#from my mom. in an orange pill bottle--

[candyredterezii]

[morganbritton132]

Oh geez this might be a double ask because my phone glitched out when I tried to send previously BUT just wanted to say that I love ur Steve has older siblings au

I also need to say that I shamelessly combined that au with ur post about Tommy knowing Steve the best. Just picturing Steve’s sibs zoning out when his mom lists what he can’t eat because they assume she’s just being difficult. Flash forward a few years and they accidentally poison Steve with like peanut butter cookies and are realllly lucky that Tommy was staying over that weekend and knows he’s allergic.

anyways thx for all ur writing!

I only got this ask once so we’re good! The Steve Has Older Siblings AU has kinda been on hold for a bit because Dustin is either the easiest or the hardest character to write and right now, he’s being difficult for me.

BUT! I love this.

I’m going to change it around a bit because I’m on this kick right now where Steve is allergic to aspirin. Also, with the way that Steve’s mom is written for this AU, she is negligent but protective of her son. I don’t think she’d allow peanut butter in the house if Steve was allergic.

She wouldn’t allow aspirin either but Richard insists that it’s the only thing that cures a migraine (hangover), and Steve’s eight. He doesn’t even like taking his Flintstone vitamins so she’s not concerned about him getting in the medicine cabinet.

It’s not common that Tommy stays over at Steve’s when they’re sick.

Typically his mom watches them at their house but she had to go wake up his grandma (“That doesn’t make any sense. Why can’t she set an alarm clock?”/”I dunno, Steve. That’s what Mommy said. She had to go to Granny’s wake.”) so Mrs. Harrington was babysitting them.

Mrs. Harrington isn’t very good at taking care of them. Tommy wouldn’t tell Steve that because it’ll make him sad, but his mom kinda sucks at this. She doesn’t even give them popsicles for their sore throats or kiss their foreheads to check their temperature. She just disappears for long periods of time to yell into the phone.

Tommy’s kinda happy when she has to go into the office because he thinks Claire might look after them, but she’s apparently studying in her room so Steve’s brothers are doing it.

Tommy secretly likes this better because Jason and Richie are very nice to him, and they tell him that he’s cooler than Steve. No one has ever said that before! Not even Carol and they got married under the jungle gym.

Tommy likes hanging out with them even if he feels icky today.

He is standing in the kitchen next to Steve, watching Richie cut a little orange pill in half with a knife. Richie keeps muttering under his breath about running out of the ‘liquid S H I T.’ Tommy thinks it’s funny that he said a bad word, but can’t laugh about it because he can see the bottle that the pill came out of and –

“I don’t think we take that,” He voices but Richie brushes him off. He says it’s like candy. Tommy has brothers too, so he knows that sometimes you gotta give in or they’ll rub your face into the carpet until you get rugburn, but, “I know but… but what if only I take it?”

“You take half,” Richie tells him. “Stevie over here takes the other half and then we’re right as rain. It reduces fever.”

“Yeah,” Jason adds from behind them. “So your brain doesn’t leak out your ears.”

Tommy looks over at Steve but he isn’t fully awake so there’s not much of a reaction there. Plus, he’s not a very good reader so Tommy’s not sure if he even knows what the bottle says. He tries again, ignoring Jason, “That’s not what Mrs. Harrington gave us earlier.”

“Yeah, I know. This is better.”

“Steve can’t take that,” Tommy tries again after he crunches the medicine between his teeth. He sticks out his tongue so Richie can see that it’s gone, and then adds, “Mommy gave that to him once and it made him really sick.”

“It did?” Steve croaks, snatching his hand back when Richie tries to hand him the pill. Richie tries to force the pill into his mouth but Steve presses his lips together. It makes his brother swear and gesture to Jason, and then Steve is snatched off his feet with a hand pinching his nose shut.

He struggles and Tommy wants to help but he – he also wants Richie and Jason to like him so, he doesn’t help. Steve gasps for breath and the pill goes in…and Steve is fine. He’s angry and out of breath, and his nose is still stuffy so he still kinda sounds like a frog but he’s not.. he’s not blue like last time.

Tommy thinks, oh. He thinks, cool.

Everything is fine for fifteen minutes and then Tommy is yelling out the door of Steve’s bedroom that they need help. Steve is breathing weird and – “and, I – I think he’s going to die!”

A lot of stuff happens at once. Claire leaves her room, Jason and Richie come up the stairs, and they all start yelling and blaming each other. No one really jumps into action until Tommy bursts into tears. Then it’s movement and car rides, and Tommy is sitting in the waiting room at the hospital without shoes on.

He doesn’t know how long they’ve been sitting there when Mr. and Mrs. Harrington rush into the room. The only thing he does know is that he’s never seen anybody look as angry as Mrs. Harrington did when she sees them.

She looks like she’s going to yell at them but Mr. Harrington grabs her by the arm and drags her to the reception desk. They disappear behind the white double doors that Steve went through.

It only makes Tommy cry harder.

[mrprettywhenhecries]

❝go for it❞ [b.l]

Baron Lamram ✘ f!Reader

⇾ w.c. 3.3k words ⇾ warning(s). f!reader (use of feminine pet names), post canon!Baron, Marmalade spoilers, kisses ⇾ a/n. Inspired by an idea @babydollbaron and I talked about. 🧡 Also, since we don't know what Baron's real name is, instead of making up some random name to call him, I've decided to just use his alias.

Your mother's always been known for sticking her nose in other people's business—most usually yours—and this time, she's determined to set you up with the woman across the hall's handsome son.

[ masterlist ]

The southern summer heat made your shirt stick to your back as you climbed out of your car, your a/c still on the fritz and not enough money to have it repaired just yet.  At least your windows still rolled down and there was a cool breeze, despite the humidity. 

You grabbed the small bouquet of daisies from the passenger seat before shutting the door and heading toward the ivy covered building, blessedly chill once you passed through the entrance, holding the door open for an older man passing you on his way out.  He smiled in recognition and nodded in thanks.  

The nurse at the front desk greeted you by name, handing you the sign in clipboard with a warm smile.  “Daisies again, huh?” she asked, trading you the clipboard for a small key.

“They’re her favourite.  She says they’re a friendly flower,” you chuckled softly, pulling one from the bunch to offer the receptionist.

“She’s right,” she replied, bringing the flower to her face as you headed down the hall toward your mother’s room.  Before heading inside, you unlocked the small metal box by her door to switch out her empty prescription bottle for her refill, only to find a fresh bottle already sitting there.

“That’s strange,” you murmured, picking up the orange bottle to inspect it closer.  It was definitely the same pills, but there was no name on the prescription.  Sometimes when another patient passed away their family would donate any left over medication to those that needed it.  Perhaps that’s just what this was.

Frowning slightly, you locked the box back up and glanced at the door across from your mother’s, the familiar crocheted message hanging there making you smile before you knocked at your mum’s door, pushing it open to find her sitting in her rocker by the window, watching the birds at the feeder outside, a book set aside on the table at her elbow.

“Knock knock,” you called softly and she turned to smile at you.

“Oh!  Hey there Susie-Q,” she greeted, making to push out of her chair when you quickly stepped inside, not wanting her to get up, the door left open in your haste.

“Stay there, I’ll come to you!” you exclaimed, wrapping her in a hug, your heart aching for a moment before stepping back.

“I brought some fresh flowers,” you added, handing her the bouquet so you could empty the wilted ones from the vase and get some fresh water.

“Oh, they’re lovely!  Daisies are such a friendly flower, don’t you think?” she asked, caressing the petals gently and you couldn’t help but laugh, knowing she was going to say that.

“They certainly are,” you replied, placing the bouquet in the vase and setting it on the dresser next to her bed.

“Oh, before I forget!” your mother exclaimed, turning her chair toward you.  

“What?” you asked, a little taken aback by the excitement on her face.

“You know the lady from across the hall?”

“Uhm, yeah, Ms. Eda, right?  She’s a sweet lady,” you replied, frowning a little in confusion, wondering why she was asking you about that.

“You know she has a son, right?  Oh, I can’t remember his name,” she said, snapping her fingers as if that would help her remember.

“Oh no.  No, no nonono,” you exclaimed, cutting her off before she could continue her thought.

“What?  No, listen!  He refilled my bird feeder the other day,” she said, gesturing to the window.  “He’s a sweet boy,” she insisted, raising her eyebrows at you.

“Mom!” you exclaimed, huffing a wry laugh, your hand coming up to cover your face in embarrassment.  “Stop trying to set me up with your hall mate’s son!” you exclaimed, feeling your face warm.

“Why not?  You’re single, as far as I know, he’s single, and you know he cut his hair?  He’s actually very handsome–”

“I don’t care how cute he is, I’m not gunna hit on Eda’s son just because I’m single,” you exclaimed, barely registering the sound of a door shutting in the hall.

“That’s a shame.”

The amused voice behind you nearly made you leap out of your skin and you gave a sharp yelp as you spun around, only to find the very man you’d been talking about standing in the doorway, a lopsided grin tugging at his lips.

If your face was warm before, it was practically on fire now and you wanted to crawl under a rock and never come out.

However, you couldn’t help but notice that your mother was right—he was rather handsome.  His dark chestnut hair was shorter now, though not short by any means, with an artful unruliness to it that looked almost effortless.  His dark brown eyes practically danced when the mid-morning light shining through the southern facing window hit them just right, turning them almost golden with the faintest hint of green around the edges.

He looked well groomed, a smart leather jacket hung open over his blue button down tucked into his dark trousers, a far cry from his appearance the last time you’d seen him a couple weeks ago, his hair hanging down to his shoulders and in desperate need of a good brush.

“Didn’t mean to startle ya, sorry ‘bout that,” he chuckled, his grin turning apologetic, while a soft flush crept across his face as his eyes met yours.  His voice was warm, like melted butter, with only the barest hint of a drawl to it, but it made your heart skip a beat just the same.

Quickly trying to compose yourself, you cleared your throat, trying to work moisture back into your mouth.

“No, I… I forgot I’d left the door open,” you spluttered.

“Well, hullo there,” your mum greeted, interrupting you and waving him closer.  “C’mon in, come closer so I can get a proper look at you,” she said and Eda’s son shared a grin with you before stepping into the room and letting your mom take his hands.

“Now what is your name again, darlin’?” she asked and he shifted his weight, his brows furrowing for a moment, as if thinking.

“You can call me Baron,” he answered with a nod, holding her gaze, and she seemed pleased.

“Baron,” she repeated, as if savouring the name before her eyes flicked to you.  “This is my daughter—“ she introduced, telling him your name as well.

Baron grinned, his eyes finding yours.  “It’s good to finally have a name to put with a face,” he murmured, ducking his head to listen as your mom whispered something in his ear.  He huffed a soft laugh, a slightly bewildered smile playing at his lips as he straightened, and you frowned, wondering what exactly she’d said.

“Mama?” you questioned, suspicion leeching in, only growing when she merely smiled at you like the cat that got the cream as she eased herself back into her chair, a mischievous glint to her eye.

“What’d she say to you?” you asked, turning back to Baron who still wore a bemused grin.

“She said I’d be a fool if I didn’t ask you to get a drink with me.”

Your mouth fell open, embarrassment washing over you and you looked from Baron to your mom and back, horrified.  “Oh my God,” you groaned, at a loss for words, hoping she hadn’t made him too uncomfortable, but Baron shrugged, amusement dancing in his eyes.

“I’ve been called worse before, but my mama certainly didn’t raise herself a fool,” he chuckled, his gaze lingering on your face.  “So, what d’ya say?  Wanna grab a coffee?” he asked, nodding toward the door, a hopeful look crossing his face and you blinked, taken aback.

“Uhm, I–”

“Well, go on then,” your mom urged and you gave a small jump, almost having forgotten she was there.  “If you don’t go, I will.”

“Alright!” you relented, laughing as you held up your hands in surrender.  “I’d love to.”

“Perfect!  You two have fun now!” your mom exclaimed, practically shooing you out the door.  “You’ll have to come back tomorrow and tell me alllll about it,” she hissed, pitching her voice low before you stepped out the door.

“Alright, alright, I’ll see you tomorrow,” you replied, blowing her a kiss.  “Love you lots.”

“Tator tots!” she called back, making you smile.

Out in the hall, it hit you that you were now alone with Baron and the thought kicked up a swarm of butterflies in your stomach, embarrassment radiating off you in waves.

“So, uh, I know a good coffee shop nearby,” you offered, clearing your throat nervously, and Baron grinned, ducking his head.

“Sounds good.”

“So… how’s your mom?” you asked as you got your coffee and pulled out a chair at an empty table by the front window, trying to think of something to say and wincing, unable to come up with any other topic at the moment.

Baron didn’t seem upset though, he merely smiled pleasantly down at the strawberry frappe on the table in front of him, playing with his straw.  “She’s doin’ just fine.  How about yours?”

“Oh, good.  Good,” you answered, taking a sip of your cappuccino.  “As long as she’s got her meds she’s good,” you added, frowning as you remembered the excess pills you’d found in her medication box.  

“You know, it’s the darnedest thing though. When I checked her supply earlier, there was a whole extra bottle in there and I don’t know where it came from.”

Baron hummed, his smile sharpening for a moment, turning knowing.  “That’s strange,” he mused, dipping his finger in the whipped cream at the top of his drink and popping it in mouth, sucking it clean.

“Yeah,” you agreed, losing your words for a moment as you watched him, your lips parting, wishing for a taste.  When his eyes flicked back up to yours, you quickly cleared your throat and shrugged.  “I ain’t about to look a gift mouth in the horse though,“ you murmured, wincing when you realized you’d jumbled the words and quickly amended them, your face growing hotter.  “I mean, gift horse in the mouth.”

Baron chuckled, his gaze lingering on your face and you hoped he couldn’t tell how flustered you were.

“I’m sorry for my mom springing this on you.  She tends to butt into everyones’ business, whether they like it or not,” you began, flashing him a sheepish grin, but before you could finish apologizing for your mom’s behaviour, Baron cut you off.

“I’m not,” he replied simply, his gaze boring into yours.  “Sorry, I mean,” he clarified with a shrug.  “It finally gave me an excuse to talk to you.  Plus it helped to hear you think I’m cute,” he teased, a hint of a smile playing at his lips.

For a long moment you merely gaped at him, barely believing your ears.  Had he really been interested in you all this time?

“Oh,” was all you could bring yourself to utter.  “Well… that’s good then,” you added lamely, unsure what else to say, though you were dying to ask how long he’d been wanting to ask you out.

“Besides, you’re lucky.”

“For what?”  His words took you off guard, pulling you from your thoughts.

“That you have a mama that cares so much about you,” Baron said, once more playing with his straw.  “I think it’s sweet.”

You nodded slightly, bringing your cup to your lips.  “I guess I am pretty lucky,” you agreed, catching his eye for a moment, and it was his turn to flush, a hint of pink dusting his cheeks.

“So, how’d it go?”

There it was, the question you’d been expecting since you’d arrived.  You were honestly a little surprised your mother hadn’t sprung it on you as soon as you’d walked through the door.  

She was peering at you over the fan of cards in her hand, trying to act nonchalant as she drew another card from the pile before discarding one.

“How’d what go?” you asked, fighting back a grin at the sharp look she threw you in response.

“Don’t be coy, you know what I’m talking about,” she exclaimed, pursing her lips like she always did when you tested her patience.

Rolling your eyes in amusement, you leaned back in your seat, studying your own hand of cards.  “It went well, we talked for a long while.  It was really nice,” you murmured, smiling to yourself, that giddy feeling still fluttering in your chest and your mother grinned in return, pleased with herself.

“So, when are you going to see him again?” she pressed, moving one of the cards to a different spot in her hand.

“Who said I’m seeing him again?” you joked, earning you an exasperated look.

“I may be old, but I’m not blind, girl,” your mama huffed.  “I’ve seen the way you two looked at each other when you thought no one was watchin’, and I’ve seen you smilin’ at your phone the same way every time it goes off.  Who else would you be textin’ lookin’ like that, huh?” she pointed out and you quickly set your phone down, knowing she’d caught you.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” you said, lifting your chin defiantly as you drew another card and winced, not drawing anything helpful.

“You don’t, do you?” your mom asked, raising an eyebrow at you, a wicked grin crossing her face as she laid her cards down on the table.  “Gin!” she announced.

Knowing you’d been beat, you groaned, tossing your cards down.  “Alright, fine!” you relented, dropping the act.  “He’s coming over for dinner on Friday and we’re gunna watch a movie.”

“Oh, Netflix and chill, huh?” she countered smugly.

“Mother!” you yelped, your face aflame as she began to cackle, gathering up the cards.

“Up for another round?”

“Yeah, alright,” you sighed, checking your phone once more.  “Just no more talk about my sex life,” you muttered.

“No promises!"

It was about ten minutes til Baron was supposed to arrive and you were rushing around, doing one last once over of your place before he got there, making sure everything was in place.  When your buzzer rang, you nearly tripped over the coffee table as you ran to let him up, fidgeting as you waited by the door, pulling it open just as he ascended the stairs.

“Hey, I brought the food,” he said, lifting the plastic take out bag as evidence.

“And flowers?” you asked, grinning as you spotted the bouquet of wildflowers in his other hand.

“Saw ‘em by the side of the road and thought of you,” he murmured sheepishly as he handed them to you.  “Though they’re nowhere near as pretty as you,” he added with a smirk.

“Charmer,” you replied, bringing the bouquet to your face to smell them, hiding your smile as you stepped aside to let him in.  “Thanks for bringing the food, I’m starving,” you exclaimed, shutting the door behind you as he passed.  “You’re much cuter than the usual delivery boy,” you teased, having grown a bit bolder since your first date.

“Well, that’s good to know,” Baron chuckled, setting the bag on your kitchen counter to pull out the takeout containers while you searched for a vase for the flowers.

“Fork or chopsticks?” he asked and you looked over to see him holding up one of each.

“Chopsticks,” you decided, filling the vase with water and setting it on the table.

Baron grinned at your choice, handing you the little paper sleeve and taking the plastic fork for himself.  “Good, cause I’m hopeless with ‘em,” he chuckled.

“Soda?” you asked, opening the fridge to grab yourself a bottle, taking two at Baron’s “yes, please,” and rounding the corner to join him on the couch.  Picking up the remote, you flipped through movies until you both agreed on one and pressed play, digging into your dinner.

“This was such a good idea,” you sighed, tucking your feet up under you and getting comfortable, inching closer to Baron until your knee pressed against his thigh and your elbow brushed his arm.  Despite the brief contact, warmth suffused you  and you carefully kept your eyes on the television, only chancing a glance at Baron out of the corner of your eye.

Unable to stand the silence any longer, you cleared your throat softly and set your nearly empty take out container aside.  “Can I ask you something?”

At your question, Baron set his food down as well, a hint of a smile on his lips as he turned his attention to you.  “Yeah, shoot.”

“Would you still have asked me out if it hadn’t been for my mum’s interference?” you wondered, the thought having plagued you for the past several days.

Baron looked thoughtful.  “I figure I would’ve eventually,” he murmured, his dark eyes finding yours in the dim room, the light from the tv dancing across his face.  “I’ve sorta had my eye on you,” he admitted, his grin twitching as his gaze flicked down to your lips and back up.

“Really?”

“Yes, really,” he replied, huffing a soft laugh.  “Just waitin’ for the right time.  There was something I had to finish before I could let myself get… involved.  A two year relationship I had to end,” he murmured.

“Oh–” you breathed, the news hitting you like a punch to the gut.  “I… had no idea.”

Baron shook his head, a far off look crossing his face for a moment before it was gone.  “S’alright.  It was always meant to end there,” he mused cryptically before he took a breath and his grin returned.

“What about you, Miss I-don’t-care-how-cute-he-is-I’m-not-gunna-hit-on-him-just-because-I’m-single?” he taunted and your mouth fell open.

“That was–!  I didn’t–!” you spluttered, feeling your face flare hotly.

“Admit it, you had a crush on me,” Baron teased, a playful light dancing in his dark eyes.

“I think you’re imagining things,” you replied lightly, managing to keep your voice even.

“Oh, am I?”  You could feel Baron shift toward you, his brows lifting in challenge, leaning in til his breath ghosted across your cheek.  “You’re awful cute when you blush.”

“And you’re not as sweet and innocent as my mama seemed to think you are,” you countered, your lips tugging into a grin.

Baron shrugged, still hovering in your space.  “Maybe not, but I can be sweet when I wanna be,” he drawled, his voice sending a tingle down your spine and your breath hitched in anticipation.

“You’ve no idea how long I’ve wanted to do this,” he breathed, but before he could capture your lips, you grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him in, kissing him first, sending his eyes flying open in surprise as your lips caressed his eagerly.

“You’ve no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that,” you countered breathlessly, your grin turning giddy and Baron shook his head in disbelief, an amused huff bursting from his lips. 

“Guess we both owe your mama a thank you,” he chuckled, pulling you closer, his hands squeezing your hips, and you laughed, cupping his face with your hands, stroking his freckled cheek with your thumb.

“Guess we do,” you agreed, unable to tear your eyes from his face.  “She’s never gunna let us live this down though,” you pointed out and Baron shrugged.

“Can’t say that really bothers me much,” he teased before his lips were once more on yours, his tongue hesitantly delving deeper, rolling languidly against yours.

Wrapping a deceptively strong arm around your waist, he swallowed your soft gasp as he lowered you to your back, not once breaking the kiss as he trapped you beneath him, the movie playing on forgotten while you lost yourself to his embrace.

You may owe your mother a thank you for pushing you and Baron together, but you definitely weren’t about to tell her how good a kisser he was.

⇾ taglist. @super-unpredictable98 @babydollbaron @heartbreak-sandwich @b1tchywheeler @girlwiththerubyslippers

[givethemsmut]

Dom Mysterio x Reader

Chapter Eighteen | Where It All Started…

Being home felt like a relief from the chaos of being on the road two days only to have my life fall apart. I was barely speaking to Dom, giving him the full silent treatment and begging him mentally to not go back to that storyline.

Neither of us had control over what WWE wrote for him. A lot of it was off the top once he knew the objective but the control ended there.

He was home for three days before he made it clear he had to go back. His suitcase was packed at the door and Finn was due to babysit me next.

“Don’t be like that. It’s just acting. No one is catching feelings. That kiss is as far as it’s gonna go.” I almost believed him because of the rating and it airing on prime time TV.

“Exactly. That wasn’t far enough already? You kissed her, Dom. For TV.” I stayed behind the kitchen island still stewing and fighting all the ways I didn’t feel like myself still.

I was still popping pain pills like candy and the pain was enough to stop me in my tracks still. I would cuddle up with a big glass of wine, pop a pill, and pretend I could get away with self medicating.

“I have zero control but I came home. I left work to be here with you. Yet you’re not really here, are you? Finn’s not gonna let you abuse those meds when I’m gone.” He threatened me in such a real way when he walked over to the cabinet to snag the orange bottles altogether.

“Are you fucking serious, Dominik? I just had a miscarriage and a surgery to stop the bleeding. I’m not taking them for fun.”

“For fun?” Dom boxed me in with a hand on either side of the counter top and his thumb pushing my chin up to look at him. “No, I think you’re getting fucking numb. So numb you don’t have to deal with it. Just like when we were teenagers.”

“Don’t act like you know my every move. I need those for the pain.” I reached for the pill bottle in his hand when he held his grip on it.

“Don’t fucking do this. I know you. I’m right here, mi amore.”

Finally wrestling them out of his hand, he snatched them back, breaking the cap off and popping one his mouth. “You take one, I take one. That’s the deal. You wanna be numb, act like a bitch, pretend nothing happened then I can to.”

Scolding him I didn’t argue, I was mentally counting how many were left if he took one and how long that would get me. I wasn’t addicted but I understand they helped and that had enough value to come off as crazy.

Pulling away he dumped half the bottle into a small baggy before tucking the bag in his back pocket. “Oh shit, Finn is here.”

I rolled my eyes at the thought of a babysitter. “Goodie.”

I watched Dom strut to the door, letting Finn in and embracing him. Licking my finger I let a pill stick to my skin before pushing it past my lips. Dom was leaving and Finn was babysitting me. My life had went from perfect to trash.

Finn’s accent was abrasive at first when he came over to the kitchen island, dropping his duffle bag on the floor and trying to make eye contact. “Looks like it’s us the next few days.”

“I don’t need my own personal nurse. I’m doing just fine,” I shot back.

Dom scolded me, his eyes boring into me. “It’s not for you. It’s for me. I need to know you’re okay and you didn’t want it to be my mom.”

“I’m not a child anymore, Dom. Of course I don’t want to masterbate with her down the hall.” I smiled before pivoting on my foot and grabbing a drink from the fridge. Heading up stairs I could hear their exchange the way teenage boys would.

Waiting at the top of stairs I eavesdropped, I wanted to know exactly how Dom felt. “I don’t know how to say this without sounding overprotective. The pain meds, watch those. Back in high school she did a stint of needing pills. I don’t wanna do that again. Other than that, tread lightly because you know I’ll kill you if you touch her.”

He saluted him in response prompting my eyes to roll again. Great, he was on Dom’s side entirely.

Before Dom left he stopped at the stairs, calling my name and forcing me to show myself. Dragging myself down the stairs I knew I would just fall deeper into this pit of despair if I didn’t kiss him goodbye.

“Don’t do anything stupid. FaceTime me tonight after RAW, okay?” His hand smoothed down my back and pushed me right into him. Our mouths collided, the warmth of his tongue felt like heaven and I instantly regretted not having sex.

“Dom,” I whimpered all out of breath already. “Don’t go yet…”

“I can’t miss this flight, mi amore.”

“We didn’t… I don’t want you leaving all pent up. Not with the storyline… what if something happens.” I whispered while his mouth kissed around my lips.

“Finn is here babe,” he retorted but I didn’t care. His hands kept my hips in place as he pulled away. “I have to go baby. It’s just a few more weeks until Mania then I’m home for a little.”

The smallest tug on the tie holding my rob together allowed it to fall open for Dom. Licking his bottom lip his head snapped over his shoulder to make sure Finn couldn’t see.

“You know the doc has to clear you first, mi amore. I don’t want to hurt you…” His hands smoothed up my body until his hands were caressing close enough to my tits to hurt.

“Dom. That doesn’t mean I can’t help you…” His warmth mouth planted kisses all over my neck causing my voice hitch in my own throat. Slipping a hand between us I palmed his bulge hoping he was take pity on me.

Clutching my hand in his, he held me still, not letting me rub him the way I wanted to. “We aren’t alone and you need to heal.”

The way his hands rushed to close my robe felt insulting. I felt like a failure entirely.

“He walked in on us before, Dom. How many times have you said that you don’t care who sees or hears us?” Closing my robe I wanted to retreat but his hands still kept me in place.

“I don’t want to fuck you while you’re high on pain pills. I don’t want to relive that summer.”

“That summer? Let me guess, that’s the real reason Finn is here.” I scuffed pushing past Dom on the stairs. “You told him I was a fucking addict? Do you even know why I was getting high that summer?”

“It doesn’t matter why. That shit was hard for me too. Seeing you like that.” He followed me just to tell me it was hard for him when he was sober with a girlfriend that summer.

“Hard for you? I was throwing myself at you while you’d rub your girlfriend in my face. You forced me to prove shit with Blaine constantly. I had to survive your cruelty. I spent one summer drunk and high. One summer. Half the WWE roster is juicing and you’re kissing Liv but I need a babysitter?” Sitting in the corner of the couch I curled up under a blanket.

He sat down next to me, matching my energy, only he was trying to save face in front of his friend. “I just don’t want you to slip into that again. It wasn’t easy fucking you and wondering if you were too high to remember after or if I violated you.”

Leaning forward I watched Finn’s wide expression only grow. “He paying you to babysit me?”

“He doesn’t need to pay me… he’s my best friend. If he needs me here, I’ll be here. No problem.” His thick accent skated down my spine when I realized Dom hadn’t thought any of this through.

Standing up I let my robe fall off my shoulders and crashing down to the floor without a sound. “I’m taking a shower. Do you need to babysit me doing that too?”

Finn immediately covered his eyes, standing up from the barstool, and acting astonished by turning around as I breezed by.

Dom shouted my name after making sure Finn wasn’t looking. “It’s not funny and he’s not babysitting you like that so don’t fucking test me.”

Wandering in our bedroom I smirked to myself knowing I had made my point to Dominik before he assigned his babysitters. If he wanted to treat me like we were teenagers than I was going to make it hell while he did it.

Putting down my phone on the bathroom counter I glanced at the text already from Dom.

Dom: Don’t fucking try me, babe. We might be friends but I’ll kill him for even looking at you.

I didn’t bother to text him back before I slipped into the shower and left Dom on read.

[blckbarbiedoll]

Ghost Of You (M.B./R.J.)-Chapter 2.4

Motion Sickness

2022-Chicago, Illinois

Angie opened the door for Sophia as they walked into The Beef. The little girl ran over to Tina and embraced her tightly.

"Tina!"

"Mi amor! You gotta stop growing, girl!"

"I can't help it." She giggled.

"Come on, baby." Angie reached for her hand. "Let's go find your uncles."

The pair walked through the restaurant and quickly bumped into another familiar face.

"Morning, chef." Sydney smiled.

"Morning."

"Who's this?"

"Syd, this is my daughter, Sophia. Soph, this is chef Sydney."

"Hi, chef Sydney." The girl waved.

"Hi, Sophia. You're so pretty."

"What do you say?"

"Thank you!"

"Good. We were about to leave without you." Richie came up from the basement with a large inflatable.

"Woah." Sophia hugged him. "That's the biggest hotdog I've ever seen."

"I know, right?"

They followed him out into the parking lot where Carmy was loading boxes into the trunk.

"Uncle Carmy!" The girl ran over to her uncle and squeezed him.

"Hey, kiddo. What're you doing here?"

"Mommy said I can go to the birthday party with you guys."

"Did she?"

"Uh huh."

"Come on, Carm. She can't keep spending everyday with your mom. She's been teaching her poker."

"I learned poker when I was her age." Richie chimed in.

"I know. Exactly my point. Plus, Jimmy might give us some grace if he sees this sweet face." She rubbed her daughter's cheek.

"Fine. But she's gotta behave."

"She will. We'll take my car and meet you there."

"Hey, Soph?" Richie asked as he held up a dark blue shirt. "How cool would it be if that hotdog was wearing a Beef shirt?"

"So cool!"

"See?"

Angie shook her head and chuckled as she walked to her car.

🤍

"Hey, honey." Jimmy opened the door and wrapped his arms around Angie.

"Hey, Unc. Are Carmy and Richie already here?"

"No. The little shits are late as usual." He looked down at Sophia and smiled. "Jesus, look at you. You look just like your mother."

"But I have my daddy's ears."

"Yeah, I guess you do."

"Why don't you go find Nicky and give him his present, honey?"

She ran off into the house while Angie followed Jimmy into the kitchen.

"Angie!"

"Pete!" She grinned and hugged him. "What a nice surprise."

"Nat says hi. She's at work. She misses you."

"Oh, um, yeah I miss her too. I'm just so busy right now."

"Yeah, of course. Just give her a call maybe."

"I will."

As Angie was just about done setting up the hotdog station, Richie and Carmy walked into the backyard with boxes of supplies.

"Sorry we're late." The blonde spoke.

"We left at the same time. How'd I beat you by half an hour?"

"This fucking idiot got on the Kennedy."

"Why were you on the Kennedy? You gotta go on Edens."

"I know." He unpacked all the boxes and began chopping some fruit for the cooler. "I forgot Cicero moved to Wilmette."

"I'm just glad you're here. These kids are like hungry little animals."

"That guy is complete bullshit." Richie blurted out.

"What guy?"

"Cicero. Ya know he's not even Italian, right? A hundred percent Polish. Fucking insulting."

"You know you're not even Italian, right?"

"I'm more Italian than that guy is." Richie pulled a small orange bottle out of his leather jacket and opened the top.

"What is that?" Angie asked.

"Nothing."

"Richie, what the fuck is that?" She walked over to him.

"Relax. Shit's regulated. I suffer from anxiety and dread."

She grabbed the bottle and held it up. "Xanax?"

"You want half?"

"No." She groaned and handed it back to him. "Just be careful."

"Ange, I'm okay."

She hesitated and nodded. "Okay."

He swallowed the pill while taking a sip of juice.

"Cousin, which box did you put the ketchup in?" Carmy asked him.

"I didn't bring ketchup."

"Why didn't you bring ketchup?"

"What kinda asshole is gonna put ketchup on a hotdog?"

"A child, Richie."

"Child asshole."

"You're a child asshole."

"Okay, Carm, go find some ketchup. Richie and I'll start the grill."

He nodded before heading inside the house.

"That fucking baby."

"Don't start." Angie warned him.

"Sorry."

As the two of them were putting hotdogs on the grill, Angie's phone started ringing in her back pocket. She reached behind her and held it to her ear.

"Hello?"

"Hi, is this Angelina Berzatto?"

"Yes. Who is this?"

"My name is Annie. I'm calling on behalf of Dr. Julie Walden. She's your father, Charles's primary care physician."

"My father?"

"Yes. I'm calling to let you know that your father fainted at the grocery store today."

"I'm sorry, I don't understand."

"Your father fell."

"Yeah, but why'd you call me?"

"You're listed as his emergency contact."

Angie groaned and cursed under her breath. "Where is he?"

"He's here at Lutheran General Hospital, room two hundred and ten. He's been asking for you."

"Um...yeah. Okay. I'll be there." Angie hung up the phone and leaned against the brick wall.

"What was that?" Richie asked.

"It's nothing. I just have to take care of something."

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Tell Jimmy I'm sorry, and I'll make it up to him." She began to grab her things and headed to the front of the house. "Oh, and can you bring Soph home?"

"Sure."

"Thanks, Richie." She walked back over to him and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you later."

🤍

Angie speed walked out of the elevator and down the long hallway until she got to her father's room. She stood in the doorway and took a deep breath before walking inside.

"I was wondering when you'd get here." Charles softly spoke as he laid in the hospital bed.

"Nice to see you too." She sat in the chair next to his bed. "Why'd you faint?"

"I'm not eating like I used to."

"Why? You on a diet?"

"I have pancreatic cancer. Stage four."

Angie opened her mouth to speak, but not a word came out. She sighed and leaned back in the chair. "Shit, Dad I'm sorry."

"Don't give me that bullshit sympathy."

Angie rolled her eyes. "Why'd you have the hospital call me?"

"You're my emergency contact."

"But why?"

"Because..." He sighed and shook his head. "You're all I have. Your mother's gone, and you got no siblings. You're the only one I've got."

“So I was your last choice?”

“Angelina-”

"You kicked me out."

"I know. All I ever wanted was the best for you. So when you dropped out of school, I was afraid."

"Of what?"

"That you would regret your decision, and be miserable. I was tryna show you some tough love. But I might've been a little too tough."

"Ya think?"

"Angie, I'm sorry." He reached over and grabbed her hand. "You're my daughter, and I love you. I've spent fifteen years without you. I don't have much time left. I want you in my life."

Angie felt the tears welling in her eyes. "I hated you for what you did."

"I know."

She got up and wrapped her arms around him. "But there wasn't a day that went by that I didn't think about you."

"I thought about you too, honey. And I'm so sorry I hurt you."

She sat on the edge of the bed and held his hand. "I feel like I don't even know you."

"I don't know you." He laughed. "How's your husband?"

There was a brief pause where Angie debated telling him. She put on a smile and nodded. "He's good."

"Good. I'm glad you're happy. I'd love to meet him."

"Um...I have a daughter." She changed the subject.

"I have a grandchild?"

"Mhm. Her name is Sophia. She's ten." She took out her phone and showed him a photo.

"She's so beautiful." His eyes began to water. "Can I meet her?"

"I think we can arrange that."

🤍

"Hey." Angie softly smiled as she walked into the restaurant.

"Angie!" Neil grinned, enveloping her in a tight embrace.

"Hey, sweetheart."

"Where'd you run off to?" Richie asked.

"I just had some errands to run. Nothing important." She took off her coat and sat next to him at the table. "Did you guys manage without me?"

"Hell yeah we did." Carmy told her. "We just knocked two thousand off of our debt."

"Good. That's a start."

"Yo, yo!" Marcus called out, coming out of the kitchen with a tray of sliced cake. Sophia slowly followed behind him with a tray of vanilla ice cream. "Got some family dessert!"

"We all get cake 'cause we're best friends!" Neil insisted as he reached for a serving.

"Hey, babe." Angie rubbed her daughter's cheek. "You have fun with your uncles?"

"Mhm." The girl lazily nodded.

"You're really worn out. You must've played a lot, huh?"

"Yep." Richie chuckled and placed a hand on the girl's head, ruffling her curls. "She sure played hard."

"Boss lady." Marcus placed a slice of chocolate cake in front of Angie. "Try it?"

She picked up the fork and took a bite, looking up at him. "Marcus, this is amazing."

"Thank you, chef." He grinned.

"Thank you, chef."

[hello-worldshitposting]

one, albeit very minuscule, thing that’s annoying about being chronically ill is that anything that helps you is so fucking boring and ugly as the default. bright orange pill bottles, mobility aids, prosthetics, shower handrails. i feel like stuff like pill bottles and crutches are viewed as like temporary utility items by the majority of people, so why would anyone put in the effort to make them pretty or enjoyable? if they work they should be enough right? but so many disabled people use items like that every single day and it’s genuinely not fair that items that are such an important part of our lives aren’t given the same default attention to appearance as stuff like phone cases, keychains, or regular clothing. disabled people deserve to have pretty things that fit with their personal style as a default just like everyone else.

i don’t personally use mobility aids, i’m not at that point yet with my shit, but my mom does. she LOVES fashion and she loves looking put together and elegant. and after she became disabled one of the saddest things for me was seeing her struggle to find functional canes that didn’t look straight up ugly so she could feel confident in her outfits and appearance again. and sure yeah there are canes with printed patterns that you can buy to show personality, but often times they’re tacky and cheap looking, because anything besides the baseline utility is an afterthought when it comes to literally ANYTHING supporting disabled people. canes, walkers, hell even our basic infrastructure!

on top of that if you do find products that are aesthetically pleasing, like pretty pill cases, pretty canes, pretty braces, etc, the utility and durability is usually compromised for the sake of the aesthetic so you can’t fucking win.

and if the products do prioritize both utility and aesthetics a lot of the times they’re from small businesses who have to charge a lot to make ends meet, (understandably so, i’m not criticizing the businesses here AT ALL) which makes it harder for a lot of disabled people, who are more likely to be poor than able bodied people, to be able to afford.

tldr: shit designed for disabled and chronically ill people should have the same attention to aesthetic and detail as everyday items designed for able bodied people as a default

i’ve including some links below to companies that do prioritize both utility and aesthetics in their mobility aids, accessories, and whatnot, plz reblog with any more businesses!

unhidden clothing

fashionable canes

sad clown club

[predoom]

ohoneohone

Saturday, January 14th, 2006 4:14 pm "noones ever been this good for this long" this is everything i am thinking right now with out transition. i apologize for my brains lack of linear thought processing: i hate the way it gets dark so early here this time of year. i guess "seasonal depression" kind of falls under "ADD" and "post tramatic whatever disorder" for me. i feel like its science from the madhatter down the rabbit hole. not too real. but lately i just wake up blue - my only thought is- how soon will the day be over so i can get back into bed. i open my eyes just a tiny bit and blur the numbers on the clock with my eyelashes. every word you say rolls off of my back - the praises and the barbs. i don't hear either, ever. sometimes the tips of my fingers itch from the back of my head- just to get the chance to tear someone to pieces and just barely let them off the hook. i swear to god, i was asleep alone. quick text me an alibi and oh god please don't dust the keyboard for prints. sometimes i stare out of the frosted window and make up stories as people walk by. the bottled blonde, park ave. princess walking whichever dog matches her coat. you know how i could turn your world upsidedown. its not love if a day goes by when you don't think about dropping it. its not the world keeping you on the outside, its you not wanting to be on the inside. everyone wants to be the first. buts its okay to be the second if you understand it better, if you make it look prettier. worn down doesn't even touch this. and theres nothing worse than when someone acts like they have you figured out, when you haven't even figured yourself out. nice boys don't write good stories or sing good songs. and his songs are boring. and his stories are just personal ads set to background music. i found the skeleton key for wedlock but i am holding off on telling her. on telling anyone for that matter. consistent inconsistency. thats all you ever have to remember and you'll do okay with me. dancers are always strippers. and paying their way through college is the BE VE. oh and hey pete do you remember the way the world used to trick you with fifty degrees in january and orange leaves in june? button your jacket tight, don't believe everything you read... don't even believe everything you wrote. i'm tired of always leaving. i'm tired of the way things always/never change. swim upstream until your gills bleed just because thats what genetic encoding commands. there aren't any trophies that are really worth it in the end. they can put you in a box when you are very young, so you'll be a pretty corpse but there are too many pages filled with too many words to lie beside you forever. intelligent design is the last great joke i heard. but honestly, no one will ever stay where i tell them, least of all the years. they keep moving. worlds greatest liar and how do you know i'm not lying when i tell you this right now? and thats coming from the king of one-liners. copy and pasted - long live the away message. kiss the monitor. fast asleep baby. Friday, January 6th, 2006 8:11 pm i am just a hot mess. i woke up to the feeling of myself throwing up today. pretty much put a damper on the entire day. i ate about 50 stomach pills and then threw them all up- it was a pretty color in the toilet. my toungue is black on the top right now. i am pretty sure thats a bad thing. i watched way too much gastinaeu (however you spell it) girls today. i think it made me sicker. it took me awhile to realize that they were mother and daughter and not sisters- but the mom is kinda hot in pissy kind of way. my mom is out of town so there was noone here to take care of me- my brother was around but hes pretty much always bongzilla'd. so i waited for back-up caretakers to arrive- one of them was busy cutting hair and the other has like a "real" job besides being dad.

the best part about vomitting alone in the morning is the way the bathroom tiles feel kinda cool in a pleasant way so i took a nap there for a bit. i want to see hostel tonight but the problem is all the vomitting- see its not that i mind so much its just what if i run into someone in my sicky gear and puke on them?

wow. i am glad i did this update. arent you?

im gonna leave the comments open cause i never do- just write down the first thing that comes into your mind when you see that reply button- heres mine:

i am just a hot mess. (989 Comments |Comment on this) Saturday, December 24th, 2005 9:57 pm blue christmas so i was sitting around this christmas. just kinda getting bummed out looking at the lights outside of shiny houses in my neighborhood and decided that it was time fall out boy gave somethng back. we decided to pick a cause that we feel is often overlooked- education of poor people in africa (specifically ethiopia). we feel like education is one of the most important building blocks in change- so after doing some research we found and organization that we felt really was doing it right: www.a-cet.org - this isn't some glossy amazing press piece it is doing something quietly to make a change- and we loved that. so we decided to put a couple of old and rare FOB and clandestine items up on ebay. here's the deal- if you dont see the link off of a fall out boy site than don't trust that it is us doing it- part two- keep bidding the more we can help the better. and three we will keep adding more items up here for a bit so keep checking back. they are all legitimate and endorsed by FOB and all items will come signed. happy bidding:

a clandestine shirt sample that was never made: http://cgi.ebay.com/never-produced-clandestine-shirt-sample-fall-out-boy_W0QQitemZ4812617551QQcategoryZ52473QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

breakdance not hearts shirt worn on big in 05 awards: http://cgi.ebay.com/clandestine-breakdance-not-hearts-shirt-fall-out-boy_W0QQitemZ4812615104QQcategoryZ52473QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

giant moonman pez dispenser given to nominees at the VMAs http://cgi.ebay.com/giant-VMA-moonman-pez-dispenser_W0QQitemZ4812612435QQcategoryZ52473QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

complete set of take this to your grave trading cards. including rare card: http://cgi.ebay.com/fall-out-boy-trading-card-lot-takethistoyourgrave_W0QQitemZ4812607828QQcategoryZ52473QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

new:

original bleach "i am the dream" shirt clandestine: http://cgi.ebay.com/original-bleach-clandestine-shirt-i-am-the-dream_W0QQitemZ4812798220QQcategoryZ52473QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

original secret order shirt http://cgi.ebay.com/secret-order-of-FOB-shirt-hyper-limited_W0QQitemZ4812800208QQcategoryZ52473QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

alternative press poster signed by entire band http://cgi.ebay.com/alternative-press-poster-fall-out-boy-limited_W0QQitemZ4812796786QQcategoryZ52473QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

spend your xmas cash... Thursday, December 8th, 2005 3:34 am last week i got to hold a baby orangatan (spelled completely wrong).

that was the best moment of my life.

ill try to find a picture.

try to imagine a regular baby, mixed with a puppy, mixed with the song "dont stop believin" by journey. Tuesday, November 22nd, 2005 12:59 am sometimes my own words dont suffice. "i hope that our few remaining friends give up on trying to save us i hope we come up witha fail-safe plot to piss off the dumb few that forgave us i hope the fences we mended fall down beneath their own weight and i hope we hang on past the last exit, i hope its already too late and i hope that the junkyard a few blocks from here someday burns down and i hope the rising black smoke carries me far away and i never come back to this town again. in my life i hope i lie and tell everyone you were a good wife and i hope you die. i hope we both die" Sunday, November 20th, 2005 1:36 pm sometimes its like never started sometimes it like its never gonna end

[loveforpreserumsteve]

Most Likely (high school reunion Stucky fic)

Seventeen:

Getting home had been more difficult than Bucky would've originally assumed. Not only because of his hangover, but because he didn't want to leave Steve. Sure, the blond claimed that they'd see each other tonight, but that didn't mean that he wouldn't miss him throughout the rest of the day.

As soon as he entered his house, he was greeted with the deep, guttural yowl from Nemo. He knew that the old, overweight, orange tabby had been fed already thanks to his oldest nephew, Felix. But Nemo was needy, so Bucky bent over to give the cat a scratch between his –

"Where the fuck have you been?"

Jumping nearly out of his skin, Bucky whipped around to find his twin entering the kitchen. Placing his hand on his chest in an attempt to slow his rapidly beating heart, he chastised, "Jesus, Becks, ya tryin' to give me a heart attack?"

"Where the fuck have you been?" Becca repeated, really enunciating. Arms crossed along her chest and giving him the same look that their mom would give them.

Brows furrowing, he reminded, "I'm an adult? We're adults. I didn't think I had a curfew."

"Right, you're an adult," Becca agreed, nodding. But she wasn't done. Oh, no, far from it. "You're an adult who got completely blasted. So bad, in fact, that Dum Dum basically carried you outside so you could wait for the Uber we called for you. Only, you weren't there! The Uber driver messaged me saying that you weren't outside!

"Do you know how worried sick I've been? You were just gone! For all I knew, you could've been abducted by Jeffrey Dahmer 2.0! Or you could've tried to walk home and gotten hit and were lying in some ditch on the side of the road. For fuck's sake, for an adult, you sure are acting like a teenager!"

Knowing that she wasn't done, Bucky took a seat at the breakfast table. He was hungover, after all.

"And more than that, your phone has been going straight to voicemail all night! I mean, how many times do you need to be told to bring a charger before it gets through that thick skull of yours? Even Nat was trying to track you down! That's how worried you had all of us!

"So, where the fuck were you?"

Rubbing at his temples in hopes that his headache will die down, Bucky said, "I'm sorry, okay? I'm here now, and I'd really like to take some Aleve and get a few more hours of sleep before the dinner tonight."

For a moment, she just watched him before she took a seat across from him. Sighing, she explained, "I was just worried. You're my baby brother –"

"By two minutes –"

"– you're my responsibility."

"Let's not go overboard," Bucky rolled his eyes.

Becca giggled, then full on laughed. Quirking an eyebrow, Bucky looked up at her. She – poorly – attempted to muffle her laughter, "You still have to deal with Nat."

"Christ," Bucky sighed, putting his face in his hands.

Taking his phone out of his pocket, he crossed over to the charger and plugged his phone in. While he waited for it to come back on, he opened the cabinet to get the bottle of Aleve.

"You didn't impregnate someone, did you?"

Choking on the water that was supposed to help him swallow the pills, Bucky glared at his twin. Not only for causing him to choke, but for implying that he would be so careless. After all, he learned his lesson at eighteen.

"It's not too late to be an only child," Bucky told her.

In reply, she rolled her eyes and stood from the table. Crossing the kitchen, she reached for the coffee maker, getting it started. And really, how mad could he be with her. She was his first best friend. She was also his first nemesis. But he wouldn't change it for anything.

Of course, they were still siblings. After the pot of Jamaican coffee had brewed and cooled just enough for Becca not to burn her tongue on the beverage, Bucky admitted, "I was with Steve."

He only felt a little bad for how the liquid sprayed out of her nose. Only a little.

"Fuck," Becca complained as she grabbed a stack of napkins to clean up her mess. Crumpling a few of the napkins so she could throw them at Bucky.

Still glaring, Becca asked, "Steve as in Steve Rogers? As in, 'Your Stevie?'"

Feeling his face warm, he directed his gaze to Nemo as the cat rubbed along his legs. Confirming, "Do you know another?"

"How'd you find him?"

"At the reunion."

When his sister was silent, Bucky looked up to see that her brows were set in a heavy furrow. "When? I didn't see him?"

"He was there for a little bit." Before I upset him.

"So, how'd you end up back with him?"

His face grew hot again and he averted his gaze once more. To the table this time. "Apparently, in my drunken state, I wandered through the halls yelling for him."

"Did you fuck?"

"Jesus fucking Christ," Bucky rubbed at his temples again. "Not that it's any of your business, but no, we didn't fuck."

"All I know is that you had the biggest crush –"

"No, I didn't," Bucky protested, lying through his teeth. Knowing that Becca knew that too.

"– you had the biggest crush," Becca repeated. "Everyone knew it. It was so obvious. And we were all waiting for you to get your head out of your ass and make a move."

"God, I wish that I was an only –"

Vzzt. Vzzzzt. Vzzt.

Hearing his phone vibrate on the counter, Bucky stood from the table to retrieve it. There, he saw numerous text messages. Starting last night and continuing until that very minute. Most of them were from Becca. Ranging from concerned to threatening. Some from Natasha. But he was most curious about the ones from the unknown number.

A date!

With Steve!

No one could wipe the grin off his face. Not even Becca when she started teasing him for acting like a high schooler all over again. Instead of arguing though, he let Becca see herself out while he ran upstairs to take a quick shower.

A date!

[mrmicron]

Golden Child (Chapter 1)

This is my first time posting a story that is split into chapters on here. I’m not sure if this will gain any attention, but it wouldn’t hurt to see if it does. There may be some grammatical errors and linguistic errors as well, so feel free to message me and tell me in the ways I messed up! The languages this chapter will contain is Mexican Spanish (with translations provided by my Mexican ride-or-die!) and American English. It might include others, but for the majority of the story line, it’s those two. 

I would love to be able to turn this into a comic eventually, but I’d either have to find an artist to collab with or work on my art skills lol. This is intended for a Young-Adult audience, so anyone under 14, please DNI

Word Count: 1302

All characters are original. Any relations to a person are purely coincidental. 

CW: Mentions of Sexual Harassment, Implied Abusive Relationships, Light Sexual Themes, Violence Against Others, Thoughts of Suicide, Self-Harm, Cursing, Attempted Suicide

 DNI if you are sensitive to these topics

The sound of an alarm woke me from my deep sleep. I groaned into my pillow as I rolled over, swatting my hand around to turn off the annoyance. After a few attempts, I proved successful and turned back into my covers. But, my sleep was short-lived as footsteps approached my door. “Awake from your coma Sleeping Beauty,” called a feminine voice, light, and teasing. I knew it was my mom, so I ignored it. The click of the doorknob reverberated through the room, and something hard hit my back. I yelped and turned around. “What the hell?!” My mom stood a few feet away from me, her arms crossed across her chest, a frown on her face. “You heard me. And I heard the alarm go off, then it stopped. Besides, you have school today mija.” Hispanic moms are something else, and I’m not planning on starting off the day with a sore ass. “Sì Mamì…” I mumbled, sliding out of my comfort space. She turned towards the door and sighed. “Children these days, no respect.” As she headed downstairs, I grabbed my uniform and went into the bathroom to shower. I’d be starting a new school today, for the third time. Apparently, it was the best school in the state, AKA, my last chance. Marie-Jane Academia for the Gifted. It was a private school with a low acceptance rate, and if you were enrolled, you had a guaranteed shot of getting into an Ivy League School. All the more reason for me to go, right? Wrong. It was totally against my will, but seeing as it was my last choice, I had no say. The warm water ran down my body and I released a sigh. My hands ran through my hair, scrubbing the previous day’s filth from my scalp.

After I stepped out of the shower, it didn’t take long for me to dress. Since Marie-Jane is a uniform school, I wouldn’t have to try and figure out what to wear. Although I hated not having creative expression for my clothes, it did feel nice to not throw on some random clothing from my laundry hamper, which I prayed was clean. The smell of bacon drifted into my nose, and my body just moved. I bounded down the stairs, sliding into the kitchen on wheels. A small orange bottle flew through the air and I caught it, quickly popping open the lid and grabbing a small red pill. I tossed it into my mouth and swallowed it dry. It had become routine, me taking my suppressants, that I can just swallow it dry. Mamì slid the last of the eggs from the pan onto my plate. My lunch box sat next to my breakfast. “Buenos Dìaz my beautiful daughter,” she cooed, resting her elbows on the counter as I slid into my seat at the kitchen island. “Morning Mom…” I replied hesitantly before picking up a piece of bacon. Chewing slowly, I kept my gaze on the plate below me. What could she want from me this morning? It’s only 7. “Mija, you're aware this is the last school you can attend, correct?”  Her tone made me feel like I was 7 again, which pissed me off. “I’m well aware, actually. I didn’t want to go there, but alas, I’ve been enrolled,” I replied sarcastically, crunching on my bacon once again. Damn, this is burnt. Eyebrows furrowing, mom pulled the plate towards her. “Don’t make me throw something at you. You’ll go to school with a welt in the shape of a shoe.” She waited a few moments before pushing the food back to me. Sighing, I stood up, slinging my bag over my shoulder. “Yes ma’am.” Well, now I wasn’t hungry, but still choked down and swallowed the rest. I wasn’t looking forward to my commute to school. It was a 20 minute drive, and knowing my rusty car, it would probably break down on the way. Can’t complain though, at least I have some mode of transportation besides a bike. Grabbing my keys and hat, I opened the door. “Heading out now!” I called, stepping out. “Try not to run any pedestrians over this time,” she responded, chuckling. “No promises.”

My car shook from the intensity of the bass from my speakers as I belted along with the music playing loudly. Singing gave me a sense of tranquility and calmed my nerves down a bit. I rarely have first day jitters, but apparently, since this school is my last option, my mind wants to fill itself with the worst possible scenarios. I made a promise to my mom, and my previous school’s counselor that I would try to be on my best behavior. Now that I think about it, that was a bad idea. I will definitely fight someone here, but who? That’s to be determined for my future. As I rounded the corner a block away, my eyes widened at the glistening building before me. I knew my school would be rich, but damn, it’s a whole apartment complex. I was to move into the dorms here, per my mother’s demand. Maybe more space to crochet. We could leave campus whenever, as long as we came back before curfew, which just means we can’t leave our buildings past 11. That wouldn’t be an issue since I don’t plan on leaving campus besides visiting Mami. The main building sat in the front, which also made it hard to miss. I was almost blinded by the damn thing. Students were trickling in slowly by the time I parked. Adjusting my tie, I slung my messenger bag over my shoulder and walked through the double doors. Voices echoed through the corridor as groups of students, ranging from 9th to 12th, chatted amongst themselves. “Where’s the damn office…” I mumbled softly, looking around. My eyes caught on a person waving, and at first, I thought they were waving at someone else, so I ignored them. But then they called my name. “Ashton! Over here!” I snapped my head back to see them walking over, a smile on their face. Eventually, they stopped a few inches from me, extending their hand. I took in his facial features. Skin as pale as a porcelain doll, lips as red as a geisha, hair as black as the night sky. All I could think was, ‘He’s beautiful.’ “I’m Indria, but everyone calls me Indie. I’ll be your guide for today.” He smiled brightly. As we shook hands, I tilted my head. “Well you already know my name, so where to go first?”

Indie talked a lot, more than I was used to. As he talked, I found out his whole life story within 5 minutes. It was a lot of information in such a short amount of time, but that didn’t stop him. Eventually, we arrived at my first period, which I wasn’t even paying attention to how we got there in the first place. “Well, here’s your stop! What’s your number, so I can be of assistance anytime.” He hands me his phone and I wearily type in my number. Yes, it was for a good reason, but nonetheless, it was weird how forward he was. Once I was done, he sent me a text to make sure it was my number and smiled brightly. “It was nice meeting you Ashton! Feel free to message me if you need anything else.” He then walked away, and I watched until he was out of sight. This school was already going to be a pain in my ass, but I wasn’t sure how yet. It just was. The classroom buzzed with students talking to one another, so the majority of my first period was already inside. I took a deep breath before opening the door.

[ittakesrain]

sunday sunday sunday

march 16, 2025

i slept pretty good last night, aside from weird dreams. but like i slept through the night and didn't get up once. then the first hour of waking up i did a bunch of stuff quickly.. filled my pill case, took a shower, brushed my teeth, made my bed, cleaned up quick, made my coffee, called my mom <3

i wanna use this sunday to set myself up for a good week. i guess i mean i wanna do most of the cleaning [dishes, take out trash, bleach the bthrm, clean the stovetop, gather all the laundry for tmrw] but there are other things i can do too. but i mean mainly i wanna just plan everything out so i don't feel stressed with planning throughout the week. it's weird bc i will defintely shuffle things around, and also i enjoy planning stuff hhaha, but it feels more secure when i have an idea of everything on sunday.

that aside/ moving on/ in other news..

we went to a farmer's market yesterday and it was nice. we got blood oranges and some apples, aaaaand i got and enjoyed a bottle of blood orange juice, it was amazing.

it feels good to have clothes that fit (my mom sent me some) and i just love feeling more put-together (finally).

it seems to be a sunny day today ..even though it's pretty cold lol. but oh well. i know when it gets warmer it'll get warm QUICK and then suddenly it'll be 115 degrees for weeks on end. lol

anyway, i'm off to start my day +.~*

[cleverhottubmiracle]

Your mom thinks it’s steroids, your gym bros think it’s a magic powder that gets you jacked overnight: Unfortunately, the best creatine supplements are decidedly neither of those things. That being said, creatine is one of the most thoroughly studied supplements on the market—a veritable beacon of hope in an otherwise largely unregulated industry—that actually does help boost strength, athletic performance, and muscle mass to a small (but not insignificant!) degree. “I recommend [creatine] to anyone who wants to improve strength, power, and lean muscle mass growth,” Mike Dewar, strength coach and founder of J2FIT, says. “Some newer studies show that creatine can also improve brain health.”I’ve personally been taking five grams of creatine every day for years, and pretty much every serious gym rat I know swears by the stuff. (Of course, you should consult with your medical provider before taking any supplements.) Will creatine magically make you a vascular, engorged freakbeast overnight? No. Will it—when coupled with hard training and good recovery—help with your gains? For sure. If you’re not sure where to start, check out our top picks for the best creatine supplements below.The Best Creatine Supplements, at a Glance:Looking for Something Specific?AccordionItemContainerButtonBest Creatine Overall: Nutricost Creatine Monohydrate PowderNutricostCreatine Monohydrate PowderIf you’ve read anything I’ve written about protein powder or supplements, you know that I’ve got a soft spot for Nutricost. The value here is really solid, and if you’re just looking for a big tub of creatine monohydrate—the only kind of creatine you should be buying, by the way—you can’t go wrong with Nutricost. (It also has the standard dose of five grams per scoop, which is key.) I’m partial to the unflavored version, since I don’t really mind the taste, but the brand offers a bunch of different options, ranging from Blue Raspberry to Mandarin Orange. If you’re looking for something to whack into a protein shake or slug down with some water, this is your best bet.Best Pre-Workout With Creatine: Gorilla Mind Gorilla Mode Pre-WorkoutIt’s easy to get bogged down in the supplement aisle—I myself am certainly guilty of having a few cabinets in my kitchen that look more like a GNC than I’d care to admit. For those trying to streamline their supplementation regimen, taking a pre-workout that has your daily dose of creatine built into the formula is a great way to get two birds stoned at once. With a grip of decent flavors and both stim and stim-free options, this is a solid choice for gym rats everywhere. (This also happens to be our top pick for the best pre-workout on the market.) One thing to note, though: Creatine only works if you take it every day, so on rest days, it’s best to use a regular creatine supplement instead.Best Creatine Pills: BulkSupplements Creatine Monohydrate CapsulesBulkSupplementsCreatine Monohydrate CapsulesDon’t mess with powders and potions? We feel you. For on-the-go meatheaderry, I like to pack these creatine pills instead of making a mess trying to funnel a bunch of powder into, say, an airport water bottle using a rolled-up magazine. (Though if you're going to go that route, make sure you use an issue of GQ.) A word of warning, though: The serving size for these is seven pills, which is (obviously) a lot of pills. It never bothers me, but it's good to keep in mind.Best Creatine Gummies: Legion Creatine Monohydrate GummiesLegionCreatine Monohydrate GummiesMore of a Flintstones vitamin dude? You’re in luck: Legion makes some delicious creatine gummies that are truly a joy to eat. Is hammering five gummies the most efficient way to get your creatine in? Probably not—but it make every morning a little more fun, which is always worth it in our book.Best Creatine for Traveling: Transparent Labs Creatine HMB Travel PacksTransparent LabsCreatine HMB Travel PacksI’m not going to comment on the science of HMB, but for on-the-go supplementation, it’s tough to beat these little stick packs of creatine from Transparent Labs—especially if you’re not a fan of knocking back a handful of horse pills. They come in both unflavored and blue raspberry versions, and contain your tried-and-true five grams of creatine monohydrate in each stick.Best Creatine Tablets: Animal Creatine Chews TabletsAnimalCreatine Chews TabletsWhile these chewable creatine tablets from Animal are marginally less fun than the gummies we listed above, they’re marginally more fun than an unflavored powder or a handful of gel-caps. Animal is an OG in the supplement game, and if you’ve been in the iron game for a while, you might remember their old school black-and-white print ads or the Animal Cage at the Arnold.Creatine FAQWhy Should People Take Creatine?AccordionItemContainerButton“Creatine is one of the most researched and scientifically proven legal supplements on the market to increase strength, power, sprint performance, and muscle size,” Dewar says. “Creatine works to improve ATP (adenosine triphosphate) production, which is the main energy source the body uses for forceful and rapid muscle contractions. This energy source, however, also depletes quickly… so having ample amounts in the system just helps you always keep your ‘gas tank’ full. This can also aid in recovery, as creatine is part of all skeletal muscle tissue, and is constantly being used and replenished during hard training.”Who Should Take Creatine?AccordionItemContainerButton“Creatine is used by all ages, abilities, and body types, as physiologically our bodies require it as one of the earliest forms of energy to promote muscle function,” Dewar explains. “That said, I recommend it to anyone who wants to improve strength, power, and lean muscle mass growth. Additionally, there are some newer studies showing that creatine can also improve brain health. All in all, it’s something that has no downsides, in all the literature. I recommend people shoot for at least three grams a day, however five grams is the standard dose. While these aren’t usually standardized for body size, I find that five to eight grams is a solid option for larger individuals who train very hard and are more advanced.”Do I Need to “Load” Creatine?AccordionItemContainerButtonNo, Dewar says. Since creatine can take weeks to produce any noticeable effects, some folks opt to “load” it—a.k.a. take around 20 grams a day for the first week, in an effort to expedite the process. “Just taking [five grams] daily with some carbs is best,” he explains.What Is the Best Creatine to Take?AccordionItemContainerButtonCreatine monohydrate is the gold standard when it comes to supplementation.How Do I Supplement With Creatine?AccordionItemContainerButtonTake five grams a day, every day.Meet the ExpertMike Dewar is the founder and strength coach at J2FIT. With 13+ years of experience as a personal trainer, five years as a NCAA Strength Coach at New York University, and over 550+ published fitness and nutrition articles, he knows a thing or two about fitness. He also holds a masters in Exercise Physiology from Columbia University and a bachelors in Exercise Science from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. You can check him out on Instagram and YouTube. Source link

[norajworld]

Your mom thinks it’s steroids, your gym bros think it’s a magic powder that gets you jacked overnight: Unfortunately, the best creatine supplements are decidedly neither of those things. That being said, creatine is one of the most thoroughly studied supplements on the market—a veritable beacon of hope in an otherwise largely unregulated industry—that actually does help boost strength, athletic performance, and muscle mass to a small (but not insignificant!) degree. “I recommend [creatine] to anyone who wants to improve strength, power, and lean muscle mass growth,” Mike Dewar, strength coach and founder of J2FIT, says. “Some newer studies show that creatine can also improve brain health.”I’ve personally been taking five grams of creatine every day for years, and pretty much every serious gym rat I know swears by the stuff. (Of course, you should consult with your medical provider before taking any supplements.) Will creatine magically make you a vascular, engorged freakbeast overnight? No. Will it—when coupled with hard training and good recovery—help with your gains? For sure. If you’re not sure where to start, check out our top picks for the best creatine supplements below.The Best Creatine Supplements, at a Glance:Looking for Something Specific?AccordionItemContainerButtonBest Creatine Overall: Nutricost Creatine Monohydrate PowderNutricostCreatine Monohydrate PowderIf you’ve read anything I’ve written about protein powder or supplements, you know that I’ve got a soft spot for Nutricost. The value here is really solid, and if you’re just looking for a big tub of creatine monohydrate—the only kind of creatine you should be buying, by the way—you can’t go wrong with Nutricost. (It also has the standard dose of five grams per scoop, which is key.) I’m partial to the unflavored version, since I don’t really mind the taste, but the brand offers a bunch of different options, ranging from Blue Raspberry to Mandarin Orange. If you’re looking for something to whack into a protein shake or slug down with some water, this is your best bet.Best Pre-Workout With Creatine: Gorilla Mind Gorilla Mode Pre-WorkoutIt’s easy to get bogged down in the supplement aisle—I myself am certainly guilty of having a few cabinets in my kitchen that look more like a GNC than I’d care to admit. For those trying to streamline their supplementation regimen, taking a pre-workout that has your daily dose of creatine built into the formula is a great way to get two birds stoned at once. With a grip of decent flavors and both stim and stim-free options, this is a solid choice for gym rats everywhere. (This also happens to be our top pick for the best pre-workout on the market.) One thing to note, though: Creatine only works if you take it every day, so on rest days, it’s best to use a regular creatine supplement instead.Best Creatine Pills: BulkSupplements Creatine Monohydrate CapsulesBulkSupplementsCreatine Monohydrate CapsulesDon’t mess with powders and potions? We feel you. For on-the-go meatheaderry, I like to pack these creatine pills instead of making a mess trying to funnel a bunch of powder into, say, an airport water bottle using a rolled-up magazine. (Though if you're going to go that route, make sure you use an issue of GQ.) A word of warning, though: The serving size for these is seven pills, which is (obviously) a lot of pills. It never bothers me, but it's good to keep in mind.Best Creatine Gummies: Legion Creatine Monohydrate GummiesLegionCreatine Monohydrate GummiesMore of a Flintstones vitamin dude? You’re in luck: Legion makes some delicious creatine gummies that are truly a joy to eat. Is hammering five gummies the most efficient way to get your creatine in? Probably not—but it make every morning a little more fun, which is always worth it in our book.Best Creatine for Traveling: Transparent Labs Creatine HMB Travel PacksTransparent LabsCreatine HMB Travel PacksI’m not going to comment on the science of HMB, but for on-the-go supplementation, it’s tough to beat these little stick packs of creatine from Transparent Labs—especially if you’re not a fan of knocking back a handful of horse pills. They come in both unflavored and blue raspberry versions, and contain your tried-and-true five grams of creatine monohydrate in each stick.Best Creatine Tablets: Animal Creatine Chews TabletsAnimalCreatine Chews TabletsWhile these chewable creatine tablets from Animal are marginally less fun than the gummies we listed above, they’re marginally more fun than an unflavored powder or a handful of gel-caps. Animal is an OG in the supplement game, and if you’ve been in the iron game for a while, you might remember their old school black-and-white print ads or the Animal Cage at the Arnold.Creatine FAQWhy Should People Take Creatine?AccordionItemContainerButton“Creatine is one of the most researched and scientifically proven legal supplements on the market to increase strength, power, sprint performance, and muscle size,” Dewar says. “Creatine works to improve ATP (adenosine triphosphate) production, which is the main energy source the body uses for forceful and rapid muscle contractions. This energy source, however, also depletes quickly… so having ample amounts in the system just helps you always keep your ‘gas tank’ full. This can also aid in recovery, as creatine is part of all skeletal muscle tissue, and is constantly being used and replenished during hard training.”Who Should Take Creatine?AccordionItemContainerButton“Creatine is used by all ages, abilities, and body types, as physiologically our bodies require it as one of the earliest forms of energy to promote muscle function,” Dewar explains. “That said, I recommend it to anyone who wants to improve strength, power, and lean muscle mass growth. Additionally, there are some newer studies showing that creatine can also improve brain health. All in all, it’s something that has no downsides, in all the literature. I recommend people shoot for at least three grams a day, however five grams is the standard dose. While these aren’t usually standardized for body size, I find that five to eight grams is a solid option for larger individuals who train very hard and are more advanced.”Do I Need to “Load” Creatine?AccordionItemContainerButtonNo, Dewar says. Since creatine can take weeks to produce any noticeable effects, some folks opt to “load” it—a.k.a. take around 20 grams a day for the first week, in an effort to expedite the process. “Just taking [five grams] daily with some carbs is best,” he explains.What Is the Best Creatine to Take?AccordionItemContainerButtonCreatine monohydrate is the gold standard when it comes to supplementation.How Do I Supplement With Creatine?AccordionItemContainerButtonTake five grams a day, every day.Meet the ExpertMike Dewar is the founder and strength coach at J2FIT. With 13+ years of experience as a personal trainer, five years as a NCAA Strength Coach at New York University, and over 550+ published fitness and nutrition articles, he knows a thing or two about fitness. He also holds a masters in Exercise Physiology from Columbia University and a bachelors in Exercise Science from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. You can check him out on Instagram and YouTube. Source link

[ellajme0]

Your mom thinks it’s steroids, your gym bros think it’s a magic powder that gets you jacked overnight: Unfortunately, the best creatine supplements are decidedly neither of those things. That being said, creatine is one of the most thoroughly studied supplements on the market—a veritable beacon of hope in an otherwise largely unregulated industry—that actually does help boost strength, athletic performance, and muscle mass to a small (but not insignificant!) degree. “I recommend [creatine] to anyone who wants to improve strength, power, and lean muscle mass growth,” Mike Dewar, strength coach and founder of J2FIT, says. “Some newer studies show that creatine can also improve brain health.”I’ve personally been taking five grams of creatine every day for years, and pretty much every serious gym rat I know swears by the stuff. (Of course, you should consult with your medical provider before taking any supplements.) Will creatine magically make you a vascular, engorged freakbeast overnight? No. Will it—when coupled with hard training and good recovery—help with your gains? For sure. If you’re not sure where to start, check out our top picks for the best creatine supplements below.The Best Creatine Supplements, at a Glance:Looking for Something Specific?AccordionItemContainerButtonBest Creatine Overall: Nutricost Creatine Monohydrate PowderNutricostCreatine Monohydrate PowderIf you’ve read anything I’ve written about protein powder or supplements, you know that I’ve got a soft spot for Nutricost. The value here is really solid, and if you’re just looking for a big tub of creatine monohydrate—the only kind of creatine you should be buying, by the way—you can’t go wrong with Nutricost. (It also has the standard dose of five grams per scoop, which is key.) I’m partial to the unflavored version, since I don’t really mind the taste, but the brand offers a bunch of different options, ranging from Blue Raspberry to Mandarin Orange. If you’re looking for something to whack into a protein shake or slug down with some water, this is your best bet.Best Pre-Workout With Creatine: Gorilla Mind Gorilla Mode Pre-WorkoutIt’s easy to get bogged down in the supplement aisle—I myself am certainly guilty of having a few cabinets in my kitchen that look more like a GNC than I’d care to admit. For those trying to streamline their supplementation regimen, taking a pre-workout that has your daily dose of creatine built into the formula is a great way to get two birds stoned at once. With a grip of decent flavors and both stim and stim-free options, this is a solid choice for gym rats everywhere. (This also happens to be our top pick for the best pre-workout on the market.) One thing to note, though: Creatine only works if you take it every day, so on rest days, it’s best to use a regular creatine supplement instead.Best Creatine Pills: BulkSupplements Creatine Monohydrate CapsulesBulkSupplementsCreatine Monohydrate CapsulesDon’t mess with powders and potions? We feel you. For on-the-go meatheaderry, I like to pack these creatine pills instead of making a mess trying to funnel a bunch of powder into, say, an airport water bottle using a rolled-up magazine. (Though if you're going to go that route, make sure you use an issue of GQ.) A word of warning, though: The serving size for these is seven pills, which is (obviously) a lot of pills. It never bothers me, but it's good to keep in mind.Best Creatine Gummies: Legion Creatine Monohydrate GummiesLegionCreatine Monohydrate GummiesMore of a Flintstones vitamin dude? You’re in luck: Legion makes some delicious creatine gummies that are truly a joy to eat. Is hammering five gummies the most efficient way to get your creatine in? Probably not—but it make every morning a little more fun, which is always worth it in our book.Best Creatine for Traveling: Transparent Labs Creatine HMB Travel PacksTransparent LabsCreatine HMB Travel PacksI’m not going to comment on the science of HMB, but for on-the-go supplementation, it’s tough to beat these little stick packs of creatine from Transparent Labs—especially if you’re not a fan of knocking back a handful of horse pills. They come in both unflavored and blue raspberry versions, and contain your tried-and-true five grams of creatine monohydrate in each stick.Best Creatine Tablets: Animal Creatine Chews TabletsAnimalCreatine Chews TabletsWhile these chewable creatine tablets from Animal are marginally less fun than the gummies we listed above, they’re marginally more fun than an unflavored powder or a handful of gel-caps. Animal is an OG in the supplement game, and if you’ve been in the iron game for a while, you might remember their old school black-and-white print ads or the Animal Cage at the Arnold.Creatine FAQWhy Should People Take Creatine?AccordionItemContainerButton“Creatine is one of the most researched and scientifically proven legal supplements on the market to increase strength, power, sprint performance, and muscle size,” Dewar says. “Creatine works to improve ATP (adenosine triphosphate) production, which is the main energy source the body uses for forceful and rapid muscle contractions. This energy source, however, also depletes quickly… so having ample amounts in the system just helps you always keep your ‘gas tank’ full. This can also aid in recovery, as creatine is part of all skeletal muscle tissue, and is constantly being used and replenished during hard training.”Who Should Take Creatine?AccordionItemContainerButton“Creatine is used by all ages, abilities, and body types, as physiologically our bodies require it as one of the earliest forms of energy to promote muscle function,” Dewar explains. “That said, I recommend it to anyone who wants to improve strength, power, and lean muscle mass growth. Additionally, there are some newer studies showing that creatine can also improve brain health. All in all, it’s something that has no downsides, in all the literature. I recommend people shoot for at least three grams a day, however five grams is the standard dose. While these aren’t usually standardized for body size, I find that five to eight grams is a solid option for larger individuals who train very hard and are more advanced.”Do I Need to “Load” Creatine?AccordionItemContainerButtonNo, Dewar says. Since creatine can take weeks to produce any noticeable effects, some folks opt to “load” it—a.k.a. take around 20 grams a day for the first week, in an effort to expedite the process. “Just taking [five grams] daily with some carbs is best,” he explains.What Is the Best Creatine to Take?AccordionItemContainerButtonCreatine monohydrate is the gold standard when it comes to supplementation.How Do I Supplement With Creatine?AccordionItemContainerButtonTake five grams a day, every day.Meet the ExpertMike Dewar is the founder and strength coach at J2FIT. With 13+ years of experience as a personal trainer, five years as a NCAA Strength Coach at New York University, and over 550+ published fitness and nutrition articles, he knows a thing or two about fitness. He also holds a masters in Exercise Physiology from Columbia University and a bachelors in Exercise Science from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. You can check him out on Instagram and YouTube. Source link

[chilimili212]

Your mom thinks it’s steroids, your gym bros think it’s a magic powder that gets you jacked overnight: Unfortunately, the best creatine supplements are decidedly neither of those things. That being said, creatine is one of the most thoroughly studied supplements on the market—a veritable beacon of hope in an otherwise largely unregulated industry—that actually does help boost strength, athletic performance, and muscle mass to a small (but not insignificant!) degree. “I recommend [creatine] to anyone who wants to improve strength, power, and lean muscle mass growth,” Mike Dewar, strength coach and founder of J2FIT, says. “Some newer studies show that creatine can also improve brain health.”I’ve personally been taking five grams of creatine every day for years, and pretty much every serious gym rat I know swears by the stuff. (Of course, you should consult with your medical provider before taking any supplements.) Will creatine magically make you a vascular, engorged freakbeast overnight? No. Will it—when coupled with hard training and good recovery—help with your gains? For sure. If you’re not sure where to start, check out our top picks for the best creatine supplements below.The Best Creatine Supplements, at a Glance:Looking for Something Specific?AccordionItemContainerButtonBest Creatine Overall: Nutricost Creatine Monohydrate PowderNutricostCreatine Monohydrate PowderIf you’ve read anything I’ve written about protein powder or supplements, you know that I’ve got a soft spot for Nutricost. The value here is really solid, and if you’re just looking for a big tub of creatine monohydrate—the only kind of creatine you should be buying, by the way—you can’t go wrong with Nutricost. (It also has the standard dose of five grams per scoop, which is key.) I’m partial to the unflavored version, since I don’t really mind the taste, but the brand offers a bunch of different options, ranging from Blue Raspberry to Mandarin Orange. If you’re looking for something to whack into a protein shake or slug down with some water, this is your best bet.Best Pre-Workout With Creatine: Gorilla Mind Gorilla Mode Pre-WorkoutIt’s easy to get bogged down in the supplement aisle—I myself am certainly guilty of having a few cabinets in my kitchen that look more like a GNC than I’d care to admit. For those trying to streamline their supplementation regimen, taking a pre-workout that has your daily dose of creatine built into the formula is a great way to get two birds stoned at once. With a grip of decent flavors and both stim and stim-free options, this is a solid choice for gym rats everywhere. (This also happens to be our top pick for the best pre-workout on the market.) One thing to note, though: Creatine only works if you take it every day, so on rest days, it’s best to use a regular creatine supplement instead.Best Creatine Pills: BulkSupplements Creatine Monohydrate CapsulesBulkSupplementsCreatine Monohydrate CapsulesDon’t mess with powders and potions? We feel you. For on-the-go meatheaderry, I like to pack these creatine pills instead of making a mess trying to funnel a bunch of powder into, say, an airport water bottle using a rolled-up magazine. (Though if you're going to go that route, make sure you use an issue of GQ.) A word of warning, though: The serving size for these is seven pills, which is (obviously) a lot of pills. It never bothers me, but it's good to keep in mind.Best Creatine Gummies: Legion Creatine Monohydrate GummiesLegionCreatine Monohydrate GummiesMore of a Flintstones vitamin dude? You’re in luck: Legion makes some delicious creatine gummies that are truly a joy to eat. Is hammering five gummies the most efficient way to get your creatine in? Probably not—but it make every morning a little more fun, which is always worth it in our book.Best Creatine for Traveling: Transparent Labs Creatine HMB Travel PacksTransparent LabsCreatine HMB Travel PacksI’m not going to comment on the science of HMB, but for on-the-go supplementation, it’s tough to beat these little stick packs of creatine from Transparent Labs—especially if you’re not a fan of knocking back a handful of horse pills. They come in both unflavored and blue raspberry versions, and contain your tried-and-true five grams of creatine monohydrate in each stick.Best Creatine Tablets: Animal Creatine Chews TabletsAnimalCreatine Chews TabletsWhile these chewable creatine tablets from Animal are marginally less fun than the gummies we listed above, they’re marginally more fun than an unflavored powder or a handful of gel-caps. Animal is an OG in the supplement game, and if you’ve been in the iron game for a while, you might remember their old school black-and-white print ads or the Animal Cage at the Arnold.Creatine FAQWhy Should People Take Creatine?AccordionItemContainerButton“Creatine is one of the most researched and scientifically proven legal supplements on the market to increase strength, power, sprint performance, and muscle size,” Dewar says. “Creatine works to improve ATP (adenosine triphosphate) production, which is the main energy source the body uses for forceful and rapid muscle contractions. This energy source, however, also depletes quickly… so having ample amounts in the system just helps you always keep your ‘gas tank’ full. This can also aid in recovery, as creatine is part of all skeletal muscle tissue, and is constantly being used and replenished during hard training.”Who Should Take Creatine?AccordionItemContainerButton“Creatine is used by all ages, abilities, and body types, as physiologically our bodies require it as one of the earliest forms of energy to promote muscle function,” Dewar explains. “That said, I recommend it to anyone who wants to improve strength, power, and lean muscle mass growth. Additionally, there are some newer studies showing that creatine can also improve brain health. All in all, it’s something that has no downsides, in all the literature. I recommend people shoot for at least three grams a day, however five grams is the standard dose. While these aren’t usually standardized for body size, I find that five to eight grams is a solid option for larger individuals who train very hard and are more advanced.”Do I Need to “Load” Creatine?AccordionItemContainerButtonNo, Dewar says. Since creatine can take weeks to produce any noticeable effects, some folks opt to “load” it—a.k.a. take around 20 grams a day for the first week, in an effort to expedite the process. “Just taking [five grams] daily with some carbs is best,” he explains.What Is the Best Creatine to Take?AccordionItemContainerButtonCreatine monohydrate is the gold standard when it comes to supplementation.How Do I Supplement With Creatine?AccordionItemContainerButtonTake five grams a day, every day.Meet the ExpertMike Dewar is the founder and strength coach at J2FIT. With 13+ years of experience as a personal trainer, five years as a NCAA Strength Coach at New York University, and over 550+ published fitness and nutrition articles, he knows a thing or two about fitness. He also holds a masters in Exercise Physiology from Columbia University and a bachelors in Exercise Science from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. You can check him out on Instagram and YouTube. Source link

[oliviajoyice21]

Your mom thinks it’s steroids, your gym bros think it’s a magic powder that gets you jacked overnight: Unfortunately, the best creatine supplements are decidedly neither of those things. That being said, creatine is one of the most thoroughly studied supplements on the market—a veritable beacon of hope in an otherwise largely unregulated industry—that actually does help boost strength, athletic performance, and muscle mass to a small (but not insignificant!) degree. “I recommend [creatine] to anyone who wants to improve strength, power, and lean muscle mass growth,” Mike Dewar, strength coach and founder of J2FIT, says. “Some newer studies show that creatine can also improve brain health.”I’ve personally been taking five grams of creatine every day for years, and pretty much every serious gym rat I know swears by the stuff. (Of course, you should consult with your medical provider before taking any supplements.) Will creatine magically make you a vascular, engorged freakbeast overnight? No. Will it—when coupled with hard training and good recovery—help with your gains? For sure. If you’re not sure where to start, check out our top picks for the best creatine supplements below.The Best Creatine Supplements, at a Glance:Looking for Something Specific?AccordionItemContainerButtonBest Creatine Overall: Nutricost Creatine Monohydrate PowderNutricostCreatine Monohydrate PowderIf you’ve read anything I’ve written about protein powder or supplements, you know that I’ve got a soft spot for Nutricost. The value here is really solid, and if you’re just looking for a big tub of creatine monohydrate—the only kind of creatine you should be buying, by the way—you can’t go wrong with Nutricost. (It also has the standard dose of five grams per scoop, which is key.) I’m partial to the unflavored version, since I don’t really mind the taste, but the brand offers a bunch of different options, ranging from Blue Raspberry to Mandarin Orange. If you’re looking for something to whack into a protein shake or slug down with some water, this is your best bet.Best Pre-Workout With Creatine: Gorilla Mind Gorilla Mode Pre-WorkoutIt’s easy to get bogged down in the supplement aisle—I myself am certainly guilty of having a few cabinets in my kitchen that look more like a GNC than I’d care to admit. For those trying to streamline their supplementation regimen, taking a pre-workout that has your daily dose of creatine built into the formula is a great way to get two birds stoned at once. With a grip of decent flavors and both stim and stim-free options, this is a solid choice for gym rats everywhere. (This also happens to be our top pick for the best pre-workout on the market.) One thing to note, though: Creatine only works if you take it every day, so on rest days, it’s best to use a regular creatine supplement instead.Best Creatine Pills: BulkSupplements Creatine Monohydrate CapsulesBulkSupplementsCreatine Monohydrate CapsulesDon’t mess with powders and potions? We feel you. For on-the-go meatheaderry, I like to pack these creatine pills instead of making a mess trying to funnel a bunch of powder into, say, an airport water bottle using a rolled-up magazine. (Though if you're going to go that route, make sure you use an issue of GQ.) A word of warning, though: The serving size for these is seven pills, which is (obviously) a lot of pills. It never bothers me, but it's good to keep in mind.Best Creatine Gummies: Legion Creatine Monohydrate GummiesLegionCreatine Monohydrate GummiesMore of a Flintstones vitamin dude? You’re in luck: Legion makes some delicious creatine gummies that are truly a joy to eat. Is hammering five gummies the most efficient way to get your creatine in? Probably not—but it make every morning a little more fun, which is always worth it in our book.Best Creatine for Traveling: Transparent Labs Creatine HMB Travel PacksTransparent LabsCreatine HMB Travel PacksI’m not going to comment on the science of HMB, but for on-the-go supplementation, it’s tough to beat these little stick packs of creatine from Transparent Labs—especially if you’re not a fan of knocking back a handful of horse pills. They come in both unflavored and blue raspberry versions, and contain your tried-and-true five grams of creatine monohydrate in each stick.Best Creatine Tablets: Animal Creatine Chews TabletsAnimalCreatine Chews TabletsWhile these chewable creatine tablets from Animal are marginally less fun than the gummies we listed above, they’re marginally more fun than an unflavored powder or a handful of gel-caps. Animal is an OG in the supplement game, and if you’ve been in the iron game for a while, you might remember their old school black-and-white print ads or the Animal Cage at the Arnold.Creatine FAQWhy Should People Take Creatine?AccordionItemContainerButton“Creatine is one of the most researched and scientifically proven legal supplements on the market to increase strength, power, sprint performance, and muscle size,” Dewar says. “Creatine works to improve ATP (adenosine triphosphate) production, which is the main energy source the body uses for forceful and rapid muscle contractions. This energy source, however, also depletes quickly… so having ample amounts in the system just helps you always keep your ‘gas tank’ full. This can also aid in recovery, as creatine is part of all skeletal muscle tissue, and is constantly being used and replenished during hard training.”Who Should Take Creatine?AccordionItemContainerButton“Creatine is used by all ages, abilities, and body types, as physiologically our bodies require it as one of the earliest forms of energy to promote muscle function,” Dewar explains. “That said, I recommend it to anyone who wants to improve strength, power, and lean muscle mass growth. Additionally, there are some newer studies showing that creatine can also improve brain health. All in all, it’s something that has no downsides, in all the literature. I recommend people shoot for at least three grams a day, however five grams is the standard dose. While these aren’t usually standardized for body size, I find that five to eight grams is a solid option for larger individuals who train very hard and are more advanced.”Do I Need to “Load” Creatine?AccordionItemContainerButtonNo, Dewar says. Since creatine can take weeks to produce any noticeable effects, some folks opt to “load” it—a.k.a. take around 20 grams a day for the first week, in an effort to expedite the process. “Just taking [five grams] daily with some carbs is best,” he explains.What Is the Best Creatine to Take?AccordionItemContainerButtonCreatine monohydrate is the gold standard when it comes to supplementation.How Do I Supplement With Creatine?AccordionItemContainerButtonTake five grams a day, every day.Meet the ExpertMike Dewar is the founder and strength coach at J2FIT. With 13+ years of experience as a personal trainer, five years as a NCAA Strength Coach at New York University, and over 550+ published fitness and nutrition articles, he knows a thing or two about fitness. He also holds a masters in Exercise Physiology from Columbia University and a bachelors in Exercise Science from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. You can check him out on Instagram and YouTube. Source link