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[penvisions]

garnish {chapter 3}

Pairing: Chef! Joel Miller x Bartender! Reader

Summary: Thoughts about Joel Miller have you desperate for something you hadn't sought out in quite a while: human touch. So when your friends suggest a girls' night out, you readily agree. It's just your luck that the very man plaguing your thoughts happens to be at the bar picked out for the night.

Word Count: 6.5k

Warning: alcohol consumption, drunken interactions, creepy flirthing, unwanted attention, fighting, bar fights, nonconsensual touching (not joel), protective joel, injuries, blood, degrading talk, power dynamics, abuse of power, restaurant lingo, triggers associated with the food industry, smoking, cigarettes, joel miller is a conflicted man, kissing, drunk makeout session

A/N: this story is literally keeping me from climbing the walls in my apartment, i've applied to over 20 jobs the last few days and made even more calls to see if places were hiring. the issue isn't finding something, it's finding something willing to pay me for my experience and skill set. but i found out a local coffee shop is opening a new location and i should be getting a call back with interview times for that today, they need cooks and bakers and i can definitely do that

ao3 || series masterlist || main masterlist

It was Wednesday, your normal day off for the week, but Joel had scheduled you two hours of prep, the shift reminder notification early that morning. It had woken you up, having allowed yourself to sleep in after the rather busy shift the night before. It had been a record-breaking sales day, the concert downtown only blocks away bringing increased foot traffic. It had been a week and a half since that terrible Sunday shift where you had finally given into hunger and had ordered food only to be told you had messed up. You had gone hungry that night, nothing in your kitchen at home.

You hadn’t spoken to Joel beyond confirming that dishes were ready to go out and helping to take updated pars out to the servers’ board for them to be aware of throughout services. Lists were left atop the sandwich prep station, and you completed it every shift you had before making your way toward the bar. They were in his writing, some things new with recipe page numbers for the guidebook stored on the expo line.

You had completed a few things on your list and were moving onto the next thing when his booming voice sounded from the walk in.

“Where are the rest of the yellow onions?”

Everyone in the kitchen looked over their stations, including you. The yellow onions you had chopped up for the red lentil soup were sitting in the pot you had atop a portable burner on the left side of your station. Cutting board beside it as you chopped the carrots that were to be added next.

“Whose used yellow onions today?” His brow was furrowed, lips downturned as he gazed around the kitchen. The three confirmations of ‘here, chef’ had him moving intimidatingly through the space, the first two seemed to come out of their interaction unscathed. But you felt like you weren’t about to be so lucky.

“When did you start the prep for these? They look nearly caramelized already.” He stirred the wooden spoon resting in the deep pot, getting a feel on the state of the onions cooking inside. You had stepped aside, hands behind your back as you let him inspect your station. He turned to watch as you answered, professional air about you as you briefly met his eyes with your own. You spoke in an even tone, worried about how he was going to react. He had already proven himself comfortable with cutting you off and denying you food that you had paid with your own money. And that was when you hadn’t actually done anything to warrant that type of reaction.

“I started this half an hour ago, gathered them from the walk in as I gathered everything else, chef.”

“Did you happen to notice that you grabbed the last ones? There are none in the box, left empty on the shelf. That you too? Don’t understand the way things work here, do ya?” He turned with a sharpie held tight between his fingers and he jutted it at the dray erase board beside the walk-in door where things low in stock were to be written down. “In case anyone is unclear on how this kitchen operates: things low in stock are to be written on that board there BEFORE we run out. Boxes or containers that are emptied while grabbing items are to be discarded or put into dish, not left on the shelf for the next person to find.”

“Yes, chef!” The chorus rang out evenly throughout the room.

He turned back to the portable burner and clicked it off, turning the nob off and the whoosh of gas going out was loud in the slight hum of busy work that the kitchen returned to once he had finished speaking.

“Why don’t you go clock yourself out.”

“Chef, there-“ You tried to talk to him, let him know that you had left nearly three pounds of onions left in the box. It wasn’t empty when you left the walk-in. You had been too wrapped up in your work to notice who else had gone in afterwards, though you wouldn’t have sold them out to begin with.

“Go. Clock out, now.”

“Yes, chef.” You wouldn’t raise your face to meet his look. Trying to keep your anger in check lest you give him a real reason to go off on you. Instead, you moved to grab your sharpie laid out over the recipe binder. The small field notes pad of paper beside it with the notations for a double batch written neatly on the page it was open to. Joel blocked your movement with a sidestep, his broad figure blocking your reaching hand.

“Now means now.”

“My-“

“Is now mine. Go.”

Your eyes flicked up and you tried your best not to pin him with the annoyance that was humming through your very blood. This man was nothing but a nuisance, you had only agreed to come into the kitchen because they were short staffed. But it was degrading work, to be around this man who deemed nearly everything below par and had extreme standards for the way things were to be done. The two instances of common decency he had offered you had to have been a fluke, maybe he had been extra tired and worn out those days, didn’t mean to let his guard down. Either way, you were quickly getting over the fluctuating temperatures of his attitude. At first it had been jarring, but you weren’t about to let it get to you any longer. You were determined to face it head on or dish it back out in what ways you could safely do so without risking your job.

You were lagging outside of the back door, standing with the bar back, whose name was Millie and a server who were both on break. You each had a cigarette in hand, swapping stories about the worst pick up lines that you had been approached with. You had removed your apron, it was folded carefully in your crossbody bag to be washed when you got home, simple black long sleeve Henley along with it. That left you in your black denim with that kitschy cute heart belt buckle and a dark green racerback. You had left your hair up in its normal fashion of low buns on either side of your head, short black beanie atop your head.

“You gotta admit,” Your laughter ringing through the air accompanied by the giggles of the two girls in front of you. “He was honest, what better way to start a conversation, though I could’ve done without the-“

All the laughter cut off as the backdoor opened and Joel appeared with a bag of trash. The two younger girls snubbed out their waning cigarettes and scurried inside, deeming breaktime over with his sudden arrival. You watched as Joel tossed the bag over the lip of the nearby dumpster before removing his gloves and tossed them in as well. He removed a pack of his own cigarettes from the breast pocket of his chef’s coat, and you could see the spiral wiring of your notebook peeking out over the top of it. His eyes took in the way your lips moved as you took a long drag from your own, bringing your phone out to ignore him.

The snick snick snick of his lighter resulted in a deep grunt, and you looked at him out of the corner of your eye. The cigarette he had pulled out was between his plush lips and his dead lighter was being pushed back into the pocket of his chef’s pants. When his eyes flicked to you, your attention snapped back to your phone. He cleared his throat, and you cocked an eyebrow up at the sound, turning to give him the barest hint of attention. He was leaning heavily against the side of the building, his hands stuffed in his pockets as he regarded you.

“Do you-

“Nope.” You took the last drag before snuffing out your own cigarette and tossed the butt into the pail beside the door. You started walking toward the parking lot, your truck beeping with a press of the control in your hand. The strap of your bag over your shoulder caught the man’s eye as you began to move away.

“You’re just gonna walk off from your shift?”

“Today’s my day off, chef.” You didn’t look back at him but could tell that your words had affected him.

“Shit, I-“ He straightened up and moved away from the wall, taking a step toward you, his hands coming out from his pockets to take the unlit cigarette from between his lips.

“Don’t worry about it. Now you don’t have to worry me using up all your inventory, right?” You pulled another cigarette out from the pack still in your hand along with your phone and brought a lighter out from your own front pocket. You took a long drag and blew the smoke in his direction over your shoulder, aware of his gaze on your back and you hopped into the cab of the truck.

The next day, everything that was on your prep list had been completed and the one for today had instructions on where to find the mise for each recipe. Everything was already prepared for you and were just combining and finishing the last few steps of each one.

“Hi there, what can I get started for you?” You placed a coaster down on the bar top before a glass of water, eyes coming up as you smiled at the new guest. Your smile faltered a little when the face of your biological evolution professor beamed back at you, but you didn’t let your surprise show other than that.

“I heard a rumor that the bartender here made the best whisky drinks. Here to test out that theory.” His voice was smooth, something you had often spoken aloud to your friends that made the class lectures rather easy. His baritone deep and the ways in which he spoke with such passion and interest in his material was an added bonus to understanding the class subject matter than most.

“Let’s get to testin’, what your preferred whiskey?” You busied yourself making the drinks that had been rung up the last couple of minutes, the man having sat to the side of the well in the last seat along the right side of the bar.

“I’m a Bullet man, myself. But I’m up for whatever you think is best.”

“Oh, well, of course the one I think is best is our top shelf.” You tossed the man a playful smirk, aware that it was a possible line being crossed. But neither of you were on campus, you were at work, and he was one of your bar guests. His laugh was beautiful as he knocked his head back, the line of his throat catching shadows from the strong lights over the bar.

“I actually prefer Woodford, it’s not too expensive but its leagues above some of the stuff on the shelves like Evan Williams.”

He was funny, quick-witted. Matching your jokes as fast as he could. Bringing up documentaries he had recently seen.

“No, but like that’s the thing! There’s been no discovery of this caliber ever before, its unprecedented in nearly every aspect.” You were making a round of lemon drops for a group of girls on the other end of the bar, loading up the shaker and then securing the smaller component over it before lifting your hand and shaking it. As you did so, you reached over to grab the coup glasses you would need for the pour. A figure appeared at the well, taller than the servers and barback, who had gone on break a few minutes ago.

You glanced over at Joel, the man had his hands atop the plastic mats, eyes taking in the organized garnish container and the jars of small straws and picks for the servers to complete their drinks. You nodded at him to let him know you saw him and would be with him as soon as possible before you held the shaker tight in one hand and used the heel of your palm to knock the smaller part loose. Your hand was steady as you parted the two components enough to strain the bright pink liquid from the ice, not looking up from it.

“To actually have fossil evidence of not just any Hominid species, but of a newly discovered hominid species, with a crafted tool in their fuckin’ hand! Like, I got chills, and I was pretty sure my attention was plastered to the screen. Didn’t even touch the food I made that night. I immediately started just taking notes throughout the whole thing.”

“To be fair, it was just as intriguing to find out that the child’s body had been in the cavern wall, not even properly buried like the rest of the bodies in the Dinaledi chamber.”

“Oh my gosh, I know! That opens a whole plethora of questions about what that child was even doing, was he the one carving those symbols into the wall, was he alone- hold on one moment.” You moved over to the other side of the bar, two coup glasses cradled carefully in each hand, and you took the four of them over to the girls who had been watching you make them. They were all bright smiles and excited giggles as you told them you used Meyer lemons for a sweeter drink and added a bit of cherry juice for the color.

“She’s a busy one, guests seem to love her.” Your professor smiled over at Joel, who was watching you flit around behind the bar much like he had been admiring all night. Joel’s eyes snapped to the man beside him and he just nodded, crossing his arms over his chest.

“She knows what she’s doing.”

“Not much of a talker in class, but her papers are beyond wonders. The way her mind makes connections is amazing. And the way she uses her words so carefully, so eloquently.”

“You go to school with her?” Joel questioned, mind going over the small interactions he’s had with you recently. You tended to stutter over your words around him, as if you were hesitant to speak in the first place. He didn’t like the comparison, now, seeing you in your element and recalling the way you had always been professional around him. But this, you behind the bar and completely enthralling as you entertained so many people and mixed drinks like it was second nature. Firing back jokes and conversation as if it was the easiest thing in the world. Your laughter ringing through the space of the dining room. He felt the pull of a frown, not liking the shift he was causing in you lately.

“Oh no, school is way behind me. I’m her professor.” The grunt Joel made seemed to display his trepidation at the revelation and the man was quick to jump into defense mode. “It’s not what it looks like, she’s at work and I’m just here on a friend’s word that it’s a good place. Didn’t even know she was here until I sat down.”

“Sure.” Joel said in a tone that said he didn’t buy a word the man was saying.

You were back with them by the well, professional smile in place as you addressed Joel. You were busy tucking a receipt and some bills of money into your server’s book, secured underneath the counter and atop a cooler beside the drink station.

“Yes, chef?”

“Bourbon for the steak sauce. And whatever amber you have on tap.” He tried to muster up the courage to lighten up his face from a frown, but the way your eyes flashed away from him told him it didn’t work.

“Heard, chef.”

You busied yourself with retrieving the bottle of bourbon he had asked you to tack onto your order. He hadn’t wanted to deal with the liquor vendors himself and sure you would find a better deal than him anyway.

“It’s gonna be a 6.7 percent amber, it’s smooth and the notes of pecan to cut the malt. Only one I have on tap at the moment, that okay?” You talked over your shoulder, picking up on the waves and attention from the other patrons of the bar top, reaching to get more than the one glass needed for just Joel’s request. You poured two blondes, an IPA, and a stout and placing them in front of those who had been nursing them all night before going to pull the tap for the amber. It poured for maybe two seconds before it sputtered and compressed air forced itself out of the spicket.

“I told Millie to change out the keg last night, I’m sorry, chef. It’s gonna take me a minute before I can step away and replace it.” Your brows were furrowed in a worried expression, not wanting this to be something he used against you. You were really hoping to get something to go later, needing to finish a paper that was due tomorrow before class. He must’ve clocked the rising panic in your eyes because he squared his shoulders before shoving off the drink station.

“I gotcha, which label am I looking for?”

“Oh, um, Riverbank Red.”

“Heard.” He turned to move toward the small walk-in just behind the bar, the heavy door opening easily underneath his hands. You could hear him rustling around inside, the hiss of him removing the empty keg and then the clunk of him placing the new one in its place. The two knocks on the wall alerted you that it was all set and you pulled the tap, compressed air working its way through the hook up before foam began to stream. Letting it run for a few seconds, you turned around and grabbed a fresh pint glass for Joel’s drink. You used the previous one and filled it, cutting off the tap and took a long pull from it.

When you lowered the glass after your drink, you found two pairs of eyes on you. You looked between your professor and Joel, both on each side of the corner of the bar. Some of the foam from the outside of the glass when the tap died out had run down your chin and settled on your chest. The cut of your shirt was a little low, your simple, silver chain necklace catching the soft glow of the bar lights much like the foam.

You avoided meeting either of their gazes as you poured a second pint for Joel and walked it over. Before you could place it atop the drink station beside the bottle of bourbon already waiting, he reached out for it and his thick fingers brushed yours. His beautiful, brown eyes flashed down and caught yours, full of something you didn’t recognize, prompting you to pull your hand away as you struggled to catch your breath.

His teeth clicked with the clenching of his jaw, his hands tightening around items he came over for and he turned to make his way back to the kitchen.

“He’s not much of a charmer, is he?”

“He just has an asshole voice, don’t mind him.” With a somewhat fake smile plastered on your face, you turned back to your professor and started making him another drink as more rang through the printer. “Now, what were the most concrete dates we had archived for allusions to tool use?”

The alcohol in your system was washing your stress and anxieties away. Moving your body along to the song that was bumping from the speakers of the bar that held a small dance floor. Your friends’ bodies were moving alongside you, along with you, tangling with your own in a heady and exciting way. It was such a relief to not have any worries at the moment, only blipping thoughts of ‘oooh this is a good song’ and ‘another drink, yes please’.

You were taking a break, downing a glass of water and ordering a round of shots for everyone. There were five of you altogether and they huddled around you as you passed one to each of them, smiling widely at the bartender across from you. He just chuckled with a shake of his head and moved on down the bar to help out two waiting men. If you had been paying attention, you would’ve recognized one in a particular. But you were too preoccupied with the rather loud cheers the girls were trying to agree on before someone finally just shouted, ‘drink up, bitches!’ and you were downing the shot along with them.

The burn of it down your throat was anticipated and you gathered the empty glasses from them while they sputtered and coughed, not able to handle it as well as they normally could with already being more than tipsy. You were leaning over the bar a little, on your tip toes to place them atop the washer on the plastic pad you knew the bartender liked to gather used cups before loading them up.

A large hand found the exposed small of your back, your crop tank top allowing for the skin to be on display. It was dangerously close to the waist of your skirt, and you jerked back with a start, face contorting into one of anger.  

“Hey, who the fuck do you think you are?” You settled back on your heels, the height of them making you a little taller than normal. Your eyes swept over the crowd around the bar and found that your friends had returned to the dance floor, leaving you to deal with this on your own. Not that you couldn’t, but it would’ve been nice to have a witness. The man in question was rather tall, blonde, nice suit, but his forwardness left little to be desired.

“Just helpin’ to hold ya steady, looked like you were about to flip over the bar, little lady.”

“Keep your hands to yourself.”

“Didn’t mean to offend-“

“Yeah, well, ya did. Don’t fuckin’ touch me, got it?”

“C’mon now. You were gettin’ all close and personal with your friends, maybe I wanted a feel for myself.”

The man stepped closer to you, and you could smell the alcohol on his breath, cheap and cloying as it wafter over into your personal space. His hands were coming up as if he were going to wrap them around your hips and pull you to him. His eyes were raking slowly up and down your body, taking in the short skirt and crop tank top you had deemed appropriate for the night. The cleavage peeking out of the top of your shirt glistening with the glitter body spray you had used before leaving your apartment.

“Leave me the fuck alone.” You spat, stepping away from the man only to collide with another’s back who had been passing by.

“Watch where-“ Joel of all people turned around, a scowl on his face. You felt like a deer caught in headlights, totally caught off guard that your boss was here in the same bar. The beer in his grip had sloshed over his fingers when you slammed into him and it was dripping to the already sticky floor. There was another man beside him, similar height and build. He had the same brown eyes and you realized they must be related.

Joel’s eyes took in the slightly panicked air about you, gaze moving behind you to see the man you had been fleeing from in such a haste.

“He touch you?”

“Don’t know if that’s any of your business, old man.” The man stepped forward and hooked a finger on the strap of your crossbody, pulling you backwards and you stumbled at the bold move. “We’re just two friends having an intimate-“

You maneuvered your stumble into a pivot and raised your clenched fist to deck the guy across the face, cutting off his words. You felt the crack of his nose beneath your knuckles, the action splitting two of them open. There was a gasp and a bark of laughter from behind you.

“I said, don’t fuckin’ touch me.” You sneered, anger lighting you up from the inside out. You didn’t pay the dull ache of your new injury any mind as you brought your arm back closer to your body, but you did flinch when the man’s hands shot out and his nails scratched along your neck where he had tried to grab you.

Joel was moving with a grunt of effort before you could fully register that the man had lunged at you.

Body slamming into his and pinning him face down against the bar with a hand tight on the back of his neck. His forehead had cracked against it, and he had shouted out weakly at the pain the action must’ve caused. His arms were twisted behind up, Joel’s right one holding them tight by the wrists. As he did so, the man with Joel had pulled you away from the confrontation, hands far more gentle with you than the man now pinned to the bar.

“You okay?” Joel looked back at you, his eyes hard and his expression schooled into one of control despite the way he had just cracked that man’s head on the top of the bar. When you didn’t answer, he looked to the man who had pulled you further out of harms way. “Tommy, she okay?”

There was no time to answer him, the bartender was out from behind the bar in a second, security that checked identification alongside him and they were forcefully guiding the man toward the door. He was putting up a rather good effort, but the two men were stronger than him. He turned with one last look over his shoulder and spat at you. The spray of it startled you and the tears that formed were angry, wet, ugly things.

Suddenly, the girls were swarming you, all talking at the same time and guiding you toward the bathroom to help get you somewhere safe to gather yourself. You let them guide you away from Joel and what you assumed was his brother, not glancing over at them lest they see more of the tears than they already had.

The bathroom muffled the booming music enough to hear your own thoughts, the lights a little brighter to help you process what had just happened. The girls were dabbing wet paper towels underneath your eyes to wipe your smeared makeup, to sooth the scratch marks on your throat. They plopped you down on one of the chairs off in the corner, removing your bag from around your body and just allowed you to take however long a moment you needed. Someone fetched a bottle of water from somewhere and you gulped down half of it without taking a breath. Your hands were shaking and you lifted your hand up to inspect the damage on your knuckles.

Someone gasped and it startled you, making you jump in your seat and then the bartender was there with a first aid kit.

“Me’n my boyfriend kicked him out, some cops were walking down the way and he taken to the station.”

He said as he kneeled in front of you, tearing open a package of sterile gauze. He dabbed some disinfectant on it before gently taking your hand and patting it across the top of your hand.

You found yourself back up at the bar, seated in a stool with your bag laid over the back of it. Your friends had checked on you again and pouted at your insistence of not going to another place with them. They wished you a good rest of the night and told you to check in with them when you got home, you returned their kind words.

You downed the last dregs of your cocktail, a vodka something, and gathered your keys from your purse.

Heels heavy, you stumbled over your own feet as your head swam and the lights of the bar flared. You reached out for the back of the stool but ended up grabbing onto a man’s arm. It was warm and strong and white-hot desire raced down your spine at the contact. Bringing your face up to apologize, it was lost in your throat as you realized it was none other than Joel Miller you were holding onto. You stepped back, turning from him to properly retrieve your bag this time.

“You’re not the boss of me here, lemme go.” You struggled against the hold he had on your upper arm, where he had turned you to face him. He seemed to realize you were uncomfortable and he dropped his hand, allowing you to turn back to face the bar. Jerry looked from your annoyed expression to the man behind you, taking in the situation and trying to determine how best to deal with it.

“Hey, man, good on you and your brother for helping us get that guy earlier, but I don’t think she likes the attention.”

“She’s drunk, you really gonna let her leave alone?”

“She comes here a lot, knows her limits and she’s got me to look out after her.”

“She’s drunker ‘n you think.”

“I am not.”

“Darlin-“

“I am not your anything, Mr. Miller.” You turned back on him with such a glare he was surprised you could hold the look in your state. He could see the way your head was lolling with every turn, your movements loose and uncoordinated. “This is a public space, I am not your prep cook and you are not my boss. You can’t lord over me and refuse me food here like at work. And I want…I want French fries.”

You stumbled as you turned around to face him again with heat behind your words. Eyes flaring in anger as he tried to reach for you again. Your body sung where one of his arms wrapped around the small of your back, helping you to keep upright as your balance faltered. The heels weren’t helping. You wished you had just stayed home, the sting of being ditched by your friends, the sting of his treatment at work and the workload of your classes, all of it was a lot and tonight was supposed to help you get out of your head, not make things worse.

“You-“ You swayed on your feet, leaning back from him slightly. The length of his forearm supporting you as you did so and stabbed a finger into his chest to emphasize your next words. Ignoring the way that his chest was firm and hot through the fabric of his shirt, he would probably have chest hair and it would be as peppered as his scruff… “You’re mean.”

His brother was doing his best to smother his laughter behind a hand, but you could hear it and you pouted even more.

“Your little brother is laughing at me and you’re a meanie.” You shoved away from him again, the warmth of his arm gone from your back as you turned around to retrieve your bag from the back of your stool. “I’m leaving.”

“The hell you are, you can’t walk, let alone drive.”

“Don’t need help. I’ve been on my own for as long as I can remember.”

“Sweetheart, you-“ Tommy tried to step in, hoping that maybe he could help out the situation. It was clear they were both worried but you were just being so stubborn. Jerry was right, you didn’t like the attention, you didn’t like getting felt up and your boss had been there to witness the aftermath. That he was still there and seeing you in such a way.

“I’m not your sweetheart.” Your voice held more bite than you thought you were capable of in your current state. Tommy stepped back with his hands held up in surrender. His brows furrowed as he shared a look with his brother.

“Lemme call you a cab, please.”

“No, I don’t need anything from you. You made it clear how you feel about me, barking at me all day when I’m helping you with your kitchen because the staff don’t wanna show up and deal with you.”

“Oof, that’s a hard hit, brother.” Tommy reached over to help you drape your purse strap over your shoulder, the crossbody secure over your form and he stepped away as you pushed at his hands much like you had done with Joel. “You really did a number on her.”

“Lemme just, please, lemme take you home. Need to make sure you get home okay.” His voice was pitched quiet, leaning a little into your space with an open expression. His hands were at his sides, not reaching out to touch you again, his fists clenched at his sides. Your eyes lingered on the way his mouth formed around the words and you swallowed the harsh ones you were about to fire back at him. All you could manage was a small nod.

That’s how you found yourself in the passenger side of his own truck, waiting in a short line of a drive through.

Once your fries, and some for him too, had been passed through the window, he was following the spoken instructions to your house. Watching the way you watched things pass by the window as you munched on the salty treat in your lap out of the corner of his eye. The dried blood on your split knuckles making his stomach lurch as he thought of that man putting his hands on you and the look on your face when you tried to flee. The look on your face when you had run into him, eyes wide and panicked.

You had calmed down, now in a lazy mood after the adrenaline packed events of the night.

“You do know what you’re doin’, just don’t think I’ve ever said it out loud ‘fore now.”

“Hmm?” You rolled your head along the back of the seat to face him, bringing a fry up to the seal of your mouth as you did so. He had to look away from the sight, your entire body and demeanor relaxed. Your expression was so open and curious, eyes soft as you looked over at him. Containing none of the animosity and worry he seemed to pull from you at work as you looked him over. He was in a pair of dark wash jeans that his thighs looked good in as he drove, a simple white Henley for a shirt. It allowed for the tan of his skin to pop, the grays that speckled his hair looking good in the lights of passing cars and lamps.

“You-uh-you, nevermind.” Joel’s deep voice wavered before he cut off, not being able to handle the earnest gaze you had pinned him with, his hands tightened on the steering wheel.

“Mkay, whatever you say.” You turned back to look out with window, letting him know that your complex was around the corner.

He parked along the curb beside the gate that opened up into the parking lot. Watching him as he hopped out of the cab and toward your side of the vehicle, his expression hard to read. He was opening the door and leaning into the can to undo your seatbelt. Not wanting to risk you trying to do it and spill your fries, knowing you would probably tear up at the mishap should it occur. He said as much under his breath when you asked him what he was doing and you couldn’t help the giggles that bubbled up from your chest as you agreed with him, it would be tragic.

Once unbuckled, he reached for the fries in your hand and put them back in the bag they came in, tucking it into your purse that was still across your body.

“Will you let me help you step down?”

At your nod, his hands came around your waist, the wideness of them allowing his fingers to span across your back in a tantalizing way. He lifted you a little, holding most of your weight as you hopped down from the cab. His arms tensed around you as you felt yourself wobble, forgetting you were in heels for the entirety of the drive. Another round of giggles bubbled up and you found yourself leaning more into Joel’s space. His body was warm where you were pressed up against his front, the scent of cedar stronger tonight than it had been all those nights ago when he insisted on making you food to take home.

“I wish you liked me.” You spoke quietly into his neck, lips brushing against the skin there as you did so.

You felt his fingers twitch where they held onto you before you were pulled back a little so he could look down at you.

“Darlin’, I do like you, that’s the problem.”

“Doesn’t have to be.” You wrapped your arms around the back of his neck, pulling yourself closer to him.

“You’re not in the right state to be talkin’ about this right no-“

Surging up, you smothered the words from his lips with your own. His arms tightened around you, pulling you flush against him as he kissed you back. As if he was unable to stop himself despite the words he had just been ushering. It was all teeth and tongue, sparking heat that pooled low in your middle. A whimper sounded in the air, Joel swallowing it as he licked into your mouth. Your nails dug into the curls at the base of his neck and you pulled.

A deep groan rumbled through his chest and you pulled away to catch your breath, looking at the face of the man who had been consuming your thoughts for weeks now.

He looked back at you, took in the way your eyes were blown out and dilated, the puffiness of your swollen lips, the quick breaths you were taking to recover from his mouth on yours, the heat that he was causing was all consuming and you knew that he could feel through your skin underneath his hands. He was swooping back down to capture your lips, his hands moving up to cradle your face in his hands as he did so and you melted at the action.

Consciousness hit you like a jolt and you were shooting up from your bed. The covers fell from you to pool around your waist, and you looked around the room, nothing looked out of place but something felt off, so incredibly off. Your bag was on the bedside table, an empty greasy bag crumpled beside it and your lips were tingling with the memory of pressing them against someone else’s.

“Oh, fuck.”

You had drunkenly kissed your boss.

And he had kissed you back.

previous chapter || next chapter

[shyphonics]

Salad Days Chapter 4: When Archeologists Dig This Up, They'll Either Laugh or Cry

(babypunk!Rodrick Heffley x reader)

chapter one | chapter two | chapter three

also, please take my favorite live performance of rise above by Black Flag as a companion piece

Hey!

I do not like you college brat

I do not like you and your frat

I do not like you at the shore

I do not like you drunk on coors

I do not like your average life

I hope you do not take a wife

I hope you don’t decide to breed

Cause that’s one thing I do not need

~

Well, they did it. They’ve got a van full of booze, and a sense of self satisfaction.

It had taken a while to fit everything in, and the guy at the pickup spot hadn’t been very nice, but they did it.

Mike seems more calm when they show up to The Strike, happy to see them, even.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you, you giraffe of a man!” He pulls Rodrick into a hug, heartily patting him on the back. Rodrick does kind of feel like a giraffe, Mike only comes up to the middle of his chest.

“Hey, if there’s anything else you need, just let us know!” Rodrick gives him a smile.

He grabs a box of bottles and heads through the back door of the bar. The guys work like ants; grab a case, march to the walk in, march back. They’re done in no time. He wonders if the delivery center is hiring, because that was easy.

Mike shoves a bundle of money into his hands, and gives him another pat on the back.

“She was right about you.”

“Huh?”

“You’ve got the spirit,” he smiles, “like a young Henry Rollins, slingin’ ice cream. See you tomorrow. Show up at 5 PM, load in here. Got it?”

“Got it,” Rodrick nods.

The spirit. He has no idea what that means, but he’s grateful for the sentiment. Especially if you’d said something nice about him… he finally has ammo to tease you back.

Mike disappears into the back of the bar, and the guys regroup to count their unexpected pay.

“Dude, he gave us a hundred dollars!” Chris says, shocked.

They recount again and again, coming to one hundred every time. They can’t believe it, and they speed away from the bar with the radio turned all the way up.

The rest of their day is spent planning. They craft the perfect setlist, they find their tightest jeans, they even find time to learn a surprise cover song. It's one he'd heard on your radio shift, and it's been stuck in his head all day.

Everything has to be perfect.

Rodrick is sure everything is gonna be perfect.

~

It’s only 5:30 by the time they’re done setting up, and they find themselves just standing in front of the stage, awestruck.

It’s not huge by any means, but it’s high off the ground and covered in lights. There’s a full PA system, and even a pole to hang their homemade bedsheet flag from.

The bar is empty, except for a guy in the sound booth, Jimbo by the door, and two bartenders prepping. Rodrick doesn’t see you, and immediately gets a pang of sadness.

“Hey,” he starts, leaning on the bar.

“We can’t serve yet, sorry.” A girl with tight blonde curls shuts him down.

“Oh, no, I was gonna ask… where’s the other girl that works here?”

She thinks for a moment, then makes a face of realization.

“Oh, she’s not working tonight. She’s headlining.”

Rodrick’s eyes go wide. Headlining? You? His mind is blown.

The bartender goes back to prepping without giving him a second thought. Rodrick walks back to the stage, zombie-like, deep in thought.

Now they really have to be perfect.

A few people have come in through the back, and they’re setting up portable tables along a wall.

“You guys need one?” A girl with tall, spiked hair asks.

They look at each other. Merch. Duh. They're pretty sure they have an unorganized cardboard box of t-shirts and buttons in the van. Ward had spent all his high school graduation cash on some real ones from a print shop.

Ben and Chris wedge the table out from between two vending machines, and Rodrick digs the box out of the van. It’s not a very impressive setup, but they’re pretty happy with themselves.

The doors open at 7, and it doesn’t take long for the place to fill up. Mike comes by and gives each of the guys three little paper tickets, like you’d get at an arcade.

“Beer tickets,” he says, before they can ask, “one of these gets you anything canned or bottled. Be nice to the bartenders, please.���

Ward and Ben high five and head straight to the bar, Chris heads to the bathroom, and Rodrick does a full scan of the area by the stage. Where are you? He needs to make fun of you for being nice to him, dammit.

Ward and Ben get back, looking a little shaken up.

“Rodrick, hey, do you want us to get you a beer?” Ben chuckles nervously.

“Nah, I can get it myself,” Rodrick starts to walk towards the front.

“No, no,” Ward puts a hand on his shoulder.

“You should really let us get you one!” Ben makes urgent eye contact.

“Why...?” Rodrick is starting to get freaked out.

“‘Cause we’re buddies!” Ward pats him on the shoulder.

Something is definitely up.

Rodrick pushes past Ward, walking through the tall arch that leads to the bar area. It’s absolutely packed. His heart skips a beat when he sees a flash of golden blonde hair.

Oddly familiar golden blonde hair.

The girl turns around.

No. It can’t be. There’s no way in hell that it’s-

“Heather Hills,” Rodrick whispers, grateful for the loud house music.

She’s sitting at the bar with a large group of people. Some douchebag with a double popped collar has his arm around her. They’re all laughing- the kind of laugh you do at someone. Snotty.

Any attraction he’d had to her has been completely gone for years. He feels a mix of hatred and nausea. They’re at the far end of the bar, by the door, so Rodrick blends in at the other end.

Please don’t look at me.

He gets a beer from the bartender from earlier, making sure to tip as your snarky reminder rings in his head. Also making sure to avoid Natty Light. He turns fast to get back to the stage, and right before he’s through the arch-

“Rodrick? Rodrick Heffley?”

He wheels around. She’s right fucking behind him.

“Oh, hey, what was your name again?” He rolls his eyes.

“Real mature, asshole.” She scoffs, “What are you doing here?”

“Playing a show. What the fuck are you doing here?”

“Aww, you don’t wanna play nice with me?” She drags a finger down his chest. It enrages him.

“No. And you know why?” His voice goes low. He leans down so his face is close to hers, and he’s about to let everything out. Her face is smug, and she raises her eyebrows.

Suddenly, there’s a hand on his back.

“Hey, you’re on in ten. Soundcheck time.” You peer around to see Rodrick's face. He looks pissed. You’re not sure what’s going on, but it’s none of your business. You’re just the messenger.

Rodrick’s eyes bug when he sees you, and his face relaxes a little.

“Um, excuse me, we were talking.” The blonde girl sneers at you.

“You can talk later. We gotta get this shit rollin’.” You don’t wait to see her reaction. You just turn around and head back to the stage.

If you’re honest, it's a little disappointing seeing Rodrick with, you assume, his very pretty girlfriend. It makes sense though. He's a nice looking guy. Your official assessment is toxic on-again, off-again high school sweethearts. Oh, well.

Just keep walking. Stay on schedule. Five bands, twenty minute sets, ten minutes for stage change. You repeat it in your head like a mantra.

Heather’s mouth is hanging open. Rodrick winces.

“Gotta go,”

He practically runs to the stage.

They’ve never done a real soundcheck before, and it’s kind of an intimidating process. The sound engineer is very no nonsense. Rodrick checks his drums one by one. Then bass, guitars, mics. Each adjustment is barely noticeable to them, and they end up just giving a thumbs up every time the engineer asks a question. Finally, they run through the whole chorus of a song to hear everything together. By that point, the dance floor is almost entirely full.

Rodrick takes a deep breath, scanning for Heather. He hopes she just left.

They've come a long way since their high school days, no longer unpracticed wannabes. Their sound has become pretty good, if they say so themselves. Tonight's only adjustment is to play faster.

The sound guy points at them, and Ben clears his throat.

“We… are Löded Diper!”

The chatting in the crowd subsides, and falls silent.

Rodrick hears snickering, and a voice saying oh my god, that IS him!

He panics, and right when the tension is almost too much to bear, a loud WOOOOOOOO comes from the very front. He looks and sees you, trying to rile up the crowd. It seems to be working. Other people are giving half-hearted cheers, which is something at least.

“That's more like it!” Ben yells, and they launch into their first song.

They only have a five song set, so everything has to count. Ben’s wails are powerful, he's really embodying a frontman. Chris is whipping his hair around, and Ward is the true picture of a bassist. Strong, still, and holding it all together.

Rodrick is hyper-focused on keeping the rhythm. And maybe showing off, just a little bit. He puts his whole body into hitting the drums, his mouth pulled into a tight “o”.

You have a perfect view from the front row, and what a view it is.

He's killing it. So focused and steady, but it looks like he's having fun. He leans into the mic to sing backup, and you get a flash of his sharp canines. You can see the muscles in his arms clenching, and the front of his hair is wet with sweat.

You feel your face getting hot, and you're reluctant to admit it's not just from the packed room. You’re suddenly faced with the very real possibility that you're very attracted to him.

He gives you a huge grin and a wink between songs, and it's no longer just a possibility. Fuck.

Blasts of air from his bass drum cool your face down, and you stare at him a little closer, analyzing.

You've been infantilising him a little bit, you'll admit it.

Kid. Cute. Baby boy.

Although you’re pretty sure the two of you are the same age, he just comes off like a teenager. You couldn’t help but haze him a little bit, especially after he just wandered into the bar with no plan. He’s really proving himself right now.

The crowd is going crazy. You’re holding yourself up on the edge of the stage, but behind you, a sizable pit has opened up. People are loving them.

“We have one more!” Ben shouts. People are screaming.

“We learned it just for you!” Rodrick yells. There’s something snarky about his tone. You like it.

You recognize the song immediately. Their rendition is just a little clunky, but it works. You can't help but smile, and wonder if Rodrick somehow heard your radio shift last night.

It's such a good choice for a first show. Perfect, really. It's like they're saying, we're here, fuckers.

You let the crowd swallow you up as you sing along.

Society's arms of control

(Rise above, we're gonna rise above!)

They think they're smart, can't think for themselves

(Rise above, we're gonna rise above!)

Laugh at us behind our backs

(Rise above, we're gonna rise above!)

I find satisfaction in what they lack

(Rise above, we're gonna rise above!)

We! Are Tired!

Of your! Abuse!

Try to stop us!

But it’s! No use!

The aftermath of their set is chaos. Good chaos, but chaos. They tear down their gear and load up the van. On their way back in, people are yelling and patting their shoulders as they walk by.

Hell yeah, dude!

Good set, bro!

It feels good.

A small crowd has formed at their merch table. Chris takes on the task of handling the sales, and before they know it, their box is nearly half gone. They hadn't expected that.

Another unexpected side effect of playing a good set: booze.

Once the merch crowd is gone, old rocker types materialize, holding out shot glasses and cans. One guy hands Rodrick a shot of something that burns, and puts a heavy arm around his shoulder. He starts up a conversation about drumming, which is really more like a monologue.

You were great out there, man. Who's your favorite? Like, who's your guy? It's Lars for me, bro, 100%. I saw Metallica in ‘88, bro. Busted a knee in the pit, and now I can’t play a double pedal no more. Where'd you learn to play like that? You could play like Hellhammer with those arms. Fuckin’ rock on, brother. Oh, hey, sorry, I was supposed to give you this lime to help with the tequila...

Rodrick’s head swims as the guy babbles, nodding his head like he's listening.

“Thank you,” he finally sighs out. He’s exhausted from just listening to the guy. He pops the lime in his mouth, and it does help quite a bit.

People just keep coming with shots, and beers, and stories, and the guys end up piss drunk before the second band is done setting up.

Rodrick smiles and looks around. He's having fun. They did what they came to do, and people actually liked it. The rest of the guys are making conversation with the other bands. Heather and whoever else had been laughing at him are nowhere to be seen, and he's happy.

Even happier when you appear in front of the table.

“Heyyy!” He yells, giving you a singular finger gun, his other hand occupied with a beer can.

You take one look at his half lidded eyes and lazy smile, and realize he's wasted.

“Are you drunk?” You cackle, “It's not even 8:30!”

He turns, and spits a sucked-dry lime slice into the trash can next to him.

“Shut up! You're drunk!” Rodrick points at you, smile still wide.

“Oh, man. You're gone. Your girlfriend is gonna be pissed!” You laugh.

The drunk-happy look fades from his face.

“My huh?”

“That girl you were talking to you. Girlfriend, right?”

“No fucking way!” he bursts out laughing, “She’s a rich, stuck-up asshole! She's an evil witch from hell!” He downs the rest of his beer.

“Harsh, but I believe you.”

Well, that settles that.

You wonder if Rodrick has ever been this drunk in his life. He doesn't seem like he knows how to handle it, but he seems to be having a good time, at least.

“Hey. You did really, really good. You killed it. I mean it.” You lean on the merch table and smile up at him.

Rodrick’s eyes are sparkling, and his smile is somehow bigger than before.

“You liked us?”

“I loved you guys. Everyone did. They're totally gonna have you back.”

He looks like he might cry.

"Hey, don't I get a shirt? Wasn't that part of our deal?"

Rodrick thinks hard, finally remembering.

"Oh yeah!" He shouts.

He ducks down under the table and rifles through a big box. You lean over and tell him your size. He looks deeply focused.

He finally resurfaces, and holds up the shirt, triumphantly. You take it and sling it over your arm.

"Thanks," you smile, "I'll wear it all the time."

He beams.

You hold out your hand, and he hesitates for a second before grabbing it.

“You wanna come stand with me? The next band is up.”

Rodrick’s heart soars.

You lead him to the middle of the crowd, where three other people are gathered, talking.

“This is my band: Maureen, Jessica, and Eddie.”

Rodrick is seeing double at this point, but he smiles and waves. He thinks he sees a girl with ridiculously long black hair, a girl with very short green hair, and a guy with little round glasses.

“Good set,” the guy gives him a fist bump.

Before they can talk any more, a microphone squeals. Everyone in the crowd is at attention. Rodrick blinks to try and focus in on the stage; the next band has set up a giant, inflatable palm tree and some yard flamingos. They're all dressed for the pool, it seems like. Big, bright board shorts and floaties. The singer is barefoot, and has a megaphone in hand.

“May I have your attention please, may I have your attention please,” his distorted voice comes through the megaphone, “The president of the United States is an insect! All your lives are a lie!”

The next few minutes are a blur of sound and color. Rodrick can’t process anything that’s happening in front of him. The music is weird, but good. Messy. The words don’t make any sense. His body is starting to sway uncontrollably, and he’s worried he might topple over.

His shoulder bumps yours, and you look up. He doesn’t look so good. You grab his hand again and lead him out of the crowd, all the way to the front patio, stopping to grab a water on the way.

Cool air hits Rodrick’s face, and he feels at ease. You help him into a low metal chair, and he stares up at you, helplessly.

“Are you good?” You push his hair up, away from his forehead, and hand him the cup of water.

“That was a lot,” he breathes, dazed.

“Chug that water, you’ll feel better,” you lean on the railing next to his chair, “and no more booze, big boy.”

“I thought I was baby boy,” Rodrick slurs, smirking.

“I think you’ve transcended that term,” you laugh, “unless you want to be baby boy.”

“What if I do?”

“You’re so weird,” you give his chair a little kick.

He sticks out his arm to catch your leg, and chugs the whole water in one go.

He lifts your leg a little higher, slinging it over his shoulder. You’re speechless. That’s pretty smooth.

"You said something nice about me," he slurs in a sing-song voice, "Mike told me."

"Oh yeah? What did I say?"

Rodrick thinks hard. What was it again?

"Something about... spirits? And ice cream."

"Okay, buddy." You shush him, "Just take some deep breaths."

It’s kinda nice, just sitting with him in silence. The last bit of daylight is leaving, and everything is shrouded in a faint blue.

“I think I like you,” he says quietly, not looking at you.

“I think you’re drunk. Get back to me in an hour.”

“Can I like you in an hour?” He holds your leg a little tighter.

“Go nuts,” you chuckle.

You don’t move your leg, though.

You sit together until the set ends, and people start to file out onto the patio.

“You wanna go back in? Your friends are probably worried.” You bounce your leg a little to get his attention.

“Yeah. I have to pee so bad.”

Another trans-am’s wrapped itself around a telephone pole

“I ain't drunk, officer, I just fell getting out of my car.”

Don't worry about it, son. We were that way when we were young!

You've got all the skills to make a damn good business man!

~

Rodrick stares at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, breathing deep. He feels a lot better after some fresh air and the longest piss of his life.

A stall door opens, and a familiar face shows up next to his.

“Heffley? Shit, that really is you.”

Bryan Kent is a bonafide asshole with a football scholarship, who'd made Rodrick’s life a living hell back home. He really doesn't feel like reconnecting right now.

“Yep. It's me.”

Rodrick turns to leave, but Bryan blocks the door.

“You're not even gonna say hi, diner dork?”

“Fuck off, Bryan. I'm not in the mood.”

Bryan pushes him, and Rodrick feels all that old rage bubbling up. He's still a little wobbly on his feet.

“Did the cops ever catch you for what you did?” Bryan takes a step towards Rodrick. He feels all the blood leave his face.

“Actually, one of my buddies from back home just passed police academy. You wanna come back to our table and put in a little confession?”

“Fuck off,” he pushes Bryan back hard, sending him right into the door.

You're waiting outside the bathroom, and starting to get just a little worried. One of Rodrick’s bandmates- Ward, you're pretty sure- is still by their merch table.

“Hey,” you smile at him, “Rodrick went into the bathroom kind of a long time ago. He was pretty wrecked, and I'm starting to get worried. Could you…?”

Ward is around the table before you can even finish your sentence.

“Don't worry, I got him.”

As Ward opens the bathroom door, another guy walks out, laughing.

“What the fuck?” Ward yells.

You come up behind him and see Rodrick, lying on the floor, face bloody. Your mouth twists into a sneer. Fucking frat boys.

You march to the front of the bar, and lean in towards Jimbo’s ear.

“Him. Out.” You point at the offender, who's still flexing his busted knuckles like a jackass. Like it's something to show off.

“Had a feeling.” Jimbo sighs, standing up.

Rodrick’s head is pounding.

He opens his eyes to see Ward, looking devastated.

“Dude, what happened? Can you get up?”

“Fucking… Bryan Kent,” he coughs out.

Ward helps him to his feet and hands him a bundle of paper towels. Rodrick dabs at his bloody nose and lip in the mirror.

Of course. Of fucking course one of those assholes would show up tonight, of all nights.

He takes a few moments to just stand there and recover.

“That was fucked up.” Ward breaks the silence.

Rodrick just nods.

They emerge from the bathroom and there's what looks to be a full on brawl at the front of the bar. Rodrick sees you walking quickly towards him, eyes wide.

“Are you okay? Jeez, look at your lip.”

You bring your hand to his face and take a closer look. It doesn't look like he needs stitches or anything, but his bottom lip is swollen, with a dark line in the middle. Blood is quickly drying up in one of his nostrils.

Rodrick jumps a little, and suddenly feels a whole lot better under your gentle touch. He gets lost for a second, just looking down at your worried face.

“I shouldn't have let you in there alone, I'm so sorry.” You murmur.

He smiles, but a yell from up front brings him back to reality.

“It’s cool, I'm fine. What's going on up there?”

“Well, we asked your... acquaintance to leave, and he didn't want to. And he's got friends.”

“Should we go up and help?” Ward clenches his fist, smiling slightly.

Rodrick’s other bandmates have joined the circle.

“I'd stay out of it, they've got it.”

You all observe as Jimbo drags Bryan out the front door by his ear. A second drunken dickhead is yelling I'm a police officer! Get off me! as a second, equally huge guy hauls him off.

Rodrick notices Heather following them out, rolling her eyes.

“Are we all good?” Someone from the stage asks into a microphone.

Oh yeah, there's still a show going on.

You all shrug, and head into the crowd together.

You take Rodrick's hand again, and give it a little squeeze. He turns to look at you, and smiles.

"Are you really okay?" You yell over the music.

"I'm really okay." He squeezes your hand back.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

[shesthejukeboxhero]

hi, i have a miles bron request if you don't mind!

so, the reader works as a bartender in glass onion and when she meets miles for the first time he tries to impress her with his Genius Future Entrepreneur Ideas™. she's not very into it since none of them seem all that original and she tells him as much. and the dude gets SO pissed that he keeps coming back with notebooks upon notebooks of projects because it's a matter of principle and totally not because he likes her and wants her to respect him. and the reader keeps listening to his rants since she wants to see how far miles can go and totally not because she starts to fall for him. you know no romantic tension here whatsoever 👀👀👀

is it too much? too specific?? idk thanks for reading either way your hcs are fire💗💞💓

LOVE THIS REQUEST!!!

Midnights become our Afternoons

Miles Bron x Bartender!fem!reader

Warnings: Alcohol (obviously), angst if you squint

Summary: Working at the Glass Onion during it’s prime, you’re bound to meet some pretty interesting people. One of which is Miles Bron.

You fumble through the keys on your keychain as you approach the door to the back entrance of the Glass Onion, your family friend’s bar that he hired you to work at as a bartender the minute you turned 18. Once the door is opened, you slip your jacket off and grab your apron off the hook. Then, you go out front and open the front door. As the first few customers roll in you take their orders for what seems like hours. You stand at the bar polishing glasses at the cusp of midnight when a new guy takes a seat in front of you.

“I’ll take a Bulliet on the rocks, please.” He says with a smile as you set the glass down.

“Sure thing.” You turn your back to the bar to pour his drink for him.

“Thanks, Y/N.”

“You’re welcome…” you struggle to think of his name.

“Miles. Miles Bron.”

“You’re welcome, Miles.” Setting it down in front of him, you then walk to the end of the bar to serve your other customers.

Miles then spots a napkin and starts scribbling on it. Making your way back down to where he’s sitting, you spot him writing on the napkin.

“What are you writing?”

“Just some ideas.” He says, finishing what he’s writing. He then holds the napkin out to you, which you read what it says.

“Portable cell phone? Isn’t that already a thing?”

“Yeah, but this one will be more compact. It will actually fit into your pocket.”

You hand the napkin back to him. “It’s not very original. Apple’s had that idea for years with Samsung right behind them.”

“Fine then.” He frowns, stuffing the napkin in his pocket. He then pulls a $20 bill out of his wallet and sets it on the bar before leaving.

The next night, at the same time, he comes in again, along with a whole notebook. Smirking, you walk over to his part of the bar.

“Back again so soon?”

He grumbles in response and pushes the pile of notebooks towards you as you fix his drink.

“What’s this?” You say, flipping open the first notebook.

“Ideas. I want your thoughts.”

Reading the first page, you chuckle to yourself. “Half of these ideas are just ripoffs of existing products. If you want a good idea, it has to be original.”

“Well what would you suggest then?” He says, watching you read his notebook as he sips his bourbon.

“I don’t know, maybe something actually helpful to society, like a faster way to get stuff. Maybe order it from a website or something.”

She grabs a napkin, taking the pen from him and scribbles the idea on a napkin and labels it “Y/N’s Big Idea” and hands it to him. “Add this to your pile of ideas.”

The two of you sit at the bar that night way past closing, just bouncing ideas off eachother.

“Why don’t you like any ideas of mine?”

“Because they’re all ripping off another idea.”

“Well that’s how most products are made!”

“But it’s not how they sell.” You say, looking him directly in the eye.

He nods softly, closing his notebooks and finishing his drink.

This repeats itself over many weeks, the two of you arguing over if an idea would work or not, and even if the two of you don’t realize it, but you really enjoy the other’s company. So that’s why you keep the bar open late, midnights becoming your afternoons, just sitting with this guy and listening for when he has a great idea.

“I put more thought into your idea, by the way.” He suddenly says.

“Really?” You say, resting your chin in you hand as you lean on the bar.

“Yeah, I think it might work. Imagine how easy it would be to order ANYTHING from a website and get it to your house in a few days. Its revolutionary.”

“And original!” You with a smirk, and you swear you can see a little smile peak through his lips.

“Yeah, yeah. Original.”

“So what are you going to do now?”

“Not sure. I’ll have to speak to investors but I think we might have a hit here.”

“We?” You say, shocked.

“Well yeah, of course. You came up with the idea after all.”

“I have no experience in business, Miles.”

“Yeah, but you have customer service skills. You’re the best damn bartender I’ve ever seen.”

“Thanks.”

Miles grabs a napkin from the counter holder and scribbles his number on it, passing it to you. “It’s about time we talked outside of this bar. Let me take you out to dinner sometime, where we could talk about our business more.” He says with a smile, and a little bit of redness showing on his cheeks.

“If this is you trying to ask me on a date the answer is yes.”

“Tomorrow afternoon then? I’m sure your nights are filled.”

“I can take a day off.” You say with a smile.

People say it takes a spark to light a fire, and that spark just happens to be named Miles Bron.

[arcprintindia]

Top 9 Terrace Decoration Ideas for Birthday Party to Make Success

When it comes to birthday decoration ideas in terrace, there are plenty of ways to make it special, but one of the most unique and fun ways to do so is to decorate your terrace. A terrace is a great location for a birthday party because it allows you to take advantage of the beautiful outdoor scenery and create an intimate and cozy atmosphere. 

This blog post provides small terrace decoration ideas for birthday party for throwing a memorable and special birthday party. From choosing a theme, adding greenery, and creating a comfortable seating area, to setting up a bar, adding colorful decorations, and serving delicious food, this post covers all the details needed to make your terrace party a success. With these terrace decoration ideas, you can create a beautiful and magical ambiance that your guests will love and remember for years to come.

Here are some terrace birthday decoration ideas that can make your birthday celebration a memorable one.

9 Creative small terrace decoration ideas for birthday party 

Create a Lounge Area

One of the best ways to make your terrace feel more comfortable and inviting is to create a lounge area. This can be achieved by adding comfortable outdoor furniture, such as a sectional sofa, chaise lounges, or even a hammock. Make sure to add plenty of cushions and throws to make it feel cozy and welcoming.

Hang String Lights

String lights are an inexpensive and easy way to add ambiance to your terrace. Hang them from the ceiling, or use them to create a canopy over your seating area. You can also wrap them around trees or railing to add more light and create a magical ambiance.

Add Plants and Flowers

Adding plants and flowers to your terrace can create a natural and beautiful setting. Use potted plants to decorate the corners of the terrace, or hang baskets of flowers from the ceiling or railing. You can also create a beautiful centerpiece using a large planter filled with colorful flowers.

Set Up a Bar

Setting up a bar on your terrace can be a fun and interactive addition to your birthday party. You can set up a simple bar with a few bottles of wine, beer, and some basic mixers, or you can create a more elaborate bar with a variety of cocktails and garnishes. Don't forget to add some comfortable seating around the bar, so your guests can sit and enjoy their drinks.

Serve Delicious Food

No birthday party is complete without delicious food. You can grill burgers, hot dogs, or kebabs, or serve a variety of finger foods, such as chips and dips, cheese and crackers, or fruit skewers. Make sure to have plenty of napkins and plates on hand, and consider hiring a caterer or food truck to make your party even more special.

Use Colorful Decorations

Adding colorful decorations can make your terrace feel more festive and celebratory. Hang colorful banners, streamers, or balloons from the ceiling or railing. You can also use colorful tablecloths, napkins, and plates to add more color and vibrancy to your party.

Create a Photo Booth

Setting up a photo booth on your terrace can be a fun way to capture memories and create lasting mementos of your birthday party. You can create a simple backdrop using a colorful sheet or fabric, and set up a camera or smartphone on a tripod for your guests to take pictures. Don't forget to add some fun props, such as hats, glasses, and mustaches, to make your photos even more memorable.

Add a Fire Pit

Adding a fire pit to your terrace can create a warm and cozy atmosphere, especially on cooler nights. You can set up a simple fire pit using bricks or stones, or you can purchase a portable fire pit that can be moved around your terrace. Make sure to add plenty of seating around the fire pit, so your guests can enjoy the warmth and conversation.

Personalize Your Decor: 

Adding personalized decorations, such as custom banners, balloons, or photo displays, can make your birthday party extra special and unique.

In conclusion, small terrace decoration ideas for birthday party can be a fun and unique way to celebrate your special day. By using these terrace decoration ideas, you can create a beautiful and memorable ambiance that will make your birthday celebration unforgettable. Make sure to take plenty of pictures to capture the memories and share them. By using some of the ideas listed in this blog post, you can transform your terrace into a magical space that sets the tone for a fun and celebratory atmosphere. Remember to choose a theme, add greenery, comfortable seating, and colorful decorations, and don't forget to serve delicious food and drinks. Your guests will appreciate the thought and effort you put into making your terrace party special, and you'll create memories that will last a lifetime.

If you also want to decorate your terrace for your birthday with these ideas and decoration items search online for different birthday decoration items or look no further than ARC Print India. It’s also an online e-commerce site that specializes in custom-printed products. You can get a wide range of custom products that can be perfect for unique terrace birthday decoration ideas too.

[saintsofwarding]

EMBRYO

Chapter 5: Burger Fool

"No," the diner guy said.

"No?" Rose echoed.

"You heard me. No."

"No job, you mean? No...what? Why?"

"Yeah, no job." He ticked off on his meaty fingers. "...Yeah, no job, and 'cause we aren't hiring kids, Miss..." He glanced down at her application. "Uh...Winners?"

"Winters," Rose said. "Why the hell not?"

"You're sixteen. I ain't doing that whole teenage-drama song and dance again. Not after last time. Come back in two years or whatever." He looked her over doubtfully. "If you want to work here that bad, I guess."

Rose glanced around the diner, which was, non-encouragingly, called Vinnie's Meat Hut. A few exhausted-looking patrons slouched at booths and window tables, sadly munching plates of anemic fries and burgers that looked as if they might cause cardiac arrest on contact.

"Come on," she said under her breath. "I'm...young and hip. I could really...bring a fresh perspective into...you know, the day to day..."

"Fresh perspective," the manager said.

"Yeah. I could wash dishes, too, if you don't want me waitressing. Or I could...um...take out the trash."

"Take out the trash," the manager said.

"Please," Rose said.

"No."

"Please?"

"Kid, you need money that bad, go ask your mommy."

Rose blinked, then put on a sad face with big eyes. "I don't have a mommy," she whispered. "Or a daddy. They died when I was three."

"Cancer?"

"Brain."

"Both of 'em?"

"It was contagious."

"Get the fuck outta here."

Rose let out a huff, turned, and stomped out. She couldn't resist throwing up a middle finger before she went through the door.

The manager returned the gesture half-heartedly.

Rose stood on the diner's stoop, staring out at the rainy morning. Today was Friday, thank God. She needed the weekend badly. She hadn't gotten any homework done that week on account of the stuff with Sam and, of course, the monster.

The monster.

Heisenberg had said nothing about the previous night- not that Rose had given him a chance. She'd left before he even emerged from his room, stuffing handfuls of granola bars into her pockets so she didn't even have to stick around for breakfast. She'd barely slept- her second night in a row without much sleep- and now her eyes were itchy, her brain half-congealed concrete. Still, her ankle felt almost healed. One good thing about her power: she healed really, really fast. She'd never got worse than a broken bone, but even that had been better in a week. That had been tough to explain to the elementary school; Rose suspected Heisenberg had employed threats and intimidation to keep those concerned from looking into it too deeply.

Morning traffic rushed past, horns squabbling, pedestrians pushing by, on their way to work or school. The night before, this street had been ominous, dark and abandoned, but now in the gray daylight looked back to normal. Halloween decorations hung in shop windows, and a news-stand owner across the way was sat by his stand on a folding chair, portable radio by his side, listening to the reports.

Rose edged closer. She ambled across the street, ducked under the news-stand's awning, picked out a magazine, pretended to read. ...Light showers all across Regent City and the coast...looks like our October's only going to get colder, folks, better bundle up those kids for trick-or-treating...three-car pileup on I-60, no one badly hurt...Mt. Calyx hospital reports that...

Rose allowed herself a moment of relief. Maybe...maybe it had been chalked up as a fluke...maybe...

...More information on last night's subway attack...

Her spine went stiff.

...No casualties. A survivor and eyewitness to the perpetrator is currently in stable condition. While wild dogs are rare in Regent City, we do warn all our listeners that...

"Wild dogs?" Rose said, out loud.

The stand owner looked up sharply. "Hey," he said. "You gonna buy that?"

Rose glanced down at the magazine. Engines Quarterly. Heisenberg didn't have this edition yet. It had just come out.

"Yeah," she said. "Actually, I am."

Heading to school on the city bus, Rose hunched down in the seat, glanced around, then got out her phone. It was a super-shitty old one- Heisenberg had tried to juice it up too, but there was only so much he could do- and it took a long time for anything to load. Once it did, she scanned the breaking news articles one after another, trying to see if Mara or anyone else had mentioned her. Most of the articles agreed that it had been wild dogs. One posited that someone had gone psycho after snorting horse Viagra- apparently maulings were a common side effect of that activity- though judging from the comments section it wasn't a widely shared theory.

By the time Rose reached her stop the relief was enough to get her sluggish self off the bus and into school. Still, she tugged her knit hat down, like that would hide her face, and hunched into her coat, trying to get from class to class with as much speed as possible.

The conversation in her classes was a buzz on the edge of her awareness. Parties, Halloween events, weekend plans. Someone mentioned the subway incident, but it was more about how metal it was that there had been an animal attack in the middle of Regent City. No details. Rose's mind kept drifting to her ill-fated interview at Vinnie's Meat Hut. Ugh, she shouldn't have been such a brat. She needed money. She needed...

Just talk to Heisenberg.

Just talk.

She cut off her thoughts with a shake of her head. No. She had to do this herself. Besides, he was keeping things from her. Big things. If he was gonna know about what she was up to, he had to earn it.

When the bell rang for lunch, she didn't head with her friends to the lunchroom. Instead, she made a beeline for the library. The hush enfolded her, a few other students hunched over reading tables or sitting in the computer lab. Rose claimed a computer, logged in, and navigated to the search engine. Glancing to and fro, she hunched a little further forward before taking the metal disc from her pocket.

It gleamed in the light from the computer screen. She set it on the edge of the keyboard, then typed in

EMBRYO

Nothing, of course. Just the usual definition, wiki, et cetera. Embryo test and project embryo turned up even fewer results- just articles about artificial wombs, lab rats, in vitro shit. Rose stuck out her tongue as she scrolled through the image results, then, with a spike of frustration, shut down the search engine and left the computer lab for the library front desk.

The librarian looked up as she approached. It was the same one as the day before, a mid-thirties woman with a braid over her shoulder.

"'Scuse me," Rose said. She slapped the disc down on the desk. "Can I look up barcodes here?"

She looked up from her computer. "...What? Is this for a project?"

"Yeah. Research project. Big thing. Really important." Rose lifted her eyebrows. "So can I? Scan barcodes?"

"Um..." The librarian's eyes flicked to the disc. She smiled a little. "You're...Rosemary, right?"

"Rose."

"Rose, I think this...what is this? A dog tag?"

"Sort of."

"Well," she said, indulgently, "I think you'd need the database for whatever...whatever data is on this if you wanted the code to lead to anything. Right?" Her smile turned apologetic. "Sorry I can't be of more help."

"Sure. Yeah. No, it's okay," Rose began. Dumbass. Of course. "I, just, I-"

"Rose."

She went stiff. She stared down at the desk for a couple seconds, then turned.

Sam stood behind her, hands in her jean jacket pockets, staring down like Rose had just been staring. Dark circles cut under her eyes, her brows drawn together. She kind of looked like she'd been crying. Rose looked around, but none of Sam's friends were anywhere to be seen.

"What do you want?" Rose said.

"I...look..." Sam squeaked her boot along the ground. "I understand if...if you want to tell me to shove off, but..."

"A little bit, yeah."

Her eyes flicked up. She had been crying, Rose realized with a pang. Her eyes were red and puffy, the skin under them pearlescent.

"Can we talk?" Sam said. "Somewhere else?"

Rose opened her mouth. "Yeah," she said. Her voice was soft. "Yeah, of course."

They ended up in the alleyway. The same one as before. The dumpster was back upright, the dog monster's black blood entirely washed away by the rain. The air smelled crisp, clean. Rose sat on the steps, while Sam paced back and forth in front of her.

"So?" Rose said. "Talk."

"I..." Sam stopped. She let out her breath. Then she reached in her bag and brought out her phone. "I know Mara."

The air seemed to siphon from Rose's lungs. Her vision shocked white.

"What?" she said.

"Yeah. I mean...sort of. My friend, Necro, he's in band with me...they went to middle school together. She goes to East Regent High now, but...he knows her. And he was texting her in the hospital. And she said..." Sam scrolled through her phone. "She said...a girl saved her. A blonde girl. With black stuff that came out of her. Someone told her not to talk about it, but she couldn't keep quiet about who saved her. She said...this girl...drove the monster away."

"The monster," Rose whispered.

Sam nodded.

"It was you," she said. "Wasn't it?"

Rose looked at her hands. She drew in a slow breath. As she did, black veins twined through her skin, undulating slightly, like living things. She clenched her fists and they retracted. Sam didn't move. She stood there, watching her with dark, unreadable eyes.

Rose nodded.

"Monster attacked me last night," she said. "I took care of it."

Sam let out a laugh. The sound of it bordered on the hysterical. "Took care of it? You freaking hit it with a subway train, dude!"

She couldn't help but smirk. Heisenberg would be proud. "A little bit."

"That totally beats your goth hobo dad's stop sign maneuver, hands down."

"He's not my real dad," Rose confessed.

"...Huh?"

"He kind of saved me from, among other things, a draconic vampire lady's psychic nightmare dreamscape palace when I was a baby. He's been taking care of me ever since."

Sam took this all in with a blink, but all she said was "And he's...like you?"

"Pretty much."

"Good thing he's not your real dad," Sam said. "I'd hate to meet your mom."

Rose snorted. She doubled over with laughter; it kept coming, snorts and hiccups, uncontrollable; her eyes began to water. Sam started to laugh, too, one hand pressed to her mouth. She leaned against the far wall, her smooth brown throat open to the cool air. Warmth radiated in the pit of Rose's stomach, and despite her exhaustion, her aches and pains, the distance still between her and Sam, she couldn't help but be glad to be here, now, with her.

Their laughter died, and the silence came in once more.

"The way I talked to you..." Sam began.

"You were scared. I get it."

"Not just that." She looked down. "My aunt lived in Raccoon City."

"Oh."

"Yeah. She and my mom...they were super close. After...after what happened...after they just...never found her..." Sam shook her head, her gaze faraway. "My mom was apparently never the same. She's..."

She cut off.

"This stuff," she went on, "these...things. They've destroyed so many people's lives. They've taken so much away from so many. I was...I was scared, yeah. But...I didn't want to be scared of you...just of...of that."

The corner of Rose's mouth quirked in a tiny smile. "That?"

"You know." She wriggled her fingers. "That!"

"Are those my tentacles?" Rose said, letting her voice go sepulchral on the last word.

"Well, I can't summon them, so yeah."

Rose nodded.

"I get it," she said. "But, Sam...this power. These things I can do..." Her throat tightened. "They are me. Don't you understand? I can't put them down. I can't ever be apart from them. I...sometimes, I wish..."

She cut off, then began again. "They are me," she said again. "And. And you get all of me, or you don't get me at all."

Her face was hot, but her voice hadn't shook. Sam still stared at her. Her eyes were bright in the trace of weak sunlight from above. A momentary break in the clouds.

"Can you accept that?" Rose said.

Sam paused. Then-

She nodded.

"I think so," she said.

"Good," Rose said. "I need your help. You said Mara told you guys that someone told her not to talk?"

"Yeah."

"You have any money for flowers?" Rose said. "Because we've got a hospital to visit."

***

"Fuck school," Sam said, starting up her car.

"You're, like, a straight A student," Rose said.

"That's why I can say fuck school." She backed out of the school lot and they were off. "I've earned school-fucking privileges."

The drive to Mt. Calyx grew darker by the minute, the afternoon's brief respite from the rain over. Raindrops spattered Sam's windshield as they drew closer. Rose's hands were clammy; she tried not to fidget, but she picked at a hole in her jeans anyway. Sam glanced over, but said nothing. From the line between her eyebrows, she was a little leery, too.

Mt. Calyx rose above the surrounding buildings. It was built atop one of Regent City's hills, sloping up from the docks district to overlook the city below. The hospital was an imposing steel-and-glass structure with extensive, tree-lined grounds, its name done in bright teal lights across its front facade. After parking, Rose and Sam dawdled by the car, shivering in the chill wind, staring up at the building.

"Kind of creepy, don't you think?" Sam said. "Hospitals, I mean?"

"I've never really been inside a hospital before."

"You serious?"

Rose nodded. "Me and Heisenberg, we...kind of heal on our own. With him, there's some extra organs to deal with-"

"Extra- what, now?" She shook her head. "Long story, right?"

"They all are." In the long years of her child-and-tween-hood, Rose and Heisenberg had bounced from cheap apartment to cheap apartment, motel to abandoned warehouse, never staying for more than a couple years, tops. They'd watched a ton of television- together, sometimes, Heisenberg making constant observations and jokes at the expense of the characters, but mostly Rose alone, huddled under a blanket, staring at the screen, waiting for Heisenberg to come back. It was all kind of a mystery. With his powers, he could have done anything, made fuckloads of cash, become famous, but he never had. Back then, Rose hadn't questioned it- it was the two of them against the world, and no one else mattered- but now she wondered if it hadn't all been for her benefit, if he'd stayed under the radar to keep her under the radar in turn.

Once she would have chalked that up to pure love.

Now?

She couldn't think about that right now, couldn't think about him. Point was, they'd watched a lot of hospital dramas. A lot. Rose knew the procedure, even if she'd never experienced it.

"Come on," she said. "Let's not keep Mara waiting."

They made their way through the sliding doors and into the hospital proper. The lobby smelled subtly luxurious, paneled in wood, the lights kept tastefully low, but under the muffled murmur of conversations and the music played softly on hidden speakers, Rose detected a tang of something like disinfectant, chalky and stinging.

Her nerves prickled. She shoved her hands in her pockets in case her mold started to show. Sam went and spoke to the front desk person, who handed out clip-on visitor's badges and a hospital map.

"She's in the recovery wing," Sam said, returning to Rose. "Room D-6- oh! Look! A shop. Perfect."

She went to the gift shop and bought a bouquet of pink flowers. As she did, Rose's phone began to vibrate. An unknown number. That would probably be Heisenberg. She chewed her lip. Shit, had the school called Heisenberg or something? Usually he couldn't care less whether or not she skipped out on class. After last night had he decided to play responsible-parent after all?

She shoved it back into her pocket and hurried to Sam's side. This time of day, the hospital was quiet, a few nurses chatting in a break area, a doctor working at a computer in a glassed-in office. Rose kept glancing around, then reminding herself not to look suspicious.

"Don't look suspicious," Sam whispered.

"I know!"

"We're not doing anything wrong, we're just visiting a friend."

"I know," Rose said again. She stared down a hallway, pale green walls giving the light an underwater quality. "I just...weirds me out, is all. This place. I..."

She trailed away.

A memory. Suddenly. Like it had walked through a door in her mind. That smell. Chemicals and disinfectant, medical supplies and- mold. A woman's voice, singing her to sleep. Hush, now, child, the wolves are coming, hush, I pray you, hush, or they will make your worries their meal...

The language was unfamiliar, lulling and strange. But Rose recognized every word. She heard it, even now. Faraway, faraway. That song.

Her eyes- golden?

A place deep underground.

Pulse. The hallway was no longer a hospital, modern and clean, but the rocky, lightless cave passageway. The glitter of crystal, the rumble of something underfoot. Something deep, and old. Something sleeping.

Something waiting.

Another pulse. The memory left her. She was back in her body, but she was cold, still staring, white shocking into her vision with each heartbeat. She felt the slick squirm of her mold through her skin, tightening around her heart. Was this a panic attack? Heisenberg wasn't here. He wasn't here. Oh, shit, was she gonna freak out? She needed him bad. She needed-

A warm hand clasped hers. She jumped with a gasp. Sam stared up at her, concern bright in her eyes.

"Rose?" she said.

Her breathing sounded jagged, strangled.

"I..." she began. She and Sam shuffled to the side as a couple nurses walked past, barely giving them a second look. "I'm...I saw...I thought..."

She looked down the hallway, but it was no longer natural rock traced into form by a lantern held aloft, picking out the glitter of crystals growing from the walls, just a regular-ass hospital hallway. The panic slowly ebbed; warmth came back into her limbs.

Sam's grip on her helped.

She realized just how hard Sam was holding her hands, and heat rushed into her face so fast she was surprised her head didn't straight-up explode. She jerked her hands from Sam's. Sam's eyes widened a little, then dipped to her boot toes.

She stepped back.

"I..." Rose started- to apologize, maybe- holding your hands makes me feel way too much right now and I just can't- I'm sorry, Sam, I'm sorry, I don't want to hurt you again-

She didn't go on.

"It's okay," Sam said. She gave Rose a wry smile. "Hey, if you'd passed out or something at least we're already at the hospital."

"Funny," Rose told her. Still, she managed to return Sam's smile.

As they left, she glanced down the hall once more.

Empty.

An echo of singing traced her mind.

Hush now, child. The wolves are coming.

***

They found Mara's room on the next floor up.

The nurse on duty let them in. "She's been through a lot," she told them. "Take it easy, okay?"

"Don't worry." Sam gave her her most winning smile. "We're not gonna bite."

Rose dug her elbow into Sam's ribs as the nurse left.

"What?" Sam said, with a wheeze.

Inside, the lights were turned low, the room's single window washed by rain. The television was on, casting pale light over the hunched shape of a girl in the bed. Her long auburn hair hung loose around her shoulders; her eyes were bruised. She lay with one leg bandaged, tubes leading from the crook of her arm to the saline bag on a stand nearby, her gaze unfocused and lowered. When the door clicked shut, she gave a little gasp and whirled.

"Hi, Mara," Sam said, giving her a wave.

"Sam?"

"Yep. And look who I brought with me." Sam stood aside. Mara's eyes widened.

"Oh, my god," she breathed. "It's you."

"Again. Yeah. I didn't get to introduce myself before," Rose said. She ventured forward and sat by Mara's bedside. Behind her, Sam put the flowers into an empty mug on a counter. "I'm Rose. I'm glad you're okay."

"Thanks to you. I thought that thing was gonna eat me." She scrambled awkwardly forward and before Rose could react caught her up in a hug. Rose stiffened, then put her arms, slowly, around Mara. It's okay, she told herself. This is okay.

"Thank you," Mara whispered. She pulled back, her eyes bright. "What was it, anyway?" She gave her a quick glance-over. "...You're not another one, are you?"

"No! Not...uh. Not like that, anyway. That's kind of what I'm here to find out. To make sure you were all right, and to get more information."

"Sure. Anything."

"Is there anyone else here?"

"My mom's just stepped out to go grab some stuff from home-"

"No," Rose said. She looked back toward the windows that looked out to the corridor. Sam quickly whisked the blinds shut. "Not your mom. You said someone didn't want you talking about what really happened. All the papers say it was a wild dog attack, but that's bullshit. Tons of people saw the monster. No matter how scared you are you're not gonna confuse a six-foot strawberry jello monster for a pack of wild anything."

Mara stared at her as she talked, fiddling with her hospital gown. The rain cast eerie shadows over her face.

"They warned me to shut my mouth," she said. "They told me...they told me it would be...bad for the public if I didn't...that it wouldn't do anyone any good to talk about things I didn't understand..."

"Listen." Rose took the Embryo disc from her pocket and held it up. "I found this in the monster's remains. The monster was the fifth test. Don't you get it? Someone is sending these things out. Someone is making them. And if I don't stop it, more people are gonna get hurt."

Mara's eyes shone in the light from the television screen, the sound turned down to a low murmur nearly drowned out by the rain.

"She showed up right after the doctors finished with my leg," she whispered.

"She?" Rose asked. "Who's she?"

"I..." Mara began. "I thought she was part of the hospital staff...a therapist or something. She was wearing, like, nice clothes under a white coat but she wasn't one of the other doctors. She had this...thing? Like a phone but smaller, and it flashed, and it felt like everything I saw in the subway was getting sucked out of my head. And then she told me not to say anything about it."

"Do you remember anything else? What she looked like? Any kind of...symbols she was wearing? Anything?"

Mara shook her head. "When she flashed that thing her face went fuzzy. I could see it but not, you know? Like my eyes wouldn't focus but it was my brain."

Rose glanced at Sam. The other girl's face was paler than normal, her arms crossed over her stomach.

"Okay," Rose said. "I-"

Her phone began to buzz again. "Sorry," she muttered, and looked at the screen. Another unknown number. Jesus, would he keep calling her until she picked up?

"Hang on," she said. "It's my...just hang on..."

She went over to the window. "What?" she said into the phone.

"Kid? That you?"

"Yes. I'm...kind of busy right now."

"What's going on? You're not doing anything stupid, are you?"

"Would you be able to tell the difference?"

"Cool it, pipsqueak. This fucking-" Something clattered, and he yelled indistinctly at it for a few seconds before returning. "-Fuckin' school of yours said you were gone-"

"Yes, and now I'm busy, so if you don't mind-"

"Don't you hang up on me! You need to get your ass home, you hear me? Get it home, now, or tell me where you are and I'll come and get you, I swear to-"

His voice hissed into static. Rose looked at the phone.

"Heisenberg?" she said.

"-don't- dangerous- need-" More static. With a crackle, the signal dropped, the call lost.

"Everything okay?" Sam asked, still too-pale.

"I...I'm not sure-" Rose began.

Voices echoed down the corridor. Sam peered through the blinds, then looked back up. "Shit," she said.

"What?"

"We need to move," she said. "I think someone's coming."

[brioso123]

Which Thing to Put in Your Wedding Day Emergency Kit

It can be difficult to decide what to include in your wedding day emergency kit at first. While you can't predict every possible scenario on your wedding day, it's a good idea to discuss it with your significant other and your wedding planner or coordinator.   

The best bridal emergency kits have bobby pins, duct tape, and everything else to handle any wedding day drama, one mini emergency at a time. We can't guarantee that these items will fix every kind of problem, but they should be enough to at least address the little things and help your wedding run smoothly. So put these necessary but often forgotten items in a tote bag or tackle box and keep them close at hand throughout the wedding day.

Best Makeup Artist provides all the necessary accessories for the bride. So hire a makeup artist to run your wedding smoothly.

The Thing you have Needed most in the Emergency Kit

1. Jewelry Cleaner

Your jewelry must be in pristine condition for your wedding day, so keep a cleaning kit in your carry-on. Peck suggests including a jewelry cleaning device in your emergency kit to deep clean your rings on the morning of your wedding. Request that your maid of honor handle the diamond cleaning while you do your hair and makeup.

2. Phone Chargers 

Taking photos, posting on social media, and surfing the web while doing your hair and makeup can drain your battery faster than you'd expect. This might also be the perfect time to invest in some portable power banks, in case you're not near a power outlet when your phone hits 15%.

3. Q-Tips and Makeup Remover

Use these to correct mistakes and cleanse your face throughout the day. They will be more accurate than a piece of toilet paper you grab from the nearest stall, that's for sure!

4. Small Sewing Kit

Buy a mini sewing kit that includes safety pins and small scissors. You never know when your wedding dress or bridesmaids will catch on. Including this in your wedding emergency kit can put your mind at ease. If something goes wrong, you'll have everything you need right at your fingertips.

5. Cotton Balls or Swabs

Whether your ears are itchy or you need to wipe your cheeks dry, cotton balls and swabs are the perfect wedding day essential. A bridal survival kit is perfect because you'll have everything you need right there. You'll also save time and sanity because you won't need to run to the store for everything.

6. Fabrics

Don't ruin your makeup with free-falling tears, ladies!

7. Clear Nail Polish

This is not only to fix your nails but also to help with indentations in your pantyhose. Swipe a line of clear nail polish over any run and you'll keep it from getting bigger.

8. Water and Healthy Snacks

At some point during your wedding day, you'll get hungry and may not have food on hand, so be sure to include water and healthy snacks for you and your wedding party.

Unsalted nuts, fruit, or a healthy nut bar are all excellent choices.

9. Back Earrings

Anyone who has ever misplaced an earring on a night out understands how inconvenient it is, especially when your earrings are such an important part of your outfit! Pack some extra earrings for you and your bridesmaids so you can wear them all day and night.

10. Mints and Chews

Forget bad breath or coffee breath and save some mints and chews for you and your wedding party.

11. Makeup for Retouches Figure out what product you'll be wearing on the big day during your hair and makeup trial with your glam squad so you can stock up on some travel-size pieces. Your makeup may change throughout the ceremony and reception, but you can keep your look going by keeping a few key items in your bridal emergency kit. Keeping blotting pads, concealer, mascara, and setting spray on hand is a good idea. Best Makeup Artists in Pune will frequently give all products for the bride.

[oppvenuz]

 Professional Bartender Services in Delhi: Elevating Your Event Experience

 Introduction

A memorable event is not just about the venue, décor, or food—it’s also about the drinks and the atmosphere created by skilled bartenders. In Delhi, the demand for professional bartender services has surged as hosts seek to provide a sophisticated and engaging experience for their guests. Whether it’s a wedding, corporate event, or private party, professional bartenders can elevate the occasion with their expertise, flair, and creativity. This article explores the benefits of hiring professional bartender services in Delhi and highlights some of the top providers in the city.

Click Here For More Deatils:https://www.oppvenuz.com/vendors/bartenders/?city=delhi                             

 The Importance of Professional Bartender Services

 Expertise and Creativity

Professional bartenders bring a wealth of knowledge and creativity to any event. They are well-versed in mixing a variety of cocktails, understanding flavor profiles, and presenting drinks in an appealing manner. Their ability to craft unique and personalized drinks can impress guests and add a special touch to the event.

 Efficient and Smooth Service

Experienced bartenders ensure that the bar operates smoothly, preventing long queues and ensuring that guests are served promptly. Their efficiency helps maintain a steady flow of drinks, allowing guests to enjoy themselves without unnecessary delays.

 Enhancing the Guest Experience

A skilled bartender does more than just mix drinks—they engage with guests, offer recommendations, and create an interactive experience. This personal touch can make guests feel valued and enhance their overall experience at the event.

 Safety and Responsibility

Professional bartenders are trained to serve alcohol responsibly, ensuring that guests do not overindulge. They are also adept at handling any unexpected situations that may arise, contributing to a safe and enjoyable event environment.

 Top Professional Bartender Services in Delhi

 1. Bar Solutions

Overview: Bar Solutions is a leading provider of professional bartender services in Delhi, known for their skilled mixologists and exceptional service. They offer customized packages to suit various types of events, from weddings to corporate functions.

Highlights:

- Experienced and trained bartenders

- Customized cocktail menus

- Portable bar setups and stylish glassware

- Professional and friendly service

 2. DrinQ Bartending

Overview: DrinQ Bartending is renowned for its innovative approach to bartending, offering a wide range of services including flair bartending, molecular mixology, and personalized cocktails. Their team of professional bartenders ensures a memorable experience for all guests.

Highlights:

- Creative and innovative cocktail creations

- Flair bartending and interactive experiences

- Customized bar setups and themes

- Professional and courteous staff

 3. The Bartender Company

Overview: The Bartender Company offers premium bartending services for events of all sizes. Their team of experienced bartenders is dedicated to providing high-quality service and creating a vibrant bar atmosphere.

Highlights:

- Wide selection of cocktails and mocktails

- Professional and well-trained bartenders

- Customized bar solutions and setups

- Exceptional customer service

 4. Cocktails and Dreams

Overview: Specializing in crafting bespoke cocktails and providing top-notch bartending services, Cocktails and Dreams is a popular choice for upscale events in Delhi. Their bartenders are known for their creativity and attention to detail.

Highlights:

- Tailor-made cocktail menus

- Skilled and personable bartenders

- Elegant bar setups and presentation

- Focus on quality and guest satisfaction

 5. The Bartender's Touch

Overview: The Bartender's Touch is committed to delivering exceptional bartending services with a focus on creating unique and memorable experiences. Their team of professional bartenders is equipped to handle events of all types and sizes.

Highlights:

- Personalized cocktail and mocktail options

- Professional and engaging bartenders

- Versatile bar setups and designs

- Emphasis on guest interaction and satisfaction

 Conclusion

Hiring professional bartender services in Delhi can significantly enhance the quality and enjoyment of your event. These experts bring creativity, efficiency, and a touch of elegance to the bar, ensuring that guests have a memorable experience. Whether you’re hosting a wedding, corporate event, or private party, the right bartender service can make all the difference. By choosing from the top providers in Delhi, you can ensure that your event is a resounding success, leaving your guests impressed and delighted.

[oppvenuz7]

 Professional Bartender Services in Delhi: Elevating Your Event Experience

 Introduction

A memorable event is not just about the venue, décor, or food—it’s also about the drinks and the atmosphere created by skilled bartenders. In Delhi, the demand for professional bartender services has surged as hosts seek to provide a sophisticated and engaging experience for their guests. Whether it’s a wedding, corporate event, or private party, professional bartenders can elevate the occasion with their expertise, flair, and creativity. This article explores the benefits of hiring professional bartender services in Delhi and highlights some of the top providers in the city.

Click Here For More Deatils:https://www.oppvenuz.com/vendors/bartenders/?city=delhi                             

 The Importance of Professional Bartender Services

 Expertise and Creativity

Professional bartenders bring a wealth of knowledge and creativity to any event. They are well-versed in mixing a variety of cocktails, understanding flavor profiles, and presenting drinks in an appealing manner. Their ability to craft unique and personalized drinks can impress guests and add a special touch to the event.

 Efficient and Smooth Service

Experienced bartenders ensure that the bar operates smoothly, preventing long queues and ensuring that guests are served promptly. Their efficiency helps maintain a steady flow of drinks, allowing guests to enjoy themselves without unnecessary delays.

 Enhancing the Guest Experience

A skilled bartender does more than just mix drinks—they engage with guests, offer recommendations, and create an interactive experience. This personal touch can make guests feel valued and enhance their overall experience at the event.

 Safety and Responsibility

Professional bartenders are trained to serve alcohol responsibly, ensuring that guests do not overindulge. They are also adept at handling any unexpected situations that may arise, contributing to a safe and enjoyable event environment.

 Top Professional Bartender Services in Delhi

 1. Bar Solutions

Overview: Bar Solutions is a leading provider of professional bartender services in Delhi, known for their skilled mixologists and exceptional service. They offer customized packages to suit various types of events, from weddings to corporate functions.

Highlights:

- Experienced and trained bartenders

- Customized cocktail menus

- Portable bar setups and stylish glassware

- Professional and friendly service

 2. DrinQ Bartending

Overview: DrinQ Bartending is renowned for its innovative approach to bartending, offering a wide range of services including flair bartending, molecular mixology, and personalized cocktails. Their team of professional bartenders ensures a memorable experience for all guests.

Highlights:

- Creative and innovative cocktail creations

- Flair bartending and interactive experiences

- Customized bar setups and themes

- Professional and courteous staff

 3. The Bartender Company

Overview: The Bartender Company offers premium bartending services for events of all sizes. Their team of experienced bartenders is dedicated to providing high-quality service and creating a vibrant bar atmosphere.

Highlights:

- Wide selection of cocktails and mocktails

- Professional and well-trained bartenders

- Customized bar solutions and setups

- Exceptional customer service

 4. Cocktails and Dreams

Overview: Specializing in crafting bespoke cocktails and providing top-notch bartending services, Cocktails and Dreams is a popular choice for upscale events in Delhi. Their bartenders are known for their creativity and attention to detail.

Highlights:

- Tailor-made cocktail menus

- Skilled and personable bartenders

- Elegant bar setups and presentation

- Focus on quality and guest satisfaction

 5. The Bartender's Touch

Overview: The Bartender's Touch is committed to delivering exceptional bartending services with a focus on creating unique and memorable experiences. Their team of professional bartenders is equipped to handle events of all types and sizes.

Highlights:

- Personalized cocktail and mocktail options

- Professional and engaging bartenders

- Versatile bar setups and designs

- Emphasis on guest interaction and satisfaction

 Conclusion

Hiring professional bartender services in Delhi can significantly enhance the quality and enjoyment of your event. These experts bring creativity, efficiency, and a touch of elegance to the bar, ensuring that guests have a memorable experience. Whether you’re hosting a wedding, corporate event, or private party, the right bartender service can make all the difference. By choosing from the top providers in Delhi, you can ensure that your event is a resounding success, leaving your guests impressed and delighted.

[partyproseastcoast]

Celebrating a Bar Mitzvah with Perfect Party Rentals

Venue Selection and Setup

The first step in planning a Bar Mitzvah party is choosing the perfect venue. Whether you’re hosting the event at a banquet hall, a community center, or in your own backyard, party rentals can transform any space into a festive atmosphere. Consider renting tents, marquees, and canopies if the event is outdoors. These provide shade and shelter, ensuring guests are comfortable regardless of the weather.

Elegant and Functional Furniture

Once the venue is set, the next step is furnishing it. Opt for rental companies that offer a variety of tables and chairs to match your event's theme. From classic banquet tables and elegant Chiavari chairs to modern lounge furniture, Bar Mitzvah Event Party Rentals the right pieces will enhance the overall ambiance. Don’t forget to rent table linens, chair covers, and sashes to add a touch of elegance and cohesion to your decor.

Lighting and Sound Systems

Lighting can significantly impact the mood of your event. Rent a lighting package that includes uplights, spotlights, and string lights to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. Consider specialty lighting like LED dance floors or customized gobo lights that project the Bar Mitzvah boy’s name or initials.

A high-quality sound system is essential for any Bar Mitzvah party. Whether it’s for speeches, background music, or a DJ, renting professional audio equipment ensures that every word and note is heard clearly. Don’t forget to include microphones, speakers, and a mixing board in your rental package.

Themed Decorations and Centerpieces

Decorations are key to personalizing your Bar Mitzvah celebration. Work with a rental company that offers themed decor items such as balloon arches, custom banners, and backdrops. Centerpieces are another essential element, and rental companies often provide a variety of options, from floral arrangements to LED-lit sculptures.

Entertainment Options

Keep your guests entertained with a range of rental options. Consider a photo booth with fun props for capturing memories, or rent a game station with arcade games, foosball, or air hockey for younger guests. For a more interactive experience, hire a magician, caricature artist,  Photo Booth Rental For Party  or a live band to keep the energy high throughout the event.

Catering Equipment

If you’re planning to have a catered event, you’ll need to rent catering equipment. This includes chafing dishes, serving platters, beverage dispensers, and even portable bars. Ensure that you have enough plates, glasses, and utensils for all your guests. For dessert, consider renting a chocolate fountain or an ice cream cart for a sweet treat.

Final Touches

Finally, don’t overlook the small but important details. Rent a dance floor to encourage guests to celebrate and dance the night away. Comfortable restroom facilities, especially for outdoor events, are a must. Luxury restroom trailers can be a great addition, offering comfort and convenience.

[visual-saga-photography]

Can You Host a Wedding at Home ? Everything You Need to Know

Introduction

Hosting a wedding at home is a charming and intimate way to celebrate your special day. With careful planning and creativity, you can create a memorable event that reflects your personal style. This guide covers everything you need to know to successfully host a wedding at home.

Planning a Homemade Wedding

Organizing a wedding at home requires attention to detail and strategic planning. Follow this step-by-step guide to ensure a seamless and stress-free event.

Wedding at Home Checklist

Initial Planning and Budget : Start by setting a realistic budget and sticking to it. Prioritize expenses and allocate funds for essential elements like food, décor, and entertainment.

Guest List and Invitations : Determine the number of guests your home can comfortably accommodate. Send out invitations early to ensure your loved ones can save the date.

Decorations and Theme : Choose a theme that complements your home’s aesthetic. Consider DIY decorations to add a personal touch and save on costs.

Food and Beverage Arrangements : Decide whether to hire a caterer or prepare the food yourself. Ensure you have a variety of options to cater to different dietary preferences.

Entertainment and Music : Create a playlist that reflects your tastes or hire a live band or DJ to keep guests entertained throughout the event.

Photography and Videography : Capture every moment by hiring a professional photographer and videographer. These memories will be cherished for a lifetime.

Creative Wedding at Home Ideas

Indoor Wedding Ideas :

Transform your living room with elegant drapes and floral arrangements to create a romantic ambiance.

Set up an intimate dining area with a beautifully decorated table for the reception.

Outdoor Wedding Ideas :

Utilize your garden space for a beautiful outdoor ceremony.

Set up a cozy reception area on your patio with comfortable seating and fairy lights.

Seasonal Decor Inspiration

Spring : Incorporate pastel colors and fresh flowers.

Summer : Use bright colors and tropical decorations.

Fall : Decorate with autumn leaves and pumpkins.

Winter : Opt for a winter wonderland theme with white and silver accents.

Key Considerations

15 Key Things to Consider When Hosting a Wedding at Home :

Order of the Day : Plan the schedule meticulously, from the ceremony to the reception, to ensure everything runs smoothly.

Guest List : Be mindful of your space limitations and invite guests accordingly.

Transport : Arrange parking or shuttle services for guests to avoid congestion.

Neighbors : Inform your neighbors about the event to avoid any conflicts or disturbances.

Weather : Have a backup plan for inclement weather if you’re planning an outdoor wedding.

Logistics : Plan for the logistics of setting up and taking down decorations, as well as accommodating vendors.

Hair and Makeup : Hire professionals to come to your home or designate a space for hair and makeup preparation.

Photos : Identify picturesque spots around your home and yard for photo opportunities.

Décor : Focus on cohesive décor that ties together your theme and the natural beauty of your home.

Ceremony : Plan the ceremony layout, including seating arrangements and the altar.

Food : Decide on the type of meal service — buffet, plated dinner, or family-style — and hire a caterer if needed.

Drinks : Set up a bar area and consider hiring a bartender to serve drinks.

Toilets : Rent portable restrooms if your home doesn’t have enough facilities to accommodate all guests.

Entertainment : Arrange for entertainment that suits your space and guest preferences.

Clean-Up : Plan for post-event cleanup, whether by hiring a service or enlisting help from friends and family.

Conclusion

Hosting a wedding at home can be a magical and personalized experience. By carefully planning each aspect of the event, from the initial preparations to the final clean-up, you can create a beautiful and memorable day that reflects your unique style and love story. Remember to be flexible, ask for help when needed, and embrace the opportunity to add your personal touch to every detail.

#WeddingatHome #HostaWeddingatHome #HomemadeWedding #WeddingatHomeChecklist

[rubengrey]

Flutter in 2024: Different Strategies and Roadmap to Follow

After the inception of the Flutter framework, the cross-platform development industry has witnessed massive growth. Earlier, developers had to use sub-quality tools, making iterative development challenging and pushing them to stop productivity with quality. But conversely, Flutter became one of the best and most effective alternatives that offer quick results with accuracy and improve productivity. 

The popularity of Flutter is constantly increasing due to its excellent UI development kits to develop various types of apps. Statista reports that Flutter has recently surpassed React Native by 4%. However, here, we will highlight a few strategic plans and roadmaps you must follow for Flutter in 2024.

The Recent Status of Flutter 

The demand for Flutter-based applications is constantly increasing as it offers improved productivity and ease of use. With its advanced tools and features, it has become one of the preferable choices for many developers. As per the statistics, in 2022, there were over 500,000 Flutter apps. Therefore, if you have a project in mind, click here to hire Flutter developers with top-notch quality Flutter applications. 

The team of Flutter announced that Flutter would concentrate more on developing strategic plans with improved clarity and transparency. They are well-prepared to extend the older version in other development areas to make it a portable framework. It will not only emphasize the app development for mobile but also on desktop and web. 

Effective Strategies and Roadmap to Follow in 2024

Here is a list of strategic plans and the details of the roadmap for Flutter that you must follow in 2024.

Experience of the Developer

Flutter is mainly based on the Dart. Hence, developers don't need to work with it as it is voluntary. So, if the programmers wish to work with Flutter, only then can they use it for app development. Below, we have mentioned a few Flutter plans to ensure an improved developer experience.

With the help of the 'global selection' of Flutter, developers can opt for any of the 'selection area' widgets.

Flutter's trackpad input feature offers smoother and richer control and eliminates misinterpretation in specific areas.

With the new DevTool features, developers can easily debug performance issues and identify places Flutter failed. 

Immense Assistance to Several Platforms

Flutter is a relatively new framework that is improving slowly and steadily. So, now it offers premium-quality support for several platforms like the web, desktop (Linux, macOS, and Windows), and mobile. It is because the Flutter team understood the potential growth millions of desktop and web developers could bring. 

Though, it does not imply that they scrapped the mobile growth plans. In reality, they still wish to invest a significant amount in the large mobile developers' base and grow exponentially. 

Features of the Flutter

Flutter has developed advanced and highly effective features that will make them preferable and popular among every type of developer. Additionally, it offers various widgets that help streamline the development process. It makes it straightforward for the developers quickly finish the development process. The best part of these widgets is that they are highly customizable, allowing the users to develop a whole graphical interface. 

It has Firebase crashlytics, which helps the developers to identify crashes and errors in real-time. This feature is a backend service that offers the developers hosted backend services like cloud storage, crash reporting, etc. Flutter also comes up with a web app lifecycle that offers more control and flexibility to the developers. You don't need to write any code while developing a custom mobile app. Furthermore, it offers the Fl_chart package that offers widgets to create customizable bars, lines, radar, and pie charts.

Engine, Language, and Framework Improvements

The different plans of Flutter can improve the fidelity across different platforms and offer Material 3 support. The Flutter team wants to implement cross-text selection widgets to acquire improved fidelity for different platforms, including the web. Furthermore, the Dart will improve and bring innovation as the team decided to introduce massive upgrades, including metaprogramming. 

Flutter has also introduced the swift interop page and Objective-C that assist the developers in learning how to use the Dart packages correctly to call the APIs from those languages. It will also include a few small fixes, like extending the compilation toolchain and improving package import syntaxes. 

Strengthening and Securing Fundamentals 

Apart from doing the above mentioned things, the Flutter team wishes to solidify its security fundamentals. Therefore, it will help the team in different ways and allow them to protect it against vulnerabilities and other security-related issues. Therefore, the team is working hard by putting effort and developing different strategies to establish better infrastructure. 

With the emerging demand for Flutter, it has become crucial for it to offer improved infrastructure. It is necessary for the Flutter plans to offer support for the desktop and web with new and advanced hardware like the Apple M1 chip. Additionally, there are times when other open-source platforms have been compromised. So, as the popularity of Flutter is continuously increasing, it is best to concentrate more on the security standard in 2024. Also check new features in Flutter 3.7 here.

Drops Support for the 32-bits iOS 

Recently, Flutter decided to drop the support for 32-bit iOS in 2024. According to the standard support requirement of Flutter, support for iOS 9.3.6 will move to the 'Best effort' tier. So, it simply implies that the minimum version of iOS at the supported level will be iOS 14, translating to a drop in the support for 32-bit iOS devices. 

The roadmap of Flutter looks exciting and interesting at the same time. But, what needs to be remembered is how well you develop the Flutter apps to execute the strategic roadmap for successful development. The Flutter team has a solid plan to invest significant money in scaling the toolkit to cover all form factors and screen sizes. 

So, if you wish to leverage Flutter's potential for your upcoming app development project, consider working with Flutter Agency. The expert team will assist you in having the best possible and practical solutions you require for app development. With the help of its secure, prominent, and dynamic solution, app development will become simpler. So, feel free to contact the customer care team at your convenience.

[thxnews]

UK Doubles Down on Cyber Defenses with Skills Push

During a keynote address at the CyberUK 2024 conference in Birmingham, Tech Minister Saqib Bhatti unveiled the UK government's latest initiatives to fortify the nation's cyber resilience and defend against mounting digital threats. The multi-faceted strategy involves leveraging cutting-edge technologies like AI, instituting stringent security codes for software vendors and developers, and building a world-class cyber workforce through professional certifications and skills training. Addressing one of the core cybersecurity challenges, Bhatti emphasized the government's "secure by design" approach to ensure new technologies have security embedded from the ground up. He cited recent consumer IoT device laws that mandate robust default passwords, stated vulnerability disclosure policies, and minimum update periods as an example of UK leadership driving global tech policy.  

Ethical-ai graphics. Artwork by i-Pro.  

New Codes to Govern Software and AI Security

Two new codes of practice published on gov.uk today double down on this security-first philosophy: The Software Vendor Code sets principles for secure software development lifecycles, controlled build environments, secure deployment practices, and transparent communication through supply chains - aiming to prevent repeats of attacks like those crippling the BBC, British Airways and NHS systems. The AI Cyber Security Code provides guardrails for developing AI applications resilient against hacking, tampering or manipulation, forming the basis for an international standard built on NCSC guidelines.   "Getting this right is crucial for the future security and resilience of our tech ecosystem," Bhatti stressed. "We're really keen to have industry feedback on strengthening these codes."   Credentials and Skills to Raise the Bar Beyond technical baselines, the Minister outlined strategic levers to improve Britain's overall cyber posture through upskilling the workforce and mandating security standards. Highlighting new statistics showing Cyber Essentials-certified firms face 92% fewer cyber insurance claims, he bluntly stated "Cyber Essentials works" and called for mass adoption of the scheme's risk-reducing practices.  

Cyber Suffragettes at Pankhurst Centre Zebra Hub Wiki Edit a thon. Photo by Wiki Zebra Carol. Wikimedia.  

Standardizing the Cyber Workforce

On the human capital front, a new "professional titles" program developed jointly with the UK Cyber Security Council will provide portable, recognized accreditation defining clear career pathways and competencies for cybersecurity practitioners. A public statement published alongside Bhatti's speech formalizes commitments from government bodies, regulators and techUK members to incorporate these professional certifications into hiring and workforce development by 2025.   Scaling Up Youth Cyber Training Bhatti also revealed plans to significantly expand the successful CyberFirst program which has already reached over 260,000 students across 2,500 UK schools since 2016 with hands-on cybersecurity skills training. The forthcoming public consultation will explore options like spinning off delivery into a new independent organization dedicated to rapidly growing the initiative's impact as a talent pipeline for the field.  

Coordinated Economic Defense

Underscoring the collaborative "whole-of-nation" approach mandated by the National Cyber Strategy, the Minister highlighted parallel efforts raising baseline security requirements across all sectors through regulatory updates, public-private partnerships and coordinated risk management. "The cyber threat isn't just hitting our national security - it's impacting our entire economy," Bhatti warned bluntly. "These malicious actors cannot be allowed to prevail. By working hand-in-glove with our industry partners, we will ensure Britain's economy remains secure, resilient and fit for Cloud Age innovation."   This includes the looming expansion of the NIS Regulations to cover managed services providers, continued collaboration between tech firms and U.K. cyber authorities like NCSC and NCSC-certified penetration testing under the evolving CBEST framework. Cooperation with financial regulators and the Bank of England on sector-specific resilience efforts is also increasing.  

Royal Anglian Regiment Parade observed by Stephen McPartland MP. Photo by Peter O'Connor. Flickr.  

Nurturing the UK's Cybersecurity Powerhouse

With the cybersecurity industry now viewed as an engine for economic growth, the government aims to nurture the UK's burgeoning £11.9 billion cyber sector which already employs over 60,000 nationwide according to new figures. An upcoming independent review by MP Stephen McPartland will further detail how proactive cyber policies can drive job creation, investment and innovation across the nation's digital economy. As cyber threats proliferate from individual hackers to hostile nation-states, the UK is rapidly building a comprehensive defensive posture spanning technology, policy, workforce development and lockstep public-private coordination. People and businesses are encouraged to monitor the National Cyber Security Centre for the latest guidance as these new resilience initiatives take shape.   Sources: THX News, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, National Cyber Security Centre, FCA, House of Commons Library, Bank of England & Saqib Bhatti MP. Read the full article

[portablebar]

Crafting the Perfect Event: Exploring the Ultimate Portable Bars in California

As a seasoned event planner, I've learned that one of the key elements in creating memorable experiences is ensuring that every aspect of the event is top-notch. When it comes to providing exceptional service and ambiance, having the right bar setup can make all the difference. That's why I'm thrilled to delve into the world of ultimate portable bars in California and explore how they can elevate any event to the next level.

The Rise of Portable Bars

Portable bars have become increasingly popular in the event industry for several reasons. They offer versatility, convenience, and style, making them a must-have for any event, whether it's a wedding, corporate gathering, or private party. Here's why ultimate portable bars in Ca are in such high demand:

Versatility: Portable bars can be set up virtually anywhere, allowing event planners to get creative with their layouts. Whether you're hosting an outdoor garden party or a rooftop soirée, these bars can adapt to any environment.

Convenience: Gone are the days of hauling heavy, cumbersome bar equipment from one venue to another. Portable bars are designed to be lightweight and easy to transport, saving time and effort for event organizers.

Style: With sleek designs and customizable features, ultimate portable bars in California add a touch of sophistication to any event. From LED lighting to branded logos, these bars can be tailored to match the theme and aesthetic of the occasion.

Choosing the Right Portable Bar

With so many options available, finding the perfect portable bar for your event can seem like a daunting task. However, by considering your specific needs and preferences, you can narrow down your choices and select the ideal bar for your event. Here are some factors to keep in mind:

Size: Determine how many guests you'll be serving and the space available for the bar setup. Ultimate bars in California come in various sizes, from compact countertop models to large, freestanding units.

Features: Consider the amenities you require, such as built-in refrigeration, storage shelves, and serving areas. Ultimate portable bars in California offer a range of features to accommodate different beverage service needs.

Aesthetics: Choose a bar design that complements the overall theme and decor of your event. Whether you prefer a classic wooden bar or a modern acrylic design, there's an ultimate portable bar in California to suit every style.

Elevating the Guest Experience

A well-stocked and efficiently managed bar can leave a lasting impression on your guests. By investing in an ultimate portable bar in California, you can enhance the overall experience and ensure that everyone enjoys themselves to the fullest. Here are some tips for maximizing the impact of your portable bar:

Signature Cocktails: Create a signature cocktail menu featuring local ingredients and flavors unique to California. This personalized touch adds an extra layer of excitement to the event and encourages guests to try something new.

Interactive Stations: Incorporate interactive elements into your bar setup, such as DIY garnish stations or mixology demonstrations. These interactive experiences engage guests and make the bar area a focal point of the event.

Professional Staff: Hire experienced bartenders and servers to provide attentive service and expertly crafted drinks. The professionalism and expertise of your staff reflect positively on your event and ensure that guests have a seamless experience.

The Ultimate Portable Bars in California

When it comes to selecting the perfect portable bar for your event, there are several standout options available in California. Here are some of the top picks that combine style, functionality, and quality craftsmanship:

California Portable Bars: Known for their sleek designs and customizable features, California Portable Bars offer a range of options to suit any event. From classic wooden bars to modern LED-lit designs, their products are built to impress.

Golden State Mobile Bars: With a focus on sustainability and local sourcing, Golden State Mobile Bars are an eco-friendly choice for environmentally conscious event planners. Their portable bars are made from reclaimed wood and feature rustic-chic designs.

West Coast Bar Co.: Specializing in high-end event rentals, West Coast Bar Co. offers a curated selection of ultimate portable bars in California. Their attention to detail and commitment to quality ensure that every bar is both functional and stylish.

Conclusion

In conclusion, when it comes to crafting the perfect event, investing in an ultimate portable bar in California is a game-changer. Not only do these bars offer versatility and convenience, but they also elevate the guest experience and add a touch of sophistication to any occasion. By choosing the right portable bar and incorporating creative touches, event planners can create unforgettable experiences that leave a lasting impression on their guests. So why settle for ordinary when you can have the extraordinary with an ultimate portable bar in California?

[mywedzy]

Planning Your Dream Wedding Without Breaking the Bank: Hacks for the Savvy Couple

Congratulations on your engagement! You're probably overflowing with excitement (and maybe a touch of stress) as you start planning your big day. Between the venue, attire, food, and a million other details, weddings can quickly turn into budget busters. But fear not, lovebirds! With a little creativity and some savvy hacks, you can still have a magical wedding that reflects your unique love story, without blowing the bank.

Rock the Pre-Owned Look (and Save Big!)

Instead of dropping a small fortune on a brand-new wedding dress, consider exploring the world of pre-owned gowns. There are amazing online stores and even local consignment shops brimming with beautiful pre-loved dresses at a fraction of the original cost. Plus, you might find a unique designer dress that perfectly reflects your style. Worried about finding the perfect fit?

Wedzy, your budget-savvy wedding planning partner, can connect you with talented tailors who can ensure your pre-owned gown fits you like a dream.

Bridesmaid Squad on a Budget:

Who says bridesmaids have to wear identical, expensive dresses? Think outside the box! Let your girls rock their personal style with mismatched dresses in a similar color palette. This adds a touch of personality and allows them to choose something they feel comfortable and confident in. Wedzy can help you curate a cohesive look for your bridesmaids without breaking the bank.

The Groom Doesn't Need a Tux (Unless He Wants One!)

There's no rule that says the groom has to wear a tuxedo. A well-tailored suit or even a separates combination can look just as elegant, and it'll be kinder to your wallet. Wedzy can recommend local menswear stores or online retailers with a great selection of stylish and affordable suits for the groom and groomsmen.

DIY Décor Magic:

Channel your inner artist and unleash your creativity with some DIY decorations! Centerpieces, signs, and even favors can be easily crafted at home. You can find tons of inspiration online or in DIY wedding magazines. Bonus points for incorporating natural elements like flowers or greenery found at your chosen location. Wedzy can help you source affordable craft supplies and suggest budget-friendly DIY projects that perfectly complement your wedding theme.

Flower Power on a Budget:

Flowers are a beautiful addition to any wedding, but they can also be a major expense. Opt for seasonal blooms, which are typically more affordable, or consider incorporating a mix of real and silk flowers for your centerpieces and bouquets. Wedzy can connect you with talented local florists who understand how to create stunning arrangements that fit your budget and vision.

Think Outside the Box for Your Backdrop:

Don't feel pressured to spend a fortune on a fancy ceremony arch. Nature often provides the most breathtaking backdrops! Imagine exchanging vows beneath the shade of a majestic tree in a park, or with the sparkling ocean as your witness on a beach ceremony. If you prefer a more structured backdrop, consider using simple fabric draping or fairy lights to create a romantic and intimate atmosphere.

Music Made Easy:

Instead of hiring a DJ, consider creating your own wedding playlist and using a streaming service or portable speaker system to play it during the reception. This gives you complete control over the music and allows you to personalize it to your taste (and your guests' requests!).

Shorter Receptions, Less Spending:

The longer your reception, the more you'll shell out for food, drinks, and entertainment. Consider opting for a shorter reception, or offering a limited bar service after a certain time. Wedzy can help you structure your reception flow to maximize fun and minimize unnecessary expenses.

Food for Thought (Without Breaking the Bank):

Buffet or family-style meals can be a more affordable option than a plated dinner. They allow guests to choose what they want to eat and reduce food waste. Opt for seasonal and local ingredients for your menu, which are typically more cost-effective and delicious. Wedzy can recommend caterers who specialize in creating delicious and budget-friendly wedding menus.

Signature Drink for the Win:

Skip the open bar and offer a signature drink or two. This can be a fun way to personalize your wedding while controlling alcohol costs. Choose a cocktail that reflects your tastes as a couple, or create a festive mocktail option for non-drinkers.

Sweet Endings Don't Have to Be Expensive:

Who says you need a giant, multi-tiered wedding cake? Consider having a smaller ceremonial cake for cutting and then offering cupcakes or other desserts to your guests. This is a more affordable and customizable option that can still satisfy everyone's sweet tooth.

[toiletsofcharleston]

An Expert Guide to Use of Rental Portable Toilet in Charleston South Carolina

Ensuring that attendees have access to lavatory facilities is the duty of every event organizer. This Portable Toilet in Charleston South Carolina can guarantee event goers' comfort and enhance their whole experience. Self-contained transportable units equipped with flushable toilets, sinks and running water are known as portable lavatory rentals.  

The restrooms that we provide may be utilized for a variety of occasions, from formal weddings and business gatherings to outdoor concerts and athletic activities. They are appropriate for both formal and informal occasions because of their characteristics. Compared to conventional portable toilets, our restroom trailers provide greater privacy. People may use these rental toilets without worrying about privacy because of their full-sized doors and soundproof walls.   

Where Can Rentals Bathroom Trailer in Charleston Use?

A huge number of individuals

It's important to have enough bathrooms if you're organizing a large event or have a lot of staff members on site. By renting a Portable Toilet in Charleston South Carolina, you may host more guests comfortably and hygienically. Restroom trailers also offer convenience for everybody with several roomy stalls and amenities like sinks and mirrors. You may enhance the overall comfort level and expand the amount of facilities that are offered by choosing to hire a lavatory trailer. 

A remote location

Is the venue of your event or construction site located in a rural area with limited access to conventional restrooms? Imagine yourself working on a building site at a distant location or in the middle of a music festival surrounded by fields. It might be difficult to have conveniently accessible restrooms under such circumstances. That's where a loo trailer, which offers the comfort and convenience your workers or visitors require, comes in.

Hygiene and Tidiness

Having a clean and hygienic lavatory experience is crucial, whether it's for a building site or an event. When it comes to providing a clean atmosphere for your employees or visitors, portable toilets are essential. Maintaining hygiene is simple when there is hand sanitizer, soap dispensers, adequate ventilation and well-thought-out lavatory trailer design elements. Use a top-notch restroom trailer if you have to provide your employees or visitors a clean and sanitary restroom option. 

Why Opt for Rental Portable Toilet in Charleston?

Hygiene and Sanitation

Hand sanitizer dispensers, hand washing stations, and ventilation systems are just a few of the elements that Portable Toilet Rental Charleston Sc has installed to help with hygiene and sanitation. Users may be assured of a safe and healthy environment thanks to these characteristics, which also assist in preserving cleanliness and lower the danger of bacterial contamination and the transmission of infectious illnesses.

Regulatory Compliance 

By requiring the supply of sufficient sanitary facilities at public events, construction sites, and other temporary places, these rental toilet rentals aid in ensuring compliance with building codes, health and safety laws, and event permit requirements. Organizations can avoid possible fines, penalties, and legal obligations related to non-compliance by hiring portable toilets from reliable vendors.

Accessibility

With features like roomy interiors, grab bars, and wheelchair ramps to assist users with mobility impairments, Portable Toilet Rental Charleston Sc are made to be accessible to people with disabilities. All people, regardless of ability, can use lavatory facilities with dignity and ease while using accessible portable toilets. 

Convenience 

In places where permanent facilities might not be accessible or sufficient, these toilet rentals offer comfortable lavatory amenities. They ensure that guests, employees, and contractors have access to sanitary facilities and are simple to carry and put up at event venues, building sites, parks, and other outdoor settings. https://medium.com/@toiletsofcharleston/an-expert-guide-to-use-of-rental-portable-toilet-in-charleston-south-carolina-833645a2171b