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Hello guys! Today I have prepared another recipe for DIY hair cosmetics for you, i.
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Aloe Vera Ke Fayde: Swasthya Ke Liye Prakritik Upay
Aloe Vera ek prakritik jadi-buti hai jo swasthya ke liye kayi fayde pradan karta hai. Jane iske labh aur kaise istemal kare. Namaskar doston! Aloe Vera ek prakritik jadi-buti hai jo humare swasthya aur sundarta ke liye anek labh pradan karta hai. Is blog mein hum aloe vera ke kuch prasiddh utpadon ke fayde aur upayon ke baare mein baat karenge. Aloe Vera Facewash: Twacha Ke Liye Prakritik…
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#Aloe Vera Anti-Aging Ke Liye#Aloe Vera Beauty Tips#Aloe Vera Body Wash#Aloe Vera Chamakdar Twacha Ke Liye#Aloe Vera face mask#Aloe Vera Facewash#Aloe Vera Gel#Aloe Vera Gel Ke Fayde#Aloe Vera Hair Oil#Aloe Vera Hand Sanitizer#Aloe Vera Juice#Aloe Vera Ke Fayde#Aloe Vera Lip Balm#Aloe Vera Moisturizing Lotion#Aloe Vera Scrub#Aloe Vera scrub kaise upyog kare#Aloe Vera Twacha Ki Dekhbhaal#Aloe Vera Twacha Ki Routines#DIY Face Mask#Ghar Par Nikharein Twacha#Prakritik Chamakdar Twacha#Prakritik Twacha Chamak#Prakritik Twacha Ki Dekhbhaal
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DIY: Hair styling spray
New Post has been published on https://hazirbilgi.com/hair-styling-spray/
DIY: Hair styling spray
Hair styling is not always easy and effortless. Hair products, on the other hand, have started to become very high-priced products recently. Here is a recipe that will come in handy at this point: Homemade hairspray…
Ingredients for homemade hairspray :
1 spray bottle
1 lemon (half an orange for dry hair)
2 glasses of water
5 drops of lavender oil
First, cut the lemon or orange into slices. Then put 2 glasses of water in a small pot and add the chopped lemons (or oranges) on it. After boiling, continue to boil over medium heat until the water loses half its volume.
Take it off the stove and add the lavender oil into it. Strain using a strainer or cheesecloth. After it cools down a bit, pour the mixture into the spray bottle. If you want to store it outside the refrigerator, you can add 60 ml of rubbing alcohol from the pharmacy. If you do not want to use alcohol, you can store it in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.
Use of:
Shake the spray bottle well before use. Spray at least 30 cm away from the area you want to apply the spray. If it feels sticky, you can dilute the mixture by adding a little more water.
Before using such homemade products, do not forget to test for allergies on a small area of your skin. If you experience any redness, burning or itching as a result of the test, do not use the product.
#diy anti static hair spray#diy anti static spray for hair#diy dry shampoo spray without alcohol#diy hair gloss spray#diy hair setting spray at home#diy hair spray for curly hair#diy hair spray for dry hair#diy hair styling products#diy hair styling spray#diy spray hair conditioner#diy styling spray#diy: hair styling spray#hair styling spray gel#homemade styling gel#how to make hair styling spray at home#joico styling and finishing spray#joico styling spray#k style hair products#mixing hair styling products#moisturizing hair spray diy
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A few DIY beauty secrets I began doing to elevate my "natural" look | IT GIRL DIARIES
something that I noticed over the years, when looking to enhance your natural beauty, there are 4 main points that build the first impression, hair, eyes, brows and lips..
I have naturally bushy brows that I used to manage with eyebrow gel, but it would start flaking during the day, which gave me the ickk. So, I began laminating them with a kid-friendly relaxer every two weeks (my eyebrows grow pretty fast, which is why I do it so often and i don't get them professionally done because i don't trust people with my brows lol).
I always tweeze my eyebrows instead of waxing them; they seem to grow back slower that way + it's easier to do, just grab a tweezer along with a pocket mirror and you can do it anywhere if you see a hair out of place. ( don't over do it though, i made this mistake and it went horribly, just keep them neat )
Get your lashes laminated !!! Natural lashes are so classy and I don't have to worry about putting on mascara or falsies. This I'd get done professionally though lmao, I would do this myself but I'm way to scared to be messing with anything chemically so close to my eyes, so it isn't necessarily a diy but still, get it done!
ALWAYS make sure your hair, eyes (lashes) and eyebrows are done! You don't have to have a silk press, falsies and freshly waxed brows 24/7 but make sure they're neat. These are the key features that attracts people's attention when youre speaking to them
I have tight 4b type hair, and I used to have to lay my edges with gel or edge control because of how fluffy they'd get when I wore my curls out, but it was super damaging from constantly pulling on them and having them laid down. So, I started relaxing my edges every 3-6 months. Now, all I use is a bit of hairspray to keep them tamed, and now it doesn't puff up even during workouts and it lasts my whole silk press. Yes, my curls are still thriving.
I do weekly deep conditioning, monthly hot oil treatments, routine trims, and always use a heat protectant and frizz control when doing silk presses to stretch them out and minimize heat application. ( my hair has grown so much, leave your hair alone and only feed it when it's hungry! )
you'll hear everyone talking about silk bonnets, but as someone who hates the feeling of having anything on their head or in their face, I always took it off unknowingly throughout the night and it defeated the purpose, so i got silk pillow cases instead, game changer! i don't wrap my hair as often anymore and i don't experience frizz anymore.
I apply a face mask every week depending on what my skin is lacking, whether it’s moisture or something else. It just keeps my face looking fresh and plump in between professional monthly facials.
I use a lip tint every third day. It makes makeup application easier, and it doesn’t wear off throughout the day so i don't have to re-apply lipstick continuously. It also gives my lips a bit more colour so now I just leave the house with a pretty gloss or plain lip balm.
I take zinc supplements religiously!
Vitamin C everyday, all day. Lemon wedge in my greentea for breakfast, orange for a lunchtime snack and a naartjie for a late night movie. My skin is glowinggg!
hair removal cream! this is so slept on, i no longer shave or wax, both of them have caused ingrowns for me and accentuate my strawberry legs. i use hair removal cream now and i don't think I'll ever go back! i use it probably every week or so depending on how much growth i have, it's so easy and mess free. apply it before you get in the shower and use an exfoliating glove to slide it off gently and continue with your normal wash routine. always apply tissue oil and moisturizer after! baby soft skin all day, everyday!
It's not much, but these small changes have completely transformed my overall look. i do them specifically for those actual no makeup days where i want to give my skin a break from makeup or where im working out but still want to look prettyyy and done up..it's like a wash and go except it's for your face lmao, anyways
mwah! xoxo, colebabey8.88
www.investingforbeginners/gumroad.com
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#not my pic#it girl journey#becoming the it girl#og it girl#it girl#pink#early 2000s#fashion#pink aesthetic#branding#colebabey888#pink core#dream girl journey#makeup#becoming that girl#girl things#girlhood#im just a girl#pink girl#brown girl luxury#girlblogger#this is a girlblog#girlblog aesthetic#gaslight gatekeep girlblog#girlblogging#just a girlblog#beauty tips
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The Kind of Girl I Want To Be
Buys herself pink peonies and roses
Wears scents like Parfums De Marly Delina and Oriana, Miss Dior, YSL Paris, Prada Candy, Mon Guerlain and Chanel Chance Eau Tendre (she sprays it in the morning, after showers, and before going to bed)
Bakes heart shaped sugar cookies and macarons
Spends rainy days sipping rose tea from floral china while reading beautifully bound classic novels
Has a bookshelf filled with first edition poetry books, gilded editions of fairytale books, volumes of the Little Books of Fashion series, leatherbound classics, and Harlequin romance novels
Drinks peppermint tea in the morning and camomile tea at night
Sleeps on pink silk sheets and has a satin kimono robe
Plays Brigitte Bardot, classical music, and soft jazz in the background
Takes ballates or yogalates classes
Plays the violin or cello
Watches Audrey Hepburn and Anna Karina films
Adds sweet almond oil and rose bath tea to her vanilla bubble bath
Has a seasonal pass to the ballet and regularly visits the theatre, old bookshops, botanical gardens, and art galleries
Keeps things like French Girl lip tints/Glossier lip balms/Too Faced lip glosses, a hand mirror, a comb, some bonbons, a book, a rollerball of perfume, hand cream, a piece of rose quartz, a scrunchie, a nail file, spray on SPF and bubblegum in her bag at all times
Is always up to date with Fashion Week
Writes in her diary daily in swirly writing using coloured gel pens, pressing flowers between the pages and spraying perfume samples on it
Lights Yankee Candle Fresh Cut Roses or Rainbow Cookie, keeps soap and lavender in her wardrobe, and has vanilla diffusers around the house
Lives in a cosy home filled with beautiful things, like paintings by local artists, lots of cushions and throws, soft lighting from salt lamps and fairy lights, potted herbs and succulents, vintage vases filled with floral arrangements, DIY macramé and embroidery projects, a bowl of different crystals, signature Barbies on a shelf, rattan furniture, fluffy towels in white, pink, baby blue, and lavender, pink Dove or rose Roger et Gallet soap and Jurlique rose hand cream on the bathroom sink, pictures of her loved ones in antique frames, floral patterns everywhere, antique mirrors, and beautiful porcelain teasets
Goes to French cafés to enjoy a vanilla oat latte with a millefeuille or almond croissant
Always wears diamond or pearl earrings (often paired with a charm bracelet or gold heart locket)
Enjoys rosé wine, champagne, and strawberry daiquiris at lunchtime occasionally
Snacks on strawberries, sugared almonds, dried fruit and nuts, and Turkish Delight
Applies powder, rosy blush, lipgloss, and puts ribbons in her hair at her vanity table, which is decorated with a ballerina music box, vintage perfume bottles, and trinkets shaped like swans, angels and shepherdesses
Has her morning and evening routines down pat: waking up to melodic music, opening the windows, making the bed, doing gentle yoga, simple skincare, getting dressed, applying makeup, and eating a simple but delicious breakfast in the morning, and having a warm shower, doing more decadent skincare, putting on comfy cotton or satin pyjamas, journalling, enjoying a calming cup of herbal tea, reading, looking out the window at the moon, and falling asleep to relaxing sounds like ocean waves, gentle rainfall, and white noise at night. Her life runs like clockwork.
Is gentle, sweet, romantic, and full of love to give
#law of attraction#becoming that girl#clean girl#girlblogging#dream girl#girl journal#glow up#glow up tips#wonyongism#it girl#pink pilates girl#pink pilates princess#it girl energy#girly tumblr#self improvement#affirmations#pink aesthetic#pink text#dream girl journey#dream girl tips#hyperfeminine#girl blogger#just girly things#stardust swan
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KALOGERAS BEAUTY TIPS . 🤎
hair care is crucial. look into diy hair masks that revive ur curls. the most infamous one is the egg, olive oil, and mayo one. now you don’t have to stop doing things like straightening your hair but keep it to a minimum, make sure you have heat protectant. curling brands to consider is lola or skala, both brazilian brands. i believe they all use bounce curl products however. just take ur hair journey slow, research if possible. natural shampoos like using aloe vera gel straight from the plant could be beneficial. however it is not necessary.
now with clothes, they have a variety of different items. sometimes they share the same clothes. but a majority of them are bodycon dresses and basics (plain tees, tube tops, and such). this is something you can find anywhere.
and lastly, self love. the kalogera sisters know they’re fine. and so should you. sometimes it’s harder to gain confidence than it is others. you hear fake it til you make it. tbh i’m learning myself as well. ur self love journey is something sacred. you will eventually find your way. i know for me, i might not feel the most confident but when i put megan thee stallion on… that’s another story 😭. i also never neglect self care. i do my activities every friday, it’s the best day for beauty and self care. wether that’s making homemade hair and skin masks. treating myself to some sweets. baking cookies. that’s another thing i think sunday does? she loves to bake. that’s a good way to treat yourself. and there’s many recipes, both homemade and storebought.
#pac#pick a card#pick a picture#pick a pile#tarot cards#it girl#tarot#pink pilates princess#self care#self love#kalogeras sisters#sunday kalogeras#eliana kalogeras#demitra kalogeras#beauty#beauty tips
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DIY HAIR SALON,
(bill x gn! reader)
BILL HAD BEEN TRYING TO GET THE GEL OUT OF HIS HAIR FOR THE PAST 30 MINUTES, it was about 9pm and you were staying over at the kaulitz house for a sleepover with tom and him.
you could tell he was frustrated from the agitated grunts and groans that left the bathroom ever 2 minutes.
you stifled a laughter as you heard him, “scheiße!” he yelled as he yanked at his messed up hair what was doing everything but cooperating with him.
tom was watching tv playing absolutely no mind to his brothers rant, you of course had stood up and began to walk towards the bathroom door.
“bill, you need help in there?” you asked fighting back a smirk as the door swung open after a few seconds.
bill just nodded with wide eyes in a pleading look as his hair stuck up in all different directions he looked he had been electrocuted,
you pursed your lips together in an attempt to stop your laughter as bill spoke up, “you can laugh.” he frowned. he was upset but he still found your reaction quite amusing.
“sorry. you just look like you have really fucked up liberty spikes.” you choked out in between giggles as a small smile found the raven haired boys face.
“now, let me actually help you.” you grinned as bill nodded and stepped back so you could enter the bathroom.
you looked at the counter that was scattered with all types of brushes and detangle spray. you shook your head in amusement before you turned to him.
“you have to wash it out silly.” you bubbled as the boys mouth opened in shock as laughter erupted in between you two.
after the small giggling fit you grabbed some shampoo and set it on the counter. “were gonna wash your hair in the sink cause its like way easier.”
bill looked at you like you were crazy before mumbling something under his breath about it, you turned on the faucet as water started to pour out.
“do i really have to?” he asked with a look of dissatisfaction. “if you want me to help you yes.” he rolled his eyes and bent over to where the water touched his hair.
“its cold!” bill squeaked as he quickly lifted his head up from the water as he threw his head back, getting you wet. “bill!” you exclaimed as you jumped back.
“sorry! its freezing though!” he frowned as you quickly turned on the hot water and ran it under your hands. “there princess.” you joked.
“shutup…” he mumbled before sticking his head back under the faucet and closing his eyes.
you grabbed the shampoo bottle that was scented like strawberries off the counter and poured a bit into your hands. “keep yours eyes shut.” you said as bill obligated.
you massaged the soap throughout bills hair as he hummed quietly, he actually found it quite relaxing.
soon all the gel had washed out as you grabbed a towel and dried off your hands before handing it to him.
bill turned off the faucet and began to dry his hair, you fought a blush that rose to your cheeks. he looked really fucking attractive.
“you might as well take a photo.” he joked as snapped out of the very intense staring session. you scoffed and rolled your eyes.
he sat the towel down, “thanks cutie.” he grinned as you blushed, a small smirk rose to your lips.
“your welcome princess.” you teased as you pecked his cheek gently before walking back to the couch leaving bill a flustered mess.
#x reader#kaulitz twins#ynstories#bill kaulitz#ao3#bill x reader#tokio hotel#hearts4kaulitz#tokio hotel x reader#tom kaulitz
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Can you make a how to live like song jia for a day ?
How to live like song jia ౨ৎ ⋆。˚ the perfect routine to boost your self-esteem
This is a guide on daily routines inspired by Song Jia! These routines are perfect for people who want to slowly build unbreakable confidence, like freezia!
content list (routines):
morning
study
workout
shower + self care
night
(_ _ ) . . z Z⋆ ˚。⋆୨୧˚୨ :★: ୧ ∗ ˖࣪ ໒꒱ ˚₊·
✸ ꒰ morning routine ꒱⋆ ࣪.* ࣪.⋆
🤍 Jia starts her mornings drinking a cup of water or coffee on an empty stomach, this can help to boost your metabolism and detox your body. I would recommend to drink water rather than coffee, since this could have some negative side effects.
Next step is to say some affirmations in front of the mirror, saying affirmations like 'I look so pretty today' or 'my skin looks so healthy' or simply being kinder to ourselves can ease stress, allow us to face difficulty more courageously, and feel more content and confident!
Now it's time for skincare, Jia emphasizes on having a healthy skincare, for this you will need to create a routine based on your skin type (dry, oily, combination, sensitive, normal or acne prone) and your skin concerns (black heads, bumps, irritation, scars, etc.), please make sure to consult a professional before using anything on your face! Now Jia usually cleanses her face with a foam cleanser and then use toner, a moisturizing ampule, moisturizer and sunscreen! She makes sure to apply the products on her neck too.
After skincare it's time to get dressed, while we wait for the products to absorb! Jia is a really fashionable girl, make sure to have fun with the textures, shapes and color combinations to make the best outfit and boost it using accessories like hats or sunglasses, don't forget to get a matching bag and shoes too!
Time for makeup! Jia's daily makeup consist of BB cream, mascara, eyebrow pencil and lipstick, but if she's shooting something she will add contour, blush, eyeshadow, eyeliner and highlighter to the routine!
✸ ꒰ study routine ꒱⋆ ࣪.* ࣪.⋆
🎀 When Jia goes to her Chinese classes she pays attention and does activities in her book, she also practices writing random things like her name! She memorizes vocabulary and practice a little with her friends in the same class.
✸ ꒰ workout routine ꒱⋆ ࣪.* ࣪.⋆
🦢 Jia recommends to work out at least for 20 minutes per day! She usually does simple waist or legs exercises while standing up looking at her phone or watching TV.
Also she goes to Pilates classes so you can try to do a 20 minute Pilates workout video like this one.
✸ ꒰ shower and self care routine ꒱⋆ ࣪.* ࣪.⋆
🩰 To boost your self-esteem Jia says that we have to at least take 2 days of the week (Saturday and Sunday) on really taking care and spend time with ourselves.
First detangle your hair using a hairbrush, then hop on the shower and use shampoo, conditioner and a hair mask to treat your hair. Then wash your body using a shower gel and a body scrub. Jia uses a soothing gel, thermal water and a body lotion to moisturize her body after shower, she massages the products on her skin to relax her muscles. After 30 minutes, she dries her hair with cold air. After, you can trim your split ends or take care of your nails if necessary.
As a part of self-care, do chores like doing laundry or washing the dishes so you can start relaxing on a tidy place (you can also light an scented candle). Also, Jia takes her vitamins for her hair and overall health.
Now it's time to enjoy our hobbies! Having hobbies help us with both our physical and mental health, plus having our alone time makes us more comfortable with ourselves and help with self -discovery, Jia haves a good set of hobbies that she spends most of her time doing like oil painting, doing DIYs, watching dramas like insider, taking care of her dogs, cooking and baking, playing video games and golf!
✸ ꒰ night routine ꒱⋆ ࣪.* ࣪.⋆
🌷 Finally, Jia spends her night taking care of her skin! First she washes her hands, the uses a cleansing oil or milk, then she uses makeup remover on her eyes if the cleanser didn't take off her eyeliner for example, then she uses a foam cleanser and toner to finish cleanse her skin. After she uses a hydrating mist and ampule, a dermatologic treatment, sheet mask, lip balm and moisturizer (remember to apply it on the neck too!) after she uses a gua sha to massage her face.
as a part of skincare, make sure to sleep at least 8 hours everyday and drink enough water to wake up with perfect skin!
(_ _ ) . . z Z⋆ ˚。⋆୨୧˚୨ :★: ୧ ∗ ˖࣪ ໒꒱ ˚₊·
Heyyy ty for reading!! This is my first request everrrr I'm so excited <3 🥹🥹, sorry for being inactive, school has been killing me but I'm finally on my summer break! Also sorry this took me a lot of time to do >.< i had to do a marathon of Jia's videos to make this
Hehe i think that's all stay tuned ໒꒰ྀི´• ˕ •` ꒱ྀིა
toodlez!!!!!!
#jia#song jia#freezia#wonyoungism#song jia motivation#morning routine#study routine#workout routine#shower routine#self care routine#night routine#aesthetic#coquette#dream girl#it girl#pink blog#that girl#pinterest#pink pilates princess#glow up#beautytips#girly#pinterest girl#becoming that girl#pink princess#productivity#motivation#inspo#self care#dream life
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MISSION: ACCOMPLISHED
PAIRING: Nagi Seishirō/Reader
CONTENT: holding hands, wingman mikage reo
WORD COUNT: 1.7k
The night of Halloween finds a group of three in your room, underneath the dim glow of your ceiling light.
In one corner, Reo hogs the space in front of your full-length mirror, almost nose-to-nose with his own reflection as he prods at the plastic fangs in his mouth, unsatisfied with how they fit across his teeth like a shoe three sizes too big. His eyebrows look as if they’ve been filled in with black marker by a child learning to colour inside the lines for the first time, and the splotchy white facepaint all across his skin isn’t making things any better.
Despite whatever intentions he may have of impressing people tonight with his DIY costume, you think he looks more unhinged than anything else. More of a jumpscare than a sight to behold, and more clown than vampire, as far as you’re concerned. You whisper your opinions to Nagi, and with a noncommittal nod, he agrees.
Speaking of Nagi, there he is: sprawled on top of your bed, stomach facing down. His head is in his arms, although once in a while, curiosity drives him to peek over his forearms and glance in your general direction, where you’re sitting cross-legged on the floor. With your posture mimicking that of a desk lamp, there’s an expression of concentration on your face that Nagi finds endearing, even though he doesn’t understand why you’re putting so much effort into vandalising a Halloween costume that’s not even yours.
Because in your eyes, simply draping a white sheet of fabric over his head could hardly be considered a costume, so you’ve taken it upon yourself to fix it up a bit with some dry erase marker, drawing in some distorted ovals for eyes and a mouth to make it look a little less… last-minute.
“I’m done,” you declare at the same time Reo does, your purple-haired friend finally turning away from the mirror for the first time in almost two hours. He looks proud of himself.
“How do I look?” Reo wiggles his eyebrows, gaze flitting between his two friends for a response. However, it’s by mere coincidence that Nagi expects you to be the one to respond on the behalf of you two just as you expect him to do the same, so you end up looking off to the side while Nagi shuts his eyes, the both of you purposefully avoiding eye contact with Reo and waiting for the other to say something.
After an agonisingly long minute of silence, you realise what’s going on and internally let out a dramatic groan.
“Reo,” you say finally, “what are you supposed to be?”
Reo frowns, pointing to his fangs. “Can’t you see? And I told you already. I’m a vampire, duh.” He holds his hands up, mimicking claws for some reason. “Rawr, or whatever.”
“Vampires don’t rawr, what the fuck is wrong with you.”
“Then what do they do? Huh? If you’re so genius.”
You grab a pillow from underneath Nagi’s arms, whose face contorts into a frown but he doesn’t say anything else when you proceed to fling it at Reo. You’re aware that him being an athlete sort of comes with quick reflexes and that he’s just allowing you the satisfaction when he lets the pillow hit his face and fall to his lap, but you’d rather believe you caught him off guard this time around.
“I don’t think vampires do that,” Reo says.
With all of your heart, you hope he somehow contracts an allergic reaction from the facepaint he’s using. And his hair falls out from the gallons of gel in it.
Turning to Nagi, you toss the costume over his head.
“What d’ya think?”
“It’s creative,” Nagi comments, with the white fabric obscuring his view. You’ve also taken the artistic liberty of cutting small eye holes into the sheet (with his permission, of course) for him to see out, but he doesn’t bother trying to readjust it, leaving the ghost’s eyes near the top of his head and the mouth somewhere by his left ear.
“Looks great. You really did a lot for his costume,” Reo adds, snickering from the far corner of the room before turning back to the mirror with a pout as he picks at the facepaint, which is now starting to flake off like dandruff. His eyebrows still don’t quite look right.
You shake your head, then scooch closer to the side of your bed. “Sei, you’re supposed to— the black eyes go, you know, where your eyes are. There’s holes so you can see.”
“So much effort just to put my Halloween costume on…” Nagi sighs, and then instead of moving the sheet of fabric around like any sane person would, he uses his arms to lift it up, stopping just above his eyebrows. A pair of ashen eyes centre on you, still sitting cross-legged on the floor as he suddenly drops his hands, letting the fabric drape over your head and shoulders. “Done. I can see now.”
Fighting back an eye roll, you tell him firmly, “No, you cannot.”
“I can see you just fine.”
“Yeah, only me.”
“I’m okay with that.”
You avert eye contact, ignoring the way your face feels tingly with his breath fanning across your skin. “You won’t be okay when you bump into a street lamp or something while trick-or-treating.”
“Hmm…” His expression twists into one of full concentration. Lazily, he grabs another pillow and manoeuvres it so that the side of his face can rest atop it, gazing down at you. “Then you can be my eyes.”
You blink, perplexed by what he means. “Huh.”
“I’ll hold onto your hand, and you can guide me so I don’t bump into or trip over anything,” Nagi suggests, nonchalant as per usual.
“That is—“ You clear your throat, swallowing thickly. You tell yourself: this is normal. Nothing special or unusual or cryptic. There are no other implications behind his words. Do not overthink. (You’re so overthinking it.) “That’s a lot more effort than if you just wear the costume right.”
“Maybe he just wants to hold your hand,” a voice speaks out loud your thoughts, though it sounds less like your subconscious and more like a certain friend— shit, you’ve forgotten that Reo is still in the room. With ears to hear your conversation and eyes to see… “I really hope you two aren’t kissing in there because that’d be real awkward. You could at least have some decency to tell me to leave.”
Upon the realisation that you and Nagi’s current situation could come off as something it’s totally not, you jump away immediately, pulling the sheet off and chucking it away from the both of you as far as you can.
“We were not doing that— shut up,” you splutter. Glowering at him, you latch onto the pillow beneath the Nagi’s head in preparation to throw it at him once again.
“Oh, so you were kissing,” Reo muses with a grin. “You’re all breathless and shit. And Nagi looks like someone just spray-painted his face pink.”
Before you can say anything, Nagi slightly lifts his head off the pillow, and you take that as your signal to hurl it at Reo’s face.
Unfortunately, with some notable prediction and athletic skills, he catches it with one hand. He flashes a smug smile, one that you think will haunt your nightmares for as long as you live, fucked up eyebrows and all.
“Get out.”
“Fine! Fine. I see how it is.” Reo throw his hands up in mock-exasperation, but the way he agrees so easily has you wondering what he’s actually planning. You don’t have to wait long, however, before he reveals it himself:
“Have fun, you two,” he bids by way of a farewell, emphasising the ‘fun’ part by making kissy noises at the air and wrapping his arms around himself to create the illusion of a passionate make-out session as he walks out. The door slams behind him, the loud before the silence that follows after.
You don’t want to look at Nagi. You’re too embarrassed to even move in his vicinity.
“Hey.” You feel a poke in the middle of your shoulder blade. “If Reo’s gone, does that mean we won’t have to go trick-or-treating?”
Considering how Reo, out of the three of you, was the one who wanted to go trick-or-treating the most, you don’t really have an opinion on the matter. Plus, you hadn’t spent that much time on your costume, and neither had Nagi, clearly. “I don’t care either way.”
“Then let’s just stay in and watch a horror movie.” With a satisfied hum, he rolls over onto his back, rummaging with one hand for your laptop that you keep stowed away in one of the drawers of your bedside table.
“It’s in the middle drawer.”
“Thanks.”
After gathering the pillows that you’d thrown at Reo off the floor and placing them back on your bed, you hop into the empty spot right beside him.
A couple minutes into the movie, Nagi speaks up.
“You can hold my hand if you’re scared, by the way.”
You freeze, turning to look at him, but by then, he’s already returned his focus to the screen. This is normal, you try to convince yourself again. He’s just silly like that, it doesn’t mean anything. Figures you find yourself focusing on him more than the actual movie.
(At some point during the movie, a cheap yet convincing enough jumpscare pops up across the screen, and subconsciously, your hand interlocks with his. Nagi’s heart almost drops to his ass, but he thinks nonetheless: mission accomplished.)
[BONUS]
Mikage Reo:
hey you
are you holding [y/n]’s hand yet
i swear if you aren’t… i went trick or treating ALL BY MYSELF just for you two
do you know how #Lame i look dressed in a vampire costume towering over all the other little kids in front of somebody’s house like. Trick or Treat! ^_^
one of the parents asked me if i was too old to be trick or treating T_T
nagi seishirō:
yeah
Mikage Reo:
yeah what
yeah about holding hands or about knowing how lame i look
HELLO?????
read
#this was so fun to write#nagi x reader#nagi seishiro x reader#nagi x you#nagi x y/n#blue lock x gender neutral reader#blue lock fluff#nagi fluff#blue lock x reader#blue lock x you#229ZMI
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Reveal Your Bollywood Glow: Unveiling Celebrity-Inspired Skincare Secrets.
This blog is going to be all about Indian & bollywood inspired products and skincare tips. If you also want a blog separately about Indian natural and authentic skincare or hair care I'll surely make it. ��
Know Your Skin Type : Identify your skin type - whether it's oily, dry, combination, or sensitive - to tailor your skincare routine effectively.
Cleanse Like a Star : Use a gentle cleanser like Cetaphil or Neutrogena to remove dirt and makeup and a oil cleaner is a must if you wear makeup daily. Opt for micellar water for a quick and effective cleanse on busy days. (But I don't really recommend it).
Exfoliate for Radiance : Incorporate a mild exfoliator like St. Ives Apricot Scrub or The Body Shop's Vitamin C Glow-Revealing Liquid Peel to slough off dead skin cells and reveal glowing skin. And my personal favorite coffee scrub from The Bombay shaving company. Don't exfoliate more than twice a week.
Hydration Is Key : Use a hydrating toner such as Clinique Moisture Surge Face Spray for an instant boost of hydration or toner + mist from pilgrim works like magic (my fav 😭).
Targeted Treatments : Include a serum with ingredients like hyaluronic acid (for hydration) or vitamin C (for hyperpigmentation) if you are under 17 or 18 like me don't use vitamin c or if you want to use in very less %, I use 2% kojic acid for my uneven skin tone from pilgrim, it's very begniner friendly. (Always consult a dermatologist for your skincare don't go around seeing videos on insta and YouTube believing them). I recommend Minimalist if you want chemical bases serums.
If you are above 23 or 25 Incorporate a retinol-based cream like RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream for anti-aging benefits. (Got this tip from mumma for y'all 😭✨️)
Sun Protection Essentials : Always apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher, such as La Roche-Posay Anthelios Ultra Light Fluid, to protect your skin from harmful UV rays. More affordable and effective sunscreens from brands — dot and key, aqualogica, Dr. Seth and wish care.
Overnight Nourishment: Use a hydrating overnight mask like Laneige Water Sleeping Mask to replenish moisture while you sleep. Incorporate a facial oil like The Ordinary's Rose Hip Seed Oil for added nourishment and radiance.
DIY Treatments Inspired by Bollywood:
- Try a turmeric, gram flour and yogurt face mask inspired by Priyanka Chopra for glowing skin.
- Use aloe vera gel like Deepika Padukone for its soothing and hydrating properties. (MY fav bolly actress btw 😭❤️)
Lifestyle Tips for Healthy Skin : Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day people are not stupid that they are going around telling you to drink water, IT'S A MUST!. Incorporate antioxidant-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, and green tea into your diet for overall skin health.
Some of my fav brands (mostly available in india) : dot and key, Foxtale, pilgrim, minimalist, st. Botanica, organic harvest and aqualogica!
Fav brand released by a bollywood actress: Hyphen by Kriti Sanon, their lip balm can even beat Rhode's lip balm istg- and their sunscreen 🔛🔝.
Channel your inner Bollywood diva and achieve a radiant, flawless skin with these skincare tips and product recommendations. Let your skin glow like a star!
#desi#desi tumblr#india#girlblogging#indian#beacoming that girl#desiblr#advice#it girl#this is a girlblog#self care#skincare#self care tips#self love#glow up#bollywood#indian aesthetic#wonyoungism#self growth#self grooming#positivity#positive suggestions#deepika padukone#aishwarya rai#it girl energy#girly#desi stuff#desi things#desi core#desi girl
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hey can you do hawk moskowitz and female reader demitris sister diying hawks hair and Demitri comes in to the bathroom and red hair dye is everywhere so he gose to readers room and sees them making out and if you wanna add more to it you can or if your not comfortable with it
Love your posts about hawk
Hello yes I can do this I am comfortable with it I will make a post in what I am uncomfortable with later and this is a great idea thank you
Hair dye hawk x fem!reader alepoxules
Warnings- making out, soft hawk, sleepy hawk, I think that's it
Thank you for the first request btwww
You and hawk had just come back from the store with red hair dye to re dye his hair
Hawk had never let you do his hair so he was nervous but the scalp massages when you put the dark brown on made this boy fold
You was smiling as he closed his eyes when you was massaging it into his scalp
'that feels so nice' he whispers as you chuckle at him 'I'm gonna do your red now' you chuckle at him when he opens his eyes
You start mixing the red dye together and he kisses your cheek as you concentrated on the mixing
You began to put the red on his mid to end section of his hair spiking it up so it didn't touch the brown
Hawks hands stayed rested on your hips
Whilst it was saturating in his hair you made some coffee and gave him a cup aswell as drinking your own
You started walming the shower up and made him sit with his head over the bath
The hot water with your hands scratching on his head just made him fall in love all over again
Once you was done with washing it out you towel dried his hair so it was damp and then walked in your room with him
You dried the dampness off with your hair dryer and he just left it floppy so all his natural oils in his hair would stay and the gel wouldn't attack them
You was sat on your bed when hawk sat next to you as you scrolled through your phone
'phone down' he looked at you and you cocked an eyebrow 'don't cock an eyebrow at me' he whined
You placed your phone down his lips crashing straight onto yours
Your right hand went in his hair and his left was on his jaw as his hands gripped onto your hips you tugged at his hair
Hawk let a small groan out before crashing his lips back onto yours
Within 10 minutes demitri came home you wasn't expecting him to be home so early from miyagi do
Demitri walked in the bathroom to see the bath covered in bright pigmented red staining the bath and wall tiles
When he went into your room he saw the make out between you and hawk your lips clasped onto each other's if one was to separate you'd die
'please stop with the aggressive making out you look like weirdos' demitri scoffs
'dude what do you want' you pull away from hawks face
'for you to clean the bathroom it's covered in hair dye' demitri rolled his eyes 'yeah yeah whatever later' you was moving your hands from hawk
Demitri left the room leaving you and hawk o just cuddle instead of making out as much as you loved it making out made you both very tired
'I didn't kiss you to rough or grab you to hard right I don't wanna hurt you' hawk lays I'm between your legs so his head was on your chest
This boy is so tall that he has to scooch down so he's not laid on top of you
'no you didn't hurt me I liked it' you smile at him moving his hair out his face
You brushed his hair back making hawks eyes flutter shut slowly and open again
'you tired baby' you whisper as he nods he comes back up next to you so he can wrap his arms around you
'go to sleep then' you whisper watching his blue eyes flutter closed for longer now as his breathing slowed down
He was asleep in seconds and his soft breathing made you sleepy aswell causing you to fall asleep
#eli moskowitz x reader#eli moskowitz#eli moskowitz blurb#cobra kai#hawk cobra kai x reader#cobra kai hawk#cobra kai x reader#jacob bertrand
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beauty on a budget for someone new to the lifestyle?
since you’re only starting out, you’ll probably want to focus on affordable products and diy and at home beauty treatments.
you can get affordable skin care products from brands like cerave, cetaphil, and the ordinary. you’ll find all your essential cleansers, serums, exfoliators and moisturizers. you can order facial sheet masks in bulk cheap from amazon. you can also use aztec secret healing clay as a clay masque. skip the guasha altogether and follow a youtube tutorial for face sculpting massages instead.
good quality affordable makeup brands I used when I was nearly broke included e.l.f., nyx, wet n’ wild, maybelline, and makeup revolution. look into some other drug store brands within your budget and check reviews before you buy anything so you don’t waste your money. get generic beauty blenders and powder puffs, you’ll be replacing them often anyway so it’s best to get them cheap. you can buy cheap big makeup brush sets on amazon that’ll last a long time if you clean them regularly and take care of them.
press on nails and home manicures / pedicures will save you a ton of money and time. find a good manicure kit and pumice stone. buy a dollar store basin and some epsom salts to soak your feet. for press on nails I usually get mine from temu or brands like kiss and impress. if you just want to paint your natural nails, get a gel polish like l.a. colors color craze gel or sally hansen miracle gel. if you want to go the extra mile, invest in the supplies and learn how to do your own acrylics or gel manicures.
learn how to wax, shape, and tint your own eyebrows. you can buy an affordable diy wax kit like this one and use youtube tutorials on how to find the most flattering brow shape. (as a bonus, the hard waxing kit can also be used to remove unwanted hair on the rest of your body.) you can also find cheap brow tinting kits that usually last up to five uses at sally’s beauty supply and various other stores online.
if you want your lashes done, you can either get really, really good at applying a strip lash – my go to affordable brands are ardell and kiss – or you can invest in some bulk lash clusters and the falscara diy eyelash extension kit. figure out what lash placement will best compliment your features, then watch lots and lots of youtube tutorials on how to use it and practice, practice, practice. they take some getting used to.
when it comes to hair care, the very first thing you want to do is figure out your hair type with a quiz like this one and find what it needs to look and feel healthy. I have 2A hair, so I would pretty much always spring for nexxus for something moisturizing and lightweight, but I’ve heard great things about ogx, shea moisture, not your mother’s, maui moisture, l’oreal elvive, and garnier whole blends which are great for other hair types, densities, and textures. all these brands carry a wide variety of products from shampoo, to leave in treatments, to hair masques, to curl cream — you get it. again, read reviews. you can also use a cotton t-shirt to dry and plop your hair instead of spending money on a microfiber towel, and a satin scarf wrapped around your head to protect your hair while sleeping instead of a silk bonnet and pillow case.
if you’re into styling your hair, two of my favorite methods are heatless styling and blowouts. for heatless styling, you may not even need to purchase any new styling tools. I started out using this heatless robe curl method and eventually started doing other heatless styling methods like the ones on this playlist once I started buying more tools, and did styles like these when I didn’t feel like setting my hair at all. for styles that require heat, a highly suggest investing in a dyson airwrap – which can do pretty much everything – so you don’t end up spending even more on an arsenal of hot styling tools.
good luck, sugar
xoxo
#luxury#luxury aesthetic#money#sugar dating#sugar lifestyle#hypergamous#hypergamous woman#hypergamy#hypergamyblr#coquette#beauty#budget beauty#beauty on a budget#rich bf#rich husband#rich aesthetic#rich boyfriend#rich wife#rich gf#rich girl#rich girlfriend#spoiled wife#spoiled gf#spoiled girlfriend#spoiled#sugar sponsors#sugar parent#sugar life#sugar bby#sugaring
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Any diy beauty recipes for the summer?
Summer Beauty at Home 🎀
pretty soft feet scrub and mask ❤︎︎
1/2 cup light roast coffee grounds and 2 tbsp lemon juice
pretty self explanatory. simply mix this combo in a stainless bowl. after cleaning and soaking your feet in mildly hot water till softened, scrub with this mixture up to your calves. focus on your ankles and cuticles!! then let sit for about 5-10 minutes before rinsing (you can cover your feet with plastic wraps)
rinse with warm water and cover feet in your cream or lotion of choice.
i do this all year but the most during the summer since we’re wearing pretty open toed heels and sandals. 🎀
bright and glowing skin cream ❤︎︎
1 cup olive oil, 1 cup softened shea butter and a few drops of whatever essential/fragrance oil you choose
simply whisk or blend ingredients until whipped and soft
store in a mason jar and keep at low-room temperature
this after a long bath and good exfoliation, has my skin so soft and luminescent for over 24 hours 🎀
weightless scalp rinse ❤︎︎
1 tsp of lemon juice, 4 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup of warm water
wash your hair paying close attention to your scalp
rinse well and apply the rinse to your scalp with a nozzle tip bottle
lightly scrub and rub your scalp with the rinse and leave on for about 3-5 minutes and rinse with warm water
be sure to moisturize your your strands and ends with whatever you choose
during the summer my hair gets extremely sweaty, and greasy and after a while a wash just doesn’t break it down well enough. this rinse ALWAYS flushes my scalp out so well 🎀
softening hair mask ❤︎︎
1 banana, olive oil, raw aloe vera gel, jojoba oil, honey
mash together well and coat slightly dampened hair in the mask
leave on for about 15 minutes (i go even longer sometimes)
rinse well with cool water
then wash and condition
my hair is always so soft and bouncy after i do this. i usually do it when getting ready to do a wash and go 🎀
#i’ll update this continuously#the prissy girl agenda#summer#my posts#answered#prissy lifestyle tips 💕🎀
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simple skincare tips!
🌼eat the foods that love you back. your skin is a direct mirror of your internal situation. if your digestive system is being bombarded often by foods that create a lot of wastes and residues, that does more harm than good. and so, the struggle to eliminate them will be reflected in your skin. your diet constitutes the vast majority of your skin health. change your meals to be whole food plant based (still delicious, satisfying, and exciting) & watch your skin glow and your skincare routine simplify.
🌼be conscious of what's going on your skin. the skin layers can be over-cleansed, imbalanced, and aggravated when the skin microbiome and pH are disrupted. if you wipe out the beneficial bacterial populations with harshly formulated products, you may find that you break out (i.e. harmful bacterial populations begin to thrive). use gentle, simple skin formulas such as castile soaps, natural oils & butters (i recommend jojoba oil for mostly everyone), natural soap bars, and clays. most commercial skin care products disturb the skin cells (introduce too much foreign material to the body, unsuitable pH ranges, imbalance the microbiome, etc). they sell because it's convention to buy them, the brands are well-known, and their sales pitches are enticing. but really, no cream or serum will ever be the magic potion your skin was asking for. it will only be a band-aid, at best. truly healthy skin comes from diet, and the products are just for any other necessary maintenance. if you get a pimple, you should look first to why the pimple emerged, not what treatment will remove it.
🌼keep your lymph flowing. simple ways to do this are through good lifestyle habits. things like doing exercise & sports you find fun, breathwork, dry brushing, eating lots of fruit, avoiding wearing bras & other tight clothing items, lymphatic massage/gua sha can all be helpful.
🌼focus on hydration via fresh fruits and veggies. the water within plant foods is more useable to your cells, and your skin will cease being overly oily or dry overtime (especially if you reduce/eliminate your salt & oil intake). it will also help to encourage lymphatic flow, so you can see problems like blemishes, cellulite, old scars diminish after great consistency.
🌼allow your skin to breathe. this is especially good if you spend time in stuffy (poorly ventilated) indoor environments, like offices, hospitals, planes, etc. one great way is via herbal facial steaming (i recommend it 3x a week or so). make a hot infusion of an aromatic tea, cover it and allow it to cool a few minutes, and, with closed eyes, allow the pores to open and receive the herbal medicine (this is a great time to meditate, manifest, and just feel pampered). getting more fresh air, working up a sweat, and going to a sauna are also ways to allow your skin to breathe.
🌼avoid steroid prescriptions creams at all costs. they are very deleterious to health in the long term, and they can be very painful to come off of. it's not a real fix. it's not worth hurting your kidneys & adrenals for. evaluate your diet instead. do you eat dairy? choose plant-based dairy options instead (they're simple to make yourself too). do you eat a lot of fats? try oil-free cooking methods instead (opt for sautéing with a bit of water, baking, steaming, air frying, etc). avoiding eating out as much.
🌼be aware of what you're putting in your hair as well. your shampoos, conditioner, leave-ins, gels, moisturizers, oils, serums, etc all tend to touch your face too, when your hair touches your face. if they wouldn't be good enough to put on your face, don't put them in your hair. a lot of the best skin cleansers are also suitable as shampoos. a lot of oils and butters can be used for both. plant-based gels like aloe vera or flax seed are simple to DIY, and are dual-use once again. basically, this will simplify your life.
🌼understand the water that runs through your pipes. if your shower and tap water are like most people's around the world, they aren't optimal for our skin. for example, they contain added chemicals to sanitize the water but that can prevent the proper microbiomes from developing on your skin. a weak skin microbiome is prone to skin issues. so, try to use distilled water on your face (if you're not able to get a water filter, a gallon jug at a store is affordable. they're about $1.30 USD in my area).
#txt#skincare#skincare routine#holistic leveling up#leveling up#level up journey#that girl#green juice girl#holistic health#skin microbiome#microbiome#glow up#true nourishment#lymphatic flow#mindful consumption#mindfulness#clean beauty#self healing#acne#skincare tips#holistic beauty#sidewalkchemistry
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The Gilded Age, Part 2 - Preparations
Summary: After deducing the location of HYDRA’s activities the Avengers make their preparations for the battle.
Length: 7.5 K
Characters: Amelia, Sergeant Barnes, the rest of the Avengers, Virginia Stark.
Warnings: A plan goes awry, Amelia is given a harsh introduction to the emergency medical needs of the Avengers (blunt trauma, bullet and sword wounds).
Author notes: There were no antibiotics during this time period, other than one that proved to be toxic. Many medications were based on poisonous substances like arsenic and mercury, perhaps with the supposition that if it was toxic to people it would be toxic to a bacterium. This recipe for aloe vera salve is adapted from https://bottegazerowaste.com/blogs/zerowasteliving/how-to-make-a-diy-aloe-vera-gel. One of the ingredients listed, xhanthan gum was not discovered until the 1960s. Gelatin is considered a substitute for that product. Since he was an MD and chemist, I thought Bruce Banner would be hands on in producing his own medications. The medical treatment described is consistent with the time period. Divider by vecteezy.com.
<<Part 1
Part 2 - Preparations
Immediately on her arrival at the library, Amelia made an educated guess where the sleeve protectors were, wanting to protect her blouse from picking up ink as she was poring over the newspaper copies. They were high up on a shelf but before she could pull a kick stool over, Sergeant Barnes reached over her and picked out a pair, handing them to her. He took his jacket off, rolling up only the right sleeve, ready to assist her. They started with the newest copies first, poring over every page looking for ads, or brief news items written in a way that wasn't completely natural. Amelia found the first one, a response to another ad published previously. Once decoded, using a code that assumed the most numerous letters were the letter E, the response was Meet at Hell's Kitchen as ordered.
"So, we have a neighbourhood but not a specific location or time," said Amelia. "Are you familiar with the area?"
"Very much so," replied Barnes. "It is not a place for ladies or genteel society. We need to narrow it down in order not to attract attention from the other gangs there who may be inclined to join in on the fray."
Opening the newspaper from the day before, Amelia began to pore over it, while Barnes tackled another newspaper. He caught the message that was answered in the most recent copy, trying several codes before he was satisfied.
"Pier 81, at 9 pm." He looked at it and grimaced, then noticed Amelia looking at him. "It is not a safe place at all. Part of me is concerned we are being lured into a trap. This code is too easy."
"You are capable of handling them, are you not?" she asked, concerned.
"We are, but we'll pay for it. There must be something important and pressing that they are planning if they're not using a more secure code. Let's continue as we still have two hours before the briefing."
They both found several messages, some of them contradictory and naming different docks. Barnes swore softly under his breath, then caught himself.
"My apologies. I meant no disrespect."
"None taken, Sergeant Barnes," she replied, smiling. "On my journey in the Colorado Rockies I was exposed to all sorts of rough language by the guides as well as my father and brother on occasion. I took it in stride."
He smiled back at her, and they continued their work up until there was only five minutes left before the planned briefing. Pulling the sleeve protectors off as they walked, they rushed to the elevator while Barnes put his jacket back on at the same time. On the 21st floor the others were already assembled around the table, looking expectantly at the couple. Amelia noted a few new faces, specifically a very young man, with smooth cheeks betraying his youth and a tall muscular blond man seated next to a tall but slender dark-haired man.
"Our newest member of the Society, our librarian, Miss Amelia Winston," stated Mr. Stark. "You three can introduce yourselves to her momentarily. What have you found out?"
Barnes gestured to her to speak for them both.
"Confirmation that whatever is going to happen will happen on a dock in Hell's Kitchen at 9 pm," stated Amelia. "Unfortunately, there were several contradictory messages as to which dock." She noticed a map of New York on a large board, fastened on wheels so it could be moved. Moving over to it, she picked up some coloured pins from a small box. "Here, here and here. Sergeant Barnes is of the opinion that it may be a trap to lure you in and divide you."
"He wouldn't be wrong," stated Captain Rogers. "What does your gut say, Buck?"
"I think Pier 81 is where the action is. It is run by Wilson Fisk, who has been just as much a thorn in our side as HYDRA. If anyone is working with them, it's him."
"I agree, but I think we should still have eyes on the other two locations." Stark thought for a moment. "Hawkeye, you go to Pier 76. If you see anything, you set off a flaming arrow and we'll come running. Kid, I'm sending you to Pier 84. You have some of those fireworks still?"
Peter Parker, the young Avenger nodded. "Yes sir, I can attach them to the big crane and set them off. They'll be visible everywhere."
"Excellent, form your groups, determine your tactics and meet on the roof before 8:30 pm." Everyone stood up and split into two groups, one headed by Captain Rogers and the other headed by Sergeant Barnes. "Miss Winston, please come with me."
She followed Stark to the stairwell, going down one flight of stairs to the 20th floor. As soon as she entered, she was enthralled by what was obviously Anthony Stark's mechanical lab. There were all sorts of automatons, mechanical men, in various stages of construction. Gaping at them with an open mouth, she walked slowly past them as Stark strode further into his laboratory. He stopped at a table, then opened a drawer and pulled out a device, handing it to her.
"What is it?" she asked.
"A moving picture camera," he said. "I wish you to document our departure from the rooftop." Her eyes widened. "We are leaving by airship. It will only take minutes to get to the docks and gives us the element of surprise."
"You have an airship?"
He smiled. "I have many forms of travel." He opened several drawers pulling out half a dozen film canisters. "All you have to do is insert one of these then press the advance control then feed the end piece into the second canister. Don't expose it to the light. I have some gas lamps on top that should illuminate the airship enough for it to show up. Once we are out of focus, you stop the filming but leave the gas lamps on for our return. Convey the camera back here. I will develop the film on the morrow." Her mouth was still open, and he gently put his finger under her chin to close it. "There are many wonders in this world and this lab holds most of them."
He demonstrated the process of feeding the film from one canister to another then pointed out the start and stop controls. Next, he pulled a tripod out of a cupboard so that she would have a stable platform to mount the camera, showing her how to lock it in place. Dismissing her with a wave he stood in front of a large cabinet and opened it, showing a large metal body, coloured in red and gold. There were gears at the chest, elbows, shoulders and knees, as well as coils to provide spring to his jumps. Amelia had seen drawings of Stark's suit of iron, but this was the first time she had seen it in person. It was impressive, futuristic, and magnificent.
Taking the camera, tripod, and film in hand she took the elevator to the library, intent on taking a moment to familiarize herself with the moving picture camera. She was so immersed in her task she didn't hear the approach of the tall dark-haired gentleman behind her until he coughed politely. Letting out a small shriek she turned to see one of the three men she was partially introduced to.
"My apologies, Miss Winston," smiled the man, his dark hair almost matched by his dark suit. "We were not introduced properly. I am Loki Laufeyson. I must say, I was impressed with your analysis of the coded messages to come up with three locations for us to concentrate our attentions on this evening."
"Thank you, Mr. Laufeyson," she replied. "Sergeant Barnes should share in the compliment as he was quite skilled in determining which code was being used."
"Ah, yes, the Sergeant," he smiled, although his eyes remained neutral, if not a little guarded. "He does expend a great deal of effort in making himself indispensable. A word of caution, if I may ... the man has a rather unsavoury past that occasionally interferes with his effectiveness." She frowned and he changed his tone immediately, to something more conciliatory. "That's not to say he is untrustworthy. Rather, he is hampered by his reputation at times."
"I will take that under advisement, Mr. Laufeyson," she replied, applying a colder attitude to her voice to show her displeasure at his impropriety at talking about another gentleman behind his back. "Were you not implicated in your own scandal? I seem to recall it being in all of the newspapers, resulting in you being disowned by your foster father for a time."
"You are well-read, Miss Winston, and correct. I will leave you to your work."
He bowed his head slightly and walked away, his bearing still erect and proud. Once he was back on the elevator, Amelia shook her head at the impudence of the man. It made her wonder why he was included as an Avenger, considering his own past. A strange sound drew her attention to a system of tubes inside her office and she walked in, smiling when she recognized a pneumatic message tube system. A cylinder lay inside one of the tubes and she pulled it out, opened it, then retrieved the message from inside.
Miss Winston, your presence is needed in Dr. Banner's lab, 19th floor.
Since she wasn't sure how to return the message yet and didn't want to expend precious time in determining the procedure, Amelia hurried to the elevator, taking it to the 19th floor. When she entered, she was just as enthralled with this lab as she was with Mr. Stark's. This one, more scientific in appearance, with all sorts of chemistry experiments set up and in various stages of completion, appealed to the logical side of herself. A section of it was also set up as a small medical unit, complete with operating room, examination room, and what appeared to be a place for recovery. Dr. Banner smiled as she approached him.
"I wanted to know how your medical skills are," he stated. "I'm aware you are an experienced hiker and outdoorswoman. Do you have emergency medical skills?"
"Very basic ones," she admitted. "I can set a splint on a simple break, treat a wound, and apply stitches to basic cuts."
"Well, it will have to do," he said. "In the event my other being is in charge I will be unable to provide medical assistance to any of the Avengers. Your predecessor also acted as my assistant, but she was also a graduate nurse. She got married and decided to start a family, making that her new vocation. Do you feel confident enough to provide emergency care?"
"I'll do my best," she answered. "Does anyone else have the training?"
"Mrs. Stark, Captain Rogers and Sergeant Barnes, but the latter two are often more injured than the others. Their abilities allow them to punish their bodies more, although they usually recover faster."
"Their abilities?" There was so much she didn't know that wasn't public knowledge.
"It's not my place to talk about them when they aren't present," said the shy doctor. "Let's just say, they both underwent a process that allows this recovery. I will let them explain further when they are ready." She nodded and turned to leave but he hailed her again. "The ground support force has their own medical unit. Since our main force of operatives do this in secret due to their special circumstances, the majority of their emergency medical care will fall to me, you and Mrs. Stark. I will spend time training you to be a nurse as part of your assignment and have every expectation that you will succeed."
"Thank you, Doctor," she answered, elated at the faith he was putting in her.
As she stepped out of the lab, she walked right into Sergeant Barnes, startling her with the strength of his being, as he seemed as immobile as a great tree. Gently, he held her arms in his hands until she was steady then let her go.
"Miss Winston, I apologize for startling you," he said, his deep voice a soft rumble. He looked at Dr. Banner's lab. "I take it you just learned of your additional duties as a nurse. I'm sure you will apply yourself to it in an exemplary manner."
"Thank you, Sergeant Barnes, I will do my best." They both stood for a moment, barely looking at each other then she nodded. "I better find out what more I can do to help the Avengers prepare."
"Very well, carry on."
He grimaced at his clumsy expression as she glided away, her graceful walk burning itself into his mind. It had been mere hours since he met the young librarian, less than an hour since the scent of her perfume tempted his olfactory senses and James Buchanan Barnes, Sergeant of the United States Cavalry, on secondment to this special force, wondered if he could think of anything else but her until he saw her again. She was truly an exceptional woman, eagerly accepting the tasks being assigned to her. How was she not already married or at least promised to one of the numerous eligible bachelors from one of the more prominent New York families? Such a woman could be the making of any man, even him. For a moment he pictured her on his arm, a lovely beauty to cherish and protect. Then it was immediately countered by his own thoughts. If she knew your past she would turn away in disgust. With a barely disguised sigh he resumed his visit to Dr. Banner, who looked up at the imposing figure as he entered the lab.
"Sergeant is everything alright?" he asked, detecting some distress on the man's countenance.
"Yes, Doctor," he stated. "Do you have a moment to check the back of my shoulder? I experienced some discomfort there last night, and during my morning ablutions I detected some irritation in one of the scars when I looked in the mirror. I am almost out of the salve to soothe it, as well."
"Very well, go into the examination room and remove your upper garments," directed Banner. "I will examine you when you are ready."
Stepping into the room, Barnes took his gloves, jacket and waistcoat off, then undid his tie, removing it along with the collar. Unbuttoning his trousers he pulled his shirt out, then undid the buttons on that garment, pulling it over his head, then removed his undershirt, before refastening the fly on the lower body garments. Sitting on the table he avoided looking at the metal arm and hand, a ghastly reminder of his time as a prisoner of HYDRA.
Dr. Banner knocked before coming into the room, acknowledging Barnes' reticence at exposing his body to another. His eyes were drawn to the steel prosthetic that had been melded with the soldier's shoulder, part of a gruesome experiment that saw the organization named after the mythological beast, attempt to turn a living breathing man into a biological automaton, fully under their control. The metal itself was as it always was, pristine, gleaming steel that hid an engineering marvel beneath its surface, despite its evil origins. With the soft touch of his profession, the doctor examined the scarring at the front of the shoulder portion of the prosthesis, looking up at the stoic man's face for signs of discomfort.
"The front seems to be normal," he murmured. "You haven't experienced any pain on the chest portion?"
"No, it's only in the back, in the area that is the least accessible to me," replied Barnes, solemnly.
Banner repositioned himself to the other side of the examination table then pulled a moveable lamp closer to Barnes' back to see better. He saw the irritation right away and gently palpated it, feeling the spike in skin temperature immediately as his fingertips grazed the skin's surface. Quelling the sigh that he almost made, Banner silently damned the men who inflicted this abomination on this good man. In their zeal to transform the Sergeant into something mechanical they had ignored many of the basic rules of medicine, starting with the one that all doctors should be a slave to; to do no harm to the patient.
"Is the salve still working?" asked Banner.
"Less and less," admitted Barnes. "I have had to apply more. What took a dab from my finger before, now takes the application of several repeated attempts. Steve has been helping apply it and noted the increase in temperature on the scars."
"Your body has become used to it, so it has become less effective. I've been working on two new salves, one using the aloe vera plant; the other honey. We can try one of them. I will take some time to compound one of them now. The other may have to wait until we return from tonight's excursion. You may get dressed now."
It took several minutes for Barnes to get dressed and come out to the lab from the examination area. He waited patiently as he watched Dr. Banner pull some stalks from a spiky looking plant, called aloe vera, that sat on a shelf near a window. First, he slit the stalks open then he pressed them gently, causing a liquid to seep out into a beaker. Next, he took a small amount of gelatin, and mixed it with glycerin, until it turned into a gel. After measuring out a small amount of the aloe vera juice he mixed it with 9 times the amount of distilled water, before stirring in a couple of drops of witch hazel, using that as a preservative. Finally, he combined the two compounds, stirring it gently to mix it well. Locating a small sterile jar, he poured the mixture into it.
"It will take a few days for it to thicken to the point where the substance will stick to the skin. Start with small amounts and smooth it in well. If it helps, I will make a larger amount for you, but we'll try it out first."
"Thank you, Doctor, I appreciate this," said Barnes, slipping the small jar into his inside pocket.
Leaving the lab, Barnes returned to the common area on the 21st floor, seeing members of his team discussing the layout of Pier 81. Parker, who knew the layout best was there, giving them his views on the optimal places to get the best cover once the bullets started to fly. As he approached, the Sergeant could hear the insulting tone of Loki's voice as he challenged the young Avenger.
"If you know this area so well, why aren't you with us?"
"You were there at breakfast, Loki," stated Barnes, glaring at the man. "He was assigned to watch a different pier in case Pier 81 was a misdirection. If nothing happens at Pier 84, I'm sure Peter will join us." He addressed the young Avenger. "Any chance of your vigilante friend being around as well?"
"I wouldn't doubt it," replied Parker. "I'll send a note to his contact, advising him we'll be around."
"Every pair of hands helps. Are we all clear on our responsibilities tonight?" Everyone nodded, even Laufeyson, grudgingly. "Very well, make sure you eat well, you'll need your strength."
The others dispersed from the chairs as Barnes watched Amelia repairing a broken belt from Rogers' uniform, expertly resewing where his sword scabbard had pulled away from the belt. She had obviously undertaken such a repair before, perhaps for her father or brother, or maybe when she was on her tour of the Colorado Rocky Mountains, repairing a leather harness. Her versatility was evident as she noticed another portion of it had loosened. Without even asking, she proceeded to complete the repair.
"She is an accomplished woman," said Sam, who stood near him. "I've noticed her tackle several tasks this past hour, all of them with the same level of concentration and skillfulness. I am surprised she is unattached."
"Perhaps she seeks her own fulfillment first, before putting her needs second to that of a husband and family," murmured Barnes. "Although, any man fortunate enough to win her love should recognize her fine qualities and strive to keep her at his side as his equal, rather than under his thumb. A woman like that as a partner for a lifetime can make a good man great."
"We agree, sir," said the Falcon. "She is formidable in the best sense of the word." He looked at Stark who gestured for his attention. "Excuse me, Buck. Stark requires my presence."
After all the preparations were completed, an early dinner was served once again in the large dining room. This time Amelia sat beside Sergeant Barnes. It was obvious by her comportment that she was not unfamiliar with dining in fine company, as evidenced by Anthony Stark's inquiries to her.
"Miss Winston. I understand your father is a prominent citizen of Chicago. Would you share with the others his profession?"
She chewed her food, then lowered the utensils while she answered. "He is a prominent lawyer who has spent much of his career working with architects, helping them negotiate with the planning commissions in the city so that the artistic vision and functional requirements are both met. As you know, Chicago is the home of the Prairie School style of architecture, promoted or influenced by visionary architects like Frank Lloyd Wright, Alfred Caldwell and Marion Mahony Griffin, among others. I grew up visiting building sites with him and my brother, immersed in an atmosphere of creativity and purpose. We were included in many social gatherings of those people plus other progressive thinkers. Not once was I ever told that something wasn't ladylike or inappropriate. I speak three languages other than English, grew up riding horses, learned to fire a rifle, can build a campfire and a lean-to, and as I enlightened Dr. Banner this afternoon am capable of providing basic emergency first aid. I am always in search of understanding and illumination, finding it in many of the unique experiences my father has exposed me to. I attribute that to my father's belief in the liberality of my upbringing."
"That is why I recruited you," he beamed. "After reading the published account of your travels in the Colorado Rockies I was sure you would be a fine addition to our company. Just by what I've witnessed today, you seem to be a capable individual."
"Here, here," said Sam Wilson, raising his glass of wine to her. "I agree fully with you, Anthony. I believe she has already made her mark on our society in more ways than one."
Others raised their glasses, including Sergeant Barnes, as they drank to her tenure with SHIELD. The meal was full of laughter and conversation that covered many topics. It ended when Jarvis appeared at the doorway and nodded at Stark in what appeared to be a silent signal. The older man nodded back and rose from the table.
"Well, the hour has arrived for us to perform our final preparations," he stated. "Meet on the roof at 8:25, complete with weapons. Miss Winston, you will film us prior to our boarding the airship, as well as when we lift off. Good luck, watch your backs, and let's stop HYDRA in their tracks." Several people chuckled, including Mrs. Stark and Stark grinned. "I'm a poet, a man of many talents."
He clapped his hands as both he and his wife went down to his mechanical lab. The others gathered at the elevator or walked down the stairs to their apartments to dress in their uniforms. Amelia went the furthest, to the 16th floor library to pick up the movie camera and tripod. She loaded the film, then placed several more film canisters in a pouch that she slung over her shoulder. Stepping into the elevator, she pressed the button for the 21st floor, going up alone. Mrs. Stark had already told her that the roof above that floor was accessible only by stairs. She climbed them easily, coming out to a full view of the city of New York, laid out in all of its glory, entranced by the large airship that was anchored at the edge of the roof. Fastening the camera to the tripod, she aimed it at the doorway from the stairwell, planning to film everyone as they came outside. The first to arrive was Sam Wilson, complete with a falcon on a leather gauntlet on his arm. He was also armed with pistols, looking very intimidating. He was followed by the brothers, Thor and Loki, each dressed in dark, almost black clothing, both with swords, although Thor also carried a large club in one hand. Thor came straight to Amelia, offering his hand to her.
"I apologize for not introducing myself sooner," he said, his voice a pleasant baritone. "I hope to spend more time making your acquaintance."
Before she could answer Captain Rogers and Sergeant Barnes appeared, both of them wearing the cavalry uniform of the United States Army. The uniforms were different than the traditional navy blue and grey one that Amelia was used to but just as dashing, even in their olive drab colour. Captain Rogers made certain to acknowledge her for the repair to his scabbard and belt. It was difficult for Amelia not to stare at Sergeant Barnes, as he stood almost regally, his senses fully alert, waiting for the others to arrive. He had a Springfield rifle slung over his back, as well as a sidearm. Within moments Natasha, Clint, Wanda and Vision arrived, each of them wearing close fitting garments that seemed more like what circus performers would wear. The two women wore snug breeches that showed off the shape of their legs. In any other mixed company, it would almost be considered scandalous but for this society, it seemed fitting. Both of them were armed with pistols and knives, while Barton carried a bow and quiver of arrows. Vision, surprisingly had no visible weapons, but Amelia had learned he had considerable skill in firearms. The young Avenger, Peter Parker, arrived, also wearing a dark red and navy suit, but he wore a close-fitting knapsack on his back, with flexible copper tubing that was molded to his arms, ending just before his wrists. With sudden realization, Amelia understood that Peter was the man behind the mask of the Spider Crawler, able to create his own spider webs that could propel him through the air. His exploits had been published in the newspaper for several years but never had she thought the man in the mask would be so young. He smiled at her, then placed the covering over his face.
"His aunt worries about him, so we agreed to make his identity secret," said Mrs. Stark, standing next to Amelia. She hadn't even noticed the older woman's arrival. "There are some in his neighbourhood who see his Spider identity as a threat to the safety of citizens. He is dangerous but only to those who are on the wrong side of the law. His heart and intentions are pure."
"Where is Mr. Stark?" asked Amelia, "and Doctor Banner?"
"Doctor Banner is already on his way there," said Mrs. Stark. "He is always concerned about his anticipation causing him to lose control on the trip over, so he goes alone. As for Anthony ... you'll see. He does like to make an entrance."
The sound of roaring grew louder as it seemed something was rising from the side of the building to the roof. Suddenly, the iron suit that Amelia saw in the cupboard appeared as it lifted into the air, looking down at all of them. It seemed to be powered by glowing pads on the hands and feet of the suit, but it was definitely hovering, and Amelia had to restrain herself from clapping her hands with glee.
With Stark's appearance the others filed onto the airship and Amelia turned the tripod towards the lighter than air transport. The door attendant, Hogan, and two other men loosened the ropes that held it in place, and it raised up in the air, with Vision at the controls. Keeping the camera on it, until it was lost in night sky, Amelia stopped filming then looked at Mrs. Stark, puzzled by the older woman's worried countenance.
"Is everything alright?"
"Oh, I just worry every time," she said. "Come, I'll help you return these to Anthony's lab. We'll have a cup of tea while we wait. Hogan will be there, with his ground force, and will telephone us if there are any problems. This is the hard part, the waiting."
Mrs. Stark prepared the tea herself, explaining the cook and maid were dismissed for the evening. Bringing it out on a tray the two women settled in the darkened great room in front of the window that looked in the direction of Hell's Kitchen. Pulling her pocket watch out of her skirt pocket to check the time, Mrs. Stark looked ominously at Amelia.
"8:59," she stated.
Two minutes later it began as they witnessed the fireworks from Pier 84 and the flaming arrow from Pier 76 go off simultaneously. Both women stood up, realizing that it had been a trap, as it appeared that HYDRA was at all three piers and the Avengers were spread too thin. Hearing the phone ring, Mrs. Stark answered it immediately.
"I'll contact Fury for more backup, but they won't get there for some time, Hogan," she said. "Do what you can to help."
Turning the crank, she asked the operator to connect her with a number. Amelia didn't even hear what the number was or who Mrs. Stark spoke to, as she was watching the flashes of light from the piers, a feeling of dread filling her. Through the windows she could hear the sound of gunfire in the distance. A few moments later, the older woman was by her side and Amelia felt a hand grasping hers. Time seemed to slow as the two women listened to the battle for some time, occasionally seeing the flash of gunfire. There was the sound of heavier gunfire reaching them, and a small smile appeared on Mrs. Stark's face.
"Thank you, Fury," she whispered. "He's sent in the cavalry, probably Captain Rogers' and Sergeant Barnes' old unit. They are loyal to those two, even though neither of them is officially in the unit anymore. Let's hope it's in time."
"How could I have missed the clues?" Amelia blurted out the words. "The way the cryptograms were worded we couldn't tell if it was one pier or all three that were the target."
"Do not blame yourself." Mrs. Stark squeezed the younger woman's hand. "It's what HYDRA does best, cause chaos. We should go get the medical supplies and bring them up here as they will land on the roof. I'll have to cover the furniture with sheets as there is bound to be blood. Quickly, you head for the medical lab while I get the sheets. I'll notify the ground force medical staff to expect injuries. Their people will be brought in by ambulance."
It gave Amelia something else to think about as she ran down the stairwells to the 19th floor. As she burst inside, she saw that Dr. Banner had already anticipated the need for medical supplies since he had piled a cart high with dressings, antiseptic, medical instruments and anything else they might need. Pushing it to the elevator, Amelia took it up to the 21st floor then joined Mrs. Stark in covering the furniture in anticipation of wounded. A phone call from Hogan interrupted them with word that they would be lifting off shortly and would be landing in 30 minutes. While they waited, both women donned a clean gown over their clothing, then added an apron to it to provide extra protection.
Anthony Stark landed first, his boots thudding on the rooftop, then he quickly shed the components of his suit. As two other men appeared the three of them grasped the ropes dangling from the airship, since Hogan was now operating it. The moment it touched down, Vision carried Wanda out in his arms, taking her directly inside to Mrs. Stark. Thor and Loki held each other up but waved off any help. Natasha and Hawkeye limped in together. Amelia approached them but was also waved off.
"We're fine," gasped Natasha, "just roughed up a little. Peter needs help."
She looked past them to see Sergeant Barnes, his uniform torn and bloody, carrying an unconscious Parker in his arms. Leading him to the table in front of the bookshelf, Amelia washed her hands in a large bowl of water with carbolic soap while looking up at the tall soldier, his face struggling to mask his concern. Drying her hands she slipped on the smallest pair of rubber gloves she could find, thanking Dr. Banner for being thorough in his preparations and taking a clean working environment seriously.
"He's been shot," said Barnes, sombrely. "Took a bullet meant for me. It's in his shoulder. If you give me a moment, I'll assist you."
"Are you hurt?" She looked at him questioningly.
"Mostly my pride," he admitted. "We must have missed a cryptogram that stated all three piers were being used. Doesn't matter. I told you HYDRA was trouble and they proved it once more."
Moments later he was back, his uniform jacket and outer shirt removed, but wearing a sleeveless undershirt that revealed his metal shoulder and arm. Amelia glanced at it but said nothing, turning her attention back to Peter. Grabbing some cloths she poured antiseptic over one and began to clean the wound. Aware that Sergeant Barnes was putting on a gown and apron, then washing his hands, she tried to focus on the task at hand. When he stood beside her as he was drying his hands, he leaned close and spoke calmly.
"He'll be alright. He's strong in heart and mind. In many ways, he's the best of us for he was fighting the darkness for over five years on his own, since he was 14 years old and newly orphaned. It was chance that brought him into our company but he is one of our best. Keep pressure on the wound while I open a package of instruments to remove the bullet."
She did as she was told then watched and listened as he expertly demonstrated the process of extracting a bullet. When he pulled it out and dropped it in a small bowl, he looked at the tray of supplies and found a wax paper envelope. Inside was a round disc that he applied to the wound.
"It's a special mixture of herbs that Dr. Banner developed to draw infection from the blood and the wound. It will keep it from becoming septic and help it heal."
Then he packed a dressing on it, wrapping gauze around the shoulders to keep it in place. Carefully, he lifted the young man from the table and carried him to one of the couches, covering him up with a sheet. Returning to the table he looked at the two bowls.
"If you could dispose of the old water, clean the bowls with carbolic soap and fill them up with hot water we'll treat our next patient." He looked over to where Natasha and Clint still sat, motioning with his head for them to be treated next. As Amelia changed the water, he changed the sheet on the table, then looked at Natasha, who approached gingerly.
"I'm fine, Buck, really," she said, unconvincingly.
Placing his hands on her ribcage he pressed lightly, moving his hands around her middle drawing gasps of pain from her.
"I thought so," he stated, with some resignation evident in his voice. "Take your jacket, blouse and corset off. You can leave your chemise on."
Displaying a little bit of reluctance, she began to undo her jacket, then Clint helped her get it off, telling her to listen to Buck. Her blouse came off, then her corset and she sat in her chemise, struggling to keep a stoic face. Sergeant Barnes shook his head ruefully.
"You took on two at once, didn't you?" he asked, without judgement. "One held you while the other punched you repeatedly. They don't play nice, Natasha. You have to be more careful."
"I sent one of them to his knees," she said. "It will be a while before he can try to have children."
She laughed then cried in pain. Barnes smiled, then looked for some envelopes, finding them and handing them to Clint.
"Willow bark tea, taken with food," he said. "No corset until the pain is gone, make sure she sleeps upright, and gets up to walk around breathing as deeply as she can. When Banner is back to normal, you come and see him."
He gestured to Clint who shook his head.
"I'm fine, really, and I know, as well as you do, what to do," stated the archer, who gazed at Natasha with affection. "Come on, my darling, let's get you changed into something more comfortable."
Barnes nodded then watched as the pair hobbled away towards the elevator. Amelia returned with a clean bowl of water, and stood waiting. Everyone else had been treated, except Barnes.
"Sit on the table," she ordered.
"I'm alright."
"You're bleeding through your apron and onto the floor. Now sit."
He sat on the table facing her, allowing her to remove the apron and gown. His undershirt was stained with blood around what was obviously a sword wound. Lowering his suspenders he allowed her to cut his undershirt off with scissors, revealing a well developed chest and abdomen, the upper portions covered in a soft-looking layer of dark hair. The wound was oozing blood. Amelia produced a dressing, asking him to press it against the opening.
"You don't need to treat it," he began. "By tomorrow it will be healed."
"How is that possible?" she asked, as she began to wash her hands. He looked elsewhere, seeming reluctant to answer, and she stood closer to him, her dark eyes pleading. "Sergeant, please tell me."
He looked at his two disparate hands, one flesh and one metal, trying to come up with the words that he feared would mark him as something inhuman in her eyes. Then she touched his flesh hand with hers and his heart almost stopped at how soft and cool it felt. His eyes met hers, but he didn't see fear, only curiosity and compassion.
"I was a prisoner of HYDRA after our cavalry unit was ambushed when we intervened on a range war in Wyoming, about five years ago. I was shot multiple times, three in my left arm alone. They treated me for my injuries, and I thought it was to use me as a hostage to exchange for some of their soldiers that had been taken prisoner. I was so wrong. They were looking for test subjects, in an experiment to change the face of warfare. It was their intent to create a biological automaton, a living breathing person with mechanical parts who was completely under their control. When the wounds to my left arm turned gangrenous, I became their first subject. They amputated my arm then fashioned this monstrosity to take its place, attaching it to my bones. I was injected with multiple substances, all of them burning in my veins, while also being subject to incredible torture. Dr. Banner thinks it changed how my body reacts to extreme situations, like the madness of war, making me stronger, faster, and allowing the body to heal itself at an accelerated rate. Other than a bullet to the brain or the heart, I can survive just about any injury or infection. So, you don't have to do anything to this wound, other than dress it and fasten a bandage. In the morning it will have healed. In a week, the scar will be almost gone."
"How did you escape?" she asked, her hand still on his.
"Three weeks after I was taken, Steve was also taken prisoner, but he didn't have any injuries, so they injected him just to see what it would do to a healthy man. Within days, he grew in height and weight. The quickness of the transformation surprised them, and although they expected him to be changed in strength he hid his new abilities, waiting for the perfect moment to affect his escape. When he came for me, I didn't know who I was or what had happened to me, but he wouldn't leave me and practically carried me in his arms to safety."
He stopped at that moment, not wanting to share the whole truth with her, certain that if he did, she would reject him for the monster he was accused of being. But she didn't press him for more. Instead, she did as he asked, cleaning the wound, then placing a dressing on it, before wrapping a bandage around his waist. As she performed the last task her head was close enough to his body that he could smell her perfume.
"What is that scent that you wear?" he asked softly.
"Cœur de Jeannette," she answered. "I don't use much."
"It's lovely, I like it."
"Thank you." She smiled shyly, as she pinned the bandage together. "There you go, Sergeant Barnes. All done." She looked at the mess around them. "I'll clean up. You rest. I'm glad you're alright."
He accepted her words, then slid off the table. After gathering his clothes in the crook of one arm, he walked over to the couch, then gently picked Peter up, cradling the younger man in his arms. Instead of the elevator he used the stairs, and she watched him step down until she couldn't see him anymore. Turning back to the great room, she saw Mrs. Stark was already cleaning up, gathering the bloody sheets and placing them to soak in the laundry room tub. With the bowl of clean water that was left, Amelia cleaned the floor where Sergeant Barnes had bled, then took both bowls to the kitchen, scrubbing them in hot soapy water. She returned to the great room, sat on one of the armchairs, and wept, releasing the intensity of the evening. Feeling the warm arms of Mrs. Stark around her she bent her head to the other woman's shoulder.
"I was so afraid," she whispered. "I don't know if I can do this."
"I know, but you performed admirably," replied Mrs. Stark. "It isn't always like this but when it is, it's difficult. Try to sleep and see if the morning light gives you a different perspective. We believe in you, and you have a gentle manner that is soothing. Our heroes deserve that much, don't you think?"
Amelia nodded then pulled herself off of the chair. Taking the elevator down to her floor, she entered her room and disrobed, then pulled her hairpins out, running her fingers through the small knots that had formed. As she brushed her hair, she thought of how close she was to Sergeant Barnes unclothed chest, and how dispassionate he had been during her treatment of him. Still, it had been an almost intimate moment that had her recalling the heat that radiated from him as well as the manly scent that came through the smell of sweat, gunpowder and blood. The metal arm and shoulder had surprised her but instead of fear she found herself full of admiration for what the man had gone through. That he was a caring gentle man at heart was evident by how he treated Peter, followed by how he carried him in his arms down the stairs as easily as if the young man was a small child. Mrs. Stark was right. The heroes who formed the heart of SHIELD put their lives and wellbeing on the line, willingly. Certainly, she could learn to deal with the intensity of the situation if it meant that it comforted these brave individuals just a little. She could do this; for them.
Part 3>>
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My Glow Up Game
Lately I haven't been feeling really inspired about my journey to becoming her so I decided to revisit and rework it. I chose several different areas that I want to work on and I only listed goals that I could achieve now or within the next month (or 2 at the most).
The areas I will be focusing on:
Skin Care - my target area will be my ENTIRE BODY 😂 but mainly focusing on hyperpigmentation, fine lines under the eyes (thank you ordinary eye serum 😒), textured skin and smaller pores. My goals will include buying products from Ulta/Sephora, doing my skincare routine 2x a day and implementing a few DIY treatments like a turmeric mask.
Grooming - major focus will be on hair removal and nails. for hair removal i will be switching to waxing and sugaring. the goal is to start visiting a sugaring salon for certain areas of my body that's more difficult for me to wax (like underarms). for everything else, i will be doing waxing at home.
for nails, i was doing polygel but i'm over it lol. i'm tempted to start going to the salon for this as well but all the salons i've found in my city are those cookie cutter type salons (ya'll know what i'm talking about) that charge $100+ for thick nails (that's apparently still trending here) and the quality of the work - i can almost match it so i don't find it worth the price. instead i'm going to go all in with gel-x (i've played around with it and brought a few things on amazon to try it out) but i'm gonna level up and get some items from NKK and Erica's ATA drill bits.
Natural Hair/Extensions - focusing on growing out my natural hair (and making it healthier) to prepare it for either micro weft or i-link extensions. the goal here is simple: buy products and create a hair care routine.
Wardrobe - i'm splitting my wardrobe goals into several parts because i have to build an entire wardrobe. but i'm going to start with sleepwear, lingerie and loungewear, plus a few casual summertime pieces.
Bedroom Decor - if you've read my recent posts, you already know that i'm not happy with the state of my bedroom but i've decided not to do too much to it because it's not worth the investment. i do plan on buying a few bedding sets and a few inexpensive furniture pieces (like a nightstand). i also will start buying (or being gifted) flowers to place in my bedroom as well.
Beauty - purchasing basic makeup and essentials along with mini perfumes until i discover my staple fragrances.
Healthy Food - starting off simple with buying juices (especially green juices), fruits and veggies, eating salads, and healthy frozen meals.
Exercise - focusing on lower body workouts, improving flexibility, continuing pilates, buying cute workout fits.
Courtesan/Hypergamy - i didn't quite know what to call this area of focus but it will consist of listening to affirmations that fit the theme of being spoiled, attracting high value men, etc. also reading books on seduction, bdsm, etc and of course, practicing these techniques on men [online]- specifically receiving gifts and money from them.
Intellect - reading 1 book or 1 workbook (like the vocabulary book i'm currently going through). i already listen to the news so i'm pretty much on top of current events.
And last but certainly not least, keeping God first throughout all of this. 🙏🏾
and if sounds as if i'm basically rebuilding my life, that's because i am.
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