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hrtiu · 3 years

Note

This prompt for Foxiyo! (Or whatever you want!): we have a shit ton of stuff to do today but you're bored and want kisses and my attempt at resisting fails and we end up making out on the floor

Based on this prompt list. Hey, thanks for the prompt! @amukmuk gave me the same one but for rexsoka, and it was fun to see how a similar prompt played out differently for different people! This fic is set in the universe of Worthy of Devotion, and Riyo is Chancellor. Fox was assigned to be her bodyguard, but isn't anymore.

Fox jogged into the receiving room just outside of Riyo’s office where a nervous Maja paced back and forth.

“Oh thank goodness you’re here,” Maja said when she noticed his approach. “It’s really bad.”

Fox nodded curtly. “What’s the situation?”

“She’s meeting with the Banking Clan tomorrow to discuss interest rates,” Maja said. “She’s been reading over the same document for six hours. She hasn’t eaten in twelve. Hasn’t slept since yesterday, either.”

“I understand,” Fox said, opening the double doors to Riyo’s office and stepping through. He had a mission to complete. He’d never failed an assignment before, and he wasn’t about to start now.

Riyo hid behind a pile of datapads at her desk. Her lilac hair was stringy and unkempt, with golden hairpieces sticking out at haphazard angles. Deep purple bags hung under bloodshot eyes, and she tapped her stylus rapidly against the desktop as her eyes darted back and forth across the screen of her datapad.

Wick stood guard at the door, and nodded his understanding as Fox entered the room. Good luck, he seemed to say, and Fox had to agree he was going to need it.

Fox approached the Chancellor carefully, keeping his footfalls light and his expression soft. “Riyo…?”

She didn’t look up. “Can’t talk. The Banking Clan always finds a way to twist our negotiations in their favor, and it won’t happen this time.”

“Didn’t your financial advisors already prep you for this meeting?” he said.

“Yes, but my prep is never enough. They always bring up something I hadn’t anticipated. I need to understand-”

“Riyo, you’re not going to be able to get a university degree in finance over the course of one night.”

Riyo’s head shot up and she looked down her nose at Fox, her anger giving way to an imperiousness at odds with the tangled mess of gold and purple atop her head. “Are you trying to say I should give up? Because that’s not going to happen. Every problem can be overcome with effort. If you’re willing to put in the work, nothing is impossible.”

Fox stepped up to her and placed his hands over hers where she clutched at the datapad. “Of course. And I know you’d never give up. But a sharp mind will help more than any last-minute reading. Why don’t you take a minute to recover?”

The hard line of Riyo’s mouth quavered, and her determined expression broke. She shook her head and buried herself back in the datapad. “I… I really can’t. There’s just… so much to do.”

Fox tugged gently at her fingers, but she wouldn’t loosen her grip on the datapad. He’d have to try another tactic.

He looked up at Wick and gave him a subtle nod. Wick nodded back and silently left the room, closing the double doors behind him.

Fox stepped cautiously around the back of Riyo’s desk, behind her chair. He rested his palms against her delicate shoulders, wincing at the stiffness of her thin frame. He began to rub his hands down her arms, then back up to her neck.

Riyo’s shoulders dropped down a few centimeters, and he allowed himself a smirk. This new approach seemed to be working.

“Fox… I really, really need to work.”

He started working his fingers into the tight muscles behind her shoulder blades. “I know. I’m attempting to facilitate that, Madam Chancellor.”

She let out a small groan of relief and let her head fall back against the top of her chair. Her nose scrunched up at the sound of her title. “You know I don’t like when you call me that.”

“That’s the capacity in which you are currently operating, ma’am.”

She opened her eyes and looked up at him, and Fox wondered at how she was still so beautiful when she looked like hell. “Is this your way of telling me I need to step back?” she said.

“I told you that explicitly a few minutes ago, ma’am, and you said you were fine. I wouldn’t dare contradict you.”

Riyo snorted, then sat up straight again. She reached for her datapad. “Ok, I get it. I’ll take a break soon, I promise. I just need to finish this chapter.”

No, Fox thought, panicking as his hard work began to unravel before his eyes. No, I’m so close!

He crouched down over the side of her chair and tucked his nose just under her jawline, waiting a breathless second before kissing the soft flesh of her neck. It was an underhanded strategy, and he wasn’t proud of it, but drastic times called for drastic measures.

Riyo gasped, one hand rising up to feel along the stubbled side of his face. “Fox…” she said, her voice breaking.

If she was still capable of speech, he obviously wasn’t trying hard enough. He nipped gently at the side of her throat, then sucked her soft skin beneath his teeth. She groaned and dug her fingers into his hair. Fox opened his eyes and huffed in frustration. One of her hands still clutched at that damned datapad.

It’s the angle of approach, he thought. Now that I’ve engaged my opponent, I need to get on more favorable terrain.

He pulled her chair back, then rolled backwards onto the plush carpet, taking her with him. Her eyes widened in surprise but she came willingly, her soft form clinging tightly to his chest. Fox hated being out of his armor in most situations but he had to admit there were times civvies were convenient.

He pulled her down to him and met her mouth with his, kissing her with a practiced familiarity that was both comforting and thrilling. She sighed into his mouth and held his face in her hands in that particular way that made him feel precious and loved. Maybe this mission would be beneficial to him as well as the Chancellor.

Riyo pulled back and Fox let out a whine of protest totally unbefitting his rank. “Was it… Was it really so bad?” she asked.

Fox smirked and held his hand against her cheek, stroking up and down with his thumb. “Maja called me in.”

Riyo’s mixed emotions played like a holo drama across her face: chagrin, gratitude, annoyance. But thankfully her expression landed on something Fox had come to recognize as love. “Then I guess I owe her a raise.”

Fox chuckled, a low sound deep in his chest, and pulled Riyo back down to him.

#foxiyo #commader fox #riyo chuchi #tcw #fanfic #prompt #kiss prompt #making out #chancellor chuchi #riyo chuchi is chancellor #and sheev is dead

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keilemlucent · 4 years

Text

lavender latte: ii

(T (for now!))

hawks | takami keigo x reader

chapter 1 || chapter 3 || chapter 4

ao3

word count: ~3k

You and Hawks’s second meeting.

warnings: mutual pining, shy reader-ish, ooc hawks, the fun stuff, fluff ; )

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You didn’t hear anything from Hawks for the next few days.

It was a fleeting disappointment, but you took his lack of contact as truth and reality. Some big shot, pro-hero wasn’t going to waste time texting a no-name, nobody barista, no matter how mutually flirty of an interaction was shared.

Prior to actually meeting Hawks, you had seen the tabloids that his name spilled over. Shady stories of midnight rendezvous with models and celebrities, sultry pictures of his own on magazines at grocery store checkouts were a lot of your knowledge of him. He was a very eligible and active bachelor, everyone knew it.

You reminded yourself that you didn’t mean shit to him, and moved on.

Until about a week from your first meeting, late into the evening, your phone buzzed.

You thought it was one of the team from the teashop, asking another question about a new blend you had made.

Your eyes widened at the text that you did see:

[unknown number]: hey angel ;) do you work tomorrow? it’s supposed to be a cold one and i’d love to try another one of your drinks

You stared at your phone screen for a moment, mouth going dry before typing out a reply.

[you]: is this hawks?

The next reply came only seconds later.

[unknown number]: the one and only ;))))

He... actually texted me?

Holy shit.

Another message came in.

[unknown number]: don’t tell me you go handing out your number to folks at work all the time :^( you’re gonna hurt my :^((( feelings :^((((

You deadpanned at Hawks’s texts.

You couldn’t believe the number two, pro hero texted like a normal twenty-some year old.

It was endearing, if not at the very least comforting.

[you]: nah, just you tailfeathers 😉

[you]: i work tomorrow morning, opening shift. 6 am. think you can handle it???

You giggled at your own texts, unable to hold back when you saw Hawks continuing to type. You quickly typed in a contact name.

[tailfeathers]: E

[tailfeathers]: Z

[tailfeathers]: i’ll be there bright and early ;)

Part of you, the rational, realistic part, doubted that. Sure, Hawks had texted you, but he wouldn’t actually show, right? He was a busy, busy man. He’d probably get sidetracked.

Don’t get your hopes up.

You tried to remain practical.

But, you also liked pushing your luck.

[you]: see u then!!

[you]: btw your contact name is ‘tailfeathers’

[you]: ;)

[tailfeathers]: what if i told you yours is ‘barista angel’

[you]: i’d ask if you saw my name on that conveniently small piece of paper i gave you

[tailfeathers]: i would say yes

[tailfeathers]: but idk angel seems like a more proper title for u

You felt your still and heat rush to your face.

He can’t be flirting with you over text. What the FUCK.

[tailfeathers]: only angels can make coffee as well as u 😇

“What a bastard,” You shook your head, sighing. Part of you was glad he made it more clear your identity was tied to coffee and not affections.

[you]: u flatter me

[tailfeathers]: i only speak the truth ;)

You bit your lip as you typed out the next reply, well aware that the evening sky had darkened and you needed an adequate amount of sleep to actually make it to that morning shift.

[you]: i’m about to knock out so i can actually be alive for my shift, but i’ll see you tomorrow bird boy

Hawks’s replied quickly as seemed to be a trend with him.

[tailfeathers]: bird boy!!!!!

[tailfeathers]: i’m moving up in the world

[tailfeathers]: see u then angel

As you got ready for bed, going about your mundane routine and preparing the coming day, you had no idea that Keigo was across the city, cradling his phone to his chest with a wobbling smile on his face, a foreign sensation filling his chest.

He was very excited to see you again, even if it took a few days to get that far.

|||||||||||||||||||

The next day was indeed, terribly cold. Despite bundling up in a thick, woolen coat and a knit scarf, you nearly froze on the way to work. Despite the chill, the rest of the morning crew made it in just a few minutes after you.

“I’ll be in back until there’s a rush, alright?” You called to the three openers, all silly college students from the local university. They were all sort of dense, but they were loveable.

“Okay!” One smiled as they flitted to the front counter and seating area.

The back of the teashop was a smaller commercial kitchen, all steel tables and cooking implements. Lots of tools to actually do your job. Though you were the maker of the tea blends for the shop, a lot of your work consisted of packaging and fulfilling orders as well as design work for the teashop’s online presence. Truthfully, you were more of a jack-of-all-trades type of worker, but nearly all of it confined you to the safety of the back kitchen. The lack of stimuli made it easier to work effectively, quirk activated or otherwise.

You tied your apron tight around your waist, adjusting a few of your buttons and smoothing yourself down. The back remained frigid in the mornings, and you could only be glad you were layered up for the day. You pulled out your company-issued tablet and began tapping away with the stylus as the shop prepped to open.

You were too absorbed in your work to hear the bell at the entrance, just minutes after unlocking the door.

Keigo? Elated. His last week of hero work had been all long hours and late nights. His wings had grown sparse with overuse, barely carrying him properly through the skies. When he saw that his office day at his agency was due to be particularly cold, he knew it was the perfect excuse to give you a visit.

You hadn’t been constantly on his mind. Rather, you perked up in his thoughts semi-reliably, but briefly a few times a day. Most affections were forgettable, he didn’t have time for anything other than whorish trysts with other heroes and those of higher society who knew how to keep their mouths (somewhat) shut.

Part of him, the part that the Commission’s ruthless training created, hated the way how you were sticking with him.

Another part of him, the kinder, softer, very repressed one, recognized his feelings and hid them safely. Vulnerable things required heavy protection.

When Keigo reached the teashop, early as dawn crept over the urbanscape, he pushed the door open and was greeted by the rolling smell of roasted coffee beans and black tea.

Only a few other patrons were there, eyes wide as the top ten hero gave them a trademark wave, waltzing to the counter with his signature swagger.

The workers (none of them being you) gawked at him, jaws half to the floor.

“Hawks?!” One of them exclaimed. “Oh my god, can I get an autograph?!”

(Keigo carried a few pens on him for occasions like this.)

The worker, a young thing with a shock of short blue hair, wrestled under the counter for a notebook. Another of the workers also attempted to wrangle a bit of receipt paper from the fussy machine, flashing him a nervous smile.

“Of course, autographs are a given,” He winked at the two of them, sauntering up to the counter. “On one condition, though. Could you tell me if (Y/N) is working?”

The morning shifts workers proceeded to gawk more.

You sat deep in concentration, thoroughly organizing yourself for the day with lists and plans. You were only startled from your work when one of the other baristas popped her head back, eyes wide.

“Uh, (Y/N), I know you’re busy, but Hawks is here for you?” She stammered, saying his name incredulously and pointing a shaking finger out at the counter.

You could hear his silky laugh just beyond the precipice.

Your mouth quirked up in surprise.

I didn’t expect him to actually come.

It was a pleasant surprise though, one that made your heart stutter in your chest.

You put down the tablet, making your way to the front of the shop.

Hawks leaned down on the front counter, signing various papers and items that the staff and patrons of the tea shop had given him. His smooth voice echoed beautifully around the shop, mixing with the din of the soft music that provided ambient sound.

Thoroughly absorbed in his fan interaction, you leaned against the door frame, watching him as he had yet to notice you.

(You tried to look nonchalant, but it was probably a bit of ogling.)

Hawks’s scarlet wings appeared sparse, but still twitched and fluffed every few moments. He was dressed in his hero uniform, visor pushed up into the feathery, front bits of his hair. With all of his typical regalia on, he seemed out of place in the slow din of the coffee shop. He seemed to shine so brightly, making himself a focal point without even trying.

Without the protection of his visor, Hawks’ honeyed eyes seemed brighter, luminous from the inside out. Even from your distance, you could watch their topazine shine dance in the soft lighting.

His gaze drifted to you and positively lit up.

(You didn’t think that was possible.)

Your stomach fluttered.

“Well, if it isn’t (Y/N)!” Hawks beamed you a smile that could’ve put the sun to shame. It made something deep in your chest thrum. “For a minute there, I thought you’d pulled my leg about working today.”

“Oh, never, ” You grinned, moving directly in front of him at the counter, your shocked coworkers parting for you. “I tend to work in the back if the rest of our lovely staff is present.

You gestured to your very starstruck coworkers who all gave various gawking looks before falling away, shyness obviously overtaking them.

It wasn’t like you weren’t feeling similarly, but your nervousness was better hidden. Facades were, in fact, a trained skill in maintaining and god, if you weren’t a master.

But, Keigo had his own mastery in spotting cracks in people’s veneers. And, easily, he saw your tension and nervousness. For anyone with less trained interpersonal skills, they wouldn’t have noticed a damn thing. But to Keigo? Your anxiety was as clear as the light you added to a room. A few of his feathers twitched, picking up on the rapid beating of your heart across from him.

“What can I get you?” You asked, speaking through any of your fears, cracking him a genuine smile.

Keigo returned it without thought, chest warming.

“Mmm... Surprise me. Something to help me get my day started.” Keigo loved the way your eyes lit up when he talked, a little bit of knowingness between the two of you sparking.

“Same specifications as before? Hot and sweet?” You asked, already grabbing a cup, flashing him a cheeky grin.

Hawks raised an eyebrow, batting his eyelashes at you in a way that you couldn’t not laugh. He rested his elbows on the counter and leaned over the top of it, regarding you with half-lidded eyes, “You remember my preferences? I feel honored.”

“You should,” You winked. If he was going to shamelessly flirt, you would right back.

Truthfully, your personal attention made Keigo swoon like a goddamn schoolgirl. He could feel sweat growing on his palms, making the leather of his gloves stick. Normally, the sensation would’ve ticked his more anxiety-ridden tendencies into overdrive, but he could hardly focus on them. He was too busy watching you flit around behind the counter.

“So,” You began, activating your quirk and beginning your process. “Why so few feathers? Get roughed up?”

Keigo chuckled, flexing what feathers he did have left for emphasis, “Basically. I have to give them a few days to regrow. A couple nasty days in a row means a couple days recovery.”

You hummed, turning to the espresso machine. Before pouring the shot, you gave him a little smile with the cutest quirk in your lips, “I’m sure you more than deserve the rest.”

Oh, that made his proverbial dick swell.

Someone, a very nice, stranger barista, angel, telling him he deserved something kind? And, there wasn’t an edge of dishonesty in you. If anything, there was an earnestness in your quirk-blackened eyes that made Keigo nearly scared of the amount of vulnerability you gave him so freely.

He wondered if you showed that to all of your patrons.

(You didn’t.)

You turned behind the counter, quirk activated and swirling. The familiar blending of your senses made your teeth ache and head burn with the overabundance of stimuli, but you worked through it. You reached through the external sensations to manifest your idea and feeling into a conceivable reality.

You dumped any number of syrups and shots into the cup, placing it (and a lid) on the counter in front of Hawks. Warm smells of cardamom and cinnamon tickled both of your noses as you nodded down, “Let that cool for a sec, then give it a taste. I need a comprehensive review.”

Hawks plucked off one of his gloves, taking the steaming cup in his hand, looking down at the foam. His gaze flickered around the two of you, noting that the few civilians and coworkers once surrounding him had left you two with a small bit of privacy.

“What’s the inspiration for this one?” Hawks gave you a downright sweet, knowing look.

“Take a sip and guess,” You nodded down to the cup again, idly going to wipe down the counters with a rag slung in your apron.

Hawks blew on steaming liquid, throwing back his head to take a decently sized sip. You had to tear your gaze from the bob of his throat.

Keep it in your pants.

While you were suppressing being horny for the number two hero, Keigo was suppressing being horny for a fucking beverage.

The flavor hit his tongue and throat and danced. It was warm, like the last one, spilling hearth-like heat into his chest and extremities. But, this drink tasted literally spiced, like it had some sort of pepper in it (according to Keigo’s untrained, pitiful palette). His wings ruffled, feathers rustling and twitching with the taste of the drink. Despite the heat flooding his body, the hairs on his arms and the back of his neck rose as waves of subtle pleasure rolled through Keigo’s body.

He placed the cup back on the counter, staring you down with incredulity.

You, cutely cheeky as ever, just smiled and crossed your arms over your chest, “Are you a fan?”

“It’s... spicy. How. Why. Is this even coffee?” Hawks asked. Despite his questioning, he took another sip, shuddering at the comforting heat it gave him.

“There’s coffee in it, or, espresso,” You couldn’t help feeling a bit smitten with the way Hawks looked at you. Disbelief wasn’t an expression you saw many heroes wear, especially not one with a reputation like Hawks’s. Yet, there he was, in front of you, staring at his cup like you just served him battery acid and grass.

“If that’s the case, gimme the rundown, angel,” Hawks peeled off his other glove, setting the pair on the counter. He surprised you as he shrugged off his lined jacket, plopping down in a nearby stool.

You hadn’t ever really seen this much of Hawks, not in his hero uniform anyways. Plenty of him was available for viewing due to his various modeling ventures, but seeing him in the flesh was far better. The black shirt of his hero costume stretched over the lean, sculpted muscles of his arms. He certainly wasn’t built in the same way other top heroes were, but from what you could see (read: drool over), Hawks certainly wasn’t lacking—

“See something you like?” Hawks raised an eyebrow while taking another sip, devilish curl to his lips.

You really wished you had the bodily control to stop the red flush that grew on your face.

“SO —!” You laughed, diverting back to the drink at hand. “The drink.”

“Wonderful deflection,” Hawks set the cup down, still smirking. “So, the drink .”

Your fingers tapped at the countertop, living your blush down with a lack of eye contact.

He gets stared at all the time, chill out.

Dude probably likes it, (Y/N).

“The drink is a dirty chai, with some editions, of course.” You jerked your head back to the wall of tea blends, the familiar ebbing away from of your embarrassment. “We have a couple of different chai blends that I make in house. Several different chai concentrates too.”

“Forgive me, but a dirty chai?” Hawks teased.

“Wow, weak jab there, Hawks, ” You rolled your eyes. Hawks just continued to beam at you, swinging his legs behind the counter. “I gave you an oatmilk, ginger chai with three shots of espresso and a few other secret touches. I wanted to make it warm again for you.”

Keigo paused at your admission, (not-so) secretly reveling in your poorly contained embarrassment. Perhaps it was a bit cruel, but his job did carry some wonderful perks and he’d be damned to not enjoy them.

“It feels like a different kind of warm, compared to last time,” Keigo took another taste to confirm. The spiced liquid flooded his palette again, skin pleasantly prickling at the taste.

You hummed, refusing to fully make eye contact with Hawks.

Truthfully, you spent an embarrassing amount of time since the night prior thinking about potential sensations to emulate for Hawks. You were never sure of what type of vibe he would request, but having an arsenal of ideas made you feel more prepared to impress your new clientele.

“I made it feel like dawn,” You replied, nodding to out of the fully-windowed front of the tea shop. The district you were located in was lit up by the golds and pinks of the early morning, stretching and awakening with the new day. “I wanted it to feel like how morning sun feels on your bare skin. All like... tingly, you know? Like... seeing someone you haven't seen in a long time. ”

Keigo immediately noticed your bashfulness after you gave your description. In the same way as last time, the vulnerability of your manifested feelings left you warm and shy for him.

You picked at a loose string on your apron, gaze directed down and away. With his obscured view of your face, he could see the way you softly bit your lip, eyes occasionally raking him up and down and that retreating. Keigo could feel your pounding heart and slow, deep breaths.

...

Keigo was whipped and he hardly knew you. He was so fucked.

You were too fucking cute. It was fucking illegal. It had to be.

Keigo had been with sexy. He’d been with unattainable. He’d been with women and men who looked like they were crafted by gods as tempters and devils. It was all pleasure and Keigo knew it like the back of his hand. He got hedonistic bliss when he wanted it and he did so very, very well.

What Keigo was entirely unfamiliar with was the gooey, fluttery feeling in his chest as you finally looked up at him to smile and nod to the drink, “So, what do you think?”

Keigo’s brain fizzled, rendered into goo. If he didn’t have years of interpersonal training, he was sure he wouldn’t have been able to speak with his own revelations. Luckily, he was able to laugh off his internal stickiness, taking another greedy sip.

“Absolutely flawless, wonderful craftsmanship, (Y/N),” Keigo bowed his head dramatically.

You giggled at Keigo’s drama, missing the way how his cheeks lit up for you.

Hawks dug in his pocket, pulling out a huge wad of bills and started to slide it across the counter, “This is a tip. All for you.”

You stared, horrified at the amount of money Hawks passed to you like it was nothing. Without thinking, you placed your hand on top of his, stopping his motion. Both of you stiffened pleasantly at the sudden, small contact.

“That’s too much, Hawks, no,” You shook your head, but Hawks was a stubborn, insistent bastard.

His wings fluffed up behind him, a feather moving quickly between your hands and pushing your up and away.

“What the fuck.” You half-groaned. Hawks fully passed the money across the counter, hiding his hands and feathers in his lap with a Panish smirk stretched across his face.

“Take it, or I tattle on you, easy trade,” Hawks shrugged, leaning his elbows on the counter and drinking deeply. He pulled away from his beverage with a relaxed-looking smile as you remained fluster.

(Holy fuck, you touched Hawks’s bare hand and it was so NICE—)

You could feel the eyes of your coworkers, staring at the money like some Olympic medal. You were well-aware that there was no way Hawks was taking back his money and you knew your coworkers would be too scared to ask for a cut.

You gulped, taking the cash and tucking it into your apron pocket.

“You don’t need to bribe me to make you nice drinks, Hawks, it’s literally my job,” You told him gently.

Hawks raised an eyebrow, shrugging, “Accept it as a little treat on the side. A gift of my appreciation.”

You couldn’t argue with that, so you relented with a smile, shaking your head.

And the two of your dissolved into easy conversation. Hawks told you about the most recent gigs he had been a part of. A modeling contract for a new skincare company and a sponsorship with a few other local heroes for a sports beverage were the most interesting. You were sure he was just humoring you, unable to tell you the nitty-gritty details of his life. Yet, he seemed happy to speak and listen besides. He chattered away, in the way birds do, sing-song, and free-flowing.

Hawks was hardly a bird of prey, you realized. He was much more of a cockatoo type.

You told him more about the tea shop, about your role and job. As you explained about the basics of different types of tea, you could literally see the far off way Hawks looked at you. It wasn’t of distraction, like spacing out, no. It was a look that hadn’t been directed at you in some time. You silently and quickly studied it and came to the nerve-wracking conclusion that the cute blush on his cheeks and half-lidded eyes and relaxed shoulders was fucking captivation, borderline adoration.

For.

You.

How the fuck were you supposed to deal with that?

(Keigo wasn’t sure either.)

Luckily, neither of you planned on doing anything to stop your mutually budding feelings.

#salem writes #lavender latte #hawks x reader #takami keigo x reader #keigo x reader #takami x reader #hawks x y/n #reader insert #my hero academia #mha reader insert #bnha reader insert #takami keigo x y/n #takami keigo #hawks

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purrincess-chat · 3 years

Text

Marinette Dupain-Cheng’s Spite Playlist: Remix CH4

Yall ready for Uncle Jagged? I’d say out of the first 7 chapters, 4 is probably the one I tweaked the most from the original. It’s still roughly the same, but you’ll notice several key differences. Our girl is gonna get all the love she deserves!

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Previous First Next AO3

Chapter 4: The Change

“Do you think we should ask her what’s wrong?” Eliott whispered at lunch the next day as Marinette pushed food around her plate.

“I dunno. It could make things worse,” Macy said.

“But she looks so sad.” Martin winced.

She should have known they’d notice. It’s not like she was trying to hide it. Her heart was too heavy to lift up anymore, and for once, she couldn’t find her smile. There was no light to shed on the situation. No motivation to even go looking for any. She was a ghost of the confident girl they’d met yesterday, so she couldn’t blame them for having whiplash. Still, it was sweet of them to worry.

She set down her fork and forced a pained smile. “I appreciate your concern, but I’m fine,” she said.

“Did Gabrielle get to you?” Martin shrank, glancing around as if her posse were poised to strike.

“No.” She shook her head, chewing her lip contemplatively before continuing, “It’s my old school. Yesterday my best friend was akumatized because I left, and-”

“Oh, that’s so scary!” Macy gasped. “We’ve had a few akumas here before.”

“Yeah, I think I recognize some of you,” Marinette said, then quickly added, “-from the news.”

“Is everything okay?” Eliott asked.

“Not exactly…” Marinette shifted her gaze back to her plate. “She and I agreed to go our separate ways after everything.”

“Marinette, I’m so sorry,” Macy said.

“It’s probably for the best.” Marinette shrugged. “There’s this girl at my old school that’s a huge liar, and she has everyone wrapped around her finger, including my best friend… my ex-best friend. I tried several times, but I could never prove that she was lying. Then she started turning my friends against me, and—yeah.”

“Wow, no wonder you left,” Eliott said.

Macy stretched across the table to take her hand. “Hey, you have us now, and if there’s anything we’re good at, it’s forgetting about our problems for a little while, so why don’t we do something fun tonight?” She suggested. “I hear Jagged is playing a concert in town; we could go if you want.”

“But I thought it was sold out.” Marinette’s eyebrows knitted together.

“Well, aren’t you friends with Jagged?” Eliott asked. “Ask him for tickets.”

“I- we’re not really that close. I mean, I designed for him a couple of times, but I don’t really think that he would do that. Besides, I wouldn’t want to trouble him…” Marinette rubbed the back of her neck.

“It doesn’t hurt to ask,” Macy said.

Marinette eyed her phone with pursed lips before pulling up her Instagram. Of course she followed Jagged, but she barely interacted with him. He probably wasn’t even the one running the account—most celebrities had an assistant for that. Her request would probably get buried among the thousands of other comments, but it was worth a shot. She typed a quick message and hit send, praying he wouldn’t be too upset with her for asking.

“I’m surprised that a girl as connected as you doesn’t take advantage every now and then,” Eliott said when she set her phone down. “I mean, you know a lot of famous and powerful people.”

“I don’t like to bother anyone.” She curled her shoulders. “Besides I don’t know him that well.”

“Jagged called you his favorite little lady when you were on that TV show with him.” Macy reminded her. “I think it’s safe to say that he likes you enough to give you a few free tickets.”

When Marinette’s phone vibrated on the table, they all crowded around to read Jagged’s reply.

“Yo, Marinette! It would be totally awesome if you could come to my show tonight! The floor’s sold out, but I’ll have Penny send some backstage passes for you and your friends!”

“Well, well, well,” Eliott said. “Looks like we’re going to see Jagged Stone.”

♪♫♪ Better Without You ♪♫♫

Alya toyed with her stylus, gaze fixed on the desk in front of her as she attempted to piece together the last 24 hours. After everything they’d been through together, how could Marinette end things like that? Her stomach churned, recalling the drained look in Marinette’s eyes the night before.

Maybe she’d overreacted. Marinette was her best friend after all, and best friends didn’t abandon each other for no reason. It wasn’t like Alya wanted to stop being friends. She was just so hurt and confused that she’d said it on impulse. She never expected Marinette to agree, but maybe she felt the same way Alya did. Maybe she thought Alya didn’t want to be her friend anymore, so she let her go despite how painful it was. It was a nice thought anyway.

“Good morning, Alya!” Lila greeted with her usual cheeriness, though her face fell upon seeing Alya’s forlorn expression. “Is everything alright?”

“It’s nothing.” Alya blinked out of her trance, shifting in her seat.

“It doesn’t seem like nothing.” Lila pried. When Alya remained quiet, Lila placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “You can trust me. We’re friends, right?”

“Yeah…” Alya weighed it for a moment before turning to face her. “It’s about Marinette.”

“Oh, I see! You’re upset because she left.” Lila nodded in understanding.

“I tried to talk to her yesterday, but things didn’t exactly go well…” Alya lowered her gaze to her lap with a frown.

“Did she tell you why she left?”

“Not exactly…” Alya bit her lip. “I mean, I have a hunch, but she denied it.”

“It wasn’t because of me, was it?” Lila gasped, and Alya averted her gaze. “It was, wasn’t it? Oh, I never meant to upset her. I even tried to ask her to be my friend in the bathroom the day I came back, but all she did was yell at me and call me names. I didn’t want to tell anyone because everyone loves her, and I didn’t want to start trouble, but she was the reason I got akumatized.”

“She yelled at you?” Alya’s eyebrows raised in surprise, and Lila nodded.

“I just don’t understand what I ever did to her to make her not like me,” she said. “I’m really sorry that she’s taking it out on you.”

“It’s not your fault. Marinette was always a little eccentric. I just don’t know what pushed her over the deep end.” Alya sighed, leaning against her fist. “I guess…our friendship didn’t mean as much to her as I thought.”

Lila eyed her with pursed lips before a smile stretched across her cheeks. “If I was your best friend, I would never leave you like that, Alya,” she said. “In fact, if you want, I could move up to sit by you, but I completely understand if you’re still torn up about Marinette. I’d never try to replace her or anything.”

A small smile curled on Alya’s lips. “Thanks. I could use a friend right now.”

Lila placed her bag on the desk, beaming as she took her new seat. Alya eyed her with a contemplative frown.

She’s a liar. I’ll never be friends with her.

“Just promise me one thing,” Alya said.

“Anything.”

“Promise you won’t ever lie to me,” Alya said.

Lila blinked in surprise but linked their pinkies together nonetheless. “I promise, Alya. You’re my friend. I’d never lie to you.”

“Thanks, Lila. You’re the best.”

♪♫♪ Save Rock and Roll ♪♫♪

“So, you guys really aren’t friends anymore?” Adrien asked later that evening.

Marinette’s chest tightened. Adrien had called her after his Chinese lesson, having overheard about her split from Alya at school. She didn’t dare wonder what people were saying about her—even thinking about it made her skin crawl. Maybe it was for the best that she was going to see Jagged Stone tonight with her new friends. She needed the distraction.

“Nope,” she said. Setting her phone on the dresser, she grabbed sweater from her closet and held it up in front of the mirror.

“Are you okay?” Adrien’s voice was laced with worry.

The corners of Marinette’s eyes stung, and she chewed her cheek, focusing on her outfit. Adrien had already seen her cry once in the last 24 hours. She wasn’t about to let it happen again.

“I don’t know.” She hung the sweater back on the rack with pursed lips and shrugged. “It hurts, but so did being pushed aside for a new girl.”

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I know you two were close.”

“Not close enough, apparently.” She swiped through hangers with a little more force than necessary.

“And you’re sure you don’t want to try to work things out?”

Marinette tapped her finger on the bar and nodded. “If I tell her that Lila is lying, it’ll just be more of the same. Even if we told her that Ladybug called her out, Lila would still twist it and make herself the victim.” She grabbed a jacket and slipped it on. “How do I look?”

“Incredible, as always,” Adrien said, bringing a flush to her cheeks as she brushed her hair in the mirror.

“Sorry your dad won’t let you come with us,” she said.

“I’m used to it by now. He barely lets me go to the movies.” Adrien sighed, swiveling back and forth in his chair.

“I’ll try to get Jagged’s autograph for you.”

“Thanks. I promise we’ll do something together soon, even if it’s just sitting on a couch eating ice cream,” he vowed, and Marinette smiled.

“I’m glad I still have you,” she said. “You have no idea how much it means to me that you understand.”

“I’ll always be here for you. Even if I can’t leave my house, you can call me anytime,” he said.

“Thanks, Adrien.” She picked up her phone and waved. “I’ll see you later.”

“Have fun at the concert!”

After he hung up, she pressed a soft kiss to his picture on the screen. Who knew that all she needed to do to get Adrien’s attention was change schools? This was the most they’d talked since they met, and although she wasn’t ready to tell him her feelings, she was loving the attention.

“Ready to go?” she asked her kwami.

“This is your first time hanging out with your new friends outside of school! I’m happy that you’ve made friends so quickly,” Tikki said.

Marinette hooked her purse over her shoulder with a smile. “I have a good feeling about this group. Even if they are insanely rich, I feel like they’re different. They aren’t stuck up or arrogant like Chloe or Gabrielle. They’re nice.”

“Marinette! Your friends are here!” her mom called from the living room.

“Coming!” Marinette closed the clasp of her purse and skipped down the stairs.

“Got your phone?” her mom asked.

“Yep.” She nodded, holding it up.

“And you’ll call us right away if anything happens?” her dad added, arching a warning brow.

“Of course.” She stretched up to kiss his cheek. “Bye, Papa. Bye, Mama.”

“Have fun, sweetie!”

Marinette waved over her shoulder as she headed down the stairs. The limo was waiting outside, and Macy’s butler opened the door when she approached.

“How exciting is it that we have backstage passes to see Jagged Stone?” Macy squealed. “Honestly, Marinette, you’re the best.”

“I still feel a little weird about it,” she admitted sheepishly.

Eliott glanced up from his magazine and rolled his eyes. “Jagged wouldn’t have given you the tickets if he didn’t want to. When you have connections, there’s no shame in using them. That’s how you make friends in high places,” he said. “Don’t worry. We’ll teach you everything you need to know.”

“Then your old friends will all wish they didn’t turn their back on you.” Macy linked her arm through Marinette’s. “Because you’re already the most incredible person I’ve ever met, and I’ve only known you for a couple days. You stood up for someone you didn’t even know, you’ve got all kinds of celebrity connections, and you are wearing the cutest jeans I’ve ever seen!”

“Thanks, I stitched the pattern in myself.” Marinette ran her fingers over her trademark flowers.

“When you start your own fashion line, I want to be your first customer,” Macy said, and Eliott set down his magazine with a scoff.

“Not if I get there first,” he said.

Macy stuck her tongue out at him as they pulled up to Martin’s building. Macy’s butler opened the door again, and the scrawny boy climbed in timidly.

“Hey, Martin.” Marinette smiled.

“Are you sure it’s okay if I come too?” he asked.

“Of course! You’re our friend now,” Marinette assured him.

Martin shifted his gaze to his lap with a small smile.

On the drive over, Macy and Eliott chatted about how annoying their expensive phones were, leaving Martin and Marinette to sit in silence.

“Um, thanks for this,” he said, stealing a quick glance before fixing his gaze back on his shoes. “I’ve never really had any friends. Everyone just kind of walks all over me.”

“Can I tell you a secret?” Marinette pressed a hand to the side of her mouth. “I used to be a lot like you.”

“Really?” He blanched.

“At my old school, Chloe Bourgeois used to torment me all the time, but one day someone stood up to her for me and helped me find the courage to do it myself. It gave me a lot more confidence, and I was able to branch out and make more friends.” She lowered her gaze with a frown, heart sinking. Now wasn’t the time for a pity party, so she shook it off and continued, “That’s why I stood up for you because I know how much it changed my life when someone did it for me.”

“Wow,” Martin said. “I still don’t think I could ever be as confident as you.”

“Never say never.”

Awkward silence stretched between them while Macy and Eliott continued gossiping about various celebrities. They were so comfortable with each other that Marinette didn’t know where to interject. She decided it was better to leave them be—she had enough to think about anyway.

She leaned back against the seat with a sigh, recalling old memories of sleepovers and birthday parties and scheme after scheme to get Adrien’s attention. All of that seemed so far away now, and she was left with a gaping hole in its wake. She missed her friends. She missed her old school. She missed all of those memories, and more than anything, she wished she could go back.

But too much had changed now. Lila had everyone wrapped around her finger, so things would never really be the same. Besides, being around Lila wasn’t good for her, and if her friends couldn’t see the truth… It was best for her not to be around them either. Even if it left her feeling empty. Those holes would fill with time, and she’d make new memories with her new friends. Her old life would fade, and eventually she wouldn’t even remember what it was like before.

She had bigger things to worry about anyway—such was the lot she took on when she accepted the call to be Ladybug. Superheroes couldn’t afford to take chances, and Marinette couldn’t afford to have bad friends. This concert was a fresh start for her, a chance to carve a new life with new people who wouldn’t toss her aside like old bread.

When they arrived at the venue, Penny was waiting for them by the back entrance. She draped their passes around each of their necks and clicked her pen.

“Don’t lose these and keep them on at all times, okay?” She instructed before pressing a hand to the Bluetooth device in her ear. “Yes, I’ll go check on Mr. Stone now- uh, come in, the show will be starting soon.”

“This is so exciting!” Macy bounced beside Marinette. “I can’t believe I’m gonna get to meet Jagged Stone, and it’s all thanks to you, Marinette.”

“Yeah, thanks for hooking us up, Marinette.” Eliott echoed.

“It was you who encouraged me to ask, Eliott, and we wouldn’t have gotten here without Macy, so really we all had a hand in it.” Marinette waved it away.

“This is a disaster!”

They all stopped short as Jagged stormed into the hall.

“My lucky jacket is ruined! I can’t do the show like this!” he cried.

Penny rushed to his side to investigate the ripped article in his hands. “I’ll get with wardrobe to see if they have a different one,” she said, but Jagged shook his head indignantly.

“If I can’t wear this jacket, I won’t do the show.” He crossed his arms over his chest.

“But Jagged-”

“It’s lucky! All of my best performances happen when I’m wearing that jacket, and who knows what might go wrong if I go on without it!” he whined.

“Jagged?” They turned to Marinette, her friends standing behind her with bewildered expressions. “Is everything alright?”

“Yo, Marinette, you made it, rock on!” He pulled her in for a tight hug. “Too bad I have to cancel.”

“All of this over a jacket?” Martin asked, shrinking when Macy and Jagged turned to him with cutting glares.

“A rockstar’s show isn’t just about music, Martin. A performer’s wardrobe can be the difference between a rock legend and a rock nightmare,” Macy explained with a scoff.

“She’s right. I can’t go on like this. I look ridiculous without it!” Jagged said.

“Maybe I could fix it?” Marinette piped up, and everyone’s heads whipped around to face her.

“Could you really, Marinette?” Jagged perked up.

“The concert starts in 10 minutes. People are already in their seats,” Penny said, consulting her schedule. “Can you make a repair that fast?”

“I can try.” Marinette shrugged.

“Then I leave the fate of my show in your hands, Marinette.” Jagged handed her the jacket. “I have total faith in you.”

Marinette examined the tear in the shoulder seam with a determined frown before pulling out a mini-sewing kit. Sitting cross-legged on the floor, she set to work trimming excess threads.

“She carries a sewing kit around with her?” Eliott cocked a brow.

“She’s a designer, of course she does,” Macy said.

Everyone watched her work in eager anticipation, and after a few minutes, Marinette pulled the thread tight to close the gap. Knotting off her work and clipping the last thread, she held it up proudly.

“Done!” she said, and everyone breathed sighs of relief.

“Marinette, you’re my hero!” Jagged cheered. He cupped her cheeks, planting a kiss on her forehead before donning his jacket. “If you hadn’t been here, I wouldn’t have been able to perform. You’re a real lifesaver.”

“3 minutes!” One of the stage-hands announced as Penny passed Jagged his guitar.

“If you ever need anything from me, you’ve got it, Marinette.” Jagged winked.

Marinette bit back a shy smile as the arena erupted with cheers.

“See? If you hadn’t asked Jagged for tickets, you wouldn’t have been here to help him,” Eliott said pointedly as they stood on the sides behind the curtains to watch.

Marinette glowed with pride. Eliott was right. If she hadn’t used her connection to be there, then Jagged would have canceled. It was a weird coincidence, but it eased her guilt about asking for such a big favor, like she was paying Jagged back.

What would her friends back home say if she told them she saved Jagged for real? Of course, Lila would probably come up with something bigger and better to one-up her, but at least she could tell Adrien about it later.

“I want to dedicate this next song to a very special young lady,” Jagged said into the mic. “She has been a huge inspiration to me, and I want to invite her on stage to sing this one with me. Clara and I wrote it to honor the heroes of Paris, and tonight she was my hero, so come on out here, Marinette.”

“No way!” Macy gasped as they all shoved Marinette out onto the stage.

“Marinette is exceptionally talented.” Jagged wrapped an arm around her as she joined him. “In fact, if it wasn’t for her, tonight’s show wouldn’t have happened, so tonight this song is a tribute to you, Marinette. You’re my everyday Ladybug.”

Marinette cupped her hands over her mouth, cheeks hot as she took her place at the mic. As Jagged began to play a familiar melody, she looked at him for her cue.

“Another day, I’m back at school. I think about him, he’s so cool.” She glanced at her friends who gave encouraging nods. “He looks at me, I look away, but does he see me anyway?”

Sensing her unease, Jagged sang along with her softly until it was his turn to take up the second verse. By the second chorus, Marinette was gaining confidence as the crowd cheered them on. She removed the mic from the stand and paced across the stage, touching hands with people in the audience. She was no Clara Nightingale, but she was having fun performing with Jagged. As she belted out the last chorus with Jagged, a familiar rush pulsed through her veins that reminded her of Ladybug.

She was powerful. She was confident. She was free.

#mdcspr #marinette dupain-cheng's spite playlist remix #my writing

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gasolineghuleh · 4 years

Note

Gimme some "Grandma Time" with papa iii :3 thank u

Henlo I love you for this, and now it is grandma time for me.

It’s fully SFW, I’m just cutting for space.

Papa tapped the stylus against his lower lip and you silently thanked Lucifer that the papal paint had been washed off in the shower long ago, at your insistence. The two of you were laying in his plush purple bed, and the tablet was propped up on his bent knee. Snuggled into his chest, you had a perfect view of the screen. This had become a nightly routine for the two of you, and a great way to practice Papa’s English- some tea, cuddling, and the Times News crosswords every evening.

“Cara, I don’t know this one. It is four letters, ‘sass in slang’. What does this mean?” You smile softly at his confusion. The Times crossword was a fan of deliberately obtuse language.

“It’s asking what a slang term for sass is, Papa. If I’m right, I think they want ‘tude as the answer. It’s short for attitude.” Papa makes an exasperated sound but writes in the answer with the stylus. The tablet makes a satisfying chime as it’s recognized as correct. “Now Papa, I’m afraid it’s your turn to help me. This should be easy for you.” You lean forward and tap on the next question. Papa lets out a sharp laugh.

“This is cute, yes? It is asking for ‘beautiful in Madrid’, so it would want ‘bella’. Just like my bella.” Papa leans down and kisses the crown of your head before writing the answer in his scrawled handwriting. It chimes in as correct. The next question appears on the screen and Papa can’t stifle his own laughter, handing the tablet to you and flapping a hand in an /I can’t/ motion. Looking down, you read the question aloud.

“The opposite of alpha?” Papa leans back against the headboard once more, laughter mostly abated. It’s only when he looks at you with a wolfish grin that you remember his Ghoul’s names. “Oh! Oh that’s a good one, isn’t it?” You write in ‘omega’ quickly and move to the question.

A final chime signals that the puzzle is completed and the screen flashes your time. It’s not one of your best times, but it’s still quite good. Papa takes the tablet from you and slides the stylus into its holding place before closing the lid and turning it off. He reaches above the two of you and turns off the soft, glowing sconces that act as your main lighting source.

“Would you mind turning out the candle, mia cara?” Papa yawns broadly and slips farther down the bed, resting his head on the pillow and ruffling his hands through his hair before rolling to face you.

“You mean ‘extinguish’, Papa?” You smile to yourself as you pick up the silver decanter and snuff the candle out properly. Papa prefers using his fingers, but you don’t like the sizzle against your fingers. A more distinguished method is better for you.

“Si, si. English lessons are over now, yes? Now is the time for sleeping. Tomorrow we learn more. Tonight we sleep.” You lay down beside him and his arms snake around your midsection, pulling you tightly to his chest. You feel the softest hint of his lips pressing kisses to the top of your head.

“Good night, Papa.”

#popiaswhitesuit #lorraine writes #asks #hcs #fics #papa 3 #Papa Emeritus 3

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contemporarydiva · 4 years

Text

I just bought a stylus (just a universal one for android ya kno) so I was pretty thrilled to try drawing on my phone.

It was stressful tbh cos it was very different with using a drawing tablet!! There are also less features available on the mobile version of medibang aaaanndd since its a universal stylus and a cheap one, it's a passive stylus. Meaning it is similar to a finger and sooooo it's pretty difficult to draw while having to lift your palm up all the fucking time. I bought a glove to go with it but it doesn't work?? Like my phone still recognizer the palm resting on the screen that is covered with the glove which made me go??? Nani???

Anyway, that's just the sketch. I'm still kinda scared of trying to paint with it cos it's not that great to deal with. I have a short attention span and I get frustrated easily. And even doing the background color on this one was frustrating as fuck.

#Goes to say that I have to save up for an ipad and a cheap alternative stylus for apple #And also another saving for procreate #Or maybe I'll just use medibang 🤔#My art #Sketch #Digital art #Digital drawing #Medibang #Art #Painting #Digital #Angel #Angel art #Illustration #Line art

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marveltechweb-blog · 4 years

Text

What Is a Touch Screen?

The invention of the Touch Screen has truly changed the way we use our gadgets daily. Every gadget works on the same fundamental principal since they all feature a computer or a simple processing device integrated which is actually the brain inside the gadget. The user inputs a command or instruction into the gadget using an input device, the computer within it processes these instructions and displays the results by using an output device. Thus it is basically a way for us to communicate with our devices and tell it the things we need it to do. Whether it's a phone, computer or some kind of automated machinery each of them work on the same principle.

These devices used a keypad, keyboard or even a pointing device such as a mouse to allow users to enter an input in the past. Such type of input did wonders and still does, however we are now living in the Twenty-first century and we have at our disposal an innovative new form of input device known as touch screen. A touch screen eliminates the requirement for an external keyboard or pointing device. It allows you and me to use touch to navigate on the screen itself. Feel free to use your fingers to touch icons and type with the on screen keyboard. What this means is you can eliminate the clickity clack of an keyboard that might sometimes be annoying.

The touch screen entered main stream technology in the 2000's.Though the first touch screen was designed by E.A. Johnson around 1965 it became popular and witnessed wide scale integration into gadgets after 2002. You may credit Apple computers for ushering in the touch screen generation by introducing it in the revolutionary iPhone. I remember when I bought my first generation iPhone a few years ago; my mother could not believe it was a phone. She thought it was one amongst the useless, unwanted gadgets that I spend all of my money on. She could not envision a phone with out a keypad to dial the number until I personally showed her what exactly the people at apple computers had done. I believe apple placed the only home screen button on the phone purposely to let people recognize that they did not need keypads and buttons anymore.

In modern times touch sensitive screens are widely-used as the preferred input device in almost every new computer or gadget. Touch screen are already utilized in ATMs, information kiosks, watches, medical equipment, in-flight entertainment systems, navigation and audio systems, machinery control terminals in factories and phones. You name an electronic device and chances are you will easily find one that has a touch screen embedded in it.

Touch screens have been responsible for bringing in the new generation of computers. The laptop replaced the desktop because of portability and mobility. We now have tablet computers replacing laptops. Tablets use the screen as the primary input device; you don't have a keyboard or track pad. You will not need a stylus either all you need are your fingers. These screens are equipped for recognizing multi gestures which mean you can use one or more fingers simultaneously to type or touch screen kiosk icons to launch programs.

Microsoft was the first to make a foray into tablet computers in 2002 by launching the Windows XP tablet edition but it was not widely accepted by consumers. The main reason for this may have been because in addition to the touch screen you also required the external keyboard. The iPad was the culprit for making tablet computer liked by consumers. It did not feature a keypad and just like the iPhone had only one button since there wasn't any need for buttons and keys.

#touch screen kiosk

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emaspin · 4 years

Text

So, I started this tumblr for the Grishaverse Big Bang however now I’m following a bunch of other fandoms things and I figured why not share so if my own writing? So this is a Lunar Chronicles fic that I wrote for a compation that I won. The digital gift card didn’t work, but I still won. Now we just cross our fingers and hope that none of my real life friends find this because they already found my tik tok and my Instagram.

The stylus that was dancing over Cinders fingers began to wobble as she lost control of the rhythm. Again. What had once been a cool trick when she was a mechanic in New Beijing now was the cause of many flying pens. It was a habit that she had perfected with a wrench, but now with a much lighter port screen stylus she has to relearn. The stylus that she used on Luna was made of a much heavier material. It was different. So many things had been different lately, but a marvellous, fantastic different.

“When you were a kid did you ever have Wibble Bites?” Kai’s abrupt question stole Cinder’s attention away from her port screen.

“I’m sorry, did I ever have what?”

“Wibble Bites” Kai responded and he looked shocked that she didn’t recognize whatever he was taking about. “They had a teal green package and little doodles of hamsters on them. You know, the fruit flavoured cookies.” At Kai’s description, a sudden memory hit Cinder and she gasped.

“Oh my stars! Wibble Bites! Yes I remember those. They were so good.” Cinder gushed

“Apparently the company that sold them went under after the owner died of letumosis,” He sighed. “I wish we could still get them.”

“Why do you know so much about Wibble bites?” She glanced at him questioningly. “Is that what you were doing on your portscreen for the past hour? I thought you were working!” Cinder exclaimed as she started to laugh at her strangely adorable husband.

“I was taking a break.” Kai said in mock defence.

“Actually, I think I know where we can get Wibble Bites.”

Kai sat up straighter in his armchair.

“Where?”

“There’s this old convenience store in downtown New Beijing. It had them for a pretty cheap price too. I used to get them for Peony.”

“Let’s go get some.” Kai suggested

Cinder sat up and started walking towards the door of their bedroom when Kai stopped her. Glancing at her black dress pants and a ornate, red blouse that had bell sleeves that draped across her forearms.

“You can go out like that! You’re too recognizable, you’ll get mobbed!”

The ridiculous statement made it very hard for Cinder to keep a straight face.

“What do you suggest?” She asked, not bothering to mask her grin.

“I don’t know, put on jeans or something.” He tossed her a hoodie as he spoke. A grey hoodie. A familiar grey hoodie.

“Is this the hoodie?” She asked.

“What hoodie?” Kai turned to face her and she recognized the moment her question clarified in his mind. He smirked. “Yes.”

Cinder couldn’t think of suitable words so she just rolled her eyes at him and walked towards her closet. She found herself doing that a lot. Although at one point she thought it would never be possible for someone to render her speechless, Kai had an uncanny way of doing it almost daily. Cinder also knew that she did the exact same thing to him. Her heart swelled every time she saw his little eye roll.

She opened a small drawer in the very back of her closet and pulled out a pair of blue jeans and a black tank top. She had a very small amount of casual clothes and it all fit into the small drawer, however the rest of her walk in closet swelled with full skirts and vibrant colours. Cinder didn’t consider herself a dressy person, in fact Iko had picked out most of the dresses that filled the closet. Cinder just couldn’t stand to throw them away. They all held so many memories. Galas and balls where she was always surrounded by her friends. She brushed her fingers against the dress that she had worn to her the first annual peace ball, well, her second. The one she went to when she was still the Queen of Luna. The memory of the first peace ball and the dress that she had worn to that stung her heart. She gripped the necklace around her neck that Kai had given her, the one made with Peony’s ID chip.

She looked down to gather her emotions and she saw Kai’s grey hooded sweatshirt draped over her arm. She quickly changed and walked out of the closet as she was zipping up the hoodie. Kai grinned at her as he stood waiting at the door.

“All set?” He asked. Cinder nodded and they began their way towards the palace gates.

The tinkling of bells greeted them as they entered the small convenience store. Cinder expertly guided Kai to the back of the store where a couple shelves of old snack food sat under the label ‘family favourites’

Kai started to load bag after bag into his arms. “My mom hated when I would eat these.” Kai chuckled.

“Adri wouldn’t let me eat these.” Cinder said as she grabbed a few bags herself. The bells chimes again and Cinder could her a cluster of giggling teenage girls entered the store. Kai and Cinder quickly turned to each other and averted their gaze to the floor to avoid being recognized. Kai looked as though he was barely restraining laughter and the look was making it harder for Cinder to hold in her own. Finally once it had been long enough and nobody had accused them of being royalty they dared to turn and make their way towards the front counter. Cinder dropped her bags on to the till.

“Wow, that’s a lot.” The Cashier said without bothering to look up. But as Kai dropped even more bags into the pile the Cashier did look up. Then his jaw dropped. “You! And you!” He pointed as Cinder and stood in awe. “Oh all of the almighty stars!”

“We would appreciate it if you would be a little bit more discreet.” Kai’s gentle encouragement for calm worked wonders. The man immediately hushed but still remained star struck. “Would you mind ringing up our food?” Kai asked politely.

The Cashier set up the transaction and Kai paid for the snack food with a swish of his wrist. They began to walk out of the door when Kai reached at his belt for his port. He called a hover to the convenience store and they were only waiting for a moment before a sleek black one rounded the street corner. As they were situating themselves into the seats of the hover a green text floated up into Cinders vision. She read the comm quickly, and then had to read it again.

Comm from Iko: Where are you?? I’ve been comming you. I just got the results. Positive!!

Cinder gasped. She faced Kai and grabbed his hand.

“What is it?” Kai asked. His alarm was beginning to dissolve as he watched the radiant smile grow on her face.

“Were pregnant.”

“What?!” Kai chuckled out the question and she knew that he felt the same overwhelming joy that she did.

“Iko made me take a test. She just got the results!” Cinder could not have kept the excitement out of her voice, even if she had been trying, but she wasn’t.

Kai grabbed her and wrapped his arms around her. She felt a tear drop on the back of her neck and she could feel Kai shaking with joy. She hugged him back tighter. He pulled back and held her face in his hands, he didn’t even have to say anything. Everything was written on his face. And even deeper than that she could feel exactly what he was feeling. She was flooding over with hope, anticipation, joy, happiness, but mostly love. Love for this baby who they were going to be able to meet soon. Very soon. They held each other the whole way home, laughing and shaking and kissing. This was a whole new chapter of their lives and Cinder was sure that it would be the best one yet.

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ghostofviperwrites · 4 years

Text

The Ungovernable Ones - Chapter 11 - The Tranquillo One

Featuring: Los Ingobernables de Japon

Category: Smut

Warnings for the series: explicit language, explicit sexual content, dubious consensual encounters, manipulation

The past two days you had felt like you were in the twilight zone as Naito’s uncharacteristic behavior continued. On time. Dressed appropriately. Studying film at night. No women. It was strangely unsettling preventing you from enjoying his compliance. The only thing that convinced you that you hadn’t stepped into an alternate dimension was the rest of LIJ acting as usual. Evil was a complete dick. Bushi pretty much stayed away from you. Hiromu continued trying to play mind games with you. Sanada continued the silent treatment.

This morning was different. They were all missing. There was nothing on calendar, so you weren’t panicking yet, but as you came up empty in Evil’s room, the final room you had to check you were getting worried. It was the morning, so it wasn’t like they were off at some club. Running your fingers through your hair you paced around Evil’s room trying to figure out where your wayward charges had disappeared to. They had all been present and accounted for last night. Hiromu the last to wander in just after two in the morning. This morning, vanished. If their belongings weren’t still present, you would have assumed they had ran off on you.

Heading down to the lobby you decided you would head to the arena and try to get caught up on some much overdue paperwork. You enjoyed the quiet ride by yourself. It had been so long since you had been without at least one of them in the car. Even Sanada’s silence was oppressive. You couldn’t relax with him in the car, feeling like he was constantly judging you and finding you lacking.

Arriving at the evening’s venue you parked in the talent garage and headed inside. The last thing you expected to find when you walked into LIJ’s designated locker room was the entire stable gathered around Naito who had multiple computer monitors hooked up to his laptop. Each of them had notepads, or in Sanada’s case an IPAD he was using with a stylus, taking studious notes as Naito spoke rapidly gesturing towards one screen then another.

They didn’t even glance in your direction as you entered mouth agape at the detail Naito was spouting with the others chiming in periodically. You sank onto the couch, paperwork forgotten as you witnessed for the first time outside of the ring Los Ingobernables being entirely focused on wrestling. You found yourself staring at Naito as he talked, animation in his face as he gestured and explained moves and it captured your attention. You had never seen him so passionate and it struck a chord in you. Shaking off those fanciful thoughts you turned your focus on your papers every so often found your gaze drawn to the leader of Los Ingobernables. You smiled as Hiromu pulled Naito’s ever present black LIJ cap off his head only to have it snatched back and put on backwards. Naito’s smile in that moment had to be the first genuine smile you had seen on him and you honestly felt tingles in your stomach as he indulgently ruffled Hiromu’s hair.

It was a rare unguarded moment for the men and you almost felt like you were intruding. You were pretty sure they had forgotten you were even in the room, even Sanada laughing as Hiromu pushed him playfully. Your suspicions were confirmed when your stack of papers slipped off your lap as you watched, landing in a mess on the floor. Immediately their attention was on you, all joviality sucked from the air. You hated the way Sanada’s face transformed back into his ever-present mask. Now that you had seen him just being with his brothers you weren’t satisfied with the cold countenance.

“I’m so sorry,” You muttered getting on your knees to gather up the papers, cognizantly aware of the attention you still had focused on you. You cursed your clumsiness as you scrambled. Sensing he had lost their attention Naito dismissed the guys for a break. They had already been holed up for hours. He knew they had pent up energy they needed to go let out.

You backed out of the way as Evil and Sanada grabbed their gear deciding to head down to the ring to work on some new tag moves. Hiromu and Bushi decided to make a run to the corner café, taking Naito’s order to bring him back lunch when he declined their invitation to join.

Sitting back at the table, Naito began writing notes once again sinking into his work. You had this newfound fascination with him as you watched his hands flow across the paper, his tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth as he narrowed his eyes in concentration.

“You really enjoy this don’t you?” You had to ask, your curiosity driving you to interrupt him. You were treated to the all too familiar glare of Naito as he raised his head to look at you.

“Yes.” He said shortly looking back down at his pad of paper.

“Your passion is just amazing,” You gushed once again regaining his attention. This time he looked at you differently. Shrewdly as if delving into your mind.

“It is amazing,” He said with a smirk that had you blushing before he effectively dismissed you by turning his attention to the laptop and turning up the volume on the match they had been watching.

“Do you do this often?” You asked loudly to be heard over the match shrinking back as another irritated glance came your way.

“Once or twice a month.” He replied. “Now, I’m working. Can you shut up?”

You didn’t know what had come over you. Studious quiet Naito had captivated you. As had the brief glance of playful older brother Naito you had gotten a glimpse of earlier. You had never really thought him your type. You recognized he was attractive, but you hadn’t been drawn to him. Until now.

“I’m sorry, I’m just curious.” You said receiving a loud sigh of irritation.

“What’s your definition of shut up? Cause it doesn’t seem to be matching mine.” Naito snapped tossing down his pen in irritation. “go on, spit out all the questions so I can get back to what I’m doing.”

“I’ve just never seen you so intense about something.” You said with a shrug. “I just kind of assumed you were in this for the paycheck. But watching you the last few days I’ve realized you really love this.”

“I wouldn’t dedicate my life, my body to this for a paycheck.” Naito said sounding offended. “I don’t struggle to walk in the mornings for a paycheck. You think these are a fashion statement.” He waved a hand over the ever-present bandages on his knees.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you.” Once again you found yourself apologizing to him. “I just had a different impression of you. And then I saw you tonight with the guys and I saw another side. Why haven’t you shown that side to me?” You asked.

“Simple.” Naito said rising to exit the locker room. “You’re not family.”

#lij fanfic #lij imagine #njpw fanfic #wrestling fanfic #mywriting #ghostofviperwrites

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pcproductreviews-blog · 5 years

Text

What are the new features of Microsoft Windows 10

MICROSOFT this morning role player back the curtain on the in operation systems by popping out Windows ten with a mob of business-friendly options and additionally with some surprises. Microsoft is breaking down the Windows Phone and Windows RT borders of its software system, and with this breaks we have a tendency to all predict that, Microsoft has created a certain shot approach toward connecting its devices a lot of seamlessly to become a vicinity of its universal apps program. the large surprise, however, was Microsoft’s bust into video game, with its Holo Lens glasses, associate approach to form a system for overlaying holographic pictures over the $64000 world.

Windows 10, starting is different

Microsoft’s Windows ten with its feasibleness to figure over mobile devices and PCs square measure currently returning with new begin menu that expands to seem like Windows 8’s home screen and a brand new Action Center wherever you'll be able to fast toggle settings, windows 10 pro product key.

Windows 10, Cortana for desktop

Cortana, Microsoft’s personal digital assistant, is coming back to the computer. Long on the market on mobile, Cortana can currently live next to the beginning button on the task bar and function a natural-language interface for Windows ten. Cortana for desktop will, however, do everything its desktop counterpart will, meaning: reminders, decision individuals with Skype, check my location/maps, play/pause music, launch apps, check the weather and additional.

Windows 10, Multitasking with Snap Windows

Microsoft also will introduce a correct multitasking feature known as “Task View” which is able to show nicely sized four preview windows of your running apps. Again, this works with each bit and standard management inputs – either a swipe from the left of the screen together with your finger, or clicking on the taskbar with a mouse. Naturally this is often aimed toward desktops and tablets instead of phones.

Windows 10, The end of Internet Explorer. Say hello to Project Spartan

Spartan may be a cleaner browser with a great deal of shiny new options and integration with different Microsoft services. Spartan has "note-taking mode" that helps you to draw everywhere pages with a stylus or add comments with a keyboard, then save the results on OneNote. A clean "reading mode" will what you would possibly expect. Spartan has Cortana designed into it, contextually recognizing data like restaurants or plane flights and giving further data.

Windows 10, Your PC is now your Xbox

Microsoft owns an enormous majority of the pc gambling market. And currently declared associate Xbox app for launch on each Windows ten machine. The app brings over Xbox One options like your messages, friends list, and activity feed. You’ll be able to chat with individuals on Xbox Live and consider console achievements and videos from your desktop, also as record your own clips on laptop.

Windows 10, The amazing Command Prompt

Another quite wonderful feature for those folks that use it's that the prompt is currently obtaining keyboard shortcuts! therefore you may be in a position to stick in your commands! Hardly groundbreaking, however truly pretty exciting.

Windows 10, Continum - the special one

This is the most effective new issue we tend to acknowledged these days. Continum is Associate in Nursing on-the-fly mode for two in one devices which will mechanically modification mode if it detects there's suddenly no keyboard hooked up. it's designed to create the switch from keyboard and mouse to touchscreen seamless.

Windows 10, A bigger role for OneDrive

OneDrive was everyplace in Microsoft’s presentation. It shaped the backbone of its unified apps, permitting documents to synchronize across devices. Microsoft’s titillated a bigger role for OneDrive in photos and music, can synchronize between devices victimisation OneDrive.

Windows 10, Universal apps

Windows Universal apps square measure the new name for underground apps/Modern apps/Windows Store apps. Windows ten may be a single platform and interface across PCs, wearables, phones, tablets etc. and can be able to run on all devices from phones to servers and there'll be one app store across the heap.

Windows 10, Surface hub and Windows Holographic

This is associate unexpected—hardware announcement from Microsoft: Windows Holographic can build 3D imaging into Windows ten, which may be intimate with exploitation the HoloLens receiver. The company's rolling out the Surface Hub, an 84-inch, 4K, touch-enabled show for workplace collaboration.

Future-Proofing

Microsoft has left U.S. with some huge things to deem. Its vision of tomorrow's ideal software package is grander still with the goal to supply a unified expertise across devices of all shapes and sizes. It’s attempting to securely move off from the failures of Windows eight and Windows Phone. however Hope with Windows ten, Microsoft looks to be obtaining right.

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la-regina-scrive · 6 years

Text

Lifelike Renderings (Lotor x Reader, fluff)

You find some of Lotor’s artwork, and ask him to share more of it with you.

(Length: 2500 words)

You tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep. You reached over and caressed the empty space beside you, feeling Lotor’s absence. You could always sleep when he was around. You sat up and got out of bed, going to retrieve him from his work.

You found him sitting in his captain’s chair, his computer displays on standby in front of him, and you realized he must have dozed off. He sat with his chin resting against his hand, the sort of position he could easily pass off as resting his eyes if you had called out to him and woken him up.

Sleep eluded Lotor far more often than you, so you decided to leave Lotor to his rest. It was cold out here in the cockpit, the heating systems turned down for the rest portion of the daily cycle, so you walked back to your room and retrieved a spare blanket for your beloved prince. You returned to his side and gently laid it over him.

As you settled it into place, there was a soft clack as a pen stylus hit the floor. You realized it had fallen out of Lotor’s hand. You turned and looked to the display in front of him, spotting a data pad that had a familiar face sketched onto its surface.

It surprised you how immediately you recognized your own face from just a third of it, but there was no mistaking your own cheek, your own chin, your own eye. It looked like he was just starting onto the lips when he dozed off. You stared, admiring, before noticing part of a hand and fingers sketched in the corner of the screen. Without considering, you reached out and panned over so you could see more of it. The hand looked familiar too. Your fingers, your knuckles, your palm, all in painstakingly perfect detail; next to the fingers was a mouth, so you pinched to zoom out.

This picture of your face was complete, the drawn-you in the movement of brushing your hair out of your eyes. You could see another disembodied eye, and panned up to see easily two dozen eyes in different positions and expressions. Next to them, you saw, were mouths. All of these were drawings of you. Most of the mouths were smiles. Lotor had captured your smiles and grins and smirks from every angle, every dimple and placement of your lips and teeth. Some were open-mouthed, others had closed lips. Next to these were more faces, not full head shots but fully drawn expressions. A pout that, rendered in Lotor’s hand, was utterly adorable. A smile that could light up a room, with joy pinched around the eyes.

Below these, a series of your eyes closed, face relaxed; they must have been you, sleeping. The angle was almost always from above, exactly what he would see looking down at you as you slept in his arms.

By this point you were crying just a little, seeing how lovingly he had drawn you over, and over, and over, and over again. Every insecurity you’ve had about your face, every feature you have ever hated, was brought to life in such a way that it filled you with joy, so much you felt you might burst. Every hair, every freckle, placed just so with the lightest brush of the pen stylus. He captured the beauty he saw, and for a moment you could glimpse it too.

You remembered, suddenly, that this was something of a breach of privacy. You had never been in the habit of snooping into Lotor’s things, and wanted it to stay that way. You turned off the tablet screen and set it down, turning back to Lotor.

He was still dozing, his breathing even. He looked perfectly beautiful, as always. You felt the love filling up your heart and just barely restrained yourself from throwing yourself at him to embrace him and never let go. You did decide, however, to wake him up so he could sleep in a comfortable bed with you.

“My dearest prince,” you called softly, touching his arm. “I’m sorry to wake you, but you should come to bed.”

Lotor opened his eyes and had a disoriented moment before he noticed you there, and the blanket on top of him.

“I appreciate the sentiment, my love, but why bring me a blanket if you’re just going to call me to bed?”

“I changed my mind,” you answered. “I realized you would wake up stiff and uncomfortable tomorrow if you stayed the whole night like this.”

He nodded, but did not appear totally satisfied. He was, you realized, vaguely distracted. Looking around himself, he let out a quick, “ah!” as he spotted the stylus on the ground by his foot. He reached down to pick it up.

Not wanting to have any secrets between you, you admitted, “I… looked at your drawings, Lotor. I hope you don’t mind.”

Lotor’s immediate reaction made it clear that he did mind. He froze, his shoulders held stiff. He sat back up and his jaw was locked tight. But as you looked at him, his defensive stance eased.

“I didn’t mean to!” you added. “I just saw one on the screen, and then… looked at the ones next to it.” He was watching you intently. “They’re beautiful,” you added.

Lotor took in a long breath and then exhaled. He reached out for the data pad, then patted his lap for you to sit.

“I’m sorry,” you said, sitting down on his thigh. Lotor brought an arm around your shoulders and pulled you against his chest.

“It’s alright,” he said. “If it’s you, it’s alright.” You wondered if that last statement was meant for you or for himself. “Let me take a moment and show you my gallery. What you saw was a sketch file, meant for practice. I’d like to show you some better work.”

As he spoke, he brought up another file. This one was a full body shot of you seated, your legs curled up under you. You were looking away and smiling softly. It was incredible how well he had captured every detail. It wasn’t photorealistic, but it captured something that photos could not capture, something you could not even place your finger on.

“It’s gorgeous,” you said.

“Let me show you another.”

You glanced up at his face to see that he was grinning. He was enjoying sharing this with you, and clearly proud of his work. He brought up a drawing of you that was waist-up, with you looking back over your shoulder. Your mouth was open in this one, your smile showing off your teeth. The pose was dynamic, bringing the whole image to life.

“These are incredible Lotor,” you said. “How many of these do you have?”

“I have a fair handful,” he said, not quite answering the question.

“I want to see all of them. In fact, let me see the first one you ever drew,” you said.

Lotor hesitated. Guardedly, he admitted, “I’d rather not. It’s not up to my standards. I was still… getting a feel for how best to capture your essence.”

You looked up into his face and pouted, lightly.

“Please?” you asked. “I really don’t mind. These works are so lifelike, just so incredible, I probably can’t even tell the difference. Besides… I just, I like seeing myself through your eyes. Not everything you show me has to be perfect. I like the imperfect parts of you too.”

He fixed you with a concerned frown, then relaxed with a sigh.

“Very well,” he said. As he was scrolling through his files, you noticed some of the file names. They seemed so detached compared to the warmth overflowing his artwork. Perhaps it was easier to express himself through pictures than through words; despite his silver tongue, he struggled at times with articulating his feelings.

He scrolled back through and found the correct file with no hesitation. He opened it up and you saw your face rendered in fine detail, the image from your neck upward. You could immediately tell the difference; it was far less dynamic. It was lifelike, in that it looked photorealistically accurate to your features, but it did not come to life in the way that his later drawings did. You also realized that your expression was neutral in this one; you weren’t smiling.

“You don’t like it,” he said, his voice disappointed.

“No!” you said. “I can just see how much you improved, that’s all. I thought I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.”

“I told you it wasn’t up to my standards,” he huffed.

You smiled and placed a placating hand on his shoulder.

“Maybe I should try drawing you. Would that make you feel a little better? I know I definitely can’t draw anywhere near this well,” you said.

“You don’t have to do that.”

“I want to,” you assured him. “It’s wonderful to see art of yourself drawn by somebody who cares for you, I want to give that back to you. Then maybe you can tell me how I can make it better.”

“...Alright,” he agreed after a pause.

He pulled up a clean canvas for you and then handed you the data pad and the stylus. You looked intently at his face, and Lotor looked up and away in a dignified pose for you to copy. You started to draw, but saw his gaze flick down briefly to the data pad as you began to sketch.

“Ahh, it’s too embarrassing to do it here!” you said, and got down off of his lap. You went over to another seat and set to drawing. It was late, and you didn’t want to keep Lotor waiting, so you began to sketch quickly. It was messy.

“You don’t have to rush,” Lotor said. “Take your time. I want to see you give it your best. Even now, with as much practice as I’ve had, these works take time,” he said.

“Okay,” you answered, and started over. “Try smiling for me. I love your drawings where I’m smiling.”

You saw Lotor flush with embarrassment, his ears drooping noticeably.

“A-alright,” he agreed. It took him a few tries to bring out his natural smile; it was just too easy to slip into a smirk or a grin or something fake. But it was worth the wait. You looked up into his smiling face and began to sketch. You stopped, looked, went back to drawing. You made little hesitant strokes as you worked your way through his portrait, more confidently thickening the lines when they came out how you liked.

You weren’t sure how long you were at it, but after what felt like a varga, you set down the stylus pen. You held out the data pad before you, and somehow, what moments ago had filled you with such pride, had seemed like perfect strokes of the pen, now seemed unsatisfactory. It was clearly a drawing of Lotor, it looked enough like him, but you had failed to capture that essence you saw in him and bring it to life.

“Are you done?” he asked. He actually sounded a little excited.

“Yes, but I… don’t like it,” you admitted. “I don’t think it’s very good.”

“Do you want to try again?” he asked. “I don’t mind waiting as long as it takes. You shouldn’t rush.”

“No, I feel like… this was really the best I could do, and trying again would only be frustrating. I’m done for tonight, at least. Maybe I can try it again tomorrow after some sleep.”

He gave you a soft, imploring look.

“Very well,” he said. “I won’t ask you to show me if you’re not ready. But if it’s truly your best, I would love to see it.”

You squirmed. He had shared his first drawing of you even though he was insecure about it. But that, at least, had been beautiful in its way. This was…

“It’s nothing like what you do, Lotor.”

“My dearest, I have been practicing for thousands of decaphoebs, while you aren’t even half of a century old. You would do well to temper your expectations.” He smiled at you, warmly. “Please show me. I would love to see it.”

With reluctance, you handed over the data pad with your drawing. Lotor’s warm smile softened. He stared at it for a long moment, then looked back up to your face.

“It’s beautiful. And you were right, it’s because this is through your eyes that it’s so beautiful. Thank you for sharing it with me.”

“But I didn’t capture your essence at all,” you protested. “It’s nothing like you.”

He shook his head.

“That will simply take time and practice. Not just with drawing in general, but with your subject,” he said. You recalled that the first drawing he did of you did not feel like the later ones. “While I am happy to give you all the instruction you could desire on perspective, anatomy and proportion, shading, any technical skill… none of it will replace the utmost important element of developing your own eye.

“The best thing I can do for you,” he continued, “is to teach you how to look at my face, what to focus on, how to learn every detail and, more importantly, which details to emphasize and which to capture only as much as necessary.” He reached out and gently ran his finger down the side of your face. “It will take time, but I am confident that you will be able to master it enough to satisfy yourself, if you choose to do so.”

You smiled back at him.

“Thank you. I’m glad you liked it,” you said. “The sleep cycle is more than halfway over,” you added, “so we should probably go to bed for the evening instead of staying up for art class.”

“Hmm, my student is so eager to shirk work and laze about,” he said with mock disappointment. You laughed as he set aside the tablet and pen and pulled the blanket more tightly around his shoulders. He turned to you and scooped you up effortlessly into his arms.

“Aah, Lotor!” you squealed. It had been a while since he carried you to bed in his arms like this.

“Ssh, quiet dear, most of the crew is asleep,” he playfully admonished in a whisper.

“Don’t tease me.” You gave him a pout, and he answered with a grin like a cheshire cat.

“Oh but I’ve only just begun.” He passed over the bedroom threshold with you in his arms.

“Just begun? If you keep me up all night I swear I’ll never draw anything for you again,” you threatened. He scowled.

“Well. I suppose we can’t have that,” he said, relenting, setting you down in the bed. He closed the door and disrobed to join you, nestling in behind you to spoon you.

As you relaxed into Lotor’s embrace, you felt at peace, and the sleepiness that evaded you earlier began to pull at your consciousness. Lotor’s even breathing gave way to purring, resonating through his chest against your back, and you fell asleep.

#lotor x reader #lotorxreader #prince lotor #voltron lotor #lotor #reader x lotor #readerxlotor #fluff #just tooth meltingly sweet #fic lifelike renderings

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captain-ak · 6 years

Text

The King of All-Nighters (Tony x Reader)

Summary: After pushing yourself too hard, you get taught a lesson in self-care by the master (in training) himself.

Warning: -

Notes: Inspired by my own terrible life choices. I need help.

When you opened your eyes, there was a long, jagged blue line across the screen of your tablet.

You sighed. Those were getting irritating to erase. You weren’t even sure what time it was anymore, but you’d fallen asleep on your work, again. And it was still barely-finished in front of you.

Rubbing your eyes angrily, you hunched over the page once more. ...easiest way would be to initiate a remotely blown circuit in both the primary and auxiliary battery valves located in the rear-facing side of the-- But by the time you reached the end of a sentence, you had already forgotten what the beginning said. After a slow blink, you started over, sinking closer and closer to the marble countertop. As far as resting places went, it was looking more and more comfortable with every passing second...

...and suddenly there was a bang, and your eyes snapped open again. Your tablet screen had gone dark, and your cheek was pressed against it like a pillow. There was a horrible stiff pain in your neck. Dragging yourself up slowly, you turned to see the source of the noise.

Tony wandered into the workshop with a spring in his step. He was wearing jeans and a fresh AC/DC shirt, with hair that seemed to be freshly washed. Whistling, he stepped around your seat at the work table, and began shuffling at the coffeemaker in the corner. “Ah,” he declared, “I love the smell of napalm in the morning.”

“...Morning?” You stared at him with a slow sinking in your chest.

“Um, yeah? Six o’clock, ish. Sun’s rising. Birds chirping. Y’know, all that stuff.” Tony turned around, preparing a big grin for you. But when he saw your face, he faltered. “How long you been awake?”

Several seconds passed before you blinked, and opened your mouth. “I’m doing a...I’m...Not long.”

“...uh huh.” Tony watched you, and slowly began to make his coffee. His next sentence became a buzz in the background of your hearing while you looked down at your tablet again.

As you tried to unlock it, your fingers seemed to belong to someone else, reacting in slow motion as you tapped in the code over and over, blindly, eyes crossing without your notice--

“Hey.”

Your whole body gave an involuntary jerk.

Tony was right in front of you when your eyes opened again...even though you refused the idea that you had ever let them close. His hand was on your shoulder, and--you realized after a moment--was the only thing keeping you from slumping out of your chair.

Staring at him, you blinked twice. Crap. Casual. Your brain scrambled for casual. “Hey--Tony...whadya doin…? I’m just. Working.”

Tony was looking at you in what you thought was probably amusement--it was really getting hard to tell--but he sighed. “Yeah, I’m the king of all nighters. I know an all-nighter when I see one...and I’m seeing it.”

You shook your head. “No, I’m...fine.” The stylus in your hand suddenly fell; you’d lost the grip in your hand. Instead of trying to catch it, you frowned at it.

Tony snatched it out of the air. “Riiiiiiight.” He pushed you back up into your seat, bending down to look at your face, and...saying...something.

You frowned, struggling to remember what he said while he was saying it...what did he want? An image of Tony moving around by the coffeemaker flashed in your mind suddenly, though you weren’t sure when that happened. Is that what he was saying--it had to be.

“I’m...not...hungry,” you finally mumbled.

The lines on Tony’s forehead deepened. “Oookay...we’re hallucinating now. Come on.” He slid his arms underneath you and, with a grunt, picked you up out of the chair. “Wh--no.” You tried to grab your tablet from the table, but Tony turned away too quickly. “No, I gotta finish, I’m...I’m not done...”

“Yeah, you are. JARVIS, open the elevator.” Tony pulled you tighter to his chest, and strode across the lab. “You’ll never get done when you’re this far gone, and anything you do manage to write won’t make sense. Trust me.”

“But…” You looked up at Tony from his shoulder. Even as you tried to reason with him, though, your eyes kept slipping shut, and your arguments turned to nonsense as you said them.

Tony just smiled at every nonsensical thing you told him, and shook his head. “You’re really cute...”

You didn’t remember being carried into the elevator, but Tony talked the entire time. Listening to his voice, you snuggled down against his shoulder.

And the next thing you knew, he was laying you down in your bed, and taking off your shoes. “Tony,” you mumbled, “lemme go…”

“Nope.”

“But Tony...I gotta go finish.”

“Oh yeah?” Tony came back to your side, and tucked the blankets firmly under your chin. “Go finish what?”

“The…” You frowned. “It’s the…”

“When you remember what it’s called, you can go finish it.” Tony couldn’t help but smile at you. He walked around the bed, flopping down beside you. “So go to sleep.”

“But you pull all-nighters,” you complained. “Why can’t I…?”

Tony rolled his eyes. “Because I, unlike you, recognize that it is bad.” He slowly began to run his fingers through your hair, working out the tangles. His gentle massage sent shivers running down your back. “But you...for some reason...think that it is something to aspire to. Which it is not. Spoiler alert. So, conclusion, if you won’t take care of yourself, I’ll do it for you. It would be bad if you passed out in our lab.” He grinned. When you didn’t answer, he peeked over at your face, and saw it already relaxed in sleep.

Tony smiled. After pressing a kiss against your nose, he rolled under the covers, ran his hand over your hair. “...JARVIS? Set room to ‘do not disturb.’”

“As you wish, sir.”

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words-writ-in-starlight · 6 years

Note

Do you ever think about how Irene baker and remy and Nadiya are never going to be able to be in the same place ever again

Irene Baker and Kardala have...a contentious relationship. It’s true. Like, Irene’s still in there but she spends all her time screaming at Kardala (sometimes to give her their body back, sometimes to MAKE BETTER CHOICES OH MY GOD) and when Irene’s in the driver’s seat Kardala rages and shakes her bones, until Irene’s resting heartrate can hit 190 with no ill effects.

So Irene leaves. Says her goodbyes separately and just goes. Remy almost cries about it. Nadiya is polite and cursory about her goodbyes but they’ve spent enough time with her to recognize that particular brand of emotionless.

Things are going a bit unspooled, in America. The revelation of King Dick threw things into chaos, and Nadiya and Remy stick together (Remy won’t leave her, is the thing, and Nadiya doesn’t make him, is the other thing, so that’s sort of like sticking together) and try to help. Nadiya talks a big game but she did join the Do Good Fellowship, and Remy just wants everyone to get along. Of course they do everything they can.

Irene retreats to the other side of the country and loses herself in a crowd and tries not to think about the voice (Irene Baker you will release me you will return to them and you will help them and you will LET ME OUT) that roars in her dreams.

She’s taken up meditating. She sits for an hour a day, kneeling on the floor, and she breathes and tries to find some peace.

Please leave me alone, she tells the voice every day.

YOU ARE WEAK, the voice that is Kardala bellows back. YOU ARE A PRISON.

On the other side of the country, Nadiya has a section of her lab securely cordoned off with samples of her own skin and Remy’s skin in vials under a thousand conditions. The rest of her lab is dedicated to turning her bioengineered skin into something bigger, something better--something to heal more than just dermal damage. She has a Nobel Prize, the dream she’s been working toward for years, but.

But.

Remy is just Remy and he goes out at night in the armor that the DGF supplied him and tries to help (DGF is not the only group that’s started turning out superhumans, King Dick made a killing on that tech before he was brought in) and he comes back beat to shit more often than not. Nadiya doesn’t like him but she also doesn’t want him to die on her couch.

“Aww,” Remy says hazily while she grafts a new patch of tissue onto his cheek to cover up a burn that almost took out his eye, smiling up at her crookedly while she curses the day he was born. “I knew you cared.”

“I swear to God, I will throw you out of a window my own self.”

“‘s okay, I care ‘bout you too--this makes my mouth numb.” It comes out more like dith makth m’moth numb but Nadiya has been at this for a while and has a dentist’s ear for Remy’s commentary, garbled or not.

“Lie fucking still.”

“D’you want to watch Liberty’s Kids with me, ‘Diya?”

“No,” Nadiya says as she sits down by Remy’s feet with a bowl of fried rice on her lap and he turns on the TV.

And then Remy doesn’t make it home.

Vigilante hero identified as Christopher Rembrandt. Critical, but alive.

Nadiya finds out from the news, but she still makes it to the hospital before Remy’s brother, who works full time, hours from the city. She brings a test kit of her latest project, something she started putting together when Remy came dangerously close to a cracked spleen from a nasty hit. Hopefully it can help him.

She’s still hollering furiously at the doctors when Irene turns on her TV and sees the name scrolling across the bottom of the weather segment.

Christopher Rembrandt, she thinks to herself. Why do I know that name?

The little man, Kardala says, and for a moment Irene doesn’t recognize the voice. She didn’t know Kardala could speak softly.

“Who’s the little man?” Irene asks aloud, and then they show a sketch of the unknown vigilante (a ski mask, honestly, Nadiya despairs of him) alongside Remy’s contestant photo from Ninja Warrior, and Kardala doesn’t answer her.

(On the other side of the country, Nadiya grits her teeth and, for the first time in years, begs. “Please,” she says. “Please, I know my formula will work, please let me try to save him before you do the surgery.”)

Irene sits on her floor and stares at the screen, then pulls up a computer when the news stops reporting on the distant disaster of Christopher Rembrandt, and feels a very different shiver than the one she knows as Kardala’s influence.

We need to help the little man.

Kardala has never called them we before.

You’ll lock me away and I’ll wither away and die in there, Irene thinks before she can stop herself. It’s a fear she’s never dared admit to Kardala before. She has nightmares about Kardala leaving the area of effect around Remy and Nadiya, and Irene snapping back into the driver’s seat and not knowing how to move her own feet.

You are a prison.

Yeah, well, Irene thinks. At least you’re strong enough to survive it.

There’s a moment of quiet, and then Kardala--sighs? Irene thinks that’s what’s happening.

I am a god and you are not.

Irene stares at Remy’s picture and sinks her teeth into the meat of her palm to stifle a dismayed whine. He was such a sweet kid, is the thing. If she was there, if Kardala was there with Irene bound up underneath, he would be strong and fast and agile, and maybe she wouldn’t be waiting to see if he survives this.

But, Kardala says, and something...unbends. Not really a softening, but something going flexible where before it was immoveable iron. We share the body.

Nineteen hours later, Nadiya isn’t at the hospital because she’s getting some much needed sleep.

So when Remy wakes up, it’s Irene that he sees looking worn out at his bedside.

“’Reeeeeeeene,” he croons, reaching out to her.

“Hey, Remy,” she murmurs.

“Thought you were in fuckin’--fuckin’--uh, not here. ‘Cause Kardala.”

“Yeah,” Irene says. “We, uh. We talked, I guess. Then we talked some more on the plane ride.”

“‘s good,” Remy mumbles, his eyes closing again. He’s in remarkably good shape given his injuries (including a gunshot), and Nadiya might be on deck for another big prize for this miracle, but it’s taken a lot out of him. “K’dala’s not so bad. Y’should be friends.”

“Well,” Irene says. “I don’t know about that.”

Five hours after that, Remy wakes up again and he’s a little clearer.

“Nadiya,” he mutters, cracking one eye open.

“You’re awake,” she observes. “Could you tell me how you feel? I need to take notes, this is the first human trial of my internal synth-tissue and I’d appreciate some input.”

“Oh, I’m a guinea pig.”

“You’ve been a guinea pig half a dozen times,” Nadiya says. “Don’t be dramatic.” She opens a tablet and pulls out a stylus, looking at him attentively. “How are you feeling? This is for posterity.”

“Was that a Princess Bride quote? No, no, yeah, how do I feel, for science. Like I got shot in the chest and pushed off a--what the hell is that?”

There’s a heavy thudding sound in the hallway, drawing closer, and Nadiya sighs, raising a hand to press her fingers to her temple as the door bursts open.

“LITTLE MAN,” Kardala booms, top volume even for her, and Remy’s heart rate performs an observable startled leap on the EKG. “ARE YOU--I AM SORRY IRENE BAKER BUT YOU ALREADY GREETED HIM--ARE YOU WELL?”

“This is how it’s going to be now, apparently,” Nadiya says, switching to pinching the bridge of her nose.

“Inside voice, Kardala,” Remy says. “I’m on too many drugs for yelling.”

“I apologize!” Kardala says, as cheerful as ever but at a much more tolerable volume. “Irene Baker and I have returned to ensure that you do not become severely injured in our absence!”

“Did Irene...agree to this?”

“Irene agreed! And she told me that your favorite movie is a thing called ‘Flubber’!” She leans down conspiratorially and says, in a--a shout-whisper, which is new to Remy, “It is so that you know that I am not doing subterfuge.”

“Nice,” Remy says, and offers the hand with the IV on it before thinking better of it. “Fist bump.”

“Fist bump!” Kardala says joyfully, and bumps him harder than he might like before she sits down beside Nadiya in a chair that looks absolutely dwarfed by her size. “I have brought spoils from the vending machine.”

Nadiya drops her hand from her nose. “Just give me the fucking Nutter Butters and let me ask Remy some science questions. And can we have Irene back so Remy’s brother doesn’t have a heart attack?”

#taz #taz commitment #the adventure zone #remy rembrandt #irene baker #kardala #nadiya jones #my jumpy boy #HI HELLO I SEE YOUR TRAGEDY AND I RAISE YOU #IN WHICH KARDALA IS THE HULK AND IRENE IS BRUCE BANNER AND THEY SOMETIMES KIND OF GET ALONG #not OFTEN i'll grant you but they have kind of a detente in which kardala gets to fight shit but irene also gets to drive sometimes #honestly rip nadiya who doesn't deserve this #but also nadiya gets her superpowers back and 100% goes out with remy and kardala sometimes #they discover really fast that it's INCREDIBLY difficult to injure irene because as soon as kardala thinks they're in danger she basically #also i tend to think that it's not so much that kardala's inept as...she's just SUPER old #she's VERY old #she has a very strange grasp of english in that it's dictionary-perfect but extremely stilted #sort of like if you...well if you learned a whole language from the encyclopedia #and english sarcasm is different from spanish sarcasm is different from latin sarcasm #so i'm assuming there's a learning curve for how kardala learns the finer points of english jokes and shit #but anyway it's christmas and i'm sobering up but i'm still not feeling tragedy today #sorry everyone #but also like i just banged out a couple thousand words of taz commitment fic so do you really hold it against me #i loooooove my superpowered children #especially my jumpy boy and kardala #also i headcanon the following #nadiya is muslim and specifically hijabi #remy looks like a less sartorially improbable lucio by which i mean his hair behaves like HAIR not long balloons #and kardala is Big As Fuck whereas Irene is Real Lil #sroloc elbisivni

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purrincess-chat · 5 years

Text

Marinette Dupain-Cheng’s Spite Playlist: Original CH5

It. Is. Here.

Previous First Next

bonus here is the specific version of the theme song sung at the end

Chapter 5: Learn to Let Go

“Do you think we should ask her what’s wrong?” Eliott whispered the following day at lunch as Marinette pushed food around on her plate.

“I dunno. It could make things worse,” Macy replied.

“But she looks so sad,” Martin added with a wince, and Marinette set down her fork, glancing up at them with a pained smile.

“I appreciate your concern, but I’m fine,” she said.

“Did Gabrielle get to you?” Martin shrank a little, glancing around as if her posse was going to pop up at any moment.

“No,” she shook her head and chewed her lip contemplatively before continuing, “it’s my old school. Yesterday my best friend was akumatized because I left, and-”

“Oh, that’s so scary!” Macy gasped, clutching her hands over her heart. “We’ve had a few akumas here before.”

“Yeah, I think I recognize some of you,” Marinette said then quickly added, “-from the news.”

“Is everything okay?” Eliott asked, reaching out to place a hand on her shoulder.

“Not exactly…” Marinette shifted her gaze back to her plate. “She and I agreed to go our own ways after everything.”

“Marinette, I’m so sorry,” Macy said, and everyone around her deflated a little.

“It’s probably for the best,” she shrugged. “There’s this girl at my old school that’s a huge liar, and she has everyone wrapped around her finger including my best friend. I tried several times, but I could never prove that she was lying, and then she started turning my friends against me, and…”

“Wow, no wonder you left,” Eliott remarked, eyebrows raising.

“Yeah, that sounds terrible,” Martin added, and Macy stretched across the table to take her hand.

“But hey, you have us now, and if there’s anything we’re good at it’s forgetting about our problems for a little while, so why don’t we do something fun tonight?” She suggested. “I hear Jagged is playing a concert in Berlin; we could fly over in my jet if you want.”

“But I thought it was sold out,” Marinette said, tilting her head to the side.

“Well, aren’t you friends with Jagged?” Eliott said pointedly. “Ask him for tickets.”

“I- we’re not really that close, I mean, I designed for him a couple of times, but I don’t really think that he would do that. Besides, I wouldn’t want to trouble him,” Marinette said with a nervous titter, rubbing the back of her neck.

“It doesn’t hurt to ask,” Macy insisted, nudging her phone closer, and Marinette eyed it with pursed lips for a moment before pulling up her social media page.

Of course she followed Jagged, but she barely interacted with him at all. She wasn’t even sure if he was the one running the account or if he had an assistant for that. Maybe her request would get buried among the thousands of other comments Jagged got on a daily basis, but it was worth a shot, she supposed, so she held her breath as she typed a quick message and hit send. She only hoped that he wouldn’t be upset with her for asking.

“I’m surprised that a girl as connected as you doesn’t take advantage every now and then,” Eliott said as she set her phone down. “I mean, you know a lot of famous and powerful people.”

“I don’t like to bother people,” she admitted, curling her shoulders. “Besides I don’t know him that well.”

“Jagged called you his favorite little lady when you were on that TV show with him,” Macy reminded her. “I think it’s safe to say that he likes you well enough to give you a few free tickets.”

Her phone vibrated on the table, and they all crowded around to read Jagged’s reply.

“Yo, Marinette! It would be totally awesome if you could come to my show tonight! The floor’s sold out, but I’ll have Penny send some backstage passes for you and your friends!”

“Well, well, well,” Eliott smirked. “Looks like we’re going to Berlin.”

***

Alya toyed with her stylus absentmindedly at her desk, gaze fixed ahead as her mind attempted to piece together the last 24 hours. Marinette’s feelings about Lila were stronger than Alya had anticipated. After everything they’d been through together, Alya couldn’t believe that she would just end things like that, and her stomach churned anxiously recalling the drained look in Marinette’s eyes the night before.

“Good morning, Alya,” Lila greeted with a smile, though her face fell a little upon seeing Alya’s forlorn expression. “Is everything alright?”

“It’s nothing,” Alya said, blinking out of her trance and shifting in her seat.

“It doesn’t seem like nothing,” Lila said pointedly, placing a hand on Alya’s shoulder when she seemed reluctant. “You can trust me. We’re friends, right?”

“Yeah…” Alya weighed it for a moment before turning to face her. “It’s about Marinette.”

“Oh, I see! You’re upset because she left,” Lila nodded in understanding.

“I tried to talk to her yesterday, but things didn’t exactly go well…” Alya fixed her gaze on her lap with a frown.

“Did she tell you why she left?”

“Not exactly…” Alya bit her lip. “I mean I have a hunch, but she denied it.”

“It wasn’t because of me was it?” Lila gasped, clutching her hands over her heart, and Alya averted her gaze. “It was, wasn’t it? Oh, I never meant to upset her. I even tried to ask her to be my friend in the bathroom, but all she did was yell at me and call me names. I didn’t want to tell anyone this because everyone loves her, and I didn’t want to start trouble, but it was the reason I got akumatized.”

“She yelled at you?” Alya’s eyebrows raised in surprise, and Lila nodded with a wince.

“I just don’t understand what I ever did to her to make her not like me,” she said, curling her shoulders. “I’m really sorry that she’s taking out her anger at me on you now.”

“It’s not your fault. Marinette was always a little eccentric. I just don’t know what pushed her over the deep end,” Alya sighed, leaning against her fist. “I guess our friendship didn’t mean as much to her as I thought.”

Lila eyed her a moment with pursed lips before a smile stretched across her cheeks.

“If I was your best friend, I would never leave you like that, Alya,” she said, placing a hand over her heart. “In fact, if you want, I could move up to sit by you, but I completely understand if you’re still torn up about Marinette. I’d never try to replace her or anything.”

Alya glanced up at her, a small smile curling on her lips before she gave a nod. “Thanks, Lila. I could use a friend right now.”

Lila placed her bag on the desk and took her new seat with a beam, and Alya eyed her a moment with a contemplative frown.

“Just promise me one thing,” she continued, biting her lip.

“Anything.”

“Promise you won’t ever lie to me,” Alya said seriously, and Lila blinked in surprise but smiled sweetly and placed a hand on Alya’s shoulder.

“I promise, Alya. You’re my friend. I’d never lie to you,” Lila vowed, holding up a pinky, and Alya relaxed a little before wrapping her own around it.

“Thanks, Lila. You’re the best.”

***

“So, you guys really aren’t friends anymore?” Adrien asked later that evening as Marinette set her phone on her dresser and sifted through her clothes hanging up.

“Nope,” Marinette said, picking out a sweater and holding it up to herself in front of her mirror.

“Are you okay?” He cocked a brow, and Marinette turned to place it back on the rack with pursed lips.

“I don’t know,” she admitted, turning to face the screen with a shrug. “It hurts, but so did being pushed aside for a new girl.”

“I’m sorry,” he winced. “I know you two were close.”

“Not close enough, apparently,” she grunted, swiping through hangers with a little more force than necessary.

“And you’re sure you don’t want to try to work things out?” Marinette tapped her finger on the bar a moment before nodding.

“If I tell her that Lila is lying, it’ll just be more of the same. Even if we told her that Ladybug called her out, Lila would still twist it and make herself the victim,” she said before grabbing a jacket and slipping it on. “How do I look?”

“Incredible, as usual,” Adrien smiled, bringing a flush to her cheeks.

“Sorry your dad won’t let you come with us,” she said with a wince.

“I’m used to it by now. He barely lets me go to the movies in town let alone a rock concert in another country,” Adrien sighed, swiveling back and forth in his chair a little.

“I’ll try to get Jagged’s autograph for you,” she promised, and he perked up a little at that.

“Thanks. I promise we’ll do something together soon even if it’s just sitting on a couch eating ice cream,” he said, and Marinette smiled, her face softening appreciatively.

“I’m glad I still have you,” she said, biting her lip. “You have no idea how much it means to me that you understand.”

“I’ll always be here for you. Even if I can’t leave my house, you can always call me anytime.” He said, and she picked up her phone and blew him a kiss.

“Thanks, Adrien,” she said, giggling a little when he pretended to catch her kiss and put it in his pocket. “I’ll see you soon.”

“Have fun at the concert!”

She ended the call and smiled down at her screen, pressing a soft kiss to the glass before tucking it away in her purse and turning to Tikki.

“I know this is risky,” she said with a wince, but Tikki smiled at her encouragingly.

“It’s only for a few hours, and Hawkmoth already akumatized someone else today, so maybe things will be quiet,” her kwami encouraged. “You give so much of yourself, Marinette. You deserve to have some time to heal.”

“Thanks, Tikki.” Marinette cradled her against her cheek, nuzzling her gently.

“I’ll watch over things here and go to Master Fu if anything happens. You have fun,” Tikki said with an assuring confidence.

“Okay, be careful,” Marinette waved as she made her way down the stairs and out the front door of the apartment.

“Got your phone?” Sabine asked when she made it down to the bakery.

“Yep.” She nodded, retrieving it from her purse.

“And you’ll call us right away if anything happens?” Tom added, arching a warning brow.

“Of course,” she giggled, stretching up to kiss his cheek. “Bye, Papa. Bye, Mama.”

“Have fun, sweetie,” Sabine said, and Marinette waved over her shoulder as she headed out to the waiting limo where Macy’s butler opened the door for her.

“How exciting is it that we have backstage passes to see Jagged Stone?” Macy squealed once she climbed in. “Honestly, Marinette, you are the best.”

“I still feel a little weird about it,” she admitted sheepishly, and Eliott glanced up from his magazine with an eye roll.

“Jagged wouldn’t have given you the tickets if it was a bother. When you have connections, there’s no shame in using them. That’s how you make friends in high places,” he said with a laugh, nudging her with his elbow. “Don’t worry. We’ll teach you everything you need to know.”

“Yeah, and then your old friends will all wish they hadn’t turned their back on you,” Macy said, linking her arm through Marinette’s with a grin. “Because you’re already the most incredible person I’ve ever met, and I’ve only known you for a day. You stood up for someone you didn’t even know, you’ve got all kinds of celebrity connections, and you’re wearing the cutest jeans I’ve ever seen.”

“Thanks, I stitched the pattern in myself,” Marinette laughed, running her fingers over her trademark flowers.

“When you start your own fashion line, I want to be your first customer,” Macy said, and Eliott set down his magazine with a scoff.

“Not if I get there first,” he said challengingly, and Macy stuck her tongue out at him as they pulled up to Martin’s building.

“Hey, Martin,” Marinette smiled as he climbed in.

“Are you sure it’s okay if I come too?” He asked immediately, twiddling his thumbs in his lap.

“Of course! You’re our friend,” Marinette assured him, and Eliott patted his shoulder.

“We’re all team Marinette now,” he said, and Martin shifted his gaze to his lap with a small smile.

When they arrived at the airport, Macy and Eliott surged ahead, chatting animatedly about how annoying their expensive phones were seemingly unfazed by the expensive jet they were about to board. Martin and Marinette walked behind them in silence until Martin finally cleared his throat.

“Thanks for this,” he said, stealing a quick glance before fixing his gaze back on his shoes. “I’ve never really had any friends. Everyone just kind of walks all over me.”

“Can I tell you a secret?” Marinette said in a hushed tone, pressing a hand to the side of her mouth. “I used to be a lot like you.”

He blanched at that, spine straightening in shock.

“Really?”

“At my old school, Chloe Bourgeois used to torment me all the time, but one day someone stood up to her for me and helped me find the courage to do it myself. It gave me a lot more confidence, and I was able to branch out and make more friends,” she explained, placing a hand on his shoulder. “That’s why I stood up for you because I know how much it changed my life when someone did it for me.”

“Wow,” Martin said, eyebrows raising. “I still don’t think I could ever be as confident as you though.”

“Never say never,” she winked as they climbed the stairs into the plane.

“Sorry it’s a little small. The bigger one is being renovated,” Macy said, tossing her purse aside and taking a seat.

“Your jet is nicer than my entire house,” Marinette said in awe, twirling around to take everything in, and Macy giggled in delight.

“Promise me you’ll invite me in next time. Your house looks so cute from the outside; I’d love to see what it looks like on the inside,” she said as they buckled their seatbelts and prepared for takeoff.

“Sure. My parents would love to have you guys over. My dad likes to show off his pastries for our guests,” Marinette said, and Macy clapped her hands excitedly.

Once in the air, Macy and Eliott began gossiping about various celebrities while Martin read a book beside them, and Marinette was left to her thoughts. She leaned her head back against the seat with a sigh and found herself recalling old memories of sleepovers and birthday parties and scheme after scheme to get Adrien’s attention. All of that seemed so far away now, and she was left with a gaping hole in its wake.

She missed her friends. She missed her old school. She missed all of those memories, and more than anything wished that she could go back.

But too much had changed now. Lila had them wrapped around her finger, so things would never really be the same, and being around Lila wasn’t good for her. If her friends all preferred Lila, then it was best for her not to be around them either even if it left her feeling empty because she knew that with time those holes would fill. She’d make new memories with her new friends, and those days would become nothing more than a distant memory. She had bigger things to worry about, and such was the lot she took on when she accepted the call to be Ladybug. Superheroes couldn’t afford to take chances, and Marinette couldn’t afford to have bad friends. So, this concert was a fresh start for her, a chance to carve a new life with new people who wouldn’t toss her aside like old bread, and in time she would prove to everyone just how amazing she could be.

Another town car was waiting for them when they arrived at the airport in Berlin, and Marinette followed behind her friends like a lost duckling. She’d have to get used to the lavish lifestyles of her new friends, but for now she just felt awkward.

When they arrived at the venue, Penny was waiting for them by the back entrance with their passes which she placed around each of their necks before clicking her pen.

“This is so exciting!” Macy squealed, bouncing next to Marinette. “I can’t believe I’m gonna get to meet Jagged Stone, and it’s all thanks to you, Marinette.”

“Yeah, thanks for hooking us up, Marinette,” Eliott echoed, nudging her with his elbow.

“It was you who encouraged me to ask, Eliott, and we wouldn’t have gotten here without Macy, so really we all had a hand in it,” Marinette said modestly, waving it away.

“This is a disaster!”

They all stopped short as Jagged stormed out into the hall with tense shoulders and a scowl.

“My lucky jacket is ruined! I can’t do the show like this!” He cried as Penny rushed to his side to investigate the ripped article in his hands.

“I’ll get with wardrobe to see if they have a different one,” she said hurriedly, but Jagged shook his head indignantly.

“If I can’t wear this jacket, I won’t do the show,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest.

“But Jagged-”

“It’s lucky! All of my best performances happen when I’m wearing that jacket, and who knows what might go wrong if I go on without it!” He placed his hands on his hips.

“Jagged?” They turned to see Marinette and her friends standing with bewildered expressions. “Is everything alright?”

“Yo, Marinette, you made it, rock on!” He grinned, pulling her in for a tight hug. “Too bad I have to cancel.”

“All of this over a jacket?” Martin cocked a brow, shrinking a little when Macy and Jagged turned to him with cutting glares.

“A rockstar’s show isn’t just about music, Martin. A performer’s wardrobe can be the difference between a rock legend or a rock nightmare,” Macy explained with a scoff.

“She’s right. I can’t go on like this. I look ridiculous without it!” Jagged lamented, gesturing to his outfit.

“Maybe I could fix it?” Marinette piped up, and everyone’s heads whipped around to face her.

“Could you really, Marinette?” Jagged took her hands and looked into her eyes hopefully.

“The concert starts in 10 minutes. People are already in their seats,” Penny said, glancing at her schedule. “Can you make a repair that fast?”

“I can try,” she said, rubbing the back of her neck.

“Then I leave the fate of my show in your hands, Marinette,” Jagged said, handing her the jacket. “I have total faith in you.”

Marinette turned the jacket over in her hands, examining the tear in the shoulder seam with a determined purse to her lips before she reached into her purse to pull out her mini-sewing kit. Sitting cross-legged on the floor, she set to work immediately, trimming excess threads.

“She just carries a sewing kit around with her?” Eliott cocked a brow.

“She’s a designer, of course she does,” Macy said as they all watched in eager anticipation.

Everyone watched as Marinette hurriedly stitched the seam, and after a few minutes, she pulled the thread tight to close the gap before knotting off her work and clipping the thread. She held it up proudly with a smile.

“Done!” She said, and every breathed sighs of relief as she stood up.

“Marinette, you’re my hero!” Jagged cheered, placing his hands on her cheeks and planting a kiss on her forehead before donning his jacket. “If you hadn’t have been here, I wouldn’t have been able to perform. You’re a real lifesaver.”

“3 minutes!” One of the stage-hands announced as Penny passed Jagged his guitar.

“If you ever need anything from me, you’ve got it, Marinette,” Jagged winked, and Marinette bit back a shy smile, cheeks pink as Jagged took the stage and the arena erupted into cheers.

“See? If you hadn’t asked Jagged for tickets, you wouldn’t have been here to help him,” Eliott said pointedly as they stood on the sides behind the curtains to watch.

“You spread good wherever you go, Marinette,” Martin agreed, and Marinette felt a growing sense of pride.

Eliott was right. If she hadn’t used her connection to be there, then Jagged would have had to cancel. It was a weird coincidence, but it made her feel better about asking for such a big favor as if she were paying Jagged back. Not that she liked to brag, but she wondered what her friends back home would say if she told them that she saved Jagged for real unlike Lila. Of course, Lila would probably just come up with something bigger and better to one-up her, but at least she could tell Adrien about it later.

She smiled to herself knowing that at least she still had him. Lila may have taken her friends, but Adrien knew the truth, so Lila couldn’t touch him. Maybe this way she could finally get close to him all on her own. After all, he already thought she was amazing, so maybe if she got to spend some real time with him then he would start to see her differently. She could dream anyway.

“This next song I want to dedicate to a very special young lady,” Jagged said into the mic. “She has been a huge inspiration to me, and I want to invite her on stage to sing this one with me because Clara and I wrote it to honor the heroes of Paris where she hails from, so come on out here, Marinette.”

“No way!” Macy gasped excitedly as they all shoved Marinette out onto the stage.

“Marinette is exceptionally talented,” Jagged said, wrapping an arm around her as she joined him. “In fact, if it wasn’t for her, tonight’s show wouldn’t have happened, so tonight this song is a tribute to you, Marinette. You’re my everyday Ladybug.”

Marinette cupped her hands over her mouth to hide her smile, cheeks pink as she nervously took her place at the mic, and Jagged began to play a familiar melody. She looked at him for her cue, and he gave her a small nod.

“Another day, I’m back at school, I think about him he’s so cool,” She started shyly, glancing over at her friends who nodded encouragingly. “He looks at me, I look away, but does he see me anyway?”

Sensing her unease, Jagged sang along with her softly until it was his turn to take up the second verse. By the second chorus, Marinette was gaining confidence as the crowd cheered them on, and she removed the mic from the stand and paced across the stage, touching hands with people in the audience and swaying in time with the music. She was no Clara Nightingale, but she was having fun performing with Jagged. As she confidently belted out the last chorus with Jagged, she felt a rush of energy and confidence that she normally only ever felt as Ladybug.

She felt powerful. She felt confident. She felt free.

#mdcsp original #miraculous ladybug #ml salt #marinette dupain-cheng #my writing #spite fic #mdcsp

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osreviews · 5 years

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REVIEW: Chuwi Hi9 Plus - Affordable Android Tablet w. 2K Display & Stylus Support!

The Chuwi Hi9 Plus offers a beautiful display (2K IPS) and solid build quality at a price significantly more affordable than tier-one competitors. Furthermore, it delivers an uniquely well-rounded set of features including 4G LTE capabilities (even allowing phone calls!), near stock Android experience (with a promised update to Android 9 arriving soon), and support for a pressure sensitive stylus pen called the HiPen H3. In short, although raw performance might not beat the latest iPad Pro, for only $200, it’s a good enough alternative at a fraction of the cost. And that in itself is already a pretty amazing feat; the Hi9 Plus is one of the best value tablets on the market.

Find it on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2IZynnq

Positives

• Brilliant display (one of the sharpest resolutions on ANY tablet at ANY price)

• Solid construction, aluminum body feels solid

• 4GB RAM (highest specs from all of Chuwi’s current tablets)

• Pure Android 8.0 Oreo without any bloatware installed

• Good enough performance in real-world, similar to Snapdragon 600-series (Deca Core Helio X27)

• Support for optional keyboard cover and official stylus pen

Negatives

• Speakers could pack more bass (but it’s a stereo pair, which is good)

• Stylus and keyboard are not bundled with the standard box (although a deluxe version includes them for $50 more)

Design & Build Quality

As aforementioned, the Hi9 Plus offers an impressive construction for an affordable tablet. Similar to Xiaomi’s Redmi phones, the back is made 90% out of metal, leaving only a small plastic strip on the top edge to serve as the antennas to improve reception.

The overall feeling in the hand is solid - significantly better than most competitors using all-plastic at this price point - and surprisingly thin at only 8.1mm. The power button is accentuated in red, and the edges of the tablet are chamfered, giving it an extra shine when reflected by light. Nice!

For those with experience using Chuwi’s tablets, the aesthetics match the Hi9 series. That is, the Hi9 Plus bares strong resemblance to the 8” Hi9 Pro, expect that the “pro” is shrunken down in dimensions (ironically despite the “pro” moniker...the “plus” is actually the flagship for Chuwi at the moment). Bezel sizes are respectable for a tablet, while not invisible, it makes for comfortable gripping using 2 hands without obstructing parts of the screen. Overall, the dimensions are similar to Chuwi’s 10” HiPad, although the Hi9 Plus has a larger display (10.8”), showing improved design considerations.

Both cameras have a resolution of 8 megapixels. There’s no assisted LED flash, but the sensors are made by Samsung, and the quality is good enough for the purposes of document scanning and video calls.

On the back, the Chuwi Hi9 Plus offers stereo speaker for added immersiveness when watching videos.

Although the speakers lack some depth in my opinion, they do get plenty loud, and the tablet retains a standard 3.5mm headphone jack! A rare thing to see these days, especially since the tablet also offers USB-C, in addition to Bluetooth support for wireless headphones and speakers. For a 2019 Android tablet, the I/O selection is honestly pretty good, considering tablets these days no longer include full-sized USB ports or HDMI ports due to their thin dimensions.

Display & Stylus

The 10.8-inch display offers an 6:10 aspect ratio, with a pin-sharp 2K resolution. Text, images, and fine details are clearly legible (even without zooming in), making this an excellent tablet to use for the purposes of entertainment or media consumption. The full lamination means that there’s no gap between the multi-touch enabled glass and the LCD underneath it, reducing glare in outdoor scenarios. The only slight quirk is that the screen isn’t the brightest I’ve seen, although I found it to be perfectly acceptable in terms of visibility under moderate sunlight. Overall, this is one of the best displays you’ll find on any Android tablet at any price, when it comes to sharpness and detail. Competing tablets with this resolution typically sell for hundreds of dollars more.

Aside from the display, another strong selling point for the Hi9 Plus is the stylus support; a feature that is rarely found on tablets under $500. I picked up the HiPen for $20 extra, and my experience with it has been satisfactory thus far. The pen itself is constructed out of a hefty aluminum, and allows it to be magnetized to the edge of the tablet when not in use. Unlike Wacom stylus pens, however, this one does require a battery to be switched every year or so (AAAA size, similar to the Surface Pen). This pen supports 1024 levels of pressure sensitivity.

The pen can be used to navigate the UI (in place of using a finger), and the sensitivity has been great, although not 100% as elegant as the much more expensive-Wacom devices. For example, there’s no “hovering” cursor that I could see when using the pen close to the display (like on a S-Pen or Apple Pencil), although recognition (when pressing down) is still very good.

Now, I’ve come across several reviewers claiming that the pressure sensitivity doesn’t work...which is wrong. Either these reviewers were not diligent enough in trying out compatible apps in the Play Store (i.e. “ArtFlow” is one such free option, among other apps, which I downloaded and recognized pressure sensitivity perfectly), or that Chuwi somehow updated these tablets. For example, some of the older reviewers didn’t seem to have the red colored power button (they were black before), so perhaps this is a “updated” edition of the Hi9 Plus. In any case, the pen support is nothing to complain about anymore.

Digging a little deeper into my experiences using ArtFlow, the experience was like using a real pen and paper. Pressing harder on the screen resulted in a thicker/darker line, versus gentle sketches resulted in very light lines. This felt very natural, and combined with good enough palm rejection (not much accidental touches with resting a hand on the screen when drawing), makes this a great digital sketchbook for artists, creatives, and notetakers. Although professional artists will technically find more levels of pressure sensitivity on some Wacom enabled models, for the price, this has already exceeded my expectations on it’s sensitivity and fluidity for casual use.

Performance & Software

Although everything up to this point has read like a premium, flagship tablet, the processing power is more in-line with other middle-of-the-road devices. That’s certainly not a bad thing, especially now that in 2019, middle-tier phones and tablets are honestly good enough for the vast majority of consumers (and with significant cost savings), compared to the old days where performance differences were much more noticeable.

The MediaTek Helio X27 deca-core processor (ten cores, up to 2.6GHz) delivers generally smooth performance in real-world usage, similar to Snapdragon 600-series devices I’ve tried. General navigation is responsive - especially after giving the tablet a few extra seconds to warm up after booting up - and intensive apps (i.e. Asphalt 9 or PUBG) render without issues as well, save for the occasional delay in loading.

In heavier apps, the tablet gets slightly warm near the antenna strip, but never too hot or uncomfortable to hold. Overall, the X27 is a tried and tested by now; although it’s not a replacement for a Snapdragon 800-series chip, it nevertheless performs reliably without thermal throttling.

Also good: 4GB of RAM and a 64GB internal storage are among the higher configurations you’ll find for any Android tablet. RAM in particular is plenty, and allows for comfortable multi-tasking in Chrome (web browsing). I will say that because of the super high display resolution, the processor has to do significantly more work to push around those pixels. As a result, when running the device to it’s limit(i.e. 6 tabs + 5 games and apps in the background), you’ll start to notice some more choppier animations when rapidly scrolling a web page. Not too big of a deal, but it’s a trade-off of having the 2K display (whereas a FHD panel might be a touch less taxing on the CPU and GPU).

General use including watching back YouTube videos, reading the news, checking emails, etc. are all handled effortlessly without any issues. Gmail in particular takes advantage of the larger display, giving me 3 panels of information at a glance - allowing for faster productivity than on a smartphone. Of course, Android Oreo also has native support for split screen multitasking, which works well, and allowed me to run 2 apps side-by-side. Pretty cool!

As touched upon, Chuwi has promised an over-the-air software update to Android 9 for its X27 devices. Although this update is yet to arrive, I have already received one minor security update while using the tablet over the last few days, which is an optimistic sign of things to come (fingers crossed). Software updates have historically been scarce on budget tablets, so if what Chuwi says holds true, it’s yet another differentiating factor to consider.

Battery Life

The 5000mAh battery lasted me around 9 hours of video playback and light web browsing before it reached empty. Although this isn’t as long as what the iPad can achieve, it’s more than sufficient for a full day of heavy use, or a couple days of light use. Again considering the larger display of this model, and the 2K resolution, I find this to be an acceptable metric overall. The USB-C port charges up the tablet in respectable speed, getting me from 0 to 100 in under 3 hours.

Conclusion

As I typed this review, the phrase that I kept repeating was “good enough”. Although this tablet isn’t revolutionary, it can be considered ‘disruptive’, bringing surprisingly good features at a price that’s hard to beat. So is it an iPad killer? Not in the typical sense of outperforming the more established competitor across traditional metrics. Yet, it comes so close to offering the same essential capabilities, that for the vast majority of consumers it can be seen as an affordable replacement possibly worth the switching cost, now more than ever.

In 2019, budget Android tablets are finally getting good. Dangerously good.

4.7/5 Stars, Excellent

YouTube video review:

youtube

#Chuwi #Tablet #Review #Android #Android tablet #Gaming #Stylus #iPad #2 in 1 #Art #Apps #Google

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star-trekkin-across-theuniverse · 7 years

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Vital Signs, pt23

Word Count: 1573 Tags: @to-pick-ourselves-up-7 @outside-the-government, @jimfromsales, @donnaintx, @enterprisewriting @starmission @supermoonpanda @rayleyanns @sistasarah-sallysaidso @flirtswithdanger

I was dripping with sweat and face down on the sparring mat. Natasha had her knee in my back and was giggling.

“You are improving, Lex.” She lifted her knee and allowed me to roll onto my back.

“Doesn’t feel like it,” I complained as I pushed myself to a sitting position. She laughed again and looked around the gym. Her eyes focused on someone over on the treadmills. Before I could ask what she was up to, she was off and headed toward him. I wasn’t sure I wanted to know what was going to happen next. She hopped up on the console of the treadmill beside him and started talking to him, swinging her legs back and forth and twirling her hair with her fingers. I strained to hear what she was saying, but it was no use. Whatever she was up to, she was playing to the lowest common denominator, leaning in when she spoke so that he couldn’t help but stare down her top. She nodded in my direction and he suddenly smiled. I waved and offered a weak smile from my spot on the floor. He stopped running, towelled off and headed toward me. Natasha broke into a huge grin behind his back, hopped off the treadmill and followed along.

“Hey sweetheart. Your friend says you’re having some issues with take downs.” He leaned over to offer me a hand. I took it and let him pull me to my feet.

“This is Mike. Mike says he’s really awesome at hand-to-hand, and he can help us figure out what we’re doing wrong. Isn’t that awesome, Lexy?” Natasha was speaking with what I could only describe as a bimbo voice. I gaped at her.

“Natalie says you guys are both lacking in upper body strength and aren’t quite sure where to start?” He asked. I was actually speechless. Natasha winked from behind Mike’s shoulder. I decided to play along.

“Uh, yeah. Totally.” I hoped I sounded as hopelessly lost as I actually felt. He grinned.

“I don’t get why Fury wants secretaries to be worried about hand-to-hand, but I’ll help you girls out. Why don’t you head to the centre of the mat, sweetcheeks?” Mike nodded his head toward where he was asking me to move. I turned to go, and he smacked me on the ass. I turned around and without even thinking, grabbed his arm, twisted and threw him over my shoulder. He let out a grunt as he landed on his back. I brought my foot down across his throat and held him down.

“See, Richmond? I told you that you were improving. Don’t doubt me next time,” Natasha laughed and clapped me on the shoulder.

��Jesus, Romanoff, you could have warned me.” I lifted my foot, and Mike sat up, rubbing the shoulder I’d twisted to throw him. His eyes widened.

“Romanoff?” He exclaimed. “Romanoff Black Widow Romanoff?”

“That’s the one,” I nodded. He looked over at me.

“Who the fuck are you then?” He glared at me as he pushed himself back onto his feet.

“Me? I’m the doctor,” I smiled. Natasha laughed even harder. Mike stormed back to the treadmill. When he saw we were still watching him, he flipped us the finger. We both dissolved into laughter. I felt much better about myself thanks to Natasha’s little object lesson.

“I think we’re done for the morning, Lex. I’m sure Tony is anxiously waiting your arrival in the lab,” Natasha dismissed me. I hit the shower and headed to work.

I wouldn’t say Tony was anxiously awaiting me, but he had definitely been doing some work in my absence. When I walked into the lab, he tossed a tablet at me. Luckily, I caught it. There were a number of little medical icons in the menu, all with ridiculous names. I touched the icon that said ‘Lexy’s Big Adventure’.

The app opened to a full monitor. Heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, oxygen saturation – it was all there, and was already monitoring someone. I looked at the ECG trace and tilted my head toward Tony.

“Where are the leads attached?” I asked. He flipped his shirt up. There were six wireless electrodes on his chest. I walked toward him and adjusted the placement of one of the electrodes and looked back at the tablet. The wave started looking a little more normal.

“Well?” He asked. I nodded.

“This is awesome. When did you come up with this?” I replied.

“I was thinking about all the other applications of tablet technology, and figured wireless was the tech we should be working toward.”

“Can multiple patients be monitored on each tablet?”

“Any patient being monitored can be pulled up on multiple tablets,” he nodded. I closed the app and opened the next one. It was the e-chart I’d wanted. I sat down and flipped through it, nodding.

“You can use the stylus to write orders directly on the tablet, and it will interpret the writing and give a written order for you to confirm. One of the nurses in the infirmary said one of her peeves is trying to decipher doctor’s orders,” he offered. I nodded, and wrote a test order on the screen. It easily translated it into typeface and asked me to confirm the order.

“My writing is quite neat. Can it do really bad writing?” I asked.

“It’s a little hit or miss right now. But it’s adaptive, and can learn to recognize a specific hand, so will go through past orders to attempt to transcribe it more accurately. Ultimately, that’s what the confirmation step is there for though. To ensure the doctor is checking the order accuracy before posting it to the nurses,” Tony explained. It was actually a brilliant idea, unsurprisingly. I swiped through the rest of the charting app, nodding appreciatively.

“This is brilliant, Tony. I can’t believe it only took you a couple of days.”

“I am a genius, Doc,” he shrugged. I laughed.

“Right. How’s the MRI tech coming along? Or are you finished all that too?”

“No, that’s something I’ll need more of your input. So let’s get at it, shall we?” He pulled up a number of holographic displays and started breaking windows out. I was confused and lost. After such a triumphant morning in the gym, I was feeling like a failure again.

I dropped a stack of tablets on the nurse’s station desk and called over the on-duty staff. I passed a tablet to each staff member.

“Here’s what Stark and I have been working on. Each staff member will have a tablet, regardless of whether they are on or off duty, and each one will be locked with a password specific to the staff member. So you are responsible for your tablet at all times. You can access anything that you have clearance to access in a chart. Labs, radiography, doctor’s orders, any progress notes, it’s all in there. Each patient chart is linked with their permanent chart, so you can also access historical reports for comparison. You can write directly onto the tablet with your stylus, so if you are leaving orders, or charting progress, just write like you normally would, following the lines, and the software will transcribe what you’ve written and ask you to confirm it. It will stamp the chart with your electronic signature once you’ve confirmed your charting. Because this is all in beta, if the tablet senses a mistake, it will open a report form for you to fill out, so that Stark and I can work out the bugs. If you find something you don’t like about the performance of the software, there’s a little cranky face at the bottom left corner of the tablet. Clicking that will allow you to submit a report on that incident or item you are unhappy with. We are the only medical services using this tech, so we get to shape it to how we would like to see it work. Director Fury is allowing us to be the beta and development team. It’s pretty cool,” I explained. We worked through the test charts that were on the tablets and I spent the rest of the afternoon answering questions and showing the tech off. The staff were very excited by it. Dr. Morrison was positively giddy.

“Can we put games on this?” He teased.

“Actually, this is a proprietary piece of equipment, developed by Stark Industries for SHIELD use. So there’s no Angry Birds yet available for it,” I laughed. “Although Stark is talking about an Iron Man game. And for some reason, Galaga.”

“How’s the MRI project coming?” Dr. Morrison asked.

“It’s actually way more work than I think either of us thought. He wants to redevelop how MRIs work, and his theory is actually awesome. So now, first, we need to develop a better MRI. Then we start working with the holographic imaging. We should have beta software for the existing MRI by the end of the month though. Just what we’re developing is going to work better and faster,” I explained. I stayed purposefully vague, as Start frequently lost me in the details. I knew what I wanted the machine to do. He knew how to make that happen, but frequently forgot I wasn’t the same caliber of brainiac that he was. Morrison nodded, looking impressed. I excused myself and headed back to the lab.

#avengers fanfic #Steve Rogers x OFC

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