How To Have Cybersex On The Internet (1996)

archive.org/details/howtohavecybersex

archived by Carta Monir

Better Than Fiction

Fox Mulder, new in town, meets Dana Scully- a waitress at the diner he visits every day. Immediately intrigued by her, he becomes even more so when he learns more about her...

Last year, I set out to write 25 Christmas stories. Well, I made it to 23 and had to admit defeat when I knew I would not be able to meet that goal. The reason I had to stop was because THIS story in particular went far beyond what I would have been able to finish in a few days time. So, I have been working on it steadily for the past year. Off and on, I have been adding to this story and I am so excited to finally share it with you all.

Chapter One

J & M’s Diner became like a second home to Fox Mulder when he first moved to the city.

Every morning he would arrive by nine a.m. and walk to a small two person booth, near the back and out of the way. Out would come his laptop and mouse, a notebook and pen, and his glasses case. His bag was then placed onto the other seat and he would sit, cracking open his laptop, and waiting for it to wake up.

A cup of coffee and a pastry would be placed onto the table, the waitress smiling at him as she lightly touched his shoulder and walked away. He would smile as he watched her, staring at the haphazard way she tied her apron bow. Every time he saw it, he both wanted to fix it and leave it be, the bow drawing his eye throughout the day.

He was a writer and worked as he sat in the diner, finding he got more done there than at home. Not only for the ease of not worrying about food or drink, but also for the stimulation of the employees and the patrons who frequented the diner.

Living alone in a modest sized high rise apartment not far from the diner, he would find excuses not to write, procrastinating horribly. He would clean, organize, do laundry, taking the time to fold everything methodically.

He had found a chip in the paint on the wall one day, which had led him to the hardware store to buy new paint. What should have then been a quick touch up job, had turned into a five day project, the entire living/dining room repainted and then rearranged.

And not one word had been written.

Being at the diner was better for him, his fingers flying over the keyboard as ideas filled his head.

A white woman with a silver gray bob, whose age he could not determine, in wide tortoiseshell sunglasses and a long fur coat, (real fur he was certain) became a heiress in his mind. A torrid love affair had left her near penniless, her fur coat one of the last items she kept that was of any value.

The Hispanic man who came in every morning wearing his large white headphones, never speaking much but bopping his head to the tunes only he could hear, became a record executive, trying to find the next new up and coming artists.

The thin older black woman who always dressed to the nines and sat quietly in her booth by the window sipping her tea, had lost a lover years ago and the diner had been where they had used to meet, happy and laughing the day away.

His fingers had fumbled over her story, finding a deep sadness within it, and he’d had to stop writing it. Instead, he had sat down with her one day and asked her about her life. Her smile had changed her whole face, her dark brown eyes sparkling and the smile lines around her mouth deepening.

She had agreed to allow him to record her stories and they had spent days talking and laughing as she told him about her child and adulthood. She had been so much more than even he could imagine and he loved speaking to her every day, then transcribing her words later at home.

The Puerto Rican family who stopped in on Friday evenings though, they were his favorites. Husband and wife, with six kids, would come in for dinner and dessert. Laughing and singing, the husband and wife would dance around, the owners of the diner playing music and joining in with the excitement.

He imagined them as a happy family, money a bit tight perhaps, judging by the adults' clothing, but the children never went without. Friday at the diner, kids ate for free, so those nights were special, something to look forward to the most.

Not until he had been frequenting the diner for awhile, did he learn that they were actually family members of the owners. They could have actually come in any day and eaten for free, but they kept it only to Friday’s, something Fox found endearing.

Those nights when he stayed later than usual, he would not write, but watch them with a notebook in front of him. He would sketch them, capturing the images of them dancing, the kids laughing with huge sundaes before them, and the other patrons smiling and joining their happiness.

He loved Friday evenings.

In the two months of getting to know everyone, right down to the delivery men’s days and times, his reason for coming to the diner began to evolve. He now mostly came to see and speak to one of the waitresses.

Her name was Dana and every time he saw her, she made him smile. She was funny, sassy, and kind. He watched the way she treated customers, with firmness if needed, but mostly with kindness, laughing as she brought them their food.

She worked the morning shift and though it was generally busy, it would slow down at times, affording them a chance to talk and get to know one another.

She was twenty eight, with blue eyes and red hair she usually wore in two French braids looped together into a low bun at the base of her neck.

Incredibly intelligent, their discussions of topics flowed far more easily than any date he had been on in his life. Current events, politics, religion, movies, television shows, literature- they discussed it all. She was well read and they often swapped books.

He loved reading her books as she did not treat them gently or carefully, something in which most people took pride. Hers were worn in and well loved. She highlighted the bits she enjoyed, in many different colors, underlined passages, leaving little notes and even questions in the margins.

As he read, he would jot her notes down into one of his many notebooks, making sure to discuss them when he returned the book, her eyes lighting up and hands flying excitedly as she shared her thoughts with him.

One morning, after he had returned a book, he helped her refill the spices and condiments. A waitress had called in sick the night before and as a result, Dana had to catch up on some extra work. He offered to help her, which meant he had her attention for even longer than usual.

They discussed the book as they refilled the sugar dispensers and then she told him about a holiday trip she had taken when she was younger.

If she had quizzed him later about what she had said, he would have been unable to tell her. His attention instead drawn to her expressions, the way she licked her lips, and the blue of her eyes.

Days and weeks of being around her, if he were asked to pinpoint when he fell for her, it would have been that moment as they refilled the sugar, the jukebox in the corner playing a collection of Elvis songs, and he listened to her sing along quietly with a smile.

Yes… he had fallen hard.

On a Monday morning in December, he looked around as he arrived and set up his work station, saying hello to the other employees, not seeing Dana walking through the diner. He had another of her books to return and discuss, if she had a spare moment, but she was not there.

Lucy, one of the other waitresses, came over bringing his coffee and a danish, smiling softly at him.

“Is Dana not here?” he asked her, knowing her scheduled shifts, and Lucy shook her head. “Oh. Is she okay?”

“She is. I think she’ll be here later, hon.” She smiled at him again and walked away, leaving him feeling confused and slightly worried.

He drank his coffee and ate his pastry, one eye on the door, until he became engrossed in his writing.

A couple of hours later, he stretched as he rose from his booth and brought his plate and cup to the counter. Setting it down, he glanced over at a little girl sitting on a bar stool by herself.

She had reddish brown hair in two long braids and she wore denim overalls over a long sleeved black shirt and pink boots with fuzzy gray tops.

She twisted the barstool back and forth, drinking milk as she looked at a book. He was not good with knowing children’s ages, but he assumed she was probably about six.

She looked up, catching his eye, and she stopped her movements. Taking the straw out of her mouth, she smiled at him, her blue eyes shining.

“Are you Fox?” she asked and he frowned.

“I… I am…”

“My mommy told me about you.”

“Your… who?”

“My mommy,” she said with a giggle, pointing across the diner to Dana who was speaking to Joe, the manager, and his frown deepened. He had not heard or seen her come in and he certainly did not know anything about her having a daughter.

“She’s your… mom?” he asked, looking back at her and the little girl nodded.

“Do you want me to move? My mommy said that you like to sit here sometimes.”

“What? No, you can stay. Could I sit here next to you?”

“Okay. But that stool doesn’t turn like this one,” she said, twisting the stool she sat on again. “I’ve tried all of them, but this one’s the best.”

“Why do you think I usually choose that one?” he asked as he sat beside her, trying to make sense of who she was and why he had never heard of her in all of the conversations he’d had with Dana.

“You like to spin the stool?” she asked him, drinking her milk again.

“Of course I do. I enjoy the squeak it makes,” he said and she giggled with a nod as the stool indeed did squeak.

“Ivy, don’t drink all of that milk. I have Manny making you some…” Dana stopped speaking as Fox turned his head to look at her. “Oh…” Her face dropped, as did her shoulders, and she sighed deeply.

“Mommy, Fox said I could stay here,” the little girl said to Dana and he nodded in the affirmative, wanting to reassure her.

“She was already there…” he said, smiling slightly, but Dana did not return it with one of her own.

“Dana, Ivy’s food is up,” Manny, the cook and other owner, called with a smile and Dana turned around. Walking to the counter, she lifted the plate with a thank you as she walked back to them.

“Honey, get your things and we’ll go sit in one of the back booths, okay? I’ll bring your food over.”

“Okay, Mommy.” She slid off the stool and picked up a pink backpack and teal colored puffy coat. Sliding the backpack on, she carried her coat and glass, walking to a booth near his own as Dana followed behind.

Confusion filled his mind as he followed them, watching her with the little girl as she set down her plate of food and brushed the loose strands of hair back with a smile. She said something to the girl and she nodded as she set her glass down and took off her backpack, putting it and the coat on the seat beside before sliding into the booth.

Kissing her head, Dana turned and walked toward him, her eyes downcast. As she reached him, she raised her eyes and sighed deeply.

“You have a lot of questions, I’m sure,” she said, glancing back at the little girl.

“Just one,” he said, smiling softly at her. “Did you say her name is Ivy?” She stared at him and he raised his eyebrows.

“Yeah,” she said, frowning at him. “You don’t have any other questions? Really?”

“You don’t owe me an explanation,” he said, shaking his head. “I’m… a patron of this diner and your life is your own.”

“A patron? I thought… I thought that we were friends?” she asked, looking down again before glancing at Ivy and then back at him, her eyes sad as she bit her lower lip.

“Yeah. I think we are too,” he agreed quietly and she closed her eyes for a second. When she opened them, they were full of tears.

“Joe, I need a few more minutes,” she called, her voice shaky, wiping at her eyes as Joe nodded with a smile.

“Take as long as you need, hon,” he said and she sniffed with a nod back at him.

“Can I buy you breakfast?” she asked Fox, biting her lip again and exhaling a breath through her nose.

“How about if I buy you breakfast? You look exhausted,” he said softly, taking in her rather disheveled appearance, especially her hair in its messy bun and the tired expression on her face. She stared at him with her eyes wide and he shook his head. “That sounded better and far less… insulting, in my head.” She laughed bitterly and sighed.

“I have a five year old daughter I care for on my own. I think I’ve been, and most likely appeared, exhausted for years.”

“No. I don’t think that’s true. Sit down and tell me whatever you want me to know about her, or anything else.”

She sighed again, sitting down beside Ivy with a nod. He sat opposite her and smiled at Ivy, who was eating pancakes and eggs.

“Mommy? Can I watch a movie?”

“Yes, baby. Can you get your headphones though, so it’s not loud for the other people?”

“Yes.”

She wiped her mouth across her sleeve and Dana groaned, reaching for a napkin as Ivy opened her backpack, taking out a tablet in a large case and her headphones; cushioned pink ones with rainbow cat ears. She plugged them in and turned on a movie, as she continued to eat.

“She’s cute,” Fox said, smiling at her as he watched her pause in her chewing to smile at something on the screen.

“Thank you,” Dana whispered, touching Ivy’s head and sighing as she looked at him. “I didn’t mention her to you because-”

“Dana, your life is your own. You owe me no information when it comes to anything personal,” he said softly, glancing at Ivy. “To be fair, I never asked if you had a child.”

“Why would you have?” she asked quietly with a sigh.

“Well, have you ever asked me that question?” he asked softly and she frowned for a second.

“Do… do you have children?”

“No,” he said, shaking his head. “There, now we know that detail about each other.” He smiled and she sighed again.

“This part is funny, Mommy,” Ivy giggled and Dana smiled, touching her head again.

“I moved here, we moved here, almost a year ago. I wanted a change and a chance to… grow up a bit I guess,” she said quietly. “Her father isn’t in the picture. We had our set of problems as a couple and most definitely should have split up before… well, before her, but then…” She looked at Ivy and smiled with a shake of her head.

“We tried to make it work, but he wasn’t… wasn’t what either of us needed. When Ivy was three months old, he left. He said he wasn’t ready, that he had his own plans and dreams and a baby… well that complicated those plans.” She shook her head again and exhaled heavily. “He left the state and I’ve not heard from him since.”

“Really?” Fox asked incredulously, his hands balling into fists.

“Yeah. I know we weren’t perfect together, but…” She breathed softly, running a finger across the tabletop. “Not sure what his “big plans” were, but my sister found him on Facebook recently and he has a wife, a toddler, and a baby on the way. Guess he was ready, just didn’t want that with us.” She sighed again and shook her head.

“Sounds like he was a real bastard,” he said quietly, feeling angry at any man who could just walk away from his child and forget all about her while he lived a different life.

“He didn’t start out like that… no, he kind of did but I… Yeah, it sure ended that way,” she said with a nod and a sigh.

“What does she know about him?” he asked, gesturing to Ivy and watching Dana’s face.

“Not much. She hasn’t asked about him. Not him anyway, but she knows she doesn’t have a dad the way some kids might. But, she doesn’t remember him at all and I don’t talk about him, so he’s like a… a nonperson to us. She doesn’t know a different life and she sees kids at school who have just a mom, or a dad, or two moms and two dads. Every family is different, I always tell her, and that’s what makes us special.” She shrugged and he nodded. Raising her eyes to his, she blinked back tears. “I didn’t tell you about her because… well, there’s pain in my past when it comes to-”

“Dana,” he interrupted her, wanting to touch her, but refraining from doing so. “Like I already said, you have every right to keep your life private. We barely know one another, aside from what we do know. It’s…” He shrugged and glanced at Ivy with a smile.

“I still feel like it was a big thing to omit.”

“How many siblings do I have?” he asked quietly.

“What?” she asked, frowning.

“How many?”

“I… I don’t know.”

“Where did I grow up?”

“I don’t know…”

“You see?” he asked kindly. “We’re… friends, but also… we’ve not divulged every detail about ourselves.”

“Yeah,” she whispered. “I suppose.”

Manny came over to the table and set down plates of food, though they had not yet ordered anything. He smiled with a nod and then walked away.

Pancakes, waffles, bacon and eggs, mashed potatoes, and chocolate pudding sat before them and Dana smiled as she pushed the pudding toward Ivy.

“Oh! Yum. Pudding! Thanks, Mommy,” she said, a bit too loudly and Dana laughed.

“You work days while she’s in school,” Fox stated and Dana nodded. “But today she’s not. She’s not sick. She doesn’t look it anyway and I can’t imagine you’d bring her here if she were.”

“No. She’s not sick.”

“But something happened.”

“You could say that,” she said, rubbing her hands across her face. “I got an email late last night that her school has had an outbreak of lice and is shutting down for the rest of the week.” She looked at him and sighed. “I woke her up last night, feeling as though I was covered in them and needing to check her head. I felt terrible as she kept crying and saying she wanted to sleep.” She shook her head and stared at him with tired eyes.

“She’s obviously okay. Both of you are.”

“Yes, but I still took nearly all of our clothing, towels, and linens to the laundromat and spent the last few hours washing them. We also saw a hairdresser friend of mine and she checked both of us and we’re fine, but…” She glanced at Ivy, who was paying attention to her movie, and then looked back at him. “It’s been a really long fucking day.”

He raised his eyebrows, surprised as he had never heard her swear. Nodding, he looked down at the food.

“Yeah… I think that pudding may have been for you,” he said and she laughed softly.

“The potatoes are,” she said. “I love mashed potatoes. It’s my comfort food.”

“You’ve had a bad day. You deserve all the potatoes.”

“Thank you. For listening. For understanding,” she said, smiling at him as he handed her the bowl of mashed potatoes.

“Of course,” he said, dishing out the plates of food, making sure she got most of it. “So, you’ve been up all night.”

“Pretty much,” she replied. “I knew she was in the clear, but I wasn’t sure about myself as I couldn’t check very easily. I showered, washed my hair twice, then put it up in a shower cap, bagged my clothes and hers, and stripped the sheets as she slept on the couch. I washed what I could in the laundry room of our apartment, but it wasn’t going to be enough and it would have taken too long to wash everything. I knew we were okay, but I also couldn’t stop scratching at my head and skin. I wasn’t going to take any precautions.”

“I completely understand.”

“Now, I have to work and I have no idea what to do with her while I do.”

“Take the day off, I’m sure Joe already told you you could.”

“He did, but I… need the money. I can’t miss a day.”

“You have to have sick days…”

“Yes, but I need to save them for when she’s actually sick.”

“I could…”

“No,” she said, her eyes hard.

“You didn’t let me finish,” he said softly. “I was going to say, I could watch her. Keep her here with me through the day.” Her expression changed, but she shook her head.

“No. I can’t ask you to do that.”

“Dana, I’m already here,” he said, touching her hand and smiling. “We’ll be right here, you do what you have to do, and you can check in on us whenever you want.”

“You have to write,” she said, turning her hand to hold his thumb, shaking her head. “I can’t ask-”

“You aren’t. I’m offering.” He squeezed her hand and she opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted.

“Mommy, can I have some water?” Ivy asked, tapping on her arm. “I’m thirsty.”

“Yeah, I’ll be right back.” She let go of his hand and left the booth.

He glanced over at Ivy, watching her pause with a spoonful of pudding near her chocolate covered mouth, smiling and laughing before she ate the bite. He smiled at her as he shook his head.

Dana came back with a tray of drinks, water and orange juice for all of them and coffee for the two of them. She set it down and sat back in the booth with a sigh, sliding Ivy her glass of water.

“Be careful, okay? Two hands.”

“I got it, Mommy,” Ivy said, lifting the glass to her mouth and taking a long drink.

“Joe told me to go home and get everything sorted out and not worry about work today.”

“Good. That’s what you should do.”

“I hate leaving others in a lurch. And the money… I really need it, especially this time of year.”

“But…”

“I know. I need to take care of things at home. I have laundry to fold and put away, and the apartment to clean. I’m just so tired.”

“I can help you if you’d like-”

“Fox…”

“Dana…” he began again, clearing his throat, putting his hand up to ask her to listen. She sighed and nodded her head. “First of all, you know Joe, and from getting to know him myself, I know he won’t let you go the day without being paid. I’ve been coming here for two months and not once have you missed a shift. You’ve even covered for others when they’ve called out.”

“I know but-”

“Joe and Manny know your value. They know you have a situation that’s out of your hands and well… you should take the day.”

“I know,” she said with a glance at Ivy. “The tips I would get though, that’s what I rely on every day.”

“How much would you get in tips?” he asked and her eyes came back to look at him.

“Why are you asking me that?” she questioned him with a frown. “Fox, I don’t-”

“We’re friends right?”

“We… we are…”

“Friends help each other out.”

“But, I don’t-”

“Let me be your friend. Let me help you.”

She stared at him as he smiled and she opened and closed her mouth, frowning as she shook her head gently, but finally sighed with a curt nod.

“But I won’t take money. I don’t want… that won’t sit well with me.”

“That’s understandable,” he said, putting his hands up in surrender. “Let’s eat and then whatever you need help with, that doesn’t involve anything monetarily, I’m here for you.” He smiled and she sighed again as she nodded in acceptance. “Good. Now, eat your mashed potatoes and we’ll get going.”

“When you see all there is to do, you may regret offering your assistance.”

“Nah,” he said, reaching for the syrup and pouring some onto his pancakes. “I enjoy completing tasks.”

“Hmm,” she hummed disbelievingly, shaking her head slightly as she took a bite of potatoes.

He only smiled at her as he glanced at Ivy, already intrigued to learn more about her and the new side of Dana he had yet to meet.

chapter four !! getting close to some of the bigger reveals ^^

check it out on ao3 if you prefer that!

or read below the cut!

general summary :

evidence starts to be gathered, and emmet begins to explain himself.

word count :

1,565

“ boss emmet? i thought you went home earlier than usuaaaaal- hello officers! what brings you to our humble station at such an hour? ”

jackie, if good at one thing, was reading the room. the boss was not standing in his usual confident, rigid posture; despite being the tallest person in the room, it looked as if he was somewhat trying to make himself seem smaller. noting the brown and purple haired officers at either of his sides; not by name, seeing as they weren’t faces they exactly recognized, but the shiny silver interpol badges pinned on their persons was enough.

scooting back in their desk chair, the depot agent adjusted their hat, fixing their posture more formally and sitting up straight.

“ cameron’s doing a maintenance round on the southbound tunnel, if you’re looking for him. ”

“ from what we’ve been told, mx. jackie, you’re the individual we need to speak with. we need you to pull up the security camera footage in mr. treyne’s office from about 1:29pm. ”

the man with darker hair nodded, his hands resting in his pockets loosely.

“ got it. ”

with a nod and small two fingered salute, they spun in their chair to face the monitors settled around the desk. the room went from awkward silences to being full of the sound of intent mouse clicking and keyboard taps. after a few moments, jackie turns their head, admittedly a bit intimidated, but keeping a cool front regardless.

“ do you want this on a USB, or is just seeing the footage here alright? ”

“ if it’s within the realm of convenience right now, a USB would be of much use. ”

the formally dressed woman spoke up, this time.

“ got it, officer. i’ll go grab one- you three can watch whatever you need to see on that left monitor. ”

getting up from their chair and heading towards a filing cabinet, jackie could not help but find themself suppressing a shiver. security was usually their department, considering how.. frequent, they were on the job.

so they had been in perfect witness of.. whatever happened earlier.

the whole interaction, boss emmet had been eerily silent; even as jackie discreetly paused with the empty USB stick grasped in one hand, watching the three quietly huddle close to the monitor, they noticed the way he hung back, silvery eyes glazed with worry. maybe even mild fear; not one they could comprehend with just a glance.

jackie was perceptive, sure, but unfortunately could not read minds. as convenient as that would be.

so, unable to tell what thoughts were buzzing in their boss’ head, they simply passed him the USB without a word, dipping their head with a tilt of their hat.

seeing his own panic from an outsider’s perspective was mildly unnerving, at best. watching over the recording silently, brows furrowed, he watched as the tiny numbers on what was his desk clock shift to 1:30- the resounding shake afterward, and his own frantic scramble underneath his desk as the room began to tremble from the otherworldly force. the way his office was left in disarray, the way that heap of snow and fabric scraps, one of which was bunched in his pocket, were flung into the room as the jagged portal of sorts sealed itself shut.

his jaw stayed clenched shut as he passed the empty USB drive to officer looker, ( that was his name, though not something he thought was necessary to verbalize at the moment, ) resting gloved hands at his sides with a rattled sigh.

watching the detectives calmly do their work, eventually the other turns to him, ( anabel was her name, yet, once again, it was not something he felt the need to address out loud. )

everyone was silent, anyways; looker was watching as the security footage slowly downloaded, jackie was awkwardly shifted to the side, watching every move anyone made in the room like a rather stern swana.

subtly, that is.

his mind being lost amidst his little observation, emmet snapped back to attention as anabel, ( yes, the other officer, ) carefully rested a plain white card, with fine black print. a business card, sort of, except it didn’t really advertise, just state the obvious.

“ we’ll be in contact with you soon, mr. treyne. have a good night, and get home safe. ”

the two leave soon after, looker carefully pocketing the USB. after what seemed to be several, silent, streeeetched out minutes, emmet swore he finally saw jackie blink once again, as they adjusted their hat, stifling a sigh.

“ bit tense there, ey boss? ”

albeit an awkward face, emmet finds himself making, he eventually nodded, hands resting in his pocket. he found himself insistently flicking the latch of the old, weathered pokeball once again, perhaps as a way to channel his current feelings, and while eventually jackie did raise an eyebrow at the clicking, the depot agent didn’t press.

“ well it’s getting late, and i presume you’ve had a long day. i’ll be back to my work, hut follow those officers’ advice and get home safely, alright boss? ”

yet again, emmet nods.

the walk home was neither particularly bad nor good. dark, but the street lights served their purpose, and he found himself able to navigate back home just fine. in full honesty, emmet was a tad concerned the moment he walked in the doorway, ingo would be sitting on the couch with the lights off like a dramatic parent waiting for their child who snuck out.

somehow arceus had managed to give him worse of a reality, as not one, but two silhouettes were visible in the slightly lit up windows as he neared the house.

taking in a deep breath, emmet reached for his keys, opening the door with a heavy exhale.

“ i am emmet. ingo, why did you invite elesa over at such an hour. ”

( raising a brow, as if feigning innocence, the other silver haired man was visible in the living room, sitting criss cross on the couch with chandelure rested in his lap, ) the pokemon emitting a low chime as emmet walked through the door.

( the corners of his lips were ever so further down then usual; clearly a sign ingo meant business. )

that, and elesa leaning over the back of the sofa, her arms crossed with nothing short of a stern look on her face. now both of them looked like disappointed parents.

sighing in defeat, emmet hung up his coat, grabbing the eccentric pokeball, the small series of post it notes, and fabric scrap from the pocket, and holding the small assortment of objects in his hands as he sat on the couch beside his brother. while both of them raised eyebrows at the odd collection, neither seemed to question it at first.

after a few beats of silence, emmet spoke up first.

“ i assume you heard what happened from ingo. ”

“ who else? can’t exactly go worrying everyone and not expect someone to call me, em. ”

lightly flicking a stray piece of hair on his head, elesa’s face softened, and eventually ingo’s further then usual frown settled as well.

“ now do you have a spot where you want to start, or would you prefer prompting? ”

while there was a bit of an amused edge to elesa’s words, emmet’s response was a snort, carefully thumbing the latch of the pokeball once again.

( this time, ingo seemed to notice it more, tentatively reaching out a hand in a silent “could i hold this?” )

noting the other’s gesturing and fascinated expression, emmet passed him the thing, seeing no harm in it.

“ that fell out of the..space time distortion that woke me up. verrry rudely so. ”

( ingo seemed practically enraptured by the item in his hands, but the brief flicker of his eyes back to emmet with a small nod was his indication of paying attention. ) chandelure seemed to chime in tune with it’s trainer’s enthusiasm, clearly.

emmet does not vocally wince at the way one eye is still in that peculiar triangle shape, and not in fact some twisted hallucination, but he sure wants to.

instead, he focuses once again.

at some point in his explanation, elesa moves from her position behind the couch to sit on emmet’s other side, also intently listening.

“ right. i did not explain what that was. a space time distortion is a rupture in time and space. caused by weak points in these places. or by other external means. for some reason, i believe they are being drawn to me. i do not know why, but something is afoot, and i am going to set it right by whatever means i must take. ”

he holds up the first post it note; a pale yellow, a simple note written on it’s front side.

“ to emmet treyne. ”

“ you don’t know me. that’s ok. but i need you to listen very carefully to this note. ”

“ your brother is in danger. i can’t tell you what just yet, but make sure neither of you are in his office at 5:30 tomorrow morning. ”

“ -v. ”

“ but i do not believe i was their original target. ”

Art Fight Writing Challenge 2

Finally got my second piece done! The magnificent @blunky gifted me some kickass Zaida art, and I concocted a fun little introduction to the character by way of one of my favorite scenes she's involved in. Read on ;)

Having a potluck with a bunch of criminals was not on Zaida’s list of preferred ways to spend a Saturday night. Life, it seemed, had other plans.

She shoved a bowl of rice pudding into the flat’s crowded fridge, and slammed the door shut before anything could topple out. Behind her, Legacy dragged an office chair towards the dining room. Zaida had no clue how many people he was expecting to show up, but any more than three people in the cramped space was too many for her taste. And technically four lived here in total.

Rain, the sanest of Olliver’s roommates, was drifting around tidying up. Or, at least, that’s what Zaida first assumed. She watched the woman dump every remote, mouse, keyboard, phone, and handheld radio she could find into the bottom drawer of Ollie’s desk. Rain turned, and noticed Zaida’s confused gaze.

“Oh! You don’t happen to have your phone on you, do you? I can stick in it with everything else. Y’know,” Rain winced apologetically, “for safekeeping?”

“Why-”

“Not to say that anyone coming tonight is untrustworthy, but they certainly have sticky fingers. I usually lock up anything tempting when I’m given a heads up,” Rain explained.

“You’re inviting burglars to a house party?” Zaida knew deep down she shouldn’t be surprised at this point. She also fumbled her phone out of her pocket.

“Look at it this way,” Rain accepted the device, “They’re very, very good at some things we need done pretty frequently. Obviously their contributions have been weighed against the. . . collateral.” Rain dropped Zaida’s phone into the drawer, and snatched a combination lock off the desk. “Besides, it would be rude to not invite them.”

“I’d say larceny’s a fair bit ruder,” Zaida scoffed.

“Maybe so.” Rain gave her a beleaguered smile and snapped the lock closed.

“This whole party is ridiculous.”

“It’s not a party, just a dinner. Imagine how miserable it’d be if we only got together to talk business. Surely your fancy secret academy taught you the value of morale.”

“Yeah, and they also mentioned something about not fraternizing with violent criminals,” Zaida muttered. She leaned against the kitchen counter. Rain just shook her head and tucked a wild strand of blonde hair back behind her pointed ear.

“Y’know, talk like that is why I have to keep convincing Legacy to let you hang around.”

Zaida blinked. It hadn’t occurred to her that her continued presence at the apartment was up for so much debate. Nor that anyone other than Ollie would speak in her defense. Zaida let herself be a little reassured by the ally she evidently had in Rain.

“I- yeah. Sorry.” She cleared her throat. Rain smiled and clapped a hand to her shoulder.

“I know you’re having a tough time. Thanks for coming anyway. Legacy needs some time to adjust to new people, and Ollie will come around too. Tonight’s a great chance to prove you can get along. If you can’t relax and have fun, at least be tactical.”

“Mhm.” Rain couldn’t have been too much older than Zaida, but she spoke with an authority that made Zaida feel childish in comparison.

Legacy strode into the room and began rifling through the silverware drawer.

“Do we think we trust Kestral enough to use the good stuff, or should I just dig out the plastic?” he asked.

“As I recall it,” Rain grinned, “the last time they were here, they called our glassware ‘cute’ and ‘like a little playset, but for adults’ before rambling to Lyric about the market for illegal china for half an hour while they played catch with the dishes instead of washing them.”

“Okay, first, they absolutely were washing the dishes. And Lyric was drying. Second, point taken. Although maybe we should just use plastic anyway to escape a lesson on valuable fork metals.” Legacy squinted contemplatively into the drawer before grabbing a fistful of cutlery and ducking back into the dining room.

Zaida wondered if it was too late to revoke her RSVP.

The doorbell buzzed.

“Speak of the devil, probably,” Rain giggled. She stepped over to the front door, checked the door cam, and shifted the deadbolt.

The door swung open. The kid who tottered into the room was not at all what Zaida had been expecting. They were short and well-dressed, with a smile that set Zaida on edge and a huge casserole dish balanced precariously in the crook of one arm. She figured they weren’t much older than 20. This was someone who should be studying for a career, not following Legacy Byrnes’s example.

“Here, let me get that for you.” Rain took the dish and led the kid into the apartment. “Zaida, this is Kestral Torres. Kestral, Zaida Loch.”

“Hi,” Kestral extended a hand.

“Um, yes. Hello.” Zaida reluctantly engaged the handshake. She was resisting the urge to make for the hand sanitizer in her purse when she realized the right sleeve of Kestral’s blazer seemed largely empty. A twinge of concern pulled in Zaida’s chest. She quickly looked anywhere else.

“So. . . what’s your deal?” Kestral raised an eyebrow. Their gaze was intense and inquisitive. It made Zaida uneasy.

“Er-” she began.

“Sticking her nose in other people’s business,” Ollie remarked bitterly. He emerged from the dining room with Legacy in tow. Zaida scowled.

“I,” she huffed, “am a software developer. And responsible for making sure certain people stay out of trouble. Despite their best efforts.” She shot Olliver a pointed look. He rolled his eyes. She wished, not for the first time, that Ollie hadn’t been quite so quick to figure out backtalk. Or sarcasm. Or annoyance.

“Right.” Kestral clearly only bothered to ponder Zaida and Ollie’s relationship for a few seconds before shooting a grin at Legacy. “And how are things with you?”

“Oh, terrible,” Legacy mused. “But I’d feel bad complaining at you. Until you’re two-handed again, at least.”

Kestral cackled and grabbed a chip from the bowl Rain had begun filling. Zaida hung back while the room fell into playful banter. She wasn’t cut out for dinner parties. It didn’t help that half the people in the room would be happier without her around. Her wallowing was interrupted by the crawl of eyes on her.

Lyric was standing not two inches away, head cocked and eyes trained on her. Zaida nearly jumped out of her skin. She inhaled deeply, trying to settled her nerves. If Kestral’s wild-eyed stare was disconcerting, Lyric’s was a thousand times worse. Zaida gave him a half-hearted smile, hoping silently that he’d move on and leave her alone.

Instead, the doorbell buzzed again.

Lyric returned her smile with a genuine leer. Zaida could never tell if he was messing with her or not, but Lyric had a way of ensuring she always felt like the butt of some cosmically intricate joke. She watched him scurry to get the door, and took to polishing her spectacles nervously.

“Evening, folks!” A loud, deep voice reverberated in the small apartment. Zaida’s blood turned to ice.

The man in the doorway was short and burly, wrapped in a large, dark overcoat, and carrying an enormous duffel bag on his back. He had a grin like a mad man, missing a tooth. His jewelry, assorted rings and a chain around his neck, was wildly mismatched. His hair stood on end. He was clearly exactly the sort of company Legacy Byrnes would keep.

He was also clearly Giles Winsett.

Zaida was barely listening when Rain made an attempt at introductions. It was all she could do to stay on her feet.

“Um, Zaida?” Rain asked. When no answer came, she let her concerned eyes drift back to Giles. “Sorry, she’s not usually like this.”

“Ah, no big deal, lady,” The knowing look Winsett shot Zaida brought the panic in her chest to a boil. “Can’t be easy trying to keep up with us, hey?” His jovial grin returned.

“Is it food time or what?” Legacy slid his arm off Giles's shoulder.

“I could eat,” Kestral declared.

“You lot get settled, I need a sec to get these boots off.” Giles shrugged off his bag. The others filtered into the dining room.

When Zaida moved to join them, a large hand planted itself firmly onto her shoulder.

“Plus, I think perhaps you and I should have a little chat. One on one, y’know?” His voice was quieter, more gravelly. For the first time in a while, Zaida genuinely feared for her life.

True to his word, Giles took a knee to begin fighting with the knots in his bootlaces.

“I swear, I won’t say anything,” Zaida stammered. “P-please.”

“Relax,” Winsett grumbled. “I’m just making sure we’re on the same page.”

“You’re still alive. Even after-”

“Don’t.” His interruption was hoarse. Zaida was convinced she’d uttered her last words. He stood slowly, but sighed and ran a hand over his face when he noticed her obvious terror. “Good fucking grief.” Winsett sighed. The sorrow in his voice surprised Zaida. “You’ve been reading too many tabloids.”

“I- What?”

“Listen,” Winsett pinched the bridge of his nose. “Just. Leave that whole fiasco in the past where it belongs, alright?” His voice broke. Zaida struggled to reconcile her fear with a rush of sympathy. For Giles Winsett. What was even real anymore?

“So, I’m just supposed to pretend-”

“Yes. Please. Pretend, ignore, lie, whatever you want.”

“Why did you do it?”

“Oh for fuck’s sake.” Giles kicked his boots off.

“I’m serious. I’ve read your research. It’s genius. You could’ve been-”

“A pawn. In a game of chess no one should be playing in the first place. The shit she was planning was untenable. Had to be done.”

“Who’s ‘she’?”

“End.” Winsett met her eyes with a cold look. “Of. Discussion.”

“So none of them know?” Zaida scrambled out of the way as he brushed past her toward the dining room.

“Some do, some don’t, and I’m not leaving that up to your discretion. What’s done is done. No sense in unpacking a closet full of skeletons at the dinner table.”

“I. . .” Zaida trailed off. She didn’t know what to think. Already, the fact that there was more to Giles Winsett than she expected had made room for her curiosity to creep in. Standing in front of her was the primary source of a life time, the chance to finally talk to someone who could keep up with her without protocols or superstition getting in the way. Zaida could never live with herself if she didn’t at least try to get along. To get answers. “I’m sorry,” she said. “My lips are sealed. I promise.”

“G-good.” Winsett seemed taken aback.

“I’m Zaida Loch, by the way. Big fan of your work. The, uh, earlier work, that is.”

“Right.” Giles turned to leave. She followed.

Maybe Ollie was onto something with these people after all.

Room 419

Pairing: Jake Kiszka x (F) Reader

Word Count: 7200ish

Warnings: Smut! 18+ only

Summary: You and Jake are tricked into sharing a hotel room by your friends following their wedding. 

Being a maid of honor in a wedding is no small feat. While you were flattered that your best friend had asked you to stand next to her on her big day, you quickly found out that it is a demanding and expensive role, and it has left you feeling overwhelmed more than a few times over the past couple months. Therefore, when she and her then-fiancé told you that they would  book your hotel room for the night of the wedding, you were more than happy to let them take that responsibility out of your hands. It would be one less thing to worry about on a sure to be hectic day.

Maybe this was your mistake, but you were fully expecting them to book you your own room. Or if not your own room, you figured they may have paired you with one of the other bridesmaids. You’re not particularly close with any of them, but you would be fine for one night.

What you were not anticipating was having to share a room with the best man.

So when the reception comes to an end and you insert your key into the card reader for room 419, ready to shower off the day and crawl into bed, you're shocked to see that a body is already occupying the mattress. More specifically, Jake Kiszka’s body. 

His brown shoes have been kicked off near the door and he’s still clothed in his navy dress pants, but his white shirt is fully unbuttoned, exposing his tan chest as he lounges on top of the plush comforter with his phone in his hand. His head pops up when he hears you enter, and while he looks surprised at first, a smirk quickly forms on his lips. 

Now, you know Jake fairly well, but you wouldn’t say that you consider him a friend. Acquaintance is probably a better word. Your best friend and her new husband have been trying to set the two of you up for years now, and while you had gone on one date with him in the past, it never amounted to anything. He was very obviously only interested in casual sex, which he offered up multiple times on your date, and he was a bit cocky for your tastes. And while you can’t deny that you were very attracted to him and very tempted by his offer, you were looking for something more serious, so you declined his advances and the two of you never went out again. Since then, you’ve heard plenty about Jake’s various conquests with all sorts of beautiful women, and so you’re not upset with your decision to let it be a one and done sort of deal.

Still, your friends haven’t let up on their quest to get you and Jake together, claiming that your compatibility is off the charts. Every time you hang out with them and Jake is there, they make remarks about how perfect you are for each other, which you always try to brush off. Jake, however, has fun feeding into their delusion and will frequently make flirty comments to you, ranging from, “Come on, Y/N! Give the people what they want! You heard them, we’re perfect for each other!” to, “You know you want a piece of this, babe. There’s no need to fight it!” You try not to make it obvious that his little jests usually leave you a bit flustered, but he seems to always pick up on your embarrassment anyway. Sometimes it even seems like he’s...proud of the fact that he can so easily ruffle your feathers.

“Well, well, well. Y/N,” Jake says arrogantly from his spot on YOUR bed. “I’m glad to see you’re finally ready to admit that you want me. I have to say though, this is a bit unexpected.”

You give him a small, humorless laugh, but your unease is clear as you question in a somewhat shrill voice, “What are you doing in my room?”

Jake’s smirk turns into a full blown grin as he answers, “Actually, this is my room. Got the key and room number directly from the front desk. You can check if you want.” He points to the key card lying on the dresser so that you can look for yourself.

Wasting no time, you let out a small huff and march over to grab the card that’s still in its paper pocket on the wood surface. Sure enough, the number on it matches the number on yours.

Annoyed at the fact that you now have to pay the front desk a visit before you can crawl into YOUR bed, you frown at Jake’s smug face and stomp out the door and onto the elevator to return to the lobby.

After waiting in line for 10 minutes behind a couple who was checking in, you approach the desk at last and are greeted by a friendly looking young woman who asks, “Good evening, how can I help you?” 

Plastering a fake smile on your face, you reply, “Hi, I think I was given the wrong room number. When I went inside just now, there was already someone in there.” 

The woman immediately apologizes. “I’m so sorry about that ma’am. Let’s try to get that straightened out. What’s your name?”

You give her your information and watch as she types it on the keyboard, then clicks around on their computer system.

“Okay, I see we have you in room 419. Is that what you were told before?” she inquires.

“Yes,” you respond. “It looks like someone must have made a mistake with the other guest then, because he is insisting to me that 419 is his room.”

She clicks around some more and then states, “Well it looks like your reservation is for two adults. You and a Mr. Jacob Kiszka. We have a note here saying that you would be checking in separately.”

It’s at this moment that your blood begins to boil. In your head, you curse your best friend and her new husband, knowing that they are to blame for your current predicament. Even though they had pulled a few tricks in the past to try to get you and Jake together, you genuinely never would have expected them to go this far to couple you up. 

It’s not that you have any particularly negative feelings toward Jake. More than anything, you’re upset that your friends have so blatantly disregarded your multiple refusals to go out with him. You know that they fully believe that they have your best interest in mind, but it still bothers you that they think they know what you need better than you do.

It would be one thing if the room had two beds, but, of course, they purposefully booked one that only has a single king-sized bed. You feel your skin itching with nervousness at just the thought of sharing a bed with a flirt like Jake.

Exasperated, you tell the front desk worker, “That’s not going to work for me. Can you get me booked in another room, please?”

The pleasant woman moves the mouse around some more, and then a frown appears on her face. “I’m so sorry, ma’am, we don’t have any more rooms available tonight. Is there anything else I can do to make yours and Mr. Kiszka’s stay with us more comfortable?”

Blowing out an aggravated breath, you give her a tight-lipped smile and sigh, “No, thank you for your help.”

You hear her wish you a good night as you walk away, defeated. It’s one night, you tell yourself. It will be fine. 

When you re-enter room 419, Jake is exactly as you left him, lying on his back, phone in hand. Without looking up he concludes, “So they pulled a fast one on us, eh?” His voice is neutral, not giving away how he feels about the situation at all.

Dropping your bag on the table in the corner of the room, you gripe, “Ugh, yes. I really should have known better than to take them up on their offer. They’re pretty relentless, huh?”

“You’re not kidding,” he agrees. “I might be pissed if they were trying to set me up with any of the other bridesmaids, but I can tolerate you I suppose.” 

You give him a dry laugh in response and sit down to rid yourself of the uncomfortable high heels that you’ve been wearing for far too long. Your feet ache, and you release a relieved sigh when you’re free of the painful shoes. After that, you begin digging through your bag, pulling out your pajamas and toiletries and carrying them with you into the surprisingly roomy hotel bathroom.

Beginning the process of de-glamorizing yourself, you start by taking the obscene number of bobby pins out of your hair, then painstakingly run a brush through your heavily hairsprayed tresses. Next is your face, and you have to use multiple wipes to remove all of the make-up that is caked onto your skin.

It’s not until you’re fresh faced and finished brushing your teeth, ready to finally jump into the shower, that you realize that you’re not going to be able to get out of your dress on your own. The zipper is oddly placed on your back and there’s a hook and eye that’s just out of your reach. The other bridesmaids were there to help you get into it this morning, but now the only person available to assist you is Jake. Knowing what your options are, you spend a considerable amount of time attempting to get the garment off on your own, but it is to no avail.

Resigning yourself to the fact that you’re going to have to ask for his help, you trudge out of the bathroom and come to a stop next to the side of the bed that Jake has claimed. At your appearance, he peers up at you from his phone and gives you a curious look.

Spinning around so your back is to him, you request, “Can you help me get this thing off, please? I can’t reach.” For some ungodly reason, you feel the need to show him that your arms are too short to get to the fastenings, and you flail them around helplessly.

Jake chuckles at your demonstration, and then you hear the creak of the mattress springs as he rises from his spot on the bed. You weren’t actually expecting him to get up, thinking he would easily be able to do the job from his lounging position, so your bodies end up uncomfortably close when he stands behind you. You can feel the heat of his chest against your back for just a moment until you shuffle forward a bit to create some distance between the two of you.

Jake begins by sweeping your hair over your shoulder, his fingers delicately brushing the skin on the back of your neck in the process. His touch feels weirdly intimate, and it causes goosebumps to appear on your flesh where his fingertips are. You hope he doesn’t notice.

He doesn’t break the contact between your skin and his as he trails his fingers down your back to the top of the dress. When he reaches it, he takes hold of the seam, and his other hand comes up to smoothly drag the zipper down to its end, right below the band of your admittedly skimpy underwear. As he makes his way back up to the hook and eye, he allows his fingertips to glide up your spine, and you reflexively shiver. 

If you weren’t blushing before, you definitely are now. Jake deftly undoes the small hook and the dress falls open, the entirety of your back on display. You feel exposed, and your arms instinctively rise to keep the gown from revealing any more of your skin to Jake’s eyes. 

Not wanting to prolong the embarrassing  moment any longer, you take a step forward with the intent of returning to the bathroom. Your movement, however, is halted by Jake quietly exclaiming, “Hey, wait!”

Turning your head to face him, you raise your eyebrows and look at him questioningly.

He closes the distance between you again, and his hand reaches up to toy with the piece of jewelry that adorns your neck. In a husky voice, he asks, “Do you want me to take this off too?”

You had forgotten all about the necklace that your friend had given you as a bridesmaid gift, but Jake was right. It was fairly elaborate and would not be comfortable to sleep in, so it would definitely need to be removed. And while you could probably navigate getting it off on your own, you still find yourself nodding at Jake to accept his offer. 

Whirling back around, you use one hand to gather up your hair and hold it in a knot at the back of your head, giving Jake easier access to the clasp. Your other hand continues to clutch the front of your gown to your chest, the thin straps not doing much to maintain your modesty. 

Jake inches even closer, and again, you feel his body heat against your back. You hate to admit it, but the proximity makes your breathing speed up significantly. With nimble fingers, he grasps the chain and swiftly undoes the clasp, catching the heavy piece of jewelry in one hand.

Dropping your hair, you spin to face him and take the necklace from his extended palm. You look up and see that the smirk from earlier is painted on his face once again. Cheeks burning, you 

mumble a shy, “thank you,” before fleeing to the bathroom.

Regretfully, your thoughts drift to Jake while you’re in the shower. Standing under the spray with your eyes closed, you can’t help but visualize his form lounging on the bed in that unbuttoned shirt and those perfectly fitted dress pants, and then that leads you to relive the moment you shared not even ten minutes ago of him helping you out of your dress. Then your imagination runs a little wild and you have to force yourself to push him out of your mind before it goes too crazy.

By the time you’re rinsing the last bits of conditioner out of your hair and turning off the water, the tiredness from the long and hectic day has totally crashed over you. You can barely keep your eyes open as you comb the knots out of your hair and pull on the loose t-shirt and short shorts that comprise your pajamas.

Deciding to forego drying your hair in favor of getting to sleep sooner, you leave your belongings scattered on the vanity and traipse out of the bathroom, rubbing your eyes tiredly. The first thing your eyes land upon once they clear is Jake’s nearly naked form, slightly bent over and rifling through a small bag, his back to you. The pieces of his suit that he was still wearing when you last saw him have been discarded and hung up in the open coat closet, and his form-fitting navy boxer briefs are now the only article of clothing left on his body.

Though you’re ashamed to admit it, you ogle his ass for a good few seconds until he abruptly stands straight up, toothbrush and toothpaste in hand. You’re sure you resemble a deer in headlights when he spins on his heel and catches sight of your wide eyes practically drilling holes into his scantily clad figure. A smug grin tugs at his lips and you quickly avert your gaze to the floor.

Not embarrassed in the least, Jake struts past you and into the bathroom that you just vacated, swinging the door closed with a loud click. A second later, you hear the faucet turn on.

Shaking yourself out of your daze, you flick on both of the bedside lamps and turn off the overhead light on the ceiling, a softer glow replacing the harsh brightness of the room. Even though you don’t appreciate his arrogance, you don’t want Jake to trip and fall on his pretty face when he exits the bathroom because the room is too dark. 

You then plug your phone into the outlet next to the bed, and, finally, pull back the covers of the side of the mattress that has not been claimed by Jake. Climbing in, you turn on your side so that you’re facing away from the middle of the bed and scoot yourself almost to the edge, moving around until you’re comfortable. While you’re mature enough that you would never make Jake sleep on the floor when the bed is perfectly large enough for both of you, you do NOT want there to be any unnecessary contact between the two of you in said bed. Hence you confining yourself to a small space as far away from Jake’s side as possible. 

Tugging the plush covers up to your chin, you allow your eyes to fall shut, and you are almost instantly overtaken by sleep. Your slumber doesn’t last long, however, because you’re awoken by the sound of the bathroom door opening and Jake padding back towards the bed. Your eyes snap open and you watch him, still clothed in only his underwear, come to your side of the bed and switch off the lamp, then walk to his own side and turn off the lamp there.

The glow of the moon is the only source of light as he lifts up the comforter and plops his nearly nude body unceremoniously between the sheets. He shifts around a bit, then exhales a loud breath when he finds a comfortable position. You can hear the shit-eating grin on his face as he turns his head to you on his pillow and says in a sickly sweet voice, “Good night, sweetheart.”

Too tired to respond, you give him a grunt of acknowledgement and close your eyes, praying you can fall asleep as quickly as you did the first time. It seems like you only listen to the rhythmic sound of Jake’s breathing for a few minutes before you slip into unconsciousness.

⏭

It’s still dark in the room when you awaken a few hours later. You’re lying on your side with your arm in an uncomfortable position, and you can feel the sensation of pins and needles traveling throughout the limb. On top of that, you are entirely too warm, an unidentified heat source attached to your back.

It only takes a few seconds for the sleepy fog in your brain to clear and for you to realize that the source of your discomfort is a body. More specifically, Jake’s body. And not only is he cuddled up against you, he also has an arm thrown over your waist and a leg slung over your thigh, holding you snugly against him. You’re not sure how you ended up like this, but you know that you need to move now. Meer acquaintances do not snuggle like this.

Without much thought, you make an attempt to slip free from his clutches and migrate back to your side of the bed. Jake’s hold on you is so tight though, that you’re hardly able to move an inch. The little bit that you are able to shift, however, has made you acutely aware of the fact that there is something rigid poking your backside, and it twitches slightly as you wriggle against it. 

At first, the discovery of Jake’s boner pressing against you has you feeling ridiculously embarrassed. You can feel your cheeks heat up and your breathing quicken, and the combination of your absolute mortification and his body heat has you sweating.

You try again, a bit more forcefully this time, to break free from Jake’s grip, but it is to no avail. Your stirring must disturb him just a little, though, because he emits a low groan from his throat, then uses the arm around your waist to pull you even closer to him. 

Quickly, your embarrassment turns to annoyance. You’re annoyed because you wouldn’t be in this predicament if you’d just taken it upon yourself to book your own hotel room. You’re annoyed because you could have asked one of the other bridesmaids to let you sleep in their room, but you decided to just bite the bullet and share with Jake for this one night instead. You’re annoyed because you made it a point to stay on your side of the bed, and you still somehow ended up in Jake’s clutches. You’re annoyed because your best friend and her new husband would have a field day if they could see you and Jake right now. But mostly, you’re annoyed because Jake’s hardness against your ass has your head swimming with thoughts that you definitely should not be thinking, and your thighs squeezing together in search of some sort of relief from the sudden rush of arousal between your legs.

It’s this overwhelming feeling of irritation that leads you to growl out, “Jake,” in an attempt to wake him.

Your efforts result in nothing. Not even a stir. He continues to snuggle you and sleep peacefully.

Raising your voice even more, you slap his arm lightly and bark, “Jake!”

Once again, he does not respond. The man sleeps like a log, apparently.

His lack of a response only fuels the aggravated fire in you, and so you turn your head towards his and shout, probably too loudly, “Jake! Let me go!”

Finally, in reaction to your yelling, Jake’s body jumps and his eyes pop open in alarm. He looks around in confusion for a second and his arm leaves your waist briefly to rub at his still partially closed eyes, but he returns it to the same spot as he questions, “Jesus, babe. Why are you yelling? Go back to sleep.” His voice is gravelly and you watch as he closes his eyes again as soon as he gets the words out.

You balk at both his nonchalance and the pet name he called you. You shouldn’t be surprised at either, but you are.

Squirming against him again, you agitatedly snap, “Are you going to let me go, or do you plan on holding me captive all night?”

From behind you, Jake hums against the back of your head and flippantly states, “I don’t know what the issue is, babe. I’m very comfortable like this.”

You’re positive that, even though he’s hardly  awake, there is a smirk marring Jake’s features at your current lack of composure. The thought makes you clench your jaw in ire.

“The issue,” you start, through gritted teeth, “is that your dick is literally poking my ass. Now, let me go.”

Wordlessly, Jake flops from his side onto his back, ridding you, at last, of the arm and leg that were holding you against him. As soon as you’re free, you scramble as far as you can away from him and flip to your back as well, hoping to improve the circulation in your arm that had fallen asleep. 

“Please try your best to stay on your own side,” you request tersely. He just hums in response.

Despite being free and more comfortable now, you are unfortunately still wide awake, mind racing and incredibly (disturbingly) turned on. You stare at the ceiling for a while, trying to will away the throbbing of your clit that has only seemed to become more intense since you separated from Jake. You curse him in your head for having this effect on you. 

A few minutes pass and you decide to chance a glance at him, curious if he already fell back asleep or is lying wide awake like you. Slowly, as to not raise his suspicions, you turn your head on the pillow to look, and immediately regret doing so.

Neither you nor Jake had thought to shut the curtains before climbing into bed, and the moon is shining particularly bright tonight. Bright enough that Jake’s form is illuminated next to you, and you can clearly see that he is still hard. A sizable tent is present in the thin sheet covering him from the chest down, and he is lying with his arms stretched upward, hands cradling his head, and eyes wide open. He is taking deep breaths, seemingly trying to calm himself down. 

The sight does NOT help quell your arousal in the slightest, and you know you need Jake and his erection to vacate the premises before you combust. You know you shouldn’t say the words before they even come out of your mouth, but the suggestion falls past your lips before you can stop yourself.

“Maybe you should, like, go take care of that or something.”

Jake’s head whips toward you. The moonlight reveals raised eyebrows, but then the dreaded smirk appears. Again. You really cannot fathom how he can be so shameless and confident at a time like this. 

He takes some time to consider your recommendation, then retorts, “Actually, I was hoping maybe you would help me out…”

A noise that’s something between a strangled cackle and a sputter leaves your throat at his proposal. You give him a look as though he has lost his damn mind, and disbelievingly croak, “Excuse me?!”

Jake is undeterred. “Come on, babe,” he goads. “We both know that the sexual tension between us is off the charts.”

Astounded, you gape at him for a second. The irritation you were feeling replaced by bewilderment. You truly do not know how to reply, and so you stutter out, “I-”

“Please don’t try to deny it,” Jake cuts you off. He sits up, reaches over to flick on his bedside lamp, and turns his body to face you before going on. “I see how you look at me sometimes when you think I’m not paying attention. I see how flustered you get when I flirt with you in front of our lovely friends. And I saw how you reacted when I touched you earlier. You got goosebumps the second I laid my han-”

“Okay, okay, okay,” you interrupt, having heard enough. But Jake’s not done.

“You can’t tell me that you don’t find me attractive, Y/N.”

And he’s right. You can’t say that. Because he’s probably one of the most beautiful humans you’ve ever laid eyes on. And even though you hate feeding into him, you aren’t a liar.

“I never said that,” you resolve, and Jake’s face lights up. “I just think that us hooking up could make things messy. Like, I don’t want to feel awkward if I try to hang out with my best friend and you’re there. Because let’s face it, we see each other all the time. How weird would having a one night stand make that?”

You’re proud of yourself for being able to coherently voice your thoughts and maintain your rationality. As much as your body may want to fuck Jake in this moment, your head is well aware of the implications a meaningless hook up with him would have.

Jake, apparently, does not understand the implications though, because he is staring at you with a perplexed look on his face. “Who said it would be a one night stand?” he asks, and his tone tells you that he isn’t joking.

What does that mean? What does this man want from me? 

You involuntarily scrunch your face, then sit up as well. “I thought that was implied,” you admit, skepticism evident. “When we went out that one time, you were definitely more interested in a casual fuck than a relationship.”

Jake laughs and shakes his head. “Y/N, that was literally years ago.”

“And? What’s changed? I’ve seen how many girls you’ve gone through since then,” you counter, not buying that Jake is suddenly ready to commit to one person.

He emits a loud sigh. “Listen,” he begins, running a hand through his mostly straight brunette hair. “I realize my past behavior may be a little...off putting. But I have to tell you, I’ve been pissed at myself for scaring you off ever since that date we went on.”

You’re dumbfounded. It never even crossed your mind that Jake may have regretted how things between the two of you turned out. He certainly never gave you any hints that he was interested in you.

You want to ask him for further clarification, but he speaks again before you’re able to.

“I can tell that you want to ask me a million and one questions, but I really don’t think we need to make it that complicated. I’ll just say this: I like you. And I think maybe we should just...see where things go. No pressure.”

The suggestion is tempting. Especially the sex aspect. Your heat is practically begging for Jake’s touch at this point, the wetness starting to become uncomfortable. But the “seeing where things go” part has you feeling apprehensive.

Does that just mean that he wants to fuck you regularly? Like a friends with benefits situation? Or does that mean that he wants to, like, take you out on dates and be exclusive? You can’t say you would be opposed to that, but he’s being so...vague.

You decide to voice your apprehension out loud. “I don’t know, Jake…” you drawl, staring at the wall behind his head. 

Your fingers fidget with the hem of your pajama shorts, a visible display of your nerves, until Jake inches closer to you and takes your hands into his own. He uses his thumbs, calloused from years of playing guitar, to run gentle circles on the backs of your hands as he pleads, “Come on, Y/N, let me make you feel good.”

And you’re ashamed that that’s all it takes for you to give into him, but not even a second passes before you’re mumbling out a quiet, “okay,” and watching a smile, a genuine one, take over his face. Then you’re gracefully (you hope) climbing into his lap and wrapping your legs around his waist. At the same time, your arms find their way around his neck and his wind around your waist, hands settling on your lower back. 

Surprisingly, the two of you don’t dive into it right away. For what feels like multiple minutes, Jake just stares up at you and you stare back, both of you breathing heavily through parted lips. The tension in the room is palpable. Your heart feels like it’s going to beat out of your chest, and its pace quickens even more when you become conscious of Jake’s erection, hard and warm and dangerously close to your heat.

Unable to refrain, you look down between your bodies and see just how close your sexes are, only an inch of space and a few thin layers of material separating your most intimate area from Jake’s. And suddenly the room feels 10 degrees warmer.

Spurred on by the sight, you dig your heels into the mattress and use the leverage to drag yourself even closer to him, so that your clothed core makes contact with his covered cock. At once, your nipples harden to stiff peaks and your hips instinctually rock forward.

This motion is the straw that breaks the camel’s back for Jake. A pained groan sounds from the back of his throat and then his hands are gripping the back of your head and he’s pulling your face down so he can fervently plant his lips on yours.

All of the remaining walls you had raised to protect yourself come crumbling down in that moment, and you kiss him back with just as much enthusiasm, consequences be damned. You would never confess out loud to having thought about this moment before, but in your head you think that his kiss is even better than you imagined. 

Hands gripping his hair, you allow him to suck on your bottom lip momentarily before thrusting your tongue in his mouth. It tangles with his and you feel tingles throughout your body. But unlike the tingling sensation you had experienced in your arm earlier from lack of circulation, this tingling is actually pleasant. You sigh into his mouth.

Jake’s hands find your waist and begin to explore under your flimsy pajama shirt, all while he continues to kiss you like his life depends on it. His fingers glide up your rib cage to just below your breasts, then back down again, leaving a trail of fire on your skin. Every time he does it, you hope he’ll venture higher, but he never strays from his path. 

Wanting nothing more than for him to pay your breasts some attention, you decide to take matters into your own hands. Pulling your lips away from his, you lean back the smallest amount and swiftly yank the shirt off your body, leaving your chest exposed to his greedy eyes. You toss it haphazardly to the floor and revel at the whine that comes from Jake at the unveiling of your bare tits. You feel butterflies in your stomach as he stares at them like they’re the most beautiful things he’s ever seen.

When he meets your gaze again and asks, voice strained, “Can I?” you expect to feel his hands paw at your chest upon receiving your permission. Instead, you’re taken aback by the moist heat of his mouth enveloping your nipple, the suction he applies makes you toss your head back and moan. Loudly.

He works furiously at the tiny bud, alternating between flicking it with his tongue and sucking it between his perfect lips. It feels so good that your hips begin grinding against him on their own accord, your grip on his hair holding him to your chest. You know your underwear is probably soaked by now. Hell, your pajama shorts are probably soaked too. And you should be embarrassed, but Jake is making you feel so euphoric that you simply do not care.

Jake’s hands have moved to your ass, and it’s the small pinch he gives the flesh there that makes you loosen your grip on him slightly and look down at him. He releases your nipple with a small pop and pulls your face down to his again, giving you a brief, but still deep, kiss on the lips. Then, in stark contrast, he starts to trail feather light kisses down your jaw and neck, making his way to your other breast.

The two of you make eye contact as he takes that nipple into his mouth, and your jaw falls open at both the sensation and the sultriness of his gaze. Little whimpers sound from your throat as he pays just as much attention to it as he did to the opposite side. 

When Jake’s decided that he’s had his fill of your boobs, his lips move up to your collarbone and he leaves a decent sized hickey on the skin there. You fleetingly think that you’re going to have to cover it up before the bridal party brunch in the morning, but that thought disappears when Jake’s right hand seeks out your lower abdomen and his fingers sneak past the waistband of your shorts.

Much to your chagrin, he doesn’t let them slip into your underwear, instead choosing to rub you through the damp fabric of your panties. As soon as his thumb makes contact with your clit through the material though, you’re practically melting, core clenching in delight at the pressure. You choke out a gasp and allow your eyes to fall closed.

Jake doesn’t find this acceptable though, as he uses his free hand to grab your chin and coaxes, “Hey. Look at me.”

And so you do. You stare into his eyes, pupils so dilated that they are almost entirely black, while biting your lip and grinding against his hand as he brings you closer and closer to the edge. There’s something in his eyes that you can’t quite place, a softness that almost feels like adoration, and it makes your cheeks flush. He has definitely never looked at you like this before.

In what feels like no time at all, you’re dangerously close to your peak. Only a few more strokes of his thumb and you know you’ll be seeing stars. 

Then, right when you’re about to explode, Jake’s touch disappears. And while it may be dramatic, you really feel like you could cry from him ruining what was sure to be an amazing orgasm.

You’re about to voice your dissatisfaction, but Jake promptly removes his hand from your shorts and gives you a gentle smack on the ass.

“Lay down,” he demands raspily, patting the unoccupied area of the mattress to his side.

In a rush to have him touch you again, you do as he says and remove yourself from his lap, settling against the fluffy white pillows. You almost allow your hand to fall between your legs and pick up where he left off, but you refrain. 

Your eyes follow Jake as he lazily rises from the bed and saunters over to his bag, combing through it until he locates his wallet and produces a foil packet. Before he joins you back on the bed, he shoves his tight boxer briefs down his legs, kicking them to the side once they’re low enough. His erection springs free from its confines, and your eyes immediately lock onto it. From where you’re lying, you can see the pre-cum leaking from the tip, and your mind starts to feel hazy with desire.

You watch in awe as he circles his hand around his cock and gives it a few lazy strokes while he makes his way back to you, bottom lip caught between his teeth. The sight is downright obscene, and so is the noise you make in response.

When he crawls back onto the bed, he settles himself between your legs, and, without pausing, reaches for the waistband of your shorts. Looking to your face for permission, you give him a small nod and then he’s pulling both your shorts and your panties down your thighs and past your calves until they lie forgotten at the end of the bed.

Still on his knees, Jake inspects your nude body head to toe, tongue darting out to moisten his lips. He moves to stroke himself again, but you sit up a bit and reach for him instead, rubbing your palm from the tip of his dick to the base, shivering at the groan he releases from his throat.

He allows you to continue for a few more strokes, clearly enjoying himself, but then he’s batting your hand away, whispering “Not gonna last if you keep that up,” and slithering over your body, trapping your lips in a kiss and taking your breath away. 

You’re so caught up in the kiss that it takes you by surprise when his fingers find their way between your legs and he plunges two of them inside of you, alternating between pumping in and out and curling them so that they hit that one magical spot that makes your toes curl. He keeps his thumb busy on your clit, and his actions have you panting into the kiss, little whimpers passing from your mouth to his.

In no time at all, those whimpers turn into full blown moans, and you unintentionally break the kiss as you writhe against him. Taking the opportunity to kiss a path to your ear, Jake playfully bites at your lobe, then whispers, “Shit, you’re fucking drenched. So wet for my fingers. I can’t wait to fuck you.”

By now, you’re desperate for him, wanting nothing more than to feel him inside you, and so you scratch your nails lightly down his back and breathe, “Then do it. God, please.”

Jake doesn’t need any further prompting. Abruptly, he pulls back and reaches for the condom, tearing open the foil and rolling it on his perfectly sized (in your mind, at least) dick as you observe with hooded eyes.

Draping his body over yours, Jake encourages you to part your legs wider, and extends a hand to grip his cock. Teasing you, he rubs the head of his penis over your clit a few times, causing you to hiss. You can tell he wants to shoot you that infuriatingly sexy smirk, but the pleasure of the contact between you has his jaw hanging open instead.

When he does push into you, at last, you both breathe a sigh of relief. His eyes lock on yours as he finds a rhythm, slow and deep at first but gradually increasing in speed and pressure. There’s an undeniable fire between you as he thrusts his hips into yours, filling you and making you moan. 

The tender look in his eyes from earlier has returned, and you can’t help but melt into a puddle of pleasure and affection when he grunts out, “Fuck, you’re so beautiful. I’ve been thinking about this for so long.”

He kisses you again, tongue seeking out yours and battling with it, somehow heightening your senses even more. This doesn’t feel like just a kiss though, it feels like Jake is using his mouth to convey exactly how much he likes you, and you’re eagerly responding.

As he continues pumping into you, your hands land on his shoulders, squeezing every time he hits a particularly sensitive spot inside of you. One especially hard thrust has you clenching around him, and Jake buries his face into your neck, groaning deeply. You can tell he’s close because his movements start to become a bit erratic, and thinking about Jake coming has you close to your climax too. 

And it’s like Jake can read your mind, because as soon as you start feeling like you need just a little bit more to push you over the edge, he uses his arm to hook your right leg and raise it up, changing the angle in a delicious way. That, in combination with his thumb finding your clit and applying some much needed pressure, has you crying out his name, your orgasm shuddering through you in waves.

He’s not far behind you, giving a few more sloppy thrusts before his face is overtaken by pleasure and he’s cursing, collapsing on top of you.

The two of you lie like that for a moment and catch your breath, his weight fully on top of you and his head resting on your chest, and it’s scary how much you enjoy it. How right it feels. When you do part ways momentarily so that you both can clean up, you feel a strange pang in your heart that dissipates as soon as you’re back in bed and in his arms. 

And while a part of you wants to check in with Jake, see how he felt about what you just did, ask more questions about his current stance on relationships, you decide to let it go for the time being and just enjoy the moment. As you cuddle into him and fall back asleep for the few short hours you have left in this hotel room, you think to yourself that, while you’re not thrilled about having to admit to your best friend and her new husband that they were right, you’re more than just a little excited to “see where things go” with Jake.

Ropes and Roses part six

Summary: Elizabeth Rosehill is a talented dance instructor and a force of nature that beguiles her famous student. Events in her life, however, have led her to search for more creative ways for her to keep herself afloat. What will she do to keep her dreams secure and what will it mean for her blossoming relationship. This is a very adult story about two people who are moderately terrible at adulting.

Warning: adult language, situations, arguing, less smut, more angst. If something in here needs a more descriptive warning I will gladly update it

Pairing: Henry and OFC (am I doing this right?)

Word count: 2K

A/N: If you read it and like it, it would mean a lot to me if you could say something nice! I have a lot of feelings this week that I’m trying to work through.

Henry woke up the next morning before Elizabeth. She was face down, her monstrous cat was curled up in a ball, snuggled up under her arm, gently purring. Alistair stared at him with his large green eyes for a few moments, fluffy tail flicking. The cat seemed to find him amusing at least. Looking around he saw a delicate crystal sun catcher dangling in the corner of her window. Tiny rainbows danced across the walls and ceiling as the sun rose. The woman in bed with him moaned slightly and moved herself on to her back. She opened her eyes briefly, smiled at him, then went back to sleep. Henry took a moment to watch her resting, peacefully exposed to his gaze. He rolled off from the bed from the other side. As the man left the bed, the cat seemed to relax more now that he was the only one in bed with his favorite human.

Henry did his morning ritual, and then started walking around her apartment while he waited for his lover to wake up. What was supposed to be her living room had book shelves on most of the walls that were crammed with different kinds of literature. She had one blank wall, but even on that one had a computer desk with two monitors, cat ear gaming head phones, and a keyboard that glowed different combinations of the rainbow while her computer was asleep. Taking a peek back at her room, Elizabeth was still asleep, he wiggled her mouse to see what kinds of games were on her desktop but her home screen was password protected. In a corner, there was a chaise lounge in a deep green velvet and a side table. No dining table or chairs, she probably ate at her computer, he thought.

Her kitchen was almost bare. One little table had a cat food bowl, the pantry had some basic staples but nothing that screamed out she hosted guests frequently. He found her coffee, and proceeded to brew a pot for them. He looked in the fridge for other breakfast foods, but he didn’t find much. He heard the thundering paws of Alistair come running to his feeding spot. The little predator noticed the light bouncing off of his watch.

“Oh, you like that, huh?” He watch as the cat chased the reflection. The two played together with the bright light, chuckling at the cats antics.

“You know, I could get used to finding you naked in my kitchen, Mr Cavill.” Her voice made him jump. “I’m sorry, I thought you heard me coming.”

She was standing in the door way wearing a loose fitting sweater. The sleep in her hair caused it to curl in every direction. The cat batted at her hand for some affection which she gave to him. He couldn’t stop staring at her again. This was the Liz he had been hoping to see, well rested and looking content with the world. She played with her kitty using the sleeve of her sweater. She asked him how he was doing after she caught him looking.

“Yeah, everything is fine. Just appreciating the view.” He said walking up to her. He wrapped his arms around her waist, reaching down to kiss her. “It’s Sunday, right? Do you want to go have brunch, I know of a couple places we can take Kal, sit on the patio.”

“Yeah, that sounds really nice.” She said between kisses.

“Go get dressed, we’ll have something delicious.” She came back when Henry was starting his second cup of coffee wearing a delicate pink dress with a light weight navy blue sweater. Her hair pulled back with some of her little curls falling down in the back. Henry had gotten into the clothes he had wore the night before and they made their way to his place. Kal had nearly tackled him when they had gotten there. Henry hurriedly cleaned up and dressed himself while Elizabeth sat on the couch to cuddle with Kal. He listened to her baby talk his dog. He was two seconds away from telling her they should just stay in and spend the rest of their time together for the day in bed. He wanted to learn every spot that made her gasp in delight.

When they finally made their way to the restaurant he had decided to put all of his cards on the table. He told her that he didn’t want to play games or hard to get. He wanted to get to know her and spend as much time as possible with her before he would have to go somewhere else to film on location. This would be the start of a fairly regular schedule they would stick to for the next two months. Thursday night he would take her out, they would spend time until it was time for her to get ready for her classes on Friday, Saturday he might watch her at the club or meet her afterwards, then Sunday they would have breakfast and part ways for a couple days to focus on work.

Soon the real world starting calling Henry back to it. They would call every night and, when they could, sneak in a few days away with each other. On one of their reunions, they hid away from their regular lives in a romantic cabin. He loved taking her to little hide a ways when he could. They would usually spend the entire time in bed with each other, nothing between them but their desires. He had looked forward to this all week and planned on making one of their favorite dinners that night to surprise her. However, when Elizabeth got out of the car, he could tell that she hadn’t been having a great day. The only thing she wanted from him right away was to be held and he willingly supplied her with affection. What started a hug turned into him carrying the woman he adored into the bedroom they would be sharing. She melted against him, but he couldn’t help but feel like there was something she was just not saying.

“Penny for your thoughts?” he asked after they had laid in companionable silence for a while.

“It’s nothing, I’m just pissed off about a conversation I had this morning with management. And one of my dance teachers tore he ACL so now we have to cancel all of her classes or I have to find a substitute teacher. I’m not sure which is better yet. If I have to teach it, that’s less time with you for the next six months.”

“I’m sorry, that does sound frustrating, but I’m not going anywhere. I can wait, your students need you. What was going on with the other problem?”

“Just some stuff with the Fox Catcher. I evidently am not drawing in the audience like I used to. They want me to do something different.”

“What kind of things are they suggesting?”

“They usually suggest two girls, which I’m fine with. Those nights always sell out, we might be able to market it as the subs are competing or whatever. But one of the owners came up with a completely idiotic idea. They want me to start dominating guys at least once a week.”

“No, out of the question.” He sat strait up. “I don’t care if you have to have sex with your girls on stage to get more asses in chairs, I’m not okay with you doing any of that with another guy.”

“What?” She was quite taken back by him.

“I’m dead serious, Elizabeth.”

“Henry, this is still just being thrown around right now.”

“And I’m telling you not to.” He pulled back further.

“But I can have sex with another woman? I don’t plan on fucking anyone else outside of this conversation, my dude. What kind of person do you take me for? And I really don’t appreciate you telling me that domming a dude is worse than having sex with someone who isn’t you. There is a reason I don’t go around doing either with just anyone.”

“You clearly get off on being a Dominatrix when you work with your girls, I have noticed a distinct difference in how you fuck me on the nights after your shows.” He cut her off. Fuck, Henry, what were you thinking. Her expression dropped. He rubbed his face, trying to think of anything he could say to fix it.

“Where is this coming from?” She asked, moving away from him on the bed, pulling her shoes back on. “You know what, no. I’m going for a walk so I don’t say something I regret.”

“Just say it!” He snapped, trying to get up to follow her.

“No, you need to calm down first. I will not be yelled at over something this fucking stupid. I haven’t even...”

“Damnit, Elizabeth! I..”

She hissed at him before he could finish his sentence with a level vitriol that he didn’t know she had in her. “I said no! I’m already having a bad day and this is why I didn’t want to talk about it tonight. Now I am going for a walk and you will sit down and think about how you want this conversation to go when I come back. We will talk like adults, you will not insult me again. Do you understand?”

Henry sat down again, completely taken aback, and nodded at her.  “Yes. Of course.”

“Yes, what?” Her eyes were looking glassy. He had accidently flipped her Domme switch, and he knew she didn’t enjoy using it outside of the club, but more importantly, he had know by now that she hated crying in front of anyone, especially him.

“Yes, Elizabeth, we will talk like adults, and I will not insult you again.” He tried to say it as evenly as he could.

“Thank you, now I’m going for a walk to calm down. Because, again, I don’t think either of us wanted this. I’ll be back.”

An hour later, he heard her coming through the front door.  She didn’t have the rage in her eyes like she did when she left which was a huge relief to him.

“Hey,” she said softly.

“Hey,” he waved at her from the kitchen. He came up to her slowly and held her hands in his. They were so cold. “I’m sorry. I overreacted.”

“So did I, I didn’t make it any easier on you.” She squeezed his hands. “I’m sorry.”

“I made dinner, if you’re hungry.” She nodded and he made her a plate of carbonara. She thanked him and they ate their dinner in silence.

“I think I know now what was making me so upset about the idea of you dominating another man. And I promise, I won’t yell this time.” He said after he had cleared their places.

“Oh?”

“I thought about it while you were out and I think I’m just worried that you will find someone who is into it, and you guys will, I don’t know, I’m going to sound like such a bastard saying this. I’m worried that you would leave me for someone who is more into that lifestyle than I am. I’m falling so hard for you, but you have this part of yourself that I’m not allowed into yet.”

“I hadn’t even considered that being part of the problem. When I go back, I will tell management that me performing with a man will not happen.” She reached her hand out to him and he held it. “I’m falling for you too. It’s not that you aren’t allowed to be apart of that side of me, I hadn’t seen any indication that you might want to. Is that something you want to try?”

“I don’t know yet.” Henry replied, running his thumb across the back of her hand. “But what I do know is that I have you for two more days before you head back to town, and I want to take you back to that very comfortable bed, and hold you against me until we fall asleep.”

1️⃣7️⃣

<<PREVIOUS⏺<<CONTENTS>>

1.1.17 HALLOWEEN NIGHT 12:24 AM

Haddonfield, Illinois

Samantha yawned as she pulled the keys from the ignition. More lightning flashed in the sky as she behind her, through her rear windshield, at the square building in front of which she was parked. A white triangularly shaped sign with blue lettering designated this as THE PYRAMID INN. The property was perched on a flat hill, overlooking what the locals called “Dysfunction Junction”. Interstate 57, US Route 31, and Illinois 395 all came together in a tangled mess of off ramps and on ramps that sprawled like spaghetti noodles over the northern running section of Lost River, which in this part of town had been diverted into a concrete culvert in the early 40s as part of one of Roosevelt's “Work's Projects”.

Samantha had parked at the end of the mostly empty parking lot, which was her custom, and from her vantage point she could see down into the nest of intersections. She saw the lighted signs of big box stores off to the east on her right. Straight ahead she saw the gas station from which she had come, and to her left, off to the west, she saw a strip club that very obviously used to be a Howard Johnsons, it's parking lot completely full with some cars spilling out along the side of the road in front.

Lovely, she thought sarcastically as she opened her car door. Just my kind of town.

The sweltering humid air hit her in the face like a tennis racket.

“Jesus, it feels like Miami.” She said to herself, and then smiled as she clicked the button on the fob in her hand to open the hatchback on the Murano. “I wish it were Miami.”

Nyguen pulled her rolling suitcase from the back of the car, placed it on the asphault, and extended the handle. “We'll just pretend it's Miami.” She decided as she closed the hatch and turned toward the motel.

The Pyramid Inn seemed to want to help her with the fantasy. For one, it was sweltering hot, almost as bad as outside, and as Ngyuen walked through the automatic glass doors, she felt like she had been magically transported back in time twenty-five years. The lobby was painted a pale teal color, with mauve indoor outdoor carpeting, and popcorn ceilings flecked with glitter....this Sam noticed right away. The yellowish light from pineapple shaped fixtures along the walls was defracted by the glitter, creating the sensation of moving sparkles above her as Samantha strolled through a lobby furnished with wood and wicker tables and chairs, painted white, the chairs padded with brightly colored cushions patterned with tropical motifs. There was abundant wall art too---strange scenes of Egyptian landmarks like the pyramids at Giza and the Sphinx, except...done in a weird art deco style that seemed wrong somehow.

An large old fashioned square CRT television was affixed to a hanging mount in each corner, below each was a potted palm tree. One of the TVs was displaying The Weather Channel although the sound was turned all the way down. A pretty blonde woman was standing in front of a map of the Midwest, sweeping her hand across thick line of red, orange, yellow, and green splotches. The other TV had the volume on and was showing an aerial view of a baseball stadium even the most casual of fans would know.

“We're in the top of the 10th here at Wrigley Field in Chicago. The Cubs have gone to the bullpen yet again for another pitching change as the White Sox have just taken 3-2 game lead in this decisive Game Seven of the World Series.”

Nguyen rolled her luggage around a coffee bar, and approached the desk, bumping into a cheap looking display rack featuring brochures with picturesque views and colorful headings. SEE CHICAGO! THINGS TO DO IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS! PEORIA CALLS YOU! And SEE THE CAVERNS OF LITTLE EGYPT!

A morbidly obese woman sat behind the counter fanning herself with one of the brochures: LOST RIVER KAYACKING!

She wore a white t-shirt with red letters that read: I SURVIVED ARKANSAS' LARGEST SLINGSHOT AT THE CRITTENEDEN COUNTY FAIR 2003. The shirt had either been shrunk so many times by frequent washing or the woman who wore it had ballooned up in weight considerably because now it hugged the contours of her bulbous body, giving her a look of the Michelin Man. Her mouth hung open revealing two sets of badly yellowing teeth, and a large dime-sized mole protruded from the left side of her neck. Sam could see the light from the pineapple lamps reflecting off hairs near the tip of the mole.

Not quite Miami, Nguyen thought as she cleared her throat.

“Excuse me?”

The woman did not stir.

“Curveball from Bellamy drops inside, it's one and one on Franklin.”

Nguyen rolled her eyes.

“Ma'am!” She exclaimed and plopped her car keys loudly on the desk.

The woman jumped and her eyes snapped open. The brochure fluttered aimlessly to the gound as she leaned forward in the seat, blinking rapidly for a moment before fixing her gaze on Samantha.

“Jesus Lord Almighty!”She exclaimed, breaking out into a haughty laugh that seemed to come from the depths of her enormous stomach. “You scared the everliving tar out of me!”

“I'm sorry.” Samantha smiled warmly.

“Don't be, don't be.” The woman groaned as she stood up from the chair. She wiped the beaded sweat off her forehead. “Jesus God is it hot in here!”

“Yeah it is.” Samantha agreed, withdrawing her phone from her pantsuit pocket and checking the time, mentally calculating the precious few hours of sleep she was going to get that night.

“It's not our fault.” The woman exclaimed, reaching the desk and panting as if she had just climbed a mountain. “Corporate has the damn thing programmed. This time of year the AC never comes on in here. We're supposed to run the ceiling fans, but that's been broke for two years.”

She motioned to the ceiling behind Sam who turned around and saw two wires protruding from a hole in the ceiling in the center of the room, as well a slight discoloration in the form of a circle where a fan obviously used to be.

“And then they tell me if it gets too hot to open a damn window. I said Christ!, it's just as damn hot out there! And the wind aint blowin for nothing.”

Samantha replaced her phone in her pocket. “Yes, it sure is strange.”

“It's NEVER like this in October...hell..now it's the first of November! NEVER like this! I mean...we've had a hot day or two at the beginning of September but NEVER this hot on Halloween!”

Samantha nodded, not knowing what else to say.

The woman moved a computer mouse across the desk and began typing on the keyboard.

“I tell you what,” she said, “I don't understand all of the mess that they talk about on the TV.”

As she said this, she pointed to the television in the corner that was displaying The Weather Channel, which right now was showing a commercial for Flex Seal. “But this type of weather will make you a believer in that Global Warming stuff.”

“Yeah,” Nguyen forced a laugh.

The woman looked up at her and waved her hand. “But you don't gotta worry about it, there's a window unit in your room. The rooms are nice and comfortable.”

“That's good.” Nguyen replied.

“Just you tonight sweetie?”

“Just me.”

“I just need a drivers license.”

Samantha presented it.

“Just passing through?” The woman asked as she entered Sam's information into the decade old computer.

“No, I think I'll be town for a few days.”

The woman looked up in disbelief. “In town? What town? This town?”

Samantha didn't know what to say.

“No one comes and visits Haddonfield!” The woman laughed another belly laugh. This one devolved into coughing which she stifled with her hand....the same hand she handed Samantha back her driver's license with.

Not Miami at all. Sam thought, placing the card into her wallet.

“That will be $38.96 sweetie.”

Sam couldn't hide her surprise. This was the cheapest motel room she had gotten since...well...ever. She passed over her Bureau issued AMEX card.

“Oh I'm sorry honey, we don't take American Express.”

“Oh.” Samantha shrugged. Ordinarily this might have been an issue but she was pretty sure she could handle a $40 motel room from her personal checking. Besides, the department would reimburse her later. She passed over her VISA.

“I'm gonna need a receipt then.” She said.

“You got it.” The woman replied and opened a drawer in front of her, pulling out a large bronze key on a white triangular shaped keychain emblazoned with the motel's name and logo.

Actual keys, Samantha marveled, not those plastic keycards. She wracked her brain for the last time she had seen that and decided on..never.

Five minutes later she had rolled her suitcase into room 113 and had turned the key in the lock. The room was furnished very much like the lobby: light teal walls, mauve indoor/outdoor carpeting, popcorn cielings flecked with glitter set to sparkle by another pineapple shaped light fixture. She was almost positive the bedspread and pillow case mached the pattern in the chair cushions in the lobby as well. Samantha paused briefly to look at a picture on the wall, another strange Art-Deco Egyptian painting, this one featuring Cleopatra flanked on both sides by lions. The paintings were so bizzare and striking. Sam looked in the bottom corner: Rose Gauge 2019.

I'm gonna have to google more art by this Rose Gauge person. She thought, kicking off her shoes into a corner. She walked over the window unit as she pulled at the buttons of her pantsuit. There she turned the knob all the way toward the thickest part of the blue semi-circle and felt a refreshingly invorating blast of cold air hit her face from the dusty looking window air conditioner.

She laid down on the bed, and still with her bra and spanx on, she fell asleep almost immediately.

NEXT>>

Being Mobile with Your Laptop or Gaming Console Shouldn’t Be Scary

New Post has been published on https://www.mobileedge.com/blog/2019/10/30/being-mobile-with-your-laptop-or-gaming-console-shouldnt-be-scary/

Being Mobile with Your Laptop or Gaming Console Shouldn’t Be Scary

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Mobility Doesn’t Have to Be Scary

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The Frequent Business Traveler

Every week, Mark is on a plane to visit clients. His carry-on suitcase is well packed. His briefcase however is another story. His laptop barely fit, there wasn’t any padding to help protect from even the slightest bump, and there were no separate compartments for storing files, documents, and various cords and chargers. In short, it was a mess.

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The College Gamer

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The Professional Mom

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Entry 237

 As Cosette carried me, James' continued describing the rooms as we passed them.  Many of the rooms only received a brief description, though a few were opened to show me.  Cosette playfully tickled my belly while I swung my paws around her fingers, but I felt distracted by the fantastic scents of food being prepared.

 “A large number of these rooms aren't really used frequently, at least to my knowledge.  Considering that I'm continually finding out about new hidden doors, someone might be ducking into another secret lab for all I know.” he explained, seeming to be waiting for response.

 None came.

 I started to wonder if he was wanting me to respond, despite my current form.  I might be able to.  Mom could manage, but she always said it took her considerable concentration.

As I tried to picture different things I might say, I wasn't happy with any of them.  I would likely know if someone opened a door on the opposite side of the mansion, so I was fairly certain no secret passages were being opened.  The idea of them was really cool, but the statement was more of a confirmation than a surprise.  A mansion filled with magic without secret doors would be far more surprising.

 I could smell such wonderful things right now.  Meat, cheeses, pasta, potatoes, some sort of sauce, and a great many spices were calling to me.  I could hear the man dancing around the kitchen as some wizard working his magic.  His heartbeat was steady as his body moved between pans, bowls, or other such metallic implements.  There was something glass as well.  What I did in Ancient Tribes of Earth, this man did in the real world.

 James was continuing his tour, and I did pay attention.  I simply wasn't paying as much attention as I could have if not for the sounds and smells from the kitchen.  I could basically taste the delicious food, and my imagination couldn't help providing imagery, though there were smells I couldn't picture as well.

 As Cosette finally stepped into the magical room, I wished I could will her to stop.  I wasn't mentally prepared to meet someone.  What if he didn't like me, or asked James to send me away?  What if a glance was enough to tell him of the monster entering his domain?  A small eternity passed as I panicked, reminding myself that I couldn't run away.  I didn't want to risk hurting Cossette.  I needed somewhere to belong.

 “Ah!  James!  I am just a fixing the dinner.  Ravioli di spinaci e ricotta con burro e salvia for the pasta, and then black angus cooked just a right.  I felt tonight we needed a taste of home.  There will also be potatoes, which I using a recipe I got in northern Italy from this woman…  bellissimo.  Is magnifico.  There is also meringue, though this recipe is from French girl I met in Prague.  Perhaps you will approve, Cosette?  Is French.”

The man speaking was considerably shorter than James, certainly older, and wore a large smile that fit his chef's outfit well.  His happiness is reflected in his bright, brown eyes when he had looked over at Cossette.  My inner panic grew when his eyes started lowering down to me.

 “Of course.  I’ve been delighted by everything you’ve made.” she assured him.

 Looking concerned, he asked “Is that a new pet?  I can’t say I prepared anything for il gatto, since I did not a know.”

 His concern reaffirmed all my fears, making the urge to flee grow and grow.  Then his concern magically had become embarrassment instead.  What sort of chef even makes food for cats?  Was this normal?

 “Oh.  No-no.  Marco, this is the newest member of Best Friend For Hire, Raine.  She’s a werecat, and Cosette had wanted to see her cat form.” explained James.

 “Ah!  This is good then, assuming she like a what I fix…?” inquired Marco as he looked to James.

 James nodded and said, “I have no doubt.  Hopefully, you’ll get to meet her as a girl for dinner, so you’ll know I’m not crazy.”

 With a wave of his hand, this wizard-chef brushed aside James’ fears and said, “I see wonders daily here, so you speak and I believe.”  His heartbeat remain steady, and the dilation of his eyes didn't change.  There wasn't even a quiver in his smile.  Marco was a very honest man who trusted James completely.

 “If you’ll excuse us, I’m going to finish giving Raine here the tour.” replied James, smiling again.  This smile lacked sincerity, as if James had his own inner demons to fight as well.

 If he did, he would win.  I could tell James was that sort.  Even the princess trusted him enough to work for him.

 “You’re the boss.  If you have time, dinner will be ready in… twenty minutes.  I’ll send a notice.” replied Marco.

 “A quick tour for now then.” agreed James, his smile becoming real again.

 We left the kitchen, and my anxiety was on the rise.  James briefly spoke of the rooms we passed, not even slowing his step by them.  We were hurrying to a room filled with people, some human and some not.  There was excitement in this room where people played Ancient Tribes of Earth, and I couldn't fault anyone for finding excitement in the game.  I knew Alma was there as well, and I held no excitement for seeing her again.

 What if she had already turned the others against me?  James couldn't defend me if so many of his friends saw me for the monster I am.  I would need to leave, alone once more in this world.  They might even try to stop me, knowing a monster shouldn't be allowed to roam free.  I didn't want to hurt anyone.  I'd have to carefully escape from Cosette's hold, hurry to grab my things, and leave while they wondered where I went.  But where could I go next?

 Numerous eyes turn to us as we entered the room.  Thankfully, they were mostly on James.  One beautiful girl was completely white from hair to bare toe.  Her eyes possessed the palest blue I had ever seen, and I saw a great many colors in eyes.  I was certain that her scent was one of the ones I didn't know.

  “James, why is that one out of her clothes again?” asked Alma.

  “Why would clothing matter when she’s a cat?” countered Cosette, not tensing at all despite arguing with the angry girl.

 Sounding surprisingly calm, Alma said, “A girl undressing in front of James always matters.  We can’t allow ourselves to act like animals, even if such behavior is in our nature.”

 “She shrinks into them, really.” stated James as if he were making a joke.

 Cosette glanced at James before looking back to Alma and saying, “If you must know, I asked Raine to change out of curiosity, and I feel she makes a most adorable cat.”

 “I already have Alberich, so I don’t need another cat.” replied Alma with false calm.

 I could see the slight tension in her fingers as she continued playing the game.  The interface in this room was interesting.  There seemed to be some laser-guided tracking system over a keyboard and mouse projection.  I didn't know such a thing could be implemented well enough for gaming yet.

 A girl with blonde hair dyed in numerous colors jumped out of her seat while saying, “But she’s so adorable!  Why didn’t you tell me she’s this cute?”  She bent down and peered into my eyes as I reflexively attempted to back up.  She smelled of plants, as if she had rolled around in grass and other things, though that was impossible during winter.

 The extraordinarily white girl and a pretty, redhead girl approached me as well.  I couldn't quite squeeze under Cosette's arm to back up more, at least not without hurting her.

 “Aww.. can I pet her?” questioned the redhead.

 “Such a pretty kitty!” exclaimed the other one.

 If I was in my human form, I might be blushing.  As things were, I just felt confused.  Alma had clearly said something about me, probably when I was in that office and couldn't hear properly.  Yet these girls appeared friendly, without any visible sign of deceit.  The white girl lacked a heartbeat, but wasn't a vampire.  What was she?  Her scent was similar to my own, but not the kitty part of me.  Was she a monster too?  She didn't seem dangerous, but most people wouldn't think I am dangerous.  I could feel something inside her calling to me.

 “She’s a bit shy.” stated James.  After briefly looking at me, he amended his statement.  “Okay, she’s more than a bit shy, so some space would be nice.  Does anyone have cat allergies?  I just realized that may be an issue.  Do werecats produce allergens?”

 “Yes, they do.” replied Alma.

 James waited for further response.  Receiving none, he announced “Marco said dinner will be ready in twenty minutes.  I suppose that was a few minutes ago though, so seventeen-ish.”  Then he went on to say, “At any rate, I was giving Raine here the tour and felt she should see how we like to game, since she’s in our guild.”

 “She plays Ancient Tribes of Earth?” asked Jarod, looking intrigued.

 “Yes, she’s Nekopawpaw.” explained James.

 The girl with the multicolored hair appeared excited and surprised.  “You!  I’m your general!  This is so cool!  You need to log in ASAP.  People have been worried about you, since you haven’t been on lately.”

 General Toxi!?  Toxi was nice.  She could be overly affectionate, but she was always kind.  When I was low on supplies for guild commissions, she would always volunteer to appropriate some from the guild’s storage.  She’d also act as an intermediary between me and other guild members.

 Her hands approached me, and I wondered if being held by her would be like lazing in the grass on a summer day.  I could easily picture her growing flowers and fruit from her hair with how natural the scents were.  There was the smell of fresh tomatoes and herbs.  Had she been helping in the kitchen?  Maybe there was a greenhouse she had visited.

 Instead of petting me, she lifted me away from Cosette.  I frantically released my claws from Cosette's clothing, not wanting to tear anything.  The redhead and white girl reached toward us, but General Toxi ignored them, carrying me to her seat where she placed me on her lap.

 General Toxi announce in game that I was with her in person.  I could hardly believe the reaction.  Hundreds of messages appeared.  Some more greeting me.  Others were claiming to have missed me.  Then there were some saying they wished they could be here to see me as well.  I didn't really feel as if I interacted with any of them enough to warrant this display, but here it was.

4 Dirty Little Secrets About the Full Version Games Industry

Control-shift-C-"motherlode." It's a series of commands that every Sims player knows, this infuses your level account with precious simoleans for accepting the fanciest lamps, lay down the plushest carpet, and landscaping with the most extraordinary of shrubbery. Few sports become thus described near their own cheat codes, yet if you want to budge a digital camera children in the expensive abode without giving dozens of hours to building up support, this policy is your ticket to affordable maid mass with lush window treatments.

This approach pay for The Sims as a dollhouse, a role the Sims 4 fulfills with some aplomb. If you want to build but prefer certainly not to micromanage the details, the game comes with various prearranged spaces that you can well together like Tetris pieces, yet if you're devoted to the knack of architecture and interior mean, you have the chains most improved set of acquire and body tools still. Accept and Form modes share the same program, making it plain to combine foundation and honor rather than forcing you to consider each exercise as an opposing section with the same simolean. Expanding and dragging walls in properly modular rectangles? This so straightforward as seeing how to use a mouse and keyboard. Uncertain what class a chess set falls below? Just form a keyword into the search subject with go for the best match. Cause the conflation of two methods into a single, also the amount of categories to strain done, The Sims 4 make a creditable profession of managing you true for the aims with devices you're seeking.

On the surface, there would appear to be sufficient types with goals from which to choose: sofas of appearances with colors, tiles for making your bathroom as 1970s-era-tacky as you'd like, and other course of personalizing the addresses regarding your small computer people. When the time comes to build a energy of amusement, yet, the borders become more rigorous than they first grow. The Sims 3's Create-a-Style options, that allowed people texturize with color your floors and fabrics in elaborate approach, have been dropped, leaving only predetermined colors in their place. Color can make a great throughline for aesthetically linking various conditions and approaches, but should anyone gun for an eclectic interior, you immediately find that objects don't have the same kinds available among them. Mixing and meeting can make a room appear more casual than refined; the Create-a-Style option provided a means of connecting disparate decor, and its loss diminishes creativity.

In fact, The Sims 4 as a rule feels diminished when compared to even the vanilla description of The Sims 3, before this produced the benefit of add-ons to allowed anyone be a ghostbuster and live in high-rises. Much experience recently been made of the functions to performed meet the reduction, but even if you don't have a list of those features on hand if you show, the squashed purview is apparent. I completed mind the small group I originally laid right to until I decided to splurge on a telescope, an entry to at one time was compact enough to fit in a small area in the garden. By contrast, The Sims 4's starting telescope, a vast monster which the majority amateur astronomers would eliminate to have, might in shape, then I finally erected it on the public lot, in front of the library. Previous Sims modders (and a Sims 2 expansion) had created microscopes to the mix, but I had no area for the lab-quality colossus in The Sims 4. Limitations, limitations, limitations. That remained The Sims I had become used to over the last several years.

The Sims 4 doesn't just take away. It has presents to give, too, such as different kinds of social relationships, objects, and other charming detours that make keeping a close watch next to your own sims a large joy. Multitasking are at the head these changes: sims greet visitors without putting overcome the cereal serving and chat while gardening. Working with the potty is also no event the sims have to fully target, also I laughed heartily when the digital variety of myself remained on the john while enjoying activities upon his drug; it really was like peeking here with a little me. The sim daughter, meanwhile, felt it was correct to swallow her fruit juice while peeing, a combination of activities I happen not sure I can help.

I happen not sure I should share our misgivings with the little lady, although. In The Sims 4, sims are relatively moody, getting embarrassed must people send one sim to the shower after another is seated on the bathroom, also obtaining randy when they're in the vicinity of their spouses. You're constantly pushed to take advantage of these moods, earning positions for small successes that an individual waste in incentives to produce temporary buffs (get energized immediately!) or permanent enhancements (never make shot!). Sims and get gate to modern kinds of social interactions if they become moody--angry sims want to get in fights, embarrassed sims need reassurance, focused sims want to show chess, and so forth.

Switch in feelings are combined with predictably ridiculous exclamations in the gibberish language known as simlish. One sim I strongly held was especially mischievous, fooling neighbors with a side buzzer and insulting anyone to dared assemble in the club while she drew behind a nightcap. I might cover her get enjoyment associated with some other sims' clothing, which the girl performed in an adorable snotty tone, causing her prey to start in horror by the girl obnoxiousness. I presented to even sim the superior trait, and choice a default walk life which held her brain tilted upwards so which she may seem down her nose at the plebeians that challenged walk the same World. Watching her walk her material was constantly wonderful, even if she was there the only digital person worth keeping an eye on: little everyone would handle publications as puppets, frank with finishing them like gates and mimicking what they could about by cracking them friendly and basically reading. Enjoying your sims in action means having a frequent smile stretched across your face.

Try these personal activities into long-form stories isn't so compelling as it was in The Sims 3, however. The previous game's open world, that allowed for smooth travel and easy multi-sim control, has been supplanted with smaller lots divided by filling screens--a scheme that will harks to big games in the sequence. Having to stare at the loading screen when you want to travel to the square is distracting enough; moving to your home lot to maintain other loved ones and getting them put stiffly in front of the house, waiting for the commands rather than naturally move regarding the affair, becomes even more so.

The deeper you wish to try, the new roadblocks you arrive at. Perhaps this sensible that the game with no large freedom to cross would not feature bicycles, although I even miss drive around town, moving over rise and complete valleys until I access the churchyard and pursue the ghosts there. Not solely is moving left, but so are the hills and valleys, all of them smoothed out into a uniformly flat surface that doesn't support basements or terraforming. Elsewhere, the emphasis on specific tasks detracts from the freeform noodling. While offer the former birthday organization, for case, I happened subsequently focused on fulfilling assigned jobs like doing drinks i did not notice how differently The Sims 4 handled birthday cakes than its predecessor. I skipped being able to simply buy the cake, spread about some balloons, and have a wonderful moment. When I got never choose the wedding woman, I didn't air as though I received given everyone a good enough time--I air like I took clicked for the actual factors in the moral direction. It is wearing that distinction that you find the disparity between The Sims 4 and its predecessor.

In short, The Sims 4's biggest issue is how the Sims 3 is, and telling wherever that lands by necessity means peek in where the series has been. This is a lovely and energetic up for in which generates constant smirks, but The Sims 4's moments never feel like part of a larger picture. Improvisation is bound in turn, that creates us to that huge telescope now sitting in front of the library. Looking at the stars means undergoing a charge screen, although I grasp the top-level commands that I can problem to family playing with different lots, simultaneously spending period with additional sims means enduring even more loading screens, or making my family to travel together. I love glare by and listening to The Sims 4, yet those tiny digital people stay so fascinating https://elamigosedition.com/party-games/ like to hold me hooked--not when a decked-out story of The Sims 3 is much more inviting.

Choosing a Laptop Computer Based on Hardware and Software Needs

Laptop computer systems are one of the maximum suitable techie devices. A computer is a portable pc that would comfortably be used while on someone's lap - subsequently the name. It includes all the simple and necessary software (like Office System and Internet get entry to) and hardware (like CD-Rom power and Modem) functions of an normal laptop and still fits in an regular briefcase or backpack.

Advantages of Owning a Laptop

1. Portability.

Being transportable, it could be delivered along and used everywhere - faculty, paintings, holiday trips, not like the everyday laptop computer. no wifi games free This is particularly handy to someone with a completely aggravating schedule and busy lifestyle. In this regard, a pc addict doesn't have to be a hermit anymore! He or she will be able to exit underneath the obvious rays of the solar and nevertheless keep directly to the first-class technological leap forward product.

2. Convenience.

It is useful for the running man or woman, for the pupil, for the hobbyist, and for a pc addict too. One can take notes in class, type and print assignments and reports, access the Internet and talk with any other person on the opposite aspect of the globe. Teachers and public members of the family officials can make use of the pc to offer a special dimension to their presentations. Some teachers additionally locate college students are more prompted whilst the usage of a pc.

Three. Size and Weight.

The dormer and studio type condominium lessee might agree that a pc could keep them more area.

4. Image.

It cannot be denied that a computer is cool. With its sleek form and shape, it can be very appealing. It also gives the statement that the owner is not previous, that he or she is in step with the instances, and ultimately, laptop literate.

Laptops aren't that high priced anymore, however this isn't the sort of item a person could save for every different week. Each and every laptop has its own demands, necessities and functions. Features you could need to look for:

1. Size and weight. Laptops are portable, however their sizes and weight nevertheless range. To be very portable, it must be small and light-weight. They generally weigh 5 kilos. If it will be used outdoors extra frequently, the load need to not be greater than 5 pounds.

The size of the display is likewise vital. The typical sizes are 12.1, thirteen.3 and 14.Four inches. Tiny screens, as small as eight inches, are ideal for portability, but the demands of the eyes - to have a squint-free display - should additionally be taken into consideration.

2. Sturdy. A computer need to be sorted, however it'd be more perfect to have a difficult and sturdy one with the intention to be capable of withstand any unintentional knock or minor bump. There are models available with shock-resistant hard drive mounts. It needs to be durable sufficient if it is going to be taken outside often.

Three. Internet connection. One must be in contact with the relaxation of the net network. There are wi-fi connections presented already. To one with price range constraints, an everyday 56Kbps modem could do to connect with the relaxation of the arena.

4. USB port. This need to additionally be carefully checked out in order that the computer may be used in many extra approaches. There ought to be as a minimum one USB port if not more, for future enlargement of including other hardware. The USB port can be used for external keyboard and mouse, however it's miles maximum useful to create connection with virtual cameras, external drives, and MP3 players.

Five. Battery life. The battery existence of the computer ought to allow the person to use and enjoy it exterior or in regions that do not offer strength resources for the general public. A affordable battery lifestyles have to not be lower than 5 hours. The battery lifestyles will decide the extent of freedom that may be enjoyed with the pc.

Technology is killing you... Slowly

Digital health and wellness blog

Remember when Arnold Schwarzenegger played ‘The Terminator’ back in 1984? Well he has come back for us…. Well not him exactly but phones, gaming consoles and TVs are. As we have advance into the technological world, increasing numbers of very technologically oriented conditions have arose due to the time spent in the digital world. Conditions such as ‘gaming addiction’ and ‘social media addiction’, there's also an increase in physical issues such as ‘Digital eye fatigue’ and ‘text neck’ swarming young adults and kids everywhere.

Image source: Information-age.com

For this blog, I will begin in the year 1973 as this is when a Motorola researcher and executive Martin Cooper, made the first mobile telephone which was the start of an era. Mobile phones however were not mainstream until 1995 when they were used only for calling people, they had a long antenna and were bulky. Fast forward to the year 2000 and the world's first touchscreen phone came out, the Motorola which had a simple black and white touchscreen which allowed easier access to more features. Next came the iPhone in 2007 which was the first advanced touchscreen phone, and it had an operating system which was the first of its kind also according to Chowdhury, Rahul 2014.

Technology is taking over our lives, whether it is bad for you depends on the amount of time you spend on it. According to the University of California researchers, we are taking in about 3 times more information everyday than the average person 50 years ago. Although technology has given us the ability to multitask like watching TV and doing work, it makes us feel more efficient but research shows that it has the opposite effect. Apparently the multitasking participants, according to Science magazine in 2011, had trouble filtering out irrelevant information than those who focused on one task at a time. Therefore we ‘forget’ information in essence as it is not  relevant to what we are doing, however we struggle to recall this information, which shows that our memory is deteriorating faster. (Everydayhealth, 2017)

Sleep deprivation is a side effect of technology, as we are spending much more time each day using it. Young adults need about 9 hours of sleep each day, but are spending most nights gaming, texting and watching TV, this leads to students struggling to focus and cope with social pressures. (Everydayhealth, 2017)

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Overuse of technology such as gaming consoles and laptops have caused many problems in muscles and joints from repetitive movements in their fingers and wrists and back problems from spending endless hours on end slouched over gaming. (Everydayhealth, 2017)

Images source: Pixabay

Social media is a very powerful tool that allows younger people to have their views and opinions expressed so they feel more like an active citizen. However a problem of over sharing has arisen, but lets us chose to filter out the bad bits, showing people only what you want them to see. This allows young impressionable kids to compare their life to others who appear to have a ‘perfect life’ which leads to low self esteem. A study done by psychologist Dr Paula Durlofsky to try and find the perfect balance between real life relationships and virtual ones which demonstrated a correlation between the use of social media excessively and depression.

Another study between amount of time spent on Facebook and body dysmorphia by Dr Bryony Bamford indicated that the more time spent on Facebook the higher the chance that subject had body dysmorphia, which in turn can also lead to depression. (Herrera, Brayan 2016)

The longer you are sitting around in front of a TV or computer has been linked to premature deaths according to a study by physiologist Marc Hamilton, Ph.D, his 2015 study proves this. Woman who sit at computers for more than 6 hours a day were 37% more likely to die during the time frame that was studied than those who sat fewer than three hours a day according to an American Cancer Society that followed 123,000 adults for 14 years. (Everydayhealth, 2017)

The combination of the iPhone and the Facebook app launching for it, was the start of the social media addiction. The ease of access people had to the app and to be able to upload pictures of themselves really kicked off the social media craze. The satisfaction of receiving loads likes on one of their selfies releasing the dopamine from their brains, people just couldn't get enough. Fast forward 2018 and the problem has only intensified due to the introduction of other social media apps such as Instagram and twitter.

Image source: Rediff

From a 2018 global study done by the US National Library of Medicine showed that between 2011 and 2017 that 259 people died from trying to take the ‘Perfect selfie’ (Newsbeat, BBC 2018). An example of one of these deaths is a 19 year old American tourist Gavin Zimmerman, a mormon missionary from Utah fell off a cliff in New South Wales, Australia. You can find the news story with the link below;

https://twitter.com/7NewsSydney/status/1021641744037732352

In many asian countries, there are internet cafes where gamers can go to play. In Taiwan, a bloke called Chen Rong-yu, who was addicted to League of Legends, where he would frequently visit internet cafes to play. One day he took his addiction that one step too far where he sat down and had a 23 hour session, already suffering with a heart condition, the combination of this, fatigue, minimal movement and cold temperatures overcame him, he apparently suffered a heart attack whist mid game with his hands still on the keyboard and mouse. (Nguyen, Lisa 2017)

Image source: AP Photo

However, as much as technology has bad impact on our health, it has helped us in various ways, from saving our life to reuniting us with lost family. The 2 major areas technology has had an impact on in healthcare would be the quality of life and more healthcare jobs. It has brought about the decline of preventable deaths and a general improvement of a patients well-being with the treatment and recovery time of patients being shortened massively. Jobs like EEG technologists, MRI technologists and surgical technologists are uncommon and because they have excellent wages, people are choosing them as long term career paths. Due to bioengineering being a fairly new job prospect, the openings for them have been steadily increasing. (aimseducation 2015)

An example of modern technology would be during the Japan 2011 earthquake and tsunami relief fund. A 8.9 magnitude earthquake, one of the largest in recorded history destroyed Japanese telecommunication, therefore there was no way of communicating to the outside world, apart from social media. People were sending SMS and live videos onto social media platforms. Minute to minute updates on tsunami alerts, rescheduled trains, emergency numbers and shelters for people. Around 15,000 YouTube videos were uploaded to the platform of during and after the disaster spreading awareness to people around the world. There is no doubt that social media saved lives in this case from reuniting families to helping people escape the center of destruction zones.  (Lourens, Stephan 2012)

To conclude, there are clear and prominent side effects that come from technology, however these can be avoided by regulating the time you spend on it and how you allow social media to control your life. It is all about self control with technology, if you can’t control yourself then be prepared to live with the consequences. Or you can take advantage of technology and use it for its intended uses, and thrive in life. Through researching, I have learned a lot myself which has helped to motivate me change myself  for the better, and if you spend as much time online as I do then I recommend you do too. While discussing this topic with one of my flatmates he compared the internet to chocolate, too much can make you sick und fat, but in regulation it can be beneficial.

I have found a quiz that can determine whether or not you have an addiction to the online world, take the test using the link below to find out!

Online Addiction Quiz

If you need help for your internet addiction then please call a UK Addiction Treatment Center on the following numbers;

0808 278 9461

0203 733 0858

Bibliography:

Adams, Morgan. (2019). Video Game Addiction Symptoms, Causes and Effects. Available: (PsychGuides.com, 2019) Your Bibliography: PsychGuides.com. (2019). Signs and Symptoms of Video Game Addiction - Causes and Effects. [online] Available at: https://www.psychguides.com/guides/video-g. Last accessed 22nd January 2019.

log off, its time to. (2018). Social media addiction. Available: https://www.itstimetologoff.com/digital-addiction/social-media-addiction-2/. Last accessed 22nd January 2019.

CooperVision. (2018). Digital-eye-fatigue. Available: https://coopervision.co.uk/digital-eye-fatigue. Last accessed 22nd January 2019.

Miller, John and Ferguson, John. (2018). Text neck. Available: https://physioworks.com.au/injuries-conditions-1/text-neck. Last accessed 22nd January 2019.

Gregerson, Erik. (2016). Martin Cooper American Engineer . Available: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Martin-Cooper. Last accessed 23rd January 2019.

Chowdhury, Rahul. (2014). Evolution of Mobile Phones: 1995 – 2012.Available: https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/evolution-of-mobile-phones/. Last accessed 23rd January 2019.

Newsbeat, BBC. (2018). Selfie deaths: 259 people reported dead seeking the perfect picture. Available: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-45745982. Last accessed 23rd January 2019.

Nguyen, Lisa. (2017). 15 People Who Have Died Playing Video Games.Available: https://www.thegamer.com/15-people-who-have-died-playing-video-games/. Last accessed 23rd January 2019.

aimseducation. (2015). The Benefits of Technology in Healthcare: Patient Care & Economic Boom. Available: https://www.aimseducation.edu/blog/benefits-of-technology-in-healthcare/. Last accessed 23rd January 2019.

Herrera, Brayan (2016). Social media and young people's mental health. Available: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/blog/social-media-and-young-peoples-mental-health. Last accessed 23rd January 2019.

Everydayhealth. (2017). The Real Effects of Technology on Your Health. Available: https://www.everydayhealth.com/emotional-health/internet-addiction/real-effects-technology-on-your-health/. Last accessed 23rd January 2019.

Lourens, Stephan. (2012). 10 prominent examples of social media creating social change. Available: https://memeburn.com/2012/10/10-prominent-examples-of-social-media-creating-social-change/. Last accessed 23rd January 2019.

Six methods For Finding Student Accommodation

Europe offers familiarity for American visitors but with loads of history. Europe offers destinations from the familiar London and Paris to less familiar destinations like Croatia, Slovenia and Estonia. You have to be inclined to cope with another language or driving on another side among the road. -I have a lousy sensation of direction.but entails the cake. A woman boarded a bus thinking she occuring a shopping trip from Thailand to Malaysia. She got on a bad bus, and it took twenty-five years for her to make her way home. Solution: Enrollees should combat the regarding stress and lack of sleep by maintaining diet plan and getting plenty of sleep. Washing your hands often travels a good to keeping you healthy as well. Maintain clean spaces, disinfect your phone, keyboard, mouse, door handles frequently. Should you withdraw take a visit to the school nurse and get treated immediately so you'll be doing your behalf not to contaminate your roommates and fellow students. Realize that are competing against an ever-growing number of websites for visitors. That is where content and keyword choices are incredibly serious. These content and keyword choices should be changing. Your website must be dynamic and reflect the greatest ideas, is centered on gossip may also be best professional opinions. You want to attract as much traffic as easy to your online. Your new home will protect you a fortune in energy bills. The walls and roof have used solar panels which provide plenty of one's for your own use. Any you avoid using you sell back into the national grid - providing you an estimated return on investment of 1,000 each and every year. These mirrors are applied to changing rooms of clothes stores or hotel rest rooms etc, where people like to see themselves from all angles. Scratch pads for phone be installed not just in your bathrooms, but in Foyers and halls as an ornamental piece. Creating and ambience by reflection of light and feel of depth, these infinity mirrors increase glamour of one's bathroom storage space. Though more expensive than normal mirrors it adds a dash of sophistication as. To help make things easier you would like to try and be sure that your student residence can be nice as you can. For lots of people living at university is watch living out your front door. Just because you take a tight budget does not mean that must put lets start work on substandard houses. You won't be in a posture to rent an exotic or luxury car for several days. Your choice is to seek out your rental car agencies. To understand more about it, here is a simple guideline you could follow. Sometimes even reliable car for hire in Perth has issues to allow for. For tourists, they could even suggest the best places where you should go. A great deal if you'd like your am be carried out in luxury and comfort. It could possibly come in many packages. Below is all of the reasonably priced holiday accommodation for backpackers and tourists. To help make things easier you consider and ensure your student residence could be nice as possible. For lots of people living at university is before living away from home. Just because you take prescription a tight budget doesn't imply that must put track of substandard dwelling. Still, Callahan will not resign. No, he'll just let it get to full-blown mutiny, and he'll get deplete town very much like he did after his failed attempt as the NFL's Oakland Raiders' head coach. If anyone - even a very high school - hires this worthless, sorry excuse to the coach, whole expect many same. They have the anti-Midas touch. Everything he touches turns to shit. In order to apply for Bocconi in Milan, you either need accomplish the American SAT exam or the Bocconi own test. My son opted to do the SAT review. There are many places that will tutor you in preparation for the SAT experiment with. There is the slight irritation that Bocconi will not give you' minimum score to ought to be. We were not sure what their criteria were regarding their selection of students. Rick did well in his SAT test and was lucky to acquire a place. Could take the SAT test several times if you wish to improve your score. Use for Bocconi was very complicated, though a call centre at hand, Rick finally went about getting all the documents all together. Let's start with the bed, as this also provide essentially the most comfort. Don't skimp on sheets - go for that 400-thread count or even higher. Sleeping in comfort is integral. Not simply will you have a sounder night's sleep, but you'll drop off more very. Location is often everything for college kids. Many prefer to rent additional central locations near their campus, to minimise travel times and costs, which includes the congestion charge for central london. Wherever you choose make there are simple and reliable transport links - you do not wish to be late for class! Angela Nellany allegedly solicited family members to off her ex husband by putting wasps in his car. Dad had approached other friends before going to family. Her ex husband, Paul, had heard the rumors but didn't take it seriously. If you liked this information and you would such as to get additional info concerning Accommodation Avoiding kindly go to the website.

Get to understand Nutraceuticals and stay away from future health issues

Develop a support program that contains other sufferers with arthritis. Friends and family members may not often be supportive of your discomfort you happen to be in, or may perhaps merely not comprehend the crippling nature on the condition. Obtaining pals with arthritis can provide you with somebody to talk to about your pain, who understands the issue and won't judge you, whilst also taking the strain off of the family, when trying to handle your troubles.

Rearrange the furniture in your house. You would like to be in a position to walk a straight line from a single area to one more. The fewer turns you have to create, the less pressure you may place in your weight-bearing joints, specially your hips. It is best to enlist the support of a pal to move your furnishings, needless to say.

Stay clear of working out with worn out footwear should you are living with arthritis. Worn out footwear distribute your weight unevenly. Additionally they result in quite a few problems for the joints inside your legs. Replace your exercise shoes usually for greatest final results, and specially once you notice uneven put on on the bottoms of the soles. 

For arthritis sufferers, it truly is critical to slim down in the event you are overweight or obese. Excess weight just puts a lot more strain and stress on your arthritic joints, which can make your arthritis even worse. It can be a verified reality that each and every pound you lose is 4 less pounds of pressure in your knees.

Before you begin self-treating for arthritis discomfort, be certainly specific that the trigger of your joint discomfort and stiffness is actually osteoarthritis.  A lot of individuals make assumptions that aches and pains they suffer as they age are from arthritis, but a wide variety of ailments may cause joint pain. A CT-Scan is definitely the greatest method to know if your pain is genuinely brought on by arthritis. 

Take a look at a massage therapist frequently when you endure from arthritis. The massages that these professionals perform on you can assist to create the body loosen up and ease a number of the pain within your joints. It truly is recommended that you stop by  a massage therapist just about every two weeks should you have arthritis.

Any time you have osteoarthritis, working out your joints is an critical aspect of managing your condition.  Professionals have discovered that exercise aids relieve stiffness and keeps your joints much more flexible. Stretching workouts as well as light weight training may also enhance your endurance and assistance you sleep additional soundly, leading to much less discomfort along with a superior quality of life.

Keep away from heating pads if your arthritis is flaring up. All they may be going to accomplish is make your symptoms worse. Rather, apply a cold compress for the area exactly where your arthritis is located. You may even wrap a package of frozen peas or yet another frozen vegetable inside a towel and apply towards the location.

Arthritis can at times bring about rashes on the arthritic regions in your body or in your face. If that is the case, you may get cover up and other make as much as hide these rashes. Several arthritis sufferers believe that they must stay away from make up, which can be not accurate.

Maintaining an arthritis journal can basically assist you handle your symptoms. Each and every time your arthritis is bothering you, write about what you do that day within your journal. This way, it is possible to get started to see a pattern as to what exactly is causing your arthritis pain so you'll be able to slow down on that activity.

Should you are a woman who suffers from arthritis inside your back, you might choose to think of altering what bras you wear. Think it or not, certain bras could make your arthritis worse by putting stress in your back. You'll find in fact bras that happen to be created just for ladies with arthritis. 

Stopping arthritis early can be advantageous. A prevention technique should be to implement very good typing habits. You ought to always preserve your hands level with your keyboard and keep a raised pad beneath your mouse. This way you'll be able to minimize the strain on your hands and preserve oneself from developing troubles later in life inside your hands.

Take into account joining an arthritis support group. Family and friends members who never endure from arthritis may perhaps have a really hard time understanding exactly what you will be going by means of and how much it affects your life. Connecting with other arthritis sufferers inside a supportive atmosphere could make it simpler to cope using the chronic , day to day discomfort as well as other troubles linked using the disease.

If you endure from arthritis, try not to put on clothes that is definitely also tight against your skin. Tight clothes is just going to put a lot more pressure in your joints, which in turn, will increase your pain. Alternatively, try to wear garments which have adequate space in them in order that you're comfortable.

For people today who suffer from chronic arthritis, be careful when deciding upon a pet for your loved ones. Bear in mind, if your arthritis is acting up or perhaps gets worse, it might be difficult for you to care for your pet. Instead, you could possibly wish to take into account obtaining a pet that is easier to take care, like a fish.

Alternate hot and cold treatment options. Your joints can conveniently overdo it, so switching among hot and cold packs can soothe discomfort and cut down swelling. Attempt not to do these treatments too usually, as over-icing or heating can lead to far more challenges down the road. Aim for twice every day at the maximum.

Be cautious of what herbal treatments you take for arthritis and make certain you speak together with your medical doctor ahead of taking them. People think that mainly because herbal treatments are all-natural, that they're healthful for you. This is not always the case. The truth is, certain herbal remedies could make your arthritis worse.

Get the correct amount of exercising, and ensure that it really is the right kind. Exercising will help you preserve the body fit and healthful, even though making sure that you just increase your flexibility. Performing low influence workouts will protect against inflammation of your joints, but be sure to in no way overdo it. If you start to really feel discomfort, cease.

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Kingsroad Hack

The game is amazingly very simple, nevertheless for those who are utilizing a keyboard set and computer mouse, or possibly a touch screen graphical user interface. Your only-switch very simple the apple ipad is successful. Deal with is a lot of kiting to get that two ranged data, as it could be in any other coins bots displaying towel or natural leather-users. |There's also eight alot more simply makeup items to port, combined with other eight trinket spots. Each one group provides a dozen roughly skills, both of these working and inactive, and many types of with 10 quantities of competence for them all. They come in many different forms, and over again could very well be augmented with tremendous-culture profits. From the surface finish of each and every map you will have a list of how useful you and the buddies did treating that map, combined with gold bullion and gems recognized for that initiatives. In the future, widening space or room provides a jewel total price, but it’s a vast improvement on almost nothing. Modeled soon after other successful arpg coins bots like torchlight, you play a attitude throughout a handful of quests, around an getaway, and may replay every single phase that you just wide open. You may even alter the jewels in the related equipment - for just about any total price, certainly. Because this is an rpg, every single group is actually a practicable soloist. No water tank-mages over here. |It isn't an mmo but neither of the two can it be a genuine single rpg frequently as team play isn't elective. It's modeled meticulously a satisfactory amount of to successful old school rpgs it performs all right however it accidents decrease in team play The visuals really are polished, even so the coins bot accidents, and accidents quite often - should you really log rear dramatically a satisfactory amount of even if, you get in through the very same factor you crashed. Just lately planet earth has fallen into darkness and corruption. Blah, blah, blah. An incredible theory that's been tried out formerly (diablo could follow copyright worries), and as of late destroyed by profits eager pastimes. -too little further article (2 working days periods aren't incorporated because range) it was tremendous nasty! And yet? With automotive play, just - the sport supplies you with an abundance of completely free gems (premium foreign currency). |The equipment from tournaments may also be recurrent and a bit more satisfying whenever. 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You’ll designate a variety of forces for use in your total row (keys 1-5 in Hack Para Kingsroad) and bust them in tackle to decreased your foes. |So let’s just say this: Hack Para Kingsroad fingernails the fundamentals. You can actually experiment you would like guaranteeing that as much as you desire. A great deal space in the traditional bank? Pay for it. So, for example, the baker can transform the apples and loaves of bread you collect into the apple company tarts, but it’s possible to enjoy a some hours. Those who are interested in diablo or torchlight, Hack Para Kingsroad could be the new habit, hands and wrists decrease. terrific, but while you are participating you will are convinced that itch to keep. Your could quite possibly The game is rather a grindy lootfest alternatively i am midway with secondary playthroug and haven't though have forfeit a objective. The game went by using thorough closed up beta evaluation time, in fact it is at long last accessible in wide open beta for everyone to enjoy. |In Hack Para Kingsroad, athletes would probably management a dark night, archer or wizard personality, and may even switch involving these as needed involving quests while they identify they really want a broad alteration of playstyle. A person expertise factor is received on pretty much every get ranges, and this might be put on the accessible know-how, picking out which considerably enlarges given that the participant grows in place. throttling the game player at any moment, for that reason if they need to take a seat and play for most people hours, there's almost nothing avoiding them from achieving that. habit to entail smallish regarding procedure and many more regarding dramatically responding to scenarios mainly because they take place. 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Positive aspects - clean and delightful-looking backdrops - eye-finding personality layouts and motions sequences - athletes can adjust in-involving classes - a variety of expertise tree branches to examine - extensive device progression via composing and enchanting - athletes can re-managed finished instances that grows its issues and provide alot more endure and many more unusual device drops cons - no feminine versions from your about three classes - account is uninspiring in fact it is quite often periods an afterthought - personality personalization only exist in equipping new products - expertise plant resets entail buying in-coins bot foreign currency prior to when keeping being able to check out new strengthens - every single group will need to be leveled up singularly to obtain more ultra powerful - no pvp to speak of despite having some problems, Hack Para Kingsroad seems to ship on some areas in fact it is really a pleasing coins bot to enjoy. In periods, Buddies may possibly be expected, for not more than 3 for everyday co-op, and 4 for struggle coliseum battles. The non reusable-to-play motions rpgs are arriving! Wonder heroes is in just closed up beta (examine cheatcc's preview over here), and now Hack Para Kingsroad is live through myspace. Will you shut down the tab, the sport can get where you finished any time you gain. up to get an episode. Likewise overwhelming, i recall right after i unexpectedly offered a sword i'd earned for example a objective reward and dramatically found out that there is absolutely no strategy to repurchase Likely to "will you be several?Inches Sales message any time you retail the game’s optimal loot, but you have to be aware employing the decrease-level merchandise you count on at the start. |And yet, a sizable nearly all of Realistically, lots of the chests i paid back to open up did not come up with something advantageous by any means. The 3 dimensional visuals have a great "genuine dream" turn to them, alternatively i knowledgeable an abundance of tv screen tearing and herky-jerky dslr camera panning, specifically when i aimed to endure totally-tv screen manner. Leave the safety from your hearth regarding although you battle you should avoid the players of evil from ruling our world. A fabulous culture - second-development 3 dimensional visuals generate the extensive whole world of Hack Para Kingsroad to everyday life. During this time, perfect accomplishments through the pvp section of your accomplishment menu and compete vs other athletes on the mist pvp difficulty leaderboard by participating deathmatch within a struggle coliseum! Achievements inside a chain can be finished within a select you have them. breakdown and mildew grabbed by 50Percent.

Lenovo IdeaCentre Y710 Dice Gaming Laptop Evaluate

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Lenovo IdeaCentre Y710 Dice Gaming Laptop Evaluate

Our configuration makes use of a i7-6700 four-core/eight-thread CPU, 16GB of DDR4, a GTX 1070 8GB, a 1TB HDD, and a 128GB SSD. One of the interesting additions is the Wireless AC card from Killer networks; it’s a totally high overall performance WIFI card. The package also comes with a keyboard and mouse. The size of the Pc are: (L x W x H) 15.48″ x 9.93″ x 12.38″ and it weighs 16.three kilos. So the Laptop is shorter than an ordinary ATX tower, but it nonetheless weighs a first rate quantity because of the excessive give up hardware.

Gaming Laptop

Appropriate and Terrible in Gaming

Gaming is considered one of the largest interests and even careers inside the international. Humans play video games for a laugh or mastering whilst others record movies about the video games. In this article, I’m able to focus more on gaming itself and no longer so much the facet of a way to make gaming movies. Game enthusiasts are available in all extraordinary a while, genders, religions, locations and shapes. The backgrounds of individuals who are Game enthusiasts make gaming that rather more fun.

Backgrounds of Gamers can play an element inside the form of games that People play. There are all kinds of combinations for one of a kind classes regarding the kind of games and form of Gamers. You really need to take a look at the game’s website to get all of the pertinent records prior to buying.

There are numerous on line platforms in which you could buy video games from which include Steam or Humble Bundle. The ones websites will come up with the outline, movies by the employer, photographs, consumer and non-consumer tags, critiques, internet site, organization and their social account(s). Be conscious the game’s internet site may not display you the whole lot you need to know. At least, a gaming enterprise will show a brief income pitch description, a few snap shots (five at excellent), one or two films with the aid of them and their social money owed. The maximum they may provide is an informative description, their social money owed, person critiques and movies by way of them.

Let’s dive right into what is perceived as terrible approximate gaming. The general public of the negative matters approximately video games come from the actual-life Human beings on Those video games, the form of games and the sorts of video games for the incorrect character. A sport can be poorly made but it’s now not constantly the case where the game itself is Awful. It can be where it become the wrong kind of recreation for the incorrect man or woman. This is wherein the kinds are available. Perhaps a sport has a chunk of violence. That doesn’t make it Terrible; it simply makes it the incorrect type of sport for a seven yr old. Or Perhaps you obtain a puzzle game for a person who loves motion type video games. So the movement loving individual might not experience it, however, That does not make the puzzle sport Terrible!

The kinds of video games are limitless from nudity, drugs and alcohol, horror, playing with money and greater. Those different types are wrong for kids Game enthusiasts in addition to wrong for people who don’t like seeing such things.

Gaming has Right and Awful sides just like the whole lot else. The secret’s how Desirable and Awful are The one’s aspects. For instance, some games have an Awful aspect with gamers that want to combat loads. This is commonplace in video games. Understand for a whole lot of Gamers this isn’t always a big deal; but, for adolescents who are new to the game or even gaming, in general, this could be frustrating. There are times while you want to avoid the Terrible aspects altogether. There are instances when the good outweighs the Bad. If this happens and there are no issues with the game itself; then the Horrific facet is just that one little fly for your room which is no huge deal. Warning: If the Bad outweighs the good, I’d strongly suggest averting that sport.

Every other issue that Human beings will nag a sports developer or writer approximately is an illustration. Must I say, a lack of representation which isn’t always constrained to race, frame kind and message in the sport? If you are capable of customizing your individual, then of the route you’ll no longer have a trouble with representation. There is a trouble in some games where they don’t constitute robust and clever women, minority girls and males, huge, small, tall, and short ladies and males. Note how I didn’t put “adult males” after female for robust? It really is because males in video games are always represented as strong and clever.

In video games that display a male robust and smart, he’s going to frequently probably be white, tall, skinny, film megastar searching and buff. you’ll hardly ever see him be a minority, short, chubby, not buff, nerdy searching, at the same time as still being robust and clever. You notice this even Much less for females. some ladies in games are also white, tall, skinny and strong whilst showing skin like no the following day. You simplest see Those women in Moog video games (Hugely Multiplayer on line Position Gambling sport) though. RPG games are intended for fable worlds in which you mainly fight People and monsters. Of direction, the women’ stats may be robust however they won’t appearance sturdy.

In maximum games, once they add a person with a view to playing they constantly add a white male first, then a white female, then a black male, and then a black girl. They do not even actually add people who are mixes of races or in among. In relation to the black characters, they only add one coloration of “black” or “African-American” and now not each black individual on earth is that color.

In video games, The general public of the characters is always thin and tall. You do not clearly see characters that are short and skinny, tall and overweight, short and overweight and many others. There are quite a few individuals who are not skinny and who aren’t tall.

Then finally, There’s the intellectual message that is going with the gender, race, and body type. What do I imply by using the mental message? some games send an indirect message about that man or woman being robust and smart or some thing else. while for other video games it could be a intellectual message both on purpose or now not. For instance, in the sport you play and you see a minority girl who is short, obese, nerdy looking and her tendencies are to be a goof ball, naive, and dumb. It could send a mental message to you that People that look like her are just like her. They may be no longer smart, they aren’t thin, and aren’t tall. They did poorly in school, and many others. and many others. So you begin thinking The ones things based totally on not best seeing this in that recreation over and over once more, but when it takes place in different games too.

The worst element is NONE of this stuff are real. Sure, some Human beings are not skinny, tall, and Perhaps no longer that vibrant; however not Absolutely everyone is like this! You do have short overweight minorities who are smart as all get out! You have all sorts of mixtures of people who ARE smart! Of path, all these items about gender, race, body kind, and messages are not just in gaming; They’re in movies, Tv indicates, ads, and so forth. What’s interesting is that a number of the creators who make the video games, movies, Tv shows, commercials, and so forth., are minorities themselves and they make up the populace of the earth. (Seek “world populace with the aid of race 2016” and click on the primary three links In case you do not consider me.)

Brief disclaimer: I’m now not BASHING Absolutely everyone! Yes, I was shouting that. This section of the object is telling you what I know, study, hear and revel in in gaming.

If you do not trust me to move study modern day Tv indicates, movies, advertisements, and video games. A show to examine for Precise illustration is Milo Murphy’s Regulation. two games to observe as a reference for Top illustration are OverWatch and Atlas Reactor. Now in Those fields, it has gotten better for representation in particular gender, race and just now beginning body type (especially in this order). some video games even upload robots and creatures as playable characters to keep away from having issues with representation. This gets rid of the problem of users trying an individual to symbolize their actual or desired gender, race, or frame type due to the fact now There are individual most users can agree on. In spite of everything, you can’t please Anybody.

Alright, now that I ranted and got the Horrific stuff out of the manner; Allow’s get into the good components of gaming! You have got Game enthusiasts as younger as three years old and as old as 90+! Regardless of your age, race, gender, faith, culture, or area gaming can be Properly for All and sundry. Gaming can’t only be fun, however beneficial and educational.

A benefit with gaming is it can help youngsters have extra self belief in themselves and be more social. In the event that they play a web multiplayer recreation and communicate to other players round the world, this will assist then get used to talking to different People except family and that they benefit confidence in what They are announcing. They could move from an introvert to a social fanatic! it could take place fast or slowly. Despite the fact that it’s now not a recreation but an area for Gamers, artists, style designers, vehicle enthusiast, and so forth. to chat; it’ll nevertheless assist them be more social. Preserve in thoughts though, typing to a person and then voice chatting to a person are different reviews. teenagers may be very social while typing however very shy whilst voice chatting.

This is how I am. Earlier than I was shy while speaking to People I did not understand whether or not it turned into online or offline, now I’ve ended up greater relaxed with it due to the fact I understand a way to cope with myself and have faith in myself. however, In terms of voice chatting on line, I am the quiet man or woman at the chat. Counterproductive proper! You may even neglect I used to be on a call with you! Before when the Human beings at the bank said: “Hi” I wouldn’t say anything, now I actually respond and say “Hi. How are you?” After that, I do not really expect to speak with them so I will be quiet again lol. See what I mean? After socializing, in standard, over time you get higher at it and grow to be Much less fearful and extra confident in yourself.

Another advantage with gaming is team work. Sometimes in video games, the only way to win or accomplish an intention is to work with one or greater players. In sure video games, players are allowed an undertaking can be executed with only one participant, but it might be more difficult until You’ve got extra gamers than yourself. different times certain obligations can’t be finished with one player and want two or more. There are times you make a set together with your pals or circle of relatives to finish the intention. different times you can make a set with People you failed to understand.

This is where it may get complex. If it is a sport wherein you can make a set That is inviting most effective, you would simply invite your buddies or family. you may strategize with them, you’d be more comfortable speak with them, and you will all agree to work collectively. If it is a sport wherein There’s no group gadget but you could nevertheless paintings with others, aka free for fall, and you could speak with them there may still be a goal which can most effective be finished with a couple of players. Do you have to play with different players you’ve got by no means talked to Earlier than if your own family and friends can’t join you and you really want to complete this aim?