#heartburn tips

[alphagodith]

why did none of my fucking doctors tell me i can instantly relieve otherwise hours-long agony just by drinking a bit of baking soda in water...

WHY THE FUCK ARE ALL MY MEDICATIONS USELESS PREVENTATIVE TRASH WITH A MILLION SIDE EFFECTS WHEN I HAD ACTUAL RELIEF RIGHT HERE IN MY PANTRY THE WHOLE TIME

like i get that if you are experiencing abnormal pain you should get it checked out but IN THE MEANTIME i could have been treating myself, and even once i got seen they didn't give me jack shit for the pain!

[dynamichealthinsights]

How Spicy Foods Can Cause Digestive Discomfort

Spicy foods have a unique place in the world of cuisine. For many, they bring an irresistible depth of flavor and an exciting sensory experience. From the fiery curries of India to the piquant sauces of Latin America, spicy dishes are celebrated in cultures worldwide. However, the enjoyment of these foods can come at a cost for some individuals. The discomfort that follows a spicy meal can range…

[preganews]

This blog is dedicated to you! Here you will get to know about pregnancy indigestion and heartburn relief. We will be there with you during your journey!

[gastroenterologistpretoria]

Gut Brilliance: Craft Your Wellness Symphony!

Your gut, our expertise – together, an unbeatable duo. Our Pretoria gastrologist crafts personalized dietary masterpieces and delivers precision treatments. It's not just about health; it's about creating your wellness symphony. Reach out and compose your journey to brilliance.

[saintobio]

HEARTBEAT.

when entering the second trimester of your pregnancy also brings along an increase in sex drive that you never saw coming. and with sylus being the father of your baby, you knew he isn't one to deny you of such pleasures.

♱ pairings. sylus, fem!reader

♱ genre. fluff, pwp, established relationship, 18+

♱ tags. baby daddy!sylus, pregnant!reader, profanity, pregnant sex, petnames (darling, honey, baby doll, kitten), daddy kink, breeding kink, spit as lube, biting, mentions of impregnation, creampie

♱ notes. i have many fics lined up for him omg so down bad for this man like there's no saving me T^T reblogs appreciated!

“S-Sylus—!” 

“Did I ask you to stop, kitten?” 

If you weren’t already 4-months pregnant, you knew it best that you would be able to move your body more fluidly on top of his. But carrying his baby had its accompanying struggles too—the first struggle being your belly getting heavier and heavier each day. Your waist also felt more firm than usual. And your breasts, although he loved the sight of their larger size, were often too sore and sensitive to touch. There were problems of heartburn, frequent urination, and constipation, too. And also mood swings, intense cravings, headaches, and back pains. 

But as your body adjusted to his growing baby, Sylus’s most favorite thing in your pregnancy was the fact that his child’s mother had an insatiable increase in libido. It was at a point where you couldn’t control it anymore. Your sex drive just jumped way higher than his, and he had to deal with your constant need for him to release that sexual gratification you had been longing for. Not that he was complaining.

“You’re the one who wanted to ride me, honey.” His teasing continued as he placed an arm behind his head, his back casually leaning against the headboard while you straddled him. He used the other hand to firmly grip your waist, guiding you to grind on him nice and slow. “Tired already?”

“N-No.” You rolled your hips against his to find the rhythm you wanted, but it was getting agonizing how difficult it was to hit your g-spot the way he would if he was the one moving. “Mmh—! Can you… can you move for me?” 

His crimson eyes darkened in amusement. “No can do, baby doll.” 

“Please…” you begged, moaning as you desperately rocked your body against his crotch. You tried lifting yourself up to bounce on his hardened shaft, but that required too much physical exertion on your side. “Aah—ah! I-I can’t do it…” 

Sylus raked his long fingers through his Arctic white hair before he repositioned himself better, almost sitting up as he secured both hands on your hips. “You’ve been treating me like a dildo for a week,” he quipped, laughing at his own words while your cheeks were heating up from embarrassment. “Now, you’re too lazy to move on your own?”

Your desperation got the best of you when you pulled his hair and glared at him. “I would if my belly wasn’t so heavy!” 

Yet, your dominating presence only ignited his teasing even more. “Actions have consequences, sweetie. Always begging to have me cum inside you resulted in that baby,” he said with a roguish grin, brushing his lips against your shoulder before biting on the soft skin. “I don’t mind it, though. At least, there’s something that ties us both forever now.” 

“Y-You talk too much,” you retorted, growing more and more impatient with the way you were moving your hips in circles. You could feel your pussy stretching to accommodate his thick girth, but you knew you still weren’t deep enough to feel the tip of his cock hitting your sweet spot. He had to do something. Something. Some… thing! “Ngh! Sy… please. I want you. Now.” 

“Throwing tantrums, aren’t we?” His deep chuckle resonated in your ears before he finally gave in, squeezing your sore tits with his large, manly hands, and playing with your nipple with the movements of his tongue. You whimpered from his touch, but allowed yourself to lean further into him, your back arching as he held your body in his arms. With his mouth now sucking one tit, he kneaded the other and gave it the same attention while you were a moaning mess on top of him. 

“Sylus.” 

He released your tit from his mouth, his saliva coating your breast as his carmine eyes looked up at you with a wanton gaze. “Yes, honey?” 

“Fuck me already…” you pleaded with desperate eyes, feeling the surge of hormonal tears beginning to pool in them. “Why do you keep tormenting me like this? D-Do you hate me? Do y-you not want me anymore?” 

The man closed his eyes for a moment, his chest vibrating with deep laughter that echoed through the walls of his dimly-lit bedroom. But he had been here before. He knew how to deal with you when your hormones were about to fully take over, so right as you were going to pull yourself away from him, he had already caged you in his arms, flipping you over in a position where he was the one in control now. 

“Such a spoiled little kitty you are,” he mumbled with a scoff, lying you carefully on your back and spreading your legs open so he could have access to your entrance. You could feel your heartbeat quickening as Sylus looked down at you with a lustful stare, like a predator about to devour his prey, before he leaned down and crashed his lips onto yours. You two were already too familiar with the movements of each other’s mouths, already in perfect sync with the way you would roll your tongue around his. His tongue loved to explore your mouth roughly, biting your lower lip in between as he deepened the kiss. 

It was deep enough that you had to place your weak hands against his toned chest, slightly pushing him off to catch your breath. “Haah… Can’t breathe.” 

Sylus smiled at your weakened state and took it as an opportunity to pull away and stroke his entire length. He ejected spit from his mouth and used it to rub his cock, coating every inch before teasing your entrance with his swollen pink tip. Insane. It was driving you insane. You could hear the squelching sound on your slit as he slid his member in between your labia, making you clench your insides in desperation to have him. “What’s the magic word?” he playfully asked while slapping your pussy with his thick, veiny cock. “Hm?”

“Please…” 

“Wrong. Try again.” 

“Please, daddy?” 

A loud, breathy whimper then escaped your lips as he suddenly buried his entire length in a forceful thrust. Your walls tightened around his cock as he began jolting his hips forward, plowing his member in and out of your sopping cunt just as you had been asking for. He watched with titillating eyes how your breasts jiggled with every thrust, and went absolutely crazy when you reached for his hand and started sucking on his fingers.

“Hah—haaah! Mm… D-Daddy—!” 

He clearly enjoyed the image of ecstasy on your face, so he stimulated you further by rubbing your clit with his thumb. “Good, kitten. Cum for daddy.” 

With your thighs held on both sides by him, you placed a hand on your belly and the other gripping the sheets as he continued to ram his member inside your pussy at an animalistic speed. All sorts of noise were ricocheting across the room; the skin-slapping, the squelch, the moans and whimpers, the bed squeaks. 

“H-Harder, daddy. Please—!”

“You like daddy’s cock?”

“Mmh. Yes! Can’t… get… enough.”

Sylus planted a tender kiss on your thigh, still chasing his own seventh heaven by abusing your tight cunt with his monstrous size. The moment he felt your legs shaking, he knew he succeeded. You were already at the brink of losing your sanity, your mind breaking as you raised your hips so he could fuck you harder and faster.

“You really like it hard and fast, baby doll,” he muttered in a raspy voice, never once stopping from his merciless thrust inside you. This man. This sexy bastard right here was the father of your child. And goddamn was he the hottest man you had ever seen in your life.   

“Sy, I-I’m g-gonna—!” You held back a moan, but couldn’t contain it the moment the tip of his cock started hitting that sensitive spot inside you. One time, two times, three times. On the third thrust, you could feel a familiar coil on your lower abdomen, like your insides were being twisted painfully good. And before you knew it, your body was already twitching. Your legs were uncontrollably shaking. Your breath, unstable. You couldn’t open your eyes because you were too absorbed by your orgasm, not realizing that Sylus’s own guttural moans were a sign of his own climax, too. 

As he let out a deep grunt, you could feel spurts of seed filling your core. It even seeped out as he pulled out, watching his own cum dripping down your pussy. “You look beautiful, honey.” 

You were way too sore to move. The sudden decrease in energy left you frozen in bed, leaving it to Sylus to do all the post-sex cleaning and wiping. The room itself smelled of sex, your scents mixing together to make an intoxicating smell. You didn’t even notice he’d brought you a glass of water by the time you opened your eyes again, your breath now more stable as he slipped into bed next to you. 

“Thank you, my love,” you said, returning the glass of water and pulling the duvet to cover your body. “Cuddle with me, please?” 

“Anything for my darling.” After placing the glass on the nightstand, he turned to you and held you in his arms, letting you trace his rock-hard abs with your shaky fingers. “How do you feel? Satisfied?”

You gave him a sheepish grin before nuzzling your nose into his neck. His scent could surely get you drunk if you continued to sniff him. “For now.” 

Chuckling lightly, he rubbed your back with a tender hand. “Any late-night cravings? Fruits? PB&J?” 

“You are,” was your playful reply, “my only craving for tonight.” 

The proud grin on Sylus’s face couldn’t be easily erased. “You hear that, son?” he suddenly said, moving his hand to rub your belly. “It’s getting hard to ‘match mommy’s freak’ nowadays.” 

You laughed at his unusual yet familiar choice of words. “First of all, where did you learn that line?” you asked, propping an elbow to look at his handsome face. “Secondly, how are you sure it’s a baby boy?” 

“I just know.” He simply shrugged, tucking a few strands of hair behind your ear. He then lifted your chin with his fingers, then placed a soft kiss on your lips. “They say doggy gets you a boy.” 

Two wide eyes stared at his crimson ones. “I knew it!” you exclaimed, pinching his nose. “I knew you were trying to get me pregnant that night.” 

He tried to hide his smile by moving his head towards your bump, planting a gentle kiss on your belly before pressing his ear against it. “You act like you didn’t beg me to knock you up,” he countered with a challenging smirk, “Can you handle having a mini-me pestering you every single day, kitten?” 

Instead of teasing him back, your heart melted at the thought of having your own little Sylus running around the house. No doubt your baby would inherit his father’s mischievous nature and be endlessly spoiled by his uncles, Luke and Kieran. You could imagine your child would have his dad’s hair, eyes, and nose. “My baby!” you swooned, caressing your belly and hoping he could feel your motherly touch. “I can’t wait to meet you soon.”

“I’m really going to be a dad, huh?” Sylus’s loving gaze made your heart swell inside. “I’d destroy the world for you two.”

You ran your fingers through his hair and shook your head with a smile. “Yeah, I know you will.”

[delphi-shield]

connection buffering . . . ↺

di!leon x reader - long-distance relationship - part 2

previous part

you weren't bluffing.

you'd made the sign. wrote his name in big block letters, too confident in how you wrote the first half of his name. the 'EDY' crowds together at the end. 'E' shoves 'D' close to the end, 'Y' drawn paper thin and cocked to the side, threatening to topple off the edge of the paper. leon finds he's not too tired to laugh.

he had the whole goddamn flight to figure out what to say to you, but when he sees you standing there with that sign in your hand, scanning the crowd for a man you expect to be two inches taller, it all flushes out of him to make room for the queasy feeling in his gut. when you finally spot him (thank god; the words had gotten lodged in his throat, your name running around his mind again, again, again, lodged so deep in the crevices that he couldn't pry it free and force it out his mouth) your smile nearly blinds him. he shields his eyes with a hand, watches you bounce on the balls of your feet.

he flicks your sign with a finger. the only words that make it past the lump in his throat are, "messed up the kerning, huh?"

you tip your head, puppy-dog cute. more adorable in person. "the what?"

"kerning." silence. you shake your head a little, blank look in your eye. leon tries to swallow, feels barbs jab into his throat. ten minutes on the ground and he's fucking up already. his gut turns. he tries to blame it on airplane peanuts. "the space between the letters."

he should get back on the plane. if he flashes his badge and declares it official business they have to let him on, right? brass wouldn't be happy with him, but what are they going to do? he's leon fucking kenn--

you laugh and his thoughts screech to a halt, plane crash on the concourse. footsteps pound past him - or maybe that's his heartbeat in his ears. your laugh is prettier in person, too.

"okay, all right." your face lights up, eyes squished to make room for your smile. "why do you know that?"

mentally, he flips through a rolodex of excuses. he moonlighted as a graphic designer (false), he was really into fonts (no strong opinions, really), it's classified (outright lie). he settles for the truth, shrugging.

"late night wikipedia dive."

you laugh again. his heart is a bird, fluttering in his chest, battering itself against his ribs to get to you. what the hell is wrong with him? he hadn't felt like this in years, thought he wasn't supposed to feel like this anymore. when you were an adult you grew out of this sort of giddiness. he'd choked it down every time he'd checked his phone under the table at an intelligence meeting, dismissed it as heartburn. he's supposed to want. it's supposed to be a blaze that swallows him up. confident and bold and all-consuming. not fidgety and desperate.

he's not anxious. he's a grown man. he's met presidents, plural. he doesn't get nervous meeting people, even if they're stunning, even if his hands twitch to hold theirs.

does he hug you? kiss you? slip his hand into your back pocket and guide you out of the terminal, lead you blindly to a car that isn't his, take you to an apartment he's only ever seen portions of on a 15 inch screen, ask what he can make you for dinner in your own home? that's what he wants. skip over all of this and slide right into familiarity, fly right past all the work it takes to get there. you've done the leg work, right? you know how you feel about each other. he's here. that says enough, doesn't it?

he's eternally grateful that you reach through his thoughts and pull him into a hug. your face stuffs into his shoulder, words muffled. "i'm so glad you're here."

you inhale deeply and he swears his heart does a backflip. jesus, he needs to get a physical. this can't be normal.

it's you who loops your arm with his, you who tugs him into motion. you rattle off questions that he answers as best he can. it feels like drowning, like he can barely keep his head above water. his flight was fine, thanks for asking. no, he didn't get any sleep. he never sleeps on planes. it's a long story. he didn't need a nap, but yeah, he could go for a coffee.

you know this great place, you reassure him. really low-key. he treads water in the parking garage while you dig for your keys. you drop them - twice - and he wonders if you're struggling to stay at the surface, too.

as a last act before sinking into the passenger seat, he rescues your sign from the trash, folding it neatly and tucking it into his pocket.

he looks up from buckling his seat belt, beckoned by the way you call his name. he's still smiling when you cup his cheeks and kiss him.

by day two, he's decided you need a new apartment. he hasn't told you that yet, figures it comes off too pushy, but he would fly back down to help you move if you wanted. (if he thinks it hard enough, won't you ask him to?)

don't misunderstand - he likes what you've done with the place. honest to god, you're a miracle worker with decor. you could really shape his place up.

it's just that your front door is less than secure. your locks are ran through. it would take him less than a minute to break in. he doesn't even want to think about your windows. other than being drafty, they're just another completely unsecured access point.

you'd invited him to sleep in your bed the first night, and he had every intention of doing so. he'd just passed out on the couch before he had the chance. leon had woken with a pillow stuffed under his head, thick, handmade blanket tucked over him. it was sweet. really.

but it wasn't the same as sleeping next to you.

leon has every intention of sleeping in your bed that night. you'd filled the day with a tour of your city, pointing out your favorite and least favorite spots, telling stories that let him imagine the streets as a stage, you as the star, top billing as far as he's concerned. everything had been optional, as you'd feverishly reassured him after every stop. he could change the itinerary with one word. the only mandatory stop had been lunch with your friends. a good sign, he thinks. if you're confident enough to introduce him to the people in your life, then you see this going somewhere, right?

by the time you hit your last stop, it feels like he's emerged from a war zone. leon would know. he's been run ragged on back to back operations before, but this - the pressure of trying to be right for you, to show you who he is, waiting on pins and needles for you to sour on him and push back from the closeness he craves - this is truly exhausting.

you must feel it too, offering to pick up dinner on your way home in lieu of cooking. he waves away apologies, reaches past you to hand the cashier at taco bell his card when you try to pay. the food is gone by the time you pull your car into the parking lot.

both of you have the same idea. you're just as worn out as he is (makes him wonder if you're doing the same thing, all anxious energy, making sure to put your best foot forward, always stumbling and falling into a better impression than the one you set out to make) and bed comes naturally to mind. he slips into the side closest to the door and you stop him immediately, voice teasing.

"uh, that's my side." you poke at his ribs. the awkwardness had melted over the course of the day together. you were playful, eyes bright and laugh loud. touch came easy between you now, both playful and lingering. the comfort that had been stirred up and tossed into disarray by physical proximity had settled back in.

leon's eyes flit to the door over your shoulder. it's not a big deal, he tells himself. the odds of something happening were astronomically low.

but he knows his luck with astronomically low odds. one in a million is too risky. he's got to be closer to the door, won't be able to sleep if he's not. his hands wrap around your waist, urging you on top of him. he doesn't miss the way you stiffen, the momentary hitch of your breath, but you let yourself get swept along all the same, drape yourself over him as he guides you to.

"just sleep like this." leon shifts lower to make more space for you. he presses a kiss to your head.

it takes longer than he expected for you to relax. slowly, when his hands still at your back and his breathing evens out, your limbs loosen. your weight thickens atop him, pressing him further into the mattress. it's all he can do to remind himself that he's tired, that starting something now would lead nowhere fast.

leon stays awake until he's certain you're out cold. the door remains unbreached, your home still safe. he can't bring himself to regret his caution.

when he's finally able to sleep, he sleeps hard. he wakes to your fingers carding through his hair, his cheek cushioned against your chest, completely flipped around during the night. it's the best night he's had in years.

on day three, leon wonders if he should be more obvious.

he's been putting out all the signs, carefully curated his touch to be lingering, to make you burn for more, but each time you settle against him and offer up a contented "this is nice."

does there need to be a neon sign draped around his neck that says "take me for a spin", arrow blinking down toward his crotch? you'd let him press against your back during an afternoon nap, knee wedged between your legs, arm curled around your stomach to keep you next to him. he woke from dreams where he was bolder, where he wasn't afraid of losing you with that lingering confidence, pressed kisses to the back of your neck until that gauzy empowerment lifted.

hell, he'd woken up that morning laying half on top of you, his head nestled in the valley of your chest. you'd pet his hair til he woke from nuzzling your tits in his sleep.

he abandons subtlety during the credit crawl of eight-legged freaks, a 'classic' you had insisted on making him watch. (you'd laughed when he had commented he could keep you safe in the event of giant spiders. he hadn't been joking, but he still hasn't grown tired of hearing you laugh.)

"hey," he asks, hand curling around your thigh. his thumb smooths an arc across your skin, traces the path again and again. "do you wanna..?"

smooth, kennedy.

you look over at him with that same puppy-dog confusion that he's growing familiar with. instead of moving his hand, you draw your legs up and lay them over his lap. how the fuck is he supposed to interpret that?

"do i wanna..?" you parrot back, drawing the words out into the form of a question.

leon hates himself. he wishes he could back out of this. he clears his throat. how the hell do people broach this topic smoothly? he searches for the words, the silence stretching a little too long for comfort. finally, he says the first thing he can.

"like, sex."

real mature, kennedy, he thinks. he wishes he could backpedal, take it all back. he's certain your face warms. before he can issue a take down for his words, (maybe cut out his stupid goddamn vocal cords, if he has the time) you fumble out, "oh. like- right now? uh, i mean, do you want to?"

continuing with the maturity, he turns it back on you.

"i asked you first."

"i don't not want to."

leon shakes his head. his hand cups your ankle. "i really only take 'yeah' or 'hell yeah'."

"i just didn't think giant spiders got you in the mood."

"hey, the more legs the better."

leon knows deflection when he hears it. he's the reigning champ, after all, could play this game with you all day. but he has mercy; he chuckles, lets you get away with it and grabs the remote, declaring it's his turn to pick another movie since your choice was a mood killer.

later that night, curled up in bed with a video playing mindlessly from your tablet, you turn around to face him. he widens his arms to accommodate the movement, circles them tighter once you settle in.

"you're not mad?" you ask, pressing your face into his chest, already hiding from the answer.

"about what?"

"y'know."

"spell it out for me, sweetheart."

he can feel your breath puff against his chest, an exasperated huff. people have done this same thing to him time and time again. he always hated it, being forced to be forthcoming and earnest. (vulnerable, some people call it, but that always made him feel like a wounded bird.) now that he's on the other side, he sort of sees the appeal.

"'cause i don't wanna have sex yet."

there's a 'yet'. that's promising. he saves that little victory for later. his hand rubs slowly, reverently across the planes of your back.

he knows what he's got to say. he knows that he means it. putting the words to it is different. he needs you to understand, has to do this right.

"i didn't come all this way just to hook up."

you hum. "but you still want to."

christ, he's got to man up and say it.

"of course i do." you burrow closer to him, hands fisting against his side. he taps your back firmly. "hey. i'm not finished. i'm attracted to you, okay? like, really attracted to you. it's not- it's not just physical. i want to see if we can make this work. if what we had on the phone was real."

"is it?"

"yeah. i think so."

"sex isn't important to you?"

"it is. it's just not more important to me than you."

you pull your face from his chest, look up at him with big wet eyes. he brushes the backs of his fingers against your cheek tenderly, afraid you'll splinter and those tears will cascade down if he's anything but gentle.

"i think so, too."

you curl back into him, your touch melting from desperate to serene. leon can't help but feel accomplished - as though he's threaded the needle perfectly, cut the right wire just before the clock hit zero. gradually, his breathing falls into step with yours.

"besides," he murmurs, half-asleep. he drops a kiss against the top of your head. "your walls are thin. i don't want you catching a noise complaint."

day four is a glimpse of the life he could have, but it makes him realize what he needs to do to obtain it. the sickly feeling pools in his stomach, leaves him picking at the dinner you made. it's good, he swears. then the lie - just all the travel catching up to him.

he knows by day five that he's got to tell you everything. it's no longer a want - he needs you in his life. he's resolved to come clean.

he nearly does it over breakfast. you set his coffee in front of him, muss his hair before you take your own seat, and it almost comes spilling out onto the table.

i work in national security. i'm a federal agent. there's so much i can't tell you, but it's dangerous. god, it's dangerous. there's so much blood on my hands. it doesn't scrub off but i'm worried it will stain your skin. i think i could love you, if you'll let me. please don't say it back.

"plans today?" he says instead, sipping his coffee.

maybe tomorrow.

day six leaves him melancholy.

you'd insisted that today was for him. whatever he wanted, you would accommodate.

leon worries that his answer is boring. he wants a day in with you. an imitation of what it could be like to come home to this. the idle sounds of you milling about the house could lull him to sleep if it weren't for the words lodged in his throat.

you were doing the laundry. not yours, not his, but the, the definite article that's never felt intimate until that very moment. it silenced him to hear you refer to it that way. he's so tired of reading into every word you say, clinging onto every nuance. he'd forgotten how exhausting this stage of a relationship is. you couldn't send him home with dirty clothes, you explained, and he had no argument against that. his eyes traced after you as you puttered around, busying yourself with tidying. you're so at home. of course you are. it's your apartment. but he wants that. he wants to lift you from this place and into his own home, to watch you make yourself at home and busy yourself with the mundane.

he's got to tell you today. he can't do it over text. it's wrong.

when you finally settle down next to him on the couch, drawing a blanket into your lap, you breach the topic gently, give him a chance to do it himself. leon doesn't realize how obvious he is when he gets that look on his face, all forlorn as if he'd collapsed onto a fainting couch, hand over the back of his forehead. drama queen.

"what's up?" you ask, sitting close - but infuriatingly distant, not quite touching him yet.

"nothing. just looking at you."

bless you for trying to make it easy on him. it's always been like pulling teeth to get him to talk. he's trained to resist torture and coercion, should know better than to melt under a gentle hand or the way your body fits against his side.

you hum softly, disbelieving. so that's it, then. the silence, the 'i'm respecting your distance until you break' tactics. damn, you're good. leon takes a deep breath, chest aching with the weight of what he has to say. now or never.

"look- i'm not who you think i am."

you don't miss a beat. "in what way?"

he has to force the words out. he's acutely aware that this could ruin everything. you could kick him out. block his number, never speak to him again. good. it was safer that way. you deserved a normal life.

"i lied to you. about my work."

"yeah, i know."

"i work in security. national security."

"leon. i know."

his brain reels back a few steps, trying to process your words.

"you know?" he repeats, almost offended. how could you know? was this a set up?

you pull your phone from your pocket, tapping a quick query in. you turn the phone to him. article after article, a few interviews pinned to the top. every link is purple, clicked on and read through. the one that draws his eye is tucked at the bottom of the screen, makes his skin crawl to remember.

KENNEDY, HARPER CLEARED OF CHARGES

"i googled you." you set your phone down on the coffee table.

"and you still let me into your house?" he was serious, but you laugh. leon's brow pinches. "how long?"

you shrug, as if this conversation is about the laundry. "a couple months. ever since you told me your last name."

"months? why didn't you say anything?"

"i was hoping you'd tell me yourself. and you did, sort of."

his mind is still reeling. the drama of it all had his wound up tight. where does he put that energy?

he must look as thrown-off as he feels, because you chuckle, sweep the hair from his eyes and press a kiss to the corner of his mouth.

"i get why you don't tell people upfront. just don't hide stuff like that from me again, okay? seriously. i'll be mad."

it's more grace than he deserves. your acceptance churns his stomach. is there another meaning behind your words, a resentment coiling in the pit of your stomach?

you crack open your book and lean against his side. he settles his arm around you, moving slow, scared to frighten you away. only one chapter in, you pass him your phone, a take-out app order, asking what he wants. if you're mad, you hide it well.

day seven is a funerary procession. you help him scour your apartment for things he may have left behind, packing them neatly in his suitcase-shaped coffin. it's amazing how his things had flooded into your apartment during the short course of his visit. he had spread out, made himself comfortable. part of it had been testing how his belongings felt next to yours, how it all fit - the final test he had constructed in his mind. you'd passed that with flying colors, clearly. he's lost track of a shirt somewhere along the way, but he isn't concerned about it. he'll be back. he can look for it another time.

both of you linger at your front door. excuses are myriad, flowing from both sides. reasons to double back, reasons to keep his hand on your waist, your fingers in his hair, your lips on his.

but eventually the time becomes too urgent, the threat of missing his flight too real. he'd joked in the car that if he didn't turn up for work they might just send a helicopter to pick him up instead, expecting a laugh. you only smile, a wry twist of your lips that fades too quickly. you reach for your sunglasses and shove them on. the air is tense by the time you pull into the parking garage, cherry scented car freshener cloying.

“you gonna cry?” he teases.

you sniffle.

“oh my god.” he is such a jackass. “don't cry. i'm sorry, sweetheart. it's okay. jesus.”

“i just don't want you to go,” you squeak. your hands fist the steering wheel tight, knuckles turning white.

leon leans over the center console, wrapping his arm around your shoulder. he shrugs you closer to him, hushing you gently.

"let's plan another trip, okay?" he murmurs against your head, placing apologetic kisses there over and over. "c'mon. it's not forever. it's okay. i'm gonna call you when i land. we'll text, like we always do. it's my turn to pick the movie, so-"

fuck. his voice cracks. he clears his throat, blinks quickly to keep his composure.

"so, i'll pick a good one. wednesday night, okay? you, me, and a really good movie."

steadily, his promises slow your tears. the pressure of time detaches you from his hold. you're with him as far as you can go, waving him off to his gate. his heart sinks like a stone. he hates flights, never gets comfortable on them, but the way home feels longer than usual.

made it home he texts the second he's through the door. you're probably asleep. he hopes you are, at least. it's late for you, and--

yay

before he can bother telling you to go to bed, another message pushes through. his house felt empty before, but your message only deepens the feeling, hollows out the hallways and leaves his bed feeling too big, too cold.

i miss you already. call me tomorrow if you can.

leon squints at the screen.

"is that my shirt?"

you stop mid-sentence. caught red-handed - or, rather, grey-shirted.

it's your movie night since he made it back home. you're curled up in bed, your popcorn off to the side. he can fill in the gaps of your room now, knows what extends beyond the screen - and he knows that shirt. an old work tee of his that had mysteriously gone missing after you did the laundry. well-worn and soft. his name stamped on the back in big, block letters. possessive pride stirs in his chest to imagine you wearing his name.

sheepish, you promise, "i'll bring it back to you. how about next month?"

leon shakes his head. he pulls open his calendar, skimming through the busy weeks to clear the time for you.

"keep it. wear it to the airport for me so i know who to look for."

"you're not gonna make me a sign?"

"the shirt is the sign, sweetheart."

"are you gonna wear a matching one with my name on it?"

"i might." he opens another tab, googling how to make custom t-shirts. "you'll have to get here and find out."

connection restored -`♡´-

dividers from @/adornedwithlight

[chososdiscordkitten]

Synopsis: The first time Toji Says 'ily'(˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)

Pairing: Toji x GN!Reader Content; smut nd Fluff, penetrative sex, soft!toji propaganda

MDNI

Toji was never a man who expressed his true feelings with words. Often trying to keep a stoic, unamused face whenever you’d talk to him. 

But when you stumble over your words- following them with a shy giggle. It always made the corner of Toji’s lip curl up in a small smile. 

Preferring to show his feelings in his actions rather than words.

At night when he would place his head on your chest- holding you close subconsciously.

Even with a firm spank on your ass with a small grunt- his way of telling you how good you looked.

Leading to you being the one who first said, ‘I love you.’ You had a suspicion he wouldn’t say the words back. Even if they were just words.

But he saw that you loved him long before you said them. How you’d hold his calloused hands in yours, gently kissing the rough tips of his fingers to show him that it was fine that they were rough. 

How insistent you were when kissing him—always making sure to kiss the little scar on his lip first. This was a small act Toji never knew he needed until you did it—“Reminds me that you’re strong,” you explained. 

He tried not to let it affect him, being so used to being treated rough and well set enough to not to be held with caution. But you always touched him like he was delicate—even if he wasn’t. 

Your hands hardly took on an aggressive grasp with him- always gently caressing his skin with your fingertips. 

That was part of why he fought with the infiltrating thoughts in his mind- how kind you could be to him.  

And Toji was never the kind to lie, especially about such a serious topic. So, instead of lying, he didn’t say them. 

Instead of saying those three words back to you, he would only offer a hum in return. Knowing if he said anything like ‘okay’ or ‘thanks,’ it would sound smug and heartless. 

Toji was aware he liked you—perhaps a smidge more than like—but he had just come to terms with saying he liked you. 

There were times when he would look at you and feel a slight tinge in his chest- almost like a shock of pain, but it was gone in an instant. 

He was aware of the feeling and what it meant, but he refused to even think about it, chalking it up to heartburn or a heart palpitation.

The revelation only snapped in his mind one late evening. 

Tired, hazy eyes looking at your face- one knee hooked on his forearm with your back flush against the bed. 

Kept a slow slopping pace with his hips- watching your expression churn with every deep roll of his hips he did. His mind was blank and focused on finishing so he could go to sleep. 

Heavily breathing and looking at your body- feeling his cheeks tingle knowing you were all his. That no one would ever be graced with seeing you this way. 

Throwing his head back, straightening his back, and closing his eyes. Warmth shivering down his spine as his lips moved without permission. 

‘I love you.’ he whispered. That’s all it took to start spilling himself inside of you with a breathy grunt. 

When the words registered in his mind, he snapped his head down to look at you- to see if you had heard him.

Only you were caught up in your own orgasm to hear his illegible confession. 

That night, Toji stayed up, thinking about whether he really meant the words he said or if they were just words.

Looking at you for a few seconds every time he heard you take a deep breath in your sleep. Pinched eyebrows in worry as he thought of the words he said. 

Pondering if he really loved you- 

The relationship started as just a one-night stand, not expecting to see you ever again. But out of the many- you were the only one who stuck around after. 

The one who managed to make him break his unamused farce- and actually managed to make him crack a small chuckle. 

No label was placed on what you had- Toji just knew you had come to love him. Scars, baggage, rough spots, and all. And Toji knew the possibility of loving you was very real. And scared for it to be.  

After that, he looked at you with a bordering on mortified expression- anytime you’d ask him something, fearing you were just cruel enough to pretend you didn’t hear him and tease him for it later. 

But you didn’t—you pretended not to notice that Toji looked at you differently now. He no longer saw a person he kind of liked. Toji looked at you with terrified eyes now, knowing he didn’t just kind of like you. He loved you. 

What Toji didn’t know was that you did hear his small proclamation. But knowing how standoffish he was when it came to feelings, you chose not to acknowledge it until he had the guts to repeat it. 

You could see how much it had plagued him thinking about it. 

Mornings where you’d leave for work and kiss him goodbye, “Love you-” you’d grin before leaving. Watching his lips part to say it back with tense shoulders. But he never said it- too afraid it would come out shy and embarrassed. 

One thing Toji did not want- is for you to look at him as shy or embarrassed. 

But on one night- making dinner and thralling your hands onto his shoulders. Looking up at him- sick and tired of him holding back his feelings.

Toji’s hands instinctively landed on your hips- looking at you with a raised brow. 

“You like me?” You murmured, caressing his nape with your thumb ever so slightly. 

He pouted his lip, trying to fight off the warmth rising to his cheeks. “I already told you I did,” he scoffed, watching your smile show your intentions. 

“How much though?” you pressed, eyes low and with a goal in mind. 

Toji rolled his eyes, giving you a light squeeze on your ass mindlessly- thinking it over. 

“Do you like me the way you like…” thinking of a non-filthy thing to say- “Gambling?” 

Toji scoffed- “Meh, you’re alright.” you parted your lips at his refusal to answer. Even more so because he said you were just ‘alright.’ 

You decided to abandon the topic for now, knowing that if you pressed even harder, he would keep making little sarcastic comments like that. 

Later that night, you were watching a show, sitting on the couch with Toji’s head on your lap. Playing with his hair with one hand and the other on his chest as you focused on the TV show. 

You were unaware of his eyes looking up at you- ignoring the action noises from the TV as you scoffed. 

Sucking your teeth before, “So fuckin’ stupid!” looking down at Toji, bewilderment in your expression. “They’re running this show into the ground.” you looked down at his face. Noticing his brow was unfurrowed, and his lips parted. 

Squinting your eyes with a feigned severity, “...What?” you mumbled, looking at his soft expression. Halting your hand movements.

Inhaling softly with gentle eyes, “I love you.” he murmured. A tone so soft you don’t think you had ever heard it from him. Widening his eyes when he realized what he had said. 

It felt as though the world went silent after you heard those words- looking into his eyes and feeling his heart beat quicker against your hand. 

“I love you too.” you whispered, cheeks warm and eyebrows pinched.

Though you wanted to jump up and down in happiness- ecstatic Toji was finally coming to terms with his feelings. 

All you did was press a kiss down to his lips- some assurance that you wouldn’t tease him for it. 

Leaning back up and continuing the soft movement with your hand, you looked back up at the TV, not even bothering to try to focus on what was happening. Too giddy from Toji’s confession.

Those words started being spoken more and more often now-

The goodbyes you’d bid Toji in the mornings before work, “Love you.” you’d mutter, pressing a kiss to his cheek and hearing a quiet-

“Love you.” he whispered back into the air in a gruff tone. 

Mornings sitting across from him, drinking coffee and basking in each other’s presence. 

Looking up from your phone and admiring his expression- “I love you.” you muttered. Watching Toji’s eyebrows furrow and look at you bewildered. 

He looked back down at his coffee cup. “Love you,” he muttered with a pouty lip.

And at night- His arms holding your knees wide. Deep thrusts paired with an occasional grunt in your ear. 

Your hands gripping his shoulders and biceps- moaning his name as his heavy breathing warmed your ear. 

“I love you.” he groaned against your cartilage- his thrusts were firmer and full of passion. Whimpering in response as he rode into an orgasm. 

And every deep roll of his hips- whispering the words repeatedly. One after the other in tandem with every loving thrust.

“I love you.” 

-

(a.n) got cavities from writing this

[ch0co-b0nez]

4n4 tips that arent the basic ones youve seen 100 times before!!

warm (not hot!) mint tea helps with nausea

spicy foods curb your appetite- try cucumber with chilli flakes

games like bitlife and roblox can keep you distracted from hunger

TAKE UR VITAMINS!!!!

take heartburn tablets to stop your stomach grumbling

lukewarm coffee makes you feel sick and therefore not hungry

apple cider vinegar suppresses appetite

vaseline can help with damaged nails

eat your non-dominant hand to slow yourself down

[wynnyfryd]

Trailer park Steve AU part 22

part 1 | part 21 | ao3

“…Go ahead,” he relents with a heavy sigh.

He turns the radio back on for background noise, and Robin launches herself into a breathless recap of every minute detail she’s ever learned about Eddie Munson. Genuinely impressive how quickly the words come out; Steve thinks that if her dream of becoming a linguistics researcher ever falls through, she’s got a bright future ahead of her as one of those speedreaders who rattle off the fine print at the end of pharmaceutical ads.

Warning: Discussion of Eddie Munson may cause nausea, heartburn, palpitations, sweaty armpits, and an inconveniently timed half-chub any time you use a pocket knife. Talk to your doctor to see if Discussion of Eddie Munson is right for you!

“Which brings us to tonight,” she’s saying when he zones back in. “Let’s examine the facts, shall we?”

“Must we?”

“Yes, we must.”

She makes a loose fist, lifting her pointer finger with an aggressive flourish to kick off her ‘list of reasons Eddie has a big, fat crush on you.’ “Fact number one: he was conveniently wearing a super nice outfit.”

“He said he ran out of laundry.”

“And we’re buying that?” she scoffs. Her middle finger springs up to join the first one. “Two: he was so disgustingly up in your personal space. Like, you really should have seen it; it was—”

Mwah. Mwah mwah mwah. “Yeah, I don’t need another demonstration.”

“Three” —there goes her ring finger— “he came to a movie rental store that you just so happen to work at and then left without renting a movie.”

“Because you did something to spook him!”

“Which brings me to my fourth and final point.” Her pinky lifts up to join the team, fingers spread wide like a paper fan, and she telescopes her arm to shove them back and forth under his nose until he goes a little cross-eyed and bitches about her distracting the driver.

“Cut it out! You want me to drive us into someone’s trash cans?”

“Wouldn’t be the first time.”

“Yeah, well I’m sending you the invoice when it scratches up the paint.”

She retreats to her side of the car, curling her back against the door and repeating, “My fourth and final point: I think he thinks we’re dating.”

“And? Everyone thinks we’re dating.”

“No, everyone wants us to be secretly dating,” she corrects. “But I’m pretty sure Eddie actually thinks I’m your girlfriend. You remember last week when you dropped me off at school?”

He does. Eddie had actually been there early for once; had been sitting on a bench out by the soccer fields, looking surly and half-asleep while he sucked down a cigarette. Hair all messed up by the wind. Looked kind of dangerous. Wild.

“He was, like, fully glaring at me when I walked into school that morning, and then he was super rude to me in band. Which, at the time, I was like, ‘oh, well I guess that’s just Eddie no one can ever tell what his mood’s gonna be like from day to day,’ but noo-o-ow…”

She starts squirming in her seat again, excitement overflowing as she finally cracks the case. “Now it all makes sense! Oh, my god! He totally hates me because he thinks we’re dating, and I’ll bet you anything he either didn’t know we work together or didn’t expect me to be there tonight and he totally, one hundred percent was there to flirt with you because he’s in lo—”

“Okay, Detective,” he cuts her off, because the tips of his ears are burning, and he doesn’t think he can handle her saying the L word out loud right now. “You’ve made your point, thank you.”

“Tell me I’m right.”

“Uh, no.”

“Come on.” She jabs at his side. “Tell me I’m right tell me I’m right tell me I’m—”

“—A fucking menace? Gladly.”

“Translation: I’m right and you’re mad about it,” she smirks, victorious.

Steve knocks his forehead against the wheel as he pulls up to her curb. “Why do I drive you places?”

“Because you love me." She flips her visor down to freshen up her lip balm, mumbling around the chapstick, "I’m adding Surly Best Friendlish to my list of fluencies; I think it'll really make my college applications pop."

"Yuh huh," Steve grumbles. The thought of Robin leaving for college always sits in his gut like raw bread dough — thick and heavy and gross, rising to form a swollen lump in his throat. "Didn't you already submit all of those?"

"Yes, I diiiid," she sings, shimmying her shoulders with pride. "Duke's gonna say yes, I just know it. Picture it with me: Robin L. Buckley," she gestures to an imagined marquee somewhere just beyond the windshield, "class of 1990."

Steve swallows the urge to be a sulky dick about it. "They'd be lucky to have you," he says quietly.

"Nope. No no, none of that. No moping." She tugs at his arm; links their elbows together. "You're not allowed to mope when we have a party to get ready for."

"No, you have a party to get ready for. I'm going home."

"Steeeve-uh!" Holy shit. He just had to be soulmates with the whiniest lesbian in a 500 mile radius, didn't he? "Come to the bonfire party with me!"

"Yeah, that's a no."

“It’ll be fun!"

It most certainly will not be. "You really want me to go freeze my ass off in the woods all night while a bunch of former classmates talk shit about me the second they think I'm out of earshot?" He's been to enough of his parents' 'networking events' over the years to know exactly how that'll go. A full night of subtly closed-off body language, smirking whispers and judgmental glances that dart away as soon as he meets them head on. Fuck that. "Thanks, but I'll pass."

He just wants to go home. Feels momentarily sick with the desire to drive himself to Loch Nora.

"What did I say about moping?" Robin asks. She shoves into his space, hugging his arm tighter and deploying her most lethal sad wet kitten face (and Steve doesn't even like cats; this shouldn't fucking work on him.) "Pleeeease," she begs. "Vickie's going to be there, and I could really use a friend."

"So ask a friend!"

"I am, dipshit!"

Oh, my god. Oh, my god. Goddamn this woman. Steve hangs his chin to his chest in defeat, notices the weird stain he got on his shirt during work. "I have some conditions," he concedes.

She throws her arms out wide. "Condition me, baby!"

"First— ew. Okay, I don't like that; don't call me baby." Yeesh, and furthermore, yuck. "First, I'm borrowing one of your shirts, and you're probably never getting it back."

"Understandable,” she nods as she gets out of the car. Steve follows her out, propping his elbows on the roof.

"Secondly,” he continues, “I'm getting very drunk at this stupid party, and you're figuring out how we get home."

She reaches out over the top of the car; gives his hand a quick squeeze when he puts it in hers. "That's three things," she says fondly, "but I can work with that."

—

part 23

tag list part 1 below the cut; comment if you'd like to be added tomorrow (not tagging ageless or under 21s unless we're mutuals or you let me know your age ✌️)

@a-little-unsteddie @ahsokatanoss @alyelf @anne-bennett-cosplayer @aol19 @awolfstudio @bambibiest @bananahoneycomb @bronwenmarie @cheonsazu @cinnamon-mushroomabomination @courtjestermunson @dauntlessdiva @dawners @dontwasteyourchances @eddie-munsons-missing-nipple @eriquin @estrellami-1 @fandomfix8 @griefabyss69 @grtwdsmwhr @hallucinatedjosten @hellion-child @hiimlevi @honoragreyskull @hotluncheddie @jackiemonroe5512 @kas-eddie-munson @littlebluejane @marvel-ous-m @melonmochi @messrs-weasley @milklechee @mrsjellymunson @mugloversonly @munsonslure @nburkhardt @nerdyglassescheeseychick @notsopersonalcharlie @novelnovella @nuggies4life @questionablequeeries @runninriot @silver-snaffles @singmeyoursimpsong @slowandsteddie @slutabed @slutforcoffein @solalasoforth @spookednsaucy

[babykisses]

Complete Guide : How to looksmax & drastically improve your appearance

Looksmaxing refers to the practice of enhancing one's physical appearance through various methods like grooming, skincare, fitness, etc. It's about YOU and feeling the need to constantly remind yourself that you can be better. In this guide, I’m sharing with you ridiculously specific tips to drastically improve your appearance.

body language

Being beautiful is not only about having big lips and a striking jawline. No, it's about the feeling you give to other people, about your energy. Furthermore, it's about how you have embodied your energy. The only way you can embody this truly, is by accepting your authentic energy.

· make eye contact

· keep your head up

· don’t play with your jewelry

· be extremely, obnoxiously confident

· stand up straight, push your shoulders back slightly and open up your chest

· smile more often, it will make you look more charismatic & happy, so you will appear more attractive, as many say “be happy and you will be beautiful”

diet

Proper nutrition plays a crucial role in transforming your skin from the inside out. By eating a balanced diet that is rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, you can help to maintain healthy, glowing skin. You will not only look your best, but also feel your best. Your diet should look like this :

· low carb

· low sugar

· 3L of water daily

· lots of veggies & fruit

· high protein, fibre & potassium

· only eat organic grass-fed meat (for meat)

· 3 Brazilian nuts a day, they improve your skin health & hair health

· ginger shots, a combination of ginger, freshly squeezed lemon juice & water or coconut water. The health benefits of ginger shots include : decreasing inflammation, calming indigestion, and boosting immunity. Keep in mind that ginger shots are meant to be drunk all at once as a quick shot. Be careful not to drink more than one shot a day since too much ginger can cause heartburn.

makeup

· keep it natural, don’t overdo it and remember, less is more

· curl your lashes & mascara (Dior iconic overcurl is my fave mascara!!)

· contour & bronze cheeks (Chanel bronzer 395)

· wear skin tint, NOT foundation. Less is more.

· sublte white highlight on the inner corner (I recommend dior glow palette) DO NOT grab a white pencil and think it does the job. It doesn’t. It will make you look tacky.

· black or brown liner on the upper waterline

· blend your skin tint in with your hand, then go in bak with a damp beauty blender for a flawless finish

· for a natural eye lift effect, draw a line (with a skin coloured pencil) from your outer crease all the way to the temple & blend in a sculpted effect

lashes & brows

Facial harmony is important to the face, and your eyebrows need to work well with all of your face.

For face harmony ask the eyebrow tech this: the eyebrow arch of the eyebrow should be aligned with the upper orbital rim of your eye, reaching it’s highest point slightly lateral to the outer edge of the iris.

For the length the eyebrow should start at a point above the inner corner of the eye and end diagonally from the outer corner of the eye, extending slightly past it.

Also the thickness of the eyebrows should be balanced and in proportion to your facial features.

Ask to maintain thick eyebrows if you do and ask to get it if you don't. Thick eyebrows are good because thicker eyebrows are preferred for a more youthful appearance like you're still in your 20s. Think of an example as Brooke Shields.

Also the distance between the eyebrows should be approximately equal to the width of one eye.

Furthermore the overall shape of the eyebrows should complement your face natural contours, and tell them to take into account your facial structure and features.

Also, your tech needs to be well skilled and knowledgeable to even know these. So I highly recommend going to a very qualified professional in order to get your brows done. At the end of the day, it’s like you’re giving your beauty in their hands. You alternatively do it at home, remember to be precise.

· get fuller brows : brow serum, micro blading, brow pencil, etc.

· grow out your eyelashes with a mix of aloe vera & castor oil (apply as a serum) or use a lash serum (I recommend Latisse)

· dark brows & lashes are more attractive, in order to darken them here’s some advice :

solutions to darken brows & lashes

· brow tint & eyelash tint

· hybrid dye : lasts up to 7 weeks on the hairs & 10 days on the skin

· tint : lasts up to 4 weeks on the hairs & 3 days on the skin

· brow pommade & brow pencil

skin

· in order to achieve your perfect skin tone, eat more carotenoids.

what are carotenoids?

Carotenoids are yellow, orange & red organic pigments that are produced by plants and algae. Carotenoids give the characteristic color to pumpkins, carrots, corn, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, spinach, salmon, shrimp, kale, broccoli, cantaloupe, papaya, mangoes, oranges, bell peppers, watermelon, apricots, tangerines.

(In summary they are brightly colored fruits and vegetables)

So make sure to include these foods into your diet. If you want a shorter list of the foods that are the highest in carotenoids :

spinach, kale, corn, oranges, bell peppers, tomatoes, watermelon, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, broccoli, carrots.

· get custom spray tan

· get laser hair removal (don’t forget to shave before your appointment)

· smile line removal : volufiline

· for clear skin, STOP eating sugar & dairy

· drink CELERY JUICE everyday for glowing skin

· a rich moisturizer, spf & a good diet is all you need

· it is better to get a real tan, not fake tanner

· laser mole removal

· to prevent ageing, you should SPF every single day, never use tanning beds, never smoke, use a retinoid nightly, wash your makeup off & maintain a skincare routine

· stay hydrated: drinking plenty of water and staying hydrated help maintain healthy, hydrated & plump skin

lips

Brushing your lips with a toothbrush. Brushing lips with a toothbrush each day can temporarily increase lip fullness. The brushing may stimulate blood circulation in the lips, leading to temporary redness and slight swelling. This increased blood flow can create the appearance of fuller lips for a short period. Brushing the lips with a toothbrush can help exfoliate the surface layer of dead skin cells, promoting smoother and potentially plumper looking lips, removing the buildup of dead skin cells.

· lip liner (love the Charlotte Tilbury liner & MAC lip pencil)

· ombré lips effect

· keep them plump & glossy

· if you want to whiten your teeth I suggest you get professional teeth whitening or use whitening teeth strips (if you have sensitive teeth, make sure to buy the right kind because you risk damaging the area)

get rid of face fat & bloating

Bloating significantly impacts your appeal by concealing the underlying bone structure, which plays a crucial role in defining the contours of your face.

Without well-defined bone structure, your facial features appear less distinct & with a rounder appearance, and it becomes challenging to achieve the desired prominent cheek bone effect.

This is probably the simplest way to get the perfect jawline ; all you have to do is massage your face regularly. A good massage will boost blood circulation and tone your facial structure. Make sure to start massaging from the bottom to the top, to prevent sagging. In case you’re asking yourself if this really works, believe it does. Stay consistent.

Even though you will hear many people say that 5-6 hours of sleep is sufficient for them, it isn’t enough to look your best. Without 8-10 hours of sleep, your body will start looking tired, and your face will look bloated and fluffy. 

· avoid SALT & SUGAR & CARBS

Why? Because salt, sugar & carbohydrates each have distinct effects on your body that contribute to bloating. Refined carbohydrates, as well as excessive sugar intake (particularly added sugars that convert into glucose), can cause blood sugar spikes and subsequently lead to bloating. These substances, such as sugar (glucose), have the ability to draw water from your body or hinder its proper absorption.

· eat POTASSIUM (spinach, kale, sweet potatoes, bananas, avocados, spinach, tomatoes, watermelon)

· do intermittent fasting

· rub an ice cube on your skin in the morning, as ice tightens your skin and helps reduce puffiness.

· drink 3L of water daily

It is very important to prioritize the consumption of a substantial amount of water every day. Water plays a vital role in flushing out sodium from the body, effectively reducing sodium levels. Also, water intake helps regulate the body's water balance, preventing unnecessary water retention that can lead to facial bloating and puffiness.

· do face massages

· contour & bronze your cheeks

· mewing : smile with closed mouth and swallow, don’t force your tongue. It’s about keeping your tongue in the correct position at all times. There is also a bunch of videos on YouTube.

IN SUMMARY

· working out

· intermidate fasting and calorie deficit

· drink a ton of water

· try to eat less salt, sugar, carbs

· eat more potassium (bananas, potatoes...)

· rub an ice cube on your skin

hair

· Kerastase shampoo & conditioner and dyson for styling

· when doing a high ponytail or bun, don’t forget to slick back your baby hairs around your ears

· rinse your conditioner with cold water

(locks in the moisture, makes your hair look smooth, shiny & reduces frizz)

· use a scalp massager 5 minutes

(stimulates & exfoliates the scalp)

· do Aloe Vera hair masks

· use homemade rosemary oil

· microfibre towel - dries your hair x2 faster plus it is so much better than a regular towel! Why? Microfibre treats your hair with care to help prevent frizziness

· add coffee to your shampoo (stimulates and exfoliates the scalp). It’s a great alternative to scalp scrubs

· rice water rinse twice a week

body

The ideal waist to hip ratio backed by science is 0.6. The target 0.6 ratio is ideal and is genetic, so don't blame yourself if your natural physique doesn't fit it. Enhancing it to 0.6 requires hard work & surgery, implants if you're not naturally gifted. 0.6 is ideal and 0.7 is average. It's bone structure / genetic, if you're already slim and don't have 0.6 it's not your fault. You can only get the desired (0.6) by surgery or possibly by extreme diet if you don't have it genetically.

Our bodies as women influences the type of men we attract. You attract and get chased by higher quality, financially well and genetically attractive men. It's because slimness is associated with elegance, higher class and higher social status. It also signals good health and youthfulness and that you respect your body enough to keep it healthy.

Capture body images

Take photos from the front, side, and back angles, along with a face selfie. This step is crucial and can serve as a powerful source of inspiration in the future when you feel demotivated or lose interest.

Measure your weight

I strongly recommend stepping on the scale on day one, the day you genuinely embark on your weight loss journey. This will be another significant step as it helps establish your starting point and, as you make progress, serves as motivation to keep going.

Develop a plan

Whether your plan is to follow a diet (ketogenic diet & intermittent fasting), to get a gym membership or to buy a scale : reflect on your goals and determine what you want to achieve such as how much you want to lose weight. You need to make a plan that you can fully commit to. And get it done.

Portion control

Although what you eat does matter, its about how much of it you eat. You’re going to consume smaller portions of whatever food, but make sure your plate is smaller because it’s all about calorie deficit. Also try to limit snacking as such as you can, because it’s not a little bar that’s going to make you any fuller. For 15 minutes maybe, but at at what cost? Eat proper meals (in smaller plates). But if you really have trouble with restricting yourself to a smaller plate I advise you to eat foods that are voluminous but low in calories. For example one cookie (15g) is small & thin, filled with 150 calories. But on the other hand, 1 kg of lettuce is 150 calories. See the difference? Same calories but different amount.

[chaoscharme]

Self Care Activities that Actually Help

My list of practical, achievable and useful self care tips that will actually improve your mood instead of enabling you to wallow.

Reply to your correspondence

Often if we feel low or our motivation is down, we find it tricky to respond to messages and calls from others. This allows unopened messages to pile up which creates stress and even panic. Instead of trying to ignore this problem, set a timer for 15 minutes. Then give yourself those 15 minutes to respond to as many of those messages as possible, starting with the most urgent messages first. If you cannot complete all the messages, take a minute to reevaluate. Can you give yourself another 15 minutes to finish the task today? If not, that’s fine. Assign the task for tomorrow, and repeat the process when you feel refreshed. If you are not able to give a thorough response to all of your contacts, I recommend drafting a universal message to send, stating that you are currently occupied and you hope to offer them a more appropriate message over the coming days. You can tailor this message to suit your needs and circumstances, and it reduces the amount of pressure on you to offer explanations for your absences.

Wash your clothes

Take the clothes you are wearing off. All of them. Strip your bed. Gather up any towels or tea cloths you can find. Wash them all. I cannot overstate the benefit of living in a clean environment, and wearing clean clothes. Even if you can’t wash everything, wash the essentials, and make sure you are wearing fresh clothes from head to toe. You can swap pyjamas out for more pyjamas, what you wear doesn’t matter. Just make sure they’re clean.

Water

Drink a pint of water with nothing added, no fruit, no cordial, nothing. Just drink a pint of water in one sitting. You are almost definitely dehydrated, just like everyone else. Hydration provides mental clarity, energy, and even relives stress. It reduces pains and aches in the body. It helps quell nausea and heartburn. Water is the quickest and easiest way to reduce physical pain or discomfort throughout the day. By keeping hydrated, you’re improving your quality of life almost instantly.

Stretch in bed or on the sofa

The last thing most of us want to do when we feel low or unmotivated is going for a run, or working out at the gym. Instead of pushing yourself to get a serious or intense workout in, try some stretches you can do from the comfort of your bed or sofa. Stretches will help relieve tension in the body and can increase your energy throughout the day. You don’t have to do anything crazy, just a couple of simple, effective stretches will do the trick.

Eat a “healthy” carb

People so often try to avoid eating carbs as they think carbohydrates are inherently unhealthy. This is simply not the case. While carbohydrates are often used in the production of unhealthy treats such as cakes, cookies and pies, they are not fundamentally bad for you. Carbs are our main source of energy, and if you’re feeling low energy is exactly what you need. Try eating a healthier alternative to those instant sugar rush carbs, such as rice, wholemeal pastas or breads, potatoes or oats. You can add other ingredients to these meals, such as berries to oats or some veg to pasta, to make a more filling meal. Everyone eats differently, but we all need carbohydrates in our diet to provide energy and nutrition, alongside other food groups. Creating a balanced diet is much more important than eating “healthy” all the time. Respect your body by fuelling it appropriately and regularly.

Clean yourself as best you can

Have a shower. Take your makeup off. Brush your hair. Clip your nails. Put deodorant on. Brush your teeth. Wash your hands. You might not have the energy for a full “everything shower” but you can probably do one of the things listed above to make yourself feel better about yourself and your hygiene. Don’t berate yourself if you’ve gone a while without practicing any of these for a while, life can be pretty difficult. Just accept your current situation and try to better it as best you can with the energy you now have.

Please reach out to a trusted person or a qualified professional if you feel you need extra support for any reason. You are not alone and you do not need to suffer in silence. Support is there.

Mwah, Chaoscharme

[purelyfiction]

stars in a line - robert 'bob' floyd x f!reader

Word Count: 1,207 words

Summary: Chicken's in the skillet, ice in the drink, head's in the clouds, diamond's in the rough, he's in a Chevy and I'm in love // Tips in the apron, hair's in a braid, Mercury's all in retrograde // He's in a T-shirt all cleaned up, Good lord almighty, mama don't wait up // Chills down my spine, hearts on the line, He's all mine and I'm in love

Content Warning: fluff!! also note of animal abandonment

Author Note: another round for @ohtobeleah 's galentines writings :))))))

the familiar rumble of the older engine makes your features split with a smile. when bob had told you he was gonna drive his truck from montana to california you thought he was losing his mind.

then he'd explained why he was so insistent.

that he'd taken you out in that '87 Chevy all those years ago. after weeks of coming into the diner you worked in after school, dozens and dozens of milkshake and fry basket combos (and subsequent heartburn) just so he could hang out with you. he'd gotten up the nerve to finally ask you out. that truck had been your front row seats at the drive in watching a rerun of some old army movie his dad had recommended.

he'd taken the two of you to prom in that truck. to high school graduation, your college graduation. when the engine died on you while he was stationed in atlanta he'd taught you how to fix the thing via facetime.

beverly the chevy had been there for so many of your big moments. she'd been the reason why bob ended up buying the house that you stood contently in.

'bev is gonna need a place out of the elements if she's gonna stay top notch.'

this house had been the only one with a two car garage. one side for bev and one side for your car.

now when the engine rumbles echoed in the garage and made the older house vibrate, you couldn't help but grin. the sizzling of chicken in a skillet on the stove greets bob when he steps into the kitchen. he's greeted with the smell and a bottle of wine in a pile of ice in the sink. the door to the garage shuts, and you glance over your shoulder. when you do, you're witnessing the brown paper bouquet in his hands, white t-shirt on his shoulders, levis hugging his waist, trucker cap right where it belongs. he knows what this does to you. it's a simple look, nothing more than the basics but that's what does it. it highlights him. the man you love, bare bones and all.

the same man you fell for in that truck bed all those years ago.

he slides his boots off and wraps his arms around you from behind you, showing off the flowers he carried in. "happy flowers to you," he's humming now, making you giggle as his arms tight around you start bouncing you back and forth as he sings to the tune of 'happy birthday', "happy flowers to you, happy flowers, happy flowers, to my valentine youuuuuu" he punctuates the end of the song with a sloppy kiss to your cheek as you ease the weight of the florals from his hand.

"these are stunning, bo." you grin as he lets go, letting you turn to face him fully as he smiles.

"i know, i picked 'em cause they remind me of you." bob grins before pressing a quick kiss to your lips, barely pulling back when he speaks again, "happy valentines, sweet girl." you repeat the sentiment before he takes the arrangement and starts to get them into water.

you can't help but stare as he begins trimming the ends of each stem, easing them into the vase. you can smell the freshness of his body wash, having showered on base before he came home to you. couldn't waste time on your night together - and he knew it. the combination on him is near lethal to you. if you weren't actively cooking dinner, the counter would have been supplying a different kind of heat to the kitchen.

"i bought you something!" you nearly startle him with your sudden announcement, the reminder of your gift hitting you as you watch him. running down the hall causes the pup in the living room to chase after you, causing you and bob to both laugh.

shadow had been an unplanned addition to your lives because the poor pup appeared on your back deck one night. the collar on his neck held your current address. the previous owners had barely been involved with the process of the sale, so you didn't have their contact information to tell them hey assholes, you left your dog.

so, you and bob joked that the house came with a guardian, a black lab and german shepherd mix (bob got his dna tested out of infuriating curiosity). he quickly clung to the two of you - thus 'shadow'.

you lug the box into the kitchen, where bob has kept an eye on the meal you had recklessly abandoned. looking at you he huffs a gasp. "sweet girl, this is unnecessary." he laughs, taking the wrapped gift from your arms and sliding it onto the counter. still, he tears into it and reveals the milkshake maker, making him laugh, looking over at you with a grin. "that why you got your hair all done like this?" he grins, his fingers moving over the braid you'd plaited this morning.

"maybe." you hum, kissing his cheek as he looks over the box holding the machine. that diner the two of you met in had closed not long after you moved to san diego. you'd spent hours there and he'd once complimented the ribbon in your hair when it was woven into the braid on your head. recently, bob had mentioned how he'd missed those milkshakes they'd always made him.

he grins, before tucking his hand into his pocket. "hold out your hand." you hold it out as he asks, palm up. what he sets into your palm catches you off guard.

you'd been expecting something small, likely a jewelry box or something, like the years before.

instead a little metal circle is dropped into your palm. shining and glimmering. diamonds along it like stars in a line. your spine is electrified with chills, as your jaw drops as you look at him in awe. "bob, what-you-"

"i can get on my knee if you want, i'm just- i'm so in love with you. i'm truly in awe of you and how valid you make me feel. how valued and cherished i feel - how you listen," his head nods to the machine on the counter, "and you care and you never fail to be the best. just simply the best. i hope that i am for you-"

cutting him off you speak, "and you are," he laughs.

"then i wanna continue being that for you. for forever." you're sliding the new piece of jewelry onto your ring finger before he can get the words out, your arms slinking around his shoulders and linking your lips with his.

when you pull back, you grin.

"you're mine. i'm all yours and i'm in love. i'm so in love with you. with our life and the path we're on." you whisper. his hand takes a hold of your arm before the two of you jump at the sound of a smoke detector, both of you scrambling to clear the kitchen of smoke.

when the alarm is off and the burnt chicken is tossed, you smirk as you pull ice cream from the fridge.

"ice cream for dinner?" you try. bob grins.

"how about milkshakes instead?"

[cassandraxiv]

When I have it on hand, milk is my go-to. Otherwise, I live in Spain without the S.

[after-witch]

Comin' In Hot! [Yandere Phinks x Reader]

Title: Comin' In Hot! [Yandere Phinks x Reader]

Synopsis: Sometimes, when you've been kidnapped by a lovesick member of an infamous murderous Troupe, all you can do is order your comfort food and hope for the best.

Word Count: 700ish

notes: yandere, kidnapped reader, mentions of emotional and physical abuse

You wanted to watch a women’s-night-out comedy. 

“Babe.”

Phinks wanted to watch an action flick.

“Babe.”

The movie playing on the TV now, as you both eat your takeout dinner, is a buddy comedy, which is a little bit of both, and a good enough compromise that you’re not in a sour mood. You’ve got to appreciate when he’s willing to compromise, even if it’s only for little things. 

“Babe.”

You blink, and look up, a spoonful of rice and curry on its way to your lips. 

“What?”

You slowly bring the spoon to your mouth, savoring the rich spice and the hint of lime brightness at the end. A great little citrus kick, thanks to the lime slice that the restaurant tucked into the carryout box. 

“Are you… doing okay?”

Your eyebrows furrow. Are you doing something wrong? It’s happened before--you doing or saying something that pissed him off or worried him without you realizing. But you can’t think of anything that you might be doing now, simply sitting next to him in the living room, eating a meal off a TV tray set before you. 

He huffs. And looks away. And finally juts his chin towards you, mumbling out something in a tone that passes for caring, when it comes to Phinks. 

“You’re crying.” 

Oh.

Well. You are crying, yes, that’s certainly true. A tear slides down your cheek and there’s a familiar blurriness to your vision, but without the heaviness in your chest that usually accompanies a hearty self-pitying sob session. 

That’s because the tears are instinctual here. Biological. It’s what happens when you get extra spicy food. Extra ultra mega delicious spicy food, which burns your taste buds and sends endorphins rushing through you like very little else does nowadays. 

Yes, it hurts, but it’s goddamned tasty.  

You sniffle through your nose, and wipe at your eyes with your forearm, careful to keep the spoon and its spice-laden curry remnants away from your delicate membranes.

“It’s fine,” you say, smiling, before digging your spoon back into the curry container. “It’s just because it’s really spicy.” Even talking hurts a little, and you lick a piece of stray rice from behind your teeth, which sends the spicy sensations tingling onto the tip of your tongue.

Phinks regards you with an incredulous expression. His eyebrows raise. "Maybe it's too hot for you. You can eat mine instead."

You shake your head, and quickly scoop up another bite, savoring the flavors and mm-ing for emphasis on just how enjoyable you find your lavalicious meal.

And yeah, your lips are a little swollen, your vision is blurry, and you’re sure you’ll have some heartburn tonight and asking Phinks for heartburn medicine will greatly depend on whether or not you want spicy food again anytime soon.  

And sure, sure, sure. You’re sitting in the living room of some abandoned house (if you can call “you have good reason to believe Phinks simply killed the previous occupant and took it for himself” abandoned) held captive by a member of the Phantom Troupe.

But you’re watching a movie that is pretty close to what you wanted, and he let you order your favorite foods and for once didn’t wring his hands and complain when you asked him to order it Extra Hot.

"I like it like this, Phinks," you tell him, pouting just a little. Not enough for him to find it rude. But enough for it to be cute--you hope.

He's been kind to you today. And there's a streak going, apparently, because after you give your explanation, he lets his wary expression fade away until he slowly turns back to the movie, taking bites of his own (much milder) dinner. 

”If you say so,” is his mumbled reply. You can tell he’s still a little worried, still a little bothered. But not enough to stop you. Probably because you’re being so complacent. Watching a movie with him. Eating dinner with him. Smiling at him. 

You smile at him again, thin-lipped, but still a smile. It’s better to smile and force yourself to enjoy the normalcy of this completely-not-normal moment. It makes him less volatile. It makes him less likely, in the end, to grip your arm so hard you’re worried that it might snap or yell in your face that he’s just trying-to-be-a-good-boyfriend-goddamn-it-why-can’t-you-see-that.

But now? With your mouth burning and a movie playing… you can pretend. 

Watching movies that you don’t totally hate helps you do that. 

Eating your favorite meals helps you do that. 

And if you stop yourself before you finish the container, you can do the same thing tomorrow with the leftovers. 

[tiedupinknottss]

tips tips tips

1. Drink one glass of water every hour. It will make you feel full.

2. Drink ice cold water. Your body will burn calories just getting the water to a normal temperature to digest. Also it is great for your complexion.

3. Drink 3 cups of green tea daily. It will help boost your metabolism, plus its antioxidants make your skin look great.

4. Take vitamins daily. Do not take vitamins on an empty stomach, otherwise they have nothing to catalyze with.

5. Eat ice or gum when hungry. This will make your body think it had food without the calories.

6. Do aerobics until you want to faint.

7. Eat spicy foods. They raise your metabolism.

8. Take cold showers because your body will burn calories to heat you back up.

9. DON’T take laxatives. They don’t help you to lose weight.

10. DON’T use diuretics. They only dehydrate you.

11. Brush your teeth constantly so you won’t be tempted to eat afterwards.

12. Wear a rubberband around your wrist. Snap it when you want to eat.

13. Clean something gross (toilet, litter box, boyfriend’s closet) when you want to eat. You will not want to eat after cleaning a litter box.

14. Keep your hair in good condition so no one will suspect anything.

15. Get a job so you’ll have to work through meal times.

16. Exercise twice the amount of calories eaten.

17. Use smaller plates and utensils so it seems like you ate more.

18. Chew eat bite of food thoroughly and then take a sip of water between bites. You will feel full quicker and will not eat as much.

19. Say you are going to eat at a friend’s house and instead go for a walk. You will be burning calories instead of taking them in.

20. Buy clothes that you can’t fit into and hang them wear you can see them. This will motivate you to lose weight to fit into them.

21. Sleep at least six hours a day. If you get less than six this can lower your metabolism by 15%.

22. If you start to feel hungry do situps or punch yourself in the stomach. You will not feel hungry anymore.

23. Pamper yourself! Give yourself a facial, paint your nails, anything to make you feel pretty.

24. Make yourself a snack, but instead of eating it throw it away. Leave the dirty dishes whereyour parents can find them. They will think you ate.

25. Prepare a list of excuses as to why you can’t eat – You’re sick, you’re a vegetarian, allergic, etc. You’d be amazed at how many good excuses there are.

26. Get out of your house! If you’re not sitting around then people can’t start shit with you about not eating.

27. Join a pro-ana group or start your own website. Anything that will keep you motivated.

28. Make an ANA scrapbook with pics of skinny models. Right down all the reasons you want to lose weight. Keep track of everything you eat. Look at it daily for thinsperation.

29. Keep good posture, burns 10% more calories when you sit up straight.

30. Instead of food, buy something else, a new shirt, flowers, jewelrey etc.

31. Make a list of all the “bad” foods that you crave and tend to binge on. Each day, pick one to take out of your diet that you absolutely, no matter what, cannot eat again. Take one off the list each day until there are no more bad foods you can have.

32. Avoid alcohol! A shot of liquor has 100-120 calories, a glass of wine has 80 calories, a lite beer has 110-120 calories, and a regular beer has 140-170 calories.

33. Never eat anything bigger than about a cup, your stomach will expand and then you’ll get hungry more.

34. Eat in front of a mirror naked. See how much you can eat then!

35. The smell of coffee is suppose to supress appetite.

36. Wear perfectly applied lip gloss. It makes you more aware of what’s going in your mouth. Also, flavored ones help with cravings.

37. Have 6 small meals a day. Take 2 apples, and split them so you can make 6 meals out of them. That way your body will be tricked into thinking it’s eating more.

38. Low calorie hot chocolate curbs chocolate cravings, and makes you feel full.

39. Take anti-heartburn pills if you’re really hungry. They nuetralize the acid that builds and makes you hungry.

40. Take a picture of yourself wearing a bathing suit or something equally revealing, look at it when you want to eat.

41. It takes 20 minutes for the brain to realize the stomach is full.

42. When you get hunger pains curl into a ball, it makes them go away.

43. If you’re a smoker and hungry, light up a cigarette. It curbs your appetite.

44. Eat lots of fiber. It makes you feel full and takes fat with it out of your body. The natural cleansing helps improve both your energy level and overall feeling of wellness.

45. Before you dig into that cake, bag of chips, candy, or whatever, take a deep breath and count to 100. Usually by the time you get to 100 you will have convinced yourself that you don’t really want it.

46. When you’re hungry chug 2 glasses (or how many you need) of straight water. It’ll make you so full and nauseous you will have completely lost your appetite.

47. Celery actually burns calories. Every hour eat a stalk of it. Not only will it fill you up, but it will also get your metabolism kickin’.

48. Weigh yourslef before and after every time you eat. Not only will it eliminate unnecessary eating, but it will make you want to eat less when you see the numbers creep up.

49. Read the nutritional information. Remember, fat-free does not mean calorie-free. Also keep an eye on fiber content. Get as much fiber into your diet as you can, while cutting fat and calories.

50. Don’t eat a lot at once. Spread your food throughout the day. This will help to avoid binging and keep your metabolism going.

51. If you like to drink alcohol, you’ll like this. Make a rule: You can only drink every time you lose 2lbs. So, if you lose 4lbs a week, you can drink Friday and Saturday night. However, if you only lose 2lbs a week, you only get to drink one night.

52. Do not eat in front of the computer or TV. This distracts you from recognizing you’re full.

53. Save the money you would have spent on that meal in a jar. Save it in a bottle instead and watch it grow.

54. Stay away from Slim-fast and other so-called “healthy” candy bars and shakes… one look at the nutition facts will tell you why. With all the carbs and excess calories you may as well go eat a freakin pie or something. Not to mention the rediculous prices… save yourself the money, and the calories.

55. Instead of buying food, buy yourself flowers. Food is depressing, but flowers make you happy.

56. When having cravings drink a couple glasses of water with slices of lemons and count to 100 and it should go away.

57. Eating 100 cals 4 times a day is better than eating a 400 cal meal.

58. An occasional binge doesn’t hurt, in fact it’s quite beneficial if you have reached a plateau (stopped losing weight). Your body will think you have stopped starving yourself, and you will drop at least a pound overnight! Just don’t binge too regularly!

59. Someone told me that if you take a pure cold bath for 15-30 min and lower your body temp, your body burns around 200 cals for every degree it has to raise itself to reach a normal body temperture. This person tried it, a 30 min bath lowered their temp about 3-4 degrees