#even now instead of sleeping (it’s 4:31am) I’m doing this

[nightvortaex]

A modern Davron au that attacked my brain:

Aeron finds a note in a library book saying:

“If you like this book, let’s talk” Davos

There’s a phone number written next to it. Aeron hesitates whether he should reach out to the unknown person, but he ends up liking the book so much that he really wishes to share his thoughts about it with someone, so he writes a message:

“Hello Davos, I’ve found your note in the book. Let’s talk.”

First they only talk about the book, but soon they start to have conversations about other things, and it gets to the point that they stay up all night talking on the phone and text each other daily, always asking about the other’s day, and basically just discuss everything with each other. They decide they should meet (both of them are dying to meet the other). They agree to meet at a library cafe (bookworms who love a good coffee). Aeron is the first to arrive (don’t know why in my brain he would be on time or even a little bit too early) and he’s so nervous he’s fidgeting with his bracelet. He gets a message from Davos saying; he’s sorry that he’s late, a few minutes and he’ll be there (because I think Davos would be late a little bit but only a few minutes, he’s very eager to meet Aeron as well and feels bad for being late). Aeron tried to imagine so many times how Davos would look, and when he sees him at the entrance of the library cafe Aeron realises he looks nothing like how he used to imagine him. He thought he would have the look of a 'very typical bookworm’ instead, he looks like the complete opposite: dark, messy hair, silver rings on almost every finger, clothes all shades of grey and black, black boots, and a headphone around his neck.

“He looked like the darkest night sky, only the rings and those loving eyes shone like stars.” (my brain said that’s how Aeron would describe him later in his diary when he writes about him).

Davos looks more like a typical troublemaker than a bookworm, and Aeron would have assumed he’s probably a bully if he hadn’t already known from their conversations that he has a soft side and he’s a cutie inside actually). So Aeron kind of starts to panic internally: “Omg, he’s so handsome. I wasn’t prepared for this.” He already liked him as a person a lot, and now seeing how damn good-looking he is, he is becoming concerned that, oh no, he can totally fall for him (he has already been falling for him but he's not willing to acknowledge it because falling someone you never met and only talked to through messages and phone calls is dumb according to him).

Meanwhile, Davos is absolutely mesmerised by Aeron from the first second he looks at him. He has been kind of falling for him through their text messages and phone calls (because Aeron has such a sweet, tender voice and the way he can talk so passionately about everything he loves)

“His voice, a beautiful siren song which I would follow to the depths of any ocean.” (Davos would write something like this in his diary, poor boy was already getting addicted to him).

Now he knows Aeron not only has the sweetest voice ever (+ the sweetest person ever based on their conversations) but also insanely gorgeous. He stops in front of Aeron and he’s totally unable to take his eyes off him. He loves how Aeron’s hair is shimmering in the sunlight, how his cheeks seem slightly pink and how he is fidgeting with his bracelet nervously. Poor Davos is completely doomed from this moment, that’s the love of his life. They greet each other and sit down at one of the tables. Both of them order a coffee (Davos would drink an ice coffee, but Aeron would choose something more fancy). They start to talk, and Aeron’s nervousness quickly disappears because talking to Davos is just so natural and easy like breathing as always. Without noticing, they spend several hours in the library cafe talking about whatever comes to their mind. Davos is looking at him like nothing else in the world exists other than Aeron, like he’s the Sun (a radiating beauty) and the planet of his being only orbits around him. While Aeron, from time to time, locks eyes with Davos, and he feels like he’s being pulled by a strong gravitational force making him fall deeper and deeper, in his dark clothing Davos is like a supermassive black hole that is about to devour the whole existence of Aeron.

[harrytomylou]

You’ll always find your way back home.. - Louis (Includes Harry/Louis)

* I’m posting old fanfictions that I wrote onto this account simply because I want to keep them for myself *

No Trigger Warnings

Sometimes you feel like running, find a whole new life and jump in.

It was obvious really.

The pressure was getting to Louis and even the fans were beginning to notice it now.

‘Do you ever just wish you could go back to before?’ He whispered into Harry’s ear one night while they and Niall were watching Liam and Zayn play Mario cart in the living room area of their tour bus.

‘Do you?’ Harry replied, not willing to let his mouth answer the question himself. They all knew the answer. The entire band wanted to go home. They wanted to see their family and friends and Liam wanted to see his girlfriend. Louis wanted to stop being made to spend every minute of his spare time proving a fake relationship was real and spend time with his boyfriend and family instead and Harry wanted the exact same. They all loved their life. They loved touring and singing and none of them would change it for the world. They were just so stressed and their management wasn’t helping that. They just wanted to be themselves. Be in control of when they went home for a couple of days or when they stayed on tour and be in control of their own lives.

‘Yeah.’ Louis whispered before sighing and laying his head on Harry’s shoulder from his position on the sofa beside him. ‘Sometimes I just look at our fans and think ‘fuck, I wish my life was that easy again.’ You know?’ Louis muttered into his secret boyfriend’s collarbone.

‘Yeah.’ Harry whispered in agreement.

‘No hassle. No management. No hiding who they are. Nothing. They can be whoever they want to be. We have to be what management thinks will get them more money. I hate it, Haz.’

‘I know, Lou.’ Harry muttered back, sympathetically.

‘And the majority of our fans either live with their families or see them every other fucking day. I’m so homesick, Harry. Sometimes, I just want to run. Run away from everything.’

‘I know, baby. I know.’ Harry muttered as he turned his head and pressed a soft kiss to his fragile boyfriends head. ‘Everything will be okay. I promise.’ He whispered before taking Louis’ chin in his hand and pulling his head up slightly to connect their forbidden lips.

Your best friends, your little hometown, are waiting up where ever you go now; you know that you can always turn around.

Louis Tomlinson > Stanley Lucas

10:06am - Hey mate.

10:08am - Hey! How are you?

10:10am - Stressed, bored and ill. You?

10:14am - M’alright. Why you stressed?

10:17am - Touring and shit. The stress is making me feel ill… I just want to come home.

10:19am - It’ll be over soon, mate. Do you know when you’re next off?

10:23am - I hope so. I really miss everyone. We have a day off in about a week but we’re not allowed back to England for another 3 months! Manager says we’re too busy.

10:26am - That’s shit! We all miss you too, Lou. We’re all waiting up for you to come back!

10:30am - I’m waiting up to come back, man!

10:31am - It’ll fly by, mate.

10:32am - I really hope so.

10:34am - Miss you.

10:47am - Miss you too. Got to get back to rehearsals. Call me later?

10:50am - Course, Lou.

11:09am - Love you, Stan.

11:11am - Love you too man!

Louis Tomlinson > Jay Tomlinson

6:01pm - Louis, Stan came round earlier and told me about what you were texting about. If touring is too much for you right now, come home xx

6:44pm - I can’t. You know that xx

6:45pm - You can do whatever you need to. It’s your life and you’re my son. If you need to come home, you will xx

6:47pm - I’m okay, mum. Honest. I was just kind of letting everything out with Stan. I’m alright xx

6:49pm - No you’re not. I know you better than that, Lou. At least tell them you need a short break xx

6:50pm - I have. It’s not changed their minds. Money is more important to them.. xx

6:51pm - Just leave then? Xx

6:54pm - I can’t let everyone down like that xx

6:56pm - Oh, Louis.. Well, if you change your mind just call me. You’ll always be welcome here baby. It’s your home! Xx

6:58pm - I love you xx

7:00pm - Love you too, honey. Is Harry taking care of you? Xx

7:02pm - Yes mum :’). Go to go, concert. Talk to you later xx

7:04pm - Okay, baby. The girls and I love and miss you xx

7:05pm - Love and miss you all too.. So much xx

7:07pm - Have a good concert, boo. Remember you can always come home if you need too xx

When I’m feeling down and I’m all alone, I’ve always got a place where I can go.

‘Louis? You alright?’ Louis’ 13 year old sister answered the phone quickly.

‘Not really.’ Louis muttered as a reply. He had been wanting to call Lottie for hours but had held on to make sure she had returned home from school and was able to answer without getting in trouble. He had always been close to his younger sister. They spoke about everything and anything, their 7 year age gap not mattering to them one bit. Louis could trust Lottie with everything and she and Harry were often the only ones who could honestly cheer him up.

‘What’s up, bro? Isn’t it, like, midnight where you are?’

‘It’s 4 in the morning.’ Louis replied quietly.

‘Okay, now I know it’s something big.’ She stated. Louis stayed silent, a small smile already grazing his lips. ‘What’s wrong?’

‘I’m just’ Louis paused, suddenly feeling stupid for calling her about something so insignificant while he should be sleeping and she would most probably rather be out with her friends.

‘You’re just what, Lou?’ She asked, worried.

‘It doesn’t matter.’

‘Louis, if you’re calling me at 4 in the morning, it’s got to matter.’ Lottie stated, suddenly sounding way more mature than a girl should be at her age. Louis laughed gently into the receiver. ‘Tell me?’ She asked, tone softening.

‘I just miss you.’ He whispered, blushing and burying his head into his tear soaked pillow even though she couldn’t see him. There was silence for a couple of seconds before the young girl spoke.

‘Oh, Lou.’ She whispered gently. She knew just how much it affected Louis, being away from home, her, their sisters and their mum so much.

‘I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have called you.’ He mumbled embarrassed as he heard one of the other boys choke out a shut up from their bunk. ‘Fuck off.’ He called slightly louder to whoever it was. Lottie figured it wasn’t directed to her so she ignored it.

‘It’s alright, Lou. You can call me if you want to, you know that. I don’t care.’ She murmured down the phone, attempting to comfort her older brother. The one who was usually so strong and comforting her. Louis hummed in reply.

‘It’ll be over soon, Louis. You’ll be home before you know it.’

‘I hope so.’ He whispered, tears escaping his eyes again. Lottie sensed it.

‘Don’t cry, Louis. Not again. It’s okay.’ She whispered back.

‘How do you know I’ve been crying?’ He whispered, voice cracking in sympathy half way through his sentence.

‘I’m your sister. I know you.’ She laughed gently. He laughed too. ‘Where’s Harry?’

‘Asleep. I don’t want to wake him. He was so tired.’ Louis replied, wiping the stay tears away from his cheeks before burying his head back into the, now wet, pillow of the tiny single bunk bed.

‘Fair enough. Do you want to talk about it? Or do you want me to distract you?’

‘Distract me please, Lottie?’ He muttered vulnerably.

‘Of course. What time do you have to be up?’

‘6.’ He whispered.

‘Shit.’ She replied under her breath.

‘Yeah.’ He agreed.

‘Do you want to even bother trying to sleep or do you just want to talk for the next 2 hours?’

‘Talk.’ He spoke, blinking back the tears that were threatening to fall again. ‘Lottie, I’m so homesick. I hate it. I just want to’ He paused, unaware or what he was even trying to say. ‘I don’t even know.’ He whispered.

‘I know, Lou. Only a little while now though. You can do it.’ She replied softly. Louis hummed, unsure. Lottie stayed silent, eyes searching around her suddenly empty room for something to talk about to distract her broken older brother. Louis was such a role model for her. She hated seeing (or hearing in this case) him hurting. It hurt her. Louis was always the strong one. The life of the party. To see management take away his freedom to the extent where his main personality traits left him was heart breaking for the new teen. Her eyes landed on a letter sticking out of the top of her school bag and she smiled gently.

‘I’m going to Thorpe Park in 2 weeks.’ She stated excitement evident in her voice. Louis smiled, hearing it.

‘With school?’ He asked. Lottie grinned even more as she heard the smile on Louis’ lips.

‘Yeah.’ She replied, thankful she had managed to cheer her personal idol up slightly, even if it was only temporary.

Where they know exactly who you are, where the real you is a superstar, you know it’s never too far away.

Louis sighed slightly as he felt Harry tighten his grip on the older boy. They were currently lying on the double bed of one of the many hotel rooms they stayed in at just gone 5 in the afternoon. They surprisingly only had a couple of interviews that day and had gotten back to their hotel room at about 4 o clock. Harry and Louis had left the other boys playing Xbox in Liam’s room and come back to their own to collapse on top of their beds in each other’s arms at about half  4. They had fallen into a pointless conversation easily which had died down by now and had been replaced with thoughts.

Louis was currently thinking about Doncaster.

He felt safe there. It was his home. The same sort of safe he felt with Harry. Despite being almost 3 years younger, the green eyed boy seemed to have that effect on Louis instantly. Louis had just felt a vibe from Harry. He was safety. Harry knew Louis like the palm of his hand. The same way pretty much everyone in his home town did.

Back home there was no secrets with Louis. Everyone knew he was gay. Everyone knew he was with Harry. That’s why he loved it. They knew and loved him for exactly who he was. He didn’t have to hide anything. They loved him for him. Louis from Doncaster. Not Louis Tomlinson from One Direction. And sometimes that was one of the most comforting thoughts. They cared. They weren’t pretending. They weren’t lying. They weren’t fake. They cared. He was loved back home. He was missed.

But you know what? With Harry around to help, for Louis home was never that far away anyway.

You can learn to fly and you can chase your dreams, you can laugh and cry but everybody knows, you’ll always find your way back home.

'Oh my god.’ Louis heard a small voice mutter from the doorway of the kitchen in which he was currently stood making a cup of tea. He grinned happily before abandoning what he was doing and turning around to face the younger girl stood behind him.

‘Hey Lottie.’

‘Oh my god.’ She repeated slightly louder, eyes fixed on Louis’ as a wide smile spread on her face.

‘What?’ They heard Jay shout from the hallway.

‘Hi mum.’ Louis yelled through the house, grinning even more when he heard his mother’s shocked gasp.  

‘Lou.’ He heard his little sister whisper as she practically ran into his arms. He let out a small laugh as he hugged back tightly.

‘Louis!’ He heard two younger girls exclaim as he pulled away from Lottie.

‘Dais! Phoeb!’ He opened his arms and crouched down as his two 8 year old sisters ran towards him wrapping their arms around his neck and clinging to it. He distantly heard Lottie laugh gently.

‘I thought you weren’t coming home for, like, another week? I thought you were coming with Harry?’ Felicite asked joyfully as she hugged her older brother tightly, seconds after the two girls had let go. Louis laughed again.

‘We got bored in London and missed home too much so we decided to stand up to management. Harry’s gone back to Cheshire for a week and I’ve come here.’ He replied as he walked over to his mum, the last of the five to walk through the kitchen door, pulling her into a tight hug as well as she dropped the bags in her hand carelessly onto the floor. He and Harry were supposed to drive down to Doncaster exactly a week later to join both his immediate family and Harry’s, who were staying in a hotel for a week so they could be with the two boys, Jay and the girls.

Carefully wiping away the small happy tear that had escaped his eye, he pulled back seconds later just enough to allow both he and his mum to pull all 4 of his younger siblings in to join them in a group hug.

He had missed this. He had missed them. He loved his life. He loved everything about it. The singing. The foreign countries. The screams. The band. His boyfriend. It was all a part of his dream. He’d got there. They’d done it. But right now, his family were taking over that. His sisters and his mum. His world. His happiness. He loved them more than he ever would the fortune and fame.

And as much as he loved Harry, Doncaster and his family were his true home.

You’ll always find your way back home..

[certifiedmoth]

Delicious and Dangerous (Part 4)

Sugar Daddy/Werewolf Duncan x Reader

Summary: Y/N awakes one morning to find Duncan missing, only to have him demand she visit him at his house in the woods. As the day unfolds, she sees a different side to her lover, one that she’s not sure she likes.

Word Count: 8.8K

Warnings: fem!reader, duncan in heat, mean!duncan, bits of dark!duncan, angst, smut (oral [male receiving], unprotected sex, rough sex, lots of biting (he’s a werewolf duh), overstimulation, breeding!kink, knotting, daddy!kink, degradation, bondage)

Notes: Here’s part 4 (finally)!! I’m sorry it took so long to get out, ya girl has been busy. This is pretty much all smut, but lots of angst in there as well. I’m gonna be the first to say that some parts of Y/N and Duncan’s relationship feels really unhealthy and if I met somebody as possessive as Duncan, a bitch just might run. Anyways, this is fiction and duncan and y/n are both stupid, but I love them. Enjoy reading this shit show (and try not to hate me for that ending oops) Any comments are appreciated (even if you just want to yell at me) ♥ (gif credit to @spellman)

___

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

You awoke from a night of blissful dreams to the sound of rain tapping against your window. Groaning, you instinctively pulled the comforter up your body, relaxing further into the plush mattress beneath you, letting sleep take you once again.

Life had been truly great lately; Duncan made sure of that. It had been about a month since his little stint at the restaurant and he had made sure to be on his best behavior since then. You were sure that something would have come out in the press about that night, but oddly enough there was silence surrounding the Shepherds. Life with Duncan was actually as sweet as it had ever been. You were constantly pampered. Constantly loved and doted on. It was as if you were in a dream – one you wished to never wake up from.

Most of your attention was given to Duncan these days, but Nick did occasionally cross your mind from time to time; especially since he seemed to call you every other day. Shortly after the incident at the restaurant, you talked with him on the phone and apologized for what had happened. The truth was that you weren’t sorry for leaving him at the restaurant, you were just sorry for how you left him. Apparently, he wasn’t the Nick you remembered him to be and that was a disappointing fact you had to come to terms with. No matter how many times you dodged his calls, he never got the clue.

Although, you were living on cloud nine with Duncan, and truth be told, felt that Nick deserved the anger that was directed at him, shame filled your mind anytime it wandered back to that Saturday night. Duncan was an enigmatic soul – It was as if he was in a constant battle to find balance between his two selves. He could be intense and heated; you’ve come to find out. And when he was like that, it was hard to talk him down or convince him of anything beside his own reality. But he also showed you more love than anyone you had ever known. You sometimes didn’t know how to handle being loved that much. There were moments where you’d catch him stealing glances your way, looking at you as if you were his one reason for existing.

Any shame you felt towards him from that night quickly left whenever you thought of his gentle touches and warm kisses. Your heart fluttered and a smile always managed to find its way on your face any time thoughts of him crossed your mind. Even when he wasn’t there, you were left feeling comforted in a way you would always be grateful for.

Duncan’s behavior since that night was endearing, to say the least. You could tell he was embarrassed for his actions that night, but had too much pride to show it. So, he apologized in other ways. He catered to your every need trying to gain your favor once again. He brought you flowers and gifts, was gentle when he made love to you, and he had even promised to take you away on vacation for however long you wanted. One of his gifts, a beautiful necklace, dangled from your neck every day. He loved to bite on it playfully while he had you pinned underneath him, kissing your neck. Duncan was complete putty in your hands, even though he’d never admit it. But you didn’t care about the constant and never-ending gifts. All you wanted was time alone with the man of your dreams. Even after all this time, you could never get enough. You were afraid you’d always want more of him.

After the revelations of that night, when he confessed to you that you were his one true mate, you both came to terms with how strong your bond and need for one another is. You moved into his apartment and now it became a shared space between two lovers. Duncan was finally at ease having you this close to him – He could make sure you were always safe this way, always out of harm’s way. As gentle and sweet as he was, he was also fiercely protective of you. He would go to the end of the earth to protect you.

Every morning you’d wake up with either the sensation of his stubble tickling your skin as he placed delicate kisses all over your face, or his preferred way to wake you up, with him nestled perfectly in between your legs, placing rather more passionate kisses elsewhere on your body. It was heaven for both of you. After some fun in bed and having to nearly pry Duncan off of you, he would go to work and you would make good use of his credit card. But you always kept him in mind, making sure to buy things that he’d loved and was sure to enjoy once he got home. And that left you to your favorite time of the day, when you could hear the front door unlock and his designer boots making their way towards you. After a long day of meetings and bossing around other people, he found comfort in evenings spent with his girl. Meaningful kisses, tender embraces, and easy, genuine conversations; nights spent intertwined on the couch with your empty wine glasses on the coffee table. It was what you both had dreamed of. Domesticity. Being in each other’s company – simply being in each other’s arms. It was everything, and yet it still wasn’t enough.

You craved each other – Constantly needed more of each other. Every night ended with Duncan carrying you to the bedroom to have his way with you. To show you just how much he needed you. And afterwards, once you two were exhausted and left in a love-filled daze, you’d eventually drift off to sleep in each other’s arms, ready to do it all over again the next day. The both of you felt contempt and happy for once in your lives. Everything was just as it should be.

~

Except this morning, something had changed. Duncan was nowhere to be found as you finally opened your eyes, weak from sleep. The warmth from his body that always surrounded you in the early mornings was gone, and instead was replaced with a feeling of unease and worry. You furrowed your brows in confusion and reached your arm out to search for your phone on the nightstand.

7:17 am To: Duncan [Where are you?]

It was Saturday morning and he didn’t have work. He should have been right beside you, sleeping sound under the covers with his hair tousled wildly, letting out small breaths from his lips while he slept peacefully. But he wasn’t. Your boyfriend was nowhere to be found. Not in the bathroom, not in the kitchen, not in his office – He was just gone.

7:24am From: Duncan [At the other house, my sweet. I’m dealing with something. Not sure if I’ll see you today.]

You weren’t happy with that response as you twirled your necklace around your fingers, nervously. Honestly, you were just confused more than anything. You checked the date on your phone and realized it was almost a full moon, but not quite yet. He shouldn’t be changing tonight or seeking any type of solitude because of the shift. With no full moon, there was no need for it. So, it had to be something else.

Not knowing drove you crazy. You didn’t want to be the person that overthought everything, but you were. You had always been that way. In life, you liked having control and hated when things didn’t go according to plan. You liked the plan – You liked knowing what the plan was. Being in the dark made you uncomfortable, and in this moment, you could feel the urge to spiral start to take over.

With the two of you being nearly inseparable these days, you felt a pit in your stomach grow at the idea of Duncan keeping something from you. No matter how hard you had worked to trust others and open yourself up, there was always a part of you that felt anxious. Anxious that someone was lying to you or plotting to hurt you.

The last time Duncan had kept something from you it ended with you being chased by him in his other state, nearly giving you a heart attack and a mental breakdown. You thought back to the entire day leading up to that night in the woods. You had been so worried about the secrets and lies that were filling your relationship – so much that it made you burst until you sought him out and found out more than you reckoned for. But now, you had no reason to not trust him. He had showed how devoted he was to you and was consistently truthful and genuine with you – he never lied and never did anything for you to question him. So, why the secrecy now?

7:31am To: Duncan [Is everything okay? Can I come over?]

…

7:32am From: Duncan [That might not be a good idea. If I need you, I’ll let you know, baby.]

You weren’t sure what to make of that. He wasn’t being cold and distant with you; he was just away and clearly insistent on not telling you what he was up to. That hint of secrecy only twisted your insides further. But nonetheless, you sat back in defeat, deciding to trust the man you’d grown so fond of while knowing that he’d never betray you. You went to grab your laptop for some online shopping in the hopes of a sweet and expensive distraction.

~

Hours go by and you’ve nearly forgotten about your uncomfortable morning. A part of you cringes at the ridiculous and unnecessary amount of spending, but another part of you feels excitement for Duncan’s reaction when he sees you in your new items. You think back to your mysterious man as you sip from the coffee mug in your hand. Just as he crosses your mind, you hear your phone buzz to the side of you and your eyes widen as you see his name.

1:04pm From: Duncan [Come to the house. Now]

The urgency in his message brought back that uneasy feeling in the pit of your stomach and you weren’t sure what to think. Was he in trouble? Was he mad? Had you done something to really anger him? You couldn’t tell from his message and it only made your anxiety worse. A part of you didn’t want to deal with any confrontation today, but another part of you, the curious part of you, needed to know what was going on and if he was okay. And you really didn’t want to wait long to find out.

Quickly, you threw some decent clothes on and jumped into your Porsche (another new gift from the man of the hour). You raced down the highway, a sudden burst of excitement filled you at the idea of finally seeing your boyfriend for the first time that day, even though you were still a bit nervous for what you may find. The rain hit your windshield, the noise calming you a bit as dark clouds loomed over the city in your rearview mirror; the house in the middle of the woods grew closer and closer as you noticed the familiarity of the trees on either side of you.

The moment you pulled up to the hidden driveway, you took in a deep breath trying to steady yourself and calm your nerves. Duncan’s sleek car was already parked next to yours and it only reminded you that the demanding man was inside, waiting for you for whatever reason he chose not to disclose. You let out one last breath and pushed aside whatever fears or trepidation you had and briskly left the car, trying to cover yourself from the rain as best you could. You made your way quickly to the front of the beautiful and familiar home, noticing long claw marks from where he had chased you that night months ago. It calmed you, strangely. Just to think of how far you’ve both come, how much your relationship has evolved and how much work you’ve put into it. It really put things into perspective for you and you decided that whatever it was you’d find inside; you could handle it. You’d handle it together, hopefully.

~

“Hello?” you asked timidly as you opened the large front door, stepping in and taking in the stagnant air of the modern house. The lights were off and Duncan’s coat had been long forgotten on the couch. The rain hit the glass on the house, creating an eerie feeling. “Duncan…?” Your voice rang once more throughout the empty house as you cautiously made your way up the stairs. And that’s when you heard it.

Small whimpers. The sound of someone in pain. Groaning and soft whines from a voice you would know anywhere.

“Duncan?” You asked with slight alarm in your voice as you pushed open the bedroom door. The sight in front of you stopped you dead in your tracks, causing a small gasp to leave your lips. Duncan laid atop the deluxe bed, a whimpering mess as he appeared to be in clear pain.

“Y/N…” his voice came out weak and desperate. Quickly, you rushed to his side, taking in the sight of him completely. A sweat broke out over his forehead and his cheeks were flushed. He looked as if he had just gotten finished with a 10K and immediately crashed on the bed. Duncan was dressed in nothing but his briefs and as you leaned your hand down to softly caress his cheek, you felt how hot his skin was. His eyes were closed tight as if in agony; his face contorted in pain. You had never seen him like this before. He looked fragile – Fragile and weak. But all of that was quickly forgotten once your eyes laid upon his lower region.

He was completely and, what appeared to be, painfully hard. His briefs barely held back his length from breaking free of its confines. You were as confused as ever, but your worries slowly started to vanish as a vague memory came back to you from a night weeks ago; a night spent drinking copious amounts of wine and sharing secrets about wolves, particularly of his kind. He explained nearly everything, from what it meant to be an alpha to mates and breeding to full moon rituals. You even remembered Duncan mentioning something about wolves going into heat when around their mates for long periods of time.

Was he in heat? Could this really be the source of his anguish? You bit your lip thinking about Duncan in this state, helpless and needy for you. The mere idea that you were the cause of this excited you beyond belief.

“Baby, is this what you needed me for?” Your small voice rang out, almost in a teasing and mocking manner as you stroked his forehead and gave him an innocent pout. His eyes shot open, revealing them to be an inhumanly shade of blue as a deep growl left his lips. The warning look he gave you reminded you of that first night you saw him here; he looked feral and dangerous, like a wild animal ready to rip something apart. Instinctively, your body moved away from him but his hand was faster. He quickly reached out and grasped onto your wrist, making sure you couldn’t leave his side.

“Duncan…” Your voice lost any hint of cockiness and now showed only concern, which caused him to slowly ease his tight grip on you. “Baby, what’s going on?” You managed to get out the last bit as you looked him over once again. Maybe you had read the situation wrong. He would never… hurt you, would he? The corner of your eye saw his hips slightly rise into the air almost as if it was his body’s way of telling you what he needed.

“I really tried not to call you over,” he looked away before closing his eyes in disappointment. “Wanted to deal with this on my own,” he added, his grip on you tightening once more. “But I need you,” his voice was dark and raspy as his eyes found yours once again. Simply having you near him strengthened Duncan and he found it in himself to sit up and move his body closer to yours. Afterall that’s what he needed more than anything – just to be close to his mate.

“I-I don’t understand… Why come here? Why not just stay home, baby?” You whispered while he leaned in and attached his lips to your neck, not wasting a second in tasting and licking your soft skin. You smelled delicious and he needed you now.

“In heat,” he said curtly, not wanting to part from your skin and growing more and more frustrated with being this close to you, but not being inside of you. “Can be dangerous for humans,” he added, continuing to suck on your skin, while moving his hands against your breasts, his strength gathering as he roughly massaged you through your shirt. He already felt some sort of relief just having you this close to him. The feeling of your body against him eased him slightly but he needed more. He wouldn’t be happy until he was comfortably and completely inside of you.

“In heat?” you whispered, a small smile forming on your lips as you tried to tease him. “Does my poor baby need my help-“ you were, quickly, cut off from the feeling of him nipping your skin roughly, warning you to not test him. Little did he know, it only made you want to push him further.

“So, you’re in heat…” A dangerous smirk played out over your features as you continued to push him. A small growl left his lips as his hold on you tightened.

“If you don’t stop, I am going to fucking wreck you,” all the warmth in his voice left. Only a cold and dangerous warning was left. Now, he actually wanted you to push him more, to give him an excuse to throw you down on the bed and make you a screaming mess.

“My daddy’s in heat, how cute,” you patronized.

You realized you might have gone too far as his body went completely still at your words. He slowly pulled away from your neck to look you dead in the eyes.

“He is,” the words sounded more like a growl as every bit of intensity and desire he had shown through the blue of his irises. He tilted his head slightly, the ghost of a smirk showing as he gripped your hip with inhuman strength, making you wince. “And your daddy is going to wipe that pretty, little smile right off of your face,” he whispered as he leaned in slowly next to your ear, enjoying the shiver that ran through your body. He lowered his head into the crook of your neck, biting hard on one of the already red and purple marks he left. “You see… Daddy needs you,” his hand rose to your throat, squeezing just enough to make you gasp. “He needs to feel you… Needs to be inside of you,” his hand squeezed harder, constricting your airway. “Unless, you have other plans and want to continue teasing your daddy.”

You shook your head side to side as you gasped for air. “No, sir,” the smallest whimper left your lips as you struggled to get your words out.

His ease on you let up and his hand found its way to your shirt, ripping it right off of your body. “Good. Now, I need you to behave like a good, little girl today while daddy has his way with you,” he whispered as he leaned in, his breath ghosting over your skin. “Is that understood?”

You nodded once more, biting your lip, “Yes, daddy. I’ll be so good for you,” you played along with him. He knew exactly how to shut you up and remind you that he was the one in charge. He appeared to be happy with your response, licking a small stripe against your neck only to suck on it and nip it lovingly.

“Mm, you’ll be my sweet, little princess?” His hands found your hips, raising you onto his waist while he leaned back down onto the bed. You straddled him while his hands ran all over your body possessively.

“I’ll be your sweetest princess,” you nuzzled your face into the crook of his neck as you felt yourself start to fall into your familiar roles. He was your daddy and you were his princess. Of course, you could be a brat at times, but he liked it most when his girl didn’t challenge him. And you craved his praise more than anything. You’d do just about anything for him if he called you his ‘good girl’.

“That’s what I like to hear.” The dark smirk that appeared on his lips sent a shiver down your spine moments before he flipped you both over and pinned you to the mattress. “My baby’s going to be ruined by the end of today,” Duncan’s lips turned into a fake, exaggerated pout but his eyes showed malicious intent. You whined, trying to raise your hips to rub against his briefs. He glared at you, silently warning you to behave. “Stay,” he ordered, reaching over and grabbing something from the nightstand, his warm body leaving you for a second too long causing you to whine again. He found his place against your body once more, only now holding two pieces of silk in his hand causing you to bite your lower lip in anticipation.

“Is that for me, daddy? I promised I would be a good girl…” you imitated his pout while your eyes stared up at him innocently. He stared right through you, calling your bluff.

“You don’t fool me for a second, little one. Even my good girl can be naughty at times… And daddy doesn’t want to deal with you challenging him or being a brat right now.” He fastened the pieces of silk around your wrists, tying you to the bed frame as a dissatisfied noise left your lips. Duncan knew you loved being able to feel him while making love, but the beast in him had no intention of being sweet with you today. The other half of him, the animalistic part of him purely just needed your body, as selfish as that was. He was blinded by the state he was in; he was ready to do just about anything to feel his cock settled deep inside of you. You noticed him being a bit harsher than normal, but didn’t think much of it. You were too preoccupied with the wetness growing in between your legs. Your wrists were held fairly tightly in the silk and you looked up at him, whimpering.

“So, daddy can’t handle me, then? He needs to tie me up?” You bat your eyelashes at him, hoping to rile him up even more; loving this game of cat and mouse you were in.

“I’d stop talking if I were you,” he leaned in close to your ear, his powerful aura making you sink even further into the mattress. You were frightened and excited for what he would do if you pushed him too far, but he didn’t give you the chance. “Actually,” a dangerous smile appeared on his face as he rubbed his stubble in contemplation. “I think I know the perfect thing to shut you up.”

Your mind instantly thought of the gag in the drawer you were sure he would pull out, but you were wrong. Your eyes widened as you saw him palm himself through his briefs, his prominent bulge begging for release. He pulled down his briefs and threw them to the floor while your mouth watered at the sight of his length bobbing up and down. Duncan stroked himself a couple of times while staring you down, getting ready for how good you were about to make him feel. You gasped when he quickly took hold of your hair and pulled your head back even further into the mattress, making your mouth more accessible to him.

“You just look so pretty like this, angel,” he spat out coldly, gripping onto your hair even harder while making his way up your body. He held his cock to your face and slapped his thick length against your lips crudely, beckoning you to open up for him. When you didn’t, a growl escaped him and he pulled on your hair even harder. It was bordering just a little too painful. “Open. Now,” he demanded, staring down at you. You obeyed him, quickly opening your mouth to him and he didn’t waste a second thrusting into your mouth. A groan left his lips as his head slightly fell back at the feeling of your warmth take him in completely.

His thrusts were fast and hard as he chased his high. The sound of you moaning and gagging on his cock only urged him to go faster; his cock easily found its way down your throat with each thrust. He slammed his hips into your mouth as you fought against your restraints. You couldn’t help the wetness forming between your legs as he used you for his own pleasure.

“Fuck… your pretty, little mouth feels so good,” he grunted. “Are you my little sex slave, princess?” His laugh echoed off the walls. “Gonna use you however I want,” he spoke while his thrusts started getting sloppier; the feeling of his first orgasm of the day starting to build.

You tried to reply to him, but all that came out was a soft mumbling against his cock. He felt the vibrations of your words against his shaft, causing a deep moan to leave his lips as he pushed his cock even further into you.

“Sorry, princess. What was that?” He teased, smirking to himself. “Couldn’t quite hear you with my cock down your throat,” he chuckled to himself. He grabbed onto your hair and picked up his pace, seeking his own pleasure. You knew he was dangerously close from the increasing sound of his moans building up to his release. His cock roughly thrust into your mouth once more and you felt him still his movements as a loud groan echoed off of the walls. His cum shot out of his tip and coated your throat as he thrust a couple more times, making sure every bit of cum he had to give you went down your throat.

He released you from your grip and fell against the bed, breathing heavily as he ran his hand through his hair, finally feeling relief from the tortures of his morning. “Fuck…” He raised his head, looking you over while taking his time sitting up. His hands graced your thigh while he noticed the innocent, needy look on your face.

“So good for daddy,” he whispered, knowing exactly what to say to please you, while leaning down to kiss your thigh. “I hope you can keep that up for the rest of the day.”

~

Duncan got increasingly rougher and meaner as the day went on. The once sweet and loving man you saw only yesterday was nowhere to be found today. What you had in your presence was instead, a man who was rough with you, who taunted you, who mercilessly used your body for his own pleasure. He was always a very dominant and rough lover, but he was always still tender and loving. But the Duncan you were witnessing today was all business. He used you over and over again, his appetite never seeming to ease up.

You couldn’t really complain, because you were loving every second of it. Well almost every second of it – you wished he would ease up on you just a bit, but it wasn’t anything you were worried about as he gave you world-shattering orgasm after another.

His hunger was never-ending. Whether he had you on all fours, or pushed up against the wall, or spread out on the kitchen counter, he was savagely wrecking your body, always seeking his next high. You were growing exhausted by the fifth or sixth hour, you weren’t sure anymore, but he never showed to tire himself.  He only wanted more. More of you, more of being inside of you, more of being surrounded by you, more of you bending at his will. He needed it.

He tried giving you a break, but could only last about thirty minutes once he felt that uncomfortable tension starting to build on itself again. You didn’t mind – not really anyways. His never-ending need to be inside of you left you feeling full – in more ways than one. Your heart leapt every time he called you his ‘princess’, only to have your mind turn to focus on the pain and pleasure you were feeling from him thrusting into you at a relentless pace. Duncan had so much energy and stamina, it was truly shocking. He was always a dominant lover, you knew this, but he never ceased to surprise and amaze you with just how much faster and harder he could fuck you.

And now you found yourself on all fours once again, at the mercy of your rough lover. Duncan’s hands gripped onto your hips with feverish force while he thrust into you with inhuman speed. You already had two orgasms down from this session alone and you were a whimpering mess as you tried to hold onto the comforter for dear life.

“Aw, what’s the matter, little one? Can’t handle daddy fucking you like this?” he mocked you while grabbing a handful of your hair and yanking your head back to look at him. You’d never seen his eyes so dark before as he glowered at you. His dangerous smile returning once he heard the small whines escaping you.

“Thought you were going to be good for me,” his lip curled up. “Thought you were daddy’s good little girl…” his voice mocked your whimpers. “Thought you were special,” he let out a dark chuckle. “Guess not,” any warmth he had for you left his voice as he ignored the gasp that left your mouth at his harsh words.

“Duncan…” you warned, trying to get the point across to him that he was close to crossing the line. He had pushed you relentlessly all day with his ruthless comments and nonexistent sympathy and you were only now starting to feel a bit crushed by his actions. What happened to your Duncan who always made sure you were alright? What happened to the Duncan who, even though he was rough with you, always assured you that you were loved and cared for? You weren’t sure who this new person was.

“What?” he snapped. “Is daddy being too mean?” He mocked once more, thrusting into you particularly hard, enjoying the small scream that left your lips.

You lowered your head, hiding your face in the mattress and not wanting to look at him anymore as you considered his words. You were left with a bitter taste in your mouth from the way Duncan was acting. You weren’t sure why he was being so cruel, especially when he knew how vulnerable you were in this state. His words were cutting a little too deep and you found yourself stifling a new onset of tears.

“Rose.”

Duncan fought the beast inside of him and stopped immediately at the sound of your shared safe word. You had never used it before in all the time you had known him and he wasn’t even sure if he had heard you correctly. He fell back onto the mattress and stared in disbelief as he felt his world come crashing down around him. Shame surrounded him as clarity started to fill his senses. It was as if a veil was lifted and he could finally see how cruel he had been this whole time.

“That,” Duncan muttered, while staring at his hands. “That wasn’t me,” you heard his small whisper as he spoke mostly to himself. He looked around his surroundings trying to gather himself before his eyes fell on you. You saw every ounce of heartbreak in his expression as his blue eyes started to well up with tears.

“I’m so sorry, Y/N,” he sounded weak, even ashamed. He hesitated before reaching for you and gently caressing your leg. “Baby, I don’t- I don’t know what came over me.”

“I don’t like how you were talking to me,” you placed your hand on top of his. You needed to tell him the truth, but he just looked so devastated by the fact that he hurt you, it killed you to see him like this.

“I kept pushing you and I should have known better,” he let out a shaky breath, coming to terms with how awful he had been.

“And I should have just communicated with you from the get-go.” It was the truth. You should have told him how you felt the first moment you felt the slightest bit uncomfortable. He lifted his head and shifted his eyes from his hands to your eyes.

Duncan shook his head in denial, “I should have known.”

You could tell he’d beat himself up over this for probably the rest of his life. He’d most likely never come near you again while in heat; the thought alone made you sigh in disappointment.

“Come here… please,” your voice was soft as you gestured to the pillow lying next to your head. He softly lowered himself next to you, turning on his side to face you. His hand found your waist and he rubbed small circles while staring at you through glassy eyes.

“Okay, here’s what you’re not going to do. You’re not going to think about this all the time and let it destroy you,” he had opened his mouth to speak, but you quickly placed your hand over his lips to stop him. “Because I’m fine,” you stared into his eyes, making sure he understood. “And I forgive you and I love you.” He let out a long sigh against your hand – Sometimes he felt he truly wasn’t deserving of you or your kindness.

“I understand today has been… a unique occurrence and neither of us really knew how to navigate it. But I trust you, no matter what,” you reassured him while moving your hand to stroke his cheek. “Please don’t let this deter you from ever touching me again. I promise I’ll communicate better if you promise to always hear my needs.”

“Always,” Duncan spoke right away. “My love… I’m just so sorry. I didn’t mean any of those cruel things I said,” he looked like a lost puppy in this moment. It was always so interesting, and in a way absurd, to see him look so vulnerable. He prided himself on being the tough and powerful type, so when you did get to see moments where he looked small and hurt, it reminded you of how sensitive he truly could be.

He continued to rub small circles against your skin while he melted into your hand against his cheek; his stubble tickled you and the familiar feeling filled you with a new adoration for the man lying in front of you.

All Duncan thought of was how amazing you were. How beautiful and kind and caring. How you were completely his; it was something he would always be in awe of. He knew he fucked up. He knew that no matter what you said and how understanding you were, he fucked up. He’d give anything for your forgiveness and you already gave it to him so easily. He truly didn’t deserve you – He felt that in his bones.

“You’re my angel… you know that, right? I love you so much,” he whispered, leaning forward to ghost his lips over yours. You pulled him in for a tender kiss and you knew in that moment you had your Duncan back.

~

Minutes go by… And then hours go by… and Duncan still has you wrapped up in his arms. This whole time, he’s done nothing but share sweet nothings in your ear and place gentle kisses in your hair. He was still in heat, but could feel himself coming down from it. Being this close to you was, in a way, still difficult for him, but he controlled every urge he had – Even if parts of his body didn’t. You could feel how hard he was against you, but no whimpers or moans this time from being in pain, so you knew he was going to be okay. Only the occasional groan when you moved your body, which had you stifling giggles each time.

Lying beside him like this was perfect – but being this close to him with his warm breath ghosting over your skin and his hands dancing across your hips, it made you crave him in a different way. You had thought you were truly his perfect mate, to still want to go for another round with him after having sex for hours. You had to stifle a laugh but he noticed. He always noticed.

“What’s so funny, my love?” He entertained you, a genuine smile on his face as he turned on his back, bringing you to lay on his chest.

“Hm, nothing,” you tapped your finger across his warm chest. “Can I have some water, pretty please?” You asked with puppy dog eyes, as you lifted your head to look at him.

“You want me to go all the way downstairs for some water?” His eyebrow rose in question.

“Do you want me to die of dehydration?”

He rolled his eyes at you while a smile formed on his lips. “Don’t joke about that,” he kissed your forehead before getting out of bed.

You needed an excuse to get up and stretch. Okay, maybe you also needed some time to think about how to get Duncan to touch you again. To really touch you again. You were sure he’d be against it, but you wanted him. And you knew he wanted you, too. You were reminded of that when you ran your finger across your stomach where some of his precum had leaked onto. You knew he was holding back… All you needed was a way to make him let go – At least just a little bit.

You stood up, nervously playing with your necklace around your fingers, thinking about how to get him to give you what you wanted when his tall frame appeared in the room. You jumped up in surprise causing a small laugh to escape him.

“Somebody’s jumpy,” he remarked, making his way over to you with your water in his hand. You looked him over, not bothering to hide your sultry eyes or the way you licked your lips at the sight of his hard cock bobbing up and down.

Duncan cleared his throat, looking at you amusingly. Your cheeks grew warm at the smug look on his face; you turned around quickly, not wanting him to catch any hint of embarrassment on your end. A smirk played out on his lips as he reached over you to place your water on the night stand before wrapping his arms around your body.

“Something you wanted?” his voice was soft as he placed a gentle kiss on your shoulder.

“Mhm,” you teased while you reached behind you for his hard length. The mere sight of it had made your mouth water; your mind raced with excitement. Duncan bit down onto your neck and let out a deep growl at the sudden sensation. His teeth dug into your skin as a warning, but it only deepened your arousal. You moved your hand languidly across his length, letting him know that you simply wanted to please him, to give him what he so desired.

“Baby, we shouldn’t,” he spoke against your skin. He wanted nothing more than to let you continue touching him like this, but he didn’t want to risk the darker side of him coming out again.

“I want to, though,” you whispered, rolling your head back onto his shoulder. “I want you. And I trust you, and I love you. Please,” you breathed out, feeling his cock twitch in your hand.

Duncan let out a small sigh before speaking. “Okay,” his voice was quiet as he placed his lips gently to your neck. He released his grip on your waist only to take your hair in his hand and pull your head back, granting him more access to your neck. You continued stroking him as he worked his tongue over the bite marks on your skin.

“On the floor, baby,” he orders gently. You immediately do as he says, taunting him on all fours with your ass on full display for him. Seeing you like this, on your hands and knees, a whimpering mess, only excited the beast in him more. You turn around slowly to find him fixated on the sight of your helpless state, as his precum glistens and drips to the floor. He lowers himself on his knees, licking a long stripe up your back all the way to your neck where he bites down gently.

“I can smell how fertile you are, princess,” he emits a low growl as his hot breath fans over your skin. “It’s been driving me crazy all day,” his hand reaches down in between your thighs and dips into your folds, gathering your arousal on his fingers. He pulls back reluctantly, bringing his hand to his cock while rubbing your wetness on his tip, mixing your arousal around with his precum.

The squelching sounds of him getting himself off is too much for you and you turn around to make yourself face-to-face with his neglected cock. You look up at him through innocent eyes while leaning forward and pressing your lips to his tip, kissing him ever so gently. He growls excitedly and presses his cock to your face, smearing his precum over your lips and cheeks, marking you as his. His mate. His little plaything. Whatever he wishes for in this moment. You’re his.

He forces your lips open with the tip of his cock and he gently thrusts into you. You happily accept him into your mouth and moan at the salty taste of his precum on your tongue. He humps at your mouth a couple more times before you feel the base of his shaft start to swell. He had warned you about this before. Something that occasionally happens to his kind while aroused. You had never experienced it before, but you were more than excited to take his knot. Except, he instantly pulls out of you and pushes you back down onto the floor.

“You’re mine,” his voice is raspy and low while he pumps himself a few more times.

“Always, Duncan,” your voice is soft as he grabs your body and flips you over with ease, making sure you’re on all fours again. He grips onto your hair with one strong hand and pulls your head back lightly. He smears the rest of his precum along your ass as he searches for what he’s looking for. He finds the wet, warm opening he was desperate for and instantly thrusts into you, yanking on your hair as he bottoms out in you. There was no pain, only pleasure as he stretches you out completely.

Duncan made sure to control the beast in him as best he could, but still set his fast pace. His hips snapped into yours quickly as he chased his release, wanting nothing more than to spill his seed into you. It’s where his cum belonged – every single drop inside of you. He’d give it to you over and over again until you were full of him and only him.

Your moans steadily got louder and louder and in retaliation, he releases your head and leans down, holding your back close to his chest as he bites down on your neck again. His thrusts are deep as he growls in your ear, warning you to behave.

“Gonna drain every drop inside of you,” he promises. The swelling on his length you felt earlier starts to come back and the sensation combined with how primal he’s being nearly throws you into your own orgasm.

“This is what you’re made for,” he smirks to himself, “For carrying my babies.” His thrusts only grow more erratic as he chases his release. “You gonna give me some pups, babygirl?”

You’d never talked about children before and you weren’t sure what he was going on about, but you couldn’t help how turned on you were by his words. You nearly cried out just from the way he was talking to you. His knot hit against your opening with every thrust, massaging you as you start to come undone.

He was being relatively gentle with you before, but now as his need builds, he starts thrusting into you eagerly. His eyes darken and he growls deeply as he breeds you.

With one last thrust, he pulls you back into him and he forces his knot inside of you, connecting you both as he starts to fill you with his warm cum. Duncan lets out a strangled growl that slowly blends into loud groans, echoing off the walls. If you weren’t in an isolated house in the middle of the forest, you might have been afraid of the noise level. But with how vocal he was being and how amazing it felt having him release himself in you, your mind turned elsewhere.

Your body feels like it’s been set ablaze and your own orgasm hits you hard. Duncan holds you up as pleasure takes over your body and you feel every wave of bursting electricity pass over you. Your desperate moans fill his ears and it causes more cum to leak out of him. He leans down to kiss your neck as he paints your walls with a new steady stream of his seed; his quiet groans vibrate off of your skin. You’re positively full of him and you wouldn’t want it any other way.

He breathes heavily against your skin as you both try to steady yourselves. The swelling from his knot starts to go down, but he continues to stay deep inside of you. He finds pleasure from having you cradled under his body, his cum seated deeply in you. The animal in him wants to put life in you and wishes more than anything to impregnate you. But Duncan knows you two haven’t had that conversation yet and he knows you’re on the pill, making his efforts useless. His deepest desire that he was too afraid to talk to you about finally just revealed itself and he’s unsure of how to go about it now. He realizes there’s no use in keeping you two in this position anymore as you won’t bear his children this time, so he pulls out of you reluctantly.

You feel his cum drip down your legs and gather onto the floor in a puddle as he watches the sight with sad eyes. He thinks to himself, “What a waste.” But he’s immediately snapped out of his thoughts when he hears your small voice calling to him.

“Duncan,” you happily sigh, turning around and laying down in exhaustion. You think you’ve finally reached your limit for the day; you don’t think you could go for another second with him. You bask in the aftermath of your orgasm, exhausted and feeling sleep call your name.

“You did so good for me, baby,” he forgets his woes and places gentle kisses all over your face while praising you and worshipping your body with sweet and tender touches. He knew you had had enough and he wouldn’t dare push you any further. After all, he was still ashamed for how awful he had treated you earlier and now, for trying to breed you. Hell, he was ashamed for calling you over in the first place and making you deal with him in this state. He knew you deserved better – that you deserved someone who was sweet and gentle with you. And as hard as he tried, he was still an animal. He swore that he’d always protect you, but could he protect you from himself?

“Baby,” your voice broke his chain of thoughts again as he instantly found your eyes with his own cerulean ones. Your hand reached for his that stroked your cheek and you looked at him knowingly.

“Don’t do that,” you spoke with little energy, you already felt your bed calling for you. He’d have to carry you to the shower and bathe you himself before laying you in bed for the night; you had no energy to do it on your own. “I know that look and I know what’s going through your mind, stop it,” you lightly chuckle, squeezing his hand.

“Baby, you deserve better than what I can give you,” his face contorts with sadness as he thinks back to the events of the day. His words are painful to hear as you stare at him in disbelief.

“Duncan. Shepherd. Don’t you ever say that again,” your voice wavers as you fight back a small onset of tears. “Baby, that isn’t true. I’m yours and your mine. Always, remember?” your voice breaks as you try to calm him. He sighs while slowly nodding his head, comfort settling over him.

“I know,” his voice is as soft as you think you’d ever heard it. He looks so vulnerable in this moment, you’re afraid to even touch him out of fear of breaking the man in front of you. “Always…” he ponders the word. “Promise me you mean that?” His voice is raw with emotion as he begs, tears forming in his eyes, causing them to look like two perfect swirling oceans.

“Of course I promise,” you reassure him. “Now, take me to the shower, please,” you whine and laugh, sleepily.

Duncan sighs contentedly before leaning down to place a gentle kiss on your lips. “Alright, come on,” he joins in on your laughter as he helps you up.

“No, carry me,” you whine like a little child causing him to laugh a bit louder.

“You know, I’m tired, too-” He was cut off by the sound of a tree rustling around outside the window. Both of you stop dead in your tracks, Duncan with his brows furrowed and you with your eyes wide in surprise. You instinctively grab the bed sheet and cover yourself, while Duncan lets go of you and makes his way to the open window. Of all the times you had ever been here, you’d never heard that noise before. It wasn’t possible for somebody to just “stumble” onto this land. It just wasn’t.

“Duncan,” your voice was small and scared. There was always something eerie about this place and any strange sounds you heard now were not helping. You quickly found your place beside him again, realizing that that was the safest place to be. Both of you stared out into the dark of the night, looking for the cause of whatever made that curious noise.

“Baby, I don’t like this,” you whispered. He placed his arm around your waist, comforting you while he glared into the forest. And that’s when you saw it.

You were in disbelief. Shock and confusion overtook you and you couldn’t comprehend what you were looking at.

“Nick?” your voice spoke, mostly to yourself as you tried to comprehend the sight in front of you. Nick emerged from behind the trees and looked you dead in the eye before turning his gaze to Duncan and immediately running in the other direction. But what stuck out the most was the camera in his hands.

Out of the corner of your eye you noticed Duncan’s chest breathing heavily. His face was contorted in a type of anger you had never seen before and wished to never be on the receiving end of. His jaw was tense and his lip curled in disgust.

Duncan was fast. Too fast. He reached for his sweatpants, pulling them on before slamming the door open, nearly knocking it off of its hinges. He was down the stairs before you could catch up to him, leaving a trail of destruction in his path.

He reached the front door just as you got downstairs. In a heated fury, he opened the front door letting in the cool air of the night before running outside into the darkness.

“Duncan!”

Part 5

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[chiefnooniensingh]

I Won’t Hesitate (For You) Chapter 6

Chapter 6: I can’t breathe (until you’re resting here with me)

In this chapter: We get a peak at the night of the murder. In the present day, things kick into high gear and Alex faces a few of his own demons.

a/n: This is one of my absolute favourite chapters. I reread this so often after finishing it just because I love it so much. I hope you'll like it as much as me!

As always, a special thanks to Aileen (@acomebackstory), Callie (@callieramics), @hm-arn, @royalshadowhunter, @ladymajavader and May (@merlinss) over on Tumblr for their continued support and cheerleading. I don't know if I would've finished it without you guys!

The title of last chapter was Linger by The Cranberries, guessed by hmd23! Congratulations!

Can anyone guess this week's title and performing artist?

Also on: ao3

other chapters: 1 2 3 4 5

20th of October, 1953, somewhere between 3am and 5am.

Alex eyes snapped open. His heart was beating faster than it should, and for a moment he didn’t understand why he’d woken up feeling startled. Then it came back to him.

He’d been sure he’d heard someone yell out. The sensation had permeated straight through his uneasy dreams and had startled him awake. He scrambled for his pocket watch. 4:31am. Why in the world would anyone yell out in the middle of the night?

Half-groggy, but on high alert, Alex stumbled out of bed, his bad leg protesting heavily to the sudden weight put on it. Limping heavily, he made his way to the door, opened it a crack and peaked out. The corridor was dark and empty, the long-since extinguished lamps swaying lightly with the train’s movements. The certainty that he’d heard someone in distress fading with every passing second, Alex looked up and down the carriage. He looked down the long end, just in time to see a small figure slip into cabin number 4.

Perhaps that was all he heard; someone visiting the bathroom.

Deciding that his traumatized brain made a case from something that wasn’t anything, Alex closed the door, crawled back in bed and soon went back to sleep.

Present day, 21st of October, 1935

“Alex! Come in!” Maria DeLuca had opened the cabin door at his knock and her worried frown quickly changed to a lovely smile as she realized who was at the door. “My mother is resting; it’s been a very tiring day.”

Alex stepped inside the cabin, and indeed saw Mrs DeLuca asleep in her bed. “I’m sorry to disturb you, Ms DeLuca,” Alex said in a soft voice, as he took a seat next to the window. Maria took the seat next to him. “But I have some questions that I need answered.”

“Of course,” Maria said with a kind smile, “ask away.”

“Do you and your mother have identification on you?”

“Naturally.” Maria rummaged underneath her mother’s bed for a while, and produced two sets of identification papers, which he handed to Alex.

Alex copied all of it down in his notebook. “Maria DeLuca, 22 years of age, resident of New Orleans. Occupation…singer?”

“Quite famous, too! I’ve even got a record deal coming up! People line up for blocks to hear me sing every Mardi Gras.”

Alex nodded, slightly impressed. He resolved to look up some of her music upon returning to America. “Your mother’s name…Margaret DeLuca, resident of New Orleans, retired.” Maria nodded as she took the papers from him.

“I’ve seen her looking varying degrees of ill. Is there something wrong with her?”

Maria’s smile vanished abruptly. “We…we don’t know. She’s starting to lose bits of memories. Some days she’s as sharp as she used to be, then the next she’s convinced Rosa Ortecho is standing next to her, having entire conversations with her.”

“Your mother knew Rosa Ortecho?”

Maria nodded, tears filling her eyes. “The poor girl. My mom was the Ortecho’s house maid until a few weeks before the kidnap. My dad had gotten very sick and we had to move closer to a hospital that could help him, you see. When my mother read of the case, weeks after her body had already been discovered, something broke in her. She was still my loving mom, and she took good care of me even after my father died, but there was always a kind of sadness surrounding her.”

Motive, Alex wrote down, but in his mind, he doubted it. Mimi DeLuca was barely strong enough to lift a hand of cards, let alone plunge a knife into a man’s chest. Still, it was pertinent information. “How is it that you came to be on this exact train, the same train that the murderer was on?”

Maria looked desperately upset. “I don’t know! I’ve been trying to figure it out myself. The only logical answer is some cruel twist of fate!”

“And you don’t think you or your mother…?”

Maria’s dark eyes suddenly flashed angrily, and Alex saw, for the first time, that he was better off not underestimating this woman. “Are you suggesting I or my mother had anything to do with this horrid business? Because my mother is sick enough as it is, and planning a murder is certainly not on the top of our priority list!”

“Of course. I’m sorry I asked.” Maria kept her eyes narrowed at him for a while, and Alex felt another possibility for friendship slip away from him. But he wasn’t here to make friends, he reminded himself. He had to solve a murder. Whatever it took. “Where were you around 3AM, miss DeLuca?”

“Asleep. My mother woke at around 4 to request a glass of water from the conductor. I woke up briefly because of the scuffle, then fell asleep again. We did not hear about the murder until we arrived at the scene after everyone was already awake. I did not commit this murder, Mr Manes,” Maria said fiercely, “and neither did my mother. Frankly, I’m insulted you find us capable.”

Alex rose to his feet, having gathered all he needed right now and cast Maria a sad look. “Ma’am, in my line of business, I’ve learned that everyone is capable with enough motivation.”

With that, he left.

En route back to his own cabin, with every intention of having a lie down for a while, to really mull this case over, he ran straight into Michael. “Hey, you okay?” Michael asked once more, looking concerned this time.

I swear, Alex thought privately, this man is going to give me a whiplash. “This case is giving me a headache,” he said, instead.

“Can I help?”

“That’s very kind of you, Michael, but I – ” He was cut off by a sudden loud squealing sound, a violent lurch as the train suddenly braked hard and another crash as it came to a sudden stop. Alex, already very unsteady on his feet, fell right into Michael when the train started to brake, and the force of the crash caused them both to tumble to the floor. The noise was deafening, and instinctively, Alex buried his face in Michael’s chest and covered his ears. It was excruciating to listen to the screaming of the breaks, the thudding of luggage falling over all up and down the train and then the frightened yells and screams of the passengers.

And suddenly he was on the battlefield again. The air smelled of gunpowder, blood and death and everywhere around him, his brothers were dying. Alex was barely 20 years old and not in any way, shape or form prepared for the violence that was an actual war. Clinging tightly to his weapon, he waited till he heard the enemy’s fire subside, then emerged out of the trench and fired at his faceless foe. The more people died around him, the more he realized how futile it was. How many men had laid down their lives for the simple fact that the US government wanted control over Nicaraguan waters? But it was too late to turn back now. If he stopped shooting, he would die. And he did not want to die. He came up from the trench once more but had miscalculated. The next thing he knew, he was on the ground, his knee in tatters and every nerve aflame. Michael’s face floated in front of him as he screamed in agony. “Alex,” he said softly. Alex smiled and reached out. “Alex. Alex!”

“Alex!” he heard Michael yell, and he felt two warm hands grab his face and pull him up. Alex gasped for breath as if he had been drowning and the reality of today came back to him in an instant. He wasn’t at war. He was on the Orient Express, which had apparently just crashed, and he was in Michael’s arms once more. Though nothing romantic was about to happen, for Michael was looking at him in alarm, scanning his face for injuries. Alex automatically did the same. Other than being severely startled, having had a pretty serious flashback, and having developed an even worse twinge in his leg, Alex didn’t think he was injured. Michael looked shaken, but otherwise unhurt as well. “You okay, love?” Michael asked softly, running his thumbs down Alex’s cheeks. Alex nodded.

“What the hell was that?” he said, his voice extremely shaky.

“I think we crashed. Come on, let’s get you up.” Michael helped Alex to his feet slowly, and when Alex put weight on his leg, it hurt less than he had expected. Thank goodness.

People were coming out of their cabins, looking ruffled and wide-eyed and some of them spotting some minor bruises or a split lip. Everyone seemed unharmed otherwise.

Michael looked at Alex again. “You sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah,” Alex murmured, who still felt pretty shaken up, “I just…had a flashback.”

Michael’s eyes flashed with understanding, and without hesitation, he dropped the tiniest of kisses on Alex forehead. Just a brush of the lips, but Alex felt it and a warmth surged through him. “After this is over, we’re going to have to catch up,” Michael said with a half-smile. Alex nodded in agreement, not voicing his very real fear of having to put Michael in jail.

Jesse Manes came bursting in through the door, looking quite the worse for wear, his mouth bleeding profusely. It looked as if he had slammed his face into something as the train crashed. “Is everyone alright?” he asked to the crowd in general, and, not waiting for an answer, he continued, “I need Dr Vale!”

Kyle came hurrying forward with his med kit, looking harassed. Behind him, Ms Beth’s arm was in a bandage. Raising an eyebrow at Director Manes’ less than impressive visage, he opened his case and rummaged in it. “Hurry up, won’t you?” Director Manes snapped, obviously forgetting he was not in the army anymore.

“Dad!” Alex said loudly, as Kyle stopped what he was doing and looked up slowly.

“Excuse me?” Kyle said softly.

Jesse Manes stilled, only now realizing his mistake. “Oh, I am so terribly – ”

“Mr Manes, you might be the Compagnie director, but these people are your passengers, who have paid for your services and your hospitality. Now I understand this day has been stressful, but I will not permit anyone to speak to me in that tone. If I hear you speak to me or any of the people on this train in that way again, I can guarantee you will never find work this side of the pond again. Do I make myself clear?”

Alex’s mouth dropped open, and he felt Michael’s shoulders shaking with barely controlled laughter even as he was still supporting Alex. There was a very tense silence, in which Alex watched his father go through several emotions including ‘murderous’ before landing on forced remorse. “Of course, Dr Vale. I forgot myself, my apologies. It’s been stressful, as you said. If you would be so kind, would you mind helping me stem the bleeding?” He was still bleeding rather profusely, and with the public dressing down he’d just received, he made a very pathetic sight indeed.

“That was the best thing I have ever seen in my entire life,” said Alex in a low voice and Michael snorted.

“Karma is a bitch,” Michael muttered, causing Alex to cough out a laugh. He looked at Michael, those piercing brown eyes filled with mirth, and felt his heart skip a beat. The man was still holding him upright, even though Alex was sure his leg was able to support his weight.

Just like 10 years ago, Michael was there to catch him if he fell. It had taken them a shockingly small amount of time to fall back in sync with each other. Alex opened his mouth, unsure what he was going to say but wanting to talk, to touch, to really reconnect with Michael…but suddenly the outer door burst open and Beth screamed. Cold air blasted into the train, snowflakes bursting in from the cold and a large shadow exited the train into the snowy wild.

Without thinking, Alex took off.

“Alex, no!” he heard Michael yell from behind him, but Alex scarcely heard him. He was only vaguely aware of his leg protesting to this sudden sprint so soon after having taken the brunt of a very violent fall, but Alex had only one thought. Someone was running. The murderer was trying to escape.

It was freezing cold outside. Alex spared a glance to the front of the train, and his heart sank. They’d been about to pass through the Simplon Pass, but an avalanche had blocked the entrance; the Orient Express had rammed straight into the thickly packed snow.

They were stuck.

Alex’s gaze snapped around to the back of the train, where the escapee was still running. They were clothed in a big coat, making it hard to make out who this was. Alex tore after them, just as Michael jumped out to keep everyone else in. “Alex, be careful!” he yelled.

Alex called upon all the speed he’d built up in the army and sped up. No matter why this person was running, Alex couldn’t let them get away. “Stop!” he yelled, but it was useless. The wind was whistling around them both, and he only barely heard himself.

His knee protesting violently, Alex gave it everything he had and saw the distance between him and the escapee closing. The snowy landscape was hard to traverse, and they could barely see five feet in front of them, but Alex noticed the distinct change in landscape a few feet to the right; a ravine. And the other person was drawing very close to edge, Alex could already see snow beginning to crumble underneath their feet. “Careful!” he yelled. The other heard him, looked around, and lost their footing. “NO!” Without hesitation, Alex leaped for the person and pushed him away from the edge. The man – for Alex’d seen the glimpse of a beard – fell backwards, safely away from the edge, but Alex was less lucky. The snow was slipping underneath him, carrying him ever so slowly towards the edge. Oh, for the love of… He felt one foot already passing over the edge, and panic leapt into his throat. I don’t want to die, Alex thought frantically, as Michael’s face flashed before him, and he tried to scramble back up the slight slope.

“Mr Manes!” he heard, and the man jumped forward, trying to catch his hand. Their fingers touched, slipped and Alex began to slide in earnest.

“NO!” Alex was surprised that the yell hadn’t come from his own throat, but behind the man appeared Michael, like a god damn angel send from heaven. “Alex!” Michael lunged and grabbed Alex’s hand, just as Alex tipped over the edge. They both yelled in fear, but Alex felt a yank on his arm. Michael had gotten hold of him and had stayed his death a little longer. Not that it helped. Alex felt himself slowly falling again, and he saw the snow underneath Michael shifting again. Michael was slipping as well.

I’m gonna die, Alex realized. And he was taking Michael with him.

“Let go, Michael!” he yelled in a panic.

“No!” Michael looked panicked himself, but his grip remained firm as he tried to find footing. “And don’t you dare let go, Alexander Manes!” Then he directed himself to the guy behind him. “Grab my god damn legs!” he bellowed.

Alex couldn’t see what was happening. He stared up in Michael’s eyes, sure that if he was going to die, those were the last thing he ever wanted to see. “Michael,” he said softly, as he felt no change in his slow descent, “Michael, please.”

“NO!” Michael yelled, his voice cracking. “I’m not letting you go again, Alex! I don’t look away!”

“Michael, please!” Alex said, tears threatening in the corner of his eyes. “Please, don’t do this!”

Michael’s eyes were blazing with fury. “If you go, I’m going with you!”

“Oh, stop being so dramatic, you two!” a third voice added, and Isobel Bracken-Evans’s face appeared over the edge. “We got you, we’re pulling you up!”

And miraculously, even as Alex hardly dared to believe it, they suddenly began to rise, Michael disappearing back over the edge, but never letting go of Alex’s hand. Alex’s free hand grabbed the edge when he could reach it and two pairs of hands appeared to grab hold of his arm.

Isobel and Kyle were there, pulling him up, while Mr Otto was pulling on Michael’s legs.

His heart pounding, Alex was pulled back on solid ground, away from the edge. When finally, finally, they were safely away, he collapsed, gasping with adrenaline, against Michael, who caught him and wrapped his arms tightly around him. “Don’t ever do that to me again,” Michael muttered against Alex’s temple.

Alex could only clutch to Michael’s jacket tightly, pressing his face in his chest as he tried to stave of the beginnings of a panic attack. All the horrible things that could’ve happened were flashing before his eyes. His own bloody, mangled body two hundred feet below on the snowy plains. Michael’s broken, lifeless body next to him.

“Michael, are you okay?” Alex barely registered Isobel’s soft voice as he inhaled Michael’s scent in an attempt to calm himself.

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

Other footsteps. Several shocked voices as they took in the scene before them. Alex aware that he and Michael were being far too affectionate around a far too unfamiliar crowd. But he didn’t have the strength to push away and stand up. He’d been at death’s doorstep. And he would’ve never gotten a chance to tell Michael all he wanted to – to make up, to apologize. Ten years, wasted, because they’d been so scared and cowardly.

“Michael.”

“I got you, private,” Michael whispers softly, his hands stroking Alex’s back. “You’re safe, you’re alive, I got you.”

“You really wouldn’t have let me go?” Alex finally gasped out, looking up at him. The world was slowly coming back into focus, and Michael was at its centre.

Michael smiled and the last bit of panic faded from Alex’s system. “I never look away, Alex. I told you before. I just found you again. I’ll never let you go again. And if that means following you over the edge of a damn cliff, so be it.”

“Jesus, Michael.”

“What the hell happened?!” Another voice joined the murmurs and Alex and Michael both looked up, the spell between them broken. The world was freezing again and he was alive and there was still a murderer in their midst and his father just appeared, looking disgustedly down at Alex and Michael. Alex could only imagine that he looked like his father’s worst nightmare; broken, teary-eyed, in the arms of another man. If only Alex could bring himself to give a fuck.

“Alex almost went over the edge,” Isobel said, stepping in front of Michael and Alex with her hands on her hips. “Michael saved him. They’re catching their breath.”

Jesse Manes blinked in surprise. “Did they at least catch the person who ran?”

The silence became rather frosty, a very impressive feat seeing as it was snowing. “Yes,” another voice said, “they did.” Everyone turned around. Arthur Otto stood next to his daughter, who was holding his arm and looking extremely stern. “Why did you run, papi?”

Jesse Manes didn’t wait for an answer. “Only a guilty man runs! I always knew to never trust your kind and I was right! I’m going to make sure you never see the sun again, you murderous spic!”

Alex was on his feet at once. The exhaustion, the pain in his knee, all but forgotten. “Shut up!” he yelled. Jesse became very still, a stance Alex still recognized as a first sign of trouble. “You are not in charge of this investigation, Mr Manes! I am, and you will not threaten anyone on this train while I am in charge, or you will be very sorry indeed!”

“How dare you speak to me in that tone?!” screamed Jesse Manes, getting into Alex’s face, any sense of where he was and who was surrounding him forgotten. Alex didn’t back down. “I am still your father, you ungrateful, arrogant piece of shit, and I will have respect!”

“Respect is earned, and you have done nothing in my entire life to earn it!” Alex yelled back.

“You have never done anything to warrant giving you respect!”

Dr Kyle stepped forward, looking extremely angry. “Your son is a decorated war hero!”

Jesse Manes didn’t even seem to hear him, he just raged on, with the air of a man who was finally letting out what he’d been holding back for years. “You didn’t even have the decency to be normal, you had to be a fucking faggot to boot! You are disappointing, disgusting, despicable – ”

It happened in a flash. Alex was pulling back his fist to plant it firmly in the face of the man who called himself his father, but Michael had beat him to the punch – literally. Alex hadn’t realized how strong Michael had become in the ten years since he last saw them, but Jesse Manes went down with a single blow. Alex was convinced he saw a tooth flying. “You can no longer speak to Alex that way, not as long as I have anything to say about it!”

Jesse Manes looked shocked at this turn of events. He was cradling his jaw and Alex was looking forward to seeing a bruise form there in the next few days. He looked up at Michael, his eyes flashing with the same hate he always reserved for Alex. “My, my, you’ve finally learned to throw a punch. Lucky for you I didn’t get your good hand last time, huh?” His eyes flicked down to Michael’s left hand and Alex saw it spasm violently.

“You’re a fucking child,” Michael spat, his voice dripping with disgust and hatred. “You think respect and control come from violence. Yet these people, the people Alex is investigating for murder, respect him more than they do you. You are nothing. You have always been nothing. The only difference was that you were stronger than either one of us. That has changed. Touch either one of us again, and you will be very sorry indeed.” He stepped forward, his fist raised, and Jesse Manes flinched violently.

“Michael!” Max Evans stepped forward, looking stricken. “Enough, man. He’s got the point, I think.”

To Alex’s surprise, Michael dropped his fist, his fingers unclenching, a sharp breath exploding from him. Then he turned to Alex. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” Alex said, then immediately felt his knee give out. “On second thought, not so much.” He buckled and Michael caught him effortlessly. “Alright, now that that’s dealt with,” Alex said, casting a disdainful look at his father, still bleeding on the ground. “Mr Otto, I would like an explanation, if you please.”

Mr Otto looked extremely white from all the excitements, and his daughter nudged him hard in the ribs to get his attention. “Oh! Ah. Yes. Of course.” He cleared his throat uncomfortably. “Well, when the train crashed, I knew it was my only chance to get away…”

“Aha! See, escaping the scene of the crime…!” Jesse Manes began.

“I swear to God, one more word out of you…” Michael snapped, who did not finish his sentence, but Director Manes got the point. He lapsed into grudging silence.

“Yes, to get away. But not to flee the scene of this crime.” He looked at Alex intently. “I did not murder that man, Mr Manes. But I overheard your father talking to one of the other staff one day…said he could only suspect me, as I am the only person who could’ve done it; the DeLuca women and Beth being too weak, and Dr Kyle having taken an oath. I ran because I knew if it was up to Jesse Manes, I would be convicted on the word of a racist white man. And I’d rather live out here in the middle of nowhere than go to prison as a Latino man.”

Alex sent his father an absolutely hateful look, but his father seemed unremorseful in his racism. Alex could murder him. “Alright, everybody inside, to the dining carriage. It’s getting too cold out here. Dr Kyle, if you would escort Mr Otto.”

Everyone started towards the train, leaving Manes in the snow. Michael supported Alex all the way, and Alex was glad off it. His leg was aching worse than ever, and he was pretty sure he wouldn’t be able to put his weight on it for a day or so. Michael carried him singlehandedly up the stairs and into the carriage, and they laughed about it for a moment, before continuing to the dining carriage, where it was, mercifully, warmer.

Beth was standing next to her father, her arms crossed, looking extremely cross with her father. “Alex!” she said, when she saw him, waving him over. He and Michael made their way to their table. “I want to apologize for my dad. He shouldn’t have run. He panicked, thinking Jesse Manes had maybe called in the cavalry to arrest him.” Next to her, her father nodded.

Alex sighed. “Look, I get it. My father is…yeah. But I have to consider all the facts…”

“Mr Manes, I swear my father couldn’t have done it. I was with him all night – ”

“Beth – ” Max Evans tried to step in, but Beth continued, without missing a beat.

“– after I came back from Max Evans’ – ” Alex registered Max relaxing slightly, “ – I was reading some medical journals for most of the night and checked on my father periodically because he has heart issues, and my father was asleep until we were awoken by Isobel, I swear!”

Alex glanced from her to Max for a second and saw their eyes jump to each other for a fraction of a second. Something was going on between the two of them, but Alex couldn’t quite put his finger on it. Beth’s story only barely held up under the lightest scrutiny. But even if she wasn’t telling the truth about seeing her father, at least her and Max’ story seemed to match up. And that covered her for the murder. His head was aching. He pinched the bridge of his nose and lights swam behind his eyelids. That couldn’t be good.

“Alex?” he heard Michael whisper.

“Mm,” Alex merely muttered. “Alright. Well, it seems that we are stuck here for a while. Nobody leaves this train without my supervision, is that clear?” Everybody nodded mutely. “Michael, can I have your master keys?”

“What, why?” Michael asked, looking startled.

“Because I’m the only one not a suspect in this case so I need those keys somewhere I can keep an eye on them, please, Michael.” He didn’t mean to sound desperate, but his vision was getting blurry, his head throbbing more and more by the second. He had to lie down, and soon.

“Alright,” Michael acquiesced, looking startled and handing over the keys. Alex limped towards the outer door, locked it, and put the keys in his pocket.

“Go to your cabins, everyone. I need to rest, and we’re not going anywhere for a while.”

People moved past him, murmuring and shooting him concerned glances. Michael stayed close to Alex, looking concerned. “Michael, can I speak to you for a moment?” Alex managed to say through gritted teeth. Without waiting for an answer, he limped towards his cabin and entered it, Michael following close behind.

“What is it – ?” Michael began, but it became very clear what. Alex nearly collapsed and it was all Michael could do but to catch him. “Wow! Alright, I got you, private, I got you.”

“Can you help me?” Alex asked, his voice weak and trembling. “I don’t – I don’t think I can – u-undress mys-self.”

“Of course, Alex. I’m right here, I’m not going anywhere.”

He helped Alex to his bed, set him down and started undoing the laces to his shoes. Alex slumped against the back wall, his eyes closed. Michael’s hands were gentle as he helped Alex out of his shoes, his socks, his pants and shirt. At any other time, the atmosphere between them would be charged, but Alex was near in a coma and Michael understood exactly what Alex needed. He helped him into his pyjamas. His soft touches lulled Alex into something resembling sleep and he felt warm and safe for the first time in a while.

“Alex,” he whispered, and Alex forced his eyes to open a fraction. “Lay down, love.”

With gentle pressure from Michael, Alex managed to swing his legs onto his bed and rest his head on his pillow. A very ungentlemanly groan passed his lips as his entire body began to ache into the mattress. Suddenly, Michael’s hands were on his bad leg, rubbing it softly, warming the aching muscles in his calf and knee. Alex hummed appreciatively and closed his eyes again. He slowly felt his body relaxing into Michael’s touches. His body was exhausted, the adrenaline from nearly dying finally wearing off and he was sure he was asleep. That is, until he felt Michael’s hands leave his leg and his lips against his forehead. “Sleep tight, Alex.”

Alex’s hand shot out, grabbing Michael’s arm as he made to leave. “Please don’t leave,” he muttered. His eyes opened slightly, looking up at Michael through his eyelashes. Michael’s face was soft, and a small smile played around his lips.

“Alright, Alex.” Michael shed most of his uniform, leaving him only in his boxers. Then he climbed into bed, settling himself behind Alex and slinging an arm over him. Alex’s eyes closed again, and he burrowed himself against Michael’s chest. Michael’s arm tightened around him, pressing a kiss to the back of Alex’s head. “Go to sleep, Alex. I’m here.”

Alex dropped to sleep faster than he ever had before.

[gleekto]

One Night Love Affair (8/24)

Summary:  Kurt and Blaine never met in high school. They each finally make it to college, out of Ohio, to New York City - where they won’t be the only gay kid in the state. So when they meet at the first Queer NYADA mixer of the year in their freshman year of college, eager and hopeful has to be trumped by playing it cool (because whatever). Things move too fast (no big, it’s cool), and they’re left with pretending like it’s nothing (because everyone hooks up  - so what?).

One night and its aftermath.

One Night Love Affair

Athlete, Bury, Camera, Paper, Exclude, Feed, Gradual

Part 8: House

Kurt wakes with a start at 4:31am. He fell asleep. They fell asleep. And now he’s squished up against his wall, Blaine lightly breathing beside him. He looks under the sheet strewn across him, and yup - he’s naked. And so is Blaine. He’s a bit sweaty and sort of sticky but he’s not that bad - oh yeah that’s because Blaine -  Yup. Okay. He’s got to get up and pee. He crawls out of bed and grabs a fresh pair of boxers and a white t-shirt. He looks over at Blaine, still sleeping. Whatever this is, whatever this was, this scene is far too domestic for just met the guy 8 hours ago. And he is not ready to play house just yet.

There was something inherently hot about being wanted for his body. 

Blaine had watched him strip down to his underwear, and heard him shudder. Kurt felt powerful. And he had managed to convince Blaine that his own jeans would also be a lot less uncomfortable if they were piled on the floor on top of his too. Blaine didn’t hesitate. Of course he wouldn’t. That is the goal of a Saturday night hook up, right?

Blaine was generous last night. That’s the only way to describe it. Once they lay down in only underwear leaving nothing to either of their imaginations, Blaine was simply all over him. Kissing down his body, hands exploring with just enough pressure for the touch to be intentional. Hands on his ass, squeezing, massaging. “Does that feel good? I want you to feel good,” Blaine whispered in his ear as they pressed the fronts of their bodies together. Blaine’s desire was obvious, easy, confident. Kurt felt amazing. And overwhelmed.

“Can I?” Kurt had been the one to slip his hand beneath the elastic of Blaine’s underwear first, if only to prove to Blaine that he was in this too. That he wanted to be there. Kissing shamelessly down Blaine’s body might not be as easy for him, but he knew what the goal was, and he could at least offer that. “Is this how you like it?” Words carefully chosen to cover for his inexperience but to be able to make sure he’s doing it right. Or right for Blaine. He wrapped his hand around him, pressure where he would like it. Blaine had moaned and grunted and hadn’t lasted long so he figured he was doing something right. 

“I’m going to clean us up and then it’s your turn.” Blaine stood up, naked and bold, grabbing some tissue from his desk before curling back in beside him. “It’s cold.”

“Well, you’re naked,” Kurt smirked at him as Blaine gently cleaned himself up and handed the tissue to Kurt for his hands. 

“And you should be.” Blaine pulled at his underwear and Kurt closed his eyes, let himself be objectified. “Your body is amazing,” Blaine said into his neck as his hands explored way too gently to expect that this would end any time soon. 

“Blaine, ummm - “ Kurt scrunched his eyes shut, the teasing touch frustrating and hot.

“It’s not enough, right?” Kurt opened one eye and Blaine was biting his lip, contemplating. “I want to. Tell me if you don’t want me to-” and Blaine suddenly bent down, mouth and tongue on him, and it felt so good he made a sound that he’d only ever heard in those movies he can’t stand.  And who on earth would ever turn down the world’s best blowjob? Apparently not him. Blaine didn’t stop. Kurt couldn’t believe it and Blaine looked so pleased with himself when it was over. Cocky bastard. But Kurt felt a bit proud too.

Kurt walks quietly back down his dorm hallway from the washroom so as not to disturb not only Blaine, but Rachel next door. The last thing he needs right now is a nosy neighbour.  

He can hear his dad’s voice at the back of his head with his warning that once he starts with this stuff, he won’t want to stop (he didn’t), that he should make it count to connect with another person. He felt connected. He knows that going for naked the same night as he met the guy probably isn’t what his dad had in mind but this was connected. He thinks. Even if temporary, he felt something. Feels something. Which maybe he shouldn’t.  Blaine rapped Hamilton while they were in bed. Before anyone took their pants off. If that doesn’t say genuine connection, he’s not sure what does. Even if it was just for tonight. 

He twists the door knob as quietly as possible, not wanting to be inconsiderate, and not knowing what to say if Blaine wakes up. But Blaine isn’t there. Instead there’s a note on the indented head of the pillow where Blaine used to be.

Didn’t mean to fall asleep and take over your bed. Giving it back to you now so you can actually sleep for the rest of the night. I had a great time, Kurt. Glad that gym bunny didn’t know what a countertenor was.  -Blaine

[lovemesomesurveys]

Do you have a facial expression you seem to pull a lot? What is it? “lots of random BLAH faces. also, ppl seem to ask if im okay a lot too, so i wonder if i look like im distressed or upset or smthing. i do sort of wear my feelings on my face w/o realizing it” <<<< Yeah, same. “Blah” faces covers it perfectly. I also have expressions of discomfort among the others you mentioned. Do you always listen to music when you’re online? Nope. I like never do that. I typically have the TV on for background noise and I’ll sometimes also listen to ASMR or catch up on YouTube videos from those I’m subscribed to. If so, what are you currently listening to? Right now I’m watching Catfish. When you can’t sleep, what do you do? I’m always up until like 4 or 5 in the morning, and I just watch TV, watch/listen to ASMR and other YouTube videos, do surveys, scroll through Tumblr, and color sometimes. Did you like the last book you read? What was it about? Yes. I have one I started like 3 months ago that I need to finish, too.

Do you prefer things (Movies, books, etc) that scare you or make you laugh? Depends, really. Have you ever rubbed your eyes so much you couldn’t see for a while? Not for a long time, but yeah it took a second for them to get back into focus. Do you like people more or less when they have similar tastes to you? Why? I like having a lot in common, but it’s fun having different tastes, too, because  I learn about new things that way and they can show me/teach me about things I might not be familiar with. Do you ever forget how to do really simple things? Like what? I wouldn’t really say I forget, I just have like moments of brain fog. What would you change about your current physical appearance if you could? A lot of things, but I’d start with my smile. Were you born with naturally straight teeth? They’re pretty straight. Do you pull faces at yourself when you look in the mirror? Sometimes. Usually ones of disgust, ha. Do you try not to take a lot of medicine or do you take it whenever? I have one I’m on a schedule for. Do you prefer acoustic or studio versions of songs? Both, just depends. Do you quote movies often? Any ones in particular? Somewhat. Bridesmaids and Mean Girls come up often. If you were the opposite gender, what name would you like to be called? *shrug* Do you like the sound of your computer’s keyboard typing? Sure. If you had to make a superhero secret base somewhere, where would it go? I have no idea, but if I did I would tell you. Duhh. Do you prefer original or sour Skittles? Neither. What about chocolate or peanut M&M’s? I like both. Your favourite band: Do you prefer their old or new stuff? I don’t have one particular favorite band. Do you check to make sure your ear phones are going in the right ear? Yeah. What pattern was on the last pair of socks you wore? Just black. Would you rather have a big house or a big garden? Big house. Are fireworks illegal to buy where you live? Certain ones we can have, but not like the big ones you see at special events. When was the last time you felt dizzy? Earlier, actually. Do you have a crush on anyone who’s unattainable? Why are they? Alexander Skarsgard. ha. Can you talk and work at the same time? Sometimes. Do you care more about yourself or more about others? Others. I’ve neglected myself in a lot of ways and haven’t been taking care of myself like I should have been. Do you find it easy to pass the time or do you get really bored? I tend to just do the things I listed already most of the time, but yeah there’s days where like it’s not really doing it for me and I’m just bored with everything. Do you like going to museums? Any particular type? Yeah. Ones with historical artifacts are really cool. Is there anyone you don’t think you’ll ever get over? Who? I think I’ll always think of them now and then. I don’t have romantic feelings for them anymore, but I miss them and they were at one point really special to me. I’ll always have a place in my heart for them. Are you ever scared of people reading your survey answers? Obviously not... well, except for people I know personally. If you could change your accent, would you? To what? Southern or British. Totally different types of accents, but I like them both. What time do you usually go to bed at on weekends? I usually go to bed around 4 or 5 regardless of the day. Does any part of you itch right now? No. How often do you re-watch / re-read things or are you more ‘once only’? I re-watch shows and movies a lot, but I don’t re-read books for some reason. What time is it right now? 2:31AM. Should you be doing something else instead of this? What? I mean, probably sleep but that’s not going to happen. What colour are your eyes? Do you like them? Brown. I wish they were blue or green. What colour ink do you prefer writing in? Black. What is your favourite kind of take-away to order? Fast food I like to get Taco Bell, take out from a restaurant I like to get Applebee’s. What is your favourite joke? *shrug* When was the last time you met someone who shared your first name? It’s been awhile. Have you inherited any garments from your parents or grandparents? I have a shirt of my grandma’s and one of my grandpa’s that I got after they passed away. When was the last time you took a picture? What was it of? Yesterday I took a photo of our Elf on the Shelf. I do that whole thing where you do different photo ops with it each day. Do you ever watch movies with the subtitles on just for fun? Sometimes. Usually it’s because we’re watching something at night and we don’t want to have the TV up too loud. Also, some shows or movies seem to be too low no matter how high you turn the volume up. It’s pretty useful sometimes. Do you tend to call people by their birth name or a nickname? Depends on the person. I have a cousin who we only call by his nickname and saying his real name always sounds weird. When was the last time you visited the doctor? Why did you go? Last Thursday for my routine checkup. I go every 1-2 weeks to that particular doctor. Do you ever wear shoes even though they hurt your feet? I don’t have that problem.

[loadingluke]

Hysto day 2

Tw: blood, post op stuff, nausea, genital mentions

Hey all, hope you don’t mind the long posts. I just find it easier writing down notes over the course of the day instead of trying to remember it all to summarise. I hope the detail is helpful :)

4:50am

I had an endone at about 3:45 and then slept again from there. I was feeling a little bit of pain and just wanted to nip it in the bud. Had another rest, just drinking some water but still feeling good 🙂

7:13am

3 new day nurses came in and I was handed over by the night nurse. They discussed that I should be getting my catheter out soon, after some breakfast. I also have a small pack inside which will also be removed. Dysphoria wise I’m not looking forward to either but I’m also excited to have it all out, to have a shower and to feel a little more human!

7:31am

Someone from Melbourne Pathology cane in to do my post surgery blood tests. It was pretty quick and painless.

7:36am

Breakfast came in and I got a nurse to help me move my table so I could have something to eat. I’m in a little pain where the pack is, but it’s manageable. I haven’t got a sore throat though, and my abdomen incisions aren’t sore at all. Hopefully soon after breakfast I’ll be able to shower etc.

7:59am

Dr Kuswanto came in and had a look at my abdomen incisions. He said that the operation went well and that the only issue was that the v-gina was quite tight and dry due to testosterone and uh...lack of use. That’s why he put in a pack as there was a little bit of bleeding from a few small tears when they removed the organs. I told him that that was what hurt the most, and he said I’ll feel a lot better once that pack will come out later this morning. He let me know that my bladder and ureters we’re all normal (he also did cystoscopy during the operation). He said to book in to see him in 3 weeks time in his rooms for a post op check up.

8:34am

I finished my breakfast and two of the nurses came in and gave me an endone. I wanted to take one a little before they take out the catheter and packing as it’s a little sore and I don’t really want to be in pain when they do that. They should be back soon to sort that all out and then I’ll be able to have a shower and get up and about. I was also given a liquid laxative to help get my bowels going. Endone and the general anaesthetic can cause a little bit of constipation so this was just to avoid that.

8:50am

Post op doc came in and had a chat. She listened to my chest for any signs of wheezing due to my asthma. She said everything sounds good and that I’ll feel better later today once everything is all out and I’ve had a shower.

10:09am

I was given a couple of panadol by the nurse. I ordered my lunch and dinner for today with food services. Catheter and packing removal is looking like it’ll happen between 10:30 and 11am.

10:21am

I had a very sudden bit of nausea come on. I assumed it may be blood pressure related (I’d been sitting up for a while) so I called the nurse and put my bed back down. That made me feel a little better. I was given a vomit bag just in case, but I didn’t need to use it.

10:34am

My IV was disconnected from the port. A lot of fluid was entering the surrounding tissue and not the vein, leading to a little swelling and discomfort. I’m drinking normally now, so I don’t need to be on fluid anymore anyway.

10:56am

Two nurses came in to let me know that they’ll be removing the catheter and pack. This should be happening any minute now.

11:13am

The pack and catheter are out now. The pack was a little sore and dysphoria inducing. The nurses had to start by wiping down the area with cold water, and then they had to pull it out using forceps. It was quite bloody and it kept coming which felt really weird and painful. It was a lot longer and larger than I expected. The catheter was actually really easy, and didn’t feel too bad at all. They put a pad on me and a new bluey underneath, and will monitor that for the next hour or so to make sure I’m not bleeding too much. I felt like I needed to pee as soon as the catheter came out. The nurses told me it was probably just irritation but to let them know if it gets worse. I should be able to get up in about half an hour to an hour to have a shower, as well as a voiding trial to make sure everything is all working normally. I feel a little better now that it’s all out, even though it does feel quite painful. I had to use some estrogen cream inside leading up to the surgery in order to have it a little less tight and atrophied. As much as it sucked, I am SO glad I did. I would have been in a lot more pain now if I hadn’t.

11:23am

Had another set of obs done. The needing to pee feeling has subsided a bit, so it probably was just irritated. Got my IVs out of my arm, so now I’m officially tubeless!

12:18

I felt like I needed to pee so I asked to be helped up. I walked over to the toilet and sat down. I started to feel really dizzy so I called the nurse. She put be back into bed and checked my blood pressure. It was stabilising after a sharp decrease. She used a bladder scanner and discovered I didn’t have much urine in my bladder at all, and that it was probably just bladder irritation. She gave me some ural to have which is meant to reduce discomfort. I’m having that now. I feel really warm- one of the nurses is grabbing me a wet face washer to cool me down.

2:24pm

I’m back in bed after my first wee and shower. I was feeling pretty rotten but this time I didn’t feel like I was dizzy or anything which is good. I sat down in the shower and freshened myself up. I feel a lot better now. I’m changed into my pyjamas from home so I feel a little more like myself.

3:08pm

I had a second wee and I didn’t feel as dizzy when I got up. Afterwards I had a bladder scan to make sure that my bladder was completely empty. It was, which means I don’t need to collect my urine anymore. I’m feeling a little crampy, my abdominal muscles are just contracting randomly which isn’t super pleasant. I was given a heat pack which has helped. I am bleeding a little bit downstairs, but not significantly.

3:40pm

I’m feeling pretty good. A nurse came in and checked on me. I went to the bathroom again and then watched some YouTube videos.

7:48pm

Got brought a hot milo and some water. I’ve been feeling pretty good, now that I’m able to get up and walk around without feeling too terrible I feel alright. I keep comparing my experience with this surgery to that of top surgery. I had it in my head that this one would be loads easier, but it’s actually been a little harder than I expected it to be. At least with top surgery I was free to to completely use my lower half, so getting up and walking around was pretty easy. It’s really hard to move around well without the use of your core. I feel like this surgery is harder on you initially, but it improves a lot quicker, but that’s only me and only time will tell! I’m feeling pretty comfortable now, and should be all fine for discharge tomorrow. The nurse came in to check my obs again, as well as to give me a blood anticoagulant injection and laxitive again. I’m gonna head to sleep again soon as I’m feeling quite tired now.

[jodybouchard9]

Give Your Mantel a Midseason Refresh With These 6 Chic Decor Ideas

Kristen Prahl/iStock

We might be careening toward Christmas, but that’s no reason to take down the fall decorations just yet.

With several more weeks of autumn ahead, and Turkey Day just around the corner, there’s no better time than the present to give your fall decor a little midseason refresh. That’s especially true if you’ll be hosting a gathering of family and friends.

The mantel above your fireplace—working or not—is a great showplace for seasonal items that make a statement. Just change them out for a quick decor update!

We scoured the web for these six mantel decor trends that are sure to make your home’s hearth stand out this season. Get started with one of the easy ideas below.

1. Pick a color scheme worthy of fall

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A nice cozy & calm photo as opposed to the actual current state of our house.

Bathroom reno progress to be made, birthday celebrations for my dad today, and so much to do before we catch a 7am flight tomorrow! || linked fireplace decor in the @liketoknow.it app! http://liketk.it/2Gbpm #liketkit @liketoknow.it.home #LTKhome #LTKstyletip #LTKunder100

A post shared by Shelby | Pretty in the Pines (@prettyinthepines) on Oct 26, 2019 at 7:31am PDT

One of the best ways to style your mantel this fall season is by starting with a color scheme. Just as you see in this post by @prettyinthepines, you can use the colors of a favorite bowl, vase, or even framed painting to create an entire look for your mantel— turning it into a casual fall-themed art gallery.

“I love this design because it incorporates framed artwork, without feeling overly formal or rigid,” says Liza Pruitt, co-founder and curator of Liza Pruitt Art Collective. “By propping up the pieces instead of hanging them, you create a casual, inviting look—exactly what you want for fall!”

Don’t have a favorite painting yet? Find one in this stunning collection of nature-inspired watercolors on Etsy.

2. Go all-natural

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Happy Monday and first week of November… Did y’all enjoy your extra hour of sleep yesterday, I sure did.

I also love my mini IG breaks- they keep me grounded & a little less overwhelmed … …just sharing a last week of my favorite fall looks this year. My French country inspired mantel was so fun to create

Hope you don’t mind seeing a little bit more fall here for now

This week I’m working on a Friendsgiving gathering for next weekend so I’ll be sharing details with things that will hopefully inspire you for Thanksgiving gatherings.

However, I have been busily planning my Christmas decor for this year and I can’t wait to get started. I’m not going to reveal details but I’ll be sharing my process & it’s pretty different from last year

- get ready friends next week is going to be fun!!

also I saved a few of last years Christmas styling ideas in highlights to hold you over until this years

looking back at last years decor helps me see how far I’ve come and motivates me to keep going giving me gratitude for blessings I tend to overlook.

What are you wanting the most help with- tree, stairs, mantel? Just leave me your answer in the comments below. • • • • #autumndecor #falldecoratingideas #fallmantel #fireplacedesign #fireplacemakeover #rustichomedecor #frenchcountryinspired #farmhousefall #bhg #homedecortips #decoratingtips #barndoor #mantelpiece #homesweethome #homesofig #instahomedesign #americanfarmhousestyle #countrycottage #cottagesandbungalows #countrylivingmagazine #thedesigntwinslovefall #neutraldecor #falldecorating

A post shared by Deborah (@hipandhumblestyle) on Nov 4, 2019 at 5:42am PST

Another way to make your mantel really shine this November is to decorate using all-natural materials, as we see in this photo from @hipandhumblestyle.

“The layering of mirrors, vases, wheat, pumpkins, and greenery on this mantel all come together to create an in-depth and unique look that feels very sophisticated,” says Sherri Monte, interior designer for Elegant Simplicity. “Along with a relatively blank fireplace, the wheatfget and faux greenery really pop off the fireplace.”

Pick up some pumpkins or decorative squash from your local nursery, then complete the look by shopping this fall floral collection at Michael’s.

3. Get that coppery glow

https://www.instagram.com/p/B3GJcaKlUpn/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet 

Copper accessories, thanks to their versatility and cozy warmth, are a great choice for your fall mantelpiece—as we see in this photo from @maisondecinq.

“When it comes to decorative accents, copper is a finish that simply feels perfect for a traditional fall mood, as its orangish color plays quite well with seasonal colors of autumn,” Monte says.

Refresh your fall mantel by snagging a few copper statement pieces from Etsy.

4. Make it bold and bright

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Fall mantel is finished!

I shared the transformation in my stories today if you’re interested!

Happy October! . . . #fallismyfavorite #idreamoffall #falldecoratinghasbegun #fallmantel #modernfarmhouse #bohostyle #bohofarmhouse #farmhousestyle #joannagaines #magnoliamarket #countrylivingmag #bhghome #bhgcelebrate #wowusweekdays #rshome #thatsgoodhousekeeping #cottagestyle #decoratingforfall #mysouthernliving #autumnleavespumpkinsplease #americanfarmhousestyle #showmeyoursubtlefall

A post shared by JESSICA ~I DREAM OF HOMEMAKING (@idreamofhomemaking) on Oct 1, 2019 at 5:30pm PDT

Nothing is simpler than adding in a few bright candles to refresh your fall mantel decor, and nothing makes the space pop quite as much, as we see in this post from @idreamofhomemaking.

These tall candles will add height to your room, and draw the eye towards the warm glow of your mantelpiece—even if your design is otherwise very minimalist.

Get your black candlesticks from Target, then add in some flameless candles from Amazon to steal this look.

5. Layer decor for the ultimate effect

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Happy Thursday! Hello and welcome to our new friends, I am so glad you’re here. I’m working on restocking some of your favorites from the Fall collection- if something is sold out and you missed it, send me a message to let me know. Hope you had a great day. We’re almost to the weekend

* * * * #falldecor #falldecorating #farmhousedecor #cottagestyle #manteldecor #fallmantel #fallmanteldecor #fallmantle #fallmantledecor #falldecorinspo

A post shared by Molly & Vicky (@nestedsanctuary) on Sep 5, 2019 at 5:25pm PDT

Upgrade your fall mantel decor by layering elements you already have, for example by combining your favorite hanging mirror with a seasonal wreath, as seen in this post from @nestedsanctuary.

“What I love about this particular mantel is the various heights of the layered decor,” says Monte. “Instead of everything being very low to the mantel, our eyes are drawn upwards to the focal point of the display. Layering a wreath in front of a mirror is slightly unexpected, so it complements the space well.”

Find the wreath that best suits your mantel by shopping this collection of fall wreaths from Wayfair.

6. Create a fall focal point

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All the pumpkins please!

We grew those Jarrahdale pumpkins and gourds in our garden this year. I’m loving how they look against the whitewashed fireplace. I’m going to save a before photo of our fireplace in my highlight stories. It amazes me what a difference paint can make. Have a wonderful Sunday everyone! . . Birch pumpkins and stands are from @mythirdandmain .

. Pumpkin Patch sign @simplyinspireddesignco

. #stonefireplace #falldecor #fallmantel #fallfireplace #fallsign #pumpkins #pumpkinpatch #homegrown #whitewash #fireplace #fireplacedecor #rockfireplace #fireplacemakeover #farmhouse #farmhousedecor #interiors #betterhomesandgardens #countrylivingmag #mycountryhome #neutralfalldecor #modernfarmhouse

A post shared by Chelsea

(@blessed_ranch) on Sep 29, 2019 at 12:34pm PDT

Fall decor doesn’t have to be orange. Adding a kick of greenery with a seasonal sign like this one works well to stir things up—as you can see from this post by @blessed_ranch.

“I love the idea of not only a seasonal print that swaps out easy, but complementing that artwork with a few simple season elements, like faux plants, garlands, and decor accessories that further enrich the seasonal colors,” says Monte. “Decorating with seasonal art is an excellent way to create a ‘Wow!’ in your home.”

Freshen up your home by shopping these wooden signs on Etsy.

The post Give Your Mantel a Midseason Refresh With These 6 Chic Decor Ideas appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

[yoon-kooks]

Lie- Part 10

Pairing: Jimin x Reader

Genre: Angst / Fluff

Summary: There was a time when you loved him and he hated you. Now you hate him, but does he love you?

Parts: 0 // 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9 // 10 // 11 // 12 // 13 // 14 // 15 // 16 // 17 // FINAL

“Oooh! Can we go in there?” You pulled at Jimin’s sleeve and pointed at a small shop with a bunch of adorable plushies. He turned his head to where you were pointing and sighed.

“Do we have to go into every single shop with plushies in them?” Jimin protested but still allowed you to pull him into the store.

“Yes, we do!” you giggled at him. “Because I’m looking for something!”

“What is it?”

“Uh, actually I’m not sure, hehe~” You looked around curiously, trying to find something small to buy so that you’d always remember your first “date” with Jimin. “But it has to be something cute!”

“You’ve been dragging me around for two hours and you don’t even know what you’re looking for?” Jimin chuckled in disbelief as he browsed the shelf with tiny kitty plushies. You saw him smile at a grey one with a little scarf before he picked it up to show to you. “What about this one? It’s cute, right?”

You blushed, taking it from his hand. It was a pretty cute kitty, but you loved it even more because Jimin had picked it out for you. “Yeah, this is the one!” You were glowing so much and didn’t catch him staring.

Just as you were about to walk it up to the cash register to pay, it was taken from your grasp. Jimin placed the kitty on the counter and took out his wallet.

You shook your head with a flustered look. “Jimin, it’s okay… I already wasted your time coming here and-”

Jimin ignored you and proceeded to pay the cashier. Once you were out of the store, he handed you the kitty.

“You didn’t have to pay for me, you know…” you pouted. But you were also overjoyed with the fact that the boy you loved got you something special. You stared at the kitty again and smiled.

“Just be happy you got what you came for, okay?” Jimin watched you fiddling around with the plushie. You hugged it tightly and squealed. “You really love it that much?” he laughed.

“Yeah! Thanks Jimin~!” you smiled up at him. “I’ll get you something next time, I promise!”

“Next time?” He raised a brow at you. “I thought this was a one time thing.”

“But you had fun, right?” You poked him. “I wanna do it again… Maybe next time could be an actual date?”

“I already told you we’re not dating…”

“Not yet, but maybe in the future~?” you said, blushing softly.

“Y/N.” Jimin walked a little further from you and bit his lip. “I don’t think we could ever date.”

-

“Yoora, I’ll tell you!” You dropped your chemistry textbook next to your friend’s notebook and took a seat.

“Tell me what??” Yoora went from falling asleep to wide awake. “Is this about your secret lover?” she smirked.

“He’s not a lover!!” You sent a soft punch to her shoulder. “But it is a secret, so promise you won’t tell anyone or get mad about it, okay?”

“Promise~!” Yoora clasped her hands together. “Tell me all about him!”

“Okay, okay!” You tried to calm both her and yourself down. Even in that moment, you weren’t sure if it was a good idea to tell her that you knew her favorite idols. But you trusted her. “Actually, it’s about two guys… and you know them…”

“Two guys??” Yoora’s jaw dropped. “OMG, Y/N!! When?? How?? WHO?”

“At the fansign. Uhh, I don’t really know how it happened…” You leaned closer to whisper. “But it’s Jungkook and Jimin.”

“WHAT? NO WAY!!” Yoora’s shrieks gained you some stares from people passing by. “PICS OR IT DIDN’T HAPPEN!!”

“It’s a long story… but basically, Jungkook and I-”

“You’re dating HIM???”

“No!” You shushed your friend. “But we may or may not have hung out…” Yoora’s eyes widened.

“Really?!! You’re so lucky!!! OMG. WOW.” She muffled her loud voice with her hands. “Wait, what about Jimin??”

“Ohh… Jimin…” You took a moment to ensure you wouldn’t say too much. “I told him you’re his biggest fan and he said you can meet them next time.”

You were expecting to hear the loudest scream of all, but Yoora was too shook to make a sound. She stared at you with the largest eyes.

“I’m meeting with Jungkook after this, so I’ll be sure to ask him about you, me, him, and Jimin all meeting together some time.”

“L-like a double d-date?”

You nodded, even though you were pretty sure Jimin didn’t intend on it being a “date”. But after you had made it clear that you weren’t giving him anymore chances, maybe someone else could give him a chance instead.

“OMG yay! Thanks, Y/N~!” Yoora’s eyes sparkled like you’d never seen before.

-

By the time evening came around, you met up with Jungkook for a walk around the streets of Seoul. You were still in disbelief that the boy had actually asked you out on a second date. But you found it very refreshing whenever you spent time with him.

“Jimin told me you came back to the dorms smiling like an idiot after our bowling date.” You nudged Jungkook. “Is that true?”

“I was smiling, but not like an idiot!” he laughed. “Jimin really says too much sometimes…”

“Yeah, he does, huh…” Your expression dropped a little because you understood that too well.

“By the way, what’s your relationship with him?”

“Huh?”

“Jimin told me you guys were childhood friends?”

“Uh… yeah… I mean, I guess that’s all we were.” You looked down at the sidewalk, not really wanting to talk about your past with Jimin. “From the time he left Busan until that fansign, we didn’t talk at all.”

“Oh… It’s probably just because he’s been working so hard with Bangtan stuff during these past few years,” Jungkook tried to reassure you.

“Probably,” you said, even though you knew it wasn’t the whole truth. You just wanted to change the topic somehow. “Speaking of Jimin, do you think he’d be down for a double-date type thing?”

“A double-date?” Jungkook’s eyes widened. “You mean like you, me, him, and…?”

“My friend,” you finished his sentence. “Jimin said I could bring her along some time.”

“Ah! I see,” he nodded. “Jimin doesn’t really seem like the ‘date’ type though… Like, all my other hyungs have gone out every once in a while, but I’ve never seen Jimin with anyone else.”

“Really…?” That couldn’t have been true. You were certain Jimin had gone on dates with other people. You even remembered Yoora telling you how popular he was among female idols. But at the same time, you knew Jungkook was being honest.

“Yeah, that’s why I was surprised when he met with you the other day!” he said. “I kinda thought you guys were dating…” You stayed quiet for a moment.

“Me and Jimin? I don’t think we’re the kind of friends that could ever date…” You hated how those words sounded coming from you. And it left a bad taste in your mouth.

Jungkook took notice and suddenly wrapped his hand around yours. His warmth comforted you and the faint pink on his cheeks made you smile and blush a little yourself. The bad taste was suddenly gone.

“What about us, though?” He did a cute head tilt. “Are we the type of friends that could date?”

You just stared back at him with huge eyes, unable to speak. Jeon Jungkook was really asking to be your boyfriend. You had to admit, he was the only other boy you’d felt something for besides Jimin. He was always so sweet to you, and you really did enjoy spending time with him. You had zero reason to say no, but at the same time, it wasn’t so simple to just say yes.

“Ah, I didn’t mean to surprise you or anything, haha.” The boy ruffled the back of his hair. “Take as much time as you need to-”

“Yes,” the word slipped out on its own. The only way you could justify it was by telling yourself you’d be an idiot to let Jungkook pass you by. You leaned your head on his shoulder. “I think we could and should date.”

“I think so too,” he smiled. “I just hope Jimin doesn’t mind me dating his friend.”

“He won’t.” You shook your head, but truthfully, you wondered exactly how he would react. As much as you hoped he wouldn’t mind, you couldn’t help but worry that he would. But the more you thought about it, the more you remembered you couldn’t be that special to Jimin. Because if he truly cared about you, he would’ve never given you a reason to hate him in the first place.

“Hm, maybe you know him better than I do,” Jungkook nodded. “You guys were best friends after all.”

“Yeah…” You wanted to believe you knew enough about Jimin, but there were so many things he had refused to share with you. Things you had to find out the hard way.

“Anyway, I’ll be sure to ask him about the double date thing!” Jungkook swung your hand playfully. “That guy can use a nice date. He’s been looking a little lonely these days.” Lonely?

-

As soon as you got back, you noticed Jungkook had sent you a sweet goodnight text, so you replied back with a few kiss emojis. You smiled at your phone screen until you saw your text conversation with Jimin right underneath, and you were reminded of him being lonely. It couldn’t have been because of you, right? As an idol, he had plenty of other things to worry about before some childhood friendship.

But you still wanted to check up on him—just in case.

12:03AM Y/N “hey”

12:04AM Jimin “🙋🙋🙋”

12:04AM Jimin “go to sleep. its late😒”

12:05AM Y/N “ill go to sleep if you go to sleep too😡”

12:07AM Jimin “im not tired”

12:08AM Y/N “neither am i”

12:11AM Jimin “so… whyd you text me?”

12:12AM Y/N “did jungkook tell you…?” You felt your heartbeat go at a quicker pace. Maybe it’d be a little better if Jimin heard about the dating thing from Jungkook rather than from you.

12:13AM Jimin “yeah”

12:20AM Y/N “and youre okay with it?”

12:22AM Jimin “youll get mad if i say no lol”

12:23AM Y/N “i wont get mad! just be honest…”

12:28AM Jimin “okay okay”

12:30AM Jimin “i dont think ill have the time for it”

12:31AM Y/N “wait… what are you talking about??”

12:32AM Jimin “the double date thing?”

12:32AM Jimin “whatd you think i meant?” So Jungkook didn’t tell him you were dating yet. And you weren’t ready to break the news to him either. It couldn’t hurt to wait just a little longer.

12:33AM Y/N “lol idk what i was thinking😅”

12:34AM Y/N “but anyway”

12:35AM Y/N “whens a good time for you? i want this to work out”

12:35AM Jimin “really? you do?”

12:36AM Y/N “yeah! i told yoora about you and shes been screaming every since”

12:38AM Jimin “yoora?”

12:39AM Y/N “remember my friend i was telling you about? the one that loves you like crazy?”

12:40AM Jimin “oh her”

12:41AM Jimin “i still dont think ill have time… i gotta put more hours in at the dance studio”

12:42AM Y/N “aww okay… i guess if its for bangtan, it cant be helped…” You couldn’t help but feel disappointed. Not only because you had gotten Yoora super excited about it. But also because if Jimin really was feeling lonely, you wanted to be there for him. Like he had been for you.

12:44AM Y/N “maybe next time then?”

12:45AM Y/N “bc i really wanna see you jimin” You weren’t sure if you sounded too needy--especially since you had just gotten yourself a boyfriend--but you meant what you said. You just wanted to make sure he wasn’t feeling alone.

12:59AM Jimin “okay ill be there 👍”

1:00AM Y/N “!!!”

1:01AM Y/N “okay!! (^-^)//”

1:01AM Y/N “see ya then~”

1:02AM Jimin “💃💃👯”

[czyphr]

Let’s try something different..

Like, live blogging. Blogging on the spot. Right now it’s August 29, 2017, 1:08AM. I’m charging my Fitbit Blaze, drinking coffee and working.. or not. There’s no queue right now which is why I can write down my thoughts. I’m a customer service representative, and all I can say is that it totally changed the way I think about cashiers, waiters, etc. If I was nice before, I’m positively angelic towards them now, specially to those who does their work right. If not, well I give them a piece of my mind. I’ve learned that it’s not just about providing what the customer wants, but how you say it as well. I’m not saying that I’m all compassionate and understanding and peaceful whatever now, but I’ve improved. I still have my privileged Catholic school girl provinciana attitude though.

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I actually miss brewed coffee. The coffee that Papa brews back when we still lived together. If I remember correctly, it’s a mix of Arabica and Dark Roast.. I can drink that without sweetener or anything. The coffee I brew at home tastes horrendous even with sweetener and creamers so I just stopped drinking it altogether. I now get my coffee fix from either McDonald’s when I’m in school or the coffee vendo machine here at work.

1:31AM – I logged a 30-minute break to stretch my legs and get my second cup of coffee. I use this tumbler from Starbucks which hold 473 ml.. Which means 3 servings from the coffee vendo machine. Yep, I’m that addicted to caffeine. I love how it’s all foamy like a store bought latte, but that’s what happens when you boil milk and pour it with a slow steady stream. I also took the time to play my favorite mobile game of the month, Bloons TD. I used to play this when I was a kid, when y8.com was all the rage. It’s same game, but it’s better. Even my boyfriend’s hooked!

2:30AM – Now I’m planning my to-do list for later. Here’s what’s on my list right now;

8/29 File Pag Ibig Loan – ETA 3 weeks – for savings Home Film Hauls Wash Dishes Take out trash Pack clothes

I plan to stay at the office for the rest of the week so that I can make use of the gym. I miss going to gym. I miss the times when I’m able to micro manage myself.. I really really want to bring that back.

3:25AM – I just realized that my outfit consists of a hoodie, jogging pants and well worn rubber shoes. You can either say this is a super fitness or super slob. I’ve had these jogging pants from Sassa and they are so comfortable I’d wear them everyday if I can.

3:34AM – As per my MFP logs, I have now consumed 2/3 of my allocated daily calorie intake just by coffee alone. If I could just drink black coffee, that would surely go down considerably. You know what’s funny? I think something is really wrong with me. Like, inside me. I think I have an eating disorder.. I think this started when I started college. According to my grandmother, I was never a picky eater, I was always eating but I never gained any weight. Then when I got diagnosed hyperthyroidism and was treated as with hypothyroidism, a shift in me happened and I started being super self conscious. I literally shrunk before their eyes in college and checking back I look really tiny in college. I gained weight when I started going out with my current boyfriend.. and I think I can eat with no problem at all, but when I start eating I don’t know how to stop. And when I stop I don’t know how to start again. I can’t rest either when I don’t know what’s my current weight or how many calories I currently have. I’ve looked up eating disorders but I can’t place myself in any category. I think it would be best if I see someone, but I’m scared of the stigma of going to psychiatrists here in the Philippines. Like when I had my first OB visit, it’s like the doctor was expecting me to blurt out that I’m pregnant or something and she was giving me stink eye. Then when I said I was there for UTI issues, she condescendingly asked if I was doing the deed. I’m not, but but if I was, is it wrong? You can say that I never went back to her. Currently looking for non-judgmental doctors covered by my health card.

Anyway, I want to start a fitness routine soon. Exercise, food, sleep, water.. all that. I’ll keep you posted. I’m so inspired by the blogs I’ve been reading lately which is why I want to try it out for myself. I’ll start on September 1st.

4AM – I’ve been checking out possible diets and I found the Oatmeal diet. Here’s how to do it according to diet-blog.com

Phase One

Dieters eat nothing but oatmeal for the first week.

You can eat ½ cup of oatmeal for each meal, which may be combined with a ½ cup of skim milk if desired.

Only whole oatmeal is allowed, not instant oatmeal.

Instant oatmeal and granola bars should be avoided for the first seven days.

Calorie consumption for the first seven days should be between 900-1200 calories per day.

Phase Two

For the next 30 days, dieters continue having ½ cup of oatmeal three times a day in addition to their regular diet.

Instant oatmeal is now permitted.

Calories may now be increased slightly to 1000-1300 per day.

A morning snack of a ½ cup of fruit and an afternoon snack of ½ cup raw vegetables are allowed.

This is probably the friendliest diet I can manage for now, so I’ll try it and see how it goes. I’ll also go back to the gym.

Am I looking to lose weight? Not really. More like lower my body fat percentage. I don’t like being thin and flabby. Yes, I didn’t know that was possible until I saw myself in the mirror.

6AM – So my hunch was right. There is something bad that’s going to happen. I’m basically looking at a 4-day suspension which may or may not jeopardize my schooling. I can’t deny it, there’s no way that I can say I didn’t do it to myself, because I did and the records show it. I know my fault, and I know what to do to avoid that fault.

Confusing? Let’s back track.

I made the same mistake thrice. In real life, that’s okay. There’s forgiveness, and there’s unlimited options for change and improvement. In the corporate world, not so much. Everything is put on paper and forgiveness is measured by a set period of time and hierarchy. Right now I have nine months to achieve forgiveness.

I can’t help but think.. is this God’s way of telling me that I have too much on my plate and that I’m spreading myself too thin? I mean, if this pushes through, I will get suspended, and in turn cut off my TIU privileges. Which would free up time and money for me.. Which can help me achieve two major goals that I have (being debt-free and growing my blog and Youtube channel).. But my status as a working student is what I believe to be my edge among others. It’s what makes me special.

I don’t want to lose that edge. Right now that’s what’s grounding me and making feel that I’m doing something with my life instead of just being a millenial zombie who works to survive because I thought I was strong enough to cut myself off from my parents.

So why did I let it go to waste?

I started with dropping a course and then being truant altogether. Now it will be taken away from me totally.

I don’t want that to happen. I feel like I have adjusted myself and done what I can.. but I guess it isn’t enough and I didn’t try hard enough and now I’m paying the price. I have fixed my attendance, my satisfaction, my efficiency, all the other factors. I was flying high until two days ago. I feel like I’ve shot down. I was already celebrating and praising myself and thinking of how I’ll reward myself and now this. Distraught would be a light term to describe what I’m feeling right now.

I thought I was finally reaping the benefits of positive thinking for my goal of passing my metrics.. but then it’s not? I would blog about this, but I don’t have access right now so please forgive my ramblings. I just don’t know how to proceed at this point.

Although I have my Plan B’s ready.. I would much rather go with Plan A.

Plan A consists of the Law of Attraction. I will focus on not getting a suspension. Not getting my TIU privileges taken away. Not committing any similar mistake. Instead, I will focus on being debt-free with a deadline — before my 22nd birthday. I will focus on getting 5,000 blog followers and Youtube subscribers by August 2018. I will focus on getting a Baleen pay-out every month starting August 2017. I will focus on passing all my classes and being on top of the class. I will use the power of the universe to achieve my goals. If it requires that I micro manage myself, make sure that I know where I am every minute of every day and record it, I will. If it requires that I start right at this very moment, I will.

I will start with envisioning myself a year from now. Where do I see myself by August 29, 2018?

8:45AM – My shift’s almost done, and I’m packing up. I’ve been listening to various motivational speeches and I’ll full of positivity right now. I sincerely believe that I can make my goal changes in my life. That alone is enough for me right now.

This is quite a lengthy post, and I appreciate that you’ve reached this point. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below, I’m always listening.

My mind runs better with coffee. Let's try something different.. Like, live blogging. Blogging on the spot. Right now it's August 29, 2017, 1:08AM.

[neilmillerne]

This Stay-at-Home Dad Put Numbers to Work to Lose 110 Pounds

Meet John Jarrett, a 48-year-old stay-at-home dad in Springfield, Oregon. Pictured below with him is his primary project these days: his toddler, Gunner. But John is also an outdoorsman, grillmaster, a former machinist and a “Dr. Who” fanatic — all things that play to his analytical and number-driven mind. But this photo doesn’t reveal the number that really had John obsessed just one year ago: 300. He’s gone north of there on the scale on two separate occasions. This is his story, of beating that number and finding a healthier lifestyle, as told through his Instagram account.

Buddies

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Feb 9, 2017 at 4:32pm PST

Last March, John weighed in at 305 pounds for the second time in his life. The first time, in 2010, he did an 11-month program that helped him lose the weight and make changes to his lifestyle. But it didn’t take. “I settled down, got married and got lazy being a stay-at-home dad,” he admits. “I knew it was time to start over.”

Happy New Years

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Jan 2, 2016 at 7:31am PST

John knew he had it in him. The first time, he found a good, balanced formula: “Eating clean, exercising properly and no crazy fads.” What he had to put aside was his love of barbecue. He’s professionally trained in the art of the grill and has three enormous Traeger grills on his patio, with beef brisket and pork shoulder in regular rotation. Moderating that wouldn’t be easy.

Cutting brisket with an Austin Moody Japanese influenced scimitar brisket slicer wearing my awesome Blunt Roll apron. #brisket #oregoncooking #Traeger #bluntroll

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Apr 10, 2016 at 9:29am PDT

John had tried a number of different wearables and devices to help him track his food and exercise, but he didn’t like that most were incompatible. On a whim — and inspired by his casual acquaintance with Under Armour athlete Cameron Hanes, a fellow outdoorsman — he bought a pair of UA Geminis and began using the UA Record app. “I liked the way it was laid out in quadrants,” he explains. “It reminded me of the four food groups, and it was easy to understand.”

Good morning everyone. March 10th (6 months ago today) I decided I was tired of being overweight. I weighed a wonderful 304.5 lbs. Instead of a picture of a sweaty me after my morning walk I decided to post instead a screenshot of my UA Record. Right in the middle is this mornings weigh in. This has and will continue to be an amazing experience. I remember at the beginning making a smart ass comment that I could cut 100 lbs in 6 months. No trainers were used in these 6 months and no magic pills. It was all proper diet, low calorie intake, self control, daily doubles of high speed walking up and down Thurston Road and some obsessive desire to get healthy. It’s been fun and hard all at the same time. I still have a little more to cut and then I’ll start the maintenance phase and toning of myself. I need to thank my incredible wife Misty for putting up with this almost possessed journey but I want to be around a long time for her and our son Gunner. Like I’ve said in other posts about this journey that I’ve not used any magic super diet pills or crazy mystery shakes. Just diet, vitamins and healthy choices. Yes the first 3 weeks sucked but once I made it through that phase the rest was all goal oriented. The Under Armour products that I’ve been using have been one of the greatest discoveries I’ve ever made. From their shoes and clothing to the technology in the UA Health Box, they have been fantastic. Yes I jumped ship from our Oregon fitness shoe monster but their stuff didn’t fit me anymore and hurt me rather than helped. I still use their trackers but not their equipment anymore. The next pics I’ll post are when I hit my goal weight and I’ll show the change with clothes from the beginning and current clothing now. Going from 3XL to L is quite a change. Thank you all for your kind words of encouragement and support and those that honked or waved and they drove past me on Thurston Rd. #weightloss #weightlossjourney #uarecord #uarunning #uafitness #underarmour #uahealthbox #healthbox #hardworkpaysoff #sweatandblood #nothrive #nonike #homeworkout #thurstonrd #fastwalking #xxxltol

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Sep 10, 2016 at 6:42am PDT

The next step was changing his diet. He would eat a protein shake in the morning with a scoop of peanut butter powder and a banana on the side. For lunch, three sticks of celery with peanut butter, and more fruit. For dinner, he would eat a chicken salad. It wasn’t easy, but his motivation was simple: He wanted to stay healthy for his family — and be able to chase his son.

Lunch!! Why do I eat this way??? There’s a 2 1/2 year old sitting next to me I want to watch grow into a man, I have the most amazing wife I want to grow old with and I don’t want to end up in the hospital with problems, issues or diseases. Please do good for your body. I don’t like visiting hospitals where friends are. I want them to get better! If you want to change your eating habits and don’t know what to do please seek proper help. Shout out and ask those of us that will share our knowledge. No magic pills, just hard work. You make the change! You make the difference. #losingweight #eatingclean #eatinghealthy #underarmourrecord #underarmourrunning #uarecord #lostonehundredpounds

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Dec 18, 2016 at 11:58am PST

Next came exercise. He mapped out a 2.5-mile loop in his neighborhood that was mostly on flat ground and set out to walk every day. It wasn’t easy at first. “When I was 300 pounds, I was probably pushing 16–17 minutes per mile,” he admits.

2 months down. 46.6 lbs off. Diet and exercise. No Thrive, no Advocare, No Beachbody. All by my self, no trainer. No Excuses. #dailydouble #nothrive #2016weightloss #ua #underarmour

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on May 10, 2016 at 7:34pm PDT

But it got easier as he kept at it, and his diet improved. He increased his speed to a power walk and started throwing in hard jogs and even some sprints. He even wore out those Geminis. “It’s fun to power walk past a jogger now,” he laughs.

Oh the miles these Under Armour Geminis have gone. Ready to retire this pair. Thank you for all the healthy changes you have helped with. #uarunning #underarmour #underarmourgemini #wornoutsoles #uarecord #underarmourrecord #underarmourrunning

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Dec 12, 2016 at 9:12am PST

By maintaining his regimen and tracking everything through Record, MyFitnessPal and MapMyRun — his food intake, his steps, his exercise, even his sleep — he saw the pounds start coming off. As late fall rolled around, John was down more than 100 pounds and had gone from a size 3XL shirt to a large.

Good morning everyone. Forgot to make my 8 month progress posting yesterday. What a fantastic journey this is. I’m 111 lbs down from my start March 10th and couldn’t feel better!! The miles and miles walked and low calorie days have been crazy but I’m used to it and crave it now! The use of amazing fitness technology from Under Armour has been such a dream. From the Gemini shoes and My Fitness Pal to the fabulous Healthbox package with the Under Armour Record app. These are easy to use and fun pieces of tech that motivate and assist me. Like I’ve said in previous posts, I’m doing this without the help of gyms, trainers or box programs and supplements. My biggest support comes from my family and friends. My amazing wife Misty has put up with my obsessive fitness behavior and I thank her for support. To everyone that has beeped their horns and waved as I walk back and forth on Thurston Rd… thank you for your support too. I love the look on people’s faces that haven’t seen months when they realize just how much difference this program has made. I hope I can motivate at least a couple people to do something good for themselves and make their life healthier. You’ll feel awesome, you’ll know you will be around longer for your family and you won’t stop smiling! Have a great day and an amazing life! #bigweightloss #bigweightlossresults #uarecord #underarmour #underarmourrecord #underarmourfitness #underarmourgemini #myfitnesspal #uarunning #loseonehundredpounds #nothrive #noadvocare #noherbalife #cleanfitness #nogym #allonmyown #thankyouunderarmour

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Nov 11, 2016 at 7:27am PST

Key to his success has been moderation — and some incredible discipline. John still grills constantly, but he doesn’t always partake. “I can have [beef] once a month, pulled pork maybe once or twice a month.” he says. “I don’t like the term ‘cheat,’ but you gotta have a little pleasure here and there.”

Merry Christmas Brisket #traegergrills #oregonbbq #christmasbbq #brisket #brisketknife

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Dec 25, 2016 at 6:12pm PST

What John has yet to achieve is his goal weight of 190. He’s been stuck in the 193–198 range since the holidays, and he’s OK with that. “It’s been gray and rainy here, so no matter how hard I push, it’s not changing. If I push hard in cold weather, it’s going to hurt — joints, ligaments and muscles don’t want to work hard in cold weather.”

Yup… a bit chilly this morning. Felt like a neon bank robber in the face mask today. Tougher workout than yesterday due to the amount of ice. Be careful out there and remember, you can conquer the excuses for not doing right for your body. Extend your years! #uarunning #uarecord #uaband #underarmour #uagemini #loseonehundredpounds #myfitnesspal #winterrunning #frickincold #icesucks #suckitup #noexcuses #nomagicpill #hardworkpaysoffs

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Jan 5, 2017 at 5:53am PST

But he’s sticking with it, and believes “once April rolls around, I’ll hit my 190 in a heartbeat.” In the meantime, he can really enjoy his smaller frame. That includes being able to dress as his favorite “Dr. Who” character — War Doctor — at a local comic convention.

An amazing picture taken by #puddletownpictures at #wizardworldportland Saturday. It was fun having folks just come up and want to take pics. This dude was so nice and was very selective of who he was shooting. I felt honored. #wardoctor #wardoctorcosplay

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Feb 21, 2017 at 4:34pm PST

And when it comes down to it, he wants to be a good role model for Gunner. “Some people hate doing the research and just want instant gratification,” he says. “That’s setting you up for failure.” Here’s to your success, John.

Family in the snow. Happy New Year

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Jan 1, 2017 at 1:32pm PST

READ MORE > How MyFitnessPal Empowered Me to Beat My Eating Disorder > 10 Great #TransformationTuesday Successes on Instagram > Jesse’s 95-Pound Weight-Loss Journey Started with Prom > Daniel’s Weight-Loss Secret? 2 Pounds Per Week

The post This Stay-at-Home Dad Put Numbers to Work to Lose 110 Pounds appeared first on Under Armour.

http://ift.tt/2qpJQ4z

[albertcaldwellne]

This Stay-at-Home Dad Put Numbers to Work to Lose 110 Pounds

Meet John Jarrett, a 48-year-old stay-at-home dad in Springfield, Oregon. Pictured below with him is his primary project these days: his toddler, Gunner. But John is also an outdoorsman, grillmaster, a former machinist and a “Dr. Who” fanatic — all things that play to his analytical and number-driven mind. But this photo doesn’t reveal the number that really had John obsessed just one year ago: 300. He’s gone north of there on the scale on two separate occasions. This is his story, of beating that number and finding a healthier lifestyle, as told through his Instagram account.

Buddies

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Feb 9, 2017 at 4:32pm PST

Last March, John weighed in at 305 pounds for the second time in his life. The first time, in 2010, he did an 11-month program that helped him lose the weight and make changes to his lifestyle. But it didn’t take. “I settled down, got married and got lazy being a stay-at-home dad,” he admits. “I knew it was time to start over.”

Happy New Years

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Jan 2, 2016 at 7:31am PST

John knew he had it in him. The first time, he found a good, balanced formula: “Eating clean, exercising properly and no crazy fads.” What he had to put aside was his love of barbecue. He’s professionally trained in the art of the grill and has three enormous Traeger grills on his patio, with beef brisket and pork shoulder in regular rotation. Moderating that wouldn’t be easy.

Cutting brisket with an Austin Moody Japanese influenced scimitar brisket slicer wearing my awesome Blunt Roll apron. #brisket #oregoncooking #Traeger #bluntroll

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Apr 10, 2016 at 9:29am PDT

John had tried a number of different wearables and devices to help him track his food and exercise, but he didn’t like that most were incompatible. On a whim — and inspired by his casual acquaintance with Under Armour athlete Cameron Hanes, a fellow outdoorsman — he bought a pair of UA Geminis and began using the UA Record app. “I liked the way it was laid out in quadrants,” he explains. “It reminded me of the four food groups, and it was easy to understand.”

Good morning everyone. March 10th (6 months ago today) I decided I was tired of being overweight. I weighed a wonderful 304.5 lbs. Instead of a picture of a sweaty me after my morning walk I decided to post instead a screenshot of my UA Record. Right in the middle is this mornings weigh in. This has and will continue to be an amazing experience. I remember at the beginning making a smart ass comment that I could cut 100 lbs in 6 months. No trainers were used in these 6 months and no magic pills. It was all proper diet, low calorie intake, self control, daily doubles of high speed walking up and down Thurston Road and some obsessive desire to get healthy. It’s been fun and hard all at the same time. I still have a little more to cut and then I’ll start the maintenance phase and toning of myself. I need to thank my incredible wife Misty for putting up with this almost possessed journey but I want to be around a long time for her and our son Gunner. Like I’ve said in other posts about this journey that I’ve not used any magic super diet pills or crazy mystery shakes. Just diet, vitamins and healthy choices. Yes the first 3 weeks sucked but once I made it through that phase the rest was all goal oriented. The Under Armour products that I’ve been using have been one of the greatest discoveries I’ve ever made. From their shoes and clothing to the technology in the UA Health Box, they have been fantastic. Yes I jumped ship from our Oregon fitness shoe monster but their stuff didn’t fit me anymore and hurt me rather than helped. I still use their trackers but not their equipment anymore. The next pics I’ll post are when I hit my goal weight and I’ll show the change with clothes from the beginning and current clothing now. Going from 3XL to L is quite a change. Thank you all for your kind words of encouragement and support and those that honked or waved and they drove past me on Thurston Rd. #weightloss #weightlossjourney #uarecord #uarunning #uafitness #underarmour #uahealthbox #healthbox #hardworkpaysoff #sweatandblood #nothrive #nonike #homeworkout #thurstonrd #fastwalking #xxxltol

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Sep 10, 2016 at 6:42am PDT

The next step was changing his diet. He would eat a protein shake in the morning with a scoop of peanut butter powder and a banana on the side. For lunch, three sticks of celery with peanut butter, and more fruit. For dinner, he would eat a chicken salad. It wasn’t easy, but his motivation was simple: He wanted to stay healthy for his family — and be able to chase his son.

Lunch!! Why do I eat this way??? There’s a 2 1/2 year old sitting next to me I want to watch grow into a man, I have the most amazing wife I want to grow old with and I don’t want to end up in the hospital with problems, issues or diseases. Please do good for your body. I don’t like visiting hospitals where friends are. I want them to get better! If you want to change your eating habits and don’t know what to do please seek proper help. Shout out and ask those of us that will share our knowledge. No magic pills, just hard work. You make the change! You make the difference. #losingweight #eatingclean #eatinghealthy #underarmourrecord #underarmourrunning #uarecord #lostonehundredpounds

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Dec 18, 2016 at 11:58am PST

Next came exercise. He mapped out a 2.5-mile loop in his neighborhood that was mostly on flat ground and set out to walk every day. It wasn’t easy at first. “When I was 300 pounds, I was probably pushing 16–17 minutes per mile,” he admits.

2 months down. 46.6 lbs off. Diet and exercise. No Thrive, no Advocare, No Beachbody. All by my self, no trainer. No Excuses. #dailydouble #nothrive #2016weightloss #ua #underarmour

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on May 10, 2016 at 7:34pm PDT

But it got easier as he kept at it, and his diet improved. He increased his speed to a power walk and started throwing in hard jogs and even some sprints. He even wore out those Geminis. “It’s fun to power walk past a jogger now,” he laughs.

Oh the miles these Under Armour Geminis have gone. Ready to retire this pair. Thank you for all the healthy changes you have helped with. #uarunning #underarmour #underarmourgemini #wornoutsoles #uarecord #underarmourrecord #underarmourrunning

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Dec 12, 2016 at 9:12am PST

By maintaining his regimen and tracking everything through Record, MyFitnessPal and MapMyRun — his food intake, his steps, his exercise, even his sleep — he saw the pounds start coming off. As late fall rolled around, John was down more than 100 pounds and had gone from a size 3XL shirt to a large.

Good morning everyone. Forgot to make my 8 month progress posting yesterday. What a fantastic journey this is. I’m 111 lbs down from my start March 10th and couldn’t feel better!! The miles and miles walked and low calorie days have been crazy but I’m used to it and crave it now! The use of amazing fitness technology from Under Armour has been such a dream. From the Gemini shoes and My Fitness Pal to the fabulous Healthbox package with the Under Armour Record app. These are easy to use and fun pieces of tech that motivate and assist me. Like I’ve said in previous posts, I’m doing this without the help of gyms, trainers or box programs and supplements. My biggest support comes from my family and friends. My amazing wife Misty has put up with my obsessive fitness behavior and I thank her for support. To everyone that has beeped their horns and waved as I walk back and forth on Thurston Rd… thank you for your support too. I love the look on people’s faces that haven’t seen months when they realize just how much difference this program has made. I hope I can motivate at least a couple people to do something good for themselves and make their life healthier. You’ll feel awesome, you’ll know you will be around longer for your family and you won’t stop smiling! Have a great day and an amazing life! #bigweightloss #bigweightlossresults #uarecord #underarmour #underarmourrecord #underarmourfitness #underarmourgemini #myfitnesspal #uarunning #loseonehundredpounds #nothrive #noadvocare #noherbalife #cleanfitness #nogym #allonmyown #thankyouunderarmour

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Nov 11, 2016 at 7:27am PST

Key to his success has been moderation — and some incredible discipline. John still grills constantly, but he doesn’t always partake. “I can have [beef] once a month, pulled pork maybe once or twice a month.” he says. “I don’t like the term ‘cheat,’ but you gotta have a little pleasure here and there.”

Merry Christmas Brisket #traegergrills #oregonbbq #christmasbbq #brisket #brisketknife

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Dec 25, 2016 at 6:12pm PST

What John has yet to achieve is his goal weight of 190. He’s been stuck in the 193–198 range since the holidays, and he’s OK with that. “It’s been gray and rainy here, so no matter how hard I push, it’s not changing. If I push hard in cold weather, it’s going to hurt — joints, ligaments and muscles don’t want to work hard in cold weather.”

Yup… a bit chilly this morning. Felt like a neon bank robber in the face mask today. Tougher workout than yesterday due to the amount of ice. Be careful out there and remember, you can conquer the excuses for not doing right for your body. Extend your years! #uarunning #uarecord #uaband #underarmour #uagemini #loseonehundredpounds #myfitnesspal #winterrunning #frickincold #icesucks #suckitup #noexcuses #nomagicpill #hardworkpaysoffs

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Jan 5, 2017 at 5:53am PST

But he’s sticking with it, and believes “once April rolls around, I’ll hit my 190 in a heartbeat.” In the meantime, he can really enjoy his smaller frame. That includes being able to dress as his favorite “Dr. Who” character — War Doctor — at a local comic convention.

An amazing picture taken by #puddletownpictures at #wizardworldportland Saturday. It was fun having folks just come up and want to take pics. This dude was so nice and was very selective of who he was shooting. I felt honored. #wardoctor #wardoctorcosplay

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Feb 21, 2017 at 4:34pm PST

And when it comes down to it, he wants to be a good role model for Gunner. “Some people hate doing the research and just want instant gratification,” he says. “That’s setting you up for failure.” Here’s to your success, John.

Family in the snow. Happy New Year

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Jan 1, 2017 at 1:32pm PST

READ MORE > How MyFitnessPal Empowered Me to Beat My Eating Disorder > 10 Great #TransformationTuesday Successes on Instagram > Jesse’s 95-Pound Weight-Loss Journey Started with Prom > Daniel’s Weight-Loss Secret? 2 Pounds Per Week

The post This Stay-at-Home Dad Put Numbers to Work to Lose 110 Pounds appeared first on Under Armour.

http://ift.tt/2qpJQ4z

[almajonesnjna]

This Stay-at-Home Dad Put Numbers to Work to Lose 110 Pounds

Meet John Jarrett, a 48-year-old stay-at-home dad in Springfield, Oregon. Pictured below with him is his primary project these days: his toddler, Gunner. But John is also an outdoorsman, grillmaster, a former machinist and a “Dr. Who” fanatic — all things that play to his analytical and number-driven mind. But this photo doesn’t reveal the number that really had John obsessed just one year ago: 300. He’s gone north of there on the scale on two separate occasions. This is his story, of beating that number and finding a healthier lifestyle, as told through his Instagram account.

Buddies

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Feb 9, 2017 at 4:32pm PST

Last March, John weighed in at 305 pounds for the second time in his life. The first time, in 2010, he did an 11-month program that helped him lose the weight and make changes to his lifestyle. But it didn’t take. “I settled down, got married and got lazy being a stay-at-home dad,” he admits. “I knew it was time to start over.”

Happy New Years

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Jan 2, 2016 at 7:31am PST

John knew he had it in him. The first time, he found a good, balanced formula: “Eating clean, exercising properly and no crazy fads.” What he had to put aside was his love of barbecue. He’s professionally trained in the art of the grill and has three enormous Traeger grills on his patio, with beef brisket and pork shoulder in regular rotation. Moderating that wouldn’t be easy.

Cutting brisket with an Austin Moody Japanese influenced scimitar brisket slicer wearing my awesome Blunt Roll apron. #brisket #oregoncooking #Traeger #bluntroll

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Apr 10, 2016 at 9:29am PDT

John had tried a number of different wearables and devices to help him track his food and exercise, but he didn’t like that most were incompatible. On a whim — and inspired by his casual acquaintance with Under Armour athlete Cameron Hanes, a fellow outdoorsman — he bought a pair of UA Geminis and began using the UA Record app. “I liked the way it was laid out in quadrants,” he explains. “It reminded me of the four food groups, and it was easy to understand.”

Good morning everyone. March 10th (6 months ago today) I decided I was tired of being overweight. I weighed a wonderful 304.5 lbs. Instead of a picture of a sweaty me after my morning walk I decided to post instead a screenshot of my UA Record. Right in the middle is this mornings weigh in. This has and will continue to be an amazing experience. I remember at the beginning making a smart ass comment that I could cut 100 lbs in 6 months. No trainers were used in these 6 months and no magic pills. It was all proper diet, low calorie intake, self control, daily doubles of high speed walking up and down Thurston Road and some obsessive desire to get healthy. It’s been fun and hard all at the same time. I still have a little more to cut and then I’ll start the maintenance phase and toning of myself. I need to thank my incredible wife Misty for putting up with this almost possessed journey but I want to be around a long time for her and our son Gunner. Like I’ve said in other posts about this journey that I’ve not used any magic super diet pills or crazy mystery shakes. Just diet, vitamins and healthy choices. Yes the first 3 weeks sucked but once I made it through that phase the rest was all goal oriented. The Under Armour products that I’ve been using have been one of the greatest discoveries I’ve ever made. From their shoes and clothing to the technology in the UA Health Box, they have been fantastic. Yes I jumped ship from our Oregon fitness shoe monster but their stuff didn’t fit me anymore and hurt me rather than helped. I still use their trackers but not their equipment anymore. The next pics I’ll post are when I hit my goal weight and I’ll show the change with clothes from the beginning and current clothing now. Going from 3XL to L is quite a change. Thank you all for your kind words of encouragement and support and those that honked or waved and they drove past me on Thurston Rd. #weightloss #weightlossjourney #uarecord #uarunning #uafitness #underarmour #uahealthbox #healthbox #hardworkpaysoff #sweatandblood #nothrive #nonike #homeworkout #thurstonrd #fastwalking #xxxltol

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Sep 10, 2016 at 6:42am PDT

The next step was changing his diet. He would eat a protein shake in the morning with a scoop of peanut butter powder and a banana on the side. For lunch, three sticks of celery with peanut butter, and more fruit. For dinner, he would eat a chicken salad. It wasn’t easy, but his motivation was simple: He wanted to stay healthy for his family — and be able to chase his son.

Lunch!! Why do I eat this way??? There’s a 2 1/2 year old sitting next to me I want to watch grow into a man, I have the most amazing wife I want to grow old with and I don’t want to end up in the hospital with problems, issues or diseases. Please do good for your body. I don’t like visiting hospitals where friends are. I want them to get better! If you want to change your eating habits and don’t know what to do please seek proper help. Shout out and ask those of us that will share our knowledge. No magic pills, just hard work. You make the change! You make the difference. #losingweight #eatingclean #eatinghealthy #underarmourrecord #underarmourrunning #uarecord #lostonehundredpounds

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Dec 18, 2016 at 11:58am PST

Next came exercise. He mapped out a 2.5-mile loop in his neighborhood that was mostly on flat ground and set out to walk every day. It wasn’t easy at first. “When I was 300 pounds, I was probably pushing 16–17 minutes per mile,” he admits.

2 months down. 46.6 lbs off. Diet and exercise. No Thrive, no Advocare, No Beachbody. All by my self, no trainer. No Excuses. #dailydouble #nothrive #2016weightloss #ua #underarmour

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on May 10, 2016 at 7:34pm PDT

But it got easier as he kept at it, and his diet improved. He increased his speed to a power walk and started throwing in hard jogs and even some sprints. He even wore out those Geminis. “It’s fun to power walk past a jogger now,” he laughs.

Oh the miles these Under Armour Geminis have gone. Ready to retire this pair. Thank you for all the healthy changes you have helped with. #uarunning #underarmour #underarmourgemini #wornoutsoles #uarecord #underarmourrecord #underarmourrunning

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Dec 12, 2016 at 9:12am PST

By maintaining his regimen and tracking everything through Record, MyFitnessPal and MapMyRun — his food intake, his steps, his exercise, even his sleep — he saw the pounds start coming off. As late fall rolled around, John was down more than 100 pounds and had gone from a size 3XL shirt to a large.

Good morning everyone. Forgot to make my 8 month progress posting yesterday. What a fantastic journey this is. I’m 111 lbs down from my start March 10th and couldn’t feel better!! The miles and miles walked and low calorie days have been crazy but I’m used to it and crave it now! The use of amazing fitness technology from Under Armour has been such a dream. From the Gemini shoes and My Fitness Pal to the fabulous Healthbox package with the Under Armour Record app. These are easy to use and fun pieces of tech that motivate and assist me. Like I’ve said in previous posts, I’m doing this without the help of gyms, trainers or box programs and supplements. My biggest support comes from my family and friends. My amazing wife Misty has put up with my obsessive fitness behavior and I thank her for support. To everyone that has beeped their horns and waved as I walk back and forth on Thurston Rd… thank you for your support too. I love the look on people’s faces that haven’t seen months when they realize just how much difference this program has made. I hope I can motivate at least a couple people to do something good for themselves and make their life healthier. You’ll feel awesome, you’ll know you will be around longer for your family and you won’t stop smiling! Have a great day and an amazing life! #bigweightloss #bigweightlossresults #uarecord #underarmour #underarmourrecord #underarmourfitness #underarmourgemini #myfitnesspal #uarunning #loseonehundredpounds #nothrive #noadvocare #noherbalife #cleanfitness #nogym #allonmyown #thankyouunderarmour

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Nov 11, 2016 at 7:27am PST

Key to his success has been moderation — and some incredible discipline. John still grills constantly, but he doesn’t always partake. “I can have [beef] once a month, pulled pork maybe once or twice a month.” he says. “I don’t like the term ‘cheat,’ but you gotta have a little pleasure here and there.”

Merry Christmas Brisket #traegergrills #oregonbbq #christmasbbq #brisket #brisketknife

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Dec 25, 2016 at 6:12pm PST

What John has yet to achieve is his goal weight of 190. He’s been stuck in the 193–198 range since the holidays, and he’s OK with that. “It’s been gray and rainy here, so no matter how hard I push, it’s not changing. If I push hard in cold weather, it’s going to hurt — joints, ligaments and muscles don’t want to work hard in cold weather.”

Yup… a bit chilly this morning. Felt like a neon bank robber in the face mask today. Tougher workout than yesterday due to the amount of ice. Be careful out there and remember, you can conquer the excuses for not doing right for your body. Extend your years! #uarunning #uarecord #uaband #underarmour #uagemini #loseonehundredpounds #myfitnesspal #winterrunning #frickincold #icesucks #suckitup #noexcuses #nomagicpill #hardworkpaysoffs

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Jan 5, 2017 at 5:53am PST

But he’s sticking with it, and believes “once April rolls around, I’ll hit my 190 in a heartbeat.” In the meantime, he can really enjoy his smaller frame. That includes being able to dress as his favorite “Dr. Who” character — War Doctor — at a local comic convention.

An amazing picture taken by #puddletownpictures at #wizardworldportland Saturday. It was fun having folks just come up and want to take pics. This dude was so nice and was very selective of who he was shooting. I felt honored. #wardoctor #wardoctorcosplay

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Feb 21, 2017 at 4:34pm PST

And when it comes down to it, he wants to be a good role model for Gunner. “Some people hate doing the research and just want instant gratification,” he says. “That’s setting you up for failure.” Here’s to your success, John.

Family in the snow. Happy New Year

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Jan 1, 2017 at 1:32pm PST

READ MORE > How MyFitnessPal Empowered Me to Beat My Eating Disorder > 10 Great #TransformationTuesday Successes on Instagram > Jesse’s 95-Pound Weight-Loss Journey Started with Prom > Daniel’s Weight-Loss Secret? 2 Pounds Per Week

The post This Stay-at-Home Dad Put Numbers to Work to Lose 110 Pounds appeared first on Under Armour.

http://ift.tt/2qpJQ4z

[ruthellisneda]

This Stay-at-Home Dad Put Numbers to Work to Lose 110 Pounds

Meet John Jarrett, a 48-year-old stay-at-home dad in Springfield, Oregon. Pictured below with him is his primary project these days: his toddler, Gunner. But John is also an outdoorsman, grillmaster, a former machinist and a “Dr. Who” fanatic — all things that play to his analytical and number-driven mind. But this photo doesn’t reveal the number that really had John obsessed just one year ago: 300. He’s gone north of there on the scale on two separate occasions. This is his story, of beating that number and finding a healthier lifestyle, as told through his Instagram account.

Buddies

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Feb 9, 2017 at 4:32pm PST

Last March, John weighed in at 305 pounds for the second time in his life. The first time, in 2010, he did an 11-month program that helped him lose the weight and make changes to his lifestyle. But it didn’t take. “I settled down, got married and got lazy being a stay-at-home dad,” he admits. “I knew it was time to start over.”

Happy New Years

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Jan 2, 2016 at 7:31am PST

John knew he had it in him. The first time, he found a good, balanced formula: “Eating clean, exercising properly and no crazy fads.” What he had to put aside was his love of barbecue. He’s professionally trained in the art of the grill and has three enormous Traeger grills on his patio, with beef brisket and pork shoulder in regular rotation. Moderating that wouldn’t be easy.

Cutting brisket with an Austin Moody Japanese influenced scimitar brisket slicer wearing my awesome Blunt Roll apron. #brisket #oregoncooking #Traeger #bluntroll

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Apr 10, 2016 at 9:29am PDT

John had tried a number of different wearables and devices to help him track his food and exercise, but he didn’t like that most were incompatible. On a whim — and inspired by his casual acquaintance with Under Armour athlete Cameron Hanes, a fellow outdoorsman — he bought a pair of UA Geminis and began using the UA Record app. “I liked the way it was laid out in quadrants,” he explains. “It reminded me of the four food groups, and it was easy to understand.”

Good morning everyone. March 10th (6 months ago today) I decided I was tired of being overweight. I weighed a wonderful 304.5 lbs. Instead of a picture of a sweaty me after my morning walk I decided to post instead a screenshot of my UA Record. Right in the middle is this mornings weigh in. This has and will continue to be an amazing experience. I remember at the beginning making a smart ass comment that I could cut 100 lbs in 6 months. No trainers were used in these 6 months and no magic pills. It was all proper diet, low calorie intake, self control, daily doubles of high speed walking up and down Thurston Road and some obsessive desire to get healthy. It’s been fun and hard all at the same time. I still have a little more to cut and then I’ll start the maintenance phase and toning of myself. I need to thank my incredible wife Misty for putting up with this almost possessed journey but I want to be around a long time for her and our son Gunner. Like I’ve said in other posts about this journey that I’ve not used any magic super diet pills or crazy mystery shakes. Just diet, vitamins and healthy choices. Yes the first 3 weeks sucked but once I made it through that phase the rest was all goal oriented. The Under Armour products that I’ve been using have been one of the greatest discoveries I’ve ever made. From their shoes and clothing to the technology in the UA Health Box, they have been fantastic. Yes I jumped ship from our Oregon fitness shoe monster but their stuff didn’t fit me anymore and hurt me rather than helped. I still use their trackers but not their equipment anymore. The next pics I’ll post are when I hit my goal weight and I’ll show the change with clothes from the beginning and current clothing now. Going from 3XL to L is quite a change. Thank you all for your kind words of encouragement and support and those that honked or waved and they drove past me on Thurston Rd. #weightloss #weightlossjourney #uarecord #uarunning #uafitness #underarmour #uahealthbox #healthbox #hardworkpaysoff #sweatandblood #nothrive #nonike #homeworkout #thurstonrd #fastwalking #xxxltol

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Sep 10, 2016 at 6:42am PDT

The next step was changing his diet. He would eat a protein shake in the morning with a scoop of peanut butter powder and a banana on the side. For lunch, three sticks of celery with peanut butter, and more fruit. For dinner, he would eat a chicken salad. It wasn’t easy, but his motivation was simple: He wanted to stay healthy for his family — and be able to chase his son.

Lunch!! Why do I eat this way??? There’s a 2 1/2 year old sitting next to me I want to watch grow into a man, I have the most amazing wife I want to grow old with and I don’t want to end up in the hospital with problems, issues or diseases. Please do good for your body. I don’t like visiting hospitals where friends are. I want them to get better! If you want to change your eating habits and don’t know what to do please seek proper help. Shout out and ask those of us that will share our knowledge. No magic pills, just hard work. You make the change! You make the difference. #losingweight #eatingclean #eatinghealthy #underarmourrecord #underarmourrunning #uarecord #lostonehundredpounds

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Dec 18, 2016 at 11:58am PST

Next came exercise. He mapped out a 2.5-mile loop in his neighborhood that was mostly on flat ground and set out to walk every day. It wasn’t easy at first. “When I was 300 pounds, I was probably pushing 16–17 minutes per mile,” he admits.

2 months down. 46.6 lbs off. Diet and exercise. No Thrive, no Advocare, No Beachbody. All by my self, no trainer. No Excuses. #dailydouble #nothrive #2016weightloss #ua #underarmour

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on May 10, 2016 at 7:34pm PDT

But it got easier as he kept at it, and his diet improved. He increased his speed to a power walk and started throwing in hard jogs and even some sprints. He even wore out those Geminis. “It’s fun to power walk past a jogger now,” he laughs.

Oh the miles these Under Armour Geminis have gone. Ready to retire this pair. Thank you for all the healthy changes you have helped with. #uarunning #underarmour #underarmourgemini #wornoutsoles #uarecord #underarmourrecord #underarmourrunning

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Dec 12, 2016 at 9:12am PST

By maintaining his regimen and tracking everything through Record, MyFitnessPal and MapMyRun — his food intake, his steps, his exercise, even his sleep — he saw the pounds start coming off. As late fall rolled around, John was down more than 100 pounds and had gone from a size 3XL shirt to a large.

Good morning everyone. Forgot to make my 8 month progress posting yesterday. What a fantastic journey this is. I’m 111 lbs down from my start March 10th and couldn’t feel better!! The miles and miles walked and low calorie days have been crazy but I’m used to it and crave it now! The use of amazing fitness technology from Under Armour has been such a dream. From the Gemini shoes and My Fitness Pal to the fabulous Healthbox package with the Under Armour Record app. These are easy to use and fun pieces of tech that motivate and assist me. Like I’ve said in previous posts, I’m doing this without the help of gyms, trainers or box programs and supplements. My biggest support comes from my family and friends. My amazing wife Misty has put up with my obsessive fitness behavior and I thank her for support. To everyone that has beeped their horns and waved as I walk back and forth on Thurston Rd… thank you for your support too. I love the look on people’s faces that haven’t seen months when they realize just how much difference this program has made. I hope I can motivate at least a couple people to do something good for themselves and make their life healthier. You’ll feel awesome, you’ll know you will be around longer for your family and you won’t stop smiling! Have a great day and an amazing life! #bigweightloss #bigweightlossresults #uarecord #underarmour #underarmourrecord #underarmourfitness #underarmourgemini #myfitnesspal #uarunning #loseonehundredpounds #nothrive #noadvocare #noherbalife #cleanfitness #nogym #allonmyown #thankyouunderarmour

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Nov 11, 2016 at 7:27am PST

Key to his success has been moderation — and some incredible discipline. John still grills constantly, but he doesn’t always partake. “I can have [beef] once a month, pulled pork maybe once or twice a month.” he says. “I don’t like the term ‘cheat,’ but you gotta have a little pleasure here and there.”

Merry Christmas Brisket #traegergrills #oregonbbq #christmasbbq #brisket #brisketknife

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Dec 25, 2016 at 6:12pm PST

What John has yet to achieve is his goal weight of 190. He’s been stuck in the 193–198 range since the holidays, and he’s OK with that. “It’s been gray and rainy here, so no matter how hard I push, it’s not changing. If I push hard in cold weather, it’s going to hurt — joints, ligaments and muscles don’t want to work hard in cold weather.”

Yup… a bit chilly this morning. Felt like a neon bank robber in the face mask today. Tougher workout than yesterday due to the amount of ice. Be careful out there and remember, you can conquer the excuses for not doing right for your body. Extend your years! #uarunning #uarecord #uaband #underarmour #uagemini #loseonehundredpounds #myfitnesspal #winterrunning #frickincold #icesucks #suckitup #noexcuses #nomagicpill #hardworkpaysoffs

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Jan 5, 2017 at 5:53am PST

But he’s sticking with it, and believes “once April rolls around, I’ll hit my 190 in a heartbeat.” In the meantime, he can really enjoy his smaller frame. That includes being able to dress as his favorite “Dr. Who” character — War Doctor — at a local comic convention.

An amazing picture taken by #puddletownpictures at #wizardworldportland Saturday. It was fun having folks just come up and want to take pics. This dude was so nice and was very selective of who he was shooting. I felt honored. #wardoctor #wardoctorcosplay

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Feb 21, 2017 at 4:34pm PST

And when it comes down to it, he wants to be a good role model for Gunner. “Some people hate doing the research and just want instant gratification,” he says. “That’s setting you up for failure.” Here’s to your success, John.

Family in the snow. Happy New Year

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Jan 1, 2017 at 1:32pm PST

READ MORE > How MyFitnessPal Empowered Me to Beat My Eating Disorder > 10 Great #TransformationTuesday Successes on Instagram > Jesse’s 95-Pound Weight-Loss Journey Started with Prom > Daniel’s Weight-Loss Secret? 2 Pounds Per Week

The post This Stay-at-Home Dad Put Numbers to Work to Lose 110 Pounds appeared first on Under Armour.

http://ift.tt/2qpJQ4z

[joshuabradleyn]

This Stay-at-Home Dad Put Numbers to Work to Lose 110 Pounds

Meet John Jarrett, a 48-year-old stay-at-home dad in Springfield, Oregon. Pictured below with him is his primary project these days: his toddler, Gunner. But John is also an outdoorsman, grillmaster, a former machinist and a “Dr. Who” fanatic — all things that play to his analytical and number-driven mind. But this photo doesn’t reveal the number that really had John obsessed just one year ago: 300. He’s gone north of there on the scale on two separate occasions. This is his story, of beating that number and finding a healthier lifestyle, as told through his Instagram account.

Buddies

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Feb 9, 2017 at 4:32pm PST

Last March, John weighed in at 305 pounds for the second time in his life. The first time, in 2010, he did an 11-month program that helped him lose the weight and make changes to his lifestyle. But it didn’t take. “I settled down, got married and got lazy being a stay-at-home dad,” he admits. “I knew it was time to start over.”

Happy New Years

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Jan 2, 2016 at 7:31am PST

John knew he had it in him. The first time, he found a good, balanced formula: “Eating clean, exercising properly and no crazy fads.” What he had to put aside was his love of barbecue. He’s professionally trained in the art of the grill and has three enormous Traeger grills on his patio, with beef brisket and pork shoulder in regular rotation. Moderating that wouldn’t be easy.

Cutting brisket with an Austin Moody Japanese influenced scimitar brisket slicer wearing my awesome Blunt Roll apron. #brisket #oregoncooking #Traeger #bluntroll

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Apr 10, 2016 at 9:29am PDT

John had tried a number of different wearables and devices to help him track his food and exercise, but he didn’t like that most were incompatible. On a whim — and inspired by his casual acquaintance with Under Armour athlete Cameron Hanes, a fellow outdoorsman — he bought a pair of UA Geminis and began using the UA Record app. “I liked the way it was laid out in quadrants,” he explains. “It reminded me of the four food groups, and it was easy to understand.”

Good morning everyone. March 10th (6 months ago today) I decided I was tired of being overweight. I weighed a wonderful 304.5 lbs. Instead of a picture of a sweaty me after my morning walk I decided to post instead a screenshot of my UA Record. Right in the middle is this mornings weigh in. This has and will continue to be an amazing experience. I remember at the beginning making a smart ass comment that I could cut 100 lbs in 6 months. No trainers were used in these 6 months and no magic pills. It was all proper diet, low calorie intake, self control, daily doubles of high speed walking up and down Thurston Road and some obsessive desire to get healthy. It’s been fun and hard all at the same time. I still have a little more to cut and then I’ll start the maintenance phase and toning of myself. I need to thank my incredible wife Misty for putting up with this almost possessed journey but I want to be around a long time for her and our son Gunner. Like I’ve said in other posts about this journey that I’ve not used any magic super diet pills or crazy mystery shakes. Just diet, vitamins and healthy choices. Yes the first 3 weeks sucked but once I made it through that phase the rest was all goal oriented. The Under Armour products that I’ve been using have been one of the greatest discoveries I’ve ever made. From their shoes and clothing to the technology in the UA Health Box, they have been fantastic. Yes I jumped ship from our Oregon fitness shoe monster but their stuff didn’t fit me anymore and hurt me rather than helped. I still use their trackers but not their equipment anymore. The next pics I’ll post are when I hit my goal weight and I’ll show the change with clothes from the beginning and current clothing now. Going from 3XL to L is quite a change. Thank you all for your kind words of encouragement and support and those that honked or waved and they drove past me on Thurston Rd. #weightloss #weightlossjourney #uarecord #uarunning #uafitness #underarmour #uahealthbox #healthbox #hardworkpaysoff #sweatandblood #nothrive #nonike #homeworkout #thurstonrd #fastwalking #xxxltol

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Sep 10, 2016 at 6:42am PDT

The next step was changing his diet. He would eat a protein shake in the morning with a scoop of peanut butter powder and a banana on the side. For lunch, three sticks of celery with peanut butter, and more fruit. For dinner, he would eat a chicken salad. It wasn’t easy, but his motivation was simple: He wanted to stay healthy for his family — and be able to chase his son.

Lunch!! Why do I eat this way??? There’s a 2 1/2 year old sitting next to me I want to watch grow into a man, I have the most amazing wife I want to grow old with and I don’t want to end up in the hospital with problems, issues or diseases. Please do good for your body. I don’t like visiting hospitals where friends are. I want them to get better! If you want to change your eating habits and don’t know what to do please seek proper help. Shout out and ask those of us that will share our knowledge. No magic pills, just hard work. You make the change! You make the difference. #losingweight #eatingclean #eatinghealthy #underarmourrecord #underarmourrunning #uarecord #lostonehundredpounds

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Dec 18, 2016 at 11:58am PST

Next came exercise. He mapped out a 2.5-mile loop in his neighborhood that was mostly on flat ground and set out to walk every day. It wasn’t easy at first. “When I was 300 pounds, I was probably pushing 16–17 minutes per mile,” he admits.

2 months down. 46.6 lbs off. Diet and exercise. No Thrive, no Advocare, No Beachbody. All by my self, no trainer. No Excuses. #dailydouble #nothrive #2016weightloss #ua #underarmour

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on May 10, 2016 at 7:34pm PDT

But it got easier as he kept at it, and his diet improved. He increased his speed to a power walk and started throwing in hard jogs and even some sprints. He even wore out those Geminis. “It’s fun to power walk past a jogger now,” he laughs.

Oh the miles these Under Armour Geminis have gone. Ready to retire this pair. Thank you for all the healthy changes you have helped with. #uarunning #underarmour #underarmourgemini #wornoutsoles #uarecord #underarmourrecord #underarmourrunning

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Dec 12, 2016 at 9:12am PST

By maintaining his regimen and tracking everything through Record, MyFitnessPal and MapMyRun — his food intake, his steps, his exercise, even his sleep — he saw the pounds start coming off. As late fall rolled around, John was down more than 100 pounds and had gone from a size 3XL shirt to a large.

Good morning everyone. Forgot to make my 8 month progress posting yesterday. What a fantastic journey this is. I’m 111 lbs down from my start March 10th and couldn’t feel better!! The miles and miles walked and low calorie days have been crazy but I’m used to it and crave it now! The use of amazing fitness technology from Under Armour has been such a dream. From the Gemini shoes and My Fitness Pal to the fabulous Healthbox package with the Under Armour Record app. These are easy to use and fun pieces of tech that motivate and assist me. Like I’ve said in previous posts, I’m doing this without the help of gyms, trainers or box programs and supplements. My biggest support comes from my family and friends. My amazing wife Misty has put up with my obsessive fitness behavior and I thank her for support. To everyone that has beeped their horns and waved as I walk back and forth on Thurston Rd… thank you for your support too. I love the look on people’s faces that haven’t seen months when they realize just how much difference this program has made. I hope I can motivate at least a couple people to do something good for themselves and make their life healthier. You’ll feel awesome, you’ll know you will be around longer for your family and you won’t stop smiling! Have a great day and an amazing life! #bigweightloss #bigweightlossresults #uarecord #underarmour #underarmourrecord #underarmourfitness #underarmourgemini #myfitnesspal #uarunning #loseonehundredpounds #nothrive #noadvocare #noherbalife #cleanfitness #nogym #allonmyown #thankyouunderarmour

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Nov 11, 2016 at 7:27am PST

Key to his success has been moderation — and some incredible discipline. John still grills constantly, but he doesn’t always partake. “I can have [beef] once a month, pulled pork maybe once or twice a month.” he says. “I don’t like the term ‘cheat,’ but you gotta have a little pleasure here and there.”

Merry Christmas Brisket #traegergrills #oregonbbq #christmasbbq #brisket #brisketknife

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Dec 25, 2016 at 6:12pm PST

What John has yet to achieve is his goal weight of 190. He’s been stuck in the 193–198 range since the holidays, and he’s OK with that. “It’s been gray and rainy here, so no matter how hard I push, it’s not changing. If I push hard in cold weather, it’s going to hurt — joints, ligaments and muscles don’t want to work hard in cold weather.”

Yup… a bit chilly this morning. Felt like a neon bank robber in the face mask today. Tougher workout than yesterday due to the amount of ice. Be careful out there and remember, you can conquer the excuses for not doing right for your body. Extend your years! #uarunning #uarecord #uaband #underarmour #uagemini #loseonehundredpounds #myfitnesspal #winterrunning #frickincold #icesucks #suckitup #noexcuses #nomagicpill #hardworkpaysoffs

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Jan 5, 2017 at 5:53am PST

But he’s sticking with it, and believes “once April rolls around, I’ll hit my 190 in a heartbeat.” In the meantime, he can really enjoy his smaller frame. That includes being able to dress as his favorite “Dr. Who” character — War Doctor — at a local comic convention.

An amazing picture taken by #puddletownpictures at #wizardworldportland Saturday. It was fun having folks just come up and want to take pics. This dude was so nice and was very selective of who he was shooting. I felt honored. #wardoctor #wardoctorcosplay

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Feb 21, 2017 at 4:34pm PST

And when it comes down to it, he wants to be a good role model for Gunner. “Some people hate doing the research and just want instant gratification,” he says. “That’s setting you up for failure.” Here’s to your success, John.

Family in the snow. Happy New Year

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Jan 1, 2017 at 1:32pm PST

READ MORE > How MyFitnessPal Empowered Me to Beat My Eating Disorder > 10 Great #TransformationTuesday Successes on Instagram > Jesse’s 95-Pound Weight-Loss Journey Started with Prom > Daniel’s Weight-Loss Secret? 2 Pounds Per Week

The post This Stay-at-Home Dad Put Numbers to Work to Lose 110 Pounds appeared first on Under Armour.

http://ift.tt/2qpJQ4z

[johnclapperne]

This Stay-at-Home Dad Put Numbers to Work to Lose 110 Pounds

Meet John Jarrett, a 48-year-old stay-at-home dad in Springfield, Oregon. Pictured below with him is his primary project these days: his toddler, Gunner. But John is also an outdoorsman, grillmaster, a former machinist and a “Dr. Who” fanatic — all things that play to his analytical and number-driven mind. But this photo doesn’t reveal the number that really had John obsessed just one year ago: 300. He’s gone north of there on the scale on two separate occasions. This is his story, of beating that number and finding a healthier lifestyle, as told through his Instagram account.

Buddies

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Feb 9, 2017 at 4:32pm PST

Last March, John weighed in at 305 pounds for the second time in his life. The first time, in 2010, he did an 11-month program that helped him lose the weight and make changes to his lifestyle. But it didn’t take. “I settled down, got married and got lazy being a stay-at-home dad,” he admits. “I knew it was time to start over.”

Happy New Years

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Jan 2, 2016 at 7:31am PST

John knew he had it in him. The first time, he found a good, balanced formula: “Eating clean, exercising properly and no crazy fads.” What he had to put aside was his love of barbecue. He’s professionally trained in the art of the grill and has three enormous Traeger grills on his patio, with beef brisket and pork shoulder in regular rotation. Moderating that wouldn’t be easy.

Cutting brisket with an Austin Moody Japanese influenced scimitar brisket slicer wearing my awesome Blunt Roll apron. #brisket #oregoncooking #Traeger #bluntroll

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Apr 10, 2016 at 9:29am PDT

John had tried a number of different wearables and devices to help him track his food and exercise, but he didn’t like that most were incompatible. On a whim — and inspired by his casual acquaintance with Under Armour athlete Cameron Hanes, a fellow outdoorsman — he bought a pair of UA Geminis and began using the UA Record app. “I liked the way it was laid out in quadrants,” he explains. “It reminded me of the four food groups, and it was easy to understand.”

Good morning everyone. March 10th (6 months ago today) I decided I was tired of being overweight. I weighed a wonderful 304.5 lbs. Instead of a picture of a sweaty me after my morning walk I decided to post instead a screenshot of my UA Record. Right in the middle is this mornings weigh in. This has and will continue to be an amazing experience. I remember at the beginning making a smart ass comment that I could cut 100 lbs in 6 months. No trainers were used in these 6 months and no magic pills. It was all proper diet, low calorie intake, self control, daily doubles of high speed walking up and down Thurston Road and some obsessive desire to get healthy. It’s been fun and hard all at the same time. I still have a little more to cut and then I’ll start the maintenance phase and toning of myself. I need to thank my incredible wife Misty for putting up with this almost possessed journey but I want to be around a long time for her and our son Gunner. Like I’ve said in other posts about this journey that I’ve not used any magic super diet pills or crazy mystery shakes. Just diet, vitamins and healthy choices. Yes the first 3 weeks sucked but once I made it through that phase the rest was all goal oriented. The Under Armour products that I’ve been using have been one of the greatest discoveries I’ve ever made. From their shoes and clothing to the technology in the UA Health Box, they have been fantastic. Yes I jumped ship from our Oregon fitness shoe monster but their stuff didn’t fit me anymore and hurt me rather than helped. I still use their trackers but not their equipment anymore. The next pics I’ll post are when I hit my goal weight and I’ll show the change with clothes from the beginning and current clothing now. Going from 3XL to L is quite a change. Thank you all for your kind words of encouragement and support and those that honked or waved and they drove past me on Thurston Rd. #weightloss #weightlossjourney #uarecord #uarunning #uafitness #underarmour #uahealthbox #healthbox #hardworkpaysoff #sweatandblood #nothrive #nonike #homeworkout #thurstonrd #fastwalking #xxxltol

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Sep 10, 2016 at 6:42am PDT

The next step was changing his diet. He would eat a protein shake in the morning with a scoop of peanut butter powder and a banana on the side. For lunch, three sticks of celery with peanut butter, and more fruit. For dinner, he would eat a chicken salad. It wasn’t easy, but his motivation was simple: He wanted to stay healthy for his family — and be able to chase his son.

Lunch!! Why do I eat this way??? There’s a 2 1/2 year old sitting next to me I want to watch grow into a man, I have the most amazing wife I want to grow old with and I don’t want to end up in the hospital with problems, issues or diseases. Please do good for your body. I don’t like visiting hospitals where friends are. I want them to get better! If you want to change your eating habits and don’t know what to do please seek proper help. Shout out and ask those of us that will share our knowledge. No magic pills, just hard work. You make the change! You make the difference. #losingweight #eatingclean #eatinghealthy #underarmourrecord #underarmourrunning #uarecord #lostonehundredpounds

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Dec 18, 2016 at 11:58am PST

Next came exercise. He mapped out a 2.5-mile loop in his neighborhood that was mostly on flat ground and set out to walk every day. It wasn’t easy at first. “When I was 300 pounds, I was probably pushing 16–17 minutes per mile,” he admits.

2 months down. 46.6 lbs off. Diet and exercise. No Thrive, no Advocare, No Beachbody. All by my self, no trainer. No Excuses. #dailydouble #nothrive #2016weightloss #ua #underarmour

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on May 10, 2016 at 7:34pm PDT

But it got easier as he kept at it, and his diet improved. He increased his speed to a power walk and started throwing in hard jogs and even some sprints. He even wore out those Geminis. “It’s fun to power walk past a jogger now,” he laughs.

Oh the miles these Under Armour Geminis have gone. Ready to retire this pair. Thank you for all the healthy changes you have helped with. #uarunning #underarmour #underarmourgemini #wornoutsoles #uarecord #underarmourrecord #underarmourrunning

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Dec 12, 2016 at 9:12am PST

By maintaining his regimen and tracking everything through Record, MyFitnessPal and MapMyRun — his food intake, his steps, his exercise, even his sleep — he saw the pounds start coming off. As late fall rolled around, John was down more than 100 pounds and had gone from a size 3XL shirt to a large.

Good morning everyone. Forgot to make my 8 month progress posting yesterday. What a fantastic journey this is. I’m 111 lbs down from my start March 10th and couldn’t feel better!! The miles and miles walked and low calorie days have been crazy but I’m used to it and crave it now! The use of amazing fitness technology from Under Armour has been such a dream. From the Gemini shoes and My Fitness Pal to the fabulous Healthbox package with the Under Armour Record app. These are easy to use and fun pieces of tech that motivate and assist me. Like I’ve said in previous posts, I’m doing this without the help of gyms, trainers or box programs and supplements. My biggest support comes from my family and friends. My amazing wife Misty has put up with my obsessive fitness behavior and I thank her for support. To everyone that has beeped their horns and waved as I walk back and forth on Thurston Rd… thank you for your support too. I love the look on people’s faces that haven’t seen months when they realize just how much difference this program has made. I hope I can motivate at least a couple people to do something good for themselves and make their life healthier. You’ll feel awesome, you’ll know you will be around longer for your family and you won’t stop smiling! Have a great day and an amazing life! #bigweightloss #bigweightlossresults #uarecord #underarmour #underarmourrecord #underarmourfitness #underarmourgemini #myfitnesspal #uarunning #loseonehundredpounds #nothrive #noadvocare #noherbalife #cleanfitness #nogym #allonmyown #thankyouunderarmour

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Nov 11, 2016 at 7:27am PST

Key to his success has been moderation — and some incredible discipline. John still grills constantly, but he doesn’t always partake. “I can have [beef] once a month, pulled pork maybe once or twice a month.” he says. “I don’t like the term ‘cheat,’ but you gotta have a little pleasure here and there.”

Merry Christmas Brisket #traegergrills #oregonbbq #christmasbbq #brisket #brisketknife

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Dec 25, 2016 at 6:12pm PST

What John has yet to achieve is his goal weight of 190. He’s been stuck in the 193–198 range since the holidays, and he’s OK with that. “It’s been gray and rainy here, so no matter how hard I push, it’s not changing. If I push hard in cold weather, it’s going to hurt — joints, ligaments and muscles don’t want to work hard in cold weather.”

Yup… a bit chilly this morning. Felt like a neon bank robber in the face mask today. Tougher workout than yesterday due to the amount of ice. Be careful out there and remember, you can conquer the excuses for not doing right for your body. Extend your years! #uarunning #uarecord #uaband #underarmour #uagemini #loseonehundredpounds #myfitnesspal #winterrunning #frickincold #icesucks #suckitup #noexcuses #nomagicpill #hardworkpaysoffs

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Jan 5, 2017 at 5:53am PST

But he’s sticking with it, and believes “once April rolls around, I’ll hit my 190 in a heartbeat.” In the meantime, he can really enjoy his smaller frame. That includes being able to dress as his favorite “Dr. Who” character — War Doctor — at a local comic convention.

An amazing picture taken by #puddletownpictures at #wizardworldportland Saturday. It was fun having folks just come up and want to take pics. This dude was so nice and was very selective of who he was shooting. I felt honored. #wardoctor #wardoctorcosplay

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Feb 21, 2017 at 4:34pm PST

And when it comes down to it, he wants to be a good role model for Gunner. “Some people hate doing the research and just want instant gratification,” he says. “That’s setting you up for failure.” Here’s to your success, John.

Family in the snow. Happy New Year

A post shared by John Jarrett (@gunnerjohn) on Jan 1, 2017 at 1:32pm PST

READ MORE > How MyFitnessPal Empowered Me to Beat My Eating Disorder > 10 Great #TransformationTuesday Successes on Instagram > Jesse’s 95-Pound Weight-Loss Journey Started with Prom > Daniel’s Weight-Loss Secret? 2 Pounds Per Week

The post This Stay-at-Home Dad Put Numbers to Work to Lose 110 Pounds appeared first on Under Armour.

http://ift.tt/2qpJQ4z