, engaging narratives, and value-driven insights contribute to the success of guest posts.

What role does relationship-building play in guest posting? Building genuine relationships with influencers and industry peers not only enhances brand credibility but also opens doors to collaborative opportunities, enriching the guest posting experience.

Are there SEO benefits to guest posting? Absolutely. Backlinks from reputable sites bolster a website's SEO profile, driving referral traffic and signaling search engines about its credibility. Strategic keyword placement further enhances organic ranking, maximizing visibility.

How can businesses get started with guest posting? Researching potential hosts, crafting compelling pitches, and adhering to guidelines are essential steps. Building relationships with hosts and consistently delivering value through content solidifies long-term partnerships in the guest posting landscape.

Read More: the crown jewel

[dailysmalljobs]

Q&A with Domar Jason MacDonald

New Post has been published on https://dailysmalljobs.com/qa-with-domar-jason-macdonald/

Q&A with Domar Jason MacDonald

It’s not always easy to turn down a perfectly good job offer, especially as a new grad. But that’s exactly what Jason MacDonald did after receiving his finance degree. Instead of accepting an entry-level analyst position, MacDonald grasped for something he thought would be better, and started as a customer service representative at a title insurer in San Francisco.

Learn more

“I thought I’d do it for a year and then go to graduate school,” McDonald says. However, as often happens, fate intervenes. While working at a title insurer, a meeting with a colleague in the industry would change the course of his career.

“It didn’t take long to find out what he was doing on commission to inspire me to go into sales,” McDonald recalls. “A year two and two to three. With continued success and financial gain, graduate school soon became a goal I would leave behind.”

Currently, McDonald is a senior vice president and managing director at a real estate tech company. doma—a position he might never have achieved had he pursued a more traditional finance path.

Here, MacDonald shares how growing up in a melting pot has impacted his life and career, what it means to be a servant leader, and how DOMA supports diversity, equity and inclusion.

You’ve spent your entire career in the headline industry in the Bay Area. Why do you value working there?

Opportunities to leave have arisen over the years. However, growing up in a melting pot has proven to be the most important contributor to my professional and personal success and growth, which is why I’ve stayed in the Bay Area all these years.

Growing up in a melting pot helped me keep an open mind about politics, business strategy, education, religion, gender rights and equality. This expansive mindset has allowed me to relate, be comfortable, and thrive in a variety of settings. For example, while in college, one of my roommates was Chinese and over the years I was blessed to learn a lot about East Asian culture. I even picked up keywords and phrases in Cantonese. This experience later proved very significant when I took over a territory in sales that was predominantly East Asian. I did exceptionally well for my awareness of culture, and was very productive in this area. This chapter helped set the stage for many meaningful and mutually beneficial business relationships that I still hold dear today.

How would you define your leadership style? And what advice do you have for those looking to achieve leadership roles?

I was once asked, “What would you say if you were a bumper sticker?” Without taking a breath I replied, “Donations we accept.” I have been a servant leader for as long as I can remember. As such, my advice is to lead by example in your current position and make others around you better. Give more than is expected of you and aim around your leadership aspirations. Finally, make sure you are in a place where growth opportunities exist. It was through these steps that I found leadership growth.

Tell us about the BLACC@DOMA Employee Resource Group (ERG). What impact has this initiative had on the company and you personally? Does Doma support inclusion in any other way?

BLACC@Doma ERG is a fantastic, inspiring and influential resource for Doma. BLACC@Doma gives people who identify as Black a place in the workplace where they can be themselves and have relevance beyond their work.

Besides ERG, Doma has a cultural dialogue program, which is my favorite and most enjoyable event. Whether it’s Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, or LGBTQ+ rights and legal discussions, I benefit from the intentional nature and impact of these conversations. Being able to openly share and intimately discuss our respective cultures has allowed all of our DOMA associates to celebrate their differences and feel valued in a deeper way than the confines of our day-to-day responsibilities.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced as a team leader and how did you overcome it?

My biggest challenge as a leader has always been the patience to get results. To overcome this, it has been a career-long work in progress. I surround myself with teammates who care a lot about their work (even more than I do).

You’re hosting a dinner party with your biggest role models. Who is invited and what will you talk about?

I will invite my mother, my grandfather, Reverend Richard Allen Washington, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Julius Irving (aka Dr. Jay), Eric Dickerson, and my first mentor, Paula Armstrong. As we conversed, I would ask each of them, “What has given you the greatest joy in life?”

What is the best career advice you ever received?

Without a doubt the best career advice I’ve ever received is that if you want people to love you, bring their business, make yourself indispensable, and always have a plan (and a backup if the original one doesn’t work out).

Updated on 12/14/2022

The Muse is a values-based career site that helps people navigate every aspect of their career and find jobs at companies whose people, benefits and values ​​align with their unique professional needs. The Muse offers Expert advicejob opportunitiesA peek behind the curtain Company is now hiringAnd Career Coaching Servicesincludes the current team of writers and editors behind The Muse’s advice section Regina Borsellino, Brooke Katz, Rebecca Picardo, Devin TombAnd stav ziv—and has included many more talented staff over the years! You can also find The Muse on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, tick tockAnd Flip board,

more from The Muse Editors

#Domar #Jason #MacDonald

[finance-880]

How To Trade In Nifty 50?

Get to know everything about nifty 50, how you can trade in nifty 50, the Conditions to be a part of nifty 50, and how you can invest in nifty 50 by investing nifty 50 index fund

 Often you have come across in the news headlines that nifty has gained 100 points today or lost 50 points today. What does it mean? Nifty 50 is a benchmark index of the stock market and helps investors to gauge the performance of the stock market. When you invest in nifty 50, you are investing in the economy of the country because nifty 50 plays a major role in the growth of the economy. In this article, we are going to learn about what is nifty 50 and how to trade in nifty 50.

What is nifty 50?

Nifty 50 consists of the top 50 companies in India and these companies are market leaders in their industry. These companies are selected based on the free float market cap. However, the companies do not remain on the list of nifty 50 permanently because every year, in June and December, the index does a rebalancing by removing stocks that are not performing well and adding stocks that are fulfilling the criteria to be a part of the nifty 50. Each company has a different percentage of weightage in the nifty 50 index.

 Conditions to be a part of nifty 50:

●       The company must be listed in the NSE (National Stock Exchange).

●       The company should be available to trade in the F & O segment.

●       The company should be highly liquid which means the trading volume of the company’s stock should be high.

 How to trade in nifty 50?

You can invest in nifty 50 by investing in the nifty 50 index fund. Nifty 50 index fund tracks and invests in the stocks that are part of the nifty 50. You can start investing in a nifty 50 index fund with a SIP of INR 500 or invest a lump sum amount. The expense ratio of index funds is comparatively lower than other mutual funds, making it cost-effective for retail investors. There is another way you can invest in nifty 50, that is directly investing in stocks that are part of nifty 50. You need to have a considerable amount of money to invest directly in nifty 50 stocks because whenw you invest directly in stocks, you have to buy complete stock and not a fraction of shares. Also, direct investing in stocks requires a considerable amount of time, effort, and money.

 To conclude, Investing in nifty 50 is the simplest way of investing and it will help you create enormous wealth in the long term. All you have to do is open a Demat account by submitting the required documents and completing online KYC. However, you need to keep in mind that the stock market is associated with high risk. So, analyze your risk appetite, financial objective, and time horizon of your investments before investing in Nifty 50 or any financial instrument.

[tartagilicious]

spoken love > gavin, mlqc

→ Pairing | gavin x reader

→ Genre |  angst w happy ending

→ Word Count | 9555 

→ Warnings | tw; kidnapping and mild torture, + general heartbreak/feeling like you’re not good enough + the fluff at the end might give you cavities

→ Songs | orbit by hwasa and stefan’s theme by michael suby

→ Note | this plot took all of my brain cells to put together rip but at least I’ll be able to start working on requests again :) and yes, I love harassing victor in these for some reason. the poor boy deserves to be the one to win mc’s love 😔

@n3verending16​

Flowers don’t bloom in the dark. Biologically, it’s impossible, but there are other factors that weigh in — things that stunt its growth just as greatly. It’s quite an open ended question, but this time, perhaps simply, the flower just felt as if growing any more was useless without her sun there to see it.

Call it a personal bias, but you think that must be it. Because as Gavin utters the very words you dread to hear, you feel as hopeless as a flower cut off from the sun.

“___,” he sighs. And it’s pained — too pained for someone who has just single-handedly snapped your heart in two. “I’m sorry. But it wasn’t something I could keep from you forever.”

I don’t love you anymore.

The words echo in your head so forcefully that you barely register Gavin’s voice. His apology only goes in one ear and out the other, much to both of your dismays.

“...I don’t understand.” Your voice is flat, but you know it’s only a matter of time and how particularly strong you’re feeling today until that breaks. “Why all of the sudden...?”

Gavin bites his bottom lip, as if holding back something before he only fesses up a shrug in response.

“I’m sorry.”

He sounds sorry, but you know from the bottom of your heart that there’s something underneath it. Gavin, a boy you’ve known since high school, who would always keep an eye out for you, who always picks you up and flies you home, who is always the first person to be there for anything -- is someone you know just as well as you know yourself.

“I don’t want to hear that. Can’t you tell me what’s wrong?”

Your voice raises slightly with irritation, but in lieu of your unclear communication Gavin only stands and takes it. Like he should, you think, but you know that you don’t want to yell at him. He doesn’t deserve that — he never will.

“I really am sorry.”

You‘re at a loss for words as he shifts past you and silently lets himself out of your apartment.

Stay safe.

You frown as you whip around to the closed door, recalling the words he’d whispered to you when walking out. They fill you with a hopeless sense of dread and irritation that you can’t possibly manage to keep at bay for long.

And your frustrations do quickly surface — in the form of hopeless tears, with soundless sobs sneaking out of your throat that have you crippling to the floor.

That was almost 3 months ago.

By now, you’re not over it. You’re not over it in the least, and you’ve never lied to yourself or anyone else about that. That doesn’t mean it’s any less harder, but denial is simply just another fruit that you’re not willing to pick in the end.

Because there are already plenty of other nights that fill in the absent spots that denial leaves. Times where you’re too empty to eat, when you’re too lonely to sleep, and plenty and plenty of nights where your sadness tries to blame Gavin for your troubles — but, you can’t. The part of you that still believes something isn’t right just can’t bear to.

And so, you spend every moment of every sorrowful minute reminiscing, even if every single one of them is not your choice.

You don’t want your heart to drop into your stomach at the mention of his name. But it does. You don’t want to let a single person control your emotions like this, but you do. It’s meaningless to even claim that you want to feel this way, but it’s all too worth it to be the only one that knows you at least deserve better than your worst.

You want to get back to working at your best. You want to enjoy your favourite things again. All you want — all of it’s just out of reach for now. But, without him, without the reason that had torn you apart, you fear it’s impossible.

Yet, ironically, he was the one to teach you that nothing is impossible. He taught you that anything you chose to put your mind to, you could do, and now, you’ll be trying to use that very advice to piece everything back together.

Starting with him, of course.

There’s, of course, still that aspect that sticks out to you as wrong; something you haven’t been able to shake even after months of general, yet still mutual, silence on the subject. Whether it was the hesitance in his eyes or the sadness in his voice, you refuse to believe that it’s the end of the line. Especially considering Gavin’s own personality in regards to you -- it had always been in his best interest to keep you in the safest hands, even before you began to see each other as more than friends. So, it’s not as if you can completely rule out that possibility yet.

But, Gavin is like a lock. And sadly, it’s one that you lost the key to long ago.

Every time you encounter him, whether he flies you home, or helps you with a detail concerning something at work, he’s nothing but friendly and lithe in the ways he interacts with you. There’s little evidence of the hesitation you could’ve sworn that you saw that night, and it discourages a certain part of you greatly.  

Still, you don’t want to give up. You feel like doing that would be like casting it to the side -- or more accurately, labelling the situation as plainly unimportant. And no matter what, that isn’t true. You want answers more than anything; concrete ones that won’t leave you with a bad taste in your mouth anymore. Answers that even if you didn’t like them, they settle your questions all the same.

Yet, you can’t help but feel pressured to.

Time after time he ignores the unsaid words floating in the air above you, and smiles without pain even when it’s obvious that you do.

maybe I was wrong?

You think hard to yourself one afternoon, right after Gavin had just dropped you off at home; unincidentally, of course. You can’t think of anything else, really, but the heartbreaking possibility that you’re concerned over nothing and Gavin really has just fallen out of love as he said haunts you more than anything else ever has.

That night spent alone is by far the worst.

But unbeknownst to you, a certain someone’s nights vary little.

Gavin feels tremendous regret. It’s a gnawing, aching feeling to know that while not only he lied to the love of his life, he is by no means closer to solving the problem that forced you apart. Three months have passed with only average progress on the particular case, and without you by his side, he can’t help but feel anxious every step of the way.

He feels time and time again the urge to tell you the truth, even if you choose not to accept it. And not just for himself -- but also for you. The way you’ve changed over time is terribly obvious to him if no one else.

But you aren’t a switch he can turn on and off at will -- your happiness is relative to only yourself. He just finds himself wishing that if not him, at least you could find the opportunity to live happily without him for now. He sees the way the emotions in your eyes rise and fall whenever he interacts with you. And though it gives him little insight into what goes on behind closed doors, it makes him feel bad all the same.

Because he knows it’s his fault, and wants nothing more than to get things over with so he can tell you the truth you deserve.

And finally, one day he realises that he might be closer than he thought.

“Gavin.”

He looks up to greet the man who’d just walked in, but thinks better of it when he sees his expression. This particular case had been handed to Eli first, as it fell more under his category than Gavin’s, but was extended out to him in lieu of progression.

That much alone told Gavin that this mission was unlike any he’d done before.

Usually, missions take mere days to complete -- up to about a week at most, but this one has been stretching on for months. It makes him anxious when he thinks about how long Eli had been at it before him, but all Gavin knows he can do nothing more than try his best to shorten it.

“What is it?”

“I think you should see this.”

A newspaper, dated to only a few weeks ago, is tossed on the table in front of him. It doesn’t really look to be anything special, with the headline only referencing business moguls and trivial local news rather than information they’re looking for.  But, just as Gavin goes to open his mouth, he notices an article on the bottom of the page. It’s small, barely even noticeable, even, but the moment he reads the first words his eyes widen.

His eyes flicker up to meet Eli’s, who’s standing there with a small smile on his lips.

“Is this--?”

“Yep.” Eli nodded. ”Good thing I actually stopped to read it this morning, huh?”

Gavin’s lips curve up into a distracted smile, his attention returning to the newspaper and ultimately the little article about a missing persons case -- one of the very same they’ve been following. Listed under a few incidents is a woman’s name and information -- all average details such as height and weight that would inform anyone in the public of any specifics.

It’s nothing that they haven’t already uncovered, but there are certain details in the article itself that strike him as odd.

“Time and place of abduction.” Eli fills in the blanks before Gavin can even find the words to speak. “Whoever wrote this article somehow managed to get a hold of the cctv footage from that night and put it out to the public.”

“Spiteful of them to do that,” Gavin mumbles, his grip around the newspaper tightening and loosening with every absentminded flex of his hand. “Especially when we’ve been trying to get it for months.”

“I don’t know, but, let’s not jump to conclusions. Maybe they were just lucky.”

He turns to Eli with a dubious look on his face. “The footage is protected under the ownership of the residence, and not to mention, the permissions you need for it can take months. There’s no way they were just lucky.”

“Look, fine. I agree, okay? It shouldn’t have been possible, but here we are.” Eli shrugs, cutting the argument off even as there was more hanging in the air. “What if they just got special permission from the courts or something? Isn’t that possible?”

Gavin shakes his head. “No way. These processes take a while no matter the circumstances, remember?”

“Fine, then let’s find whoever put this article out and make them tell us how they got their hands on all this stuff.” Eli obviously can’t hold back a smile any more, patting Gavin on the shoulder a bit too lightheartedly for the other man’s taste. “Maybe we’ll be a little closer to finishing this all if we do.”

Finishing.

Gavin turns the word over in his head what feels like a hundred times, but no matter how he looks at it, it’s good -- really good.

He stands up and ceremoniously returns his partner’s smile. “Okay, then let’s do it.”

But, before they even have time to breathe, a new setback finds its way into their plan

“Wait.” Gavin does a double take when, hours later, Eli finally announces the company responsible for the article.”That can’t be right, it’s--”

Eli interjects with a sigh. “___’s company. I know.”

“It’s a production company, though. They don’t do articles and stuff, do they?”

“It’s not uncommon for companies like that to have different departments or whatever.” Eli shrugs. “And the article in question would check out, I guess, considering how close they are to the street with the cctv we’re trying to get.”

“But last time I talked to her, she wasn’t doing anything like that…”

“When was the last time you talked to her, then? Maybe it’s just a recent change or something.”

Eli asks the question nonchalantly, but is really none the wiser about Gavin’s situation than he was when everything began months ago. And so, the words do nothing remind Gavin of memories and mistakes, sending an involuntary strike of pain through his chest.

When was the last time I talked to her?

Not long ago, he thinks. Not long ago at all. He remembers distinctly all of the times he had encountered you on the street, or the times he’d flown you home after a carefully acted day out.

But when was the last time he’d really talked to you? Held a normal conversation?

He finds himself squeezing the hem of his shirt, so hard that his knuckles begin to fade into a sickly white. It’s like a punch in the face to realise something so late, but he can’t help but consider it a bit of a blessing to even recognise it in the first place.

“You know, this makes it easier if it’s just ___.” Eli interrupts Gavin’s downspiralling thoughts, resting his chin on his hand as he says, “We can just ask her about it face to face, then we don’t have to bother with the paperwork for requesting an official interview.”

And around an hour later, that’s how Gavin ends up in front of your company’s doors, cursing Eli and his cluelessness.

He swallows the ball of nerves in his throat and fidgets with his hands for a moment, but he knows that he can’t stay there forever. Everyone around him moves unabridged and casually, whether it be while talking on bluetooth or out on a late afternoon jog. He may not be the only one around that’s stuck in the past, but he sure is the only one taking time to dwell on it.

He uses that much to prompt himself inside.

The inside of the building is just as he remembers it to be, if not the same as it was months ago. It’s the little things he notices, like the familiar fake plants sitting in the corner of the waiting room, or the painting hanging on the wall that you’d mentioned was a gift from your dad a few times.

He’s relieved at least one thing is still familiar.

“Hey stranger. How can I help you?"

Gavin instinctively turns towards the voice, his eyes momentarily widening when he sees who sits behind the reception desk.

"Anna? What are you doing up here?” He gives your friend a polite smile as he makes his way over to where she sits. “Where’s the receptionist?”

She sighs, shaking her head. “He quit a few days ago, so your girlfriend put me up here on duty.”

Gavin pulls his lips into a thin line, trying to hold back his surprise. She didn’t tell them?

“Um, anyway, speaking of ___, where is she right now? I need to talk to her." He changes the subject as quickly as he can manage, and thankfully, Anna doesn’t seem to notice that was the intent.

“Right now? Should be up in her office finishing paperwork.”

“Okay, great. …Do I need a pass or anything?” He asks this, but regrets the words as soon as they leave his mouth. They're suspicious, of course, and it’s a dumb question regardless.

Anna gives him a deservedly strange look.

“Um, no, of course not.” She tries to ease the suddenly tense atmosphere with a laugh. “Just go. I’m sure she’ll be happy to see you.”

“Right,” He laughs nervously and briefly giving his thanks, steadily walking towards the direction of the elevator. When he steps inside, though, he lets out a long sigh. The previous awkward interaction left an embarrassed sting in his chest, and the familiar oncoming heartache of seeing you again will no doubt only add to it.

So, he spends the entire minute of the ride downright terrified.

It’s not like everything is magically resolved when your door opens either, though. The moment he hears your voice acknowledge his presence from inside the office, it’s appropriate to say that his heartbeat doubles -- or even triples, in just seconds.

But contrary to what he expects, your eyes still light up upon registering his face. He doesn’t understand why you’re happy to see him, but he welcomes it regardless.

“Gavin! It’s nice to see you.” You give him a friendly smile, but the all-too familiar feeling of anxiousness still lingers in your expression.

Startled, he just smiles back as he says, “Yeah, likewise. How are things here at the office lately?”

“Ah,” You sigh out a laugh. “They’re fine, but I’m sure you’ve already heard from Anna that our receptionist just quit. It won’t be hard to find a replacement, but it still kind of sucks since he was responsible for coffee runs.”

Gavin winces novelly, playing into your slightly joking tone. “That does suck. Who’s been going instead, then?”

“Minor offered, thank god.” You smile, a sliver of joy finally peaking through your tired eyes.

“That’s good.” He nods, slightly relieved at the sight. “I wanted to ask you, though, I saw an article in the paper that said it came from your company. Since when have you thought to put articles in the paper? I never heard anything about it from you, so--”

You interject, “Articles? We don’t write articles. That’s not the type of company we are.”

He blinks.

“Your company, though--” Gavin fishes his phone out of his jacket, where he pulls up the article in question. “This traces back here.”

Your brows furrow as you lean forward to read the screen in his hand, unaware of the way his face begins to heat up when noticing your concentration. On the other hand, he’s very painfully aware of how your brows twitch as you read it over, and even more so to the way your lips twist in apt concern.

Gavin spits out an explanation in place of the straining silence, and you nod along, though you take in every word at half its worth due to your own racing heart.

“We have basically no contact with the owners of that building, so we wouldn’t be able to get the footage either even if we wanted to.” You explain steadily, hiding your nerves in the squeeze of your knuckles beneath the table. “I don’t remember giving anyone permission to even write something like that, anyway.”

“Would someone else have given permission, then? Or, alternatively, do you think someone put it there for any other reason?”

“I can’t think of another reason, but there are definitely other people in the building who can give permission to employees, of course. “ You push a laugh. “I’m not the one sole source.”

“Anna can do almost everything I can, so maybe she did. Try her next.”

With that, the conversation trickles off weakly. It’s unbearable to do so, but Gavin leaves the room with a clambering heart. He has no doubt that things ought to be difficult if this is what he’ll be returning to, but still saves face for the chance that everything will turn out okay.

And around an hour later, he exits the building carrying all the information he needs.

“Eli, the guy’s gone and quit.”

His partner looks up at him with locked brows when he returns to the STF. “Our article writer?”

Gavin purses his lips and goes silent in thought, but it’s all the answer Eli needs. Gavin’s chest is heavily wrought with regret and disappointment that spans over multiple reasons, but he merely shakes out his shoulders and takes a seat down next to the other man, concealing his face in the way he always has.

Eli only turns a blind eye to Gavin’s front.“I guess that’s just our luck, but it’s still okay right now. Did you get any details about him?”

“Yeah, I managed. I’m not completely sure they’re real, though.”

Gavin hands Eli the small slip of paper that Anna had scawled the man’s information on and explains as he reads it over.

“Anyone else probably wouldn’t get anything out of this,” Gavin says, referencing only the name and phone number of the man in question written on the paper. “But since we’re here, we can probably do something with it, at least.”

Eli nods along as he speaks, and upon skimming the information, a pleased smile curves at his lips. “At least? We’ll have to run them, but it seems viable enough to me -- maybe even enough that this can finally give us the info we need to close the case.”

He returns a smile at the thought.

“I hope it does.”

Gavin’s mind brings him back to a few hours prior, where he watches himself trip and stumble over himself around you through the pitiful eye of his own memory. It takes a lot of him not to frown outwardly at his mistakes, but little to gain the determination needed to fix it. What happened then, that’s not how it’s supposed to be, and he knows it.

The memories switch to happier times when his heart finds it in him -- the starry and clear night he finally kissed you on the ferris wheel, the buzzing warmth of your arms around his torso when he goes a strategically fast speed on on his motorcycle, and of course, the moments where all he can see is you smiling in front of him, looking just as delighted as you always have been.

It’s just out of his grasp, but Gavin finds himself hoping that it’s still in his reach.

Because, in his mind, nothing is truly unattainable. And that philosophy goes for everything, but is most virtuous when it becomes the bearer of good news.

“Everything about this guy checks out for now.” Eli says this from his spot at the database station days later, turning his head over his shoulder to where Gavin is checking the contents of his utility belt from across the room. “So, I’m not sure that much precaution is necessary, Gavin.”

The other doesn’t even look up at his remark.

“Better safe than sorry. You know that.”

Eli just laughs and nods, obviously in a good mood regardless of his partner’s hesitance. “Ok then, whatever you want.”

Gavin gives him a dubious look, but otherwise goes back to his business.

“It’s not like we have much to expect, anyway.”

But, whether or not you expect something doesn’t deter fate. It seemed easy enough at the time, anyway -- so there was no reason for Gavin to doubt their plan even as he walked up to the man’s presumed address.

He eases into the situation by knocking on the mahogany door softly, calling out with what Eli had long called his ‘business’ voice.

“Police! Is anyone home?”

Gavin notes a candle in the window out of his peripheral vision and instinctively furrows his brows. Whoever’s here, the perp or not, it’s clear that they’re at least not one step ahead of him.

So, with that in mind, he makes the split decision to try the door. And much to his surprise, it opens without a lick of trouble, even the hinges not making the slightest sound. He purses his lips slightly as he comes face to face with the dark entryway he was expecting, yet still chooses to silently draw his weapon before stepping into the building.

And the moment he locates a pair of eyes in the dark, he knows his decision to do so was correct.

He clicks his tongue with the shift of the safety lock, his expression instinctively hardening even though he’s sure that the person can see just as much as he can.

“Come out with your hands up!”

Gavin’s voice doesn’t waver, but neither does the faceless figure in the dark.

Multiple sets of footsteps echo throughout the entryway, but Gavin doesn’t let them make a show. His eyes stay locked on the same unblinking ones that had drawn him in, and cocks his gun as if in warning.

Maybe they actually are one step ahead.

“I’ll say it one last time -- and that goes to anyone in the room. Come out with your hands up.”

His voice is cold, and if it were ordinary people standing around him, perhaps they would have listened. But, the thugs surrounding him have little in common with the regular citizen, most startlingly obvious in the weapons they hide sheathed in their belts; daggers engraved by the agency they belong to:

BLACK SWAN COLLECTIVE

The last thing Gavin can recall is the sharp pain of someone thrusting the handle of one of the said weapons into the back of his head, immediately sending him into a darkness he tried so hard to avoid.

Maybe it’s futile, useless even, but as everything goes black, he can’t help but think of you.

“You aren’t seriously planning on wearing that, are you?”

You look back at the exasperated voice that interrupts your shoot preparation, the recording equipment in your hands shifting slightly with your deep sigh.

“Victor, it’ll be hot once we’re on set, I promise.” Sending him only a brief smile, you continue to wrap the cords up. It’s quiet long enough that you naturally assume he’s left, but a few minutes later, you feel a presence at your side taking the last microphone and starting to mimic the same process you’ve been at for what feels like hours.

Victor takes in a near silent breath as he places the microphone in its case, zipping it shut with such familiarity that it momentarily muddles your brain. It’s been almost two years since you’d met him for the second time, walking into his office only to meet his cold voice and fearsome business methods. You’re subconsciously glad that you’ve gone through so much together, albeit tough, because your relationship has moved far because of it all.

“...I’ll grab a jacket before we leave.” You look up and flash another smile at him, but this time, you try to make it seem like you mean it. He seems to notice your hesitance regardless, but the look in his eyes still lifts slightly as he nods wordlessly.

The location of the shoot itself isn’t very far-close enough that the transportation won’t be taxing-but the stakes are still high nonetheless. A reputable American fashion outlet had reached out to Anna around a month ago asking if your company would consider filming an episode featuring some of their pieces, and even without asking you first, she had accepted in a heartbeat.

You couldn’t be mad at her for obvious reasons, of course, but you almost considered thanking her for a separate reason, too -- because it somehow seemed to line up on the perfect date.

It’s a hard pill to swallow even as you think about it, but today, the date of the shooting, is your and Gavin’s would-be year anniversary.

Without this shoot, there’s no doubt in your mind that you would be sulking at home otherwise, halfway through your second or third depression nap of the day. But instead, here you are, conversing quite normally to Victor and feeling a little less hopeless than you expected.

Your mind momentarily flickers to him, though, as if habitually. You can only imagine what he’s feeling like right now, sadly, but you still can’t help but pray that at least a fraction of him feels the pain you do

“___!”

Then someone calls your name, and suddenly, you’re back to work again.

One of the main focuses of the episode for your team is the outfits people on-screen wear, of course. But otherwise, the episode itself features a local meteorologist aiming to spread more information and awareness about the conditions of the recent continuous snow. It may not be known to be directly related to superpowers as of now, but as the producer of Miracle Finder, it’s your job to find miracles, and not only those of the supernatural kind.

“Okay, Victor, let me know when everything on that side is good. I’ll check over here.” You say this and wait for nothing more than a nod before going ahead and double-checking with all of your employees that stand ready to record.

All of your operations for the day seem to be going smoothly, so you shoot a quick thumbs-up to the main cameraman. As soon as your arm is back down at your side, though, you notice your phone buzzing from the pocket of your jacket.

Anxiety habitually runs through you as the screen lights up with a blocked number, unwillfully taking you back to all the times you’d been directly contacted by the unknown officers of Black Swan. It startles you so much that you think about letting it ring, but in the last moments, you decide to pick up.

You release a short breath of relief when an automated voice reaches your ears, and you even find yourself feeling a bit dumb about freaking out over nothing. Yet, while you think, a few words the robotic voice says catch your attention and send your heart into another panicked frenzy.

a wind evolver.

You bite down on your lip subconsciously, hoping that you heard wrong.

The voice says an address with its now eerie-seeming tone, and you squeeze your eyes shut as tightly as you can when the line cuts off without warning.

It’s a prank call. You think, not noticing the way Victor’s eyes finally find your worried ones from across the room. Gavin’s completely fine.

You stuff your phone back in your pocket with a resigned huff, a sour feeling settling deep in your stomach the longer you just stand there. Certain possibilities begin to habitually fly through your mind at a rate where you can barely discern them from one another, but each one leaves you with the same aching in your gut -- the same aching that has saved you so many times.

So, you take your phone out again and dial the number you know by heart.

The line’s continuous ringing suddenly seems ominous, and somehow worsens when you’re greeted by Gavin’s voicemail. But, you don’t want to give up just yet, so you find another name in your contacts that could potentially help.

Eli and you don’t communicate often-at least, not much outside of the times you see him-but he had given you his number soon after realising how close you were to Gavin, only just in case. You didn’t think there would ever have to be a ‘just in case’ scenario -- at least, until now.

Thankfully, he picks up after the first couple of rings, his familiar voice bringing a small smile to your face.

“Hey Eli,” You return, your smile growing slightly at the soft sound of recognition he lets out.

“___!” It sounds like he sits up straight before continuing. “It’s nice hearing from you. What’s up?”

You take in a hesitant breath before starting. There’s still a small chance that you’ll be asking baseless questions, and as embarrassing as that might be, you know you’d rather take it than the alternative.

“Well, it’s something with Gavin.” You say. “I just got this weird phone call saying something about him, and now I can’t get a hold of him. Is he with you?”

Eli doesn’t respond for what feels like a millenia, but then, the soft sound of a keyboard fills your ears, so you opt to wait patiently. He unabashedly picks the phone back up a few seconds later and sighs.

“..Do you remember what the phone call said?”

You recount the automated voice’s words and wince at how Eli curses under his breath. If anything, you know it’s at least not a good sign.

“What? What is it?” Dread spirals through your chest as you ask, habitually expecting the worst.

“Gavin went on a mission last night. He told me he’d get in touch when he finished, but he hasn’t yet.” You can almost hear him contemplating from across the line. “___, thanks for calling, but I’ve gotta go now--”

“Wait!’ you quickly interject, garnering the interest of a few production crew around you. But, you pay no mind to them. “Let me come with you.”

“What? No, ___, you’re not coming with me. Gavin would kill me if I got his girlfriend hurt!”

“Eli,” You sigh, a fingertip’s length away from sitting down to massage your temples. It seems that Gavin had chosen not to tell his colleagues about your breakup as well, but that doesn’t help the massive headache it causes every time to explain when someone catches on. “Gavin and I broke up 3 months ago. And now that that’s out of the way, I’m meeting you at the STF in 20 minutes, and if you aren’t there, I’m going to that address myself.”

He’s silent for a few moments before he lets out a reluctant agreement, only to peg on a few rules at the end that you just nod to.

“...20 and that’s it. Any more and i’m leaving without you.”

“Then I'll be there in 15.” You challenge, unable to contain your smile when you hear his resigned laugh.

“Then I’m counting down, ___.”

You say your goodbyes and hang up the phone, quickly thinking to find Victor. It’s unethical to leave during the middle of a shoot and you know he’ll give you crap for it, but you pray that the case of emergency will balance him out, even if it’s just a little bit.

You whisper his name until you’re able to wave him down, unable to help your nervous smile as he approaches you.

“___? Why aren’t you over there monitoring those--”

“I’m really sorry, but there’s an emergency that I need to--”

You cut yourself off when you notice Victor’s surprisingly unreactive face.

“I need to, um, be there. To help with it.”

Victor’s sigh feels heavier than usual as he crosses his arms, hitting you with his signature dubious look. But, the words that come out of his mouth aren’t at all what you expect.

“You look like you’re expecting me to decline something I have no right to keep you from doing in the first place.”

His words take a few moments to process in your jumbled brain, but before you can even react, he begins to shoo you away.

“That means go, dummy.” A soft laugh escapes his lips as his expression begins to melt. “I’ll tell your coworkers, just try to hurry back so I’m not blamed if something goes wrong.”

Your face perks up at the unexpected but appreciated development, shifting with a wide grin as you thank Victor as many times as possible before slipping away. While you weave your way through the distracted crew members, your phone mimics a lead weight in your pocket-- something that’s almost painful to ignore

But you only keep walking, putting on a brave face and praying that Gavin is okay.

“Nineteen minutes, ___.” Eli tells you this as soon as you hurry through the STF’s doors, tapping his smart watch with a familiar smile. “What happened to that fifteen you were talking about?”

“Shut up,” You scoff, unable to hold back your smile as you shake your head. “Would you really have left without me, anyway?”

“You know the answer already. But enough about that, come with me and I’ll catch you up a bit before we head out.”

You descend into silence as you follow Eli to the research room most frequented by the duo over the past few months, listening to the man skim over the events prior while somehow still leaving no semblance of a detail out. It’s faster than you expect, his explanation, yet it leaves you with very little gaps in the story between Eli’s and your own accounts.

“But, ___,” Eli begins as he picks up his jacket, meeting your eyes with such intensity that you almost flinch. “Make sure that when we’re there, you stay behind me no matter what. If they took Gavin down…”

He doesn’t need to finish.

“Yeah,” You choke out softly, berated by the hazy image your head provides of Gavin being so easily overpowered. “I will.”

Eli gives you a small reassuring smile before leading you out of the room, checking that every piece of his equipment is on correctly as he walks. An involuntary chill runs down your spine at a catch of his expression -- his usual carefree smile replaced with the solemn air that you would expect from an officer.

And you don’t like it one bit.

Gavin’s eyes shoot open, drawing a sharp gasp from his lungs as he slowly begins to regain consciousness. But the crackling sensation that floods his chest cuts him off before he can even so much as catch his bearings, begetting an irritated wince from the already tired man.

His vision is clouded by not only exhaustion, though, as the room is also dark in what feels like an unreasonable manner. Absolutely nothing is clear, whether it be what had happened beforehand, or even what lays a few feet in front of him. But in the meantime, another sharp pain forces him to look down and find out.

Rope burns his wrists as he twists his hands, trying to gauge a location for the extreme pain that has suddenly popped up. Gavin curses under his breath as he looks at the gruesome beds that used to hold his fingernails, snippets of memory coming back to him as his eyes rake over the beaten skin.

“You’re in no position to protect her anymore. Give up.”

A curt voice had induced Gavin to look up hours before, glaring into the tepid eyes that already stared back into his own.

“Ya hear that, pretty boy?”

The second and last black swan officer in the room had leaned over slightly as he engaged Gavin, but stood up straight again when the first gave him a subtle yet strong look of warning.

Gavin was silent throughout the exchange, though in his mind, he knew they were talking about you. Black Swan’s interest in you had all but lessened in the recent months, much to his and the STF’s displeasure. Knowing that they were after someone so powerless but not having the slightest idea why -- that scared him beyond belief.

“Your silence will change nothing,” The first man said, calmly re-buttoning his long coat. “Wind evolver, I’m afraid this is it for you.”

Gavin squeezes his eyes shut upon recalling the interaction he’d tried arduously to forget, inadvertently biting his lip so hard that it disturbs the blood already dried there. Disappointment and pain go hand in hand while flaring through his chest in equal measures.

He even briefly considers using his evol despite how little energy he has left, but is painfully aware of what it would take to escape if he did.

So he stays still, his mind racing far too much to notice the pain. Because even if he should, it’s not him that’s he’s worried about --

It’s you.

Meanwhile, seemingly worlds apart from the danger Gavin perceives, you sit in Eli’s passenger seat, safe and sound yet fueled by the vehicle’s general silence. A part of you thinks that you should be scared, but only because you know it wouldn’t be refuted as much as if you said how you really feel.

It’s not necessarily wrong to be determined, though. And because you’re sure that if your roles were reversed, Gavin would think the same, you don’t ponder on the subject any longer. There’s no use in worrying about something you’ve already set your mind to.

And your intuition proves to be correct.

Upon arriving at the designated address, Eli immediately comments on how normal everything looks, and you can’t help but nod your head in agreement. It’s a small traditional style house that you stop in front of, yet to have signs of people inhabiting it other than the few candles to be seen behind some of the shaded windows -- too ordinary for a place that supposedly serves as a lockhouse for Black Swan

“...It doesn’t really look like anyone’s home.”

“Good. Let’s just hope the bastards have left so we can get in and out, then.” Eli says, squinting at one of the windows while noiselessly drawing his gun. “We don’t want to spend any more time here than we need to.”

Eli wastes no time after you hastily concur, very obviously ready to stay true to his words and making quick work of the lock. The entryway is small and homey, but it has an odd smell to it -- one that’s familiar, but not so much so that you can directly pinpoint it.

It sends an involuntary chill down your spine just thinking about it, though Eli says nothing about it, so you choose to do the same even if it’s difficult. He’s too busy surveying the area to notice your hesitance anyway, and you don’t blame him. If your sources are correct, Gavin is somewhere nearby. There’s no time to be distracted, no matter the circumstance.

With that in mind, you force all of the bad premonitions away and focus on the matter at hand -- and the fact that Eli is looking more sceptical with each passing second. It’s understandable, how his eyes flit around uneasily enough for the both of you combined, but you feel yourself getting impatient just watching him.  

“Eli…” You mumble, elbowing him and giving him the liberty of pretending not to notice when he flinches. “Let’s start looking.”

His gaze falls to meet yours, and after a moment of thought, he nods. “Fine. Just stay close, okay?”

You don’t have any qualms with that.

Following Eli around as he checks each room is an unexpectedly stressful job, not knowing if Gavin lies beyond the doors until you get the chance to peek inside yourself. The call you’d received earlier burns hot in your memory each time you do so, the voice’s words of warning towards a so-called wind evolver damning.

It’s a scenario you don’t want to delve into, but is unfortunately a reality you have to be ready to accept.

It takes a few attempts to locate the right place, though it’s all-too easy in the long run; almost worryingly so. But even so, that doesn’t stop you from nudging Eli aside to see the scene better for yourself.

The smell you’d noticed at the entrance is potent here, and with a scrunch of your nose, you finally put a name to the hazy smell. It’s the same one you’d become acquainted with after spending so much time in the hospital months back, and while grotesque, it’s almost intimate in the way you remember it.

Narcotics; the pills and liquids you were given to ease your pain each day and night, hang in the dense air.

Tears fill your eyes as you make your way over to where Gavin sits abandoned against the wall, uncertain of where to start. Bruises litter his exceptionally pale skin almost to the point of disfigurement, and the parts of his hands that are visible from where you crouch down show the empty beds that used to hold his fingernails.

You’re afraid to touch him.

Eli comes up beside you, his hurried footsteps conveying the worry you both feel. But unlike you, he has little problem in taking action immediately, taking Gavin’s wrist and feeling for a pulse.

He doesn’t speak, but Eli’s expression tells you enough.

You take your leave quickly after, relaying Gavin to the nearest hospital and tearfully handing him off to the startled nurses. As you sit, Eli takes the opportunity to fill in the doctor assigned to Gavin, even showing his badge to stress the severity of the situation.

The entire ordeal takes days.

Life all but goes back to normal afterwards, your schedule ultimately flipping on its head with the man you love unconscious in the hospital. The rounds you make to visit him are constant enough that you even acquaint yourself with some of the nurses that frequent his room in the time you’re not at his side.

But even they are incapable of soothing your worries.

Gavin feels nothing but sparkling white pain. Whether it’s burning or freezing to the touch, he can’t tell, but it’s an awfully persistent sensation. It’s confusion personified, and like quicksand, he finds himself unwillingly drowning in it. It’s similar to the lights he sees when he first opens his eyes again -- washing everything out with little effort.

Gavin’s gaze adjusts to an unfamiliar ceiling in due time, and soon after, his ears catch up to pick up the faint sound of a beeping heart monitor. Copious amounts of his senses return to him at once, launching him into a coughing fit that makes him very abruptly aware of the warm presence at his side.

They call his name, though their voice is hardly distinguishable.

But, then they reach out and cup his cheek, delicately rubbing their thumb over the shallow cut that lies there. The intimate touch is unmistakable from then on, the way it caresses his skin familiarly soothing him.

“___…”

Your name leaves his lips in a single pant, his eyes squeezing shut as his coughing suddenly begins to cease. You almost find yourself holding your breath as you look on at him, waiting for another sign of life.

And soon enough, his eyes begin to open again, slowly focusing on your face from where you lean beside him. Gavin’s lips turn up in a small smile, and he makes no attempt to hide the affection that oozes from his gaze.

“___.” He repeats your name, his emotions stretching out control as tears come to his eyes. A thousand things flash through them at once, baring both things you expect and things you don’t.

“...Are you okay?” You ask hesitantly, your hand shifting to cup the side of his head as you study his expression. “Does something hurt?”

Gavin only smiles in response, bringing a hand up to cover his eyes as his body shakes silently. You stare at him for a moment, at a slight loss of what to do when you realise you can’t distinguish whether he’s laughing or crying.

“I’m so sorry, ___.”

You don’t understand.

“What?” Your brows furrow as tears begin to prick at your eyes yet again. “What are you apologising for? None of this is your fault..”

Gavin shakes his head, inadvertently cutting you off.

He lets his hand fall back down to his side, allowing you to see his puffy eyes and tear-stained cheeks. You can only stare at him as he continues to avert his eyes, ultimately surprised at his uncharacteristic outburst.

“I thought limiting our contact would help keep you safe.” He weeps quietly, his cheeks flushing from what you assume is a healthy mix of embarrassment and emotion. “But I caused us both so much pain. Every day I was held back by the possibility of messing everything up and never being able to see you again…”

Your heart flutters and drops all in the same motion.

I was right after all?

The memories recall moments stretching back to months ago, to all the moments you spent doubting that everything was really done; that you were really expected to move on like nothing was wrong. But hearing that your suffering wasn’t in vain somehow makes it seem like it was all worth it in the most twisted way.

“But look at you,” You interject softly, releasing a stagnated breath as Gavin looks on at you. “You’re here, next to me, and Gavin -- I won’t leave you. You won’t mess up, and everything will be fine..”

Your words fall out little by little as your eyes well with tears, but every single one is wiped away by the hand of the man in front of you.

Your reach up and place your hand over his. “I promise.”

Things are not all well, and little is fixed when you leave the hospital for the night. But somehow, you still feel like it’s just enough.

Gavin arises hours later feeling like his body is full of lead, unable to even open his eyes enough to focus on the dull light of the setting sun. But it’s with that alone does he realise that you’re no longer asleep next to him.

It makes him anxious in his delirium to think about how you’re probably home well by now, doing a face mask and scrolling casually through social media despite the unceremonious hour. You’re in the perfect spot for someone to take advantage of, namely referring to the Black Swan officers he’d recently become acquainted with.

But you’re blissfully unaware of his worries, making your way back home without an inkling of similar emotions in you. If anything, after months of your future appearing gray and blurry, the unexpected clarity of the situation eases something in you.

It’s a relief how lucky you’ve been.

Gavin’s thoughts go to the same concept as he pulls the thick hospital blanket off of himself, lips twisting into a thin line. It’s a miracle you’ve both managed to get so far -- and luck, unfortunately, only stretches so far.

It’s easy to get his original set of clothes back from the nurse, who seemed weak in the knees from the moment he approached her. The shirt smells distinctly of bleach, though his head feeds him the putrid scent of his own old blood regardless of how well it had been scrubbed out.

Getting out is the harder part. While the on duty nurse had been kind enough to slip things like his phone and badge back into his pocket, it was hell convincing the receptionist to let him check out even when he opted to show them his badge. Though eventually, with his name and number written down haphazardly on a loose scrap of paper, he’s given tight permission to leave temporarily.

The night air sends a chill down Gavin’s spine, and the quick change in temperature has the bandages covering his body sticking awkwardly to his skin. He tries to alleviate the discomfort, but the air currents feel odd in the way they swirl around him, somehow unfamiliar in the few days he’d spent locked away.

Though he shakes this away, writing it off just as he has hundreds of times before.

It’s harder than he expects to fly the short distance to your apartment. His healing wounds give way to a slight headache that only interferes more with the air around him. When he drops himself on your balcony, he practically has to lean over to catch his breath.

Gavin’s brows twine delicately together as he clears his throat a final time, straightening up and making sure there’s no sign of his trouble before knocking on the glass.

He smiles when he notices you padding over in your slippers through the sheer curtain. You seem casual enough that it lets him release a breath, relieved that his worries were for nothing. But then you suddenly open the door, catching him off guard once again.

“Gavin?” You’re rightfully shocked at his sudden appearance, the moonlight lining his quickly drooping figure in silver. “Why are you here instead of the hospital?”

He sighs gingerly, averting his eyes with a sheepish smile.

“I… was worried about you.”

You purse your lips lightly, your eyes going up and down his injured body. It’s hard not to notice the way he stands unevenly, no doubt to hide his limp and alleviate the pain in his torso -- but that much shows in just the way he slouches.

As if on cue, Gavin fumbles, letting himself come down into your waiting arms. His breathing is hard in your ear as you stroke the back of his head, cutting down a bubbling sigh in your throat.

Of course he came to check on me.

“You can barely stand, Gav. What were you thinking coming all the way here?” You lean back to see his tired face and chatsey him gently. “You need more time.”

“I was worried about you, ___.” He reaches up hesitantly to stroke your cheek with his thumb, silencing you for a split second as you watch him.

Gavin’s voice is raspy, showing not only his fatigue but also the pain he tries so hard to hide. “Can you allow me that much?”

You pull your lips into a line and look over his face. His eyes search yours simultaneously, but for what, you aren’t sure -- a sign of forgiveness? Leniency? You only know that whatever he wants to find, he probably won’t.

“Why would you be worried about me?” You ask, brows coming together in a delicate sign of frustration. “You were on the verge of death only days ago!”

He lets his hand fall from your cheek as he exhales. “I know. But your name is passed around a lot when it comes to the black swan officers. This time was no different.”

You don’t respond.

Gavin takes your silence as an opportunity to continue. “So, I decided that after my evol leveled out, I would come and check on you. Just to be sure.”

“But what I don’t get, is why you couldn’t wait?” You say, your eyes narrowing slightly as his ajar mouth closes slowly. “You’re nowhere close to being healed. And if you were that worried, I’m sure Eli or someone would’ve--”

He interjects, his eyes darting away. But you don’t miss the way they soften. “Because I owe you this much, ___. I hope you can understand what I mean.”

You do. The things he had said when he first woke up in the hospital, about the situation and the pressure he hoped to alleviate, it all connects back to where you stand now. So, as much as you hate to admit it, Gavin isn’t completely in the wrong for coming.

You nod, sighing in renouncement.

“Yeah. Yeah, Gavin, I do understand. Sorry.” You say it a bit reluctantly, your eyes shifting down until Gavin catches your face in his hands again.

His lips turn up in a small but attractive smile as he nods. “Hey, don’t apologise for being concerned. I love you for caring.”

You could almost swear that you’re hearing things, but looking up into his eyes, you know you aren’t. Your eyes narrow again, but this time in a more goading manner.

“What’s that?” You hum quietly, smiling up at him as the distance between you slowly begins to close.

Gavin gives you the charming smile you missed, his lips brushing yours as he speaks. “I’ll say it as many times as you want, as log as you never forget it.”

The kiss is soft and slow at first -- as meaningful as it should be, but it steadily transitions into what you’ve been holding back since the moment you met eyes again. His hand shifts languidly to cradle the back of your head, augmenting the already rising feeling in your chest.

His hands mould to you as time drags by, seemingly slowing down in your interaction alone. It makes you happy knowing that some semblance of your buried attraction is still eager to pop out again.

Everything passes by quickly after that point, to the moment you’re standing inside again, pulling away from him.

“Gavin, it’s late, you need to rest.”

He looks at you with a boyish glint in his eyes, his lips twisting slightly.

“Let’s stay up later.”

You step aside to pull back the covers on your bed for him. “But it’s sleep! You know, that thing you need to function--?”

He cuts you off by pulling you back up for another kiss, laughing with you as you ultimately decide to return his affection. But, then he catches you by surprise and lifts you into his arms.

“Ok!” You squeal in delight as you’re dropped right down onto your open bedsheets, your hair splaying messily around you. “Five minutes, that’s all!”

“Ten!”

The worst day of loving someone is the day that you lose them. But, one of the best is when you earn them back.

[gameofdrarry]

Wizards Hearts Recs: Odd Jobs

Wizards Hearts was a four-month-long Drarry reading fest. Players were given a playing deck of 52 tropes, and were asked to find 52 different fics to read and comment on to fill their decks. To prevent the same few fics from being read, fics were restricted to only being used for the game three times before being considered ineligible for further points. The tropes and submissions list can be found here.

Check out the masterlist of fics for this trope below the cut!

📜 Azoth by zeitgeistic Rated:  Explicit Words:  88,722 Tags:  Eighth Year, Alchemy, Animagus, Snark, Banter, Pining, Graphic Sex Summary:  Now that Harry is back at Hogwarts with Hermione for eighth year, he realises that something’s missing from his life, and it either has to do with Ron, his boggart, Snape, or Malfoy. Furthermore, what, exactly, does it mean when one’s life is defined by the desire to simultaneously impress and annoy a portrait? Harry has no idea; he’s too busy trying not to be in love with Malfoy to care. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 On Your Shore by xanthippe74 Rated:  Mature Words:  35113 Tags: Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Post-Hogwarts, Mystery, Scotland, Dark Magic, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Pining, Sharing a Bed, First Time, Non-Explicit Sex, Demisexual Harry Potter, Bisexual Harry Potter, Gay Draco Malfoy, Closeted Draco Malfoy, Curse Breaker Harry Potter, Antiques Appraiser Draco Malfoy, Redeemed Draco Malfoy, Good Parent Draco Malfoy, Past Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Married Astoria Greengrass/Draco Malfoy, H/D Sex Fair 2020 Summary:  Clearing out a remote house full of cursed collectibles in the Outer Hebrides? Not a problem for an experienced curse breaker like Harry Potter. Spending a week with the straight, happily-married man that he’s starting to have feelings for? And sharing a bed with him at night? Surely Harry can handle that, too. But both the house and Draco Malfoy have secrets to uncover, and Harry might be in deeper water than he thought. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Of Matchmaking Owls & Second Chances by xErised Rated:  Teen and Up Words:  11219 Tags: Owls, Paris (City), Dancing in the Rain, Humor, Mutual Pining, Getting Together, Post-Hogwarts, H/D Career Fair 2017, Rekindled Relationships, Adorable Summary:  It's just Draco's luck to own an owl that's in love with Potter's owl treats. When Potter invites Draco's owl to be a taste-tester, Draco accepts. For the sake of his beloved owl, of course, not to rekindle that spark of attraction during their eighth year. Or because of how bloody fit Potter is. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Aural Gratification by author Rated:  Explicit Words:  10988 Tags: Aural Kink, Masturbation, Closet Sex, Coming Out, Dildos, Humor, Smut Summary:  Harry's not gay – he just likes listening to exciting stories about Aurors. It's not his fault that the narrator's voice is so smooth, so expressive... and really rather hot. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Draco Malfoy: Toilet Supremo by who_la_hoop Rated:  Teen and Up Words:  26189 Tags: Romance, Humor, flangst, HP: EWE, Career: toilet salesman Summary:  It must be a vision brought on by eating cheese sarnies too close to bedtime, Harry thinks. There's no way that Draco Malfoy can really be standing on his doorstep, calling himself a Toilet Supremo, and expecting Harry to buy not only this unlikeliest of scenarios, but also a new loo. But no: Harry's eyes do not deceive him. Malfoy, Lord of Toilets, is really there. Which begs a very important question: what the hell is he up to, and what evil scheme is he about to unleash? Because there must be an evil scheme . . . mustn't there? ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 When Hippogriffs and Pygmy Puffs Collide by oldenuf2nb Rated:  Mature Words:  32755 Tags: Playboy Harry Potter, Tattoo Artist Draco Malfoy, Baker Harry Potter, Divorced Harry Potter & Ginny Weasley, Divorced Astoria Greengrass & Draco Malfoy, Bisexual Harry Potter, Magical Tattoos, Hand Jobs Summary:  Harry Potter bakes cakes, brilliantly. Draco Malfoy inks tattoos, brilliantly. Owls deliver post, including messages from clients, with an occasional lack of brilliance. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 It's Not Like Christmas At All by ProfessorDrarry Rated:  Mature Words:  29411 Tags: Christmas Fluff, Advent Calendar, Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve, Past Relationship(s), Mentions of Past Homelessness, References to Illness, estranged family, Poverty, POV Alternating, happy ending guaranteed Summary:  Draco knew his life wouldn't have been appealing in the eyes of his past-self; Muggle job that would make his parents shudder. Muggle flat with an inconvenient living situation. Muggle hairdresser and coffee shop and charity work. But it was perfect. Well. Almost perfect. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 (We'll Call This Fixer-Upper) Home by phdmama Rated:  Explicit Words:  52520 Tags: Rock Star Draco Malfoy, Artist Harry Potter, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Post Traumatic Growth, mental health, Original Character(s), Original Character Death(s), (all those are in the past), Recreational Drug Use, Anal Sex, Oral Sex, Hooking up, Dating, Semi-Public Sex, Growth and Healing, Mention of Suicidal Ideation, Getting Together, Boys Kissing, Falling In Love Summary:  Draco Malfoy hasn’t set foot on English soil in ten years. After the war, he fled to America, where he found himself in a community, and healed himself through following his heart into music. He’s now the lead singer and songwriter for an internationally known band, who have come back to headline the Wiltshire Music Festival. But as Draco is about to learn, his past isn’t as far away as he might have believed, and his future may hold more than he ever could have dreamed. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 All Roads by korlaena, Saulaie Rated:  Mature Words:  36636 Tags: Minor Luna Lovegood/Ginny Weasley, Journalist Draco Malfoy, Animagus Draco Malfoy, Magizoologist Harry Potter, Desi Harry Potter, Bearded Harry Potter, Background Femslash, Horseback Riding, Italy, Cabins, Mountains, Walks In The Woods, Drinking, Hangover, Masturbation, Implied/Referenced Blow Jobs, Homophobia, Internalized Homophobia, Self-Hatred, Lucius Malfoy Being an Asshole, Friends to Lovers, Angst with a Happy Ending Summary:  Draco hates his job at the Prophet. He hates it even more when he’s assigned to write an article on Harry Potter, who left the country three years ago after their falling out. Draco doesn’t want to face the truth about himself, but he’s stuck between Harry and his duty, and he’s out of options. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 kiss me in the doorway by primaveracerezos Rated:  Explicit Words:  7787 Tags: Getting Together, Post-War, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Fluff Summary:  "At Draco’s trial, Potter testified that Draco had acted only in fear of his life, for his parents’ lives. When the Wizengamot announced his pardon, hundreds of eyes were on him, but he only felt one gaze. He found Potter’s green eyes in the crowd, where he was insulated by layers of loyal friends. The expression on Potter’s face was painfully open, studying, curious. Draco returned it. He had questions too." ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Quibbler Unsolved by leontina (Leontina) Rated:  Teen and Up Words:  17377 Tags: Post-Hogwarts, Post-Second War with Voldemort, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Minor Luna Lovegood/Dudley Dursley, Minor Astoria Greengrass/Pansy Parkinson, Buzzfeed Unsolved References, Alternate Universe - Buzzfeed Unsolved Fusion, Smitten Draco Malfoy, Oblivious Harry Potter, Oblivious Draco Malfoy, Matchmaking, World Travel, Redeemed Dudley Dursley, Explicit Language, Light Angst, Drinking, Getting Fired, Eviction, Masturbation, POV Draco Malfoy, Down and Out Draco Malfoy, Journalist Draco, Journalist Harry, The Quibbler, Sharing a Bed, Goats, The X-Files References, Ouija, Implied Sexual Content, Implied Switching, H/D Erised 2019 Summary:  Draco is down on his luck without a home or a job, and so he has no choice but to accept an offer to work at The Quibbler. He just didn’t expect to be searching for make-believe creatures in the Muggle world with Harry Potter. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Come A Little Closer by maraudersaffair Rated:  Explicit Words:  37787 Tags: First Time, Pining, Coming Out, slight angst, redeemed!Draco, gay!draco, unusual careers, Grimmauld Place, magical museums, Kayaking, Draco in the Muggle World, Snogging, Frottage, Oral Sex, Anal Sex, Homophobic Language, Internalized Homophobia, Drinking, Injury, Dirty Talk, Kid Fic, Sex Toys, Bisexual Harry Potter, Gay Draco Malfoy, Kings Cross, Virginity Summary:  A few years after the war, Draco Malfoy works the service desk at King’s Cross and does his best to avoid his parents. He is also desperate to lose his virginity. Enter Harry Potter. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 The Critiquer by dysonrules Rated:  Explicit Words:  24260 Tags: Humor, Romance, HP: EWE, Post-Hogwarts, Photography, Secret Identity Summary:  When Harry submits his cock photo to a renowned Cock Critiquer and gets a terrible review, he decides to take a photography class to hopefully improve his skills. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Pathless Woods by onereader Rated:  Explicit Words:  30267 Tags: Wandmaker Harry Potter, Wand Wood Grower Draco Malfoy, POV Harry Potter, Found Family, Violet Wand, Magical Theory, Redeemed Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Slow Build Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Happy Ending, Dating, Puns & Word Play, Wandlore (Harry Potter), H/D Fan Fair 2019, Secondary Theme: Pottermore Fair, Handsome Draco Malfoy Summary:  “There is a pleasure in the pathless woods” Lord Byron. Harry finds himself unexpectedly reacquainted with Draco Malfoy when his work as an apprentice wandmaker takes him to Wiltshire. Amongst the trees Harry finds magic, growth, and a man who might finally be proving he’s worthy of the wand that chose him. Hawthorn, Unicorn hair, 10 inches, reasonably pliant. A story of found family, trees with feelings, belief in the power of growth, wandlore, and gratuitous description of Handsome Estate Owner™ Draco Malfoy swanning around in white shirts and leather boots. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Leaky Sinks and Proffered Services by parseltonquinq Rated:  Explicit Words:  4129 Tags: Top Harry, Bottom Draco, repairman!harry, draco needs to get a grip, harry needs to buy another shirt, i need to get some sleep Summary:  "It had only been a week and a half since Harry had fixed the bathroom sink. Draco knew he had a problem. The sink hadn’t even been broken. The thing was, he couldn’t stop thinking about Harry’s eyes or that smile or the way he filled out that plain white t-shirt. It was almost obsessive. So he did what any sane man would do and loosened some of the compression nuts with a wrench (he’d had to watch a couple of videos to learn how). He then proceeded to check out Harry’s ass while he worked, his mouth dry and his conscience taking the day off. " Draco breaks things. Harry is a hot repairman. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Scurrilous by Saras_Girl Rated:  Teen and Up Words:  25142 Tags: N/A Summary:  When Potter starts behaving more oddly than usual, Draco has no choice but to take an interest. After all, it’s his job. Sort of. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Walk in the sun by FreddieFoxBaxter Rated:  Explicit Words:  18239 Tags: Getting Together, Smut, Only One Bed, One Shot, Awkward Flirting, Drunken Confessions, Social Anxiety, Nude Photos, Dating, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Harry Potter is Obsessed with Draco Malfoy, Top Draco Malfoy, Bottom Harry Potter, Harry Potter in Panties, Model Draco Malfoy, Minor Neville Longbottom/Blaise Zabini, Minor Pansy Parkinson/Ginny Weasley, Minor Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Draco Malfoy in the Muggle World, H/D Sex Fair 2020 Summary:  Harry is perfectly content with the life he built for himself; simple and private, it helps him heal the wounds from the war. He then accepts to go out with one of Neville’s acquaintances, never expecting that decision would bring him back to his obsession for Draco Malfoy. “That was his cue. Had Harry stopped to think about his situation, he could have left. Malfoy was nibbling at his neck, he had his hand down his pants. All things considered, a disaster incoming. And yet, his feet still refused to move. After all, he was not the stop-to-think-of-consequences kind of guy.” ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Salty Sweet by Aelys_Althea Rated:  Mature Words:  59795 Tags: Post-War, Not Epilogue Compliant, Baking, Pâtisserie, Sugar and Salt, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Apprenticeship, Bake-Off, Competition, change, Master and Apprentice, Character Development, French Influences, Muggles and Magic, Harry Potter Leaves the Wizarding World, Isolation, Patronus, Finding Peace, glamours, Workplace Relationship, Apprentice Harry Potter, Pastry Chef Draco Malfoy, H/D Career Fair 2017 Summary:  Draco was a Master. He'd always been one, but having a town of Muggles consider him as close to God's gift as they would ever receive was certainly validating. Except it wasn't enough. After years of settling, of conjuring masterpieces with his fingers and his prowess, Draco realised he needed a change. How hard could it be to find an apprentice pâtissier that did what they were told? As it happened, doing 'what was told' was about the last thing on his inevitable prospect's mind. Trust Harry Potter to be the one to turn Draco's life upside down. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 The Printed Press by Soupy George Rated:  Mature Words:  124993 Tags: Language, Themes, Sexual Content Summary:  Draco Malfoy was still slightly awed to be standing on the doorstep of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. He never would have thought that Harry Potter's very public and very ... sweary, emotional explosion would have led to him offering Draco, of all people, a job. ❤️ Read on FFN

📜 you made your mark on me (a golden tattoo) by tigerlilycorinne Rated:  Teen and Up Words:  6078 Tags: Fluff, Post-War, Post-Hogwarts, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Tattoo Parlor, Pining Draco, Tattoo artist Harry, Draco Malfoy in the Muggle World, sorta - Freeform, Getting Together, Sort-of Confessions, Kind Harry Potter, Humor Summary:  Draco wants to get a tattoo, but he can hardly do that when it turns out the artist of the shop he chooses is none other than Harry Potter. Draco would much rather leave, really, he would, because the last thing he needs is to be anywhere near Potter and his wild hair and green eyes, his shoulders and that bloody voice… what was he saying? Oh yes– Harry Potter is the last person he wants to be around. But it’s kinda hard to leave when he’s being so bloody distracting… ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 the potential of broken things by icarusinflight Rated:  Explicit Words:  10727 Tags: Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Post-Hogwarts, Auror Harry Potter, Ex-Auror Draco Malfoy, Bisexual Harry Potter, Drinking, Kneazles (Harry Potter), Explicit Sexual Content, Intercrural Sex, H/D Erised 2020 Summary:  "Can you feel that? Some things want to be what they once were. The original spell is still there, and it wants to work again. All it takes is a little push and then"—Draco clicks his fingers of his free hand—"snap, everything will go back into place." Harry's feeling lost, but he finds Draco in a shop full of (not broken, just waiting to be repaired) items. He stays a while. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Touch by bixgirl1 Rated:  Explicit Words:  44791 Tags: Flirting, Friends to Lovers, Oral Sex, Anal Sex, Rimming, Switching, H/D Career Fair 2017, Sharing a Bed, Post-Hogwarts, Humor, Hallucinations, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Sleep Deprivation, Falling In Love, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Cuddling & Snuggling, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Resolved Sexual Tension Summary:  When Harry is referred to a professional cuddler for the soothing power of touch, he’s dubious — even more so when the Cuddler who shows up turns out to be Malfoy. But in the years since the war, Malfoy’s changed, and over the next several days Harry is confronted by how much he still doesn’t know about this new version of his old enemy — and by how much he wants to learn. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Special Delivery (previously Amende Honorable) by alittlebitAlexie Rated:  Mature Words:  11628 Tags: Post-Second War with Voldemort, Apologies, Misunderstandings, Accidents, Owl Post (Harry Potter), Bartender Draco Malfoy, Bartender Pansy Parkinson, Draco Malfoy & Pansy Parkinson Friendship, POV Draco Malfoy, Unrequited Crush, Diagon Alley, Death Eater Trials mentioned, Letters, Love Letters, Gay Draco Malfoy, Flatmates Draco and Pansy, panic attack (mentioned), Nightclub, Confrontations, Running Away, Outing, Veritaserum, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Kissing, Snogging, Undressing, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Secret Crush, Not Beta Read, Not Canon Compliant Summary:  After his trial, Draco writes apology letters to everyone he has hurt. Not so special. But he writes two to Harry. One to actually send, and one (that was never meant to see the light of day) to pour his heart out and admit things like thinking Harry has a fit arse and was his sexual awakening. What could go wrong? Well, Pansy could accidentally mail the wrong letter. That's what. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Sunseeker by shiftylinguini Rated:  Explicit Words:  15199 Tags: Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Post-Hogwarts, Writer Harry Potter, Single Parent Draco Malfoy, Magical House Fixer-Upper Draco, Texting, Friends to Lovers, Banter, Past Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Divorced Astoria Greengrass & Draco Malfoy, Muggle Technology, Flirting, Long-Distance Relationship, Getting Together, Crushes, Pining, Drinking, Drunk Texting, Frottage, Grinding, First Time, Humor, H/D Erised 2020 Summary:  Harry is a struggling writer. Namely, he is struggling with: writing his next book, dealing with his agent, finding a decent tea strainer, fielding his friend's concern over the aforementioned book, and figuring out who the cat loitering in his garden belongs to. He also has a slight liking-Malfoy problem. Okay, he has a massive liking-Malfoy problem. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Charmed Confections by Alisanne Rated:  Explicit Words:  35967 Tags: Anal Sex, Oral Sex, Light Bondage, flangst, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Mild Angst, Character death (offscreen not Harry or Draco), Community: hd_erised Summary:  There’s a new bakery in town, and Harry is obsessed with the luscious lemon fairy cakes. And with discovering the identity of the mystery chef. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Open Up, Potter by heyitsamorette (AmoretteHD) Rated:  Explicit Words:  3276 Tags: odd jobs, First Time, First Time Blow Jobs, Blow Jobs, Dirty Talk, Bisexuality Summary:  Harry has never had gay sex; not surprising when he’s only recently admitted that he likes blokes. But he has to start somewhere, and Malfoy is more than happy to help. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 I bloom (just for you) by Ladderofyears Rated:  Teen and Up Words:  3910 Tags: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Enchanted Flower Business, Amortentia, Flower Shop Owner Harry Potter, Professor of Viking Magic Draco Malfoy, Misunderstandings, Oblivious Harry, Generous Draco, Falling In Love, Wealthy Draco, No Magical Florists Hurt In The Writing Of This Fic, Promise Summary:  Harry Potter is the proud new owner of Potter’s Blooms and Bouquets, the very first enchanted flower business on Diagon Alley. Harry has been tasked with designing and making the bouquets for the upcoming wedding of Draco Malfoy and his mysterious fiancée. There is one small problem though: Harry finds himself falling deeply in love with Draco himself. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Pensées d'Attirance by orpheous87 Rated:  General Words:  2256 Tags: Getting Together, Pre-Slash, Pre-Relationship, Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Fluff, Oblivious Harry Summary:  Draco is working in his mother's flower shop when Harry wanders in searching for a plant for his office. ❤️ Read on AO3

[alltimebestbooks]

Best Investing and Finance Books

Best Investing Books

1. The Intelligent Investor by benjamin graham

The greatest investment advisor of the twentieth century, Benjamin Graham taught and inspired people worldwide. Graham's philosophy of “value investing”—which shields investors from substantial error and teaches them to develop long-term strategies—has made The Intelligent Investor the stock market bible ever since its original publication in 1949.

Over the years, market developments have proven the wisdom of Graham’s strategies. While preserving the integrity of Graham’s original text, this revised edition includes updated commentary by noted financial journalist Jason Zweig, whose perspective incorporates the realities of today’s market, draws parallels between Graham’s examples and today’s financial headlines, and gives readers a more thorough understanding of how to apply Graham’s principles.

Vital and indispensable, The Intelligent Investor is the most important book you will ever read on how to reach your financial goals.

2. How to Avoid Loss and Earn Consistently in the Stock Market: An Easy-To-Understand and Practical Guide for Every Investor

Hundreds of books are there about ""How to make money from stocks?"" Still 80% small investors suffer loss in the stock market. Why?

Plenty of free trading tips are available across Television and Internet; still maximum small investors are unable to earn significant return consistently from trading. Why?

Why maximum individuals still consider the stock market as a place for gambling?

Investing in high-quality business (stock) at the right price and holding them for a reasonable period is the only way for wealth creation.Written in an easy-to-understand and simple language, this book will guide you on how to select fundamentally strong business, when to buy and sell stocks and above all how to minimize or avoid loss in the stock market. Chapters- 1. How to avoid loss in the stock market? 2. Stock Market is NOT risky at all 3. First step of picking winning stocks 4. How to evaluate management? 5. Valuation - It matters much 6. When to buy and when to sell 7. Do's and don'ts to avoid loss in the stock market 8. How to construct your portfolio? 9. Is it required to follow an equity advisor? 10. Quick formula for picking winning stocks 11. Little bit of myself - Important Lessons to be learnt

The book ends with a small note on "Life is not all about the stock market and money"

3. One Up On Wall Street: How to Use What You Already Know to Make Money in the Market

Penned by the famous mutual-fund manager, Peter Lynch, this book elaborates the many advantages that an average investor has over professionals and how they can help them reach financial triumph.

How To Use What You Already Know To Make Money in The Market explains how your knowledge alone can assist you beat the pros of investing. From the viewpoint of America's most triumphant money manager, investment chances are extensively accessible. Whether supermarket or work place, you can find goods and services everywhere. You have to select these organizations in which to invest, before they are found by skilled analysts. You will find more interesting knowledge on investment. Thus the book has become one of the best seller and treasure among readers. Moreover, this book provides time less recommendation on money business. This book has discussed the tips, ebb and flows on building it big in the investment market.

4. How to Make Money in Stocks: A Winning System in Good Times and Bad

Written by the acclaimed entrepreneur, William J O'Neil, How to Make Money in Stocks: A Winning System in Good Times and Bad, Fourth Edition is a handy guide that that deals with the stock market and its intricacies. The author of this book has written down the hard-earned knowledge he gained from his own experiences as an investor.

The price charts of winning stocks from the past century have been listed out in the beginning of this book. These charts are supplemented with notes throughout in order to make them more comprehensible to readers. In this book, the author discusses his trademark CAN SLIM method of investing.

The CAN SLIM method put together by the author consists of 7 steps which are aimed at maximising profits. This book imparts valuable information about the times when one needs to cut a loss and the times when one needs to invest and make a profit.

Mutual funds and exchange-traded funds are discussed as well by the author and he provides important tips on the ways to properly approach them while investing. The CAN SLIM method highlighted in this book was formulated by the author after analysing stock market patterns over the last 100 years.

How to Make Money in Stocks: A Winning System in Good Times and Bad, Fourth Edition runs its readers through important investment-related aspects such as an organisation's growth rate, demand and supply, mutual funds, etc

5. Irrational Exuberance by Robert J.Shiller

As Robert Shiller’s new 2009 preface to his prescient classic on behavioral economics and market volatility asserts, the irrational exuberance of the stock and housing markets “has been ended by an economic crisis of a magnitude not seen since the Great Depression of the 1930s.” As we all, ordinary Americans and professional investors alike, crawl from the wreckage of our heedless bubble economy, the shrewd insights and sober warnings, and hard facts that Shiller marshals in this book are more invaluable than ever.

The original and bestselling 2000 edition of Irrational Exuberance evoked Alan Greenspan’s infamous 1996 use of that phrase to explain the alternately soaring and declining stock market. It predicted the collapse of the tech stock bubble through an analysis of the structural, cultural, and psychological factors behind levels of price growth not reflected in any other sector of the economy. In the second edition (2005), Shiller folded real estate into his analysis of market volatility, marshalling evidence that housing prices were dangerously inflated as well, a bubble that could soon burst, leading to a “string of bankruptcies” and a “worldwide recession.” That indeed came to pass, with consequences that the 2009 preface to this edition deals with.

Irrational Exuberance is more than ever a cogent, chilling, and astonishingly far-seeing analytical work that no one with any money in any market anywhere can afford not to read–and heed.

Best Finance Books

1. The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America's Wealthy

The bestselling The Millionaire Next Door identifies seven common traits that show up again and again among those who have accumulated wealth. Most of the truly wealthy in this country don't live in Beverly Hills or on Park Avenue-they live next door. This new edition, the first since 1998, includes a new foreword for the twenty-first century by Dr. Thomas J. Stanley.

2. Technical Analysis of the Financial Markets: A Comprehensive Guide to Trading Methods and Applications

John J. Murphy has now updated his landmark bestseller Technical Analysis of the Futures Markets, to include all of the financial markets.

This outstanding reference has already taught thousands of traders the concepts of technical analysis and their application in the futures and stock markets. Covering the latest developments in computer technology, technical tools, and indicators, the second edition features new material on candlestick charting, intermarket relationships, stocks and stock rotation, plus state-of-the-art examples and figures. From how to read charts to understanding indicators and the crucial role technical analysis plays in investing, readers gain a thorough and accessible overview of the field of technical analysis, with a special emphasis on futures markets. Revised and expanded for the demands of today's financial world, this book is essential reading for anyone interested in tracking and analyzing market behavior.

3. The Simple Path to Wealth: Your Road Map to Financial Independence and a Rich, Free Life

“In the dark, bewildering, trap-infested jungle of misinformation and opaque riddles that is the world of investment, JL Collins is the fatherly wizard on the side of the path, offering a simple map, warm words of encouragement and the tools to forge your way through with confidence. You'll never find a wiser advisor with a bigger heart.” -- Malachi Rempen: Filmmaker, cartoonist, author and self-described ruffian

This book grew out of a series of letters to my daughter concerning various things—mostly about money and investing—she was not yet quite ready to hear.

Since money is the single most powerful tool we have for navigating this complex world we’ve created, understanding it is critical.

“But Dad,” she once said, “I know money is important. I just don’t want to spend my life thinking about it.” This was eye-opening. I love this stuff. But most people have better things to do with their precious time. Bridges to build, diseases to cure, treaties to negotiate, mountains to climb, technologies to create, children to teach, businesses to run.

Unfortunately, benign neglect of things financial leaves you open to the charlatans of the financial world. The people who make investing endlessly complex, because if it can be made complex it becomes more profitable for them, more expensive for us, and we are forced into their waiting arms.

Here’s an important truth: Complex investments exist only to profit those who create and sell them. Not only are they more costly to the investor, they are less effective.

The simple approach I created for her and present now to you, is not only easy to understand and implement, it is more powerful than any other.

Together we’ll explore:

Debt: Why you must avoid it and what to do if you have it.

The importance of having F-you Money.

How to think about money, and the unique way understanding this is key to building your wealth.

Where traditional investing advice goes wrong and what actually works.

What the stock market really is and how it really works.

Why the stock market always goes up and why most people still lose money investing in it.

How to invest in a raging bull, or bear, market.

Specific investments to implement these strategies.

The Wealth Building and Wealth Preservation phases of your investing life and why they are not always tied to your age.

How your asset allocation is tied to those phases and how to choose it.

How to simplify the sometimes confusing world of 401(k), 403(b), TSP, IRA and Roth accounts.

TRFs (Target Retirement Funds), HSAs (Health Savings Accounts) and RMDs (Required Minimum Distributions).

What investment firm to use and why the one I recommend is so far superior to the competition.

Why you should be very cautious when engaging an investment advisor and whether you need to at all.

Why and how you can be conned, and how to avoid becoming prey.

Why I don’t recommend dollar cost averaging.

What financial independence looks like and how to have your money support you.

What the 4% rule is and how to use it to safely spend your wealth.

The truth behind Social Security.

A Case Study on how this all can be implemented in real life.

Don’t let any of this intimidate you. Those that have gone before you say:

“….in his patented no-frills and often humorous style, JL makes it both approachable and simple. And powerful.” “…effective message told in a visual, funny style.” “…a refreshingly unique and approachable take on investing.” “JL Collins has the gift of making boring financial concepts funny and interesting.” “Instead of esoteric equations about measuring a stock's alpha and comparing it to its beta, he lights up the campfire and starts telling stories.”

Enjoy the read, and the journey!

4. The Essays of Warren Buffett: Lessons for Corporate America

The fifth edition of The Essays of Warren Buffett: Lessons for Corporate Americacontinues a 25-year tradition of collating Warren Buffett's philosophy in a historic collaboration between Mr. Buffett and Prof. Lawrence Cunningham. As the book Buffett autographs most, its popularity and longevity attest to the widespread appetite for this unique compilation of Mr. Buffett’s thoughts that is at once comprehensive, non-repetitive, and digestible. New and experienced readers alike will gain an invaluable informal education by perusing this classic arrangement of Mr. Buffett's best writings.

“Larry Cunningham has done a great job at collating our philosophy.”—Warren Buffett

"Larry Cunningham takes Buffett's brilliant letters to a still-higher level by organizing them into single-subject chapters. The book begins, moreover, with an excellent introduction by Larry.”—Carol Loomis

“The book on Buffett—a superb job.”—Forbes

“Extraordinary—full of wisdom, humor, and common sense.”—Money

“A classic on value investing and the definitive source on Buffett.”—Financial Times

5. Too Big to Fail: Inside the Battle to Save Wall Street

They were masters of the financial universe, flying in private jets and raking in billions. They thought they were too big to fail. Yet they would bring the world to its knees.

Andrew Ross Sorkin, the news-breaking New York Times journalist, delivers the first true in-the-room account of the most powerful men and women at the eye of the financial storm - from reviled Lehman Brothers CEO Dick 'the gorilla' Fuld, to banking whiz Jamie Dimon, from bullish Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson to AIG's Joseph Cassano, dubbed 'The Man Who Crashed the World'.

Through unprecedented access to the key players, Sorkin meticulously re-creates frantic phone calls, foul-mouthed rows and white-knuckle panic, as Wall Street fought to save itself.

[cryptoessentials]

Future of Art and Investments - Non-fungible Tokens

From digital Art and GIFs to unique, high-profile collectibles, NFTs continue to make headlines. They experienced significant growth during the pandemic. Developers and collectors research the NFT for revenue and investment opportunities. Many experts see the NFT as the future of art and investment.

We appreciate the cultural value of art and things that have been historically preserved. We are also proud to have something valuable: culture or money. We collect art because we want something unique, valuable. Today, collecting art is a thriving and highly regarded practice. In 2020 alone, the global collectibles market reached a record $ 372 billion due to a pandemic-driven online sales boom and is expected to continue at 7% CAGR (compound annual growth rate) between 2021 and 2028.

With the Internet and other digital technologies permeating all aspects of human life, many creators have begun to create digital art. Today, digital art is highly sought after for its uniqueness, convenience and value.

Before the digital revolution could take place, art had to go through art facilities and galleries to reach art collectors and lovers. With the changing internet of the game, art from every corner of the world can be seen by anyone and everywhere. However, it does not solve the problem of ownership of art, especially digital. In digital creation, it's easy to copy something and make your own. This hole takes digital art for granted. The rise of blockchain technology has brought NFT digital assets or Non-fungible tokens tied to a secure blockchain that provides proof of ownership. Distributed Ledger (Blockchain) technology makes NFT more secure and unchanging. In addition, the introduction of decentralized technology will allow NFTs to be independent of any centralized body or any type of third-party entity.

The NFT is changing the face of the arts and collecting sector by creating new opportunities for collaboration and innovation. Their usefulness and opportunities for artists, collectors and investors make the industry even more valuable in the short term. NFTs are unique digital assets where only they have original value. Their uniqueness also governs their demand and price.

Modern technologies have also changed the way we create, access and purchase art and other unique collections. In the past, people needed to have enough knowledge to be able to appreciate and collect art. Today, the Internet has enabled everyone in the world to gain and appreciate knowledge of art. It also allows people to buy and sell art online.

The combined power of the Internet and blockchain technology (especially NFT) opens up endless possibilities for creators and collectors to interconnect and benefit from mutual cooperation and exchange of value. It has pushed forward the democratization of art. It makes designers and artists more easily accessible to the general public, while eliminating the trust of creators and collectors in third parties.

NFTs have the same technological value and collector's value. The NFT offers secure ownership to creators with royalties from each resale of their artwork worldwide without the involvement of an intermediary. NFTs provide their collectors with proof of ownership of the original work. It also acts as an investment that increases value and has a large sales volume. They allow collectors from all over the world to buy art directly from the creators themselves through secure transactions.

There is already a huge demand for NFTs in sectors such as sports, arts, and entertainment. Their digital and decentralized nature already makes them metaverse friendly.

In the future, the use of NFTs in the real estate and entertainment sector will increase significantly. NFT properties take property ownership to the next level through smart contracts. The entertainment industry is expected to experience more NFT movement with a greater focus on creating famous artists who use their art directly to their fans. NFTs are legitimate assets with significant applications in a variety of industries, both digital and non-digital. Experts predict greater acceptance of the NFT as it opens up more avenues for Web 3.0 development. Read more.

[throughdigitaleyes]

Bleachers Play Sold Out HOB Boston

Bleachers brought their Gone Now Era Tour to a Sold Out House of Blues Boston Friday night (11.17.17).

According to Bleachers front-man, Jack Antonoff, this show was the first of the tour to sell out, and from the look of the crowd, that’s not surprising. Even before Bleachers hit the stage, the fans let loose with unrestrained enthusiasm through both openers and let their overwhelming anticipation be felt as the crew readied the stage for the main act. Once the lights went down, and Bleachers took the stage with the theatrical ‘Dream of Mickey Mantle’, all bets were off, and not a person in attendance would let up until the music stopped and the house lights came up. Throughout the night it became quite clear that Boston loves Bleachers, and Antonoff made sure the crowd left knowing that the feeling was mutual.

Having seen Bleachers before, I had a pretty good idea of the type of show we would be getting, but Antonoff & Co. took it to the next level this time around, showing massive growth both musically and in terms of his stage presence. Antonoff, a Jersey Boy through and through, clearly finds inspiration as a performer (and a musician in general) in the one and only Bruce Springsteen, and while this seemed a bit forced in the previous sets I’d seen, he has since honed his Boss ‘impersonation’ and has, in the process, become a bona fide rock-star in his own right.

Always excited about what he’s giving his fans and feeding off of what they’re giving him, Antonoff works the stage with a natural ferocity that grabs a hold of even the most casual fan in the house (people like me) and refuses to let go even when things slow down. In fact, two of the night’s brightest highlights – his ‘Rollercoaster’ intro and the stripped medley that found him delivering unique versions of Tom Petty’s ‘American Girl’ and fun.’s ‘Carry On’ before venturing into ‘Like a River Runs’ – were decidedly low-key moments that still found the packed House of Blues wholly captivated.

From the moment they transitioned from the aforementioned ‘Dream of Mickey Mantle’ to ‘Goodmorning’ all the way through their one-two punch of a finale that saw them gleefully knocking two of their biggest hits – ‘I Wanna Get Better’ and ‘Don’t Take the Money’ – out of the park, Bleachers never gave the audience anything less than their all, delivering one of the very best club shows I’ve seen this year.

Bishop Briggs opened with a display that was exhausting in a most satisfying way, sprinting back and forth on the stage throughout a set that cemented her status as a force of nature with those of us who were already fans while instantly winning over everyone else. She’s destined for great things and will be headlining this very room in no time at all.

Kicking off the night was Amy Shark, an Australian singer whose sound resembled a mix of several current pop powerhouses, and a presence that did the same with a bit less attitude. It was an enjoyable set that showed a lot of potential.

MORE PHOTOS from the show can be found on Flickr: Bleachers; Bishop Briggs; Amy Shark.

All photos ©Timothy Patrick Boyer, 2017.

[themashaall-blog]

Quick Coins ATMs

As bitcoin is the brand new currency that has recently come forward, many people are not actually aware of what it is and how it can be useful. It is similar to the US Dollar, Peso, and even Euro but the only difference is that a single government or a single company cannot control it.

Bitcoin is a decentralized peer to peer currency. It is connected to the computer of every individual working with it. In short, it is digital currency and there is no need of a central bank for performing transactions using this currency. It has now become a hot commodity among the spectators. The transactions using digital currencies happen instantly and there is no transaction fee involved. The best part is that nobody can manipulate the bitcoin network.

If you are interested in digital currencies then you must know how to buy bitcoins too. Some people say that it is really difficult to deal with bitcoins but the truth is that getting bitcoins is very easy. It is even easier than opening a bank account.

If you want to know how to buy bitcoins, you will have to start learning how to use the wallet software. Then you will have to learn how to send and receive money so that you can actually buy bitcoins. First of all, you will need a wallet. You can do this by registering yourself with any exchange that hosts a wallet. When you will get into the exchanges, you will need more wallets. You should have one at your own PC too in order to understand bitcoins because some experimental exchanges will be involved. If you want to keep your money safe, it is best to keep on moving it by exchanging coins.

The most common method of buying bitcoins is to buy them from an exchange. There are plenty of websites available today that facilitate in the purchase of digital currencies. These exchanges do not actually sell the bitcoins themselves. They pair a buyer with a bitcoin seller. These exchanges ask the user to provide some personal information before the exchange can actually take place.

Another way to acquire bitcoins is to mine them. Every bitcoin that exists today was once mined through the Bitcoin Mining Network. However, mining can be extremely risky. It’s difficulty increases with time and it becomes almost impossible for a user to gain profits.

That’s not all; you can buy digital currency from a private broker too. You can enter into an exchange with the broker to get bitcoins but this comes with some drawbacks. The exchange is going to be anonymous. You don’t even know any real details about the broker except for his wallet number but you still have to transfer funds in order to make the exchange happen. There is a risk of getting ripped off if the bitcoin exchanges disappear. That will make you lose your bitcoins too.

In short, bitcoins can help you earn money and for this, you just need to know the right time to make the exchange.

About Us

Effectively purchase and sell bitcoin in only a couple of steps at our bitcoin ATM! We offer the most reduced rate around the local area. Be brilliant and set aside your cash by exchanging with us! More ATM areas just around the corner.

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Blogs

The Global OTC Marketplace — We’re All in This Together!

The financial crisis that we have all just weathered was not limited to the UK. It was, without a doubt, global. It highlighted the risks associated with less-regulated markets, and regulatory responses required. The issues, both local and global are now being addressed with commitments and recommendations from across the industry. The biggest challenge that the industry faces, however, is in trying to develop workable, local solutions that are equally as satisfying for the domestic marketplace as for the international one. OTC derivatives and commodity contracts are valuable, and in some instances, necessary risk transfer tools. They allow important innovation in product design, provide for the commencement and evolution of emerging markets and enable customized solutions for the particular hedging needs of the market. For change to be successful, it is vital that all participants recognize the role of OTC markets in the global economy — but note the similarities and differences between OTC and exchange-traded markets.

When considering the potential changes, it is crucial to remember that there can be huge variations between what will work locally for clearing houses and trade information warehouses and what might apply to international market participants outside of the UK. Those solutions designed to meet the objectives and commitments of their respective marketplace with respect to the improvement of OTC derivatives, must be taken on board.

Cooperation and mutual respect will ensure that market participants are able to thrive in this new environment. The challenges facing this new era of the OTC marketplace are demanding for everyone. The processing of corporate actions, as well as Central Counterparty clearing (CCP) have an important role to play in managing risk, enhancing transparency and protecting market integrity against abuse.

The global financial crisis has prompted a coordinated and concerted response from international organizations, governments and regulatory agencies. Most significant among these is the commitment of the G20 governments to implement policies to ensure recovery, to repair our financial systems and to maintain the global flow of capital. As part of these commitments, the G20 has underlined the importance of addressing issues arising from OTC derivatives markets. They have mandated that “… All standardized OTC derivative contracts should be traded on exchanges or electronic trading platforms, where appropriate, and cleared through central counterparties… “ There is a commitment to having this in place by the end of 2012, so it is now essential that these functions, currently exercised by local service providers under the supervision of local regulators, be accompanied by links between local and international providers in order to address the needs of international markets.

With CCP clearing and exchange trading being mandated for many markets, any talk surrounding increased regulation must include the right combination of standardisation, liquidity and user characteristics in order to be of value. The success of government bond futures, index futures, equity and ETF options demonstrate products and markets that have adapted well to the standardised rules and requirements of exchange trading.

That being said, a “one-size fits all” response will not be appropriate for all of these markets. OTC and listed derivatives have worked very well together through healthy growth in both markets, but that does not mean that every derivative contract is ready to move to on-exchange trading. The huge range of OTC markets will always be diverse and for this reason it is necessary to determine which markets can be effectively migrated to trading on a regulated exchange/CCP clearing, and which markets will be subject to trade reporting and/or higher capital requirements.

OTC markets are complex and quite often diverse. If there is to be a successful migration of OTC markets to an exchange or electronic trading platform and CCP clearing, then a full review of the OTC products in the global marketplace is the only sure way to ensure which products are exchange traded and which should be exempt.

As with any new rules and regulations, there will be exceptions. In the commodity and energy markets, for example, the capital requirements necessary for users who engage in transactions as a necessary part of hedging price risk for a primary business related to producing commodities will invariably be too onerous. In cases such as this, exemptions should be made available. But they must be regularly reviewed to ensure compliance wherever possible.

There is a high degree of standardization required for both the exchange-traded and OTC markets. Factors surrounding the size and maturity of futures contracts must be reviewed and the overall economies of scale of the level of trading of OTC products need to be gauged in order to ensure that they are achievable. In addition, the market variables affecting valuation need to be transparent and readily observable.

In conclusion, there is widespread support for international efforts to strengthen the regulation of OTC derivatives activity, enhance transparency, and improve risk management subject to appropriate exemptions for select products or groups of participants.

We know that exchange trading and central counterparty clearing have an important role to play in enhancing transparency, managing risk, protecting market integrity, defending against abuse, and in mitigating risk. The challenges are, at times, daunting, however, in this global marketplace, if we are to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past, now is the time to embrace change, accept that there will always be exceptions and devise a mutually acceptable format that allows everyone to move forward together.

Thinking of Investing? Think the Bitcoin Way

What is Bitcoin?

If you’re here, you’ve heard of Bitcoin. It has been one of the biggest frequent news headlines over the last year or so — as a get rich quick scheme, the end of finance, the birth of truly international currency, as the end of the world, or as a technology that has improved the world. But what is Bitcoin?

In short, you could say Bitcoin is the first decentralised system of money used for online transactions, but it will probably be useful to dig a bit deeper.

We all know, in general, what ‘money’ is and what it is used for. The most significant issue that witnessed in money use before Bitcoin relates to it being centralised and controlled by a single entity — the centralised banking system. Bitcoin was invented in 2008/2009 by an unknown creator who goes by the pseudonym ‘Satoshi Nakamoto’ to bring decentralisation to money on a global scale. The idea is that the currency can be traded across international lines with no difficulty or fees, the checks and balances would be distributed across the entire globe (rather than just on the ledgers of private corporations or governments), and money would become more democratic and equally accessible to all.

How did Bitcoin start?

The concept of Bitcoin, and cryptocurrency in general, was started in 2009 by Satoshi, an unknown researcher. The reason for its invention was to solve the issue of centralisation in the use of money which relied on banks and computers, an issue that many computer scientists weren’t happy with. Achieving decentralisation has been attempted since the late 90s without success, so when Satoshi published a paper in 2008 providing a solution, it was overwhelmingly welcomed. Today, Bitcoin has become a familiar currency for internet users and has given rise to thousands of ‘altcoins’ (non-Bitcoin cryptocurrencies).

How is Bitcoin made?

Bitcoin is made through a process called mining. Just like paper money is made through printing, and gold is mined from the ground, Bitcoin is created by ‘mining’. Mining involves solving of complex mathematical problems regarding blocks using computers and adding them to a public ledger. When it began, a simple CPU (like that in your home computer) was all one needed to mine, however, the level of difficulty has increased significantly and now you will need specialised hardware, including high end Graphics Processing Unit (GPUs), to extract Bitcoin.

How do I invest?

First, you have to open an account with a trading platform and create a wallet; you can find some examples by searching Google for ‘Bitcoin trading platform’ — they generally have names involving ‘coin’, or ‘market’. After joining one of these platforms, you click on the assets, and then click on crypto to choose your desired currencies. There are a lot of indicators on every platform that are quite important, and you should be sure to observe them before investing.

Simply buy and hold

While mining is the surest and, in a way, simplest way to earn Bitcoin, there is too much hustle involved, and the cost of electricity and specialised computer hardware makes it inaccessible to most of us. To avoid all this, make it easy for yourself, directly input the amount you want from your bank and click “buy’, then sit back and watch as your investment increases according to the price change. This is called exchanging and takes place on many exchanges platforms available today, with the ability to trade between many different fiat currencies (USD, AUD, GBP, etc) and different crypto coins (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, etc).

Trading Bitcoin

If you are familiar with stocks, bonds, or Forex exchanges, then you will understand crypto-trading easily. There are Bitcoin brokers like e-social trading, FXTM markets.com, and many others that you can choose from. The platforms provide you with Bitcoin-fiat or fiat-Bitcoin currency pairs, example BTC-USD means trading Bitcoins for U.S. Dollars. Keep your eyes on the price changes to find the perfect pair according to price changes; the platforms provide price among other indicators to give you proper trading tips.

Bitcoin as Shares

There are also organisations set up to allow you to buy shares in companies that invest in Bitcoin — these companies do the back and forth trading, and you just invest in them, and wait for your monthly benefits. These companies simply pool digital money from different investors and invest on their behalf.

Why should you invest in Bitcoin?

As you can see, investing in Bitcoin demands that you have some basic knowledge of the currency, as explained above. As with all investments, it involves risk! The question of whether or not to invest depends entirely on the individual. However, if I were to give advice, I would advise in favor of investing in Bitcoin with a reason that, Bitcoin keeps growing — although there has been one significant boom and bust period, it is highly likely that Cryptocurrencies as a whole will continue to increase in value over the next 10 years. Bitcoin is the biggest, and most well known, of all the current cryptocurrencies, so is a good place to start, and the safest bet, currently. Although volatile in the short term, I suspect you will find that Bitcoin trading is more profitable than most other ventures.

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[thehumanbuilder]

This is my W H Y 👇🏼✨🧠

When this began I didn’t know what an “influencer” was. The meanings of “follow,” “like,” and “hashtag,” weren’t part of my vernacular and 2 p.m. was an empty space between personal training clients. When this began I also lived in fear of dementors dominating my daily life.

Simultaneously the #fitspo was swallowing the fitness industry whole, like a hot pink horse pill peddled by said “influencers,” in hopes of getting a hit of the highly-addictive instant-gratification of our newly founded “insta-world.” While in Largo, Florida, I was up and in the gym with clients — everyday — at 6 a.m. with a cup of coffee, and a hug ready to go.

My mission was — is— to build humans from the inside out. The human body is the most complex piece of machinery ever crafted. A luxury vehicle, deserving to be handled with respect, love, and dedication. It’s been my mission to understand it and all its complexity.

Understanding its evolution is never ending — and therefore should be treated as such. Every moving part serves a greater purpose for the whole. Nothing is a mistake, and every piece has a place. The human body is magic realized — and it’s so much more than the the aesthetics we’ve come to obsess over, as a thanks to more than public progress photos.

Running a full-time personal training business as a full time student was more than enough to test my passion, and patience. I was wrapping up a B.A. in Digital and Mass Media Communications. A degree nearly six years in the making — for what I thought would be nothing but an ill-fitting robe and an initialed piece of paper. A degree that ripped me from everything, to show me exactly what I had:

A knack for the click clack of a keyboard, a love for transformation, and an uncanny talent I had honed that transforms traumas into tests, tests into lessons, lessons into stories, and stories into human connections. My degree showed me that every human has stories, truths, loves, and traumas, that deserve to be heard.

When practiced with love, objectivity, and empathy, communication transforms from a task, to a tool. It evolves into authentic human connection. It’s by these connections that we form relationships, families and social circles. Communication is the concrete foundation for a healthy, and well functioning society. It’s the one thing that seems to be missing from our world. The willingness, and the want, to connect, share and be human, with — albeit — other humans.

Every class was a mirror to — in my eyes — blatant errors in the media. We all want to be followed, liked, and shared. We all want to feel like we matter. So how is it that we have come across the most anthropologically advanced piece of technology —our species has yet to discover until recent history — and use exclusively to get an extra hit of the hottest drug on the market.

Social media has the power to serve one of the most primal human needs — aside from the obvious of sustenance, shelter and security — is human connection. Without it, we wilt and wither away like that of an unloved houseplant sentenced to a life of solitude, without a lick of sunshine.

We have all — to one degree or another — “been there.” We’ve been the houseplant in the corner. Bruising our leaves in an effort to soak up just a few little rays of light. Wondering what the purpose is anyway, to have something so beautiful left at the hands of darkness.

My personal battle with dementors isn’t locked away in a Chamber of Secrets. It’s online. I went from proclaiming my distaste for humans — as has become so common as a thanks to internet — to sharing every bit of my journey with a digital world.

Knowing that there were human beings behind those usernames. Human beings in search of something they were missing in “real life.”

There was a moment in one of my classes — Media Ethics (yeah… I know… the irony)— where something just clicked. After 5+ years of questioning what the fck I was going to do with a degree, it made sense.

“Journalism is the business of humanity,” I said to my professor. “It’s our job to share the stories, and connect with other human beings.” To remind them that there are stories to be told, and no one is a wasted chapter.

I took to social media that day and began sharing my own story. Knowing that if I wanted others to open up to me, I would have to take the first step. It wasn’t about how many people read, or even liked it. It was about starting a conversation that needed to be had.

With every onion layer of my personal journey that was posted, came an influx of messages from other humans thanking me for “being vulnerable.” They thanked me for being “brave,” and it left me baffled.

I can’t be the only one.

The posts got more real, and the message got clearer. Everyday, between ‘flients’, I would write, connect and share with humans. Yes. Real life people. The humans all too comfortable suffering in silence on the outskirts. Who “get it,” and just “don’t wanna sound crazy,” when they need someone to — lovingly — start the conversation.

We scroll our way through the day, double tapping things we like, and swiping left on those we don’t. Refreshing screens for red tabbed notifications that arbitrarily validate the lives we lead.

What if, we stopped scrolling, and started connecting? What if we took time to say “how are you really,” and prompt the larger questions of life.

What if we use social media to start a conversation on the importance of mental health, being love, while promoting impactful psychological and sociological change?

This tool we’ve uncovered, that has been bruised and beaten by the barbaric notions of society, deserves a facelift. It’s time to take social media back from the bots, booties, and breast implants.

Let’s make socials a place to be social. A place of ever-expanding evolutions, mutual growth, and positivity. A place for stories to be shared, respected and heard.

It’s more than the quantifiable values we have become fixated on. It’s about humans finally receiving what they have needed for far too long. A pseudo-watering hole that connects human beings around the world based on mutual interests.

It is time to evolve our interests from viral videos to a #real virus. According to the AFSP , in 2017 there were nearly 1.3 million suicide attempts in the United States, and suicide stands as the 10th leading cause of death.

Headlines read ages as young as 9 years old, ending their lives. Regardless of what the individual trigger was, the route cause is always the same. What’s the point if the darkness is going to be that loud and present / no one understands / or there is no one to talk to judgement free.

We can talk about “awareness” until we are blue in the face, in my heart it’s time for more than that. It is time to put this earth shattering mechanism to the test and use it to take action. It’s time to remind the people behind the usernames of what connects all of us down to the fibers of our being.

The need to love, and be loved. Every human deserves to know they’re worth the human-right to evolution, change, and growth. The only reason your dementors are here, is to show you just how magical you are.

Like a sorcerer’s stone, it’s been buried, and likely in the wrong hands, for way too long. It’s up to you to blow of the dust, and take back what’s always been yours. To know that you have it in you to conquer every hurdle, and execute your reps — in and out of the gym — with dedication, focus, and optimism.

This is my WHY. It’s everything to me. If I could give back even half of what this experience has given me thus far, it would be too little. Every single human that comes across @bemacfit will be reminded of their worth. They will know — even for a moment — that they aren’t crazy, and there is at least one more human out there who really does “get it.”

It is my WHY To be the person I wish I had when things were at their worst, to authentically connect with, and educate, humans around the world, and create a program that provides actionable steps to defeat dementors in/out of the gym, with the intention of helping prevent suicide from going — any more — viral.