#THANKS FOR SENDING THIS IN CAM HERE'S 4 MILLION WORDS JUST FOR YOU. YOU KNOW HOW IT IS WITH XENOGUNDAM

[neildylandy]

can you talk about my best friends pale blue skies and 0.1 pleaaaase <|:-) (wearing a funny hat)

well how can i say no to a funny hat...

edit: i wrote WAY too much here's a readmore

pale blue skies and 0.1 are both gundam 00 fics, specifically in (the? are we putting in an article) xenogundam au. the synopsis to that au is technically here but at this point that post is kind of out of date. still it gets at least an adjacent point across so it's what we'll go with until we make a new one!

0.1 is the easier one to explain: it's the "chapter zero" segment in which soran ibrahim finds the gundam exia and becomes the innovator setsuna f. seiei. because it comes first in the telling of xg!au (much in the same way that setsuna's meeting with the 0 gundam comes first in canon), there's a little bit more explaining of what the gundams are like and their effects on human beings, but a lot of it is still left on the table to be explained by later entries since well. setsuna mostly doesn't care enough to think about the fiddly details until they come up lmao

there's a focus on memory and language in 0.1 and how they can promote both understanding and (pardon the pun) alienation in a group of people. this is notable, for example, in the fact that soran ibrahim, being a child from krugis, speaks only kurdish, while the azadistani citizens he passes by in azadistani settlements would speak only farsi. xgau is, at its core, about Communication and Connection, and disconnects like these between soran/setsuna and the human beings around him are exactly how i want to start this story.

to assign 0.1 to a point in the show, it's essentially the prologue and first episode of season 1.

—

pale blue skies is a fic that focuses on xg!au tieria, and on the events leading into the Trans-Am "metamorphosis" that transforms virtue/nadleeh (written as one being that has multiple names for its various forms) into seravee/seraphim. xg!au tieria is...essentially what would happen if you took early- to mid-s1 tieria and put him in s2 with not only no time to grow but an outside force actively pushing him constantly to not grow, because the innovator he was built to be is already exactly who he needs to be.

pale blue skies demonstrates that this is not at all the case. to put it at a point in the show, it'd be during that four-year gap after operation fallen angels—though in xg!au, that timespan is a LOT more condensed, ending up at around six months and change. through various character arcs of their own, exia has become 00, kyrios has become arios, dynames has become cherudim...and nadleeh is still stuck half-melted in the ground because it and tieria can't figure out the "method" for activating trans-am, and none of the other innovators can help them understand it (because it's a completely personal experience, and none of them are nadleeh and tieria).

tieria argues with nadleeh for the first time in his entire existence, nadleeh has to shut itself down to conserve power, and tieria decides that the innovator he needs to be, the innovator he is, has proven insufficient. the problem isn't that they can't activate trans-am to repair themselves, it's that he can't. and if he can't do that, he's nothing but an obstacle.

while nadleeh is still shut down and no one else is awake to stop him, tieria sneaks out of the innovators' camp and goes into the desert alone to clear that obstacle once and for all.

and while he fades, he thinks about music.

pale blue skies is named after a combination of the famous Pale Blue Dot that is earth from space and the song Mr. Blue Sky by electric light orchestra. the fic is non-chronological, and jumps between tieria's current state to his memories of one strange, human little moment between a bunch of people who aren't human at all.

this is a fic about tieria erde trying to die alone in the desert and it's also extremely a fic about the Hivemind Karaoke Night that changed the course of history. i made an actual real playlist for it and everything and every song in that playlist is involved in the fic somehow and i have made mr. blue sky the funny song mr. blue sky be plot-critical and i am having an Absolutely Phenomenal Time

did i mention lyle dylandy is here too? he's an innovator now. he pilots the 0 gundam. he's responsible for this. he's responsible for the fact that both bohemian rhapsody and potential breakup song [explicit] is featured in my gundam 00 alternate universe fan fiction on-line

thanks lyle

#spiritspeak #spiritstories #tieria-erde #xenogundam au #GOD pale blue skies is like. it means the everything to me. one of the fics i'm writing of all time #someday i'll get to post that whole playlist. someday. i promise #THANKS FOR SENDING THIS IN CAM HERE'S 4 MILLION WORDS JUST FOR YOU. YOU KNOW HOW IT IS WITH XENOGUNDAM

[meltwonu]

| 🍒 CH-CH-CHERRY BOMB! 🍒 |     [CHAPTER 10]

pairing; dom!seungcheol x camgirl!reader

this chapter’s notes; camshow, guided masturbation, dirty talk, jun being a wild one, sad?????angst(sorry), mentions of break-ins/theft, yet again this chapter was meant to be shorter but here we are 😭🍒 more plot than anything else but enjoy! and as always, thank you so much for your support and interest in Cherry Bomb!! 😭💕💕💕 have a good weekend and don’t forget my halloween intro post goes up tomorrow as well!! stay hydrated bbys!!💕

chapters; 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - ?

“Damn.”

Seungcheol sits beside you Friday morning, lips pressed into a firm line when he sees the five-digit number staring back at him from your revenue page. 

“Yeah, it’s---I--I’m…”

The two of you fall into a tense silence as you both stare at the exorbitant amount of money that the videos have made, unsure of what to say or even think.

“Um, I mean, o-obviously you get a cut of the money too, ‘Cheol! You’re half the video so…”

“Yeah, but even so, that’s---that’s an insane amount of money we made off of, what, three videos?”

You nod back slowly, sighing as you rest against the back of the sofa. “I’m not gonna lie, I didn’t think… they’d do that well. Like, not saying we suck! We obviously don’t, but just… I didn’t think they’d do that well.”

Seungcheol laughs, leaning back against the cushions as he meets your blushing face. “I could quit my job and just cam with you for this amount of money. I mean, this much off of three videos? Imagine if we were regulars together.”

The thought alone sends your mind into a flurry of various ideas; biting your lip as you lean into Seungcheol’s shoulder.

“Hey, I have an idea for tomorrow’s show but remind me to ask you later!”

hoshi_tiger_xx: still out of town baby?

sleepy_wonu: i feel like you moved and you’re just not ready to tell us lol

Seungcheol smirks reading the comments; eyes flitting over to you from his place on the sofa.

“Moved? I wish! This place is probably waaaay more than my own rent though~” You pause, letting the sound of donations sound off and comments fly past on your laptop screen. “And I’m probably heading home tomorrow so get ready to say bye to this backdrop!” You pout.

therealchan99: can we quickly discuss those videos tho

angelhan: actually yes

Biting your lip, you note that Seungcheol’s eyes are already on you and that you’ve already hit the donation minimum to start your show. “Well…” You start pushing the straps of your bra down, unhooking the back until you can toss the flimsy material off. “What do you guys want to know? You know I kiss and tell~”

dom.cheol: how does he gets you so fuckin wet, baby?

alphagyu97: ur not rly friends are u? Is he ur bf?

alphagyu97: im not pressed either im just curious!!!

universe_WZ: thats what they all say

chwenon: yooo that last vid was fuckin fire tho

tangerine_kwan has donated $50

tangerine_kwan: is he ever gonna join u on cam? think u guys would be good

“Hmm~ Well, let’s start with dom.cheol’s question…” You shoot the camera a sultry smirk as you spread your legs; fingertips already dancing along the lace of your panties. “It’s really not hard~ He’s really good at what he does, y’know? Knows how to talk to me and get my panties wet~”

xcaliburDK: is he good looking

kitty_junjun: probably not as well as me 🤪

gentleman_josh95: stop while u r ahead

Letting out a soft giggle, you watch as Seungcheol rounds the sofa, leaning up against the back of it as he faces you. He keeps his phone in hand, thumb still dancing across the keyboard.

dom.cheol: he has to punish you so often though, baby.

artist8hao: i know, whats gotten into u babygirl? Why r u acting out so much?

“‘Cause I like it when he punishes me~” You lick your lips as you hook your thumbs into your panties, slowly guiding them down your legs. “But I like it when he’s sweet to me too~” Your eyes dance up to Seungcheol, tossing the material his way before speaking.

“Won’t you be sweet to me now?”

alphagyu97: oh shit hes there

universe_WZ: let him fuck your pretty pussy on cam baby

“Aww, I’d love that but he’s still a ‘lil too shy for a live show!” You run your fingertips through your folds, collecting the wetness on them before you bring them to your lips. “But not shy enough to lend your voice, maybe?”

“If that’s what you want, sweetheart.”

Seungcheol makes sure to raise his voice enough so that he’s within earshot of the mic; adrenaline rushing through his veins when he, too, notices the sudden influx of comments and donations at his sudden appearance. “My baby’s been good today though, hasn’t she?” Nodding, you get lost in Seungcheol’s firm stare as the sound of donations and comments fire off in the background.

“Mmhmm~ So why don’t you guide me and show me how a good girl gets rewarded?”

He sets his phone down onto the back of the sofa precariously, both hands in the pockets of his sweats as he watches you. “Normally, good girls get to sit on my cock but we’ll save that for another time, baby. For now, why don’t you get those fingers nice and wet for me? Let them see how good that mouth of yours is.”

therealchan99: those pretty lips that look so good around a cock, just like i thought

sleepy_wonu has donated $100

sleepy_wonu: fuck yeah

You make sure your fingers are properly wet before you drag them down your body, soft sighs on your lips. “Don’t tease me too much though, okay?” Seungcheol grins in return, picking up his phone and sending a quick donation to keep up appearances before he glances your way again.

“Of course. So why don’t you play with that cute ‘lil clit of yours. Bet it’s still nice and sensitive after last night, huh?”

A stuttered moan falls from your lips the second you start rubbing slow circles on your clit; eyes fluttering shut at the memory alone.

xcaliburDK: fuck, all that cum spilling out of her cunt was hot

artist8hao: bet she was nice and full huh? Such a shame she wasted it

Seungcheol chuckles under his breath, “Right? Guess I’ll just have to fuck it deeper into her pussy next time.” You can’t help but clench around emptiness as you pinch your clit between your fingers at his words.

“Ngh, he made me come home with cum trickling down my thighs…” You whimper, “Not that I minded.”

“She begged me to fuck her in the shower too. Wanted me to mark you up real pretty, didn’t you? So that all your viewers could see.”

“Mmhmm…” He watches as you slowly slide your fingers down your folds to your entrance before they slide back up to your clit. “Why don’t you put two fingers in, hmm? Pretend they’re mine while you fuck yourself on them.”

kitty_junjun: aww her fingers are so small compared to yours

gentleman_josh95: bet its not even enough for her anymore huh?

dom.cheol: probably not

You slowly ease in two fingers at once; moaning when you sink them knuckle deep. “O-oh, fuck… Wha--what should I do n-next?”

“Fuck yourself on them, baby. Go however fast or slow you want to. Make yourself cum on your fingers.” He pauses; running a hand through his hair before he shoots you a devilish smirk. “But tell me how badly you wish it were me, ‘cause we both know you do.”

alphagyu97: wheeew lets hear it babygirl

tangerine_kwan: yea baby tell us

“It’s---It’s not the s-same… ‘Cause your fingers are b-bigger than mine…” You whimper, “And--a-ah, and they’re longer too…” Scissoring your fingers, you let out a breathy moan when you start thrusting your fingers faster into yourself.

“I wish it were your fingers, knuckle deep inside my pussy and making me cum. F-fuck, and stretching me open…”

You place your thumb on your clit; rubbing harsh circles on the nub as you chase your high. 

Seungcheol watches with keen eyes, the way your heels dig into the sheets and the way your brows furrow in concentration; licking his lips when he can tell you’re already close to your orgasm.

“Now let’s see that pretty pussy cum, sweetheart.”

You towel your hair off after your shower; shuffling towards the living area as Seungcheol settles into his makeshift bed on the sofa.

“Don’t you want to sleep in the bed with me for once, ‘Cheol?”

His lips press into a lopsided smile, “Are you asking because it’s your last night here?”

“Maybe~”

He lets out a breathy laugh as he reaches for his pillow, gesturing you back towards his bed. “By the way, what was your idea for your show?” You sit cross-legged on the bed just as Seungcheol sets his pillow back against the headboard.

“...How do you feel about maybe filming with me at my place?” He quirks a brow at you just as he settles onto what he deems his side of the bed for the night. “Do tell.” He has a vague idea of where this is heading, but he lets you continue; curiosity eating away at him the longer you hesitate.

“Well, I was thinking… Maybe, and only if you’re okay with it, but… I was thinking maybe you could drive me back to my place? And I know it’s about an hour out from here but I’ll pay gas money! And we can just start heading towards my apartment a little before my show starts. That way you can use toys on me ‘n stuff. And I don’t mind if you spend the night either ‘cause it’ll probably be kinda late when we finish...”

Seungcheol nods; already thinking about the possibilities with the amount of toys you had at your place compared to his. “I mean, yeah, why not? And don’t worry about the gas money, I think we’ve both made enough money this week to last us a while.”

You can only pout in return, laying on your stomach next to Seungcheol who stares up at the ceiling. “Speaking of which… What’re we gonna do now?”

“What do you mean?”

Sighing, you run your fingers through your damp hair. “I mean… What are we going to do about the videos? Are--Are we still going to film together?”

His lips press into a firm line as a million thoughts run through his mind; he’d thought about it a lot himself the past few days since. “I have an idea but I’m not sure how you’re gonna feel about it.”

“Shoot, we’ve got nothin’ to lose I don’t think!”

Seungcheol eases onto his side as he meets your stare, “First of all, I don’t mind filming more videos with you. And to be honest, it’ll probably take me a bit of time before I’m okay with showing my face but I don’t mind being on your live cam shows either, if we can figure out some camera angles. But the thing is… I think if we’re going to be filming together, you need to change your filming schedule.”

Panic runs through you for a second at the idea but you quickly push it aside to hear his suggestion. “How so?”

“Well, right now you’re doing shows on Fridays and Saturdays, every other Monday and every other Wednesday, right? Your next show is Wednesday which is fine but I think if we end up filming videos together regularly, we need to adjust how often you actually cam and how often we post pre-recorded videos. ‘Cause let’s be real, you’d be way too tired if you kept it that frequent. Three live shows a week and filming with me? It’s way too much for you.”

This time, it’s your lips that press into a firm line. But Seungcheol was right. There was no way you could keep your normal schedule on top of filming with him in between. “That… That makes sense. What are we gonna do about, uh, I mean---’cause we don’t really live near each other…” Mumbling, you trail off, hoping that Seungcheol knew the answer.

“Hmm, well, you can keep your Friday shows and then I can swing by on the weekends. We can film a few videos over the weekend, even if they’re just short ones, or even film long ones and then you can just cut them into shorter pieces. So, in theory, you’d only do two live shows a week and one upload of both of us? We can figure out everything else as we go in terms of splitting profits and stuff.”

You nod at his suggestion, feeling better about the idea. “That sounds reasonable! I’ll have to make a notice for my page but hopefully it shouldn’t be too big of a change…”

Seungcheol yawns as he stretches, eyes filled with sleep when he looks at you.

“We don’t have to do anything too soon either. Those videos are still makin’ money so let’s get some sleep!”

You and Seungcheol spend the Saturday afternoon driving around town; even going so far as to drop by the roller rink one last time to say your thanks and goodbye to Jeongguk.

“The two of you are somethin’ else, man. Really. With my whole heart, I just--I love it.” He pretends to wipe a tear off of his face as you and Seungcheol share a look.

“Promise me you’ll think of my offer?”

You nod in return, a soft giggle escaping your lips. “I promise! Seungcheol tells me you stream often yourself so I feel like I can trust you but only if you get my good side too!” This time Jeongguk’s eyes light up with excitement as he reaches for your hands over the concession stand counter.

“Oh my god, if---if I promise to give you half a cut of profits, would you show up on my gaming stream? You don’t even have to be good, just if we collabed, I really think---”

“Okay, ‘Guk, I think that’s enough for now. You can ask her a thousand questions next time.” You pat Jeongguk’s hands as he pouts. “I’ll think about it, okay?” You whisper under your breath; a small smile on his lips as he nods back.

“Don’t be a stranger!”

Seungcheol links his hand with yours as he leads you out of the roller rink and back to his car; eyes flitting to his watch to check the time. “We’ve got time to have dinner and then we probably need to hit the road after.” You nod, “Sounds good! Where are we headin’ for dinner?”

“‘Guk and I went to this diner called ‘Dynamite’ a while back… The food’s alright and I haven’t taken you there yet so we can go there if you’re okay with it?”

“Sounds good!”

Seungcheol pulls into the parking lot of the diner 30 minutes later as the same neon signs greet him back. He parks near the entrance again, noting that it seemed fairly empty this time as well.

“I wonder if the guy is still here…” He mutters as he unbuckles his seatbelt. “What guy?”

The two of you exit his car; jogging up to him as he waits for you. “Just the guy who was our server when I was here with ‘Guk. He seemed familiar and it was weird.”

Seungcheol opens the door for you, letting you in first as the cold AC blasts you.

“Welcome to Dynamite, I’m Jun and I----Oh fuck!” Jun drops the menus in his hand, lips settling into a wide smile as he walks up to you and Seungcheol, tripping on his own feet as he meets you at the door. “I’m a big fan!” He harshly whispers. You blink up at him just before your eyes flit down to his pastel coloured name tag.

Jun.

Jun.

Oh. kitty_junjun.

“O-oh, you’re---you’re kitty_junjun aren’t you?” You whisper back; already noting that he was quite handsome himself.

Fuck, are all my regulars hot?

“That’s me, baby! And oh--you! It’s you! I remember you from last time! You were with that other guy! Are you… y’know. The guy.” Jun wiggles his eyebrows as he steps back and picks up two menus from the counter. Seungcheol mentally grimaces but he nods.

“That’d be me.”

Jun’s eyes light up with enthusiasm as he gestures for the two of you to follow him towards the seating area. “I’m such a huge fan, really! Of Cherry and, well, really both of you now.” He leads you to a booth before he sets the menus down onto the table. “I hope you don’t mind but I volunteer to be your server and the milkshakes are on me tonight!” Finishing with a wink, he leaves the two of you alone as he walks back towards the counter.

“Wow, ‘Cheol when you said small town, you really meant it, huh?” Giggling, you take in Seungcheol’s mildly embarrassed appearance. “Hey, you’re famous!”

Am I famous? He thinks, Or is it just my dick?

“So that’s three people that could clock me in person… I mean, I guess it could be worse.” He mumbles; cheeks flushed pink when he sees Jun walking back towards your table. Jun leans against the booth, nodding as he props a hand on his hip.

“Sorry, I hope I’m not bothering you guys. It’s just, I feel like I’m meeting a celebrity!” He laughs, “I’d ask for your autograph but then I think that’d be a little too weird.”

You can’t help but giggle at his comment, turning slightly to face him better. “Guess you were right when you said you thought you saw me, huh?” He snaps his fingers as the memory comes back to him in an instant.

“You’re right! Fuck, I almost forgot about that. Man, I thought I was having a fever dream.”

Jun stares off to the side before he fixes his gaze onto Seungcheol; eyes wide. “Hey, I never caught your name, I don’t think?” Seungcheol gulps, hoping that Jun doesn’t connect the dots as easily as Jeongguk did.

“It’s Seungcheol.”

“Oh… okay! Well, cool, are you guys ready to order?”

He lets out a breath he doesn’t realize he was holding as you relay your order to Jun; lips falling into a shaky smile as he gives his order to Jun once you were done.

“Okay! I’ll be back in a little bit!” Jun shoots the two of you a smile before he leaves the two of you alone again.

“Well, this is an interesting Saturday if I do say so myself!” Seungcheol can’t stop the laugh that bubbles out of him; shaking his head at the way you seem to take it so easily. “I can’t believe you’re so chill about running into people that know you!”

“Like you said, ‘Cheol! It could be worse~” You pause, “This one time I was at the grocery store and this older man came up to me and said he recognized me. I was like, cool, y’know? I know my viewers are all different ages so I don’t judge. But then, two kids came up to him calling him ‘daddy’ and I literally bolted out of that place before his wife could find me!”

The two of you share a laugh before changing the topic; only stopping when Jun comes by with your orders, twenty minutes later.

“Hey, this is kinda random but it’s not so busy right now, so… Did you wanna sit with us and chat?” You offer as your eyes dance between Seungcheol and Jun. The latter’s eyes twinkle with excitement as he sets the last plate down.

“Wait, seriously? I can take my 15 if you’re being serious!” This time, you look to Seungcheol for his opinion, already noticing the way he seems more relaxed.

“Yeah, that’s cool with me.”

Jun all but runs off to tell his manager as you scoot over to give him space when he gets back. “I’m surprised you asked if he wanted to sit with us while we had dinner.”

“Why not? He seems nice! And we’re making friends!” Seungcheol nods in agreement just as he starts eating and just as Jun makes it back to the booth with a milkshake of his own.

You pat the empty spot next to you as he gasps slightly. “I feel like the second luckiest man on earth.”

He slides into the booth next to you, making sure to keep a reasonable distance. “Hey! You’ve got a show tonight so… are you two, y’know…” Seungcheol makes a conscious effort to not choke on his food as he chews slower than he usually would; eyes flitting over to you just as you set your utensils down.

“Um, yeah! We don’t really know what we’re gonna do yet but no spoilers okay~ Nobody knows what he looks like, Junnie!” You pout. Jun can only vibrate in his seat; a pink blush on his cheeks at the sudden nickname.

“Of course! My lips are sealed shut! And well, if you’re ever back in town, I’ll give you guys my employee discount if you swing by!” He grins.

The three of you talk about various topics within Jun’s fifteen minute break, thankfully none that involve camming. Jun pouts when his time is up, a sigh on his lips when he stands. “Damn, well, I guess I’ll see you later then, huh?” He wiggles his eyebrows, chuckling.

“Just wave me over if you guys need anything, okay?”

The rest of dinner goes on without issue and Seungcheol finds himself in a lighter mood than when the two of you first arrived at the diner.

You make sure to leave Jun a big tip, winking at him on your way out.

“Ready to head home after a week?” Seungcheol shoots you  a sad smile as he walks you to the passenger’s side of his car. He opens the door for you and lets you in before shutting it and jogging to the driver’s side.

“I mean, it’s not like we’re not gonna see each other anymore. If anything we’re gonna be seeing each other fairly regularly since you’re gonna come over to film!”

Seungcheol nods as he sets your apartment into his GPS; pulling out of the driveway as he begins the hour drive to your place.

“Yeah, and I mean, we can figure out what schedule works better as we go. Maybe we only need to film every other week or something too, right?”

“Mmhmm! I’ll start drafting a notice for the schedule change tomorrow and then I’ll run it by you before it goes up.”

The hour drive seems to go by quicker than you expect as the two of you spend the time singing along to songs on the radio; judging Seungcheol’s impeccable vocal skill when a rock song comes on.

“Wow, I--I didn’t know you had the vocal cords to do that, ‘Cheol!” He takes his eyes off of the road for a split second to shoot you a cocky grin.

“I’m pretty good at karaoke. We should go next time! Maybe invite all of our new friends.”

You snort in response, slapping his arm as he pulls into a residential part of town. “And if the person working the front desk of the karaoke place knows us?”

“Then we invite them in too!”

A slight blush paints your cheeks when you realize how much Seungcheol seemed to have relaxed in the last few days, if not hours. You knew it was never easy to get used to being recognized in person and there were still a lot of times where even you were flustered in person. 

“Hey, what’s going on over there?” Seungcheol’s concerned voice has you immediately peering through the window; eyebrows furrowed when you see the police cars parked outside of your apartment complex.

“W--wait that’s my--my apartment complex, ‘Cheol pull over!”

He parks the car a little closer to the scene; getting out of the car with you as the dread becomes more and more evident on your face. “Hey, I’m here with you, okay? Maybe it’s just nothing.” He offers; simultaneously knowing that his words were currently going in one ear and out the other.

The two of you walk hand in hand up to the front where you spot your landlord standing with a police officer. You call her name as she turns to you, gesturing for you to come closer.

“Didn’t you get my text message? Or any of my calls from the last 45 minutes?” You shake your head no in response, eyes dancing to Seungcheol who’s expression matches your own. “No--No I--I was out at dinner, I didn’t even hear my phone go off. What’s going on here?”

She sighs, arms crossed in front of her chest as the police officer clears his throat. “Well, Miss, there were a few break-ins tonight here. There’s a lot of broken glass and a lot of missing items. Thankfully nobody was injured but unfortunately we’re going to be running an investigation so it could take some time.”

“I--w--what about m-my apartment?” Your landlord sighs, “I’m sorry, honey, but your apartment was one of them, I---hey!”

You all but drag Seungcheol with you as you start making your way towards the entrance of the complex, panic and adrenaline guiding you as you all but throw the front door open. The sounds of the officer and your landlord shouting your name become fuzzy as you make your way through the halls; side stepping the stray items that were left on the floor. You make it to your hall when you notice a police officer standing at your front door that seems to have almost been ripped from the hinges.

“Miss, you can’t be in here, we’re---”

“This is my apartment, please just let me in!”

The officer standing at your apartment door notes the distress in your voice and sighs, “Show me some ID and I can let you in.” You quickly fish out your ID as he cross-references it with his documents. “Alright, go ahead. Please just don’t touch any of the hard surfaces.”

Your palm feels clammy against Seungcheol’s as you step into your apartment; shaky gasps on your lips when you notice the items strewn about. “O-oh my god…”

Seungcheol squeezes your hand tight, unsure of what to say. This was definitely the last thing he would’ve expected to happen at the end of your one week stay with him.

You can’t help the tears that threaten to spill as you look around your apartment and Seungcheol quickly notes the glassy look in your eyes when you turn to face him. Seungcheol quickly turns to the officer, voice stern. “I’m sorry to ask but can you give us a second alone, please? This is a lot for her to take in.” The officer nods as he steps back into the hallway.

“Baby? Tell me how you’re feeling, sweetheart.”

It only takes a split second before you’re sobbing into Seungcheol’s chest; his arms wrapping tightly around you.

He rubs your back gently, cooing to you softly as you let out your emotions. “Seungcheol, I, hic, wh--what am I--I, hic, g-gonna d-do? I…” You trail off as your mind goes a mile a minute. He’s unsure of how to comfort you, eyes taking in the ransacked room.

“We--we should probably talk to the officer outside? Figure out what’s going on. I--I mean, you’re definitely coming home with me. I’m not leaving you here like this and with nowhere to go.”

You pull away from his chest, tears still streaming down your face when you look up at him. Seungcheol feels his heart shatter into a thousand pieces. God please, I’d do anything to make sure she never cries like this again, he thinks.

“But my--my s-stuff, I--this--”

“I know, baby, I know. Let’s just both be thankful you weren’t here when they broke in, okay? We can replace the material stuff.” He smooths your hair down and wipes your cheeks, leaning down until he’s at eye level with you.

“I promise you, we’ll figure it out, okay? I’m not leaving you until we do.”

Nodding, you let Seungcheol take your hand as he brings you back to the front door where the officer is. “Hello? Excuse me?”

“Yes?”

Seungcheol looks your way before clearing his throat. “We just want to know what happened to my girlfriend’s apartment.” You squeeze his hand, hiding behind him.

“Well, we can’t really know for sure. A few other apartments were broken into. For some, the locks were picked and for others, it seemed like they just used blunt force against the doors until they gave way. Unfortunately, seeing as this is a gated apartment complex, the hallways don’t have any security cameras and we have no idea how the suspects got in past the gate.” The officer pauses for a moment as he lets his words sink in. “Usually with cases like this, a lot of the material goods eventually show up in local pawn shops or even just discarded in near-by trash containers. And judging from the building history, this isn’t the first time these burglars came by. This seems to be the second time. But that’s all we know for now. I suggest you pack some of your things and hang tight in a hotel until we get more info because, unfortunately, your door is ready to fall off of the hinges and we need to get a detective in here to see if there’s any fingerprints on the surfaces.”

“Will there be someone patrolling this place all night? How are we sure they won’t come back?”

“We’ll have an officer posted at all times, young man. I promise you nobody will get back in here.”

The tears stream down your cheeks as you quietly stand behind Seungcheol; lip quivering as Seungcheol thanks the officer for the information before turning to face you again.

“‘Ch--Cheol, what’re w-we, hic, gonna d-do now?” Your voice sounds so small to him as you keep your eyes focused on the floor.

“Has your apartment been broken into before? Be honest with me.” 

“O--once, but--but it w-wasn’t this bad...” He clenches his jaw at your words. How the fuck did this happen before without anyone finding out? “Wait, so this has happened in the past? And you never said anything?” You peer up at him, eyelashes wet with tears. 

“It, hic, they--they didn’t take as much s-stuff that t-time. But--but now I’m, hic, won--wondering if they were just s-scouting...” Seungcheol’s vision goes red; knowing exactly what he wanted to do and say but unsure of the possible outcome.

Fuck, screw it.

“Here’s what we’re gonna do, sweetheart.” He pauses, exhaling deeply before he continues. “We’re gonna pack a bag, take all your important things that you can find. I don’t care if we have to fill up my entire car with your things. And you’re coming home with me. I don’t care if you have to break the lease on this place, but I can’t in good conscience know you’re living here if people are breaking into it like this.” You open your mouth to speak, brows furrowed. “But--”

“No! No buts this time. I--I can have Jeongguk help with moving. I’m sure Seokjin-hyung can take his shift at the roller rink for one day to help us move your things. And we’ll figure things out as we go.”

“The r-rent, I--”

Seungcheol shoots you a small smile as he tilts your head up to meet his soft and warm eyes. “Please, don’t worry about something like that right now. I’m just happy you’re okay. And that you weren’t here alone where I couldn’t help you.”

You nod shakily, hands covering Seungcheol’s as he holds your face in his hands. “Seungcheol, I’m so--so sorry, I--I don’t even k-know where to start, I--this is---it’s all just so much. Really I can just---just get a h-hotel and you can g-go home...” The tears threaten to spill again but Seungcheol quickly tugs you into his inviting arms. 

This was by-far not at all how he expected to end his weekend. And he could only assume you felt the same way.

“I know it’s a lot. But we’re good at figuring things out on the fly, right? You have to trust me on this one. You’ll be okay. We’ll be okay. But for right now, I think you need to hurry and post a notice that there’s no show tonight while I look for your luggage so we can grab some things and get out of here, okay?” 

He releases you from his hold, leaning down to kiss you on the forehead. 

“I’ll fix it, I promise.”

#cherrybomb!cheol #seungcheol smut #scoups smut #seventeen smut #svt smut #scoups scenarios #scoups imagines #seungcheol imagines #seungcheol scenarios #svt imagines #svt scenarios #seventeen scenarios #seventeen imagines #scoups #seungcheol

[autodiscothings]

LI Asks

Wanted to do this without being asked, so did it! For my Surly Boy and his Socialite, since I need to get a handle on them before they turn into angst muffins. I know some who follow are interested in the “ship” side of things, so I’ll share here too. Tiny bit spoilerish.

For the couple:

1. What drew your character to their LI and vice versa?

They were both bystanders standing in the shadows of literal heroes, and had a shared secret history neither could talk about before without the other person completely understanding everything.

2. What was the first moment that they knew they were in love with their LI?

Kolyat fell in love first believe it or not. She was talking about genetics and how they mean shit, that nurture rules over nature; he stopped seeing the alien and saw the person. That, and her butt looked nice in her wiggle dress.

3. When they are having a fight, what is it about and how do they deal with it?

Avoid the other and distant themselves. Distract with work.

4. Their favorite physical feature on each other?

He likes her eyes and her thighs and her voice. The Lawson genetically perfect booty is top tier too, obviously.

She likes his shoulders and his scales and yes, that chin. His eyes amuse her now, whereas before they unnerved.

5. How do they comfort each other when they are sad?

Ori is more demonstrative with affection and touching. Kolyat likes it to a point. He’ll make her tea and leaves it next to her, and will hold her hand awkwardly and try to talk through her problems like it’s a case to solve.

6. Who is the big spoon?

Oriana. Kolyat doesn’t like hair in his face when he’s hugging her.

7. Favorite date activity?

The only thing they can tolerate together is ballet (of all things) and vids. Food is tricky; Kolyat is a man who will eat over the sink if he has to, but likes to indulge in fried trash which Oriana is okay with. 

She has dragged him to fancy sushi joints, to which he secretly enjoyed but bitched about the money. “400 credits for three pieces? Honestly Oriana, that’s my entire food budget for the month.”

8. What are their most prominent memories of each other? 

It’s the same:

“I’ll remember her looking over her shoulder at me, always one step ahead. She is always smiling, always.”

“He was scowling at other passengers, waiting for me at the docks. And when he saw me he smiled. I laughed at the time, couldn’t help it. He asked me what was funny, and was annoyed I couldn’t explain why.”

9. How open are they with their feelings?

They’re getting better but Kolyat is still a bottler. Oriana gets upset to the point of tears and is angry that she’s crying, but wants to explain why she’s upset in precise words.

10. Do they have pet names for each other?

‘Ori’ is a nonsense syllable word in Kolyat’s mothertongue, so he has plenty. Oriden. Ma’tori. Tunorien. Orishen is his favourite- it means fish dumpling. White, wobbly balls usually eaten on sticks. He pats her tits and calls them that. (Such a romantic.)

He’s just Kol to her. If she’s being snippy he gets called “darling” or “sweetheart.”

11. Do they have any inside jokes?

Plenty. Fish the Cat has an entire backstory written by them both, where she helps solve crime as a caped crusader, and is in fact Blasto’s secret love child.

12. Do they have similar goals? If they clash, how do they deal?

No. And this is what worries me as their writer. Oriana is getting fed up of Citadel life and probably will only last a few more years before she wants to see stars in the sky and breathe in fresh air. Kolyat loves his damn Ward and job too much.

13. How do they react at being away from each other?

He misses her terribly and will say this to her, but usually in an inept way. She’s never far from his thoughts; in Disconnect he uses memories of Oriana as mental treats to get him through the day.

She will sleep in an old shirt of his, and send him more emails than usual.

14. Is their anything they associate with each other?

Kolyat on Ori: music, violins, make up, tea, tulips, expensive shoes, piles of mess. Pale skinned humans will sometimes trigger a memory. Blue skies.

Oriana on Kol: cats, trivia vids, C-Sec, smell of leather, smell of his scale cleaner.

15. How do they think each other sees the other, and is this different from their own view of themselves?

Oriana understands C-Sec is important, but thinks he’s more than just a cop. Kolyat can see through the smiling “darling-” air kiss “-thank you for coming your donation is so important” falsities Oriana puts on.

16. Jealous at all?

Oddly, no. Kolyat knows Oriana can handle herself and will come back to him. In fact you know what? He finds it hilarious when humans are disgusted he’s with her; he’s happy to lean against the bar and have the place watch her saunter. 

On the other hand Oriana’s had worse experiences with jealousy from others, which Kolyat feels a bit guilty over. Aliens with drell have a certain wild child “party” reputation thanks to the after effects of venom, especially humans.

Drell in general don’t think too kindly to those dating outside their own kind- something you do in your youth, but you best settle down with your own sort young man, and soon. There’s only half a million of us, you know.

17. Their ways of expressing their love.

Kolyat is practical, but he will buy the occasional “saw this thought of you” gift. Oriana’s is also gift based, but she is more quick to tell him she loves him.

18. Is their any way they disappoint each other?

His bottling of emotions.  Choosing work over her. Oriana’s occasional slip into rich girl privilege annoys him- money can’t solve everything, and not every problem can be patched over.

19. Describe how they communicate

Badly. Better in person than in email/vid form, though. There are no distractions facing each other.

20. Did either person change at all, to be with their partner?

Yes. Both are less selfish.

For the creator

21. Personally, do you think they are a good couple?

Yes and no. He loves her, but he also loves work. She loves him, but also wants a life off the Citadel. 

She’s also human- Oriana will live longer than him, probably twice as long thanks to her fancy genetics. They’re both in their 20s now, but are approaching four years together; the subject of building a life somewhere has to come up soon.

22. From the outside looking in, what is their dynamic like?

Oriana is straight up told by Kolyat’s friends (aka his work colleagues) regularly how in the universe did he end up with her, he is punching well above his weight there. Oriana’s friends see the devotion Kolyat has, but find him odd; he’ll drop by her office for lunch sometimes, but he’s seen as polite but distant.

23. Did you tailor your OC for the other in the romance?

Nah it just kind of happened. I based my Oriana on 50s Hollywood glamour icons, where dames were feisty and their lipstick never smeared. I’m still not sure how that happened, let’s blame the detective noir feel of Disconnect.

24. Is their any moment that happens between them that you know happens and just makes you melt?

He holds her and hums ‘you are my sunshine’ sometimes. She has a little creepy musicbox on her shelf that plays it, and one day Kol touches it- it plays, Oriana breaks down, explaining the significance of sunshine (Oriana means golden dawn.) So he hums it to her -albeit badly- when she’s feeling sad.

25. Share any headcanons about their relationship.

Since I know someone is probably thinking it: yes they do and often, (oh hi Mark) and neither will go beyond the silk tie stage of kink. Kolyat’s venom is countered with meds, though at this point Oriana is immune thanks to good ol’ human adaptability and self-induced Mithridatism. 

She’ll still get the occasional mild rash, usually on her chest. Gone after a hot shower and expensive cream she had made (because the pharmacy one smelt disgusting.)

26. How important is the romance in your their overall story?

It’s Kolyat’s first real relationship and the first woman he loved outside of his mother- so very. It’s Oriana’s first ‘proper’ boyfriend too, the one where she is considering getting a place with.

Essentially both are that First Serious Relationship most people have in their 20s, the first person you live with, etc.

27. What makes you excited about their relationship?

Seeing what I can throw at them and how far they can bend. Looking forward to writing them in the same room at some point, rather than memories.

28. Is their any similarities to your character’s relationship to one you have had IRL?

Kolyat’s somewhat practical approach to romance is from my Swedish beau. “Do you really want a Christmas present? If we wait until the sales I can get you something bigger.”

How they met I based on a girl I fell in love with in my 20s. The first day we met we walked all from Waterloo to Shoreditch, just talking.

29. What are your favorite moments that happen between them?

How they met, which I know and you don’t.

30. How does their love change as they get older?

My mind goes … when I plan their relationship beyond three years of where they are now, so who knows.

31. Share anything you would like about the couple

I want them to stay together, but unsure if they will.

…christ this is depressing. I should go do Dixon/Cam now to cheer myself up.

#Kolyat Krios #asks and prompts #oriana Lawson #Disconnect

[preciousmetals0]

Aurora-Coke Rumors: All Smoke and No Toke

Aurora-Coke Rumors: All Smoke and No Toke:

Share a Coke With Aurora Cannabis?

Are you well rested from the holiday break?

I hope so, because I have a doozy of a conspiracy theory in the cannabis sector for you today. It involves the most widely held stock on Robinhood and the world’s largest soft drink maker.

Before we get to the speculation, let’s start with the facts.

On Monday, Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NYSE: ACB) announced that Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) Cam Battley was leaving the company. Battley was considered the face of Aurora, so his leaving hit investor sentiment hard.

What’s more, analysts at Jefferies downgraded Aurora to hold from buy on the news. “It is clear to us that the market is lacking conviction in Aurora, and this update will do little to help that,” the ratings firm said in a note to clients.

ACB plunged 8% on Monday as a result.

Now for the speculation. A gentleman by the name of “Gabor the Blind Guy” posted a video to YouTube earlier this week where he tries to open a new childproof lid his father designed for Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO). According to Gabor, this childproof lid is for a new cannabidiol (CBD) drink that Coke is releasing in Canada.

Coke childproof lids? Coke CBD drinks?

There’s nothing in the news about any of this … save for one article over at TheCannabisStock.com.

Anyone else remember the last company Coke was talking with to produce CBD drinks?

That’s right: Aurora Cannabis.

The Takeaway: 

Don’t go looking on YouTube for the video — it’s gone.

In fact, Gabor’s entire YouTube account is gone. So are his Facebook and Twitter accounts. I’m thinking someone accidentally broke a nondisclosure agreement here. Oops.

But this is the digital information age. Nothing is ever truly gone. In fact, you can find a mirror of the video here (while it lasts).

Now, I don’t need to tell you that Aurora could really use a boost … and a deal with Coke would be a major coup for the cannabis company. Aurora just rolled out its Cannabis 2.0 products in Canada, including a long list of edibles, vapes and drinks. A Coke-backed Cannabis 2.0 drink could send ACB to the moon.

What’s more, what if CCO Battley only moved out of Aurora (and into an Aurora subsidiary) to make way for a Coke representative ahead of a CBD drink deal?

The possibilities are tantalizing, aren’t they?

For an expert’s take on the situation, I reached out to Banyan Hill’s resident pot stocks guru, Anthony Planas. Here’s what he had to say:

I saw it on Reddit. I think it’s BS.

Clearly not the take we anticipated, but it’s a stark reminder that any potential tie-up between Aurora and Coke is purely speculation at this point.

Thank you, Anthony, for bringing us all back to earth on this one.

As it turns out, Anthony was right. Just before Great Stuff hit the presses, Coke issued a statement: “As we have stated many times, we have no plans to enter the CBD market.” Bummer.

Remember, the cannabis sector is quite volatile right at the moment. You need an expert to help guide you through the rumors and speculation. To that end, Anthony and Real Wealth Strategist editor Matt Badiali have come up with five pot stocks you “must own” right now … before more states legalize.

Click here to find out more!

Good: Tesla Smokes $420

It was bound to happen … and when it did, CEO Elon Musk was just itching to make a joke.

On Monday, Tesla Inc. (Nasdaq: TSLA) hit $420 per share. The milestone prompted Musk to tweet out: “Whoa … the stock is so high lol.”

All jokes aside, Tesla is smoking right now. The shares are up a whopping 1,600% since their initial public offering, with optimism over the new Chinese Gigafactory driving bullish sentiment right through that burning Walmart roof.

Analysts are even jumping on board, albeit reluctantly. Today, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives lifted his price target on TSLA to $370 from $270, citing strong demand for the Model 3. While Ives gave a nod to “massive short covering” for Tesla’s recent resurgence, he also pointed out “underlying fundamental improvement” at the company. After all, Tesla turned a surprise profit last quarter.

But the short squeeze story can’t be ignored. Tesla shorts have … well … lost their shorts by betting against the company. And there’s more to come. ShortSqueeze.com reports that 27.5 million TSLA shares remain sold short after a 4% decline in the latest reporting period.

Those remaining 27.5 million shares still account for about 20.5% of Tesla’s total float (or shares available for public trading). With TSLA still climbing, how much longer can these remaining bears hold out before they’re forced to buy as well?

Better: Riveting Competition 

When Tesla unveiled its new Cybertruck, the internet had a field day making fun of the “truck’s” odd design features. Not since the Pontiac Aztek have we seen a vehicle so, well … ugly.

With so few true competitors, it looked like energy-conscious truck enthusiasts (yes, they do exist) were stuck driving a truck designed by a six-year-old. That is, until Rivian secured a massive amount of funding.

Rivian is an electric vehicle startup that’s drawn considerable interest from backers as of late, especially after Tesla’s Cybertruck made its debut. Rivian’s trucks and SUVs look more like traditional vehicles than anything Tesla makes, providing a level of confidence to key backers.

So much so that the company announced it raked in $1.3 billion in funding in its latest investment drive — its largest to date. Big names are lining up behind Rivian, including Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) and Amazon.com Inc. (Nasdaq: AMZN).

Rivian is expected to start delivering trucks and SUVs next year. Are we witnessing the emergence of a true competitor in the electric vehicle market?

Best: Breaking Records

I honestly don’t know why more people don’t shop online during the holiday season … or at any point during the year, for that matter. It’s like y’all didn’t get the memo: You don’t have to fight hordes of people to buy things anymore.

This year, online shopping saw more converts than ever. According to data from Mastercard, e-commerce sales surged to a record high, rising 18.8% from 2018 to account for 14.6% of total retail sales in the U.S.

Naturally, the big winner here is Amazon. The e-commerce giant said this past holiday shopping season was “record-breaking.” The company reported 5 million new Prime subscriptions (free trial and paid). What’s more, traffic at Amazon pickup points was up 60% year over year.

Here’s the surprising thing: Amazon stock is actually down more than 6% in the past six months. The shares lag the S&P 500 Index by about 8% for the past 12 months.

So, what gives? Amazon’s spending spree, that’s what. After the company posted its first profit drop in two years back in October, investors have been reluctant to push AMZN higher.

That’s a mistake. Amazon has proven time and time again that it knows how to invest in itself. This latest spending round was on one-day shipping and content for Prime TV. These investments will pay for themselves. We’ll see proof of that in Amazon’s holiday quarter earnings report.

Before I sign off and try to steal another Hawaiian roll — the King’s Hawaiian ones are OK, but homemade rolls help me feast like an emperor — it’s time for a helping of Reader Feedback.

But Great Stuff, you didn’t even ask us for any feedback this week!

No, but “readers gonna read” … and write in.

And I’m grateful for all the feedback and comments you send in.

This week, y’all got personal with the questions. The holidays bring out all kinds of folks. (Especially out on the roads by me … jeez, how many of you really went last-minute with the shopping?)

So, I thought it’d be a wholesome, festive Kodak moment to respond to some of your questions about the great stuff behind Great Stuff.

Brian E. asked:

When and why did you get into trading? I’m trying to convince my son to turn off Counter-Strike and start investing. Any advice?

Well, Brian, at least it’s Counter-Strike and not Fortnite. I don’t have the … umm … poetic license here at Great Stuff to tell you how I truly feel about Fortnite.

As a lifelong video game fan, I initially saw trading as yet another type of “game” to master. It was a challenge. With the right knowledge, I too could win this game played by billionaires.

Yes, I was young and naïve, but I never shrank from that challenge. To this day, I continue to search for that edge — that “cheat code,” if you will — that will help me (and now you) make it big.

Gwenn M. wanted to know:

Your movie references are all over the place (in the best way)! Any one favorite?

As you know, Gwenn, I have an affinity for ’80s movies — everything from Top Gun and E.T. to Indiana Jones and anything made by the great John Hughes. I also have a big weak spot for Monty Python and dry British humor.

But my real favorite, the pièce de résistance, is Star Wars. The Empire Strikes Back was the first movie I ever saw in a theater. It was a masterpiece. So, for better or for worse, Great Stuff readers get more Star Wars memes than any other.

I have spoken.

Short and sweet, Suze said:

Do you have a quote you live by?

Suze, there are, in fact, three quotes that I live by … one for investing in the market and two for life.

For the market, I live by the words of John Maynard Keynes: “Markets can stay irrational longer than you can stay solvent.”

For life, my favorite is by Robin William’s character, John Keating, in Dead Poets Society: “But only in their dreams can men be truly free. ‘Twas always thus, and always thus will be.”

But equally important is one my grandfather told me jokingly decades ago: “Don’t sweat the petty things, and don’t pet the sweaty things.”

I don’t think you can go wrong with any of those quotes.

And on that note, you can look forward to more meme-fueled festivities tomorrow.

Until next time, good trading!

Regards,

Joseph Hargett

Great Stuff Managing Editor, Banyan Hill Publishing

[goldira01]

Share a Coke With Aurora Cannabis?

Are you well rested from the holiday break?

I hope so, because I have a doozy of a conspiracy theory in the cannabis sector for you today. It involves the most widely held stock on Robinhood and the world’s largest soft drink maker.

Before we get to the speculation, let’s start with the facts.

On Monday, Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NYSE: ACB) announced that Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) Cam Battley was leaving the company. Battley was considered the face of Aurora, so his leaving hit investor sentiment hard.

What’s more, analysts at Jefferies downgraded Aurora to hold from buy on the news. “It is clear to us that the market is lacking conviction in Aurora, and this update will do little to help that,” the ratings firm said in a note to clients.

ACB plunged 8% on Monday as a result.

Now for the speculation. A gentleman by the name of “Gabor the Blind Guy” posted a video to YouTube earlier this week where he tries to open a new childproof lid his father designed for Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO). According to Gabor, this childproof lid is for a new cannabidiol (CBD) drink that Coke is releasing in Canada.

Coke childproof lids? Coke CBD drinks?

There’s nothing in the news about any of this … save for one article over at TheCannabisStock.com.

Anyone else remember the last company Coke was talking with to produce CBD drinks?

That’s right: Aurora Cannabis.

The Takeaway: 

Don’t go looking on YouTube for the video — it’s gone.

In fact, Gabor’s entire YouTube account is gone. So are his Facebook and Twitter accounts. I’m thinking someone accidentally broke a nondisclosure agreement here. Oops.

But this is the digital information age. Nothing is ever truly gone. In fact, you can find a mirror of the video here (while it lasts).

Now, I don’t need to tell you that Aurora could really use a boost … and a deal with Coke would be a major coup for the cannabis company. Aurora just rolled out its Cannabis 2.0 products in Canada, including a long list of edibles, vapes and drinks. A Coke-backed Cannabis 2.0 drink could send ACB to the moon.

What’s more, what if CCO Battley only moved out of Aurora (and into an Aurora subsidiary) to make way for a Coke representative ahead of a CBD drink deal?

The possibilities are tantalizing, aren’t they?

For an expert’s take on the situation, I reached out to Banyan Hill’s resident pot stocks guru, Anthony Planas. Here’s what he had to say:

I saw it on Reddit. I think it’s BS.

Clearly not the take we anticipated, but it’s a stark reminder that any potential tie-up between Aurora and Coke is purely speculation at this point.

Thank you, Anthony, for bringing us all back to earth on this one.

As it turns out, Anthony was right. Just before Great Stuff hit the presses, Coke issued a statement: “As we have stated many times, we have no plans to enter the CBD market.” Bummer.

Remember, the cannabis sector is quite volatile right at the moment. You need an expert to help guide you through the rumors and speculation. To that end, Anthony and Real Wealth Strategist editor Matt Badiali have come up with five pot stocks you “must own” right now … before more states legalize.

Click here to find out more!

Good: Tesla Smokes $420

It was bound to happen … and when it did, CEO Elon Musk was just itching to make a joke.

On Monday, Tesla Inc. (Nasdaq: TSLA) hit $420 per share. The milestone prompted Musk to tweet out: “Whoa … the stock is so high lol.”

All jokes aside, Tesla is smoking right now. The shares are up a whopping 1,600% since their initial public offering, with optimism over the new Chinese Gigafactory driving bullish sentiment right through that burning Walmart roof.

Analysts are even jumping on board, albeit reluctantly. Today, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives lifted his price target on TSLA to $370 from $270, citing strong demand for the Model 3. While Ives gave a nod to “massive short covering” for Tesla’s recent resurgence, he also pointed out “underlying fundamental improvement” at the company. After all, Tesla turned a surprise profit last quarter.

But the short squeeze story can’t be ignored. Tesla shorts have … well … lost their shorts by betting against the company. And there’s more to come. ShortSqueeze.com reports that 27.5 million TSLA shares remain sold short after a 4% decline in the latest reporting period.

Those remaining 27.5 million shares still account for about 20.5% of Tesla’s total float (or shares available for public trading). With TSLA still climbing, how much longer can these remaining bears hold out before they’re forced to buy as well?

Better: Riveting Competition 

When Tesla unveiled its new Cybertruck, the internet had a field day making fun of the “truck’s” odd design features. Not since the Pontiac Aztek have we seen a vehicle so, well … ugly.

With so few true competitors, it looked like energy-conscious truck enthusiasts (yes, they do exist) were stuck driving a truck designed by a six-year-old. That is, until Rivian secured a massive amount of funding.

Rivian is an electric vehicle startup that’s drawn considerable interest from backers as of late, especially after Tesla’s Cybertruck made its debut. Rivian’s trucks and SUVs look more like traditional vehicles than anything Tesla makes, providing a level of confidence to key backers.

So much so that the company announced it raked in $1.3 billion in funding in its latest investment drive — its largest to date. Big names are lining up behind Rivian, including Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) and Amazon.com Inc. (Nasdaq: AMZN).

Rivian is expected to start delivering trucks and SUVs next year. Are we witnessing the emergence of a true competitor in the electric vehicle market?

Best: Breaking Records

I honestly don’t know why more people don’t shop online during the holiday season … or at any point during the year, for that matter. It’s like y’all didn’t get the memo: You don’t have to fight hordes of people to buy things anymore.

This year, online shopping saw more converts than ever. According to data from Mastercard, e-commerce sales surged to a record high, rising 18.8% from 2018 to account for 14.6% of total retail sales in the U.S.

Naturally, the big winner here is Amazon. The e-commerce giant said this past holiday shopping season was “record-breaking.” The company reported 5 million new Prime subscriptions (free trial and paid). What’s more, traffic at Amazon pickup points was up 60% year over year.

Here’s the surprising thing: Amazon stock is actually down more than 6% in the past six months. The shares lag the S&P 500 Index by about 8% for the past 12 months.

So, what gives? Amazon’s spending spree, that’s what. After the company posted its first profit drop in two years back in October, investors have been reluctant to push AMZN higher.

That’s a mistake. Amazon has proven time and time again that it knows how to invest in itself. This latest spending round was on one-day shipping and content for Prime TV. These investments will pay for themselves. We’ll see proof of that in Amazon’s holiday quarter earnings report.

Before I sign off and try to steal another Hawaiian roll — the King’s Hawaiian ones are OK, but homemade rolls help me feast like an emperor — it’s time for a helping of Reader Feedback.

But Great Stuff, you didn’t even ask us for any feedback this week!

No, but “readers gonna read” … and write in.

And I’m grateful for all the feedback and comments you send in.

This week, y’all got personal with the questions. The holidays bring out all kinds of folks. (Especially out on the roads by me … jeez, how many of you really went last-minute with the shopping?)

So, I thought it’d be a wholesome, festive Kodak moment to respond to some of your questions about the great stuff behind Great Stuff.

Brian E. asked:

When and why did you get into trading? I’m trying to convince my son to turn off Counter-Strike and start investing. Any advice?

Well, Brian, at least it’s Counter-Strike and not Fortnite. I don’t have the … umm … poetic license here at Great Stuff to tell you how I truly feel about Fortnite.

As a lifelong video game fan, I initially saw trading as yet another type of “game” to master. It was a challenge. With the right knowledge, I too could win this game played by billionaires.

Yes, I was young and naïve, but I never shrank from that challenge. To this day, I continue to search for that edge — that “cheat code,” if you will — that will help me (and now you) make it big.

Gwenn M. wanted to know:

Your movie references are all over the place (in the best way)! Any one favorite?

As you know, Gwenn, I have an affinity for ’80s movies — everything from Top Gun and E.T. to Indiana Jones and anything made by the great John Hughes. I also have a big weak spot for Monty Python and dry British humor.

But my real favorite, the pièce de résistance, is Star Wars. The Empire Strikes Back was the first movie I ever saw in a theater. It was a masterpiece. So, for better or for worse, Great Stuff readers get more Star Wars memes than any other.

I have spoken.

Short and sweet, Suze said:

Do you have a quote you live by?

Suze, there are, in fact, three quotes that I live by … one for investing in the market and two for life.

For the market, I live by the words of John Maynard Keynes: “Markets can stay irrational longer than you can stay solvent.”

For life, my favorite is by Robin William’s character, John Keating, in Dead Poets Society: “But only in their dreams can men be truly free. ‘Twas always thus, and always thus will be.”

But equally important is one my grandfather told me jokingly decades ago: “Don’t sweat the petty things, and don’t pet the sweaty things.”

I don’t think you can go wrong with any of those quotes.

And on that note, you can look forward to more meme-fueled festivities tomorrow.

Until next time, good trading!

Regards,

Joseph Hargett

Great Stuff Managing Editor, Banyan Hill Publishing

#Timor Invest

[deonheim30]

Pontiac Fiero – the Car Truth Report – Car Comedy / Commentary / News etc.

It’s 33 years old, wears fake designer clothes, has flip up headlights, and is probably worthless than 1000 dollars. Are we talking about your adult live-in son, or the Pontiac Fiero? Find out today on the car truth report. Today on the Car Truth Report, we’re riding the rad riptide of 80’s nostalgia by takinga look back at the Pontiac Fiero!I’m your host and pragmatic four cylinder fanatic, Noor Elahi bringing you the Car Truth,the whole truth and nothing but the truth, unless we get it wrong. Thank your for joining us. The Pontiac Fiero was introduced in 1983 as the mid-engined four cylinder American carthat was too beautiful for this world — sealed beam flip-up headlights and all!Around the time Lee Iacocca coined the word “reliability” — look it up — Pontiacdecided it would be smart to make a coupe with an anemic American engine to competewith similar European offerings like the Porsche 9-whatever. Pontiac used the much loathed Iron Duke engine to power the base Fiero, which was also foundin the 1st and worst 4cyl Camaro. The 2. 5L pushrod carbureted Iron Duke made an embarrassing 92 horsepower. A couple of grand extra could have gotten you a V6, but this wasn’t what the car WANTED. What it WANTED was the aluminum, dual overhead cam Quad 4, which made a much less pathetic150 HP, and was introduced in 1987. Remember, this was back in those dark days when a V8 Corvette made 230hp. As a matter of fact, give a thumbs up if you think the Fiero would have had a fightingchance with the Quad4 motor, or a small block for that matter. So what was GM thinking?How did they plan to sell their tiny little slow-machine?Well, the Fiero actually had a couple of decent selling points. It was born from the 1979 Oil Crisis as a small commuter car, like the frog-faced threeFord Escort EXP. With the 2. 5L Iron Duke chug-chug-chugging away in back, it  managed up to 50 milesper gallon in manual trim. But most of all, it looked hot!Even today, Wikipedia – or as we like to call it, the Car Truth Report Investigative Department- compares it to the Ferrari 308GTB. As time went by, mid-westerners such as myself saw in this little car a thrifty sportingcompetitor to the sleek imports such as Toyota’s contemporary MR2. GM borrowed bits from their existing lineup such as the rear suspension and powertrainfrom the Chevrolet Citation, and the front suspension from the Chevette; a seeminglyregrettable decision today but one that ultimately, kept the production costs low.  It should be noted that the suspension was updated on later modelsIt was this affordability, and it’s engine placement that gave birth to the Fiero’sreal claim to fame as the base for a million kit cars. Late 20th Century car magazines were awash with back page ads for Fiero body kits. For a few thousand dollars and two years of weekends you could build yourself a replicaItalian exotic.  Results may vary.  Even today if you see a Flamborghini or Fauxarri at your local car show, There’sa good chance it’s a Fiero. The Fiero is also a favorite candidate for engine swaps, the most popular being the chevysmall block v8.  Let’s look at one here. Regular Car Reviews once said that Pontiac killed the dream of low-priced, mid-enginedAmerican cars and in many ways they’re right, but I have to fundamentally disagree. I don’t think America ever truly WANTED an affordable car with an engine behind thedriver. We WANTED it to fail. We WANTED Corvettes, Trans-Ams, and Mustangs. We WANTED a car to hold up and say, {Hank Hill voice} “look Europe, we made one andit just isn’t doable!Now get with the dang-ole program and put a motherloving V8 in front like Jesus intended!”And that’s what the Pontiac Fiero is: a thirty-something year old lesson in self-sabotage,just like your son JasonThank you for joining us for this episode of the Car Truth Report. We want to hear from you!Is the Pontiac Fiero a quirky American Classic, or the greatest pretender car of all time? Will the ladies be impressed by my new designer Calvim Klain kicks?Let us know in the comments and don’t forget to like, subscribe, ring-a-ding-ding thatnotify bell and send us money so I can buy my own v8 swapped Fiero. The Car Truth has been brought to you by about five beers, giving me a little more courage,since 1997

//<![CDATA[ featureBoxVar = ""; //]]> source https://cardetailingphoenix.com/index.php/2018/09/22/pontiac-fiero-the-car-truth-report-car-comedy-commentary-news-etc-3/ from Auto Dealing Services http://cardetailingphx.blogspot.com/2018/09/pontiac-fiero-car-truth-report-car_22.html

[howardlyontx]

Pontiac Fiero – the Car Truth Report – Car Comedy / Commentary / News etc.

It’s 33 years old, wears fake designer clothes, has flip up headlights, and is probably worthless than 1000 dollars. Are we talking about your adult live-in son, or the Pontiac Fiero? Find out today on the car truth report. Today on the Car Truth Report, we’re riding the rad riptide of 80’s nostalgia by takinga look back at the Pontiac Fiero!I’m your host and pragmatic four cylinder fanatic, Noor Elahi bringing you the Car Truth,the whole truth and nothing but the truth, unless we get it wrong. Thank your for joining us. The Pontiac Fiero was introduced in 1983 as the mid-engined four cylinder American carthat was too beautiful for this world — sealed beam flip-up headlights and all!Around the time Lee Iacocca coined the word “reliability” — look it up — Pontiacdecided it would be smart to make a coupe with an anemic American engine to competewith similar European offerings like the Porsche 9-whatever. Pontiac used the much loathed Iron Duke engine to power the base Fiero, which was also foundin the 1st and worst 4cyl Camaro. The 2. 5L pushrod carbureted Iron Duke made an embarrassing 92 horsepower. A couple of grand extra could have gotten you a V6, but this wasn’t what the car WANTED. What it WANTED was the aluminum, dual overhead cam Quad 4, which made a much less pathetic150 HP, and was introduced in 1987. Remember, this was back in those dark days when a V8 Corvette made 230hp. As a matter of fact, give a thumbs up if you think the Fiero would have had a fightingchance with the Quad4 motor, or a small block for that matter. So what was GM thinking?How did they plan to sell their tiny little slow-machine?Well, the Fiero actually had a couple of decent selling points. It was born from the 1979 Oil Crisis as a small commuter car, like the frog-faced threeFord Escort EXP. With the 2. 5L Iron Duke chug-chug-chugging away in back, it  managed up to 50 milesper gallon in manual trim. But most of all, it looked hot!Even today, Wikipedia – or as we like to call it, the Car Truth Report Investigative Department- compares it to the Ferrari 308GTB. As time went by, mid-westerners such as myself saw in this little car a thrifty sportingcompetitor to the sleek imports such as Toyota’s contemporary MR2. GM borrowed bits from their existing lineup such as the rear suspension and powertrainfrom the Chevrolet Citation, and the front suspension from the Chevette; a seeminglyregrettable decision today but one that ultimately, kept the production costs low.  It should be noted that the suspension was updated on later modelsIt was this affordability, and it’s engine placement that gave birth to the Fiero’sreal claim to fame as the base for a million kit cars. Late 20th Century car magazines were awash with back page ads for Fiero body kits. For a few thousand dollars and two years of weekends you could build yourself a replicaItalian exotic.  Results may vary.  Even today if you see a Flamborghini or Fauxarri at your local car show, There’sa good chance it’s a Fiero. The Fiero is also a favorite candidate for engine swaps, the most popular being the chevysmall block v8.  Let’s look at one here. Regular Car Reviews once said that Pontiac killed the dream of low-priced, mid-enginedAmerican cars and in many ways they’re right, but I have to fundamentally disagree. I don’t think America ever truly WANTED an affordable car with an engine behind thedriver. We WANTED it to fail. We WANTED Corvettes, Trans-Ams, and Mustangs. We WANTED a car to hold up and say, {Hank Hill voice} “look Europe, we made one andit just isn’t doable!Now get with the dang-ole program and put a motherloving V8 in front like Jesus intended!”And that’s what the Pontiac Fiero is: a thirty-something year old lesson in self-sabotage,just like your son JasonThank you for joining us for this episode of the Car Truth Report. We want to hear from you!Is the Pontiac Fiero a quirky American Classic, or the greatest pretender car of all time? Will the ladies be impressed by my new designer Calvim Klain kicks?Let us know in the comments and don’t forget to like, subscribe, ring-a-ding-ding thatnotify bell and send us money so I can buy my own v8 swapped Fiero. The Car Truth has been brought to you by about five beers, giving me a little more courage,since 1997

featureBoxVar = ""; from Auto Detailing Services [phone] Call or Text Now https://cardetailingphoenix.com/index.php/2018/09/08/pontiac-fiero-the-car-truth-report-car-comedy-commentary-news-etc-2/ from Auto Dealing Services https://cardetailingphx.tumblr.com/post/177889654731

[minnievirizarry]

10 Facebook Live Tips to Follow Before, During & After Your Broadcast

What better way to display your brand’s human side to your customers than to showing the people behind your company? The arrival of Facebook Live changed the playing field for content development in the online world. More people than ever use live streaming, with Facebook video posts growing by around 94% a year in the US alone. If that wasn’t compelling enough, Facebook Live videos experience three times the engagement of typical videos shared on social media, with millions of users tuning in around the world.

If we look at the figures, Facebook Live currently generates more than 3,000 years of watch time every day. The question becomes how do you take advantage of that engagement for your brand?

Click the jump links below to get to each section!

Before You Broadcast

During Your Broadcast

After You Broadcast

Since Facebook Live is free and easy to use, any company can get involved. However, it’s critical to ensure your video strategy is in place before, during and after the broadcast. Here are 10 Facebook Live tips to follow:

1. Promote Before You Broadcast

While most of the content we post is followed up with consistent promotion, it’s important to remember live videos are more like an event than a blog post. In other words, you need to generate interest before the experience if you want to get that all-important viewership. The good news is Facebook lets you target certain events and groups with your promotions. This is perfect for a more focused advertising campaign.

Ultimately, you’ll want to push the upcoming announcement on your Facebook account as often as possible to start. This means sharing daily updates about your broadcast. Don’t just repeatedly tell your audience you’re going to stream. Every time you remind your audience, share something new of value. For instance, highlight a tip you’ll share, or what kind of information you’ll be covering.

Look at NASA Earth’s post for instance:

It’s full of value and even contains an image to spark additional visual interest. Keep in mind your Facebook efforts don’t exist in a silo either. Don’t be afraid to cross-promote across your blog, email campaigns and additional social networks too.

2. Prepare Yourself by Limiting Distractions

Though Facebook Live is a more laid-back and natural experience than a standard television advert or YouTube production, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t plan ahead. Your activities on Live represent your brand, so you can’t afford to give a bad impression. This is particularly true since Live users watch videos three times longer than their counterparts.

Before you broadcast your video, take some time to prepare. Remember you can begin with a private broadcast for testing, and use that strategy to test your lighting, sound and other surrounding elements. Make sure you invest in a tripod to avoid the “shaky cam” experience. Also try to minimize any unwanted background noise and ambiance whether indoors or outside. When it comes to Facebook Live tips for preparation, a strong broadband connection can go a long way too.

In this video by Sephora, you’ll notice that the interview is held in front of a clean, non-distracting background, without any shaky cam in sight. All the while the colors and accessories present highlight the unique personality of the Sephora brand.

3. Make Formatting Decisions

While you’re prepping for your big debut, make sure you take the time to think about how you’ll shoot your video and when you’ll stream it. For instance, when using the Facebook Live app for iOS, you can choose between broadcasting horizontally or vertically–depending on what gives you the best view.

Try a little of both options in a test run to see how you look for your audience. Sometimes vertical shooting can make you seem too close to the camera, which might not be ideal for an interview-based video. On the other hand, if you want to have an intimate behind-the-scenes chat with your audience, that could be exactly the vibe you want. In the video below, Martha Stewart uses a horizontal portrait to show more of her surroundings, which are from her own Martha Stewart Home Depot collection.

4. Time It Just Right

Timing can be everything when it comes to making an impression on your audience. Just as there are tips for when to send out email campaigns for the best responses, there’s also guidelines for times to host your videos. During a live-streaming event, the last thing you want is to schedule your video to appear when everyone in your target audience is at work or asleep.

Make sure you think carefully about your target audience. Luckily, you can use Sprout Social’s Facebook reports to learn more about when your customers interact with you the most. Our Facebook Audience Growth report provides you with the tools you need to measure fan growth and post interactions.

5. Offer Context Constantly

You might naturally assume it’s a good idea to introduce yourself and any other speakers in the beginning of your video broadcast. After all, just like a blog post, your initial aim is to convince people to stick around. However, Facebook Live allows visitors to join the stream at any moment. So as more people come in, reflect on your introduction and let your audience know what’s happening. For instance, you may want to use lines such as:

“Hey, if you’re just joining us, welcome to our broadcast. We’re currently talking about [topic] and we’ve just covered [previous topic].”

One great example of Facebook Live that keeps its viewers on track is the video from the ASPCA. They launched a #31DaysofRescueDogs campaign to encourage adoption for their lovable furry companions. The Facebook Live video that promoted the campaign followed volunteers around New York as they took Pitbull puppies for a walk.

Throughout the entire broadcast, the host of the stream constantly reminded the people watching why the walk was happening and how they could get involved with the campaign. This helped to generate a huge number of donations from the ASPCA audience.

6. Always be Responsive

The live comments and reactions are part of what makes the experience so engaging to customers. It feels more like a two-way conversation when you’re responding directly to their questions in person. That’s why Facebook Live drives comments at 10 times the rate of non-live videos.

One of the most powerful ways to increase engagement online is to address the comments that appear live on air. This invites more people to share their opinions and thoughts as you go along. If you’re concerned that you might have too many comments to respond to in one stream, you can always get some help from someone off-camera to direct the most important comments your way.

Check out the video from Stephen Amell in his “Let’s Talk Arrow” post. He responds perfectly to the comments that come his way while keeping his audience engaged.

Remember, Facebook live is a window into your brand experience in real-time. Your responses to comments keep your audience in the moment. And with Sprout, you can manage Facebook messages all in one single-stream Smart Inbox.

Our tools help brands keep their messages in order across all platforms. However, with Facebook Live comments, it’s easy to track questions or respond to comments you might have missed–all within the same platform.

Try us free for a 30-day trial or request a demo to get started!

7. Make Sure You’re Likable

One of the most important Facebook Live tips to remember is this is your chance to really connect with your audience. In other words, you’re not trying to market yourself obnoxiously or sell a product. You’re trying to build relationships that lead to longer-lasting impressions. When you’re ready to broadcast, make sure you’re relaxed, smiling and feeling confident.

Of course, keep in mind that it can be useful to draw attention to your products or services from time to time, as long as you do it subtly. You can always end your video with a call to action or reference your services throughout the content. For instance, in a Trey Ratcliff video on Facebook Live, he talked his audience through choosing the perfect camera setup.

The idea was to allow Trey to build relationships, trust and thought leadership with his audience, while also pointing out his own incredible photography skills. The marketing was almost done on a subconscious level, which is what made it so effective.

8. Give Your Viewers a Shout Out

Facebook Live videos are instantly archived after they’re finished. This means you can always call attention back to them if you want to share additional value with your audience. To help boost your viewership among people who didn’t join you for the live show, try sharing a quick post thanking people for watching.

You can also ask for new questions and comments to generate additional engagement. The people who view your videos like to feel appreciated, so show them some love wherever you can.

9. Use Other Channels to Promote

Who said your Facebook Live video only had to be promoted on Facebook? You can easily promote across your other social channels to get users to tune into your video on Facebook. You’re not always going to get everyone from Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn to watch, but providing a link to the video will make it easier.

Tonight at 8pm ET: Join us for a Facebook Live where we'll answer your questions about @NASAHubble's Messier Catalog https://t.co/086Sh7QJMV pic.twitter.com/7uLbJRpyFj

— NASA (@NASA) October 19, 2017

Again, NASA does a great job cross promoting content for Facebook Live on Twitter. Feel free to post countdowns to your video or simply share afterward for more awareness.

10.Analyze Your Results

Finally, as with anything in the world of marketing, you should always learn from what you accomplish. Facebook has several metrics that you can measure with your live videos. For instance, you can check out how many people you’ve reached, how many unique viewers you have and so on.

The more you learn about your viewer preferences from your social media analytics, the likelier you are to design and publish stronger videos in the future. You can even go through your results to find out how many people were watching at specific times. This is a great way to figure out which moments had the most impact on your audience.

Once you’ve learned as much as you can, use the data gathered to experiment and optimize your next video. Then A/B test your results just as you would with any other content.

Living It up With Facebook Live

It’s hard to argue with the potential of live streaming in a world where customers constantly crave stronger, more human connections with their favorite brands. Since its launch in 2016, Facebook Live has seen its daily watch time grow by more than 400%.

Facebook Live broadcast makes it inherently compelling to users who check out social media for the latest updates and trends. We’ve even seen other social media platforms begin to adopt the same solution to take advantage of the growing popularity of live streaming.

Fortunately, with the Facebook Live tips above in mind, you should have everything you need to start your broadcast on the right track. Good luck and happy streaming!

This post 10 Facebook Live Tips to Follow Before, During & After Your Broadcast originally appeared on Sprout Social.

from SM Tips By Minnie https://sproutsocial.com/insights/facebook-live-tips/

[makeitwithmike]

1 Million Views and More on GIPHY!

By Crowdfire

The tale of our glorious rise to 1.5m views in GIF-dom

http://bit.ly/2jSSvxZ

All right, let’s face it, GIFs rule the internet! Just our humble opinion, folks. They’re gratifying, amusing, and if done right, probably a lot more engaging than plain text.

If ever you find yourself scrolling through Crowdfire’s Twitter timeline, you’ll find a bunch of these magical moving images on our conversations. As big fans of this popular visual format, we sometimes don’t even feel the need for words (pfft, words).

It’s not that we’re obsessed with GIFs (okay, maybe we are) but some times, they just say what we want to say in a better way.

*Side note: This is important. We pronounce GIF with a “J”. As in JIF.

Since we just hit 1 million views on our GIPHY channel, we wanted to reflect and share our GIF-journey with all of you.

The Crowdfire GIPHY Journey…

Conception

Around six months ago, one of our Community Champs jumped up from his seat and announced, “PEOPLE. We NEED to have our own GIPHY channel!” Caught up in the flurry of enthusiasm, we all got on board and started making lists, plans, and gathering serious research material. We were always digging around for the perfect GIF, so having a set of our own custom-made ones made a whole lot of sense. We’d no longer have to scour the world wide web for our more visual responses!

Wanting to create a handy collection of reactions and expressions, we were excited about getting our faces and/or limbs on camera. We also wanted to explore the GIPHY space and see if we could create something that others could relate to and extend.

Inspiration

Mailchimp undoubtedly has an amazing GIPHY channel — not only did their work make us giggle uncontrollably, they inspired us to take the first step. We also checked out a LOT of other GIPHY channels and individual GIFs for inspiration. We looked at Joey Graceffa a lot and we also looked through the trending GIFs to come up with a list of ideas we wanted to start with.

However fun it sounds, like any other task, there were a set of challenges that we faced. Though we’re still learning, here’s our first set of challenges and our current approach towards them –

Choice

Challenge – To zero down on what each GIF would be all about was a task in itself. We needed the basic idea, references and a workable approach. We also needed an easy way to define which expressions would be a part of our collection, and which ones wouldn’t make the cut.

Our approach – One thing we were sure about was that ALL our GIFs would radiate good vibes only. We have no room for any negative emotions (the world needs more love ❤). We decided to stick with gratitude, positivity, happiness, surprise, excitement and then some. We looked for different ways to say thank you, different ways to show excitement and decided it best to have some variations of these common expressions so that we don’t end up using the same GIFs repeatedly.

Process

Challenge – GIFs aren’t supposed to be perfect — if you look at a classic ol’ GIF, you’ll notice its raw, grainy quality. But who knew the making of imperfection could be challenging, too! Should we use a phone camera to shoot? Or would a DSLR be more professional? Should there be post-production colour corrections? Which software should we use for this? You get the drift…

Our approach – This involved a whole lot of trial and error and, hand to heart, we’re not GIF royalty. We tried recording the videos on our phone cameras as well as on a DSLR. At this point, we prefer videos taken on our phones

When a video is converted to a GIF the quality is affected and hence a lot of post production processes didn’t make sense. Our process is simple. Shoot a video, trim it, change the speed if required, add our watermark and, voila — upload it to GIPHY!

Casting

Challenge – Sometimes we are clear in our heads about the expressions we want, the end result we’re looking for and the message that we want to convey. However, we also need to capture just the right facial expressions and for that, we needed to get the right people to jump in front of the lens. So what if we couldn’t afford Jimmy Fallon’s buffoonery or Beyonce’s rad dance moves?

Our approach – Go for simpler expressions like smiling, being surprised and doing effortless actions like hi-fives and hugs. Our secret weapon? We’ve got some amazingly talented Firestarters at HQ! They’re sporting enough to mosey in front of the camera and deliver when asked, nicely.

Your burning GIF questions, answered…

So, how long does it take to make a GIF?

Though we haven’t gone all out on our GIFs and tend to make a batch of 3–4 once a week, we can safely say that every GIF has its own set of challenges and the production time varies depending on these.

One of our most famous GIFs took 30 minutes from conception to the final product

http://bit.ly/2xY0L65

While we had another one which took over a day to think up, a couple of hours to shoot and a few more of post production ⬇️

http://bit.ly/2jP34SR

How many people do these GIFs reach?

Here are some fancy numbers from the Crowdfire channel –

1.5M — total views

http://bit.ly/2jRl7Yv

372,527 — views on the most popular GIF — this one right here ⤵️

http://bit.ly/2xY0MHb

1,435 — views on the least popular GIF

http://bit.ly/2xY0NuJ

Where do we use all these GIFs?

We use them extensively on our Twitter timeline in response to our community’s messages.

Apart from Twitter we also use these GIFs in our product emails, on our blog posts and even in some of our support emails

What are you up to this #Friday? http://bit.ly/2jRl92z

 — @Crowdfire

All our GIFs are available for you to use, folks Type ‘Crowdfire’ in the GIF search on Twitter and pick your favourite #Tip http://bit.ly/2xY0OyN

 — @Crowdfire

It’s time to #GoBig, folks! Share your Prescriptions for the day and keep growing http://bit.ly/2xY0Pml

 — @Crowdfire

Do your daily Prescriptions and boost your timeline in a minute! Tap. Tap. BOOM http://bit.ly/2xY0RdX

 — @Crowdfire

A BIG thank you to all of you for joining us on #cfchat today! We love you all!❤️ http://bit.ly/2jRl9Q7

 — @Crowdfire

How can you make your own? ✨

If you’re a creator, a YouTuber, a small business or just someone looking to have fun creating your own collection of GIFs for the world to use, here’s how to get started –

1.Define why you want to create your own GIFs. Give it some thought. Do you want to customise your existing content or create something truly original?

2. Make a list of expressions you want to cover or messages you want to send. It’s 128740 times easier when you know what you want to do. Here’s a great reference for expressions — http://gph.is/2xY0Kz3.

3. Creating your account is the most important part. All the GIFs uploaded on GIPHY are private till you share them (unless you’re a GIPHY partner or an Artist, more on this in a bit). Anyone can create an account on GIPHY but if you want your work to be Public so others can use your GIFs you need to go a step further.

If you’re a business, you can partner with GIPHY (just like we did). You can go to this link http://gph.is/2xY0S1v and click on “Become a Partner”. You’ll be asked to fill up a form and they’ll get in touch with you about your application.

If you’re an Artist, you can shoot them an email with a link to your blog/portfolio/website over on [email protected] and they’ll take it ahead from there.

4. Start shooting! Once you have everything in place and you know what to shoot, it’s time to start shooting. Though the quality of GIFs isn’t super important, you should focus a little bit on lighting and colour contrasts to make them stand out.

5. Tools? You can use your phone camera or DSLR to shoot and if you need only basic edits, you can use software like iMovies to trim.

6. Make sure the GIF isn’t longer than 15 seconds and the file size doesn’t exceed 100MB

7. To make your GIFs searchable, add relevant keywords when you upload them. We use the keyword “Crowdfire” in all our GIFs so if you’re looking for any Crowdfire GIF all you need to do is search with this keyword on Twitter, Facebook, Telegram and Slack! The indexing happens only if you’re a GIPHY partner or an Artist though.

8. If you want your GIF game to be strong there are a lot of other options available to deck them up, shoot ’em faster and edit like a boss.

GIPHY Creation tools on web — http://gph.is/2xY5THg

GIPHY Capture the Mac app — http://gph.is/2jQm7vX

GIPHY Cam app for Android and iOS — http://gph.is/2xY6hWt

These tools will help you add that extra sparkle to give your GIFs a distinct personality.

Lastly, don’t forget to share your masterpiece. The more GIFs you make and share, the more views you’ll get!

How does our GIPHY channel help?

It’s not just been about creating GIFs instead of using one of the millions of others that are on the internet. We want our Community to know the faces behind Crowdfire, and showing them our creative side helps us do that. GIFs help us express ourselves the way we are!

Here are some fun behind the scenes GIFs of our GIF-making

I guess that particular jump overwhelmed the camera man

They were only supposed to point once, really

Hard work can cause neck ache

Over to you…

So, how often do you use GIFs? Got any favourites from the Crowdfire GIPHY channel? We’d love to hear from you in the comments ❤️

And hey, if you liked this post, you know what to do with that cursor

Sam hosts #cfchat on Twitter and is Crowdfire’s resident GIF-maker. She truly got the Friday feelin’ tonight.

http://bit.ly/2fdv8dI

1 Million Views and More on GIPHY! was originally published in Going Big — The Official Crowdfire Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

The post 1 Million Views and More on GIPHY! appeared first on Make It With Michael.

from 1 Million Views and More on GIPHY!

#1 Million Views and More on GIPHY!

[meltwonu]

| 🍒 CH-CH-CHERRY BOMB! 🍒 |     [CHAPTER 7]

pairing; dom!seungcheol x camgirl!reader

this chapter’s notes; camshow, fingering, daddy!kink, dirty talk, ‘cuz you can touch touch me~ 😏 ur gonna need to imagine headband/bandana wearing left&right cheol for this cuz that’s the fantasy i was imagining for this chapter the entire time i was writing it hehe 🍒 quick apologies to anyone who thinks this is moving a little slow 😩 I literally don’t know how to shut up and I end up writing too much LMAO and as always, thank you for the continued interest! Have a great weekend bbys! 💕 

chapters; 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - ?

dom.cheol has donated $400

therealchan99: yea this is about right on course

dom.cheol: what, did u miss me? 😏

gentleman_josh95: loosely

chwenon: more like the obscenely large donations were missing lolol

You jokingly roll your eyes, exhaling deeply as you push your toys off to the side of the bed. You’d just finished your Saturday show without a hitch, albeit feeling a little lonely. “Aww, c’mon you guys! Don’t tease~” Glancing around the room, it did feel a little odd to you now that Seungcheol wasn’t there but he had called earlier in the day and told you that it might’ve been better if he stayed back.

In truth, you understood exactly how he felt.

Part of you was ready to throw all caution out of the window when it came to Seungcheol and he felt it too. But at the same time, you knew it wouldn’t be that easy and that there were still things that the two of you needed to discuss before deep diving into intimacy, especially when it came to powerplay.

kitty_junjun: hey dont take this in a weird way but like

kitty_junjun: i feel like i saw u earlier today…

universe_WZ: ooo i never thought abt that before

sleepy_wonu has donated $75

xcaliburDK: have ppl recognized u irl before? :o

dom.cheol: i feel like i might’ve seen u irl before too…

Your cheeks bloom a hot pink; a nervous giggle on your lips. “Oh! I mean, yeah, there’s been a handful of times. I’ll wear wigs out sometimes though. Can’t have people calling me out in a grocery store, y’know?”

kitty_junjun: wait so maybe i did see u? I dont wanna give out locations tho…

“Maybe! I’m still out on my little weekend trip and I was out and about earlier~ if you see me next time, don’t hesitate to say hi! I promise I don’t bite~” You pause, leaning closer into the webcam as you wink.

“Unless you want me to~”

You start running a bath right after you end your show, stretching and turning on some music as you start to unwind. Thankfully you didn’t have a tiring show today, so you decided to take the rest of the night to pamper yourself in preparation for your day with Seungcheol.

Biting your lip, you pick up your phone, already seeing a multitude of messages from Seungcheol on your lockscreen.

cheollie ✨: don’t forget ur glass of water!

cheollie ✨: also don’t forget i’m picking you up at 9:30am

cheollie ✨: hope ur ready to spend all day at the roller rink with me baby

You can’t help but grin, already excited to see how Seungcheol spent his day at work. Typing a response, you quickly hit send before setting your phone down onto the nightstand and making your way to the bathroom.

‘I can’t wait! I’m so excited~ u promised me free skates and free food so don’t forget!!’

It’s exactly 9:29AM when Seungcheol messages you that he’s downstairs.

You check yourself in the mirror one last time, smoothing down your dress and hair and grabbing your bag before you rush down to meet Seungcheol. 

There’s a mild feeling of nervousness that pours over you, but you quickly shake it off once you see his blue headed figure standing outside of the lobby.

“‘Cheollie!”

He turns around to face you just as you stop in your tracks; gasping when you see the cute way he’s styled his hair for today. “Whoa… wow, uh, j-just.. Wow. You look great in bandanas...”

Seungcheol laughs, eyes forming crescents. “I don’t usually work the weekends so I thought I’d spice it up a little. Guess it looks good?” You can only nod shakily, mentally cursing yourself when you feel the arousal already pooling inside your body. He winks at you once, opening the passenger’s side door as you slide into his car.

“Hope you’re ready to have a boring day at the roller rink with me.” He gives you a tight lipped smile, shutting your door before he rounds the car to get in on the driver’s side.

“I’m telling you, it’s not going to be… y’know, anything crazy.”

“Who says it has to be! I’m excited to see where you work and anyway you promised!” You tease, poking him in the arm as he starts the car. “I know, I know… I just---I don’t want you to be disappointed. I bet you thought I was some rich old hotshot before, huh?” Seungcheol shoots you a glance, smiling gently.

“Mmm.. not really.”

“No? You didn’t think I was some lonely CEO with loads of money with a thing for camgirls?”

You laugh at his response, placing your hand over his on the gear shift.

“Nah, if there’s anything I thought about you, it was that you were way too nice to be on some camming website.”

The two of you have idle conversation as Seungcheol takes his time to drive to the roller rink. In all honesty, he was a little nervous himself, although he’d never say it to your face.

“Oh my god, is that it?! It’s so cute!”

He parks close to the entrance, turning the car off as he jogs over to your side to help you out. “‘Cheol, you know you don’t have to be so sweet~” You pout, latching onto his arm as he locks the car.

“Oh but I do. You deserve to be spoiled once in a while!”

A blush coats your cheeks yet again, shy eyes fixated on the floor as he walks you towards the entrance. “Yeah, but all you ever do is spoil me… That sybian was no joke and my god, Seungcheol, the price! I almost had half a mind to return it…” You end in a mumble. Seungcheol laughs, opening the door for you as you unlatch from his arm and step in first.

“You’re worth spoiling. Now stop worrying, okay? I promise I’m not up to anything illegal in order to afford your gifts.” Giggling, you lean up to kiss him on the cheek, nodding firmly.

“Fiiiiine, I trust you, y’know?”

“I know, baby. I trust you too, now let’s go meet my best friend who’s going to play butler for you today.”

He leads you over to the concession stand where an equally tall yet bored male stands. “Hey, Jeongguk!” The said male looks up from his phone, eyebrow quirking when the two of you walk up. “Uh, hey Seungcheol-hyung…” Seungcheol feels a weird tenseness fall over the three of you, clearing his throat to get Jeongguk’s attention when he finds the younger male staring.

“Um, this is my friend. She’s---uh, she’s gonna be hanging out here for the rest of the day. I promised her that you’d give her free food, so uh, just--just let me know how much it is so I can tell Namjoon to take it out of my paycheck.” Jeongguk grins, a sly look in his eyes when he finally meets Seungcheol’s concerned eyes.

“Sure! Can I talk to you over there? It’s about our paychecks actually.” Jeongguk turns to you, leaning over the counter. “Sorry, employee only info, ch--uuuuuh, you know the deal.”

“Yeah, of course!”

Jeongguk points off to the side, gesturing to Seungcheol who follows suit.

The younger male makes sure they’re a safe distance away, watching as you pluck your phone out of your purse before he starts talking in harsh whispers. “What the fuck, dude!? You’re---no, you’re not fucking Cherry. She doesn’t have a boyfriend so what the fuck?”

The blood drains from Seungcheol’s face; the feeling in his fingers going numb as his throat goes dry. “Wuh--what? What are you---what are you talking about?” Jeongguk scoffs, eyes rolling jokingly.

“So, hyung, how do you know her?”

“You’re asking me?! How do you know her!?” Seungcheol’s eye twitches just as Jeongguk shoots him an incredulous look, arms crossed in mock annoyance. “I’m a horny boy, what can I say.”

“Please do not ever use those words to describe yourself again.”

The younger male stands in silence, nodding in thought.  

“Fuck, wow, I should’ve noticed. All those extra shifts you were taking, the reason why you could never come hang… You don’t like working here as much as Yoongi-hyung but you--holy---holy shit, wait--you… you can’t be…”

Fuck, here it comes.

“You’re fucking ‘dom.cheol’ aren’t you? You’re the one always leaving her insane fuckin’ donations all the time… and the gifts.. Oh my god. The ‘cheol’ was from Seungcheol, I should’ve known...”

Seungcheol dies a million deaths inside his head; the ringing in his ears becoming unbearable while Jeongguk stares at him in mild disbelief. “It all clocks out, holy fuck. No wonder you were so fucking eager to pick up so many extra shifts…” Seungcheol’s mouth opens and closes a few times, unsure what to say.

“I mean, fuck hyung, I--I’m kind of impressed but wow. You think you know a guy, huh?” Jeongguk laughs, patting the older male on the shoulder. “She’s only one of the hottest camgirls out there right now. You’re a lucky man, hyung.”

A weird possessiveness washes over Seungcheol, hands gently balling up into fists at his side. “Okay, well, she… she’s just here to chill, alright? Don’t do anything weird. And most of all, don’t say anything weird either.” The younger male nods, already walking back to where you were standing.

“Hey, sorry, hyung’s paycheck is gonna be pretty sad next week and I had to let him down gently. Anyway, I’m Jeongguk. You are?”

You give him a fake name; shaking his hand over the counter as he grins at you.

“It’s my pleasure.”

You spend the first two hours on the floor skating; catching Seungcheol’s eyes on you from time to time as he sits nearby cleaning skates. The place seemed pretty empty, which was something that Seungcheol was immensely glad for.

Eventually you skate off out of the rink, making your way to Seungcheol who smiles at you when you come sit next to him. “Told you. Bored already, huh?” The two of you share a laugh, watching as the few other people continue to skate around the rink.

“I mean… it’s different! Right about now I’d usually be six episodes into a new series or something… It’s nice to be somewhere else and doing something different.”

He nods in return, slightly pouting when he turns to face you. “I hate that you have to go home tonight.” You mirror his sentiments, lips quirking into a sad smile.

“I know… I don’t wanna go home…”

Seungcheol bites the inside of his cheek, eyes flitting over to Jeongguk. “Hey, maybe we can bail a little early. This place is pretty dead anyway, and I--I can have Jeongguk clock me out when he leaves. My shift is supposed to end at 3PM and it’s noon now so… We can leave in a hour? Maybe get a late lunch?”

“Seungcheol… I don’t want you to get in trouble…” You mumble, brows furrowing in concern. “Really, it’s okay! We can just hang here ‘til then and still have time to get dinner!” He sighs, knowing you were right. Now was not the right time to be testing the waters with Jeongguk and Namjoon.

“Okay, okay, you win, baby.”

It takes 45 minutes.

45 minutes and a free drink from the concession stand before your mind starts wandering.

You watch Seungcheol converse with Jeongguk behind the concession stand; his cute laugh sending you into orbit when your eyes meet and you can’t stop the thrums of lust pouring over your body when a certain idea pops into your head.

Seungcheol turns his attention back to the younger male and you quickly start to unlace your skates and put your normal shoes back on before Seungcheol’s entire break gets taken up. 

You walk up to the two; Seungcheol cleaning off his hands before he exits from behind the counter.

“Seungcheol…” You softly call out; a look of concern crossing his features when he stops in front of you. “Hey, is everything okay?”

“Yeah, mmhmm! I just--I need to talk to you, if that’s okay?” Jeongguk already turns to leave, wiggling his eyebrows at you.

You drag Seungcheol away, tugging him towards an even emptier part of the roller rink as the concern builds up inside of him. “I have an idea.” He feels himself gulp, already anticipating what you have to say.

“And…?”

“Well… It’s… It won’t t-take long I don’t think, just… hear me out?” You question gently, head tilting cutely up at Seungcheol who already knows he can’t say no to you. “Okay, shoot.”

“Wh--what if we… film a small POV v-video… like, not a live one! Just a small upload on my channel to test the waters maybe? I just---you don’t have to say anything and--and it’ll be quick, and--and like, nothing major just a little, um, f-fingering and--oh my god, sorry, I shouldn’t have a-asked, that’s just---I’m s-sorry I was thinking about it and it kinda got to me and I’m---I’m kinda already wet just thinking about it and--”

“No, let’s… let’s do it. To be fair, people seem to like risqué public things like that right?” A crimson blush falls on Seungcheol’s cheeks as he turns the tables, wrapping a hand around your wrist as he walks you to the employee restroom. “It’s… there shouldn’t be anyone in here so we should be safe.” He mutters, checking to make sure before he ushers you inside and locks the door behind him.

“I don’t know what to do so you’ll have to guide me a little here, baby.”

You nod, pulling your phone out and opening the camera app. Scrolling, you put it in video mode, clicking the red button before passing it to Seungcheol. “I’ve never done it either but I’m sure I can just… crop it and I m-mean it’s meant to be a little shoddy, right?” You giggle nervously, body already on fire when Seungcheol makes the camera face you. “You don’t have to say anything if you’re not comfortable with your voice being in the video, I just need… this.”

You reach for his free hand, playing with it as you run your fingertips across the veins. “I’m sorry, daddy… I just… I couldn’t help but think about your fingers inside my tight pussy...” Seungcheol almost loses his grip on your phone; palm clammy when he watches as you bring his hand underneath your short dress.

“Please… please, won’t daddy fuck me with his fingers? I promise I’ll be good for the rest of the day if he lets me cum on his fingers…” You whine.

Seungcheol isn’t ready to have his voice heard yet, so he nods, fingers twitching in your hold.

You take this as an okay to continue, dragging his hand up until his knuckles graze your panties. “O-oh, fuck…”

This time Seungcheol takes the lead; his own body ablaze when he can already feel your wetness soaking through your panties. He presses into it, digging his fingers into the wet material until it sticks to you like a second skin. “D-daddy, please, please, put them inside, I need it!!” You mewl, trying to keep your voice down as much as possible while still being audible enough on camera.

He shoots you a look; one that tells you to hike your dress up until your soaking panties are seen through the camera lens. And you easily follow, holding your dress up as Seungcheol drops to his knees, angling the camera upwards until only his fingers and your clothed pussy are in view. You spread your legs a little more, back resting on the wall behind you.

“Please, I can’t wait any longer…”

He gulps once, saying a prayer before he slowly pushes your panties to the side. And you all but lose any semblance of sanity the second he runs his fingertips through your wetness, pussy clenching around emptiness. “Fuck--fuck me, please!”

Once Seungcheol deems his fingers wet enough, his eyes meet yours, asking for silent consent before he makes any further moves. You nod frantically, fingers gripping the material of your dress tightly.

Seungcheol bites his lip the second he starts sinking his first finger into your tight warmth; already feeling the drool pooling in his mouth when you moan loudly. He starts a slow pace, mentally noting just how obscenely wet you are when he drags his finger out slowly. “Ngh, daddy m-more, please, I can take it, I wanna be f-full~” He gives it a few more thrusts of his index finger before he adds his middle finger; this time slowly sinking both digits into your pussy as you whimper above him.

His eyes flit up, mesmerized when he sees your face contort in bliss. “O-oh my god, I’m--I’m already so close… Daddy’s fingers are so much bigger and thicker than mine, it fuh--feels so good…” You mutter; squirming when Seungcheol doesn’t move.

And it takes him a second; too fixated on the way your tight walls only seem to suck his fingers in deeper.

But he starts a moderate pace, scissoring and curling his fingers inside of you until you’re reduced to whines and soft breathy moans.

He can already feel you getting tighter around his fingers after a few more minutes; doubling his pace when you start to beg.

“Oh my god, oh my god, ‘m so close, fuck! P-please touch my clit, daddy, please make m-me c--cum!”

Seungcheol feels his cock throbbing in his pants but he focuses on you, thumb immediately on your clit as he rubs harsh and quick circles on the swollen nub. He doesn’t know how much time has passed or if his break is over, but the look of absolute pleasure on your face is enough to make him not care.

He curls his fingers into your g-spot, holding them still as he continuously rubs your clit until you’re cumming; thighs shaking as you let out shaky breaths above him.

“Oh m-my god, daddy!” You mumble in a hurried frenzy, thighs clamping around his hand between your legs as the pleasure washes over you.

Seungcheol lets you ride out your high, gently wiggling his fingers inside of you as he starts to slow down.

“Mmh… Seungcheol…”

Oh fuck.

He definitely liked it when you moaned his name. 

“Y-yes…?” It’s his cue to turn off the camera, shaky finger pressing the ‘stop’ button. He gently slides his fingers out of you, muttering an apology when you wince.

“You don’t have to say sorry! It’s just… ‘m sensitive…” You mewl, already missing the feeling of his fingers inside of you. “Y-yeah, of course! I, um, I hope that was okay? I’ll give you a second to get cleaned up, I’ll uh, run and get you some water.”

You nod in response, thanking him before he quickly washes off his hands and bolts out of the restroom; ears and cheeks redder than a tomato.

Once you’re alone, you quickly open your camera roll, clicking on the video as you hurriedly crop out the beginning and end, making sure that the short video didn’t have any incriminating details before you open up your camming homepage.

There’s a moment of unsureness that makes you pause. You bite the inside of your cheek, weighing the potential outcomes of posting this to your page. 

But before you can change your mind, you quickly start the upload; adding a title and a short description before you lock your phone to let it process.

In the meantime, you get cleaned up, checking your appearance in the mirror once before picking up your phone again. Unlocking it, you find the upload has finished and you exhale sharply, publishing the video before locking the device again.

You move to exit the restroom, already finding Seungcheol holding a bottle of water on the other side.

“Oh, there you are! Everything okay?”

“Mmhmm! I uploaded the video before I could change my mind so I’m a little nervous…” You trail off, accepting the bottle that Seungcheol passes you.

“Well, the good news is, we’re bailing, now. I told ‘Guk to clock me out so we should get out of here so I can get your mind off of that.”

He shoots you a genuine smile, offering his hand which you take.

“Let’s fuckin’ get some ice cream, I think we deserve it.”

Seungcheol takes you on a scenic drive, taking you to an ice cream shop further away from town.

The two of you sit down in a booth towards the back of the shop and he helps clear your head, talking about various topics to keep your mind off of the huge risk you’d just taken.

“Anyway, that’s one of the reasons why I’m never bar-hopping with ‘Guk again. He’s got no limit, nobody can keep up and nobody wants to keep paying the uber fees.” You laugh as Seungcheol finishes his story, taking a sip of your milkshake.

You can’t help but sigh after a few seconds, pouting at Seungcheol who blinks questioningly at you. “‘Cheollie, I don’t wanna go home…” He stares back, unsure of what to say. A million different thoughts run through his mind in the split second before he opens his mouth.

“Why don’t you stay with me for a couple more days?”

Seungcheol doesn’t understand the gravity of his words until they spill out of his mouth; a panicked look on his face when you go completely silent in the seat across from him. “I m-mean, uh, I mean, like, fuck. I’m sorry, that must’ve been way too out of bounds. I just---it’s just, you don’t want to go home and---and I can take care of you while you’re here! Even if it’s just a couple days. I can help you film too!” He curses himself for rambling; immediately shutting himself up.

“I--I don’t want to bother you, ‘Cheol… That’s really too kind of you…” A shy blush coats your skin; chewing on your bottom lip when you shyly avoid his gaze. “A-and my filming stuff is back home too… I brought a few toys with me so I could film my weekend shows but--but my camera…”

“I can ask Jeongguk!”

You shoot him a bewildered look, brow quirking. “He--he streams sometimes too, like, video games ‘n shit. He actually offered me his extra equipment a while back, if I ever wanted to get into it myself. I can ask to borrow it, if you want?”

You drink in his words, unsure. The thought of staying with Cheol might’ve danced across your mind a handful of times, but now that the offer was on the table, you weren’t sure how to respond.

You trusted Seungcheol, and you knew by now that he would never do anything to hurt or betray you. But this was a far leap from how things were the last time you’d seen him.

“Listen, I can see the cogs in your head turning, baby. You don’t have to if you don’t want to, I’m not forcing your hand into anything you don’t want. But I know you’ve been wanting to get out a ‘lil more and… well, in truth, I think it’d be nice for both of us? I can take care of you while you’re here with me and we can keep each other company.” He pauses, smiling at you from across the booth. “But I can also take you back to your hotel room and let you pack so you don’t get home too late.”

“‘Cheol I trust you.. It’s just that… I’m s-scared…”

“Scared? Of what, baby?”

The warmth blooms inside of you; shy eyes meeting his.

“Scared that I’m not gonna wanna go home…”

Seungcheol takes it easy for the rest of the day and doesn’t make an effort to get an answer out of you. He takes you around the city, tugging you into shops he thinks you’d like and walking around with you aimlessly until the sun goes down.

But time seems to go even faster once he takes you to dinner; a sigh on his lips when he knows he has to bring the topic back up.

“I hate to ask but… I have to take you back to your hotel after this so…” Seungcheol trails off, leaving it open-ended for you.

“I know… I just want to know… Why do you like me so much?”

The question takes Seungcheol by surprise; eyes wide as saucers. “I--I’m sorry I don’t follow?” You chuckle under your breath, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear.

“It’s just… we were strangers, kind of, before Friday, you know what I mean? And now you’re offering your place to me to just… crash at for a few days? What if I rob you blind? Or what--what if you try something with me that I don’t like?” You suddenly start catastrophizing; mind going a mile a minute with potential outcomes.

“Hey, whoa, whoa, wait. Calm down, sweetheart. It’s okay! Breathe!” You let out a shaky exhale, groaning as you hide your face in your palms. “God, ‘Cheol, ‘m sorry, I--I really want to stay with you for a few days. It’s just that my brain is going light speed and I can’t keep up. I really like you too, you’ve been nothing but kind and sweet and you’re so handsome, it’s just so crazy to me...” Your words are slightly muffled but Seungcheol catches it, a soft chuckle on his lips when he leans his head on his palm.

“I’ll sleep on the sofa and leave you alone. You can take the bed. Hell, you can even rob me blind and I’d say thank you.”

He reaches his free hand over, fingers circling your wrist as he pulls your hand down. “And I’m offering you my place because I like you as you. You’re cute and funny, and so fuckin’ humble. And I want to get to know you better. In person, y’know?”

“Y-yeah… I wanna get to know you better too. And it’s only a couple days right?”

“Right.”

Seungcheol drives you back to your hotel, a smile on his face when he sees you in better spirits.

He parks his car in front, turning to face you. “So I’ll just wait here while you grab your things and check out, okay? I’ll contact ‘Guk to see if I can swing by and take that extra equipment he offered.”

This time you nod cheerily, body buzzing with excitement as you hurriedly step out of his car. “I’ll be quick!”

He gives it a moment before he picks his phone up, taking a deep breath before typing out a message to the younger male.

‘Hey, ‘Guk I have a favour. Get back to me asap if u can.’

Jeon 🥴 : bold of u to msg me…

Confusion crosses Seungcheol’s features; fingers hovering over the keyboard. ‘What are you talking about?’

Jeongguk takes a second to send a screenshot, Seungcheol’s cheeks burning a crimson colour when he sees the content.

Jeon 🥴: it’s the employee restroom for me.

Jeon 🥴: bruh it’s also the fuckin way i knew it was u before i even played the video… fuck man is that why u too so long on ur break? u do kno u went over right, I clocked it cuz i was expecting u to come back sooner

Jeon 🥴: for the rec im not mad, actually im impressed just cant believe this is u

Seungcheol ignores Jeongguk’s messages, instead opening the screenshot again and re-reading the video title.

‘I was so needy… 🥺 so I asked daddy to finger me in public…’

Jeon 🥴: bitch i kno ur reading this im dropping the hyung bc u kept this from me!!

Jeon 🥴: after i even offered u my extra camming stuff u were already doing it behind my back…

Seungcheol rolls his eyes at the younger male’s dramatic nature, fingers quickly swiping across the keyboard.

‘Alright, I’m sorry okay? I just didn’t think my online habits needed to be public knowledge and for the record, that was the first time I’ve ever done anything like that. I promise no more secrets, unless absolutely necessary. And also speaking of that extra equipment, can I swing by and grab it from your place?’

Jeon 🥴: r u gonna cam now? u got one sip of the devils juice and now ur all in?

‘Would u stop being dramatic oh my god. It’s not for me, it’s for ‘cherry’. She’s going to be staying with me for a few days and I fully expect you to keep your mouth shut on this.’

Seungcheol grimaces when he calls you by your online handle; already feeling unfamiliar with it.

Jeon 🥴: o i c. sure, u can come pick it up, simp. I’ll make sure she’s got all the necessary things before u get here and u owe me one!! i fully expect u to come stream with me at least once for keeping ur secrets 

‘It’s a deal. I’ll be there in an hour and a half.’

A sigh escapes Seungcheol’s lips, his eyes dancing over to your figure that skips towards the car. He locks his phone just as you tap on the glass, popping the trunk before he steps out.

“How’d it go? All checked out?”

“Mmhmm! Did you get in contact with Jeongguk? What’d he say?”

A nervous laugh spills from his lips as he puts your small luggage in the trunk, slamming it shut before rounding the car to open your door. “I’ll help you get settled in at my place and then I’ll drive over really quick and grab the stuff from his place.”

You hop in his car, fiddling with the seatbelt until Seungcheol slides into the driver’s seat.

“He didn’t ask what you needed it for?” Gulp. Shit.

“I just told him that I was thinking about streaming, for--for gaming stuff. He was okay with it.”

He’d tell you the truth. Soon, he promises.

No. Now.

Seungcheol sighs, hands on the wheel as he stares straight ahead. “No, no, I--I can’t sit here and lie to you. Jeongguk knows you. I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you earlier, I told him to keep his mouth shut because I didn’t want him to bother you while we were at the roller rink.”

“I--oh…”

He can only nod; eyes dancing over to you as you play with the hem of your dress. “Yeah, I--I’m really sorry. He--He also found out I was ‘dom.cheol’ too and, fuck, I--I don’t know, I kind of panicked too. I hid that part of me from everyone I know so it was just… it was a lot.”

You meet his sad eyes, shooting him a small smile of your own. “It’s okay! It’s a little funny that happens right after that ‘kitty_junjun’ says he saw me in person too, huh? I mean, thanks for trying to protect me at least. It must’ve been weird for you too.”

“Yeah… If you’re not comfortable anymore, I… I’d understand too.” Seungcheol prepares himself for the worst, knowing that there was a chance that this was goodbye.

“Are you kidding! What’s one person gonna do? And you said he’s your best friend and you trust him… I’ll have to take a leap of faith on that one but… I trust you.”

You lean over the center console, kissing him on the cheek. “And anyway, as long as he’s not one of those weirdos asking for ‘favours’, I think we’re in the clear, right?”

Seungcheol grimaces; as long as it’s from me and not you, he thinks.

#cherrybomb!cheol #seungcheol smut #scoups smut #seventeen smut #svt smut #scoups scenarios #scoups imagines #seungcheol imagines #seungcheol scenarios #seventeen scenarios #seventeen imagines #svt imagines #svt scenarios #scoups #seungcheol

[deonheim30]

Pontiac Fiero – the Car Truth Report – Car Comedy / Commentary / News etc.

It’s 33 years old, wears fake designer clothes, has flip up headlights, and is probably worthless than 1000 dollars. Are we talking about your adult live-in son, or the Pontiac Fiero? Find out today on the car truth report. Today on the Car Truth Report, we’re riding the rad riptide of 80’s nostalgia by takinga look back at the Pontiac Fiero!I’m your host and pragmatic four cylinder fanatic, Noor Elahi bringing you the Car Truth,the whole truth and nothing but the truth, unless we get it wrong. Thank your for joining us. The Pontiac Fiero was introduced in 1983 as the mid-engined four cylinder American carthat was too beautiful for this world — sealed beam flip-up headlights and all!Around the time Lee Iacocca coined the word “reliability” — look it up — Pontiacdecided it would be smart to make a coupe with an anemic American engine to competewith similar European offerings like the Porsche 9-whatever. Pontiac used the much loathed Iron Duke engine to power the base Fiero, which was also foundin the 1st and worst 4cyl Camaro. The 2. 5L pushrod carbureted Iron Duke made an embarrassing 92 horsepower. A couple of grand extra could have gotten you a V6, but this wasn’t what the car WANTED. What it WANTED was the aluminum, dual overhead cam Quad 4, which made a much less pathetic150 HP, and was introduced in 1987. Remember, this was back in those dark days when a V8 Corvette made 230hp. As a matter of fact, give a thumbs up if you think the Fiero would have had a fightingchance with the Quad4 motor, or a small block for that matter. So what was GM thinking?How did they plan to sell their tiny little slow-machine?Well, the Fiero actually had a couple of decent selling points. It was born from the 1979 Oil Crisis as a small commuter car, like the frog-faced threeFord Escort EXP. With the 2. 5L Iron Duke chug-chug-chugging away in back, it  managed up to 50 milesper gallon in manual trim. But most of all, it looked hot!Even today, Wikipedia – or as we like to call it, the Car Truth Report Investigative Department- compares it to the Ferrari 308GTB. As time went by, mid-westerners such as myself saw in this little car a thrifty sportingcompetitor to the sleek imports such as Toyota’s contemporary MR2. GM borrowed bits from their existing lineup such as the rear suspension and powertrainfrom the Chevrolet Citation, and the front suspension from the Chevette; a seeminglyregrettable decision today but one that ultimately, kept the production costs low.  It should be noted that the suspension was updated on later modelsIt was this affordability, and it’s engine placement that gave birth to the Fiero’sreal claim to fame as the base for a million kit cars. Late 20th Century car magazines were awash with back page ads for Fiero body kits. For a few thousand dollars and two years of weekends you could build yourself a replicaItalian exotic.  Results may vary.  Even today if you see a Flamborghini or Fauxarri at your local car show, There’sa good chance it’s a Fiero. The Fiero is also a favorite candidate for engine swaps, the most popular being the chevysmall block v8.  Let’s look at one here. Regular Car Reviews once said that Pontiac killed the dream of low-priced, mid-enginedAmerican cars and in many ways they’re right, but I have to fundamentally disagree. I don’t think America ever truly WANTED an affordable car with an engine behind thedriver. We WANTED it to fail. We WANTED Corvettes, Trans-Ams, and Mustangs. We WANTED a car to hold up and say, {Hank Hill voice} “look Europe, we made one andit just isn’t doable!Now get with the dang-ole program and put a motherloving V8 in front like Jesus intended!”And that’s what the Pontiac Fiero is: a thirty-something year old lesson in self-sabotage,just like your son JasonThank you for joining us for this episode of the Car Truth Report. We want to hear from you!Is the Pontiac Fiero a quirky American Classic, or the greatest pretender car of all time? Will the ladies be impressed by my new designer Calvim Klain kicks?Let us know in the comments and don’t forget to like, subscribe, ring-a-ding-ding thatnotify bell and send us money so I can buy my own v8 swapped Fiero. The Car Truth has been brought to you by about five beers, giving me a little more courage,since 1997

//<![CDATA[ featureBoxVar = ""; //]]> source https://cardetailingphoenix.com/index.php/2018/09/08/pontiac-fiero-the-car-truth-report-car-comedy-commentary-news-etc-2/ from Auto Dealing Services http://cardetailingphx.blogspot.com/2018/09/pontiac-fiero-car-truth-report-car.html

[deonheim30]

Pontiac Fiero – the Car Truth Report – Car Comedy / Commentary / News etc.

It’s 33 years old, wears fake designer clothes, has flip up headlights, and is probably worthless than 1000 dollars. Are we talking about your adult live-in son, or the Pontiac Fiero? Find out today on the car truth report. Today on the Car Truth Report, we’re riding the rad riptide of 80’s nostalgia by takinga look back at the Pontiac Fiero!I’m your host and pragmatic four cylinder fanatic, Noor Elahi bringing you the Car Truth,the whole truth and nothing but the truth, unless we get it wrong. Thank your for joining us. The Pontiac Fiero was introduced in 1983 as the mid-engined four cylinder American carthat was too beautiful for this world — sealed beam flip-up headlights and all!Around the time Lee Iacocca coined the word “reliability” — look it up — Pontiacdecided it would be smart to make a coupe with an anemic American engine to competewith similar European offerings like the Porsche 9-whatever. Pontiac used the much loathed Iron Duke engine to power the base Fiero, which was also foundin the 1st and worst 4cyl Camaro. The 2. 5L pushrod carbureted Iron Duke made an embarrassing 92 horsepower. A couple of grand extra could have gotten you a V6, but this wasn’t what the car WANTED. What it WANTED was the aluminum, dual overhead cam Quad 4, which made a much less pathetic150 HP, and was introduced in 1987. Remember, this was back in those dark days when a V8 Corvette made 230hp. As a matter of fact, give a thumbs up if you think the Fiero would have had a fightingchance with the Quad4 motor, or a small block for that matter. So what was GM thinking?How did they plan to sell their tiny little slow-machine?Well, the Fiero actually had a couple of decent selling points. It was born from the 1979 Oil Crisis as a small commuter car, like the frog-faced threeFord Escort EXP. With the 2. 5L Iron Duke chug-chug-chugging away in back, it  managed up to 50 milesper gallon in manual trim. But most of all, it looked hot!Even today, Wikipedia – or as we like to call it, the Car Truth Report Investigative Department- compares it to the Ferrari 308GTB. As time went by, mid-westerners such as myself saw in this little car a thrifty sportingcompetitor to the sleek imports such as Toyota’s contemporary MR2. GM borrowed bits from their existing lineup such as the rear suspension and powertrainfrom the Chevrolet Citation, and the front suspension from the Chevette; a seeminglyregrettable decision today but one that ultimately, kept the production costs low.  It should be noted that the suspension was updated on later modelsIt was this affordability, and it’s engine placement that gave birth to the Fiero’sreal claim to fame as the base for a million kit cars. Late 20th Century car magazines were awash with back page ads for Fiero body kits. For a few thousand dollars and two years of weekends you could build yourself a replicaItalian exotic.  Results may vary.  Even today if you see a Flamborghini or Fauxarri at your local car show, There’sa good chance it’s a Fiero. The Fiero is also a favorite candidate for engine swaps, the most popular being the chevysmall block v8.  Let’s look at one here. Regular Car Reviews once said that Pontiac killed the dream of low-priced, mid-enginedAmerican cars and in many ways they’re right, but I have to fundamentally disagree. I don’t think America ever truly WANTED an affordable car with an engine behind thedriver. We WANTED it to fail. We WANTED Corvettes, Trans-Ams, and Mustangs. We WANTED a car to hold up and say, {Hank Hill voice} “look Europe, we made one andit just isn’t doable!Now get with the dang-ole program and put a motherloving V8 in front like Jesus intended!”And that’s what the Pontiac Fiero is: a thirty-something year old lesson in self-sabotage,just like your son JasonThank you for joining us for this episode of the Car Truth Report. We want to hear from you!Is the Pontiac Fiero a quirky American Classic, or the greatest pretender car of all time? Will the ladies be impressed by my new designer Calvim Klain kicks?Let us know in the comments and don’t forget to like, subscribe, ring-a-ding-ding thatnotify bell and send us money so I can buy my own v8 swapped Fiero. The Car Truth has been brought to you by about five beers, giving me a little more courage,since 1997

//<![CDATA[ featureBoxVar = ""; //]]> source https://cardetailingphoenix.com/index.php/2018/08/08/pontiac-fiero-the-car-truth-report-car-comedy-commentary-news-etc/ from Auto Dealing Services http://cardetailingphx.blogspot.com/2018/08/pontiac-fiero-car-truth-report-car.html