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libraryofgage · 6 months
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Librarian Steve :)
Was talking to a friend about people (specifically this one kid that gives such Dustin energy hfjdks) I meet at work (I'm a librarian) and that evolved into this plot bunny so:
Librarian Steve, rock star Eddie, and the 5 times Steve pretends he doesn't know who Eddie is while they flirt + 1 time Steve reveals he knew about Eddie's rock star status the whole time
There is also, definitely, at some point, going to be a second part where the kids keep just barely missing Eddie and refuse to believe Steve is actually dating anyone but especially not Eddie Munson of all people
As always, if you see any typos, no you didn't
One
Steve stares at the man on the other side of the circulation desk. He's wearing a Metallica shirt, ripped jeans, a guitar pick necklace, clunky rings on each finger, and an expression that says he's bracing himself for something painful.
Here's the thing: Steve knows who Eddie Munson is. It's hard to listen to alternative rock or punk or any other genre like that and not know Eddie Munson. It's hard to be a librarian who works primarily with kids in middle school and high school, all going through that painful, angsty phase that they express through music, and not know Eddie Munson.
So, yeah, Steve takes one look at the admittedly (incredibly) attractive guy and immediately knows he's Eddie Munson. Like, of Corroded Coffin fame. Of Rock n Roll Hall of Fame fame. Of platinum-level album sales fame. Of--okay, his point has probably been made.
Anyway, yeah, Steve knows this is Eddie Munson, and while he'd love to say he's a fan and smile at Eddie and maybe ask for an autograph, Steve also grew up as a Small Town Rich Kid. So he knows that look on Eddie's face, the one that says he's bracing himself for someone to start fawning over him and potentially ask for uncomfortable favors or his number or any other request that's definitely crossing the line into invasive.
Steve easily makes the decision to pretend he doesn't recognize Eddie. So, he puts on his customer service smile and says, "Hello, how can I help you?"
The sheer relief in Eddie's eyes is more than enough to tell Steve he made the right choice. "Right, uh, this is my first time here," Eddie says, shifting slightly before placing his hands on the counter and drumming his fingers.
"Oh, congratulations," Steve says, his tone and smile becoming more genuine. "Did you come here to print something?"
Eddie shakes his head, reaches into his pocket, and pulls out a library card. "My friend has, like, a...hold? Yeah, a hold on something and asked me to pick it up," he explains.
Steve nods once and takes the card when Eddie offers it. He scans it and watches the computer load for a few seconds before opening an account window for someone named Asher Katz. "Since you aren't the cardholder," Steve says, navigating to the "Additional Information" tab in the account, "I'll need you to tell me the four-digit pin or code word connected to the account."
He clearly wasn't expecting that requirement, and Eddie flounders for a moment. "Is that a requirement?" he asks.
With an apologetic smile, Steve nods. "Yeah," he says, stretching out the word as he tries to think. "Oh, you could also call him and have him tell me the pin. Then I could confirm that it's okay for you to check out materials on his behalf."
"This is a lot of hoops for a book," Eddie says, frowning slightly as he takes out his phone.
"We have to make sure people's materials are secure. Also, we have to keep track of what people check out for the library's stats report at the end of each quarter."
Eddie looks like he understands about half of that, and Steve once again flashes an apologetic smile. After a few taps on the screen, Eddie glances around the library, ensuring it's empty, before putting the phone on speaker. The moment it picks up, and before Asher can speak, Eddie says, "Hey, man, I'm at the library. Can you tell, uh--" Eddie looks up to check Steve's nametag "--Steve what your pin is so I can check that book out."
A few seconds pass before Steve hears a sigh on the other end of the phone. "1234," Asher says.
"Seriously?" Eddie asks.
Steve glances at the account page, confirms the pin, and nods. "Could you also provide me with your code word?"
"Password."
"Dude!" Eddie says, staring at the phone like he's once again being reminded that his friend is a dumbass.
Steve checks the account again and nods once more. "Great, thank you. Could you confirm that...," Steve trails off, looking at Eddie expectantly.
Eddie blinks like he forgot Steve didn't know who he was and hesitates before clearing his throat and quietly saying, "Eddie."
"Thanks," Steve says, flashing another smile before looking at the phone and continuing, "Can you confirm that Eddie here is allowed to check out holds on your behalf?"
"Uh, yeah, that's fine, man."
"Great, thank you," Steve says, checking the card number once more before heading to the hold shelf behind the desk. He crouches and starts scanning stickers on the spines for Asher's last name and the last four digits of his number. Behind him, he hears Eddie say goodbye, his voice sounding a little strained for reasons Steve can't really figure out at the moment.
He finds the right book after a few moments and pulls it off the shelf. "Here it is," he says, walking over to the desk and pulling up the check-out window on his computer. He scans the library card once more, carefully pulls the sticker off the spine, and scans the book.
"It's due in two weeks, but if your friend needs more time, he can just give the library a call," Steve explains, passing the book and card back to Eddie with a smile. "Was there anything else I could do for you?"
Eddie just stares at him for a few seconds, his cheeks looking a little pinker than before, and Steve wonders if the building's A/C somehow gave up on life. Again. But he can hear it running so that definitely isn't it. "Uh, nope, that's it," Eddie says, gripping the book tightly in his hands, his rings pressing into the cover. "Thanks, Steve, appreciate it."
"Of course, man. Have a good day," Steve says with a genuine smile and wave as Eddie heads toward the door.
With a slightly awkward wave back, Eddie walks out the door, glancing back over his shoulder once before the door completely shuts. Once the library is empty again, Steve hears the door to the backroom open, and Robin practically slides up to the counter, leaning onto it next to him.
"Was that?" she asks. Steve instantly translates the question in his head: Was that Eddie fucking Munson?
"Yep."
"And did you?"
And did you just pretend you didn't know him?
"Yep."
"Did he?"
Did he catch on?
"Nope."
"Do you think?"
Do you think he'll be back?
Steve shrugs, glancing over at her. "Don't know," he says, pausing for a moment before adding, "He's hotter in person."
Robin barks out a laugh. "Maybe you'll actually get to flirt next time," she says, and Steve grins at her, kind of hoping she's right.
Two
Eddie returns exactly two weeks later, and Steve is lucky enough to once again be working a desk shift when he walks through the door. He's wearing a Nine Inch Nails shirt this time, and his hair is pulled back into a messy bun with strands escaping to frame his face. He goes up to the counter, focused on Steve and completely ignoring Robin sitting at another computer, and sets the book down. "I wanna return this. And get a library card for myself," he says.
Steve can't help a clearly amused smile as he takes the book and scans it in. "Do you have an ID with you?" he asks, sliding the book along the desk to rest next to Robin.
He ignores the glare she shoots at him before grabbing the book to place it on a reshelving cart for later.
"Yeah, do I need anything else?" Eddie asks.
As Steve shakes his head, he leans over to grab a library card application from a small organizer. He places it in front of Eddie and passes him a pen as well. "Just fill that out," he says, leaning forward on the counter as Eddie picks up the pen.
"So, uh, what can I do with a library card?" Eddie asks, glancing up at Steve briefly before focusing on carefully writing. His letters are blocky but awkward like he's consciously thinking about how he's writing each one.
Maybe he just doesn't want to risk his writing being recognized, too? From what Steve remembers of the signatures he's seen, Eddie's handwriting is fairly distinctive.
"You can borrow up to 75 materials at one time, place items on hold, use the computers, and you get one dollar of printing credit that renews each day," Steve lists, tilting his head slightly as he watches Eddie write.
"That's it?"
Steve snorts, raising an eyebrow at Eddie when he looks up. "Oh, that's not enough for you?" he asks, unable to help a slight grin, "You can use it at any library within our system, too. So you'll still have options if you get banned from this one."
"Oh? And what would I be banned for?" Eddie asks, his writing pausing long enough to meet Steve's gaze once more and smirk at him.
"I wonder," Steve says, not missing the way Eddie's gaze drops to his lips for less than a second before moving back up.
Holy shit, he's flirting with Eddie Munson.
"I can also help you find books to read based on what you've liked previously," Steve adds, somewhat clumsily pulling back from the flirting. It's only Eddie's second time here, and he doesn't want to let himself get too caught up in...well, Eddie when there's no guarantee he'll be back.
Eddie hums softly as he looks back at the application. "Oh? What would you recommend for me?" he asks.
"What's your favorite book?"
"The Hobbit."
"What did you like about it?"
"The adventure and the characters."
"Do you prefer fantasy? What about sci-fi?"
"Yeah, those are fine."
Steve hums softly, thinking as Eddie sets the pen down and slides the application to him. "Thanks. I also need to see your ID," Steve says, opening a drawer in the desk and pulling out a library card. He scans it, a new account window popping up and waiting to be filled out.
"What's the ID for?" Eddie asks.
"To confirm that you live in our service area," Steve explains, taking the ID when Eddie offers it. He glances at the photo briefly, confirming that it is, in fact, Eddie Munson, and then double-checks the address. It matches what Eddie wrote on the application, so he nods and slides the ID back to him.
"That's it?"
Steve nods, beginning to type Eddie's information into the account page. "Yeah, that's it," he says, glancing up and smiling at Eddie, "Anyway, I think you'll enjoy the Murderbot Diaries. It's about a cyborg that hacks its control module, thinks about maybe going on a killing spree, and then discovers TV instead. It then just goes on adventures through space while fighting, like, capitalism and corporations."
"Sounds pretty badass," Eddie says, leaning forward on the counter like he wants to get a peek at the computer. "How long is it?"
"It's mostly novellas, so they're quick reads."
"Got any copies here?"
Steve hums, entering the last of Eddie's information. "I can check," he says, "but first, I need a code word for your account. Like, if you forget your pin or have someone else come pick up a hold, this word will confirm it's you."
Eddie thinks for a few seconds, his gaze dropping to Steve's nametag once more. "Stevie," he says.
Steve's fingers falter, accidentally typing an incomprehensible key smash into the information field. He glances up at Eddie. "...as in Stevie Nix? Don't forget, this has to be something you'll remember," he says, raising an eyebrow.
With a playful grin and a wink, Eddie says, "Well, I think you're pretty unforgettable, Stevie."
A beat passes as Steve stares at Eddie, feeling a rush of heat to his cheeks. He clears his throat and looks back at the computer, hesitating for a second more before typing "Stevie" into the field and saving the account. When he's done, he slides the card to Eddie along with a Sharpie. "That's your card, please sign on the back."
He notices Eddie stiffen at the request, but Steve doesn't comment. As he instead searches the library's catalog, he tries to ignore the sheer panic coming from Eddie as he tries to figure out how to sign the card. Eventually, Eddie picks up the Sharpie and writes his name in the same awkward, blocky writing he used for the application.
"So," Steve says, getting Eddie's attention once more, "we don't have any copies of the first book here, but I can put it on hold for you. It should be here in around four days, and you'll get an email when it's available. Does that work?"
Eddie nods as he places the Sharpie down. "Sure, I'm happy to swing by and pick it up," he says, his tone and smile and the playful look in his eyes telling Steve there are more reasons than that for him to come by the library.
And as Steve places the book on hold for Eddie, he can't help a tiny, eager smile.
Three
The D8 sits innocently on the counter in front of Steve, marbled colors of blue and red with streaks of gold to complement the gold-painted numbers. Steve had immediately recognized it as Will's when he was cleaning the meeting room, and he knew the kid was probably losing his mind right now searching for it. He feels kind of bad knowing Will is going to lose all hope of finding it before his next visit to the library.
At the same time, though, he's looking forward to the expression of sheer joy on Will's face when he next comes in and Steve gives it back. Maybe it'll even score him a bonus point with Mike, and he'll be a little less of an asshole. Though, knowing Mike like he does, Steve is sure he'll just get jealous that Steve made Will smile like that instead of himself.
That kid is incredibly skilled at finding new grudges to hold.
"Whatcha got there, Stevie?"
Steve blinks, looking away from the D8 to find Eddie leaning on the counter, a familiar grin tugging at his lips. His hair is loose today, falling over his shoulders, and he's boldly wearing a Hellfire Club shirt, like he's confident that Steve won't recognize any of Corroded Coffin's merch.
Which, sure, Steve is great at pretending by now. Especially after he and Robin made a bet on whether Steve could keep the secret until Eddie asked him out. Steve has incredible faith in himself; Robin says he's too dumb and gay to last that long. So far, after around two months and multiple visits from Eddie, Steve is still going strong.
"A D8," Steve says, holding it between his thumb and forefinger so Eddie can see it clearly. "One of the kids left it behind yesterday."
"They were playing D&D here?" Eddie asks, tilting his head slightly as he holds his hand out.
Steve drops the dice into his hand, watching as Eddie inspects the gold numbers and hums softly with appreciation. "I host a weekly D&D program," Steve explains. "A group of regular kids plays, and they were getting a little disruptive when they played in the common area--" Steve gestures to the cluster of tables where the kids used to set up "--and the program gives them the meeting room for a whole afternoon."
Eddie looks up at him like he's just said he's a volunteer firefighter on the weekends. It's not an awe and appreciation that Steve really deserves, but he also can't help the slight puff of his chest when it's coming from Eddie. "Do you play, too?" Eddie asks.
"Sort of?" Steve frowns slightly, trying to remember how Dustin and Will explained his role during the campaign to him. "I'm, like, extras. Their DM, Will, wanted his, uh, NPCs? Yeah, NPCs. He wanted the NPCs to feel more real, so he'll give me, like, a little script before each session and then have me voice the NPCs and give me signals to guide my interactions."
"Signals?"
"Yeah, like, if I'm a shop owner and the characters bargain for stuff. He'll give me a signal of when their, like, rolls are effective or when they suck. And if I'm a villain NPC, he'll give me a signal of when to die and give dramatic monologues," Steve explains.
And Eddie grins again, his eyes practically sparkling with amusement and curiosity. "I kinda wanna hear a dramatic monologue," he says, propping his chin in his palm and looking at Steve expectantly.
He's clearly settled in to watch a show, and Steve isn't one to disappoint. Steve does a quick sweep of the library and confirms that it's just as empty as he remembers. Then, he sits up a little straighter in his chair, clears his throat, and tries to remember his whole dying monologue from the most recent session.
When he speaks, it's with a raspy voice, laced with pain and anger at being defeated, "Curse you, adventurers! You may have won the battle, but the war! The war yet rages, and you will be caught in its carnage! Savor this victory now, for it will be your last, and you will fa-"
Steve cuts off, grinning when Eddie blinks and pouts. "Why'd you stop?" he asks.
"Mike's character killed me before I could finish. Said my monologue was boring."
Eddie snorts, raising an eyebrow at that. "It sounds like your monologue was going to reveal info about the BBG."
"Yep. It was, but Will refused to tell them what the rest would've been, and Dustin threw his dice at Mike for killing me."
"He's lucky it was only that," Eddie says, completely serious, "I might've just killed him."
Steve can't help laughing, imagining Max leaping over the table to tackle Mike to the floor. She's done it before, actually, and the only thing that keeps her from attacking again is the knowledge that Steve will ban her from the library for at least a month if she gets violent again.
"He's lucky none of them want to be temporarily banned," Steve says.
"Oh? That's all it takes to get banned?" Eddie asks.
Steve smirks at the teasing lift to Eddie's question. "Yep, so you'd better watch yourself, Munson. I expect you to be on your best behavior," he says.
"I've never been very good at behaving."
"Great, you'll fit right in with the kids."
He looks up to see Eddie's smile growing wider, and Steve suddenly finds himself wondering how it would feel to kiss that smile away.
Four
Something library school never prepared Steve for is how overwhelmed certain days would make him. That's the thing about working with the public: some days are just never-ending, a line of patrons needing something practically wrapping through the stacks, meaning Steve can't turn off his customer service voice and smile.
Usually, he'll just escape to the back, lock himself in the employee bathroom, and take five minutes to cool down. Robin has gotten great at knocking on the door when the five minutes is up, pretending she needs to use the bathroom so the other staff members don't suspect Steve of breathing away a breakdown.
Today, though, Steve can't hide in the bathroom because of the music Robin is playing in the back. It's grating on his ears, scratching against his brain and down his spine like nails on a chalkboard, made all the worse by his interactions with an older patron with a voice that was rough and somehow rounded with sharp edges at the same time.
If Steve asked, Robin would definitely turn off the music, but he also saw her tense shoulders, how on edge she was, and how the music was the only thing helping her calm down. So Steve couldn't. Instead, he just said he was going to shelf-read the non-fiction section.
Because nobody goes into the non-fiction section. At least, nobody goes to the part of the section filled with encyclopedias. It's a safe corner, tucked into the back of the library where few people wander unless they're desperate for an outdated book of information that has no real bearing on their life.
So here Steve is, sitting on the floor with his knees pulled up to his chest and his eyes closed. This part of the library is quieter, but he can still hear the general ambiance of the building: people talking in hushed voices, the keyboards clicking as people type, chairs scraping against the floor as people pull them out.
And quiet footsteps coming closer. They're accompanied by the gentle sound of metal bouncing against itself. Steve doesn't open his eyes, but he does know that it's Eddie, and he's not at all surprised that Eddie managed to find him deep in the stacks.
It makes him feel a little warm, actually.
When Eddie reaches him, he doesn't speak. He just sits next to Steve, close enough for Steve to feel his presence without their shoulders touching. And he seems content to stay in silence for as long as needed, but Steve doesn't want silence. He wants to hear Eddie's voice; maybe it will override the discomfort of the music and the patron from earlier.
"Could you talk?" Steve asks, his voice soft and barely audible.
But Eddie hears him and scoots a tiny bit closer, letting their shoulders brush.
"I have opinions about library shelving because of you now. Like, why are science fiction and fantasy shelved together as one category? They're two different genres; they represent different things. One is a reflection of our society and all that it could be, an escape into something new, and the other is a reflection of what our society was through the eyes of a new world. And, like, it's not even the ones you think. They both embody different lessons and values and pairing them together is, like, demeaning to the hallmarks of the genres and what they can do for readers."
Yeah, that definitely sounds like an opinion about library shelving and cataloging. Steve can't help a soft laugh escaping him as he finally opens his eyes and looks at Eddie. "What started this?" he asks.
"There are Star Trek novels right next to, like, Seven Blades in Black on the shelves, Stevie. It's horrendous. What the fuck?"
Steve smiles a little, gently knocking their elbows together. "Unfortunately, I can't control how our cataloging department works," he says.
"Sounds like a skill issue to me," Eddie says, "Maybe you should just get good."
Steve barks out a laugh, covering his mouth with his hand at how loud it sounds. He glares at Eddie, his eyes holding no real heat.
Eddie grins right back and leans in a little closer. "Feeling better, sweetheart?" he asks, his voice soft and gentle and brushing against Steve's brain like a cool stream of water on a hot day.
It makes his shoulders relax, something in his stomach uncurling and draining all the tension from his muscles. "Yeah," he replies, "thanks."
"Anytime, Stevie," Eddie says, smiling at Steve like he's capable of hanging stars in the sky, like he'd do a backflip with a broken spine if Steve asked.
And Steve...Steve finds himself getting lost in Eddie's eyes, and he has no plans to find his way out anytime soon.
Five
Most of the library staff hates reshelving books, but Steve loves it. He doesn't have to use his brain beyond remembering the alphabet, and he can listen to music while he works, easily zoning out so the time passes quickly.
Which is what's happening now. He's probably been shelving for a while, but he's been listening to a Corroded Coffin playlist the entire time, humming along to Hellfire and Chains. His head is bobbing along to the music as he works, and he turns to grab another book off the reshelving cart only to find Eddie standing right behind him.
Steve jumps, his heart leaping into his throat as he chokes on air and Corroded Coffin notes. Eddie is staring at him with wide eyes, somewhere between afraid and infatuated, and Steve can't help asking, "What the fuck, man?" in a whispered voice.
"Whatcha listening to, Stevie?" Eddie asks, ignoring Steve's question.
Oh. If he admits to knowing Corroded Coffin's music, then he'll probably be giving up the whole "I know you're famous" thing, and based on Eddie's somewhat terrified look, that's not a great idea right now. But he also can't lie about the music because Eddie's going to recognize his own songs.
"Uh, Corroded Coffin, I think? I heard Lucas playing one of their songs. It sounded catchy and he sent me a playlist he'd made on Spotify," Steve explains.
It's not a lie, technically. That is how he discovered Corroded Coffin, but that was almost two years ago now.
"And, uh, what do you think?" Eddie asks, glancing at the earbuds still playing in Steve's ear.
Steve studies him for a moment before smiling. "They're really good," he says, turning around to continue shelving books. "I like stuff from their second album best so far."
"Do you usually listen to metal and rock?" Eddie asks, glancing at the shelving cart before passing Steve another book.
Steve almost tells Eddie to let him do the shelving, but then he sees that Eddie passed him the correct book for this section, so he bites back the words. Instead, he nods and crouches to slide the book into a bottom shelf. "Yeah. More older stuff, I guess. Guns N' Roses, Metallica, Nine Inch Nails, Queen. That kind of stuff," he says.
"Holy fuck, you're perfect," Eddie says, his voice soft and full of awe and Steve is about to laugh when Eddie adds, "Marry me."
Steve blinks, nearly losing his balance and falling on his ass. He saves himself at the last minute, quickly standing up again so he can look at Eddie. "Seriously?" he asks, wondering if maybe he had just misheard.
He did not. And this is proven by Eddie moving around the shelving cart, grabbing Steve's hand, and getting down on one knee. "Incredibly. Your music taste is fucking immaculate, sweetheart. Also, you're funny, hot, and sweet, and I've recently developed a librarian kink, I think. So. Marry me," Eddie says before using his teeth to pull off one of the chunky rings on his left hand so his right hand doesn't have to let go of Steve.
He then holds the ring up, and Steve really shouldn't find that as hot as he does. Like. Really hot. And he almost considers saying yes. But then he fully processes Eddie's words and almost laughs. "You've developed a librarian kink? So, what, you'll drop me the moment another librarian starts ranting about the Dewey Decimal system?" he asks.
"Okay, fair," Eddie says, nodding once. "Let me rephrase that. I've developed a Librarian Steve Harrington kink. Only you, big boy. Nobody curses out the Dewey Decimal system like you, sweetheart."
That might be the most romantic thing anyone has ever said to Steve, actually. "It's a shitty cataloging system," he says without thinking.
Eddie nods in agreement, still on one knee, still holding up the ring (it's shaped like a coffin, now that Steve spares it more than a quick glance) and still looking up at Steve with an infatuated smile. "It is," he agrees, voice a little softer than before like he's ready to just kneel through Steve's passionate rant about it.
And Steve thinks that might be the final straw for him. "I'd prefer at least one date before marriage," he says, grinning down at Eddie and pulling him back to his feet.
Eddie follows his lead, standing a little too close considering Steve is, technically, still at work. He turns Steve's hand over so it's palm up and drops the ring into it. "Of course, Stevie. How about lunch tomorrow? My treat," he offers.
Of course, Steve says yes.
+ One
"I still think there are funnier ways to tell him," Robin says, crossing her arms and pouting as Steve leans against the counter, his back to the door.
Steve sticks his tongue out at her. "You're just mad you lost the bet," he says. Telling her she lost had made Steve's entire week, especially since it means Robin is finally (finally!) going to dress up with Steve the next time they go to a basketball game together. He's got a jersey and shorts ready for her; he's had them ready since the first game he invited her to. They have her name across the back, are the ugliest shade of mustard yellow he could find, and match his perfectly.
"That jersey is the work of the devil," she says, her nose scrunching in disgust at the thought of it.
Steve just grins. "You never know, maybe a nice girl will be enraptured by your awkward lesbian swag," he says.
Robin is about to answer when she looks over Steve's shoulder and grins, her eyes lighting up. Steve looks over his shoulder to see Eddie smiling at him. "Hey, Stevie," he says.
And here it is. The moment of truth. Steve grins right back at Eddie and turns around, letting him see the graphic on his shirt. It's one he bought at a Corroded Coffin concert a year ago. It has the band's first album cover emblazoned across it with Eddie front-and-center, playing his guitar with the other band members around him as bats swirl in a red haze above their heads.
Eddie stares at the shirt, his smile freezing on his face and his body tensing. Panic starts to fill his eyes, and he glances up, looking ready to explain himself only to stop when he sees Steve's soft, endeared smile. He pauses, studying Steve's expression for a moment before laughing a little awkwardly and tugging on a lock of his hair, using it to cover his mouth. "So, uh, you knew the whole time," he says.
"Yep," Steve replies, leaning forward on the counter so it's harder for Eddie to avoid looking at him. "I did."
"Why didn't you say anything?" Eddie asks.
"You didn't want me to," Steve says. Then he considers his words and corrects, "Or, you didn't want to be recognized. When you first came in, you were bracing yourself for it, and I figured you'd feel more comfortable if I pretended not to know you."
"What about all the other times?"
Steve shrugs, his smile becoming reassuring. "I figured you'd either tell me when you were ready, or I'd tell you when we went on a date because you'd probably get all in your head about having a secret like that while we were dating."
And Steve is right. Eddie would have freaked out over the secret, and he would have struggled with telling Steve at just the right moment, and time would have stretched on and on until it had been too long to tell him anything. It would have been agony for Eddie and left Steve concerned and just not a good time for anyone.
"So, uh, how long have you been a fan?" Eddie asks.
"Well, I wasn't lying about hearing your music from Lucas, but I did lie about the time. It was two years ago," Steve explains.
Eddie slowly nods and then starts to grin. "So, how's it feel dating a celebrity?" he asks playfully, leaning closer and wiggling his eyebrows at Steve.
"Like a Wattpad fantasy come true," Steve deadpans, nearly cracking when he hears Robin lose her shit behind him, her laughter turning into wheezes within seconds.
Eddie laughs, too. It's loud and bright and makes Steve feel warm and happy, like every problem could be solved simply by making Eddie laugh just like this.
Steve is eager to find out if that's true.
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When Facebook came for your battery, feudal security failed
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When George Hayward was working as a Facebook data-scientist, his bosses ordered him to run a “negative test,” updating Facebook Messenger to deliberately drain users’ batteries, in order to determine how power-hungry various parts of the apps were. Hayward refused, and Facebook fired him, and he sued:
https://nypost.com/2023/01/28/facebook-fires-worker-who-refused-to-do-negative-testing-awsuit/
If you’d like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here’s a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:
https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/05/battery-vampire/#drained
Hayward balked because he knew that among the 1.3 billion people who use Messenger, some would be placed in harm’s way if Facebook deliberately drained their batteries — physically stranded, unable to communicate with loved ones experiencing emergencies, or locked out of their identification, payment method, and all the other functions filled by mobile phones.
As Hayward told Kathianne Boniello at the New York Post, “Any data scientist worth his or her salt will know, ‘Don’t hurt people…’ I refused to do this test. It turns out if you tell your boss, ‘No, that’s illegal,’ it doesn’t go over very well.”
Negative testing is standard practice at Facebook, and Hayward was given a document called “How to run thoughtful negative tests” regarding which he said, “I have never seen a more horrible document in my career.”
We don’t know much else, because Hayward’s employment contract included a non-negotiable binding arbitration waiver, which means that he surrendered his right to seek legal redress from his former employer. Instead, his claim will be heard by an arbitrator — that is, a fake corporate judge who is paid by Facebook to decide if Facebook was wrong. Even if he finds in Hayward’s favor — something that arbitrators do far less frequently than real judges do — the judgment, and all the information that led up to it, will be confidential, meaning we won’t get to find out more:
https://pluralistic.net/2022/06/12/hot-coffee/#mcgeico
One significant element of this story is that the malicious code was inserted into Facebook’s app. Apps, we’re told, are more secure than real software. Under the “curated computing” model, you forfeit your right to decide what programs run on your devices, and the manufacturer keeps you safe. But in practice, apps are just software, only worse:
https://pluralistic.net/2022/06/23/peek-a-boo/#attack-helicopter-parenting
Apps are part what Bruce Schneier calls “feudal security.” In this model, we defend ourselves against the bandits who roam the internet by moving into a warlord’s fortress. So long as we do what the warlord tells us to do, his hired mercenaries will keep us safe from the bandits:
https://locusmag.com/2021/01/cory-doctorow-neofeudalism-and-the-digital-manor/
But in practice, the mercenaries aren’t all that good at their jobs. They let all kinds of badware into the fortress, like the “pig butchering” apps that snuck into the two major mobile app stores:
https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2023/02/pig-butchering-scam-apps-sneak-into-apples-app-store-and-google-play/
It’s not merely that the app stores’ masters make mistakes — it’s that when they screw up, we have no recourse. You can’t switch to an app store that pays closer attention, or that lets you install low-level software that monitors and overrides the apps you download.
Indeed, Apple’s Developer Agreement bans apps that violate other services’ terms of service, and they’ve blocked apps like OG App that block Facebook’s surveillance and other enshittification measures, siding with Facebook against Apple device owners who assert the right to control how they interact with the company:
https://pluralistic.net/2022/12/10/e2e/#the-censors-pen
When a company insists that you must be rendered helpless as a condition of protecting you, it sets itself up for ghastly failures. Apple’s decision to prevent every one of its Chinese users from overriding its decisions led inevitably and foreseeably to the Chinese government ordering Apple to spy on those users:
https://pluralistic.net/2022/11/11/foreseeable-consequences/#airdropped
Apple isn’t shy about thwarting Facebook’s business plans, but Apple uses that power selectively — they blocked Facebook from spying on Iphone users (yay!) and Apple covertly spied on its customers in exactly the same way as Facebook, for exactly the same purpose, and lied about it:
https://pluralistic.net/2022/11/14/luxury-surveillance/#liar-liar
The ultimately, irresolvable problem of Feudal Security is that the warlord’s mercenaries will protect you against anyone — except the warlord who pays them. When Apple or Google or Facebook decides to attack its users, the company’s security experts will bend their efforts to preventing those users from defending themselves, turning the fortress into a prison:
https://pluralistic.net/2022/10/20/benevolent-dictators/#felony-contempt-of-business-model
Feudal security leaves us at the mercy of giant corporations — fallible and just as vulnerable to temptation as any of us. Both binding arbitration and feudal security assume that the benevolent dictator will always be benevolent, and never make a mistake. Time and again, these assumptions are proven to be nonsense.
Image: Anthony Quintano (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mark_Zuckerberg_F8_2018_Keynote_%2841118890174%29.jpg
CC BY 2.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en
[Image ID: A painting depicting the Roman sacking of Jerusalem. The Roman leader's head has been replaced with Mark Zuckerberg's head. The wall has Apple's 'Think Different' wordmark and an Ios 'low battery' icon.]
Next week (Feb 8-17), I'll be in Australia, touring my book *Chokepoint Capitalism* with my co-author, Rebecca Giblin. We'll be in Brisbane on Feb 8, and then we're doing a remote event for NZ on Feb 9. Next is Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra. I hope to see you!
https://chokepointcapitalism.com/
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autolenaphilia · 4 months
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One thing I noticed talking about Linux and free software is that a lot of people seem afraid of learning things about technology. I constantly read things like "I hate windows, but switching to linux would mean learning a new OS, and you have to be some super-smart programmer-hacker to do that." Or even: "Switching to firefox would mean switching browsers and I don't know how"
And that is precisely the attitude tech companies like Microsoft and Apple try to instill in their users in order to control them. They create these simple and “friendly” user interfaces for their products, but these hide information. From their OS being pre-installed to their settings apps, they keep people from learning things about how their computer works, and letting the companies make the decisions for their users.
I think people are underestimating themselves and overestimating how hard it is to learn new things are. It is like Windows/Macos have taught them some kind of technological learned helplessness. Not knowing how computers work and being afraid to learn how is how companies like Microsoft controls you, and justifies that control.
For example, people hate the forced and automatic system updates on Windows. And Microsoft justifies it as necessary because some people don’t know that their computer needs security updates and therefore don’t update, so they have to force the updates on them. That’s definitely true, and Microsoft’s tech support people is definitely very aware of that but it is a operating system that presumes that the user is incompetent and therefore shouldn’t control their own computer. And of course Microsoft abuses that power to force privacy-invading features on their users. Windows updates are also badly designed in comparison, no Linux distro I’ve used required the update program to hijack the entire computer, preventing the user from doing other things, but Windows does.
This is the dark side of “user-friendly” design. By requiring zero knowledge and zero responsibility for the user, they also take control away from the user. User-friendly graphical user interfaces (GUI) can also hide the inner workings of a system in comparison to the command line, which enables more precise control of your computer and give you more knowledge about what it is doing.
Even GUIs are not all made equal in regards to this, as the comparison between the Windows Control panel and their newer Settings app demonstrates. As I complained about before, Windows have hidden away the powerful, but complex Control Panel in favor of the slicker-looking but simplified and less powerful Settings app for over a decade now.
Of course this is a sliding scale, and there is a sensible middle-ground between using the command line for everything and user-friendly design masking taking control away from the end user.
There are Linux distros like Linux Mint and MX Linux who have created their own GUI apps for tasks that would otherwise use the command line, without taking control away from the user. This is mainly because they are open source non-profit community-driven distros, instead of being proprietary OSes made by profit-driven megacorps.
Still, giving that control to the user presumes some knowledge and responsibility on part of the user. To return to the update example, by default both Mint and MX will search and notify you of available updates, but you will have to take the decision to download and install them. Automatic updates are available in both cases, but it’s opt-in, you have to enable that option yourself. And that approach presumes that you know that you should update your system to plug security holes, something not all people do. It gives you control because it presumes you have knowledge and can take responsibility for those decisions.
All this also applies to the underlying fact that practically all pre-built computers nowadays have an operating system pre-installed. Few people install an OS themselves nowadays, instead they use whatever came with the computer. It’s usually either Windows or MacOS for desktops/laptops, and Android/IOS for smartphones (which are also a type of computer).
Now all this is very convenient and user-friendly, since it means you don’t have to learn how to install your own operating system. The OEM takes care of that for you. But again, this is a convenience that takes choice away from you. If you don’t learn how to install your own OS, you are stuck with whatever that is on the computer you bought. It’s probably precisely this step that scares people away from Linux, few people have installed even Windows, and installing your own OS seems impossibly scary. But again, learning is the only way to take back control. If you learn how to install an OS off an USB stick, you now have choices in what OS to use. (Sidenote: the hard part IMO is not the actual install process, but fiddling with the BIOS so it will actually boot from the distro on the USB stick. This old comic strip illustrates this very well).
That’s how life is in general, not just computers. Having control over your life means making decisions based on your own judgment. And to make sensible, rational decisions, you have to learn things, acquire knowledge.
The only other alternative is letting others take those decisions for you. You don’t have to learn anything, but you have no control. And in the tech world, that means big corporations like Microsoft, Google and Apple will make those decisions, and they are motivated by their own profits, not your well-being.
Computers have only become more and more capable and more important in our lives, and that can enable wonderful things. But it also means more power to the tech companies, more power over our lives. And the only way to resist that is to learn about computers, to enable us to make our own decisions about how we use technology.
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yandereheathen · 5 months
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The Boss's Plaything [18+ Ateez Yandere Hoongjoong x Fem Reader]
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Paring: Yandere Hoongjoong x Fem Reader
Yandere songhwa x Reader if you squint at the end. Warnings: Yandere dark themes!! NSFW Non-con, Mentions of hurting other people, jealousy, voyeurism. Choking, knee grinding, no protection (BAD) Disclaimer: This in no way reflects any of the real Ateez members. This is my own fan content :> I also do not endorse these kind of relationships. Enjoy with your own mental heath in mind <3 Word count: 2.5k "You know what they say about Office romance."
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Working for Kim Hongjoong was an experience. Long days, short deadlines, and odd requests were quite normal. However, the pay was terrific, along with the benefits. Also, you had the fortunate situation of studying and being best friends with him before his creation and rise of the Cromer Corp. You, him, and Songhwa were good friends. You and he naturally followed Hongjoong after schooling to help him with his dreams. He was ruthless but hard-working, and you knew this company was his whole life, and you wanted nothing more than to see him grow and achieve that.
So, you started your day seemingly like any other. 5:30am Two americanos, one black with extra ice for him, the further your own with cream and sugar. You liked things sweet. 
Little did you know, so did he.
You called up the elevator to his high-end apartment, going through your phone and seeing the schedule for today. Meetings, some project updates, and, of course, The Halazia Party. You and Hwa had been running ragged along with the other branch heads. Well, mostly, you had to keep Woo and San more to task than the others. 
You have gotten along very well with the other branch members. All brilliant in their rights, you always felt a little out of place. You know the lower associate whispered that you didn't quit having the background or shine they did and that you had only gotten this position due to your friendship. First, do your best to ignore those and work as hard as possible. You never wanted to bother Hongjoong with that stuff. 
You opened the door with your hip, put the coffee down at his desk, and opened the blinds, looking around his office. It was just like him. It was clean but had a carefully cultured style. Everything in the room had meaning. Small, expensive gifts were the case from investors, and his awards and degrees were also put in specific positions on the counters around the room. Only one thing was slightly out of place. You pick it up from the right side of his desk. A picture Hwa had taken of both of you in school. You were laughing at something happening on screen, and Hongjoong had a rare small smile on his face, looking up at you. Not that he didn't smile. He had the charming smile he saved for clients or investors and his "demon face" when he put someone in their place. This was a smile you didn't see often, but you caught glimpses. 
Only when looking at you.
"Y/N. I see your habit of coming in unannounced still going strong."
You smile to yourself, turning. Hongjoong was already dressed impeccably. His hair spilled black and bleached and slightly slicked back. A sly played on his lips, looking you up and down. To check if you are dressed appropriately, of course. He was so particular about fashion.
Boy, did that skirt he had bought you hug your curves.
"Yeah, well, I want to ensure you had sun and coffee for when you got in. It is a big day."
You beam at him, but he sits, taking a sip of his coffee and looking at his computer but still giving you glances.
"We do. Have you and Songhwa finalized the food, venue, and security?"
You nod and start listing off confirmations and any other information that he would need to know. Emails he needs to answer or reminders.
You worked so hard for him. Even since school, what you lacked in pure born talent you made up with hard work, determination, and empathy. He loved to see how hard you tried for him. To impress your best friend turned boss. It more than stroked his delusional ego. You were his best project, along with Cromer Corp, of course. A sweet, nervous girl, pure and so tentative. It was easy to fall for you and keep you in his clutches. Hongjoong has liked to collect things ever since he was young, whether it be things, money, or people. 
His carefully created branch members and brand. You and Songhwa are the jewels. Park Seonghwa, someone who he found was the only person to match him, a perfect right-hand man for all aspects of his business. Even the more unsavory parts that you didn't know about. Then there was you, Y/N. The sugar in this recipe. His one guilty pleasure. Something to be carefully shaped and modeled into his perfect little plaything.
Tonight, he was going to take that next step.
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"I don't want to wear this. It will look silly. It looks like a collar."
You frown at Songhwa as he helps you zip up your dress. He bites his lip, eyeing the leather in your hand. He knew, of course, that Songhwa knew everything about his boss. 
Things he had helped Hongjoong with. The threats of the people who wanted to talk to you in school, then the carried-out threats on the people that threatened his friend's careful little relationship. There was one part of him. The empathetic human part that made him squirm thinking about it was the blood and screams. However, he knew he was no different. He liked the neat little world Hongjoong and Y/N had with the other members. He also would do anything to keep that peace. Even if it meant dooming you to your part in his plan.
"It is fashionable Y/N. You know he will throw a fit."
He takes it, slipping it over your neck, fixing the latch so it is tight but uncomfortable. He glances at the ceiling, a slight shine of a camera only seen by the tall man. He gives it a quick look:
"Are you watching? This is what you wanted, isn't it, Sir."
You smile, greeting the guests, trying to hide your slight annoyance. For the event, Hongjoong liked to dress you and all of the members. Typically, he had you in a simple but still conservative outfit. This was not the case. A tight red dress is lined with lace dancing around your hips and chest. The leather band with a latch in the back and a tiny hourglass charm in the front only made you feel more self-conscious. 
You took a sip of your wine in your glass, waved over by Jongho and Mingi, sitting at a far table. Both dress smartly, of course, but with their own personalities shined in. Jongho had a more straightforward, classic fitting for the head of HR, while Mingi had more colors and tight pants showing his old legs, perfect for the marketing head. You flop in the chair next to them, fanning yourself. 
"Thanks for calling me over. I need a break just for a moment before I do my rounds on the other side."
"Joong, has you rubbing around in a dress like that? he must be crazy. Minji winks at you.
You roll your eyes.
"Yea, yea, I know I look ridiculous in this. I don't know what Hongjoong is thinking."
you pick at the dress, painfully aware of any "flaws" it shows.
"I don't think that is what he meant, Y/N."
The younger man sips his drink, looking into your eyes with a ... knowing look? What was that about? 
You playfully hit him, standing up and stretching. You feel a hand sneaking around your waist, pulling you to his side; you let out a small yelp.
"There she is. I have been looking all over for you. I need help with something."
You look at the handsome face of Hongjoong. He is dressed to the nines like always in a front tye suit, the inner shirt matching your own dress, a pocket square of the same lace in his front pocket. His mouth pulled into an odd smirk, his eyes lingering below your chin. You don't haul away used to his closeness by now. Hongjoong always said he liked to be more hands-on with things.
He really did enjoy handling his "things."
"I was just taking a short break. Did the Reps from Stay Offices come yet. I know Chan and Bin said they would-"
Hongjoong ran his finger on your chin and traveled lightly with his nimble gloved fingers to the collar, tugging it ever so slightly.
"This looks good on you, Y/N. It really suits you."
Your ears got warm as you met his eye, not pulling away in embarrassment. 
"Is this some joke calling me your pet, huh? I get enough slack from the associates."
You laugh light-heartedly, but he doesn't match you playing with the small charm eyes cold.
"I told you to tell me if anyone was giving you trouble, Y/N I would handle them."
Mingei and Jogho cough, getting up and waving at you. 
"That is our cue to head out and schmooze. You both have fun~"
Mingi winks again, and Jongho looks at you slightly. Was that worry? You just brushed it off, turning back to your boss.
"It is fine. Harmless teasing, I promise I am a big girl. You don't need to take care of me so much. I am supposed to do that for you!"
You smile, holding his face and rubbing his cheek lightly. His whole body seemed to soften at your touch, but he pulled away quickly, looking around, making sure none of his business partners had seen this moment. You weren't ready yet, after all.
"Y/N. Can you come with me quickly? I need to speak to you about something."
You tilt your head, letting go and crossing your arms in front of your chest.
"Are you sure? People are still-"
"This can not wait."
You already have made him wait too long.
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You walk into his office, slightly nervous. You run through your head everything that needs to be done. The food tasted and perfect, you triple-checked every guest. What could-
"You look beautiful, Y/N."
He steps forward, cornering you to his desk, putting his hand on it, boxing you in, and smiling at you.
This was a new smile, almost.
Predatory. his black eye held something more than the softness or anger. 
"Well, the dress you picked out was perfect, as always. Was this all you needed to"
He cuts you off again, pulling you by the leather collar onto his pouty lips, his other hand pulling you against him. He lets a soft moan into your mouth, a release almost as you feel his hand grope your backside and something poke your leg.
Your brain goes a mile a minute. Shock, confusion, anger, and something else mixed inside you. You try to pull away, but he grabs you harder, forcing his tongue into your mouth and mixing his saliva with yours. You continue to struggle, but it seems to only strengthen his grip. After another minute of young wreaking in your mouth, he pulls his mouth away just so slightly to gently kiss the top of your ear.
"That's a good plaything. Y/N, you were waiting for this, weren't you."
You quickly shake your head, face and ears hot.
"Hongjoong, a-are you drunk or something that's going on?"
He only laughs, his knee sliding up between your legs, rubbing the soft fabric of your clothes sex.
"Halazia can mean Hearts awakened Y/N. I chose tonight to awaken your heart and mind to your rightful place. Next to me. Forever."
He nuzzles into your neck, kissing it lightly, knee rubbing faster; you let out a whimper, hands on his chest, and you try to push away from him.
"Hongjoong, please, I don't; you are my boss. We are best friends. Let's go back to the party. You must have been drinking too much."
Hongjoong rows into your shoulder, pushing you onto his desk, the objects painfully cutting into your back. He stands between your legs, rutting into between your legs, his eyes lidded and breathing heavily.
"I don't think so, Y/N. I have let you simmer long enough. It is time for my meal. You. Are. Mine."
He rips up your dress roughly, pulling down the thin fabric of your panties. You scream, but it is cut short by another kiss. Even rougher this time mixed with whispers of.
"That's a good girl."
and 
"Look nice and wet for your Sir already, are you."
Your brain screams for him to stop, but your body heats up, enjoying the feeling of his fingers rubbing your clit gently as her ravages your mouth. He pulls away, leaving you rambling and light-headed, before undoing his pants and rubbing the top of his cock on your slit.
"How long I have waited for this day, Y/N. You have no idea. You were teasing. The frustrated night, the people I had to hurt to keep you my perfect plaything. All min now."
Before you can question him, he trusts you. Thanks to his fingers, your body was prepared, not your mind. This was Hongjoong, who you loved like a best friend whom you followed, loved, and supported your whole adult life. You had no idea he had these feelings and weren't sure you liked them. 
You fought his thrusts in vain. He was too strong, and the adrenaline of finally fucking the love of his life only boosted that his lips found your chest young, hungrily licking around your sensitive bud. You wiggle under him, trying your best not to call out in pleasure that was coming in waves from your core. He stood up, egged on by your little noises.
"That's it. You are taking me so well, Y/N. Look at how perfectly your little pussy fits around me. Take it, take me inside of you, let me fill you with all my cum. Let me fill your womb that is begging for my seed. My precious little plaything."
He closes his hand around your throat, resiting your air as he mercilessly pounds into you, the object cutting your skin. With repeated motions, he lets out a hiss as he pours inside you.
"F-fuck, that's it, take it. Take it like the good object you are."
You bite into your lip, drawing out blood. The metallic taste mixes with his taste in your mouth. as your body betrays you. His love filling your already sore and abused pussy is too much. Everything was already too much. His confession, anger, and mark on my heart, body, and soul. You could only mutter out jibberish as you lay on his desk, the picture of both of you beside your arm.
He grinds into you, taking out his phone to take another picture. He could also frame this one but keep it on his desk, and then he would have to send it to Songhwa to give him a better angle after all. He waves at the small red light his other assistant thought he didn't know about hiding on the shelf. 
"You will enjoy your new position with me, Y/N. I will make sure of it."
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Author note: *Cries* this was a heck in a half I am not great with real people, but the great Kpop Yandere writers have been such an inspiration for me I wanted to try <3 Thank you for your support :> reminder my asks and requests are open!
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gingiesworld · 4 months
Text
Fatal Attraction
Chapter Nine
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Pairings: Wanda Maximoff x GN! Reader/ Wanda Maximoff x Jarvis Stark
Warnings: Angst. Fluff.
Taglist : @natashamaximoff-69 @canvascoloredin @wizardofstories @louxbloom @wandanats-goodgirl @the-ox-fan20 @ladyqueenxoxo @aemilia19 @wandaromamoff69 @mfd-101 @dorabledewdroop @marvelogic @dopeyouth @karsonromanoff @bimad @natashaswife4125 (if you want to be added to my taglist, please DM me or comment)
18+ MINORS DNI
Y/N watched as Wanda grew more and more confident since she started to meet with Opal and started the divorce proceedings. Soon enough the elevator doors opened to reveal Gwen in her lab coat.
“We have a slight problem.” She told them as she approached Y/N.
“What is it?” They questioned as Gwen took a deep breath.
“We have been hacked.” She told them urgently. “The blueprints for the Oscorp/Hammer project were the only things stolen.”
“Ok.” Y/N started to move towards their office. “Just one moment and we will go to IT.” She watched as they entered their office, typing away on their computer.
“What’s going on?” Wanda asked them curiously as Opal observed the two.
“Nothing to worry about, but please don’t leave this office.” They told her. “Both of you.” They looked to Opal as Wanda nodded. “I’ll explain everything once I’ve sorted it, I have also shut down the company wifi for the time being.”
“What?” Wanda questioned as she went to follow them but Opal beat her to it.
“Y/N, what has happened?” She asked as she pulled them to the side.
“We have been hacked.” They whispered as Opal sighed. “An important project has been stolen and I plan on getting to the bottom of it.”
“I warned you.” She whispered as she glanced back at Wanda. “This has Stark written all over it.”
“I know.” Y/N groaned as they looked into the older woman’s eyes. “But I can’t help but feel this way, like I need to help her, protect her. I just need her to be safe.”
“You’re in love with her.” She gasped as Y/N nodded. “That’s why you’re hellbent on getting her out of this loveless marriage.”
“I do.” They answered. “But I just want what’s best for her.” She smiled at them before they continued. “Just keep her inside the office, I have this floor on lock down so there will be no unexpected guests before my return, and you know where the fridge is.”
The two watched as Y/N followed Gwen into the lift, Opal approached Wanda and led her back inside the office.
“Come dear, we have much to do.” She told the younger woman as she closed the door behind them. Moving to grab a couple of drinks before continuing their task at hand as Y/N and Gwen raced towards the IT department.
“Scott, please tell me you have something.” Y/N spoke as they entered the Tech lab.
“I am trying to break down the digital footprints, hoping to get an IP but so far nothing.” He told them as he typed away.
“Have you accessed the remote wifi?” They asked him as he shook his head. Y/N then pushed him out of the way as they grabbed their USB from their coat. The two watched as they typed away on the computer, listening as they mumbled to themselves.
“Anything?” Gwen asked them as she stepped beside them, watching as they tried to break through the firewall.
“I am getting closer but whoever this is, they are much better at hacking than our very own IT minion.” They raised their voice as their anger was getting the better of them.
“Maybe we should inform the police?” Scott asked as Y/N laughed.
“No!” They yelled. “We settle this in house.” They started to type away again before talking once more. “How’s Jean doing?” They asked, causing Gwen to smirk as Scott looked unsure.
“She is great, really tired.” He answered them.
“She’s due soon right?” They asked him as he nodded.
“Yeah, she is due next week.” He answered them.
“You should bring the two of them in when she’s had the baby.” They told him as they straightened up. “It’s someone at Hammer Industries.” The two looked confused as Y/N fixed their jacket. “Get the evidence in a secure file for me. I have a call to make.” Scott nodded as Gwen followed Y/N to the lift.
“You’re not going to do anything stupid are you?” She asked them as they smirked.
“Since when have you known me to do anything stupid?” They questioned as she raised a brow. “You know what? Forget what I asked.”
“I have known you forever.” She told them as they stepped inside the lift. “I know you better than you know yourself.”
“Look, this is my company Gwen. My whole teen and adult life has been spent here, in this building. Learning as much as I possibly could, I am not going to let someone come here and steal from under my nose.” They told her firmly, soon stepping out of the lift and heading to Wanda’s desk, getting out the address book they had.
“Y/N, this could be dangerous. Maybe my dad can help.” She tried as Y/N shook their head no. “Come on.”
“Look, I am not going to do anything stupid.” They told her as they picked up the phone, Gwen’s eyes soon seeing the name of the person they were calling.
“You can’t be serious?! Cottonmouth?” She whispered as Y/N soon started to talk with the person on the other end, their eyes never leaving Gwen’s as they spoke.
“Ok. Thanks.” They soon hung up to see Gwen’s disapproving stare. “He owes me.”
“Y/N, this isn’t going to work!” She yelled at them, alerting the two women just beyond the wall. “He is dangerous, even worse than KP.”
“Look, I have a way of doing things.” They told her as they stood up. “If you don’t like it, then just shut up.”
“Y/N, I worry that you will get hurt, or worse.” She told them softly. “You’re my best friend above all else, and I couldn’t live with myself if you died.” Y/N’s eyes softened as they watched her wipe away a stray tear.
“I’m sorry Gwen.” They whispered. “But I have to do this. This company is all of our livelihoods. Our means of survival and I need to make sure that you and everyone else in this building is protected.”
“I’m going back to my lab.” She whispered as she straightened up. “Scott will be up soon with your file.” With that she left as the door opened, revealing Opal with her bag ready to leave.
“You need to be careful Y/N/N.” She told them as they nodded. “Your mom would kick my ass if anything happened to you.”
“I will.” They assured her. “I know what I have to do.” She sighed knowing she will never break through to them.
“So, what happened?” Wanda asked as she followed Y/N inside their office, closing the door behind her.
“We were hacked.” They told her as they looked over the city. “Someone at Hammer hacked into our database and stole the blueprints from the very project we were working on together!” They turned to face Wanda who remained steady on her feet. “They stole from us and everyone is practically telling me to sit back, just let the authorities deal with it.”
“Maybe you should.” Wanda told them as she stepped closer to them. “It would be safer, maybe terminate the contract since they have broken it.” They listened as she spoke. “We can organise a meeting next week with Justin Hammer and his associates, make it a formal matter, have Opal on our side, and a notary too.” She took their hand as they looked into her eyes. “Make sure that soon enough you will ruin them, from the legal route.”
“I.” They sighed as they closed their eyes, the closeness between the two as Wanda caressed their face.
“Don’t say anything.” She whispered as her lips ghosted theirs. Y/N released a shaky breath before kissing her tenderly, their hands soon moving to her hips as the kiss deepened. Pushing her up against the window as the kiss grew hungrier by the second.
“I can’t.” They whispered as Wanda looked at them. “I can’t do this here.”
“Then where?” She asked them as they stepped away.
“I just, you’re still married.” They whispered as she sighed.
“Not for long though.” She told them.
“But still, I don’t want this.” They pointed between the two of them. “To be just about sex. You deserve more than that.” With that they left the office, leaving a bewildered Wanda behind.
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ms-demeanor · 2 months
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I’ve been using browser password managers for a while now. How are these different from something like bitwarden besides not being open source and having the master password be the one tied to your [Google][Firefox][Apple] account? (I assume they’re insecure but I swear my infosec professor said the browser based ones were better. However he also said that’s because they were local to your device and I know that’s not true)
One problem with browser-based password managers is that you may not have access to your browser. If you're at your university library and using their computer to print from your google account, what do you do if they have chrome but not firefox? If your phone breaks while you're on a trip with friends do you install a browser on a friend's phone and log into your account to check funds in your bank account? What happens if you use firefox at home and on all your personal devices but work gives you a chromebook? Do you migrate all your passwords? Do you just never do anything personal on the work chromebook? Do you share some passwords between the two?
Another problem with browser-based password managers is that people's behavior when logging in to their browser is not the same as their behavior when logging in to, say, a social media site.
People don't always lock their screens. People put very sensitive information into their browser password manager and then walk away from their desk. People don't log out of their browser when someone else sits down to use their computer. My attitude is that if you are going to use a browser-based password manager, you should ONLY be logged-in to your browser when saving or accessing a password, because otherwise it means that your password manager is always on and always accessible.
I've got bitwarden set up to time out after fifteen minutes. The password manager I use for work kicks me out every hour. I set my phone screen to lock at two minutes and my desktop to lock after five minutes.
The idea that people are just walking around logged in to their phone browser and never locking the screen makes me crazy. The idea that people might be logging in to their browser on shared devices makes me crazy. But it describes how a lot of people use their browser-based password managers.
One thing that I *love* about Bitwarden is where I can choose to use it. If I want to keep it totally isolated and offline, I can. If I want to access it through a browser plugin or an app on my phone, I can. If I want to go to a webpage in any browser and log into my vault to get passwords, I can. It's extremely portable in a way that browser-based password managers (and honestly some paid app-based password managers) aren't.
Also yeah they aren't local to your device, they store the passwords with your account information. There are device local password managers but I personally do not tend to recommend them because I think that they don't really meet the needs of most users. Sometimes you have to log into your bank account when you're not at home and using a password manager that is only on one computer and nowhere else is going to make that impossible.
(there are use cases for device-linked password managers, and they aren't insecure, but if you set someone up with a password manager that they can only use on one device and then they can't use their passwords when they're out and about, they will not use the password manager - user behavior is a really important part of infosec that sometimes gets overlooked in favor of what is "THE MOST SECURE" - the most secure password manager is the one that someone will USE, so if all you can get someone to use is the browser password manager then that's a good password manager, however if I'm giving my recommendations for what I think is the most secure and works best for the greatest number of people, it's Bitwarden all the way baby!)
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justanamesstuff · 10 months
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Fix me - Matty Healy x f!reader
Based on this request.
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A/N: Couldn't find a better pic, but I liked this one :)) Hope you enjoy!
Warnings: hospital environment, blood, stitches, swearing, fluff, flirting, trypos.
Word count: 2K
Blog MASTERLIST
“You’re a fuckin’ idiot.” George didn’t hesitate to express his current thoughts.
Matty walked, staring at his side profile, meanwhile he spat, “Can you keep your mouth shut, you twat?”
They had been quiet during the driving from Matty’s house to the nearest hospital. George was moving forward along Matty’s side, holding a white cloth secured around his friend’s hand. The drummer tried not to show entirely how annoyed he was with the situation. He knew Matty didn’t mean to sliced his finger, while cooking dinner for them, but coming to the ER wasn't his ideal plan for a Friday evening. 
“It amazes me how smart and fuckin’ dumb you can be at the same time.” George continued, slightly scolding Matty.
“Oh, really?” Matty’s voice dripping with sarcasm. “Want me to tell you what I think about you knobhead, ha?” his finger was hurting like a bitch, and George giving him shit for his actions wasn’t helping. 
They suddenly stopped at the front desk of the hospital area, without acknowledging the person at the other side. George and Matty were face to face, while the taller one held the cloth tight. 
“Please, be my guess-” the drummer encouraged his friend to keep talking.
“All right…”
Although, someone cleared their throat. The guy’s stunned faces turned to look at the nurse. “How can I help you, gentlemen?” she accentuated the last word in an ironic tone, making the guys blush as they were behaving like proper children. 
“Sorry.” Gorge was the first one to stated, Matty followed him close behind.
She didn’t waste one more second, her sight fell on Matty’s hand. The cloth was no longer entirely white, the blood was coming through. “What happened?” Y/n inquired.
Matty stayed in silence, admiring her features. She was young and visibly hot. The singer found himself feeling incredible nervous around her. The young nurse was very front forward, he wasn’t really used to girls like her. There was something unique about her. It made him look insecure. 
George made him snapped out of his daydreaming, hitting the back of Matty’s head slightly. George’s mate turned to gift him a look. 
Matty returned his sight to the nurse, “I cut my finger.” he simply said.
“How deep?”
“Very, very deep.” George interfered. Something about his tone rubbed Matty off. 
“Thank you, George.” Matty groaned.
“Please, fill this.” she gave G a paper to put Matty’s information in. 
G completed it as fast as he could. On the other hand, Matty watched the nurse taping the computer keyboard. 
Her hair was up in a messy bun, her uniform accentuated her body, and she didn’t have makeup on. He liked the natural aura she exuded. 
“Done.” George broke the silence.
George let her take the form from him, walking with the paper far from the desk. She said, without turning around, “Thanks. Follow me, boys.” she took a good look at the information. 
******
The emergency room was small and very white, Matty thought, trying to focus on something else than his finger throbbing under the cloth.
The nurse instructed him to sit at the hospital bed, placing herself in front of him, almost between his legs. Matty felt the room got one degree hotter. 
“Let me see.” she asked, going to remove the fabric. “Oh, yeah…” Y/n exclaimed when her eyes found the wound. “Definitely, you’re going to need stitches.” she held his hand between hers. “Sorry, what’s your name?” Y/n inquired, looking up at his eyes, not letting his hand go. 
“I’m Matty.” he muttered.
George –interrupting the intimate moment– introduced himself, “And I’m George.” Y/n blushed, realizing Matty’s friend was in the room with them.
“Nice to meet you guys.” Y/n’s sight went from one to the other. “I’m going to call someone to fix your finger, alright?” she let Matty know. 
“Thank you, Y/n.” Matty said, watching her leave the room from the other door opposite to the one they came in. 
Y/n stopped with the door half open when her name came from Matty’s mouth. “How..?” she looked surprised. 
“Name tag.” Matty smirked at her.
“Right.” 
She left the room without saying anything more. 
Once she was out, George couldn’t help to laugh at Matty. His mate questioned him, “What?”
“Leave her alone.” G leaned backwards on the opposite wall, folding his arms. 
“I wasn’t doing anything.”
“Sure, mate.”
“Oh, come on! She’s fit…” 
“Matty…”
Matty’s mouth asked before he could stop the words from spilling out, “Ask her if she’s single.”
“I’m not going to do that, idiot.” George answered to his request, while he put his hood up.
“Please, I’ll pay you for it.” Matty begged.
“No.”
“Please.”
The small fight was interrupted by Y/n’s return, “Okay, everyone is busy. Big car crash.So, lucky you…I’m going to do it myself.” she informed Matty.
“Perfect, not complaints from me.” he winked his right eye. 
George rolled his eyes, “Excuse him, Y/n. Sometimes he behaves like a four-year-old.” he excused his friend.
Y/n chuckled, “Are you mates?” she tried to know, going to get all the things she needed to fix Matty’s finger. Y/n tried to not feel nervous, or even show how restless she really was. 
“Sadly, yes.” the drummer replied.
“And ‘m the child…” Matty protested, following Y/n’s form.
“Okay, time to work.” Y/n left the supplies at Matty’s side, proceeding to take his hand. “I’m going to clean the wound, yeah?” she checked with him. 
“Do your worst, Y/n.”
She started to clean the wound with so much care, paying attention to his little sounds and movements.
“What were you trying to do when you…?” Y/n interrogated Matty.
“When I chapped my finger?” Y/n laughed, going to throw away the used gauzes. 
“Yes.”
“Cooking dinner.”
“Oh, you know how to cook?” Y/n returned to his side. 
Matty felt proud of himself, “Yep, I can make something for you, if you want…” he suggested.
“Very kind from you.” Y/n tried to dodge his proposal. 
Next, Y/n took the needle and thread, going to star the real fixing. She tried to stabilize her shaking hand.
“If it hurts too much, let me know, and I’ll anaesthetise the area.” Y/n let him know everything she was going to do before every one of her actions. 
“Okay, Y/n.”
Her hand continued to shake, not matter how hard she tried. Y/n ignored it and went to pinch his finger with the needle. Before Matty could feel anything, Y/n moved slightly backwards. Matty frowned, looking at her hesitate.
“G, can you go and get me some snacks?” he asked without taking his eyes from Y/n.
“What?”
“Snacks, George. Now!” he urged him out of the room.
“Okay, okay.” G stomped out, leaving the pair alone.
“Hey,” Matty moved his good hand, reaching for her right hand. “What’s wrong?”
Y/n felt embarrassed to admit, “It’s my first time.”
“Fixing someone?” Matty drew circles on her skin, trying to distract her. 
“Stitching a real person.” Y/n shared with him.
“I’m taking your stitching virginity?” Matty regretted speaking when Y/n contracted his face. “Sorry, joking…”
“I know, I know…and yeah, you’re taking my-”
Matty interrupted her, “Please don’t complete the phrase. ‘m so stupid, sorry.” Matty hid his face behind his good hand.
“It’s alright. I’m going to-” Y/n encouraged herself to keep going.
“Come on, you can do it! I believe in you.” he cheered for her, which she found it charming.  
“Here I go.”
Y/n took a big breath, focusing again on his finger. 
When she pierced his skin with the needle, Matty hissed. “Hurts?” she inquired. It really did hurt, but Matty tried to be brave and macho with the pain. 
“A little.” he let Y/n know grudgingly. “I have a lot of tattoos, so I’m used to this.” It wasn’t anything similar to get a tattoo.
“That’s really cool, I always wanted to get one.” Y/n made conversation with him.
“You should.”
Even though the conversation was short. Y/n wasn’t stupid, and she knew the procedure was painful. 
Matty grew anxious with the silence, so he admitted, “Never thought I’d witness you getting nervous.”
Y/n looked up, taking a break Matty thanked in silence. She crooked her eyebrow, silently asking.
“Don’t know…I judged you by how you cut our shit out there.” 
Y/n chuckled. “Do you guys bicker that much?”
“Nah, George is pissed I forced him to take me here and waste the night.”
“That’s a shame. I can feel he’s a good mate.”
“He is, definitely.”
Y/n continued to work. Matty stared at her puckered forehead and the tip of her tongue coming slightingly between her lips. She looked fabulous, all focused on him.
“You’re doing amazing.” he tried to motivate her.
Y/n tried to mess with him, “Shut up, you know nothing about this.” but it came all wrong.
“You don’t know me, sweetheart. I’ve cut fingers, knees, and a lot of places of my body multiple times.”
“I’m sorry…was stupid to assume that.” she apologized.
“Y’know…you can get to know me.” Matty made his try to ask her out, more obvious this time.
“Oh, really?”
“If you want…”
“Did you flirt with every nurse that fixes your wounds?”
“Only with the pretty ones, and I’ve only encountered one…tonight.”
“Your girlfriend don’t mind?” Y/n stared at his eyes. 
“Sweet of you to assume I’m taken.” Matty smiled at her without breaking eye contact. “For your information, I’m single…had been for a long time now.”
“Mmm.”
“What? Don’t you believe me?” Y/n started to finish her work, feeling better with herself. 
“I have eyes, Matty…”
“Does your partner mind you flirting with patients?” It was his time to ask if she was taken or not.
“He doesn’t.” Matty’s stomach sank with her replied. He was really hoping she was single. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding. I’m single, if you so want to know.” Y/n rapidly said.
“That was rude.” Matty pouted. “I’m not sure any more if I want to ask you out now…” he teased her.
“Oh, really? Were you thinking about it?”
“Since I first saw you.” Y/n cheeks turning red was the best encouragement for him.
“Cute.” 
“Yeah, you.” he kept going.
Y/n cut the thread, wrapping his finger on a clean gauze, finishing with her work.
“Alright, charmer. All done.” she said, taking a step backwards.
Matty checked his finger, “You were nervous? This is the best work I’ve seen.”
“So full of shit you are.” she dared to say.
Matty snorted. “That’s not a nice way to talk with a patient.”
“Are you only a patient?” Matty watched her fold her arms in front of her. She was so cute in his eyes.
“I hope I’m not just another patient for you.”
Y/n analysed Matty, still seated at the hospital bed. 
“Give me your phone.”
The singer only managed to give her his phone, without muttering a single sound. She could be so extroverted and so introverted at the same time. The duality amazed him.  
Y/n saved her contact in his phone, and then said, “There. Gotta get back to work, Matty.” 
“I’ll call you, Y/n,” he said, moving the device in the air. 
“Okay.” she smiled at him, and start to leave the room. 
Matty shouted from behind her, “Wait for my call.” coming to his feet.
She turned around, “Sure.” Y/n didn’t sound so convinced. 
*************
Matty left the emergency room, founding G seated not so far away. 
“So?” the drummer inquired.
Matty, proud of his actions, exclaimed, “Got her phone number.” 
“Was asking about your finger!” George stood up. “Really?” he asked.
“Yeah, she’s amazing.” Matty started walking down the hall towards the exit.
“Can see that.” Matty’s friend poked him. 
Once in the car, George started talking about some random history while he waited. Matty didn’t listen to him. He opened his text, pressing to start a new conversation. 
Tell me if I'm wrong, but I can't call you during your shift, can I? x Matty
It took her a minute to answer.
No, you can’t. I have my break in 5 minutes though... x Y/n
Calling you in 10 then ;) x Matty 
Matty smiled looking out the window.
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tonkatsubowl · 6 months
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blind. ii
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dan heng x fem!reader
it's a series now! ⛧ part one. ⛧ part three.
➽ inspired by satoru gojo! what if the reader had a special ability with her eyes and often wore a blindfold?
➽ reader is a flirt!
≫ requested tags: @truesimp
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after successfully infiltrating the astral express and downloading a bit of data from dan heng's computer, you returned to elios' office to deliver the flash drive where you were praised for your work.
...in truth though, the flash drive you gave to elios was a fraud. should he open it, it would only be a security error with corrupted data. you executed this flawlessly, too, due to the sake of your curiosity and admiration for dan heng.
as a result, you were given a few days off, considering you didn't exactly have any missions to do since kafka, blade and silver wolf were assigned to those missions.
elios really did fall for it, huh? after all, you had a plan for dan heng.
the moment you entered your own room, you pulled your blindfold off, looking into the mirror with those strange, stellaron-infused eyes of yours.
right... you were a test subject to a project of another world. the scientists that practically had your life in their hands had these experiments where they'd force a stellaron into someone's body to see if it was compatible. but alas, you were somehow compatible with a stellaron forced into your eyes, deeming you a successful experiment, and forced you to become a powerful soldier for the worldly military. unfortunately (?) for you... your world was... well, destroyed for whatever reason. you didn't have any memories besides you were being tortured constantly by those scientists. kafka had retrieved you and took you prisoner at first, where elios had given you the opportunity to work for him.
and now here you were, one of the best performing members of the stellaron hunters.
... and really, here you were, seated at a café in belobog. you were a regular here in belobog on your days off.
in public, you wore a pair of sunglasses that kafka specifically made for your eyes. your eyes weren't always visible, but you always had the hearts of the baristas.
you always ordered a sweet, white mocha latte, and the baristas in the café who practically had a crush on you basically memorized your order. they always created cute little foam art on your coffee that represented a cat, or a bunny... sometimes random animals whenever you paid them a visit.
while you were relaxing on your day off, you hear your phone go off, a gentle buzz and your peculiar notification ping that rang through your very ears.
".. hm?"
➽ unknown: hey, it's me.
ooh, oh my. he really did text you...
➽ ???: oh, you really did text me, dan-dan. let me add you.
➽ dan heng: your name isn't even displayed through your contacts...?
➽ ???: oh, not at all. i like to keep my identity a secret.
➽ dan heng: i see.
➽ ???: so, what brought you to text me, cutie pie? did you miss me? ♡︎ i missed you too you know.
➽ dan heng: i'm texting you because i want to know why you downloaded the information of my entire database into that flash drive... and you didn't even bother erasing everything on my computer.
➽ ???: it should be obvious to you that i stole some info from you lol ♡︎ it's for my boss.
➽ dan heng: boss? you're a stellaron hunter then?
➽ ???: was it not obvious enough, babe? why, cmere, let's talk more in person. i prefer talking to you than text.
➽ dan heng: okat.
➽ dan heng: ojay.
➽ dan heng: okay**.
➽ ???: lmao. you're so cute... but i doubt you can come here right now. you're still on xianzhou luofu aren't you?
➽ dan heng: ?? how did you know i was just there... well, i guess it makes sense considering kafka was there too. but i'm on my way to belobog right now to visit a library. we can meet up later.
➽ ???: oh, well lucky day for the both of us. i'm at the café in belobog.
➽ dan heng: alright. well, i'll be there soon.
➽ ???: see u soon cutie
there was a sly smile across your face as you placed your phone upside down on the table. you were quite excited to see dan heng again since that fateful day. it wouldn't be long until dan heng would show himself.
the café had bells attached to the door, and the moment you heard the bells jingle, you took one final sip of the latte before moving the empty mug to the side of the table, recognizing your little boy toy from a bit of a distance.
catching the glimpse of your h/c hair and the lack of visibility of your eyes, he made his way towards your table, seating himself across from you. you could hear the quiet gossiping of the baristas as they wondered if you were truly single.
"hey, baby." you cooed at dan heng, who had a serious expression on your face. "oh, you didn't bring anyone. i was half expecting you to bring your trail blazing team for a moment."
"were you worried?" dan heng raised a brow as he looked down at the menu.
"ufufu. no, not exactly. you didn't seem to bring a friend on... the first date."
you see him flinch a bit, a tint of red painting his cheeks as he coughed awkwardly.
"this is not a date." he stammered.
"yes it is.~" you cooed before tapping the table. "order anything you'd like. it's on me."
"i don't want to order anything. i'm here purely for business purposes." dan heng said, as he looked straight towards your sunglasses.
"... the flash drive. you already submitted it to your boss, no? for what purpose do you have with the information in my database?"
there was a look of amusement. he could read it too, despite being unable to see your sunglasses.
"oh, who knows? my boss was just telling me to do things. i get paid very well whenever i'm tasked with what to do, y'know. that's the work of a stellaron hunter." you tilt your head, staring at him amusingly. "oh, right..."
reaching into your pocket, you pull out the flash drive. the same one you used to infiltrate his computer.
"i still have it. i gave my boss a fake one."
dan heng froze at the sight of the flash drive, almost ready to reach out to steal from your grasp. but you were... well, faster than him, especially when you had knocked him on his ass the other night.
"...what? why do you have that? look— just," dan heng shook his head, "i doubt anything i say will sway your mind to giving me that flash drive."
"ah, ah, ah." you mused, shaking your head at him. "hold up there, dragon boy. you're rushing into conclusions too fast. do the others know about this, actually? did you tell them?"
dan heng shook his head. you read his body language — he wasn't lying.
"...i see. perfect. let's have a deal, then."
dan heng blinked, raising a brow. "a deal?"
"you heard me, cutie." you said, looking back to the menu. you might order another latte or something else in a bit...
"...what's the deal?"
"hehe. curious, are you? well..." you stuffed the flash drive away, adjusting your sunglasses. "be my boyfriend."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..." you were smiling innocently at him.
".. wh— gh-..? huh!?"
"did i stutter, babe?"
dan heng choked for a moment, coughing into his fist as he turned red. "what—? why? are you... a-are you sane right now?"
"guess i'll turn in the info." you mused.
"wait—wait. fine."
your smile widened. "oh, geez, dearie me. does this mean you're my boyfriend?"
dan heng exhaled, looking to the side. "... i don't even know your name. if i'm going to be your boyfriend, i at least need to know your name. you already know mine."
"oh, for sure. as a reward for being so obedient, i'll tell you my name.
...it's y/n. ♡"
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universitypenguin · 2 months
Text
Chapter 25
Summary: Doubts about Nguyen arise in the stalker case and the murder case. Princess and Lloyd review the evidence and decide where to focus their efforts as they race against the clock to rescue Laine Cruz.
Word Count: 6,182
Masterlist
Warning: This story contains content that is intended for those who are at least eighteen years old, such as strong language, sex, sexual content, and references to murder, kidnapping and criminal elements. 
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Chapter XXV
Jake Jensen was in nerd heaven and you loved that for him. 
He sat at a desk in the middle of the D.C. Metro Police station bullpen. A female detective from cyber crimes was leaning over his shoulder. She was slender with a pixie cut and delicate facial features that reminded you of Audrey Hepburn. Jake’s fingers flew over the keyboard of your work laptop as he explained how your system had been hacked. 
You hung back, settling into the guest chair across from Detective Diskant’s desk, fifteen feet away from the computer nerd fest. Diskant hadn’t shown up yet. He’d called after your allergist appointment to ask if Jake could bring in your work laptop and go over it with cybercrimes. You looked around the semi-deserted bullpen. A few uniforms stood around, talking near the front desk. There were a couple offices around the central area that appeared occupied, but it seemed most of the detectives were out and about. This gave you mixed feelings. It might be good to have the police force on the street, present in the communities they served, but where was their back up? Was everyone else at a conference or a training in-service or was the station always this empty?
Trying not to stare at Jake and the lady cop, you searched your purse for a nail file. It had been ages since you’d gotten a manicure and long past time for a good re-shaping. As you filed, you tried to be subtle about glancing over at the computer nerds. The lady cop laid a hand on Jake’s shoulder and smiled. 
You couldn’t catch the words but you knew body language. That head tilt and the sly glance that darted away once eye contact was made was straight out of Flirting 101. Despite the clear signals the lady cop was throwing down, they still went over Jake’s head. 
“Princess, can you come over here?” Jake asked. 
You winced at the expression that flashed across the lady cop’s face as she withdrew her hand from Jake’s personal space. 
“What’s up?” you asked, moving to stand behind Jake’s chair but keeping a respectful distance between you. 
“Look at this,” Jake said, pointing to the screen. 
You examined the string of numbers he indicated. “What am I looking at, again?” 
“It’s an IP address from Bishop & Howard.” 
“Uh-huh.” 
“This is where the attack originated. Also, it came through our server.”
“So we know who was behind the attack?” 
Jake sighed. “Not exactly. We know where it came from. The naming convention of the IP address doesn’t exactly match the company’s standard, but some departments do use unique identifiers.” 
“Don’t you guys keep an inventory list of all the active IP addresses?”
“I already ran it through the list. No match.”
“But it came from our server?”
The lady cop cleared her throat. “Is there any reason a particular department would have a computer with a unique IP address?”
“Usually they’re marking computers that are designed for sensitive information, but most of them aren’t connected to the internet.” 
“We should ask what departments use unlisted computers,” she said. 
“I doubt they’d just hand that information over,” Jake replied. 
“But this narrows down the suspect list to employees of Bishop & Howard,” the female detective said. 
“How else can we match this IP address?” you asked.
“I’ve set up one of the specialized computers for an investigation before. The format of the IP address includes a project code, security level, and identifying number for the system. If I do some digging, I might be able to figure out who’s computer this is.”
Reading between the lines, you knew ‘digging’ meant ‘hacking’ but didn’t call him on it in front of the cyber crimes detective.
“I didn’t realize those specialized computers were connected to our servers.”
Jake rubbed a hand over his face. “They’re not supposed to be. But clearly whoever’s stalking you is tech savvier than we thought. It’s like someone deliberately used the untraceable system to cover their tracks."
Detective Diskant finally entered the room, carrying a laptop under his arm. He stopped at the desk where Jake sat and placed it down.
“You need to see this,” he said, pressing play on a video file. 
At first it seemed like footage of an airport, but when the angle shifted you recognized the platform at Washington Union Station. A train pulled up and passengers disembarked. Diskant pressed pause when the video reached a certain frame. 
“Recognize anyone?” 
“Nguyen,” Jake said. 
You scanned the crowd, looking for the familiar face. It wasn’t until Jake pointed him out that you recognized Shun Nguye. He was in the center of the screen, blending into the blur of travelers. 
“We need to reconsider the prime suspect in your stalking case,” Diskant said.
“What?”
“Look at the time stamp,” Jake said. 
“August 16th, at 11 A.M,” you read.
“Unless Nguyen has developed the ability to be in two places at once, he couldn’t have attacked Princess in Lloyd’s backyard and been in the train station.” 
You closed your eyes feeling weak. “That explains the photos,” you murmured.
“What photos?” Diskant asked.
“The pictures left on my car. It was right after the birthday dinner with my family. I remembered them yesterday. The timing didn’t make sense. Nguyen couldn’t have taken them, not by himself.” 
“Right. Based on this, we can rule him out, but it’s suspicious that he’d return to Virginia.”
“We’re back where we started, with no idea who my stalker is,” you said.
Diskant inclined his head, acknowledging your statement. “No, we don’t.”
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Lloyd spent the afternoon in a coffee shop transcribing his interview with Tate Corbin. Despite his aversion to such establishments, they offered reliable internet which was a service he desperately needed. Still, the saccharine sayings painted on the walls, boldly advocating the joys of chemical dependence in Brush Script font, were hard to stomach. He didn’t find the artistic photos of coffee plants hanging beside his table any more palatable than the quotes. 
The pictures grated on his nerves; at least the drug dens he’d frequented hadn’t been plastered with photographs idolizing the coca plant. In truth, these images were captured with the same propagandistic intent as the works of other renowned visual manipulators like Dmitri Baltermants. However, the Soviet photojournalist had composed his photos with nuance and emotion - qualities sorely lacking in these uninspired shots.
Lloyd glanced at his watch and saw that it was still too early to call you. He sipped the last of his mint tea, watching the crowd queuing for their 2:30 fix. 
“I can’t get anything done after noon unless I’ve had three shots of espresso,” a woman in line declared.
He waited for her companion’s response, anticipating that three shots of espresso per day ought to warrant some kind of self-reflection, but the woman’s associate nodded understandingly. Really? That was it? Why did no one offer her the intervention she clearly needed?
Behind the counter baristas poured beverages into plastic and styrofoam cups and passed them to waiting addicts. Cocaine was an indefensible habit, but at least its packaging wasn’t a significant driver of microplastic pollution. Those damn cups had to rank among the worst inventions society had ever dreamt up. They were somewhere near the top, probably right in between Jake Paul’s career and neonicotinoids. 
At 2:45 his patience had worn thin. Lloyd grabbed his keys and headed for the door. Driving back to D.C. wasn’t part of his agenda, but he was on the cusp of an outburst that would earn him an invitation to never come back, so the forty minute drive to Zach’s office was worthwhile. 
He set up in the spare office you’d taken over and laid out his notes when the door swung open, and you stalked in, looking upset. 
“Princess?”
You shrieked and jumped a foot in the air. Lloyd blinked, ears ringing from the assault on his eardrums. You were pressed against the wall clutching your heart with one hand and cradling your purse to your abdomen like it was a shield. He sat very still.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
You groaned, closing your eyes and sinking down the wall, crumpling. “I’m fine.”
“Yeah? Well, you don’t sound fine. Or look it.” 
Lloyd stood up, moving around the desk and approaching you. He took the purse from your hands and dropped it on the spare chair, then dragged you into his arms. You melted into the embrace, tucking your head in the crook of his shoulder. He smoothed a hand down your back and listened as you breathed deeply.
“Bad allergist appointment?” he asked. 
“Not really. It turns out that I have an aspirin allergy, which we already knew. How was your interview?”
“Unsatisfying.”
“Why?”
“It ended up killing more leads than it generated. What’s wrong?”
“I had a meeting with Detective Diskant after my appointment. Nguyen isn’t my stalker.” You filled him in. “So, Jake’s running down the information from the hack but we’re back at square one.”
Lloyd reached behind you and closed the blinds to the office window, then took your hands and guided you to the office chair behind the desk. He sat down and drew you onto his lap, positioning your legs to rest over the arm of the chair.
“I wrote up some timelines for the Harmony case,” you said, looping your arms around his shoulders.
He glanced over at the murder board you’d arranged on the office wall. Part of him wanted to dive into your meeting with Diskant but looking at your face, he knew that wasn’t a topic you were ready to pursue. Not right now, at least. 
“I see that. Did you learn anything at the bible camp?” 
“Li Wei had a secret boyfriend during the spring of 1999.”
Lloyd groaned. “Not another secret relationship. What is it with women and hiding their love lives from investigators?”
“Don’t ask me. Anyway, that revelation was the highlight of the trip, but it got me thinking about the timelines of the case.”
“Timelines, plural?” 
“Yeah. I’ve been playing around with the theory that the cases weren’t actually connected since the beginning. I know it might seem unlikely for two prolific killers to be operating in the same area at the same time, but the differences in victimology are so stark it has to be considered.”
“And the timelines changed your mind.”
“If there was evidence of two killers, it seems like we’d have found something pointing in that direction by now.”
“But you’re not letting the theory go?” Lloyd asked.
“Not yet, but I’d rather focus on the evidence. I started by reviewing the events from 1999,” you said, pointing to the wall. “Li Wei’s boyfriend is the first event. Then, on June 14th, she and her daughter, Zoe, disappear. Two weeks later, the first of Harmony’s missing women, Stacey Moore, was abducted.”
“You think there’s a connection?”
“The timing makes me wonder if that killing was a trigger for the perpetrator. Another possibility is that he viewed Li Wei and Zoe as a… test run, of sorts.” 
“That speaks to his behavior. He’s controlled, premeditated, and careful. If he captured Zoe first that would have given him leverage over Li Wei.”
“Exactly. And if we look at our suspect list, something else that comes up on the 1999 timeline is the connection between Shun Nguyen and the other parties.”
Lloyd straightened, adjusting you on his lap. “There’s something linking Nguyen and Li Wei? What is it?” 
“Nothing. I looked high and low, but there’s no connection. I can’t even establish that he was ever in Fredericksburg. His only connection to Li Wei is through Julia, who he didn’t meet until late 2000.”
“When was his residency interview at the hospital?”
“June 18, 1999. After the interview on Friday, he spent the night at a hotel, drove back to D.C. in the morning and took a train home to New York.” 
“Which we already knew,” Lloyd grumbled. 
“I know, I’m just trying to organize things so they make sense. And you know what really doesn’t make any sense?”
“The idea of Nguyen commuting between New York City and a small town outside of D.C. to kill random strangers almost a full year before he knew he’d be living there,” Lloyd said.
“We don’t have much in terms of physical evidence, so we’ve been using behavioral profiling to try and understand the killer’s actions. Know what’s more accurate than behavioral profiling? Geographical profiling. Scientists use it all the time.”
“I’m not arguing with you. The case against Nguyen always hinged on his connection to Julia and his knowledge and access to chemicals.”
“There’s a distinct pattern in these early crimes and it points to someone local. Abducting nine people and never leaving behind a trace requires planning and preparation. Nguyen couldn’t have spared the time for all that in 1999.” 
“Which brings us to 2000, when he moved to Harmony.”
“He moved in July. A week later, Kayla Ballesta went missing, which sounds damning until you account for the car accident Nguyen had been in two months earlier.”
Lloyd grunted. “Yeah, but who could fake an injury better than a doctor?”
“Radiology doesn’t lie. He wasn’t in any shape to abduct Kayla that July.”  
“Do we have his radiology reports?” 
“No, but Peter Shaw had them. According to his article in the Rolling Stone, he had two different orthopedic surgeons review the images. They both confirmed the severity of Nguyen’s fracture.” 
“It’s compelling, but you know what else is compelling?” Lloyd asked.
“What?”
“After Nguyen was arrested the disappearances stopped. That’s too much of a coincidence to ignore.” 
“You know what else is too much to ignore? An open book pelvic fracture.” 
“Mmmh.”
You chuckled at the wrinkle of disgust that passed over Lloyd’s face and stroked his jaw with the back of your fingers. “I went through all the evidence from 2001, which didn’t take long because there’s almost no evidence to speak of.” 
“There was more evidence at Julia’s crime scene than any of the others,” Lloyd said.
“She went missing either on April 17th or 18th and her body was found encased in concrete beside Cub Run Trail a few days later. Police identified the remains about a week after finding them and Nguyen was arrested in August.”
“Going back to the behavioral evidence, we can establish a few things for sure. Starting with the obvious, the serial killer is knowledgeable and capable at using chemicals. He has access to them somehow and might have a secondary location where he can treat the bodies.”
“Which we know from the remains found at the trail,” you said.
“Right. Julia’s bones were brittle and crumbled when touched, which is a property of exposure to a strong base. If they’d been soaked in acid the bones would’ve been rubbery and flexible. Nguyen’s chemical training and access to materials through the hospital led the police to focus on him.”
“But he was never tried for any of the other murders and everything that made him a suspect was circumstantial.”
“Ninety percent of the case against Nguyen amounts to fact that the disappearances stopped after he was out of the picture,” Lloyd reminded you.
“It’s also interesting that Li Wei, Zoe, and Julia’s remains were all treated the same, even though there’s three years between their cases.” 
“All the bodies found beside the trail were disposed of by the exact same method. It’s too specific for a copy cat - unless the original perpetrator told someone precisely where they left the first two victims.”
“Wouldn’t they have had to describe the chemicals and methodology, too?” you asked.
“For the results to be this uniform? Absolutely.” 
“What about victimology? That’s always been a huge question for me. All the killer’s known victims are female but aside from that, things start to get murky.”
You gestured to the photos on the wall, where the six portraits of the missing women were grouped. “They match a specific type. They were average build, natives of eastern coastal Virginia, with advanced degrees and professional jobs. Li Wei doesn’t match the pattern, and neither does Julia.” 
“But the real outlier is Zoe,” Lloyd pointed out.
“Agreed. Which is why we’re paying Annabeth Green a duke’s ransom to run a paternity test on her remains and identify her father.” 
“You set me up for that one, Princess.”
“I have to spread the blame around. Do you know what she charges for that kind of a test?”
Lloyd snorted. “Do you?”
“Unfortunately, yes. Her secretary just emailed me the invoice.”
“What’s the goal of the paternity test?”
“To identify a new suspect. After going through all the evidence, our suspect list is pretty barren. Nguyen was too far away to have killed the victims from 1999 and there’s no connection between him and Li Wei Chapman. He wasn’t able to kill the first victim from 2000 because of his injury. And when it comes down to it, I don’t think he killed Julia, either.”
Lloyd ran his tongue around his teeth.“I agree. He didn’t have the opportunity. That was established by the Virginia Supreme Court beyond any reasonable doubt. Did you find anything on Leo McKenzie?”
You shook your head. “Nothing new. The Fairfax Sheriff’s Department hasn’t sent me a copy of their file on him, either.”
“They’re not known for their inter-agency cooperation.”
“Well, it probably doesn’t matter if I have their file or not, because Zach got a copy of McKenzie’s discharge papers from the Army. His back injury is serious enough to exclude him from suspicion. That leaves Tate Corbin. How’d your interview with him go?” 
“Not great. He has an alibi for two of the abductions thanks to a biennial fishing trip with his merchant marine buddies.”
Lloyd gave you the details of Corbin’s alibi and you scribbled down the information, making a note to contact the witnesses tomorrow morning.
“Also, get this. There was only one other person who bothered checking out Corbin as a suspect. You’ll never guess who it was.” 
“Detective Roth?”
“Peter Shaw.” 
You chuckled. “Ouch.” 
Lloyd gathered you closer, his eyes falling half closed as he nuzzled your neck. “Yeah.”
“He didn’t give an alibi for Julia’s murder, though.” 
“I knew he wasn’t the one before he produced the alibi,” Lloyd said. 
“How?” 
“His reactions were off. This killer has flown under the radar for too long. His public mask is impeccable.”
“And Corbin…?”
“Corbin is weird. There’s no mask. He wasn’t interested in talking about the missing victims. Then, when I finally got him talking, he wasn’t curious.” 
“Why would the real killer be curious? He knows more about them than we do.”
“He’d want to know what we had. The question of evidence would’ve been brought up, but Corbin couldn’t have cared less. The real killer would’ve been excited by the conversation, but he’d have masked the reaction. Corbin was ambivalent. And the last reason is the same as the first,” Lloyd said. “He’s too weird to be the killer. He’s loud, opinionated, and obnoxious. He doesn’t fly under the radar at all.”
You giggled. “Eliminated from suspicion because of his personality…” 
Lloyd rolled his eyes. “We’re looking for a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Corbin is a peacock.”
“Well, we’ve shaved the suspect list down to zero. Nguyen’s off the list for lack of opportunity. McKenzie isn’t physically capable of abducting anything bigger than a puppy. The most promising suspect, Tate Corbin, is off the list for being sane, and he has an alibi for multiple abductions.”
“We’re out of suspects.”
“Which sucks, because there’s a missing woman who needs us to figure this out.” 
“Well, at least we know we’re looking for a strong base. Corbin completely sealed his innocence in my mind when he brought up an acidic mine as the potential disposal site.” 
You sat up in Lloyd’s lap, nearly elbowing him in the stomach. “What acid? Where?” 
Lloyd grumbled and caught your legs. He wrapped an arm around your knees, holding you captive. “Copper Ridge Quarry. It’s south of Harmony and it’s been abandoned for decades. The government has spent billions containing the toxic sludge.”
“Copper Ridge Quarry. That sounds familiar.”
“It’s a super-fund site. Every year the exposed ore reacts with rain and ground water and produces new runoff. Until someone figures out how to stop the reactions, the acid will keep getting more concentrated every year.” 
“Gross. Hang on, let me check something.”
Lloyd eased his grip and let you reach your laptop. He waited as you typed, flipping through pages of the database you’d organized months ago. 
“Here. Copper Ridge Quarry is in the database.”
“They already checked it out?”
“Mmmhh… According to the file summary, NASA sent a robot into one of the acid pools in the 80s and it was never seen again.”
“Did it return any data?” Lloyd asked.
“No. It looks like the investigation into Copper Ridge wasn’t very thorough. The first time they checked it out was in October of 2000. The local police’s resources were stretched thin. Between processing evidence from the abduction sites, organizing massive searches, and running down other leads, Copper Ridge didn’t get much attention.” 
“What about later?” Lloyd asked. 
“They tried again in 2001 when Stephanie Young disappeared, but there were conflicts with the search warrants. Some of the land around Copper Ridge is privately owned and required a compelling reason to search private property, which they didn’t have. In the end, they searched all the public land they had consent to access, but that’s it.” 
“An acidic mine site is an intriguing lead, but we don’t have any evidence the killer uses acid.” 
“Is that really a logical jump?” you questioned.
“Scientists use strong bases in labs to remove flesh from skeletons. If you expose the bones for longer, about five to six hours with some heat, they crumble.”
“That’s not possible with acid?”
“It would work,” Lloyd admitted. “It might even do a better job of completely dissolving them, but it’s more dangerous. The acids strong enough aren’t safe to handle. Sodium hydroxide on the other hand, comes as a salt. It’s much easier to obtain and if you got it on your skin it might cause a rash, but that’s it. You have to dissolve it in water before it’s dangerous.”
“But Copper Ridge would eliminate the need for him to obtain chemicals. Assuming he had a way in, it mitigates the risk of being caught by purchasing records or his professional access.” 
“If he had a traditional education, he’d lean towards a base,” Lloyd said.
“If he’s smart enough to use a base, why not use an acid? It’s all chemistry at the end of the day.” 
“Following the same logic, why not dispose of Julia’s body the same way as Li Wei and Zoe’s? The crimes were three years apart. He’d have had time to perfect his methods,” Lloyd said.
“That’s been my biggest gripe with all the victims being connected. But this afternoon, I remembered something Marco said when I explained the case. He commented that it was ‘like he put the sisters together,’ with how he disposed of Julia. It meant more to me before we learned Li Wei was actually Julia’s cousin. But now, what if he had the same motive both times?”
“We haven’t considered his motives.”
“I have. If you lay out the whole timeline, Li Wei and Zoe were his first victims and they’re both anomalies in victimology. Li Wei wasn’t born in the U.S., but she did grow up here. She dropped out of college freshman year and didn’t finish a bachelor’s degree, let alone a masters. She worked at her parent’s bible camp, which was a far cry from a professional job, like the other victims. And she doesn’t fit the physical victim type, either. She was too tall.”
“And Julia’s the same. Too tall and too thin, no degrees, no job. Plus, she really was foreign.”
“Right. Li Wei could have passed for a Virginia native, but there was no way he mistook Julia for an American. Where’s the motive, though?” Lloyd asked.
“If they don’t fit victimology there must be a motive. That’s why I really wanted the paternity test on Zoe. Usually, with a child victim, the perpetrator is one of the parents. We can rule out her mother, which leaves the father.”
“What about Julia?”
“She was digging into Li Wei’s death. If the killer found out, wouldn’t he have been compelled to interfere?”
“Yes, but why not dispose of her like he did all the other victims? If your theory about Copper Ridge is correct, he had the perfect disposal method. I can imagine him failing on his first attempt to dissolve a body with a strong base, but going back to the failed method three years later? That’s stupid.”
“Or it’s incredibly smart. Anyone who found all three victims, encased in two different concrete slabs, beside a popular jogging trail, albeit, in a remote area of said trail, would’ve connected the dots. Then they would’ve connected the victims. Julia arrived in the U.S. in 1997. It’s plausible to imagine a connection. We only know there wasn’t one because of Aliyah.”
“The killer was making sure the cases would be connected.” 
“But when no one found the second slab, Nguyen was arrested and the rumor mill started up, claiming he was connected to the six missing women,” you said. 
“The killer was handed the perfect scapegoat on a platter. So, he stopped killing and as far as public opinion went, no more disappearances meant they’d collared the right guy.” 
“I know it’s a lot of theory, but looking at the whole sequence from 1999 to 2002, how the killing started with Li Wei and Zoe, then stopped after Julia, it’s almost like a full circle.”
“He didn’t stop, though. If he had, Zach and I wouldn’t be spending our Monday night on a search party for Laine Cruz,” Lloyd said. 
“What if this is a copycat?” You sighed at your own question and shook your head. “The problem with all this theory is that we don’t have any evidence to back it up. Paradoxically, we have more evidence than anyone else who worked the case ever did.” 
“We’re here because Roth searched an old crime scene and got lucky,” Lloyd said.
“There’s solid evidence suggesting the killer is knowledgeable in chemistry. He’s proven capable with them, and we have physical evidence that two of his victims were disposed of with a strong base. We also know his access to these chemicals wasn’t a fluke because he used them twice - once in 1999 and again in 2002.” 
“And the concrete slab itself is evidence,” Lloyd said. “He knows how to mix, form, and set a concrete slab by himself. It’s not as specific as his advanced chemical knowledge, but it’s still a proven ability.”
“He’s prepared and careful, so disposing of the bodies wouldn’t have been the first time he worked with concrete. That makes sense,” you said. 
“He’s also shown to be quite knowledgeable of the local area. Abducting six women without leaving any witnesses isn’t easy. Also, he’s familiar enough with Cub Run Trail to dispose of bodies there twice. It was a remote section of the trail, sure, but that points to him knowing the area.”
“And getting them up there? He’s got to be physically fit.”
“Unlike Leo McKenzie. We have evidence that Julia’s teeth were destroyed with a gunshot, and the .22 shell casings found in Nguyen’s yard after she went missing. It’s not difficult to get a gun in the D.C. area, but let’s add it to the list.” 
“Also, the last fact, but maybe the most important: he had the opportunity to commit all nine murders.”
Lloyd grunted. “How do we know so much about him, but still don’t have a suspect?”
“He’s careful and prepared. Speaking of that, what about the woman that went missing on Friday night? Have they found any evidence at the scene of her abduction?” 
“Laine Cruz. The search isn’t going well. They found her car abandoned in town with a dead battery. It could have been sabotage or the perpetrator saw an opportunity and took advantage. Her purse was in the car, but not her cell phone. There’s been no activity on her bank cards and her phone is turned off.” 
“What are they doing to find her?” 
“The usual - tracking dogs, a search grid. It seems futile,” Lloyd said. 
“Isn’t the definition of insanity doing the same thing over and over and hoping for a different result?” you asked. 
“According to Einstein.”
“Search grids and dogs didn’t find any of the other missing women, did they?”
“No,” Lloyd conceded.
“We were brought in to investigate the new evidence and figure out if it was connected to the missing victims.”
“Are you saying they should call off the search?”
“No, but searching is their job - not ours. I think we should focus on following the evidence and investigating what we have.” 
“You’re saying Zach and I shouldn’t join the search,” Lloyd said.
“Copper Ridge Quarry is a fresh lead. I think that’s where our time would be best spent.” 
“Alright. We’ll do it. Are you okay with staying late at the office? I don’t know how long this’ll take.”
“Don’t worry about me. I’ve got a mountain of paperwork to catch up on.” 
Lloyd studied your expression and noted that you still looked upset. He slid a finger under your chin, turning your face up to his. 
“Hey. It’s okay. Jake will find a new lead.”
“What if my stalker isn’t someone we would suspect?” you asked. “What if it’s totally random?”
“Don’t think about that. Let Jake and Landon worry about the stalker. Let me worry about him.”
Your eyes scanned his, filled with concern. There was nothing he could say, Lloyd realized. He changed tactics and lowered his gaze to your chest.
“How do your nipples feel? Still sore?”
“I…” you squirmed. 
He ran a hand over the curve of your breast, feeling the gentle curve through the thin silk of your blouse. There were three layers of cloth between his fingertips and your flesh but he still felt the hardening of your nipple. You hissed and he paused.
“They’re not sore,” you said, reassuring him. “Just… tender.”
His lips curved. “What’s your current opinion on nipple clamps?”
“It’s an eighty-twenty split.”
“For or against?”
“For,” you admitted, lashes fluttering as you fought back shyness. 
Lloyd squeezed you tight and explored your throat with soft, teasing kisses. You relaxed instantly, muscles loosening as your head fell back to give him more room. His free hand went to the fastenings on the front of your blouse, flicking open each tiny pearl button.
You caught his hand. “There’s a window on the door.”
“I closed the blinds,” Lloyd said. 
“Oh.”
You let go and when he arched a brow, you nodded. He carefully undid each tiny button, flashing you an amused look.
“Did you plan on making it hard for me to undress you, or this coincidence?” 
“Actually, I just thought the buttons were pretty.”
“They are. However, this is prettier,” Lloyd said, pushing open the silk and sliding off the thin straps of your camisole. He purred at the sight of your cream colored bra. “Front-clasp. I forgive you for the buttons.”
He flicked open your bra and you shivered at the sensation of cool air on delicate skin. Lloyd shifted you again, turning your body so your back was positioned to the door of the office. It wasn’t necessary, but you appreciated his awareness.
“Mmmhhh… still a little swollen,” he murmured, caressing his thumb over a puckered nipple. “They’re warm.”
You trembled when his hand moved up to curl around the back of your neck. He kissed your sternum and his mustache brushed your skin in a teasing dance. His facial hair wasn’t bristly, but it wasn’t soft, either. His hand slid from your throat to your collarbone and slowly cupped the weight of your left breast. Your eyes closed in pleasure.
“Lloyd.”
His cheek pressed to your sternum and you felt his hot breath against your tight nipple. The slow, gentle stroking of his thumb over your breast was restrained and controlled. You shuddered. Part of you wanted to beg for more. The other part knew the office door might have the blinds lowered, but it was still unlocked. Lloyd’s tender stroking was making your head go fuzzy. You arched your back in offering, but he didn’t react. 
“Please,” you whined.
Lloyd made a rough sound and dropped his head, kissing a slow path across your chest, down your sternum to suckle the inner curve of your breast. Your fingers threaded into the cool strands of his hair as you pulled him toward where you needed him the most. As his mouth fastened around your nipple, you felt his lips curve into a smirk, but couldn’t bring yourself to care. 
He’d finished lapping at the first straining nipple and moved onto the second when the door to your office swung open. You were so caught up in the moment that the noise barely registered. It wasn’t until the sound of a masculine voice cut through your mental haze that you gasped.
“What the fuck, Lloyd?! Hang a damn sock on the door next time!”
Zach’s shout brought your head around. The man had turned his back and clamped a hand over his eyes. Lloyd slowly released your nipple and raised his head.
“Have you heard of knocking?” he asked.
“I didn’t know you were in here!” Zach protested.
For some reason, you weren’t scrambling to fasten your bra in a panicked rush. Instead of embarrassment you felt dizzy with lust as Lloyd re-fastened your bra and returned the straps of your camisole to their original position. His eyes caught yours and he smiled, eyes glinting with something like pride. Whether it was at his own work or your lack of reaction to the embarrassment of being caught, you weren’t sure. He started from the bottom as he re-buttoned the tiny pearl fastenings of your shirt.
“Can I turn around?” Zach asked. 
You grined at Lloyd, who’d only fastened two buttons of your blouse.
“Sure,” you said.
Zach turned half way, peeking from the corner of his eye. He nearly wrenched his neck out of place when he spun away again, unleashing a string of curses that would’ve made a sailor blush. 
“Do you two mind? I don’t like walking into the middle of a porno in my own office!”
Lloyd snickered. “Please. Grow up, Zach. There were racier scenes than this on T.V. when you were a kid.”
“I’m going to wait in the truck!”
You giggled as Zach raced out of the office like something was chasing him and smirked at Lloyd when he finished doing up your blouse. “I take it you don’t share details about your sex life with Zach anymore?”
“If did, he’d probably knock my teeth out.” He wrapped his arms loosely around your waist. “Speaking of things that would send me to the dentist, why are you so calm about me forgetting to lock the door?” 
You linked your hands behind his neck and shrugged. “I don’t know. I thought getting caught in a compromising position would be embarrassing but it wasn’t. I mean, Zach didn’t see any parts of me he hadn't seen before. We weren’t hiding the fact that we’re sleeping together, so he didn’t learn anything new.”
“Funny. You were a virgin three months ago and Zach’s the shrinking violet,” Lloyd snickered. He bent down and kissed you thoroughly. “I won’t be back until late. You’re sure you don’t want one of the guys to give you a ride home?”
“No. I’ll wait for you.”
Lloyd reached for his jacket and paused. “Princess, if you have time tonight, can you do me a favor?”
“Sure.”
“Go back through the footage of Nguyen’s interviews. There was a moment in there, something he said that I didn’t quite catch. It was like he had a slip of the tongue and then backpedaled to cover it up.”
“You just described his whole communication style,” you said.
“Yeah, that’s why I was driving myself nuts in Qatar, listening to the tapes over and over, trying to figure out what it was.”
“Okay. Do you remember which day it was on?”
“It was on the first day of interviews. I didn’t notice the slip until I listened to the audio of the interview on the flight out of Singapore. Maybe it’s nothing, because I haven’t been able to find it again, but at the time I was absolutely sure he’d said something important.”
“Maybe another set of ears will help.”
“Thanks, Princess. Don’t expect me until late, okay?”
“Good luck tonight.” 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Next - Chapter XXVI
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Masterlist
89 notes · View notes
darlingverse · 4 months
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Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
❝ Where will you run? Where will you hide? Nowhere. Because there is nowhere secure enough to keep me from you … ❞
↻ YANDERE TYPE: Obsessive-Eliminating I DANGER LEVEL: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
↻ NAME: ???
↻ ALIAS: Jack
↻ AGE: ??? [Looks older than you]
↻ BIRTHDAY: January 1st
↻ HEIGHT: 6'0”
↻ BUILD: Deceptively bulky
↻ HAIR: Curly black
↻ EYES: Brown, looks orange
↻ SKIN: Olive
↻ DISTINGUISHING MARKS/BODY MODIFICATIONS: Dark circles under his eyes; geometric arm tattoo
↻ EXTRAS:
“Jack” works for several computer business. He owns a cyber security one, and works as a freelance software developer. All of which, he does from home. He moonlights as a hacker, which is how he found out so much information about you.
A learned boy. He's gone back to college several times now to get different computer science and engineering degrees because he can, and he has the money to do it. (He's loaded.)
Despite being rich, he doesn't dress or act like it. For the most part, he splurges on computer/electronics but everything else he owns is unassuming. His go-to outfit is simple jeans and a black shirt.
He has a massive sweet tooth. He loves chocolate frosted donuts - or really anything chocolate. He doesn't have the best diet otherwise.
Will never tell you what his real name is. He keeps pretty much everything close to the vest. Even once you're properly housebroken, you won't know anything that he doesn't want you to.
109 notes · View notes
inficetegodwottery · 5 months
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A call for aid from Firefox Users
I have absolutely no fucking idea how to solve these problems, and there are asks with no answers all over the internet elsewhere that are years old.
There is a weirdly hostile atmosphere on Reddit's Firefox boards to asking questions about features Firefox doesn't seem to have. And obviously, official support forums are about as helpful as they ever are. Given that I've seen and reblogged countless extremely informative posts about Firefox stuff on Tumblr, I just have to hope one of you guys knows answers to some of these issues.
Because I want to move away from Chrome. I really, really do. It is a constant source of stress and fear at this point. Google is an insanely evil fucking company and I despise them, and admire Firefox's stances on privacy and commitment to user security. But I cannot use a browser that lacks so many of the organizational elements I'm used to using in order to deal with my extreme neurodivergence and inability to process information all at once combined with my tendency towards flitting from one train of thought to another constantly.
Using Firefox (I've tried to switch five times over six or seven years) in the past has been overwhelming and stressful and completely devoid of certain features I could use to control those feelings on browsers like Chrome, Opera, and even Safari.
So if anyone has any solutions or suggestions for the specific issues I describe below, it would be an enormous weight off my shoulders, and help me feel a lot safer than I do now.
I'll admit that my tab fever is insane, and I've regularly racked up 2000+ tabs on Chrome. But I can sleep/unload just about all of those tabs constantly, making it so I can keep my trains of thought completely paused without the slightest impact on my computer's performance while I work on something else, and come right back to them without having to dig through the Bookmark system. And the way I generally keep that insane number of bookmarks organized is with separate windows and TAB GROUPING. Bless tab grouping, the saviour of my sanity. With that feature, I can have a completely organized tab tree with color coding, searchable groups, easily group and ungroup tabs or move them to different windows, and I can manage all of them from the same UI I'm managing ungrouped tabs from.
This is a feature which Firefox appears to fundamentally lack, despite apparently having had it implemented fully at some point.
I will say that I tried several addons before making this post, specifically Simple Tab Groups, which was atrocious, and Panorama View actually looks fantastic, but also.... Firefox has placed a security warning on that one. Great.
So if anyone knows of a hidden browser settings option, an overlooked tab grouping addon, or some other way to implement that feature on Firefox, I would be eternally in your debt. I just do not have the ability to process or work on a browser that I can only have like forty tabs open without losing track of everything I'm doing because they're all on a single ribbon. Or completely overloading my RAM.
On that note, is there any setting to make the browser use less memory? I've had the core process run up to almost a dozen gigs of RAM with only twenty tabs open, and there's absolutely no way it needed all that processing power for four YouTube tabs and a bunch of settings pages.
Lastly, there are a number of times while I was using Firefox that I lost power or the program crashed (and it crashed a LOT) and I lost everything. Every tab, every bit of work I was doing at the time, with no way to recover them. I've had that happen with Chrome too, but WAY less often, and when it recovers all my tabs it does so while PRESERVING MY TAB GROUPS, and it also doesn't load every tab in until I actually move to that tab. Firefox loads every tab it's recovering all at once, which usually completely locks up my computer.
At this point I'm pretty much only using Firefox to watch YouTube videos past the adblock, despite desperately wanting to transfer literally everything over to a browser that I KNOW is the safer and better option. But every time I've tried, the total inability to organize like I used to, losing all my progress and being unable to regain it whatsoever, or just using up four times the amount of resources that my browsing would on another platform has drive me away. I don't want to be driven away. I want to solve this, but I've had to accept that I can't do that alone.
I greatly appreciate any help or advice anyone can give. Even if just only one of these questions gets answered or only one of these problems gets solved, that's a win in my books. And thank you for reading, even if you don't have any of the answers I'm looking for.
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chennqingg · 5 months
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𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗱 - 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁
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summary: SHIELD and the Avengers comes to rescue you from HYDRA and eventually hires you to become a part of the team. during your first partnered mission, you also save steve's life from danger.
author's note: this will be the background story for the captain and the secret agent. it'll basically be how their story starts. not my best work in my opinion (despite it being in my drafts for too long), but hope you all enjoy nonetheless. :)
pairing: steve rogers x fem!agent! reader
warning(s): steve giving reader the cold shoulder, mentions of torture, hydra, reader having doubts, some violence, cursing, let me know if i missed anything!
steve rogers masterlist ★ the captain and the secret agent masterlist
"You better make sure SHIELD and the Avengers never break into this building, understood?" Your commanding officer ordered you as he stood in front of the computer room.
"Y-Yes sir," you nodded, hiding the fear in your voice.
"If I find out that you were unable to keep them at bay, you know what's coming for you," he threatened before he shut the door.
Once the door slammed shut, you sighed as you slumped back into your chair. It had been six months since you were captured and forced to work under Hydra. You have been tortured, threatened even close to the door of death if you dared defied orders from your commanding officer.
What felt like hours of trying to keep the security systems of Hydra's building running, you heard a thud at your door. You decided to keep trying to counter the person who was trying to breach the security systems. However, the door to the computer room was forced open and you got up from the desk in fear and froze in place with your hands in the air.
"P-Please don't..." you whispered. "I-"
"Listen, I'm not here to hurt you," the man wearing a long, black leather jacket with a black dress shirt underneath it with some black boots and an eyepatch covering his left eye. "Everyone, stay out here for a minute. I'm here for a reason, step away from the desk and let's talk."
You did as he said and sauntered over to the mysterious man, he then shuts the door behind him and grabbed a chair for both of you. He gestured you to sit down and you complied as he took a seat as well.
"I'm Nick Fury, director of SHIELD and the founder of the Avengers," he began. "So tell me, how long have you been working under Hydra?"
"Six months..."
"How did you join them?"
"I was captured by them," you corrected Nick as you gazed your head down at the floor. "I was originally a secret service agent for the United States. Then, I was sent to do an undercover mission, only to get captured by Hydra..."
Getting up from your chair, you went over to a file cabinet that was by your desk and opened it with a set of keys. You took out a manila folder that contained Hydra's information about you. With shaking hands, you sauntered back to the man and handed him the folder.
After reading through your files, Nick tucked the folder under his arm before clearing his throat. "Well, would you like to be a part of the Avengers and SHIELD?" he asked you again.
Your head perked up at him. "Me? A part of...are you sure? Even after what I've done to harm your organizations?"
"With your skills with hacking and as a secret agent, I see no reason to kill you," he explained. "You would make a great asset to both the Avengers and SHIELD, plus, the harm you've done, none of it was you since you had no other choice."
"But I-"
"No buts," Nick interrupted. "I want you to be a part of the Avengers and SHIELD, will you accept my offer or not?"
You thought for a moment, during the six month span that you've been with Hydra, you've been worked down to the bone. You don't even remember the last time you've had a proper meal or proper sleep. The other agent you were working with also barely exchanged a word with you, minus your commanding officer threatening you and often using vile words at you.
"If it gets me out of this hellhole," you answered. "Is there...a way that I can be safe?"
Nick nodded. "We'll keep you safe, I promise. We'll make sure Hydra won't find or harm you."
Nick then opens the door and exits the room as you follow suit. Nick stops in his tracks as you and him were met by six other individuals.
"What took you so long, Fury?" the young woman with wavy, red hair asked him.
"I would like to introduce you to our new recruit," Nick answered her. "This is Y/N L/N, she will be an agent under SHIELD, and working alongside the Avengers."
The six individuals took a look at you, you slowly tore your gaze away from the ground to look at your new teammates.
"Nick, she used to work under Hydra," the blond man with the shield protests. "How can she work with us? What if she still works under Hydra while she's working with us?"
Nick held a hand up to stop him. "Rogers, she was barely under the care of Hydra. I promise you that nothing will happen. Now, let's get the hell out of here before we're caught red handed."
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Reaching the compound of the Avengers and SHIELD, you waited for the six Avengers and Nick to step out of the quinjet. Once they were out, you were the last one to step out and they led you inside of the compound.
Nick led you down a corridor where the agents of SHIELD would be in one huge room together, there were several stations for each agent. However, he led you to an empty room that was in the Avengers side.
"This will be your office," Nick spoke. "The basics are provided for you already, but if you'd like to upgrade a few things for yourself, you're free to do so."
"My bedroom is separate from this office, is it?" you asked.
"Yeah, is there anything wrong with that?"
"I...I'd prefer if I had a bed or possibly a convertible couch in here," you admitted. "I probably won't be leaving this room if I'm being honest."
"Hey, if there's something wrong, you can tell me," Nick tells you. "I can tell that something is bothering you."
You huffed as you realized that Nick saw right through you. "The fact that I used to work under Hydra is something that they don't like very much. Why is that? It wasn't my choice to even work with them..."
"Well..." Nick started. "Captain Rogers has a very long history with Hydra itself. He fought against Hydra during the Second World War, Hydra also captured his best friend during the war and used him as a tool for the last 70 years and just recently, we managed to get Sergeant Barnes back to his normal state."
"Oh, I didn't know that Captain Rogers would have such a long history with Hydra..." you replied, fiddling with your hands.
"Don't worry, I promise you that they'll get used to you," he reassured you. "Once you use your skills on missions, I promise you that they'll begin to trust you eventually. They're good people once you get to know them."
You simply nodded your head at Nick's words, hoping that his words would be true once you start your work alongside the Avengers and SHIELD. Nick smiled as he gently placed a hand on your shoulder.
"Everything's going to be okay, kid. Just don't think about it too much."
You nodded at him again, exchanging a small smile back at him. "Okay."
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A few days later, you were sent on your first mission with a partner. Your partner was none other than Steve Rogers himself, needless to say, it was difficult to spark a conversation with him, at least for you it was. You tried your best during those first few days to try and get to know everyone in the Avengers, attempts were made, but no progress was made at all when you tried to made the first move to talk.
However, Steve needed a partner for this mission and everyone else was busy or had other missions to do and he had no choice but to take you alongside him.
"You ready?" Steve asked you as he landed the quinjet on the ground.
You looked at him and nodded, making sure you had all of the equipment you needed. Steve then grabs his shield and secures it onto his back and headed out first, you followed suit and made your way over to the control room.
"Hey, once you secure the control room, I need a hand at the west side of the building," Steve said through the comms.
"Working on it," you replied quietly back through your comms, using your pick-pocketing tools to unlock the control room's door.
Once you unlocked the door to the control room, you pulled out your handgun and shot the agents that were in there. You went over to the control systems and began disabling the security protocols for all of the doors within the building.
"Are you on your way?" Steve asked you again through the comms.
"Hang on," you answered, quickly checking if there was anything else you missed. Once you were sure that the control room was secure, you moved quickly towards the west side of the building to where Steve was.
As you sauntered to the west side building, you fought the security guards who blocked your entrance. Once you handled them by knocking them out with the grip of your handgun, you took out one of the security guard's ID card and held it against the card reader near the doors to gain entrance to where Steve was located.
"Oh shit..." you murmured quietly as you realized that Steve was actually in trouble.
Steve was fighting a large group of roughly 10 agents, half of them trying to hold him down while the other agents who weren't holding him down were attempting to attack him. You reacted immediately by taking out two taser disks and threw it at the agents, which then released the electrical discharge once it came in contact with the few agents that were in range.
While they were being electrocuted by the taser disks, you took this opportunity to use a broken pipe that was nearby to hit the agents in the back of their heads. Once Steve was able to break free from the agents that held him back, he managed to fight the rest of them by hand before picking up his shield.
"I didn't think you would save my life," Steve spat out, in a rather cold voice. "Considering that you were once an agent under Hydra."
You sighed when you heard him speak about your past life under Hydra. You weren't proud of the things you did, it was hard to take in and you knew it wouldn't be easy to get everyone on the team to trust you easily.
"If there's one thing you need to know when I was under Hydra," you spoke as you fearlessly stared into his blue eyes. "All the things I've done under Hydra was never my choice. Take with that information what you will, Cap."
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The FTC has Big Pharma’s number
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On November 27, I'm appearing at the Toronto Metro Reference Library with Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen.
On November 29, I'm at NYC's Strand Books with my novel The Lost Cause, a solarpunk tale of hope and danger that Rebecca Solnit called "completely delightful."
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The most consistent bright spot in the dark swirl of US politics is the competence of the Biden Administration's progressive enforcers: people like Rohit Chopra, Jonathan Kanter and Lina Khan, who keep demonstrating just how far a good administrator can go. Anyone can have a vision, but knowing how to execute is the difference between hot air and real change:
https://pluralistic.net/2023/10/23/getting-stuff-done/#praxis
Take a minute to contrast Biden's administrators with Trump's: Trump's administrators had an ideological vision just as surely as Biden's do, and Trump himself had a much more pronounced and explicit ideology than Biden, whose governance style is much more about balancing the Democratic Party's blocs than bringing about a specific set of policies:
https://pluralistic.net/2023/03/06/personnel-are-policy/#janice-eberly
But whatever clarity of vision the Trump administration brought to DC was completely undermined by its incompetence (thankfully!). Apart from one gigantic tax break, Trump couldn't get stuff done. He couldn't deliver, because he'd lose his temper or speak out of turn:
https://pluralistic.net/2023/11/14/when-youve-lost-the-fedsoc/#anti-buster-buster
And his administrators followed his lead. Scott Pruitt was appointed to run the EPA after a career spent suing the agency. It could have been the realization of his life's dream to dismantle environmental law in America and open the floodgates for unlimited, wildly profitable corporate pollution and pillaging. But the dream died because he kept getting embroiled in absurd scandals – like the time he sent his staffers out to drive around all night looking for a good deal on a used mattress:
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/epa-s-pruitt-told-aide-obtain-old-mattress-trump-hotel-n879836
Or his insistence on installing a CIA-style "Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility" (SCIF) so he could play super-spy while reading memos:
https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/26/politics/epa-administrator-scott-pruitt-sound-proof-booth-scif/index.html
Or the time he sent his security detail to the Ritz-Carlton to demand that they supply him lots of little bottles of his favorite hand-cream:
https://www.vox.com/2018/6/7/17439044/scott-pruitt-ritz-carlton-moisturizing-lotion
There were other examples in the Trump administration, but Priutt is such a good case-study. He's like a guy who spent his whole life training to compete in the Olympics, and finally got a shot, only to be disqualified for ordering too much room-service in the Olympic Village. Priutt was wildly ambitious, but he was profoundly undisciplined – and wildly incompetent.
Compare that with Biden's progressive enforcers and agency heads, who showed up on the first day of work with an encyclopedic knowledge of their administrative powers, and detailed plans for using them to transform the lives of the American people for the better:
https://pluralistic.net/2022/10/18/administrative-competence/#i-know-stuff
The Biden administration's competence translates into action, getting stuff done. Maybe that shouldn't surprise us, given the difference between the stories that reactionaries and progressives tell about where change comes from.
In reactionary science fiction, we enter the realm of the "Competent Man" story. Think of a Heinlein hero, who is "able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyse a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly."
In Competent Man stories, a unitary hero steps into the breach and solves the problem – if not single-handedly, then as the leader of others, whose lesser competence is a base metal that the Competent Man hammers into a tempered blade:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Creator/RobertAHeinlein
Contrast this with a progressive tale, like, say, Kim Stanley Robinson's Ministry For the Future, where the Competent Man is replaced by the Competent Administration, in which people of goodwill and technical competence figure out how to join forces to create population-scale architectures of participation that allow every person to contribute their skills and perspective:
https://pluralistic.net/2020/12/03/ministry-for-the-future/#ksr
The right's whole ideology insists that the world can only be saved by Competent Men. As Corey Robin writes in The Reactionary Mind, the unifying factor that binds together conservative factions from monarchists to racists to Christian Dominionists is the belief that a few of us are born to rule, and the rest to be ruled over:
https://pluralistic.net/2020/05/25/mafia-logic/#mafia-logic
The Reaganite insistence that governments are, by their very nature, incompetent and malign ("The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, 'I’m from the government, and I’m here to help'"), means that conservatives deny the possibility of a Competent Administration.
When conservatives take office and proceed to bungle the most basic elements of administration, they're fulfilling their own campaign narrative, which starts with "We must dismantle the government because it is bad at everything." Conservatives who govern badly prove their own point, which explains a lot about the UK Tory Party's long run of governmental failure and electoral success:
https://apnews.com/article/uk-suella-braverman-fired-cabinet-shuffle-7ea6c89306a427cc70fba75bc386be79
There's a small mercy in the fact that so many of the most ideologically odious and extreme conservative governments are so technically incompetent in governing, and thus accomplish so little of their agendas.
But the inverse – the incredible competence of the best progressive administrators – is nothing short of a delight to witness. Here's the latest example to cross my path: the FTC has intervened in a lawsuit over generic insulin pricing, on an issue that is incredibly technically specific and also fantastically important:
https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/ftc-blasts-pharmas-abuse-fda-patent-system-sanofi-mylans-insulin-monopoly-lawsuit
The underlying case is before the FDA, and it concerns the dirty tricks that pharma giant Sanofi used to keep Mylan from making a generic version of Mylan's Lantus insulin after its patent expired.
There's an explicit bargain in patents: inventors can enlist the government to punish their rivals for copying their ideas, but in exchange, the government demands that the inventor has to describe how the invention works in a detailed patent filing, and when the patent expires, 20 years later, rivals can use the patent application as instructions for freely copying and selling the invention. In other words: you get 20 years of exclusive rights in return for facilitating your competitors' copying and selling your invention when the 20 years are up.
Pharma doesn't like this, naturally: not content with 20 years of exclusivity, they want the government to step in and punish their competitors forever. In service to that end, pharma companies have perfected a process called evergreening, where they dribble out ancillary patents after their initial filing, covering minor reformulations, delivery systems, or new uses.
Evergreening got a moment in the public eye earlier this year, with John Green's viral campaign to shame Johnson & Johnson out of using evergreening to restrict poor countries' access to TB medication:
https://armandalegshow.com/episode/john-green-part-1/
The story of pharma is that it commands gigantic profits, but it invests those profits into medicines that save our lives. The reality is that most of the key underlying pharma research is publicly funded (by Competent Administrators who apportion funding to promising scientific inquiry). Pharma companies' most inventive genius is devoted to inventing new evergreening tactics:
https://pluralistic.net/2023/10/19/solid-tumors/#t-cell-receptors
That's where the FTC comes in, in this Sanofi-Mylan case. To facilitate the production of generic, off-patent drugs, the FDA maintains a database called the "Orange Book," where pharma companies are asked to enumerate all the ancillary patents associated with a product whose patent is expiring. That way, generics manufacturers who make their own version of these public domain drugs and therapeutics don't accidentally stumble over one of those later patents – say, by replicating a delivery system or special coating that is still in patent.
This is where the endless, satanic inventiveness of the pharma sector comes in. You see, US law provides for triple damages for "willful patent infringement." If you are a generics manufacturer eyeing up a drug whose patent is about to expire and you are notified that some other patents might be implicated in your plans, you must ensure that you don't accidentally infringe one of those patents, or face business-destroying statutory damages.
So pharma companies stuff the Orange Book full of irrelevant patent claims they say may be implicated in a generic manufacture program. Each of these claims has to be carefully evaluated, both by a scientific team and a legal team, because patents are deliberately obfuscated in the hopes of tricking an inattentive patent examiner into granting patents for unpatentable "inventions":
https://blueironip.com/patents-that-hide-the-ball/
What's more, when a pharma giant notifies the FDA that it has ancillary patents that are relevant to the Orange Book, this triggers a 30-month delay before a generic can be marketed – adding 2.5 years to the 20 year patent term. That delay is sometimes enough to cause a manufacturer to abandon plans to market a generic drug – so the delay isn't 2.5 years, it's infinite.
This is a highly technical, highly consequential form of evergreening. It's obscure as hell, and requires a deep understanding of patent obfuscation, ancillary patent filings, generic pharma industry practice, and the FDA's administrative procedures.
Sanofi's Orange Book entry for Lantus insulin listed 50 related patent claims. Of these, 48 were invalidated through "inter partes" review (basically the Patent Office decided they shouldn't have allowed these claims to be included on a patent). Neither of the remaining two claims were found to be relevant to the manufacture of generic Lantus.
This is where the FTC's filing comes in: their amicus brief doesn't take a position whether Sanofi's Orange Book entries were fraudulent, but they do ask the FDA to intervene to prevent Orange Book stuffing because "improper listings can cause significant harm to competition and consumers."
This is the kind of boring, technical, important stuff that excellent administrators can do. The FTC's brief is notice to the FDA that it should amend its procedures to ban (and punish) Orange Book abuse. That will make it possible for you, a person who needs medicine, to get that medicine more cheaply and quickly. In America's pay-for-use privatized healthcare hellscape, this could be a life-or-death matter.
There's plenty of things the Biden administration is getting very, very badly wrong, but we shouldn't lose sight of how its progressive wing is making real, lasting change for the better. Competent Administrations are the true peoples' champions. They beat Competent Men every time.
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If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:
https://pluralistic.net/2023/11/23/everorangeing/#taste-the-rainbow
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cleavetheclover · 8 months
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Headcannons about Cypher & his tech capabilities (from most mundane to crazier)
cypher makes everyone do hard resets of computers & other devices once a month and keep backups on two separate physical hard drives, one for themselves and one for cypher. If the protocol is hacked extrenally, very little will be found
each person's room has a unique passcode. if people are dating, their codes work on each other's doors. It’s his funny little way of saying “caught you!” most people haven't realized because they haven't bothered trying
backdoor password to brimstone's bracer is "cypherdiedandiforgotmypasswordagain12345" (brimstone is not aware of this, but he will be automatically informed of such by the bracer if he is still alive and unlocks it with the current password)
cypher has hacked grubhub, instacart, amazon, and literally any other delivery service imaginable so that the protocol never has to pay for groceries or anything
He has thumb drive titled 'gifts' and it's just like 700 tutorials + tiktoks about various arts and crafts activities and there's folders for every type (knitting for omen, whittling for sova and skye, embroidery for astra, pressed flowers for sage, plant care for anyone, spray paint for raze and phoenix, etc.) When an agent has a particularly bad time on a mission he picks one and emails it to that specific agent
Most agents were wary of the “gifts” at first but have come to appreciate it. Everyone is aware that cypher does this but no one talks about it so it’s kind of like a public secret
On a related note, everyone secretly wants cypher to be their secret santa because they know he absolutely will give them the very thing they've been secretly ogling on amazon for the last 70 days
in the month of december, individual security cameras will play christmas carol's at random intervals of the day, and it drives everyone insane, except phoenix, who is a diehard christmas fanatic and loves Christmas music
cypher is an expert at photoshop bc he knows how to look for discern fabricated images etc. this gives him an extremely powerful way to mess with the other agents
if you've ever seen that tweet about the guy who kept making missouri bigger on the US map on the state’s wikipedia page, thats what cypher does to agent portraits. He is the culprit behind widejoy, breach's comedically bushy mustache, reyna's vampire fangs, the extreme size of his own hat, dulling/erasure of chamber's stripes, making yoru's onion hair larger, and occasionally flipping everyone's valorant logo upside-down
fade heard about the digital pranks in the above bullet point and is now cypher accomplice
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asherritsuko · 8 months
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❝You Don't Have to Carry All of This Alone, Babe.❞
Pairing: Wrench x Female!Reader
Warnings: Wrench comforting the reader who is stressed, lots of kissing and a makeout session which, some suggestive computer innuendos, overall fluff.
﹂Author's Note: This is my first time writing for Wrench, so there will probably be a few out of character moments and I may have missed a few things about him, and I feel I could've added a few of the emotes from his mask, but I am happy with how this came out, considering it took 3 hours with no plan. But I hope my readers enjoy it!
Please comment any warnings if I did not state.
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To say that she was angry would be an understatement. She was thoroughly pissed off. Brows furrowed forward, inwards towards her nose while her fingers worked quickly across the keyboard of her computer, lines of code opened to her, but not allowing her to go forwards into hacking what she was attempting to break into through the security of the firewall.
She had been asked by Marcus to attempt to hack into the system of a local hacking group that had somehow gotten way too close to DedSec, not into it, luckily. However, the crease in her forehead was displaying how her anger was like a full cup, only needing one more drop to over flow and cause a spill, which was where she was, seated by her work station and brewing dangerously close to the edge each time she inputted a piece of code only for it to reject it and display the red lined words that told her that it wasn’t working.
“Keep it together, (Y/N).” She whispered to herself, rubbing her hands over her face and cupping her hands over her nose and mouth as her tired eyes attempted to scan the many lines of code, looking for any mistakes or errors she could have imputed to result in the code not working, “We can do this, we’re the amazing (Y/N) that’s going to kick the ass of another hacker.”
Unfortunately, that wasn’t happening.
“You fucking piece of tech trash!” She yelled as she aggressively stood up and leaned on the desk with both of her hands, staring a hole into the computer that she was so ready to throw against the wall. Her yelling attracted the concerned faces of the others that were at the headquarters, while, at least the ones that were closest to her, “You know, there’s fucking computers in junk yards and here I am, stuck with you!”
Frustrated with herself and her code, she started pacing around the small area, attempting to stretch her fingers while also tugging them through her hair, mumbling to herself, mumbles that were inaudible to the others that sat by the couch, funny enough, Wrench and Marcus were nowhere to be seen, the both of them had opted to go pick up some drinks for the headquarters.
Things around headquarters had been making everything and everyone highly tensed ever since they found evidence of someone trying to hack into their system, how they got in, no one knew, but it was causing some of the members to reveal their more aggressive sides, so attempting to calm everyone down and simply enjoy the evening without fights, Wrench and Marcus went out to get some more energisers for everyone.
“(Y/N), maybe you should just calm down a little. Take a break, you’ve been looking at words and numbers since the time you woke up.” Sitara said over the couch that she had been occupying, "Which I believe was around four o'clock this morning."
“Take a break? For every minute—no second—that I take a fucking break, there’s some asshole behind a screen getting closer and closer to taking information that isn’t theirs and exposing us, as if being a heap of trash wasn't enough.” (Y/N) explains, her voice laced in irritation and exasperation, her index fingers pointing back to herself as she spoke, her eyes were starting to burn, tears hidden behind the mask she was trying to hold up, her breathing uneven and her figure shaking slightly.
Sitara and Josh could see that it had been taking a toll on her, and the one thing she was trying to hide was the fact that she thought it was running on her back, like a heavy burden. Sitara got up from her spot and walked close to the girl who was on the verge of a rage attack, she had even placed her jacket on halfway, the other half simply not on her arm and hanging off her back, a tattoo of Wrench's mask paining her shoulder blade, Sitara placed her hand on (Y/N)’s clothed shoulder, squeezing gently to reassure her.
“Just breathe. We’ll figure this out. Once the other two boys come back, we can all take a break, cool off, and then restart.” She told her, though her words were doing nothing to console her, and (Y/N)'s state only continued to get worse when the tears started pooling by her eyes, shrugging Sitara’s hand off of her shoulder as she retreated back to her workstation, her gaze fixed to the screen, her frown still imprinted on her face and her jacket swaying with her steps.
The clanking of glass bottles reached their ears when the door was opened to the awaiting two entering.
“We come bearing gifts.” Marcus said as he and Wrench placed the two bags on the table, Marcus was quick to get everything out of the bag while (Y/N) still had not acknowledged their presence, her gaze still fixed to the screen harbouring the cause of her frustration. Her jacket still hanging off of her shoulder, allowing the tattoo on the back of her shoulder to be out in the open, her fingers still twitching against the table, creating a ticking-like sound, something her mask-wearing boyfriend caught sign of.
Before he could move towards her, Sitara had caught his arm, “Listen, I don’t care what you do, but get her to take a break now before these headquarters get burnt down. Literally.” She told him, watching the emotes change on his mask from the default ‘X’s’ to the winking emotes ‘~  ^’.
“Don’t worry, I'll make sure she gets some energy into her system.” He told Sitara, giggling as he stepped close to his lover, wrapping his arms softly around her middle section and looking over her shoulder to see the computer screen filled with code, “What has you so worked up, my little pumpkin?” He cooed in her ear.
(Y/N) huffed an irritable sigh as she leaned back into Wrench’s embrace, placing her hands on top of his, ignoring the chatter going on in the background between the others. But before she would say anything, she had turned around quickly, grabbing Wrench by the front of his shirt and pulling him along to one of the rooms she had been occupying.
“I’m bloody frustrated and fucking horny, and you are going to fix it!” She told him as she dragged him to her room, Wrench holding his hands up in a surrender motion, yet his mask showed ‘^ ^’ emotes, as he happily let her drag him by the front of his shirt, because who was he to complain to a good time.
The rest of the group simply stared in confusion at the exchange that just took place.
“O-kay? I’m going to guess that she’s still worked up on the hacker problem?” Marcus asked as he had emptied the last bag watching Sitara sigh and Josh lean back in his chair, meanwhile Ray had been completely oblivious to the whole episode that had taken place.
“She does know that not everything is riding on her, right?” Josh asked as Sitara nodded to Marcus’s question.
“She’s been like that even before joining DedSec, taking on other peoples problems when she knows that help is available.” Sitara spoke, she had been friends with her since they were younger, so understanding her mannerisms was never a problem for her.
Meanwhile behind the closed door, lips were clashing in a fiery lock of passion. (Y/N) had situated herself on Wrench’s lap, her legs straddling him while her hands still grasped the front of his shirt, pulling him closer as if she was trying to mesh their bodies together, Wrench’s mask had been placed on the nightstand next to the bed that the two were seated on. His hands holding her hips down, gently brushing against the stiff boner in his jeans, their moans filling the room with each kiss becoming more passionate.
Although, the elephant in the room had still been on his mind, so he gently lifted his hand to gently grasp her wrist that had been leaving crinkles in his shirt from her tight grip, gently pulling her hand off, making her stop the lip lock and gaze into his blue eyes, the same eyes that had enchanted and hypnotized her the first time she met him, the same blue eyes that she found herself drowning in each time they were cuddling without his mask on, the same eyes she fell in love with the first time he had taken his mask off in front of her.
“Babe, as much as I would love for you to link in on my zip drive, I think there’s something bothering you.” He told her, watching as her expression fell and she relaxed a little bit, one hand still clutching his shirt.
“I’m fine, Wrench.” She told him, lying through her teeth and knowing that he could see through her like an open book.
“Babe,” He called, the sweet pet name still making her melt as the first day he called her it, “I think you’re trying to tell yourself that rather than me.” His expression was soft, he’d wait until she felt comfortable to tell him, and he could see how her eyes were slowly turning glassy, she tried blinking away the tears that were threatening to overflow from her eyes before her hands were reaching up to angrily wipe them away.
“I don’t know what I’m doing wrong, Wrench.” She told him, the tears breaking like a dam with a cracked wall, “That fucking code, it keeps on telling me that there’s an error and I don’t know why, when I checked, the code I inputted was clean and organised, and the stupid thing-” A sob escaped her mouth halfway through her explanation, making Wrench wrap his arms around her, holding her tightly as she sobbed into his chest. He knew that this problem was causing a toll on her, he could see it by the dark bags under her eyes and how tired she had been at the end of every episode where she got upset about it.
“You don’t have to do this by yourself, you know that, right?” He asked her as her cries died down a bit, “Everyone is working on stopping this, you don’t have to carry this alone.” He told her, pulling away to look at her face, eyes bloodshot and horrible attempts of her trying to hide her snot-filled nose. 
Wrench gently placed both of his hands on the sides of her face, pulling her to look at him, he smiled softly, placing a small kiss on her forehead. He knew how she had tried to carry the world on her shoulders and ever since she had joined DedSec, he noticed her determination to keep the ones around her safe, he had witnessed it first hand when she had gone with him and Sitara to the store to get something and when some asshole pulled up with a knife, she had been quick to make herself the centre of attention before knuckle punching the bastard until his face was a bloody mess. For her, she had only escaped with a punch to the face, which he tried to help her clean up back at headquarters but ended up getting help from Ray regardless.
Even the time when she had confessed that she had feelings for him, he remembers being a mess that night. He had been working, well more like using a sledgehammer, to retrieve a chip out from the toaster and she had walked up to him, starting a light conversation with him as he told her about his technology and other tech terms, which she found amusement in. She stood close to him but still gave him his personal space, but she had been lost in her head and when he had cussed out about how the sledgehammer wouldn't help, she had admitted that she would work if he smashed her with a sledgehammer. Upon realizing her mistake, she had covered her face with her hands, hiding the deep blush that had appeared there.
But he had to be an oblivious romantic because he simply replied with, “I’m sure that would be painful.”
However, when he relayed the conversation to Marcus, he had to hold his tongue not to laugh at his masked friend. Only when Marcus had explained that she had been keeping feelings for him, did Wrench finally realize her actions, why she had always stood close to him, why she smiled at each of his tech sex jokes, and why she looked at him with a certain fondness.
And he will forever remember how she reacted the first time he showed his face to her, she didn’t grimace at the red birthmark by his eye, or scowl or berate him. He had been nervous to show her but he wanted her to know that he trusted her, however when he had reached to grab his mask, she was quick to grab it before him, placing it behind her on the small table.
That night she expressed to him how handsome he was, that the birthmark didn’t define him or make her see him any differently. Even as he cried in her arms that night from how they made love to each other, how afterwards she had placed soft kisses against all the parts of his face and down his chest and back up to under his chin by his throat. That night changed a lot of things for him, that night had allowed them both to see each other deeply and bath in the love that so strongly connected the both of them.
“I can’t let them break into our system, Wrench.” (Y/N) admitted to him, breaking him out of his memory moment. Holding her tighter to him as she placed her head into the crook of his neck.
“That won’t happen. You’ve got me, Marcus, Sitara and the other’s also working on the problem, they're not going to get one inch into our tight security.” He tells her reassuringly, “But the one thing you have to keep in mind is that you can’t do a five-person job by yourself.”
(Y/N) sighs into his neck, her warm breath sending a tickling sensation down his spine.
“Still, I feel so useless.” She says to him, it’s obvious that the problem is still weighing her down, causing a malfunction in her mind, so Wrench being Wrench decides that there is only one thing that he could do to cheer her up.
“Hey, why don’t I show you something cool?” He asks her, his hands on her waist allowing him to pull away to let her face see him again, “I know something that might cheer you up.” He tells her as he begins to get up, pulling her with him and grabbing his mask, placing it back on his face and clipping it. He gently takes her hand and leads her out of her room, passing the others on the way out and leading her to his station, where he usually smashes stuff.
She stands awkwardly next to his table, wiping the remnants of the remaining tears on her face as she watches Wrench bring some tech parts and dump them onto the table in a pile.
“Uh… Wrench, what are we doing?” She asks, curious to know what his plan was but also appreciating that he was trying to cheer her up. 
Wrench picked up the sledgehammer that was placed near his workstation and walked to her, getting on his knees and presenting her with the hammer which she found odd but knew that this was his goofy side coming out.
“Your weapon, my lady.” He said, changing his voice in a poor attempt of sounding, like a loyal knight giving his princess his sword, which had a small laugh come from her.
“But isn’t that your baby?” She asked him as she tried holding it up, expecting it to be heavy, which prompted the hammer to fall to the ground while she kept her hands by the hilt. Wrench got up from the floor and led her in front of the pile of unused tech pieces. She held the hammer hilt in front of her, but the bottom part of the hammer would prove a challenge.
“Not this little thing. Wrench Junior is our baby, and right now, his momma needs to release some tension, and a good smash usually helps with that.” Wrench explained, his innuendos making her giggle but also making her swoon at the fact that he said 'our' when addressing Wrench Junior, although this did make some of the other members groan at the way he phrased it.
“I don’t think I can even pick this up, Wrench.” (Y/N) tells him as she attempts to but only gets halfway with picking it up before it hits the ground, allowing Wrench to wrap his hands around hers around the hammer hilt.
“Here. Let me show you.” He tells her as he helps her to bring the hammer up until it’s behind their shoulders, close to Wrench’s head until it slightly rests on his shoulder. “Okay, don’t think, babe. Just bring it down, alright?” He tells her, she nods to show that she has heard him, his hand’s warmth leaves hers as he attempts to support the hammer near his shoulder. And with a long, hard swing, the hammer hits down hard on the tech pieces, making a loud bang reverberate from it, pieces smashed into smaller pieces, bringing out a smile to her face.
“That… Was so fucking good!” She sighed out, although a small moan slipped in there too.
“Can I do that again?” She asked her boyfriend, smiling at him, although she was ready to have a relieved laugh. Wrench nodded to her, the emotes on his mask forming ‘<3 <3’ from the love-struck expression he had on his face.
He helped her bring the hammer up again, standing behind her, but this time once he released her hands, he placed his onto her hips, rubbing small circular motions, allowing his eyes to gaze upon the tattoo of his mask on her shoulder that didn't have the jacket draped over it.
Oh, how he loved the tattoo when she pulled him aside because she had something to show him. When she revealed it to him, he was sure that his cables short-circuited and he just went into freeze mode, because she had to call his name a few times before he acknowledged her, what she didn't expect was how hard the tattoo would influence him, every chance he got after that he would be tugging down her jacket or shirt to catch a glimpse of it. Wrench swears that it was the hottest make-out session he ever had, and he wouldn't regret it for anything.
The hammer came down again, smashing more pieces into smaller ones, and again and again. After the fifth time of her doing it, (Y/N) found herself feeling a lot better and huffing a held in breath.
Wrench’s emotes stayed on his mask, “That was insanely hot, babe.” He voiced as he sat in the nearby chair, “We should do it more often.”
“And maybe one day it will be me instead of the hammer?” (Y/N) asked, sending him a wink and a roll of her butt, placing the hammer down onto the table. The smashed tech pieces could be cleaned another day.
As she turned around, she felt his lips on hers, his hands gripping her forearms as he formed a lip lock with her once again, his tongue exploring her mouth from her gasp of surprise when she had turned around and he was in front of her, she didn’t notice how his mask was held in his hand, but his hood at least blinded the others from seeing him as he gently pushed her down onto his table until her back met the hard material.
“Okay, okay, love birds. Do that in your own bedroom.” Ray shouted as they had turned their heads and to at least pretend like they didn't see them.
(Y/N) was able to break the kiss, staring into his blue eyes before he placed the mask back on. “You heard him, Wrench. Let's continue this in a more private setting.” She giggled as she grabbed his arm and pulled him around again, the same way she had done previously.
Once they were back in the room, (Y/N) didn't hesitate to hug him hard. Repeating the words ‘thank you’ over and over. Wrench placed his hands around her, his chin resting on her head as his hands drew small circles on her back, the two stayed in that embrace for a short while before breaking apart, Wrench taking his mask off and placing it onto the night stand, cupping her cheeks and pressing kisses to her lips.
"I... Fucking... Love... You.” He told her through kisses, his hands moving down her sides and latching onto her hips, “Fuck! You don’t realize how hot that was.” He told her as his head moved to her neck, placing kisses up near her jugular before sucking on the juncture between her neck and shoulder, bringing a small moan out of her.
Pulling his head away, he picked her up under her thighs, her arms coming up to wrap around his neck, not for fear of falling but because she knew that he loved it when she clung to him in moments like this. He walked with her in that position until he reached the bed and gently placed her down, hovering above her while her hands still stayed behind his neck, her hands playing with the shaved blonde hairs behind his neck, she smiled as she looked at his dopey expression, pulling his head down until his lips touched hers, his elbows situated on either side of her head.
“So, I’m guessing your soft drive is now a hard drive?” She asked, attempting to make it sound sexual but realizing how cringy it sounded after she had said it, but it brought a laugh out of her blond boyfriend.
“So hard, babe.” He replied, his breathing getting short and laboured.
“Then, let this be a thank you present, from me to you.” (Y/N) told him as her hand drifted lower, touching his stomach from under his shirt and loving how his muscles flexed when her hands touched him.
“Only you know how to get me like this.” He told her as her hand continued on its path, “So, let me show you how much you mean to me.” He said as he leaned up to remove his jacket and shirt, “Now I’m going to show you what my sledgehammer can do.”
That night had ended with the other DedSec members going out to a nearby restaurant as soon as the door closed to avoid the intimate moment of the two dorks that they associated themselves with, but for said two dorks, that night ended in passionate love making and a proper display of what a sledgehammer could be used for.
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©ASHER RITSUKO ─── I do not give permission to having my works plagiarised, copied, modified or translated onto any other platforms, including Tumblr. On Tumblr, my works are allowed to be reblogged, along with credit back to me. My works belong to me unless stated otherwise.
©Ubisoft | Creator(s) of Watch Dogs 2. (Correct me if I'm wrong, but please do it in an appropriate and kind manner.)
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mactavishwritings · 1 year
Text
An Old Siren Song
Simon "Ghost" Riley x Reader
Angst/Fluff
TW: Violence, Gunshot Wound, Blood, Death Mention, No Death though!
You're injuried on a mission early in you and ghost careers' and it affects him even 6 years later
word count: 1321
The wind bit your cheeks as you stood on the top of the roof, looking through a pair of night vision googles. You watched Sergeant Simon Riley, your closest friend, take down three guards before looking in your general direction.
"Looking super cool there, Ghosty." You smiled into your comm. You watched Simon shake his head before continuing on. The mission was simple; Simon and his ground team would take down any guards on the ground and second floors, while you rappelled down to a window to meet Ghost to be let in. You would then hack into the terrorist's computer to see where the next weapons trade would be.
You secured your rope around your waist before slowly making your way down the building as Simon entered the building. "Coming down now. Confirm when nearby Ghost." You whispered as you got closer to the meet point. You stayed close to the side to make sure your cover wasn't blown.
A familiar skull mask moved into the hall and took down the remaining guard. You smiled and moved onto the sides of the window, motioning to Simon to let you in. "Hurry the fuck up, I'm gonna freeze my tits off." He shook his head and laughed. He was about to say something when you felt something piece through your neck. You gasped loudly and fell forward towards the window, having lost your footing. The unseen guards below you shout something in an unknown language and Ghost quickly opened the window. He pulled you into the building.
"Sergeant? Ghost? RILEY? COPY?" You could hear your commanding Lieutenant shouting at Simon over his comms. You tried to speak, to ask Simon how it looked, but a fluid filled your throat. You desperately grabbed at his vest, trying to communicate with him the fear, panic, and pain you felt. Simon pressed down hard on your wound while his team surrounded the two of you, after killing the rest of the guards and gathering whatever information they could without your skills.
"Sir, it's Siren. She's been hit! Need med and evac now!" Simon sounded frantic. You knew it must've looked fucked if even Simon was panicking. He picked you up and started carrying you out of the building to the evac location. The fiery pain from the wound warmed whatever the snow froze. You looked up at Simon and tried to talked, but all that came out was raspy, gasps. He looked down and shook his head, "don't try. It'll fuck up whatever's left of your vocal cords."
The Helo touched down and a medic was quick to jump out. Simon placed you back down on your feet, but quickly supported you when your knees gave out. Your eyes rolled back and the medic gasped. "How much blood did she lose?" Simon looked at them and shook his head. "A lot. C'mon pretty girl, stay with us." The two helped you into the helo and it took off.
You were rushed off as soon as you touched down. Simon tried to keep up, but the guilt washed over him. If he had just let you in and not fucked around, you wouldn't be fighting a gunshot wound in surgery. After the mission, he had planned on getting asking you out for drinks and maybe a date, but that clearly wasn't going to happen now. He was the reason you'll never talk again. You were going to blame him.
6 years had passed and you had to relearn everything. The thing they don't tell you about vocal cord surgery is the physical therapy that follows. 4 years of it. You felt like a toddler and you certainly talked like one. That night was also the last tine you had heard or seen Simon. You had hoped he was waiting for you by your bedside, but the nurse told you he left. You were upset for a while, but you moved on. You had to and you didn't blame him at all. You knew it wasn't his fault. There was no way he would know.
After getting all the clearance from your doctors, you forced yourself back into your work and trained harder than ever before. Your efforts did not go unnoticed and soon you were recruited by the CIA. You quickly rose the ranks and became the CIA's best hacker.
"Siren, thank you for joining us. Let's go over the details." Kate Laswell, your chief, smiled at you and you returned it. You took the tablet in your hands and started scrolling over the details. "Hassan Zyani." You muttered.
"He's in Mexico?" You looked up at Laswell and she nodded. "We're going to be teaming up with a special task force this time. 141. They've been hot on Zyani's tail so teaming up is our best bet. This is Captain John Price. Price this is (Y/N) 'Siren' (L/N)."
You smiled at the man standing beside Laswell. You shook his hand and he looked you over. "Siren. Name's familiar. We met before?" You shook your head and noted the British accent. "No sir. Only met a couple Brits before." The three of you laughed and Price nodded. "Well, how about you meet the rest of my team and we finish this debrief?"
As the three of you walked through the halls, you adjusted the black turtle neck that covered the large scar on your throat. You had the turtle neck tucked into a pair of blue jeans and you had on a pair of brown heeled boots that clicked with each step. Your focus was on your tablet when your the conference room.
"Right lads! We got some CIA ladies so play nice!" Price said before you and Laswell entered the room. "This is Kate Laswell and Siren." As you stepped in, your eyes immediately fell onto a familiar skull mask.
Ghost felt his heart stop. You lived. Holy shit. You were the infamous CIA hacker. Of course you were. Ghost sat up and cleared his throat. You smiled softly at him. "Sim-"
"Ghost. Lieutenant Ghost."
"Right. My apologies Lieutenant." You laughed. Your eyes were soft, seeing your best friend for the first time in 6 years. Your eyes shifted to the other two boys.
"Well I need that story later. I'm Soap. Nice to meet ya." Soap stood and shook your hand. Gaz then introduced himself to you. You sat down with Laswell across from the 141 and Price went over the mission details.
"And this is were Siren comes in. She will hack into each lock and gate, gaining you all access to the cells." Laswell said casually.
Soap leaned forward and looked at you with wide eyes. "You can do that?!" You giggled and noddled, grabbing your tablet. You stood and walked over to the map of the abandoned prison.
"There are 4 electronic locks here, here, here, and here. I can use satellite to locate and hack into the actual pin pad. From there, it's a basic hack." You shrugged. "I've hacked harder things...like Hassan's personal phone." You smiled sweetly and Price whipped around to look at you and then Laswell, who looked at him smugly.
"You have your muscle men. I have my Siren."
After the meeting, you collected your items before walking out of the conference room. You didn't get to far before you felt a hand grab your elbow. "(Y/N)." Ghost spoke softly.
You turned around and the smile came back onto your face. "Lieutenant. I'm proud of you! I know how much you wanted to rank up." You immediately said. Ghost's shoulder's dropped and his eyes softened.
"You're not mad?"
"Why would I be mad? Simon...Don't tell me you haven't talked to me since then because you blamed yourself. There's no way you would've know!" You gasped out. His hand reached out and gently pulled down your turtle neck to reveal the scar. Your hand gently squeezed his wrist and you smiled. "I could've prevented it. I shouldn't have fucked around."
Ghost let his head drop to your shoulder and you caught him, wrapping your arms around him. You could feel the weight of the guilt and trauma he had been carrying around. You knew you couldn't lift it all, but you could support it so it wouldn't weigh him down so much.
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