#I need luck with the questions since I went for selective learning due to the time pressure

[geology-nerd]

I got up extra early today to prepare for my chem test that starts at 3pm. Why am I on tumblr

#I'm just procrastinating #I have a medium good feeling about this test but ughhghgg #I need luck with the questions since I went for selective learning due to the time pressure #chemistry test #geology student #geology

[miraculous-trinity-leo]

Whacky Gotham, Goofy New York, and Chaotic Paris.

(part 1) (part 2) (Part 3) (Part 4) (Part 5) (Part 6) (Part 7)

Chapter 1: Genius Little Ladybug

★—–—–†–—–—★

It all started when Sabine Cheng and her parents moved from China to America, where she met a rich boy named Tony, they weren't the best of friends at first, but they would always get into crazy shenanigans because of Tony. Sabine always finding a way to get them out of it. After a while they were practically inseparable, they had each others backs, both in the good times, and the bad.

So when Tony lost both his mother and father in a tragic car accident, and had to take over his parents company, she was there to try and ease the pain. It helped a little, but the boy changed and blocked out many people, only keeping a select few close to him. His personality changed, and he started to act differently, it saddened Sabine, but she knew it was his way of coping with his lose.

She would oftentimes find him crying silently in his office. When Tony opened a branch in Paris France, he was paranoid something would go wrong when he wasn't there, so he had Sabine become a sort of co-CEO for the Paris branch. Over the many years of her being a sibling-in-everything-but-blood to Tony, her intelligence was much higher than everyone in the company, other than said boy.

She moved to Paris not long after, always keeping an eye on both the Paris branch and Tony ( because god knows what would happen if she didn't do so). She even met a baker named Tom Dupain. Eventually dating, and marrying him. Tony wasn't the most eager when he heard of Tom, but he accepted him as family (not because if he didn't Sabine would knock some sense into him). He practically exploded with excitement when he heard we would be an uncle a few years after Sabine's wedding.

Tony was there in the waiting room with Tom, when Sabine was having the child ( Tony denies not having a mini heart attack when the nurse came in). Both men looked at the beautiful child through the glass. Tony was put to tears when he read her name "Maria Dupain-Cheng" and was comforted by a teary Tom.

When Maria was 9 months old, her Uncle Tony came to spend time with her, and talk business with Sabine. None of them expected Maria to crawl her way into their conversation and say "Uncle Tony" in the sweetest most adorable laugh both adults had ever heard. Tony had a massive grin on his face, and gave Maria a big hug and lots of kisses saying " I knew i was your favorite hahaha, and you're only 9 months old. Sabine I think we got a little genius on our hands." Sabine was just as happy and told Tom to hurry and grab the camera.

"Come on say it one more time my dear Maria, show your papa who your favorite adult is" Tony said with a very wide grin.

Maria giggled at her uncle's happiness, clapping her hands. "Uncle Tony, Uncle Tony" Tom just smiled giving his baby girl a kiss and handing Tony 10 Euros.

Tony continued to visit his little genius niece over the years. Maria ended up getting the best education a kid could get, becuase his logic was " If she is a genius (which she is) then she is going to have the best education money can buy, for nothing is to much for my Little Genius Maria!" and with that she could officially be called the smartest kid in all of Paris... heck probably in all of Europe even! So when she gained a passion for fashion at 4, Tony didn't hesitate to get her, her very first (kid friendly) sewing set. By the time Maria was 5 she already knew how to speak and write in French, English, Spanish, Russian, and is learning Mandarin.

Maria had met Chloé when they were both 6, although they weren't really friends, they were polite to each other, which surprised a lot of the other kids their age. She had met Alix a few months later. She spent a lot of the time she wasn't studying with her friends, Alix would get in trouble with another kid on the playground, Chloé would criticise the other kid, and Maria would talk to Alix and then apologize to the other kid. Overall, they had a good dynamic going on, and they (as 7 year olds) promised to always have each others backs to the very end.

When Maria was 3½ months away from her 9th birthday, Tony was kidnapped. Maria just broke down, she wanted to help her Uncle, but she didn't know where he was or how she could help if she did. For three months Maria would only speak to Chloé and Alix (they were kinda shocked to find out she was related to THE Tony Stark). A few days before her birthday, Tony came to their home, with rolls of fabric, flowers, and 'I'm sorry cards'. Maria jumped into his arms crying asking what happened, and "If you're the smartest man on the Earth, why the Heck did it take you so long? How did you get out? Are any of your vital organs hurts? Do you need to go to the Hospital? An-"

"Hey slow down My Little Genius Maria, I'm ok. 1, They didn't really give me much to work with at first, and there is only so much a genius like myself can do with so little resources, and time before your Birthday. 2, I made an anime mecha suit and flew out guns a blazing. 3, Nothing I can't live without. and 4, No because I'm spending the week with you lot before a conference I have in about 10 days." He said while holding his small little genius  in his arms.

Wiping away the tears she looked her Uncle in the eyes "Wait, you 'made an anime mecha suit and flew out guns a blazing?' How does it work? what's its power source? And why do you have a weird glowing device in your chest?!" He had a lot of explaining to do.

That week, in her words was 'The best week of her life.' She was really happy for the first time since the Tony-napping happened, although she was sad he had to go, she knew  he was safe, and that she didn't have to worry (as much) now.

When Maria was 13, both Tony and Sabine decided to have her go to public school with her friends. After hearing this Maria called for a meeting, her two commanders (Alix and Chloé) came for the meeting, and had a talk on how she should go about her first day of public school, asking questions like 'How do non-homeschooled kids act? What are their personalities like? What interests do they have? Are some barbaric like Alix is sometimes? Will they like me? Am I allowed to talk to Chloé in or only out of class? What are the seating arrangements? Who do I sit next to?' the list goes on. They were all excited to finally all be in the same study environment, now all they had to do was wait for their first day.

•~—~—~—~—~—~—~•

The night before her first day Maria may or may not have slept well due to her excitement, she woke up a little later than she ever would have preferred, getting breakfast, her clothes, the 'greeting sweets' (as Alix called them) and heading out in a slight panic.

On her way out she noticed an elderly man with a cain crossing the street, and a car coming a little faster than what was allowed, she pulled the man out of the cars way without losing any of the sweets, after making sure the man was ok, she gave him a sweet before saying good day and heading over to school. She never noticed the man walking away without the use of his cain.

She still got to class on time, when her teacher walked in she greeted everyone in the class "Bonjour, je m'appelle Maria Dupain-Cheng, c'est un plaisir de vous rencontrer! (Hello, my name in Maria Dupain-Cheng, it is a pleasure to meet you!)" after the introductions she sat down in the empty seat next to Alix, both giving a fist bump, and a smile to Chloé, who looked away as if she didn't care (the girl had an image to keep after all). When class was over she handed out the sweets and went with her friends to lunch. During lunch, one of the other students from a different class was mocking one of their classmates that Maria remembered as Ivan, for having a crush on Mylène and not saying how he really feels to her. Ivan ran off into one of the locker rooms, and Maria decided to go and comfort him, she explained that she overheard what happened and that he should try and tell Mylène about his feelings, listing many different things he could do or say, and that he should stay positive.

Ivan thanked Maria afterwards and went off to write a song for Mylène. Ivan later showed Mylène the song he wrote for her, but was teased by other students near them, Ivan ran away not wanting to be embarrassed more.

Back in the classroom Alix and Maria are sitting and talking when everyone hears crashing and screams outside, the class looked out to see a giant rock thing destroying everything  on its way to the school. The teachers sent the kids home in an attempt to keep them safe.

When Maria got home she noticed a small box with writing she didn't recognize, she carefully opened it, instantly releasing a glow of bright red-ish pink light.

"Greetings Maria Dupain-Cheng, I am Tikki, the Ladybug Kwami of creation and good Luck, it is a pleasure to meet you." Maria couldn't believe her eyes "Mon dieu..." was all she could say, before going full interrogation mode "You're a Kwami? What is that? How are you floating like that? How am I able to understand you? Do you have some sort of ability to communicate in any language?How did you fit in this box? w-"

"There is no time, Paris needs you! I can only explain the powers I grant and how to use them, so please listen carefully."

•~—~—~—~—~—~—~•

Soon Maria was running in a red suit with black spots and amor. She ended up facing the 'akuma' as Tikki called it in a stadium, meeting her partner (a blonde furry she decided) for the first time.

"Bonjour m'lady, so what's the plan to take this thing down?"

Without hesitation she explained her plan " The plan is for you to have your Cataclysm ready, I'll give you a signal when it's your-"

"Cataclysm!"  The boy proceeded to use his ONE attack on a GOAL POST!

"I said to wait for a SIGNAL! Now you only have five minutes before you power-off."

"Oops" The blonde was really wasting her more useful braincells. After the boy was thrown out of the stadium, Maria was left to fend for herself, and she did really well, considering this was her first non(but sort of) official villain fight, up until she lost her footing and was knocked into the side of the stadium. The akuma was gone before she could get back, more and more people were turned to stone, but it showed just where Stoneheart was heading.

She arrived at the Eiffel Tower, where blonde was fighting stone people, he just managed to get away and actually listened to the plan this time.

They defeated Stoneheart, Maria gave her speech to the villain, and did a fist bump (though at this point Maria just wanted to get some sleep), when a reporter came to interview them.

"What are your names, and where did you come from?"

"My name's Chat Noir an-"

"Ladybug, and we're hear to protect Paris from Moth-Man, as much as we would love to give you a bit more details, we don't have much time at the moment" right on que their Miraculous' beeped signalling they had 2 minutes left " Stay safe, and positive, Bug-Out. "

•~—~—~—~—~—~—~•

"Well done Maria!"

"Thanks Tikki." and with that Maria went downstairs to get something to eat, when she saw her parents watching the news.

"Earlier today Paris gained a villain and two heroes: Ladybug, and Chat Noir. Many of our viewers submitted pictures and videos, but only one of Ladybug came out clear."

"Thank you Ladybug and Chat Noir for protecting us, bonne journée à Paris."

.................

"Maria you're taking self-defense classes starting tomorrow" Sabine spoke, though Maria didn't have any complaints, plus it'll help when fighting akumas so it's a win win.

"Yes maman."

•~~~~~later in Maria's room~~~~~•

"Ok, so you're basically goddess of creation personified into a cute little Ladybug creature?"

"Kwami, but yes."

"And you've existed since basically the Big Bang?"

"Correct."

"... how are you able to float like that? How are we able to talk without any ancient god language in the way? And what other kinds of um kwamis are there?"

"I float with magic. Yes their is a language only for the Kwami, but we've learned every other language in existence, so there would never be an issue with communication. And to your last question, there are many different kinds of Miraculi all over the world, some even across the universe, so I am unable to list every single one in existence, but there are just as many Miraculi out there as there are starts in the sky."

"Impressive... does that mean I could learn magic?"

"As a human you are limited to what you can do with magic, but you have a strong creation soul. So yes it is possible for you to learn basic magic, I can teach you some life magic to help you heal quicker if you get hurt outside the suit. You can also learn other types of basic magic based on what Miraculous you are most aligned to. Surprisingly you have a close affinity to most of my brothers and sisters that are here in Paris."

"Are they in the hands of other Miraculous users?"

"... aside from Chat Noir, only two: one belongs to the Guardian, and the other to Hawkmoth."

"What are their names?"

"...Wayzz is Kwami of Protection, and is the partner of the Guardian. The other is Nooroo Kwami of Transmission, Hawkmoths Kwami.

"Ok, so then I assume the 'Guardian' is who you were with until now, right?"

"That is correct."

"And how was I chosen exactly?"

"The Guardian chose you because he saw your kindness in action, and sensed your strong Creation Soul, he has only ever been wrong once, but I can tell you will be a great Ladybug, maybe even one of the few who achieved a higher sence of life."

"... I feel like you kind of described a Sage, also how would he have seen an act of kindness, I mean, I got my things, went out helped an older man with a cain, wait."Maria squinted her eyes at Tikki as if looking for something.

"The elderly man's the Guardian isn't he?"

"..."

"I get it, you don't have to tell me, it's all apart of the 'plot' like some show, I get it. Welp, good night Tikki, have to get up early tomorrow."

"Good night Maria." Tikki never messed up so badly before, then again she never had a user with such a strong Creation Soul before either... Maria is something special.

•~—~—~—~—~—~—~•

And Tikki was right, she excelled at Life Magic, learning a fair bit of healing, luck and slight plant manipulation and communication magic. Tikki wasn't sure if she should be proud of her Bug, or scared at her fast learning skills.

A few weeks passed and Maria was thankful for the self-defense classes, she even started doing her own training routine with Tikki guiding her. She didn't like that her partner was a flirt, it got distracting and almost got Chat killed a few times. She often wondered 'what the hell did I do in my past life to get a partner like this?'

•~—~—~—~—~—~—~•

Tony Stark was called by Sabine to meet her earlier than they had planned, she informed him that Paris now has a villain and two heroes.

"Ok, so what's the problem? We agreed to put Maria in self-defense classes so she would be safe... is it a boy?! Don't tell me it's a boy, she's to young to be dating!"

"It's not about a boy."

"Then what is this about?"

"She's Ladybug, *sigh* I swear she gets it from you Tony. She learned it from your dumb@ss, and it didn't help the need to protect people she loves when you got kidnapped. I need you to teach her how to be a good hero, good combat strategist, and to give her your support. She already has a tactical mind, I'm proud in a way that she shares your bravery."

"Ffffffffudge... ok, where is she?"

"Upstairs."

•~—~—~—~—~—~—~•

After a slightly awkward conversation Maria started to get even more training, and became a pretty much badass on the field, she incorporated the known fighting styles of: Black Widow (her favorite hero), Captain America, Deadpool (favorite hero to some degree), Daredevil, Wolverine, and some moves from famous villains like, Kraven The Hunter, Red Skull, Doctor Doom, Scorpion, Shocker, and Taskmaster ( her favorite villain). And she used ALL of those skills in battle, it was damn impressive to watch, and then Sabine had a talk with Tony.

〜(꒪꒳꒪)〜Bonus〜(꒪꒳꒪)〜

"Ok Tony wtf? I asked you to teach her how to fight for protection when she's out there, But you turned her into a complete badass, I mean none of the akumas have lasted more than 10 minutes with her! I want to hug you and kick your @ss at the same time."

" Sorry not sorry Sabine, but she is our Genius Little Ladybug after all."

•—–—–†–—–—•

First fic, wahoo (mario stile), hope you're all having an Absolutely wonderful day, stay safe, and stay positive, BUG-OUT!🐞💮🐞

〜(꒪꒳꒪)〜 Tag List 〜(꒪꒳꒪)〜

1st place★: @animegirlweeb ☕

2nd place★: @jumpingjoy82

3rd place★: @zalladane

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30th Place★: @lady-phoenix-of-tardis

@lupagrimm

#marinette dupain cheng #miraculous marinette #miraculous ladybug #miraculous fanfic #fanfic #mlb x dc #mlb marinette #ml ladybug #mlb fanfic #crossover #miraculous alix #miraculous crossover #miraculous chloe #peter parker #miraculous adrien #adrien agreste #alix kubdel #chloé bourgeois #damian x marinette #maridami #ml marinette #miraculous damian wayne #miraculous lb #ml fanfic #foryou #have a good day #tony stark #badass marinette #maribat #Whacky Gotham Goofy New York and Chaotic Paris

[angst-king]

Class 1-R

(so this story is a bit different. So some of the students from class 1-A are now in a class called 1-R. This class was made for special students who may not be able to be in 1-b or 1-a due a condition, syndrome, or disorder. Bakugou is deaf with hearing aids, Midoriya is albino (wanted to try something different), Uraraka has good child syndrome, Kirishima is epileptic, Denki has torrets syndrome, Todoroki has anxiety, ptsd, and spastic diplegia a type of cerebral palsy, and finally selectively mute Shinsou)

It was the first day of school for the some of the students, most have already started but for these kids they're just now starting. Riding in the black out window tinted car, Midoriya sat anxiously twiddling his thumbs with his luggage in the back seat next to him.

"How are you feeling Izuku?" Inko asked "I-I'm okay j-just a bit nervous." Toshinori smiles and turned to look at his adopted son. "don't worry young izu, you'll do fine and even become a hero. you're in good hands with Mr Aizawa I promise." "th-thanks dad" Izuku looked hopefully to him with a sweet smile. "Izu you did pack your temporary bracelet right?" Questioned Inko who was pulling up to the school, she had asked this many times before they left. "yes mom I did, you even watched me pack it, and yes I have my make up too." "good, oh my gosh you're growing up so fast my baby~" She sulked earning chuckles from both boys as she parked. 

Getting out of the car she got a text from Mitsuki. "oh Auntie Mitsuki just got here too." she announces "ooh that means Kaachan is here!" exclaimed an excited Izuku, he opens the door before being reminded that he needs his parasol by Yagi. Grabbing his dark green and black parasol, Izuku gets out of the car then strapping on his satchel bag that had a picture of allmight on it with the keychain. "Oi Inko over here!" Called out a certain blond mother, turning her head after looking a bit, Inko sees Mitsuki who runs over to her. "Oh Mitsuki there you are" The two women hug and smile gleefully at each other. Izuku grins at Mitsuki as Massaru and Katsuki come over. "hey guys glad to see ya" Greets Massaru, Katsuki just remains hunched over waving. "glad to see you too"

The group converse over how their children have grown up and over their achievements. "I'm honestly surprised Izuku's this excited, he was so shy and scared a year ago." "yup now he's getting a lot better ever since he heard that UA made a special program." "Katsuki here has been excited about it, even if he doesn't show it I can tell." Mitsuki smirked while ruffling her son's hair, he glared at her flinching a little. 

As they talked more cars pulled up, a woman with white hair that had some red streaks came out and opened the door for a young boy with half red and white hair, he carried a scar on the red side. The young woman kept her hand on the boy's shoulder as he fidgeted with something in his hands. Seeing the group she leads the boy over to them and smiles adjusting her glasses. "hello is this the 1-R group?" Inko nods "yes this is, hi I'm Inko Midoriya, this is my son Izuku." Izuku looks to the pair and smiles "hello" "I'm fuyumi Todoroki, this is Shoto Todoroki, I'm his older sister." Shoto tried to hide behind Fuyumi but she just coaxed him out, he whimpers at her. "I like his hair, it very handsome on him." Complimented Inko, she knew what it was like to raise a self conscious son who's scared of people. Shoto looked down and softly bowed thanking her. "you're welcome hun"  The longer they stood the more people came. Finally a rat like thing came out with two men who looked familiar to some of them, coming towards the large group with a young boy who had wild purple hair and a tired look on his face. The rat spoke first "hello parents and students, you must be the 1-R group?" They all nod "great, well I'm pleased to meet you, I'm principle Nezu, This is Mr Aizawa and Mr Yamada or Present mic and Eraser head, they will be your teachers. As you've been told 1-r is a course for special students such as yourselves, there will be students who are from 1-a which is a not separated Hero course, those are students who have been chosen based on behavior, and history with students like yourself. Now that the introduction is out of the way, why don't we get to the dorms you've been given. You will be rooming in the same dormitory as the other students of course, we separated the classes but we find it important not to separate them too much."

 With that the group are led to the dormitories that are shared by all the classes. Opening the large double doors for the group, the dormitories were empty of students since they were having lunch. Walking in Izuku closes his parasol, while adjusting his glasses that had clip on shades to protect his eyes. "This is the dormitory, it has kitchen, common room area attached, there are stairs and an elevator that leads to the floors of the dorms." The young purple haired boy then hands each student a slip of paper that had their room numbers and floors. "You are free to find your rooms and relax, tomorrow class will start for you guys around noon so this will give you time to adjust." Explained present mic, Nezu soon left the group. Izuku goes to the elevator with his mom dad, the Todoroki's. "Todoroki, wh-what room do you have?" Todoroki flinched a bit but looked at his paper "1273" Izuku smiles to him "hey I have 1274, we're neighbors that's gonna be fun." Todoroki didn't know why he smiled back, it wasn't something he usually did but the boy's joy seemed to be contagious.  Meanwhile, the Bakugou's were in the elevator with who they learned were the Kirishima's, and Kaminari's and they were making good conversation. "S-so you guys li-like Pokemon too, my favorite is p-pikachu what about y-you?" Bakugou preferred to sign rather than talk, but if he felt like it he'd talk. He signed that he liked charmander, while Kirishima answered that he also liked charmander. They shared room numbers which it turns out Kami was a crossed the hall from Kirishima and Bakugou who'd be neighbors. Finally when they were all set up the parents wished their children good luck, took pictures, cried a little, and soon left. wow this was real they were now really in a hero class! Down stairs the group decided to hang out in the common room on the couch. "So we're finally gonna be training to be heroes, how are you guys feeling about this?" Asked Uraraka who seemed pretty excited "w-well I'm pretty happy but nervous at the same time. Kids like us are still looked down upon." Replies Midoriya "Well then we'll just have to prove those jerks wrong then!" Smiles Kirishima who bumps his fist together proudly, earning a nod from the group.

The group seemed to enjoy themselves, when the double doors opened and a large group of students came in and looked to the others. "who are you?" "are you guys the new group?" Multiple questions came and it seemed to upset Todoroki, and Shinsou. Bakugou grumpily responds "none of your fucking business extras" He wasn't loud but he got his point across, while Midoriya just apologized. "S-sorry about him, yes we're the new group." "Oh so you guys are the special group, class 1-retarded." Spoke one of the 1-b kids, he had blond hair like Katsuki but held in a more tame style. He did have an arrogant aura to him. The 1-R kids immediately looked down but one of them seemed to muster up some confidence.

 "we are the special group, but we're not retarded, we're far from that." It was Kirishima but he earned a chuckle from the guy. "Oh please don't make me laugh, they just made a special class just to give you losers false hope, do you really think you'd become heroes." "ugh Monoma leave them alone they just got here give them a break" spoke a girl with long ginger hair, Monoma pouts at her. "but Kendou its true-" "Retared isn't something you should be saying to a group of special needs kids you know, that's just cruel." Spoke a voice that Kirishima found familiar, out came a girl with pink skin, and hair, she had yellow horns and eyes. She gasped to see kirishima and ran to him. "Kiri oh my god you're here!" 

Tackling the red head who smiles back at her, they soon hugged. "omg you actually got in, I'm so proud of you!" She exclaimed like a proud mother. "Thanks Ashido" The two parted and the groups seemed a little confused. "Kirishima and I went to the same middle school together, when I heard that they made class 1-R I was hoping that Kiri could at least get into that at the most 1-A."   The alien girl explained earning an understanding nod, Mina soon joined the group of special kids as most of the other students departed to their rooms or other spaces in the common area. When a blue haired male came over and introduced him self suddenly.

"Hello my name is Iida Tenya, I heard you guys are the new group that will be attending UA. I'm class 1-A's class representative, and I'm also a volunteer student for class 1-R, I also tutor classmates who may need extra academic help." the blue haired one seemed so formal which raised a brow to the group but they didn't question it. "well hello Iida, I'm Midoriya Izuku, glad to hear you'll be volunteering."  He offered his hand to shake, which to his surprise Tenya shook. Mina then looked to Kiri "oh yeah I forgot I'd be volunteering in your class too, as will my friend Sero Hanta, and a girl named Tsuyu asui but she likes to be called Tsu." "ah okay great I wont be too lonely" announced kirishima.

#special needs class version of 1-a #bnha love children #deaf bakugou #epiletic Kirishima #Albino midoriya #Todoroki has cerebral palsy #Uraraka good child syndrome #Torrets syndrome Denki #Mute shinsou

[bee-kathony]

Kneading Love | Ch. 1 “Rose Street”

a/n: hello! it’s been awhile. I wasn’t sure if I was ever going to write again, but then I saw Sam dressed in a tweed suit and cap and well... here we are. This will be a short fic, and full of fluff and bread so please enjoy! Let’s get this bread y’all! thank you to @julesbeauchamp for the lovely moodboard! 

Inverness, Scotland March 1st, 1946

Jamie Fraser owned a small bakery on Cromwell Road. It was his father’s before him and his grandfather’s before him and now it was Jamie’s turn. Each morning before the sun would rise, Jamie delivered his freshly baked goods around the village on his bicycle. What he loved the most was seeing the village quiet before the hustle and bustle of the day began.

By sheer luck, Jamie had managed to keep the bakery open during the war. Due to a previous injury, Jamie had been released from ever serving. He often felt ashamed that he couldn’t fight for his country, but he had seen what the men looked like when they came home from the front and he was secretly glad to have never seen the horrors they did.

Sadly over the past years, Jamie had to cut back on his selection of baked goods due to rationing. This meant hardly any sweets, so he perfected his most basic loaves and ended up giving more bread away than actually selling anything. Everyone fell on hard times, which meant that everyone in the village had done what they could to help others.

It was a close knit community, which meant that when something new — or rather, in this case, someone new — came to the village, everyone found out.

Jamie had just finished packaging his deliveries for the day as he walked outside his shop. The sun hadn’t risen yet, and the air was crisp. He took a deep breath, smiling to himself as he set out on his bike.

As he rounded Duff Street, he slowed down to drop off Mrs. Baird’s delivery. Next, it was on to Glenburn Drive where Dr. Bennett ordered a fresh loaf of sourdough each day. Jamie road quietly through the village, dropping off parcel after parcel before heading down Rose Street to deliver a parcel for the local farmer.

Something in a small shop that he thought had been abandoned caught his eye, however. Jamie thought he saw a woman standing in the window, her hair flying all around her. He blinked several times to check again. But he didn’t have a chance to look again. As he rode past, his wheel hit a large rock and Jamie flew off the bike, leaving his packages on the ground.

“Christ!” Jamie muttered to himself, rolling over onto his back.

Just as he managed to sit up to assess the damage, he heard a sound come from behind him. Light footsteps approached him and he turned to look up at the face of a beautiful woman.

“Are you alright, sir?” The woman asked in an English accent as she bent down to his level.

Jamie could only nod, and then the woman placed her hand on his head, brushing off dirt from his cheek.

“You took quite a spill,” the woman smiled. Jamie was drowning in the amber color of her eyes, the sweet smile on her lips and the soothing sound of her voice.

“I think I’ll make it, but I’m no’ so sure about my bike,” Jamie said. They both looked over to see that his bike had a flat tire and was laying haphazardly on its side. “I dinna ken how I’ll be able to finish my deliveries now.”

“What is it that you deliver?” The woman asked and stood up, holding out her hand for him to take.

“Bread,” Jamie answered and began to dust off his trousers. “Sweets and things.”

“Delicious,” the woman licked her lips. She reached up and straightened his cap for him and Jamie’s heart sped up at her touch.

“I can bring ye some if ye like, or ye can come visit my shop down on the main square,” Jamie smiled.

“I’d like to try some!” She smiled. “I just moved here, so I’m learning the lay of the land.”

Jamie looked behind her to the shop she had come out of. So he hadn’t imagined it after all.

“Och, where are my manners? I’m Jamie Fraser,” he held out his hand.

“Claire Beauchamp,” she shook his hand warmly. “That’s my garden house now,” she pointed behind her. “At least it will be once I get everything sorted.”

“A garden house eh? I havena seen anyone in this shop since well before the war. I reckon ye’ll bring life back to this street,” he said. “Ah! And tis called Rose Street, how apt!”

“Indeed,” Claire laughed. “When I came here looking for a vacant building, I never imagined I would find one on a street with the perfect name for a garden house.”

“Twas meant to be, Sassenach,” Jamie said.

“Sassenach?” Claire questioned.

“English person,” Jamie said quietly to her, leaning in as if there were people all around them.

“Ah, I see,” Claire smirked. “I suppose I am the odd one out up here.”

“Ye are indeed,” Jamie smiled. “But yer no’ so odd.”

The sun was rising now and fast. It peeked over the houses and was now shining on both their faces. Since Jamie’s fall, he had completely forgotten the state of his bike.

“Ah Dhia! I still have deliveries to get to, but my bike has got a flat,” he said and went over to pick up his remaining packages.

“Oh, that’s terrible!” Claire said as she bent down and picked up a small square parcel. “I have my bike around back, you must take it. You can bring it back tomorrow or whenever you like.”

Jamie stood there, his arms full of packages of bread, feeling eternally grateful for this near stranger. “Really? It wouldn’t be a bother to ye? I wouldn’t want to take yer bike if ye needed it.”

“I won’t need it! I’ll be in my shop all day taking inventory,” Claire smiled. “You have to get those people their bread!”

“Mrs. Jamison is always cross wi’ me when I’m late,” Jamie chuckled. “Thank ye, Claire. Truly, whatever I can do to repay ye for yer kindness just let me know.”

He followed her around the back of the shop to where her bike was propped against the wall. It had a small basket and Jamie placed his remaining bread into it.

“You can let me try your most popular baked good and we’ll call it even,” Claire smiled and held out her hand. He took it, once again cherishing the warmth of her skin against his.

“Ye’ve got yerself a deal, Claire Beauchamp.” Jamie hopped up on the bike and put his feet on the pedals. He waved goodbye to the curly haired woman and tried not to fall again in her presence. The last thing he needed was to get distracted and cause her bike to have a flat.

Claire Beauchamp and her garden house would be the talk of the town come lunch time.

++++++

There was nothing Claire loved more than waking up early before the sun rose. Before the war, she had preferred to spend her mornings sleeping, with her head buried under the pillow. But she had spent the past several years as a field nurse and had acclimated to the early mornings.

The decision to leave London and move to a small village in Scotland hadn’t been an easy one. She knew no one in Scotland, and she had just enough money to open a small shop and pay rent until she earned more income.

Claire had tried to move on after the war had ended, but everywhere she looked, she only saw loss and pain. She had been stationed primarily in France, but even after returning to London, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something bad was about to happen.

America had been an option — the big vast, wild continent that Claire had dreamed of one day visiting. But as a young girl, she had roamed the Highlands with her late parents and recalled the beauty and magic of the place.

So that’s how Claire found herself packing up her few belongings and handing in her notice to the hospital in London. What she needed was a fresh start, and that didn’t include being around soldiers and scalpels.

Her first love was the earth. More specifically, flowers and herbs and anything green she could get her hands on. Claire sat on the train to Inverness with a suitcase full of clothes, seeds and a book about gardening. With no idea what was in store for her, she vowed to put all her effort into making Inverness her new home.

She had arrived late into Inverness where she had picked up her keys to the shop that also had a small apartment above it and fell quickly to sleep. It was only hours later that she woke early and crept downstairs to observe the state of her shop. It hadn’t been occupied in some time — the thick layer of dust that coated everything was proof of that.

There was a lot that needed to be done before it was ready to open, and she knew it would take hard work. There was no time like the present, so Claire pushed back her sleeves and began to move furniture around and map out what she wanted to do with the space.

The potting area would be near the back, close to the back door where a small greenhouse would be. Then the front would be where her displays of bouquets would draw people in. A fresh coat of paint would have to be applied to both the interior and exterior of the building, but all in all, it wasn’t looking too bad.

As Claire moved around the shelves near the front of the shop, she heard a loud crash and looked up to see a large man laying on the dirt road. She rushed out to see if he was okay, and was struck by how handsome he looked — his mop of red curls bouncing as he sat up and the blue of his eyes as he took her proffered hand.

The last thing she had been expecting that morning was to meet Jamie, and to lend him her bike. As he road away, she wondered how odd it would be for her to go into his shop later that day. She told herself it was just for the bread, but in her heart she knew it was much more than that.

Unable to take his bike with him as he made the rest of his deliveries, Claire drug his bike back behind her shop. Thankfully it wasn’t damaged save the flat tire and Claire had just the tools to fix it. Earlier while she was cleaning, she had come across a box of tools and in it was a bike pump, electrical tape and anything else she might ever need. Jamie would want to get a new tire, but she would at least try and mend it best she could.

An hour later, the bike was fixed. Claire stood back admiring her handy work and then heard her stomach growl. There was only one way to test if the bike was rideable or not and so Claire grabbed her satchel and took off down the road and into the village.

Her eyes took in her surroundings, trying to memorize where everything was and what she might need later on. There was a bookstore, a bed and breakfast and a small grocers. Claire thought she had missed it, but upon second glance, she saw it. Fraser Bakery.

With her heart beating in her ears, Claire propped the bike against the wall and walked in. It smelled divine and there was a cloud of what must have been flour, all around the room. The smell alone was enough to remind Claire she hadn’t eaten since yesterday afternoon.

There was no sight of the tall scot and she wondered if he had come back yet from his deliveries. A short, dark haired woman was behind the counter as she approached and she smiled as Claire met her eye.

“Hello there, miss,” the woman said with a thick Scottish accent. “What can I get ye?”

“Um,” Claire looked at the case before her, seeing the plethora of goods. “I’ll take whatever you recommend.”

“Then I’d recommend our fresh croissants and maybe a loaf to take home,” the woman said. “My brother baked it all fresh only hours ago.”

“Your brother?” Claire’s eyebrows shot up. So that meant this woman before her was obviously Jamie’s sister. It was a relief to Claire to find the man she had met this morning wasn’t married — or at least she hoped he wasn’t.

“Aye, Jamie.” The woman said. “I’m Jenny. Ye’ll be new around here then if ye didna ken that.”

“Yes,” Claire smiled. “I just moved here from London. I own what will be a small garden shop down on Rose Street.”

“Och, tis a bonny street for a garden shop,” Jenny grinned. “Well, ye can take this on the house then lass. It’ll be a welcoming present.”

Claire took the buttery croissant and fresh loaf into her arms. “Thank you so much, Jenny.” She turned to leave the shop, but hesitated in the doorway. Looking back, she saw that Jenny was still watching her. “Your brother, Jamie… he’s not here is he?”

“No,” Jenny shook her head. “He got a flat tire on his bike this morning and so he borrowed someone’s and is now picking up a new tire. Should be back this afternoon. Did ye need him for somethin’?”

His sister eyed her suspiciously, no doubt wondering how she knew Jamie or why she would be asking for him if she was new in town. For some reason, Claire didn’t want to tell her that the bike Jamie had borrowed had been hers or that Jamie’s bike was now outside at this very moment.

“Oh no,” Claire smiled. “I just wanted to thank him for the bread as well. I’m sure I’ll be back to try something else. Thank you, Jenny!”

“Yer welcome…”

“Claire! Claire Beauchamp,” Claire grinned and then waved goodbye and set off for her shop.

++++++

Jamie had been so preoccupied with getting a new tire for his bike and all the new orders for the next day that he hadn’t a spare moment to think about Claire Beauchamp. That was, until later that evening as he began the walk home with his older sister Jenny.

“I met a young lass today who was askin’ for ye,” Jenny said.

“Aye? And what did she want?”

“I dinna ken,” Jenny shrugged. “She only asked if ye were in the shop and I told her ye werena.”

“Did ye catch a name perhaps?”

“Claire,” Jenny said and Jamie stopped walking. “What? Do ye ken her?”

“I met her this morning,” Jamie admitted and began walking again. “This is her bike actually,” he said as he pushed the bike along with them. “I crashed in front of her shop and she was kind enough to lend it to me.”

“Ah, I see,” Jenny grinned. “Well, I gave her a few things on the house. She said she only wanted to thank ye, but now I ken why she wanted to see ye again.”

“And why’s that?” Jamie chuckled, looking down at his sister.

“I’ll let ye figure that one out on yer own bráthair,” Jenny laughed.  

Claire was all Jamie thought about that night and still into the morning as he baked the bread for the day. He couldn’t stop smiling to himself as he made deliveries that morning. He hoped that Claire would be awake again and he would have a chance to talk to her, but there wasn’t a light on that he could see as he came to her shop.

What he did see was his bike leaning against the door. As he approached it, he realized that the tire had been mended.

“Clever, Sassenach,” Jamie grinned. He touched the handlebars and his fingers felt something soft. It was a bright yellow daisy tied with string. Leaning down, he sniffed the flower and sighed.

As quietly as he could, he switched his packages back over to his own bike and left Claire’s against the shop wall.

Later that morning when Jamie came back from his deliveries, he was surprised to see Claire’s bike out in front of his bakery. It seemed he wasn’t the only one unable to get the other out of his head. Or perhaps, Claire just really enjoyed fresh baked goods. Whatever the reason, Jamie straightened his cap and walked into the bakery in search of the curly headed garden lady.

#kneading love #outlander fanfic #bread #get it #outlander #jamie x claire #rose street #chapter one #bread puns

[shianhygge-imagines]

[Kimetsu no Yaiba Headcanons] Meeting the Kamaboko Squad

AN: I’m reading through the manga... and I can’t believe the story’s almost over ;.; 

I’m trying to make this manga spoiler free. There will be mentions about things from the first season, though, so spoilers for the anime.

I was going to add Kanao and Genya in here, but that would be difficult without major spoilers ;.;

Premise: Reader is a Mizunoto (around that rank), just like the Kamaboko Squad. They initially interacted with Tanjiro during the Final Selection, fighting alongside him against the Hand Demon. After passing the Final Selection, they travel alone for a while until they bump into the Kamaboko Squad at the Inn. They’ve been together since :P

|Masterlist Link|

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kamado, Tanjiro

The first thing you notice about Tanjiro is that his eyes are unusually kind.

Tanjiro had saved you from getting ambushed by a group of demons as you traversed the forest, greeting you with kind eyes and a helping hand.

A small crush might have been born that day >///<

Teaming up with him to fight against the Hand Demon had been enlightening and anxiety inducing, but watching as Tanjiro struck down the enormous demon truly inspired you.

Parting ways after the Final Selection, you had wished Tanjiro luck until you met again.

You met Tanjiro again by mere coincidence at the Inn that you were directed to stay at for the time being... this was, of course, after you were scared half to death by Inosuke’s strange appearance in the hall.

Some time after getting scared, you had been about to exit your room to head to the onsen (hot spring), when a familiar blonde chased by the boar man sprinted past you, followed by Tanjiro, who asked them to calm down.

“Ah! Y/N!” Tanjiro paused in his chase to greet you with a smile, “It’s nice to see you again!” There was a high pitched scream as the two of you glanced down the hall, where the blonde and boar man were suddenly running back in your direction, prompting the both of you to run away as well.

Despite having a minor crush on Tanjiro, he was like the kind older brother of the group, always looking after everyone and making sure that you’d eaten your fill, or that you weren’t too exhausted from battles or training.

You live for his headpats and gentle smiles

Though there are times where you take the position of scolding him for overworking himself.

The two of you often act as the balancing factor within the group due to Zenitsu and Inosuke’s antics.

Kamado, Nezuko

When Tanjiro introduced you to Nezuko, you instantly wanted to gush and cuddle her.

Once you and Tanjiro were able to calm Inosuke down, the sun had set, and you were all collapsed inside the boys’ room, breathless from running so much.

The medicine box sitting at the corner of the room rattled for a moment before a cute child popped open the lid and crawled out. Not at all freaked out by the fact that the boys had kept a girl locked in a box, you all but gushed inwardly at how adorable she looked with her pink eyes.

Outwardly, however, you harshly demanded an explanation as to why she had been in the box. When you looked back at her, you noticed that she wasn’t quite so small anymore. Your eyes practically bulged from unasked questions.

You act like an older sibling to Nezuko, sharing the work with Tanjiro in making sure that she always has what she needs. 

Sometimes you braid her hair while she rests, though the braids never hold for long due to how childishly playful she is.

You’re not bothered by the fact that Nezuko is a demon, trusting Tanjiro’s judgment. In fact, you become borderline protective of her demon needs. From waking up before sunrise to make sure she’s back in the box, to backing her up during battles.... and even to threatening the Wind Hashira after Tanjiro told you what had happened during the audience with the elite slayers.

You learn very quickly that she likes head pats and snuggles. And oh boy do you spoil her with snuggles.

Agatsuma, Zenitsu

The first time you saw Zenitsu, you didn’t have much of an opinion on him... That’s a lie. You so had an opinion of him.

He seemed so... underwhelming in contrast to Tanjiro’s kindness, the passiveness from Kanao’s lack of expression, and the impatient temperament from Genya. You honestly kind of felt bad for him as he muttered about how he’d die sooner or later.

The second time you met Zenitsu... was also the second time you met Tanjiro and Inosuke... while Zenitsu was running away from a pursuing Inosuke, Tanjiro trailing behind.

He’s an idiot. A lovestruck idiot who lacks any sense of confidence in his own abilities.

The first few times that he screams out dramatically, you want to slap him.

And then he starts to grow on you.

Suddenly, his outbursts are somehow endearing as he freaks out over a demon. Outright noping a situation and telling a demon not to look, speak, or attack him was just entertaining.

The fact that you learn his quirk for surviving against demons... honestly had you impressed and disturbed.

There are times where you just watch him and wonder, “How the hell does he manage to actually be powerful when he panics and bitches so much?”

In the end, he’s like an annoying younger brother that you have to look out for.

His demeanor towards you changes depending on your gender. Going out of his way to treat you like royalty if you’re a girl. And openly giving you a hard time when you’re a guy.

Hashibira, Inosuke

A boar... a man with a boar’s head was staring you down from the other end of the inn corridor... A scream ripped through your throat at the bizarre sight, and you dove back into your room, slamming the shoji doors shut as you went, the wooden frame and rice paper rattling.

... That was how you met Inosuke the first time.

The second time... well... (*looks above)

You’re not sure what to think of Inosuke the first few times that you talk to him. He’s always screaming at you or challenging you. Sometimes he’s so loud and insulting that it brings you on the verge of tears (though you’re loathe to let anyone in the group know).

The boar mask freaks you out whenever he puts it on because it’s weird.

And it equally disorients you that he’s a pretty boy without the mask.

I mean wth! He’s pretty like a girl, but his entire being is just... not gentle.

Nevertheless, upon Tanjiro’s encouragement, you start to be nicer to Inosuke, and you realize that he’s never experienced basic human kindness before. That he doesn’t know how to read or write. That he grew up in the wilderness, raised by boars.

When you learn all this, you honestly feel bad for being so disgusted by him. And as he starts to warm up to you, messing up your name a few times and covering your back during battles... you start to notice that he’s actually a really nice person.

Like an annoyingly weird cousin who keeps stealing your food and invading your space.

Gender biases don’t exist with this guy. He’d equally slap a boob as he would kick someone’s nuts.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed my work, please consider buying me a Ko-fi!

#shianhygge #shian imagines #kimetsu no yaiba #kny #kimetsu no yaiba headcanons #kamado tanjirō #kamado nezuko #agatsuma zenitsu #hashibira inosuke #kamaboko squad

[clansayeed]

Bound by Destiny ― Chapter 14: The Echoes

PAIRING: Kamilah Sayeed x MC (Nadya Al Jamil) RATING: Mature

⥼ MASTERLIST ⥽

⥼ Bound by Destiny ⥽

Nadya Al Jamil (MC) has been struggling from the day she moved to Manhattan, but her new job as assistant to the mysterious CEO of Raines Corp was supposed to turn her luck around. Until she finds herself caught in the middle of a war involving the Council of Vampires who secretly run the city. An evil from the birth of Vampire-kind stirs beneath, feeding on the conflict, and finds Nadya bound to a destiny she never asked for.

Bound by Destiny and the rest of the Oblivion Bound series is an ongoing dramatic retelling project of the Bloodbound series and spin-off, Nightbound. Find out more [HERE].

*Let me know if you would like to be added to the Destiny tag list!

⥼ Chapter Summary ⥽

With Adrian and Kamilah’s fates unknown, Nadya finds unlikely allies in the Clanless. Learning how Lily is adjusting to vampire life would be a lot easier without terrifying dreams, though.

note: This chapter, like the previous, implies past Gaius/Kamilah through dream sequences lived through Nadya's eyes.

[READ IT ON AO3]

She hastily scrubs the stinging soap from her eyes. They’re still puffy; swollen from all the crying she’s done in the last day or so. Where she should be exhausted and ready to collapse while standing, though, Nadya only feels a burning itch to move; to run.

Though maybe that’s the borrowed homeless vampire boots she’s wearing.

“Here you go. I felt so bad when I found them in my stuff, but didn’t want to risk returning them and running into you.”

Nadya takes the folded pair of glasses Lily offers with something akin to reverence.

“Well I’m glad you didn’t.” She slides them on and gives an audible sigh of relief. “So much better.”

They leave the bathroom together — Nadya follows Lily’s lead to wherever they should be going without much question.

She’s doing well for herself. It took some coaxing for Lily to admit she still struggles with her hunger but that was a problem she had as a human, too, so Nadya isn’t that surprised. “I was already way more productive at night,” she explains cheerily, “so that wasn’t a big change either. The hardest part is probably just not knowing my own strength — and making sure to stay under the Council’s radar.”

That was something Lily was still working on forgiving her for: all the secrets. Adrian, Maricruz, the Council and the Clans… And she knows Lily has a right to be frustrated about it all but given the situation they’re currently in she’s one snarky quip away from asking Lil’ to cut her some slack.

“I was trying to keep you safe.”

“Yeah, well, that worked out so well, huh?”

Maricruz and Jax share a sort of ‘corner’ underground that they’ve made their own. Everyone has somewhere to rest their heads come dawn but due to space most of it ends up being communal living. The leaders of the Clanless, however, need a place where they can talk strategy without being overheard.

Well, the leader of the Clanless, his deputy, and the deputy’s girlfriend.

“Mari and I have been great honestly, better than ever,” Lily continues, “for a few weeks there all the secrets and rushing away before the sun was up was really frustrating, obvs, but now that I get it there’s no secrets between us at all. Don’t think I gotta tell you how refreshing that is.”

They come upon the others in the entryway-slash-kitchen-slash-den-slash-gym. In the corner Jax fusses with extension cords connecting to a small portable stovetop while muttering under his breath. At a small folding table in the middle of the room Mari and Brandon hold hands over the top; Greer rubs his partner’s back softly.

Lily abandons her — “he’ll shock himself again, dumbass,” — to help Jax but before Nadya can make herself useless by standing in a corner Greer smiles tiredly and beckons her over.

They’ve changed into surprisingly regular clothes — surprising only because Greer had been very vocal at the cellar party about his flashy wardrobe and the influence his eccentric fashion had had on Brandon over the years. But their jeans are worn and washed at the knees and the only bright thing outside of a tan trench coat is Greer’s hair.

She notices bags at their feet.

“I thought your flight wasn’t for a few days.”

“Mari got us a cargo plane,” Greer explains with a thankful smile the vampire’s way, “not my preferred way of travel but it’ll get us to Wales and we can take a train from there.”

Brandon rubs his eye tiredly. “Staying is just too hard.”

“I get it.”

“We know.” They each take Nadya’s hand and squeeze. “I hope your friends made it out okay.”

You and me both, Nadya thinks; doesn’t say it. She knows they’re only being optimistic for her sake — it feels wrong to take it with grace when they’ve lost someone so important to them.

“Thanks, guys. You’ll get in touch when you’re settled, right?”

“Once it’s safe.”

“‘Safe?’” she parrots. Brandon nods.

“It’s complicated — we won’t be staying in London is all. That’s a story for a different day.”

Behind them comes Lily’s victory cheer followed by the smell of something smoky. Jax turns the knob on low and together they join the crowd at the table with another chair and a rusty barstool that sets him a couple heads higher than the rest.

Jax surveys the three humans with narrowed eyes — now that she’s not wearing old contacts he’s in clearer focus now and every little flicker and blink makes the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

“Food will be ready soon,” he grunts, and finally fixates on Brandon, “so let’s get into what happened.”

Mari reaches around Lily to try and swat her companion. “Not now. They’re tired!”

“Yeah, we are,” agrees Greer grimly, “but I don’t want to risk whatever happened up there happening here.” He rubs Brandon’s arm — who stays silent.

“I — I didn’t see what happened before, but…” Nadya starts — falls quiet as Greer shakes his head.

“No, you didn’t. It’s all right, lass. I’ve got this one.”

After Nadya was swept from their revelry by Kamilah, Adrian had stayed for the remainder of the song before mentioning his thirst. Megan offered to accompany him by one of the select feeding parlors and that was the last Greer and Brandon saw of her for more than an hour. Upon spotting Adrian heading towards the upper castle Brandon had stopped him — asked him where Megan had run off to.

“She had her fill before I finished,” Adrian had said, “I think she mentioned something about meeting a friend in the Moon House.”

The Moon House would be called the Sun House in any other estate — one not catered to vampires. It was a conservatory on the farthest part of the East Wing and hosted Marcel’s collection of rare night-blooming flora; a hobby of his since moving overseas.

“She loved visiting the Royal Botanical Gardens at night…” Brandon’s wistful tone hangs heavy on them all. Greer gives his temple a kiss before carrying on.

When they found Megan she was the only one in the Moon House. She admitted to sneaking into some smaller enclave room even though the area was roped off — “It’s been nearly twenty years since I last saw these beauties, can you blame me?” — and since it seemed like no one was going to kick them out of the Ball for being there they all stayed to take in the display.

He pauses — collects himself with a steady breath. “That’s when we noticed a bite mark near her neck.”

They were drunk, maybe a little high — life was good and they didn’t want the party to end so soon. Megan didn’t remember how she had gotten it; vampires will be vampires, she had said, and laughed it off as something she didn’t have to worry about by virtue of being undead already.

“If she wasn’t gonna be worried about it then why would we?” He looks around the table as if genuinely seeking an answer. But it isn’t theirs to give. Judging by the haunted look in his eyes Brandon has already answered it for himself.

“We closed up the place behind us and went to head back to the ballroom,” Greer continues, “only Megan said she was hungry again and kept scratching the bite. We encouraged her, you know. She always feels better on a full stomach and… and feeding can heal you guys, you know?”

Lily shakes her head but judging by the reactions of the older vampires on either side of her yes, they’re very well aware of the benefits of a good feed.

“So we went back for drinks, Megan headed off, and the next time we saw her she was having a fuckin’ seizure in the middle of the party and no one tried to do a damn thing. Not one person. Whole room full of all those years and all that knowledge and… and…”

“Once you’ve been infected by a Feral there’s no going back.” Mari picks at an unseen part of Lily’s skirt underneath the table — can’t meet their eyes. “All you can do is run and hope to fuck you won’t Turn, too.”

“They didn’t even try.” Brandon glares at Nadya though it’s lacking in real malice. “That whole Council of yours, right there, and they just watched.”

“They had their Clans to think of.” She bites out in their defense. Jax scoffs.

“More like their status and power.”

“Okay guys, come on,” Lily looks ready to jump atop the table if it mediates, “there’s no fingers to point. Or, well, no one here deserves to be pointed at. Obviously this girl got bit by a Feral before you ran into her. If we can find out how that happened…”

“The last person she was with was Raines.” Nadya doesn’t miss the look Mari throws her way. It makes her blood boil.

“I know where you’re going and I’m gonna need you to not. Adrian’s been working his butt off to solve the Feral problem, not make it worse.”

“Working his ass off, huh?” Jax doesn’t try to hide his distaste, “if that’s his best then I’d hate to see his worst; the world might actually end.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“No — I know what I see. And what I see is a problem that isn’t getting solved no matter how hard you say your owner is working!”

Jax leaps off the stool but is stopped by Lily throwing her arm over his front.

“Jax, man, I respect the hell out of you. But don’t talk to her like that — ever.” There’s a growl at the tip of Lily’s tongue that Nadya is grateful for even if it’s strange to see her behave that way. But it doesn’t do a thing to make Nadya feel better about what Jax says.

Nadya raises her chin and speaks with confidence. “Adrian told me a Feral isn’t like a vampire — it’s a creature that only cares about hunger and blood. If all it takes is one bite then even so much as one Feral at the Ball put everyone at risk; human and vampire. Adrian included.”

While the Clanless leader takes back up his stool Mari diverts the conversation back to Greer.

“What happened after that? Your text said there was a ‘massacre.’”

In the silence that follows everyone just sort of looks around at one another — trying to understand, trying to coax out answers. Nadya remembers — God, she remembers — but she sort of hopes they’ll keep telling the story so she doesn’t have to hear herself say it all out loud.

She gets lucky.

“They focused on the crowd instead,” Greer says; and if Nadya closes her eyes she can still see Lester, Adrian, Vega barking out orders to get the newly Turned and the humans out of the ballroom, “and it seemed like they could handle it, you know? Like they knew what to do. But then… then there was another scream.”

Through the tide of those trying to leave bodies pushed forward. Screaming of monsters, of Ferals coming out of nowhere like they’d been hiding in the suits of armor the whole night just waiting to strike. Suddenly it wasn’t just one Feral to deal with, it was the one Feral in the ballroom and even that didn’t last long.

Maybe Megan wasn’t even the first to Turn. Maybe Megan was just the poor soul who got an audience.

Jax tugs at loose strands of his hair. “How many, on estimate?”

“Maybe a couple dozen we could see?”

Nadya swallows down her heart to keep it from staining the tabletop. “Adrian — they, the Council — they tried to keep order. Tried to get everyone out fast and as safe as they could. But no one was listening. It was chaos.”

“Not gonna lie; it was hard to figure out friend from foe when everyone was in a stampede.”

Nadya agrees with a nod; fiddles with the pendant on her wrist until the metal is warm from her touch. Over and over the scene plays behind her eyelids; a videotape stuck in a loop. The Council shouting orders to one another, older vampires taking up arms and pushing away the vulnerable. The spray of gore when Valdas sent three attackers flying across the room in a dozen pieces.

“You pretty much know the rest from there.”

“We’re glad you got out alive.” Mari insists towards Brandon. He doesn’t respond — like he doesn’t know if he shares the sentiment. “She would be glad you got out alive.”

If Jax has more questions he’s grown a brain-to-mouth filter and chooses not to ask them. He and Lily grab cheap plastic trays from a cabinet and return with the stovetop spoils of hot dogs right on the verge of being better kindling than food. Eating doesn’t fill the void inside like it should but she’s never inhaled such mediocre food with such gusto.

When they finish Mari not-so-casually mentions their time limit. Greer and Brandon give her their sincerest thanks — Jax too though the tension behind their goodbye is obvious.

Finally Brandon turns to her and Nadya finds herself crushing Brandon in a hug that makes him hunch and hold his breath. They don’t have anything else to say to one another. Words never seem to be enough, anyway.

She makes Greer reaffirm his promise to reach out. Wants to go with them if only to make sure they make the journey home without falling to pieces together but judging by the look on Maricruz’s face the three of them need privacy to mourn in their own way.

Lily snakes her arm around Nadya’s middle when the door closes.

“How about a nap?” She asks; keeps her tone lighthearted but Nadya can tell she’s not making a suggestion. “Come on, girlie, you look like the walking dead. And that’s saying something coming from the literal walking dead.”

Nadya just nods and follows.

They curl up together like they used to; face-to-face with legs tangled together because they had the same favorite throw blanket but it wasn’t big enough to span the bed. The mattress is like a brick with sheets and Lily no longer exudes the same warmth she used to but if Nadya closes her eyes and pretends with all her might… it’s like nothing has changed at all.

She keeps her distance while Lily talks with the scantily-dressed woman near the stage. Not because she’s interrupting some sort of ‘moment’ but she refuses to take off the pendant — literally refuses and that makes Jax livid as all get out — on her wrist and anyone who so much has an inkling of who or what the Clans are would be ready to pick a fight at the mere sight of it.

Distance can be good though. It gives Nadya time to really look at Lily. To see how she’s doing.

Being a part of their generation means identity crises and existential episodes are pretty much a given. But she’s never seen her best friend look so comfortable in her own skin.

It helps ease the knot in her gut about not giving Lily the chance to decide her own fate.

Lily raises a small black remote in hand and on command a spotlight from above flickers to life. The other vampire, Liv, hops up and marvels in absolute delight as the light follows her around the stage in several paces.

“This is just — just the best! You’re the best!” Liv scoops Lily up standing to hug her and Nadya watches fondly as she returns the hug with her own.

“Give me some time and I can make you a mix that’s one whole track with the right fade in and intro tunes, too.”

“I don’t know what I’d so without you sugar. You’re a whiz at this stuff.”

“Hey, I don’t do anything for free.”

Liv pulls back and gives Lily a wry grin. The sudden flustered look under Lily’s thick specs doesn’t go unnoticed.

“Don’t I know it. How’s tomorrow afternoon sound?”

“Perfect.”

Liv kisses Lily’s cheeks and heads back behind thick red curtains. When Lily catches the look in Nadya’s eyes she tries not to look so utterly taken. Doesn’t mean Nadya isn’t going to tease her anyway.

“Wanna tell me what that was about, huh?” She nudges Lily repeatedly. “Huh huh huh?”

Together they leave the unofficial ‘Arts District’ of the Shadow Den; take their leave of Liv’s little clubhouse and head back towards the main plaza. Lily grins sheepishly.

“You’re so nosy! God, Liv just promised to… give me a few lessons in burlesque. See if she can cure my two left feet thing. That’s all.”

“Ah… yes, that’s all. Well I think Mari will love it.”

Lily huffs, almost lets it go before casting an embarrassed smile at Nadya. “You think so?”

“I know so.”

“Shut up.”

“No, you shut up.”

“No you shut up!”

They dissolve into light teasing shoves this way and that — their laughter mingling in with the Den’s normal chatter.

“Thanks for getting me away for a bit,” Nadya says as she loops her arm in with Lily’s, “from you-know-who. Talk about one-track mind.”

Her ‘nap’ had turned into a full on twelve hour coma. The moment she awoke the leader of the Clanless was on her; question after question that she still couldn’t remember fully from the haze of sleep. She could vaguely recall Lily’s raised voice and the sound of a door slamming — then being pulled along by her best friend’s newfound strength.

Beside her Lily shrugs; tries to play it off. “You looked like you didn’t sleep well, so I get it. I hate being bothered when I’m still tired.”

“Wait — what?”

“You were tossing and turning the whole time,” Lily grabs a dull yellow apple from a nearby cart and tosses it Nadya’s way. “I tried to wake you up from you’d just give me this weird, glassy stare and then go back to sleep. That a new thing? Or some freaky nightmare?”

If she thinks about it… no, Nadya can’t remember. The last dream she could recall with detail was the nightmare on the train from the Ball but it was like she’d turned her brain off those last hours.

She only knew that when she woke everything was foggy and thick — and her body had the weight of ages she didn’t quite understand holding her down.

“Anyway,” Lily shrugs, “his head’s in the right place.”

“Whose head?”

“Jax.”

Nadya blinks in surprise. “Wait — you’re defending him?”

“He’s a hard-ass but he has to be. We all have to be, Nadi’. That’s how we survive in hiding.”

We. Hearing Lily lump herself in with the rest of them fills her with unease.

“It’s not fair.”

“No,” she agrees, “it isn’t. But until the stupid Council pulls their heads out of their asses nothing’s gonna change.”

They round a corner and Nadya stops — has to wait for Lily to realize she’s not following and turn around before she feels like she can talk.

“I don’t think you know what you’re talking about.”

“Sure I do. Just like I know what would have happened to me if Mari and Jax hadn’t gotten me out of Raines Corp. in time.” Lily backtracks and takes Nadya’s hand. Brushes her fingers over her knuckles. “I’m not mad at you — please don’t think that. But even if Turning me saved me then it wouldn’t have done me a whole lot of good if the Council decided to ax me.

“And judging from everything I’ve heard about them, they would have just to spite Adrian it sounds like. You just weren’t thinking about the long-term.”

Nadya pulls her hand back.

“Okay… now I know you don’t know what happened.” She tries — and fails — to keep the low-key insulted tone out of her voice. Lily’s nose scrunches up slightly.

“Tell me if I have it right then, because maybe I didn’t get the full story.” Nadya nods silently. “So something attacked me at our old place and left me to bleed out, right?”

“Right.”

“And you strong-armed Adrian into Turning me into a vampire, right? — Kudos, by the way. I wish I could’ve seen it because you’re scary when you get mad.”

Nadya ignores the compliment. “Right.”

The tension between them builds. “And he’s not only a member of some stupid Council that runs the vampires in the city, he’s a leader of one of their groups.”

“He’s the leader of Clan Raines. And he was working on getting you the next spot in his clan when Jax and Mari kidnapped you.”

Lily’s scoff brings a tick to Nadya’s brow.

“Okay so sure, he was ��working on it,’ but what if whatever he tried to do failed? They would have killed me, right? Since I technically wouldn’t be part of one of their stupid Clans? No brand, no tether for my soul — all the chance and risk of becoming Feral and a danger to their stupid little quota? Right?”

What she’s saying isn’t wrong but it’s not right either.

“He wouldn’t have failed. I wouldn’t let him.”

“Yeah, like a bunch of rich vampire assholes would have listened to you?”

“You’re lumping Adrian in with one of ‘those assholes,’ you know.”

A beat. “Yeah, I know.”

It makes Nadya step back — disgusted. Why wouldn’t she be? It’s like this is Lily but also… not. “What have Maricruz and Jax been telling you?” What lies have they been feeding you?

“They just showed me how the world works here, Nadya. Not just for vampires but for the way they divide us. Liv — you know, Liv, that sweetheart? Yeah, some creep from the Baron’s Clan was obsessed with her. When she turned him down like the skeezebag he was he Turned her and left her to die or go Feral so no one else could have her! Now she can’t ever perform up top again.

“And Mari — my Mari — she was Turned so she would become Feral. That’s why she cares so freakin’ much about that stupid party! She was supposed to be some… some living weapon and when they were done with her they were gonna put her down like a rabid animal. But she was stronger than that — she’s still stronger than that. She’s worth more than any Clan vampire and then some.”

The injustice of it all makes Nadya feel dirty and heavy — things she knew on the surface but didn’t understand the full horror of until she puts faces to the tales. But the real knife in her side is the way Lily spits her words in her direction. Like she’s just another awful anonymous commenter who needs to be reminded that people are still people even if they’re different.

Lily doesn’t give her time to muster up words. She’s on a roll.

“Say you’re right. Say Adrian Raines is one of the good guys. He’s still benefited and continues to benefit off of a broken system that his cohorts continue to manipulate and bastardize for their own selfish gains.”

“Lily you need to calm down.”

“No way!”

“Well… Well he knew the risks and Turned you anyway!” Fine, if she was going to be shouted at then she would shout, too.

“Even though I still would have died! And he wouldn’t have gotten more than a slap on the wrist!”

“You don’t know that!”

“Oh you bet your butt I do!”

They’re screaming at one another now. Nadya’s red in the face — rest and time replenishing the tears what well up at the corners of her eyes. Lily’s fists are balled at her sides and she’s not seen her this mad since possibly ever.

“When will you stop blindly trusting the people in power?! You’re better than that!”

“You’re comparing two issues that are way different!”

“Different?! I’m a queer black woman in America, girl! That’s the Clanless of humanity!”

Behind them comes the sound of hurried shoes on concrete. Lily shakes her fist, slams it into the wall and the structure fractures slightly under the pressure. Nadya can’t help but stare at it in horror. Is left to imagine the difference between the strong rock and her fragile bones.

The fight drains out of her like it leeches from the crack in the wall. Makes her take a hesitant step back because she’s not just fighting with her friend and roommate any more. She’s fighting with someone—some thing—much stronger than she.

“Lil’ — I-I’m sorry.”

“This is just another label to tack onto my chest! Just another thing that might get me killed! Again!”

“Lily —”

“I mean, for fucks’ sakes Nadi’, did you even think about what I was going through while you were sipping champagne and wearing stupid designer dresses?!”

Before she can say another word the footsteps grow louder and Maricruz whips around the corner. She looks ready for a fight — a baseball bat in hand — but lowers it when she sees Lily and Nadya alone. Her eyes fall on the cracked wall and she stiffens.

“What’s going on here?”

Nadya makes the mistake of blinking; lets a tear fall down her cheek. Lily seethes and flashes red eyes.

“Don’t even try to make me pity you right now. At least you still had our place. At least you knew what was going on! I woke up in a fucking coffin!”

Maricruz steps in while Nadya chokes on her words. Holds one hand out warily like she’s keeping a creature at bay and stretches the other out in offering.

“Lil’, mi amor, remember what I said about letting your emotions get the best of you? You’re doing it again. When was the last time you fed, baby?”

“I’m fine Mari! Jesus — you didn’t — you weren’t here when this started!”

“No baby; I wasn’t. But come on… you’re not acting like yourself.”

“W-What’s happening? What’s wrong with her?” Nadya hisses. The look Mari throws her isn’t sympathetic in the slightest.

“It’s a newborn thing. Aggression, sensitivity, violent outbursts… triggered by things that we held inside during our mortal lives.”

It makes Nadya’s heart break all over again.

She watches as Mari steps forward; inches her way through the divide until she can grasp Lily in a hug meant to both comfort and restrain. Lily heaves breaths she doesn’t need until they start to fade but when they lock eyes over the older vampire’s shoulder Nadya knows there’s no regret in the things Lily’s said. Or in how she said them.

“I didn’t know,” she begins — and Mari has to renew her hold when Lily looks ready to fight Nadya over her ignorance, “wait—wait! I didn’t know… and maybe I didn’t want to know. And that was my fault. Because even if I didn’t know that didn’t mean you weren’t still hurting.

“I’m so sorry, Lil’. That doesn’t make it better — or make it go away — but… I am.”

She can’t hear the whispers Mari kisses into Lily’s ear but whatever they are, coupled with the soft strokes of her hand on Lily’s cheek — it calms her down. Makes her eyes fade and when she bites her bottom lip it’s with blunted teeth.

“I don’t…” Lily struggles through her desire to shout and keeps her voice even, “I don’t know if I can forgive you just yet.” It’s against everything she said when they reunited but deep down Nadya gets it.

She wouldn’t forgive herself either.

Mari throws her a look; concern and exasperation. “How about you go find somewhere else to be, chica?”

“I — yeah.” Just before she takes the turn back to the plaza she looks back, though. Tortures herself with it — with the sight of Lily and Mari in a searing kiss.

She doesn’t look back a second time.

There’s an abandoned tunnel the Shadow Den doesn’t use for any big projects somewhere South of the whole complex. Lily made sure to include it in the tour because of their mutual love for internet docuseries that explore such places. And, admittedly, it is very cool.

It’s the place Nadya seeks out when she needs some alone time — the Lily incident now behind them both with a promise to be more open about how they were really feeling in the future — when she catches the date on Mari’s evening edition of the paper to find out it’s been three days since the Ball.

Only instead of the soothing calm of a gaping amount of nothing she runs into Jax.

Well not so much runs into him as catches sight of him and ducks back around a half-broken pillar. Debates turning back and just asking Lily if she could have the room they’re sharing to herself for a hot minute or two while she tries to deal with her feelings.

Tries to work out whether she should still have hope or carry some grief in her heart so soon.

“You know I can hear your heartbeat, right?” Jax calls out; doesn’t seem to mind if his voice distorts and warps with every echo in the chain along the stone.

She sighs and slips out of her hiding place.

At first she wants to get into it with him about being shirtless and likely cold this far below the surface but, lucky her, she remembers he’s a vampire before she says anything stupid.

His almost trademark sword rests on a sideways column to the far of the space. At his feet there’s a similar one; wood by the looks of it.

He wipes sweat from his brow with a rag that’s actually his shirt. “Do they need something back at the Den?”

“No?” Her brow crinkles, confused.

“Then why are you here?”

Nadya hops up on a pile of rocks just high enough that she can swing her legs. Feels her grip tighten on the rolled-up paper she accidentally took with her when she ran out.

She shrugs. “Same as you I guess.”

“Somehow exercise doesn’t really seem like your thing.”

While Jax looks her up and down with judgment clear in his eyes Nadya huffs and chucks the paper at him. He catches it swiftly — she tries not to make a comparison (even mental) to ninjas.

“You can exercise anywhere, can’t you,” she quips, “but you come here to do it alone.”

“That was the intention; sure.” Jax unfurls the paper and glances at the headline — something about the stock market, Nadya recalls, and watches him scan over the print for his answers.

Eventually she takes pity on him; gestures to the date up top. He nods. “Still no word about your masters, then. I see.”

By now Nadya knows he keeps calling them that to get a rise out of her. And with her heart in the sour place it is; somewhere in the murky waters at the bottom of a well, she just doesn’t have the energy to fall into it with him (yet again).

“Big-wigs can’t just vanish, not in New York of all places.”

He huffs; probably the closest thing to a chuckle he’s had since he was turned. Nadya’s surprised there isn’t dust lingering in his funny bone.

“On the contrary; they do all the time.”

“Not these. A mobster and a skeeze like Lester — maybe. But Adrian? Kamilah? Vega’s a senator.”

“This is what life is like for us. This is what happens when something needs covering up.”

Nadya glares at his back while Jax picks up his wooden sword. “All right Mister Has-All-the-Answers, tell me this. When the Council is the one who does all the covering up then who covers up the Council itself?”

He opens his mouth but falters; even in his stance — left foot sliding slightly out of place while he thinks it over.

It’s back just as quickly and the swing of the fake blade is near-perfect. Or — that’s what she assumes, knowing nothing about sword-fighting.

“Fair point.”

It’s a temporary victory but a victory regardless. Nadya’s not had enough of those lately so she takes it — holds on tight as something to remember. And her point is a good one.

If they’re the most powerful vampires in New York then who has the power enough to do something like this?

“Well good riddance I say,” Jax continues, “maybe now we can finally work towards dismantling the Clan system and coming out of the shadows.”

She swallows down her anger like bile. “Sure — until someone else steps in.”

The warrior stops in the middle of his sequence; halts the whistle of the wooden blade through the stale underground air and when he rounds on Nadya his eyes flash with intensity and passion. Not the color of his vampiric hunger but rather bright and bold. Ready to take on anything standing in his way.

“That sounds like a threat.”

Nadya snorts. “Yeah; that’s me. Tiny human Nadya stepping in to rule the Council with an iron fist and her coffee mug in a cozy.” When his stern stare doesn’t abate Nadya rolls her eyes. “I’m just saying that’s how it works in all the history books — films too. Ask Lily — that’s pretty much the arc of the first two Modern Combat games.”

“And who is to say we’re not the ones to ‘step in’ and make things better?”

“Because.”

“That isn’t an answer.”

Nadya wrings her hands in her lap. He’s not backing down — so if he wants an answer she’ll give him one.

“Because… that kind of thinking implies something I can’t really accept right now.” I have to hope. If I don’t who will?

Whatever they talk about — the city, the vampires, Mari and Lily, probably even the weather — Nadya knows they’ll get into an argument over. Oh, she totally gives kudos to his passion. He’s the type who looks like he could make real change regardless of whether or not his asymmetrical eyebrows make her want to punch his nose.

But she knows the type. Knows that type doesn’t really brush well against the type she is.

So when he goes from impassioned stances to silent training Nadya doesn’t try to fill the empty space between them with more things for them to disagree on.

She came here for silence after all.

When the clouds part and reveal the light of the full moon her hands are soaked with blood.

Nadya stares numbly at them; wiggles them slightly and feels how they stick together as the blood begins to dry.

When she peels back her fear there’s joy — pride. The foreign desire — need — to relish her victory and the red fruit born from it. She doesn’t know what victory that is but it’s a heavy one. It weighs not just on her shoulders but inside her soul.

As her fingertips tremble in her own reverence Nadya brings them to her lips and tastes. Feels something like Persephone must have felt when tasting the fruit of Hell for the first time. The flavor of the blood washes along her tongue and the way it arouses her senses is nothing short of divine.

She closes her eyes to better explore the sensations — lips closed around her fingertips and sucking them clean; taking the sin within her without hesitation or fear.

Behind her arms heavy and cold wrap her in an embrace. A soft breath tickles the shell of her ear and the tongue that follows makes her shudder in a whole other kind of ecstasy.

With hazy eyes Nadya looks down — sees the smear of fresh blood along her naked body as those hands caress nonsensical paths along her curves. Long nails dripping the blood of their enemies thumb over her nipples, curl and tangle in the hair at the apex of her thighs. Seek solace lower, lower, lower until she throws her head back with a cry of delight that isn’t her voice at all.

Nadya turns to look into Kamilah’s bright red eyes and feels herself smile at the sight of blood brushed along her dark skin like an artist’s final work. An artist could very well have been one of their victims — she couldn’t care less.

When they kiss it’s not soft or kind. It’s primal; two forces meeting across the world where they should never touch and bringing reality down with it.

Together they fall upon the fur-lined mattress. The lumps displease her but Kamilah shushes her protests with another breath-stealing kiss. Lays her back down on woolen pillows so she can watch her lover with reverence.

And revere her she does — doesn’t even let herself blink for worry that she might miss one second of Kamilah’s glowing beauty and majesty. Majesty that her Queen showers upon her with adoration and devotion.

This is the way the world should always be. Never a lack of prey — the thrill of the hunt followed by all the things that make immortality worthwhile. And with Kamilah at her side they might just very well see it done.

“Come, my love.” Nadya purrs; reaches out and takes Kamilah’s hand in hers to pull the woman up to her lips. Scrapes her fangs along Kamilah’s lower lip and strokes bloody smears over the swell of her curved cheeks.

She sighs in contentment; the calm before the storm. “Together we will see it done.”

“See what done, my love?”

She brushes the hair out of her beloved’s face and this time her kiss is sweet; chaste. A promise of what will never be. — Of what only one woman was capable of ever taking from her.

No, not a woman. A goddess.

But for now… Kamilah will suffice.

“Our vision for a perfect world.”

Kamilah’s smile doesn’t quite reach her eyes then. But it’s a small gesture, could be caused by so many millions of little things that Nadya pays no mind to it; instead sets her Queen free to continue the worship of her body.

“With you by my side,” Nadya continues, “everything is not only possible… but attainable. Just within our grasp.” She rests back upon the bed properly; settles in for the coming dawn that will put an end to their fun only for a brief time. Lets her eyes close as she delights in her Queen’s affections.

Kamilah’s breath is a warm sigh against her inner thighs.

“Yes, my King.”

Nadya opens her eyes to the polished sheen of the looking glass mounted above them. Stares into her own blood-red eyes and the wicked, all-knowing curl of her fanged lips. Kamilah’s head bobs rhythmically between her legs and yet she takes a moment to admire her eternal beauty and power.

When she speaks again she watches her words on Gaius’ tongue. Strokes her fingers through Gaius’ hair down a path along Gaius’ blood-soaked nakedness. And she feels Gaius’ darkness bubbling inside; the storm unleashed.

“And nothing — nothing — will stop us.”

Snap. Snap snap.

“Hello? Ground control to Major Al Jamil, are you with me Al Jamil?”

Snap.

There’s nothing above Lily’s bed but shadowed concrete but Nadya can’t unsee it. Even when she blinks and rubs her eyes until there are little spots of colors without names flashing in her vision there, too, is Gaius.

He knows he’s there. He’s grinning at her. Teeth stained red and face stained red and body stained red and soul stained an utterly pitch dark black that she doesn’t think it counts as a color anymore.

Snap snap snap! “Nadya!”

The panic in Lily’s voice makes sense when Nadya realizes her heart is racing like she’s just run a marathon.

She looks at her friend slowly; has to blink away the bright spots until Lily’s concerned face comes into clarity.

“You were asleep when I left and when I came back you just…” Lily’s voice wavers, “It was like you were in a trance. You kept staring up but when I looked over you it was like you were looking through me, girl.” She looks on the edge of a joke but it fades fast when Nadya feels her stomach do a somersault.

She bursts out of the bed, trips over boots and a small stack of computer whats-its that sting her bare feet; rushes to the bathroom and just barely makes it to the shower floor drain before she vomits.

Lily’s there holding her hair back like any best friend would. Petting her shoulders and offering soothing nothings like “it’s okay” and “just let it out” like they’re coming back from a night out of fun or something.

Definitely not fun.

At some point there’s nothing but water and bile left in her stomach to hurl and her body knows it — stops making her feel that lurching pain of wanting to dispel a poison from her insides and leaves nothing but sore exhaustion.

Lily coaxes her onto the rusty workout bench that serves as a casual place to sit — probably taken from some garbage route or another. Offers her a lukewarm ginger ale that’s more about the intention than the action. But it’s better at nixing the taste than water would be.

All of Lily’s questions push themselves closer and closer to the tip of her tongue with every silent minute; repeatedly opening and closing her mouth when she thinks better of marring whatever Nadya needs to do to recover.

When she finishes the soda she stands, wants nothing more than just to crawl back into bed and hope for the sweet release of unconsciousness. Lily holds her back with a gentle grasp.

“I’ll talk about it later, Lil’. Please.” She mumbles wearily.

Lily nods. “Hey, you do what you gotta do — I’m not gonna push it. But this isn’t about, uh, that.” She gestures back to the bathroom with a grimace. “Jax was doing his walk of the plaza and caught two strangers — vampires he’d never seen before, a man and a woman — talking about that Ball.”

Nadya foolishly lets her heart skip a beat. Could it be them?

Lily continues, wary; “He cornered them about it, obvs. Then they, uh… they mentioned you by name, Nadi’.”

Judging by the look Lily gives her when their eyes meet that’s not a good thing. Makes her heart stink into her vacant stomach because no, it’s not them… why did you trick yourself into hoping?

But if it wasn’t Kamilah and Adrian then who was it?

She doesn’t waste time to dress; pulls on her hoodie from college that Lily accidentally stole and follows her out to the main room.

Only the table hasn’t been set out and the chairs are still stacked in the corner. Mari and Jax pause mid-word and look over the shoulders of the strange vampires to where she lingers with Lily in the doorway.

Whatever was left inside of her that could be considered hopeful withers and hardens into sour fear. Makes her watch, frozen against her will, as Valdas turns with Isseya on his arm and a grim-set frown.

“Miss Nadya,” Valdas greets, “a pleasure to see you unscathed. You have been ordered to make a testimonial at the trial of one Adrian Raines.”

#bloodbound #choices fanfiction #kamilah x mc #jax matsuo #lily spencer #bloodbound mc #mc: nadya al jamil #oc: maricruz espinoza #oblv: bound by destiny #oblv: new chapter #; my fics

[ranger-26]

These last 7 months - Part III

Switching jobs only to be fired by my new one was enough to make me want to return to bed, never to return from the heavy blankets. Had it not been my fear of being unable to pay bills and rent, I probably would have gone back to it. “Take a few days to relax and get your head straight.” My husband had said. “There’s no rush, my love.”

I wasn’t too keen to return to my bed-rest days, however. My chest was only just recently starting to get better and was starting to feel less heavy and my breaths less painful when I inhaled. Instead, I started furiously applying on Indeed for any and every single job I could that I thought I had a chance at getting.

Of the 28 applications that I filled out that night, one company reached out right away.

That night I was asked when I could start, to which I responded “immediately”.

Custodial work became a breath of fresh air since my string of bad luck. I found I took to it easily and liked the solidarity instead of fearing it like I used to. My ability to work in big empty buildings with other custodians all listening to their own music and doing their own tasks slowly presented the opportunities to be alone with my thoughts and process the pain two work places had subsequently put me through and made me appreciate my current one. Not only did this job give me a chance to virtually be by myself, but it also compensated me better than the other jobs did. It was the first time I felt secured and valued.

There is truly a zen-like quality to the job. To the point I am still working it to this day even if my “main” job does not necessitate that I need two jobs anymore at this point. There’s an unsaid beauty to a quiet bank or half-lit warehouse.

Which brings me to the second job.

Although working as a custodian did not require me to look for more work, I did on a whim one day. Their job listing read as needing a Receptionist/Administrative Assistant for a security company.

In the past years when I had attempted applying at numerous offices, all of which had never even given me a call or a glance. To which I had zero expectation on my part for anything to come out of sending them my resume. By this point I had stopped giving a shit what other companies thought of me or had to offer. I had found a way to help put food on the table and that would suffice.

Imagine my surprise when another company reached out to me right away.

I arranged the interview for around 1 pm that day before going to my other job for the evening. When we met, I was extremely casual about it. Again -- I had just stopped caring. I had become so tired of dealing with employers, the song and dance of trying to impress people, and being dissapointed I just didn’t care anymore.

 I told them of my background, that I was fired from my last job because I had been asking questions about taxes, and told them that if they were to hire me I would be more than happy to use my Digital Marketing and Design skills as they had a wealth of marketable material, but hadn’t been utilizing them properly for social media. Looking back, I know now that my cavalier attitude came off as extreme confidence.

A couple days later as I was cleaning at a small business I received the phone call.

“..... We have been reviewing our candidates and you were the top one selected. Are you still interested in the position??”

“Why yes! Yes I am!!”

“I know we had originally discussed strictly hiring you for an Admin position, but if you’re still interested, we would love to take you up on the offer on also working with us to design marketable ads and materials for our customers and for our partners.”

“Of course!”

“Awesome! How soon can you start??”

After the phone call ends I call my husband and practically scream into the phone that I was accepted for the job, as well as the additional offer to be their Digital Marketing Designer for their company.

This time when I start crying, it’s tears of joy.

The first month and a half I have to keep taking deep breaths while I’m driving to and from work because I keep tearing up on how unreal this moment is. I think to myself for the first time since I left the dry-cleaners “I’m doing it... I’m doing it...”

I still work as an AA/DMD and Industrial Custodian. Both of which have been fantastic opportunities.

Through both jobs I made friends and people actually seemed to like me. I even got invited to go out for drinks, and my three current D&D campaigns are through work associates I met as a custodian! 

I’d like to attribute this all to just being a headstrong woman that remained unshaken from the  experiences I went through these past few months. But in all honesty that would be a lie on how things happened, and an insult to my former self that went crashing through those eclipsing emotions. One on top of the other.

I was wounded and scared. I was pissed, spiteful, and I had stopped trying so hard. The praise, friendship, and kindness I’ve found along the way at my new jobs has been worth the whole ordeal. I finally feel fulfillment. I feel happy.

I’ve been going back to my therapist to deal with a lot of the anxiety and PTSD that is due from other traumas in my life and this on-top of it. A lot of my attendance is to help deal with general anxiety and fear that something horrible is suddenly going to happen and prevent me from going back in a dark spiral (health anxiety ho!).

I will leave you with this at least: you don’t have to be doing better than you are now. Just try and do your best. :) I am hoping within’ the next few months to start drawing Fallout Foods studies again, as well as some other pieces peppered in here and there.

A big thanks for everyone that has stuck it out with me so far! I love how supportive and kind this community is! Through this experience I found out some things about myself and I found out who I am. I learned and am still learning to love myself regardless of my shortcomings or failures. They do not define me, they refine me.

#Just 26 things #Ranger Rants #Updates #Awesome boss! #recovering from anxiety #anxiety #suicide prevention #I promise things get better #overcoming depression

[megcapulet]

Dissolve

Who: Megan Capulet, Tybalt Capulet, Princess @ty-capulet  @theprincessofverona

Where: The Palace

When: Friday 21st June 2019

Notes/ triggers: Megan’s appointment at the palace to ask to end her claim.  No real triggers.

Megan was so grateful to Tybalt for agreeing to be with her at the palace again as she was a bundle of nerves as she waited on the Princess.  Her letter with the appointment time was clutched in her hand and she had taken the day off work to ensure there was no issue with her getting there on time.  Glancing at her watch she checked the time on the letter knowing exactly what it said but unable to stop herself.

Ty could feel Megan’s nervousness radiating from her. He couldn’t blame her; not after how the last meeting went. If he were honest, he was feeling a bit nervous as well. But that wasn’t something he would show. He reached for Megan’s free hand and squeezed it. “It will be over soon.”

Megan gave him a weak smile.  She wanted this, she knew she had to take this step but it still felt so brutal and final.  Closing her eyes for a moment she tried to picture Carlo’s face and the smile that would greet her when she reached his home later in the evening, finally able to be together.  All too soon the door opened and they were called to the Princess’s private study.  It didn’t seem that long ago since they were sitting there with Oz being given another ultimatum but this time she was the one asking for something.  The Princess entered and after a brief greeting they got down to business.  “Lord Montague and I separated back in November.  I do not take ending my vows lightly but there is no chance of us reconciling and after six months I feel it is time that we both need to move forward in our lives,” Megan explained when asked.  “I am asking for our claim to be dissolved by mutual consent your highness.”

Tybalt listened as Megan gave her reasoning to the Princess. He knew very well how hard it was for her to say the words, even if he’d never been in this position. Endings were so terribly...final. But hopefully this would open the door she needed to move on with her life. “Your Highness, as the head of Megan’s family and on behalf of my sister who approved this Claim, I have given my full support to Megan’s decision and also request that her Claim to Lord Montague be dissolved.”

The Princess had a feeling this request would be forthcoming and it amused her. As far as she was concerned, this was the deathknell for that upstart Montague and she would feel rather successful in her reign if she could diminish or limit the power that family had accumulated for themselves over the last century. “Well, this kind of request may never be granted lightly. To enter a claim is a serious matter and to terminate it even more so.” She murmured officiously before she smiled, “However, in this instance I will not delay the matter further. I will grant this request and support the dissolution of this Claim between Megan Capulet and Osbourne Montague. Lord Capulet, I take it by your presence here today that you welcome Megan back to the ranks of your family?”

Megan nodded in understanding of the gravity of her request.  In other circumstances she would have pointed out again she wasn’t doing this lightly but her last audience with the Princess had taught her to keep her mouth shut.  As the domme continued Megan let out the breath she was holding, her request had been granted.  It was a strange mix of joy and sadness but at least the uncertainty that had hung over her life for months might come to an end.  She turned to look at Tybalt as the question was directed to him although she had absolutely no doubt as to the answer.

“Yes, your Highness,” Ty said nodding, grateful that the Princess didn’t hesitate to grant Megan’s request and even more grateful that Megan held her tongue. “Megan is welcomed back.”

The Princess nodded in acknowledgement of Lord Capulet’s confirmation of the submissive’s status in his family. “As you wish. I will mark the Decree of severance as of the 21st of June. A formal document will be forwarded to you in due course. Please leave everything with my secretary.” She continued with a graceful wave of her hand toward the person she had just referenced. “I wish you luck in future, Megan, and  most particular, better judgment in your selection of your Dominant. Please … see yourself out.”

Megan’s heart was racing and her chest getting tighter as the matter was settled.  With a momentary glance in the direction the Princess indicated she rose at the dismissal, “Thank you for your time your Highness.”  She could have said more but stopped herself, she had what she wanted and that was all that was necessary.  Making her way out to the door she handed over the paperwork to the Princess’ secretary as requested and it wasn’t until they were outside again that she felt able to speak.  “Thank you for coming with me.  I’m sorry to drag you out for such a short meeting but I don’t know if I’d have made it through the door on my own.  As I suspected though she wasn’t sad about ending my claim.  In fact I’d almost say she was pleased.”  Megan closed her eyes for a moment as she let the last few minutes sink in, she was beginning to think she was the only one who felt anything beyond joy and relief at the situation.

Tybalt wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. He added his own thanks to Megan’s to her highness and then made his way to the door with the submissive. “Trust me, you don’t have to be sorry. I’m learning quickly that the shorter the meeting is with the Princess, the better.” He reached for Megan’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze. He suspected she was right, the princess was pleased. It was clear she had no love for Lord Montague. Possibly the only thing he shared with the Princess. “Now, go and enjoy the freedom you’ve been given.”

Megan gave a short nod and a fleeting smile at his words.  “Yes my Lord.  Enjoy the rest of your day and I imagine I will see you soon.”  With that she headed to her car, intent on heading home to break down for a while first to let go of the emotion inside her before she put herself back together and saw Carlo that evening and the first step to recovery.

#ftf:tybalt #tybalt #ftf:princess #princess #dissolve #chatzy:dissolve

[bedlamgames]

Q&A #89

As a heads up the usual Sunday stream is now going to take place tomorrow night on Monday.

Now onto some questions. 

Anonymous said:  Will you add longer term goals into the game? And the ability to upgrade your tools and such so you can stop your alchemist from blowing themselves up every other day. Plus will there be a way to learn skills from Slavers? Because it'd be an interesting mechanic to learn magic from your slavers and build that up, becoming stronger and stronger in each school... and are there any plans for more races/ Characters in the future?

Good sign I should tackle these Q&A’s more often as you can tell as I got this question prior to 0.81 which does include buyable upgrades. 

More slaver interactions are coming and 0.82 which will be coming soon will include an entirely new full featured race. 

joyfullyunadulteratedruins said:  I just listened to Thriller amd started wondering. WIll there be undead creatures in the future. Like, how about a senario where you play a necromancer (or mad scientist) and the only way to get slavers is to go on a gravedigging assignments where the result determine what undead you get. (Crits are vamps and liches, failure is near useless zombies and ghosts, etc) and to compensate, the supply cost of everything is much much higher. And they drain life from slaves instead of using them.

Due to it being a lewd game while I do plan to do more with undead themes like I did with the wrights and with the blight magic traits and related assignments there’s limits on what I’m comfortable including. 

I do though plan to have a zombie equivalent and vampires have been on the drawing board since before the very first update to the game. 

minimen456 said: Living Nightmare morale lost, but Jenny is alone on a mission and don't have that skill: imgur /a/Qr1r0vs

That looks like the Living Nightmare not being wiped properly and so lingering. Do you remember what the previous assignment you started to that was? Also would be good to know if you just started it and cancelled, or confirmed the assignment.

Anonymous said: Hey man, just wanted to say everything's still going great. I actually went back and played Rough Landing 2 after I saw the post about the other game, and this time I actually managed to beat it! Nowhere near 100% completion but I got to an ending. Anyways, back in No Haven I've been trying to clear the Golem scenario and I feel I've hit a brick wall. I've put together some powerful slavers that can wreck shit on most missions, so now I'm just grinding to try and push through the last decision.

Congratulations! And good luck with beating that scenario. 

Anonymous said: [0.805] imgur /a/lRnGyOz the corruption "critted" and triggered the tentacle arms twice on a mountain something lamia, according to the corruption text she should have 2 arms with tentacles and 2 normal arms, instead she has 3 normal arms and only one tentacle arm.

Tentacles should be a one of though containing multitudes. On checking there was an issue where it could apply the text twice like that. 

Anonymous said: [0.805] imgur /a/jAhJKz6 she got mad schemes from complete profane ritual, the issue might be that the aspect says it needs creative but she doesn't have it, assignments still trigger the aspect though.

That ones working as intended as corruption can help bypass the requirements you’d need to take it from a level up. 

Anonymous said: [0.805] imgur /a/HlmTLAg greedy ganed, greedy lost, and the venomchasm character didn't have that aspect so I have no idea how she lost something she didn't have. 

update on the "lost" exhibitionist, she gained that somehow.

I was going to change that potential but people found the gain trait, lose trait in one corruption thing so I left it. I’ve changed the wording on that other one so it’s more understandable now that it’s applying the aspect and removing any outfit worn.

Anonymous said:   [0.805] imgur /a/kZUhznT selected corruption by mistake, clicked cancel and that roles showed up and the PC moved below

Will see if I can recreate it to see what happened there. 

Anonymous said:   Tried the new version; now that levelling up the encampment no longer provides an encampment size bonus, it's possible to gain more slavers than you have room for. It seems like accepting a new slaver that would take you over capacity should either automatically charge you for the upgrade, or be impossible; as is, I can just ignore encampment size, and rely solely on level-ups for fresh blood.

Oops, missed that one. Thanks for letting me know so I can fix that. 

nh-maikochan said: 0.812 Bug... maybe. Had a slaver who gained Flying through a levelup. They gained another level and one of the options for them was Fleet. I saved before picking it and sent them out on an exploration mission to see if the two stacked with the time reduction, and they don't, only Flying applied its time reduction effect.

Yeah was a bug. Was an extra ‘ ‘ that was causing the flying check not to work on gaining fleet. 

anoisilyunlikelycollectorblog said:Tumblr is redirecting your download links to the dashboard so they're unusuable (tested with the ones on Whorelocks Revenge).

Gah tumblr why you got to be like that? While it wasn’t working at all on Friday when I checked it does seem to be working now thankfully as I don’t want to think about updating all the commission sources. 

Still in case it happens again I’ve added full links for the downloads so worst case if it happens again you can always copy paste them. 

evelelf said:Not a question but more of a bug report. Assignment in Ever Forest "Infiltration - Toll Bridge" keeps counting down to expire even when picked up and after completion.

Those are good too. Not entirely sure why that’s happening though. Is it on a specific day length?

sweetlyholywizard said:Hey, I encountered a bug in 0.812 of no haven where when I tried to raid a goblin village the timer on it ran out and the assignment didn't complete. Now it's just sitting there in my room objects screen and I can't do any thing about it. For some reason this has also caused me to get a "need more room or slavers" message whenever I try to go on an assignment to get more slaves, so basically if I can't get this fixed then the entire save is fucked. Any ideas on what the problem is?

I know this is my equivalent of the ‘have you turned it off an on again’, but as this is bad enough I’m surprised otherwise it would have gone unmentioned have you been following the safe saving and loading practice as warned at the beginning of the game? As that’s what is most likely to break the game. 

If not let me know along with letting me know if there was an owned slaver involved and which length of days that assignment was. Thanks!

#Q&A

[tipsycad147]

Collecting out-of-print Tarot decks

by Michelle Gruben

Every Tarot collector wants that one deck. The 1980s deck that you first learned to read with (and haven’t seen since). The indie Kickstarter deck you should have bought when you had the chance. The deck that everyone raves about that’s long overdue for a reprint.

As a lifelong collector (and occasional dealer) of Tarot, I know the agony of searching for those elusive decks. I’ve written this guide to help you round up the stragglers on your list. With a little sleuthing, patience, and (moderately) deep pockets, anyone can build the Tarot collection of their dreams. This article is geared toward those who buy Tarot decks for reading and study, rather than purely for collectible value. But if you happen to make money buying and selling Tarot, more power to you!

First, it’s helpful to understand why Tarot decks go out of print in the first place. Every time a Tarot deck is created, the publisher—whether it’s the artist or a publishing company—has to make a very risky bet. They have to settle on an initial print run, or the number of copies that will be produced. The publisher uses a current budget and past sales figures to arrive at this number, but it’s not an exact science.

If the number is too low, the deck will sell out quickly, disappointing customers. If the number is too high, the publisher could be stuck with unsold copies of the deck for years, tying up cash that could have gone to other projects. Print runs vary from 500 or fewer copies from indie artists, up to tens of thousands of copies from major publishers.

Most Tarot decks never see a second print run after the initial printing sells out. However, if the deck becomes extremely popular, the publisher may opt to put a new edition. Some titles are translated into other languages, and appear in multiple sizes and formats. A classic deck may even get an anniversary edition to mark a major milestone. Not all reprints are created equal, though. Sometimes, the print quality improves and errors are corrected in the new edition. Other times, the deck suffers from flimsy paper stock, “off” colors, and skimpy packaging.

Intellectual property issues can delay or block a re-issue. The Thoth Tarot by Aleister Crowley went missing for several years. The hiatus was due to a legal dispute between the Ordo Templi Orientis, which claims the rights to the artwork, and U.S. Games Systems, Inc., which has a contract to publish the deck. Eventually, a new edition made it to the market—but not before dealers went crazy hawking the out-of-print decks on eBay.

I’ll be the first to admit it: Finding rare and out-of-print decks isn’t easy. There are thousands of different Tarot decks, most from small print runs, and no centralized resources for collectors. In addition, serious Tarot fans tend to hold on to their decks for a long time—like, until death.

Your Tarot wish list

If you’re serious about filling out a Tarot collection, the first step is to make a wish list. Patience is a virtue when hunting for Tarot, so the list will help you focused during those long stretches of no luck. Write down the name, publisher, and any other particulars—like edition or language—for your desired decks. You can also arrange the wish list by priority (“Decks I Would Sell My Firstborn For” down to “Decks I Might Buy If the Price Is Right”).

Once your collection reaches a certain size, you’ll also want to keep an inventory of decks you already own. I don’t wish for anyone to be hovering around a stinky flea market trying to remember if they already have Motherpeace.

Ready to start chipping away at that wish list? Here's four places to look for rare Tarot and oracle decks:

1. Check online marketplaces.

eBay, Amazon, and AbeBooks are the most popular venues for used Tarot decks. Searching online listings is the fastest—but probably also the most expensive—way to get your hands on a long-lost deck. The three sites listed above have the largest selection of vintage Tarot. Generally speaking, used book lots and estate sales put Tarot decks in the hands of dealers, who pass them on to collectors. Search terms like “vintage,” “original” or “OOP” will show you the current haul of collectible decks.

Browsing these three sites is a good way to find out what a particular deck is worth—or at least, what dealers want it to be worth. I’ve seen mass-market decks that originally retailed for about $20 offered for $300 or more. And that’s without the deck being particularly rare or sought-after. Some dealers buy up all the current Tarot titles they can, just hoping that the publisher will sell out and the value of the deck will shoot up.

Don’t be discouraged if you find your coveted deck listed at an insane price. Remember, the value of something is only what someone else will pay. It’s often the case that the seller has no idea what the item is worth. They do know they have only one available, and they’re simply trying to get the best price from some eager collector. The seller may come down if no one bites, or if similar listings pop up. They will certainly come down if the deck is reprinted. If you’re willing to wait, it’s entirely possible that you might find the same title somewhere else for much less.

Try setting up alerts so you can be notified when your wish list items show up in listings. Large marketplace like eBay and Amazon usually support this function. Of course, if the deck you want is truly rare and at the top of your list, you may wish to snap it up as soon as you get a chance.

Online Tarot collecting is not without its risks. Read the listing carefully, and be sure to ask any questions before checkout. Because Amazon requires an ISBN number for listings (but doesn’t keep a complete catalog of ISBNs for out-of-print titles), sellers sometimes list old Tarot items under the wrong ISBN. It’s very disappointing to get the wrong edition (or worse, a book when you were expecting a deck.)

Also, don’t assume that people selling used Tarot decks on major sites know anything about Tarot. Some may be specialists, but some are liquidators who deal in all types of books and other items. Right now on eBay, there are decks with missing cards, decks described incorrectly, and newer editions passed off as vintage. Beware of “as is” listings and sellers who don’t describe the item thoroughly with words and photos. A reputable seller should at least be able to verify that all the cards are there and provide you with the publishing info from the box or booklet.

2. Scrounge around (in person).

Your second option is poking around in cluttered rooms that smell like books. (Poor you!)

Not a lot of metaphysical shops carry used Tarot decks. Part of the reason may be superstition, or clients' worry about the energy of previous owners clinging to the deck. But the bigger reason is probably the hassle. Every used deck has to be checked for condition and completeness. Most of the decks published in the 1980s and beyond just don’t have that much value, other than sentiment. As a shop owner, I can attest that the profit margin on new decks is small enough, and the margin on run-of-the-mill used decks is miserable. But it’s worth checking if your local occult store sells or trades vintage decks.

The next stop for scrounging will be the used book stores in your area. Because of pilferage, decks are usually kept behind glass or the front counter, so you may have to ask for them. Tarot can also show up at such unlikely places as estate sales, rummage sales, auctions, and library sales. Workers at these things don’t always know where to place the decks, so I check the New Age section, the games section, and the rare book shelf. (Unfortunately, the general public seems to think Tarot decks are worth a lot more than they are. Don’t be shy about setting them straight with a cash offer.)

When you run across vintage Tarot decks at a reasonable price, buy them all! Honestly, do it. Whether the decks are on your list or not, they’re really neat to rifle through and they don’t take up much room. They could be a useful bargaining chip when you meet with other collectors. (See #4, below.)

Magickal folks, you can use visualization and intuition to make a hard-to-find Tarot deck come to you. Put your intention out there, then go where your hunches and whims lead you. If you have access to a favorite image from the deck, print it out and put it with your collection. Or you can simply visualize yourself reading the deck or holding it in your hands. Then follow your nose and keep your eyes peeled for your new deck.

3. Contact the artist or publisher.

Through the wonders of the information age, it’s now possible to get in touch with nearly any (living) artist or author. It’s a long shot, but it just might yield up a Tarot deck or at least a hot tip.

Try sending a message to the deck creator through their website or Facebook page. Tell ‘em how much you love the deck, and how disappointed you are that you missed the limited edition, or gave away your personal copy, or lost it after revel fire that one night, or whatever. Then ask them if they know any way that the deck can be obtained.

Sometimes, artists will have a limited number of copies that they keep for family and friends. They may be willing to sell you one. Perhaps there’s been a second printing that you didn’t know about. Could be a bookstore in Winnipeg has some old stock. Maybe they’ll tell you about a new deck they’re working on that’s so awesome, you’ll cross the old one off your list.

Reaching out to artists that inspire you is usually very gratifying, even if it doesn’t land you a deck. Artists need love! For out-of-print titles stuck in purgatory, your message will at least demonstrate some interest, and possibly nudge them toward another print run.

I’m shy, so I’ll admit that this is not my favorite strategy of the bunch. Several years ago, I was desperate to get my hands on the rare-ish Alchemical Tarot by Robert Place. I got a large tattoo from the deck on my leg, and the plan was to send him a pic and ask if he had a deck to sell me. But I chickened out! I (Fortunately, it was later reprinted.)

Nowadays, I chat with lots of deck creators, and I’ve found them to be a great resource for finding those rare decks and special extras. Many creators are collectors, also. They’re often the first to know when a re-issue or new release is forthcoming. Re-issues always drive down the price of out-of-print decks, so this is useful intel whether you buy or sell Tarot.

4. Connect with other collectors.

Other Tarot collectors make wonderful fishing buddies. Whether you meet them online or in person, connecting with Tarot community will yield a wealth of information. They can help you set up trades, find new leads, evaluate purchases, and identify your decks. The only danger here is that your wish list will grow and grow!

If you have decks in your collection that you no longer want, other collectors will be happy to take them off your hands. Bring a handful of old decks to Tarot classes and spiritual book swaps, and they may find a happy new home. A Tarot meetup I used to attend had a monthly “Show and Tell” that very often turned into “Show and Sell.”

For many years, the leading online Tarot swap community has been on the Aecletic Tarot forums (registration required for most features). They are generally fair and knowledgeable folks. You can post buy/sell requests or show off your collection! Remember, the only thing better than finding a much-longed-for deck is helping someone else to do the same.

Happy collecting!

https://www.groveandgrotto.com/blogs/articles/collecting-out-of-print-tarot-decks

[apexart-journal]

Tasha Dougé, Day 6  aka My BDAY!! Today I turn 40!!

May 26, 2021.  It was the last Super Moon of the year, a Blood Moon, the Flower Moon and a lunar eclipse.  This all happened before 8am EDT.  What a way to start off my 40th birthday.  40 years on the this earth and I have much to be grateful for and I appreciate all my blessings, including this fellowship.  Thank you God, Ancestors, Lwas and the Universe. 

Now for those who have been following or are just joining me on this journey, I want to acknowledge the lapse in posts.  Today is actually day 9 of my fellowship.  For all the bloggers and vloggers out there, I tip my hat to you all in sheer awe.  This is not easy to do consistently.  I knew that, but now I really KNOW.  I mean I am out here in these NYC streets and by the time I get back to the apt, the only thing I want to blog are the number of Zzz’s and snores coming out of me in the bed.  Nonetheless, I committed to sharing my journey and I want to.  So here we go.

It was a late start on the 26th and that was great because the BDay love was pouring in.  Since I can’t celebrate in person, I created a BDAY BINGO game and my friends were game.  The day/afternoon started with a good ole game of mini golf. I haven’t played since 2000.  So I’m coming into this with tons of rust.  PERIODT.  I was told that I would have some company.  Dhairya came to play with his cool shades in tow.  He is a student at NYU studying computer engineering.  My solution to any computer issue is Ctrl + Alt + Delete.  If that doesn’t work, then I can’t help ya.  That is the extent of my expertise.  Now, I will direct all questions to Dhairya.  Dhairya came to the states from India three months ago and it was a pleasure listening and learning about him.  Now, he said he never played mini golf.  However, that is not what the score card said. No need to focus on the numbers.  What’s important is that he didn’t let me win because it was my birthday and that we really enjoyed our time playing.  And if you have to know, yes he did win.  As per my photos (taken by Dhairya), you can see that I had a hard conversation with my ball trying to sort out the lack of communication and teamwork.  After his win, I introduce Dhairya to one of my favorite spots, NISH NUSH.  It is a Mediterranean vegetarian spot that I last visited in Summer of 2019.  It was perfect because he is vegetarian.  He loved the food.  My bday was off to a great spot.  Next off to Sunset Park, Brooklyn.

If you haven’t been to Sunset Park, you need to go immediately.  What a beautiful park.  The view was gorgeous.  I laid out and enjoyed my icee.  One of the pigeons wanted to give me a gift.  It showered me with some excrements.  Apparently, that is supposed to be a sign of good luck.  I will let you know later how true that is.  Until then, I proceeded to use some hand sanitizer to remove the “gift.”  My agenda for the day suggested some snacks.  I decided to try the red bean puff pastry from Jade Bakery (corner of 63rd & 8th) and the rice cake skewers from 369 BBQ (corner of 61st & 8th).  When I got to Jade’s and asked for the red bean pastry, they were exactly sure about what I was asking for.  However, they were super sweet and friendly.  They showed me something red and had beans, so I took it.  Next to 369 BBQ.  I almost missed it because I was looking for a brick and mortar.  Good thing my peripheral vision is still working.  I ordered one skewer to go.  I walked to the train to head over to Greenwood Cemetery for the last event for the day.

While waiting for the train, I cracked open the foil and started eating the rice cake skewer.  Wait for it... Hell the Freak Yes!!!  It was the bomb!  Ever order something and get mad that you only got one?  Well that was what I was feeling.  It was doughy goodness with a kick of spice.  I am SOLD and I will be back for sure.  

I made it to the cemetery with like 2 mins to spare.  There was a line and we waited for them to let us in.  I was the only Black person on the line, but I was going in to see what this was about.  To be honest, I was trying to see if this event could be rescheduled.  I mean a cemetery on my bday?!  I googled it and they only do the event once a month.  So as someone who is all about experiences and willingly accepted the nomination to be a part of this fellowship, I told myself to go for it.  They let us in and off we went.  You find out fairly quickly that the tour is self-guided.  As I enter the cemetery and take it all in, I am filled with questions.  Who came up with this idea?  Was the person buried in the pyramid mausoleum African/Black?  Why do people chose to occupy so much space even in death?  As I witnessed the entertainment, I wondered who is the entertainment for?  Were the deceased considered in those decisions?  As part of the event, folks had the option to enter into certain mausoleums.  For me, that led to more questions.  How were the mausoleums selected?  Did they ask the deceased permission?  At one point, I asked if there were people actually in them and I was told yes.  It is my bday and I don’t know the energy of the people deceased.  Thanks, but I will pass on that one.  

Oh yea. How could I almost forget?  Literally about 5 minutes after I entered the cemetery with the group, the grey clouds with all their rolling thunder came right on through.  Strong winds followed by stronger gusts of winds had the trees howling and the branches swaying frantically.  Shortly after, the rain came.  Pellets of water were hurled onto our bodies and my body for sure since I didn’t have an umbrella.  For me, that was the good Lord and ancestors saying you came, you saw and now you gotta go.  With that message, I got another message.  This time it was for the event folks saying that the event was canceled due to the rain.  My sister called with some happy birthday vibes and asked where I was.  I told her I was in a cemetery and she was like “on your birthday?”  I told her yea.  I was not surprised by her shock, but I flipped it for her real good.  Yes, it was my 40th birthday, but what would be a better reminder to live then to be among those who have passed. 

I choose to live with every breath I have until my very last.  This was a bomb birthday!!

Sidebar:  I will return to Greenwood because Basquiat is buried there and there is also an African burial ground called the Freedom Lots.

#Tasha Dougé #local nyc

[oreopata]

‘Had a lovely day on the town with my neighbour, just went around the shops and visited the local gallery. I would have updated this post yesterday, but I was so exhausted from such an exciting outing...

While the main goal of the day was him teaching me how to use the buses, so I can move about more freely without relying on friends or family for a lift - we just had a great time just going with the flow of the day. Popping in and out of a few shops and picking up some things along the way. He got a few items he needed and I gained a successful bounty. I was surprised to see the art supplies that are now in WHSmiths (I’d initially gone in there to look at the Graphic Novels); got myself a small packet of charcoal pencils. I recon they’ll come in nicely for the current charcoal miner piece I’m working on. 

I also had the chance to visit the charmingly haphazard book shop and got this book on cartooning for only £7. While it could be argued that it’s a book for beginners, I’m finding it rather varied in its content: ranging from simple cartooning, to caricature and even some sequential art like comics and animation. Granted, I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at a couple of select advice, such as one saying that some comic artist might use action figures as reference poses - Which isn’t a good idea, because it always look stiff when you rely too much on a toy reference and I can always tell when someone does it, including on this illustrator’s demonstration. It’s just one of a couple nitpicks  I have for this large book that I can’t help but find rather appealing. Reminds me of a much smaller book I read in my old school’s library on making comics. Sometimes going back to the basics can prove helpful. It can feel nostalgic and remind you of why you started drawing or you may find a little nugget of good advice. (Unless you’re reading anything by Christopher Hart, seriously, do not buy any of his drawing books) 

Now that I’ve committed to memory how to use the bus and getting a better sense of what’s going on in my local area, hopefully I’ll get more used to it. I think the fact that, say for twice a week, I’m always in my house alone everyday can be a hinderance to me. Whenever I step outside, I’m always overwhelmed by how vast and large the sky and everything around me is, having being used to much smaller four walls. Much to my embarrassment, it did show on the day. Such as when we stopped to grab a bite at a little burger stop, I accidentally froze when asking for the order and asked to go look again at the menu on the other side of he hut (not realising there was another menu inside) I can imagine my slight social cluelessness, skin colour and received-pronunciation accent make me look like a tourist. I’ve been asked a couple times recently if I’m from London. But luckily that was the only minor hiccup I had that day. #IntrovertProblems

The best parts of the day were when we had a look into the No.42 gallery and I got the chance to revisit the Mining Art Gallery again. Having gone there before with my art class.Visiting the No.42 allowed me to see the local talent. Hoping to get some inspiration, get a better idea of local tastes and see how other artist’s work. I even managed to enquire how I could possibly apply to exhibit my work. So who knows? Maybe once I’ve done some more pieces and I’m open for business, I’ll apply. 

Walking through the Mining Art Gallery was just what I needed to get me inspired again. Since I’ve been feeling down since Easter and I was still nervous the previous Thursday while sketching some stuffed birds. I suppose I was just feeling too agitated due to recent events to relax and enjoy drawing. But I am hoping to see a councillor again soon. With this visit, I got to take my time a little more, got to hang around my favourite painting a bit more and do some gesture sketching based on it. The painting in question being The Hartley Disaster by H.H. Emmerson. 

Sadly that low quality picture doesn't do it justice. If you’re ever in the area, I encourage you to see the painting for yourself. It's so clear, massive and beautiful in real life. I love the contrasting colours. The expression on the people are especially astounding to me: The woman grieving with the baby, the rescuers in the back as they look on; and I am head over heels in love with the two figures at the front - The woman with the scarf over her head and the rescuer with the lamp. Now excuse me for a second while I gush over them:

I noticed how her face was so beautiful, strong and yet caring, intimate and melancholic. The way she looks at the rescuer with such a strong expression in her eyes and eyebrows. She looks him dead in the eye while her hand rests on his arm. Whose hand, in return, tucked in his coat. The way his face looks directly back at her, yet his gaze is directed downwards in way that shows disappointment and forlornness - as does the careful look on his face says so much as well. Just so much emotion and chaste intimacy with these two! I LOVE IT!!!

At first, I tried to draw both of their faces in detail, but this proved unsuccessful. My arm was aching for a lot of the day due to the heavy bags and from trying to hold my sketchbook and draw while in front of the painting. Luckily, one of the security guards recognised me from my previous visit and offered to leave my handbag behind the desk while I explored the gallery - a literally weight off my neck and shoulders. I was flattered that he complimented my sketches.

I was reduced to just getting the basic gestures and sketches done as quickly as possible, along with taking some notes based on the facts. I’m honestly glad I did that. I’m learning one massive problem I have is getting nervous about details way too early on. So in ding these messy roughs, I could at least get something done and still create and impression of something. I don’t need to create a masterpiece every time. I can use this to get started on pictures quicker. That said, I would like to do a more detailed study at some point if I could find a better reference. I still wish they had a little print of it to sell amongst all the others. Just my luck that my favourite piece wouldn't be amongst them.

Speaking of which, I was excited to revisit as they had some new work in based around Bevin Boys, so I just had to pick up these two books on them. I love seeing these sketches and I can add it to the growing inspiration I got that day.

After the gallery, we stopped for another bite at the cafe opposite. The same one my Gran and I used to visit every Saturday we went shopping together. I even had my old, usual order of a slice of their chocolate cake and a glass of orange juice. I’ve been in desperate need of a good day, so I’m glad I’ve finally got one. Now I’m more inspired and reminded of why I love drawing and I can’t wait to get started on more.

MY FACEBOOK | MY DEVIANTART | MY YOUTUBE | MY TWITTER

#my artwork #sketch #rough sketch #sketches #sketchbook #mining art #coal mining #North East Mining #No.42 #art gallery #Mining Art gallery #Britain #England #British #North East England #Bishop Auckland #vent #day out #Bevin Boys #books #cartooning #comics #animation #drawing #sketching #Hartley Disaster #HH Emmerson #book shop #caricature #local talent

[michaelandy101-blog]

When (and When Not) to Outsource Link Building

New Post has been published on http://tiptopreview.com/when-and-when-not-to-outsource-link-building/

When (and When Not) to Outsource Link Building

Have you ever outsourced link building? How did you like the experience?

To be honest, mine was terrible. Allow me to share my story.

When I had a typical 9-to-5 job as a marketing director at SEMrush, we made a decision to get more links from the top resources in our segment. We ended up hiring an agency to help us build these links. The agency was charging us an outrageous $13K a month, but, unfortunately, the high price didn’t equal quality. They weren’t capable of writing anything meaningful, not to mention publishing their content on trustworthy industry blogs. What made things worse was the fact that I brought them on board.

Needless to say, we stopped working with this agency. We decided to give another one a try, thinking that this time luck would be on our side.

Well, we were wrong. Although the second agency charged us nearly three times less and promised premium quality work with superb links and stellar results, the outcome was disappointing, to say the least. We ended up getting links from irrelevant content published on sites that wrote about everything, from the ten best sex positions to the ultimate guide on cleaning your toilet.

As ridiculous as it may sound right now, back then, I didn’t feel amused. These two failed attempts at outsourcing link building left me convinced in two things: getting high-quality links is a job to be done internally, and outsourcing is simply pouring money down the drain.

Fast forward to now, and I can honestly tell you that my opinion on outsourcing has changed. Since these two unfortunate scenarios with outsourcing, I went from working for SEMrush to being a freelancer, and, when the amount of work started to grow, I launched my own link building agency, Digital Olimpus. As I gained more experience in this field, I started to realize why our attempts at outsourcing failed so miserably.

At that time, I didn’t know the ropes of link acquisition. We weren’t thinking ahead to establish strict requirements to prevent us from getting links from low-quality sites. Thus, as I went through trial and error, I gathered some unique insights about the pros and cons of link building outsourcing. Today, I’d like to share these insights with you so you can better understand which option is the right one for you — to hire an agency or an in-house link builder.

When is outsourcing the right choice for you?

Here’s my perspective as the owner of a link building agency.

The majority of our clients come to us because they don’t have the time or resources to set up a decent link building process by themselves. Most of the time, their current focus is shifted towards some other business goals, but they still understand the value of links and have some pages that are trying to rank well on Google.

Usually, our ideal client knows what kinds of pages they want to boost via links, and they understand how SEO works. In most cases, they have an SEO team that has a lack of resources to step into link building, so they’re looking for someone who could help them get some juicy links.

So, at the end of the day, our clients pay for our knowledge and experience. But there are also other reasons why companies may choose to outsource link building to an agency as opposed to hiring an in-house specialist.

1. If hiring an experienced link builder is too expensive

The first reason to outsource link building is in the recruitment costs.

According to Glassdoor, the average salary of a junior-level link builder is about 30-40K, while those who are extremely experienced will be looking for an estimated yearly salary around 100K USD. As for the hourly rate, the lowest would be $13, while more experienced link building specialists expect you to pay them as high as $16 an hour.

Besides salaries, you also need to consider other points. For example, your in-house link building specialist would also need content developed specifically for link building purposes, which should have its own separate budget. Apart from that, to do the job properly, they need to have access to backlink analysis tools, like Ahrefs (costs $99/month), SEMrush (also $99/month), Moz (starting $99/month), and Pitchbox (starting from $300/month). All in all, you’ll have to pay for these tools, which alone will cost around 6K a year.

To put a long story short, hiring an in-house link builder will cost you a pretty penny. Moreover, it might take you quite a while to find the in-house link builder you’re looking for. So, while you’re searching for one, you could give an agency a try to get your link building strategy started.

2. If you need to get links straight away

The biggest difference between hiring an in-house link builder vs. an agency is the speed of acquiring links. Usually, an agency already has a tried-and-tested link building strategy, while an in-house link builder still has to develop one.

In my opinion, this is the biggest reason why our clients are choosing our fellow link building agencies and us. We have a well-established process of building links, but most importantly – we’ve already developed meaningful relationships across particular industries and niches. So, in some cases, it doesn’t take us longer than a few minutes to secure a link.

However, if you decide to do link building by yourself, you shouldn’t expect instant results. On average, it takes 3-4 months to start getting at least 10-20 links every month. Besides, it might take you a while to find the right and meaningful way to connect with other sites, and to learn how to pitch your ideas properly.

I should say that, even for my agency, it’s always a big issue to open a new niche and start building a decent number of links per month. The first few months are resulting in 2-4 links, and that for sure can’t be described as a decent flow of links.

3. If you need help educating your team on how to build links the right way

The exchange of knowledge and experience is another reason to outsource link building. It’s definitely why I outsource some tasks, and work closely with those who have substantial expertise in the areas where I don’t feel as confident.

Paying for knowledge is an excellent way to spend money, especially if you lack time. For example, I understand how long it would take me to learn before I could do technical SEO myself, so I’d rather hire someone to help me with that instead. And, while we’re working together, I’ll take this opportunity to enhance my knowledge as well.

For this exact reason, we have a few contractors on our team who are working on other projects, but gladly share their unique strategies and approaches with us. It’s like a breath of fresh air – their experience gives us new perspectives on building high-quality links.

By the way, if you decide to hire an in-house link builder, it might take them quite some time to learn how to work with such contractors, while a link building agency would already have well-established relationships with them.

So, with all that said, try to perceive outsourcing as a learning opportunity. If you already have some experience in link building, you don’t necessarily need to ask an agency to educate you. Instead, you can follow their strategy if you see that it’s working. We have a few clients who follow this logic, as they do link building in-house while still being under our guidance. Sure, one day, they might start building links independently, but it feels nice that we paved that path for them.

4. If you want links that would take you ages to acquire by yourself

Again, it’s all about the connections and how well you can build relationships with them. If you don’t have a tight circle of partners, you can’t expect quick results from your link building efforts.

Usually, the best link building agencies already have a great network of partners. However, it’s still very important to double-check that an agency operates within your niche and has some meaningful connections.

But even if the agency hasn’t worked in your niche before, don’t give up on it just yet. Most likely, the agency might still be able to network faster due to existing relationships with partners and word-of-mouth power.

Still, even for an experienced agency, developing the network of connections in a new and unexplored field will take some time. We’re always very transparent when it comes to telling a client that we haven’t yet worked within their industry, but some clients are ready to wait. However, your needs might be different, so always bring up this question to avoid misunderstandings.

5. If you need to scale your current link building efforts

Sometimes brands realize that link building can be a good strategy for them, but they might not fully understand how to approach it, considering the specifics of their industry and niche. If this is your case, the agency will help you select the right angle and review your current link building needs objectively.

Another pain point that makes our clients ask for our help is building links to problematic targets. Some pages — commercial ones, for example — are hard to build links to in an organic way. In my recent blog post, I talked more on the topic of building links to commercial pages and a few examples of how it can be done. But if you struggle with acquiring links to some pages, you can outsource this task to an agency, which will find the right way to address these difficulties and tackle them.

When outsourcing isn’t your best option

As someone who went through an unpleasant experience with outsourcing, I should say that you really have to know what you need when hiring an agency. This might be the first and most crucial reason not to outsource link building – you should know what to expect.

However, there are also other situations when outsourcing link building will be a waste of time and money. Let’s take a look.

1. You’re looking for digital PR and consider it link building

Over the years, I’ve met a lot of potential clients who ask for articles on leading sites in their industry just for the sake of having their brand mentioned by a popular resource. While getting links from such websites would be good for your brand image, this is a task for PR.

Here’s the thing: Links acquired from such resources are usually very weak from an SEO standpoint. Besides, there are cases when guest contributors sell links from these sites. In one of them, a well-known writer who worked for Forbes and Entrepreneur sold links under the radar, which is forbidden by Google’s guidelines.

As a result, links to such websites rarely bring any benefit, because they don’t carry the SEO value we are usually looking for.

From an SEO standpoint, the best links come from websites that are not involved in such suspicious activities. In addition, don’t be quick to trust influencers, since they often sell links on their websites as well.

Instead, try to find a website that doesn’t have guest posts. Google typically favors guest posting, while pushing the websites which are only used for link building to the bottom of search results.

2. You don’t have a solid SEO strategy and you just want to build some links

Many clients don’t understand that link building and SEO are interconnected. When it comes to link building, you need to remember that the results only come if you make links to the right pages from an SEO standpoint.

What does that mean? Such pages should target the right keywords relevant to your business, and that don’t have an insane level of competition. Also, content that is allocated on those pages should match user intent.

Just for context, it takes 10 times more time to get a page with commercial intent to the top of Google results, especially if the top 10 have informational intent.

Ideally, you should understand how many links you need in order to close the current link gap; otherwise, it might take ages for your page to rank well on Google. By analyzing what kind of links your rivals have already built, you can set up the right requirements for your link building agency.

3. You have very strict requirements and an agency can’t hit that mark

Sometimes, clients underestimate their link building needs. But other times, their expectations can be way too high, and it turns into a real problem. Let me give you some examples.

Once, we had a client that wanted us to implement a whole new link building approach just for his campaign. Everything should have gone great, except he forgot to tell us that he would need a unique approach, and what we were capable of providing at that time wasn’t what he was interested in.

Naturally, our partnership ended on that note. We decided to return the funds to this client and move forward. Now we do an in-depth interview with every client to give them a very detailed overview of our link building approach and our capabilities.

The same problem can occur in a few other cases:

You want links that will be allocated only in particular content. Ask the agency if it gets links through guest blogging. If not, this is not the best option for you.

You have a list of sites from which you want to get links. Contrary to what you might expect, link building isn’t an exact science, and it’s hard to predict or guarantee that a link will be secured on a particular site.

You want links only on pages that have already built a solid number of links and are already ranking well on Google. That’s a smart strategy, but it should only be done internally, since getting a link on such a page might take ages.

So, as I mentioned before, ask the agency about its capabilities before you outsource link building. It would be fair for both sides if you and the agency have clear expectations of the final result.

4. You expect to receive referral traffic from links that an agency will be building for you

Unfortunately, there’s minimal chance that referral traffic will come. Digital marketing experts confirm that there’s a very slim chance that even guest blogging on leading sites will bring you a solid flow of referral visitors.

Nowadays, steady referral traffic only comes through sources of organic traffic. A good example is this article with a list of SEO tools by Brian Dean that receives over 7K organic visitors per month:

Certainly, tools listed in Brian’s post are all getting some traffic, too, as those visitors are browsing through them and would love to learn more about them.

In general, we rarely see that our clients are getting referral traffic. Getting a good link is one scenario, but getting a good link that will send referral traffic is a whole other story.

In my opinion, building the links that will most likely send you a solid flow of referral visitors requires an analysis of current sources of referral traffic to your competitors and industry leaders. Then, you must try to understand the reason behind this traffic, whether it’s an active audience, being featured in a newsletter, etc. But the entire process differs from the link building strategy we usually follow.

5. You’re too busy to communicate your feedback to the agency

If you expect the link building agency to deliver the results you expect, communication is key. Outsourcing is not about delegating the task and forgetting about it. It’s about close collaboration.

With that said, be prepared to have to go on a number of calls with an agency just to figure out the link building strategy you will follow, not to mention other related meetings that will occur in the process. It is especially important if your link building needs are very specific.

So, let me reiterate – ongoing communication is crucial for building juicy, high-quality links. If you don’t have time to talk with the agency and articulate your needs and expectations properly, outsourcing link building is not the right option for you.

6. You don’t have a sufficient budget

If you are planning to hire an agency to outsource link building, you should evaluate your financial situation first, because it will cost you a fair amount of money.

To give you some context, we only take long-term contracts starting from $10K because one-time partnerships don’t help bring permanent link building results. In general, the entire process of building links should be ongoing, and your website should continuously show a rising link growth graph:

So, no matter how hard you try, the lack of a systematic approach to link building means no tangible results, and the client won’t get any profit from these links. That’s what made me understand that single-time link building is a waste of time and money.

What’s the verdict?

All in all, I should say that hiring a link building agency is worth every penny, as long as it has the experience you’re looking for, of course. Just from the rational standpoint, it’s much harder and more cost-intensive to do link building by yourself, especially if you have little knowledge of it.

There are also other perks of outsourcing link building. First and foremost, when you’re hiring an agency to build links, you’re paying for the speed of acquiring links. An agency already has all the connections to get links faster, in addition to a well-established process of building links in general.

Nevertheless, evaluate your needs first. Outsourcing might not be the best option for you if you are more interested in PR, not link building. You might also want to check what the agency can offer, as your requirements might not fit its profile. And, of course, outsourcing is not an option if you don’t have time to communicate with an agency or you have insufficient funds for such partnership.

However, in general, if you ask me now if outsourcing is worth it, I would say yes, but only if you are committed. Remember, outsourcing link building to an agency shouldn’t be a one-time occasion. If you want ongoing results, you need to commit to a long-term, close cooperation.

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