#so important for everything... rotating them at high speeds

[tainbocuailnge]

so you like ebenholz and rolled him but now you don’t know how to use him. I heard the people at [REDACTED] say he’s bad? don’t fucking listen to them, listen to me, who is gonna tell you all the cool stuff you can use ebenholz for, because you like him and want to use him

ebenholz is a mystic caster which means that he’s got higher attack and lower attack speed than the other single target casters you’re used to. he can additionally store his attacks up to 3 times to unleash them all at once for increased damage, that is to say storing up attacks and then attacking someone will deal more combined damage than if he’d been using them on a target one by one. if he has 3 charges and then attacks an enemy, it will be a single hit that deals the damage of 4 attacks plus the additional damage applied to those 3 stored attacks. that’s a lotta damage!

the big strengths of mystic casters are their high burst damage and long frontal range. they can cover the far corners that are cut out of other single target casters’ ranges, allowing them to reach targets other casters can’t. they shine the most on lanes with a slow stream of high hp enemies that they can quickly burst down, and conversely tend to struggle as the sole dps on lanes with a lot of weaker enemies that their aspd is too slow to efficiently clear out. you know those maps where there’s one box that all the trash comes out of and another, separate box a little bit further away that occasionally spits out a more dangerous enemy? mystic casters like ebenholz are meant to be pointed at that second box so they can instantly delete whatever comes out of it.

I don’t read g*mepr*ss opinions but I’m assuming he’s being rated unfavorably because his kit is geared towards specifically taking out elite enemies and bosses instead of indiscriminately killing everything. the one weird trick that they don’t want you to know about though is that WAY more enemies are elite than you think. you can tell an enemy is elite by checking the enemy info of a map, if they have this symbol they’re elite and are not immune to goat.

ebenholz differs from other mystic casters in that he can store an additional fourth attack which will only be used on elite enemies and bosses. this not only increases his burst against important targets but also ensures that he has a bit of extra damage to deal with high priority targets even if the lane he’s covering also has trash come through, which makes him a little more reliable than his colleagues. you can tell how many attacks and what kind he has stored up from the amount and color of his dice: the three yellow ones he rotates are regular attacks, and the red one that floats a little above them is for elite enemies. he will only store this red dice if he already has three yellow dice stored, so in stages with a constant flow of enemies he loses this advantage (though mystic casters in general are at a disadvantage in stages like that)

ebenholz’s bread and butter skill is his s2, which works similarly to W’s s2. every 14 seconds (or 13 with masteries) he takes his next attack plus the attacks he’s stored up and turns them into ominous goat ghosts that explode when an enemy approaches them. this gives him respectable aoe capabilities for an archetype geared towards single target burst as well as +500 style points. the goats also have a medium pull effect on exploding, so if a lower weight enemy approaches them they’ll get puled into the other goats for a chain explosion. a cool bonus effect with shift is that it will interrupt enemy attacks and prevent them from attacking while the shift effect is being applied, so the goats indirectly slightly reduce the amount of damage your operators take.

he will only convert as many stored attacks as there are tiles available to put goats on, and will prioritise using the yellow dice. if he’s facing a lane with a lot of undeployable tiles, he can both fill it with goats and keep some attacks in reserve to utterly annihilate whatever fool sticks their head out of that red box. the goats will naturally dissipate after 30 seconds, so he does need to keep expending charges to keep his range filled with goats even if there’s no enemies coming through.

ebenholz’s bosskilling skill is s3, but don’t be fooled into thinking it’s solely good for bosskilling. as mentioned before, there are a LOT more elite enemies in the game than you might suspect, and some maps consist almost entirely of elite enemies. I’m an IS2 gamer so that’s my examples but lucian’s boss stage is all elite except for the dogs, both sarkaz lancer stages are all elite except for the guerilla herald in absurd trickeries, jesselton’s stage is all elite enemies, the list goes on. audience members and scarlet singers are both elite and thus susceptible to goat blast. in stages like that the targeting condition on s3 is moot and it just becomes a very high uptime atk and aspd buff. at 22 sp (20 with masteries) it charges fast, it lasts a very respectable 30 seconds, and you can even turn it off early once the wave is over to make sure it’s back up on time for the next wave.

on maps that feature a more usual spread of a lot of trash mobs with a few elite enemies it has the obvious benefit of making him target only the high priority elite enemies while other people deal with the weaker enemies, similar to steward’s talent but with a lot more damage behind it. the ideal situation to use this skill is a wave with a number of elite enemies spaced slightly apart. you want to activate it shortly before the target enters ebenholz’s range so that the atk buff will apply to the attacks he has already stored up. the increased aspd means he also stores up charges faster, so if there’s a bit of space between elite enemies or it’s a boss that goes invincible for a bit (like the first to talk when using its skill or jesselton’s phase transition) he will quickly stock up more attacks to blast them with.

ebenholz’s first module, which is out on EN right now, lets him store a fourth charge (up to 5 counting the elite-only charge) and further increases the damage multiplier of stored attacks, massively increasing the upper limit on how much damage he can deal in a single hit. this module is very straightforward in its benefits and is best when you’re using him on low-traffic lanes with a few single strong enemies in accordance with his archetype. since the damage modifiers of stored attacks and his s3 are different this module scales really well with s3, especially in those situations where he’s able to store more attacks between elite targets coming through.

his second module, which isn’t yet out on EN, instead increases his attack speed when he’s holding a charge, meaning he gains the second third and fourth charges much faster. at higher levels it additionally gives his attacks a small amount of splash damage, massively increasing his aoe potential. it greatly improves his usability on stages with few or no elite enemies, because as long as he holds the elite charge he has permanent +30 aspd and will have a much easier time handling larger crowds even before adding the splash damage. it also scales well with his s2 in that higher aspd = more attacks stored while charging the skill = more goats summoned.

obviously as a 6* single target caster ebenholz is gonna be compared to eyja and the result of that comparison will say eyja is better in most situations. this is true, because eyja is a caster who is usually fine being your sole ranged damage on a lane while ebenholz generally struggles to be the only man dpsing a faster lane while having higher deployment cost. fortunately, you’re allowed to bring up to 12 operators to a fight and you can just use both. if you’re IS2 gaming and ebenholz is your only caster, his second module and s2 can cover for a lot of that weakness at handling busier lanes.

you already know why eyja is strong and where you might use her. the advantages ebenholz has over eyja in situations where you might use either are 1) his extended frontal range lets him catch tiles that eyja can’t, 2) his targeting priority on s3 lets him burst down bosses surrounded by lower priority mobs where eyja s3′s large range and random targeting would waste a lot of damage on trash mobs, 3) the low sp cost on s3 allows him to deal with high priority targets in quicker succession than eyja s3, and 4) he can deal high burst damage without relying on a skill, which gives him an edge in CC situations where you might have to take contracts that affect skill charge times.

now go forth and holz those ebens

[onlyyouexisthere]

can you please make a tutorial for your santa gift graphics? i'm not totally new to photoshop but i could use some help <3

Ohh okay, this will be a bit long, so bear with me, dear Anon.

I'm going to use this one as an example:

You'll need three new documents: one for creating the watercolour portrait, one for the watercolour elements in the background, and a third one for the final edit.

Let's start with the portrait. I'm using a free photoshop action for the watercolour effect, which you can download here with a complete tutorial. After using the action, you'll need to make some adjustments, but it's still faster this way. Change the blend mode of the "watercolor artist" group to screen and slightly turn down the opacity if needed to make the details more visible

In the second document, use the watercolour action the same way again to create the red elements in the background. You can download the photo I used here. I highly recommend using Unsplash, they offer plenty of free high-resolution stock photos, and unlike on Pinterest, the photographers are actually credited.

Create the third document; mine is 540x750. I used an ivory paper as a background, but it should work with a canvas texture or even a simple white/light layer. Pick whatever you like.

After you're done with the watercolour actions, paste the portrait into your third document. Adjust the size and position, then change the blend mode to multiply. Name the layer "portrait."

Next, paste the background elements too, and also change the blend mode to multiply. I changed the saturation and vibrance to make the red pop more, but it's optional. Name the layer "background elements." Now that you see everything together, you can play around with different adjustment layers, contrast, colouring, etc.

Now, open the video you'd like to use for the animation, in a separate document. I used this one, but there are other similar free videos on this website, pick what you like the most. If you want to make the process quicker, pick one that's already a high-contrast black and white.

After you've opened it, you can use the timeline to cut out the part you'd like to use, adjust the speed, etc. In this case, I just doubled the speed which you can do by clicking on that little triangle, and used the full video.

Create a video timeline in the third document. Go to Window -> Timeline -> Create Video Timeline. It's an important step, don't forget about it. Once it's done, copy and paste the video layer into the third document, and name the layer "video." Make sure the "video" layer is right above the "background elements" layer because you're going to need to create a clipping mask. You can do that by right-clicking on the "video" layer and choosing create clipping mask, or you can hold down the alt key and left-click between the two layers. When it's done, you can adjust the size of the "video" layer, rotate it, flip it, etc., depending on how you want your animation to look

After that, set the blend mode of the video layer to screen. If you've done everything correctly, you should have your animation now.

It's time to add the text. I used this font, size 16. I divided the text into 4 lines for easier adjustment of the position.

Once you're happy with the layout, create the white stripes, each on a different layer. This way, you can move them around separately if you'd like to change the position of the text. I like to make the text and stripe layers into a group so the layers are less chaotic, but you can skip this step.

The only thing left in the editing part is the invisible frame. Click on the "background elements" layer and add a layer mask. Select the brush tool, 50px, 100% hardness, and set the foreground color to black. Now, draw a line from corner to corner. Holding down the Shift key, click on one corner using the brush, then click on the next one, and repeat until you're done with all four sides. Your layers should look something like this now.

Before saving, make sure that all the layers on the timeline are the same length and start/finish at the same time.

If you're done, go to File -> Export -> Save for Web (Legacy). These are the settings I used for this particular edit, but feel free to experiment and use what you like the best.

I tried not to complicate it too much, but it's difficult to explain everything in writing, so if you have any questions, I'm always available :)

[erstwhilesparrow]

hello it's time to make a list again, i like making lists about martyn 3rd life.

watched the beheading today. it's so good. i love that the in-game chat is crucial to what they're doing here, that ren goes "we need to send a serious message to everyone at once" and the message that they send is an in-game death message!! you cannot get away from death in this series!! you cannot get away from the fact that this is a video game!!

additionally really important to me that martyn: (1) clearly cuts from [other shenanigans] to the beheading and then also has a clear cut at the end of that scene, (2) turns off his facecam for the whole thing, and (3) keeps the grayscale filter on throughout. the deliberate separation of that moment from everything else!! he immediately goes back to being himself after -- he kind of doesn't ever stop being himself -- but Something Important Is Happening Here.

(although. also. facecam acting. i just generally think it's nice when they Use The Medium.)

and then IMMEDIATELY after the beheading ren makes like he's going to attack martyn and martyn bolts. yeah yeah test of loyalty, bonds between us forged in blood, what happens on this server will change us forever, but also. 3rd life martyn is fundamentally skittish and paranoid and a bit of a coward <3 (which also makes his unwavering dedication to getting the dogwarts banner back -- a thing even he is surprised he is doing in the moment! -- all the more compelling) (and additionally am Feeling A Way about ren admitting that after he punched martyn, he did think martyn might kill him; ren might have in martyn's position. they are not... sure of themselves yet. i am tender about this too.)

hey so i forgot that ren said the first dogwarts banner they made is red from the blood dripping down the fabric.

because i am a parody of myself, i did make a note of when skizz shows up shortly after the beheading and decides he's gonna trust martyn, because "you're [ren's] boy."

because i am a parody of myself part 2: martyn+ren visit jimmy+scott to 'demand tribute' and there's some Really crunchy green-red character dynamics. jimmy, crouched, holding his sword, approaches ren and scott immediately goes (paraphrased) "jimmy, jimmy, come back, don't go near him." martyn, meanwhile, says something, gets corrected by ren, and says something like "sorry, i won't speak out of line again." rotating at high speeds thoughts about who has who on a leash in each of the red-green alliances of 3rd life.

i don't know whether this is anything as far as parallels go, there are much more solid things to draw on if you really wanted to do this, but consider: (1) ren proposes the hobbits come to the blackheart alter to have ren+martyn swear allegiance to them, and martyn crouches close to jimmy and goes, approximately, "yeah no i had a scary time at the blackheart altar just now, you should not go." he says it in a way where he kind of sounds like he's joking but he is also saying it. it doesn't come up again. and (2) grian waving scar ahead and then turning to impulse and hissing, approximately, "do not trust scar, he is going to kill everyone," and then scar comes back to see where grian went. they walk away from impulse together and once they're out of prox range, scar says, "you're right, i will kill them all." (grian starts laughing.)

related to the above if you squint: shoutout to ren for trying to threaten/coerce scott, realizing scott will not be convinced by this, and switching to threatening jimmy <3

hey. hi. i regret to inform you i have a great softness in my heart. and i have this softness specifically for jimmy adamantly refusing to go to blackheart altar because, he claims, ren+martyn will force him to get up on the altar, look scott in the eyes, and sacrifice him.

i will probably have more to say about [scott insisting on continuing negotiations until he gets to come out of it having cemented a more positive reputation for himself] once i'm done his 3rd life pov, but for right now, thinking about scott offering tango a 'deal' re: who they will or won't tell about tango's cows well after tango has resigned himself to them just taking the cows, and also thinking about, while jimmy threatens/antagonizes martyn+ren, scott ends the talk with ren by saying that to honour their past friendship, he'll give ren back the rabbit foot like ren originally asked for. scott smajor. i have feelings about you.

and now for some desert duo: really charmed by grian noticing ren+martyn have the dogwarts shields and saying to scar, plaintively, "they've got matching shields! why don't we have matching shields?"

and now for some desert duo part 2: scar surrounded by dogwarts people when he tries to steal the banner. one of them saying, "Yeah, he's on his own," and Scar saying, "Am I on my own now, Grian?" (grian is in fact Right There.)

[shiftgolf]

The Secret to Lag in the Golf Swing

It’s why Rory McIlroy hits 330 yard bombs off the tee.

It’s what gives Ernie Els’s swing that signature look of “effortless power.”

And it’s why the great Jack Nicklaus, throughout his entire career, was able to hit high, beautiful, pure iron shots that landed softly and stopped on a dime.

In fact, every single week we’re able to watch the best players in the world play golf, and when we watch them, they make creating speed and distance look effortless.

Question is…how do they do it? What’s their secret?

For many amatuer golfers, power, accuracy, and consistency are elusive. They simply don’t understand how the pros are able to create speed and a smooth, rhythmic swing with such ease.

The answer is simple. Lag.

Creating lag during the golf swing allows the player to store energy and release this force right at impact. What lag also does is makes releasing the club head easier, as well as consistent contact become a mindless action.

What is Lag Anyways?

To put it simply, lag is the angle between your arm and club shaft during your downswing. The smaller the angle between those two things, the more lag you have created.

Now why is this so important? Lag is essential to creating effortless speed at the bottom of your swing.

No more will you have to rotate and swing out of your shoes.

Once you learn how to create lag, you’ll be able to stay balanced over the ball, and create consistent contact on a much more frequent basis.

How to Create Lag (The “One Two” Punch)

Creating lag can be boiled down to two things: storing energy and releasing energy.

Most amatuer golfers think about so many things throughout their swing, which makes it easy to become stiff and tense over the golf ball. Once this happens, it’s hard to create any speed let alone flexibility.

Loosening your grip, and relieving the tension from your arms, will make it incredibly easy for you to lead with your hands and leave the club head behind, creating lag.

Before our amazing training aid, a great way to get this feeling would be with a golf towel. As you swing a golf towel, you’re able to feel the end of it stay behind you, which in turn creates a whip-like effect at the bottom of the swing.

Now with the Lag Shot, you’re able to make full golf swings while experiencing the same feels. And best of all, you’re able to actually hit golf balls with it.

The Key Move to Copy if You Want to Create Perfect Lag

One of the best examples of lag, is looking at the swing of Sergio Garcia.

For years, Sergio has been one the the premium ball-strikers on the planet, and that can be attributed to the amount of lag he creates during his down swing. What he does that’s so important, is starting his downswing with a slight movement of his lower body.

More importantly, his hips.

His hips bump forward, creating a change of direction that influences his arms to drop.

This combination of moves leaves the club head behind his hands, creating lag.

The most important thing Sergio does extremely well, is keeping his left arm connected to his body during the initial part of his downswing, another valuable benefit of using, and hitting balls with Lag Shot.

The Secret to Lag is In the Wrists!

During your golf swing, you can do everything right. Start with your hips, drop the arms, and release at the bottom.

But if you don’t do one key aspect correctly, none of these things will matter.

That key aspect is removing all tension from your wrists. You still need to keep grip pressure on the club, but allowing your wrists to move freely during the entire swing is what’s going to allow you to store energy.

A great way to engrave this feeling into your mind, is making half swings. Bring the club to just about parallel to the ground, then with soft wrists, bring your hands to the ball and make half shots.

This will give you the feeling of tha

Want the PGA Endorsed Training Aid that’s Guaranteed to Create Lag for You, in as Little as 12 Swings?

Lag Shot is a brand new training aid that is being praised by some of the leading PGA instructors (as well as countless amateur golfers) across the globe as a true game-changer.

It practically forces you to “load the club” perfectly, generate tremendous lag automatically, and make confident swings with ideal tempo and rhythm.

[carwashequipment1]

Keeping Your Car Wash Equipment Running Smoothly and Efficiently

Whether you're opening a car wash on your property or expanding your existing operation, the equipment you use plays a critical role in its success. The right equipment can help you maintain consistent service and improve the customer experience, while also ensuring your operations run smoothly and efficiently.

Preventative Maintenance

The best way to keep your car wash equipment running smoothly and efficiently is through routine maintenance. Just like with any other type of equipment, regular checkups and tune-ups are necessary to ensure your wash is operating as it should and that all pieces of the equipment are working correctly and efficiently.

To do this, follow the manufacturer's recommendations for preventive maintenance, but be sure to pay attention to your facility's environment-specific concerns, too. For instance, if you notice an area of your car wash that's constantly exposed to heavy amounts of chemicals or water, you may want to consider a more aggressive cleaning schedule for that area.

Automated Systems

Conveyor/tunnel washes operate on a conveyor with a number of brushes that clean the front, sides and rear of vehicles. These include top brushes, which descend on an arm from above and roll over the surface of the vehicle; wraparounds, which stand on the sides of the tunnel and spin to clean the front, side and rear; mitter curtains, which are suspended lengths of brush that oscillate to clean the top surfaces of vehicles; wheel and tire brushes, which clean the wheels of a vehicle by spinning them at high speeds; and rockers/low side washers, which sit low and spin to clean the rocker panel area of a vehicle.

CTAs, or chemical tire applicators, apply specialized formulations to remove brake dust and buildup on the tire's surface. They're typically activated when a customer purchases a wheel cleaning upgrade or when the wash uses the tire sensor, which allows it to know the car's wheel position.

In addition to sill brushes, many car washes use wheel-rim disc brushes that extend outward and rotate at high speeds to clean the entire surface of a customer's wheel. These are especially useful for trucks, which may need to be cleaned from above because they have a higher roof than most cars.

Reactive Maintenance

As with any other piece of equipment, reactive maintenance can be needed after your car wash equipment has been damaged or has experienced a breakdown. In this case, your maintenance crew will fix the damage or replace the broken part so that everything functions properly again.

N&S Services

Founded in 2004, N&S Services is an independent maintenance service provider that provides services to car wash owners throughout the UK. They can install, repair and maintain all types of self-service car wash equipment and manufacture their own high-quality cleaning products.

Using recycled water is an increasingly important factor in many parts of the country, which means that car washes must find ways to make their water use more efficient and environmentally friendly. One such way is by installing water treatment systems that use recycled water for both washing and drying purposes.

[caireuromatic]

A Comprehensive Guide to Butterfly Valves

You've come to the right place if you're looking for a comprehensive guide to butterfly valves.  In this blog post, we'll cover everything you need to know about these valves, including how they work, their advantages and disadvantages, and how to select and maintain them.

Introduction to Butterfly Valves 

A butterfly valve is a quarter-turn rotational flow control device that regulates the flow of liquids and gasses. The butterfly valve is named after the wing-like disc that controls the flow.

Butterfly valves are classified as either lugged or wafer type depending on how they are mounted. Lugged butterfly valves have threaded holes in the body that allow bolts to secure the valve, while wafer butterfly valves have a tongue and groove design that sandwiches the body between two pipe flanges.

There are a variety of materials available for butterfly valves, including PVC, ductile iron, cast iron, bronze, and stainless steel. The selection of material will depend on the application and operating conditions.

The main advantages of butterfly valves are their compact size, lightweight, and ability to be installed in horizontal or vertical pipelines. Butterfly valves can also be operated manually with a lever or gearbox or automatically with an actuator.

Operation of Butterfly Valves 

Butterfly valves are one of the most widely used valve types in industrial applications. They are simple, reliable, and can be used for various fluids and pressures.

Butterfly valves get their name from the way they operate. The valve consists of a disc that is mounted on a shaft. The shaft goes through the center of the disc and is attached to a handle on the outside of the valve. When the handle is turned, the disc moves and opens or closes the valve.

The main advantage of butterfly valves is that they can quickly operate. This makes them ideal for applications where it is important to control fluid flow quickly, such as in emergencies. Butterfly valves are also very compact, which makes them easy to install in tight spaces.

There are two main types of butterfly valves: wafers and lugs. Wafer butterfly valves have a disc held in place by two bolts, while lug butterfly valves have a disc attached to the valve's body with lugs. Lug butterfly valves are more expensive than wafer ones but provide a better seal and are less likely to leak.

 Butterfly valves are classified according to their pressure rating: low-pressure (Class I), medium-pressure (Class II), or high-pressure (Class III). The pressure rating determines how much force the valve can withstand before it starts to leak. Butterfly valves must always be installed so that the arrow on the body of the valve points in the direction of flow.

Advantages of Butterfly Valves 

Butterfly valves offer several advantages over other valve types, making them well-suited for many industrial applications.

One advantage of butterfly valves is their speed of operation. They can be opened and closed much faster than other valves, which is important in many industrial processes where time is of the essence.

Another advantage of butterfly valves is their compactness. They are much smaller and take up less space than other valves, which is important in many industries where an area is at a premium.

Butterfly valves are also classified according to their pressure rating: low-pressure, medium-pressure, or high-pressure. This makes them suitable for use in various applications where different pressure ratings are required.

Disadvantages of Butterfly Valves 

Butterfly valves also have a few disadvantages. One is that they are unsuitable for very high-pressure applications, as the disc can deform at high pressures. Another disadvantage is that they are less durable than other valves, so they may need to be replaced more often. And finally, butterfly valves can be more difficult to repair than other valves.

Selection Criteria for Butterfly Valves 

When choosing a butterfly valve, it is important to consider the intended application, the required pressure rating, as well as the valve's size and weight.

The first step is to determine the intended application for the valve. Butterfly valves are suitable for many applications but only for some possible applications. For example, butterfly valves are only sometimes used in very high-pressure applications.

The next step is to determine the required pressure rating. Butterfly valves are available in three pressure ratings: low-pressure, medium-pressure, and high-pressure. The required pressure rating will depend on the intended application of the valve.

The third step is to determine the size and weight of the valve. Butterfly valves are available in a wide range of sizes and weights. The size and weight of the valve will depend on the intended application and the required pressure rating.

Once all of these factors have been considered, you can select a butterfly valve suitable for your needs.

Maintenance of Butterfly Valves

Butterfly valves are relatively easy to maintain, but a few things need to be done regularly to keep them in good working order. In order to keep the valve in good working order, it must be kept clean. This can be done by regularly brushing or blowing out the dust and debris accumulating on the valve. It is also important to lubricate the valve regularly. This will help prevent the valve from sticking and make it easier to operate.

A regular inspection of seals and gaskets is also an important part of maintaining butterfly valve manufacturer. These should be replaced if they are damaged or worn. It is also good to check the bolts and nuts that hold the valve together regularly. Tighten them if they are loose, and replace them if damaged.

Following these simple maintenance tips, your butterfly valves should give you years of trouble-free service.

[ezordermps]

Business Scanner: Shop Online At Best Prices In Saudi Arabia - EZ Order MPS

Scanners are useful tools to have on hand if you want to keep track of everything or organize a lot of papers. They make it simple to scan any kind of document, picture, or receipt and view it directly on your computers or tablets it simple to scan any kind of document, picture, or receipt and view it directly on your computers or tablets. However, choosing a scanner is similar to choosing any other electronic device because there are numerous unique considerations.

Because they are all different sizes, it is important to choose where you will keep your scanner. You should pick a location that is close to your computer so that you can choose whether you want a wired or wireless connection. If you don’t already have one, you might also need one to set up a wireless connection. Business Scanner Saudi Arabia, the next step is to establish a predetermined spending limit for the scanner. A scanner is designed to scan family photos, documents, or expense receipts.

A document scanner provides important documents with an additional level of security and protection, regardless of the size of your company.

Moving your documents to a digital format is a good idea because storing them on paper is expensive and may pose a security risk.

Scanners for important documents turn them into digital data, but different types of scanners might be better for different kinds of businesses.

Scanners for documents that are either portable or desktop are available, and their prices range from $60 to $1,000.

This article is for small business owners who want to learn how to digitize their paperwork with a document scanner.

Small businesses now use technology so much that storing documents on paper is no longer necessary. The first step toward a paperless office is to convert paper documents to online files. Digital files are safer and ensure that you won’t lose important paperwork.

As a result, if you want to safeguard your documents in the future, it’s a good idea to convert paper documents to digital formats. It is considered best practice to store documents digitally, but this requires the appropriate equipment. When selecting a document management system, a crucial hardware component is a scanner.

We’ll talk about different types of document scanners, document scanning technology, and how to pick the right one for your business.

Scanners for documents are tools that turn paper documents into digital data. Important documents are frequently converted into digital data using these scanners in business settings.

Scanners for documents are beneficial to small and large businesses alike. There are many different kinds of document scanners, making them useful for a wide range of businesses.

Document scanners play a crucial role in the safe storage of files as individuals and businesses convert them to digital formats. However, you must conduct research to choose the appropriate scanner for your business.

The fact that desktop scanners are stationary and larger sets them apart from portable scanners. To scan documents at a meeting, you won’t want to carry a massive desktop printer across town. Large desktop document scanners offer numerous advantages, despite the fact that this may not be ideal for all businesses.

High printing speeds and automation are two of the features of a desktop scanner. Additionally, some desktop scanners can automatically correct errors.

For instance, if you place one page of a document one way and the next page upside down, the machine can still correctly print everything by rotating the page or images. For large businesses, this can save a lot of time and effort.

A desktop document scanner offers a number of advantages, some of which include a faster scanning speed and the capability to scan double-sided images on both sides. While these scanners typically cost more, with many more advanced models costing well over $500, the advantages they provide can be enormous for larger operations.

Click Here For More Information: Business Scanner Saudi Arabia

[nfs-heat-cheats-s0]

nfs heat cheats trainer SC5!

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[nugnthopkns]

felt the lightning under my skin

word count: 13.7k

warnings: explicit!fem reader, cursing, little bit of asshole joel, alcohol consumption, slight innuendo, moderate depiction of injury, needles

recommended listening: under the spell | springtime carnivore

a/n: i know figure skater/hockey player romances are terribly cliche but i couldn’t help myself. as an ex-skater hopefully i can make it a little less cringe. there’s probably an obscene amount of technical jargon in here and i sincerely apologize. the injury mentioned actually happened to me and let me tell you, it was not fun lmao. enjoy!

Joel swears he’s going to kill whoever’s in charge of renting out the practice facility.

Realistically, he knows it’s impossible. The rink can be rented by anyone when the Flyers aren’t using it and he typically thinks it’s a great way to promote ice sports in the community. Joel just wishes the facilities manager didn’t rent it out to figure skaters. They kick the shit out of the ice with their toe picks and leave the ice in terrible quality. It frustrates Joel because while community engagement is important, his career and the team take precedence. 

No one else seems to be bothered by the recent decline in ice conditions. Most of his teammates are used to poor ice, growing up playing pond hockey and at rinks that also housed figure skating clubs. While Joel had those experiences as well, he clearly never developed the same nonchalance as everyone else. He complains in the dressing room after every practice until Kevin finally says something. 

“Christ Beezer, relax. It’s only for another month or so until renovations at the other rink finish.”

Others chime in, telling him to not take it so seriously, with a couple of them defending the right of the other athletes to use the ice as they so please. The grief Joel catches is enough to shut him up, but he still stews privately over the fact figure skaters are destroying his happy place. 

☼☼☼☼

You want nothing more than to return to your home rink. The Flyers Skate Zone has been nice, the staff are incredibly accommodating, but something feels off. You’re having a harder time landing jumps and skating clean programs. The change in routine is enough to knock you off your game, which is something you absolutely can’t have. You’re coming off a breakthrough season, finishing on the podium at nationals and landing a spot on your first world championships roster. People are expecting you to replicate your success and you want to do that and more. 

US Figure Skating had taken a chance placing you on the national team for the current season. Though it was expected, they could have easily chosen the fourth place skater instead. She’s much younger than you, barely fifteen, and is yet to have a serious injury. At twenty you’re barely an adult, but this could be the last time you get an opportunity like this. The sport keeps getting younger and you’re going to get left behind if you don’t prove yourself. The grand prix circuit has been kind to you, allowing you to earn medals at some of the smaller competitions and hold your own against the big dogs in the majors like NHK Trophy. 

☼☼☼☼

“Try the triple flip again,” Brenda, your coach, instructs. “You could be more solid on the landing.”

“It’s this fucking ice! I can do one at home that would get me a high GOE,” you complain. 

She rolls her eyes and thinks about telling you off, but decides against it. No matter how many times she tells you it’s a mental block you need to get over, you find a way to blame the training facility. “Just give me five solid ones and we’ll call it quits.”

It’s your turn to roll your eyes, but you peel away from the boards anyways. Some juniors are mingling in a corner and you warn them to watch out as you skate by gaining speed. The first attempt feels natural, and though you could have been a little stronger on the exit it’s a significant improvement from what you were doing earlier in the session. Jumps two and three also go well, but things go wrong on the fourth try. You catch a bad edge just before takeoff and aren’t able to correct your center of gravity while in the air. Two and a half rotations happen before you slam into the ground. The entire right side of your body feels like it’s been run over by a bus. 

“Fuck!” you scream in frustration as you pick yourself up off the ice. Circling back to examine just how bad the edge was you notice your pick created much too large a hole, something you’d get points deducted for in competition. Brenda signals you over to her, and you hang your head as you skate over. 

“You’re done,” she sighs. You can tell it pains her to see your progress plateau, but you’re doing everything you can to get out of this rut. Before you can protest, try to convince her to let you stay on, she’s speaking again. “Our ice time is up anyways. Go cool down and meet me in the conference room when you’re done.”

There’s nothing for you to do but sulk off the ice. The other skaters clear out of your way, not wanting to be on the receiving end of your anger. You direct it at the dressing room door, kicking it open so harshly it flies back on the hinges. It makes you feel a bit better but you’re still in a sour mood as you untie your skates. It’s frustrating not being able to perform at the level you know you can, even in practice. If you could just get out of this rink and back into the one you’re most comfortable at. 

After a much longer stretching routine than normal, you pack up your bag and head upstairs for what will no doubt be one of those meetings where you sit silently and take the heat. You realize that your behaviour today was childish, but you couldn’t help but let your emotions overcome you. The next group is well into their ice time when you pass by, and you realize it’s the Flyers. Most of them don’t acknowledge you and keep running drills, but one who looks about your age is sending you daggers. You have no idea why. 

The meeting goes much better than you thought it would. Brenda takes your anger in stride and lets you apologize for your outburst before shifting the conversation to altering your training plan. She suggests you take a few days off from the rink, working strictly off-ice, and you begrudgingly agree. There isn’t anything you can do or say to change her mind so you take the updated workout plans with a fake smile. She also tells you that your appointment with your sports psychologist has been moved up a couple of days, which you’re grateful for. Things then move to talking strategy and watching tape of competitors to see what to expect at this year’s nationals. The event is just over a month out, and you have the goal of landing on the podium once again, hopefully with the gold medal dangling around your neck. 

A couple of hours pass with you holed up in the conference room, and it’s dark when you gather your stuff and head for home. The complex is deserted and you assume no one but the staff are still here. It turns out someone else was there, and they follow you out, their own gear bag slung over their shoulder. You don’t really pay them any mind, holding the door open out of habit, and fail to recognize the person as the boy who glared while you walked by hours prior. He notices you, however, and makes a point to voice his distaste. 

“Hey!” he calls out, “Next time you eat shit don’t put such a big hole in the ice. Other people need it too.”

“Get fucked,” you yell back. You really don’t have the time or energy to be accosted by a hockey player. He continues to talk, but you don’t hear it because you slam your car door shut and drive off into the darkness. 

☼☼☼☼

Joel doesn’t feel like he was in the wrong until Claude suggests he apologize a few days later. In his mind, he has every right to be upset about you damaging the ice because it directly affected him. The hole you caused couldn’t be fully repaired, and he tripped at a really key moment during the scrimmage. His bad day was your fault. 

“You can’t blame a tough practice on her man,” Claude says as the two of them skate a few warm-up laps. “She didn’t mean to fall. Hell, she didn’t want to do it.”

“I get it, or whatever, but it’s still her fault. We’re professional athletes G, we need to be at the top of our games.”

Claude swats Joel upside the head. “So is she! Did you know that she’s favoured to win both the national and world championships? And that things look good for her to be on the Olympic team next year?”

Joel didn’t know, and guilt twinges his stomach. The next time he runs into you at the rink he’s going to apologize. 

☼☼☼☼

You spend your time away from the rink conditioning and regaining focus. The first couple of days are tough, but then you settle into a routine you believe will ultimately make you a better athlete and competitor. Your cardio and weights are upped, and you’re anxious to see how the increase improves your performance. At the suggestion of your psychologist you take a few more days off than originally planned, but it’s the best thing you could have done. You return to the rink ready to nail the final few weeks of training before nationals. 

Any other coach would have detested you for taking a week off this close to a major competition, but not Brenda. She understands that you needed time to refocus and that you’ll work harder than anyone else in the time until you leave for Salt Lake City. Your first practice is fantastic – every element is clean when isolated and within your programs. The timing is off a bit during your free skate on the first run-through but your jitters settle quickly and the next one is spot on. It feels good to be back in control of things. 

“I think you’re over that mental block kid,” Brenda laughs when you stop along the boards to get some water. “You’re skating better here than at home.”

You can’t help but agree. “You know, I don’t hate it here as much as I used to. Think we should move here permanently?” The comment earns you a slightly aggressive hair ruffling, but it’s worth it. You spend the last hour of ice time alone, running through both of your programs in a mock competition setting. 

It’s nearly silent in the complex when Joel sneaks through the doors. The only thing he can hear is the faint sounds of your music from inside the pad. He had been worried that you were never going to reappear at the rink but learned you were just taking a break when he cornered your coach in the parking lot. The middle-aged lady had told him when you’d be returning and Joel immediately put it in his calendar so he wouldn’t forget. Now, as he stands against the glass watching you, he’s nervous. What if you don’t accept his apology?

Joel knew you were a good skater. Well, he was pretty sure you were. He spent the short three-day road trip to Florida watching as many videos of you competing on YouTube as he could find. Though he’s murky on the specifics of what makes a good figure skater, Joel knows you put heart and soul into every performance and that your elements are strong technically. Your scores reflect that. Regardless, Joel is blown away at how talented you are when he watches you skate in person. 

You’re looser than in the videos he’s seen, probably because there isn’t any pressure, but you don’t give it any less than your all. The music drives you forward in a way Joel’s never seen before – you’re an extension of it, and it of you. As you round a corner to pick up speed he holds his breath. From watching footage of this program from earlier in the season, he knows you’re about to attempt your hardest element. The quadruple salchow is one of the hardest jumps female skaters are attempting at the moment, according to his research, and it’s been your most inconsistent element this season. You’re completing the jump before Joel realizes you’ve taken off the ground, but you don’t fall. He exhales and watches the rest of the program in awe. 

When the music stops and you take in your surroundings, you notice the applause. Thinking it’s just from Brenda, you shrug it off, but when you turn around she isn’t clapping. It’s coming from someone else – the boy who was a douchebag the last day before your break. The chances are he’s here to make another stupid comment, but Brenda insists you should talk to him. You wave him over to a section near the benches that dosen’t have glass so you can hear him better. 

“What do you want?” you ask bluntly, taking a sip of water. 

Joel’s taken aback by your abrasiveness but recovers quickly. He deserves it. “I, uh, wanted to apologize for what I said last week. That wasn’t cool. I was having a bad day and took out on you, I’m sorry,” he rambles. “And you’re like really good.”

“It wasn’t fucking cool,” you agree, “But we’re fine. I had just been kicked off the ice when you caught me, so I’m sorry too. For snapping.” There’s nothing more for either of you to say, and Brenda is calling your name, so you skate away from him. Over your shoulder you call out, “Thanks for the compliment unnamed Flyers player!”

“It’s Joel!” he responds. “Joel Farabee.”

☼☼☼☼

A sort of truce befalls you and Joel. More of your ice time overlaps, but neither you acknowledge each other more than the occasional nod in each other’s direction. It doesn’t bother you in the slightest. Preparing for nationals is the only that matters currently, and trying to navigate a possible friendship would be too much of a distraction. Joel is a little put off you don’t try to extend pleasantries, but when it’s explained to him that you’re entering a period that is similar to the lead-up to playoffs he understands. 

However, he finds himself making up excuses to stay at the rink to watch you practice. He blows off dinner with Kevin and drinks with Morgan when you have the slot after practice, and when you skate before him he’s at the rink hours early. His schoolboy crush becomes the topic of locker room gossip. Though Joel swears up and down that he just likes to watch you skate, none of the guys believe him. They don’t go as far as to embarrass him in your presence, but Travis certainly tries. What Joel doesn’t know is that you’re developing the same sort of fascination with him. You find yourself turning on every Flyers game you can fit into your schedule, watching him intently, and keeping an eye on his stats. 

“That boy sure has a lot of interest in you,” Brenda muses one day while you’re talking strategy on how to increase the points total on your short program. 

“I don’t know why,” you sigh. “So I was thinking, if I raise my arms during the triple lutz it should give me at least three more points.”

She looks at you like you’ve gained two extra heads. “Are you insane? You’ve never raised your arms during a triple.”

Your smile turns into a wicked smirk. “It can’t be that hard.”

It’s a lot harder than you thought it would be. Though you’ve added the extra step to jumps in the past, it’s been on single and doubles to rack up points and GOE scores. Jumping has never been your strong suit, and trying to navigate the change in your centre of gravity is difficult. You spend the rest of your ice time popping, under-rotating, or slamming into the ground. A couple of juniors snicker at your failed attempts, but when you remind them they’re stuck on a double loop they stop laughing. It was a little mean, and you remember how hard it was to prove yourself as a junior, but you can’t find it in you to care. There’s no need to laugh at someone trying to improve their skating. 

Bruises start to form on your sides from falling the exact same way so many times, and you trace them lightly through the thin material of your compression top. They’re going to look nasty in a few hours if you don’t ice them soon. A knock on the door stops your actions, and you invite the person on the other side in. To your surprise it’s Joel, and he’s holding an ice pack. 

“I thought you might need one of these,” he says, extending it to you. 

You thank him and hiss slightly when the cold hits your skin. There’s a beat of awkward silence before Joel speaks again. “Can I ask why you’re trying to change that jump?”

“You noticed that?” you know it isn’t a response to his question, but you’re shocked. 

Joel smiles and nods. You explain how changing the position of your arms increases the difficulty of the jump and therefore raises the amount of points it can receive. “So you’re doing it to get more points?”

“Pretty much. It’s a gamble this close to competition, but I’m confident it’ll work out.”

“You’re afraid your program won’t gain enough points to put you in a good position for the free skate,” he notes, “Or you wouldn’t be doing this.”

Once again, you’re floored by Joel’s understanding of your sport. “Maybe I am, maybe I’m not,” you say as confidently as you can. “But maybe I just want the challenge.” If Joel notices the shake in your voice and the worried look in your eye he doesn’t say anything. 

You go through your cool-down routine but are surprised Joel doesn’t leave. In fact, he stays at the rink until you’re finished and follows you to the parking lot. His car is parked a few spots over from you, so you have to raise your voice a little to get him to hear you. “Hey Joel,” you call, “Do you not have practice?”

“Day off,” he yells back. He’s grinning like an idiot, which prompts you to ask him why. “That’s the first time you’ve said my name.” The smile on his face doesn’t go away, and you try to settle the butterflies in your stomach as you drive home. 

☼☼☼☼

Something shifts between you and Joel after that day. It’s subtle, but you’re well on your way to becoming friends. Phone numbers are exchanged, with him insisting his contact name be ‘King Beezer’, and the two of you chat regularly outside of the rink. He still watches as many training sessions as he can, and you start making appearances at his practices. It’s far more awkward for you but you push through it if for no other reason than wanting to be a good sport. Once Joel’s teammates catch wind of your budding friendship, they’re pestering you to go to a game. You politely decline each time, explaining that your training schedule is rather rigid and you can’t change it so close to nationals. The competition is just over a week out, and you’re catching a flight to Utah in three days. 

Joel doesn’t let you know he’s a little upset you won’t shift your schedule for him. Instead, he brings you lunch on days where you’re at the rink for eight hours and does his individual workouts alongside you. The two of you fall into the easy routine of enjoying each other’s company and everyone else is beginning to take notice. 

“So,” you say with a mouth full of the pita Joel brought you, “What are your plans for the All-Star break?”

Joel has been toying with an idea for a few weeks now, but he’s keeping it a secret. “I’m just gonna spend it at home with my family,” he shrugs. 

“You’re fucking joking. Joel, you could be someplace warm enjoying the beach!”

“I don’t want to go to the beach,” Joel retorts. 

You open your mouth to argue with him, because you’re of the opinion that everyone should love the beach, but you’re cut off by Brenda calling you to return to the ice. “This conversation isn’t over Beezer,” you say sternly, poking him in the chest to prove your point. He rolls his eyes. 

“I’ve gotta be at Wells Fargo in an hour for a team meeting, so I can’t watch this session,” he tells you. You’re a little deflated but understand he can’t play hookie from his job to watch you do yours. Brenda is banging a skate guard on the boards to get your attention, so you wave goodbye and jog over to her. “Y/N,” Joel yells loud enough that you’ll hear him over the chatter on the ice, “Keep your core tight!”

Your coaching team is perplexed at the comment because it’s second nature to you at this point, but you think it’s sweet. Some of the other girls poke fun at your ‘boyfriend’ and it makes you irritable. Brenda tells them off and suggests they get back to work which makes you feel better. You keep Joel’s advice in the back of your mind for the rest of your practice, and land every jump almost flawlessly. 

The day before you board your flight you have a terrible practice. Brenda chalks it up to nerves, but you that’s not it. You feel good about the competition and are confident it will go well. Something is off – you just can’t put a finger on it. Frustration eventually boils over and practice is called early. Everyone stays out of your way, letting you cool off, and you huff out a goodbye after promising to meet Brenda at the airport in the morning. Before you’re even out the door you’ve got your phone pressed to your ear, waiting for Joel to pick up. The Flyers got to start their break a day early due to a scheduling conflict and you hope he doesn’t fly home tonight. 

“What’s up?” Joel says casually. Judging by the background noise he’s playing video games, no doubt some dumb first-person shooter game he seems to play constantly. The sound of his voice is enough to send you into tears and you can’t get out a reply. His tone changes instantly and the noise stops – the game paused and forgotten about. “Hey,” he soothes, “What’s wrong?”

“Practice was bad,” you choke out, “Like really bad. Joel, I don’t think I can do this.” Now across the parking lot and at your car, you throw your bag in the trunk and crumble into the driver’s seat. 

“Of course you can. Want me to bring dinner over and we can do whatever?” You agree, not wanting to be alone, and hang up only after insisting you’re okay to drive the twenty minutes to your apartment. 

Joel must have drove well above the speed limit because he pulls into the parking lot at the same time as you. His engine is turned off jarringly fast, and he’s popping your trunk to grab your bag before your gears have settled in park. Though you put up some rather weak protests about carrying your own stuff, Joel ignores them. When you insist on holding something he tosses you the bag of food he brought with him. Opening it up, you realize Joel had stopped at your favourite sushi restaurant even though he doesn’t like the food. A smile creeps onto your face, possibly the first one all day, and you lean into Joel slightly when he wraps an arm around your shoulder. 

The two of you eat in silence, but it’s far from awkward. Joel’s waiting for you to open up, knows you will eventually, and you’re trying to find the words. However, they’re yet to appear, so you let Joel lead you to the couch and put on an episode of some crime show he’s currently watching. 

“Thanks for coming over,” you say as the credits roll on the second episode. 

Joel sends a smile your way, which you do your best to reciprocate. “Don’t worry about it. This is what friends do.” 

Slowly, you open up about practice, venting about how you skated sloppily and couldn’t nail any element no matter how simple it was. You tell him about how tense your muscles are and how scared you are that your fifteen minutes of fame are over, that you’ll never get another chance to represent America on the world stage. Joel listens attentively, letting you speak for as long as you need. At some point you start crying again and he tucks you into his side. Your tears soak through his sweatshirt but he could care less. When you’ve laid all your emotions out on the table he speaks gently, dispelling your doubts and letting you know that you can do it and he believes in you. Joel’s words make it easier to believe in yourself. 

The two of you spend the night on the couch, and you’re disheartened when your alarm goes off. You can’t stay in the little bubble Joel created for the two of you – the world and its responsibilities taking precedence over your fantasy. He drives you to the airport, rationalizing it by telling you it’ll be safer to keep your car at home. Realistically there isn’t a difference, but you thank him anyways. Parking is just one last thing you have to worry about. When you reach the airport entrance, Joel pulls into the idling lane and steps out of the car. You follow him, dragging your feet a bit because though you’re excited for nationals you don’t want to leave Joel. This will be the longest time the two of you have been apart since becoming friends.

“Make sure you don’t forget about me when you win and get all famous,” Joel jokes, handing you your suitcase. 

You swat his shoulder playfully. “Like you’d let that happen.”

“Of course I wouldn’t. Come here.”

He takes you in his arms. You’ve hugged Joel a couple of times before, but they didn’t feel as serious as this. This time he’s holding you for a purpose and you’re gripping the back of his jacket tightly because you want him to let go. It’s longer than people who are just friends are meant to hug for, so you begrudgingly pull away. Besides, Brenda and some of your teammates are waiting. 

“Have a good time at home,” you mumble. 

Joel wraps a single arm around you for one more squeeze. “You have a good time,” he says seriously. “Remember to enjoy the moment. I’ll be watching on T.V.” 

With your goodbyes said you wander into the airport. Joel says parked in his spot until he sees you embrace Brenda before driving off. The boarding process is painless, and once on the plane you take your seat beside a junior and put your headphones on. Downloaded to your Spotify is one of Joel’s hip-hop playlists, and though it’s the farthest thing from the music you enjoy you listen to it the whole flight.

☼☼☼☼

Utah’s nice, but you can’t help feeling like something’s missing – Joel’s missing. You’ve become so accustomed to him watching you train, clapping like an idiot every time you land a jump, that the silence is unnerving. Everyone notices the shift in your performance, and eventually Brenda crumbles and uses your phone to facetime him while you practice. It’s a decent enough substitute – Joel watches your pixelated figure zip around the ice and though he doesn’t always make comments, just know he’s with you in some capacity is enough to let your mind focus on the task at hand. You do the best you can at pushing away the butterflies that appear every time you think about how he’s giving up his freedom to make sure you succeed. 

When you aren’t training or doing press you’re talking to Joel. You call him constantly, narrating what you see on walks around town to settle your nerves and eating at the same time to make it feel like you’re together. The only person to support you in Salt Lake City is Brenda, so talking to Joel frequently makes you feel far less alone. You wish he could be here with you, but understand he needs time to recharge and can’t just follow you around the country no matter how much you’d like him to. 

“What time do you skate tomorrow?” Joel asks, mouth full of the pizza he’s enjoying. The features behind are different, so you assume he’s settled into his childhood home. 

“Um, I think 11:35? I’m not entirely sure,” you respond. Due to the way the event is seeded you’re skating second last, which both settles your nerves and makes you more anxious. There isn’t the pressure of closing out the event, but there’s hope that you’ll score high enough to win the short program and skate last in the free skate. 

Joel hums pensively. “I’ll check the website.” Conversation shifts away from skating, which you’re grateful for. It’s the last thing you currently want to think about. You listen with interest as Joel recounts stories of the pond hockey matches he’s played since getting home. The two of you are on the phone until nearly ten, when you have to say goodnight and head to bed. Tomorrow marks the start of the biggest week of your year. 

You follow your pre-competition routine to the letter. At other events this season you’ve been more relaxed, but your professional skating career depends on your performance at nationals so you aren’t taking chances. Five-thirty comes faster than you thought it would, but you’re out of bed and eating your first breakfast quickly. A quick two mile run follows, and then you’re having a shower and grabbing a second breakfast to eat at the rink. You meet Brenda in the hotel lobby before ubering to the rink. A solid practice follows, and you manage to keep your imposter syndrome on a leash in the presence of the other skaters. 

“It’s Joel,” Brenda says as she tosses you your phone. 

“Hey,” you say, squeezing the device between your ear and shoulder. “I don’t have much time to talk. My warm up call is soon.”

Joel laughs and you find yourself cracking a smile at the sound. “I know. Just wanted to check in and see how you’re feeling.”

“Honestly? I can’t remember the last time I was this nervous for a competition.”

His response is cut off by a loud noise. “Where are you?” you ask. 

“Just at home,” he says quickly. “My sister has some friends over and they’re being loud.”

The line is compelling enough that you don’t question how hastily it was delivered. Joel stays on the phone until you have to go, keeping your mind off the jittery feeling in your stomach. The TV cameras catch you talking but you give them a cheery wave and continue telling Joel about how good the soap at your hotel smells. You hang up when they call your flight to take to the ice for warmup and give your phone back to Brenda for safe keeping. 

☼☼☼☼

Joel tries hard not to feel too out of place while he takes his seat. For someone who practically lives in arenas he feels like it’s his first time within fifty yards of one. Everyone around him is dressed nicely, and he’s acutely aware of the fact there is a neon orange pom-pom attached to the top of his hat. 

As much as he feels like a baby deer trying to stand, Joel’s beyond excited to be here. It’s been a while since he’s gone somewhere that wasn’t hockey related and getting to support you while he does it is the best scenario ever. There are some potential looks of recognition from those around him, but thankfully no one approaches. 

Skaters begin to take the ice and he scans vigilantly for you. You’re doing the best you can to stay warm, jacket zipped all the way up and gloves on your hands. Joel notices you seem to be the loosest of the girls below him but isn’t sure if that’s a good thing. You skate a few quick laps before warming up some jumps. Everything goes well, though he can tell you under-rotated a few of them and didn’t attempt the one quad in your program. The warm up is over as quickly as it began and you’re herded off the ice. Joel sinks a little further in his seat as gets ready to watch your competitors. 

☼☼☼☼

There’s just over five minutes until you take to the ice. You keep your body moving, walking up and down the corridor, and blast your pre-competition playlist so loud you’ll probably have hearing damage when you’re older. Only one other girl in the hall with you but it feels too small. Brenda comes to grab you and the pair of you walk to the side of the boards. You don’t watch who’s currently skating, choosing instead to focus on adjusting your feet slightly in your skates. 

“Go out there and put on a show,” Brenda says. “Fuck the judges.”

You laugh at her remark. “Okay Bren, when I lose points for flipping them off I’m blaming you.”

“Fine by me. I have a bone to pick with Mark Johnson anyways.”

The scores for the previous girl are being announced, so you peel your jacket from your frame and do a couple more laps. Right before your name is announced you press your forehead to Brenda’s. It’s a ritual you started back when you were barely as tall as the boards and you’ve done it every single competition since. You feel grounded looking in her eyes, and you break with a fist bump. It’s go time. 

Every inch of your skin feels like it’s on fire. You didn’t come to play, and leave everything on the ice. The skate isn’t completely clean, you stumbled on the landing of a triple axel, but you’re happy with it. Despite your fears, both the triple lutz and quad salchow go smoothly. Audience engagement was at an all time high and you finished to deafening applause. Brenda wraps you in a tight hug when you step off the ice before leading you over to the kiss and cry. You chat idly with her and your choreographer, trying to catch your breath, while you wait for your score. 

The announcer’s booming voice crackles over the PA as he reads the judges’ decision. “The scores for Y/N Y/L/N please.” You don’t pay attention to the individual numbers, just the final total. “For a total score of 74.83.”

It’s lower than you had hoped for. Not by much, just two or three points, but it could mean all the difference in tomorrow’s skate. Brenda pats your leg sympathetically and whispers in your, “It’s alright. You skated well.”

You head back to the dressing room to watch the final skater on the small T.V in the corner while you get undressed. She’s phenomenal, and you end the day falling to third place. Joel’s hip-hop playlist blasts through your headphones as you do your cool down routine. The average tempo is upbeat and helps to take your mind off the fact you’re not where you want to be. Just as you’re about to exit the room and find Brenda to talk strategy there’s a knock on the door. 

“Yeah?” you say dejectedly, the word coming out as more of a sigh than you had intended. 

The door is cracked open, and the head of your best friend peaks out from around it. “Hey there rockstar,” Joel says softly, stepping further into the room. Once you comprehend that he’s really here you’re sprinting in his direction, jumping into his embrace. Joel’s laugh reverberates in his chest, and you feel it as you settle further into him. 

“Why are you here?” you whisper. Though you’re elated Joel is here, you’re confused as to why he would want to spend his break in Utah. 

He lets you down gently and shrugs. “I had to see if you’d land the quad.” Joel’s smile matches yours as you shake your head. 

“You’re fucking insane,” you quip, but there’s no malice in your voice.

Before you can pester Joel into answering all your questions you’re whisked away to a press conference. Talking to the media is something you don’t particularly enjoy, and it’s even more difficult to stay present when you know you could be spending time with your best friend. Most of the questions are directed towards the girls who placed higher than you which you’re thankful for. It’s easier for you to zone out, and you root through your mind of places around the city to take Joel. 

“Y/N, how tough will it be for you to better your scores in tomorrow’s free skate?”

The question is one that you expected, luckily, and you’re able to recite the response you worked out with Brenda without really engaging with the reporter. “I mean I obviously didn’t aim to be in third place heading into tomorrow,” you joke, “But I’m fairly happy with where I ended up. The other girls had fantastic skates and deserve to be above me. My plan for tomorrow is to leave everything on the ice, skate cleanly, and be proud of myself regardless of what happens.”

Pens scribble furiously by those that don’t have recording devices to get your words down on paper. There’s some chatter, questions for the other girls, before a young reporter fresh out of journalism school is allowed to speak. He identifies himself as Theo Rateliff before jumping in. “Y/N,” he says, “How excited are you to get back to training on home ice when you get back to Jersey?”

“Um, I didn’t know the renovations were finished,” you stammer. “As far as I know, I’ll be at Flyers SkateZone until the end of the season.”

Theo shakes his head. “My partner was informed this morning that the rink will be good to go by the time you get back.”

You turn to the side to look at Brenda, who just shrugs. “Well, to be quite honest I’ll miss being in Voorhees. I had fun skating there and feel like the rink prepared me well for this competition.”

“Obviously not well enough,” Theo retorts, not missing a beat. “Your odds of winning dropped by seventy-seven percent.”

“Thank you for the reminder Theo,” you snap. “Are we done here?”

The press-coordinator shakes their head in confirmation, and you rip the microphone off your jacket before stomping off. People clear a path for you, not wanting to get caught in your storm. You run right to Joel who lets you direct him out of the arena and into the uber he called while you were wrapping up. 

It’s a silent ride, Joel knowing you aren’t in the mood for light conversation. He lets you take a ridiculously long shower and orders take out that arrives just as you step out of the bathroom. 

“Where are you staying?” you ask as you detangle your hair. 

“Nowhere yet,” Joel says, “I got in early this morning and went straight to the rink.”

You think carefully about your next words before you speak. Your competition routines can be excessive and annoying, and you don’t want to inconvenience him. “You could just stay here. The room is massive and there’s more than enough space for both of us in the bed.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” you say, voice taking a soft lilt. “I’d really like it if you stayed.”

Joel smiles wider than you’ve ever seen him do before. The two of you sit comfortably in bed, eating the burritos Joel got and going down a conspiracy theory youtube wormhole. He asks how you feel about him coming to watch your evening training session you have to leave for in twenty minutes. You tell him you’d be angry if he didn’t stand beside your coach and clap every time you landed a jump. 

It’s chilly but the sun is shining bright so you decide to bundle up and walk to the rink. Joel pokes fun at you beanie and you swat him in the chest, shutting him up for the time being after his giggles subside. The view is gorgeous, mountains framing the setting sun. You squeeze Joel’s bicep to get his attention and relish the feeling of his muscle in your grip. 

“Look! An owl!”

Sure enough, a barn owl is flying over top of you, in the middle of downtown Salt Lake City. “That’s my good luck charm. Means I’ll skate well tomorrow.”

Joel pokes your cheek lightly. “I thought I was your good luck charm,” he gasps. 

You roll your eyes. “I guess you can be my secondary one.” Joel doesn’t seem to mind the fact your arms are still wrapped around his, so you stay that way until for the rest of the journey. 

☼☼☼☼

The night goes according to plan. You skate well in practice and feel comfortable for tomorrow’s event. Joel executes his role perfectly, cheering when you do things well and squirting water at you to make you squeal in laughter when things get a little too serious. Once back at the hotel you collapse into bed almost immediately. You’re so exhausted you can’t even be bothered to climb under the covers, and wait until Joel pulls them back for himself to crawl in. There’s no awkwardness at sharing a bed with Joel, and you sigh contently as he pulls you into his side. Sleep comes easily then for the both of you. 

You wake before both your alarm and Joel. It takes you a second to get your bearing and realize you’re pinned against his body, though you don’t mind. There’s worse places to be stuck. You lay curled into Joel for as long as you can, but eventually you have to shake him awake. 

“Beezer,” you whisper, ruffling his hair, “You’ve gotta let me out.”

He groans something unintelligible but instead of heeding your words pulls you closer. “Joel come on,” you try again, “I’ve really gotta get up. Need to shower before I get to the rink.”

Joel listens this time, but only lets you go after squeezing you tight for a second. You go about your routine with him still passed out in bed and giggle at the way his hair curls around his ears when you pass by. As you’re leaving to get to your practice ice slot Joel wakes up, lumbering into the bathroom. He reappears a minute or two later to say goodbye. 

“Will I see you after practice?” he asks, voice still gruff with sleep. 

“Probably not,” you reply, leaning down to tie your shoes. “I won’t be coming back here until after everything is done.”

Joel nods and wraps you in a warm hug. “You’re going to do great,” he says as he pulls away. “I’ll be there, cheering so fucking loud.”

“I expect you to throw a teddy bear on the ice after I finish.”

The walk to the arena is lonely without Joel, but you push the thought out of your mind. You need to stay focused on putting on the skate of your life in a few hours and not on how lately you’ve been having more-than-friendly thoughts about your best friend. Brenda is there when you arrive, making conversation about what you did last night with Joel before explaining how you’re going to run your practice.

Your hour of semi-private ice passes in the blink of an eye. The other girls in your flight are just as tense as you, popping jumps and doing a lot of stroking to loosen up. A lot is riding on today’s event and you’d be lying if you weren’t feeling the pressure. When you get back to the dressing room and check your phone, you notice there’s a text from Joel. 

Don’t want to disrupt your pre-comp routine, but I thought I’d share a playlist. It’s songs that remind me of you. 

Included is a link to a spotify playlist entitled ‘my golden girl’. You open it with a smile, noticing that it starts with some of your favourite songs even though they aren’t the kind of thing Joel regularly listens to before turning into things you’ve never heard before. 

Thanks <3, you respond, going to listen to it during my off-ice. 

That’s exactly what you do. It filters through your headphones for hours as you stretch, do a quick interview for those watching on television, and get dressed. Though it’s a break from your typical routine, it’s welcome. Knowing Joel thought about you enough to make you a playlist and send it to you helps calm your nerves. 

“Hey kiddo,” Brenda says as she walks to where you’ve taken up root on the floor. Your left hamstring is tight, and you’re trying desperately to fix it before you have to go on the ice. “Go out there and absolutely kill it. This is your best program, and I haven’t seen anyone skate better than what you can do today.”

“Gee thanks for the confidence booster Bren,” you chuckle before hoisting yourself onto the bench to tie your skates. 

She doesn’t laugh. “I mean it Y/N. You can still win this thing.”

You’re left alone to finish getting ready and then join the other girls in the tunnel. No one talks, which you’re grateful for. When you were younger and coming up through the ranks the other competitors liked to gossip while they waited and it was your least favourite part of an entire competition. A camera man waits at the end of the walkway, filming your arrival to the ice pad, and you wave cheerily as you pass by. It can never hurt to endear yourself to those watching at home – maybe they’ll be nicer to you on the internet. 

Joel is standing at the edge of the boards during your warmup, watching and cheering intently. In a moment of insane confidence you blow him a kiss as you skate past, and giggle hysterically when he catches it and holds it close to his chest. You’re called off the ice then and spend the time really getting into the zone. 

It’s considered bad luck to watch the performances before your own, so you face the wall as you do jog lightly to keep your body temperature up and the adrenaline flowing. Much sooner than you’d like it’s your turn to take your guards and jacket off. Brenda holds your skating hands as she whispers last minute words of encouragement, and you stumble through the traditional handshake before presenting yourself to the crowd. 

Once the music starts your brain checks out and instinct takes over. You learned when you were younger that your best skates happened when you just allowed yourself to feel, and you desperately need the skate of a lifetime. Going into the first jumping pass you can feel yourself tense up so you think about Joel’s smile while you guys sat by the lake last night. It works to loosen you up, and you spend the rest of the program thinking of your favourite moments with Joel. As you strike your final pose the music fades out and the roars of applause cascade in. You know you had a flawless performance, beaming as you fist pump the air in the same manner you chirp Joel for doing while he celebrates goals. 

You bow to the crowd in all directions, waving and laughing as flowers and teddy bears fall onto the ice in front of you. An orange blob of fur catches your eye, and you skate to pick it up before one of the volunteers could put it in the bag that will join your garment bag in the dressing room. You know Joel is the one who threw the Gritty toy – no one else really knows of your affiliations with the team. As you sit in the kiss and cry awaiting your results, you examine the stuffed animal. Instead of the regular Gritty jersey Joel replaced it with his own, the number flashing vividly at you and pulling a smile from your nervous features. 

Brenda keeps her hand clasped tightly in yours as the PA system crackles to life. “And the scores for Y/N Y/L/N are,” the announcer begins, and your knee begins bouncing rapidly. “The free skate score is 155.79, for a total score of 230.62.”

You jump up in amazement. Despite your slow start to the competition you managed to get a season’s best. You’re also five points ahead of the second place skater, guaranteeing you a place on the podium and depending on the final results, a spot at worlds. A volunteer ushers you out of the kiss and cry and you skip all the way down the tunnel. To get out some of the adrenaline you jog the corridor a few times before returning to Brenda. 

“Come on,” she laughs, “Joel’s waiting at the edge of the public area. We can watch the final skate together.”

At the mention of Joel you’re jogging again, wanting to see him as fast as possible. “Beezer!” you shriek as you approach, launching into the elaborate handshake the two of you have perfected at this point. 

“Hey golden girl,” he chuckles, returning your actions with just as much enthusiasm. “You looked fucking great out there. I see you got my gift.”

The Gritty doll is still in your hands but there’s no shame. Instead, you tuck it under your arm and rest your head against Joel’s shoulder to watch the final skater. The girl after you had fallen a number of times, dropping her total significantly and landing her in fifth place. Victory is so close you can almost taste it.

 It’s the longest six minutes of your life. Watching her skate increases your anxiety – she’s good, has almost as great a skate as you, but she under-rotated a jump and rushed through her program so there was extra music at the end. The clock above your head rings throughout the silent corridor as everyone awaits the scores with baited breath. In under a minute you’ll know whether you’re returning to New Jersey with a gold or silver medal in your suitcase. 

You don’t hear anything as they announce her score – just see the numbers flash of the small T.V screen and calculate that it’s not enough for her to beat you. After years of blood, sweat, and an immeasurable amount of tears you’ve crossed another goal off your list. Those around you are jumping and screaming, Brenda letting a few tears escape. All you can think about is Joel, who’s celebrating like he just scored the game winning goal in the Stanley Cup finals, and how much you love him. 

Without thinking, you smash your lips against Joel’s. It’s adrenaline filled and mostly teeth until he wraps one hand around your waist and the places the other along your jaw. Then it becomes purposeful, both of you moving in tandem and never wanting it to stop. When Joel pulls away and rests his forehead against yours you can’t stop smiling. The kiss might have happened in the heat of the moment, but you know it’s the culmination of feelings building inside of you for months. 

“You’re a national champion,” Joel says, pulling you flush against his chest in the biggest hug you’ve ever received. 

“I’m your national champion,” you whisper. 

He pulls back and grins, kissing you again. “You’re my national champion. My golden girl.”

The rest of your stay in Salt Lake City is a blur. You’re swept up in the numerous press events, galas, and enjoying your blossoming relationship with Joel. When you finally got back to the hotel after what seemed like hours of people complimenting your comeback, the two of you sat down and talked about the kiss and what you wanted to happen next. It was scary, being so vulnerable, but it needed to happen – you’re both adults and communication is important. So, you’re returning home with a gold medal and boyfriend, two things you’re ecstatic about. 

☼☼☼☼

“J, it’s not straight,” you giggle. Joel’s trying, and failing miserably, to hang the shadow box with your nationals medal in it above your couch. It’s been almost a month since you returned home but you’ve been so busy that decorating the apartment you barely spend time in has been at the bottom of your to-do list. 

He grunts out a response. “Fuck. Do I have to go left or right?”

“Left.” The picture shifts in the opposite direction. “The other left Joel!”

A few minutes later the decoration is sitting perfectly in place. Your child of a boyfriend insists on getting rewarded for his achievement, so the two of you bundle up and get dinner. It’s nothing fancy – just sandwiches from the deli down the street from your apartment, but spending time with him is nice. Joel’s been on a string of short road trips and you’ve been training anxiously, waiting for the organization to announce who they’re sending to the world championship. 

“How’s practice been lately?” Joel asks, mouth full with a bite of his BLT. “I miss being able to watch you skate whenever I want.”

After returning from Utah you were shuttled immediately into the freshly renovated rink of your skating club. It’s a little farther into Jersey and certainly not as convenient for him to get to, especially now that the NHL season is picking up and the Flyers are clinging desperately to the final playoff spot. “It’s been interesting,” you shrug, “I’m skating well, and physically I feel great. There’s a mental block or something though because everything feels a little bit off.”

The smile that graces Joel’s face can only be described as shit-eating. “Duh, I’m not there.”

“Fuck off.” Though you try to make the words come out in a serious tone, there’s no malice in them. 

Conversation flips to some ridiculous story Travis told at practice that morning, and you giggle as Joel recounts it with failing arms. You tell a few stories of your own, that leave him in stitches, and as you walk home hand in hand he asks you again to come to a game. With your schedule a little more flexible as you wait for a decision about the upcoming competition stint it will be much easier to see Joel play. You say yes with a shy smile and don’t miss the way the boy beside you blushes under the streetlights. 

Joel stays over, and the next two nights after that. It’s nice, falling into a relationship with your best friend, because there’s no awkwardness. You know what kind of cereal to keep in your pantry and he knows you don’t eat meat on Mondays. Everything is easy. There are a fews in the road, as can be expected with any budding relationship, but for the most part your lives fit seamlessly together.  

After some meticulous planning, you found a home game on the Flyers schedule that will coincide with yours. It’s a Friday night near the end of February, and it’s actually the last day US Figure Skating can announce their assignments for worlds. You figure watching your boyfriend is the perfect way to distract yourself from the decision, whether or not you make the team. Joel’s ecstatic about your attendance, wanting you to be immersed in as many aspects of his life as possible. The entire day he’s bouncing around your apartment, beyond ready for puck drop. 

“It’s literally three in the afternoon,” you grumble as Joel corrals you into the hall to put your shoes on. “You never leave this early! Why do we have to do it today?” In an attempt to save gas and lower your carbon footprint you’re carpooling with Joel.

“Because being in this house is making you more anxious,” he points out. “I’ve caught you staring into the distance one too many times today. Besides, this way you can meet up with some of the other girls and relax before the game.” 

Joel’s right, as he so often is. Your agent hasn’t called to let you know if you made the team or not, nor has US Figure Skating made an announcement on social media. So you’ve spent the entire day pacing back and forth around your living room and fretting that perhaps the best performance of your season wasn’t good enough. He twirls his car keys around his index finger in an attempt to speed you along and you roll your eyes at his impatience. 

After ensuring your home is safely secured you hit the road. The drive into Philadelphia is easy, with little traffic, and you spend it laughing at Joel’s ridiculous freestyle raps. It doesn’t surprise you that the staff lot at the Wells Fargo Centre is sparsely populated – most of the guys don’t show up until around five, Joel included. However, a group of women are standing near the entrance. While this isn’t the first time you’ve met significant others of your boyfriend’s teammates, it’s the first time Joel won’t be around. 

“It’ll be alright,” he whispers as the car settles into park. You offer a small smile that mustn't have been convincing because Joel lifts the hand that’s intertwined with his to his lips, pressing a delicate kiss to the knuckles. The smile becomes genuine and you tease him the entire walk to the door. 

Joel greets the other girls before setting his bag down on the concrete and wrapping you in a hug. “Have fun,” you say softly against his lips, landing a short kiss. He winks and opens the door, disappearing inside and leaving you in a fit of giggles. 

There was no reason for you to be nervous – everyone is incredibly kind. You seem to be the youngest in the group, but the other girls pay no mind and treat you as one of their own. There’s a small amount of confusion when your phone chimes with a notification, a few glances of possible distaste, but as soon you explain you’re waiting on a very important call they understand. Dinner is wonderful, filled with sincere questions about your skating career and how you got together with Joel. By the time you get back to the arena for the game it feels as though you’ve been a part of the group for years. 

You spend the game in the family and friends box, sipping a glass of wine and following Joel around the ice. Practice is early in the morning and you want to be productive, so you’re relaxed in your alcohol consumption compared to some of the others. One of the older girls, though you can’t remember what player is her significant other, recently got engaged and is celebrating with as many drinks as those around her will allow. It’s fun to experience a hockey game in this way, but you’re a little on edge. You haven’t anything about worlds assignments all day and the organization doesn’t typically leave the announcement to this late in the evening. There’s seven minutes left in the game when your phone rings. You quickly excuse yourself from the group and step into the hall. 

“Hello?”

“Y/N,” the chipper voice of your agent Megan says, “How are you?”

A nervous laughter tumbles from your lips. “I think that depends on what you’re about to tell me.”

“I imagined you’d say something along those lines,” she responds. “You’ve always been quite witty.” Before you ask her to just get to the point of the phone call, Megan speaks. “I have some good news and some bad news for you. You’re going to the World Championships, but you aren’t leading the team like we hoped.”

It’s not as bad as she made it sound. A breath you didn’t know you were holding escapes, and you try your best to remain professional in the hallway of the arena. “Honestly,” you sigh, “I think that’s better. There’s going to be a lot less pressure for me to bring home three Olympic spots. Thanks for letting me know Meg.” She hangs up then, no doubt having to tell another girl she didn’t make the cut. 

When you slip back through the door, you find all eyes on you. “What was that about?” 

“I made the roster for worlds.”

Earth-shattering applause erupts from everyone in the room, and no one pays attention to what happens on the ice for the remainder of the game. The congratulations continue until you’re waiting outside the dressing room for Joel to exit. He had a good game, featuring two assists and a blocked shot, and smiles lazily when he sees you leaning against the brick wall. 

“This is something I could get used to,” he chuckles, pulling you into him by the belt loops of your jeans. The two of you kiss for a moment, letting it stay chaste in fear of getting chirped by teammates.

“Well,” you sigh dramatically, drawing out the suspense of what you’re about to say, “You’re going to have to wait a bit longer for it to become a regular occurrence. My training schedule just increased exponentially.”

Joel sits on your words for a moment before it registers. “No fucking way!” he shouts, picking you up by the waist as the two you are a pairs team. “You got the spot?” 

Having Joel be so excited about the accomplishment makes it seem that much more real. Tears well in your eyes and you shake your head up and down to signal he’s correct. Joel presses his lips to yours once again, this time not caring about any insults his friends could throw at him. The kiss makes you feel loved, fully and completely, and you hope you’re conveying the same amount of emotion he is. 

“That’s my girl.”

☼☼☼☼

“Oh my fucking god,” you grumble, picking yourself off the ice for what feels like the hundredth time in the past five minutes. There’s two weeks until you leave for Milan and it looks like you’ve never skated before. Jumps are being under-rotated, spins aren’t being entered properly, and your footwork sequence is abysmal. Nothing about the way you’re performing would let a newcomer know you’re a world class athlete. 

Brenda gives you a sympathetic smile. “Just try again kiddo.”

You do try again – fifteen more times to be exact. Each attempt at a triple axel getting farther and farther from what it should be. Before you get even more frustrated you abandon the element altogether, hoping to avoid a complete meltdown. No one questions it when you shift disciplines completely and move about the ice completing a simple foxtrot pattern. Ice dance has always been a great de-stresser for you, and after a few passes you feel your heart rate return to normal. At some point during your break Joel had entered the rink and is now standing beside your coach, making pleasant conversation. You smile as you skate towards them, ecstatic that the two most important parts of your life blend seamlessly. 

“Farabee!” you shout when you get close enough for him to hear you. At the sound of your voice Joel smiles, turning to pick up your water bottle and toss it in your direction. 

“I’m wounded babe,” he feigns pain as you take a drink, “I really thought that we were on at least a first name basis.”

You roll your eyes at his dramatics and playfully squirt water at him. “I’ll call you whatever I want. What brings you this far into Jersey?”

“Thought I’d see if you wanted to grab lunch after you were done. We’ve got a late practice today,” he explains. “Whatever you want, eh? Does that mean I say whatever I want? Because I think you’re looking particularly good in those leggings.tum” You don’t miss the suggestive tone to his voice, but choose to ignore it.

Joel watches the rest of your practice from his spot at the boards and lays himself across the dressing room bench as you complete a quick cool down routine. You have a meeting with your massage therapist in the afternoon, so you follow Joel to the restaurant he chose. It’s a small vegan place that you sometimes stop at on your way home from the rink. They have the best burrito bowls you’ve ever tasted and since you’ve gotten together Joel has become rather fond of them as well. 

The two of you sit outside on the curb. New Jersey is uncharacteristically warm for March and you want to enjoy the sunshine as much as possible. The rest of the day will be spent in dark rooms receiving physical therapy and trying to ease your tired muscles. There isn’t much conversation, but you’re more than content just to be with Joel. Life moves incredibly fast and your schedules don’t always line up nicely. It’s difficult to spend time with him, especially when you’re weeks out from a major competition, but small moments like this keep you from missing your boyfriend too much. 

“Have I asked you to take me to the airport yet? I can’t remember,” you admit as you finish the last bite of your meal. 

Joel laughs at your lapse in memory, knowing he gets the same way when high stakes games roll around. “No, but you would like me to?”

“Do you mind?” you ask, “That way I don’t have to leave my car at the airport for a week and a half. But if you can't, don't worry about it, I’ll grab an uber.”

“Babe, the uber will be like fifty bucks. I’ll take you. What time do you have to be there?”

You give him a much too detailed itinerary of your departure plans and listen to him talk about the drills they’re going to run at practice. Time passes much quicker than you would have liked, and soon you’re kissing him goodbye and watching him wave from your rearview mirror. 

It’s almost a week later when you see Joel again, showing up at a Flyers practice for the first time since training moved back to your home rink. You’ve been instructed to have a rest day, the team wanting to push you too hard before taking off. The arena attendants know you well at this point, and chat with you as you sit on a bench away from the media. You know better than you alert them of your presence – some of them no doubt wanting a comment from you about worlds. Joel has no idea you’re even there until long after practice, when he sees you leaning casually against the driver’s side door of your car, conveniently parked next to his.

“Hey all-star,” you say as casually as possible, twirling your keys around your index finger. 

He leans down to kiss you sweetly, and though you probably shouldn’t in a parking lot, you push your body closer to his in an attempt to deepen the kiss. Joel obliges you, tongue gently slipping into your mouth, staying there until you both hear the shouts of his teammates. 

“Fuck off,” he yells at Kevin, who’s hollering so loud people can probably hear him all the way back in Philadelphia. “What are you doing here?”

“I have a day off,” you smile, and I thought I’d come see if I could hitch a ride to your place.” You had originally planned to attend the game in person, but a rough day of training yesterday had you too sore to do much other than lie on the couch. 

“The chariot awaits m’lady,” he says in a terrible British accent, bowing for good measure as he opens the door. Your car will be fine in the parking lot overnight, so you slip in and enjoy the journey into the city. 

Joel’s pre-game routine changes only slightly with you in his apartment – instead of napping alone, you curl into his chest and snore softly, lulling him into one of the most peaceful sleeps he’s ever had. You tie his tie for him and riffle his hair before kissing him good luck. Being alone in Joel’s apartment isn’t as strange as you thought it would be, and you familiarize yourself with his kitchen while you make dinner. The pre-game show plays quietly in the background, and when they mention how well Joel is playing you can’t help but smile. 

It’s much more comfortable to watch the game in your boyfriend’s hoodie and pyjama pants on the couch than it would be to sit in the stiff arena seats. Time passes at a pretty leisurely pace, with nothing too exciting going on within the game, and sometime in the third period you fall asleep. The rest of the game and all the media appearances pass you by. Joel figures you must be sleeping when he doesn’t get a congratulatory text when Claude pulls off a buzzer beater to win. His suspensions are confirmed when he slips through his front door to see you drooling slightly on the throw pillow his mom bought him as a housewarming gift. 

You don’t remember climbing into bed, but you wake up with Joel’s socked feet pressed against your calves. He stirs behind you and mummers something unintelligible. 

“What was that sleepyhead?” you giggle, turning around to run a hand through his hair. It’s rather unruly at the moment and you find it adorable. 

“Good morning,” he repeats. 

“That’s what that was?”

“Leave me alone.”

The two of you lay in bed for a few more minutes before starting the day. You navigate around Joel flawlessly – like you’re there every morning. Breakfast is quick and you’re out the door before you have a chance to cherish the domesticity of it all. You have a pretty intense day of training and Joel has to be at the airport in two hours for a trip to Toronto. He drops you off in Voorhees, kissing you gently before making his way back into the city. You hate to see him go, wishing you could spend more time together before you head to worlds, but you know you’re both adults with real-world responsibilities. 

For the first time in the final push you have a practice that is up to standard. Things click into place and you feel good. Really good. Each time you skate a program it’s clean, and the elements don’t feel weak when completed individually. Maybe you’ll actually be able to pull this off. 

☼☼☼☼

Italy is beautiful, but you don’t get much time to enjoy it. A scheduling mishap has team USA leaving two days later than you were supposed to and now you’re all scrambling to find a groove. Every moment is being spent preparing for the competition – off ice training, multiple practices a day, press conferences. When you get a moment to spare you call Joel, but oftentimes he’s at practice or fulfilling other obligations. The time difference is brutal and souring your mood. You feel alone, and just wish Joel could be by your side like he was at nationals. 

As soon as you step on the ice something feels wrong. You run through a mental checklist and assure that nothing is – your skates feel they way they should and you didn’t forget any gear. It must be nerves. The competition officially starts tomorrow and you’re eager to cheer on the pairs teams America has brought. You do your best to skate it out, and by the time you’re allowed to have the ice to yourself you can almost convince yourself everything will be fine. 

The music starts and you snap into character. Your short program music is punchy and so are you – all sass and sharp angles as you navigate the opening step sequence. A lump forms in your throat as you set up the first first jumping pass, but you push it down. You’ve done a thousand triple lutz-triple toe-loop combinations and could execute it flawlessly in your sleep. 

Everything happens so fast. One second you’re rotating through the air and the next you’re sprawled across the ice. Nothing feels off until you try to pick yourself up. When you can’t move your left leg you look to see what the issue is and find your kneecap where it most certainly should not be. It’s rotated nearly one hundred and eighty degrees, now residing in the back instead of the front. 

“Help me!” you scream, mostly out of shock. There’s no pain which surprises you, but you know it definitely should hurt. Everyone around the ice surface is frozen in place, not knowing what happened or what to do, and you continue to sob helplessly. 

Someone sprints to get the onsite emergency responders and Brenda runs to you as fast as her dress shoes will allow. “Don’t look at it honey,” she soothes. “It’s just going to make things worse.”

“It should hurt,” you croak out through the tears, “Why doesn’t it hurt?”

“You’ve got so much adrenaline pumping through your veins you can’t feel anything,” the EMT explains in flawless English. “Can we take your skates off?”

You nod, and the right skate comes off breezily. Brenda unlaces your left skate and the medical team works to pry the boot from your foot. A sharp pain shoots up your leg and you wail in agony. “Shh, it’s okay,” your coach coos, “The skate is going to stay on until we get to the hospital.”

The ride to the hospital feels like time is moving through sludge. The paramedics keep an eye on your blood pressure and do their best to keep you calm. Brenda is typing furiously on her phone, and you ask what she’s doing as the vehicle pulls into the ambulance bay. 

“The ISU rep told me to keep him updated,” she explains. “And I’m trying to vote on which alternate is going to take your place.”

You knew that was going to happen, you couldn’t possibly skate, but it makes you unbelievably sad. All your hard work is going to amount to nothing. No one cares about national champions who don’t place at worlds, and the injury is going to sideline you in next year’s olympic race. The emergency room has a bed ready for you, and the doctor arrives as you’re being transferred into it. 

“Miss Y/L/N, I’m Dr. Morelli. We’re going to put your patella back into place. It’s going to be incredibly painful, so we’re to sedate you. Is that okay?”

“Yes,” you say as strongly as you can, though it comes out feeble and hoarse. 

A nurse inserts an IV into your arm and smiles at you. They have you count backwards from ten, and by the time you get to eight you’re asleep. There’s a brief moment of panic when you wake up as you forgot where you are. “You’re awake,” Brenda speaks softly from the bedside. “How are you feeling?”

“Like shit,” you admit. “It hurts so fucking bad.” 

She gives you a sympathetic smile. “I know. They’re going to come get you for x-rays in a few minutes and then we’ll go back to the hotel.”

“Oh my god,” you gasp. “I’ve gotta call Joel. Bren, give me your phone.”

Laughter comes from the device’s speakers, and you realize she’s one step ahead of you. 

“There’s my girl,” Joel whispers, eyes landing on yours as the phone lands in your hands. “Are you okay?”

The question makes you laugh. “You’re quite the comedian Mr. Farabee. Of course I’m not okay. My leg is currently being held together by a brace and my dreams are ruined.” You soften when you realize how upset Joel looks. “I’ll be fine J, I promise.”

“I’m so sorry I wasn’t there.”

“There’s nothing you could have done. It was a freak accident. You can pick me up from the airport.”

He agrees in a heartbeat and tells you about his day to distract you from the pain. You’ll have to ask the nurses for some pain meds before you leave. A nurse comes to take you to the radiology department, and you hang up after reassuring him for the hundredth time that he doesn’t need to fly to Italy to bring you home himself. 

Brenda holds you as the adrenaline wears off and your legs twitches rapidly as a trauma response. She helps you navigate around the small room and makes sure you’re able to use the bathroom. Luckily none of her other skaters are competing, and she’s able to travel back to Philadelphia with you once the doctor clears you. It’s a rough flight – there’s a fair amount of turbulence and each bump makes your leg throb. You don’t get a wink of sleep and are grumpy by the time you touch down in Philly. Joel’s waiting at arrivals with a giant sign and a sweet smile. You wheel yourself over to him as quickly as possible, wanting nothing more than to collapse into his arms. 

“Welcome home baby,” he whispers, leaning down to catch your lips in an airport appropriate kiss. The reason you’re home so early isn’t brought up which you're incredibly grateful for. Your untimely withdrawal is still a very sore spot. 

“I wasn’t gone long,” you laugh, trying to poke fun at the situation before reality gets you too down. 

“Long enough for me to miss you a tremendous amount.”

The three of you exit the airport, and Joel drops Brenda off at her house before taking you back to his place. Chuck and the rest of the management team were allowing him to miss a few games until you become more mobile and can’t exist on your own for a few hours. Joel’s bed is calling out to you, but he insists you’ll feel better after a shower and you know he’s right. Showering isn’t something you can do yourself, so Joel keeps your leg straight and elevated as you sit on the stool he bought while waiting for you to return. The grime of travelling is washed away and you feel lighter when you swing into bed, stubbornly refusing Joel’s help. 

You convince him to let you watch the broadcast of the event you were supposed to be skating in. It’s probably not the best thing for your mental health, but you want to see how everyone does. Joel sits besides you, arm wrapped around your shoulder, and listens to you explain the rationale behind every element’s score. When your replacement takes the ice you go silent. It’s too much to see her skating in your place so you bury your face into Joel’s neck. There’s no jealousy like you thought there would be, just an infinite amount of sadness that you’re not able to be there. 

“You’ll be able to get back there,” Joel reassures you when he feels a tear soak through his sweater. 

“That’s not guaranteed,” you sniffle. “I might not ever skate again, let alone compete at any level.”

He shakes his head in disagreement, leading you to quirk a brow. “I know you. You’re going to do it. It won’t be easy, but you’re the most determined person I’ve ever met. People bounce back after major injuries all the time. I’ll be by your side the entire time, helping you through.”

“I love you,” you blurt out. The gravity of your words sinks in and you gasp. You haven’t said those words to each other yet, but they feel right.

“I love you too,” Joel smiles, kissing the tip of your nose. “Now pay attention to the TV, that girl you beat at Skate Canada is up next.”

☼☼☼☼

Recovery hasn’t been easy. There have been so many days where all you want to do is throw in the towel and cry, but Joel keeps you going. He insists you to your physical therapy exercises with him so you aren’t alone, and he comes to as many doctor’s appointments as he possibly can. After the Flyers get eliminated from the playoffs he doesn’t return home for the summer, choosing to stay in the Philly area with you. Having him there is a massive help, and you power through the pain. 

The Flyers are hosting a family skate before training camp, and it will be your first time on skates in nearly six months. Your doctors have cleared it as long as you take it slow and basically let Joel pull you around the rink but you don’t care. It gives you hope that one day you’ll be back to full strength. 

“Ready to do this thing?” Joel asks, grabbing your hand and intertwining your fingers. 

You nod enthusiastically and let him pull you from the bench to the tunnel and down to the boards. Joel steps on the ice first, keeping his hands up in case you need them for support. A few of the significant others notice what’s happening and they erupt in applause once both your feet are planted on the surface. Joel joins them, his eyes watering when he sees how happy you are to be skating again. 

“I do believe you promised me a few laps lover boy,” you wink. 

“Yes ma’am,” Joel giggles as he mock salutes. He places his hands in yours and guides you gently, careful not to go too fast or get too close to other groups. The two of you giggle and stop to kiss frequently but no one says anything. You’ve worked incredibly hard to get here and they’re perfectly content letting you have your moment. Standing at centre ice you feel complete, and you know it’s all thanks to Joel. 

☼☼☼☼

taglist: @samsteel​ @kiedhara​ @tortito​ @boqvistsbabe​ @iwantahockeyhimbo @himbos-on-ice​ if you want to be added just shoot me an ask :)

[crimsonophelia]

a theory of everything

featuring: albedo x gn!reader

warnings: slight existentialism

published: august 11, 2021

form: imagine

a/n: this is very much so based off of the movie, “a theory of everything”, and if you’ve seen it, you’ll recognize this scene. this is also a continuation of some of those fairytale type headcanons i made some time ago :)

the wind was comfortably warm that day, as mondstadt made its way smoothly from spring into summer. the leaves on the trees had fully regrown after the bitter winter, and some of the summer blossoms had begun to bud on the branches once again. the morning dew on the grass was still fresh, as you and your master, albedo, affectionately known as the city’s kreideprinz, made your way up to starsnatch cliff.

“dont dawdle, [y/n]”, albedo had called out to you, as he proceeded with remarkable speed up the sloped cliff. you tried not to straggle but still couldn’t keep up with your teacher’s speed. “yes, sir”, you called back, suppressing your gasps for air. the altitude certainly thinned out the air, making your surroundings appear as something of an iridescent blur.

he made another few scribbles on his paper before he set down his pen. albedo rotated in his seat to face you, giving you his same composed, flat expression you had come to know so well. "merely what i see."

he made another few scribbles on his paper before he set down his pen. albedo rotated in his seat to face you, giving you his same composed, flat expression you had come to know so well. "merely what i see."

he made another few scribbles on his paper before he set down his pen. albedo rotated in his seat to face you, giving you his same composed, flat expression you had come to know so well. "merely what i see."

you had expected a more in-depth answer, though you supposed your expectations may have been too high. "and what is it that you see?", you pressed further.

he looked at you for a moment, then turned back to face the landscape that he was trying to emulate on paper. "i see thousands of years of rock that has been eroded by waterflow over time. i see water that flows in from the sea. i see a cumulonimbus clouds, with a scattering of cirrus a few miles away." he turned back to face you, almost expectantly.

he was met with a drawn-out groan from you, as you collapsed back onto the grass, disappointed. "why must you be so clinical?" you looked up at the cumulonimbi albedo had pointed out. you suddenly became more aware of their massive size.

"it is a part of my scientific examination, [y/n]", you heard albedo say, as if it was a matter of fact. "to be able to draw something is to be able to understand its physical form and composition." he paused a moment. "not to mention the creation of art is one of the pillars of human existence."

you let out a chuckle, albeit somewhat cynically. classic albedo, the kreideprinz, forever on his scientific quest to decipher the foundations of humanity and teyvat and whatnot. though you had a respect for the study of alchemy and the pursuits of your master, your outlook on the nature of the world was much simpler. the clouds in the sky were indeed collections of vaporized water hovering in the lower atmosphere, but they were also blobs that oddly resembled whopperflowers. some things could not be explained, and for some reason, that was comforting to you.

"well then", you began, in a mood to challenge albedo further. if not to glean knowledge from, what else would he be good for? you chuckled internally at your own precociousness. "do you believe the world was created? or perhaps, it created itself?" you were confident you had stumped him this time.

another silence befell albedo, but he continued his drawing. "i suppose i do not have a definite answer." you congratulated yourself silently. "although", albedo began again, "if my research and observations do not lie, neither teyvat nor celestia could have been formed intelligently. too much chaos, too much inconsistency exists to assume an intelligent creator." he paused for a moment. "that is precisely why alchemy exists. it is a desperate attempt to control the entropy of the world we live in."

a moment passed, until you propped yourself back on your arms, and looked upon your master's back. albedo's blond hair, usually neat and tied back, adorned with a braid, was now unkempt after having been ruffled by the hours of wind that had blown across the cliff you sat atop. "i disagree", you retorted, which clearly got albedo's attention. he put his pen down and swiveled back around to face you, inquisitively.

"pray tell", he replied. "what is your reasoning?"

you cleared your throat with as much self-important pomp as you could muster. "well", you started, looking albedo directly in the eyes. "i don't think such overwhelming beauty could have been created by anything other than an intelligent being!" you gestured wildly to your general surroundings with the passion of an artist showing off their work. "why, just look at the trees over there! and the grass, and the flowers. and the cliffs and ocean! and you, especially you, master albedo." he held your gaze as you spoke. "don't you suppose you are the most beautiful out of them all?"

the sun had extended beyond its peak, as the late afternoon light began to drench the world in a honey-colored light. your eyes looked into albedo’s sapphire ones, yet you couldn’t make out what was transpiring behind them. he was the eternal enigma, you supposed. moreso than the world you both lived in. perhaps your brazen speech had scared him off. giving up, you plopped back down into the grass, once again, staring up at the warm sky. maybe if you made yourself as small as possible, you could pretend nothing had happened. 

that was until you heard the sound of footsteps traipsing across thick grass, light but steady, approaching you. you held your breath unconsciously. a heavy weight sank down gently next to yours, without warning. then, you felt cold fingers softly brush against your own, as they intertwined themselves between your knuckles and held your hand securely. smiling to yourself, you held it back. 

a/n: this is the sweetest thing i’ve written in a while; i really like it :)

[detectivemarvelingcomics]

Could you do some hcs for dating the teen titans?

Yes I can!! I just got HBO Max so I’ve been binging both the animated and the live action series haha 😂 Thank you so much for being my first request!

Also I’m guessing you’re referring to the original teen titans, so if you want the new teen titans just shoot me another request!

Dating the Teen Titans Would Include...

No Specified AU

TW: Language

Genre: Fluff

[DC Masterlist]

Word Count: 2.0K (About 0.2K per Titan)

Dick Grayson

You must have an insane amount of patience, truly, to be able to date Dick Grayson

If the joke book he probably carries around isn’t enough, I would’ve been certain that the ego would drive you away but nope you’re still here

And that’s how you both knew that it was true fucking love you’re both inseparable and the Titans know it.

To put things simply... he loves you and the Titans fear you.

While you’re both somewhat easygoing and hospitable, one would do well not to piss off one or the other because you both come as a package deal and you can kick ass when necessary you just choose not to embarrass Dick like that because you could totally outmatch him.

Don’t ask him that though he’d insist that he’d win.

Best not bring up the first time you met or else the Titans would never let him live it down

But in all seriousness, I see the relationship as rather lighthearted and enjoyable, maybe a bit spontaneous too. Want to go to the beach? Done. Want to kick some ass in Gotham? For sure. It’s like a match made in heaven.

Not to mention that the Titans rather look up to you, which is a definite plus. Not just anyone can date the Dick Grayson.

Wally West

As opposed to popular opinion... I’d think that this is a rather slow relationship. 

Speedsters are more than just familiar with how life just flashes by so I think Wally would like to enjoy the relationship at a slower pace, he wants it to last as long as possible.

With that said, you’re both menaces. His speed combined with your cleverness? No one is safe and the Titans know it.

The best moment of your relationship, although this is debatable, was when you and Wally successfully turned the Titan tower into an all-out prank minefield. Trash cans were covered with plastic, buckets of water places on doorways, even wardrobes were switched.

And all done in ten seconds, impressive. Nothing quite like starting a war in the Tower then grabbing burgers after, right?

Kind of cheesy but I can see you both having frequent movie nights that differ in genre according to month. You both probably rotate on who chooses the movie too.

Overall I think you both have a lot of fun together, if I were to compare the “vibes” to something, I would say a summer relationship (that obviously lasts longer than just a summer) where everything is just living life as it goes

Nah because like I said before you guys don’t want to rush things, and you’re always there to remind Wally to just slow down every now and then.

I should probably mention that this is a competitive relationship too, before I go, not everything’s a competition but everything’s a competition, you know? It’s a shame that the Titans often get caught in the cross fire though-

Donna Troy

Oh this one’s fun. Donna’s new to this whole “rest of the world” stuff but luckily she has a wonderful partner who’s willing to teach her everything.

A lot of the relationship consists of you explaining things, but it’s kind of endearing despite Donna’s headstrong attitude towards anything

But Donna is also the kind to be open to learning new things, and you’re open to trying new things. It works like clockwork, you’re both young and willing.

Now these “things” can range from baking cookies to extreme mountain climbing so be prepared for anything in this relationship.

Overall I think the Titans see you both as a really cute relationship, one that anyone could be slightly envious of and one that they’re glad that exists

But despite this loving relationship I think you’d both be absolute machines in a battle, I think one thing that is important to Donna is ultimately respect for each other’s abilities, having grown up on Themyscira and all, and maybe that one battle where you absolutely demolished the enemy was when she really caught interest.

Or not. It could’ve also been when you mistakenly ran into one of the glass walls in the tower and she developed a crush over you while you mumbled a series of curses.

This relationship is strongly built on loyalty, so I think you both would be describes as a pair of ride-or-dies who typically tend to lean towards the latter, especially when trying the more extreme things that Donna asked you about.

But overall I think it’s a really sweet relationship with few bumps, they’re still there but I mean that you’re both good at working through them.

Victor Stone

I feel like this relationship is very classical high school romance, you know?

Like walking to class together, holding each other’s books, stuff like that.

But on the other hand I feel like you’re both a very fun couple to be around, like you know how when you’re with some couples it feels like you’re third wheeling? Not these two. You feel like you’re part of the crew

You guys probably switch between fun couple and parent couple every now and then, I can see the Titans relying on both of you a lot for different things.

You and Victor are definitely the type to play games to determine who buys food, like things as simple as rock-paper-scissors to things as complicated as 8-Ball, and so far you’ve been winning at a ratio of 3:1.

Definitely a very trusting relationship, I feel like you both reach that comfortable stage faster than most, but it feels right, you know? I think you’d both understand that relationships go both ways.

There are probably times where you’re both in a teasing mode too, I think, but they’re mostly light hearted pranks, definitely not anything in the realm of what Wally would do

I kinda want to say that you’re a very active couple in that you both like to go to the gym together and idk take hikes together but at the same time I also want to say that you’re both inclined to stay home and play video games so I guess it’s like a 50/50

I can also see Victor being the type to do small acts of generosity as opposed to like buying gifts to show his appreciation for you, like I feel like he’s more inclined to help you with small tasks when he knows you need it, you know? Overall very cute, hehe

Raven (Rachel Roth)

Now this one’s interesting, you and Raven are certainly an interesting duo, but the most interesting thing would likely be how you met. Let’s say it involved a blood sacrifice, a bat, and a very old bicycle.

No you weren’t trying to summon her someone else was you just ended up being at the wrong place at the wrong time anyway moving on

You’re both the perfect example of opposites attract for more reasons than just one. 

But what makes it better is that you’re always open and willing to learn and understand many of the things that Raven does and she appreciates it a lot

It goes both ways also! She’s always willing to do whatever you ask her to and you both end up having at least some fun even if it happens to be something she isn’t used to.

Random, but I think a favorite pass time for both of you is simply sitting in her room and reading books, weird, I know, but like there’s something inherently romantic about either of you excitedly showing the other a certain passage you both enjoyed or telling them about your book, it’s just so sweet.

She definitely has a personal bias towards you, obviously, Garfield can say a joke and she’d stare at him with a straight face but you could say the exact same joke probably right after him and she would crack a smile and she probably does that on purpose but it still feels nice

You also may or may not have caught on to her incantations and now you may or may not be able to perform these spells but you haven’t tried because you wouldn’t know how to but it’s just telling of how much time you spent together.

I only mention this because there was an event in which you corrected her incantation and suddenly hell fire appeared which she had to figure out how to get rid of and since then you both mutually agreed to both (a) not tell the Titans and (b) not say incantations out loud

Koriand’r (Starfire)

STOP YOU GUYS ARE SO CUTE anyway you’re definitely both kinds to see beauty in everything

Maybe this relationship is rather dangerous considering you’re both curious people and Kori happens to be able to shoot lasers out of her eyes so maybe you should both be just a little more careful

You’re both probably very doting on both each other and the rest of the Titans and although you’re both well intentioned it has become a case of “oh no there’s two of them” but in like a teasing way

I feel like Kori is very open to sharing a lot of aspects about her culture with you, and you have always found Tamaran culture to be beautiful so it fits

Likewise you share a lot of things about your culture too and you both bond over finding ways to combine them together to make a nice fusion of understandings and it’s all a sweet combination

See a big thing about this relationship if that you both put your everything into it, it is an equal push and equal pull kind of thing where you both love each other with everything that you have and it creates this unbreakable bond that even non-supers have come to acknowledge

Though this also results in the both of you frequently being in your own world even when others are around and that’s something you both promised to fix but yeah...

It’s coming around, don’t worry. You’re both making active efforts but sometimes it just slips your mind and whoops

Now this should go without saying but this trust often leads to powerful combinations when in missions, you’re both fiercely loyal to each other and this often plays in overall favor so all is well

Garfield Logan

This is a fun relationship, definitely, and one that’s also very fulfilling.

You’re both definitely an outdoorsy couple, things like hikes, nature walks (which I guess is also a hike but I’ve been told otherwise), trips to the zoo, etc. but this all just builds the relationship

Also a very sweet one! You both have an unlimited amount of energy and love that you’re often expending said energy volunteering somewhere and helping others out

But when it boils down you’re both also very touchy, I think, you both like being together at all times and cuddles are a frequent occurrence but at the will of the other Titans you both do this in privacy

I also feel like this sweetness can also “flip,” so to say. As in if someone messes with either of you in the relationship the other will come running regardless of whether or not they could do anything about it.

To put it short, you both have each other’s back all the time. Literally, like I said you’re both inseparable. 

Despite these I think the relationship would actually be rather lowkey, I don’t think he would be the type to constantly showcase the relationship. I think he’d mention it like once to get it out there but after that he wouldn’t flaunt you around.

I just think that Garfield, even with his usual out and about behavior, is rather modest when it comes to this topic because you’re more to him than just someone to show off, you’re someone who’s important to him and overall he just wants you to be comfortable

If there’s one flaw in this relationship it’s that when you have arguments it’s just horrible, but also rather comedic. Neither of you talk to the other but you both end up still being in the same room together subconsciously. It’s kind of awkward but the coincidences are what makes the other Titans laugh and honestly you both make up within, like, a day or something.

[mrarchewannabe]

First Contact and it's Complications: Part 2         Biology Lesson 

This is head researcher Bea'zikal following up from my previous reports as I stated before, I do apologize for the lack explanation and detail in those entries and I will now give you the full documentation of what I have observed with my time spent with Humanity and more specifically Human Head researcher who is referred to as Jamal Alteriq, a very fine scientific mind and excellent guide as he was the one to be our ambassador through Human space and of course to keep eyes on us. We saw many incredible things on our journey and I will explain in due time, but I thought it wise to give a basic run down on human biology to better help visualize the scenes I will explain in later logs. (Note: I advise you to open the attached encrypted files for observation while reading)

Humans are lightly Haired mammals that evolved on a rich but highly diverse Planet that was covered in approximately 71% water with humans living on the 29% of Land, resources were plentiful but competition was fierce as many species competed for control of those same resources, the resources in question being food and 'fresh' water which is a specific term as humans cannot drink water that is above or below a certain Ph. Level or a has a heavy imbalance of minerals;They also cannot drink any water that is contaminated with parasites, or Planetary elements such as dirt. This of course isn't to say humans have entirely weak stomachs as they are capable of consuming certain acids such as Malic and Citric Acid which is used in food flavoring, and of which would result in violent death should either substance be consumed by a Zeatikian, in addition to consumption of such compounds they can digest Certain forms of Alcohol and many forms of Capsaicin which many of course know isn't poisonous but considered non-edible to all Zeatikians and instead sees a use as a defense weapon. Moving on from the topic of consumable and non-consumable liquids brings us to eating habits; Humans specified as Omnivore 'Persistence' Predators, and can consume a wide variety of Meat and Plants, which a balance of both is needed to maintain peak physical form and a healthy digestive and immune system. From what Human Head Researcher Jamal Alteriq has told me ancient human hunting wasn't chasing down prey at high speeds but rather simply outlasting it in a slower walk chase(Note: Humans have a extreme amount of stamina and can walk for hours at a time as they evolved to efficiently maintain a pace of speed) and when the prey was tired and unable to continue on humans would slay the creature and bring it back to be cooked then consumed. (Note: Cooking is one of the few things that are shared in Both Zeatikians and Human evolution) Head Researcher Jamal Alteriq also informed me that eventually ancient Humanity began Agriculture and that is what primarily began to start up human culture and civilization.(Note: again one of the few things that are shared amongst our history)

Head Researcher Jamal Alteriq told me of the Human Life stages which are of a very different cycle of our own from our People the Zeatikians, conception of offspring is relatively the same between our two species, but with various degrees of success in humans as their method of reproduction is relatively different between Human to Human. Head Researcher Jamal Alteriq Suggested that's all we do to speak on the matter and I obliged his request how ever odd I thought it was.(Note: After doing research on this topic myself I also now recommend that all Zeatikian researchers stay away from this topic as well as it's very traumatizing to look at) Humans generally can only have one child every half a cycle but it can be more numerous if chance allows it, and human offspring is extremely vulnerable and must be cared for by it's parents constantly otherwise it will most likely guaranteed to perish; of course in this time human 'infants' (Note: Infants are the name for children that under a cycle and half old) are cared for by not only the parents but also other humans hired to be care takers as well that can give the infants whatever they need at anytime while the parents set off to complete tasks. 

Humans possess what is called an Endoskeleton(Note: Observe attached files) which gives their bodies structure and allows an anchor for their extremely complex muscular system as well as keep internal organs safe and secure. This Endoskeleton is made up of bones of very high calcium content and is extremely durable and strong, shown being able to with stand many hits that could cripple, paralyze or downright kill a healthy Zeatikian. Infant humans start out with more numerous but weaker bones and cartilage numbering around 300 individual structures but eventually after many cycles they all fuse into their respective positions and become stronger and thicker; this is most prominent around what they call their 'Skull' which is a bone structure that contains their brain and connects to the spinal column (Note: Observe Highlighted Area) and starts out segmented and eventually becomes fully fused and one solid structure in about 22 cycles. Part of the function of the skull is a basic one hinged jaw that contains anywhere from 32 to 36 bone structures they call teeth which allows them to tear through tougher foods and aids in digestion, the human jaw is relatively weak surprisingly only able to produce 300UPSQ which would absolutely be enough to hurt a Zeatikian so I would advise you be careful.

Adolescent Human offspring undergoes a change around 9 Cycles in males and 7.5 in females, as they approach sexual maturity they begin to swell on muscle mass and increase in growth exponentially over a time period of 4 cycles, during this time hormones are pumped through and over about 1.5 to 2 cycles the voice deepens and body hair is increased, this incredible change is known to cause certain behavior changes as well as changes in diet and appetite. Many human females have certain large orifices located on their chests that are used primarily to feed their young, which should have been obvious seeing how I have already stated they are indeed mammals,(Note: I have been told to report on this much only as logging anymore would make many among the human population uncomfortable, I do not know why but I shall oblige) and as mammals they are indeed warm blooded, which means they do not take too well to fluctuating temperatures as Being in below freezing temperatures for too long can lead to a humans death in about 20 minutes should they be naked in said weather; and so if in the future you have humans boarding your vessel be sure to keep it atleast a median temperature of 400TM and provide them with necessary heating elements if they do not have any.

Humans possess a 'Circulatory system' much like our own that pumps blood all across it's body at a very steady rate of 60 to 100 beats per tick, which is quite slow compared to our 120 to 150 beats per tick. Humans also possess a blood color that shines a bright red compared to that of a Zeatikian that has a bright purple hue, both of our species have iron in our respective Hemoglobins but our kind carries what they call 'Hemerythrin' while they carry whats called 'Heme' and thus that's what gives the difference in blood pigmentation. They also possess various different organs that process everything from sugars and proteins to alcohol and carbs, the 'Liver' which is described as a 'Blood Filter' cleanses the blood as it passes through it, while organs like the 'Kidneys' process liquid waste, sugars, salts, and all minerals to help keep it stable within the body.

The Human 'Immune system' is a very strong and very important system in the human body as humans do not have segmented Carapaces like all Zeatikian's have, rather they possess a skin of 7 layers and this layered skin protects the body from the outside world, when penetrated or slashed open blood will began to flow out much like a broken carapace or cut joint segment would, the cells in the human would try to seal the cut with platelets which will form a scab, which is a temporary seal while the skin is being repaired anew; as this process does share similarities with the way our Carapace heals itself our process is much slower while the humans can heal their skin in a matter of a few rotations depending on the severity of the injury. Of course during the cut possible bacteria and other such microorganisms could have infiltrated the bloodstream and usually once successful they become targeted by the protector cells or as humans call them 'white blood cells' for destruction.

The 'Digestive track' is relatively self-explanatory so I will be brief on the subject, when food is consumed it is first chewed and made wet by the 'Saliva' a human produces in their mouth which helps break it down further and eases the transfer of food from the mouth down the 'Trachea' as they call it and into the 'Stomach' which becomes broken down by 'Stomach' acid,various compounds,and gut bacteria that absorb the nutrients and forward the waste through what humans call the 'Large Intestine' which then transfers through the 'Small intestine' which is the excreted by the Human, relatively the same processes any Zeatikian goes through.

Humans of this modern era however are nearly perfect as about 1000 cycles ago an event on their home world that was put into motion made humans as nearly perfect as they could be biologically, but this change however was not a instant process as the changes would only take place slowly after every generation, each one living longer then the last, getting sick less, and less in the population being born with genetic conditions that had debilitated humanity for eons. Nowadays it is rarer for humans to catch a sickness, but impossible for any human being to be born with a genetic condition aside from the few they found desirable. Many live long fulfilling lives from what I'm told by Head Researcher Jamal Alteriq, some living their full total lifespans of 200 cycles which I can only dream of living a mere 40 cycles let alone a long 200 cycles. 

This concludes my report on the basic biology of humanity I hope you found it informative and helpful, I shall work on my next log about human economic and social status, which Human Head Researcher Jamal Alteriq Helped immensely on. 

Head Researcher Bea'zikal Signing off

(I hope you enjoy the sequel to what I wrote first I'm really proud of this one but please tell me if there is anything I could do to better my writing? Constructive criticism is appreciated, more parts on the way)

[power-tools-for-homeowners]

Power Tools For Homeowners

As a homeowner, power tools cannot be missing in your house. These will make your life a lot easier when you get down to business with your creations and arrangements. Not just for comfort, but for efficiency. You will notice the results immediately and will not want to part with them.

However, there are 10 power tools that every homeowner must have. 

The Bharat Traders is where you will get to know everything about hardware

Miter saw

A miter saw is a saw used to make precise crosscuts and miter cuts in a work piece by placing a saw blade mounted on a board. 

2. Cordless drill

Cordless drill is a type of cordless power tool. The hand drill is a compound tool used to drill through various materials. The holes are made through a material removal process using tools called drill bits or drill bits for various materials.

3. Reciprocating saw

The saber saw, so called precisely because the position of the blade is similar to that of a saber, is very similar to the jigsaw in that its working principle is identical to that of the jigsaw and it can be equipped with a variety of blades for different purposes.

4. Jigsaw

A jigsaw, is a type of saw used to cut any curves, such as template designs or other shapes, into a piece of wood, veneer, chipboard, melamine, PVC, synthetic glass, cardboard, leather, aluminum, zinc, Styrofoam, cork, fiber cement, steel etc. 

5. Circular saw

The circular saw is a machine for sawing wood, metal, plastic or other materials lengthwise or crosswise. It is equipped with an electric motor that spins a circular blade at high speed. 

6. Random Orbital Sanders

A sander is a machine that, by attaching sandpaper or cloth, makes it possible to carry out the sanding process on a surface, generally wood, although it can be used to sand various materials and is called a semi-automatic tool.

7. Paint Sprayer

A paint sprayer is a container in which a liquid is stored, which has a device at the top that allows this liquid to be dispensed in vaporized form to eject . The ejection mechanism can be activated manually or by gas.

8. Air Compressor

An air compressor is a pneumatic device that converts energy into potential energy stored in compressed air. Using one of several methods, an air compressor forces increasing amounts of air into a storage tank, increasing the pressure.

9. Hammer Drill

The main function of this type of drill is striking. This is that when it is executed it offers us two movements: the rotation of the drill and a small hammering that allows us to carry out the work more comfortably.

10. Wood Router

The router is a power tool used to route or drill a specific area of ​​hard parts such as wood or plastic. Widely used in woodworking, this hand tool owes its name to two different countries and their importance.

To know about drapery hardware and door handles do visit our latest blog.

[that--unusual-person]

Pillar Men Anatomy

Documented 16 March 2021 (10:23 PM)

By. Tekely von Unusual (that unusual person)

((This was only made for fun so everything here i tried to make similar to canon as possible.  Plus, i love science.  And studying ancient beings.))

Bone Structure

There seem to be bones in a Pillar Mans body.  But when in contact with hamon they seem to vanish.  -Example: Santana’s body being split in half.  His bones are gone and all that shows is the flesh, blood, and muscle of the body.-

Hamon could possibly destroy a Pillar Mans bone easily being directly struck with a ripple.  -Example: Kars’s Bone Blade.  His Bone Blade is made of his own forearms bone, extending outwards, sharpened to act as a knife with a metallic-like look to it.  In contact with hamon via Joseph striking the blade, the weapon is shattered immediately along with hamon coursing through the bone to the flesh of the arm.-  -Counter: Esidisi’s arm.  His arm was rotating with ripple flowing around it.  The second the skin and muscle melted and the rotation stopped the bones were still intact but sizzling.-

It is possible Pillar Men have a flexible bone structure that surpasses reflexive limits but are very weak to hamon.

A Pillar Man can rearrange their bone structure and break it at will.  Their bones can heal in a matter of seconds.  -Example: Santana’s configuration to fit in a 2cm vent.  Wamuu bending his spine in his first fight with Joseph.-

They’re bones can also be sharpened or dulled.  -Example: Kars’s Bone Blades and Santana’s Rib Blades.-

Final Analysts: Bones are infinitely jointed and mandible but very weak to hamon.

Muscles

Body is made of mostly muscle.  When damaged the material of the tissue in the wound is coated in a strange glow to keep an open wound from being infected(?). Glowing is a sign of healing in progress(?).  -Counter: The sunlight reflecting off the moon (possibly) effects the Pillar Mens body.-  -Counter: Glow shows even in areas where sunlight can’t hit and the moon is not present.-

Since Pillar Men don’t need to feed through their mouths, they absorb food through their bodies.  Possible with no stomach they have digestive cells in their muscles that swallow food and reproduce it as energy and muscle.  -Example: Santana eating the vampire prisoner.  As Santana absorbs the vampire the energy transfers from one to another.  When he’s finished Santana’s muscles begin to bulge expanding in mass with some of the vampire still being absorbed, proof that he is consuming nutrients on a cellular level causing muscle growth.-

Final Analysts: Muscles are a very important asset of a Pillar Mans body and are the source of power and energy.

Skin

Same as humans but with more mutant-like abilities.  The skin can stretch without being broken.  -Example:  Santana fitting into a 2cm vent and a human body.  Wamuu dodging Joseph’s surprise Hamon Clacker Valley attack by shifting his upper body a foot or two away from his legs at high speeds.-

The flesh can be manipulated, turning into something similar to soft liquid or solid like rock.  -Example: Santana avoiding Joseph’s attack.  When the knife Joseph used on Santana came in contact with Santana’s arm the flesh around the knife became rubbery, never piercing the skin.  When Joseph tries using hamon through Santana’s eyes, his head deforms while turning his eyes and head into a rubber-like substance.-

-Example: Kars taking bullet fire.  Kars turns his body to rubber to absorb the impact of the bullets/possibly absorbing them. (There is no evidence of blood when Kars is hit.)-

-Example: Santana solidifying his body.  Santana hardens his body the second he comes in contact with the sun, but the armored body he wears can not protect him for long; his body begins to crack and chip away indicating the stone is still apart of his body and the sun still has a deadly effect on him.  When the sun overpowers his stone armor, he turns into a statue, protecting himself completely in solid rock, a last-minute of protection from the rays of the sun.-  -Example: Pillar Men sleeping.  When they rest their bodies turn to stone for protection and security.-  

They possibly morph into a wall and turn to stone, during their stone form they are able to absorb life or turn it to stone when in contact with them.  -Example: Pillar Men absorbing Caesar’s father and Santana turning a snake into stone.  They are still alive and are still feeding on nutrients through the stone.-

Final Analysts: Flesh can be manipulated into any shape or form of material.

Blood

Their blood normal aspects are similar to a human’s normal blood minus control over it.  They can control their blood flow and how hot it can get.  -Example: Esidisi.  Esidisi’s Heat Mode allows him to shoot his blood out of his veins at will.  The blood is boiling reaching 500 degrees max.-

Cells that break down food are also in the blood.  They will work the same way as the muscle but only absorbing food if it stays in the Pillar Mans body.  Their blood is similar to stomach acid, only breaking down food once it reaches the inside of the body but not having an affect once it meets oxygen outside the body.

Final Analysts: Pillar Men can manipulate their blood at anytime.

Horns

A Pillar Man’s horn(s) can mean multiple things depending on the Pillar Man’s purpose.  It is possible the horns can be attracted and retracted.  -Example: Wamuu and Kars.  Wamuu can bring out his horn at command at any time.  Kars hides his horns under his head wrap, with no signs of them it’s confirmed that they are retracted into his head.- 

Some may use it as a weapon.  -Example: Wamuus horn.  Wamuu uses his horn as a weapon or to see wind better than light.  It is used similar a radar feeling wind flow through objects and against them, Wamuu is able to sense where the wind flows and when it stops.  His horn is also used in his ultimate mastery, Atmospheric Rift, where razor blade winds are shot out from the base of the horn.  The spirals on his horn allow the wind to circulate around it and flow out like a tornado giving it enough power and rotation to cut through stone.-  

The horn or horns can be changed in size.  -Example: Wamuu awakening.  When Wamuu wakes he uses his horn to stab a German Soldier holding him in the air and soon after mowing down more with his horn rotating at speeds that slice a human body in half.  The horn is extended to reach what looks to be 9-12 yards long.-

Or it may be seen as a sign of honor or declaration of battle.  -Example: Kars revealing his horns.  Kars said to Lisa Lisa before their dual that bestowing his horn to her marks their battle.-

Another way showing their horns could be as a sign of aggression.  -Example: Esidisi’s last stand.  Upon inescapable defeat, Esidisi reveals one of his many horns through his form when he quotes Joseph of ‘pushing him too far’.  Esidisi’s horn could be shown as an act of rage and transformation (his head turning into something similar to a beast).-

Final Analysts: Horns can be controlled and be used as symbols or weapons.

Marks

The Pillar Men’s tribal marks are given to them at birth similar to birthmarks.  -Example: Baby Wamuu.  During the flashback about Kars’s uprising, we see Wamuu as a babe with his horn yet to have grown but the mark he wears is there.-

Some marks are passed on by families, all are different in shapes and colors(???).  The mark of the Pillar Man’s meanings and or history is earned and titles behind the marks.  -Example: Strength.  Wamuu’s strength physical and mental strength in battle is how he earned his tribal marks meaning.-

Final Analysts: Pillar Men tribal marks are compared to human birthmarks.

Regeneration

Cells in a Pillar Man’s body is boosted to reproduce new skin tissue rather than scar tissue.  Bone modeling is enhanced, the regrowth is shortened to near minutes of completion.  Bones seem to grow after the flesh and muscle are attached or regrown.  Any dose of hamon to a Pillar Man’s body will slow down the regeneration.  -Example: Kars’s injured arm.  When Joseph struck Kars’s Bone Blade with hamon, it shattered the blade along with hamon radiating through the arm.  In the span of minutes Kars’ arm continues to ooze with the glowing substance.-

Final Analysts: Regeneration abilities are quicker versions of the body healing wounds and modeling bones.

Before the masks

Pillar Men were possibly similar to humans before Kars invented the mask.  They live longer lives but reproduction is rare.  They seem to hunt animals instead of humans, showing they need nutrients as humans do.  -Example: Kars’s flashback.  It is seen at a wide dinner table the Pillar tribe is seen eating nutrients such as meat and other fruits and vegetables.-

Final Analysts: Pillar Men before the mask have similar traits as humans.

Final Evolution

The final mask used to complete a Pillar Man’s evolution seems to give them extra genes and immunity to sunlight.  The genes given to a Pillar Man are connected to nature.  They are able to form their bodies into different parts of an animal.  -Example: Kars.  He is able to create wings from his arms to his back, scales that reflect bullets that are capable of turning into paranas to tentacles from his arms or even from detached parts of his skin.-

They also have the power to create other living beings from their body but at the cost of their body.  Essentially playing god.  -Example: Kars creating a squirrel.  Kars is able to create a squirrel from his hand and is possible a part of his mind in the form of an animal, sharing the same body and genes.  On the squirrels return to Kars, it then morphs into different living objects of nature.-

Final Analysts: The final evolution of a Pillar Men gives them extra genes from different living organisms of nature.

Modes

A Pillar Man’s mode is powered by their body.  Esidisi’s being heat, Wamuu of wind, Kars of light, and Santana a master of the body and flesh.  It seems they can only control the element of their mode only through their body.  -Counter: Wamuu.  Wamuu retracting Caesar’s blood bubble towards him with his wind mode or lighting the fire more.- 

It could be possible Wamuu spins his body at such speeds unseen by the human eye that the wind is attracted to him, or Wamuu uses his pipes from his chest to suck air in, he could possibly pull wind into his body and is able to shoot it out through his fingertips like Esidisi releases his veins.  Wamuu’s divine sandstorm is caused by high-speed rotations of his arms.  They rotate at a max velocity similar to a jet engine on a plane causing great winds enough to damage stone to appear.  Kars can only use his light from his body, it’s possible he uses his bone blades to reflect artificial light off one another to add a blinding light to it.  It is unknown how Kars is able to form light through his body.  Esidisi is able to control the temperature of his body with ease.  Similar to a human getting a fever, Esidisi heats his body up boosting fever-like symptoms burning his body and boiling his blood during the process.  Similar to a fire under a kettle of tea.

Final Analysts: Pillar Men modes are centered around their bodies’ natural capabilities and movements.

Conclution: They evolve like Pokemon.  lol