#best takeaway app

[katsu28]

slow down, be here

pairing: lando norris x reader

summary: after a long, frustrating day of training, a night in with you is just what lando needs to leave it all in his rearview mirror (2.4k)

warnings: teensy but of swearing, reader is in university but major is unspecified, lando being a certified menace

a/n: i was gonna post this sometime next week but the lando girlies (aka me) need some comfort after today's shitshow. may or may not have been entirely inspired by that video of lando in the white singlet. that look (however fleeting) did things to me okay

You’re sitting at the kitchen counter when you hear Lando’s key in the door, one leg drawn up towards your chest, the other swinging aimlessly as you revise your notes last minute. 

Well, more specifically, when you hear him drop his keys on the floor in search of the correct one right before he inserts it into the lock. You’ve loved him and lived with him long enough to know it’s something he does everyday without fail. Whether it’s because he’s got clumsy hands or he’s Pavloved himself into dropping them at the same spot, you don’t think too much about it. The key drop signals that Lando is home. 

What also signals that he’s home is the way he lets out the strangest sound you’ve ever heard as he lets the door swing shut behind him after he’s let himself in—something between a sigh and a whine mixed with a guttural groan. 

“In here!” You call, taking the cap of your pen out from between your teeth. It only takes a few seconds until Lando emerges from the hallway, socked feet dragging himself towards where you’re sitting with a soft smile aimed at his rumpled state. “Hi, love.” 

He plops down on the stool next to you unceremoniously, hooking his foot under the bar of yours to tug you as close as possible to him on instinct. His chin finds the dip between your neck and shoulder to nestle into, and the deflating sigh he lets out once he’s situated himself to his liking sends a shiver through you. “Hi.” He mumbles, voice muffled. 

“Heard you’ve had quite a day.” You stroke a hand over his curls, smoothing them away from his forehead gently. Oscar had shot you a heads up text a little bit before Lando had arrived, saying that Lando might seem a bit put out when he got home. Something about a handful of tests not going the way they wanted, strategies not working out the way they planned. It sounds like enough to drive anyone crazy, but Lando is the type of person to take things especially hard. 

Lando lets out a vague sound of acknowledgement. You can tell he’s exhausted and frustrated, and you know exactly what he needs to wind down after days like these. “I’ll order takeaway for dinner. You go shower. It’ll probably be here by the time you finish up.” 

He gives a more content sigh this time, pressing a kiss to your pulse point. The tips of his hair tickle your cheek as he does so. “You’re a gem, darling.” 

“Tell me something I don’t know.” You tease, pushing him away playfully. He’s smiling big at you when you meet his gaze, something beyond fondness behind his eyes despite the tiredness as he does. “What?” 

“I love you.” 

“Love you too, stinky. Now go. Wash up before I make an executive decision and order sushi.” 

That gets your boyfriend scrambling to his feet fast, aiming a horrified look your way as he books it down the hallway. “You monster!” 

You chuckle quietly, busying yourself with finding Lando’s favorite Italian spot on your delivery app. Soon enough, the food is ordered and all you have to do now is wait.  

Lando reemerges from the bedroom just as you pull open the front door to grab the food from the delivery person. He figures you’ve got it handled by the way you’re chatting nicely with them, so he busies himself with drinks. 

There’s a bottle on top of the fridge that looks vaguely fancy, and though Lando doesn’t know much about wine, Charles had gifted him the bottle a while ago for his birthday. He trusts Charles’ taste. 

He does his best to sound out the French on the label and shrugs, snagging two wine glasses to go along with it. By the time he finishes pouring a generous amount in each glass, you’ve just closed the door, joining him in the kitchen with a massive bag of food. His brows fly into his hairline at the sight. 

You twist your lips to the side in thought, wrinkling your nose as you study the bulging paper bag. “I might’ve ordered too much.” 

“Good thing I always rise to the occasion.” 

You glance up at him, setting it down on the counter in favor of sidling over to where he is, not even fighting the smitten grin stretching your lips as you maneuver yourself between him and the marble. 

His curls are damp, messily towel ruffled and starting to frizz as they air dry. He already looks more at ease, comfier than ever in a pair of loose black sweatpants and a white singlet. You make a mental note to remind him to wear white more. It makes his tan skin glow, and it makes you not want to take your eyes off him. 

Your fingers skate along the exposed skin of his chest, stopping once to push into those dimples in his cheeks that you love so much before moving up to link around the back of his neck. His hands find their way to your waist at the same time, sliding coyly under the hem of your shirt to rest on your bare skin. 

In one fell swoop, you’re up on the counter, Lando nudging his way between your knees. He kisses you languidly, like he has all the time in the world to explore your mouth; long, slow kisses mixed in with brief pecks until you’re all but melting against him. He’s familiar and solid under your touch, all flexing muscle and warm skin as your hands run along his arms. 

After a while, Lando’s focus shifts to trailing open mouthed kisses down the side of your neck. On instinct, you tilt your head to give him more space to work and he takes it gladly, focusing on that one spot just below your ear that he knows for a fact works on you every time. 

You sigh appreciatively at the pressure of his lips against your skin, the way his teeth nip at that sweet spot but his tongue sneaks out to soothe the sting just as quick. 

Your fingers dig into his biceps as he continues his venture, but when he starts kissing along your shoulder, you squeeze a little harder. As much as you want to continue this, you remember you’ve got food waiting for both of you. He stops immediately, perfect lips pouted, eyes wide when he comes back up to gauge your reaction. 

“Eat first, kiss later.” You explain, peeling him off you (albeit a bit reluctantly) before hopping off the countertop. He whines something unintelligible as you unload the food, but as soon as you push a container of his favorite pasta towards him, he seems to forget his disappointment. 

The silence as you eat is comfortable, both of you seemingly more hungry than you thought you were as the food and wine begin to disappear. All the while, the space between the two of you grows smaller and smaller, until your elbows start to bump each other with each bite you take. 

You’ve mastered the art of enjoying each other’s company without having to say a word. 

“Were you revising earlier? When I came home?” He asks after a while, jabbing his fork in the direction of your notes. A few strands of pasta splatter onto the counter with the action and you tsk, nudging him with your foot. The last thing you want is sauce all over your papers. 

“Yeah, I was. Just some final practicing, see if anything needs tweaking before I have to present my thesis.” 

“I’m sure it’s perfect. You’ve been working on it for ages.” 

You spear a chunk of tomato with your fork, dragging it around in the sauce aimlessly. “I dunno. Everything is there, but it still feels like something’s missing.” 

“Present it to me.” 

“What?” 

“Pretend I’m the university board, or whatever, and present it to me. Maybe you’ll figure out what’s missing if you act like it’s the real thing.” 

“Really? You’d do that for me?” 

Lando scoffs, looking offended. “Baby, I’d do anything for you. Go on, do your little scholar thing for me. I’ll be the best fake board you’ve ever seen.” You gnaw on your lip, unsure. The idea seems silly, but it’ll probably work. “C’mon, bub. You’ve got a genius brain up there in that pretty head of yours, let me see it in action.” 

“Okay. Okay, fine, but you can’t be mean! You have to be nice, ‘cause I’m already freaking the fuck out about having to present next week and I don’t think I can deal with—” 

“First of all, I’m never mean to you. Second of all, get the fuck up there before I take my offer back.” 

You stick your tongue out at Lando whilst you grab your papers at the other end of the counter, feigning swatting him with them as he bounces his way over to the couch. He settles in right smack dab on the middle cushion, grabbing a pillow to hug while you do a quick once over of everything. Then you’re ready. 

You stumble through your introduction a little bit, but the words start flowing a few sentences into the body of your research—days, weeks, months of work having burned them straight into your brain. The longer you talk, the more comfortable you become, which gives you the confidence to set aside your notes for once. Part of you feels like you’re about to clam up and forget everything any second now, but you don’t. You forge on like you were born to. 

All that comes to a halt when you hasten a glance over at Lando, who’s staring at you without a thought behind those gorgeous eyes of his, smiling goofily at you. 

“Lando!” You whine, pouting. “Have you even heard a word I’ve said?” 

Lando blinks a few times like he’s coming back down to Earth, letting a sheepish grin creep its way across his face. “Not really.” 

“Seriously?” 

“I’m sorry! You just look really pretty when you talk about things you’re passionate about. It’s hard to focus on words when I look at you.” 

Well, you can’t exactly be mad at him when he’s sweet like that. Besides, you didn’t think he’d understand half of what you were saying anyways, and you’ve found the answer to your problems. Nothing was missing. Lando was right, you’re fully prepared for your thesis presentation. You just needed to get your nerves out of the way. 

“Worst fake board ever.�� You huff. 

“But I just said you look pretty!” 

You prop a hand on your hip. “Flattery will get you nowhere, Norris.” 

“Oh yeah? Nowhere, really?” He rises from his seat, creeping towards you with that glint in his eyes you know far too well. You know what he’s about to do, and you’re about ready to make a run for it. 

He bridges the gap between the two of you faster than you think possible, catching you around the waist right before you can make your great escape down the hallway, hoisting you off your feet with ease despite your wriggling around like a fish out of water, and hauling you over to the couch. He tosses you over the back of it just as easily, following suit before you can scramble away. 

Realistically, you should've anticipated the whip fast reflexes of a professional racing driver. Having a faster reaction time than the average person is part of the job description. 

“Lando, no!!!” You squeal, already breaking into a fit of uncontrollable laughter. 

“Maybe flattery won’t get me anywhere, but I know what might!” He pins you down against the cushions with your knees clamped between his own as he digs his fingers into your sides viciously, ignoring your pleas in favor of grinning wickedly. 

“I give up! I give up, please—” You gasp, squirming under his relentless torture. One of his hands comes up to pin both your wrists down easily, probably so you don't punch him in the face trying to escape. (You’ve done it once before, purely by accident, but Lando’s never let you forget it.) 

“Say that you love me.” 

“You already know I do!” 

“Wanna hear you say it.” He insists, jabbing you in the side threateningly. 

You shake your head frantically. You’re near tears at this point, stomach hurting from laughing so much. There’s no point in dragging it out any longer, especially when sweet, sweet freedom is as easy as telling the love of your life that you love him. “I love you!” 

“What was that?” He tilts his head, brows raising expectantly. 

“I love you, Lando Norris.” You repeat, as steady as you can despite your breathlessness. That seems to satisfy him. 

He gives it up entirely, wedging himself between you and the back of the couch, making himself comfortable as you try to catch your breath. You roll over onto your side so you’re facing him, allowing him more space to nuzzle against you. “You’re a dickhead.” 

“I’m your dickhead, and you love me.” He replies smugly, burying his face into the crook of your neck. His arms worm their way underneath you and link up behind your back, legs tangling with yours. At this point, you’re not sure where you end and he begins, which is just the way Lando always likes it. 

“Against my better nature, I do.” You sigh, dropping a kiss to the top of his head. He hums sleepily, exhaling in deep comfort. “I’m sorry you had a rough go of it today.”

“S’fine. Nothing you’ve got to be sorry about. You’ve already made it better.” He mumbles. He already sounds like he's about to drift off.

“D’you want to talk about it?” 

Lando lifts his head to look up at you, blinking slowly. He offers you a small smile. “Not really. Just wanna lay here with you and forget about it all.” 

“Okay.” You say softly. 

You might not be able to help him with everything in life, but this, you can do. You thread one hand through his hair, smoothing through his curls in that one way you know he loves. Your other hand comes up around his back, fingers scratching a gentle path up and down his spine. 

If Lando was a cat, he’d be purring right now. 

Instead he opts for an appreciative groan, pushing his nose back into the warm nook he’d created. His lips press against your skin—once, twice, a third time for good measure. “Thank you.” 

Whether he’s thanking you for scratching his back or for just being here for him on the days he feels like he’s not at his best, you’re not sure, but either way you give him a tight squeeze and another kiss in lieu of a response. 

You’ll do anything if it means making sure he knows you’ve always got him. 

follow @katsu-library to be notified when i post a new fic :)

[animeomegas]

Ideal Valentines Day - Omega! Aizawa, Mic, Toshinori, Dabi

A/N: For the anon who asked <3 I wasn't vibing with Shiggy today, so I left him off. I feel like these all ended up being home dates, but I think being a hero or villain makes those easier lol. There are hints of n-sfw, but it's non-descriptive and very tame.

Aizawa

Actions speak louder than words for Aizawa, and I think his preferred love language for receiving affection is Acts of Service.

He has no need for material items, and that goes doubly for anything covered in hearts. I don't think he's a massive fan of chocolate. And flowers are just another thing that he has to sort out and try to keep alive as long as he can. No, he much prefers practical care on Valentine's day.

He wants you to pick him up from UA after work so he doesn't have to drive, a warm cup of his favourite coffee, far sweeter than his image would suggest, ready for him.

He wants to go straight home of course. When he walks through the door, he would love to see the house sparkling clean and tidy. It lifts a burden off him that he didn't even know was there.

There's no fancy outfits with him. He wants to immediately get changed into the comfiest clothes he has, and he would love if you did the same.

Dinner should 100% be his favourite takeaway, eaten on the couch, of course.

I don't know why, but I don't get the vibe that Aizawa is that interested in sex on Valentines Day. I think he'd prefer the intimacy to come from a shared bath or a massage.

And ideally the night ends early, so he can face tomorrow well rested, for once in his life.

Mic

Hizashi loves cheesy romance, he lives for cheesy romance! He eats, sleeps, and breathes it!

I think receiving gifts is something he loves, so get him a pink teddy bear, get him a comically oversized chocolate bar, get him a sappy card filled with cheesy love poems (bonus if you write them yourself.) He loves it all.

He also wants to be at home, because he's worried about people recognising him and interrupting the date.

He would love, love, love if he came home to a trail of rose petals to follow, he's always wanted to do that!

I think he'd enjoy cooking dinner together, just making a mess, playing around, listening to music.

Please pull him to dance with you, he will melt.

Once the food is eaten and the mess left for tomorrow, I think he'd want to do some sort of activity. A board game, a video game, painting together, anything! He's having fun as long as he's with you.

And then... well he's certainly not going to complain if one of your gifts to him was lingerie or a new 'toy'. And it would be rude to not try them out 😏

Toshinori

His idea of romance is old school. He developed his taste mostly from films, rather than experience, after all.

He wants roses so badly. He can't decide if it's more romantic to get a dozen roses, or just one, so he'll let you decide.

I think something private would be more meaningful to him because he's spent his life in the spotlight.

He wants you to meet him at the door with a rose/bouquet of roses, and then lead him into the living room of your home, where you've laid out a fancy dinner.

He wants the fancy dinner table to be set to the nines, he wants candles, champagne, and some food that he can eat. He wants classical music playing in the background.

And then he wants you to pull out his chair for him and wine and dine him until he's completely smitten, not that that's hard.

He doesn't mind if you order the food, but he'd prefer if you either made it by hand, or had it ordered from a special place as opposed to just off a food delivery app. He wants everything to feel special.

The best way to finish the night after dinner is with a movie. One of his favourite films, probably a ridiculous American action film or terrible romcom.

He needs some good old fashioned cuddling at the same time of course.

And because he's getting old, he wants to spend the final moments of the day tucked up in bed, talking about feelings and the future, and all the fuzzy things you're both looking forward to in your relationship.

Dabi

Dabi is softer than he will admit, which means Valentines Day with him involved tricking him into feeling loved.

You can't do things that are too typical, because he'll get spooked. If he comes home and sees heart shaped balloons or dozens of roses, he will flee the scene.

Luckily, he is utterly weak for pizza, so if he comes home and you've ordered his favourite pizza and got a video game/film set up, he can't resist.

"This isn't some weird Valentine's shit, is it?"

"It's just pizza, Dabi, but if you don't want any, I'll eat it all."

"What? In your dreams, knothead."

Once you've lulled him in with pizza and games, you can start putting the moves on him.

He's almost always down for sex, so that part is easy. The hard part is stopping him from escalating it into something rougher, and keeping it gentle.

He gets frustrated at first that you're being too soft on him, and it's at this point that you start lavishing him in praise and body worship. His frustration turns into bashfulness and Dabi gets kind of shy.

Let him know how much you love him.

And then, right when you're both about to drift off, wish him a Happy Valentine's Day.

[k-hotchoisan]

Almost Natural (jongho x fem!reader)

You didn’t know when or how it even started, but you knew how it ended—in the best way possible.

Genres/warnings: slight angst if you squint hard enough, fluff, smut, unprotected sex, it’s soft sex, orgasms, friends to lovers, cream pie

Word count: 3.3K

A/n: for my girl @yourlocaljonghoe who requested a friends to lovers fic w jongho ✨

I gotta be honest with you, I had so much fun writing this! Hope you all enjoy! 🩷

You don’t know when it started, or even how. But you definitely remember how it ended at least.

You and Jongho have been friends for a few solid years, through the thick and thin in college. While the both of your met under pretty eccentric circumstances, somehow the friendship blossomed and the both of you were joined at the hip for the most part—through shitty assignments and shitty dates.

“You know at this point, I think I’d rather die single”, you groan, letting the notebook drop onto your face.

You feel the male above your roll his eyes before he swipes the book off your face. “You’re being dramatic again.”

You shoot up. “No way. Not when half of the men on the dating apps are mid as fuck.”

Jongho scoffs playfully. He’s heard you talk about it at least a hundred times. He thinks the stories you tell him about your horrendous dates are entertaining to say the least.

You sit up, and stare at him intently, causing him to scrunch his eyebrows in confusion.

“What, do I have something on my face?”

“Maybe we should date each other”, you say, your gaze serious. You’re only inches away from his face as Jongho feels his breath stuck in this throat.

His eyes widen and his eyebrows push downwards even more in shock. That only causes you to crack a smile before you throw the pillow at his face, bursting into laughter.

“I’m kidding! Damn, don’t show me an expression like that, like it’s a death sentence to date me.”

“I guarantee it probably is”, Jongho says, dramatically wiping imaginary sweat from his eyebrow, with his eyes wide. He takes a beating from your pillow attacks for a good two minutes after that.

You lay under your sheets, staring up at the dark ceiling, thinking about the words you told Jongho. And you slap your face, giggling over his absurd reaction.

But then a strange thought flashes through your brain.

Have you seriously thought about dating Jongho? It swims in your mind for a spilt second before being drowned out by your screaming rationale. You shake your head, blinking a couple of times. No way. The both of you met under such eccentric circumstances that it turned more platonic than you thought, not that you were complaining. Jongho definitely drew some boundaries and you were fully aware of it.

You turn to your sides, thinking through the type of girl Jongho likes—someone who you weren’t at all, and it eases your mind.

At least, you think it does.

Jongho’s in your place by the afternoon, with a takeaway meal prepared for you. He’s dressed up a little better today.

“Date?” You ask, digging into the meal.

He shakes his head. “Some girl I met from the frat party like three years ago. You know her.”

Oh right, one of the really pretty cheerleader girls who always has her hair up in a bun. For a while now, she’s always been around Jongho, although you always see him draw the boundary. You wonder if she’s his type.

“You’d never know. You might end up kissing her by the night ends”, you tease, pointing the spoon at him.

Jongho rolls his eyes. “I don’t kiss friends.”

You purse your lips, rolling your eyes, not bothering to reply him. It is a definite reminder that that’s were you stood in his life.

And maybe it should stay that way.

“Y/n, you listening?” The male pulls your attention back to where you are. You snap back, with a blank stare, and then a dreaded feeling of guilt bleeds into you. You’ve been so out of it recently. It wasn’t as if the guy who asked you out tonight was a bad guy, which made you feel even more guilty.

You force a smile as you swallow these feelings, and nod. “Yeah, just had a lot on my mind recently.”

“I can tell”, he replies with a soft smile.

You were about to force another small talk, that is, until he cuts in.

“I can also tell when my date has someone else on her mind.”

You bite your lip, the guilt bubbling back up again. But the male before you only gives another reassuring smile. You part your lips to speak once more but he just shakes his head with a smile.

“Ah, I didn’t mean anything bad by that. It’s just you shouldn’t force yourself y’know,” he advises. “He’s obviously been on your mind for awhile. Wouldn’t hurt to confront it at least.”

No, it would probably hurt very much.

By then, your thoughts are flooded with Jongho for some reason. You rest at the ledge of the wooden flooring at stares out to the front yard of the traditional vacation home your friends rented out for a quick get away trip. You stare into the night sky, letting the cool air kiss your cheeks, soaking in the night ambience.

“You’re not joining the rest?” Jongho asks, joining your side, with a beer can in his hand. “Not feeling it for the night”, you reply, hugging your knees. Jongho lets his gaze linger on you for a little longer, before gesturing you to follow him. You get up, wondering what he was up to now.

He guides you around a couple of shrubs, and you only grow more confused.

That is, until you hear a soft mewing sound. Your eyebrows are raised as you follow the sound, and it leads you to a cat, nibbling on a couple of snacks. You squeal as you kneel down to pet it’s head as it continues to eat.

“We found this little guy when we were walking over to the common room just now,” Jongho smiles as he squats as well, letting his fingers brush through the cat’s fur. You giggle as the cat claws at your fingers playfully, then nudging it’s head against your leg.

“How was your date?” He suddenly asks, and you are taken aback by that answer. You blink for a second, trying to come up with an answer. “It went decent, I guess”, you reply curtly, darting back to the cat.

“Is he your type?”

You shake your head. “I don’t think that matters. If I like someone I just do. He was a nice guy though.”

“There is someone else”, you murmur to no one in particular.

The air was silent for awhile. You wonder what Jongho is thinking.

Suddenly the cat meows loudly before bolting away, snapping you out of your thoughts. You and Jongho turn to look at each other for a moment before a rain drop hits your cheek, and then a whole downpour.

The both of you stare at each other like idiots before bursting into laughter, not minding how the rain is soaking the both of you. But there was a unanimous agreement to quickly get the hell out of there, even though you were both enjoying the night shower.

“Gosh it’s so cold. Jongho, help get this off me will you?” You squeak, lifting your hands up. Your top shifts up in the direction of your sleeves, and the lace below is barely visible. Jongho pauses for a moment, he’s lost in thought, looking at the way the drops of water trickle down your spine, the way the hem of your bra is peeking out from your top. His brain is suddenly in a mess now.

“Jongho?” You call out, still with your hands out, slightly shivering from the cold breeze. “It’s getting cold. Could you get me out of this?”

Jongho barely snaps out of his little trance. His fingers are trembling slightly, and he’s so thankful that you’re not facing him to see it, and that it was dim enough. His fingers hook under your shirt, and he lifts it, tugging past your arms, swallowing hard at every inch your top leaves your body, your bra slowly coming into full view. You shiver from the cold, and a sound of a clothing article hits the floor. Before you could make sense of it, a pair of strong arms wrap around you, and your words are suddenly stuck in your throat.

You aren’t imagining this. Jongho’s hugging you? He doesn’t want to let go it seems, so you let him embrace you a little longer. He removes his arms from you, but his hands are on your shoulders as he gently turns you around. He swallows hard, taking in the full view of your chest, the way your lace bra hugs your tits teasingly.

His fingers are under your chin, as he tilts you to meet his gaze. His other arm is at the nape of your neck, the mix of warmth and cold sending shivers down your body.

“Stop me”, he says. And two seconds is all he gives before his lips press onto yours, enough to burn up your whole body solely from the sensation. Your mind is plunged into a realm you’ve never been as you completely melt into his kiss, parting your lips to taste more of him.

Oh god, he tastes so good, even after being drenched in the rain like you were. You swear that it’s enough to warm you up.

You swallow as he pulls back from what felt like forever. Your eyes meet his for a quick second, before darting away.

“I thought you don’t kiss friends”, you said, barely in a whisper.

“I don’t want to be friends”, he suddenly confesses. Your heart is racing and your head is spinning.

You look up to face him. A sudden strong resolve arises in you, and you challenge to take it on, wrapping your arms around his neck as you take him in his lips again. Jongho is stunned for a quick second but recovers instantly, his strength evidently overpowering you, not like it fucking mattered anyway, as he guides you to a deeper part of the house, his kisses slowly become more desperate.

He doesn’t want to soil the futons, so he asks you if the floor is okay. You nod, your gaze never leaving his as you try to catch your breath.

The way his wet shirt clings onto his chest is driving you nuts, with a combination of how he looks with his wet hair combed back. Your hands roam his body and they end up playfully under his shirt, and it makes Jongho jump slightly from the temperature difference but a small smile cracks from him before his gaze switches back to desire and lust. He sighs in pleasure as your fingers swipe his nipples before you lift the shirt over his head. He never liked being half naked around you, or at least anyone he knew, but his body is so beautifully shaped, and it only adds onto the wetness that’s accumulating at your core. You bite your lips as you take a deep breath.

“You look so good Jongho”, you say, your eyes finally tearing away from his abdomen. Jongho attacks your lips with his, and it’s then when you realise that he had unhooked your bra with his fingers, the piece of undergarment dropping onto the floor, now your tits in full view of the male before you. Now it’s Jongho’s turn to gasp softly before helping himself, diving right into them, squeezing, kissing, sucking. Soft moans only egg him on as he flicks your hard nipples, the sensations going right to your pussy.

Before you know it, the both of you are soon fully naked, you’re straddling him and your hands not leaving each other. The way he’s gently rubbing against your clit as you’re stroking his clothed erection. The moans gradually increasing in pitch and loudness.

His hands stop your movement.

“Let me fuck you y/n, please?” Jongho asks with the most prettiest look. You answer—by wrapping your arms around his neck once more, swiping his bottom lip as you before pulling away. You move away before tugging his boxers off—and his really girthy cock springs out, red, hard and leaking. You wonder if it’ll fit. But only one way to find out.

You go back to straddling him, letting your wet cunt slide against his cock with your wet slick and his precum. A gasp leaves his lips, his fingers are gripping your hips. Seeing him so hot and bothered actually amuses you—you like the way he’s trying to rut into your cunt while getting lost in the pleasure of his cock rubbing against your pussy. But he becomes impatient.

“Please, y/n. I’m fucking dying to be inside you right now”, Jongho whines, holding everything back as much as he could.

The mischievous smile that spreads across your face soon is replaced by an almost fucked out one the moment you let him enter your pussy. He stretches you out so fucking good. It hurts so fucking good. The way he’s planting kisses all over your chest to ease any discomfort only sent more butterflies in your stomach because he was so fucking gentle. He pushes in each inch, and at every inch, your mind hazes.

“Jjong…so good. Oh god you’re so big”, you almost cry as you sink right to the hilt. Jongho is dazed, feeling the way your warm walls hugging his cock so well. He swears he’s never getting used to this because he wants to feel it over and over again. His breathing is going ragged as he fights from just wanting to just fucking cum in your tight and warm cunt.

“So warm, so good”, he hums it like a mantra, kissing your neck, it feels like he’s leaving a trail blaze from how warm his lips feels. You start slowly lifting your hips, the feeling of his fat cock just dragging along your walls as you slowly pull out is enough to drive you up the walls. Jongho doesn’t wait to push you back down on his cock, and a broken cry leaves your lips, your cunt filled up by Jongho’s cock. It doesn’t take long for him to start making you bounce on his cock and it’s sending the both of you dancing on the tip of euphoria—alongside the moans and the wet sounds of skin slapping. Oh you were so glad no one else is back yet.

Jongho, for a moment gets mesmerised by the way your tits fucking bounce it turns him on so much that you whimper at the way he grows slightly bigger in you. Your eyes and mind were in the heavens, because the next moment you know it, he has you on the floor, staring right at him with glazed eyes and teary eyes.

Your hands tighten around his arms as he fucks into you so good, and he hikes your legs up onto his shoulder as he drills his cock deeper into you, sending you deeper into the realms of pleasure and just Jongho.

You’re only mumbling “so fucking good. feels so good”, decorated by louder whines and moans. Jongho is complete entranced by you—the way you look so beautiful when being fucked, the way you’re whining, head only filled with him, him, him. He has never felt this feeling of possession before, and it’s almost addicting, especially when he’s balls deep into you.

“I’m cumming”, Jongho announces softly as he folds you, leaning in to give you a deep kiss, eating ever single moan, cry and praise that leaves your lips as your cunt flutters around his cock, and he paints your sore hole deep with his cum, whispering “I like you so much, y/n. I like you, I like you”, over and over, overlaying his broken moans.

The both of you stay on the floor like that for a moment, before he removes himself off you, but he doesn’t pull out yet. He stabilises himself, trying not to move you too much, so his cum doesn’t leak out onto the floor board (it still does), and carries you into the shower with him, you’re still recovering from your high.

Once in the bathroom, he pulls out of you slowly, and your hands slowly release from his neck. Jongho helps to clean you out and the both of you take the shower together, albeit in silence, which was anything but awkward.

You’re huddled on his chest, snuggled under the warm futons. For a guy who never really liked physical intimacy, he sure doesn’t seem to mind having you in his arms like this.

“How long did you like me?” You suddenly ask. Jongho turns to you.

“I think I only realised it recently. Like it came to me almost naturally. I realised I don’t think I could imagine myself being with anyone else other than you”, he replies. “You?”

You giggle at his answer.

“Yeah. I think it really came naturally”, you reply. “I love you, Jongho”.

His eyes are closed, as exhaustion lures him into slumber. But he slips a couple of words out.

“I love you too.”

[bonus—first encounter]

Freshman year, you were at a party, laughing and giggling with your friends at a comfortable corner. One of them asked you, “anyone caught your eye yet?” You rolled you eyes and said no.

“It’s barely a month in college and you’re already asking me that?” You questioned, taking a sip of your drink. Your friend shrugged with a smirk as she downs her drink, before excusing herself to use the washroom. She left you by yourself, not that you didn’t mind because you distracted yourself with your phone,

That was, until someone distracted you.

You look up at the male before you, priding a letterman jacket already. You don’t even remember his face now if you tried because all he did imprint on you was that he was an absolute creep, asking you for your number and attempting to make shitty small talk. You were darting your eyes, too tired and too annoyed to entertain him, only looking up at him for 0.4 seconds to plaster a fake smile before flickering your gaze to somewhere else as he continued to run his mouth.

“Are you here with anyone, pretty?”

Your wandering gaze ended up landing on a male, who, despite him being in a group of his own friends, didn’t seem to be talking. What luck, he wasn’t too far away from you either. He definitely heard everything.

Another fake smile plastered to the unknown and forgotten male before you, and your arms link to the other male beside you, as you pull him close to you. His eyes are blown in shock as he darted his gaze to the other male’s face, then to yours.

You don’t give him a chance to speak as you haphazardly link your fingers with the stranger beside you and lifted the intertwined hands with a smile. “With my boyfriend.”

The male before you scoffed and rolled his eyes before leaving the both of you alone. You were about to let go of his hand and curtly explain but then-

“You lying ass bitch!” You friend cackled as she pointed to your linked fingers. “I saw that shit. I though you weren’t dating anyone y/n?”

You were about to open your mouth to talk until you noticed the male staring daggers right at you. You inhaled, before wrapping your arm around his. The poor male being dragged in hasn’t even said a damn thing. “Yeah I am. That’s why I said no!”

You noticed that his friends were beginning to echo whispers as they glanced over at their friend as well.

She turned to him, and eyed him up and down. “What’s his name?”

You eyes meet his, and your heart pounded in your ears. Please, just play along, random stranger. At least until he’s not looking at me like that anymore.

The male beside you is the one who eyed you this time, and he seemed to have read your expression, albeit the whirlwind of confusion you thrusted him in. The side parting of his soft, brown hair blew gently under the shitty air conditioning, and his brown eyes stared back at you—at first in disbelief and confusion, before the switch to a hint of mischief. As he spoke, his gaze never left yours.

“Jongho. Choi Jongho.”

[bridenore]

HD Books / Writing fic recs

Here are a few drarry fic recs involving books or writing. Listed in alphabetical order, as always.

Annus Mirabilis by Ren [39k]

Harry and Malfoy are trapped at Hogwarts around the time the school was founded. Stuck with a different way of doing magic, with no chocolate, and with each other, they have to find a way to work together if they want a chance to go home.

Dear Diary by AWickedMemory [20k]

 // This can’t possibly go worse than the last time I kept a diary. // After the war, Harry picks up a journal to write in… and it writes back. Luckily, it’s not a Horcrux on the other end this time.

Faint Indirections by ignatiustrout [29k]

Draco Malfoy is the last person Harry expects to turn up in Boston, Massachussetts. But now he’s here, and he won’t stop requesting books from the library where Harry works.

He Who Must Not Be Normal by @letteredlettered [40k]

Potter has fame and fortune and posh clothes and all he wants is a simple life.  Draco has a flat and a cat and a steady job and all he wants is a complicated life.  Which makes you think this story has something exciting like body-swapping, but it doesn’t.  Instead it has Indian takeaway and a blue jumper and people wanting a whole lot of what they can’t have, discovering themselves as they discover each other. 

If We Were Honest by daisymondays / @gracie137blogs [26k]

Two years ago, Draco and Harry had a whirlwind secret romance that ended in heart-break. Since then Draco’s written a best-selling novel based on their relationship, but with one key difference—the characters get a happily ever after. Now Harry and Draco are reunited for the first time since their break-up, but can they rewrite their own ending?

Love Bites, Or How Draco Malfoy Learned to Let Go and Celebrate His Allure by @m0srael [50k]

Recently-turned Draco Malfoy is doing his very best to be a normal, productive, contributing member of wixen society. So far, he’s managed to keep his bloody little problem a secret, even from his best friends. But when the professional opportunity he’s been dreaming of finally   falls in his lap, he finds himself with much more than just a potential promotion. Will a profile on a new creature-exclusive dating app, a wolfy stranger who seems hellbent on liking Draco just the way he is, and a little self-confidence help Draco finally love himself and his newfound community?

Orion in the Sky by space_wingding [30k]

Draco Malfoy owns a bookshop in the Lake District. He’s also cursed. Enter: Harry Potter.

Per Solum Lacuna: By Words Alone by Azhure [560k]

A set of enchanted journals bring solace to two very unlikely lost   souls. Whoever said the art of penmanship was lost? This is a wizarding twist on the old fashioned art of correspondence (or the modern art of Internet chatting). What will happen when the mystery writers finally   discover the identity of their counterpart? Join this star crossed pair as they obliviously chat to each other; along the way learning about   life and love. Find out what will happen when their own voyages of self discovery lead them to the most unlikely of places. This is eventual   HP/DM, but other pairings for the protagonists along their journey.

The Price We Pay for Wings by Frayach [13k]

Books have the power to shape young lives. At least that is the hope of the anonymous author of a best-selling series about a Muggle boy and his best friend on the eve of a world war. But stories do more than just shape the future: they can redress the wrongs of the past as well. But only as long as it’s not too late…

Reading Malfoy by @femmequixotic [15k]

After thirteen years of hiding himself away in Muggle London, Draco Malfoy shows up again in the wizarding world–with a wickedly amusing memoir in hand. Harry doesn’t want to read it. Really. He doesn’t.

The Romantic Prawn Who Loved Christmas by @bixgirl1 [39k]

When Draco, forced into sharing a room with Potter for the year, finds out that Potter has a sleepwalking problem, he expects the odd conversations and the weird games of chess. What comes as a complete shock are Potter’s other activities…And why he seems so intent on having Draco join him. (Relax. It’s just like a holiday Hallmark movie! …With, uhm, sleepwanking.)

Sourdough by @academicdisaster24 [17k]

Draco writes romance novels and doesn't leave his apartment much. Harry bakes bread and sells it to Draco. Draco is quite weird. Harry might like that.

Sunseeker by @shiftylinguini [15k]

Harry is a struggling writer. Namely, he is struggling with: writing his next book, dealing with his agent, finding a decent tea strainer, fielding his friend’s concern over the aforementioned book, and figuring out who the cat loitering in his garden belongs to. He also has a slight liking-Malfoy problem. Okay, he has a massive liking-Malfoy problem.

Teach Me, Life; Guide Me, Love by @kiraohara [79k]

Revelations both painful and joyous set the markers in the path of every life. Thankfully, Draco has spectacular company for the journey.

Verba Volant by shushu_yaoi_lj / @orange-peony​ [34k]

The first letter arrives after the Trials. Harry unfolds the parchment and his eyes open wide when he realises who it’s from. He soon finds himself waiting for those letters to arrive, staring at the window in search of Malfoy’s owl. He wants to know more.

When It Alteration Finds by momatu [55k]

After the war, Harry left most of the Wizarding world behind and built a new life for himself in the Channel Islands. He opened a bakery and is happy with his life. Draco is a fiction author who writes under a penname, and he’s currently suffering from writer’s block. His agent suggests he try writing in a new environment and rents a cottage in the Channel Islands for him.

I hope you enjoy these stories as much as I did!

[livefastdriveyoung]

Takeaways from Testing Day 1

The RB-20 Maintains Status Quo - Max ended a full 1.162 (don't quote me but I think that's the correct math) ahead of Lando Norris in P2. The car did not appear to struggle under its 142 laps. It also remained consistent across majority of the runs. Checo will drive tomorrow.

Aston Martin is being underestimated - Fernando Alonso is a world champion, he started his session in P3. He stayed there for a great deal of the session. Even ending in P8 puts him in the points if this is a race. Additionally, Lance pulled through into the top five, taking P4 for a period of time. He's a strong driver, he shouldn't be underestimated. They both finished in the points, and had Lance not lost his mirror he could have pulled a fast lap.

Williams Car is the problem, not the drivers - I cannot reiterate this one enough. Alex Albon had a fuel pump problem, so entirely out of his control. Logan Sargeant has improved. Undoubtedly so. Not only has he built up his muscle and trained hard, he spun out and still managed to get back onto the track, and sit at P10 for most of the session before ending P11. Allegedly the reason he had a spin out was also because of a gearbox/transmission error. Whether it was the cause or the issue was the result, he held it together well. The car is having problems, not the drivers.

Mercedes Performance - We know that Lewis Hamilton is a strong driver. He's never been the best qualifier when there are competitive cars. Yes, George did not do as well as he could have, ending with P12, but he experienced at least two lock-ups. There's no guarantee that the issues don't exist in Lewis's car as well. We'll see what happens.

The complaint about their front wing design is interesting. F1 and FIA are separate organizations. Mercedes wouldn't blatantly violate the letter of the law, they would be the first team to be called out for it. They follow the letter and have the approval of the FIA. It has been approved. Whether F1's concern about the 'spirit' of the law being violated is something that could impact them, I don't know. I'm sure that the new rules will include a provision against this next year, but any immediate action, I doubt. Symonds is unimpressed.

Haas is not to be thrown out of the running - yet - A new team principal means that there are going to be changes. They straight out said the focus was on the Tyres and not on performance. While they are not a strong team, I think that throwing them away just because you might have preferred Guenther, or like to rely on what you already know, this isn't that. Yet.

Visa Cash-App Racing Bulls - Forget it, I'm calling them V-CARB. Anyway, Daniel Ricciardo, (LOL that autocorrected to all caps which is so funny) had minimal struggle with the car. His first few laps were not great,, but to end in P4 is wonderful. His statements about a podium in the beginning of the season being a dream not a reality is interesting, but I wonder if that is self-deprecation/spreading the party message from within Red Bull's house. Yuki finished P13, but, again, only had a morning slot. He was high up for a good portion of the day as well. I think this is going to be interesting. The narrative that they are not a junior team anymore seems to be accurate.

Stake did well - The C44 is worlds ahead of last year's model. Additionally, we forget regularly that Bottas was a Mercedes driver, he's won Gps before. Zhou is not a bad driver, I think this might be his last season to prove himself because I think Audi will keep someone who has a history of winning, and if the rumors are true, Carlos Sainz will be getting one of the seats. But that might motivate him. He's also young, 24 is below the mean age of the drivers (29) and if he can demonstrate improvements, they might keep him over Bottas.

Ferrari Fights - Buckle down y'all. I don't think that Carlos will do anything to sabotage Charles, he's not an idiot, but he's going to do what he has to in order to prove that Ferrari are losing out on a driver. He was P3 today. Charles is great, we know he can drive, his improvement is clear. I'm curious as to what that is going to look like.

if he's moved on from this, he's going to need to demonstrate to Audi that he can be a First Driver.

Alpine - Pierre pulled P5 right at the end. Ocon is toward the bottom. I'm not sure what's going on in house but nobody is happy allegedly. Guess we'll see.

[live-laugh-lenney]

Can i have a headcanon or reaction for arthur tv with a veterinarian s/o pleaseeeeeee

this is so cute... like, i swear... him falling in love with a veterinarian when he has such a huge love for animals.. god, it's almost like fate.

-> it's almost like a chance meet that happens once...

-> and again... and again...

-> and then again until they decide to do something about.

-> there's no fancy party or dating app involved. no mutual friends who knew each other. his friend didn't set him up with her and her friend didn't even know of him.

-> it happens during her hour-long lunch break; a little bakery down the road from her place of work where they sell 'the best baguettes and do the best coffees in town' so she says. she still has her work uniform on, still has her name-tag hanging from her shirt, purse in her hand and her office keys/car keys dangling off her finger.

-> he just so happens to be standing behind her in the queue when she orders her baguette and her favourite coffee. having just finished on a football video shoot with chris down the road, the cupcakes and the croissants and the muffins caught his eye on his walk by, and he felt the need to make a pitstop on his way home to fill his stomach.

-> he notices her order before he notices her.

-> 'that sounds delightful'

-> 'it's delicious, you should try it'

-> 'you think?'

-> 'yeah, not that i was staring at you but you seemed to be a little bit overwhelmed with all the options up there so... try it and thank me later'

-> so he does and he thinks he has definitely found a new drink to fixate upon for the next week... but by the time he tries to tell her his opinion, she's disappeared and he has no idea where she went... his heart sinking in his chest.

-> neither of them thought they would bump into each other the next day... at the same time... except this time, she's behind him and he's ordering before her.

-> 'i told you that you'd like it'

-> 'you have an incredible palate to discover this. it's amazing'

-> he waits this time; he waits for her. he listens to her as she finishes off her order to the person behind the bar (who seemingly knew what she wanted before she spoke and he got the impression that she must have frequented this bakery for them to know her name and her order), almost standing with her as she orders her lunch of a baguette and a coffee at the counter.

-> 'i would stay but-'

-> 'oh, i wasn't waiting for you. i was just-"

-> 'it's okay. i would have asked you if you wanted to sit together but i have work to get back for.'

-> 'what do you do?'

-> 'i'm a vet at the centre down the road. this is a godsend for being so close and doing so many good lunch options. you should try their ham and rocket and cheese baguette. the rocket is a total game changer.'

-> she's walking towards the door and down the street before he realises and comes back to his senses; he's completely enamoured by her.

-> he's already in the bakery by the time she walks in the next day; and he's eating the baguette she told him to try. with the coffee beside his plate. and this time, he threw a curveball and got himself a little muffin that he wanted to recommend to her...

-> 'i feel like i should get a discount for getting new customers to start coming her more often'

-> he's blushing as he looks down at his plate, recognising the voice almost instantly, swallowing back his food and smiling warmly in her direction.

-> 'we must stop meeting here like this...'

-> he assumed she was waiting for his name and he spoke his name shyly. a grin on her lips. recalling his name before she introduced herself with her own name. and this time, she sat with him with her own order... in a bag and a takeaway cup... but he'd take that.

-> 'i have ten minutes before i need to be back. thought you could do with the company, arthur.'

-> and his name just rolls off of her tongue so perfectly. he loves the sound. loves how her tongue wraps around his name. loves how her mouth enunciates his name. loves how she spoke his name. his stomach filled with butterflies.

-> it becomes such a common thing.

-> sometimes she's there before him, sometimes he's there before her and yet, they still wait for the other and share one little fact or piece of information about one other as they get to know one another a little more than before.

-> she's interested in his job and how he gets to film all his fun times with his friends and get paid for it... and he's interested in her job and how she gets to be around animals all day and care for them in the best way possible.

-> she would have been lying if she said she didn't go home and google his name and find him on social media and follow him on his instagram and his twitter, finding him on youtube to watch a few of his videos whilst she ate her dinner or whilst she got ready for bed, stalking as much of his online presence to see what he was really like as a person.

-> 'this might seem forward and i love these lunchtime dates but-'

-> 'you think these are dates? i thought they were just coincidental meetings'

-> 'maybe we could try a proper date?'

-> 'like, drinks and dinner or?'

-> 'anything you want to do'

-> the last thing he expects her to say is bowling and the arcade that comes alongside it. claiming she wanted to do something fun and a little different and not anything boring like sitting down and getting to know one another. not having to be serious. being able to talk and laugh and be as silly as they wanted to do.

-> they exchange numbers. he drops her off home. she invites him in with the invitation of pizza from the local takeaway. she wasn't looking for love but... love definitely found her.

-> and from then on, their lunchtime dates move to her office and he'll always offer to grab them their lunch before meeting her at her work. sitting in the reception, talking to the receptionist (who happened to be her work bestie and wanted all the details), petting the dogs as they left with their owners, giving head scratches to the cats who were in their crates and waiting to be seen. he can always hear her through the close door; always so kind, so sweet, so soft and gentle with every animal she sees and so informative to those who bring their pets in.

-> she never takes her work home with her... but he'll always ask. he loves animals and if there was anything she ever wanted to speak about, especially if she had a bad day or had to deal with something that was really sad and upsetting to her, then he wanted her to be able to talk to him and use him as a shoulder to cry on so she didn't have to deal with it by herself.

-> 'you don't have to ask me.'

-> 'i know but i want to. you ask me about my day, i ask you about yours'

-> both of them are so interested in each other and it's something that starts off slowly.

-> something that they slowly work through; his schedule was always different from day to day whereas her's was always regular and the same everyday. a classic 9 to 5 job with the odd day off for her to use at her leisure.

-> they take their time.

-> they enjoy each other before they become something official. they like to be by themselves. without everyone else knowing about them. sharing the sweetest kisses, cuddling, sneaking around from their friends and family because they just weren't wanting to share each other just yet.

-> and when they've become boyfriend and girlfriend, after a few months have flown by of knowing one another, they slowly introduce the other to their family and then their friends... which arthur was always going to be nervous about. having friends of such a high social media influence, he didn't want her feeling out of place or like she was different to them or that she didn't belong...

-> and his friends never do make her feel that way.

-> fitting in perfectly with everyone... they love her and she loves them and they love having her around in their group nights. they love how she teases arthur like they do yet they can tease her and she knows they're being silly and she doesn't take anything to heart. it's like she's known them for years... especially george (who she ends up being the best of friends with)... and arthur finds it so endearing how they've just welcomed her and how he felt welcomed within her own little group.

-> a coincidence meeting... but the best thing to have ever happened.

[hannahssimblr]

Chapter Thirteen (Part 2)

“Well, couldn’t have let you starve.” He holds the door open for me and I slip through it under his arm. It’s snowing again, and freezing flakes start landing instantly on my face. I shove my hands into my pockets as we walk together, but I can’t help but marvel at how bright the sky looks. Even though it’s well past midnight now the brilliant white carpet laid over the city reflects back into the sky making it look the same way that it does in the middle of summer on those impossibly long days when the sun never quite dips all the way below the horizon. 

“It’s been nice to see you again.” Jude says. “You know, I’ve missed talking to you.” 

I dig my chin into the collar of my coat to warm up my face with my breath. “Yeah.” I say. “You know, I really didn’t think it’d be so easy to talk to you after so long.”

“Let’s not leave it so long next time. I want to be your friend again.”

I blink, taken aback by the directness of his words. “You do?”

“Yeah, of course, I always felt like we kinda clicked.”

I laugh with incredulity. “Okay, well, you’re going to have to email back this time then.”

He looks at me and his eyes crinkle up. “Oh, sorry, but I definitely won’t. I’ve already proved to you that I’m horrible with communication. You’re going to have to wrangle me with a phone call.”

“Oh, well now you’re just making this sound like too much work… Who calls anyone anymore? You’re like some relic from the nineties.”

“Come on, me, I call people, in fact, it’s probably the only sure-fire way to access me at all. At least then you’ll know when I’m coming back to Dublin and maybe someday if you wanted to you could visit me in Berlin.” 

“Hmm.”

“And you’ll love Berlin.” He swears. “You’ll love my friends and the things that we do, it’s not all about drinking all of the time, there’s so much else. And the restaurants, you can have any food you want, anything in the world…”

“You’re really trying to sell it to me here, I get it. Berlin’s the best…”

“Just, here…” He holds out his hand expectantly and I stare at it until he clarifies. “Your phone please, Evie.” I dig it out of my pocket and give it to him. He starts typing something, and when he hands it back to me I see he’s put two things into my notes app. 

“The first one is my German number.” He explains. “And if you don’t have a roaming plan on your phone, that second thing is my skype name. You can call me for free.”

“Okay, well, you know where to find me…” I give him a side-eyed glance “…unless you’ve already deleted my details.”

“Never.” He says. “I still have your number.” 

“Okay then, but I won’t be surprised if I never hear from you.”

“You will.”

I don’t believe him. 

We reach the bar then and head back inside where my face is flushed with a sudden blast of warm air. The private area is nearly empty now with  just a few stragglers left, including Shane, Claire and Jen waiting forlornly around the table. Claire perks up when she sees us. “Oh you’re back, finally.” She breathes. “We really wanted to leave.”

“Where’s Marnie and Dean?” I ask her. 

“He and his friends got thrown out by the bouncers, and then Marnie and the brown haired girl went with them. It was about half an hour ago.”

“It was fun to watch.” Says Shane caustically. “He could hardly even walk.”

I give him a tight smile, trying to hide the deepest shame I have possibly ever felt. I keep picturing his face, Claire’s face, and even Jen’s face when they saw Dean. The shock and disgust in their expressions. It feels like shock and disgust at my decisions, at the choices I’ve made and the people I’ve chosen to spend my time with. I feel a second wave of shame when I think of the things Marnie said to Jude, and the way he just laughed her off like she was pathetic, like she doesn’t have any power I’ve been allowing her after all.  As I look over the small group left in this bar, I realise that Marnie would never have waited for me to come back from the takeaway, she would have left me here on my own, but here are Claire and Shane and Jen who sat out their boredom just so they could make sure I wouldn’t be left alone at my own birthday party.

Then I take Claire’s arm. “Well, I suppose we better get going, so. Thanks so much for coming, this was really really nice.”

“Yeah, for sure.” Jen says to me. “I’d love to catch up with you again sometime.”

“I’d like that too.” I say. 

“Summer.” She says. “When Jude comes back again in June I’ll have you over for a movie, we can all spend time having a proper catch up.”

“Yeah, absolutely.”

“Come on, let’s all walk out together.” And so we do, we all head out onto the snowy streets and when we’re ready to leave everybody starts hugging each other goodbye. When it’s my turn to hug Jude I try not to linger in his arms for too long, and I don’t know how to say goodbye to him again so I step back from him and raise one hand in an awkward wave. “Safe trip home.” I say.

“Don’t be a stranger.”

“You don’t.”

“I wouldn’t, not again.”

And then Shane, Claire and I walk away from him together without looking back. 

And that’s that. After a year and a half, we’ve run into each other again, we’ve talked, we’ve caught up and filled in the blanks and now it’s over, he’s gone, and my life will go back to the way it used to be. I have no hope in my mind that I’ll hear from him, and I wonder if it’s for the best that I don’t. He won’t call. The movie night at Jen’s house won’t happen, and maybe we won’t run into each other for a year, two years, maybe more. Or maybe, I think to myself as I trudge through the snow, maybe we’ll never see each other ever again. 

Prev // Next

[kenyatta]

There are a lot of lessons to take from the almost immediate success of Bluesky. The first is probably the importance of doling out invites at the right pace and to the right people. This is, incidentally, something I did with my own Discord, where invites were drip-dropped over a period of months until it filled up, which meant that a culture on the server had time to take root in a natural way. Another key takeaway here is that, at least for now, Bluesky’s content moderation strategy is working. When you open up Bluesky for the first time, you’re greeted with a series of toggles that allow you to decide exactly what you see in the app. You’re given the option to limit things like “Explicit Sexual Images” via a “show,” “warn,” or “hide” setting. In a sense, most platforms have some version of this, but I’m not sure I’ve seen it so prominently featured on an app before. And, lastly, and most importantly, it seems like Silicon Valley has forgotten that social networks can be fun. Not entertaining. Not engrossing. But fun. I think it comes down to figuring out the ratio of play and trolling. I often think about it like a good house party. If a sink overflowed at a house party you were at, would the people there find a way to have fun with it? Or would it ruin the vibe? Tumblr is the best example of a community that has mastered the art of turning a bug into a feature. The users there are ready to play and always experimenting with new ways of interacting with each other. And I’m seeing a lot of that same spirit on Bluesky right now. But this energy also feels extremely tenuous. The platform is small and it feels like we’re only one big controversy away from a make or break moment for the app.

Not entertaining. Not engrossing. But fun.

[consult-sherlockholmes]

Update about the woman who collapsed case?

What a well thought-out name. "The case of the woman who collapsed". You are challenging John there for the best case titles. That was sarcasm, if you did not notice. Hopefully, John can provide a better name than that if he writes down the case.

My suspicions were confirmed, as the toxicology report showed that the woman had been poisoned. I already suspected that the cause of death had been poison, and so I collected several potential samples at her flat with which the poison could have been administered. The poison had been consumed enterally, so I searched through the rubbish bin and looked for leftovers of food. I found a container of takeaway, tested it, and it turned out to be the source of the poison. So who poisoned her? Or might it have been self-administered? I further examined the food container, and found several fingerprints. On the victim's phone there was an app of a popular delivery service installed, and with that I could determine where the food had been ordered and paid them a little visit to investigate. Maybe they had been the culprits. I interrogated them and compared their fingerprints to the ones I found on the container. The fingerprints matched, but they had no motive and I did not find any poison at their restaurant. All fingerprints found on the takeaway container either belonged to the victim or to the restaurant employees. There was no one else's fingerprints to be found, is that not quite suspicious? So who did it? Furthermore, while I investigated the case, another sudden death occurred in the same borough. It turned out they had been poisoned as well. The victims had no connections at all, except that they lived in the same borough. All this could just mean one thing, so I demanded any records of previous suspicious sudden deaths in the same area. It turned out there had been five other deaths during the last few months that had been dismissed as natural or accidental, with no foul play suspected.

So we evidently have a serial killer on our hands. Does anyone want to make a guess who the prime suspect is? Or how to solve the case?

[liesmyth]

hi, i saw your post about tips for running beginners yesterday, and in it you mentioned you didn't like c25k programs too much. i'm very curious what your reasons for that are (outside of the one you mentioned in the post), just because i don't really know too much about the subject but am currently doing a c25k program :) i'd love to hear your perspective on the topic!

HI HI HI I'm so happy whenever I get asks about running, this really made my evening ❤️

I have some nitpicks about C25K, but the most important thing to keep in mind is that the best training program is the program you're actually going to follow. There's no point in an awesome training plan if you're not going to stick with it. C25K, with the various apps and communities and its immense popularity, is hugely convenient for new runners to get into, and I really think it's something that shouldn't be underestimated. Kind of how many beginner lifting routines are frankly kind of rubbish, but you're still seeing massive results even with suboptimal programming because you're training consistently. If you're enjoying C25K, that's all that matters at the end of the day.

On to my nitpicks: like I said in the post, I don't love the framing of walking as something an experienced runner needs to grow out of — there are many walk/run strategy training plans even at very advanced levels. My other two main nitpicks are: 1) lack of focus on strength and mobility, and 2) lack of deload weeks.

I think a program that targets complete beginners should put more emphasis on the importance of strength exercises + mobility and stretches as injury prevention, especially because so many people use C25K as a program while trying to lose weight and running is a high-impact activity that'll be more taxing on the joints the heavier you are. The second reason — lack of deload weeks — is also because of injury prevention. iirc C25K DOES tell people to repeat a week "if you don't feel ready," but I really think lower-volume weeks should be programmed in, instead of steady week-by-week increases. Your body needs some time to get used to its current fitness level before pushing harder. Something like "3 weeks of increasing distance, 1 week while you stay at the same weekly mileage or lower it slightly" is IMO better than "distance total increases week by week."

(In all of this, I'd like to disclaim that I haven't actually looked at a C25K plan in years. For all I know, maybe it was updated to include mandatory deloads and a recommended 5-mins-a-day-bodyweight-legs-routines. But these were my main "this could be better" takeaways when I last saw the schedule)

I hope this is clear and above all doesn't dissuade you! You're gonna smash that 5k

[cupcakeslushie]

Hi there! I'm new to posting in Tumblr, but I've been following you for some time now. My question is, how did you start off your blog? Your VERY famous in this app, but how did you do it? I wanna learn how to get atleast 100 followers. So I'm asking the best artist I know!

Oh well thank you 🤗, but I’m afraid I really don’t have much insight. I think I just got lucky being in a great fandom and having an idea that kinda spiraled at the right time. I’ve been on tumblr since like….2012, and I’d say 3.5/4 of my follower count is just from the last five months. So, for me at least, I made lots of art for a while, very very slowly building up a few followers, before I just found a really fun receptive fandom and things kinda went into crazy explosion. I’ve still got no idea how it happened lol 😂

But the takeaway would be, try not to focus too hard on how many followers you’ve got. It’s just a number. You could have five followers, but make some good friends who you really enjoy talking to, or you could have 100,000 followers and not know what the heck you’re doing. As long as you’re having a fun time! Your blog is for you!

[feedingtheflockministry]

Practical ways to place your hope in God’s Word In the midst of long seasons and challenging circumstances, God still invites us to come to Him. And one of the best ways to draw closer to God is by spending time in His Word. His words connect our hearts with His truth, and remind us of His faithfulness. So here are five steps you can do right now to help you pause, rest, and place your hope in God every day. Prepare your heart You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word. Psalm 119:114 NIV Start your quiet time by reciting this Psalm, and then write out your concerns and worries. Visualize putting everything that’s competing for your attention into a box, and then giving that box to God. Ask God to speak to You Before you dive into Scripture, ask God to help you understand His Word, and show you how to apply Scripture correctly to your life. He promises to give us His wisdom when we ask for it. Unpack the passage When was the passage written? Who was the intended audience? What is the main theme? Are there any repetitive words and phrases (if so, why)? What does the passage show you about God and other people? Read through the passage several times, each time answering a different question. Pay special attention to any phrases or ideas that continue to stand out to you. Summarize the Scripture Spend several minutes asking God to show you the truths in His Word, and then write down 1-3 key takeaways from the passage. This will help you process the insights God shows you. Exercise the application Write out 2-3 ways you want to practically apply the Scriptures you’ve studied, and then regularly check your progress. You can even turn your goals into prayers in your YouVersion App, and set reminders to pray about them! Once you’ve finished meditating on Scripture, spend a few minutes in silent reflection, and then throughout your day—reflect on all that you’ve processed. YouVersion Bible Verse of the Day devotional

[angelshadowsinger]

Hi, Angel!💗 I was wondering if you could please share where you learned how to create your masterlist, and profile layout, and how did you upload your dividers without it looking weird? I’m newish to Tumblr and I’m getting a little frustrated because I’m having trouble figuring it out.💗

hii sweetest! yes, of course I can give you some pointers. first of all, welcome to tumblr authorhood!! may you receive many comments and find infinite motivation~

for me, I suppose I’m “self-taught”? but isn’t everyone on this app? lol. actually, I’ve been sharing fic on tumblr for… idk, 8 years on and off ?? omg that’s wild. but yeah, I’ve definitely learned some stuff along the way., here are my key takeaways:

(general) promote interaction:

there’s a couple things I do to try to improve the number of notes I receive on my posts, but there’s also a few things I try my best to do in order to improve my readers’ experience. first, I use tags on every post I publish. I have a tag for asks, for my fics, for my fic recs, etc. This makes it easier for a potential follower to go through with following you even if they don’t like 100% of your content, bc they can always blacklist the tag and they won’t have to see any of those posts. second, use links so that your readers can easily look through your stuff. a masterlist is KEY here as it’s the gateway for all your fics, but also, general navigation, or even linking your masterlist at the end of your fics can be beneficial too. I find it’s also really important to have links in your bio. this makes it way more approachable for any followers and it’s honestly nice to have for your own purposes as well. the only thing about that is, you have to make the links for your bio on the computer version of tumblr when you’re editing your blog. it cannot be mobile, something about it just won’t work. i can go into further detail on how to get those bio links but tbh i just looked it up on google 5yrs ago and it’s stayed the same since then lol~

theme:

obviously my blog doesnt have a “theme” theme when you visit it on computer, but i mean theme as in, all your navigation/general/fic posts are cohesive and they look like they belong on the same blog. you can achieve this by using the same fonts, text symbols (or emojis…. i guess. personally, side eye…), or dividers.

fonts:

so beyond the 3 fonts tumblr has in its posting formatting, i personally like to use copy paste fonts. they still work with embedding links and stuff as well. i like to use a font generator, where you type in whatever you’d like and it converts it for you. then you can just copy & paste.

text symbols:

these are a good for borders and dividers, or just generally spicing up your bio/navigation. i usually google “text symbols copy paste”, and browse through the results.

dividers:

when you’d like to use a photo divider on your blog, make sure it is a very skinny PNG file. PNG means it has a transparent background, so it will be more cohesive for your readers on regular white posts and also dark mode posts. I actually designed my own PNG divider (Azriel’s siphon of course hehe) on my iPad on ProCreate, but I know there’s a lot of blogs that make them and share them, which you can use so long as you give proper credits. that’s another thing that’s important— always make sure to credit others if you’re using work that isn’t yours!

most importantly, I recommend always TESTING these methods!! make sure to double check that all your links work, that the symbol you choose doesn’t become an emoji when you paste, that the font is all set. there’s a lot of trial and error involved in making your blog just right :) hope this helps & good luck anon!!

[meilleurs-iptv]

Best IPTV Service Provider for Reliable TV Streaming

I’ve always loved watching TV. And over time, I’ve seen how we watch our shows change. One big change is IPTV or Internet Protocol Television. It’s making our TV time way better.1 By 2024, more people will choose IPTV over cable. S&P Global Market Intelligence says it will have over 33.7% of the market.1 Why? Because it’s easy to use, flexible, and has lots of shows.

Are you into sports, movies, or just flipping through channels? Finding the best IPTV service iptv provide can change the game for you.1 The IPTV Subscriber Market report looks at what’s happening in the world of IPTV. It talks about trends and what to look out for.1 With so many choices, it’s important to pick what fits you best.

Key Takeaways

IPTV is projected to surpass cable TV as the leading choice for multichannel households by 2024.

European countries like Australia, Romania, Sweden, and Indonesia are experiencing increased IPTV adoption.

Verified IPTV providers like Hulu, Sling TV, YouTube TV, and AT&T TV offer secure and legal streaming services.

Unverified IPTV providers may face legal issues and security vulnerabilities, though they tend to be less expensive.

A high-speed internet connection of around 25Mbps is recommended for optimal IPTV streaming experience.

Introduction to IPTV

IPTV, or Internet Protocol Television, is a cool way to watch TV shows through the internet. Instead of cables or satellites, it brings TV content right to your device.1 You can watch live TV, catch up on shows whenever you want, and enjoy movies directly on your device.1 Simply put, IPTV takes the TV signals from the internet and makes them viewable on your screen.1

What is IPTV?

IPTV, or Internet Protocol Television, is a major way people watch TV nowadays. It’s a global service that uses the internet to send TV shows and movies to viewers2. This has changed how we watch TV by making thousands of shows available through an internet connection3.

Benefits of Best IPTV Service Provider Over Traditional Cable TV

IPTV is a lot cheaper than traditional cable and satellite services2. All you need is the internet and a special URL or playlist to start watching2. Think of it like browsing the internet but for TV, making it easy to watch a lot of channels and shows anytime23.

Factors to Consider When Choosing an IPTV Service Provider

The world of IPTV is booming with advancements, making TV providers fight harder for customers.4 Consumers have a choice between legal and unverified IPTV options.4

Channel Selection

It’s important for users to check if the IPTV service offers the channels they love. This ensures they get what they want before they commit.4

Streaming Quality

Checking picture quality and how smoothly the videos play is key. Also, look at if you can change the language and if summaries are available. best iptv for firestick 20244

Device Compatibility

Since IPTV plays through apps, it’s crucial to pick a provider that works on your various devices. This offers flexibility.

User Interface

A service that’s easy to use and looks good improves how you watch TV. It can make a big difference.what are the best iptv providers

Pricing Plans

How much it costs is a major point for most shoppers. Luckily, there are different packages to choose from based on what you need. what is the best iptv provider

Choose a service with apps in trusted app stores for safety. This means they follow laws, giving you peace of mind.4 On the other hand, services not in these stores might not have the right to show some content, which is risky what is the best iptv provider reddit. best iptv service providers best iptv provider 2023 best iptv providers reddit 2024

Top Legal IPTV Service Providers

which is the best iptv provider

When you’re looking for reliable and legal IPTV services, some stand out. These providers give you lots of channels and on-demand shows. They make sure your TV time is safe and fun iptv best provider top rated iptv

CetIPTV

CetIPTV is a top choice for many. For about $30 a month in the USA, you get lots of live TV. This includes sports, news, and fun shows. It’s great for those looking to leave cable behind for something more wallet-friendly.

Hulu + Live TV

Hulu’s got something special with Hulu + Live TV. It mixes lots of live channels with Hulu’s vast library of shows. You can add extras according to what you like and what fits your budget.5

YouTube TV

YouTube TV offers a bunch of live TV channels, from local to sports to news. It’s all packed into an easy-to-use platform. Connecting with the YouTube world, it brings one smooth IPTV experience.5

Hulu, Sling TV, and YouTube TV are all top-ranked for good reasons. They offer secure and trusted streaming. It’s no wonder they’re among the best IPTV choices out there.1

Best IPTV Service Provider

Overview of Top IPTV Providers

Today, many IPTV services stand out, each with its special perks. CetIPTV has a vast channel selection and top-notch streaming1. IPTVRockers offers varied entertainment and a smooth platform1. If you love sports, IPTVPick shines with its sports programs1. SwapIPTV, however, focuses on content from around the world, perfect for diverse preferences1.

Comparing Features and Pricing

Providers vary greatly in what they offer and cost. VisualiseTv boasts 24,000+ live channels and 120,000 movies in stunning quality6. CetIPTV has premium channels, movies, and PPV options6. CetIPTV gives over 21,000 channels and a full money-back deal6. CatchON TV provides 20,000+ channels, VODs, and promises a 99% uptime6. KEMO IPTV’s annual $65 plan includes 20,000+ channels and more what is the best iptv service provider

User Reviews and Ratings

User feedback is crucial in choosing the right IPTV service. Many services let users try them free, up to 7 days, to get a feel and leave feedback6. Legal IPTV offerings can be found on platforms like Amazon and Google Play, showing they’re safe and real6. But, unverified services bring legal and security risks, so using a VPN is smart for safety6.

Unverified IPTV Services: Risks and Legalities

The IPTV industry is growing fast. It’s expected to beat cable TV by 2024 as the top choice for multichannel households1. But, there are dangers with unverified IPTV services. They raise big legal and safety concerns.

These unverified services aren’t in popular app stores. They seem cheaper than legal options. But, they might not have the right to stream content. This can lead to legal issues and risks like data theft7. They may also violate your internet service’s terms.

The laws around IPTV are getting stricter. The UK’s Digital Economy Act of 2017 means up to 10 years in jail for illegal IPTV. In the US, the Protecting Lawful Streaming Act makes streaming felonious. Operators of these services could face up to 10 years behind bars8.

When choosing an IPTV service, look at the subscription cost and payment method. Check the content and streaming quality. Also, see if they have ads, good customer support, and official apps. This is key to knowing if the service is legal and trustworthy8. Go for services you can find in official app stores to stay safe and legal.

Setting Up Your IPTV Service

Getting ready to explore IPTV needs some steps for a smooth experience. We’ll talk about what’s important when starting your IPTV journey.

Internet Speed Requirements

For IPTV to work well, you must have a fast internet connection. You need about 25Mbps for watching live channels in full-HD without interruptions.9 If you want to watch in 4K or need SD quality, you’ll need more speed. Over 75Mbps might be needed for excellent 4K quality.

Compatible Devices

Using a device that can handle IPTV well is key. Android systems or Amazon Fire Stick are great options.9 They make it easy and convenient to watch various IPTV apps and services.

Installing the IPTV App

Getting your IPTV set up means picking a provider, getting their plan, and putting the app on your device. After logging in, you can start watching live channels and on-demand shows.10 It’s usually simple, with instructions from your provider to help.

Enhancing Your IPTV Experience

Getting more from your IPTV means personalizing it to your liking. You can do this by using a VPN for extra security or by picking only the channels you enjoy. Accessing parental controls is another useful way to customize your experience. We’ll look into each of these ideas.

Using a VPN for IPTV

A VPN, though not always a must, adds a layer of protection. It encrypts your internet use and protects your privacy. It can also let you watch shows from other countries by bypassing their viewing restrictions.11

Customizing Channel Lists

Customizing your channel list can turn your IPTV experience into just what you want. You get to pick the channels you love. This is especially handy with a lot of channels. Some services even offer guides to help you find what you’re looking for easily.12

Parental Controls and Restrictions

IPTV services make it easy to keep your kids away from shows they shouldn’t watch. You can set controls to block certain content and manage when they watch. This keeps the whole family’s viewing safe and enjoyable CetIPTV

IPTV vs. Traditional Cable TV: The Future of Television

Many have turned to IPTV and satellite bundles for their TV needs.14 IPTV provides Live, Time-Shifted, and Video on Demand services.14 It tends to be cheaper than cable or satellite TV. This is because IPTV services offer various affordable plans.14

IPTV lets you do more than watch TV. You can pause, rewind, and fast-forward live shows. There’s on-demand content and shows picked just for you.14 The future for IPTV looks bright. More and more people will switch to it from traditional TV. This is because it’s flexible, offers lots of shows, and saves money.14 Technology will make IPTV even better. We’ll get smoother streaming, quicker starts, and more cool features.14 Plus, we’ll have more shows to pick from, including ones from around the world and special ones just for you.14

For years, cable and satellite TV have been the main way we watch TV. But now, IPTV is making a mark. It’s a cheaper and more adjustable option.15 IPTV is known for clear, reliable shows with less waiting and in high definition. Over-the-Top (OTT) services let you watch on different gadgets and save money.15 IPTV even has cool features like DVR, pausing live shows, and guides. OTT is great for its unique, top-notch shows.15

The TV world is changing fast. Soon, IPTV and OTT will blend in with smart homes. It will be easy to pick what to watch with your voice.14 Also, things like 5G and better internet will make TV even more amazing.15

IPTV OTT

Live Television

Video on Demand (VOD)

Time-Shifted TV

Subscription-Based Services (SVOD)

Ad-Supported Services (AVOD)

Transactional Services (TVOD)

Generally more expensive due to bundling with other services and hardware requirements15 More cost-effective and accessible on a variety of devices compared to IPTV15 Boasts quality and reliability due to managed networks, resulting in minimal buffering and high-definition quality streaming15 Offers flexibility in viewing, accessibility on multiple devices, and cost-effectiveness15 Presents interactive features like DVR, pausing live TV, and interactive program guides15 Known for producing high-quality original content not found on traditional TV15 Services are tied to specific locations and devices, limiting mobility compared to OTT services15 Might require multiple subscriptions for desired content, leading to content fragmentation15

The future looks bright for TV. IPTV and OTT will get even better with new technology.1415

Conclusion

The digital age has changed how we watch TV. IPTV, or Internet Protocol Television, is now popular. It’s a good choice instead of cable or satellite.5

IPTV offers a lot of channels, from about 15 to over 54,000. It’s also affordable, with prices between $15 to $30 a month. You can watch TV on smart TVs, phones, tablets, and more.5 This makes watching TV better for everyone.

In the USA, using legal IPTV services means you’re watching content from licensed sources. This makes sure you’re watching without any copyright issues. When choosing an IPTV service, think about the shows they offer, channels, price, and how they help you if you have a problem.5

The way we watch TV is changing thanks to IPTV. Soon, more people will watch TV this way. It offers new features and an improved way to watch. Plus, it’s all done the right way, making sure artists and creators are supported.

FAQ

What is IPTV?

IPTV stands for Internet Protocol Television. It brings TV shows and movies through the Internet to your devices. This is different from using cable or satellite dishes.

How does IPTV work?

To watch TV using IPTV, you need an internet connection. This connection sends TV shows to your device. You can watch IPTV on smart TVs, set-top boxes, or your phone.

What are the benefits of IPTV over traditional cable TV?

Unlike traditional TV, IPTV is more flexible and lets you choose what to watch when. You can see shows and movies from all over the world. Plus, it’s often cheaper.

What should I consider when choosing an IPTV service provider?

When picking an IPTV service, think about what channels you can watch and how clear the picture is. Also, check if it works on your devices and how easy it is to use. Make sure they are a legal provider for your safety.

What are the risks of using unverified IPTV services?

Using IPTV services that are not verified can lead to legal troubles. They might not have the rights to show the content they stream. Although these services are cheap, they may not be safe or reliable.

What internet speed do I need for IPTV?

For watching live HD TV through IPTV, you should have around 25Mbps speed. High-speed internet is best to avoid pauses while watching.

What devices can I use to access IPTV services?

You can watch IPTV on many devices like smart TVs, set-top boxes, and mobile phones. This includes systems like Android or Amazon Fire Stick.

How important is customer support for an IPTV provider?

Good tech support and customer service are very important with IPTV. They can help you fix any problems you have while watching TV.

Source Links

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/quel-est-le-meilleur-abonnement-iptv-en-juin-2024-abdelazziz-mehdaoui-ld7ge

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ultimate-iptv-subscription-guide-unmatched-usa-2024-mehdaoui-xf6me

https://www.firesticktricks.com/best-iptv-service.html

https://www.firesticktricks.com/is-iptv-legal.html

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/best-iptv-sites-usa-2024-ultimate-guide-cherkaoui-abderrahim-vzyqe

https://www.vplayed.com/blog/what-is-iptv-how-does-iptv-works/

https://www.theiptvguide.com/iptv-providers

https://www.enveu.com/blog/iptv-vs-ott/

[whentherewerebicycles]

processing some weight gain stuff under the cut

okay. in 18 weeks of pregnancy I have gained 15 pounds, which according to the guidelines I was given is a LOT more than I’m supposed to have gained at this stage. based on my starting weight I am only supposed to gain 15-25 lbs total across the entire pregnancy, which idk people seem to be mixed on whether that’s actually realistic but that is what the doctor says. in the last two weeks I went up 4 lbs, and that was with a terrible cold that totally killed my appetite and made it very easy to not indulge in holiday food (I couldn’t taste anything). I am exercising a little less (30-45 min daily walks instead of 45-75) but not like, SO much less yknow? and I have also been tracking my caloric intake on an app to make sure I’m not going over (although I think my real motivation there is if a doctor gives me a hard time about weight gain I’m going to be like yeah well here’s 15+ weeks of data on my eating habits so you tell ME what’s going on).

the point is that based on a calories in calories out model I shouldn’t be gaining this much weight this fast but I am. that’s just what seems to be happening! so I think I just have to LET GO and accept that my body is going to do whatever it thinks is best to support the pregnancy. I can still make good choices but I need to decouple the choices from the outcomes. or like, I need to accept that my good choices will produce good outcomes (I’ll be eating nourishing food and moving my body regularly!) but those outcomes will probably not include weight loss or a slowing of weight gain. here is what I will continue doing:

meal plan every week—I might want to start thinking about meal planning snacks too esp as I am feeling hungrier during the day

eat lots of fruits and vegetables every day

eat very limited amounts of processed foods and watch out for added sugars

walk briskly for 30-45 min a day

go to this hourlong weights class at least 2x a week (ideally 3x) and tack on 20-25 min of cardio on the bike after

I could also try going to the gym more often to do low-impact cardio—like trying to work in a couple days a week where I do 45 min on the elliptical while watching an episode of TV. I do find that in the past doing a lot of that mindless low effort activity seems to help with weight maintenance and is pretty easy to sustain because I’m just like, as long as I’m moving it counts! I don’t have to be pushing myself super hard! this is probably most doable for me on the weekends (and if I’m at the gym already it increases the chances that I might decide to run too).

ok so here’s a rough plan:

sat & sun: walk dogs (30-45 min x 2) + try to do 30 min x 2 of extra cardio while watching TV at the gym (or when liz is feeling better I can see if she wants to go together or do pregnancy workout videos)

mon & tues: weights class one of those days depending on work schedule + 20 min extra cardio one day + 30-45 min walk both days

wed: 30-45 min walk

thurs: this is my busy/long day with work stuff and rehearsal, but I can usually squeeze in a 20 min dog walk and could try parking far away and walking into work on days when it isn’t raining to get another 20+ min in

fri: weights class + 30-45 min walk

and I gotta remember I can make the walks less boring by 1) driving to a random neighborhood and walking from there and 2) talking to friends on the phone instead of just listening to stuff.

OKAY. the takeaway is: I DO NOT NEED TO FEEL GUILT OR SHAME ABOUT THE FACT THAT I AM PUTTING ON A LOT OF WEIGHT. I AM FOUR AND A HALF MONTHS PREGNANT! THIS IS LITERALLY WHAT MY BODY IS SUPPOSED TO BE DOING! I ALSO REFUSE TO LET DOCTORS OR THE INTERNET MAKE ME FEEL GUILTY ABOUT MY WEIGHT, BECAUSE I KNOW I AM MAKING HEALTHY CHOICES THAT ARE GOOD FOR MY BODY, MY BABY, AND MY MENTAL HEALTH. I ALSO WANT TO GENTLY DECOUPLE GOOD/HEALTHY CHOICES FROM SPECIFIC OUTCOMES. EATING WELL AND STAYING ACTIVE THROUGH MY PREGNANCY MAY NOT KEEP ME FROM GAINING “EXCESS” WEIGHT. BUT IT WILL MAKE ME FEEL BETTER IN MY BODY/SELF. IT WILL ENSURE THAT MY BABY IS GETTING LOTS OF GOOD NUTRIENTS. IT WILL HELP ME SLEEP BETTER AND FOCUS MORE AT WORK. IT WILL HOPEFULLY MAKE LABOR AND RECOVERY A LITTLE BIT EASIER TOO! I AM DOING ALL THE RIGHT THINGS AND IT IS OKAY THAT MY BODY IS NOT CONFORMING TO THE PRESCRIBED NORM. I TRUST MY BODY AND ASSUME IT HAS ITS REASONS!!!!!!!!!!!

[questwithambition]

Digital Minimalism - some thoughts

(I took zero photos of me reading the book so here a couple of the library). Back in January I picked up Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport, and as I read it I decided to implement some of the changes for at least a month to see what impact they would had. And oh my, has it been positive! A few takeaways:

I took an entire month off all social media, including Tumblr and Pinterest. I already didn’t have the Instagram and Facebook apps on my phone, but here I wasn’t able to access them on my laptop / browser either. This was a great break, as it really encouraged me to reconsider every time I picked up my phone. Since there was nothing to do on my phone I ended up reading more and doing other activities like painting and calling friends etc. It freed up not only time but the nagging compulsion to pick up my phone.

One of the biggest changes was spending time doing nothing, and also taking walks without headphones. I used to always listen to music / a podcast on my walk to and from uni / elsewhere but following the book recommendation, I stopped doing so. I was sceptic at first but I have so much space in my brain? These walks give my brain time to work through issues and worries, appreciate the world around me, or even just focus on putting one foot in front of the other. This calm has spread to other areas of my life: I was waiting at the dentist this morning for 10 minutes, and instead of reading or looking at my phone I just basked in the sunlight coming through the window, listening with half an ear to the receptionists chatting in the background and enjoyed a serene moment. If I could recommend a change it would be this one: on part of a commute, remove the headphones. Try sitting or walking in silence.

A final change was reducing notifications and availability: I implemented a “personal” mode on my phone where between the hours of 8:30pm and 9am only my family and a best friend will pop up in my notifications which immensely reduces the pressure to reply / think about it in the evening, and gives me a solid couple of hours work in the morning. I’ve taken it further and have removed notifications from a lot of apps such as snapchat and messenger etc: the people who need to urgently contact me have my number, and I’ll check the other socials throughout the day when I have time and space.

So would definitely recommend giving the book a read (I borrowed it from my library because libraries are amazing and so many of them have audiobooks / ebooks so please look them up! Also excellent places to read as pictured above). You obviously have to adapt what is said to your lifestyle, and some sections can drag on a bit, but I appreciated all the examples of how different people implemented steps in their lives.