#body lotion with caffeine

[y2kbeautyandother2000sstuff]

Bath and Body Works Benefits Cucumber Melon Skin Firming Body Treatment with Seaweed Extract and Caffeine

early 2000s, maybe late 1990s? If anyone has any idea, please let me know. I would love to get a more precise date.

Found on Ebay, user ahyo-82

I don't remember this, but I love the packaging. I love seaweed salads, so I'm intrigued by the idea of seaweed in skincare. and I love coffee so I would've bought this if I had seen it.

[theygender]

I love being T4T. My gf has been on estrogen for a couple weeks now and she's been having a rough time with her mood so I'm teaching her about the ancient art of soaking in a bubble bath with a little drink to sip while watching shows on your laptop

[girlwithrituals]

GLOW UP GUIDE FOR 2025⠀

READ: On average, it takes more than 2 months before a new behavior becomes automatic — 66 days to be exact. And considering that 2025 is precisely these many days away, why not start with our glow up plan already?

Physical Glow Up-

BODY

— 5-10K steps a day.

— 7-8 hours of sleep.

— workout everyday for 1 hr atleast- yoga/stretching/pilates/cardio. a workout may take one hour, but your mood will be boosted for the next 12 hours.

— posture training.

— sunlight exposure after waking up for at least 10 minutes.

NUTRITION

— 2-3 liters of water every day.

— limit your caffeine intake.

— avoid sugars as much as you can.

— high protein diet, pre and probiotics.

— more fruits and veggies (+ green smoothies if you like).

— no junk/processed food/trans fat.

— no eating after 8 pm.

SKINCARE

— be clear on your skin type (oily, dry, combination, sensitive).

— once you're clear, use these accordingly- cleanser, toner, targeted serum, eye cream, moisturizer, sunscreen (≥50 spf).

— keep your bedding clean as well.

— no picking of skin on your lips, cuticle etc.

— gua sha to help improve blood circulation and lessen toxins.

— cold therapy may take three to five minutes of being uncomfortable, but your energy levels will be boosted for the rest of the day.

— remove makeup before you go to bed.

BODY CARE

— shower every day.

— exfoliate 2x a week.

— use body lotion (shea butter/aloe vera gel/coconut oil).

HAIR CARE

— wash hair 2-3x a week

— oil your scalp 2x a week, at least 3 hours before shampoo.

— hair mask 1x per week.

— never brush wet hair.

— use silk pillow case.

HYGIENE

— brush your teeth 2x a day, clean tongue and the roof of the mouth daily.

— floss daily.

— cut your nails 1x a week, never remove the cuticles.

— glycolic acid under arm for odor and discoloration.

— never use soap on your coochie.

Mental Glow Up-

MINDSET

— set clear goals- define and breakdown your aspirations.

— start your mornings with positive affirmations.

— surround yourself with uplifting content and people.

— be shamelessly selfish to your career and mental health, remove anyone or anything that doesn't align with your priorities and wellbeing.

— boost your brain health by these 4 neuroscience tools:

difficult first: start your day with the most difficult task (cortisol and dopamine are high in the body meaning that your body/mind is primed to work).

rest your eyes: introduce a micro-pause after learning by resting/closing your eyes - will help retain information better.

tomorrow's worries: write tomorrow's to-do list before bed as it is proven to be effective in helping you fall asleep.

find time to play: engage in low-stake play. can be anything you find fun but where the outcome doesn't matter (induces neuroplasticity + reduces stress).

MIND

— meditation might take as low as ten minutes, but your focus will be improved for the rest of the day.

— no social media after waking up and at least an hour before bed.

— keep aside 1 hr of time to read daily! reading a new book may take five hours, but you will keep the knowledge forever.

— journaling, gratitude.

— digital detox once a week or for 12 hours.

— limit unnecessary screentime, unfollow or cut off people you don't want to see.

JOURNALING

— choose a regular time each day to journal, making it a part of your routine.

— find a quiet, comfortable place free from distractions. light a candle if you want.

— allow your thoughts to flow without censoring or editing.

— write about your feelings and emotions to understand them better. write about things you are thankful for to boost your mood. write about your short-term and long-term goals. identify what triggers certain emotions or reactions

— set a timer for 5-10 minutes and write continuously during that time.

— reflect on both positive experiences and challenges.

— make lists, journal your thoughts on these questions.

— journal at night to clear your mind before bedtime, because emotions and thoughts lose their power once we acknowledge them.

— a gratitude practice may take five minutes, but your mindset will be shifted for the rest of the day.

AFFIRMATIONS

— customise affirmations to your needs.

Personal Life-

WEEKLY TASKS

— initiate small changes: begin with small, manageable tasks such as making your bed or cleaning your room every sunday.

— celebrate your success: reward yourself when you achieve your goals or have a consistently productive week. consider treats like buying flowers for yourself or watching your favorite show.

DAILY WORK

— set achievable goals: establish realistic goals for the day, week, or month ahead.

— track your progress.

— organise your work space, declutter your shelves etc.

— embrace the power of lists: keep a list of tasks to be done and their deadlines. this way, you start each day with a clear plan. to make it visually appealing and motivating, consider using productivity apps like evernote, habit tracker, or notion.

PRODUCTIVITY TIPS

— wake up early.

— plan ahead everything, do scheduling. you can use:

google calendar / notion / tasks .

— if the task takes less than 2 minutes to finish, do it immediately.

— countdown rule, if you are procrastinating, count 1-2-3-4-5 and jump.

— start slow, don't rush and try to do everything at one time.

— follow a proper routine, use app locks based on screentime.

— pomodoro technique, 25 min work, and 5 min break.

— schedule longer break times as well e.g 30 min nap.

[frogchiro]

🐙 here!

👀 me making my own plot in my head for a/b/o cod.

imagine being the only omega on the team, except no one knows. and honestly? it wasn’t that hard to hide it in the first place.

always wear scent blockers. mild pills help, but having a lotion to rub on scent glands? makes you practically scentless.

act competitive when necessary, and back down when you know your losses are going to be big.

be caring. make Simon tea in the morning and a small breakfast for those who don’t consume just caffeine in the morning. soap likes to deny his liking for sweets, but make him waffles or cinnamon rolls and he’s on his knees immediately.

smile and be sweet. have happy little conversations with gaz about his latest interests. about the latest conspiracy about the Illuminati or his favorite game he played as a kid.

but not docile. docile is earned through respect. alphas have to earn the right to see you so submissive and pliant.

give Simon small smiles and chuff and play wrestle with soap and Gaz. late nights with price and paperwork. cooking warm meals after long missions.

the only reason anyone began to suspect something wrong was when you got sick.

headcanon that any omega and alpha will begin to give off pheromones when they get sick. it’s a little call out to the pack that you’re sick and you need to be babied and taken care of.

not even the suppressants and the salve can mask the smell of sick omega. It starts with a small twinge. a faintly sour scent that makes soaps nose twitch.

they can barely smell it. but they can see something is wrong from the way you look. bags under your eyes, a slightly ghastly appearance.

the way you move is a big give away. slow and sluggish.

finally it gets to a point where everyone can smell there’s a sick omega somewhere… but where?

in which case price has to wake you up because you were late to training. he was annoyed. a little peeved that you had the audacity to kiss when he had warned you last time not to be late.

last time you were late because you overslept. so this time the captain was going to give you something to startle your day into.

A soured scent fills his nose. telling him that there’s a sick omega and…

sick mate sick mate sick mate protect protect protect

provide provide provide pro-

gosh. price can’t get the sight out of his head. of you tucked so cutely into a small nest of military grade blankets and two pillows. your body radiating heat as you’d nuzzle closer into the pillow you’re holding against your face.

his inner alpha chuffs at such a sweet and docile omega.

maybe having a sick day would be alright… especially with your pack to take care of you.

hello octopus! welcome back! and aww, the boys taking care of their poor sick omega :(( they'd be quite distressed I imagine!

They are the alphas, the providers and protectors and yet it completely slipped under their nose that not only you're sick but also a whole omega too?? Unbelievable >:(

The second they realize your secondary gender and that you're not healthy it sends them into quite a frenzy; they're suddenly overcome with bubbling hormones and instincts they most probably never felt before.

It also means much to them than you could imagine. You being a omega, a sick omega, letting yourself be all vulnerable and open with a pack of alphas? It means you feel comfortable and safe with them, enough to show them your soft and docile side :((

Be ready to be fussed over like crazy, especially by Gaz and Soap, together with you they're the youngest pack members and when they first saw you curled up in your small makeshift nest, stinking up the space with sick unhappy hormones and burning to the touch these poor babies genuinely thought you were dying :<

Luckily Price and Ghost were there to correct them before they could barrel into your nest and nudge you awake; you were sick not dead and the last thing you needed were two hot headed young alphas on you.

When you woke up you were sluggish and slow; the cold did its job and made everything fuzzy when you woke up until you started to regain your senses and noticed that you were no longer cooped up in your tiny room with a few military-issued blankets and hard pillows but in a real big bed filled with blankets, pillows, sweaters and other things that smelled of certain familiar alphas; safe and warm. Judging by the overwhelming smell of the room alone you guessed you were in Price's room, a nice musky and woody smell, undeniably masculine and alpha.

You were still alone so you decided to just go back to sleep and try to sleep of the cold. With a rumbling purr you slowly fell asleep once again, maybe sick days and being the pack's omega wasn't such a bad thing?

[pandavalkyrie]

Things I didn't know before I was pregnant

Morning sickness is a misnomer. It is every day all the time sickness. I am beginning to lose hope in this promised 2nd trimester glow I've heard so much about.

Baby stuff is gendered. Like, yeah I knew it was but oh my god. WTF. It's so fucking gendered. If you don't want your baby assigned princess or football player at birth you can choose from the incredibly tiny ungendered beige collection.

I can smell everything. All the time. I have a smell. It's disgusting. I can be fresh out of the shower, caked in deodorant, lotion, and perfume but if I raise my arms I will smell myself and it will make me sick.

Almost every recommendation given to pregnant people is couched in fear mongering over the outdated idea of IQ. Why shouldn't I eat certain fish, have caffeine, or experience any sort of stress? Because you'll lower your baby's ability to take a test that measures their class affiliation.

The major exception to this is anything that risks carrying listeria. Oh boy, I never thought before that my biggest fear would be a turkey sandwich. Thanks Boars Head! Now please, clean your fucking factory

There's a special type of diabetes that can show up seemingly randomly when you're pregnant and just goes away right after birth. Because hormones are stupid.

In fact everything your body does during pregnancy is fucking stupid. Oh I need to eat lots and mostly nutritiously to have a healthy baby? LMAO you can eat Doritos and plain quesadillas and that's it. Go ahead and try to eat a salad. You can't, and it probably has listeria too.

I've never been under so much pressure in my life to do everything perfectly *or else* yet I'm in no way equipped to do anything thanks to the constant nausea, pain, and fatigue. I went into this with a disability but pregnancy is itself also an acute disability. I'm functioning at 20% on a good day.

Everything makes me cry. The other day I thought about The Little Mermaid song when she says "what's a fire and why does it, what's the word, burn?" And started sobbing uncontrollably

I am more pro choice then ever before. I'm going through hell and I wanted this. Someone having to experience a fraction of this misery when they don't want the outcome AND there's a simple outpatient procedure to end it is inexcusable.

So yeah I'm pregnant LMAO it sucks ass 0/10 dnr but I'm looking forward to what comes after

[httpwintersoldier]

『 do it for me, doll. pt.3 || bucky barnes x reader 』

pairing: pornstar!Bucky x f!reader words: medium summary: when life gets hard after the Avenger's disbandment Bucky has to find a new occupation, and you find it too.

『 part 1 』 『 part 2 』

Getting on the plane to New York had your legs jittery and butterflies in your stomach. You couldn't stop smiling, you felt like a teenage girl giggling about your crush. Except it was just about the opposite.

Your coworkers found it odd, that you were so happy and couldn't wait for a work related trip, but they just guessed you enjoyed travelling. Little did they know, company awaited you on the other side.

You'd only meet Bucky on your third day in New York, since you were busy the other two days, but you might as well have met him outside of the airport, because your mind was clouded with thoughts of him and what you'd do when you first saw each other. Your body felt like it was burning in every place you wanted him to touch you.

You hurried to call a cab, and once you were in the hotel you didn't bother to unpack or get comfortable, you just grabbed your phone to text Bucky (whom had obviously given you his number since scheduling a meetup via livestream chat was not ideal or practical).

You: I'm in NYC 😎

Bucky: you sure we can't see each other like... now? I want you so bad

(Picture attached)

The picture was of him, lying on his bed, wearing nothing but a pair of grey sweatpants, that were riding dangerously low on his waist.

You bit your lip, and for a second considered ditching your professional responsibilities for a good great fuck. But eventually decided against it.

You: Sorry Sergeant, duty calls, I'll see you the day after tomorrow

Bucky: you know I'll punish you for making me wait, right?

You: I do... and I can't wait.

You had no idea where your recent surge of confidence had come from (you suspected it was from all of Bucky's compliments and encouragement), but this new you was capable of saying just about anything that went through your mind.

To say you were unproductive and absolutely useless during your meetings was the understatement of the century. You were so distracted, excited and giddy by the thought of Bucky that you ended up contributing nothing to the work you were actually supposed to do. Your coworkers, however (bless them) just pinned it in nervousness for being in front of the higher-ups and covered for you.

When the day came you felt all sorts of emotions and skipped all of the coffees you'd usually have throughout the day as the added caffeine would only make it worse. A lot worse.

The workday itself was light, you only worked during the morning since your employers had meetings in the afternoon.

Come 1PM, you ate hurriedly and started to get ready, as if 6 hours wasn't enough time. You showered, did your hair and makeup (nice and heavy on the mascara so he'd have enough to mess up), lathered yourself in the nicest vanilla body lotion you had ever smelled, and got dressed.

You went all out for the meetup, even going as far as buying new lingerie for the occasion, but the man deserved it, he was cooking you dinner and serving all types of meat after all.

The set you purchased was baby pink. It was a hard cup lacy bra, that pushed up your tits in a beautiful way, with a small ribbon in between the cups. The panties were matching the top, and the back had a cut-out heart giving a perfect view of your ass. The set wouldn't be complete without the matching garter belt that connected to a sheer, white pair of tights.

You looked like a dream.

You put on a fancy outfit and gave yourself one last look in the mirror, touching up your makeup and hair, before texting Bucky.

You: I'm ready, will you make me wait till the time comes as a punishment?

Bucky: making you wait to come over would only be a punishment to me. Come one over.

Bucky shared his location.

You giggled and called an Uber to his location, sending a picture as soon as you got in the car to let him know you were on your way.

Bucky was just as giddy and nervous as you were, and he didn't know how long he'd be able to keep his hands off of you. Despite what might've been a popular belief, he didn't fuck a lot, he just happened to undress on camera.

About 15 minutes went by and Bucky was just adding the finishing touches to the dinner table when he heard your footsteps approach the door.

Ding dong.

You both took a deep breath, and the door opened.

"Y/N! Hi!"

Mesmerizing. That was the only way to describe Bucky Barnes. He smiled at you as if you weren't both thinking of the sinful things you were to do to each other.

"Nice to finally see you in person!" You said, greeting him with a hug.

He guided you inside his house - it was very minimalist, nothing but the absolutely necessary inside.

"I'm not big on decorations." Bucky said with a chuckle, as he saw you look around "But I do have beautiful chains hanging on my bedroom walls." He whispered in your ear, as an arm sneaked around your figure.

You shivered, looking over your shoulder at the man that was standing dangerously close to you. Your lips missed each other by mere milimeters, and the sexual tension was clearly palpable.

Bucky brushed his lips over yours for a split second, before completely pulling away and taking you to the kitchen. What a tease.

Bucky was a true gentleman, pulled directly from those 1940's stereotypes. He pulled out the chair for you and served your food and the champagne he had prepared.

"I hope you like it. If you don't there's a great chinese place nearby." He half-joked, since he was actually a little scared you wouldn't like the meal.

But his worries washed away when he saw your face as you took the first bite of the meal.

"Wow! This is amazing!" You complimented.

You saw his cheeks go a little red at the compliment and he smiled widely.

"Yeah? Thank you."

You'd think all of the compliments he got during streams would've made him more used to hearing them, but he still got very shy.

"Hopefully it won't be the best thing of the night..." You said suggestively, sending a wink his way.

Bucky's face instantly changed, into a look of lust and desire.

"Oh princess, this is nothing compared to what I have prepared." He winked at you, bringing the champagne glass to his lips.

The conversation flowed naturally during the dinner, which was a relief. Both of you had a secret worry in the back of your minds that you'd have no chemistry aside from the sexual attraction, but as time passed the worry faded completely.

When dinner was done, Bucky took a hold of your hand and guided you to his living room, bringing the champagne along with you. You sat down on the couch.

"You know Bucky, I'm surprised..."

Bucky rose an eyebrow at you.

"Hm? Surprised?"

"Yes," you paused, trailing your hand up his thigh "after the stunt you pulled when I came in the door I didn't think you'd last this long without doing... something."

Bucky's bionic arm gripped your wrist, just as your hand was getting to his crotch.

"Oh princess you have no idea how much I've been holding back."

The Soldier pulled you a little closer as he said that.

"Why hold back?" You whispered, as he was just so close.

"Because if I don't I won't be able to hold, back." Bucky responded, one of his hands making it's way to your cheek.

"Then don't hold back."

Those words were almost like a command for Bucky. He borught your face closer to his and kissed you, Your lips fit perfectly together, and all you both could think was "finally".

There was need and desperation in the kiss, and it was as if you were afraid to let go, as if you'd falter if you pulled away.

Bucky's vibranium arm wrapped around your figure, and brought you to his lap. His hips rolled up agains yours, as his tongue entered your mouth once more and his hands gripped your ass - you felt pleasantly overwhelmed, your mind had no idea what to focus on.

You could feel his boner against your core, and moaned at the feeling.

Bucky's hands settled on your ass and he stood up, taking you to what you assumed was his bedroom. He then laid you on the bed, standing up for a second to take of his shirt and pants.

As he worked on his clothes, you worked on yours. You removed your top and undid your zipper, so Bucky could pull down your pants and dispose of them. After he did so, he stood back, admiring your body in the pretty lingerie.

He smirked, chuckled and brushed back his semi-long hair, before climbing on top of you and pampering your chest and neck with sloppy kisses.

"You'll be the fucking death of me, doll." Bucky told you, snapping the waistband of your panties against the skin of your hip.

Your hand tangled on his hair as he marked your skin, while his hand sneaked inside your pretty underwear to find your clit.

"Oh Bucky- fuck."

The man kissed your neck, then your jaw and then your cheek.

"You sound even more beautiful in person." He said, before catching your lips in a quick kiss.

Bucky wanted to grab that pretty bra of yours and rip it out, but it was far too pretty, so his hand reached around your back and unclasped it, then peeling it off your body.

"Shit..." He groaned under his breath.

The man's lips attached to one of your nipples, as the other hand sneakily pushed your panties to the side, so he could enter you.

"This wet? Just for me? Wow I must be really good." Bucky joked, biting your breast and then kissing down your stomach.

"May... Maybe." You said, unable to sneak in a snarky reply when his tongue met your clit.

Bucky was holding your waist down with his free hand, as you couldn't help but writhe under his touch.

"Shit if you keep that up I'm not gonna last long." You said, between moans and whines.

"Then don't last long. Cum on my tongue doll, I wanna see how pretty you look up close."

Bucky curled his fingers inside of you and uncurled, picking up the pace he fingered you it. Soon after you were cumming with a loud cry of incoherent words that were meant to be "fuck Bucky, you're so good".

When your breath was steady, he came up to kiss you, and you could taste yourself on his tongue. Hot.

In a sudden act of bravery, you wrapped your legs around his waist and flipped you over, then kneeling in between his legs.

"What are we doing now doll?" He asked, with a look of amusement on his face.

You hooked your finger on the waistband of his tight boxers and pulled them down, letting his erection spring free. His cock did look bigger in person.

"Repaying the favour."

Before he could reply, you licked a strip along his shaft, before sucking his tip. You bobbed your head up and down his shaft, slowly taking more and more of him.

"Oh... fuck." He groaned and made a makeshift ponytail out of your hair, so he could watch the way his cock disappeared in your mouth.

Your hand added to the movement, and when you looked up, your teary eyes meeting his, he nearly came in your mouth.

"That's it." Bucky said, before tugging on your hair and pulling your mouth away from his cock.

Before you could register what was happening, Bucky had you on the bed with your ass up and face in the matress. He took your wrists and held them together behind your back.

Soon after, his tip found your entrance and he slipped in slowly, taking in the moment he finally got to fill you.

"Oh fuck, you feel so good doll." His compliment almost went unheard, as you were too focused on how good it felt to have him fuck you.

His hand spanked your ass and then grabbed it, loving the way it bounced when he fucked you.

As Bucky picked up the pace, your moans became more frequent and louder, making it insanely hard for him not to cum.

"Fuck it." He said, and paused, before flipping you around and entering you again "I wanna see your pretty little face when you cum on my cock, you're going to look so beautiful, all fucked out for me."

His hand wrapped around your throat as he said those words, and you swore your vision went blurry with pleasure.

"You f-feel so good Bucky- shit! Fuck!" You screamed, as he seemed to go deeper and deeper with each thrust.

It wasn't long before pleasure-filled tears streamed down your face, and your hands gripped the sheets. Your climax hit you harder than any before, and you cried out the man's name.

Bucky didn't even get time to ride out your orgasm, he simpy pulled out and came on you. All over your stomach and tits.

The man fell beside you on the bed, as you both tried to regain your breaths. After a couple seconds, you looked at each other, instantly feeling shy as if you hadn't fucked the shit out of each other.

You noticed the way his eyes drifted to your neck, and you softly ran your fingers across it.

"I'm going to have to wear a scarf tomorrow, aren't I?"

Bucky smiled and laughed.

"That would probably be best, yes." He joked, meeting your eyes.

Bucky wrapped his arm around you and pulled you close to his side, not caring if his cum stuck between your bodies, and lifted your chin up to kiss you.

"Join me. Let's film this, at least once. Please?"

"I'll think about it."

[TAGLIST]

@strndedonmars ; @geeky-politics-46 ; @high-functioning-lokipath ; @erinallene ; @yvessaintmuerte ; @kandis-mom ; @cjand10 ; @sadboiabby ; @sebastians-love ; @princezzjasmine ; @witchywonderlandchaos ; @buckysfirstbitch ; @itjustkindahappenedreally ; @strndedonmars ; @florencediet ; @mdrovert ; @barnescamboy ; @winters1917 ; @yvessaintmuerte ; @pattiemac1 ;

[quinloki]

My apolocheese in advance for this, but all 50??? 😀 (Excluding any you may have answered already and/or don't feel up to answer)

Feel free to discard this ask entirely, or answer it in portions whenever you have energy. Whatever works for you. ^^ Just don't overwork yourself (ironic ik, coming from the guy who's asking for all 50, but I can't help it <3)

You know what - sure. XD

I'm going to put this below a cut though, cause whew!

who is/are your comfort character(s)? Marco definitely, but I find comfort in a lot of characters, so I should include Kid, Sabo, Crocodile, Doflamingo, Thatch, Penguin and Law in there too.

lighter or matches? Man I love a good zippo, but nothing beats the smell of a match, so I'll have to go with matches

do you leave the window open at night? Not unless I absolutely have to.

which cryptyd being do you believe in? Are ghosts as a general classification close enough? I've seen like three, but I haven't seen any other cryptids.

what color are your eyes? Brown ^_^

why did you do that? Sometimes I do not even know. I let go of a pot the other day for no good damned reason and was just glad it was empty.

hair-ties or scrunchies? Hair-ties. There's no scrunchie in this 'Verse that can contain my hair.

how many water bottles are in your room right now? In my room like my bedroom? Or as in the room I'm in right now? In either case it's zero. I have this spiffy mason jar monstrosity for water and it's down in the kitchen atm.

which do you prefer, hot coffee or cold coffee? Caffeine, honestly, is what I prefer XD Coffee's crap unless I make it myself so I don't even really register the flavor of it most of time.

would you slaughter the rich? Hm... ... no. I can't say I'd protect or defend them, but my sinful ass isn't going to go around casting judgements on others, no matter if I think they deserve it or not.

favorite extracurricular activity? >.> <.< I mean... I can't really say anything other than sex at this point.

what kind of day is it? A middling Sunday. The sun is pleasant, my cats are napping and look egregiously adorable, but there's still the weight of unemployment on the house, so it's middling.

when was the last time you ate? About 5 minutes or so ago. Rice and veggies.

do you love the smell of earth after it rains? Most certainly ^_^

are you a parent? (all answers qualify) lol not even a little.

can you drive? Better than most. My grandfather taught me with a bag of apples, but I don't really enjoy driving so I don't do it much.

are you farsighted or nearsighted? Whichever it is that needs glasses to see.

what hair products do you use? Cheap ones >.>

imagine we’re at a sleepover, would you paint my nails? If you wanted, certainly, but I have bit my nails since I was 8 so my skill at nail painting does not exist ^_^;

do you say soda or pop? Previously answered, but the short answer is soda.

something you’ve kept since childhood? My friend John. We became friends when we were 5 and 6 and I still play D&D with him on the weekends.

what type of person are you? A lucky one.

how do you feel about chilly weather? Previously answered, but I love winter and autumn

if we were together on a rooftop, what would we be doing? Probably stargazing. Which I stand by because you're not getting me on a roof when the sun's up.

perfume/body spray or lotion? I... uh... none?

a scenario that you’ve replayed multiple times? Like, in my mind? Ah, I licked a guy's nipples for so long he asked me if I was enjoying myself, and instead of saying yes like a boss, I got flustered and it killed the mood. Alas.

about how many hours of sleep did you get? ... 6? I think.

do you wear a mask? When I leave the house, yeah.

how do you like your shower water? Flesh-meltingly hot.

is there dishes in your room? Yes, but only because I just finished eating veggies and rice before I started answering this.

what type of music keeps you grounded? Previously answered, but I really do listen to all of it.

do you have a favorite towel? Nah. I have a favorite spatula though.

the last adventure you’ve been on? My spouse and I went on a 14 day road trip before the pandemic hit and I think between the states and Canada we traveled something like 5,490 miles or so.

is there a song you know every word to by heart? Don't Let It Bring You Down by Annie Lennox

what’s your timezone? East Coast

how many times have you changed your url? 0 - and I don't foresee it happening either.

someone in your life, other than a relative, you’ve known for 10+ years? My aforementioned bestie, but also my lil' "brother" who is not really technically my brother, but who has known me since he was 14 and I was 17, and my D&D group has been together for over 10 years now, so that's like 11 or so more people.

a soap bar that smells good? I use cheap liquid soap, sorry ^^;

do you use lip balm? Nope.

did you have any snacks today? Yes, a pear.

how do you take your coffee? Any way I can get it. Black is preferred though.

an app you frequently use besides this godforsaken site? Discord, maybe I imagine.

what’s your take on spicy foods? I am weak, my family is weak, my ancestors were weak, but I will sniffle and cry and sob the entire time because it's fucking delicious

you get a free pass to kill anyone, who is it? Sadly, they suffer more alive than dead, so >.>

can you remember what happened yesterday? Well enough I'm not worried about early on set dementia.

favorite holiday film? I was gonna say Die Hard, but then it made me think of The Last Unicorn and so I'mma go with that.

what was the last message you sent? Cheering on family who did early voting.

when did you first try an alcohol beverage? Supervised - 12 Because no one was there to stop me, 15.

can you skip rocks? I can trip over rocks, but that's about as skillful as I get. ^_^

can i tag you in random stuff? Certainly - I cannot promise I'll always know how to reply, but I actually really appreciate being tagged because I miss stuff easily.

[neon-vocalist]

Are you an alter in a system? Is the host or another alter in your system kind of in hell rn and struggling to take care of themselves? Here’s a list of shit you can do to help them out. Body care edition.

First up. Get in the damn shower. If that’s all you’ve got in you, great! Bask in the warm water and enjoy your chill time, it’s still a good way to refresh. But while you’re in there, if you feel up to it…

Wash your hair with shampoo and/or put conditioner in it.

Use a sugar scrub or other exfoliant on your body, especially back, chest, and joints— this one’s especially good if you’ve been struggling to wash up lately.

On that note, wash your body with soap! If you don’t have a soft towel in arm’s reach, just slap it on there with your hands. Still does the job.

Wash your face.

Shave if you’re into that.

Wash your feet, ears, and neck— commonly forgotten places!

Maybe shampoo your hair again if you haven’t done so in a while.

Run the water cold at the end to theoretically benefit your hair, skin, and mood.

Once you’re out of the shower, you can do other body care stuff. For example—

Brush your teeth!

Maybe even floss them!

Use mouthwash if you want!

Use whatever skincare products you like and/or have on hand.

Use lotion in a scent you enjoy.

Use body spray or perfume in a scent you enjoy.

Use deodorant. Measure with the soul.

Brush or detangle your hair.

Style it or use a hair product if you feel so inclined.

Put on some chapstick or use a lip scrub.

Short section on medical care.

Take prescription meds if you have any.

Take Tylenol or other OTC stuff if you find you need it.

I find this one extremely important— clean and cover any applicable wounds on the body.

Get dressed in an outfit that’s comfortable and / or makes you happy. Now you can worry about stuff like food and drink.

Firstly, drink some water or any other beverage of choice. Caffeine is fine, sugar is fine, it doesn’t matter, it’ll still get SOME amount of water in you.

Then…

- If your host hasn’t been eating much or has been eating food that’s more quick & comforting than technically “healthy”— make or get a meal or snack with a focus on nutrition. Protein, plants, whatever.

- If your host has been eating the same stuff every day— make or get a meal or snack with a focus on variety. Colours! Textures! Tastes! Etc.

- Just generally, if your host or any of you have been down lately— make or get a meal or snack with a focus on comfort. Maybe something you’ve loved since you were little, or something you discovered more recently. Something that reminds you of someone or something you love. Just something to get your spirits up.

Finally, regardless— make or get yourself a little treat. You deserve it.

[lionlena]

A perfect day for a perfect girl (PedroPascalxreader)

Okay, so this is a reward for @reniescarlett​  bc she is my 300th follower :D

Request from here.

I tried to make it really nice and sweet. Just one moment of uncertainty, but Pedro quickly dispels it.

Fluffffff

You felt soft kisses on your stomach and smiled. Without opening your eyes, you placed your hand on his head and buried your fingers in his hair.

"Pedro," you murmured.

"Good morning, Sunshine," he said and placed another kiss on your soft belly.

"Hmm, I'm still asleep," you replied, but you already knew you'd have to get up.

Pedro was sometimes like an impatient puppy. You suspected that he had been awake for at least an hour and impatiently waiting for you to join him. Actually, it would be a lie to say that you weren't excited either.

Today was your birthday and it was going to be a wonderful day.

There was going to be a little party tonight, nothing too crazy. You just wanted to have dinner with some of the closest people you loved and who loved you just the way you are.

Pedro obviously wasn't going to wait until the evening with all the nice things he had prepared for you.

You felt him move up your body and start kissing your collarbones: " Hermosa," he moaned.

You laughed and kissed his cheek muttering, "It's okay, I'm up."

You opened your eyes to meet his warm brown gaze filled with nothing more than love for you. He grinned widely and pecked your nose saying, "I'm waiting in the kitchen!"

You rolled your eyes and shook your head. Sometimes you wondered where he got so much energy from. Maybe it was the amount of caffeine he drank.

When you got up, you noticed a path of rose petals and a pleasant warmth enveloped you. Pedro really set out to make your birthday special. You followed rose petals to the kitchen.

Pedro was standing at the table with a big smile on his face and fidgeting impatiently. As soon as you crossed the threshold he shouted "Happy birthday!"

He ran over to you and hugged you tightly.

You laughed at his behavior and smiled back at him. As he moved away from you, he led you to the table and pulled out a chair for you. He placed a plate of pancakes and sweet syrup in front of you. You raised your eyebrows in delight. You knew he must have put in a lot of effort in this and that he probably burned at least half of the pancakes, but it was still impressive. Soon a bowl of your favorite fruit, orange juice, and coffee were also on the table.

Pedro came behind you and kissed your head.

"Here," he said and set down a small box with a ribbon. "Open it."

You looked inside curiously and found a silver necklace with a pendant in the shape, of your favorite animal.

"Oh, Pedro... It's really too much."

"No," he replied quickly. "This is just the beginning. You are special and your birthday is supposed to be perfect."

You stroked his cheek and for a moment you just stared at his handsome face. Until finally he broke the silence: "Come on, eat. I thought after breakfast we'd watch a movie of your choice, and then maybe we'd lie down by the pool."

You nodded your head. "That sounds great, but remember we have guests tonight."

"Take it easy" he purred and stroked your hip. "I'll help you with everything."

As Pedro suggested, you sat comfortably on the couch after breakfast. You cuddled up to his side and together watched the movie you chose.

Later, he prepared snacks for both of you and you lay down by the pool. Pedro took the lotion and asked you to lie down on your stomach. He started rubbing the cream into your back and you closed your eyes and focused on the pleasure. His fingers perfectly located the points where you were tense. By the time he focused on your neck and shoulders, you were in heaven. You could spend all day like this, but you really wanted to see your friends.

You felt Pedro kiss you on the ear and purr, "What about are you thinking, honey?"

"I could spend eternity here," you replied.

"If you want, we can cancel everything."

"Oh no. I really want to see everyone and wear a new dress."

Pedro laughed and nodded. "Okay. We're doing whatever you want today."

You spent another hour by the pool, but it was finally time for you to start preparing dinner. Pedro, as promised, helped you with everything, and when you went to change, he started to prepare the table.

You took a quick shower, did your hair and makeup, and finally put on a new dress.

You looked in the mirror and lightly smoothed the fabric around your hips. You tilted your head slightly and bit your lip. You turned sideways and then heard his soft voice: "Sweetheart? Is something wrong?"

You lifted your head to look at Pedro, who was staring at you in awe.

"I don't know. Isn't that dress... Too short? Too small?"

He immediately shook his head and stood close to you, placing his hands on your waist. "You look stunning and... I'm mad?"

"What? For what?"

"Because you'll be torturing me with your looks all evening. Everything I will want will be to throw everyone out the door so I can have you all to myself!" He leaned in and started kissing your neck.

"Stop it" you squealed and slapped his chest.

"But, this is true" he groaned.

You smiled and cupped his face in your hands. "I love you, you know?"

"I know. I love you, cariño."

All your uneasiness vanished instantly as his brown eyes stared at you with such love and devotion. You were ready for a great evening.

Your friends have not let you down. They gave you wonderful, unique gifts and made the whole evening full of laughter.

Pedro was always close to you and gave you kisses at every possible opportunity.

When the last of your guests left, you started clearing the table, but then Pedro put his arms around you from behind and started to pull you away.

"Honey, what are you doing? I have to clean up."

"Uh, no, no..." he murmured. "It can wait until morning... Or a week... Whatever. All evening I thought I had to give you your last present."

You turned around in his arms and looked at him surprised. "What?"

"Me," he replied, and you started laughing. "You look so beautiful. Please, let me take you to the bedroom. If you make me, I will beg for it on my knees."

You snuggled into him and sighed. "You don't have to beg me..." You pulled away and grabbed his hand leading him toward the bedroom. "I really want to unwrap my last present."

Pedro started to laugh and you felt infinite happiness envelop you. It had been a great day, and apparently, the night was going to be just as amazing.

[row-of-ribbons]

Dream Girl Diary Entry: #2skincare Beyond the face

Hello beautiful ladies, as we delve into the world of skincare and uncover the secrets to nurturing our facial skin, let's not forget to extend the same love and care to the rest of our bodies. Remember, every inch of you deserves to be cherished and pampered. Let's explore how to embrace a holistic approach to self-care and ensure that our entire body feels the love it deserves.

Exfoliation is essential for healthy, beautiful skin. It removes dead skin cells, revealing fresh skin and promoting a brighter complexion. This process also enhances blood circulation, supporting the production of healthy skin cells.

You can exfoliate using methods like dry brushing, washcloths for a gentler cleanse, or sugar scrubs that add hydration. Incorporating regular exfoliation into your skincare routine can help you achieve a more radiant complexion.

moving along to hydration

Creams, oils, butter, and lotions can enhance your skin's appearance, but they won't hydrate you if your body is dehydrated. Prioritize drinking at least eight glasses of water daily, especially if you're active or in a hot environment. Be aware that soda, caffeine, and alcohol can contribute to dehydration. For healthy, glowing skin, focus on adequate water intake and a skincare routine.

rest

Ladies, the effort you invest in your personal well-being becomes insignificant without the rejuvenating power of a good night's sleep. There’s a reason it's often referred to as “beauty sleep”—when you prioritize rest, your mind becomes sharper, and your skin glows with vitality. Achieving restorative slumber is crucial for transforming your hard work into tangible results, allowing you to truly flourish in every aspect of your life.

spiritual care

My relationship with Jesus provides me with valuable support and guidance. This connection helps me navigate challenges and brings comfort during tough times. By seeking His wisdom daily, I find greater ease and clarity, fostering a sense of peace that empowers me to face life's uncertainties with confidence.

I really hope that was helpful for you all. I'm here for you, so if there's anything I missed or anything you'd like to share, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Take care, and I look forward to talking to you soon!

xoxoxo

-love C

[vinnoa-articles]

Caffeine

[Image by Eiichiro Oda]

Habit Substitute Drabble Series! This will be 5 out of the 8 drabbles I will be writing, because, why not? Some characters like certain things on a daily. But what if you were there?

Here are the links for the others.

[Luffy] [Zoro] [Usopp] [Sanji] [Law] [Smoker] [Crocodile]

Rating: +18, you have been warned. If you are a minor, leave now.

Word count: 1,447

Type: Smut

Characters: Law, reader (Female)

Trigger warnings/content: Sexual implications at the end

A grumble is all he heard, there it was, just a couple of words but it wasn’t coherent. “Law!” All that snapped him up was his name being called by her. Those eyes of hers bore into his skull, leaning so close to him that he could smell the lotion she put on her hands, caressing his stubble, those eyes that hooked him deeper than any book he was buried in. “You are holding that book upside down, you know.” Her finger pointing down to the hardcover book between his own fingers. Startled, yet calm, the creeping of embarrassment rose to his nose and he could feel it. Placing the book down so it faced her, he slid it to her.

“No no, I can read upside down. Besides-” looking down at the anatomy of the heart, to her face, then back to the right valve of the picture, “you need to study up so that we are ready for anything.” She sighed, leaning back as her soft touch left his jaw, the leaving warmth that he hadn’t felt in days, almost lifting up a finger to just touch her skin against his fingertips. It became hard to breathe, to swallow his built-up saliva, and the air felt hot. From the corner of his eye, he could spot his trusted mug half-full of the dark abyss of coffee. Hand clasping around the handle, he took a long sip to wash down his emotions that he was trying to figure out, to piece together as the caffeine would try to fix him.

“You really should stop drinking that,” her fingers grasped the mug as he was placing it back on the coaster, tugging it even to make his own fingers twitch but not release. “That’s all you drink, and it’s just making your eyebags worse doctor.”

“Oi, you can’t really tell me what to do when you were the one that wanted to study with me,” feeling his eyes roll to show his annoyance, and it was true, has been up. Pulling back his finger from the book, he instinctively dragged his hand across his face, and she was right, the puffs under his eyes felt more swollen than usual. It didn’t matter though, this was his usual routine, and there wasn’t much that was going to change. Yet, every little move she did, her foot brushing up against his thigh, the occasional yawn or maybe moan as she stretched out her arms above her head as she leaned back on her chair, to even leaning forward to get a closer look at his face.

“Hm…but doctor?” There her face was, right in front of his, it caught him off guard, almost jerking back and flinching. His instincts were precise yet slow. When he could see the whole picture, every small thing caught his eye, yet when it's right in front of his face, somehow he couldn’t register it. Her body was leaned over the book, her oversized hoodie grazing the page, her nose nearly poking his. “Your face is quite pale, despite how much sun you get, you have been drinking how many cups of coffee now?” Why was that? That was when he felt it again, those fingers bringing warmth to his face again, those fingers that he so wanted to kiss, to bite to see the tenderness of the flesh. “Doctor!” He gasped, his hand was around her hand, he guided it right near his lips, he could feel the plushness of the pads of her fingers against his lips. A hum he could feel vibrate onto her fingers.

“Ah, sorry,” the release of her wrist, trying to figure out when he grasped her wrist, maybe his thoughts intruded and did it without realizing. “Just too tired I guess,” he chuckled, as that same hand tried to reach the coffee cup, but there was something that stopped him from grabbing it. It was her lips, clasping on top of his, stopping him in his tracks, unable to process what was even going on. She backed up, squinting her eyes at him, there was a weird tug on his lips to maybe encourage a smile. “Ha…haha, well,” his body felt hot again, it was hard to inhale some fresh air, trying to even get some words out was difficult. “If that’s to keep me up, I am up, just don’t worry about me, aight?” However, she didn’t move, still watching his face so intently as if he was a test subject, it made him uneasy. Inching closer to the cup while not taking his eyes off hers, she leaned in, giving a quick peck on his lips again, he could feel her nose poke his cheek, it was brash, sudden, aggressive as if she was trying to give him a reason to stop. He was curious, how far was she going to go to stop him? Another inch, and there it was, another sweet peck on his lips, but this time, as she pulled away, she frowned. “What?”

“Is coffee that amazing?”

“It keeps me up, there is nothing else that helps me,” and with that, the woman slammed her hands on the table, nearly making every book stacked on the table jump with fear. Her skin on her hands tensed as she grabbed the ceramic mug, downing the rest of his awakening potion, her throat chugging the coffee as if it was her life. The gears turned as he saw this happen, his hand was stuck on the table, just in a trance to see his assistant, crewmate, study partner, being so aggressive when she was always the sweet and comedic one. “H…hey!”

“Well?!” Slamming that cup was the hottest thing she did, it was assertive, a side of her she never showed, nearly ever. She was so docile, so fragile by her demeanor usually, but this side made her look like she was the true captain, and not him. Those delicious hands came back, grabbing him by his t-shirt, yanking him out of his seat, bringing his torso above the table, as he anchored his right hand to the table so he didn’t fall forward any further.

“Well what? What was the point of that?!” The scent of coffee was on her teeth, the bitterness matching her aura right now was sucking him in. There was a tug again, her forehead bumping into his with a thunk, it hurt but it was overwhelming.

“You are being childish, Law!”

“For what?!”

“This stuff tastes nasty? I am here with you to keep you up or tell you to go to sleep god damn it!” Those words hit him, the strong aura piercing his heart, making his blood pump faster through his arms, sending shivers down his spine down to his toes, making them curl in his pointed shoes he didn’t even bother taking off. “Fine, if that’s how you are going to be-” Her lips crashed into his, teeth almost clattering as her tongue explored his, nearly devouring him whole, he wanted to back up, but she pulled his shirt to hint to not move at all; the taste of his favorite brew lingered on her tongue as she swirled her tongue. He was going to close his eyes, when her lips slowly pulled away. “Well?” Her eyebrow raised, questioning and seeing her eyes dart around his face for some sort of reaction. All he could do was chuckle, she was so cute when trying to act tough, especially since the grip on his shirt was trembling, it was a good effort. This was his chance, his hand clasped onto her jaw, tilting it down so his head was slightly looking down on hers, as he moved it to move it to the nap of her neck.

“Oh, lovely, if this is one way you are going to keep me up, I have other ideas that could keep me up tonight, if you want to take this to my private reading room.” Her cheeks flushed pink, he could almost read her mind, as the table shifted near her legs, as she closed them, that is what he didn’t miss in his sights. “I see we will have another long night, you better be ready to keep me up since you said caffeine is bad for me.” Maybe it was the way he could tell she was anxious now, or her legs crossing to hide her arousal, or maybe it was his cock talking. Regardless, it was going to be an interesting night to see how late he was going to get up, and maybe, just maybe, he might get some decent rest for once.

[zombieheroine]

Initial D character headcanons (1/?)

Screw canon, I'll add my own. Here are some headcanons I came up with, take it, leave it, add your own, whatever we keep drifting.

Fujiwara Takumi

Music of choice: Eurodance, to stay awake. Works better than any caffeinated drink ever could. In his glove compartment: Take-out fliers, loose coins to spend on vending machines. Parallel parking skill: Has never parallel parked, but would succeed on first try. Could drift into the spot but doesn't want to look like a show-off. Driving pet peeve: Slow drivers who don't give way. Ticket score: Zero. He doesn't want to find out what Bunta would say.

Itsuki Takeuchi

Music of choice: Whatever is on the radio In his glove compartment: His driving license and the manual of the car, list of his work shifts, a car magazine, a pair of fluffy dice he hasn't dared to hang yet. Parallel parking skill: He's super nervous and sweats it every time, but does okay, even though he needs multiple tries. Driving pet peeve: Tailgaters. Ticket score: Since the first accident, he's a very responsible driver and doesn't have any additional tickets, but the points on his license remain.

Iketani Koichiro

Music of choice: Classic Japanese rock/pop ballads for strong independent manly men who need no woman In his glove compartment: A water bottle, a spare bowtie for work, forgotten old tests from high school, personal hygiene kit with mouthwash and a disposable razor, but he's forgotten to buy shaving cream. Parallel parking skill: He's proficient, but if someone's watching he gets too self-concious to even try. Driving pet peeve: Ending up on the slow lane and watching cars pass him on his left. Ticket score: He caught a few speeding tickets in his first year with a license due to being over eager and careless in urban areas, but wisened up before maxing out the points.

Kenji

Dayjob: A baker, which leaves him with lots of free time to bother his friends at their work place. Music of choice: Rock'n'roll from all over the world, to both knead bread dough and drive fast to. He burns his own mix CDs. In his glove compartment: CDs, several tubes of prescription hand cream, manga magazines, marker pens, post-it-notes and old shopping lists, crumbled up receipts. Parallel parking skill: None. This man has so far never been forced to even try, and so he won't learn. There's always a free spot somewhere in a small town, especially very late and very early. He would never want to drive in a metropolitan area. Driving pet peeve: Drivers who rev their engines and screech their tires to show off. Ticket score: A few parking tickets because he tends to forget himself in chatting with friends.

Takahashi Keisuke:

Dayjob: This rich problem youth has not worked a day in his life. His parents may have given up on him, but his allowance was never wholly cut to keep him from getting into even more serious trouble. Music of choice: Synth pop, like all the cool scene kids in the 90s. In his glove compartment: Snack bar wrappers, a cell phone charger, cigaretters and several half empty lighters, emergency condoms and a totally unrelated tube of body lotion (water-based). Parallel parking skill: He could, but would never expose his precious car to the other parked cars and their drivers like that. If there's no spacious parking spot, he won't leave his car for anything or anyone. Driving pet peeve: Prone to road rage just in general. Ticket score: Zero, but the local police knows him by name.

Takahashi Ryosuke

Day job: Full-time med student, favorite child. Music of choice: Heavy metal, it's excellent stress relief In this glove compartment: Vehicle license, the manual of his car, a logbook, maps, first aid kit. Parallel parking skill: Perfect, what did you expect? Driving pet peeve: People who get road rage. Ticket score: Surprisingly high. He's been caught speeding multiple times when looking for his brother during his gang days, and caught the occasional parking ticket due to forgetfullness.

Nakamura Kenta

Dayjob: An employee at a 7/11 Music of choice: Same as Keisuke's In his glove compartment: Wrappers from various snacks, empty noodle cups and an uneven number of disposable chopsticks, crumbled up energy drink cans. Parallel parking skill: Could do it, as long as he concentrates instead of trying to act too cool Driving pet peeve: Drivers who hit puddles on purpose, either spraying the pedestrians or risking hydroplaning needlessly Ticket score: He's got his license suspended once for three months. Since joining the RedSuns he's cleaned up his act in general.

[dearlymrme]

Their Guilty Pleasure

Catch all the Papa’s looking at me like, “We’re satanic, why should we feel guilty about pleasure?”

Primo

Coffee but his arteriologist says he needs to cut back. Catch this man sneaking into Dunkin’ or Starbucks every Saturday because just one small cup couldn’t possibly hurt. He ends up leaving with the biggest cup he can of the sweetest most caffeinated drink on the menu. The most you can do for this man is regulate his intake and perhaps give some dark chocolate to curb the cravings.

Secondo

Speaking of chocolate. The man is a health nut and chocolate is his one weakness. He knows it is too which is why he bends over backwards to try and avoid it. If there is a vending machine in his path you can hear his shoes squeak as he tries to turn around but then turns in a circle as he then goes to buy up the whole supply of candy bars. Help him curb the addiction with chocolate covered fruit because fruit is still healthy, right?

Terzo

Smells. Lost him? You can find him in the garden in spring just lying in a bed of hyacinths. You can find him in the Bath & Body Works sniffing lotions and soaps. You can find him in the candle aisle, inhaling the scents like it’s cocaine. He has a collections of perfumes and colognes and picks a different one every day depending on his mood. Find something he likes and gives yourself a tame spritz and then you’ll find him burying his face into your skin like a cat with catnip.

Copia

Soup and nostalgia. Specifically canned soup. Campbell’s? Any kind so long as it is nearly hot enough to burn his tongue. He inhales it. He was a sickly kid and always cooped in bed when he wasn’t running in the Abbey halls and trying to make up his lessons. There was always a nice Sister who would give him soup, cheap, off the shelf, canned soup. He get’s teary eyed when you make some canned chicken noodle and sips it softly, it’s just as terrible as he remembers it. No, don’t take it away, it’s his soup.

[thesalemwitchtries]

Dreaming Of a Grave: Chapter Three

Word Count: 3,284

Pairing: Matt Murdock x Named! Fem! Enhanced! Reader

Warnings: Descriptions of injuries sustained through physical assault (no implication of sexual assault at all, so maybe goons beat reader up in her apartment, but they weren't total pricks about it?), imagery/description of injury- metaphorical, distrust of police/government, Catholic Guilt written by an actual Catholic, so yk... its like organic or something, overuse of the series comma, thoughts of violence, Matt being so close to understanding Claire's points about personal safety.

Masterlist

Thank you so much for reading! Any comments or feedback are much appreciated!

It wasn’t often that Matt had cause to doubt his abilities, but arriving at Tully’s apartment building had left him unsure if he’d be able to pick out the workmen amongst all of the other… possibilities. The first two floors were a mix of junkies and vacated apartments formerly owned by junkies, and each level after got cleaner. 

Still, aside from the few apartments that seemed to have taken Tully’s deal, the building was full of families and people. On the fourth floor, three apartments had newborns, one of them a set of twins. The garbage chute had never been cleaned, and was clogged before it reached the trash compactor outside. The workers had destroyed the central wiring, leaving the hall lights to buzz overhead. Amongst the other smells, evidence of the lack of water struck at his nose. 

How was he supposed to find the scents of two men buried under all of this? Beyond the grime of the street and the unfortunate living situations of the addicts, the building was full of the fragrance of so many lives.

Every person’s scent was unique. They were reflections of an individual’s humanity: body chemistry, habits, environment all mingling together into an olfactory fingerprint. 

If Matt didn’t know Foggy by name, he’d know him by the way his love for garlic clung to him, the spicier scent of a nervous sweat, and how he’d gotten hooked on coconut conditioner from an old girlfriend. And especially by the way Matt could tell he loved to laugh, little hints of it hanging around as pheromones echoing in his ears. 

Charlotte Tanner had a scent like Foggy’s and unlike any other he’d encountered. It was less chemical than most with subtle hints of cocoa butter lotion, she liked to use mint and rosemary, liked burning candles and giving ham to her very round cat. A mix of plants lined the windowsill and her skin, her ferns were thriving; the cacti bloated with overwatering. The scent of a computer, like plastic, metal, and dust all-in-one. Electronics and various mechanical components filled a corner of the apartment with their metallic tang. Then there was her: human, clean, healthy although over-caffeinated. 

Above all of it, was a bright and citrus-y joy. Hope and positivity steeped into the floorboards, nearly hiding the more recents wisps of anxiety. Matt worried that may be the only lasting trace of the visit from Tully’s ‘handymen’.

His knock on the door inspired a wave of bitter panic that prickled at his nose. Ms. Tanner’s pulse raced as she looked through the peephole, before her heartbeat peaked and the fear ebbed. Matt assumed that to be the moment she noticed his glasses and cane, his apparent harmlessness causing her to unlock the door and drop the chain. 

“Hello sir, this is apartment 15, can I help you?” Crisp, polite, and effective.

Something with wheels whirred up behind her, tucking itself behind her legs. It seemed to be about the height of a medium dog, and in terrible shape. On one side the hydraulics were running sluggishly and making a soft chugging noise, the thin metal casing was busted, paint scratched. Matt couldn’t decide what the machine’s purpose was. One of those robot vacuums probably. He’d been thinking about getting Foggy one for Christmas.

“Yes, is this Ms. Tanner?” Matt kept his expression clear, taking a deep breath to try and build a map of the apartment and the people who had been there. He could smell Brett and the stale cigar smoke that belied his mother, and Mrs. Cardenas had been there almost every day. 

“Um, yes?” she replied. The door swiftly closed halfway, shielding her body from him now that she knew Matt wasn’t lost, that he was there to see her. The little robot zipped to her feet, humming OLED display eyes also peering through the crack in the door. “I’m not expecting anyone.”

“No, I’d guess not,” Matt shrugged, tilting his head to focus on her rising pulse and the groan of her injuries. His train of thought was derailed by the mystery of what had been done to her. 

Filtering out the rest of the building and the sound of her brows furrowing in confusion, Matt tried to piece together what had happened. Across her side were hairline fractures on two ribs, a still dark bruise, and bean-shaped swelling. Then he caught it, almost drowned out by the scent of water from old pipes, soap, and lotion; there was a hint of rubber and the grime that lined the streets of New York. Have your face meet the pavement one time in a fight and you wouldn’t need senses like his for it to haunt you. 

Pieces clicked together. She was on the ground when she was kicked, possibly stomped on. Fists clenching around the handle of his cane, Matt resolved to help her, before finally responding.

“Sorry, that was rude of me, I’m Matt Murdock,” he stuck his hand out gently, pleased when she only hesitated slightly before taking it. As they shook hands, he felt the mostly healed scabs on her knuckles. So she got a few hits in— he was strangely proud. Good job sweetheart, never make it easy for ‘em.

“Gr-greeetingss st-teeeameed gueeest,” the little robot said from between her feet, moving back and forth on treaded tires in way that reminded Matt of someone swaying on their feet. The voice was tinny and crackled— the speaker had been damaged, and its speech was drawn out and wavery. Matt had no idea that robots could slur their words.

“Igor, hush,” she said sharply, nudging it back with her foot.

“St-st-teeeameed gueeest! I-iii-i am Igooorrr!” the thing spoke again, ignoring its chastising owner.

“It’s 'eh-steemed' guest,” she emphasized, “You’re getting mixed up with steamed vegetables,”

“You are our e-esteemed-d guest-egetables,” was the loud and almost proud reply. Matt couldn’t hold back a laugh, feeling the warm rush of blood across Charlotte’s face as she finally managed to knock the robot back into her apartment. It zipped off in a winding path, stuttering something about getting a water-glass of waters.

“Sorry, he uhhh- he needs a few repairs.”

Matt nodded, raising his gaze so that it landed somewhere near her eyeline. “Yeah, I’ve been told that’s been going around lately,”

Her spine straightened, the sheepish smile vanishing in a second as the hairs at the back of her neck rose, and her voice was firm as she spoke, “I’m not sure what you mean, I think that you’re in the wrong place.”

“I’m with Nelson and Murdock, representing Mrs. Cardenas and other tenants in the building against your landlord, Armand Tully. She addressed concerns that you had been physically assaulted by—”

Hearing the strain of her arm, Matt slid his cane into the doorjamb, preventing it from slamming closed in his face. The wind ruffled his hair back, but his expression remained fixed. Ms. Tanner tried to hide a grumble, but Matt caught that too as she opened the door back up to his faux-innocent face.

“Ms. Tanner, is everything alright?”

“Yes. Thank you for asking. Leave.”

Matt stood firmly in place. The floorboards creaked under her shifting weight, hand resting on her cocked hip with a huff. Lot of attitude considering I am trying to help you.

“Now.”

“I promised Mrs. Cardenas that I’d speak with you, please, hear me out.”

Not entirely true, but the words had spilled out of his mouth as a frantic need rose inside him. Maybe it was the nature of being a lawyer, but he’d never had to fight someone else to just let him help them before.

People came to him, they asked for his help, and standing across from this woman, so reluctant, had him on the edge of his comfort zone. Matt already felt guilty enough for what had happened. Right here, in the city that he swore to protect. Now the only way to alleviate that guilt required her to help him to help her, and they were clearly diametrically opposed in that regard.

Another put-upon sigh echoed from the depths of her chest. It almost had Matt believing that he was asking her to spend an afternoon explaining email scams to the elderly, rather than offering her assistance. “Okay, alright.”

“Whatever you’re afraid of, my partner and I can help you. You were assaulted in your own home, you deserve to feel safe again, and the men who did this deserve to be punished.” Matt had both hands wrapped around his cane, unable to stop himself from leaning forward in an earnest display. The door creaked closed just a bit more, and Matt straightened again, pleading with her. “We can help you, we’ll go down to the station with you to help you file a police report if you’d like, to make sure that they take your case seriously.”

“I appreciate your concern, but nothing happened to me.” 

His head tilted, the irregular skip in her heart telling him that it was a lie. Not that he needed to hear it, aside from the injuries slathered in a thick layer of makeup, Ms. Tanner was not a gifted liar. Everything about her demeanor told Matt that she’d say anything just to get him to leave.

“Tully, these men, they can’t just get away with what they’ve done.”

The sleeves of her sweater were being pinched and worried between her fingers, her thumb picking at a hole in the cuff. Matt heard the shift of her feet, the deep breath that filled her chest as she steadied herself. Abandoning any pretense of eye contact, her head slumped forward between her shoulders. 

“They’re not getting away with anything, no one touched me.” Another lie, this one mingled with a heavy sigh. There was a desperate tone to her voice where before there’d been exasperation.

A memory came to mind, of the nuns at St. Agnes watching old movies after hours. The kind with pretty women and sad endings, dames looking for trouble and bad guys meeting the fist of justice. They never had particularly happy endings, but he didn't mind that too much, it felt more realistic. Matt had preferred listening to them over the more chaotic alternatives outside of the church grounds, imagining his dad as the down-on-his-luck detective until he fell asleep missing his hero.

Hearing her voice, free from the crackle of old television speakers, it almost felt too raw. Matt could only pray that Ms. Tanner’s story wouldn’t be another similarity, dread sinking into the pit of his stomach. Just because it felt like a portent didn’t mean that it was one. 

“Going to the police can help.” Matt couldn’t help but repeat himself, as if there was some magic number of times that she had to hear it before finally agreeing. “Ms. Tanner, I will help you. I promise.”

Her head swung up to look at him, and Matt felt a prick of hurt when her head shook just the slightest bit. Obviously her disbelief wasn’t personal, but it stung nonetheless.

“No, police would just make everything worse,” she said, and Matt snapped to attention.

General fear of authority and the law was intangible, and in Ms. Tanner’s case seemed to be deeply ingrained. It wasn’t exactly in his wheelhouse to fight something like that. If she was being threatened though… he readjusted his grip, head tilting just a tick.

“Has someone been here? Did they threaten you?” 

“What?” Ms. Tanner sputtered, and Matt’s focus narrowed in on her, ready to catch any sign of a lie as it passed by. “No, that’s not— just stop.”

The exasperation had returned with a vengeance, one foot twitching in a move just shy of being a stomp. Abandoning the door, Ms. Tanner’s hands gestured sharply in the space between them. Her pulse was raised in agitation, but remained disappointingly honest beneath her clipped tone.

“I told you: no one touched me, no one threatened me. Thanks for checking in, Mr. Whoever, now please leave.”

Matt suppressed a frustrated groan, why did this have to be so hard? Is this how Claire felt when he ignored her advice and pulled stitches? No, this had to be much worse. All that was at stake was her own safety, it was maddening how easily she dismissed it. Why couldn’t she just let him help her? He wished there was a way to just make her talk, to get her to trust him. 

Even if she didn’t want help, she’d literally been kicked while she was down, and Matt was just supposed to let that go? Let it slide that a woman no longer felt safe in her home, and all for what? For whatever profits Armand Tully saw in evicting his tenants? Matt didn’t think so.

They both flinched at the sound of a crash from inside her apartment, the shattering of glass set Matt’s teeth on edge until the robot’s tinny voice cried out to the doorway.

“Nooo worr-ry-y! Ig-gor m-make mis-istake, but I-Iii-gor try agaaain-n.”

Ms. Tanner’s lips twitched into a smile, a fond huff of air leaving her even as she fixed Matt with the weight of her stare. A foot tap and the pointed clearing of her throat made it clear that his time was up.

“Right, it was nice to meet you Ms. Tanner. I’m Matt Murdock, if you change your mind or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call.” 

With that, Matt held out a business card, his casual and professional demeanor hiding the desperation underneath. He needed her to take it, he needed her to want his help. As the Devil he could swoop in and fight off any intruder, never having to ask permission to rescue people. Matt Murdock however, had rules to follow or risk being disbarred. It was almost enough to make him itch and whine like a flea-bitten dog.

C’mon, take the damn card, please.

Just when it’d become a concerted effort to stop his hand from shaking, her eyes finally stopped darting around in thought. Options weighed, Ms. Tanner’s fingers brushed against his again as she took the card. It left him feeling too light as she turned back into her apartment, multiple locks clicking into place between them. Accepting the card didn’t mean she was accepting his help, it wasn’t even a foot in the door, but it was at least something.

The fact that he happened to like the feel of her skin and the scent of her lotion was irrelevant. 

Floorboards creaked, and Matt suddenly realized that it was weird for him to be hanging around the door. She had lingered too, a nervous eye to the peephole as she watched him turn towards the stairwell and leave. Matt could hear her press her forehead against the door and breathe, the small robot rolling up behind her.

“W-water for-or-r g-guest-egetablessss,” Igor declared proudly, a half-full glass of water balanced on the tray that it held above its head. Drips fell from the edge of the tray, several puddles of water barely contained by its lip.

“Good job Igor, but he’s gone,”

“I-Igor-r w-ill wai-ait.” More water sloshed out onto the tray as the robot bobbed once in facsimile of a decisive nod. Matt paused at the top of the stairs, unsure what exactly he was waiting to hear.

“Don’t bother,” Ms. Tanner muttered, grabbing the glass and mopping up the water, “It’ll be a good thing if we never see that guy again. I don’t care how pretty he is, he’s still a lawyer, that means he’s bad news.”

Matt was conflicted behind his smugly twisted smile. While it wasn’t his ideal descriptor, he could work with pretty. He couldn’t work with her having an innate prejudice against his career.

In her kitchen, the lid of a trash can opened, and she stood holding the card over it for a long time, tracing across the lettering. Matt’s shoulders dropped from around his ears when the lid closed, and she tacked the card up beside her refrigerator. It felt like a win, like some small acknowledgement that she didn’t have to be afraid. 

He was also going to take it as a green light to let the Devil out, if she wouldn't involve the police these guys could go unpunished, Matt could fix that. When he found those guys, he’d be sure to get in the same hits that she had, from someone their size. When that was done he’d dole out their penance of twice the fear and pain that they’d given her.

It was dangerous and he knew it, this tendency of his to make things personal, yet he was unable to stop himself every time. Neither a conscious decision nor a slippery slope, Matt would just find himself devoted to mere strangers in the space of a blink. There was some innate need or urge inside of him that was tying himself to others without consideration, and Ms. Tanner was the latest victim. 

Anything that happened to her from this point on would be Matt’s fault, a failing or an attack on him. It was personal before he even stood in front of her door, before she had invaded his every sense. He would help her because it was the right thing to do, but he needed to keep her safe because it would protect him too, in a way. 

Failing the people that he cared about was like missing the step off of a curb, skidding across the pavement. Road rash had been collecting across his conscience and heart during the past few weeks as the Devil; last night’s failure to protect Claire was a face plant. Recovering from it felt like picking bits of asphalt out of his cheeks, burning and stinging in a way that couldn’t be ignored, only dulled.

Every night he listened as dozens of crimes were committed across the city, too many people to save at once. But, there was also the sound of college girls giggling on the streets, safe from the fate of a shipping container. There was a boy that slept sound in his bed, his father sleeping on the ground because he couldn’t bear being too far away from his son again. He could hear teens playing video games and mothers bundling their kids up to visit the park. People that he had saved, living their lives around him.

Matt needed to hear these things, to know that the Devil was doing something useful. That a drop in the bucket was still a positive change. Upstairs, Ms. Tanner was repairing her robot, talking it through the steps even while it was powered off. He wondered what she would be doing when he listened for her that night.

Like always, failure was not an option, and still felt inevitable. In an ouroborean way, he’d already failed, what happened to Ms. Tanner was his fault, due to his inaction. Matt knew about the window, the guy blackmailing that juror had told him. Was probably even scared enough to have told him more, like where the building was. Then he could’ve been at the epicenter, tracking people following Fisk’s orders, preventing things like this. Instead, his one track mind had gotten the best of him, and who knows how many people had been hurt as a result.

The sinking sun warmed his face, a contrast to the chill air that tugged at his coat as Matt exited out onto the street. He just had a stop at the station, and then it'd nightfall, where he’d have another opportunity to do the right thing for Hell’s Kitchen.

Thanks for reading, have a good day <;3

Next chapter is Karen's turn, and we all know that one of her superpowers is people skills... Also I don't know if anyone's interested, but I lmk if you'd like and I'll tag people to chapters when they come out.

[wyn-n-tonic]

So... I haven't been feeling super great and it could just be because my period is three weeks late and all my hormones are in a pile up causing me to be insane or it could be the 27 years worth of major depressive disorder just chilling in my brain or it could be the EDS and the possible POTS, you know? It could be all of those! It could be none of those! But I will say... I have seen a significant decrease in my stress levels and I would like to talk about the things I'm doing for self care that are keeping me from losing my fucking mind.

Read more because this shit is just me rambling about my favorite self care things. Like I've really finally found a good combo for me and it makes me so happy that it doesn't feel like a chore. It's just nice!!! Also, this is not medical advice, this is just your friendly neighborhood mentally ill girly who deals with chronic illness sharing the things that make me happy.

FIRST OF ALL!!!! WASH YOUR FACE!!!! THEN TAKE YOUR FUCKING MEDS!!!!! I take my meds every single day at 8:10am because it's good to take your meds at the same time every single day *but* I've also discovered that's the best time to take my adderall so that it's really kicking in by 9 after I've done all my emails and things and need to focus on, like, actually doing my job. I've also been taking women's multivitamins and magnesium glycinate supplements. I feel like they've both made me less of a bitch because it's helped with the pain.

I have been eating breakfast! Not just iced coffee and prayers either, I've been eating a real ass breakfast. Everyday I make myself a little breakfast sandwich with an English muffin, egg, sausage and cheese of choice (I like colby jack, do whatever tf you want). This equals out to about 28g of protein and I'm supposed to have at least 30g first thing in the morning so it's pushed to 31g (maybe more) with the oat milk latte I make with my cute little espresso maker and milk frother. I have also limited my caffeine intake to one silly little coffee a day (but I'll have the occasional sips of coke zero when I feel a migraine trying to move in).

I've been working out recently. Even if I don't go to the gym, I try to get up and go for little walks. Which is nice. After I move, I want an under the desk treadmill.

I have a really bad habit of biting/picking my nails, especially when my anxiety is high or I feel the need to fidget but, for about the last few months, whenever I get the urge to bite or pick, I use cuticle oil instead and have been rubbing that into my nails/cuticles and it tastes god awful so of course I do not bite.

After work, I take a shower and I've started using the Saltair body wash in Santal Bloom because it smells very good TO ME. They have a bunch of different scents. But please remember that body wash is only a scent so please wash yourself with actual soap (and use a washcloth too oh my god, why is this a debate??? WASH IS LITERALLY IN THE NAME). Also, wash behind your ears EVERY SINGLE TIME.

ALSO night showers > morning showers. Argue with a wall because why would I want to get in my cozy bed with a body that has been steeped in outside germs all day??? Dirty feet??? ON MY SHEETS?!?! No.

I have *never* liked lotion because it's all too greasy or it smells gross or it's BOTH. I just get the autistic ick. I don't like things that sit ON my skin. But I know I should use it and I know I need to so I keep buying different brands of lotion but then I never finish them because oh my god so so gross and greasy. Anyway, somebody recommended that I try eos brand lotion and I have been using the coconut waters scent and oh my god. I recommend this lotion but use whatever you want and buy whatever scent you want, it's just nice. This lotion pairs very well with the body wash I like and it just makes me feel cozy as I get ready for bed.

Also wash your face again!!!!

(For skincare, I double cleanse with an oil cleanser & then a salicylic acid cleanser in the AM and a hyaluronic acid cleanser in the PM)

And I've been dermaplaning lately. That shit slaps. Why wasn't I doing that before???

And people keep telling me to buy topical magnesium to help with chronic pain but I kept getting links for Amazon and the thing about Amazon is... I don't like to use them if I can help it but I especially do not want to buy, like, make up or food or skincare products or vitamins on there because the amount of unregulated third party sellers freaks me out and I'm not trying to pop a rat poison supplement instead of what i actually ordered. You know? Anyway, my friend told me to get this Being Frenshe soothing stick... besties..... I have been using this shit ALL DAY LONG It's going on my thighs, my neck, my shoulders, my fingers, my knees, my ankles, my shins and it's so good for the chronic pain. And it smells so good and layers very nicely with the lotion and the body wash.

Seriously, my skin is so soft and I haven't really felt the need to pop a pain pill in a bit, my sleep is improved, my ability to calm my heart rate down during the day has improved. Did I mention my skin is soft?

Also, I'm currently losing weight and still healing from my biopsy (yes, I know it's been three months!!!) and I feel like the body wash + lotion combo I'm basically living in daily (sometimes twice a day because the showers are just so relaxing and not a chore to me now) are soooo helpful for my stretchmarks and scars.

Also, I've been turning my computer off an hour before bed to read which has been lovely.

Also, I bought enough lip balm (also eos because it's shea and not beeswax) to keep in different places. So I have a bed lip balm, a desk lip balm and a purse lip balm with one floater just randomly around the house.

And the *ONLY* AI we support in this household is the kind in my fancy little toothbrush that guides me in how best to brush my teeth.

Anyway, I just love being in my bed cozy sleep shirt smelling like coconut and vanilla and watching monster movies while not being in pain and having a resting heart rate that is NOT in the 120s. It's so beautiful. especially because, for the longest time, I couldn't get my resting heart rate below 85 while SLEEPING.

[divinekangaroo]

What is the no makeup skincare routine of Alicia Keys?

So, after much erosion of time and memory, these are the parts I kept (with equivalent products):

Avene Eau Thermale Thermal Spring Water spray (keep in fridge, spray) (highly highly recommend. transforming. if nothing else this product changed me. I genuinely Do Not Understand Why but I try not to question it.)

Jade roller (keep in fridge) and add Vitamin C serum with caffeine (couple drops over roller, roll over face) -> the oil I get? but personally I think the jade roller thing is bullshit. Nevertheless, what it *makes* me do is a ritualistic ~paying attention~ to all parts of my face when otherwise I would just blob, swipe, go. And so it works because the roller means I moisturise every part equally instead of just putting a blob of oil on a cheekbone and walking away with a shiny nose and dry spots on the cheeks

Moisturiser base - Alicia's makeup artist's recommended one (a suncream) stopped being made a few years ago, the equivalent I found which gives same results (but not suncream) is Moo Goo's Natural Fast Hydrating Lotion, which has the benefit of also being a full body moisturiser so, less product on shelf = always a win

Add a tiny bit of primer or foundation to the moisturiser base, mix on hand before spreading on face. Again, Alicia's primer not available any more, the equivalents I found is 1) La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo, or 2) my current preferred-> Primp and Prime from The Organic Skin Company

Exfoliate lips once a week, brown sugar

Some mask thing once a week (I used to bother, no more, vague memories of it, no material difference)

A La Roche-Posay lip balm which I tried to google and found it was just discontinued? SOB (literally the only lip balm I have found in my entire life that delivers lastingly non-dry lips. I have this in bulk in my wardrobe. My lips crack to the bleeding. I've had friends say, "oh, but dry bleeding lips are just your aesthetic?" This stopped once I found this product. I can actually wear lipstick if I want without the colour leaching into the cracks like those cracked desert terrain images)

Do peripheral details because they will stand out:

-Do eyebrows once a week, tidy stray hairs

-Do hairline once a week (depends on ethnicity/hairline, mine does filter down into the face-space)

-Use eyelash curler

and lastly, the "no makeup" bit I did have to laugh at and I don't do:

Actually *wear* makeup for the red carpet, comprising tinted primer, mascara, tiny bit of eyeliner, light eyebrow pencil shaping, transculent shiny stuff rubbed on cheekbones, and a very carefully selected concealer for the under eye bags and general real world pigmentation which exists on all skin

The only thing I've added based on other reading, which I also attribute to the aggregate contributing of fixing my previous 25 years plus of weekly skin problems and pimples:

Shave my face once a week using the Avene spray as my shaving 'liquid'. Chin, cheeks, moustache, around eyebrows, monobrow, hairline, all of it. Unspeakably good results. Tiny small facial razor. Razor goes over each piece of skin exactly once, slowly, and use a very very sharp razor so there is no repeated strokes.

(The Avene spray, jade roller + serum, and the strategy of adding teh primer/foundation to the moisturiser to thin it out/improve spread were the true original items IIRC; the rest have adapted over time.)