#hair growth with box braids

[claraflaviacruzdecastro]

Yes, I did! 🤎 Loved

[l0s3rd0wnt0wn]

Heyooo againnnnnn! I was wondering would weird black reader be good at braiding their own hair or terrible at it? Because I read your chapters before and I remember the one with wb!reader going back and getting their hair done by an auntie in a shop so I just wonder… HAVE A LOVELY DAY! - 🌺

"BABY YOU SMELL LIKE HAIR SPRAY!!~"

Readers can do their hair; sometimes they go natural, and sometimes they do box braids, cornrows, or twists—the list goes on and on. If you're feeling lazy, go to your favorite salon, and if you're feeling creative and want to try something new with your hair, you can get down and dirty in your bedroom. It might take you hours, but the payoff is just as great when you look into the mirror and see your new hairdo. You often ask Duke for help with your hair; you let him braid it, and the two of you share tips on hair growth. He's the only one in the house you feel comfortable letting touch your hair, while you refuse to let the others get close to you. You start feeling desperate, having to pick salons for two hours in a chair of the bat fam members to help do your hair. Slowly, you grow tired of having your hair braided and of having it yanked and pulled in all different directions. So, you decide to get sister locks, which is the best solution. It helps your hair grow out since you were a previous relaxer victim, and you can also style it however you want. You just have to do a detox every couple of months and get a retwist, but other than that, you're good. Sometimes, yes, sometimes you let Bruce help with your hair, but you only let him do the bare minimum, such as putting hair growth oil in your hair or spreading gel. You don't want him to make a big deal out of it, but he always does. That serious, stoic man gets giddy every time you ask him to put some coconut oil in your hair, and deep down, you get excited. You’re never going to tell him that, though; you’d rather die than ever tell him. When you're in his lap and he's running his fingers through your dreads, you feel like his little girl, his child. It's a time when you're allowed to let go and be yourself, a time when you still feel safe in his big arms. When it's all over, you get the cold reminder of who your father truly is and push it to the back of your mind. Despite this, it's moments like these that make you happy; they are the moments you enjoy the most throughout your day. Like I said, you would rather die a gruesome death than ever admit to your father that you like it when he does your hair. You'll never say it out loud, though.

[colebabey888]

Curly Hair Chronicles : My top tips for that define & shine | IT GIRL DIARIES

as requested, i’ve curated this post based on everything i’ve learnt when it comes to taking care of my curls and maximising my hair growth! let’s start…

knowing your hair type & porosity 🎀

first step in taking care of your curls or hair in general, is knowing your hair pattern & porosity because that’s how you have an idea of what your hair needs, how much moisture, specific ingredients in products, wash routine etc etc. above are a few ideas of what different curl patterns look like and a at home testing guide to check your hair porosity. It’s important to remember that you can have a mix of different curl patterns, for example, my hair texture is a mix of 4A, 4B, & 4C. 4A and 4B in the front, 4B in the back, and 4C in the middle—so I’ve created a routine that works specifically for me. this is also why you can’t just take any routine you see online and apply it to your hair. what works for someone else might not work for you if your curl pattern or porosity is different. before trying a new routine, always check if it matches your hair type and porosity. if you have a different mix of curl patterns, i’d suggest doing the porosity test on each area of different curl pattern.

protecting your hair & retaining length 🎀

protecting your hair and retaining length starts with reducing friction & being gentle. detangle your hair when it’s wet and has a deep conditioner in—it makes the process easier and helps prevent breakage & alwaysss detangle in sections. if you have thick, textured hair like mine (4A–4C), try to finger detangle first to remove knots before using a comb or brush. this reduces tension and minimizes shedding, which is key for length retention. always use a microfibre towel when drying your hair after your wash routine! if you don’t have a microfibre towel, use an old cotton t-shirt. at night, protect your hair by braiding it, wrapping it, wearing a silk bonnet, or use a silk pillowcase if bonnets slip off. silk pillowcases are a game-changer for restless sleepers! don’t forget about split ends—keeping them only harms your hair in the long run. split ends will keep splitting up the hair shaft, possibly reaching the follicle and disrupting new growth. trim them regularly or when needed to keep your hair healthy, even if it means losing a bit of length. healthy hair is always better than long, damaged hair!

protective hairstyles & oiling 🎀

styles like braids, mini twists, cornrows, or even a simple wash-and-go can work wonders when looking for a protective hairstyle. above are a few more examples. i stick to braids or twists that aren’t too tight to avoid tension on my scalp, or I do a wash-and-go with my full curly hair routine, leaving the style in for two to three days before touching up. the less you touch your hair, the better, this is key when it comes to retaining length as well. make sure your braids or twists aren’t too heavy—extra-long or jumbo braids can weigh down your hair, causing breakage instead of protecting it. protective styles should protect, not damage! low manipulation hairstyles are key when it comes to length retention and keeps your curl pattern in tact.

low manipulation hairstyles =

- no tight ponytails ( you shouldn’t feel your hair being pulled/slick back are ok just in moderation )

- braids ( i know the bust down braids and goddess locs are insta cute but it actually damages your hair instead of protecting it, imagine adding like triple the amount of hair to your head, it won’t be able to hold it up, stick to knotless braids or even box braids and have a decent length)

- wigs ( im not a fan & i’ve never personally worn wigs but from other opinions that it grows your hair amazing since you never touch your actual hair, it makes sense though and is actually very beneficial so if it’s your thing, do it)

seal in your moisture with an oil that works for your hair, could be a hair growth oil etc, like black jamaican castor oil which i use. apply it after your leave-in conditioner or other products since oil acts as a barrier to lock in hydration, it should always come last in your routine.

wash routine & monthly treatments 🎀

when it comes to wash routines and monthly treatments, it’s important to remember that one size doesn’t fit all. everyone has unique needs and preferences for their hair care. of course, there are a few essentials for your wash routine—like shampoo and conditioner. everything else, such as masks, oils, or leave-in products, is a personal addition that makes your routine your own. you’ve probably heard that shampoos and conditioners containing sulfates and parabens can have a negative impact on your hair. but in my experience, this isn’t entirely true—it depends on your hair type and scalp condition. for me, with my thick 4a-4c curls, shampoos with sulfates and parabens are a game-changer. by the end of the week, my curls usually have a lot of product buildup. when i tried switching to an “all-natural” shampoo that was sulfate- and paraben-free, it didn’t work for me. my scalp never was fully clean, and there was always some product residue left behind. this caused mad itching throughout the week because of the leftover buildup. when i switched back to a shampoo with sulfates and parabens, everything changed. my scalp felt properly cleansed, and the itchiness disappeared. my conclusion on this is that, if you have type 1-2 curls and wash your hair multiple times a week, only then, you might want to opt for sulfate- and paraben-free products. washing daily with harsh chemicals can strip your hair of its natural oils and lead to dryness in the long run. however, if you have type 3-4 curls and wash your hair weekly, a shampoo with sulfates and parabens can be beneficial. it makes sure your scalp is thoroughly cleansed of all the buildup from the previous week, leaving your curls fresh and healthy. the key takeaway? listen to your hair and find what works for you. every curl type is unique, and so should your routine be. now for monthly treatments, it should align with your specific hair goals. if you want growth, choose treatments that promote length retention. for hydration and nourishment, opt for products that moisturize and feed your hair. my go-to treatments are monthly hot oil treatments and deep conditioning, you can also try diy treatments at home.

My Curly Hair Routine - Type 4A-4C

- pre poo with jamaicain castor oil, i leave it on for an hour & do other things in the meantime.

- if i’ve straightened my hair i don’t finger detangle but if otherwise, i wet my hair with lukewarm water, apply a little bit of deep conditioner on my hair and finger detangle into 4 sections.

- i double shampoo & only apply it to my scalp, basically to my partings, wait for it to foam up and then shampoo each section individually, only my scalp!

- when i rinse my hair i let the shampoo run down the rest of my hair & i use luke warm water while rinsing. while shampooing and everything i keep my hair in those 4 sections.

- once it’s cleared completely i make sure there are no sudds and all the poo is cleared out and then i go in with my conditioner and comb through each section individually with a wide tooth comb. from end to root always.

- leave that on whilst i wash my body & then rinse off. after that i apply my placenta to my scalp and my deep conditioner, take my parts down unless i plan on doing twists or braids then i keep it up.

- after styling or whatever i just apply a little bit of my gel, not too much because i do touch ups throughout the week and i try to avoid product buildup and then let my hair dry sometimes air dry if it’s hot out or i’ll use a diffuser. after that i apply my hair oil and separate my curls if i want more volume.

- throughout the week, for touchups i mix lukewarm water and like 2 drops of my deep conditioner & hair oil, mix it up and spray it on my hair until it’s damp, i finger coil any curls that may have loosened through the week and after i’ve done that i then again apply a bit more gel and let it air dry.

- i typically do wash days every week but I’ve been trying to stretch it 2 weeks experimenting with different low manipulation styles, ive noticed my hair is healthier when I don’t wash it every week but sometimes i have to because of product buildup and i hate that!

- i do the pineapple method when im sleeping but no longer use a bonnet since it kept falling off, i use a silk & satin pillowcase.

- for my monthly hot oil treatments, i diy them at home. i mix avocado oil, rosemary stems & jamaican castor oil, heat it up in a pot for about an hour on low, let it cool down to just a bit above room temp and apply it my scalp, comb it through & leave it on overnight. same with deep conditioning except i don’t diy this, i buy a product depending on what my hair has been lacking or needed in that month.

these are all my tips for the girls who need advice when it comes to learning how to take care of your curls. soon i will be releasing a post on being a straight natural and how to keep your curl’s healthy during silk presses!

xoxo, colebabey888

[foundfamily-connoisseur]

PUNCH OUT HCS CUZ I DONT GOT TIME TO DRAW THEM BUT THEY WONT LEAVE ME ALONE!!!

Something something the voices

This is so long I'm sorry

No I'm serious I started derailing I think

LITTLE MAC

Mexican-American! His ma is Mexican and immigrated to The Bronx, where she met Mac's dad (who we have nothing on lol, he dipped before Mac was born).

His ma? Oh yeah, she died :( He doesn't know how, just that he came home one day (latchkey kid) and saw the cops surrounding the apartment. Placed him in an orphanage but got into fights a lot and deemed him a 'problem child' (literally just an autistic kid grieving the loss of his mom)

As said, Lil Mac is autistic! For the most nonverbal and thus uses ASL, but also speaks English and Spanish from time to time(English from Doc, Spanish from his mother and childhood friends who helped him keep up). Spanish is his preferred language tho.

Narcolepsy haver. It usually doesn't interfere much with his actual boxing matches since he's learned to feel when they're coming and deal with them accordingly. Took him and Doc a while to figure out that he had it since they just chalked it up to his prior malnutrition(which also impacted his growth, capping him at a whole 4'9)

Affectionate(?): must be initiated by him. He's very much for hugging and holding hands but if someone else does it first he's like :/. Only people he's ok with is Doc Louis so far.

Trans: transman who figured himself out pretty early when he only played soccer with the boys out in the mud. His mom cut his hair super short as a 'punishment' for always getting dirt in his braids but jokes on her he loved it. Doc has been helping him with hormone blockers, and with the prize money saving up for surgery 🙏 you can do it maccie boy!!! No one else in the ring knows and he'd rather keep it that way thank you (both out of nerves but also why do they need to know 🤨 what are they the fbi???)

Fashion sense: if you try to get this boy in anything but a tank/shirt and shorts he will explode. This man rocks flip flops and sneakers for days and it's all that's in his wardrobe (maybe another hoodie or two). A lot of them are rather worn but he hates the idea of "wasting" money so he uses em till they're literally impossible to wear.

Very spiritual: believes in el Mal Ojo aka Evil Eye and such. (Mostly from his mother and the women on the block that took him in from time to time). If he thinks your vibes are off, he will do an egg cleanse and swears that they work (they do i can attest to that chat).

GLASS JOE

EDS HAVER!!!!! (Ie Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome). This man has glass bones and paper

he don't care he will fight till he's dead! That and boxing actually does rlly help him with his joint pains. He finds it kinda funny when ppl worry about him like "sorry guys i gotta lie down real quick i think my ribs went criss cross". He prefers to get around on wheel chair but can get by with crutches(to which he just lays on the bed forever afterward)

Cat dad!!!!: less him having an actual pet cat than him just tending to whatever feline that crosses his path. May or may not have some scratches on his hands don't worry about it.

Actually really good friends with Mac: (we're going to pretend that they aren't literally thousands of miles away shut up). One of the few to make an actual effort to learn ASL rather than pick it up slowly or have Doc translate. In turn, Mac has gone about learning bits and pieces of French, enough so that both can communicate in their respective language and the other can (mostly) understand them.

This man is such a critic like what do you mean the food lacked a certain "je ne sais quoi" or the movie "insisted upon itself". He really wants to be nice but if it has any touch of French, he is going to murder it because it isn't French enough or actually accurate.

Had an ex fiance to which they broke off for reasons he'd rather not elaborate.

VON KAISER

Tics: he has em. They worsen under stress, but occur randomly or if overstimulated

Served in the military before being discharged. He doesn't like talking about and his tics start acting up if the topic is brought up.

Widower: wife died fairly early into their marriage and he was absolutely distraught. They both always talked about having kids, and a part of him still wants that, but it won't be the same without his Engelchen.

Career: he had wanted to be an engineer, but after serving in the military couldn't bring himself to go into it. That, and being a boxing teacher let's him tend to kids, even if it means getting socked in the stomach. He always acts like a strict instructor, both from his own experience in the military and because he wants to keep the kids at arms length. Also his wife being a kindergarten teacher had nothing to do with it nooooo

Close friends with Hondo and Glass Joe. Bear Hugger is a friendly fella but his loud and boarish disposition gets him riled up. Gets along well with Little Mac and if Doc isn't present for whatever reason, he's good at helping Mac calm down if he starts getting overstimulated and vice versa.

He also totally doesn't have Lil Mac be a pseudo son to him and think about his kis could've been potentially his age who said that.

Emotional support animal: German shepherd called Hugo. That's his baby right there

Disco Kid

That man's a fruit your honor!!!! No but fr tho he's a queer man living his best life.

Also a drag queen! (Name pending). Doesn't really care for how others perceive him and goes with the flow really.

Definitely fought with his dad a lot when he was younger, but as he grew his father came around and now they have a pretty solid relationship.

He's a total mommas boy tho he will literally die for her. He also has a little sister who he plays dolls with. (And yes she asks him to say it in his girl voice iykyk)

Gets along with pretty much everyone besides Mr. Sandman really (Aran Ryan is an interesting case. You heard it from the grape vine but they have an on and off relationship).

An art major for sureeeee. Idk what kind but im sensing something

Really good with machinery though. Usually just so he can fix up his car and stereos.

KING HIPPO

He is for sure not human. I always draw him more beastly but he's probably closer to whales/hippos than actual people.

Like hippos, all that's fat is really just pure muscle. No cuz google up a hippo and remove their skin them bitches are SHREDDED!!!

Naturally very affectionate, although he prefers his pals in the minor circuit (and Lil Mac. Yes this is Little Mac supremacy everyone will be his friend).

Absolutely loves cocktails. They come with fruit how can he not. Funnily enough he despises apples though.

Has multiple wives: a primary wife and secondary wives. Has kids with most of them and naturally, the first born son will take his place when the time comes. (He does love all his kids and wives equally tho so don't worry about them).

Surpringly eloquent" while he can't exactly form human speech, his writing is impeccable, both in letter and in word choice. No one knows how he does it with those claws and big ass hands.

PISTON HONDA

This man has so much manga it's insane. This mf probably has a whole room dedicated to his collection. Yes most of them are Shojo and yes he has a lot of Sailor Moon merch and memorabilia. (although he does also enjoy other such Mangas like JJBA and Inuyasha. I'd say he's embarrassed about it but bro was reading Sailor Moon out in the open so id say he's at least fine with reading it publicly.

Has gotten some of the other boxers to read some of his recs and watch some animes with him (he will force you to watch Madoka Magica and Revolutionary Girl Utena. It's only a matter of time.) It's also how he got into other shows like Candy Candy (by Mac), The Golden Girls(by Disco Kid. He likes his oldies what can he say), and pretty much any and every telenovela ever created (Wow wonder who it could be).

Has a pet Shiba Inu that he loves to bits but DAMN does she test his patience sometimes. And he has a lot of it.

Also began learning ASL when he caught wind of Glass Joe doing it, although he practically forced Lil Mac to learn Japanese because damn it, sometimes the dub doesn't do the show justice!!!

Has two older sisters!!! He's the baby of the family lol and it don't matter if he can pick em both up they'll still pinch his cheeks and tease him.

BEAR HUGGER

Trans: a transgender man who's loud and proud. Never bothered with top surgery he ain't cutting off his girls!!! He could pick up the vibe™️ with Little Mac but he's not the type to try and force the conversation. He'll let Mac come to him on his own time, and if not then that's fine too.

Loads of animals: similar situation to Glass Joe, although now it applies to all animals. Bro is a Disney princess. He sticks his arms out and birds fly to perch on them. Can seemingly hold an actual conversation with animals and no one knows if he's losing it or if they are.

Family: an only child, but with loads of cousins who fill in that sibling role. He's actually really good with kids and takes care of his nieces and nephews from time to time. He has thought about being a dad from time to time (he'd really like to have a girl) but always decides against it.

Affectionate: to the highest degree. That man is always asking if ya need a hug and it ain't just a threat for a grapple/ear clap. He and King Hippo get along swimmingly as a result (if only they didn't die if they went to each other's respective home country 😔)

Prosthethic: ya cant tell cuz of his clothes, but he has a prosthetic leg! (Stops a bit below the knee). If he ever takes it off for whatever reason, he always goes "aw man, guess I'm on my last leg" and the crowd goes mild. Thinks it's the funniest shit ever tho and he won't stop making the joke (Little Mac made it worse by giving an actual chuckle. Mac you've doomed us all with your horrible sense in jokes. I blame Doc)

GREAT TIGER

Loves cats: absolutely adores them. This man has a cat onesie I can feel it in my bones. He hangs out with Glass Joe solely for the cat (also the baguettes).

Gossip: he has a horrible habit of gossiping that he's tried to curb but astaghfirullah sometimes he's gotta talk about Don's receding hairline😔 Mac isn't helping him pinche chismoso!!!

Doesn't like going to parties involving alcohol with the WVBA because almost always he's forced into designated driver. Usually he just teleports away because he's not dealing with that yall are calling an uber!!!!

Actively avoids searching up ingredients in things he eats (like gummies) because if he doesn't know it's not Haram.

Sneakerhead: very proud of his collection. Also really into rap music (we don't talk about his career...that never happened chat) and you will hear it blasting from his car.

Sister!!! Stealing this from a fic but he has a younger sister who works internationally. If she's there with him she serves as his translator.

Magic: not limited to clones or what's seen in the game, but it's his preferred type of magic. He can also transform things and people into other things/creatures. He accidentally made Mac into a rabbit and everyone had a field day with that one.

DON FLAMENCO

Chismoso: this man will shit talk anything and anyone. If you talked with him chances are you're part of a gossiping ring with the older ladies who work nearby. I think they're talking about how you're a puta but idk

Former womanizer: this man banged anything that had a beating heart and a pretty body. It wasn't until he met Carmen that he knew what love really was. Once they got together UGHHHH this man was a fucking loser for his Carmen. Took years to win her over but it was all worth it for his amor.

They talk about kids sometimes, but this mf childish that he sees it as having to share his beloved fiance. (They for sure have kids later down the line tho. Give them a minute damn!)

Beef: tbh he doesn't really get along with anyone; he just dislikes them all to varying degrees. He and Mac hate each other on the principle of one being Hispanic/Latino and the other being a Spaniard. Do NOT leave them alone for any reason. Last time they both argued about the spanish word for 'straw' and sent each other to the hospital where they argued some more.

Telenovelas are his life force. If you interrupt his showing of La Rose de Guadalupe, he will literally kill you.

Got Aran Ryan into it by accident: he was watching Teresa in the living room when Ryan was crossing to go to the kitchen for a bite. An hour later he's sat on the couch hand in heads. They both watch it together now.

Great cook: he makes a means paella and he knows it. Always makes it to show off 'Spain Superiority'. Little Mac hates his guts but he's not gonna turn down a free paella.

ARAN RYAN

People joke and say he has brain damage which is why he's so crazy, but he actually does have CTE so 💀

Family: aside from his general knack for recklessness, having a piece of shit mom and an even worse dad (who of course had to die in a freak accident at work) does not exactly leave you the most sound. He has loads of sisters and brothers, being the second oldest of the bunch (with one older sister of which the hate is mutual). It's a big factor to why he doesn't want kids; he's spent a big chunk of his life working to raise them.

Boxing: to him it was both an outlet for his eventually anger issues and a means to raise money in the same punch. It did lead to fucking him up physically, as after a particularly nasty bout with Mr. Sandman, an eye got knocked out of place so he's working with only 50%.

Very jittery: you can never catch this man staying still. Even in his sleep he either tosses or twitches a leg or arm. Trying to make him stay still just makes it worse.

Repressed Bi it's not even funny. His excuse for his on and off relationship with Disco Kid is "well he's basically a lady!" He'll come to terms with it eventually, but that's one hell of a long road.

Superstitious: biggest thing for him is luck. he breaks a lot of shit but mirrors are not one of them!

Low-key misogynistic: "my sister punches harder than ye, boy!" Like damn your sister must be knocking ppls jaws clean off the freak. If he ever finds out that Lil Mac is trans it's just gonna be him like "SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT" cuz now he's gonna get canceled on Twitter dot com by Super Macho Man😔😔😔

SODA POPINSKI

Married!!! Has a tiny little wife that he loves to bits. She will scold him and he's just all :]]]] wife...I luv her sm... he's a total wifeman

They've been trying for a kid (bro you can't just say that...gross). Naturally this man wants a shit load of them god help that woman.

A major reason to why he's been making efforts to curb his drinking habits! Of course he still hits the bottle every so often, but he's for sure gotten better than his first time in the ring.

Cooking skills: surpringly decent believe it or not! Anything with meat he's killer with and he always makes ridiculously large portions. (Yes it's because he wants to make something nice for his lady let me make a wife guy!!!!)

Really likes Beyonce. Major fan actually he goes to so many of her shows.

Horrible with social cues. This man does not understand when he's being too overbearing (to the detriment of his friendship with many alas😔 especially Von Kaiser and Little Mac). Tries to apologize by offering them a soda like 🥺🥤

Speaking of Little Mac, he once tripped over him (6'7 vs 4'9...oh dear). Flash forward to them in the hospital. They both swear to never speak of this again (also Soda gets him authentic mexican cola so like...we're all good here).

BALD BULL

Anger issues galore: got his father's temperament(don't we all???) And in addition to being bullied a lot as a kid, he hasn't really found the best way to manage. Usually he just goes out to a secluded field or heads out to the sauna, but the press has done little favors to his mental sanity.

Cat magnet: not of his own volition. They are drawn to him like flies to honey. He doesn't really mind them and are a nice way to de-stress.

Music taste: while he usually listens to classical music and instrumentals, he loves himself some girlie pop music. You pull out his ear buds and just catch "Girls just wanna have funnnnn" Before he punches you into the sun

Cattle farm: Inherited from his family, he loves all his cows to bits. They are his pride and joy. He has Glass Joe come over sometimes for some cheese and wine.

Isn't particularly close to any of the boxers beyond Glass Joe and Soda Popinski. He spends some time with Lil Mac, usually just to go out and get some ice cream or something. He likes the kids company cuz he isn't as energetic or demanding in the same regard a lot of teens are.

SUPER MACHO MAN

He for sure has a purse dog named princess. It's a white pomeranian with a pink bow i just known it.

Was a child actor! His family got him into the world early, staring as the sweetheart of whatever show or movie he was in. In his later teens, he was the heart throb before he left the scene as an adult to focus on boxing. His parents were at first disappointed, but after seeing the money roll in? They had no problems after that.

Romance: as expected, nothing permanent. He usually just has loads of flings or one time hook ups that never amount to anything, and he doesn't bother looking for anything "real".

Probably has a kid out there somewhere but if he does, he's denying it till his dying breath.

Similarly to Don, he doesn't really get along with anyone. For him it's just a matter of his own superficial nature. He absolutely detests Mac, but is the only one to know ASL fluently due to a former childhood friend. He doesn't use it beyond wanting to be bitchy in secret.

I know he's super tan but I'm not allowing him to be white. He's a lil something...will figure that out later.

MR SANDMAN

Yeah ngl I don't got a lot for him. I don't think i have anything actually. Huh

He mains Kirby in smash.

He used to have a lisp when he was younger

Yknow how some parents will have kids super far apart? Yeah his parents did that what do you mean he was 22 and he got a new baby sister. What the freak.

He absolutely hates Macs guts but also can't take him seriously on account that he's 4'9. Whose child is this. Literally, when he first entered the ring, he asked whose kid was this and that children weren't allowed in the ring. Lo and behind this was the schmuck that knocked the lights out of 12 other fully grown men, and he was coming for your ass next.

BONUS

DOC LOUIS

Took Mac in when he was around 9, formally adopted him as soon as he could. Heard of a ruckus for a missing child some minutes away and when he came back with Little Mac, he thought he found his parents. Then he got the situation explained to him about how he didn't actually have anyone, everyone just agreed to look out for him. There he officially took him in as his son.

Put the kid back in school after learning he hasn't been in since his mom died. He's considerably behind for his age, but has taken great strides to catch up. He's now just a year behind.

Definitely a major learning curve when it came to raising a child, much less one who barely spoke english(if he spoke at all) and prone to outbursts. It's been years since then and he can't imagine a world without that kid.

Had a wife but they divorced after he found out she had an affair. Sent him on a downwards spiral but he managed to pick himself back up. Having a kid to raise really helps him out.

Close to his sister, but that's about it. She's who gave him pointers on how to raise a kid, as they were about the same age. He doesn't think hes have done as well if it wasn't for her.

Former coach of Bald Bull, but parted ways after arguments on what exactly that wanted to do moving forward. They're amicable now, though.

[call-me-strega]

How to Become a Step-Dad in 5 Easy Steps: ch.4/5 of p.2

First, prev, next, lore, ao3,

I've already said it but thank you for all your wonderful comments and for engaging with my story. It really motivated me to finish up this chapter. I hope you all enjoy and Happy (early) Halloween! As a bonus I'm also releasing some memes for this chapter here.

This chapter a heat wave overtakes Gotham and causes some trouble, but at least Jason gets a title upgrade.

~~~

"Uggh! How is summer in Gotham so miserable that I'm still sweating buckets in the rec center? It has AC?!" John complained, setting down the box he was holding. He stopped, pulling a hair tie from his wrist and tying his hair up in a circle man-bun. "I swear I can feel my hair sweating!"   

"Hah! Sucks to suck whiteboy! Maybe if you chopped off that mop, you'd be less sweaty!" Irene taunted, hoisting a box onto her shoulder.   

"Well, we can't all just decide to shave it off the second we get bored of our braids, now can we Irene!" Johnny fought back, lifting his box with new vigor. "Some of us had to work for this kinda hair growth!"   

"Like I said, 'sucks to suck'! Get good whiteboy!"   

She stuck out her tongue as she trotted past him.   

Jason sighed as he dragged two of his own boxes out of the truck and followed behind.   

"Would you two quit yer yapping? Yer hot cause we've been moving in and out, carrying boxes in the middle of a recorded breaking heatwave during a Gotham summer. And, might I add, that I'd like to finish moving this shipment in on schedule, ya know before my skin melts off? So that I can actually enjoy the industrial-strength air conditioner we installed in this place? Plus, you know Fern won't be happy if they find out that all the equipment for the new kitchens and cooking classes didn't get set up 'cause you two were too busy trying to goad each other into a rumble."   

The pair stiffened.   

Fern was 152 pounds of rage, spite, and mischief, condensed into a 5'2" package, decorated with kitties, glitter, and spikes.   

Neither of them wanted to see Fern mad.   

They promptly stopped their bickering and rushed toward the kitchens, mumbling complaints under their breaths.   

 "Who even says rumble anymore," John muttered. "S.E. Hinton much."   

Jason rolled his eyes, gently bumping the door with his hip to keep it open. He walked over to the table where they had piled the rest of the boxes, setting them down with a soft grunt. He pulled up the bottom of his shirt, using it to wipe his brow as the three of them took a brief pause in the kitchens to catch their breath.   

That's when a ringtone went off.   

"Huh? Whose phone was that?" Irene questioned glancing between Jason and John. "Did one of you change your ringtones?"   

Jason knew exactly who it was.   

He flushed slightly as he reached into his pocket to pull out his phone, hoping in vain that neither would notice his embarrassment. Irene sidled up to him with a smirk.   

 "Who's that? Your hot neighbor-dad crush?" she teased with a cheshire grin. "Did you set a special ringtone for him lover-boy!?"   

Jason defensively tried to hide his phone.   

 "Maybe? And what if I did!? Now back off and let me pick up!"   

He shoved the smug girl off him as he picked up the phone.   

 "Hey neighbor," Jason gave his customary greeting, fully expecting Danny to give it back. Instead, he was met with panicked breaths and an anxious little girl's voice.

 "Mr. Jason? That's you, right?"   

Jason's hackles instantly rose.   

 "Yes, it's me, Ellie, it's Mr. Jason. Is something wrong sweetie? Where's your dad? Why do you have his phone?"   

 "You like to help us right? Daddy said you told him we could come to you for help. You'll help, right?"   

 "Yes, Ellie I did say that. I promise I'll help, but you need to tell me where your dad is, okay? Can you take a deep breath for me sweetheart? What's going on munchkin?"   

John and Irene exchanged nervous glances, responding to the way Jason tensed up. They watched on apprehensively, the mood quickly growing somber. This wasn't the first time, nor would it be the last, that one of them picked up a call and had to ask questions like these.   

 "Huuup-haaah,  - um well, Daddy took me to the park, the one with the purple swings, because I really wanted to play today, and Sasha said they were doing soccer today and I really wanted to go. And, and I made Daddy run around with me even though he was getting tired. And then Daddy said he was getting too hot, so he was gonna rest, b-but he fell before he got to the bench and he- he's not getting up."   

The young girl explained, fighting back tears.   

"Hey- hey, Ellie, Ellie! I want you to listen to me, okay? First things first, I'm proud of you for reaching out to me when you knew you needed help, okay. That's a very responsible and big girl move. Next, I need you to understand that this isn't your fault, okay? Sometimes the hot weather can make people sick just like cold weather can."

 "Mmm-hmm," she sniffled.

 "Great. Next, I need you to find an adult at the park you can trust. Is your friend Sasha's mom nearby?"   

 "Yes."   

 "Good. Here's what you're gonna do: When I'm done talking, you're gonna go up to Sasha's mom and tell her your dad needs help. Tell her that she needs to call the VPA, okay? The V-P-A. Try to cool your dad off, maybe get him some water. If he can't drink it's fine to pour it on him since it'll still help cool off. I'm going to come get you so I can help. Stay with your dad and Sasha's mom until I get there, alright?"   

 "Alright, Mr. Jason."   

 "Good girl, can you repeat back to me what I said?"   

 "I need to go to Sasha's mom and tell her Daddy needs help. I need to tell her to call the VeePeeAay. I should try to cool Daddy off and stay with Sasha's mom till you come to help us."   

 "That's right. Good job, Elle! You're such a big, strong girl! I'll be there as soon as I can, okay?"   

 "Okay, Mr. Jason. Please hurry."   

 "I will sweetie. Promise."   

Jason hung up the call.   

 "I'm sorry guys, but I gotta ditch. It's an emergency. Neighbor's daughter called saying he passed out after playing with her at the park. It's probably heat exhaustion. Hopefully, the Volunteer Paramedics Association will have sent someone by the time I get there."   

He promptly had a pair of car keys shoved into his chest. He made eye contact with John to see him giving him a serious look.   

 "Take my car, Jay. From the sounds of it, it'll probably serve you better than your bike. Don't worry about returning it. I know you'll have Hood get it back to me when you can."   

Jason gave him a look of appreciation. "Thanks, Johnny," he said, turning to leave. He looked back at Irene, who nodded at him in determination.   

 "Get outta here! We'll cover for ya. We can handle the rest of the delivery ourselves. Now go help your lover boy, lover-boy!"   

He nodded in thanks before rushing out the door. He hopped in turning the AC on full blast and taking off.   

~   

Jason tore through traffic as fast as he could, breaking several minor traffic laws along the way. He hastily parked and rushed through the park looking for the Nightingales.   

She said the park with purple swings. Ellie was playing soccer, so they'll be near the field.   

He scanned the area as he approached. Suddenly he felt like his blood froze as he locked onto a small crowd formed near a tree. He assessed the crowd: a few parents, a couple of kids, two people in paramedic uniforms, and them.   

Jason marched over, pushing through the crowd with one single-minded purpose echoing in his head: Help them.   

He could see that the paramedics had laid Danny down and elevated his feet on a balled-up picnic blanket. His face was sweaty and red, his eyes barely open as one of the paramedics helped a pleading Ellie coax him into taking a few sips from a bottle of water. Another used a small hand fan borrowed from a parent in the crowd to cool him.   

He pushed forward, reaching out a hand to call to Ellie, only to be stopped by a hand hastily pressing against his chest. A small portion of him grew enraged as he turned to see who stopped him.   

'Who dares stop us from getting to our people!'   

A tall, lean woman in a t-shirt and athletic pants. Judging by the age lines on her face she was likely in her late-30s, maybe early-40s. Her hair was pulled back in a severe ponytail and her face was just as severe, promising pain if she deemed it necessary. She spoke first.   

 "I don't know who you are, but you can't go over there. Don't get in the way."   

 "Tch! Let me through. I'm here for them." he growled out.   

The woman tensed.   

 "Look I don't know what you want from them, but that man is in no position to give you whatever you're after." Her face grew more dangerous. "And don't even think about getting near the girl."   

That's when Jason belatedly realized he had had his mission face on the entire time. This woman mistook him for some sort of collector or enforcer. She was trying to protect them. He felt himself warm up to her a bit, releasing some of the tension from his body. He had to explain to her why he was actually here.   

 "Look ma'am it's not like tha-"   

 "YOU'RE HERE!" a small voice interrupted.   

Ellie promptly attached herself to Jason's leg. Jason bent down wrapping his arms around her. He stroked her hair, trying to reassure her.   

 "I promised I would be, didn't I?"   

 "Ahem," the woman glanced between him and Ellie with a slightly reproachful glint in her eyes. She addressed Ellie first.   

 "Ellie dear, do you know this man?" 'And are you safe with him?' her eyes asked. Ellie nodded in response.   

 "This is Uncle Jason. He lives in the same building as us, near me and Dad. He came to help us b'cause I asked him too. He's the one who told me to ask you for help."   

Jason expertly masked any surprise he felt over the new title Ellie had given him, which implied a level of trust and familiarity he wasn't 100% convinced he'd earned just yet. He simply nodded in agreement, waiting for the woman to confirm his theories on her identity.   

 "I am Katrina Malone; my daughter Sasha is friends with Ellie. We all live in the same building apparently. You can call me Trina." She addressed him this time, holding out her hand. Jason shook it, nodding at her once.   

 "Jason. Ellie called me in a panic, and I got over here as fast as I could." He returned. She simply nodded in acknowledgment.   

That's when one of the paramedics approached them. Jason recognized them as one of the kids that apprenticed with Dr. Thompkins, Emilio something-or-other.   

 "Ah, Jason! I'd say it's nice to see you but, well..." He glanced back at Danny. "If I overheard correctly, you're here for the patient?"   

 "Yes, I am."   

 "Ah-well, it's a pretty bad case of heat exhaustion. My guess is that he hasn't been sleeping right or enough. We've cooled him about as much as we can, but it would be ideal if we could get him indoors, preferably somewhere with air conditioning. That is assuming you don't want to take him to the hospital."   

Jason nodded along. "I brought a car with me. I can take them home; we live next door to each other, and I definitely have AC. I can accommodate them just fine."   

"Great. We've already administered some first aid, but keep in mind for once you get back that he should be kept in a cool environment. Try to elevate his feet if you can and have him drink something with electrolytes. Handle him gently when helping him move. He didn't hurt anything much when he fainted, but his head and side may be a bit tender."   

Jason stood up and walked over to Danny, Ellie trailing behind him. His face was considerably less red, but he was still barely conscious. Danny cracked his eyes open and looked up at him with through his eyelashes. He managed to mutter out a weak "Hey" before trailing off, unable to remain fully cognizant.   

 "Easy does it, your highness," Jason whispered as he went to pick up Danny.   

He slid an arm under his knees, the other supporting his back and hefted him up off the ground, holding him close to his chest. He dismissed the paramedics and said a quick goodbye to Trina before turning to Ellie.   

 "Come on princess, let's get you dad home."   

He led her to the car, carefully buckling into the two most precious pieces of cargo Jason had ever transported. And then they were off.   

~   

Jason gently placed Danny down on his bed, taking great care to make sure he was comfortable. Ellie, in an attempt to be helpful, shoved a cushion under her dad's feet. Jason couldn't help but give her a slight smile at the cute gesture. He reached over and gently ruffled her hair, before moving around the room.   

First, he double checked that his AC was working, even setting it to a lower than he normally used. Then, he dragged out some folding chairs he kept in his closet for the sake of convenience. One for him and one for Ellie. He set them up next to the bed and gestured to Ellie to go ahead and sit. Finally, he went to his kitchen.   

'He needs something simple and easy to eat that will help rehydrate and cool him off ', he thought.   

Jason ended up going with some simple orange slices with a sprinkle of sea salt and the light blue Gatorade (he refused to call it "frost glacier freeze". It was light blue, goddammit!). He set them on a tray with some pretzels, hummus, and carrots that he cut up into little sticks for Ellie.   

He walked back into the bedroom, placing the tray on the side table.   

"Come on munchkin, you've had a lot of excitement huh? Come have a snack. I'll watch your dad."   

She looked up hesitantly, glancing between Jason and her dad.   

"He'll be alright sweetheart. He just needs some rest."   

Eventually, Jason managed to coax her into eating while he attempted to get Danny to drink some of the Gatorade. Danny managed to pull himself into consciousness long enough to drink a fourth of the bottle and stomach a few orange slices. Before he went out again, he managed enough energy to reassure Ellie he'd be better after a nap, and lock eyes with Jason briefly saying "thanks" and then he was out again.   

Ellie finished her snack and hopped up onto the bed, laying down next to her dad. She left some space between them but reached out to hold his hand as he slept. She looked at him from her place on the bed and murmured a small voice, "Thank you 'ncle Jas'n."   

Jason felt his heart clench. He wanted to ask her why she had called him that. To ask if she really trusted him that much. Could he really say he deserved the opportunity to become such an important figure in her life?   

"You're welcome sweetheart," he whispered back instead, letting her rest with her dad.   

Jason decided to step out of the room at that point. He went to sit in the living room for a bit to try to get his thoughts in order. He updates John and Irene on the situation, thanking John again for the use of his car, then heads to the kitchen to whip up a quick lunch. Something the Nightingales could eat when they woke up. He ended up making some fruit salad, ham and cheese roll-ups, and using some left-over grilled chicken to make chicken pesto sandwiches with tomato and mozzarella. The rhythmic motions of his knife calmed him as he mulled over the day's events.   

'Her actions were calculated. She wanted to express her trust in me so that her friend's mom would ease up and let me help,' he analyzed.  'But... but there was no hesitation or unease. She knew what she was doing and did it anyway. I- I want to make the most of her actions. I'll prove I deserve the trust she placed in me. '   

Once he was finished, Jason carefully stored the food in his fridge before going to check on the father-daughter duo.   

Jason cracked the door open, peaking in at the pair sleeping soundly on his bed. He walked over to one of the chairs he'd set up earlier, quiet as an assassin. He sat as softly as he could and observed the pair.   

Danny's complexion had greatly improved, beginning to return to his normal color. His chest slowly moved up and down and his calm face was at peace. Likewise, once Ellie had fallen asleep her worry melted off her face, leaving a calm expression so different from her usual boundless energy. She looked so much like her father it was almost uncanny.   

Sitting there looking at the two, absolutely relaxed and trusting nothing would happen as they lay in his bed, Jason came to a realization. One he honestly should have expected sooner or later what with his Big Realization, last week. He closed his eyes, leaning back in his chair.   

'I want to protect them.' he thought.  'When Ellie called me, I was so scared something was wrong. But the two of them are safe with me. In my apartment. In my bed. I don't want to lose this trust. I don't want to lose them.   

~   

Jason woke up with a crick in his neck.   

He groaned, straightening himself out and cursing himself for falling asleep sitting. Couldn't he have at least fallen asleep on the couch? He stands up from the chair, stretching out his back. 'It's nearly 5', he thinks as he checks the time. They've all been asleep for around 3 hours. 'Oh well, at least I'll be rested for patrol later’ he thinks, heading to the kitchen to go eat something, never mind the fact that it won't be dark for a few more hours.   

He pulls out the lunch he made earlier, serving himself a portion. It's closer to dinner now but he'd be damned if he let food go to waste. As he was eating, he heard the sound of light groans and shifting coming from his room. Abandoning his plate Jason gets up and goes to check on the Nightingales.   

He opens the door to see the pair sitting up in his bed, both rubbing the tiredness out of their eyes in the same way.   

Like father, like daughter, huh?   

"Feeling better your highness?" He says leaning up against the wall.   

In unison, the two stare at him with wide, innocent eyes before smiling those smiles that never fail to make Jason's heart melt.   

 "I'm feeling much better. Thank you so much for taking care of us Jason. I'm sorry to have worried you," Danny began, a finger coming up to scratch his cheek as if trying to dust his embarrassed blush away like a few stray crumbs. "I've had some health issues in the past which make me more susceptible to the heat. I really should have planned better, even if it did get hotter than I thought it would. I must have given you and Ellie a big scare, huh?"   

He turned to his daughter pulling her into his chest. She hugged him back for a few seconds before abruptly pulling away. Danny stared at her in shock only to find her pouting. Ellie scrambled off the bed and made her way to Jason. She indicated for him to pick her up. He obliged. Once she was in his arms, she reached up awkwardly hugging his face to show her dad and gave him an ultimatum.   

 "You scared us both, daddy! If you don't take care of yourself and scare us again like that, then me'n Uncle Jason will just move in together until you learn to take care of yourself! So, if you don't wanna be lonely, you better not scare us again!"   

'What is she saying!?’  Jason sweat-dropped, nervously staring at Danny's shocked expression.   

 "Is that right, Uncle Jason?" Danny asked, raising an eyebrow.   

'Fuck what am I supposed to do now!?'

 "Uuuh- uh, yeah! Me and munchkin here will just stay together if you don't take care of yourself!" He wondered what the hell he was thinking as he doubled down on her words.   

 "So, please," he continued genuinely pleading, "We care about you, try to take better care of yourself."   

Or at least let me help. 

Danny gave a bemused chuckle, getting off the bed. He sauntered over to Ellie and Jason, wrapping his arms around both of them. His face slid into the gap between Jason and Ellie's, fitting in easily as a puzzle piece. Jason couldn't see his face anymore, but he could practically feel the affection rolling of the man in waves. Danny squeezed them tight before speaking.   

 "Alright. I promise to take better care of myself. I don't want to worry either of you."   

 "Pinky promise daddy?"   

Danny pulled back and extended his pinkie out to his daughter.   

 "Pinky promise, Ell."   

His pinkie was larger than hers, wrapping her own finger like a hug. Keeping their hands in place, Ellie turned her unwavering gaze to Jason.   

 "You too, Uncle Jason."   

Jason agreed, giving her a slight smile.   

 "Alright, me too."   

Jason brought up the hand that wasn't supporting Ellie's weight and wrapped his own finger around Danny and Ellie's. His finger was bigger, thicker, rougher, and covered them nearly perfectly. He almost felt like he was acting as a protective barrier, which he felt wasn't an unappealing thing to be.   

Eventually, they all had to let go. Jason, remembering that they hadn't eaten properly, led them to the kitchen. The three managed to easily fall into a comforting and familiar atmosphere.   

Once the Nightingales finished eating with Jason they returned to their own apartment. They stood in Jason's doorway stretching out their goodbyes.   

 "I really can't thank you enough for all your help, Jason. Is there anything I can do to pay you back for this? I'm just so thankful for all your help."   

 "Hey now, I already told you there's no need. Really, I was happy to help."   

 "Oh, but I insist."   

 "Look, it really wasn't that big a deal but if you really insist, I'll accept some more of that fudge you gave me," Jason joked.   

 "Deal. I'll make a special batch just for you," Danny replied with a light blush dusting his nose.   

He leaned over, giving Jason a brief hug.   

 "Good night, Jason."   

 "Good night, Danny."   

 "Me too!"   

Both of them looked down at Ellie before glancing at each other. In unison, they bent down and took her in their arms.   

 "Good night, Ellie," Jason spoke softly. Her small hand tightened its grip.   

 "Good night, Uncle Jason."   

With that, Danny and Ellie went back to their apartment. Jason closed his door, sitting on the floor with his back against it, his head cradled in his hands, and pondered these newfound desires swirling in his chest.   

'What do I do now?' 

~~~

Okay y'all that's all for this chapter. I hope it was enjoyable. Let me know if you think the flow and pacing is going well. As always, I'm open to constructive criticism. Also, I'm thinking about adding an extra to the series where I go over my visions for some of the side character OCs so if you are interested in more info on them or to see anyone in particular, let me know.

[wondersinwaynemanor]

either Dick's siblings are merely teasing him, or they are telling the truth. and that destroys Dick Grayson. or wherein the rest of the batkids call out Dick's features and behavior that indicate he's aging.

Dick tiptoes, while slowly getting the mug from the cupboard.

Jason: You're getting slow, Dickiebird. Should I call your speedster boyfriend to help you in getting that?

Dick, huffs: What are you talking about, Little Wing???? I'm just not tall enough to get it. Not everyone has your growth spurt.

Jason, grabs the mug with ease and hands it to his older brother: Nah, you're just slow now.

Dick tries to recall the case he and Tim were working on last month as they sit in front of the batcomputer.

Tim: You okay, Dick?

Dick, massaging his temples: I'm trying, Timmy. I really cannot remember the coordinates. I'll let Babs help me with that.

Tim: Maybe you should go lay down, Dick. You're getting memory loss.

Dick: I - What is that supposed to mean? I'm just out of my game tonight, okay????

Tim, snorts: Not the first time this is happening though.

Dick, leans down to read the contents of the cereal box: Hmmm.. Are the words too small, Dami, or it's just me?

Damian, gets the box from his older brother and reads for him: Only minimal sugar, Richard, you're good. But it seems as if you need prescription glasses.

Dick: My vision is perfectly fine, okay??? It's just Mirror Master's mirror reflected right to my eyes. Helped Wally last night.

Damian: I really hope that's the case, Richard.

Dick is sitting with Cass and Steph on the floor in Cass' room at the Manor.

Cass, stops braiding Dick's hair: Big Brother has gray hairs.

Dick, shocked like a deer in headlights as he touches his hair: What???? Are you serious, Cass?? Where??

Steph: Hey, you're gonna ruin your nails, Dick! They're still wet - Oh, no. Is that a fine line on your forehead?

Dick, turns red at this point: FINE LINE??? That's not possible!! I'm using the face mask you recommended to me last week - You're telling me it's not working- I can't have a fine line!!!

Cass and Steph giggle as they watch Dick pace around and leave to go to the bathroom.

Dick closes his eyes and breathes.

Duke: Are you okay, Dick? Want to take a few-

Dick, opens his eyes and smiles at his younger brother : No, no I'm okay. Let's go again-

Duke: No, you can teach me the move tomorrow, or when you feel better. You've been really tired lately.

Dick: It's just a headache, nothing too serious.

Duke: Yes, but it's different when it's fatigue. And it's one of the symptoms of-

Dick: Uh, uh. Don't say it, don't say it- I'm not getting old, okay??? Why are you guys saying that lately???

Duke, squeezes his older brother's arm: Aging is a natural thing, Dick.

One night-

Dick, enters Bruce's study: B, I need to go with you to that spa in Greece. I need a break. I'm getting old!!!

Bruce, nods his head slowly: Sure, Chum.

Bruce, eyes his eldest: Oh.

Dick: What?

Bruce: Is that a wrinkle-

Dick: Coming from you, old man!!

Bruce chuckles as Dick leaves the study, talking to himself.

Dick cries dramatically to Wally that night.

[madameaug]

Wash Day || PJM x Black Fem Reader

inspo You're hair is really soft (Pinterest)

*woman in gif is not a face claim

yn: hey baby i'm getting ready to start washing my hair. so i'll be slow to respond if you text me within the next seven hours <3

jimin: seven hours ???

jimin: wait can i help

yn: uhh sure. if you want i'm unraveling my braids now

You sat your phone down, focusing on the ombre brown box braid in your hand. It was officially fall, and it was time to take out your late summer hairstyle. You stretched this style longer than usual due to your recent visit to South Korea. You came to celebrate Jimin's birthday and spent the remaining three weeks sightseeing before returning to your country.

The once neat squares were now fuzzy and overgrown. You were excited to see this much new growth spreading across your scalp. You peeked over your phone, seeing Jimin hearted your final text message. Jimin never shied away from asking you questions about your natural hair. Of course, he knew about the versatility of black hair, but now that his girlfriend was black, he felt he could become better informed.

"Yeobo." Jimin cooed, taking off his black puffer jacket. His eyes shining with pure love, looking at you. Despite half of your hair sticking out.

Jimin bent over and laid a kiss on your lips. He sat down before you, feet crossed and tucked underneath his body. "I'm ready to be your assistant."

You demonstrated to Jimin where to cut and how to unravel your braids. Like a good student, Jimin watched you take down some braids. Watching how generous you were with the detangler, using the rat tail comb to pick at those annoying knots.

Jimin was so gentle, slowly detangling your hair. Starting from the ends of your hair as you taught him. With each crinkly track of hair that Jimin removed, more and more of your natural hair was revealed. He showered your hair with compliments, not caring about the specks of dirt or clusters of hardened gel.

Starting your natural hair journey was something always intimate to you. It was your hair. Your crown. It was a part of your identity. Whether it was short, long, kinky, or curly. It grew from your scalp and was a testament to strength. Not letting Western beauty standards strip you of the beauty you were handed down from your ancestors. And for him, Jimin, your non-black boyfriend, to engage with your natural hair. You felt connected with him on another level.

In no time, an hour to be exact, you and Jimin finished unraveling all the braids. Your afro was extended high and moved like blades of grass in the wind. Jimin sweetly called your hair cotton candy.

"Your hair is so soft. I love it in this state." He leaned back on the couch, proud of his work.

"Na ah. We still got more work to do; now we have to wash it."

No complaint left Jimin's mouth as he rolled off the couch.

"Okay, but I wanna take a picture. Your hair is so cute right now." You playfully rolled your eyes but stretched out your hair to look suitable for the picture. Knowing Jimin, he was going to make this photo be his lock screen for who knows how long. With his hands around your hips, Jimin pulled you in close. His full lips puckered, kissing your cheek. Your eyes were closed, giving the camera a beautiful smile.

Reviewing the image, Jimin laughed, seeing that your afro covered a good portion of his face. But his lips on your cheek were still evident. Clearing out your kitchen sink, you explained to Jimin how each product would help your hair. He was simply taken aback by the six bottles that were sitting on the sink.

Jimin held the faucet spout over your hair, impressed at how your hair was repelling the stream of water. Jimin counted the sixty-seconds it took for your hair to start dripping from the water.

"So this is what you mean by low-porosity?"

"Yeah, it takes a while for my hair to get wet and for my hair to dry. Well at least air dry."

You squirted the coconut-scented shampoo in your hand. Ensuring that you scratched up any dirt in your hair. The scalp massage was your favorite part of washing your hair. You reached for Jimin's hands, getting them into your hair. His hands massaging your hair, hitting all the itchy spots.

"This is so satisfying, not gonna lie." You physically relaxed into Jimin's body. Despite the slightly uncomfortable bridge position you were in. You didn't mind as you watched Jimin wash your hair. You recognized his look of determination as he gave care to each area of your scalp.

"Gimme kiss." This time, you were puckering your lips for a kiss. Jimin didn't hesitate. Since your time in Korea, you have not had the opportunity to have a 'down' day with Jimin. Either he was taking you to a new part of the country he wanted you to see. Or you were working remotely from your laptop. You weren't working odd hours due to conflicting time zones. You were finding peace in the little things, like watching Jimin breathe. Your hands traced his jawline, feeling his bare skin. Not many things if life are 'perfect', but this moment between you and Jimin would be close. You basked in the moment. Not wanting this moment to end. Not enjoying your time to end.

"I love you."

"I love you more."

"Impossible." Jimin rinsed the shampoo, repeating the process with conditioner and deep conditioner. Jimin hadn't even noticed the time just flying by. He was just going along with the flow. Watching you section off your hair before blow drying it. The sections displayed an obvious contrast in the apparent 'length' of your hair. When soaking wet it was barely near your ear. Yet after being stretched by the blow dryer, it was at your collarbone.

"What do you need help with next?"

"This next part is pretty simple. I'm just gonna do five cornrows, then call it a night. You've been such a help, babe."

"Teach me how to do it." Jimin patted on the carpeted ground for you to sit in between his legs. In a matter of thirty minutes, Jimin mastered cornrows. Something that took you months, maybe even years to make them look presentable.

"Had I known you were this fast learner, I would have taught you this when we met." You looked at the five braids. You looked at the time, noticing that only four hours had passed. Jimin helped you shave off three hours of wash day.

"Glad to be of help."

I feel like I'm constantly changing my format when writing these imagines. Oh well. Life has been good lately, hope life has been good to everyone too <33

I'm def looking forward to the discourse on Golden over the next few days.

[dollypopup]

fuck it, gonna do it myself since the showrunners refuse to

Colin Bridgerton Background and Headcanons

+Colin was a chubby child, but became super lanky around his pre-teens, just before he went to Eton

+He would play piano with Francesca for Mum. He always wanted to play and sing for Papa, too, but Edmund was usually with Anthony and Benedict. Still, he and Fran would sit on the shorter velvet cushion so they could reach the pedals, and they would take turns singing silly made up songs, or church hymns

+Because of his age, he was always excluded from the 'Boys' club of the family. At ten years younger than his older brothers, and not an Heir OR the Spare, this is when he started getting particularly close with his sisters, El, Daph, and Fran. He and Daphne were almost inseparable growing up.

+Colin got SEVERAL makeovers from his sisters. They always said he was just as pretty as they were, and powdered him with too much blush, bribing him with extra snacks if he wore one of their dresses. He did, of course. Those Tea Parties were fancy affairs, after all. Once, Eloise tried to braid his hair for it, too, but it was just too short

+Of all his siblings, Colin is the only one Papa ever punished physically. After Colin hit Eloise and Papa saw, he horsewhipped him in the stable. Colin is a boy, soon to be a man, Papa said, he should never lay a hand on a lady, *any* lady. Colin wonders why he cannot hit a lady, but anyone can hit him. It's the start of his hero complex and his martyr streak, too. He does not matter in the scenario, others do. He can get hurt, but others cannot.

+It's not three months after Edmund dies that Colin is sent to Eton. He's the only boy in their entire family to ever go there, and the prestige of Oxford was just unnecessarily for a third son. The funds were already put aside, Colin's traveling trunk packed, and the first year paid out. He had no choice. As a lanky, scrawny, barely 5 feet tall 12 year old boy, Colin leaves everything he has ever known behind to mourn in private, on his own, far from anything familiar

+Eton has. . .to say problems would be an understatement. Colin is under the tutelage of the harshest superintendent of the century for only one year toward the end, but it is far more than enough. The treatment is horrible. (look it up, this is historically accurate!). 'Flogging Fridays' were so harrowing, the uprisings by the students ended in stalemates and fury. In that last year, Colin had long hit his growth spurt, and resented a bully deep, *deep* in his bones. In his last year at Eton, Colin broke so many windows in the uprising that for days after, he was picking glass shards out from his clothes

+His first year at Eton was hard. Colin was small and alone and had no one in his corner. He made friends with some others, but for the most part, he was an easy target for the older boys to pick on. His name couldn't shield him from that. Being so small, even when he tried to fight back, he wasn't very successful, and most times, they would report him for violence anyway, so his choices were two fold- sit down and take it, or square up

+Colin learns to box at Eton. It isn't encouraged, surely, but one of his classmates noticed how Colin was very much not having a good time and put two and two together. He was older, a bit fatherly, almost, even though he wasn't even 18, yet. It was his last year so he was less concerned with doing things as the world expected it. Colin followed him around like a little duckling. Everywhere James went, Colin went. They sat with each other to eat dinner, then would sneak off to spar and train. He was Colin's first crush. He never told anyone, but he *is* grateful

+When Colin comes home for the first time, he *knows* everything is different. There's already a rift forming. Colin becomes a haunt in the hallway, only there in the summers and for holiday breaks. Colin becomes a ghost, half seen, wandering Aubrey Hall. Mama is over the moon, of course, as over the moon she can be still deep in grief, as is Daphne, but Fran is quieter, now, and Eloise turns away from him, frustrated at his freedoms when she gets none. Anthony has no time for him, save to ask if his studies are well, and Benedict is busy taking care of the babs

+Colin's favorite place to be when he was home was with Hyacinth. He'd sneak into the nursery and gently hold her. Though there were nurses, Colin was there so often, they swore she never cried. The truth was, Hy cried often, but Colin would notice the signs and comfort her. It made him feel better, to know there was something in this world that might need him. No one else needed him. Not Mama, not his sisters, certainly not his brothers. So, he rocks the baby sister he barely knows, and he sings her lullabies, and he cries with her, sometimes, and he's just a little less alone

+He's 14 by the time he finally starts gaining height. A late bloomer, a professor or two teases. They thought it would never come, really. He'd been a been pole for as long as anyone could remember, ever since he turned 6, but all of a sudden, he looked almost skeletal. Shooting up near an entire foot was awful. For a lot of people in his life, this was the first they'd seen him be openly miserable and snappish. Sore and frustrated, Colin had the shortest fuse he'd ever had. Oh, he had a temper. Always did. But he typically knew how to reign it in. During his growing pains, it was impossible. This is the manifest of him not sharing his food- he was constantly ravenous, and lord help anyone trying to get between him and his plate

+Colin first meets Penelope when he's 16, filled out and coming into his own, an insta-crush for Penelope, but for Colin? First thing he thought after her bonnet knocked him off his horse is that she looked like a peach. All round and pink and in her yellow dress. Colin likes peaches. So Colin likes her. It was simple as that for him

+He never got into Eloise's rivalry about Penelope. Honestly, he didn't think about her very often. Penelope seemed sweet, but she was near silent. Eloise would tell him that she wasn't that way with her, as though bragging, and Colin just shrugged. He didn't have any real interest or investment in their friendship, but he did try to be polite. The one time, Penelope stood in front of him and tried to say something for an entire minute, only to squeak and thrust out a book at him, turning tail and making off. He found it surprisingly funny. She opened up to him slowly, got more comfortable in increments, but he thinks back to that moment and remembers that she's come a long way. Would be nice to see where they end up (forshadowinggggg)

+Colin doesn't like to drink. Never carried a torch for the taste, really, but other men did it, and only in drinking did they seem to have any semblance of closeness. Colin tries it for himself. It never really works out

+Charm becomes a second skin to hide himself in. Deflecting questions to other people, remembering details about them and bringing them up, asking questions and using humor. Funny how humor lands so much easier, now. At Eton, he had no protection. (No wonder he despises a bully) But now, he was grown. Now, he was a 'man'. A conventionally attractive man (he can't really deny it). He's tall and he's finally started filling out broad and big, and he uses it to his advantage. When he talks, in his mind, somewhere, he's still that 5 foot tall boy, crying in the carriage to an unfamiliar place or grinning and bearing it his first year at school. But this time, he has a cloak to wrap around himself. This time, yes, he's softhearted and tender, but he is also beautiful and knows how to focus on someone else, and he uses it to his advantage.

+Colin understands this privilege, because for a time, he knew what it was like without it. Colin sees what happens to those who do not have it, also. For Colin, charm is the sprinkle of honey over his bitter fears and concerns. For Colin, charm is the fun party hat everyone gets to see- not that he's sad, not that he's conflicted, not that he's unsure. He's pretty. That's enough for them

+But it isn't enough for HIM. Colin grapples with his purpose because the idea that he should be content to be attractive and well off and nothing else sits unpleasantly with him. Colin wants to be a self-made man, but he is denied the opportunity. So he tries to navigate the world as it is around him, having been pre-molded and determined to a certain outcome.

+So, Colin's arc is about becoming a Man, but he is not a conventional one, so he works from example. What do Men do? Colin certainly didn't have his father to inform him, so he relies on the other men around him. Well. . .Men visit brothels and have mistresses and drink whiskey and go to clubs, but Colin doesn't want to go to a brothel, and he doesn't desire a mistress, and whiskey burns when it goes down, acrid as the smoke thick and smoggy in the clubs. So. . .what else? Well, Men get married. Men take care of a family. Men are educated.

he can do THAT

+Colin attempts to marry in Season 1 not because he is fully infatuated (he likes Marina, sure, but his eagerness is not just rooted in such) but because he is attempting to find purpose. To find meaning. To be a Man, a GOOD man. And Good Men are married, so Colin will be married. Good Men take care of their family, so Colin takes care of his family, so Colin offers to BE her family. But because these are rooted in aimless endeavors (Colin wants to be A man, but not THE man he envisions for himself), they fall apart. Now, Penelope certainly has a hand in it falling to pieces, but Colin didn't really have the right motivations to start off with, so in season 2. . .

+He's depressed. It's odd to me that others would describe season 2 as an arc in which Colin is successful. The entire time, he is in a deep depression. Colin partakes in drugs, specifically to not think about the world, or to find peace and comfort. Colin claims that no one wants to hear his stories, even if he thinks he did everything right by traveling. (Remarkable. . .yes, in the sense that I have many remarks of it). Colin drinks even though he clearly hates it, gets migraines, hangovers, grimaces at the taste, because he is looking for ESCAPE

+But Colin cannot escape. Even on a different continent, even having run, there is no where to go. His escape is not from the ton, and not even necessarily from reality, but from his own insecurities. From what he feels are his inadequacies. Good Men are married, but in Colin's mind, he abandoned Marina. Good Men take care of their family, and Colin left his. Good Men are educated, and Colin is tripping on shrooms in the middle of Cyprus, looking at the stars, wondering what he's meant to do with himself. Colin's desires to escape are deeply rooted, but Colin doesn't want to escape a PLACE. He's done that for a long time. No, Colin wants to escape a PERSON. Himself. The himself he knows himself as

+So, instead, it's easier to be someone else. Himself is messy and sensitive and needs to rehearse what he says. Himself doesn't ever say the right thing (doesn't know how) and is boring to everyone else, besides. Himself is too painful, so it's easier to be Charming Colin. Helpful Colin. Colin taking down a scheme. Colin providing for others. Because he does not matter in it. They do.

+But he DOES. Season 3 sees Colin masquerading. Successfully, of course, but nonetheless. He's half settled into himself and half settled into the persona. When Penelope gives him the cold shoulder with no explanation? Persona. When Eloise avoids him? Persona. When Fran is getting trussed up like a calf for auction on the marriage mart? Persona. Colin spends so much of his life trying to be someone else

+And then he finds out Penelope is Whistledown, and the betrayal of it rips all his talent from him. He can no longer be Happy Colin, Smiling Colin, Here, I'll Help Colin- no, now he is just angry. Sad. Upset. Hurt. Conflicted. He can only be COLIN, and he does not want her to see. Does not want her to reveal it to everyone else, that the man they saw was a sham, that deep down, he is still that boy, that boy Marina said he was, that boy chasing dreams and fantasies, that boy curled up in the cupboard, sobbing about losing his dad, that empty, hollow boy, able to offer up nothing but charm

+But they will see. She will see. And he will see, too. Just who Colin really is. Just who he can be. And just how full and rich and wonderful the reality really is, mess and all

[coconutquills]

unraveled hearts

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hey guys this is kind of a filler until i can get more motivation for PINNED TO THE MAP and i’m sorry it’s typed out i know i haven’t posted in a while but with exams and mental health it’s been kinda hard - this is not proof read-

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As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm glow over the Outer Banks, you and JJ Maybank found yourselves alone at the chateau. The day’s adventures had left you both exhausted, but content.

You sat cross-legged on the worn couch, your head resting against the back, eyes closed. Your box braids had been in for weeks, and the new growth was beginning to tug uncomfortably at your scalp. Sensing your discomfort, JJ plopped down beside you, his blue eyes filled with concern.

“Hey, you okay?” he asked softly, nudging your shoulder.

You opened your eyes and offered a tired smile. “Yeah, just thinking it’s time to take these out. My scalp’s starting to feel it.”

JJ’s face lit up with an idea. “How about I help you take them out? It’ll go faster with two people.”

You raised an eyebrow, amused. “You sure you know what you’re doing, Maybank?”

He chuckled, running a hand through his messy blonde hair. “I’ve watched you do it before. Plus, how hard can it be?”

With a grateful nod, you handed him a comb and turned your back to him, giving him access to your hair. JJ began working on the first braid, his fingers surprisingly gentle as he unraveled the strands.

As he worked, the room filled with comfortable silence, occasionally broken by JJ’s lighthearted complaints about stubborn knots or his playful teasing about how long your hair was.

Halfway through, he paused, his fingers brushing against your scalp in a soothing manner. “You know,” he began, his voice unusually soft, “I’ve always admired your hair. It’s like… a part of you. Strong, beautiful, unique.”

Your heart skipped a beat at his words. You’d always seen JJ as your adventurous, sometimes reckless best friend, but in this intimate moment, something shifted.

“Thanks, JJ,” you replied, your voice barely above a whisper. “That means a lot.”

He continued working on your braids, but his touch felt different now—more deliberate, more tender. When he finished the last braid, you turned to face him, your hair free and cascading around your shoulders.

JJ’s eyes met yours, and for a moment, neither of you spoke. The air was thick with unspoken feelings, years of friendship teetering on the edge of something more.

“You look amazing,” he murmured, his gaze never leaving yours.

Before you could second-guess yourself, you leaned in, closing the distance between you. JJ met you halfway, his lips capturing yours in a kiss that felt both inevitable and electrifying.

When you finally pulled away, breathless, JJ rested his forehead against yours. “I’ve wanted to do that for a long time,” he confessed.

You smiled, your fingers tracing the outline of his jaw. “Me too.”

In the fading light of the chateau, you and JJ sat entwined, the lines between friendship and love forever blurred.

——————————————————————————

[thesapphireprincess]

My Beauty Routine 🩵

🫧🪭🕯️🐚🪞🫖: This is my beauty routine and I wanted to share it. This is what I do to stay fresh and feel beautiful.

Inside & Outer Beauty Basics

- Clear skin: Have a simple skincare routine day & night. Cleanser, toner, serum, clay/sheet face masks, exfoliating products/tools and a moisturizer.

- Drink 32-64 ounces of water daily, drink teas, smoothies, green juices and matcha a few times a week.

- Eat Greek yogurt, granola with fiber, kimchi & dark leafy greens a few times a week.

- Sleep 8-9 hours a night. You can use sleepy time tea or take melatonin and put on a nature documentary and you’ll be fast asleep in no time.

Grooming

- Shave legs & arms every few days or wax/laser.

- Shave underarms every few days.

- Get a bikini wax: Personally I trim and then use hair removal cream (Please follow the timer and don’t go over the limit.) to get most of the hair on the outside and then shave with a fresh razor and no scented shaving cream to get the rest. I follow up with non scented body wash in the shower and then apply Aloe-Vera gel afterwards.

- Wax upper lip and eyebrows: I use small eyebrows scissors, facial hair removal cream, tweezers and an eyebrow pencil for precision.

- Shave knuckle hair on hands and feet. (unfortunately I grow hair here)

Improvements and growth

- I am growing out my natural nails: Refresh clear nail polish 2-3x a week and do a manicure/pedicure every other week. ( Nail Polish and Acrylics can damage your nails.)

- I am growing out my hair: Keep hair in dark mermaid braids and wash when needed. I know how to braid my own hair and I’ve been doing it since I was 14. I grew it super long the last time I wore them in braids for like a year. I have a great hair care routine so I will see how much my hair grows.

- Whitening and straightening teeth: I had smile direct club and it straightened my teeth, I just have to maintain it with my retainer which I forget to wear sometimes. I use whitening mouthwash and then whitening strips. The dollar store has whitening strips that actually work or you can get the $20 box at the store. Brush 2x a day and floss/use a water pick. Wear retainers!!!

- Hair, skin and nail gummy’s. These really work and help a lot.

[kqrosez]

Golden earring

Hey y’all, sorry for not posting much. Life is being shit lately and I’m at a 24/7 burnout crisis rn. I didn’t forget y’alls fics, js be really patient w me. Thank you for your understanding 🫶 (I posted the same fic on ao3, feel free to show some love there too if you’d like.)

It was just another normal day in splatsville, the chaotic city of the splatlands.

The sun was shining onto the center, where many cephalopods had taken their stance, interacting with eachother as their hots for the “freshest” things never deceased. Really, it didn’t matter on what the “freshness” was about, literally anything labeled as “fresh” had worked to keep those ink-fishes to motivated to keep battling their lives out in the battle tower.

If you were not buzzed up in the lobby though, you’d be able to listen to all the various noises coming from the inhabitants of the splatlands. Really, no matter where you were, you’d always hear some sort of noise, that’s how busy the city of chaos was.

Of course, it wasn’t just the city itself which was chaotic, it were the inhabitants. Tons of cephalopods, who had came from cities which were outside the splantlands, had adapted to the reckless behavior of those, who had grown up here. It was a both scary and interesting growth of the population of this city.

The battle tower itself though, was the cause of this new swarm of foreigners making their ways to the splatlands. Everything was changing, the population of the city started to increase rapidly!

So rapidly that..a certain urchin, who participates in doing shady-businesses, had laid his eye on this newly found hot-spot….

…

…

…

“You little imbecile!”, the old shop-owner, who runs some random jewelry store, yelled at the inkling girl, whom he had thrown out of the shop moments ago. The female inkling fell backwards onto some empty boxes, due to the impact of him kicking her out of his shop, but his yelling didn’t stop, not even after that.

“Don’t you ever dare to show your face in here ever again, you dirty thief!”, was the last thing the squid girl heard, before she saw the old-shop owner retreat back into his shop and bang the door shut.

It takes a few seconds for the inkling girl to let the situation sink in, until she eventually stood up from those boxes with a groan.

“Ugh, what a dramatic old geezer.”, she whispered to herself, as she wiped her arms clean from the dust of those boxes.

After successfully cleaning herself up from the dust, her hands instantly landed onto her right-three-tentacle-hair-strands, which were braided together and held together by a rubber band.

She instantly took the rubber band off and undid her her braids, which then resulted into something golden, tiny and shiny to fall down onto the cement floor beneath her.

The female inkling quickly ducked down, in order to pick the mysterious little object up.

She held that little golden ball between her palms and smirked triumphantly to herself.

“Funny how that fucker didn’t see you between my tentacles.”, she spoke out as she examined the mysterious object on her palms, which turned out to be an actual golden earring.

“I’m sure murch will have a field day with you, huh?”, she thought out-loud again, as she quickly put the golden earring into the pocket of her jacket and made her way to the battle tower, where the sea urchin Murch was usually chilling at.

…

…

…

The tall sea urchin was silently sitting near the entrance of the battle tower, while he was silently scrolling through this squid-phone, waiting for a customer to approach him.

A lot of thoughts were on in his mind right now, wondering on what he’d do later today. There was also other certain thoughts located in the back of his mind, but he did not wanna bother himself with those right now.

He was snapped out of his daze, after he heard a familiar voice call out to him.

“Muuurch! Hey murch!!!” Kihon exclaimed, waving her hand around his face, as if to try and snap him out of whatever daze he was in right now. Needless to say, it had worked.

The urchin immediately snapped out of his daze. He quickly put his phone away and looked into the eyes of the inkling whom he known since a long time.

“Sorry, I must’ve dozed off a few seconds ago.”, He had calmly said to her, as he continued to look into her eyes. He noticed the proud smile on her face, which automatically led him know that she did something which she shouldn’t have.

“…what did you do?”, he simply asked her. This was a question he would ask her every single time when he knew that she’d done something again.

Kihon proudly crossed her arms, while having a toothy-smile plastered on her face. “Well, remember the time when you said that you had problems with your rent? I thought that I could help you out a little so….I got you this!”

Before he could react, she stretched her hand out to him and revealed the golden earring-piece which was on the middle of her palms.

Judging by the looks of the tiny little piece of gold, it must’ve costed a fortune, but he already knew that Kihon stole it instead of buying it.

He stared onto the tiny little piece of gold for a couple of seconds. “Impressive, aren’t I riiighhht~? I’m sure it’ll pay off your rent for the next couple of months!”, Kihon proudly said out aloud.

He knew she was right. This tiny little piece of Gold could atleast cover up his rent for the next sixth months, but he knew better. He knew how Kihon laid her hands on this item and he hated it, he didn’t want her to continue being a thief.

He himself was already working in shady business and hated it, he didn’t want someone close to him make similar mistakes. He didn’t want her to steal for anything or anyone, especially not for him.

Though, the fact that she did something as dangerous as stealing directly from a jewelry store in broad daylight just to she could somehow support him, made him feel something he couldn’t really name.

…

…

…

The urchin kept staring at the Golden earpiece which was laying on Kihons palms. His chin was on his hand as he was obviously deep in thought.

The female inkling, who was still standing infront of him, was slowly starting to get nervous, as she wondered what was going through his head. After another pair of seconds had passed, her patience had ran out.

“Ay, dude, you still there..?”, Kihons voice instantly busted the thought bubble murch was in and he flinched, the spines of his head stretched for one second and immediately went back to their original length after.

The sea urchin shook his head slightly and immediately grabbed the tiny goldpiece from Kihons hand, deciding that he won’t let her efforts go to waste.

Once he saw that Kihon had noticed him accept her help, a smile had formed on the inklings face which made his heart melt.

Surely, that very same smile could have not been another reason for him to accept her help too, no?

The inkling immediately jumped onto him, hugging him tightly, with her arms wrapped around his shoulders and legs wrapped around his stomach. “I knew you would accept it! Hooray!”, she laughed out. Her grip on him didn’t falter at all, as she kept smiling like an idiot while holding him close.

Her sudden action caught him off-guard, he didn’t react for the first few seconds until realization dawned upon him and he immediately tried to push her off with a slightly embarrassed blush on his face.

He wiggled around with his upper body, trying to shake the inkling off of him, as she laughed at his poor attempts.

“You won’t get me off of you like that, you know!”, “Arghh…shut it, chum!”, “Oooooo, calling me a chum again now, I see how it is now!! Pfft!” “…you little..!!”

Their whole ordeal kept going for multiple minutes, eventually getting a few glances of other inklings/octolings around those two. Yet, that wasn’t something that bothered the pair a lot. Nonetheless, what else could you have expected from such a lousy city like splatsville?

[bi-hop]

Taking out my box braids soon but not before my date tomorrow…

It’s funny how you can see the growth though. My hair loooves box braids. It’s like miracle gro for it

[kissthem-forme]

Felt like posting my silly goobers info cause I plan on doing more with him

^my fav drawings of him^

I’m still adding stuff to his story so I might edit this a few times but for now it’s pretty great

LOTS OF READING

-Full name:

-Victor everett Frankenstein.

-Age:

-8 centuries old but says 32.

-Height:

-6’7 - 6’9 with boots.

-Eyes:

-black with flecks of gold.

-Hair:

-long & black with messy layers and a white streak on the left of his hairline.

-Favorite color:

-the shade of purple found in amethyst (and nakoa’s eyes).

-Favorite food:

-Pan Fried tilapia. Beef stew.

-Favorite drink:

-butterfly flower tea with five sugars. & black coffee with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

-Favorite desert:

-baklava. springerle. grapes.

-Favorite scent:

-Cinnamon & lavender.

-Place of birth:

-Germany.

-Grew up in:

-Germany and England.

-Date of birth:

-August 17th 800 AD.

-Languages:

-German. Italian. Latin. English. Romanian.

Ancient Egyptian.

-Fears:

-Death.

-Losing a loved one.

-wolves.

-Lorrokan hatchet (father to Damian, dorian, and Dominic.)

-Likes:

-Nakoa.

-Sweets.

-A tidy workplace.

-Sewing.

-Crafting with bones and wire.

-Poetry.

-Classical music. Particularly enjoys holst.

-Any rendition of Frankenstein.

-Baking/cooking for Nakoa

-Dislikes:

-Death.

-A messy workplace.

-Wolves.

-modern architecture.

-Parties. (They remind him of his parents)

-Appearance:

-broad shoulders.

-tall and strong with a slender frame covered in various scars and stitches especially around his stomach and neck area.

-right leg is an iron prosthetic made to look like leg bones with an intricate casing around it to give it a more usual shape under his trousers.

-left leg is somewhat burned up from being caught in a fire trying to save a cat when he was young .

-hair is long and very messily cut from the times he has torn it out or cut it off out of stress. (Gets better as nakoa helps him cut and braid it most days)

-normally wears a leather lab coat lined with silk for comfort and movement purposes, on days he works on more dangerous chemicals and has a simple fabric coat for more mundane tasks.

-has long latex gloves that reach up past his elbows and black leather pants with buckles all along the sides.

-wears large steel toe boots with a three inch platform and straps to secure the right one to his prosthetic leg.

-thick bushy eyebrows and long eyelashes.

-absolutely horrendous eye-bags from almost never sleeping unless forced too.

-often looks very sickly from lack of food (nakoa helps to remind him to eat and sleep)

-Fun facts:

-Invented glow sticks.

-Lived through the plague and worked as a doctor to prevent further spread.

-plans to sew his and nakoas wedding clothes one day.

-Plays piano, violin, and cello.

-Can waltz in several styles but prefers not too. (Unless with nakoa)

-Was believed to be Jack the Ripper and was buried alive for 68 years for the crimes till some construction workers dug up his casket and found him still breathing and fully asleep.

-Met Joan of arc and was rather disappointed when they had her burned.

-Spent 157 years in Romania alone before meeting nakoa.

-Built his first prosthetic leg himself with a pile of scraps in a junkyard before making his current one.

-Habits:

-Mindlessly Drawing Nakoa or things they find when foraging all along the pages of his books.

-Biting his nails if he isn’t wearing gloves.

-Biting the insides of his cheeks.

-folding origami out of paper scraps

-Letting his tea sit too long. (Drinking it anyway)

-Starting but never finishing notes for nakoa then leaving them in an old shoe box hidden under his bed.

-Picking up words or phrases from people without realizing it.

-Forgetting to eat for days if he isn’t reminded.

-Cursing in German & Latin when upset.

-Hobbies:

-Creating potions and elixirs to achieve different results such as rapid hair growth and stronger muscles.

-using bones left out to create little sculptures of animals & insects then leaving them around.

-Sewing tiny dresses and coats for nakoas taxidermy.

-Loudly playing violin when stressed out over his research.

-Personality:

-Paranoid.

-antisocial.

-Stubborn.

-tired

-calm.

-quiet.

-morally ambiguous.

-Anxious.

-clever.

-much more open with nakoa.

-Backstory:

-He grew up with two kind & loving parents in a large manor in Germany where they held parties nearly every night for the townspeople till he was about 19 years old and one night had forgotten to lock the doors and windows which resulted in a break in along with the death of both parents.

he stayed at the manor for a few years after their death working on his research on bringing back the dead when a strange man who kept his identity hidden (temporarily) had Victor resurrect his dead son in return for him teaching him the secret to immortality.

Later when he had finished the task he found the man’s name was Lorrokan before he cursed him with an eternal half life sort of hell where he would never die or get sick again but his body could still rot away leaving him as a corpse while still being alive.

-upon hearing of his actions the other townsfolk had him arrested and taken out of town as they believed his curse could bring them all bad luck as it seemed that death followed him everywhere he went.

-he left rather swiftly and took a carriage with him containing what was left of his parents fortune and his most important possessions leaving anything he thought was unnecessary.

-he then made it to England where he studied for a while in various universities and every library he could find before realizing he had run out of money.

He looked for a job for a while and eventually got a job working for a traveling circus where he designed fabulous animatronics and costumes.

-he would occasionally play a bit of violin and do a few contortions acts with his new found flexibility he believed he had gained when he had been cursed.

-after working for the circus for a while and getting his third degree he noticed his heart began to fail which Lorrokan noticed somehow and told him he had to replace his heart with another more fresh one.

-his first kill was a man who’s name he had long forgotten, the man was a child predator which then set Victor to his pattern of traveling and reading around to find men like him when he needed organs.

-he always was careful with the disposal and would often save the bones in a large wooden crate before he picked up his hobby of turning them into unique sculptures he would leave behind before he vanished from a town completely.

-eventually his travels brought him to England in the year 1888. He hadn’t done much other than travel and replace a few organs till he heard of a cereal killer by the name of Jack the Ripper.. the police could never figure out who the man was since it was a common nurse maid behind the killings hence being impossible to find as it was usual for these women to be covered in blood.

eventually Victor stopped the killer but was found in the process and believed to have been Jack the Ripper, after a while in an asylum they believed rather than a normal punishment they needed something far worse and buried the man alive in an unmarked grave. (This was also partially a way to silence him as he knew too many classified government secrets.)

-Victor laid in his casket for years and years before falling asleep so soundly it was almost as if he was completely dead.

-after a while some construction workers dug up the area to build a hospital and found his casket with his body looking dead but somehow perfectly preserved.

-the workers took the casket to a local museum but the body had vanished as Victor had woken up and gone on a hunt for a few new organs as his current ones were rather uncomfortable.

-after getting his new organs he moved to Romania to learn about the vampires he had heard of.

He hopes they would be able to turn him and end his curse of having to surgically transplant his organs when one began to fail.

-during his time researching vampires he found himself at quite a few graveyards till he was attacked in the night by a large black wolf who nearly tore his face completely off. He was able to replace the missing flesh when he found another victim working in that very same cemetery but failed to sew himself up perfectly leaving him with a rather unpleasant looking scar on the left of his face.

-now living in the 19th century in Romania he had learned to speak the language fluently along with Italian and had begun to work at a wealthy families manor where he would work on his research and interesting experiments in secret under the cover of simply being a doctor, though this proved rather difficult with his coworker who started there just a few days after he did. He was a younger man by the name of “nakoa nivosus.”

-him and Nikoa worked together for a while and tried to avoid each other mostly till he happened to walk in on Victor while he was sitting next to the body of a wanted child predator and murderer who they had seen in the papers the day prior, Victor was sitting there with his chest cut open along with the other man’s chest wide open to expose his heart.

-after being caught replacing his own heart him and nikoa began to trust each other more and they both confessed the truth of their immorality and he started helping Victor with his work on occasion, mainly assisting with hiding the insane experiments he would have at night when their employers were asleep or out at the opera.

[stagesofbalding]

My Natural Hair Growth Journey

Let’s Embrace our Natural Self!

Before I start, I would like to get this clear. I don’t have a problem with weaves, wigs, ponytails, etc. I say this, at the front door because when I decided to announce that I am trying to go natural; I got looks like I was a traitor. As of today, I wear my natural hair under my wigs because I am transitioning my hair from relaxers, tight hairstyles that pulled on my edges and bad hair gel that essentially dried out my hair. This is the reason for my natural hair growth journey.

My natural hair growth journey beginning

It was December 2015, and I was just about to finish college when I began cruising YouTube at home. I was bored and curious as to what was going on, then I came across some You-tubers sharing their experiences about maintaining their natural hair.

They talked about the products they tried and liked and the ones they didn’t like. I was hooked!  I spent hours watching, learning and writing down tips and products. You would have thought I was back in college. I was back on my grind.

It is funny how life can bring you into a full circle

A few years ago, 3 of my older cousins, who all live in different states, were visiting for a family reunion. I noticed that they had cut their hair down to a low Afro. At that time I was still relaxing my hair, wearing wigs and sometimes ponytails.

But I was curious. Was this a new revolution that I was ignorant about? Of course, I knew that the 60s brought back rocking the Afros, then in the 80s and early 90s the braids, especially the “Goddess braids” or for some of us the “Janet Jackson box braids”. Now the 2000″s “s brought back the natural hair look.

The crazy thing about it was that I found myself defending weaves, wigs, and ponytails. One of my cousins asked me why I wouldn’t just go natural. I heard comments like “You guys are just making the wig stores richer by trying to look like Caucasian women with that long flowing hair”. What? Yes, I was being attacked at the family picnic.

I said, “First, I am not trying to be like anyone but myself. Secondly, I love the way I look with long hair”.  I told my cousin that I have a big apple-shaped head, therefore, I couldn’t rock the short hairstyles. They don’t fit my face. The truth about it was that I was envious of my cousins’  abilities to wear their hair that short and still look good. They have the faces and heads for that style.

More young girls are going natural

>>> Female Pattern Hair Loss Success Stories <<<

As I look around these days, I see all lengths of Afros, twist outs and braids. While doing my research, I realized this may not be just a trend or phase, this could be the beginning of our sisters learning to love and accept their natural hair.

My history growing up was if your hair was long and silky-like, you had “good hair”. Being black, I grew up believing that because it was one of the descriptions people would use to describe someone with silky or wavy hair.

Now that I am in my forties, which means I grew up in the 70s and 80s, this was still going strong from my heritage, which started this nonsense. I can’t lie, I still find myself saying, “She or he has good hair”. I am not only transitioning my hair, but I’m also transitioning my mind about African-American hair. Furthermore, I have work to do, for real!

Our black culture is unique in many ways

Our hair is like no other on this planet. Going way back to our West African ancestors, we have always shown our artistic abilities when it came to our hair because it is so different. Our hair grows in a coiled curl pattern, coarser in texture, which makes our hair more delicate to manipulate than other races. Here in America, black people also have mixtures of different types of hair because we have Native American blood and other nationalities that are traced in our lineage. >>> 1 Year Hair Growth Journey: Embracing Your Natural Self <<<

Let me know about your hair journey. Just leave me a comment down below.

[arinzechukwuture]

Near the Southern tips of 🇦🇴 Angola, reside the Mbalantu tribes of 🇳🇦 Namibia. Mbalantu women are known for their headdresses. At the age of twelve, young girls in Mbalantu tribes begin preparing their hair.

Girls are made to, first of all, coat their hair in a thick paste made from finely ground tree bark of the omutyuula tree mixed with fat.

The young girls will live with this thick mixture on their scalp for years before it is subsequently loosened to make the hair visible. Fruit pips of the bird plum are then attached to the ends of the hair with sinew strings.

At the age of 16, long sinew strands that reach the ground are attached to the hair of these girls.

They also go through the Ohango Initiation (a ceremony that gets them accepted as women) in the same year but before this, the hair of the girls is styled into four long, thick braids, known as eembuvi. Now seen as women, their hair goes through another change. A new layer of the tree bark and oil mixture is applied to the hair to ensure further growth.

The long plaits are subsequently arranged into a headdress, which is to show that a woman was married.

Historical records indicate that this headdress was so heavy to the extent that the “upper ends were often attached to a piece of rope or skin, which was fastened around the forehead in order to distribute the load more evenly.”

A woman had to wear this style for several years after marriage but should change it to mirror a new status, such as the birth of a child.

These unique Eembuvi braids re-emerged in the 90’s as Box Braids and have since become an inspiration for many people across the world, even though they are not as long and thick as the Mbalantus.

Shuri's look in Black Panther was inspired by the Mbalantu hairstyle.

Guys let's get our YouTube channel (YT: Historical Africa) to 100k subscribers. Kindly Click on the link to subscribe https://youtube.com/c/HistoricalAfrica

[beatheprincess]

Aye so yall voted for box braids👀🙌🏽 I rebraided my natural hair today n noticed some growth already 🤭 anywhoooo the next style I have in mind is -

Brown and pink box braids !! I wanna do the peekaboo fr this time😭✌🏽🎀 the pink will def slay iwl 👀