#Functional workouts built

[activestrengthco]

Active Strength Body Transformation Program

There are many body transformation programs available, ranging from those focused on weight loss to those focused on building muscle and strength. The effectiveness of these programs can vary depending on the individual's goals, current fitness level, and dedication to the program.

Some Popular Body Transformation Programs Include:

Beachbody's "21 Day Fix" - This program combines daily 30-minute workouts with a portion-controlled nutrition plan to help participants lose weight and tone their bodies.

Kayla Itsines' "Bikini Body Guide" - This program includes 28-minute workouts, a meal plan, and a community of support to help women tone their bodies and achieve their fitness goals.

CrossFit - This high-intensity fitness program focuses on functional movements performed at a high intensity to help build strength and endurance.

Stronglifts 5x5 - This weightlifting program is designed to build strength and muscle mass through compound lifts like squats, bench presses, and deadlifts.

P90X - This program includes a combination of strength training, cardio, and yoga workouts to help participants achieve a total body transformation in 90 days.

Before starting any body transformation program, it's important to consult with a healthcare professional and to set realistic goals that are achievable with your current fitness level. It's also important to commit to the program and stick to it consistently to see results.

[flowachild]

working with my period instead of against it has been so healing

[tronform]

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[starlight-and-snowflakes]

5 strategies that have improved my executive functioning in 2023

1. Preparing tasks in advance

This tip has been one of the most useful things for me to be able to actually get the things I want to do done without getting stuck in the process. I am very prone to difficulties with task initiation and task switching. Basically I've found that if I check what activities are upcoming for that day in my calendar (but you can use any task that you want to do sometime that day) then I set the task up in advance it's a lot easier to actually do the task.

So if my goal is to stream after dinner then I turn my pc on and have my setup ready to go before dinner. If I want to do a Pilates workout I set up my mat an hour before I actually want to do the workout. If I want to go to the gym I get into gym clothes at the start of the day so I don't have to change later.

I basically eliminate all the difficult prep work and then I find doing the task so much easier when I get to it.

2. Task switching when stuck

A lot of neurodivergent people have issues with getting 'stuck' or 'frozen', myself included. Whether it's autistic inertia or decision paralysis or something else it's very common to find yourself unable to do anything at all. You'll know that even if you put your phone away or stop what you're doing you'll just continue to sit there doing nothing.

The solution to this for me has consistently been to switch goal. I want to get up and shower but can't? I'll find that I can pull my laptop out and get some work done instead (and then shower after lunch later in the day). I am stuck when I want to stream? I find I can do my skincare instead (and I ended up streaming the next day).

Yes this means you don't get your original goal done when you wanted but you get something done, and something is better than nothing.

3. Task chaining

I've found that task chaining is the easiest way for me to get multiple tasks done. It's basically building upon your success. Take the example from my task switching section where I couldn't get myself to start streaming so I decided to do my skincare instead. While doing skincare I remembered I wanted to ask my brother about a particular product. So suddenly I'm capable of going to ask him about it. I couldn't even get out of bed before but now I have the motivation to move (I keep my skincare next to my bed so I didn't have to get up prior to this). After talking to him I decide I can go downstairs and make tea (something I originally wanted to do before streaming but was too stuck to do). While downstairs my mother tells me that she has a pile of laundry for me. I decide to take it back upstairs and put it away immediately. While doing so I figure I may as well sort all the laundry that's piled up on my floor as well.

I've gone from not doing anything to completing 4 separate tasks. If I wanted to get up and put the clothes on my floor away originally I'd never have been able to do it. I built on my successfully completed tasks and chained them together. Of course you should still remember to rest after chaining a number of tasks together.

4. Prioritise harder tasks earlier

I get all my energy at the start of the day and feel quite tired by the end of the day. This is how most people feel due to how our circadian rhythms function. Because of this I have found it's a lot easier to get difficult tasks done in the morning.

So now instead of trying to clean my room or go to the gym at 5pm I'll do it at 9am. I'll save 5pm for my easy tasks, things like studying Korean, meditating, studying geography, and coding. Take some time to figure out which tasks you find easy and which you find hard. If you consistently find yourself unable to do a task that's a hint that it's difficult for you. Vice versa if you're consistently capable of a task it might be a sign it's an easier one for you.

5. Using an AI scheduler

I saved this one for last, not because it's ineffective, it's actually made a huge difference in my life. But it does cost money to take full advantage of this so I put it down the bottom. Still there's a lot to be said for using an AI scheduler. I hate choosing what to do and have always preferred to be told what tasks I should do each day. It also takes a huge amount of mental energy to decide what tasks I should do when each week and organise them in advance.

Enter Reclaim, the AI scheduler of my dreams (there are lots of other ones on the market too like Motion! Take a look around and see if you can find one you like but unfortunately they all seem paid). Reclaim does have a free version but for me their paid version is necessary to achieve my goals.

I set up all my tasks and habits in Reclaim, I can customise how often I want to do things, how long they should take, and what hours I have free. Then I just check my calendar each day and see what tasks I'm meant to do. If I end up taking more time than expected I just hit the 'reschedule' button on a task and it's automatically slotted in somewhere else that week. This has definitely made one of the biggest changes to my quality of life I could probably make a whole separate post about using Reclaim.

That's all the tips that have worked for me this year so far, maybe some of them might help you!

[liesmyth]

do you have any tips/resources for a beginner who wants to get into weightlifting?

thank you for asking!! I love this question. I love lifting! It's Good For You (helps increase bone density & metabolic rate, and it's good for injury prevention and developing functional strength). It's also a really great confidence boost. 10/10 would rec lifting to every single person reading this — if it's an option for you, give it a try.

TLDR: familarise yourself with common exercises. pick a beginner program. follow it. profit!

A more involved answer, with resources and details, is under the cut

familiarise yourself with common exercises

There are hundreds of possible exercises out there to target each specific body part. However, most of those are what's called "accessory" movements, as opposed to "basic" exercises that will pop up over and over in most lifting routines. Ideally, you want to know how to perform these movements, using light weights or just your bodyweight until you feel comfortable with it.

CORE BRACING (ft deadbugs. genuinely lifechanging skill!)

Squats.

Hip hinge. This is useful for deadlifts, romanian deadlifts, kettlebell swings & similar movements

Push movements (for example: dumbell chest press, shoulder press etc)

Pull movements (dumbell rows & many others)

That said. Please don't stress too much over "good form". Each exercise has infinite variations and especially as a beginner, you won't be lifting heavy enough weights to make form optimisation a big concern. All bodies are different and our individual stances vary a lot depending on body proportions, flexibility levels etc. You just want to know HOW an exercise is supposed to be performed, in terms of: which muscles it activates? what am I supposed to get out of it? how to do it safely? Your bodyweight squat doesn't have to be flawless, it just has to be good enough.

BTW, you know when I said that there are hundreds of possible exercises out there? Here is a very detailed masterlist + exercise guide for exercises impacting each muscle group.

learn your way around a weight room, if you aren't familiar with it already.

Broadly speaking: the free weights (bar, dumbells, kettlebells) are good for compound exercises that involve multiple muscle groups. The various machines are ideal for "isolation" exercises that target fewer specific muscle groups.

If you already know what's what, then skip this bit! But I've talked to many people who feel a bit intimidated by the weight room because they feel out of place in it, and in my experience familiarising yourself with the general layout is a good way to take away that discomfort.

And, in case this is something you need to hear: you deserve to be there, you're not taking space, and most gymgoers just want to finish their workout and shower, and won't pay specific negative attention to you. Most gyms have a weight room manager or floor trainer, at least during some shifts, and they WILL be happy to help you. If you're someone who doesn't want to be bothered while exercising, just preventively introduce yourself, say you're new

pick a program

I highkey recommend following a pre-made program instead of just fucking about on your own. Here's why

programs are well-balanced in terms of volume and muscle groups, to ensure you don't overtrain one body part and leave other lagging

they have a built-in "progression scheme" that will allow you to move to a higher weight in an optimal way — basically, you'll see strength advantages sooner

they help navigate information overload. There is SO much information about fitness out there that acts as an entry barrier. Following a pre-made program really helps with that.

If you have a gym membership, you may have the option of one "free workout program" made by a trainer who works at the gym. If that's in the cards, I'd recommend going with that.

Otherwise, I strongly recommend the "programs rec guide" over at r/xxfitness, the female fitness subreddit (the name is 15 years old but it's a queer friendly, trans inclusive space). I haven't personally done any of those, but Meg Gallagher of Before the Barbell is very solid, and that's the one I'd suggest.

get ready for DOMS

Also known as delayed onset muscle soreness. It happens 1) when you go to the gym after a while or start exercising for the first time 2) when you train a different muscle group than usual 3) when you up the intensity of a workout.

Basically, you wake up in the morning and you go OUCH!! ACHEY. That's DOMS. It happens because your muscle fibres are suffering microtears and reknitting (stronker!!) and you will feel very stiff and possibly very swollen (muscles retain water).

It'll take a few days for it to go away. IT IS SAFE TO EXERCISE THROUGH DOMS; the only thing limiting you is if you're too achy to move effectively. I recommend eating something protein heavy (more on that below) and doing some gentle exercise to make it go away faster (walking, at home-stretches or yoga, swimming if it's an option, etc.)

You DON'T want to stay in bed the whole time, because that'll only make you more stiff and make it last longer. Note that "post exercise achiness" is something that WILL go away after the first couple of weeks or so, depending on your recovery (again, gentle exercise and/or going to the gym again when you're still a bit achey is actually preferred than being completely at rest until they're fully gone away). Long term, you're NOT supposed to feel high-level soreness after working out. "No pain no gain" is mostly bullshit.

evaluate your program!

I'm always saying this, but the best exercise is the one you actually stick with. If your exercise plan is dull or fills you with dread, it doesn't matter how good for you it supposedly is — ditch it. Give yourself a few weeks of whatever program you pick, then re-evaluate: what are your favourite exercises you've done so far? Which ones you don't like? What would you like to do? Programs can and should be modified according to your preferences, and it's a lot easier to customise something that works for YOU once you're a bit more familiar with everything. For example, maybe someone at your gym is doing kettlebell swings and you think it's cool and you'd rather do those instead of crunches for your abs. Why not. Just note down what's working and what isn't, and then re-evaluate (with gym trainers if that's an option, but also, I mean it, HMU whenever).

odds and ends!!

None of these things are a big deal, but they make your life easier:

Hydrate during a workout. If you're hydrated your body works better. You'll also probably sweat during your workout. Getting through 1L of water during a 1 hour / 1 hour and a half gym session is perfectly normal.

Warm up before lifting. Something like this for a general body warmup + lighter warm-up series before going up to the weight you actually want to lift. For example: if you're squatting the bar (20kg) I'd do one bodyweight squats series, and another series holding a 10kg kettlebell or dumbell. Cool down or stretch after!

Mobility work on a day off is a good idea, even if you're no longer suffering through soreness. This is my current go-to routine, I do it about 2x week.

If possible, eat protein the evening / day after a workout. Protein is great for building muscle, and you WILL see a noticeable difference in energy level and speed of recovery by upping your protein intake. Basically: if you usually eat lentils or fish twice a week, try to make one of those times your post-gym dinner.

(In general, as a beginner you WILL see results regardless, and you don't need to optimise nutrition or anything (not to mention, it can be overwhelming / complicated to deal with.) But if you're interested in the specifics of nutrition & exercise, HMU)

keep track of your workouts! I really recommend this; it can be very inspiring to have a backlog you can look at when you want to track your progress, and you want to establish a benchmark with yourself. It can be as simple as writing down gym days & numbers in your journal if you have one; personally I use the Strong app to save my routines, and every week when I log in new workouts I modify the values depending on what weight and # of reps I hit that week. For reference, this is what a week looks like on the Strong app for me

IF I'VE MISSED ANYTHING SHOOT ME AN ASK.

[vendetta-if]

How would you describe the body types of the RO's?

'Cause I get several ideas of my own.

Ash: Solid. Wide shoulders, strong arms. They'd have put in the work for a build that's more function over form, yet retains the curves that draws people's attention. Really, put them in a tanktop and passers-by are going to have neck problems from the double takes they do.

Rin: Svelte. Shortest of the bunch, could pull a Marilyn Monroe and wear a potato sack and make it look stunning. A slight build without clear muscle definition. Maybe most visible if they dance or do high-level yoga.

Santana: "Average" if thin leaning. They're overworked, overstressed and overcaffeinated. Whilst they might not necessarily look unhealthy, a good meal more regularly would work miracles.

Skylar: Pick basically any comicbook superhero character from DC or Marvel of the lean and defined variety and you'll have a decent approximation of how they look. Maybe how most Spider-Folk look or if you average'd the Bat-family.

Anything on or off the mark? Maybe got any references of your own?

Love the story, btw. Hope to see more soon, the barfight was a hoot-and-a-half.

You're not that far off actually 🤔 I'm not really the best in describing body types, but I'll try my best 😅

Ash

I like to imagine Ash body built like an MMA fighter, lean and athletic and not too overtly muscular like a bodybuilder. Their muscles are built for practical uses, not to show off.

Rin

You're pretty spot on for Rin. They are slender and elegant/graceful and don't really have clear muscle definition. The prime example of prioritizing their mind and charisma over physical stuff and combat. But yeah, they'd slay anything they wear, undoubtedly.

Santana

To me, Santana is just average overall. Not too slender, but not to the point of skinny where they don't really have muscles. They do have some muscles to a degree (they are a cop after all, and had to pass like police academy beforehand), but certainly not like Ash and Skyar. They don't really go to gym nor do they spar to maintain them. They're also not too plump or chubby as well, because of their less than ideal lifestyle. They're just... average.

Skylar

Picture a fitness model, that's pretty much how Skylar's build (but not the really muscular ones mind you 😂). They are still lean and athletic, but unlike Ash, their muscles are definitely more... defined? Like, Male Skylar definitely has pretty well-defined six-packs and pecs.

They do workout in the Agency's gym regularly and supplemented with some sparring with other superheroes for more practical training. As a superhero, they gotta appeal to the masses while also still be able to hold themself in a fight.

[deiaiko]

#17.3 Wind up

"Crocodile, come with me for a moment," Khun heard as Agni approached Rak.

Rak gave Agni a thoughtful look, but he agreed. They walked away until they were out of sight, though not too far since Khun could still feel Rak's presence.

Khun sat down on the ground next to Ran, legs spread to avoid cramps after the workout. He didn't expect Agni to be that powerful. His moves were calculated and precise enough that he could still last after sparring with everyone one-on-one for five minutes each. His attacks weren't too destructive but aimed to subdue, which meant that he was serious when he said that this was just a mock battle and not a way to eliminate them. Agni could see everyone's weak points and use it to his advantage, and Khun was sure that everyone had at least one thing they could improve after this.

One thing Khun could confirm was that Agni did live up to the rumors. He had proven himself to be an excellent lightbearer, spear bearer and a negotiator, and it was kind of scary that he was also a part of FUG.

Although, there was something about him that made Khun wonder. It was really subtle, but after analyzing his fights with everyone else, Khun realized that Agni seemed to be favoring his left leg. Upon a successful hit, Agni's reaction was just as expected of a normal regular, and there was little to no change to his attack speed. Though from the way he didn't notice the surprise attack itself, Khun had a suspicion that his mask-covered eye might be partially blind. But he had no proof to back it up, since Agni's eyes both looked functional.

Footsteps approached Khun from behind. Something cold touched his cheek, and Khun instinctively reached out for his knife, especially because it reminded him of Agni's ice and some unpleasant memories from his past.

"Here, drink up." Isu offered him a cold can of juice. "Ran, I got yogurt for you too."

Ran took it silently with a straight face, but his eyes showed satisfaction.

Fortunately for Shibisu, Khun was too drained to be mad and instead just took a long sip of the juice to cool off his head, only to realize how thirsty he was. "You will get yourself stabbed if you do that to me again."

Isu blinked, then raised both hands in surrender. "Sorry, I won't do that again."

From the other side of the field, Endorsi groaned loudly, "I'm going to kill him." She got up to her feet and dragged Anaak with her. "We're going to spar, c'mon."

Anaak also groaned in response, but surprisingly complied. They were the first two to challenge Agni, so they had the longest break already. Hatz and Ran joined them on the sparring field not long after.

Khun took out his lighthouse and did a quick search. "The fish earlier…he didn't lie that it might be dangerous for E-ranks since it can only be found on the 24th floor or higher."

Shibisu gulped.

"it's possible to tame one…" Khun read aloud as he skimmed through the article, "but it's not built for fighting or tracking, so it’s low in demand among animas, making the domesticated electric eel rare in the market."

"Huh." Shibisu knitted his eyebrows, "So: One, Agni has at least reached the 24th floor to get his hands on it. And two, considering that he's from the Khun family, he wasn't born an anima, and that should have limited his ability to control shinheuh. So it's likely that he specifically picked this species for its abilities. Which are–"

"The ability to stunning their enemies and hide their shinsu presence," Khun recited. "They're a good choice for defending against a surprise attack. The major downside is that they can only release an electrical shock once every few days before having to recharge."

"Yeah, no wonder they're low in demand," Shibisu muttered. "So he's planning to give it to me?"

"Maybe he saw you as the weakest and in need of extra protection."

Shibisu groaned, "You didn't have to call me out like that. But I guess…it's not a bad idea to have a secret card."

Masterlist

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[femmefatalevibe]

tips on how to change to a better person and be a new person both physically and mentally. i want to transform into a new person within a few months but don’t know how or where to start

Hi love! While everyone's lifestyles and goals are different, here are some general tips that can only make your quality of life better:

Eat A Predominately Whole Foods, Plant-Based Diet: Unprocessed non-animal foods like fruits and vegetables, whole grains, plant proteins (peas, beans, edamame, etc.), nuts and seeds, root vegetables, and healthy whole fats (like avocado) should make up around 80% of your diet. Stick to water, black coffee, and tea either plain or with lemon, too to avoid unnecessary sugars.

Get In Your Steps & Gentle Movement: Try to average around 7-10K steps a day to feel the benefits of walking. Incorporate a light strength training exercise (pilates, yoga, a YouTube body weight or free weight workout, etc.) into your routine 2-3 times a week for around 15 minutes each.

Read Daily: Commit to 10 pages of book reading and 30 minutes of article reading at different times of the day to learn, stay updated on the world and strengthen your cognitive function/ability to focus.

Take Time To Self-Reflect: Journal for at least 10 minutes a day. Either practice morning pages (free writing 3 pages in the morning) or choose a prompt or two from a therapist, shadow work journal, and a blog post. See my latest Femme Fatale journal prompts to reset for 2023 in this private membership post.

Carefully Curate Your Circle of Influence: Be mindful of who you spend time with, what topics you discuss, and what information you share with each of these members of your inner circle. You're always allowed to set boundaries around who you want to speak to outside of work (and children who are minors, of course, if you have them) and what information you want to disclose with them. Protect your peace at all costs.

Set Intentional Goals: Create well-defined goals with a clear action plan in the major areas of life (career, finances, health, relationships, personal development). Consistency, not intensity, is essential for goal achievement. So, make sure to do little tasks each day or week to ultimately achieve your desired results.

Keep Track of Your Tasks: Have a to-do list for professional tasks, items to buy for the house, errands to do, grocery lists, appointments to schedule, bill due dates, invoicing timelines, etc. Keep track of these items on your Notes App, Reminders, or within Google Calendar/Keep – depending on how time-sensitive a task might be.

Make Time For Self-Care: Block out an hour or so of your day to purely focus on yourself. This ritual can include your daily non-negotiables like a shower, skincare, reading, journaling, etc., and can include other indulgent activities like a face mask, exfoliating, doing your nails, watching your favorite TV show, etc. Prioritize yourself.

Create An "I Love" List: Stealing this tip from Jessica Garner (sex educator on TikTok) because I love it so much. Whenever you find an activity, meal, experience, song, item of clothing, etc, add it to your "I Love" list (on your notes app, etc.) to remind yourself of the things in life that bring you joy. This list can serve as a source of inspiration when you're feeling down and give you a built-in list of ideas to lift your spirits in some type of way on your more depressing or stressful days.

See the rest of my best habit ideas to implement for 2023 HERE.

Hope this helps xx

[cellu-lightreading]

Day 9- Euphoria

Your young years are supposed to be filled with self-destructive decisions, at least that’s what TV tells me. I don’t think that they imagined what my friends are doing. I mean, I guess it’s a little cliché. Lots of kids move out of their parents’ house as soon as they possibly can to do all the stuff their parents didn’t approve of. Lots of kids move in with their friends thinking it will be the best time ever. A staggering amount of young people use how hot they are to make money online. I guess the difference is most of them are not over 500 pounds trying to concoct ways to get fatter.

I’m not sure it’s fair to say we’re like most other gainers either. After all, most gainers would hit 500 and wonder if they’re getting too big to function in human society. The question becomes: how do you support yourself?

“We don’t. That’s what the internet is for.” Robin was the pragmatic one who was good at planning. As a teen, he disguised his interest in gaining in sports.  He joined the football team and let the coach demand that he eat big and grow big. The whole time he knew that when he quit sports that his newly expanded appetite wouldn’t stop, but all the muscle he had gained would dissolve into fat. Now he’s so big that his old jersey wouldn’t even be able to cover the giant shelf of moobs that sit on top of his belly, but he is an absolute beast at eating contests.

Robin suggested turning our apartment into the perfect fantasy for feeders, chasers, and encouragers to watch. One glutton willing to show off every stretchmark of their six-foot wide belly already drives them wild, imagine four.

It all goes just as he said when we get our first viral clip. The four of us moving around on a bed frame turned the poor thing into tiny pieces of scrap metal in the middle of a stuffing. The sound of creaking things is practically ambient noise in a house where nothing is built to withstand the weight of even one of us. Why stop eating for that? We were enjoying  ourselves with bucket after bucket of fried chicken and fries. It was already so fattening that grease would drip down our fingers and mouths, then we had the nerve to start dipping the food in vats of cheese and gravy.

This was really Davie’s idea. He was a fat kid, so he’s been experimenting with the most pleasurable and wildest combinations of food for years. Finishing off a pint of ice cream by eating it with a couple stacks of McDonald’s pancakes? That’s normal for Davie. It’s also why his blood sugar levels are obscenely high. He doesn’t even care ever since he found out he can use insulin and turn all his worst fattening instincts to get even fatter. It’s his voice at the end of the clip, right after the bed collapses asking: “What are you guys thinking of for dessert?”

A house with four growing superchubs has certain logistical problems that have only gotten worse as we feed each other. All the walking required just to take out the trash makes it the least favorite chore in the house. But we’re also getting to the point where we need just to take care of ourselves. None of us can bend to the ground and tie our shoes. Even if we get most of our stuff delivered, someone has to be able to fit behind the wheel of the car- seatbelt extension or not.

“That’s where in person feeders come in.” Troy suggested. He’s the most conniving of the group. He literally wore his parents down until they gave up and enabled him through his teenage years. Now he’s 22 and considers a 5 minute walk an intense workout that should leave everyone out of breath and drenched in sweat like him. “Countless boys want to come experience the house. Let’s see who can really handle it. Encouragers will relish the chance to help you shower if you tell them it’s their opportunity to rub every square inch of your body and feel between your folds. They will jump at the chance to clean up if you tell them about how you made the mess by falling asleep after an hour long binge. If the price for a butler is that they call us fat ass pigs, which we already say to each other because it’s true, I think it’s worth it.”

That little tidbit is how we started getting other men in our house. The feeders would come do everything for us just as Troy wanted. Muscular men would come through the house and put down cinderblocks to reinforce the couch and clean the kitchen. The prices ended up being a little flexible. It could just be a tease here and there. Sometimes they did it to feel the folds of our belly on their head while they sucked our dicks. We would make videos with them and they would charm us completely.

The problems started when Robin and one of the feeders started getting really close. They were texting all the time and he was coming over a lot. Robbie had gotten attached, and it was evident to everyone but him. He did everything but make Pinterest boards for the wedding. The feeder wasn’t nearly as interested; he was just looking to live out some fantasies.

So it didn’t mean anything to him when Robin was gone but Troy answered the door one afternoon. It didn’t mean anything to him that he fed Troy a buffet of McDonald’s. It didn’t mean anything to him when Troy kissed him and seduced him and fucked him. It didn’t mean anything to him that they did every day of the rest of that week. But it meant something to Robin.

When Robin saw that Troy had uploaded a video of the two of them to his page, he was distraught. He chewed out Troy who could only defend himself by saying that the feeder didn’t think they were exclusive. He had a hard and heartbreaking conversation with the feeder who never once thought about how he would hurt Robin. Lastly, he came to me with a gallon jug of ice cream and a tote bag of toppings to cry on my shoulders.

The hard parts of life were fully my domain in the house. I couldn’t start trying to gain until I could support those dreams myself. At 16, I got a job at fast food chicken place and spent my checks and my late nights in high school and college munching on all the greasy food I could handle at once. The more time I had to work, the more money I had in my bank account, the more I was eating. The boys had appointed me the dad friend, and I was the one up late at night mindlessly eating a pie and paying bills with sticky fingers. I was the one who balanced the house’s budget in the morning and relaxed with a beer at night.

When boys start acting like teenagers, you need an adult to step in. I consoled Robin until the early morning, letting him eat his feelings until he fell asleep in my bed. I shook Troy down until he felt some remorse and apologized. When it was all over, Davie brought me a small bowl of ice cream, wrapped his arms around me and said,

“You wouldn’t last an hour in the drama of a Euphoria episode, but you’re a good enough friend that we never worry about that stuff.”

[laraactive]

Maximize Your Workout Potential with Stylish and Functional Sports Hijabs Dubai

Fashion meets function with the rise of sports hijabs, catering to the diverse needs of active women everywhere. Originating in the 1970s, the hijab has become a symbol of modesty and faith for Muslim women worldwide, offering coverage for the head and body.

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[thefortitudestore]

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[fakegingerrights]

Walk By Faith [5]

[TW: Nothing much this chapter... A scene where Crosshair uses a straight blade to shave, and mentions nicking himself but nothing graphic. Beyond that... meh. Mentioned violence too, I guess.]

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The electrodes were itchy.

Crosshair sat, bare skin prickling in the common area he shared with you, sitting shirtless and sprawled on the couch as you talked at him and tinkered with his bucket. You had told Crosshair he could tune you out if he wanted, you always talked while you worked and he didn't have to pay much attention to it.

So he sat, electrodes plastered across his skull and neck and the tops of his shoulders, one half of an earphone set in to listen to his new orders and catch up on reports. The tactile keyboard was a stark difference from the smooth screen of the holopad, it had to be plugged in and it was clunky and awkward to use.

"Ok." You stopped your inscesent nattering of words, catching his attention. He turned in your direction, listening as you finished one last command in your computer. "My contact was the one who came up with this, one of the first implantless neural networks of this scale. Recreating the optic nerve in a pattern hopefully your brain will recognize..."

You hummed and finished typing. "Ok. These electrodes will later be built into your helmet as solid silicone gel sensors. I'm going to place the helmet on your head and turn it on. It will eventually function in tandem with your eyes, but right now we're just trying to return your sight so it will be kinda odd at first. I'm going to dim the lights in here so you're not too overwhelmed. Tell me if you feel any sharp pain, headaches, etc."

"Alright." Crosshair said at last when he realized you were waiting for an answer.

He stiffened as you tapped his bare elbow twice, to let him know you were right next to him. You brushed his shoulder next and he lowered his head, allowing you to slip his helmet over his head. His pulse quickened slightly, and he chalked it up to anticipation of regaining some semblance of sight.

The helmet slid into place, he felt the odd seal of the helmet and the half second of muggy heat before his filter kicked in and he could breathe normally.

"It's still dark." His voice crackling over the vocoder felt almost foreign after a week and a half off duty. You hummed, and there was the sound of more typing before he caught his breath, his dark world dissolving into pixely black and white images. It was reminiscent of an out of date security camera.

He blinked and moved his eyes, but the picture didn't change until he moved his head. It made him slightly motionsick, everything jumping around like that.

"Can you see anything?" You voice startled him at first.

"Mhm... Black and white, the framerate is awful." He turned his head back to look at you, getting a good look at your face for the first time.

"Ok, Yeah I expected that. can I have that back?" You ask absently. Crosshair goes to remove his helmet, his vision shifting along with it as the electrodes remained connected and the neural network is still running. As he handed the helmet to you and you set it on the ground, he got the first proper look of himself he's had since he lost his vision. Looking at himself in real time from the table was disorientating.

His jaw is scruffy and scratchy, his normally smooth skin covered in coarse hair. That and his cracked lips and sunken, blank eyes gave him the look of a spiced out hobo on Coruscant. He's been released to light workouts but he can tell he's lost some muscle mass. His cheeks are hollower than usual, and there's a small shaved portion on the right side of his head that's still regrowing from surgery.

He looked like a living corpse.

Then you cut the connection while you tinkered on the helmet some more. The next try on was smoother, closer to his normal vision. After that it was spot on, smooth and reacting like his own eyes were. Still black and white, but he could manage.

With his helmet on, he could see again.

"I can walk around with this?" He asked you. You looked up from your datapad where you were connected and still fidgeting, making his vision flicker for a second then snap into a sharper focus.

"Yes. That should be good." You conceded. Crosshair got his first good look at you since meeting you. Big eyes, a bright smile as you work on what you love. A gentle curve to your cheek, tracing down your jawline. The way your nose scrunched slightly as you focused on the matrix connecting him to his helmet. He looked away quickly as you caught him staring. “What? Did I get grease on my face?”

He shook his head slowly, watching how the image rippled with the motion. “I’ve just never seen you… well, really at all.”

You nearly facepalmed with that particular realization. "Oh. Sorry. I would have let you try and feel or something but I figured it would be easier to wait until we had some sort of vision back. You were going somewhere?"

Crosshair jolted slightly at the reminder and left to the refresher, going through his room to get there. He carefully examined the layout of the rooms, memorizing where everything was. In the refresher, he looked at the mirror before slowly slipping his helmet off, disorientated as his vision moved without moving his head or eyes. Carefully, he set it on the counter and angled it up to look at himself.

He certainly was different from the last time he saw himself. His cheeks were sunken, and the bags under his eyes were deeper despite him seeming to sleep all the time lately. His eyes were blank and haunted. Most blind people he had met had some sort of discoloration or paleness to his eyes, but even in the black and white they looked the same.

"Doc! You got a blade and some shave foam?" He yelled grumpily, rubbing at the uncomfortable growth covering the lower half of his face.

"Uh... Second drawer on the left." Came your call from the other room. Crosshair turned and felt for the drawer, still finding it odd that he was moving but his vision wasn't. He quickly found a cold can, and holding it up into his line of sight to confirm it was shave foam. He also found a guarded straightblade, and held it up to carefully remove the guard. He lathered his face and carefully dragged the straight razor across his face, hissing as he nicked himself. It took trial and error to find the best angle with his propped up helmet as his only line of sight.

It took a lot of work to make it through the shave, but he was happy he had stuck with it. He felt like a person again. It was… refreshing. He stepped out of the refresher and back to where you were sitting, flopping on the couch and putting a toothpick between his teeth as he handed you back his helmet.

“Do I get color vision at all or are we going to just stay in black and white?” He asked sardonically. You rolled your eyes and disconnected his vision, making him yelp.

“Sorry, I should’ve warned you. Nice shave. You have a couple…”

“I noticed.” He gritted out, feeling you take the helmet from him. “So how will this work?”

"Hmm?"

"The helmet. I have to charge the HUD, will the battery run off of that for my vision? Is there a different battery I'll have to remember to charge? Is there a way I'll be able to see without the helmet?" He asked, ticking off his fingers in a dry, sardonic tone.

"Kinda, no, yes, but you're not allowed to have it because the Kaminoans are idiots." You replied right back. "Kinda, because it will use the same battery as the HUD, I'm sending this to the armor techs in the morning to get an overall more powerful battery put into your helmet. No, it will only be one battery in the end. Yes, but right now it's looking like the other option would be cybernetics and the kaminoans are fiercely protective of your natural eyes. Apparently it was a fight to even get the Empire permissions for the new lenses. Although, I did... which brother was it? Tech. I did Tech's goggles and synced them to his own HUD and did the color filters on those..." You trailed off now lost in your own thoughts.

"I ship out in two days. Will it be ready by then?" Crosshair asked. "Will I get a headache from wearing it?"

"Should be, and no. I mean... prolonged use to stare at small details might cause eyestrain because your eyes are still reacting to sight like it's your own instead of a camera..."

Crosshair settled back into the couch, then got up after a minute and returned with his firepuncher and cleaning kit. He had taken it apart blind before, knew it inside and out. He sat in comfortable silence with you as he worked on his rifle, cleaning it and getting it ready as he occasionally got bursts of sight, you warning him every time before it happened.

"So... how do you know to do this? The tech." He finally asked the question that had been itching in his head since you had worked on his helmet. "I thought you were a doctor."

"Eye doctor. I'm an optometrist and optician. The latter means I also build lenses and alternative sight options... Although I'm still learning cybernetics beyond the lense regions. The tech I'm using now was built by someone else... they just told me how to use it in conjunction with your eyes. I've got no clue what I'm doing, really. Just following instructions. Since the kaminoans won't let anyone else mess with your eyes or gear... You could have far better care if they weren't so secretive." You huff.

"You've said that before." Crosshair scoffs at your repetitiveness.

"Yeah, well, I can't exactly tell them without them getting mad, so you get to hear it." You groan and your head thunks onto the low table in this shared space.

"Who built this then?" He asked, not super comfortable with someone else's work screwing with his eyes. Even if it was allowing him a semblance of sight.

"An anonymous contact. I... don't think they're too fond of the empire." You say hesitantly. "But they were willing to help you. More than willing."

Crosshair nodded and went back to cleaning his rifle. At his next little bit with sight, he put his helmet on and checked to make sure his HUD and scope were still linked and everything was sighted correctly. He finally resigned himself to working like this for the next mission or so until a better solution was found when you finally finished. Fully colored vision, smooth and unhalting as he looked around.

"Not the greatest." He grunted, "But this'll do." It was still a little flat, his depth perception was off a fraction and he was ever so slightly nearsighted. Or, well, his superhuman sight was gone leaving him struggling to see distances he usually could.

"I'll keep working on it, but that might be the best you're gonna get for now." You rub your eyes tiredly and shut down the datapad, motioning for him to take off his helmet.

"I can take the electrodes off myself..." He most certainly did not pout as you helped him rid himself of the sticky menaces.

"It's easier when you can see what you're doing." You commented, working to get one on the side of his head off without tearing his hair out.

"It's easier to see at all." He winced as you finally just ripped off the last of it, taking some hair with it. "For an eye doctor, you really are bad at wording things."

You almost shot back a retort, then paused as you took in the slight upward set of his lips and the challenging gleam in his sightless eyes. Was he... teasing you?

"Well, given that I just spent all day making sure you could do your job as a soldier, I think I've earned some poor wording."

"Hmph. Better poor wording than poor work, I guess. See you tomorrow, Doctor. Hopefully." He raised his hand in farewell. "Also, I'm claiming first bath tonight. I still have electrode glue in my hair... what you didn't tear out." He grumped, but it was almost playful. The little bit of sight, a fresh shave, and the anticipation of a mission had put him in a better mood than he was before.

"Go for it. I'm conking out for the night." You vanished into your own room, deciding sleep was a priority no matter how much you wanted to work on his helmet.

---

"The great commander graces us with his presence." ES-04 scoffed as Crosshair made his way onto the shuttle, his rifle over his shoulder. He stared her down, making her look away after a moment uncomfortably.

"Don't mind her, Sir. It's been a rough morning." ES-03 tried to cover for his squadmate's insubordinate comment. Crosshair held up a hand to stop him.

"Do you have a problem with me, 04?" He asked cooly.

"No Sir, she doesn't." 03 continued to cover for his squadmate, shooting her a pleading look that blatantly meant 'stop.'

"Maybe it has something to do with you killing one of your own squad and going on a tirade that you're in charge because you could, 'do what needs to be done.' Then we complete the next four missions without you, because you kiss up to that pretty doctor for a month instead of fight for the glory of the empire."

Silence, in the shuttle. You could have heard a pin drop even as the engines fired up and the stabilizers subtly shifted to keep the G forces from messing with them as they rose out of Tipoca city.

"How... old... are you, 04?" Crosshair eventually asked. She snorted at the question.

"Twenty-Nine. Why?" She bit back.

"Do you think your training for this commando squad was rigorous?" His voice was deceptively calm. Cool anger curled at the edges of his mind. Didn't she know what he had gone through? What he had sacrificed for his position, for even the 'privilege' to remain alive?

...No. None of them did. He had mostly ignored his squad after he made a show of ES-01. He forced himself to remain... calm. Or appear calm at least.

"What kind of question was that? Of course it was. We trained non-stop for years to get here." She growled the answer. The other two commandos had fallen into silence to watch this back and forth, torn between scared for their comrade and curious to hear an actual conversation between one of their own and their cold, sullen commander.

"And, tell me... what was the price of failing during your training?" He asked with a sense of finality. ES-04 shifted uncomfortably.

"Uh, you were kicked out of the imperial military and... blacklisted from military jobs?" She replied, confused.

"Interesting..." Crosshair mused aloud. "Clones never got that option. Certainly not 'imperfect' ones like me. Like my brothers. Every day, they threatened to terminate us out of hand for being a drain on resources if we didn't meet their expectations. You went through sharp shooting lessons? I'm assuming you were taught to at least hit the target."

Nods all around. This was the most they had heard... well, any clone speak since the rise of the empire. And despite their obvious dislike of him, there was no doubt they were curious.

"My mutation, obviously, is my eyes. That's what helps me see my shots and the ability to make fast visual calculations that let me line up impossible ricochets with my mirrors. Tell me, did your instructors ever press a knife under your eye and tell you if you miss the eye of a target 7 klicks away again, they'd cut it out?"

Head shakes. Crosshair waited until ES-03 spoke up.

"No, sir. We didn't." He hesitated, then continued cautiously. "How much did you miss by?"

"An inch and a half." Crosshair maintained his calm tone, only a hint of a growl seeping through. "My tattoo covers the scar my instructor left as a warning." He turned back to 04, who was watching him with interest. "I missed... another shot recently. I was ordered to kill the only family I'd ever known. And I let them get away. The month I spent... How did you put it... 'Kissing up to a pretty doctor,' they decided my sight was a privilege to be earned. I spent the last month in utter darkness as she painstakingly reconstructed my eyes. I still, am only allowed to see because I am on assignment. Now, I am sent to kill my family again. I'm not allowed to miss."

He lapsed back into silence, staring out the viewport and wishing he could chew a toothpick and admire the view for the same time, but he couldn't do that without removing his helmet. And the soft gel connectors that rested against his temples were the only thing allowing him to admire the view of Kamino's stormy atmosphere from space. The clouds whorled across the planet in an intricate dance. He could tell even from above which ones would bring thunder and which ones were just rainclouds, and which ones were brought on hurricane level winds.

It was beautiful in the sappy way Hunter would enjoy. Tech would be pointing out the clouds right now, each different variation of 'cumulonimbus' he could fit into his massive brain... While Wrecker would just pout he was missing a lightning storm.

Crosshair swallowed back the sudden melancholy. Was this what nat-borns meant when they said they were 'homesick?'

"Why did you ask how old I was, sir." 04's scathing tone was forcefully turned down, her squadmates glaring at her as she opened her mouth again.

"How old do you think I am, for all my training and... expertise?" He asked back. 03 was the one that answered after another beat of silence.

"I dunno, sir, thirty? Thirty-two?"

"I'm twelve." He answered, and the air got very still. "They place a hidden gene within our DNA that forces us to grow twice as fast. There's a lot of stuff you take for granted that we had to fight for. I'll tell you this once, and only once. You may be the empire's best, brightest, and strongest. But you have nothing on a clone. You're proud of your number when we weren't allowed to have names. You love the uniformity of your armor when all we wanted was something unique about ours to make it our own. You think your training was hard... you'd be dead in a week with ours. Here's to hoping you prove to be more than a pale shadow of my previous squad when you go toe to toe with them." He finished, turning back to his window as they made the lightspeed jump.

It was silent the rest of the ride to Bracca.

[A/N: Yeah, this was supposed to be two chapters and I was stuck on the scene where he meets his squad on the way there... I don't want to get attached to them buttttt....Oh well.

Taglist:

@the-hexfiles @moon-wrecked @stunkbiggu @urfriendlyneighbornightfury @followthepurrgil @endo-bunny @renon4224 @tecker @rinwritesfics @pb-jellybeans @merkitty49 @chicknstripz @bambambunny @yeeteth-the-raven (Tell me if I missed anyone or if you want to be added this chapter was kinda chaotic to get out][Update: I forgot raven and only realized it when i was copying it over to the next chapter. Sorry raven.]

[hrodvitnon]

Godzilla: okay i think i'm done my workout for the day

Kong: you only started doing push ups

Godzilla: dont wanna get too muscular

Kong: you didnt even get off the ground.

Kong: What, are you too insecure about the gun show provided by yours truly?

Goji: Why would I be insecure about having a belly like that?

Kong: ...what?

Goji: You probably didn't realize, but I'm amphibious. I need the mass for swimming. It also helps ensure I get out of a stabbing without any injury to my internal organs. You ever see those human strongmen?

Kong:

Goji: Yeah, when I say I don't want to be too muscular, I mean I want my muscles to be functional. Imagine being built like a bodybuilder, looking good, but you end up starving and dehydrating yourself to get those abs.

Kong:

Kong: I... think today's gonna be my cheat day...

[abronzeagegod]

Untitled YA Project Chapter 2: The Working Life of A Shrar

First Chapter || More

6:58 PM local time

Training Barracks, House Kaiyantsh, Si Yátz

A thousand miles away from the cold November weather of the Midwest, Hiraksyau, woke on her small cot in the island nation of Si Yátz. She had been up late reading. Last week, she had gotten a book from the library that was a narrative history of the Caribbean Wars with her people and the Spanish back in the 1500’s. There were so many fascinating things happening, and she had already been curious about pirates so this was an amazing find. She couldn’t help herself and was trying to read through it as fast as she possibly could.

Besides, reading about pirates was much more interesting than going to bed on time and being up and ready for her required military service duty rotation.

Hira would rather sleep, or read, but no, she really had to get up. If she didn't, Natúdrafe would be all over her. Not that Rafe needed a reason to be all over her. Hira was just a shrar stationed at this middle of nowhere outpost, and Rafe was a dralf, only one step above her, so that made Hira her responsibility. Any time Hira messed up or failed a task, it would reflect badly on Rafe, so she pushed her subordinate hard.

She climbed off her bed, and rolled her shoulders, a motion that released some of the tension that had built up. She shook out her wings and then her legs, trying to get the blood flowing and wake up more.

After addressing her morning routine (a light brushing with some unscented cleaning oil and a functional brush, cleaning her mandibles and teeth), the young zlilfian put on her morning workout uniform and left her tiny little room. She had to make it to the gym on time, otherwise Rafe would be mad.

Why did she make Hira get up two hours early to do combat training?

At the small gym, Rafe was already waiting for her. Hira sighed, quietly to herself.

“You’re late again,” the older shrar said. “Up late reading again?”

Hira nodded, rubbing her right eyes, making sure to get both the larger eye and the smaller compound eye.

“What is it this time? More human history? Like the history of American colonization and their coercion of their 40 states into a government?”

“No,” Hira responded. “That was two weeks ago. This time it was about pirates and the wars with the Spanish we had five hundred years ago.”

“Sounds like fun, but not so much fun that you can get away with not doing your job.”

Hira just grumbled at her, a deep humming noise that was emphasized by a subtle beat of her wings. It didn’t help that Rafe was already a better shrar than her, but this whole being in charge thing wasn’t fair.

Rafe heard the dissatisfaction and told Hira, “How about we make a deal? You beat me in our sparring match and you won’t have to do anything with me the rest of the day.”

Hira perked up at that. Her combat skills were extremely poor, she could readily admit that, which is why she was station out in this tiny outpost at the edge of the island on the nightwatch section for her mandatory stint in her Great House’s military. She had to do her duty, she just didn’t like doing that duty. So the fact that Rafe was offering to give her a day away from all the nonsense of training and drills and tests, was an offer she couldn’t refuse. With all that extra time Hira could probably finish the general history on the pirates and then spend a couple hours looking up famous zlilfian sailors of the era and trying to find biographies to read next.

Rafe could see how excited that offer made Hira, which instantly made her much more awake and alert. Her plan did the trick.

“You’re on,” Hira said, trying not to sound too excited. She sounded exactly as excited about this as she was.

“Alright. First one to pin the other twice wins,” Rafe said as she climbed into the little sparring ring and started to get ready with a few quick stretches, flexing her arms, legs, and wings.

Rafe had the height advantage on Hira, by a few inches. She was bigger than the average shrar at just over five feet tall. Things didn’t look good for Hira, especially since she had only ever managed to pin Rafe once in their hand to hand drills.

Hira climbed into the ring and settled in to spar with her superior officer.

“Hold your guard up, in front of your face,” Rafe said, correcting her form the second they started.

“I can’t see if I hold my hands in my face.”

Rafe gave Hira a flat look, eyes slightly closed, antennae out to the sides. “You know that’s not what I meant. You’re too focused on using your front vision, let your other eyes alert you to movement and then react.”

Hira tried to concentrate and use her compound eyes, the smaller set that sat a few centimeters above the bigger set of binocular eyes. But in the time that she spent trying to concentrate and let her compound eyes take over and sense the motion, Rafe had struck her twice. The blows weren’t as hard or as fast as they could have been. Hira knew she was being played with.

“You got to stop thinking about it so hard,” Rafe commented as she ducked a very wide swing Hira let out with her right hand. “You’re smart, so you got to fight like it.”

Hira grumbled and tried again. The second set of eyes every zlilfian was borning with, while not good at seeing detail, were excellent at detecting motion from a very wide angle. She took a second to breathe and stopped focusing on the specific details. In the fight it wasn’t necessary to look at Rafe’s almost perfectly symmetrical stripes of black and yellow that ran horizontally across her face and shoulders, in contrast to Hira’s big splash of yellow across her entire face that sort of dripped down her chin and neck then down her chest. Or the fact that she was very tall for a shrar, or that, in just about every way, Rafe was a very pretty woman who was going to kick Hira’s butt again.

The next series of blows Rafe sent towards Hira, she was able to dodge all the punches, but the kick almost threw her off balance. Hira could only counter by fluttering her wings in a quick flight backwards to get out of Rafe’s range, but unfortunately that put her into the corner of the ring.

The second Rafe closed the distance it was all over. The grapple and pin were quick and not entirely painless. After a moment of being held in a tight embrace, Hira tapped out. Rafe helped her up.

“Use your strengths, use my strengths against me, come on,” Rafe said, trying to get Hira motivated and active. “Use that big brain of yours.”

“It’s early Natúdrafe, give me a minute to wake up,” Hira snapped.

“Combat isn’t going to wait for you to be well rested and ready, Hiraksyau,” Rafe countered, using Hira’s full name in retaliation for her using Rafe’s. “You can do this. Or you’re going to be joining me after rounds for a full weight work out. And flying drills.”

Hira groaned again. She hated weight training, it was hard work and intensive and gross. But flight drills were easy, Hira was always a good flier.

“Although if you can pin me twice you won’t have to do either,” Rafe said gently, trying to tease some life out of Hira.

They settled into their ready poses, and Hira had a sudden idea. She fluttered her wings, both sets, the big ones on her shoulders, and the small ones from the middle of her back. The sudden burst of movement from all over along with a feint attack with her left arm caused Rafe to back into a defensive pose as her compound eyes saw a lot of movement from lots of directions.

Using this moment of defensiveness from Rafe, Hira moved. She transitioned to using her wing movements to push herself forward, and slipping under and around Rafe’s guard. From her blind spot, Hira managed to grapple her from behind, and pushed Rafe to the ground.

After a few seconds of struggle, Rafe couldn’t break the hold and Hira’s weight pinned her down.

“Ok, ok, you got me,” she said. “Now let me up.”

Hira hummed slightly to herself in joy as she stood up off the other girl, holding out her hand to help Rafe up off the mat.

“Alright, last one,” Rafe informed her. “This is for all the seeds.”

Hira rolled her shoulders and her wings, and settled back into her ready position. Rafe did the same. Hira wanted to win so badly. She could have a night off, free to do whatever she wanted, and not have to worry about work or any of the other boring tasks she had to deal with on a daily basis. This was too good of a reward to pass up.

She tried the same maneuver, a feint combined with a flying maneuver, but at the same time Rafe went in with a series of quick attacks. Both girls moved at the same time, resulting in what should have been a soft blow, but instead was a very hard blow with a low crack as Rafe inadvertently hit Hira square in the face.

The world for Hira went black for a moment after the blow landed. The pain came in hard a second later. When the world returned and the pain subsided from a harsh spike to a dull ache, Hira found herself on the ground, Rafe kneeling over her.

“Sorry about that,” Rafe said quietly. Her antennae pointed down, both in shame and to help her examine the injured shrar. “I didn’t expect you to move so fast.”

“Ow,” Hira moaned.

“Are you ok?”

“Nothing broken, just hurt.”

Rafe held out her hand. “Well to make it up to you, we can just do the flying drills tonight.”

Hira groaned again and didn’t take the offered hand right away. She just lay on the ground, despite the uncomfortable position on her wings.

“That sad look isn’t going to get you out of this. Even if I do feel very bad.”

Hira rolled her eyes and took the offered hand.”

“Go get ready for breakfast, my treat this time.”

Hira stood up, and failed to suppress a happy little dance. Rafe may be abrasive and much too into the physical stuff, but she always had a way of finding the good fruits and nuts for breakfast.

“Don’t look too pleased with yourself,” Rafe called over her shoulder. “It isn’t because I like you. I just feel bad for how badly I beat you.”

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Top 5 Cheap Smartwatch That Can Make Calls

In today’s fast-paced world, staying connected is more important than ever. Whether you’re at the gym, on a hike, or simply on the go, having the ability to make and receive calls directly from your wrist can be a game-changer. But what if you don’t want to break the bank to enjoy this convenience? Luckily, there are plenty of affordable options that offer just that. In this article, we’ll be exploring the Top 5 Cheap Smartwatches That Can Make Calls — perfect for those who want the latest tech without the hefty price tag.

Smartwatches have come a long way, and now, even budget-friendly models are packed with features that were once reserved for high-end devices. Whether you’re looking for a device that pairs seamlessly with your smartphone, or something that stands on its own with built-in SIM card functionality, there’s something here for everyone. We’ll dive into the specifics of each watch, weighing their pros and cons, so you can make an informed decision.

What to Look for in a Cheap Smartwatch That Can Make Calls

When you’re on the hunt for a Cheap Smartwatch That Can Make Calls, it’s important to know what features matter most. With so many options on the market, narrowing down your choices can be a bit overwhelming. Here are the key factors to consider when selecting the perfect budget-friendly smartwatch:

1. Compatibility: One of the first things to check is whether the smartwatch is compatible with your smartphone. Most smartwatches are designed to work with both Android and iOS devices, but some may offer limited functionality depending on the brand. Make sure the watch you choose pairs easily with your phone, allowing you to make and receive calls without any hiccups.

2. Battery Life: Battery life is crucial, especially if you plan to use the call feature frequently. Look for a smartwatch that offers a good balance between battery performance and feature usage. Some cheaper models may require daily charging, while others can last for several days on a single charge, even with regular call usage.

3. Call Quality: Call quality is another essential aspect to consider. A Cheap Smartwatch That Can Make Calls should still provide clear audio for both you and the person on the other end. Check user reviews and product specifications to ensure that the watch delivers good microphone and speaker performance.

4. Features: While the ability to make calls is a standout feature, it’s worth considering what else the smartwatch offers. Many models come with fitness tracking, heart rate monitoring, GPS, and notifications from your smartphone. Think about what additional features are important to you and how they enhance your overall experience.

5. Build Quality: Don’t overlook the build quality, even if you’re opting for a cheaper smartwatch. Durability is key, especially if you plan to wear the watch daily. Look for materials like metal or sturdy plastic, and check if the watch is water-resistant or waterproof — essential if you want to wear it during workouts or in various weather conditions.

Choosing the right Cheap Smartwatch That Can Make Calls is all about finding the best balance between price, features, and functionality. By keeping these factors in mind, you’ll be well on your way to picking a device that not only fits your budget but also meets your needs.

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