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lover-of-skellies · 4 years ago

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The Union

I'm borrowing some headcanons from here, in case anyone wonders about that at all :P

Anyways, ye. This takes place after Nep and Lust have been together for a while. With some encouragement from Betta and Gill (and Charm), Nep's ready to move forward with his partner. All he's gotta do is make the offering/pop the question

The lake dweller let out a deep sigh, standing up to slip his shorts on. He was exhausted, especially after everything that had happened last night. Images flickered in his mind of his adorable partner leaning over him, his hands in the bedding on either side of his head. Nep couldn't help but smile softly, his cheekbones turning a faint shade of teal; his mate was so beautiful like that... his face flushed purple, heart shaped eye lights, and those oh-so-perfect ivory bones. He was gorgeous. Even in his sleep, Nep had thought he was gorgeous. Nothing would be able to change that, either.

A pair of smaller arms wrapped around him from behind, fingertips gently tracing along his sternum, and he arched a single brow bone as he heard Lust yawn. Laying his head on Nep's back, Lust's voice was still laced with sleepiness as he murmured, "Morning, Angel Fish... Did you sleep ok?" Smiling to himself again, Nep hummed in confirmation, "Mmhm... Sure did, Shortcake. I don't think I've slept that good for a while, actually. What about you?" The shorter of the two smiled tiredly, "I'm glad you slept so good. I think I slept pretty good too last night." Nep delicately took one of Lust's hands and raised it to his face, murmuring, "Good... I'm glad to hear it."

Pressing a soft kiss to the back of the other's hand, he let his teeth linger for a moment before turning to face his still half asleep partner. Tilting his head and sighing, he continued to smile, gently cupping Lust's face and leaning down to steal a quick kiss. As he pulled away, Lust whined, making a face, "Nuh uh, mister. If you're gonna kiss me, it's gotta be longer than that." Raising a single brow bone again and snorting in amusement, Nep mumbled a half hearted apology, his hand still on Lust's face as he leaned down again, gently kissing him.

As expected, Lust was happy to return the kiss, his cheekbones dusting a pretty shade of violet as he pressed closer to Nep. Feeling the tip of Lust's tongue trace over his teeth, Nep pulled away from the kiss, his grin widening as he took a playful tone, "Babe... What was that?" The smaller of the two shrugged, clearly still tired yet, "What do you mean?" The lake dweller hummed, "I felt your tongue on my teeth. Just what are you tryna do, short stuff?"

Lust cuddled up to Nep, content as the taller wrapped his arms around him, "Maybe I wanted to make out with you a little." Nep laughed softly, his cheekbones turning a light shade of teal, "Lust, Sweetheart... Baby doll. You literally just woke up. If you wanna make out, we can do that later. 'Sides, we have some stuff to do today anyway." Lust let out a tired, exaggerated sigh, "Fiiiiiine. What are we doing today though? You didn't tell me we had plans." The taller skeleton made a soft sound of acknowledgement, "Yeeeeah, I know I didn't. It's a surprise though, I didn't wanna ruin it for ya."

Lust smiled tiredly, "Awe... Well look at you, being Mr. Romantic." Nep playfully scoffed, his tone clearly teasing, "Me, romantic? Pffft. In case you've forgotten, I'm still a human eater. A cold, soulless being like me has no idea what romance even is." Arching a brow bone, Lust hummed, an amused look on his face, "Uh huh, sure. For someone who's apparently cold and soulless, you sure do love it when I scratch the underside of your jaw. I had you purring last night when I did that, remember? And you were so cute, too."

Nep felt a rush of heat to his face and he flicked his tongue at his partner, only causing the shorter of the two to laugh softly. Lightly nudging Lust back toward the bed, the lake dweller made a face, "Yeah yeah, sure, whatever. How about you get dressed now so we can start the day?" Lust took a step backward, shamelessly stretching his arms above his head, "What? I thought you liked seeing me naked like this." Nep groaned, trying not to let his gaze wander over the other's body, "God, yes, I do. Ya damn well know it, Sweetheart. You gotta put some clothes on, or I have a feelin' we'll be down here for a while yet. You don't want my bro comin' down here and seeing you like this, do ya?"

Immediately noticing Nep attempting not to let his eyes wander, Lust smiled and hummed softly, "No, I suppose not. That'd be pretty awkward, in all honesty." The lake dweller made a sound of agreement, "My point exactly." Lust began to gather his clothes, shooting a final glance at his partner before beginning to get dressed. It wasn't long before both skeletons were ready to head out, making their way to the bunker's exit. As if he was trying to show off, Nep was quick to open the ridiculously heavy looking door by himself, holding it in place as Lust slipped past him. Once Lust was out of the way, he released the door and pushed it shut, re-implementing some of his magic to act as a lock.

They found their way back to the lake where Nep usually stayed, and after a short pause and some discussion, they agreed on returning to Lust's home to have their breakfast. Which, from Nep's perspective, was perfect. Crossing into Underlust and trudging through the snow toward the smaller skeleton's house, Nep stole a glance down at their hands, gently clasped with their fingers intertwined as they walked. His cheekbones became a faint shade of teal and he glanced at Lust's face, unable to keep himself from smiling sheepishly; now, all he could do was hope and pray that everything went according to plan.

As they stepped up onto Lust's doorstep, Nep slipped his hand out of his mate's grasp, instead opting to loop his arm around his waist, tugging him flush against his side. Lust let out a soft sound, clearly a bit surprised, and the taller monster offered a soft apology, pressing a kiss to the top of his skull. Of course, he was forgiven. All Lust asked for was a kiss before they went inside.

They shared a quick kiss before slipping into the warm, well lit home, which smelled of fresh bread. In response to the smell, Nep heard his stomach grumble, and his cheekbones dusted teal again as Lust cast a glance up at him and chuckled, having heard the sound. On the couch, Betta was curled up with a pillow, lightly leaning against Gill. Surprised to see the younger brother of his mate present, Lust cleared his throat, politely greeting the monster in question as they emerged into the living room.

Gill happily returned the greeting, and had it not been for Betta murmuring something to him, he appeared as though he would've leapt off the sofa to capture his elder brother and Lust in a bear hug. Nep excused himself, heading off to the kitchen where he knew Charm could be found.

Stepping past the kitchen threshold, Nep cleared his throat, "Hey buddy, we finally made it." Looking up from the pot of chili that sat on the stovetop before him, Charm offered the lake dweller a polite smile, "HELLO, NEPTUNE. IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN." Nep smiled sheepishly, glancing around the kitchen, "Yeah, you too. So... how's this gonna work out? Are we eating and then doin' the thing after, or?..." The UnderLust skeleton shrugged his shoulders, amusement flickering in his sockets, "WE CAN DO WHATEVER WORKS BEST FOR YOU. I KNOW THAT TO YOU AND YOUR BROTHER, THE OFFERING OF FOOD HOLDS A DIFFERENT MEANING THAN IT DOES TO MY BROTHER AND MYSELF. I... WOULDN'T WANT TO IMPOSE ON YOU OR SPOIL ANYTHING, SO IT'S YOUR CALL."

Nep let out a deep sigh, his cheekbones gaining a soft teal blush again as he smiled slightly, "Thanks, Charm... The consideration means a lot. Seriously. It's just... I don't think I've ever been this nervous in my life before, and I dunno what I should do." The taller of the two checked his pot of chili a final time before switching off the stove, sighing as he approached the lake dweller and placed a hand on his shoulder, "I UNDERSTAND, MY FRIEND. IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO TO HELP CALM YOUR NERVES?"

Nep was silent for a moment in thought before shaking his head, his voice softer than before, "I dunno... I guess I... What if he won't accept it? What if he says no?" Charm offered the shorter monster a gentle smile, lowering his voice, "Don't Worry So Much About That, Neptune. I'm Sure He'll Accept It. He's My Brother, And Seeing As I Know Him So Well, I Know How Much He Loves You. It's Clear Every Time You're Together, And He's Always Talking About You Whenever He's Chatting With One Of His Gossip Friends."

His blush darkened slightly further upon hearing Charm's words, and he nodded sheepishly, momentarily closing his sockets. Opening them again and releasing a deep sigh, he looked up at this AUs Papyrus, smiling nervously, "Thanks, buddy... That means a lot. I uh... Did you leave the container where I left it yesterday?" The skeleton in question eagerly nodded, smiling brightly, "OF COURSE I DID! I TAKE IT WE'RE DOING THAT FIRST, THEN EATING AFTER?"

Humming in confirmation, the lake dweller slipped past him and knelt on laminated floor, opening a cupboard, "Yep. Hopefully I don't chicken out or anything now." As he began to dig through the cupboard, Charm playfully scoffed and waved off his words, "YOU, CHICKENING OUT? I HIGHLY DOUBT YOU'D DO SUCH A THING." Nep laughed softly, tugging out a plastic container after a moment, "Yeah, yeah... That's a dumb thought, isn't it?"

Charm made a sound of agreement, taking a step back as Nep stood, nudging the cupboard door shut with his foot and setting the container on the counter. Opening it just enough to slip his hand in and withdraw the slightly dried and hardened piece of bread used to keep his offering fresh overnight, he looked everything over, and then tossed the bread in the nearby trashcan. He was still for a moment, before opening the container and completely removing the lid, setting it on the counter and revealing a batch of cookies. Lifting the container, he held it close to himself, his still flushed face becoming a slightly brighter shade of teal as he smiled sheepishly at Charm, "Oh boy, here we go... Wish me luck, pal." Charm offered him a reassuring smile accompanied by two thumbs up, and Nep began to slowly head for the open doorway, letting out a deep, almost shaky sigh.

Exiting the kitchen, he made a beeline for the living room, momentarily pausing in the doorway upon seeing that his mate was nowhere in sight. Meeting his gaze, Betta tilted her head and smiled, wordlessly nodding toward the stairs. Easily understanding what she was telling him, he offered her a grateful smile in return, changing his course and now proceeding to make his way to the staircase.

He ascended them in silence, wandering down the hall until he was just outside Lust's bedroom. Shifting the container of cookies with one hand and hiding them behind his back, he drew in a deep breath, releasing it as an equally deep exhale, before raising his free hand to lightly knock on the closed door. Only a few seconds passed in silence before he could hear Lust calling out from the other side of the door, "Yeah?"

Nep began to fidget, unable to stand still, "Hey Shortcake, it's me... Can I come in?" Lust's voice gained a light, cheerful tone as he replied, "Mmhm, you can come in if you want. You don't even have to knock, you dork." Nep smiled slightly and chuckled, grasping and twisting the doorknob before gently nudging open the door.

Slipping inside and nudging it shut behind himself, he tightened his grip on the container that remained hidden behind his back, his blush immediately darkening as he was greeted by the sight of his mate. Lust stood beside his bed, now wearing a clean pair of skinny jeans and a baggy tank top, some of his bones appearing slightly damp while droplets of water dripped from others. Ah, so he must've had a quick shower.

Looking up as Nep slowly approached him, a smile settled on Lust's face and he playfully arched a single brow bone, his tone teasing, "What are you hiding behind your back, mister? Is it part of the surprise you brought up this morning?" The taller of the two nodded sheepishly, his cheekbones still stained a deep shade of teal as he smiled slightly, "Well... Yeah, you could say that."

With a brow bone still arched, Lust hummed softly, "May I see what it is?... I'm assuming that's why you brought it in here, at least." Nep fidgeted again, his blush visibly darkening as he slipped the container of cookies out from behind himself, holding it out and offering it to Lust. The shorter monster blinked in surprise, his cheekbones gaining a soft violet blush. He was quiet for a moment before speaking again, "Did you make these, Neptune?... By yourself?"

The lake dweller nodded, sheepishly glancing away and mumbling, "Uh huh... I did." Lust fell silent again, and Nep began to worry, his gaze almost pleading as he watched his mate. Recalling what he'd been told by Betta and Gill, Lust felt heat rush to his face, his soft blush darkening before Nep's eyes. Understanding what was happening, Lust smiled shyly, reaching out to accept the offering, taking a cookie from the container.

Watching as Lust took a bite of the cookie, Nep's sockets widened in shock, teal tears threatening to drip down his cheekbones. Setting the container on Lust's bed, he wrapped his arms around his partner, holding him close and letting out a shaky sigh of relief as a smile began to slowly stretch across his face.

Though still just as embarrassed and shy as before, Lust finished the bit of cookie in his mouth and then lifted what was left of it, offering it to Nep. Despite the purr that began to rumble somewhere within his chest, he opened his mouth, being careful not to accidentally graze Lust's fingers as he took a bite of the cookie. They continued to share the goodie, until it was gone and Lust retrieved another, happily sharing it with the lake dweller just as they'd done before. Nep hummed softly, mindful of the containers location as he backed his mate up against the edge of his bed. He allowed Lust to finish what was left of his cookie, before proceeding to gently push him down onto his back on the bed, leaning over him and kissing him deeply. Happily returning the kiss, Lust smiled into it, a purple tear rolling down his face as he parted his teeth, allowing Nep to slip his ecto tongue into his mouth. Their tongues met and danced to some unheard rhythm, twisting and curling together, never losing contact.

As the lake dweller slowly pulled away, he began to purr just as loudly as before, gently nuzzling Lust's cheekbone and pressing a soft kiss to his temple, murmuring to him, "God... You make me really happy, y'know that? So, so fuckin' happy." Lust laughed softly, delicately cupping Nep's face, "And You make me happy too, Neptune. Really." Nep leaned into his touch, briefly closing his sockets and simply breathing in his mate's scent. Lust's eye lights flickered, becoming small hearts as he gazed up at his partner in adoration, his soul swelling with joy.

A moment passed before Nep sighed, pulling away from Lust and standing up. Lust sat up, his face stained with his purple blush still as he continued smiling, letting out a soft squeak in surprise as he was scooped up into Nep's arms, instinctively wrapping his arms around his taller partner's neck vertebrae. Grinning to himself as he carried his mate toward the door, Nep's face gained more teal blush, a single tear rolling down his cheek. Reaching up to gently wipe away the tear, Lust smiled softly as Nep turned his head, gently kissing his hand.

Now all that was left to do was to share the good news. The news that very soon, they would be married. Nep could hardly believe it; when he was cursed and turned into what he was now, the deity had told him he'd be horrifying, and essentially unlovable. Maybe he was still horrifying sometimes, but if there was one thing he wasn't, it would be unlovable.

#undertale #undertale au #underlust #underlust au #underlust sans #underlust papyrus #lust sans #charm papyrus #nep.exe #gill.exe #betta.exe #fluff #X3 #writing #and yes #i'm making nep x lust canon now #so yay

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melmac78 · 5 years ago

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Sentence Starters: Why International Rescue has a “no food gifts” policy.

(Dedicated to @gumnut-logic who chose the sentence starters and person involved. Set just before or early days of International Rescue.)

“Leave! Me! Alone!” said the tall, dark figure panicked as he took another step back that early fall evening.

“Virgil, you’re not well. Please move away from the cliff,” said a gentle voice in front of him.

The younger man paled at the sight in front of him. The figure - Scott, looked like he was half man, half eagle... with colbalt blue eyes.

“N..no, just s-stay there,” said Virgil, taking a small step back.

Scott put his hands up, “OK... I’ll stay back,” said the man glancing sideways.

Virgil looked and saw what appeared to be a red squirrel in a space suit. “Leave! Me! Alone!” he shouted again. “Stay away from me freaks!”

The squirrel tiled his head and puffed out his cheeks. “Virgil, calm down! It’s us, Scott and John,” said the astronaut in his calm, dispatch type voice he used normally in Thunderbird Five.

Seeing Virgil’s glazed, wild-eyed look, John softly sighed. *Never thought we’d have this type of trip in New Mexico,* he mused about the rescue as he put his hands up.

“Please Virgil, I know you think we’re animals, but we only want to keep you from getting hurt,” he said gently. Seeing Virgil pause for thought, he continued. “Come to us, please ...”

The mechanic started to see John more as who he said he was... just oddly surrounded in a mix of tie-dye colors and wearing a NASA patched loincloth ... leaving very little to the imagination.

Turning to Scott, he saw another, funnier image.

Virgil chuckled, to their confusion. “John, you’ve gone hippie dippy...” he said laughing. “You! Only you could find a space loincloth.”

Seeing a happier brother, the astronaut smiled and flipped the peace sign. “Yeah, feelin’ ... uh... groovy. Want to join me?” He said.

Virgil smiled and nodded. “Yeah, just no streaking like Scott there,” he said. “Really bro, put some pants on.”

“So long as you join us,” said Scott, smiling.

He and John would’ve laughed if Virgil wasn’t about five feet in front of a 1,000-foot sheer drop off cliff.

The second eldest took a few steps toward the two, starting to remove his baldric.

He was within 10 feet of his brothers and safety when he heard a sound behind him.

Turning, he recoiled in horror. “King cobra!” He shouted at the figure behind him. He saw the sandy figure appear to coil back to strike with its one fang.

Instead, Virgil out of self preservation, performed a roundhouse kick, hitting it in the jaw. The form crumpled, fight leaving it.

“Gordon!” said Scott, starting to head toward the senseless man.

Virgil however didn’t see either and started to back away - again toward the cliff.

John paled, reaching for his grapple gun as a last resort.

The raven haired man however had turned to the cliff, now seeing it as an soothing waterfall.

Virgil smiled as he went to the edge again. Looking down, he saw not the sharp rocks, but an inviting pool.

“Come on guys! Let’s go swimming,” he said as he edged even closer for the dive.

He heard shouts, but he wasn’t listening.

A near piercing howl however stopped him.

“Stop! No Virg!” shouted... barked, a voice making Virgil turn at the new sound.

He saw a golden retriever with pleading blue eyes. “A puppy?” said Virgil, stepping away from the cliff to the whimpering figure several yards away from the edge.

The “puppy” then fell to its knees, as though curling up in pain. “You’re hurt,” Virgil said softly, hearing more whimpers.

The man kneeled toward the puppy, Alan, who was actually sobbing in fear but also relief that Virgil listened. “Please don’t cry,” said Virgil, running a hand through his hair.

Alan, who was still scared, whimpered. “You were going to jump off a d-dangerous cliff...” he said, hugging his brother. “Don’t jump...”

Virgil, not really feeling his brother’s arms, just gathered Alan in to himself, as though an owner hugging a pet. “There, there, pup... I won’t. If you say it’s dangerous, it’s dangerous,” he said, burying his face in Alan’s hair.

There was a gentle rustle near the duo, making Virgil and Alan look up.

Virgil narrowed his eyes in confusion. “John... look what I found,” he said gesturing to Alan. “I found a puppy. Can we keep him?”

John and Scott, tending to Gordon, looked at each other, but didn’t correct him. “We see, and yes, you can keep him,” said Scott. “Listen, why don’t you let John take the puppy to Thunderbird Two, OK?” he said.

Virgil thought for a moment, worrying his brothers, but then nodded. Alan stood up and let himself be led by John to the ship. He was growing tired anyway, best not squish the puppy if he fell over.

He then looked at Scott, who was tending to Gordon. “What happened to Alan?” said Virgil.

“Long story,” said Scott as Gordon stirred, rubbing his jaw.

The aquanaut looked up, and recoiled. “Easy Alan, you will be OK,” said Virgil, growing a bit more confused.

Gordon looked at Scott perplexed, but seeing a slight shake of the eldest’s head, nodded in understanding.

“Yeah, I will be,” he said instead, slowly standing up. “Ready to head home?”

Virgil nodded, and the trio headed back well away from the cliff.

As they walked, Virgil grew more and more fatigued, as though his legs were rubber.

The sight of his Thunderbird brought him a joy, but another sensation, almost trepidation, a cold sweat across his brow.

A clarity of what was coming next.

Oh no.

“Scott... I’m sorry,” he said quietly, with a small hitched breath.

The eldest paused and looked at his immediate younger brother. “There’s no need to be. We think you’ve been drugged,” he started.

What he got in response was unexpected.

“No, I’m sorry... I’m going to faint,” he said, and promptly followed through with his statement.

888888

The next things Virgil was conscious of was the thin cushions of Thunderbird Two’s Medical bay stretchers.

Next, he was aware of a growing headache.

He had an IV in his arm, and had been stripped to his underwear.

The lack of clothing bothered him: either he was on the really good stuff after being injured... or something else happened.

“You want the short or long story,” said a slightly pained voice to his right.

Turning to his left, he saw Gordon on a stretcher as well, icing his jaw with a slightly shivering Alan nearby.

“What happened to you,” said the older man.

“You, my dear Virgil Tracy, have a nasty roundhouse kick,” he said dryly. Alan however was oddly quiet, not following up on the tease.

That woke Virgil up. “I kicked you?!”

“Yep, but it and confusing me with Alan is not your fault...,” Gordon said wryly. Seeing Virgil furrow his brow, confused, Gordon continued. “You were high as a kite.”

The older man did a double take. “I was drugged?” said Virgil.

John, having heard the conversation, stepped forward. “Yep. Somehow peyote got into your system,” he said. “We stripped you in case it was via a wound, but you’re uninjured.”

“Peyote,” repeated Virgil. “What’s that?”

“It’s a small, spineless cactus with psychoactive alkaloids, particularly mescaline,” the astronaut explained. “Made you hallucinate us as some twisted animals, and at one point Scott and me as... hippies.”

Virgil turned to Gordon, starting to put things together. “What did I see you as?”

“A king cobra. I was trying to sedate you when you were distracted with the thought John and Scott were hippies,” he said. “Instead, it’s me down with a bruised jaw.”

Virgil, surprised Gordon didn’t continue with a tease, looked at John. “It was worse than animals wasn’t it?”

John opened his mouth to speak when Alan finally spoke up. “You nearly jumped off a cliff, thinking there was a pool there” he said quietly, walking toward Virgil’s stretcher. “You frightened me Virg. If you hadn’t thought I was a puppy...”

Alan’s voice trailed off as he hugged his brother, sobbing again.

Virgil gathered his arms around his brother, hugging him tightly. “Shush, Alan. I’m OK,” he said, running a hand through the youngest’s hair. “You made sure of it.”

John watched the second eldest comfort his brother and continued. “After we got you to safety, you let me take care of the ‘puppy’ and went with Gordon and Scott to Two,” he said.

Gordo quirked a half smile. “And kindly apologized to Scott for passing out on him... before actually doing so,” he said. “I tell you what, that was unnerving.”

The older man shuddered at the image and story. “The whole thing is,” said Virgil who turned to John. “So do we know how I was drugged?”

The astronaut nodded, picking up a bag. “You ingested it. Scott found these,” he said.

“The brownies I got from that couple we rescued from the rockfall?” he said, confused. “We’ve never had a problem with gifts before.”

The astronaut nodded. “I know, but we scanned them and they have peyote. Scott contacted them to ask, and they apologized for giving you the wrong bag,” he said. “It was for a celebration...”

Virgil frowned as the headache intensified slightly. “How can that stuff make you feel good celebrating?” He said, wincing and rubbing his eyes.

“It is legal for some religious ceremonies... but they don’t qualify,” said Gordon. “They were arrested for possession.”

Seeing Virgil about to protest, John put a hand up. “Law is the law Virgil. They are accepting the punishment, especially after what occurred,” he said.

Virgil then frowned. “What about me?”

“You are seen as an accidental contact via injury during the rescue - they insisted it was one to protect you,” said John, clearing his throat. “There’s just one more thing... Scott’s implemented a rule we’re to NEVER accept food from folks again.”

His immediate brother paused at the thought to counter the issue, but nodded in agreement.

“No kidding. It was an accident here, next time it might not,” said Virgil, looking at his brothers. “Thank you for saving my life.”

The others smiled and either hugged him, gave a pat on the shoulder or, in the case of an eavesdropping Scott, gave a chuckle.

Seeing John in particular again however, Virgil couldn’t resist one more question. “Hey John?”

“Yes?”

“Do you have a loincloth with NASA patches on it, or am I imagining things?” he said curiously,

The ginger haired man glared. “No I do not!” He said indignantly.

Alan and Gordon however chuckled, making John groan. “Don’t you dare puppy and cobra,” he said.

The two only laughed harder, and, seeing Virgil join in on the humor, John conceded one point: better them laughing at his plaint then a much different outcome they almost had.

#thunderbirds are go #thunderbirds are go fanfic

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fitnesshealthyoga-blog · 6 years ago

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New Post has been published on https://fitnesshealthyoga.com/beautycounter-lead-conference-recap-the-fitnessista/

Beautycounter LEAD Conference Recap - The Fitnessista

and WE SAW MICHAEL BUBLÉ.

(I’m not even going to hide my creeper status. And don’t worry, my mouth didn’t actually touch the poster.)

Hi friends! How’s the morning going? I’m just getting back from a whirlwind trip to Phoenix for the Beautycounter LEAD conference… and to see Michael Bublé, my favorite ever.

I got into Phoenix on Thursday morning, and met up with Arsy and Tina at the adorable Airbnb where we’d be staying. It was my first Airbnb experience and I was beyond impressed with the whole thing.

Check out the cuteness!

It was in a neighborhood filled with unique older houses, and they completely gutted and redid the interior. The wood floors and tiling in the bathroom were gorgeous, along with exposed brick, modern art, and unique touches (like the book selection in each bedroom).

Arsy surprised us with little goodie bags on each of our beds, with Hu chocolates, travel Cote nail polishes, Bee’s wrap, the best hair ties, a Beautycounter pen, and a sweet card. She also stocked the fridge with some healthy essentials, cold brews, and waters.

I’ve been working with Arsy for almost 3 years and it was my first time meeting her in person. Of course, she was just as kind and lovely as I expected, and I had such a great time hanging out with her and Tina all weekend.

Thursday night, we had our team dinner at True Food, and then Friday morning, it was straight into the official festivities. We had quite a few sessions on Friday, and each one left me feeling more inspired, motivated, and grateful that I’ve had the opportunity to work for such a respected and innovative company. (Beautycounter is the #1 Googled beauty brand of 2018 and the top clean skincare brand in the world.) They generally care for the health of all living beings on this planet, and are constantly working to impart change in the beauty industry, which is severely unregulated. The last federal safety law for cosmetics was passed in 1938!! We’re actively working to get this changed and make clean products accessible to everyone. This means no matter what store you go to and what brand you purchase, you should be able to have have the confidence that they were manufactured without endocrine disrupters, known carcinogens, and harmful preservatives.

My very favorite quote from the weekend:

– The greatest gift you can give anyone who loves you is your own wellbeing

While there was a lot of motivational talk, they also addressed burnout and importance of paying attention to what truly matters: your family, your health, and your relationships. I love how much they emphasized balance and taking the time to share your life with those you love and make yourself a priority.

We also had the opportunity to hear Gregg Renfrew speak. She’s our CEO and the Founder of Beautycounter and she’s so.darn.real. The entire room of 1700 was captivated the entire time she was talking. She was so encouraging, humble, and generously shared her knowledge and inspiration with us all.

They also had some pretty solid snack breaks and lunch in between the presentations. 🙂

Friday afternoon, the Pilot picked us up from the conference and we headed to the house to get ready for the evening. The girls went to another team dinner at a downtown hotel, while the Pilot and I enjoyed a sushi date at Moira Sushi before Michael Buble.

(Shoes are here // dress is here — got it from Rent the Runway and was so pumped it actually fit. I feel like it’s so hard to tell what will work from the sizing but the S was just right)

We arrived at the arena, ordered wine in a can for me + beer for him, walked to our awesome seats (!) and I buckled up for the best concert experience of my life. I’m a HUGE Michael Bublé fan – I sporadically listen to his music all year and just switch to his Christmas album for November and December – so I was expecting a lot, but it was beyond anything I could have imagined. His perfect voice, the set design, the orchestra, his backup singers, everything. Just.SO.freaking.good.

(He started off with “Feelin’ Good” and I screamed like a teenager at a BTO concert.)

#1) He is HILARIOUS. He was cracking a ton of jokes in between songs, many of which were gloriously inappropriate, and the Pilot and I were laughing our faces off. I had to keep myself from breaking into the full-on dinosaur cry during Home and one of his newer songs, Forever Now. If you want to get a glimpse of what I was feeling, listen to the song, and then picture in your mind a child’s bedroom and how it changes from when they’re born (a nursery with sweet printed wallpaper, a crib, and a rocker) until they MOVE out (a large bed and a room strewn with moving boxes, to completely empty room). That’s what they flashed on the arched screen above the stage and I think they pretty much wanted to pull my heart out of my body. Of course, all of his lighthearted jokes and the fact that he doesn’t take himself too seriously kept me from crying too hard.

2) He is so grateful to all of his supporters. Multiple times he thanked us for spending our money and our time to be at his concert. He said that his supporters lifted their family while they went through something absolutely heartbreaking, and was so heartfelt and genuine in thanking the audience. You can just tell he’s a really good guy.

3) I tried to meet him but I failed. So here’s the thing, in college and my early 20s, I got backstage after concerts if I wanted to meet the band or singer. It’s not because I’m cool or had a VIP pass, but I’d just casually go to the side of the stage and ask security if I could just go back and get a photo with whomever. You’d think it would be a fail but it worked every time! I would just be chill about it and I think they saw a young non-threteaning kid and were like, “Go. Live your dream.” I didn’t know if I would work for Michael Bublé because, I don’t know, I’m like 15 years older now, BUT I figured this was my only chance and went for it. Unfortunately, they did all of the meet and greets before the show, not after. So when I went to ask if I could pleeeeeease go back and take a pic, security told me they did all of that stuff earlier. It’s NBD, but I did try. #shameless #dontcurr

The Pilot and I stayed at Westin, which was lovely, and then Saturday morning, we grabbed a quick breakfast at Coronado (a cute vegetarian cafe!) before he hit the road back to Tucson and I headed back to the conference.

I got there just in time to learn about the new products from our Product Development team, and get excited! There’s so much good stuff on the way, including a face cream that supposed to feel luxurious and gorgeous like La Mer, but with clean ingredients. So pumped about this! I’ll definitely share more info when it’s on the way, but our new line was modeled after Asian skincare rituals (yas yas yassss) and is going through clinical and client trials now. I’ll also have the chance to try it out before it’s released and will absolutely share my experience.

Beautycounter is also transitioning to more glass, less plastic, and are going to include refill options.

We attended sessions on social media and coaching, and then had a delicious lunch.

When I left the conference, I felt energized and excited to implement various action plans in my team and with my business. As you guys know, I’m very particular about brand alignments. For everyone I say, “Yes” to, there are at least 20-30 “No, thank you”. When I first joined Beautycounter, I knew I liked the products and I loved their mission to get safer products into the hands of everyone. I didn’t know that it was so much more than that, and that it would have such a huge positive impact on my life and business.

(Jumpsuit is here // shoes are here. Jumpsuit is also from Rent the Runway and I wish I could have kept it!)

Behind this mission, there are thousands of women working hard to change the beauty industry, sharing the products with those they love, and taking their success into their own hands.

I was so thankful to FINALLY meet Teri, who feels like my BFF after all of these years and I still hadn’t met in person! I also got to chat with Lexi, Juli, Cassy, and so many lovely women on our team.

Having this blog has been one of the biggest blessings in my life because it’s enabled me to connect with a motivating, incredible community of women (and dudes!). One of the best parts: I can do it anywhere! As a military wife, this was critical since we were moving every 2 years or so, which this makes it very hard to get and keep a traditional job. Beautycounter gives that same flexibility to those who want to work on their own schedule, wherever they want, and carve their own path. It has been one of the best things I’ve added to my business, and it’s fun, easy, and I get to meet with connect with new people. The money potential is bananas – if you want to talk about it, please email me – and it’s cool to be able to make an income while supporting a company that’s championing for change. If you’d like to make a transition to safer skincare products, or a tiny voice is telling you that consulting may be for you, please email me: [email protected]

Well, I’m off to unpack my suitcase, only to RE-pack it for a short trip to Portland for a brand meeting. I hope you have a happy Monday!

Gina

Tell me, friends: first concert experience? If you could see anyone live, who would it be?! My first concert was Boyz II Men in 5th grade. “Motown Philly back again….” Also, has anyone met Michael Buble?! Please tell me everything.

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jonasmaurer · 6 years ago

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Beautycounter LEAD Conference Recap

and WE SAW MICHAEL BUBLÉ.

(I’m not even going to hide my creeper status. And don’t worry, my mouth didn’t actually touch the poster.)

Hi friends! How’s the morning going? I’m just getting back from a whirlwind trip to Phoenix for the Beautycounter LEAD conference… and to see Michael Bublé, my favorite ever.

Check out the cuteness!

My very favorite quote from the weekend:

– The greatest gift you can give anyone who loves you is your own wellbeing

They also had some pretty solid snack breaks and lunch in between the presentations.

(Shoes are here // dress is here — got it from Rent the Runway and was so pumped it actually fit. I feel like it’s so hard to tell what will work from the sizing but the S was just right) 8883621234

(He started off with “Feelin’ Good” and I screamed like a teenager at a BTO concert.)

Beautycounter is also transitioning to more glass, less plastic, and are going to include refill options.

We attended sessions on social media and coaching, and then had a delicious lunch.

(Jumpsuit is here // shoes are here. Jumpsuit is also from Rent the Runway and I wish I could have kept it!)

Behind this mission, there are thousands of women working hard to change the beauty industry, sharing the products with those they love, and taking their success into their own hands.

Well, I’m off to unpack my suitcase, only to RE-pack it for a short trip to Portland for a brand meeting. I hope you have a happy Monday!

Gina

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