#What is cardio and its benefits?

[solar-wing]

⚣ Protective Lover 🥰

⚣✋🏻 A/N → Another idea partly inspired off one of my previous Jason posts. Dude is the definition of scary dog privilege. "and my man, thank you to my man." WARNINGS: Jealous/Possessive Behavior. Minor Swearing and Threats of Violence. Cute Fluff.

⚣✋🏻 Summary → It's no secret: Jason is a jealous and possessive boyfriend. But, many don't think about the benefit that comes along with that. He's hella protective. Sometimes it's overbearing, other times, it's very helpful.

⚣✋🏻 Words → 1.4k

REBLOGS and replies are greatly appreciated, please! 💛

⚣ ENJOY 🥰

At some point, Y/N had gotten used to it. Was it annoying? Yes. Did it feel overbearing at times? Countless. Did he secretly love it and felt the world’s most (concerning) validation from it? Absolutely.

But, when looking at the situation and its circumstances as a whole, it made sense.

When he and Jason first started dating, there was definitely a vibe of him being a gruff but soft teddy bear who was clingy and needy for love and attention when with his chosen lover. But, when around literally anyone else who was not said lover or other people were in the same room as his chosen mate, he’d turn into the world’s scariest guard dog.

It was the general rule of Scary Boyfriend Privilege. Only the designated boyfriend could see their boyfriend’s soft and needy side. Anyone outside that got the ‘murderous if you get too close’ grizzly bear side.

Extremely hot and sexy, but it could be a bit (a lot) much at times. 

Y/N tried to get Jason to calm down, always showing that he could take care of himself and there was no reason for him to worry. But, living in a city like Gotham and given the vigilante’s past (hence the aforementioned situation and circumstances), there really was no calming him down.

But let’s look on the bright side here. With said privilege and the kind of boyfriend Jason was, Y/N never felt more safe and secure in his life. It was like walking around a video game world with the most overpowered gear on. He was basically untouchable.

Examples? Why, of course!

When it came to school, Y/N always preferred studying and doing his homework with Jason since he would help him stay focused and assist him with subjects that he struggled with. 

Y/N was not the first but certainly the loudest to say that Jason did not get enough credit for how smart he was. Yeah, he typically lived by street smarts, but he was big on book smarts as well. He just had to learn how to communicate the information in ways where it wasn’t confusing for both him and his boyfriend.

Plus, in dating Y/N, he learned the art and benefits of positive reinforcement which anyone could probably imagine taking a magnifying glass to their relationship, it was something the Y/N had to use a lot for Jason. Now, the vigilante was doing the same for his boyfriend by giving him little rewards for finishing his work and getting good grades like take-out dates, letting him play in his hair, and more often than not, a good dic-

PAUSE

Oh for fucks sake, are we doing this again? Why does it have to be PG-13? Well, no one said– Ugh…Fine.

A good fitness workout that involved lots of cardio, sweating, and soreness, but the good kind.

Happy?

But, the week of midterms turned out to be an equally busy week for Jason as well. He was knee-deep in a big crime plot and was getting closer and closer to solving the case. Y/N understood and didn’t want to get in the way of his boyfriend's duties. It still sucked though because it meant he wouldn’t be able to study in his apartment as he’d find way too many ways to get distracted. So, he had no choice but to study on campus, and figured what better place than the library?

Turns out there could have been better places.

Y/N was sitting at a large table by himself with various books in front of him along with his tablet and laptop reviewing his notes for a huge test he had the next morning. He wasn’t the only one who had the idea of going to the library to study as it was packed full of students trying to do last-minute cramming and studying.

Jason, as usual, called him to make sure he was okay and that he had gotten to the library safely even though Y/N was well aware his boyfriend had many different ways of tracking him and making sure he was where he was supposed to be. At first, he found it creepy, but when he got to know Jason’s family, he understood.

When Jason didn’t hang up the phone long after Y/N had already sat down and began reviewing, he decided he wasn’t going to hang up either, feeling more relaxed and calm while hearing his boyfriend’s voice and breathing through his earphones.

Now and then, Jason would call his name and check to make sure he was focusing and not slacking off or scrolling on social media and Y/N would turn and scold him for trying to check him when he should have been focused on fighting criminals.

“That’s the thing, babe. I can focus on more than two tasks at the same time. You, on the other hand, still can’t manage to focus on one task for more than 10 minutes without getting distracted by something else like your favorite song and flooding our apartment.”

“I told you to let the bathtub thing go!” Y/N whispered loudly into his earbud mic with a goofy smile on his face still.

“I will never let the bathtub thing go.”

They continued their playful back and forth while Y/N continued studying until he was interrupted by another student, a guy from one of his history classes. This guy was more or less a bit annoying and creepy and had been bothering Y/N for a while with his persistent quest to ask him out.

No matter how many times he rejected him, the guy always tried again and again. He never got forceful, or at least he never had the chance since Y/N always made sure there were people around or that he got to an area where other people were nearby just in case he tried something.

He wasn’t judging him, but he took Jason’s words and lessons very seriously when it came to his safety. He’d seen enough of his boyfriend’s cases where people didn’t take the necessary steps to keep themselves protected and safe because they didn’t imagine it would ‘go that far.’

The creep only left him alone when he saw Jason was with him. Truthfully, many people tended to steer clear of Y/N and his massively scary boyfriend whenever he was with them on campus besides his friends. They were even put off by Jason at times whenever they hung out with their friend cause they’d catch him at times giving them weird looks and glares if they touched or just got too close to his boyfriend for his liking.

Plus, after the one incident of the guy who tried to pick a fight with Y/N and pushed him, thus having to deal with Jason in the aftermath, everyone learned it was just better to steer clear.

So, when Jason wasn’t anywhere in sight, Y/N’s creepy stalker saw it as a perfect moment for him to try and make a move on his classmate, not expecting the very person he was hoping to avoid being on the phone the entire time.

It wasn’t until he saw Y/N unplug his earphones and hand him his phone that he realized he was indeed on a call, and after receiving possibly the most violently worded threat he had ever heard he decided there were plenty of other fish in the sea.

He handed the phone over to its owner before scurrying off like a scared mouse, Y/N watching with a confused but also amused and relieved look.

“Hi baby,” Jason immediately responded to Y/N’s ‘hello’ in his little delightful and excited tone whenever he heard his boyfriend’s voice.

“Jason, what did you say to him?” Y/N immediately asked.

“Hey! It’s babe, baby, sexy, honey, or Jay at the slightest to you, mister. Only my family calls me that.”

“Jason…”

“Babeee, stop it! I don’t consent to this treatment. No means no!” Jason protested in a whiny voice.

“You’re such a baby,” Y/N chuckled.

“Only for you, hot stuff. But we’ll be having a long talk when I get home about you not telling me about creepy guys bothering you.”

“How did you know?”

“Babe, you know who you’re dating, right? There never will be something that bothers you that I won’t know about. I’m always gonna protect you, even if it annoys the hell out of you.”

Y/N couldn’t stop the big smile spreading across his face at his boyfriend’s words, knowing he meant every single one. Jason would always be his protective lover.

☀️ | Jason Todd/Red Hood | ☀️

☀️ | Masterlists | ☀️

[snarltoothed]

My mother has PCOS, I was put on birth control at 16 for ovarian cysts, tried the bar (implant) and had to go back on the pill because a year and 3/4 in I started bleeding and did not stop (a sign my ovarian cysts had reappeared — though they didn’t even offer an ultrasound this time. the last one they scheduled for six months after prescribing the pill to me so they were gone by then and there’s no proof i’ve ever had them aside from symptoms) even after asking if I SHOULD have a hormone panel done, I have never had a hormone panel done. Because I’m thin and likely have very little insulin resistance, and I’m already on the pill, and (extremely doubtful this is true and next year i’m demanding a hormone panel!!) apparently even if I have excess androgens I guess that’s fine and not a possible cause of any of the quality-of-life-lessening symptoms I have 🙃

Something that absolutely makes me want to tear people to shreds with my teeth is thinking about how women's health is just not a priority in medicine.

1 in 10 women of childbearing age have PCOS.

Yet it's not considered important at all. It's hardly researched. Many women who suffer from this go undiagnosed for years. They are brushed off, ignored, not heard, or just put on birth control as if that's a cure-all. Even if someone with PCOS does get diagnosed the doctors don't even know everything there is to know about it.

Did you know that more than half of women with PCOS develop Type 2 Diabetes by the age of 40? Women with PCOS are often insulin resistant. Furthermore, many women with PCOS also have trouble with vitamin deficiencies, like vitamin D. And did you know that many women with PCOS also suffer from crippling fatigue?

Heart disease?

High blood pressure?

Again, one in ten women.

Can you imagine if one in ten men had PCOS? It would be the most well-researched condition on earth. Going to the doctor would mean that testing for PCOS is one of the first things they do. There would be awareness for PCOS. Treatments would be readily available and covered by health insurance. And so on.

But women are left to suffer because, why? The female body is just not considered important in medicine, yet it's the one people want to control the most. Almost half of the earth's population is female, yet our health is not a priority. If that doesn't make anyone want to go crazy, then I don't know what will.

[adverbally]

Every Claim You Stake

Written for the @steddieangstyaugust prompt “‘Who did this?’” | wc: 1,364 | rated: E | cw: sexual content, slut shaming, unprotected sex | tags: friends with benefits, non-exclusive sexual relationship, jealousy, argument, not a happy ending | title from “Every Breath You Take” by The Police

———

Eddie is pretty proud of himself as he trudges up the walk to the Harringtons’ front door. He actually made it two whole weeks without caving in and calling Steve. That’s probably the longest he’s gone since they began their little arrangement.

It’s not like he hasn’t seen him. They’re friends, they hang out with the same people and shuttle the same kids around town. But it’s been two weeks since Steve last invited him over and sucked his brains out through his dick and then thanked him for it.

That’s what Eddie has the most trouble wrapping his mind around. If anything, Steve is doing him a favor by saving him a trip to Indy for his hookups. Plus, sex with Steve is basically like physical therapy, considering the amount of stretching and cardio involved. Eddie can actually touch his toes now, go figure. And even though they’re not dating and Steve doesn’t seem to know about Eddie’s big fat crush, he’s actually a very considerate and romantic lover. To get all of those benefits and the sight of Steve on his knees, grinning up at Eddie with come and spit dripping off his chin… well, maybe karma is real and the universe is trying to make up for the whole “almost getting eaten alive by demobats and dying in the Upside Down” thing.

He’ll take it.

Steve meets him at the door, looking unfairly beautiful for a guy wearing sweatpants and fuzzy socks and glasses. “Hey, man, come on in. Is it still snowing?”

“Barely,” Eddie responds, kicking off his shoes and shrugging out of his jacket. He shakes his damp hair like a dog to make Steve laugh. “Gonna warm me up?”

“I’m gonna send you back home if you try another cheesy line like that,” Steve threatens, though he’s still smiling. He steps closer and settles a hand on Eddie’s hip.

Eddie only has time for a single suggestive eyebrow wiggle before Steve is suddenly in his space, guiding Eddie back against the entryway wall. His lips follow shortly thereafter, licking into Eddie’s mouth with more enthusiasm than finesse. Eddie likes it like this, a little sloppy, like Steve wants him so badly that he doesn’t have the brainpower to coordinate his movements.

When Eddie breaks away for a breath, he trails his lips across Steve’s jaw, lingering on the two little moles high on the side of his neck. It’s one of Eddie’s favorite places on Steve’s body, the X marking the spot where Steve will shiver and gasp at the scrape of teeth over delicate skin.

Steve manages to slip his hands under the hem of Eddie’s t-shirt and flannel, coming to rest in his back pockets. It probably says something about Eddie that he really likes when Steve does this, just grabs his ass and steers Eddie into grinding their hips together.

“Fuck,” Eddie mutters into the skin of Steve’s throat. He uses the hand at the nape of Steve’s neck to grab a chunk of hair and pull his head back, maybe a little too hard. When Steve groans his approval, Eddie feels the vibration against his lips. “Yeah, you missed me?” he teases, bringing his other hand to the opposite side of Steve’s neck with a gentle squeeze.

His stomach swoops when Steve flinches and hisses an inhale through his teeth.

“Shit, sorry, did I hurt you?” Eddie releases his grip on Steve’s hair and pulls away.

Steve’s worn t-shirt, with its stretched out neckline and holey hem, has been tugged into just the right position to reveal a truly massive hickey.

It looks a couple of days old but it’s still deep purple at its center, nearly black, with a sickly green-yellow fading at the edges. If Eddie looks closely enough, he thinks he might even see teeth marks.

Someone else’s teeth marks. On Steve.

The sight makes Eddie’s stomach churn with jealousy he knows he has no right to feel. This thing between them is just casual sex, they definitely haven’t discussed whether they’re exclusive. Apparently, while Eddie assumed they were, Steve did not. Somehow that makes it hurt even more. What would Steve want that he couldn’t ask Eddie for? Was he not good enough for him?

“What the fuck?” he whispers, reaching out to pull Steve’s shirt collar even farther down his shoulder.

“Eddie–”

“Who did this?”

“Just some guy at the club in Indy.”

Steve and Robin had gone just last weekend, Eddie remembers. He had stayed home and ate dry cereal out of the box while Steve was apparently getting partially cannibalized. He can’t help but picture it. Probably some hulking blonde jock who could pick Steve up and fuck him against the wall while he begged for it. Maybe he bent him over the sink, making Steve look at himself in the mirror, all pink-cheeked and hazy-eyed.

“Just some guy who used you like a chew toy,” Eddie scoffs.

Steve scowls at him. “Are you angry about this? Sorry, I didn’t know I was supposed to get you to sign my permission slip first.” He shrugs his shoulder violently enough to dislodge Eddie’s hand.

“Fuck you.” Eddie shoves Steve so hard he stumbles a couple steps backwards. “Who was it?”

“Why are you acting like I cheated on you? You’re not my boyfriend, or my dad, or-or my babysitter.” Steve’s eyes are shiny in the dim light of the foyer. “It’s none of your business who I sleep with.”

Eddie is so angry he’s shaking now. It’s one thing to have sex with someone else, but it’s another to put Eddie’s health at risk without so much as a heads up. “It really is! Were you fucking them bare, too?” He puts on a TV commercial voice. “‘The full cumslut experience, now including AIDS. Share it with your partner today!’”

Steve has the nerve to look hurt that Eddie would question him. “We used condoms. You’re the only one I didn’t…”

Boy, they sure didn’t. Steve wanted to be filled with everything Eddie had, in whatever hole was available. Many a lazy evening was spent with Eddie idly pushing his come back into Steve’s ass or licking it out of his mouth or painting it across his face. The mere thought of Steve doing that with someone else infuriated him. He wanted to make him forget that anyone but Eddie had ever touched him, to show him that Eddie had everything he needed.

“Well, I guess the whore isn’t as stupid as he looks,” Eddie spits.

“I was stupid enough to think you liked me!” Steve pinches the bridge of his nose. “Stupid enough to trust you, stupid enough to start falling for you… Stupid enough to fuck someone else just to make sure I wasn’t imagining how good it was with you.” He closes his eyes and sniffs. “I guess I won’t have to worry about any of that now.”

Eddie freezes. Rarely does life present you with a blinking neon sign telling you “YOU FUCKED UP,” but here is one if he’s ever seen it. Regret floods him until he feels like he’s drowning in it. What can he even say to try to salvage this? He clears his throat tentatively, trying to shift some of the heaviness in his chest. “I didn’t mean… You don’t… Steve.” So much for his improv talents.

The house is silent for a moment before Steve glances back up at Eddie. His face is wet, his eyes red and puffy. Then he returns his gaze to the floor and calmly says, “I think you should go home.”

“Steve–”

“Please don’t call me again.” Steve hugs his arms around himself. “You can see yourself out.” He squeezes past Eddie to go upstairs.

Eddie watches him ascend, then turn the corner and disappear out of view. His brain feels like it’s full of static as he picks up his shoes and his jacket, putting neither of them on before going back outside. The snow may have stopped, but the ground is still cold and wet, soaking Eddie’s socks. He doesn’t really feel it.

He doesn’t really feel anything right now but regret.

[sarahowritesostucky]

📖"Temporary Custody"

Rating: Explicit

Pairing: Steve x ofc x Bucky; Steve x Bucky

Word Count: 4861

Tags: Dom/sub, bdsm au, dom Bucky, sub reader, hurt/comfort, enemies to lovers, gay sex'n'stuff, straight sex'n'stuff, Steve being a literal Golden Retriever, mental health issues, dub-con, forced submission, referenced childhood abuse and resultant mental health issues, bakery au, m/f/m, gentle domination, total power exchange

Summary: The stigma and shame of being a submissive has kept Mary unfulfilled and in the closet her whole life, until an inciting incident leads to Bucky and Steve taking her in and giving her everything she was always too afraid to ask for.

Trigger warnings: This story contains themes of eating disordered behavior, body image issues, childhood abuse, self-harm, mental illness, and alcohol abuse.

Wait! I haven't read an earlier chapter of this fic! Story Masterpost

10. S'mores

It’s the “sex play” (God, that term is so cringe) thing being on the table that builds the tension in the apartment, all of them knowing about it but none of them talking about it. Mary sure as shit doesn’t have the guts to break that ice, and now Bucky’s always deep in thought and quiet around her. And Steve, well.

Steve is like a big, mopey golden retriever who knows its humans are upset but doesn’t know how to help besides headbutting things affectionately.

Mary’s feelings for him only grow when she realizes that he really hasn’t told Bucky about that night in the kitchen: the things she’d confided about the razor and her nightmares and sneaking out to the gym. Knowing that Steve’s stuck by his word like that makes her like him and trust him a whole heck of a lot more. 

But it doesn’t solve the underlying problem. 

There’s a court hearing in front of a judge next month to revisit the custody arrangement—Next month. And one afternoon while Bucky’s out of the apartment, Steve gently informs Mary that Dr. Linda is recommending the order be extended. Jesus fucking Christ. 

And then the results to that test Linda made her take, the “Submissive Sexual Interests and Tendencies Assessment”, arrive in the mail (addressed to Bucky, because of course they would be), and Mary gets her hands on them after Bucky and Steve read them, and she’s mortified at what it says about her.

Tendencies: Passive aggression (reactive aggression in lieu of submission), emotional outbursts, low self-esteem, impulsive sexual promiscuity, self-harm, alcohol use disorder, possible co-morbidity (OCD, EDNOS, BDD). Dynamic Preferences: single dominant authority figure, structured domestic routine, service, discipline, monogamous relationship, emotional bonding. Recommendations: Following assessment review, patient is most likely to benefit from continued domestic control in a consistent (24/7) environment. Transfer of custody not recommended. Continued therapy sessions and educational courses at CDP highly recommended. Most beneficial therapeutic modalities include limited corporal discipline, sex play, and reward-based service routine.

There’s a ton of infuriating psycho babble bullshit packed into those results that she could get upset about, and she does, but Mary’s eyes track over that one, most-horrible phrase over and over again: 

“Transfer of custody not recommended.”

Fuck.

She loses sleep over it, sneaks out of the apartment in the middle of the night and does cardio at the gym until she’s exhausted enough to head back home and pass out. It pisses her off that this is such a thing now. She doesn’t want to be special needs, she should have the right to choose whether she even wants treatment or not! She resents the hell out of Bucky and Steve for having custody of her the way that they do. They’re clearly expecting her to blow up or something, after the news from Linda and the SSITA results come in. It’s so obvious that they’re walking on eggshells around her, Mary halfway wishes they’d just do something. One way or the other, it’d be better than this.

Linda claims that they’ve expressed “positive feelings” about a sexual dynamic, but if they have, they sure aren’t expressing it to Mary. She suspects that most of that positivity has come from Steve, and probably only because he’s a golden retriever in human form who just wants to do what’s right and good, not because he or Bucky are particularly attracted to her.

While she has managed to clean herself up quite a bit since moving in with them, Mary isn’t delusional: she realizes that Steve and Bucky are very attractive men, whereas she’s just average. She tries to tell herself she’s fine with that. She knows Bucky and Steve could probably get like, a supermodel to sleep with them if they really wanted to. Mary’s not in their league, and that’s okay. 

But if they’re not attracted to her that way then they should at least have the decency to just say so! At least then she could find someone else, get back on Tinder, or even sign up for one of those ProDoms that the CDP has. Darcy said Thor was good, so maybe Mary could request him? The way that Darcy had described the guy, he sounds like he's a hunka hunka burning Nordic god. Mary could go for that.

She brings it up casually over dinner, framing it lightheartedly, and Bucky literally crushes his water glass in his prosthetic hand. “What?” he snaps, frowning down at the mess he’s just made. “No.”

Mary huffs and goes to fetch the desserts while Steve gets the waste bin and begins scraping the broken pieces of glass into it like it’s just another Tuesday. “I don’t see why not,” Mary complains from over at the counter. She’s pulled the plates out from the fridge and grabs the butane torch for the meringue.

“Jesus,” Bucky exclaims when he sees the industrial sized torch she's wielding. “Where’d you get that?”

Mary purses her lips as she focuses on achieving the perfect amount of toastedness. “Hardware store,” she mutters. “So why can’t I go see one of the ProDom’s again?” She purposefully over-torches Bucky’s meringue, because she can tell that this isn’t going to go her way. “Sounds like a win-win. You don’t have to deal with me, I can meet new people, and insurance pays for it. What exactly is the problem?” She’s trying to force him to admit that he doesn’t want to Dom her sexually, trying to get him to see that something’s gotta give and he’ll have to let her use one of the ProDoms eventually if that’s what the severity of her “condition” requires (gigantic ‘Ew’). 

But frustratingly, he refuses to engage with her on the topic. “It’s a no, Mare,” he tells her sternly. “Pros are for people who have more experience. You don’t.”

Mary seriously doubts that. “Linda didn’t say that,” she argues, carrying the plates over to the table and handing the nice one to Steve and the burnt one to Bucky. 

He pulls it closer to himself and raises an eyebrow at it. “Linda’s being diplomatic,” he mutters. “I thought you said you were making s’mores?” 

Yesterday, Bucky had been talking with Steve about how much they both missed their old camping trips they used to take. The two of them must’ve waxed poetic over campfire s’mores for ten whole minutes. So Mary thought this would be an excellent way to butter them up. Apparently not.

She sniffs and picks up her fork. “They are s’mores. It’s a plated dessert, Bucky. An interpretation. It’s not literal.”

He grunts and peers at his portion, poking it dubiously with his fork. “What’s it made of?”

Mary heaves a sigh and snottily recites: “Honey Sablé, 70% Valrhona cremeux, cold-smoked Italian meringue, torched ‘mallow, Graham crumb streusel, and tempered chocolate stick for garnish." Both Bucky and Steve stop poking at their plates and just stare at her for a second. 

“Sounds good,” Steve chirps, and digs into his.

Mary stares Bucky down, until he too, deigns to eat the apparently too fancy for him version of a  s’more. “Oh, damn,” he says after the first bite, looking taken-aback. “I can taste the smoke.”

Mary preens, then asks again about the ProDom. “Well if I’m not getting it there then who the heck’s supposed to fuck me?” she winds up blurting out of frustration.

When that direct reference doesn’t elicit any response from Bucky besides a barrage of bossy instructions for after-dinner cleanup, Mary loses a bit of the hope she’d been holding onto that maybe Linda was right about them being attracted to her. She just gave him the perfect fucking opening, and he didn’t take it. She gets the kitchen cleaned up from dinner, resigning herself to another evening of platonic domination that doesn’t quite hit the spot. 

Nightly drops are nice. Not as nice as they were in the beginning, the effects having waned quite a bit from what they once were, but still better than no drops at all. 

Mary sits on her pillow on the floor, head on the couch cushion next to Bucky’s thigh, listening vaguely to the sound of the television while she enjoys the feeling of his fingers carding through her hair, lightly massaging her scalp. It’s been a while now, and she doesn’t think she’s going to get any deeper. It’s late, already they’ve watched two full episodes of their show, and Mary’s got work tomorrow. It’ll be bedtime soon. 

A big yawn works its way up in her throat, and Bucky chuckles when it finally breaks free. “Tired?” he asks.

“Mmhm.” She inhales deeply and sits up, sleepy and squinting. It takes a moment before her eyes adjust to the darkness of the room and Bucky’s form sitting right in front of her. Wow, she’d been really close to him, hadn’t realized just how close. Had she been … hugging his shin? God, she hopes not. Not like she hasn’t spent whole evenings fantasizing about rubbing her face all over his thighs and his— Nope. Not gonna think about that when he’s sitting right there. She tears her eyes away and forces that train of thought to stop right in its metaphorical tracks. 

“You good, Hon?” Bucky asks, his soft voice drawing her attention back from her own head. She looks up and sees his fond expression, his relaxed posture. Wonders if he’s in Domspace at all. Probably not.

Then her eyes land on the line of his cock at the front of his pants. 

He’s hard. Not very, but some. Underneath his sweats his dick is chubbed up enough that it creates a slight bulge against the fabric. Mary freezes, staring for too long before she’s able to tear her eyes away. When she does, and she looks up, Bucky’s watching her with an inscrutable expression. Her breath catches and her mind goes absolutely dumb.

Does he want ..? Should she ..?

She looks back down at it, at the relaxed splay of his thighs. She wets her lips and thinks about reaching forward and sliding her hand over it, what it would feel like, if it would twitch, if Bucky would shiver or make a sound. She wants to touch it, and seriously considers doing so, but when she looks up at Bucky again, he doesn’t look like he’s excited, or anticipating her touching him. He looks … resigned. 

“Tired?” he asks kindly. "Do you maybe ... Do you need anything else tonight? From me?"

Mary's lips part, heart leaping at what that might mean ... but then Bucky looks over at Steve with visible yearning in his eyes, and the two of them share one of their silent conversations, brows pinched and expectant. 

Oh. Right. Bucky’s just horny and eager to get Steve into bed, wants to wrap this up. Mary wonders if he really can’t tell that she's not far down like she used to get. Maybe he thinks this is all she needs and he really isn’t going to take Linda’s advice seriously. Mary should be happy about that. After all, it’s what she wanted. Isn’t it?

She balls up the hand that she’d been imagining touching Bucky with and nods. “Yeah,” she says. “Yeah, I’m tired. Think I’m gonna … go get ready for bed.”

She glances over at Steve, but he looks mopey and eager to get out of the room just like his husband does, cementing the notion in Mary’s mind that they don’t want to be with her that way. No doubt they will if push comes to shove, because Linda’s told them Mary needs a sexual dynamic, but it’s not something they’re excited about. Mary knows men: They’re not the sort to sit around and wait for a girl they like to make the first move. And certainly not a man like Bucky, of all people. 

She tries not to be hurt by it, but still gets a little weepy while brushing her teeth, the unintended rejection stinging more when she’s down in the tingly, vulnerable throes of subspace. She spits, rinses, flosses, rinses. Grabs the mouthwash that she hates to use but that Bucky has ordered her to always use after brushing her teeth at night. 

She says goodnight to Steve and Bucky through the safety of her closed bedroom door, and despite her voice being warbly, neither one of them knocks on the door to see what’s up. That drives the point home, and Mary tucks herself into bed with the mindset that she’ll let them know they don’t have to sleep with her just to be nice or to help her or whatever. She’ll just find a way to convince them that she really is fine with going to one of the ProDoms, and that it really is a better arrangement.

Better than a pity fuck, at least.

It’s disappointing to know that Mary prefers the ProDom, that she doesn’t want to make their relationship sexual, but Bucky gets it, and he knows that he shouldn’t be surprised. He’s not exactly an easy person to get along with, after all. He’s prickly as fuck, grumpy, bossy, selfish. And aside from her natural submission, Mary’s personality clashes with his horribly. Steve is essential, but he just isn’t enough to successfully buffer between the two of them—not enough to make her want them that way, at least. 

Bucky can see the profound disappointment in Steve’s eyes that night, as Mary doesn’t react the way they were both hoping, doesn’t take the offerings Bucky puts out.

They have to let it be her choice, of course, having planned it out and discussed it between just the two of them. It's all anybody ever talks about in the D/s community these days: making sure subs are the initiators at key moments like this, not letting domination creep in and become manipulation-so easy to do with how naturally vulnerable and people pleasing submissives are. Gone are the days when Doms like Bucky were encouraged to guide new partners in the "right" direction. That leads to too much trauma, too many subs in situations they don't really want. Mary has to be left to make the choice on her own, it's her right.

But it's still the hardest fucking thing for him to do, to just sit there and wait passively. And it still stings when she looks straight at his erection and declares that she’s ready for bed. Well, if it wasn’t clear before.

Steve looks like a friggin’ kicked puppy, as he stands outside of Mary’s closed bedroom door and bids her goodnight. Bucky nudges him in the direction of their own room and murmurs, “Come on, Sweetheart.” 

In their bedroom, they each get undressed. Steve continues to mope, so Bucky goes up to him and places a hand on his shoulder and rubs. “Hey. Don’t sulk. You’ve still got me.” Steve’s mouth twitches in a small smile and Bucky’s heart flares with fondness for him. “You wanna play a game?” he offers, leaning in and kissing him once on the lips. “Mm?” He looks down pointedly to both of their boners that haven’t completely lagged since tv time ended.

“Okay.” 

Bucky hums and turns, putting his left shoulder out. “Lend a guy a hand?” Steve obliges. He removes the prosthetic arm with practiced motions. Bucky moans quietly at how good it feels to get the heavy weight off. “Fuck.” He rolls his shoulders, cracks his neck each way with a blissed out groan. “Yes.”

“You’ve been wearing it more than usual, lately,” Steve points out, going over to set it on the table at Bucky’s side of the bed. “Why?”

He already knows: Bucky can tell from the way he asks it. He grunts and looks away, refraining from answering. He normally only wears the arm to work and to the gym, skipping it around the house or when he’s just got simple errands to run. There’s a surprising amount he can do just fine without the use of two arms, and he’s been confident about being seen in public without it for a long time now, thanks to Steve and their friends at the V.A. Being self conscious about it again after all these years isn’t something Bucky wants to admit out loud or think about, but Steve isn’t stupid. He can put two and two together. 

“Babe,” he says softly, walking back over to stand behind him. He wraps his arms around Bucky’s waist and noses into his neck. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

Bucky inhales deeply. “I know. I’m not.” Steve makes a sound that clearly says he doesn’t believe that. But Bucky doesn’t want to talk about it, so he reaches back with the only arm he has to grab playfully at the side of Steve’s ass. “Go in the bathroom. Get the water going how I like.”

Steve groans and thunks his forehead against the back of Bucky’s neck. “Not that game,” he complains, though there’s no conviction to it. He slinks off towards the bathroom to go do as he’s been told. “I hate that game.”

“Fuck you. You love that game.” 

Steve shoots him the finger from over his shoulder, but something about his naked body and tight little ass being on display strips the gesture of its animosity. He disappears into the bathroom and Bucky walks over to their bedroom dresser to grab a hair tie, still snickering. He sobers when he takes one from the valet tray and realizes that he’ll have to have Steve tie his hair back. That’s one thing he never could figure out how to do one handed. He stands there and looks in the mirror above the dresser, studying the left side of his body in a way that he rarely does anymore. 

He’s gotten so used to it: his life with Steve, whom he knows down to his bones accepts him unconditionally. He’s almost forgotten what it feels like to be self conscious about his body. Bucky hasn’t known how to talk about it, and Mary hasn’t asked. She’s seen him with his sleeves rolled up to the elbow, or in tee shirts at the gym, but that’s all so far. Sometimes he’ll catch her looking, but he’s got no clue what she’s thinking. He considers his reflection, looks at the scars and puckered skin, the implanted base of the arm where his stump used to be. He doesn’t like the uncomfortability of being critical of his body again. In a way, he almost resents Mary for it, for making that feeling come back after all these years. Silly, he knows. 

“Babe?” Steve’s voice calls out from the bathroom. Bucky’s ears register the sound of rushing water. “You coming?” 

Bucky inhales deeply and decides it doesn’t matter anyway. Mary wants a ProDom, not them, so he doesn’t have to stress over what she thinks about any part of his body, let alone the one part he doesn’t have.

“Yeah.” He turns his back to the judgmental mirror and heads towards his very non-judgmental best guy.

“Okay. Stop clenching.”

Steve exhales shakily, but he does obey, body slumping back against the end of the tub as he relaxes his muscles. “Fuck,” he breathes, overwhelmed.

“Hand too, Baby.”

His hand abandons his dick in the bathwater. “Ungh.”

Bucky smiles lazily and rubs the side of his foot against Steve’s hip in praise. “Good boy.”

They’re in the bathtub together, opposite ends, legs tangled. Their combined bulk displaces the water all the way up to above their shoulders, but that’s part of the game: they’re not allowed to splash on the floor, so they can’t jerk off very hard or fast. First one to splash water on the floor is the automatic loser and has to bottom the next time they fuck (Bucky added that little caveat because he’s very good at not splashing, whereas Steve is hopelessly clumsy and overeager ). “How you doing, Sweetheart?” he asks, drinking in the sight of Steve with his lips parted, chest heaving, squirming. He’s pink from temple to tits, flushed from the bathwater and arousal both, and Bucky loves it. “You’re not close already, are you?” he tuts, grinning. “So sensitive.”

“Buck,” Steve croaks, heated eyes dragging over Bucky’s body at the other end of the tub where he’s still gently jerking himself off. “Please.”

Bucky affords himself another toe-curlingly good swipe over the head of his dick before he nods. “Okay. Slow. Just like me”

Steve huffs and wraps his hand back around himself, stroking his dick in slow, measured strokes, just like Bucky said. Bucky’s guts warm and another heady rush of dominance swirls low in his belly at watching Steve do exactly as he says. “You can start workin’ it again, too,” he says.

Steve moans gratefully. “Thank you. Fuck.” His abs start clenching, his body straining again with visible tension as he works the Aneros that’s seated up inside him. Under the water, his knees move in and out in that instinctive motion as he tries to rock it just right. But it’s hard to do it with the water so high, and more than once he catches himself and holds back at the sight of the bathwater sloshing precariously close to the lip of the tub. At one point he gasps and his eyes slam shut, and Bucky figures the toy must’ve shifted to press even more directly against his prostate. 

“Ooh, does that feel good, Stevie?”

Steve peeks his eyes open, glaring across the way at him. “You know it does.”

Bucky does, in fact, know exactly how good it feels—because he’s got another of the exact same toy inside of himself, right now. “I don’t know why you still agree to play this game,” he taunts, grunting from the effort of holding back his own moan as his prostate gets a firm prod from the head of the toy. “You—nngh—you always wind up losing.”

“Yeah, well …” Steve’s throat bobs as he swallows heavily. “Maybe I don’t mind you coming out on top, sometimes.”

“Sometimes,” Bucky scoffs, but he’s breathing heavier than he was thirty minutes ago, his composure slipping the longer he works the toy inside himself and jerks himself off agonizingly slowly underneath the water. In fact, he’s not even sure it even counts as jerking off at this slow a pace.

Edging is something he’d introduced Steve to early on in their relationship, as soon as he’d realized how delightfully sensitive his new boyfriend was. And Steve, the big idiot, had worried Bucky wouldn’t like it, had actually thought of it as a negative! An absurd notion that Bucky promptly disabused him of. Watching his ungodly sexy blond behemoth of a husband whine and squirm and struggle to hold himself in check is one of the fucking hottest things Bucky’s ever seen—and he’s seen a lot. He’d been a bit of a manwhore back in his heyday, racking up the bodies as he fought to find himself as a Dom and accept the body an IED had left him with.

Steve, his overly-sensitive, glorious hunk of a then-boyfriend, had helped him to do both. And it’s times like this where Bucky remembers just how goddamn lucky he is. Having Steve to love and fuck around with feels like the best gift in the world. 

At the other end of the tub, the water sloshes as something he’s done to himself makes Steve’s breath hitch in another helpless moan. He tosses his head back for a moment, eyes clamped shut as his expression crumples beautifully and he whimpers. Bucky’s ass clenches down hard in arousal at the sight, which only makes the toy in his ass rub over his prostate that much better. His cock throbs as his pleasure flares dangerously high. Fuck, he wants to come. 

Licking his lips, he decides it's time to end this. His balls are pulled up too close to his body, taut and full and aching for release. Trying to school his breathing into something resembling nonchalance is a lost cause, and his face feels almost as flushed as Steve’s looks right now. Bucky decides to call it, because even though he’s the automatic favorite to win this game every time, he is capable of losing, if he gets too caught up in ogling Steve’s body and reactions and doesn’t focus enough on playing his cards right. “Okay,” he finally says, smirking when Steve’s head jerks back to attention, his irises visibly flaring in excitement. “Yeah, Baby. It’s time.”

“Fuck.”

“You ready for the home stretch?” He waggles his eyebrows and lets his head rest back against the tub, spreading his legs wider and keeping his eyes on Steve. “Gotta keep up,” he instructs, even though Steve already knows how this goes. When Bucky tightens his hand and speeds up the pace of how fast he’s jerking himself off, Steve copies him. That’s how it is at the end of this—totally-rigged-in-Bucky’s-favor—game. They both jerk off at the pace that Bucky sets, and the first one to splash water on the floor or come is the loser. It’s not very fair, but Bucky never claimed he was a fair guy. He is, in fact, selfish as fuck. 

Lucky for him, Steve’s into that.

“Fuck,” Steve pants from his end of the tub. He slides down lower, keeping more of his body under the water in an attempt to prevent splashing. It’s a futile effort, though, because he’s doomed to lose anyway with the faster pace that Bucky’s set. Already, he’s going lobster red in the face, brow pinched and desperate, knees knocking the sides of the tub as he compulsively works the toy in his ass. 

The arousal in Bucky’s gut coils tighter at the sight. “Watch my hand,” he warns, when he notices Steve slacking off. “Gotta match it, Baby.”

“I am.”

“Tighter,” he says, eyes gleaming. “And stop avoiding the head. I can see you cheatin’ over there, Punk.”

Steve whimpers, and Bucky knows that he really wasn’t going as tight as he is, because Steve’s hand changes its hold and he starts getting the head of his dick with the same intensity that Bucky is. Bucky grins open mouthed, panting. “Atta boy.”

“You should—ugn.” Steve grimaces. “Should get a penalty, for being cut. I should get an extra, nnnh, th-thirty seconds, at least.”

Bucky laughs, because trust Steve to think of a sportsman’s solution to the inequity of their dicks. Steve being uncut means that it takes less intense stimulation for him to come. They both know this, Bucky loves this, and again: he never claimed the game was fair. “No penalty,” he grunts, speeding up his pace even further. Steve’s eyes widen but he matches it. Bucky grits his teeth. He can hold out long enough. Steve’ll blow in seconds at this pace. 

And sure enough, it’s not even twenty seconds later when Steve is crying out, body tensing and muscles straining gorgeously as he seizes up and starts to come. “Agh!” His knees fling out hard and hit the sides of the tub, splashing water over the lip to the floor below. But he hasn’t even noticed, he’s so lost to his orgasm. His asshole is twitching, sucking on the Aneros as the contractions of his body pull the toy up against his prostate again and again, drawing the pleasure out. He shoves down hard in the water and shouts louder, as though he’s getting a second orgasm on top of the first. “Ohnfuck …” 

Bucky groans as he watches it happen: Steve’s gorgeous face and juddering hips, big hand wringing up hard underneath the head the whole way through. The fucking sounds he makes, Jesus wept. It’s leagues better than any porn Bucky’s ever seen. “Fuck, Baby,” he praises. “Yes. Fuck that’s so hot …” 

Steve’s hand keeps working the whole way through, only abandoning his cock once it’s fully spent and softening, the cloudy ribbons of his cum floating away in the bathwater. “Fuck,” he exhales hugely once it’s done, letting his body go lax and slump so far down that only his face is above the waterline.

Bucky grunts and spreads his legs wider, not heeding the splashing rule now that he’s already won. The water splashes precariously as he shoves his hips down and down and down, squeezing the shape of the toy inside so fucking perfectly. Fuck, it feels fucking good working over his spot like that. “Oghnnn,” he pants, grunting and groaning and jerking his cock hard. “Fuck, Baby. You’re so fucking pretty. Fuck. M’gonna cum …” 

Steve gives a sated hum from his end of the tub. Bucky can sense him shifting in the water, and then gasps when he feels the ball of Steve’s foot gently press up on his balls. His eyes fly open and he looks down. “Oh, shit,” he whispers. “Fuck, fuck.”

Steve grins and rubs his foot against him. And Bucky doesn’t have that fetish, but there’s something so fucking perverse about seeing Steve’s toes up against his balls that it turns his brain to mush anyway and pushes him right on over into orgasm. He shoots off beneath the water, stroking and thrusting and moaning—and probably splashing water all over the floor just as badly as Steve ever has.

Series Masterlist

Masterlist

🍵Consider tipping your friendly neighborhood starving artist smut author!

✍🏻Commissions: reach out via Tumblr DM or contact here

This has been a fill for:

@marvel-smash-bingo

card: sarah-writes-stucky

Square B5: Sex toys

@sebastianstanbingo

Card: @sarahowritesostucky

Square I4: Orgasm Denial

@ultimatechrisbingo

Card: @sarahowritesostucky

Square I5: Edging Kink

@matchat3a @bethexo07

[liesmyth]

Hi ❤️ I was wondering, do you have some recs/advices for light cardio HIIT sessions? I follow a weight lifting program online split on 3 days, i'd like to do some type of cardio on a fourth day but online there is.. TOO MUCH infos, i'm basically a beginner still and i'm getting so confused 😭

hi hi thank you for asking I LOVE these questions ❤️ I totally get what you mean about Too Much Information, fitness internet is chockfull of info but it can and does get overwhelming (and contact story!) especially if you're a beginner.

On cardio: I'm a big cardio fan, and could yap about the benefits all day. However! I feel very strongly that the best kind of cardio is the one that you actually like doing. If you're "just" looking to add "do more cardio" to your schedule, without any specific goals, the type of cardio matters a lot less than whether it's going to be fun for you to do. It can be as simple as doing 15/20 mins on an exercise bike after you're done at the gym, or dancing to kpop videos in your bedroom, or going on a moderate hike on Saturdays. If you want to add some more structured workouts, that's also great — more on that below — but IME, finding a form of cardio that you actually enjoy is a lot more important in the long run than trying to find THE perfect cardio workout.

this is the part where I yap. sorry.

SAMPLE CARDIO ROUTINE FOR LIFTERS from this amazing (very insightful!) r/fitness post by a lifting coach who's very solid

Something like this is IMO ideal if you don't have time or inclination to do much else. If it looks good to you, stop here! No need to read on. If you want more info and resources, go on

What's HIIT anyway?

sorry to be pedantic BUT I think it's important when exploring online fitness resources to know this: "light HIIT" is a misnomer. HIIT has become kind of a buzzword that's overused in fitness circles for marketing / SEO reasons, and I understand why (visibility!) but I wanted to clarify this just so you know what to look for going forward. HIIT = "High-intensity interval training": short bursts of exercise that have your heart literally jumping in your throat, followed by recovery. You're meant to give it your absolute all and flop dead like a fish on the grass when you're done. The upside is that HIIT workouts are very short; the downside is that they're very intense, and it can be kind of mentally daunting to psyche yourself up to do it.

So maybe I don't want to do the mentally daunting workout. What else is there?

NON-HIIT WORKOUTS THAT FUCK

Just because something is branded as "HIIT" when it's not, it doesn't mean it's not a damn good workout in its own right. Here is a youtube playlist from a "follow along workouts" fitness influencer who I LOVED during the pandemic (Caroline Girvan, I've yapped about her before). I used to do one of her cardio-heavy workouts once a week as an integration to an at-home fitness routine. That playlist I linked includes 92 (NINETY TWO) workouts. Some are bodyweight, some use dumbells for resistance; pick and choose.

LIGHT CARDIO

Maybe this is what you were looking for in the first place! LISS = Low-Intensity Steady Cardio. As the name implies, instead of "high-intensity bursts + recovery" style of workout, LISS workout means that you constantly keep moving at a steady rate. The downside is that LISS workouts are much longer, and maybe more dull, and you're better off doing them multiple times a week to see benefits. The upside is that they're less taxing on your body and require less recovery time, and they can be paired up with lifting days. Something like 15 mins on an exercise bike as a cooldown after lifting + one longer session (40+ min) on a day you don't lift would be what I think of as "integrating cardio into a lifting schedule" if you don't want to do anything high intensity. Replace exercise bike with walking up an incline or jogging or swimming or dancing or whatever. You can mix and match. You can take a brisk half hour walk 3 times a week and go on a hike every other weekend. Just find something that you enjoy and can stick to ( <- personally I have an audiobook I save to listen to ONLY when I'm doing chill-ish cardio to entertain me during)

Nevermind those alternatives. I want to do HIIT anyway. What do I do?

resources: introduction to HIIT writeup from r/HIIT (not famliar with the sub but the guide looks pretty solid) + some examples of HIIT workouts that you can do anywhere depending on your preferences (bodyweight training, exercise bike or rowing machine, kettlebell swings etc)

Here's an example of a follow-along HIIT workout from an influencer I think is very solid: ONE, TWO. They're 15 minutes long and pretty much what I mean when I say that HIIT is meant to be short and deadly; you do something like this, you recover, you're done.

BIG disclaimer: Don't start with any moves that are too fancy at first. Because HIIT = high intensity, that mostly translates into "doing some moves very fast to try and get your heart rate up within the interval window" and some people interpret that as trying to get in as many reps as possible. this goes extra hard for "follow along" workouts but also in general. If you're not very familiar with those moves, you can risk injury. Some HIIT routines are very dynamic, and if you don't have the movements nailed down, you're better off focusing on maintaining form rather than doing them really fast.

Other disclaimer: I would still pair up HIIT once a week with some more chill cardio on lifting days. If it's possible. But if you're doing HIIT in an intense way, that's already a lot!

TLDR

Summing up. Example of HIIT workouts. Follow alongs: one, two, three. I'd recommend doing one of these once a week if you like them, on a non-lifting day. If these aren't your speed, then a longer session of moderate cardio on a non-lifting day would be good, depending on what you have access to and enjoy. You can also do moderate cardio on lifting days if you're feeling extra motivated.

long-ass science-y article on benefits of cardio for weightlifters because I just really love this blogger

[that-girl-lyra]

A (long) Rant About Fitness & Personal Health

So if you're new to my blog, hi, Im Lyra and I am a 27 y/o who is very passionate about fitness and physical health. A few years back I was 165lbs and very unhappy, so I decided to start working out and then boom, currently 116lbs and 18% body fat. (Im 5ft2)

I didnt do that through some wacko diet, restricting my food, keto, whatever. No. Simply put, I ate food, and lifted heavy shit over, and over and over. And whoda thunk?! I lost body fat, gained muscle, as well as mental clarity, improved my sleep health, and physical health as a whole. And another fun fact, I still ate "bad food". Oooo, scary. Pizza, beer, burgers, cake, cookies, if its food, I want to eat it, and I did (and do).

It irks me on a cellular level that some people try to convince others that the only and or best way to lose weight, is to follow some weird ass diet that likely has more health risks than benefits, and the people theyre trying to convince, are already pretty vulnerable and are ready to try pretty much anything to get results and FAST!

Whilst I more than understand wanting results asap, fitness and physical health is not something you will see results and progress with in a short span of time. Sure, you might start feeling a little better after a month of implementing a fitness routine, but you'll look the same, and more or less still be the same. Fitness above all else teaches patience, and discipline. The muscles, slimmer figure, or whatever your original goal was is just a bonus.

Let me break a few things down for you;

Food is fuel, so fuckin EAT

You dont need to be keto, or follow the carnivore diet, vegetarian, vegan, nada. Nothing. Zilch. Zero, to be able to lose weight and gain muscle effectively, efficiently, safely, and be able to maintain a healthy body.

The best thing that I have ever heard regarding food (and it helped change my own relationship with food) is a quote from personal trainer and fitness coach Alex Tima from Hybrid Wellness. Alex said "There is no such thing as bad/unhealthy food. There is only more nutritious food, and less nutritious food".

Too much of anything isnt good, and too little of anything is also not good. Thats why we call it a "balanced" diet.

A lot of fitness influencers and whoever now days are trying to convince their followers to follow a strict diet of only animal products and maybe some fruit, all while eating one meal a day because "thats what our ancestors did!". Yeah, and our ancestors died at the ripe old age of 30.

True, we are/were hunter gatherers, but evolution is a thing as well. Just because back then we could survive off of only one meal a day, doesnt mean we have too now. More so, the biggest and strongest of our ancestors, still ate more/the most!

Bottom line, eat food when youre hungry. Eat good food. Meats, fruits, veggies, grains, fats, etc.

Dont let anyone tell you that youre undisciplined because you dont subscribe to any particular diet.

2. If You Wanna Look "Toned", You've Gotta Put in the Work

After becoming more fit and healthy myself, I have had quite a few people approach me and ask how they can do the same. However, nine times out of ten, they all say the same thing, or at least some variation of "I just wanna look more toned".

Well guess what? You will not look more toned, if there is nothing to tone.

Cardio alone will not help you achieve your goals. Sure, walking is fantastic and jogging is a great way to increase cardiovascular health and stamina, but it will not make you look more "toned". For that, you will need to build muscle. And how do we build muscle?

WE LIFT HEAVY SHIT WE EAT LOTS OF PROTEIN AND THEN WE LIFT HEAVIER SHIT

Unless you are literally training like Sam Sulek, you will not look like Sam Sulek. Lifting weights will NOT make you look "big" or "bulky" if you're not trying to become big or bulky. Just lift a good amount to where its a bit of a struggle, and increase the weight gradually overtime as you become stronger.

That with a little bit of cardio works wonders. Not just cardio or weights by themselves.

Again...balance

3. FUCK THE SCALE

Sooooo many people are obsessed with the scale, being skinny, having the smallest BMI they could possibly get but let me tell you something.

My own mother has been obsessed with not only her weight (shes an almond mom with the exception of booze), but mine for as long as I can remember. Shes done so many diets, taken god knows what concoctions of...whatever, pills, etc all for the sake of being skiiinniiiiiiiii!!!!!

Guess where she is now? I mean sure, shes super fuckin skinny, but shes got diareah 24/7, liver damage, blood problems, thyroid issues, she had fuckin scurvey, and various brain issues and pretty much, delusions. But so long as her weight is low along with her waistline, she does not give a fuuuuuckk.

Guys, its not worth it. Do NOT stress over the numbers you see on the scale or any BMI calculator. Its okay if you want to drop a few pounds, but I highly HIGHLY encourage you to just simply take progress pics instead. Your eyes may lie to you, but the camera will not.

I could go on and on and on about this topic, but this is already a long enough post, and I don't want to info overload you lol.

To wrap up, fitness and personal health is all about balance. Nothing more, nothing less. Balanced diet, balanced sleep, balanced workout plan, etc.

If you have any questions whatsoever, please feel more than free to drop into my asks! Ill be more than happy to answer them when I can :)

[fitnessnirvana]

UPPER BODY AND ARM HIIT WORKOUT

Do you think spending hours at the gym daily was the only way to increase upper body strength and muscle? Think again. While strength training and progressive overload are important components of gaining strength and size, upper-body HIIT exercises are excellent for raising the load on your back, chest, shoulders, and arms without requiring a significant amount of time.

What Are The Benefits of Upper Body HIIT Workouts?

High-intensity interval training, or HIIT, is a training method that alternates between times of all-out exercise and periods of low-intensity exercise or rest, with a maximum workout duration of 30 minutes. While HIIT workouts do not normally generate as much muscle as weight training, they can still be beneficial, especially if you choose regimens that include various compound movements to keep the muscles engaged.

While HIIT workouts may be less effective in building muscle, they make up for it in other ways. When compared to weight training, HIIT workouts have a greater ability to improve muscle endurance, speed, and power, which can aid in sports performance and even weight lifting. HIIT also increases cardiovascular endurance and burns a large number of calories in a short period.

Are HIIT Workouts Enough For The Upper Body And Arms?

There are numerous advantages to incorporating upper body and arm HIIT workouts into your weekly workout, but depending on your aim, this may not be sufficient on its own. Upper body and arm HIIT workouts can suffice if you want to develop strength, power, and speed while also maintaining a leaner physique. If you can only devote 30-40 minutes to your workouts each day, HIIT workouts are ideal for getting a strong upper-body workout.

If you want to acquire significant upper body and arm bulk, you need also to incorporate weight training. Weightlifting challenges and fatigues the muscles to the point that they must be regenerated, and this process increases muscle size. Combining the two types of exercise is an effective strategy to increase general strength and fitness while also improving body composition. An upper-lower body training split could look like this:

Day 1: upper body workout – weightlifting

Day 2: lower body workout – weightlifting

Day 3: upper body workout – HIIT

Day 4: lower body workout - HIIT

Tips For Creating An Upper Body HIIT Workout:

We've given an upper body and arm HIIT routine to try below, but if you want to create your own workout, here are some pointers to get you started:

Choose complementing exercises. Choose a combination of complex workouts to build strength and cardio activities to improve speed and endurance. Choosing workouts that require the same pieces of gym equipment will make it easier to complete the exercises fast. Push-ups, clean and press, tricep dips, battle ropes, and renegade rows are some of the best upper body HIIT workouts you can do.

2. Begin with something small. Aim for 4-6 exercises with multiple circuits rather than 1-2 rounds of a variety of exercises. This will make it easy to follow, allowing you to focus all of your attention on the exercises and take advantage of the rest intervals rather than having to remember what to do next.

3. Try different times. There are numerous ways to structure your HIIT workout, so experiment with various intervals to determine what works best. For more strength-based exercises, longer intervals may be beneficial to get more reps in, whereas a more cardio-focused workout may benefit from shorter but higher intensity times of exercise and rest.

[historicalfightingguide]

"The Historical Fencing Channel is an organization that disparate historical fencing groups come together and, through agreement, to collectively validate and recognize the efforts of their individual members. In doing so a "common ground" and sense of community is created within, through which ideas, methods, and knowledge may be shared in order to promote the growth of both groups and their members beyond what would otherwise be separately achievable. This Channel is a common ground for members to submit videos of their interpretations, to create a library of techniques from differing groups"

More specifically we can see Adam Franti of the Lansing Longsword Guild in all the videos of this playlist - covering a lot of the basic strikes, guards and concepts of Meyer Dussack(effectively a form of medieval/renaissance central-european saber that usually had a (semi)complex hilt but was often practiced with leather and wooden practice weapons with simpler guards).

On that note here’s a masterpost of sorts of Meyer content on this blog

You may also remember Adam from the earlier methodology and murderhobos posts.

The provoker-taker-hitter tactical concept and its uses are quite relevant to dussack as a weapon.

You may also enjoy this general one-handed sword according to Meyer video as well

(and keep in mind the dussack is used by Meyer within his 1571 book as a basis for all one-handed weapons).

As well as these videos on how to apply the Meyer square to a dussack, and some other dussack-handling drills.

Lastly you might find the dussack tag of the blog relevant too.

For anyone who hasn’t yet seen the following links:

.

.

.

.

Some advice on how to start studying the sources generally can be found in these older posts

.

.

.

.

Remember to check out  A Guide to Starting a Liberation Martial Arts Gym as it may help with your own club/gym/dojo/school culture and approach.Check out their curriculum too.

.

.

.

.

Fear is the Mind Killer: How to Build a Training Culture that Fosters Strength and Resilience by   Kajetan Sadowski   may be relevant as well.

.

.

.

.

“How We Learn to Move: A Revolution in the Way We Coach & Practice Sports Skills”  by Rob Gray  as well as this post that goes over the basics of his constraints lead, ecological approach.

.

.

.

.

Another useful book to check out is  The Theory and Practice of Historical European Martial Arts (while about HEMA, a lot of it is applicable to other historical martial arts clubs dealing with research and recreation of old fighting systems).

.

.

.

.

Trauma informed coaching and why it matters

.

.

.

.

Look at the previous posts in relation to running and cardio to learn how that relates to historical fencing.

.

.

.

.

Why having a systematic approach to training can be beneficial

.

.

.

.

Why we may not want one attack 10 000 times, nor 10 000 attacks done once, but a third option.

.

.

.

.

How consent and opting in function and why it matters.

.

.

.

.

More on tactics in fencing

.

.

.

.

Types of fencers

.

.

.

.

Open vs closed skills

.

.

.

.

The three primary factors to safety within historical fencing

.

.

.

.

Worth checking out are this blogs tags on pedagogy and teaching for other related useful posts.

.

.

.

.

And if you train any weapon based form of historical fencing check out the ‘HEMA game archive’ where you can find a plethora of different drills, focused sparring and game options to use for effective, useful and fun training.

.

.

.

.

Check out the cool hemabookshelf facsimile project.

.

.

.

.

For more on how to use youtube content for learning historical fencing I suggest checking out these older posts on the concept of video study of sparring and tournament footage.

.

.

.

.

The provoker-taker-hitter tactical concept and its uses

.

.

.

.

.

Approaches to goals and methodology in historical fencing

.

.

.

.

.

A short article on why learning about other sports and activities can benefit folks in combat sports

.

.

.

.

.

Consider getting some patches of this sort or these cool rashguards to show support for good causes or a t-shirt like to send a good message while at training.

[2024akok]

How to Stay Healthy and Fit: A Practical Guide for Your Wellness Journey

Staying healthy and fit is a lifestyle, not a one-time effort. It’s about consistently making small but impactful choices that benefit your body and mind. Here are some simple, yet effective ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle:

1. Fuel Your Body with Nutritious Food

Choose a balanced diet that includes a variety of whole foods—fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. Limit processed foods and added sugars, which can lead to weight gain and health issues over time. Think of food as fuel, and aim for a colorful plate at each meal to get a mix of essential nutrients.

2. Stay Active Every Day

Regular exercise doesn’t always mean hitting the gym. Simple activities like walking, stretching, or doing home workouts can make a big difference. Aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity daily. Incorporate a mix of cardio, strength training, and flexibility exercises to keep your body strong and energized.

3. Prioritize Quality Sleep

Sleep is often overlooked but is crucial for good health. Aim for 7–9 hours of quality sleep per night. It helps your body recover, supports mental clarity, and can improve your mood. Try to establish a bedtime routine and create a sleep-friendly environment by keeping your bedroom cool, dark, and free from screens.

4. Stay Hydrated

Drinking enough water is essential for overall health. Water helps your body function at its best by aiding digestion, flushing out toxins, and keeping your skin healthy. Aim for about 8 glasses a day, but adjust based on your activity level and climate. Carry a water bottle as a reminder to stay hydrated throughout the day.

5. Manage Stress Effectively

Chronic stress can negatively impact both your physical and mental health. Find activities that help you relax, like meditation, deep breathing, or hobbies you enjoy. Staying mindful and taking breaks during the day can help reduce stress and improve your well-being.

6. Connect with Others

Social connections are important for a healthy mind. Surround yourself with positive influences and supportive friends or family members. Having a strong support network can motivate you to stick to healthy habits and improve your mental health.

7. Stay Consistent, Not Perfect

Lastly, remember that consistency is key. It’s okay to have days where you’re less active or enjoy a treat. What matters is the long-term pattern of healthy choices. Don’t strive for perfection; aim for progress. Small, sustainable changes lead to lasting health benefits.

Staying fit and healthy doesn’t need to be complicated. By making these tips a part of your routine, you can enjoy a balanced lifestyle that supports your physical and mental well-being.

[lifestylebybf]

Since I really want to hit all my goals this year, for accountability I think a monthly check is needed. Let's see:

In January:

-Started drinking a green smoothie 2x a week. I chose its ingredients (spinach, kiwi, oats) for their vitamins that are supposed to benefit my hair. I want a 90s model hair and won't stop until I'm there

-Picked up extra pilates classes. When possible I now take 2 classes a week. This is to help my posture and back pains. Also I'm chasing the pink pilates princess lifestyle.

-Started hitting the gym on wednesdays. Exercising on the weekend has never been an issue for me, but I couldn't be bothered after a long day at work. So going that extra day feels like such a win. Even if it's just for some cardio while watching my favourite youtube vlogs. It almost feels like a treat now.

-Consistency. Haven't skipped a belly dancing or pilates class in the whole month.

-Started using anti aging eye cream

-Picked up my french books again

For february I want to focus on:

- French. A minimun of a couple hours of study every week.

- Gua sha in the mornings

- Improving the variety of the food I eat and its quality. I have PCOS and used to have a terrible habit of ordering fast food once or twice a week. In order to not feel restricted while quitting the habit I gave myself permission to eat whatever I fancied as long as I was preparing it at home. I've lost 9-11 lbs this way since september but I have hit a plateau now. Now that my brain isn't screaming at me to order burger king every night I want to take it further really focusing on nutritious food. I love cooking and trying new recipes so it's just a matter of beating my laziness

-Reducing my tiktok hours

-Flushing my gums everyday and making a dental appointment

Xxx

What are your february goals? Would love to hear them!

[cruel-summerxy]

labyrinth - brad bakshi x reader

summary ➞ ever since brad came out of prison, he has tried to be a better person. when a stranger tests him he decides to be nice and its a good thing he does . word count: 2k words

a/n ➞ I'm back! this is going to be in multiple parts, so yay! I already have the second part started, so I'll probably post it tomorrow! a little gnf cameo in here too. comments and reblogs are appreciated <3

based on ➞ taylor swift's song "labyrinth"

you know how scared I am of elevators, never trust it if it rises fast 

Brad isn’t an easy guy to know. Sometimes he wakes up early and does some quick cardio before going into work– other times the only thing the man does is brush his teeth before catching a bus to work. As of lately, it was the latter. He is in a slump. The man is obviously glad that he is part of Mythic Quest once again, even if it was as the janitor (recently promoted as a fucking assistant), but he sometimes misses the chaos. He misses being in the conference room, he misses screaming at a random person who has no authority and therefore cannot help, he misses scaring the new hires. Brad misses all of this and more, but he is a changed man.

Everyday that he had been in prison he liked to imagine that the company had been in pure chaos without him. Now he has tickets to the front row. David had obviously hired new people and those people have no idea who he is. Although he isn’t proud of it, it brings a smile onto his face when he eavesdrops at their conversations. Hearing that deadlines have to be met, budgets having to be readjusted, and whatnot brings him joy now (it’s truly pathetic).

Even though he had been gone for a while, Brad knows that he still has the ability to manipulate those around him. The browned-eyed man was able to prove himself by getting Rachel to take his old job; he tells himself that he had helped her for his own benefit, but the truth is that the girl is smart and he does want her to succeed. Old Brad would’ve rolled his eyes, but new Brad can only smile at what he has achieved (he smiles alone though, he doesn’t want to give the wrong impression to others). He was able to get the workers their bonuses and maybe it was the Christmas spirit but he had been happy and giddy. His happiness hadn’t been unacknowledged, David and Rachel gave each other a look when they heard Brad sing along everyone else Christmas morning. 

Ever since Christmas morning something felt different. So he decides to wake up early and to take a trip to the coffee shop near his home. Brad grabs his lunch bag (he had decided to cook his own food) and makes his way out the door. Even though he lives on the fourth floor, Brad walks down the stairs. He had skipped his workout and he told himself it was better than taking the elevator. 

He can’t help but to whistle as he makes his way to his favorite coffee shop. His body trembles as the breeze comes to him. Even though it is pretty cold, it is a beautiful day. The sun is out, not helping him warm up but it sure does look nice. As he enters the shop he mentally curses, of course there would be a long line

“It’s okay Brad. You have time,” he assures himself. Old Brad would have rolled his eyes and left the place. He would have proceeded to send someone from the office, but alas he was a new man (he also didn’t have someone that could just drop everything for a stupid coffee).

After what seems like forever Brad was next. 

“What can I get for you?” a middle aged woman asked. He stands there wondering what he should actually get. He often opts for a black coffee, but today he craves something sweet. During his time in prison he would often wish that he was sipping a sweet old caramel frappe, with extra caramel drizzle– of course. 

“Could you be any slower,” someone groans behind him. Now, old Brad would have made some remark, but he decides against it. He decides that today is a good day and that it's simply not worth it. So he turns around and sees that it was a woman in her early-twenties who had spoken earlier.

“What would you recommend?” Brad asks with a small smile on his lips. A blush covered the woman, making Brad laugh. She bites her lip and thinks about it. Brad’s eyes stay on her and he is now crossing his arms, waiting patiently for her to give her input. She studies him for a moment before she answers him.

“An iced caramel macchiato,” the woman croaks out. 

Brad then turns without giving her a second glance and loudly orders two iced caramel macchiatos, “one for the lady behind me.” As soon as he is done ordering he positions himself where the woman would see him. Although he was trying to be better, old habits die hard.

“I’m sorry about that,” the lady whispers, standing in front of him. He looks up, pretending that she had frightened him. Brad cocks his head, taking a good look at her. “It’s just that I’m already late for this meeting and you were taking a while to order.”

“You should’ve woken up earlier,” Brad lectures her. Well, so much for not acting like old Brad; he just couldn’t resist it. The lady nods her head and proceeds to stand next to him. The two of them remain silent, waiting for their drinks. She sniffles next to him and he can tell that she is sick. He notices the pack of tissues that are stuffed in her coat’s pocket and even though she has makeup on, Brad can tell that her nose is red.

“You should’ve said a medicine ball tea,” Brad says as he checks the time on his phone. The baristas are taking their time and he is losing his patience. He takes a deep breath, reminding himself that he was okay with time. She turns to him and sighs.

“Yeah… well I did order that for myself,” the lady confesses, “I kind of thought you were going to order both of the drinks and then leave me without any.”

He turns to her and lets out a laugh, “that's good. If it had been any other day, I probably would have done that. I’m trying to do better, plus I did take forever to order.” 

Her eyes soften up as she hears him talk. Brad notices this and can tell that she is no longer on edge. He is about to say something when the barista calls out his name and their drinks. Brad stands up, rubbing his hands together, he can taste the caramel on his lips already. He utters a quick thanks and strides back to the woman. Their hands touch for a moment as he hands her the coffee. He knows it’s nothing, but he can’t help but to smile at her. 

The woman breaks the little trance that he was in by coughing and now he’s disgusted. He hasn’t gotten sick in years and there he is, shaking hands with someone who clearly should not be going into work, nor a coffee shop.

“I’m sorry, but I really have to get going. Thank you for the coffee Brad,” the lady speaks softly as her eyes come across his name on the cup. 

“You haven’t gotten your medicine ball,” Brad points out. She shrugs and he steps aside and allows her to pass by. Brad stands inside the busy cafe, watching as the door swings and he is puzzled. He hadn’t gotten her name, but he’s certain of one thing: he has seen her before. 

He could wait for a name and a medicine ball to be called, but Brad decides against it. It’s a bit late and he has a meeting to attend to. 

.. 

Brad sighs as he opens a side door. He has taken the stairs once again and now he is out of breath. He hasn’t taken a sip out of the drink that the lady had recommended yet. He spots Jo and shoots a smile at her. The woman scrunches her face and continues walking to him.

“You’re sweaty Brad,” The blonde woman points out.

“No shit. I just walked up six flights of stairs,” Brad thinks to himself. He reminds himself to play nice and shoots her another smile.

“Are you seriously going to keep acting like that?” The blonde woman groans. She has grown tired of the way that Brad has been acting. Jo used to look up to Brad, they would scheme together and now he smiles at everyone. She sighs sadly at Brad, “what happened to you in prison?”

Brad laughs at her question, “nothing. I had a great time there. I’m just a changed man Jo.”

Jo says nothing and leaves Brad’s side. In a way, Jo is right; Brad has changed drastically within the last year. It was for a good reason though. He had become close to those who had worked around him (even if he didn’t show them) and his brother had come in and almost (using this term very loosely) ruined it. One night when he had been in his prison cell, Brad had come to the realization that he had been miserable and rude to those around him for no reason. So now that he is out, the man smiles at his peers, he sometimes helps others, and he is nice to strangers. Life is too short.

Brad slowly makes his way across the floor and hears the people around him chatter. He sits on a random couch to catch his breath. He decides to finally try his drink and a disappointed sigh comes out of his mouth, the macchiato is no frappe. It was no secret that he had a sweet tooth, maybe he should have told that information to the stranger. 

His thoughts are long forgotten and his eyes grow wide. He stands up and he sets down his disgusting coffee; inside the conference room stands the stranger. Brad quickly scans the room and she is standing next to a tall man. He observes them,  his eyes light up and he remembers who the man is. The guy was some twitch streamer– GeorgeNotFound. 

“What a stupid name,” Brad mutters to himself. He had seen some of his streams before, but he hated his streamer name. He had forgotten that Rachel had wanted to add streamers to the Mythic Quest campaign. That’s why Brad had recognized her! He had been researching George the day before, orders from Rachel, and she had been in some of his posts. His heart then drops as he remembers that he was supposed to be in that meeting. 

They seem to be discussing something and before he can think it through, Brad stands up straight and walks into the conference room. All eyes land on him and David lets out a squeak. “What are you doing here Brad?”

Brad ignores him, “Hello, I just wanted to officially introduce myself; I am Brad Bakshi.” He offers George and the stranger a smile. 

“Hello,” a nervous smile decorates the stranger’s face. She extends her hand, Brad shakes it happily. He can hear her sniffling– the coffee he had bought her probably making her more sick. A red tint covers her neck, letting him know that he has an effect on her. He can’t help but to smirk– he still has it. “I’m Y/N and this is George.”

“Well nice to meet you both,” Brad leans against a chair, “I hope you find Mythic Quest good.” He finds himself fixing his posture and his eyes remain on the stranger– Y/N. The woman opens her mouth, but before she can let out a word David begins speaking.

“Brad, please leave. We are having an important meeting and… your services are not needed.” The white man smiles, telling himself that he did good. Brad is about to argue that Rachel had wanted him to be there but ultimately decides no to. 

“Okie dokie. I’ll see you two around.” 

[fanmoose12]

Hi, I'm sending you a probably weird but funny prompt.

Hange us new to the apartment complex. When she's in the elevator a dark haired man calls out her name and of course she thinks someone's calling her but in reality this man had a brown tabby cat who entered the elevator and stared up at her. The man picks the cat up.

"Is your cat called Hange?" she asks suppressing a giggle.

The man narrows his eyes at her. "yes"

"Well, this is a coincidence. My name's Hange too."

The cat meows.

Hange is at her limit.

The long week, the mountains of boring, tedious assignments that Erwin has entrusted upon her have drained all of her energy, left her with little to no strength. There is just enough of it left for her to turn off the computer, compile all her notes into an uneven paper tower and shuffle out of the office (she'd never hear the end of it from Erwin if she spent yet another night behind her work desk). Her patience far too thin to deal with busses' irregular schedules, Hange hauls a taxi and soon arrives to the entrance of her apartment complex. She heads straight to the elevator, not even entertaining the idea of crossing all five flights of stairs tonight, all benefits of a regular cardio be damned, waits until the elevator opens its rusty doors before her and walks inside.

Her eyes shut closed, as soon as the doors of the elevator closes, and by the time the loud ding announces her arrival, Hange is already beginning to doze off.

Just a few more steps, she tries to encourage herself, as she walks out of the elevator and into the dark hallway leading to her apartment. The lonely bulb that flickers off and on is the only source of light in the hallway, Hange briefly thinks of complaining about it to the owner, but quickly comes to conclusion that it's a problem for another day.

She enters, makes no more than a couple of steps towards her apartment, when she hears,

"Hange! Hange, damn you, where did you go?"

Uh oh, Hange thinks, as the voice gets clearer, harder to ignore, you really did it this time, Zoe. You've really reached that point of exhaustion when hallucinations start to appear.

Oh well. At least, she knows it's a hallucination. It means that she's not going completely crazy. Yet.

Hange sighs, rubs her forehead with a palm, and promptly decides that it too is a problem for another day. She resumes her walking, and almost instantly - the voice appears again.

"Hange! Hange!"

Hange tries to ignore it, although it's hard - the voice is insistent, and, as the still functional part of her mind registers, vaguely attractive. It's a bit rough, and even though the tone is undeniably disgruntled, the voice is deep, husky and Hange...

Hange shuts that train of thought, mentally chastising herself. An auditory hallucination is a bad sign as it is, she really shouldn't deteriorate it further by wondering if her hallucination is handsome or not, lest she develops the visual hallucination as well.

"Hange! Come on, get out of here already. You make me look an idiot."

She sees him just as she approaches the front door of her apartment. The lightbulb flickers on right above her head, allowing Hange to take a good look. She sees a man - vaguely her age, with straight black hair, fair skin, high cheekbones and a jawline so sharp it can probably cut glass. Hange stares at him, blinking slowly, in utter awe, she really... She really hopes he's not a hallucination.

"Um?" Hange comes to stand next to him, her hand reaching out to his shoulder. "Why are you looking for me?"

The man recoils sharply, his eyes wide and startled as they meet her. "What?" he grits out, swiftly masking his suprise behind feigned nonchalance. "I'm not looking for you. I don't even know who you are."

"But..." Hange feels lost, but only for a moment. She shakes her head, returning her resolve. "Just now, you were calling out to me."

"I wasn't," he bluntly denies and doesn't even have the gull to blush while doing so. Hange isn't sure if she should be angry or impressed.

"You were! You were yelling 'Hange, Hange'! That's my name."

"Oh..." now, some sheepishness creeps into the man's features. "That's... That's also my cat's name. There she is, the brat."

Hange raises her eyes to where he's pointing at, sees an old wardrobe her neighbour can't be bothered to get rid off, and there, right on its top... sits a brown ball of fur. A cat. Named Hange.

Her exhaustion is probably to blame, but another beat of silence follows before she bursts into laughter. She grips her sides, uncaring of the man's heavy glare, and continues laughing, letting out the weeks of pent up frustration.

"Nothing funny about it," the man grumbles, arms crossed on his chest. "She refuses to get down from here."

When her mirth subdues a little, Hange takes another look at her new acquaintance, then turns back to the wardrobe. Oh, so that's the root of the problem - he's too short to reach the top of the wardrobe. Hange lets out another giggle at that thought.

She rises to her tiptoes, flashes a smug grin at the man, then takes the cat in her hands. The cat - Hange - doesn't even protest and settles down in the circle of her arms, immediately beginning to purr. Hange smiles, scratching behind cat's ear.

"Traitor," the man mutters. He extends his hands towards Hange, means to take the cat away from her, but Hange evades him gracefully.

"Uh huh," she tuts, pressing the cat closer to her chest. "Not so quickly. I want something in return."

The man gives her a critical look, the frown on his forehead deepens, but after a second of contemplating, he gives in. "And what do you want?"

"Your name," Hange says, and, feeling bolder, adds, "And a cup of coffee."

"Huh?"

"Well, it's only fair - you know my name already. And we must go on a date."

"Really?" the man rises his perfect eyebrow. "And why is that?"

Hange smiles. "Because your cat is named Hange and you lost it near my apartment. Clearly... it's fate."

In response to her brilliant deduction, she gets a mere roll of eyes. "It's just a coincidence."

"No, it's fate."

"Coincidence."

"Fate," Hange repeats, too stubborn to give up so easily.

"Coincidence," he shoots back, just as firmly.

"Fate!"

"Coincidence."

"Fate!"

"Coinci- ah, fuck it," frustated, he runs a hand through his hair, messing his previously neat hairdo. Hange stares at him in utter wonder, feeling hot all over. "Alright, I'll go on that date with you. Just give my cat back."

Hange's eyes begin to sparkle, smile blooms on her face. The cat continues to purr in her hands. "And your name? You promised it as well, remember?"

"I didn't promise shit," the man mumbles, but despite the grumpiness of his tone, his eyes soften. At least, Hange thinks they do. The poor lighting makes it very hard to tell. "But fine. It's Levi. Happy?"

"Ecstatic," she says, without an ounce of sarcasm. She really is happy. Still unbelievably tired, but... not nearly as beaten and bitter as before.

She hands Levi his cat with a smile, giggles when another Hange snuggles closer to her owner, and takes a step back, ready to finally enter her apartment and fall in a deep, deep slumber.

"Well... I'll be going," she lifts a hand, waves a bit at both Levi and his Hange. "Good night."

"Good night," Levi echoes, still not moving from his place. Strange... Hange thought he'd make a run for it as soon as he got his cat back. But he lingers, appearing almost shy. "Tomorrow night, at seven," he says at last, looking in her eyes with an uncertain expression. "I'll come to pick you up, alright?"

"I'll be waiting," Hange promises and quickly unlocks her front door, disappearing behind it to hide her burning cheeks and giddy smile.

She leans on the door for a bit, listens intently, waiting for the sound of Levi's retreating footsteps. Before she hears them, she hears something else - a quiet, but possibly fond snort. Then Levi walks away, and Hange finally heads to bed.

In those few minutes that she needs to fall asleep, she thinks about their meeting, about soft look in Levi's eyes, about his fond snort and comes to one possible correct conclusion: it definitely was fate.

[harvinder909]

Black Ox: A Natural Boost for My Performance and Wellbeing

For the past few months, I've been using Black Ox, an all-natural testosterone booster supplement, and I've been thoroughly impressed with the results. As a man in my late thirties, I started noticing a natural decline in energy levels and muscle mass. While I wasn't looking for a miracle cure, I was interested in finding a safe and effective way to support my overall health and fitness.

Revitalised Energy Levels

Before starting Black Ox, I often felt sluggish throughout the day, especially after work. Hitting the gym after a long day felt like a chore, and my workouts lacked their usual intensity. Black Ox has made a significant difference. Within a couple of weeks, I noticed a noticeable improvement in my energy levels. I felt more awake and focused throughout the day, and that renewed energy translated into my workouts. I started pushing myself harder in the gym, leading to better results and a more fulfilling workout experience.

Enhanced Strength and Stamina

The increased energy translated directly into improved strength and stamina. I could lift heavier weights for more reps, and my overall endurance during cardio sessions went up significantly. This newfound strength and stamina not only benefited my gym performance but also carried over into my daily activities. Simple tasks like carrying groceries or climbing stairs felt easier.

Natural and Safe Ingredients

One of the things that initially drew me to Black Ox was its focus on natural ingredients. The supplement contains a blend of herbs and extracts with a long history of use in promoting men's health, including ashwagandha, tongkat ali, and fenugreek. I appreciate that the ingredients are clearly listed on the label, allowing me to research them and feel confident about what I'm putting into my body.

Improved Overall Wellbeing

Beyond the physical benefits, I've also noticed a positive impact on my overall well-being. Black Ox seems to have helped manage stress levels, leading to a more positive and focused mindset. Additionally, I've experienced better sleep quality, which further contributes to feeling refreshed and energized.

Not a Magic Bullet

It's important to note that Black Ox isn't a magic bullet. I've seen the best results when I combine it with a healthy diet, regular exercise, and adequate sleep. However, Black Ox has definitely been a valuable addition to my routine, helping me achieve my fitness goals and feel my best overall.

Would I Recommend Black Ox?

Absolutely! If you're a man looking for a safe and natural way to support your testosterone levels, improve energy levels, and enhance your overall health and fitness, I highly recommend giving Black Ox a try. Just remember, for optimal results, it's important to maintain a healthy lifestyle alongside the supplement.

[sentimental-apathy]

Man, if I just had the physical healthiness it takes to physically get things done, my life would be so much better.

Like the economic circumstances would still be shitty but goddammit if I wasn't chronically uncomfortable and in pain so much and doing one simple physical task didn't diminish my entire stamina... my room would be clean, my laundry would be done, my bedroom would actually be the sanctuary space I've got designed in my mind and I could work extra shifts if my body could physically handle it. So much of what's wrong with my life is physical discomfort ALL the time and not having the stamina to deal with the discomfort and physical pain that comes with exertion. Not to mention not having access to genuinely good Healthcare that isn't designed to do bare minimum for high profits...

I just wanna have more energy. But so much of my energy is spent on simply dealing with pain and discomfort due to chronic arthritis, fibromyalgia, and nerve pain.

About 5 months ago I bought an elliptical machine real cheap on sale. It's sitting in a box in my parents garage because I am not capable of moving it upstairs. Nor am I physically capable of rearranging the furniture in my bedroom to make space for it. I need another family member's help moving big things. I am barely able to lift a 40lb bag of cat litter because of how much my body physically sucks. It sucks when you're slightly disabled and you get a piece of equipment that could potentially help better your condition (losing a bit of weight and getting some cardio exercise would lessen my chronic pain) but you need so much help from others to even get the equipment set up in the first place. I've deep cleaned my room a few times since I've gotten that elliptical but I often work weekends and my brother, the one who can help me rearrange furniture, works the days I'm off. And on the days off we have had allign, we've both been too physically exhausted from work that we procrastinate and put off what needs done (my brother works a very physically demanding factory job and I hate to ask for his physical help on his only 2 days off per week).

I've been applying to other jobs here and there but so far haven't had anything worthwhile. I'm certainly not going to leave 1 part time job for another when the one I have not only pays more but pays for my lunch and I love and get along well with all my colleagues and managers.

The thing is, I could work full time, IF I could PHYSICALLY get through a 8-10 hour shift 4 or 5 days at a time. I've made the unfortunate discovery, time and time again, that when I force my body to work past its breaking point, I end up hospitalized because I have lyme disease which flares up when I stress my body out too much. I inevitably stop sleeping, the chronic pain gets unbearable, and the next thing I know, I'm waking up in a psych ward because I stopped sleeping again due to too much physical and mental stress. It's extremely debilitating to deal with both physical AND mental illness that go hand in hand.

I honestly don't know what the answers or solutions to my problems are. I know losing some weight will help lessen the arthritic pain and so I've convinced myself this elliptical machine will change my life for the better. And I'm sure it will. But on the other hand, I also live in a society that, if I was ACTUALLY completely disabled, would not give me disability benefits without me literally hiring a lawyer to prove I'm "disabled enough" to qualify for help. One of my closest friends is on disability and gets less than $800/month. How does one survive on that?? How does anybody working 50+ hours/week just to pay for BASIC necessities like housing, food, and basic Healthcare NOT SEE HOW FUCKED THIS ALL IS? WHY ARE WE LIVING LIKE THIS????

I'm extremely privileged in that, for now, with my parents still alive and well off enough, I have housing. The truth is, I'd be homeless if it weren't for my family. I see so many people struggling constantly just to make ends meet. And I wish I could help. I wish we all had more. Just more in this life. I'm barely scraping by paying my bills monthly and I don't even have kids. If you're reading this and you're working yourself to the bone just to afford basics like housing and food... I'm so sorry that this society has failed us. I implore you though. Please vote in November. I know Biden is not our first choice by a looooong mile. But the alternative to him is literally a nightmare beyond comprehension for disabled people. Let alone disabled lgbtq people. Project 25 would mean no more almost free Healthcare for someone like me who's barely hanging on economically by a thread. Another 4 years of Biden gives us all time to continue recuperating from Trumps administration and hopefully pushes the left into more progressive stances. And 4 more years give us more time to find an even BETTER left candidate to take his place. Please vote. And vote blue.

[deathodil]

You didn't have a good day...

Dear Diary,

We both know that work today sucked and hurt your feelings. Maybe you feel unappreciated, maybe its the fear of change, but instead of focusing on what went wrong today let's look at what went right.

You took 10,000 steps already and you have 4 hours before bed. You have time to get a weight lifting session in on top of the two cardio workouts you did. Good job.

You ate some cute meals today and they were all high protein and under your calorie goal. Good job! You gotta fuel the body you want.

You took your collagen, washed your face, wore sunscreen. DAMN GIRL. Your skin routine is fire and you are reaping the benefits!

Remember, everyday won't be perfect, but there is always something good to be taken away from it if you reflect on the positives and not dwell on the bad. Now go enjoy your workout, you deserve it. ❤🖤❤🖤

With love,

Deathodil

[actuallyadhd]

I have ADHD and autism, so I stim a lot, & on days when I'm really hyperactive I stim non-stop and it's exhausting. I don't want to stop stimming cause it helps me to regulate my emotions & being hyperactive is kind of distressing for me, so I feel like stimming helps me manage emotionally. But its so tiring to stim constantly & I've actually had my hands & feet start hurting from moving them so much, and obviously that's not good for me either. Idk, do you have any suggestions? (thank you in advance!)

Sent April 27, 2023

It sounds like you may be in high-stress situations a lot of the time? I'd start there, honestly. See if you can find some ways to lower your stress levels so that you don't need to stim constantly.

One good way to help with stress AND hyperactivity is to do some cardio every day. It takes a while for effects to turn up, but once they do you should find things easier to deal with.

You may also benefit from trying different stims that won't hurt you so much. I'm not sure what you're doing now, but experiment and see what helps.

-J

Followers, do you have this problem? Have you got any tips for this anon?