#is magnesium safe

[marketxmax]

A Restful Revolution: My Experience with Magnesium Breakthrough

For years, I battled with restless nights and an inability to truly unwind. Sleep evaded me, leaving me perpetually tired and foggy-brained. I tried various sleep aids, from natural remedies to prescription medications, but nothing provided lasting relief. Then, I stumbled upon Magnesium Breakthrough, and it proved to be a sleep (and life) changer.

A Comprehensive Solution

What initially drew me to Magnesium Breakthrough was its unique formula. Unlike other magnesium supplements that offer just one or two forms, this product boasts a complete complex of seven different types. This includes magnesium glycinate, known for its gentle and easily absorbed nature, as well as magnesium citrate, which supports healthy digestion.

The inclusion of these various forms ensures that my body receives a well-rounded dose of magnesium, targeting different functions and maximizing its effectiveness. This multi-pronged approach is what I believe sets Magnesium Breakthrough apart from the competition.

Enhanced Sleep and Relaxation

Since incorporating Magnesium Breakthrough into my nightly routine, I've noticed a dramatic improvement in my sleep quality. Falling asleep is now a breeze, and I no longer wake up feeling groggy or unrested. Throughout the night, I experience a deeper, more restorative sleep, which leaves me feeling energized and revitalized in the morning.

Beyond sleep, Magnesium Breakthrough has also positively impacted my stress levels. I find myself feeling calmer and more resilient throughout the day. This newfound sense of peace has significantly improved my focus and productivity at work, as well as my overall well-being.

Gentle on the System

One concern I often have with new supplements is potential side effects, particularly digestive discomfort. Thankfully, Magnesium Breakthrough has been incredibly gentle on my system. The capsules are easy to swallow, and I haven't experienced any negative reactions whatsoever. This is likely due to the high-quality ingredients and the careful selection of magnesium forms known for their gentle absorption.

Investing in Your Well-being

While Magnesium Breakthrough isn't the cheapest magnesium supplement on the market, I firmly believe it's an investment worth making. The improved sleep quality, reduced stress, and overall sense of well-being far outweigh the cost. For anyone struggling with similar issues, I highly recommend giving Magnesium Breakthrough a try.

A Final Note

It's important to remember that everyone's body reacts differently to supplements. While Magnesium Breakthrough has been a game-changer for me, it's always advisable to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new regimen, especially if you have any pre-existing health conditions.

Shop Now 👈

[strawberry-jackalope]

i love vitamin deficiencies, you learn the most random shit happens, like I didn't get enough sunlight this week so I've been clenching my teeth more bc that makes fucking sense

[rodlanort]

Resurge Review 2022 Review - A Secret To Keep Your Body Fit

You may not know: When you lack sleep, burning fat and metabolism inside your body will be slower than usual, leading to weight gain compared to people who get enough sleep. Finding an ideal sleep aid is a top task for those with insomnia.

Regarding this, Resurge supplement provides many health benefits, deep sleep, and weight loss support through the perfect ingredient formula. If you are considering this product, scroll down to our detailed Resurge review below and see if the product meets all your requirements!

GET IT FROM HERE

[reasonsforhope]

ETA: Article here (can't believe I forgot this rip)

A new study finds you can reduce the amount of microplastics you drink simply by boiling your water.

Scientists are just beginning to understand the health risks associated with microplastic exposure.

Nano- and microplastics are bits of plastic as tiny as one-thousandth of a millimeter in diameter.

Boiling and filtering your tap water may dramatically lower the amount of microplastics you drink, according to new research.

Recent studies have found that nano- and microplastics (NMPs), which are bits of plastic as tiny as one-thousandth of a millimeter in diameter, have been found in a host of products and even in tap water.

A new study, published February 28 in Environmental Science & Technology Letters, found that boiling mineral-rich water for just five minutes can reduce the amount of NMP you’re exposed to by up to 90%.

Scientists are just beginning to understand the health risks associated with microplastic exposureTrusted Source, but growing evidenceTrusted Source suggests the plastics can accumulate in the body and trigger oxidative stress, inflammation, insulin resistance, and liver issues.

Certain advanced water filtration systems can capture and help remove some NMPs from tap water. But researchers wanted to figure out other options to remove microplastics, especially since in poorer countries cheaper, more accessible solutions for clean water are needed.

Boiling water may be a safe, simple solution that can effectively decontaminate household tap water, the new findings suggest.

“Boiling water before drinking is a great example of an ancient cultural practice that can help reduce an environmental exposure,” Dr. Luz Claudio, PhD, a professor of environmental medicine and public health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, told Healthline.

Claudio was not involved in the study.

How boiling water can help remove microplastics

The researchers found simply boiling water is the first step to removing NMPs from tap water.

The researchers collected multiple samples of tap water from Guangzhou, China and contaminated the samples with varying levels of NMPs.

Each sample was boiled for five minutes then left to cool for 10 minutes.

Boiling hard water that’s rich with minerals — such as calcium or magnesium — creates a chalk-like residue known as limescale, or calcium carbonate (CaCO3), which can trap the plastics.

That solid, chalky residue then had to be separated and removed from the water with a standard coffee filter or stainless steel filter, thereby removing NMPs.

The team found that the impact was greatest in harder water: In samples that had 300 milligrams of CaCO3, for example, nearly 90% of NMPs were removed.

In softer water samples with less than 60 mg of CaCO3, roughly 25% of NMPs were removed.

“What’s important to note here is that the effectiveness of trapping these micro/nano plastics in these mineral solids is tied to how hard the water is – the harder the water, the more solids are formed, the more microplastics are trapped,” Dr. Anja Brandon, PhD, the associate director of U.S. plastics policy at Ocean Conservancy and an environmental engineer, told Healthline.

Brandon was not involved in the study...

How to limit your exposure to microplastics 

Anyone who wishes to boil their water should do so in a glass or stainless steel pot.

After boiling the water for about five minutes, let it cool, and do not stir it, Claudio says.

The microplastics need to bind to the calcium and fall to the bottom of the pot so they can filtered or scooped out."

-via Healthline, February 28, 2024

[wanderlustrachelblog]

What Are Magnesium Flakes and How To Use Them

Until recently, I had no clue what magnesium flakes were. I was actually searching for natural ways to remove chemicals from my tap bath water when I came across this article by Wellness Mama. Although magnesium flakes don’t remove chemicals from tap water, I found they actually add nutrients. Immediately, I wanted to test them out. So what are magnesium flakes and how to use them? Let’s find…

[garciaasfluffypen]

the suit stays on (we're feral for you)

pairing: jemily x reader word count: 2.5k warnings: SEXUAL CONTENT. MINORS DNI. (we’re operating under the assumption that y’all have fucked or at least seen each other in various states of undress prior to being in an established polycule), toy usage, fingering (reader recieving), female terms of endearment -- "our girl", mentions of mental abuse/belittling in previous relationships request from this ask a/n: i have no clue if this stayed on prompt or not but its here and its all i could think about while i was at work today

gods, you looked good in a suit. 

you adjusted the jacket that tara had helped you pick out for the upteenth time, smoothing invisible wrinkles off the dark maroon fabric as you made your way to the door of the bedroom. well, technically it had become your shared office, but you knew your favorite women barely looked into the closet in this room unless there was a gala they had to go to. it was the perfect hiding spot. you ran into their bedroom real fast, hearing emily humming to herself in the bathroom as you went over to the bag you had brought over to grab your black pumps. you rarely wore them, but you figured since rossi was paying for emily to treat you and jj to an anniversary celebration it was only fair that you pulled them out. 

while it wasn’t jj and emily’s anniversary (considering they had been together for years and married before you came along) it had been five months to the day that they had asked you to officially join them, to be more than just a friend and a confidant. to be their girlfriend. sure, it had scared you, but now it was second nature. you had fit into their relationship like a hand sliding into a glove. it was so easy for you to find your place with them. they made sure you felt comfortable from the beginning- separating work from pleasure, each taking you out on separate date nights at least once every other week and a trio date twice a week. making sure to remind you every day that you were loved and appreciated. to let you know it was okay to not mask your stims or feelings- they were always making sure you felt safe. none of your previous exes did that, always belittling you when you would stim in public or forget to take your medication. but with emily and jj? it was easy. 

loving them was easy.

your feet slid into the pumps with ease, welcoming the extra few inches they added to your height. with a smile, you went over to the front door to scan the checklist jj had put up for you, reading it over. keys, check. wallet, check. badge, not necessarily needed but you had it in your wallet just in case. meds, which were only a morning thing, not including your magnesium that you took at six pm each day. you didn’t need to take them unless you forgot them, but jj and emily had been good at making sure you had taken them whenever you were over. the adhd brain fog you got when you don’t take your meds was rough, you’d hate for it to show up in front of them. 

“baby are you--” jj stopped in her tracks as she looked you up and down, her jaw dropping slightly. 

“do i look okay? i don’t, i knew the suit was a bad idea, i’ll go--”

jj grabbed your hand, turning you to face her. “absolutely not. you look….” 

“beautiful.” emily joined you two by the front door, slipping an arm around your waist and placing a kiss on your cheek. “the word she’s looking for is beautiful.” 

emily had put on a pair of slacks and a fancy blouse, one that she had most likely gotten from her mother at some point. you didn’t know much about ambassador prentiss, but you knew she almost always sent emily stuff that she barely wore. most of those clothing items hung in the guest room closet. jj wore a baby blue sleeveless top with black jeans, her hair falling down behind her in those beach waves that you loved and adored. you had no idea what they had planned for tonight, but all you knew was that they looked hot and you were in fact, very in love with your girlfriends. even if you couldn’t find the words to say it to them yet. 

“where’d you get the suit?” 

“uh, tara took me shopping the other day. when she heard about the date.” you swallowed nervously. “i hope thats okay.” 

jj stepped closer. “you should buy more suits. i can’t even put into words how hot you look right now.” 

you blushed. “are you sure i’m not overdressed?” you moved to take the jacket off. 

“absolutely not.” emily gave you a stern look. “the suit stays on.” 

“you’re not overdressed at all, lovey.” jj squeezed your hand. “you look amazing.”

“are you sure?”

“i promise.” she tucked a piece of hair behind your ear. “we got reservations at fiola, that italian place you wanted to try. you’re perfectly dressed.” 

the glint in emily’s eyes pointed to other undertones, but you kept your mouth shut. better to not start anything in case you were reading the situation wrong. you let them lead you to the car, making sure you were buckled in before heading out. jj leaned forward to rest her hand at the crook of your elbow, keeping light conversation with you so you didn’t get lost in your thoughts. the two women knew that you didn’t do the best with plans you didn’t know everything about, so they made sure to keep you in the loop as much as they could. granted, they didn’t even know the restaurant they were going to until this morning, but they told you what they were doing as they were doing it. it was a nice change, especially since in the past you would have to deal with your exes just scooping you up and taking you places without asking for your input. 

you enjoyed the meal, despite feeling out of place. rossi had made sure to get you a secluded corner booth, far away from everyone so you could make the most of your night together. after dinner, emily and jj took you for a walk through the georgetown waterfront park while you awed at the sights. they knew you would love it, since you always found beauty in small things like this. it was rare that you let your guard down like this, but they knew you trusted them enough to do so. even if these nights were far and few between, seeing you be your true self was something they adored deeply. to end the night, the three of you got ice cream at a little local shop before heading back to the apartment. 

minutes within getting inside, you kicked your heels off and went to take your jacket off, only to be stopped by a set of hands. emily walked in front of you, silently telling you to let her take care of it. jj had momentarily disappeared, and you searched for her as emily took your jacket off with care. it was folded neatly on the back of the couch before she ran her hands lightly over your arms again, stopping to hold your hands. you searched her eyes, attempting to figure out what your women had planned for you.

“how are you feeling, y/n?” her voice was low and husky. “are you up for more? if you’re not, you can tell us.”

“can we do whatever it is with jj?” 

“of course, lovey. she should be in the bedroom, do you care to join us?”  

you silently nodded, letting emily guide you to the bedroom. as she opened the door, you saw your favorite candles lit on either side table, with jj leaning up against the wall as she waited. her eyes practically lit up as she saw you and emily walk in, stepping over to you. 

“if you’d rather just curl up in bed, say the word and we can do that, okay?” jj gave you a smile. 

“okay. but what are we…”

your voice trailed off as you started to notice that jj had changed into a satin robe, one that she only took out for special occasions. you remembered buying it with her years ago, when penelope had invited you to girls night as a way to introduce you to emily before she had gotten with jj. before you had been asked to join the BAU, even. your hand ghosted over the satin fabric, subconsciously finding the string and fidgeting with it. your head fell to jj’s shoulder, slowly shuffling closer to her. 

“we couldn’t help but wish we could have you all night,” jj started. “you’re just so hot and all we could think about was you. we're feral for you." jj paused, looking at you. "is this okay?”

you nod. “more than okay.” 

“you’re in control, tonight is about you. you want us to stop, you tell us.” 

a noise fell from your lips. “mm”

“i need words, y/n.” 

“yes.” 

within seconds, jj’s hands started exploring your body, waiting for you to initiate a kiss. you leaned in, your hands wrapping around jj’s midsection and pulling her close to you as possible. emily came up behind you, her hands moving around your waist and starting to kiss your neck. your head fell back, giving both women full access to you. slowly but surely you feel yourself being taken to the bed, emily sitting down behind you and letting you lean against her knees. jj slowly started to undress you, taking her time and practically worshiping your body. emily placed kisses down your back, her hands exploring your upper body. they were taking care of you, taking their time and letting you know how much you truly meant to them. your hands found their way to the tie on jj’s robe again, un-tying it and pushing the fabric off her shoulders. with a swift movement, jj moved you so you were on the bed, emily shuffling to give jj room to adjust everything before continuing. you grabbed at emily, pulling her close and giving her a kiss while starting to unbutton her blouse, being sure to be careful. even if she didn’t care about it, it felt expensive and not worth ruining. 

emily helped you push her blouse off her shoulders before laying down next to you, the red of her victoria’s secret bra a stark contrast from her porcelain skin. you found your way to her breasts, kneading one with one hand while you pestered kisses all over the other one. emily’s hand made it's way into your hair, the other gripping the side of your arm lightly. moans fell from emily as you switched breasts, repeating the same process. as you did so, your free hand went down to your center, which was hot with need as your girlfriends took care of you. she slowly pushed you back onto the bed, pushing the hair out of your face and trailing her hand down to your jaw, turning your face to look at her. emily shifted so she could turn your head and envelop you in a kiss. as you kissed, her hand went to replace the one hovering over your center, easily slipping two fingers in with a smirk on your face as you moaned out. your head fell into the crook of emily’s neck, biting and nipping at the skin in an attempt to leave a semblance of a mark. 

“emmy… emmy please.” 

emily’s free hand grabbed your hip, holding you in place as you tried to move your hips. she was teasing the hell out of you, knowing you all too well. you mewed out as emily’s fingers slowed, the high you were chasing fading away. a pout flew over your features as you clawed at emily’s shoulders, silently pleading with her to continue. you finally regained movement of your hips as emily’s hand loosened, letting you find that high again at your own pace. noises fell from your lips as fireworks exploded all around you, the skin of emily’s shoulder becoming victim to yet another set of bite marks as you worked through your high. 

a blush crept up on your cheeks as you remembered jj had been there the whole time, now noticing the baby blue strap now situated over her hips. jj placed a hand on emily’s back and stood next to her, looking over to you to ensure you wanted to continue. you nodded, pulling jj closer so you could grab the strap. jj lightly moved your head to the strap, holding her hand at the back of your head while emily positioned herself behind you, her hands going to knead your breasts as you sucked jj off. 

“do you need more, y/n?” you nodded. “words.”

“yes. more.” 

 “so beautiful,” she placed a kiss on your cheek, then your neck. “our girl.” 

“what does our girl need?” emily looked at you.

“more, please.” 

you clawed at jj who pushed you down on the bed, hovering over your entrance as you nodded again as a signal for her to continue. slowly she pushed the strap into you, her hands going to hold you in place as she bottomed out. a moan of pleasure left your lips as she sat there for a second, waiting for you to adjust before she started pumping in and out. your hand reached for emily and went straight to her center, finding her clit and starting to rub. 

“look at you, taking me so well. laying there and taking me like a good girl should.” jj pressed into your hips. “getting emmy off while i fuck you so good, huh?” 

your free hand gripped at the sheets. “oh, oh fu--”

“yeah? jayje is so good to you, huh?” you nodded. “tell me, use your words.”

“so good, jay, so-- fuck-!” 

emily came to a climax first, with you following closely behind. jj smirked as the two of you rode your climaxes out together, both of you moaning out in tandem. as your high faded away, leaving you breathless on the bed, jj’s hips starting to stutter as her own climax hit her. emily slowly pushed your hand away from her and watched you through hooded eyes as you whined at the sudden emptiness you felt below. jj fell on the bed next to you, pulling you as close to you as she could before emily joined the two of you. 

“was that okay, y/n?” 

you covered your eyes and let out a breathy laugh. “how are you so good at that?” 

“at what?” jj smirked. 

“oh shut up,” you playfully nudged her shoulder. “you know what i’m talking about.” 

“what can i say, the best of me comes out when i’m with you. the both of you.” 

you couldn’t help but blush. “really?”

“really. we wouldn’t have asked you to be ours if we didn’t both adore the hell out of you.” 

emily wrapped her arm around your midsection. “you mean the world to us, y/n. truly. we’d do anything for you.” 

it felt as if your heart grew three sizes in that moment. you snuggled further into emily and pulled jj close, inhaling the subtle scent of sea salt from her shampoo. you closed your eyes and let the two women draw patterns over your skin, relishing in the moment before ultimately one of them got up to get a washcloth. your eyes started to slowly shut, the warmth of your girlfriends bodies engulfing you in a hug. 

you could get used to this. 

and maybe… maybe you were almost ready to say those three words.  almost.

[thefirsthogokage]

Very helpful thread made for those walking the picket lines by an EMT in Florida:

(screen shots from here on out. Too many images to put in one post. Sorry for the dark mode switch ahead of time)

[Image ID: a tweet thread made by @TheMaryGirls on July 18th, 2023 that reads in its entirety (though combined where appropriate and tweet numbers removed for condensing):

This is for the strikers everywhere since I'm nowhere near a picket line. This is the least I can do:

I am an EMT in Florida, one of the hottest states in the country on a regular basis. These are things you can do to protect yourself from the heat

1. Water

Water is great, your body needs it to live. You can go longer without food than you can without water. It's vital. If you become too dehydrated you can lapse into something called Hypovolemic shock which is the most dangerous form of shock because, usually, by the time you realize something is wrong, you're already in a bad position.

When you sweat, you're not just losing water. You're also losing salt, potassium, chloride, magnesium, & calcium. To combat this, you should drink something with electrolytes.

You can also eat a banana in order to avoid cramping that can occur with the loss of potassium. You don't want to be the one doing the Charley Horse Hustle on the line when people have phone cameras. You can also eat fruit and veg with high water content. They helps.

A word of caution about ice water. I know the idea of a big bottle of ice water sounds great when you're sweating your balls off on the line but NO! That can be dangerous. Your body temperature is up due to the heat. You chug a bottle of ice water like you used to do with Smirnoff Ice in college, you'll regret it. Ice water will cause your body temperature to drop which fraks up your homeostasis. You can experience stomach craps, fainting, and, on some weird occasions, cardiac arrest. Face planting on the pavement isn't cute.

One way you CAN use ice water safely is by soaking a t-shirt or towel and putting it on your head to help cool you off. Also, cold rags around the wrists can also cool you down. You've seen construction workers with the t-shirts on their heads? This is why.

2. Whole body

If you get blisters on your feet, you need to treat them. Also, don't force pop them, you're just asking for trouble. When they rupture, they need to be cleaned with soap and water (no alcohol or peroxide) and protected. Band-Aids won't really help here.

Band-Aids can easily slip off and give bacteria a chance to move in and really get gross. Liquid bandage is the better option. It's waterproof but it does sting when you put it on so be warned.

If you experience muscle cramps on the line, you need to deal with them. This is your bodies way of telling you something is wrong. Sit down, drink something. Stretching before picketing can also help prevent them. Let's be honest, as writers, we sit. A LOT.

Going from a cave dwelling hermit to bright sunlight and exercise is going to piss your entire system off. Icy Hot and hot baths will be your friend.

3. Dehydration warning signs.

Muscle cramps

light headed

headaches

feeling very thirsty

dark urine

urinating less often

feeling tired

dry mouth, lips, or tongue

skin tenting

confusion

That's all that I can think of at the moment.

GO FUCK EM UP!!!!!!!

/End ID]

Bonus:

[Image ID: Tweeted comment on the thread from @/sardoniccomment that reads:

Every word of this is good advice, but, as a former desert-dweller, there’s something I need to add: dehydration makes you stupid. It can literally prevent you from being able to figure out the source of your problems is dehydration.

/End ID]

[julieverne]

Maura gets handsy in her sleep.

Jane doesn't mind that so much; it's nice to wake up with a soft, warm body lovingly draped over her own. It makes her feel safe. It calms her nightmares because even in her sleep she knows Maura by scent alone.

What Jane does mind is that she wakes up with her nipples hard next to Maura's open mouth, that she wakes up either a little turned on or from a wet dream that finishes with an awful cramp as she wakes.

Maura wakes too and Jane has to pretend the cramping is from her calf rather than her uterus, and Maura mumbles about bananas and potassium and magnesium and she adds these to Jane's diet as subtly someone as socially oblivious as Maura can.

Jane hasn't had enough orgasms to know if they're supposed to hurt or not. The sex she's had with men has been painful, but she's never been drenched with men the way she is with Maura just sleeping next to her.

It's just a physiological response, Jane tells herself, smirking at her uptake of Maura's technical jargon. It just feels nice to be safe and loved, and the bed is known to have sexual connotations.

Jane doesn't dream much. She dreams of basements, of Hoyt, of the people she's killed. She sees their faces. She sees Maura's face as she screams and runs at Jane who's just put a bullet through herself. She wakes in a sweat and Maura soothes her like it's something instinctual to her; she holds Jane close and whispers sweet nothings until Jane slumps against her.

The other dreams are more complicated. Maura wearing nothing but a smile, aimed at Jane. Maura with her fingers in Jane's hair, tugging her closer to an appendage the real Maura absolutely does not have, one that disappears into something impossibly soft and sweet on Jane's tongue. Maura kissing Jane desperately in her basement office, fixing basements for Jane, holding Jane as she cries.

It's always Maura. It always has been.

So when Jane wakes with Maura's arms wrapped around her and a hand under her shirt, clamped on her breast, Jane doesn't mind. It's awkward, because she has to extract herself somehow so Maura won't feel guilty, but also so she can try out the tips on female orgasm Maura keeps giving her. She's close; she can tell she's close.

Maura whimpers sadly as Jane manages to squirm out of her loving arms, her healing arms, her forgiving arms. Jane takes care of herself quickly in the kitchen, not even making it to the bathroom, slumping against the pantry, her breath uneven. She washes her hands. It hadn't hurt. It has her pulse thrumming, her adreneline running.

She gets back into bed, pleased when Maura rolls over to find Jane in her sleep, when Maura grips her possessively.

Maura gets handsy in her sleep, but Jane doesn't mind.

She doesn't mind at all.

[seiba333]

vitamins to help with malnutrition/hairloss and all that!!!

I'll add more to this list as I think of them

(take in regulation, safely!!)

b12

folic acid

biotin

magnesium

vitamin d+calcium (take together)

folate

fish oil+garlic pills (both good for your heart)

thiamine (b1)

niacin (b3)

iron

berberine

chromium

[catsoupki]

CHP. FIVE | YOU'LL FALL IN LOVE ON YOUR OWN PACE (WITH MY LITTLE THINGS)

SUMMARY: Katsuki has settled into a routine-like dance with you ever since your debut as a hero. He takes care of you like harmonious clockwork, but as he peels layer after layer, he’s caught up with his own tantalising feelings when he finds your blood staining his hands. You teach him, slowly, of what it means to fall in love.

TAGS: pro hero au, fem reader, banter, hurt/comfort

CHAPTER LENGTH: 1,288 | SERIES MASTERLIST

When you wake up, the sight before you is beyond gorgeous. 

Last night, plagued by the heavy sleepiness in the afterglow of sex, you two had tumbled onto the bed before he had the chance to shut the curtains. Now, rays of golden sunlight stroke themselves across Katsuki’s face meekly, as if they’ve afraid of being grazed by the sharp corners of his visage. The ash blond of his hair becomes sandy in colour, edges rounded as he stirs in his sleep. You breathe, and you get lungs full of him— woody caramel sweetness. 

You fight the urge to hold his face with all your might, so much so that your concentration wakes him from his slumber. He looks domestic in the way he slowly blinks to get the drowsiness out of his eyes, eyelids barely staying open as his pupils begin to focus, and you see the moment everything registers in his head, the memories flowing from last night and the view in front of him right now clicking— and he lets his eyes widen and his lips part, before yawning and rolling into the bed again, with you in his inescapable hold. 

Getting up proves to be difficult after that, only with the umpteenth ringing of your alarms that you finally decide it’s time to leave the safe haven and begin your day. 

You can tell he’s in a chirpy mood, despite not being a morning person. The way he shuffles from hallway to bathroom and back, the way he slips on his clothes, they’re all done with less aggression. 

You also cannot deny that your mood has been lifted from the slight change in routine. Your morning run was shorter— two minutes faster than your usual time; when you had your shower at the agency, the cold water hit your back more pleasantly; usually insufferable sidekicks became more compliant, easier to deal with. 

An hour before your first patrol, your manager stalks into your office with a cheshire grin, demanding you to tell her every little detail of last night’s rendezvous with the Nation’s favourite hero. You put up little fight, though you knew you’d tell her someday anyway, you comply and begin the retelling of your favourite story, how careful he had held you in his palms, how loving he had been shampooing your hair, and all the other moments in between that are still burned into your mind as clear as day. 

Your work goes by in a breeze. You find that little inconveniences in your life can be smoothed over by imagining how Katsuki looks when he wakes up, but recalling might be a better word. 

It’s six o’clock, you’re packing up and getting ready to leave the office, your glass desk is wiped clean, shreds of paper thrown away. The door knob is cool when you hold it, you have your earphones in your pocket, for when you finish greeting the passionate interns working overtime out in the hall with tight-lipped smiles. 

The evening sun is particularly orange when it hits the tall potted plants, giving the sacramento leaves a brownish shine; the off-white walls look old, like they’ve already been filled with memories of past owners. When you walk through the corridors and lobbies, you’re thankful that you haven't lost your quirk, your heartbeat, nor your Katsuki. Maybe a few months back, the disappearances of these everyday occurrences wouldn’t cross your mind, they’re regular constants in your life that have made their markings on you— made you a mosaic of them. It strikes you that just as Magnesium is a metal, death is always walking next to you, no matter where you go, he’ll be stepping with you when you cross the road, when you go on the balcony, and when you cook dinner. An inescapable truth that cannot be denied by anyone, not even the most powerful parts of society. 

So when you leave the door of your agency and see a familiar-looking Lexus parked on the side of the road, with that unruly bunch of blond hair that you’ve found yourself too enraptured by, your smile is uncontrollably vehement. 

When Katsuki drives you home, it’s done without a word. You know this path by turn, every street name and every corner is familiar, you know that he’ll strum his fingers against the steering wheel aimlessly while he waits for the red lights to turn green, and when he pulls into his penthouse building’s parking lot, you know that the monthly cost is roughly ¥70000 and that his assistant pays it on the first day of each month. 

You know him, so you’re not surprised when he opens the door for you, his house unfurled and vulnerable in the dimming golden rays, laid bare in front of you, letting you take in all its glory when it’s still daytime, and similarly, you do the same to him, Katsuki. 

You think he had just finished showering before he came to pick you up, the way his hair sticks up is funny-looking, wild in every sense of the word, when he walks past you to grab your bags and shoes to set them down, the woody scent trails after him. You wonder whether you look awkward and out of place, unmoving in the entry with your hands at your sides, covered in fabrics that are dark in an apartment that is warm and next to a person who is bright. 

He doesn’t let you think far, he soon takes your hand in his, and gently leads you to his living room, where your feet drag and thump on the carpet in dull thuds. He leaves you, awkward and out of place, in the middle of the room, in front of the TV and next to the signed All Might poster he framed, he walks over to the— oh, the record player you gave him for his first ‘Hero of the Year’ award. It’s placed neatly on a dark wooden stand, and under it are stacks of vinyls, from local bands to overseas artists that you introduced to him, he clicks it on and gravity takes you with both hands as you put one foot in front of another, stumbling along the rhythm of music. 

Bakugou has always been a hummer, but when he sings to you for the first time tonight, it’s thick and heavy, laced with something he can’t say aloud, it sounds a lot like a confession that soothes over you like a second skin.

In a few, dinner will be served, you two will eat shoulder to shoulder with a quiet chatter, and in between are the whispers and soft spoken words, as if there’s someone eavesdropping behind you, he’ll lean closer towards you as the night settles in, drowsiness and exhaustion will begin to creep onto the way he speaks and into the way he looks at you with half-lidded eyes. 

In an hour, you’ll be hands deep into his sink, scrubbing hard at the dishes while he stands next to you with a torn rag in hand and with a dish rack to his right, he’ll take the two plates and the four chopsticks you hand him, then he’ll place them tidily into the rack, like you’ve been doing this for years— like harmonious clockwork. 

You’ll shower, then his fingers will tease and dance around yours under the sheets, you’ll feel for his callouses, the rock solid proof of his hard work, and you won’t be able to brush lotion onto them, but only snuggle your head closer and tighter and more intimately to his shoulder. 

He’ll learn to say I love you on his own terms, he’s got all the time in the world. 

[return-of-a-space-cowboy]

🧚‍♀️ Anon

Army of Darkness Darling

For starters, Darling is a College Student, but works part time at Convenience Store

Darling is studying in Science, however her pushy friends forced her to come to a cabin in the woods to ‘hang out’ (Have sex with their boyfriends and screw around)

Only they all end up killed and she’s sent to another dimension in a medieval world (Along with her car)

Darling is brought to King Bruno‘a Castle to decide her fate (Until they realize Darling is a woman they immediately unchain her)

Darling is mistaken as a ‘Sorceress’ because she can do ‘Magic’ (Science) and is believed to be the ‘Chosen One’ to help Bruno and his Men defeat the Evil King Diavolo and his Army of Monsters (La Squadra and other Passione Groups)

Bruno, his Men and Trish have Magic (Stand Powers are seen as magical) but think Darling is an ‘Alchemist’ because she ‘makes magic’ out of substance (She’s actually doing science, not magic)

Trish is on Bruno’s side as she wants nothing to do with her father (She wants him defeated for his cruelty)

Darling wants no part in this but agrees to help Bruno after seeing the poor state of his people, but under the condition that he’ll send her back home (Bruno promises)

However she was confronted by a Monstrous Risotto who forces her to drink a potion and it splits her into her Evil Self and her Good Self as he was ordered to bring the ‘Sorceress’ to his King

Darling, realizing the danger these Monsters can bring thinks it’s time to fight ‘Fire with Fire’ and introduces her Science Books filled with Chemistry, Blacksmithing, Psychics, Biology and Medicine to fight back

Darling has been studying to become either a Biochemist or a Forensic Scientist Technician (You can pick)

Darling ends up awaking after the car accident only to be pulled out by knights. She's confused. Only when she's brought to Bruno and his roundtable does she get answer. Turn out she must have been pulled into their world after a group of wizards performed a summoning spell that they had managed to take from emperor Diavolo's library of dark magic. This world is only the start of his multi dimensional invasion.

Bruno guarantees that if there is a way to her world Diavolo would have it stored in the library.

Darlings eyes are drawn to a tapestry on the wall of a woman with a striking resemblance holding a star in her hand.

'A heroine who can wield the stars shall banish the Dark one and his leagon from the land' is woven underneath. No doubt she's the one but there's no way she could do something like that.

Of course Bruno is ecstatic to know they have the chosen one and asks him to show the magic she possess. She tells him there is no magic in her world. So she's sent to train. She has no luck at picking up magic and eventually she's attacked by Diavolo's best men, Risotto is an Orc, Melone is a naga, Ghiaccio is a mahaha, Prosciutto is a drider, formaggio is a halfling.

They're quick to drag her into a nearby mine where they force her to drink the potion, the other version of her falls out onto the floor asleep with pitch black marks along her body.

They set up camp for the night inside and speculate on what to do. Diavolo has what he wants, what do they do with the real her.

"I say we bring her to him, perhaps he'll throw us a bone for all the effort" Melone suggests and they agree, it'll be Diavolo who decides darlings fate. During this she figures out there's a large chunk of magnesium next to her and tosses it into the fire, blinding the monsters and allowing her to escape.

She manages to find the knights who bring her back to the castle. Bruno is relieved to know darling is safe and asks how she escaped. She explains and he doesn't quite understand what magnesium is. Turns out the metal she's describing is what they call false silver, a metal that has no value there. She's able to get some and burns it to demonstrate. It's the star! The star on the tapestry.

That's when she realizes what she needs to do. She begins to explain basic science to the roundtable. States of matter, chemical reactions, kinetic energy. All things that anyone can master unlike magic.

Meanwhile the evil version isn't exactly working for Diavolo. She's actually a massive threat to him and is either killed or imprisoned. So Diavolo orders she be captured.

This time she's able to fight back for a decent amount of time before she's overwhelmed and brought back to Diavolo.

Surprisingly he doesn't want her dead, what's the fun in that. He's going to torment her, break her down until she's subservient to him. She's going to have to reveal the secrets of her world so he can conquer it too.

[turtlesandfrogs]

Annual reminder to myself and others: If you have S.A.D. or even just notice a down turn in mood around the shortening of days, now is a good time to begin self care practices related to that. What I do, because I looked up the research at one point or another and together they all help me:

Take vitamin D & Magnesium

Get as much time outside during daylight hours as possible

Get physical exercise, in what ever form works for you, daily

Get and use a S.A.D. lamp

Get a sunrise simulation alarm clock

Get and maintain a regular sleep cycle that gets you enough sleep (ie, you wake up before/without your alarm clock, and not just because you're too anxious to sleep)

If it's serious enough to effect your functioning, then talking to a medical professional and getting on antidepressants, or looking at the recent meta analyses of clinical studies of St. John's Wort (only if you don't have any other prescriptions and are avoiding direct sunlight), Lavender (very safe) and Lemon Balm (safe as long as you don't wildly increase your dosage over several days and then stop immediately, you will get withdraw symptoms if you do that, so don't) may be worthwhile.

[milomaxxy]

I fucking hate being so broke I don't have spare funds for getting fucking laxatives bc I've been so constipated that I literally haven't had a regular movement in a month. My spouse asked our friends for some money to go get some, they're able to send it, great. We got get it, get home, I take the softeners and the magnesium citrate (after making sure it was safe). I get violently ill maybe an hour later, puking my guts up and damn near dialing my friend while trying to call my spouse. Now it's 8 hours later. I still haven't had a bowel movement. My stomach is still wildly uncomfortable. And the reason for it all? Bc I'm disabled and have scoliosis, so my pain and misalignment backs me up like crazy. And bc I'm too poor to afford fucking laxatives, I'm definitely too poor to go to a doctor and complain about being constipated bc of my spine and hips, only to be told to take some exalax and grit it out. I'm definitely too broke to go to the doctor several times just to get a referral to a chiropractor to try to get an alignment. And yet I'm still not classified as disabled enough to fucking qualify for disability benefits according to the last 6 fucking times I've tried 🫠

This is the bad place

[ghoulspots]

Girlies don’t forget to take your vitamins!

Here are a few vitamins that I swear by:

Fenugreek

Fenugreek is my favorite it’s honestly so neat

It helps with removing b3lly f4t and bloating by helping you pøøp

It makes your Boøbs grow if you’re up for that

But best of all, it makes your sweat and your cøøchie smell and taste like maple syrup !

Some people may be allergic to this one and also don’t take too much at one time ts is powerful, it starts working 24-72 hours after you first take it

Biotin

I like the olly gummies because they’re fun

But seriously if we could stop our hair from falling out permanently we should at least try

It also helps with nails and skin so go off

Magnesium

Ts has me sleeping like I did when I was f4t after a b1g b4cked serving of biscuits and gravy AND it helps me p00p in the morning bye bye bl0ating

Vitamin B12

This is the vitamin that you get from eating red meat. It helps a lot with getting hangry or just anxiety. It helps your brain create dopamine/ serotonin which are the happy hormones.

I’ll be adding to this list as time goes on and I find more vitamins to reccomend

Please comment if you have any suggestions 🖤

The calories In supplements don’t count 🖤 stay safe

These are just the vitamins that I take. I’m not a doctor.

[afledglings-guideto-witchcraft]

Candle Color and Flame Workings in Witchcraft.

Color Association in witchcraft can be important as it's associated that different colors are connected with emotions, elements, times of the week, and deities.

Common Candle Wax Color Associations:

White- cleansing

Black- protection

Silver- can be used to connect with Lunar deities

Red- anger (fire, or extreme passion)

Orange- courage

Yellow- Happiness (is associated with the sun and sun deities)

Green- money, luck (earth and grounding)

Blue- sadness (water associations, also cleanisng, can be used to connect with Lunar deities)

Purple- connecting to spirit, (connecting to spirit guides, or deities)

Pink- romance, feminity, grace (can be used to connect with Love/fertility deities)

Brown- grounding (also earth)

Of course your own personal connections with colors can be used, though these are the most common associations.

Adding herbs to your candles that have similar associations can boost your intentions and energy which can help you in your spellwork. However, please be aware that when adding herbs to your flames can be very dangerous! Keep your flames in a well ventilated area, never leave them alone and burn them on/and in fire safe containers and always have a fire extinguisher near by!

Another thing to note, is that when you add herbs to a candle they will burn hotter and faster, so if you're trying to connect with a deity and your flames erupt and dance quicker than they do without the herbs this is because you are giving the flame something other than the wick to burn. (I'm not saying that your deity isn't contacting you, but this should be heavily remembered while working with flames.)

Flame sizes and the way it behaves, witchy and mundane explanations. (without herbs).

If your candle flickers towards any of the four directions (North, South, East, West) then a Spirit or deity may be trying to reach you. (Mundane: there may be a draft pushing the flame in that direction.)

Crackling or popping wicks may indicate that a Spirit or your deity is arguing or trying to communicate with you. (Mundane: sometimes the wax from the candle may get on the wick and this is what's causing the wick to pop, also humidity can cause the flame to crackle.)

A blue flame may indicate that a Spirit or deity is near. (Mundane: your flame is safe, it's burning just as it should be.)

A Red flame indicates that your energy is being fueled by an intense emotion. Usually grief, anger or passion. (Mundane: the flame is in a cooler environment.)

A white flame may indicate peace, harmony, and prosperity. (Mundane: your candle is burning magnesium.)

High flames indicate that there is positive energy around you. (Mundane: it's too hot, causing the wax to melt faster than it's supposed to.)

A smoking candle may indicate that you are looking at things from the wrong POV. (Mundane: your flame is contaminated by either carbon dioxide or water.)

Dual flames can indicate either a solution in your energy, your mind is too unfocused to continue. (Mundane: the wick is split.)

Heart shaped flames can indicate that a loved one is present, or if you're performing some sort of romance/love spell then it is connecting you to the other person. //please perform love spells with the consent of the other person!!! Do not take away their free will/choice in being with you because you cannot handle rejection.// (Mundane: your wick is splitting/has split.)

A bright/big/steady flame may indicate that your spell is working perfectly, or that a Spirit or your deity is pleased with you. (Mundane: the length of your candle or wick is too long.)

A sputtering flame may indicate that your spell does not have enough energy. If your candle goes out on its own then your spell is finished, the spirit or deity has left. (Mundane: the wick was too short and the wax put the flame out.)

A small candle flame may indicate a lack of energy. Perhaps the spirits or your deity are trying to communicate that you need to be patient. (Mundane: The wick is too short or there is not enough oxygen fuelling the fire.)

A jumping flame may indicate hesitation. Either your energy is reflecting that you are hesitant or the spirit or your deity is telling you to be hesitant. (Mundane: the flame temporarily goes out but the smoke from the candle catches on fire causing the flame to jump back into life.)

Understanding how a flame can be interpretated through witchy and mundane reasonings can assist you with your spell work or spirit/deity work. Knowing that there is always a mundane explanation can help you avoid false hope.

If you believe deep in your gut that your flame is a sign from a deity, or spirit or you believe that your spell is Manifesting then that's great!

This guide is simply for educational purposes to help you gain knowledge on the mystical and also being cautious of mundane interactions.

[lewkwoodnco]

Hi I want to request Lockwood×fem!reader with the song You Are In Love. I don't really care about the plot that much, I just love the vibes of the song. Also sorry for requesting so much, this is my last request I promise.

You Are In Love - Lockwood x Reader

A/N: no problem abt the requests :))) 2.4k, enjoy!

"I'll get you the paperwork," Barnes was saying, as he signalled to a DEPRAC officer before being accosted by a particularly tenacious reporter. She let her eyes drift across the dimly lit scene even as she was distantly aware of herself beginning to spiral as she tried to process the past few hours. It all happened so quickly that she didn't have time to feel scared, but now she felt paralysed. She jerked back to the present when she felt fingers brush against her elbow. She looked up to see Lockwood looking at her with concern as he walked away, following some other DEPRAC officer, but in that fleeting look the whole room had been enshrouded in darkness, and there was only him and her and the look in his eyes that he kept safe just for her. The officer was back, hurriedly handing her the forms she needed to fill on the source they had found, and she numbly began, mind wandering back to the beginning of it all.

It was almost dreamlike, how idyllic the beginning of the case had been. For once, they weren't running late, and Lockwood was in too good of a mood over the new type of salt bombs to fight with George.

"I still think we should test the bombs out first. What if they don't work?"

"Then we'll just chuck you at the visitors. That'll properly scare them off."

George huffed, but he was still in one of his better moods. She was buttoning up her coat as she watched Lockwood shrug his on. His habit of leaving his coat unbuttoned had irked her in the beginning, how he didn't have a coat so much as a robe, though he somehow rarely got his crisp white shirts stained unless his feathers had been seriously ruffled.

They were handling a Spectre that evening: an extremely aggressive bride who had unexpectedly died the night before her wedding. Nothing out of the ordinary, except for the fact that she frequented one of two locations: a bench outside her favourite cafe or her house. George and Lucy had taken a cab to the house and Lockwood and her were now driving to the cafe, and whichever pair saw her first was supposed to tell the others via their walkie-talkies.

"So...murderous bride."

"How fun." She groaned as she shifted in her seat, resting her forehead against the cool window. It was much too cold for running about, trying to stay alive as a ghost tried to gouge their eyes out.

"Should be easy enough. The only issue is that the source is probably some kind of ring, and that would take ages to find."

"It's such a tiny house. One good magnesium flare would finish the job."

"And finish us too, mind." He was looking over his shoulder, watching the incoming traffic, so she felt rather than saw his smile. Once they reached the cafe, they took some preliminary readings and set up their chains. After that, there was nothing to do but wait. She hugged herself, trying to trap some warmth inside her coat. Beside her, Lockwood stood poised as ever, as if he didn't even notice the low temperature.

"Aren't you cold?"

He shook his head stiffly, then shivered violently as a cold gust of wind flew through their clothes. She reached over, laughing, and buttoned his coat. "Maybe you wouldn't feel so cold if you actually buttoned your coat once in a while."

"It makes me feel stifled."

"You just like how cool it makes you look, the way it flaps behind you as you run."

He grinned. "You think that makes me look cool?"

"Shut up."

But she was smiling, and there was no real heat behind her words. Lockwood could be utterly ridiculous, but that didn't mean he wasn't amusing too. She felt a jolt in her stomach as their smiles aligned, a sudden spark, but it was gone before she realised.

"We'll be here a while. Coffee?"

She felt miles better once Lockwood had returned with their hot drinks. She sipped nervously, feeling oddly unsettled, but there weren't any apparitions yet, as far as she could see. "I hope George and Lucy are alright," she murmured.

"They'll be fine. They're professionals."

She stared into the murky coffee, her necklace glinting as it reflected light from the ghost-lamps onto her chin. "I just...I get so in my head sometimes. I can't help but worry."

"I know what we do is dangerous, and you never truly know, but we hope for the best. And...it's taken me a while to truly believe this, but I don't think everything always ends in disaster." His eyes lifted and she followed his gaze to the hazy constellations above them, blocked by the harsh ghost-lamps yet still undeniably asserting itself through the more stubborn stars. "The world somehow...perseveres."

She shifted, accidentally brushing her shoulder against Lockwood's. His eyes flickered down to hers and she felt her breath hitch in her throat. That same connection roared back to life, outlined by the delicate trim of the stars above them, holding them together but not pulling them into each other, like planets circling each other, round and round. A pregnant silence lazily stretched out in front of them. She didn't need him to say anything, or do anything, because the feeling was all around them, enveloping them. Every time he walked into a room it was as though the winds shifted and sounds died away to give way for that pulse that they shared.

A crackle from the walkie talkie broke the silence, and she looked away as Lockwood cursed under his breath, trying to get it to work. After a few seconds of panicked fumbling, he started heading for the car, her close behind.

"We should-"

"Yeah."

When they arrived, the house was a light show from the glow of flares being tossed. Lucy was screaming bloody murder at George, who they identified through the dragging of the chains (he would rather die than lose chains he 'spent perfectly good money on.'). Unfortunately, she had been quite close to the front door when they entered, but luckily Lockwood managed to distract her but feinting straight ahead before rolling to the left. She darted right, forcing herself to look straight ahead even as every part of her screamed at her to look back, just to check that he was alright. All the rooms had been torn apart, and she clutched her hair with desperation. Her eyes finally landed on a deceptively ordinary dresser at the end

She was frantically rummaging the drawers, cursing the fiddly knobs and flinching at the bride's every sharp, heart-rending wail. She had just yanked open the last drawer, but it was empty, and she cried in despair. But the drawer didn't seem to open fully, and in a sudden stroke of inspiration, she pushed against the back of the drawer, and it gave away. She nearly choked on the onslaught of resentment that washed over her. This had to be the source. She scrambled for it, but was stunned when she pulled it out. Lockwood wasn't far off in his guess. But she didn't expect the river of misery that flowed from the crack that nearly split the ring's stone in two.

She heard another door burst open, a distant hiss, and then the ceiling started to crumble. She tried to run, hopefully towards the exit, but then the ceiling lights shattered and the house was plunged in darkness. She heard screams from her thankfully-alive friends, and somehow she continued to stumble her way ahead, gravitating towards Lockwood, sensing rather than seeing him. He was in her reach, all she had to do was stretch her arm, but then he was gone, and that sudden emptiness was the last thing she remembered.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Her face was smarting when she came to, and dust threatened to suffocate her, but she was possessed by this blind rage, this force which demanded immediacy and compelled her to stretch her hand through the sharp debris; feeling around for what, even she didn't know. But then she felt a warm hand tremble as it covered her own, and it all made sense to her.

"Lockwood," she choked out, as she carelessly shoved off the rubble burying her with shaking limbs. Lockwood was a bit harder to extricate - his leg was stuck under a chunk of concrete - but eventually he was free. He coughed for a good minute or so, and when he finally looked up, he immediately winced.

"Your nose."

"What?"

"God, it looks something awful."

"Can't be worse than your face." Lockwood laughed, and she did too, but for different reasons. There was absolutely nothing wrong with his gorgeous face. By then, George and Lucy had stumbled over, luckily all with minor bumps and scrapes. They dug around for a while and managed to extract the source, thankfully still bundled up in their iron net. Lockwood turned to call DEPRAC over but the bomb had evidently already informed them, and they were pulling up to the scene with their irritatingly obnoxious sirens.

Barnes didn't look happy but sent her and Lockwood to have their nose and leg bandaged up respectively. Lockwood was done first (probably because the paramedic kept wincing every time he looked at her nose - "It's not that bad - get a grip!") so he started to file their incident report. When she was finally done, she was struggling against the weight of the past few hours. It was probably partly because of the negative feelings emanating from the source she was clutching, but there was some strange understanding she shared with the bride that made her reluctant to let go of it, even for a while. But Lockwood had finished the report soon enough and rejoined her.

“Lockwood and Co.?” The two of them spun around, her nearly slipping on the icy floor. It was the photographer accompanying the reporter who was interrogating George and Lucy. “I’d love to take some photos, if you don’t mind.”

After taking the pictures, the DEPRAC officers were finally ready to collect the source, and she scrambled to find the paperwork spotted with blood that she had been fighting for her life to do. When she returned, the reporter was gone, and Lockwood was holding a few of the photos. “Didn’t need some of them for the papers, so he gave them to us.”

The drive home was fortunately much less eventful. She tried to sleep, but her brain was too wired from the coffee, and adrenaline, and the drug that was Lockwood's smile. Finally giving up on the losing battle, she padded downstairs to the kitchen, before she saw the door to the library being ajar.

Lockwood was sitting at the desk behind the armchairs near the fireplace, and she could see the exhaustion knitted into every wrinkle of his face as he wrote something. She turned to leave, but the floorboard creaked, drawing his attention.

"Sorry," she smiled, slightly abashed. "Just going to get some tea. Didn't mean to disturb you."

"No, it's fine," he put his pen down, leaning back slightly, and she took it as an invitation to enter. Of the few times she had been in the library, she had only vaguely registered that desk. Now, it seemed impossible that she ever missed the dozens of personal trinkets lined up along its edge, and the files and notebooks that littered it. There was even a bulletin board where he had neatly pinned up clues from a previous case where they had struggled to narrow down a specific building to look for the source.

"Hmm. I thought you did all this in the kitchen."

"I do, mostly, but George hogs the thinking cloth sometimes. Most times. All the time."

She pulled her eyes away from his bookshelf and turned to see him watching her over his shoulder, with the barest hint of a smile on his face. The smile faded, and something more subdued took its place. Something quieter, something vague yet...melancholic. Like missing something that you couldn't quite remember.

"I was thinking about the bride, before."

"Mhm."

"I'm really sorry she died so young."

Lockwood nodded solemnly, and for a person typically so adamant on distancing themselves from the visitors they handled, it was a surprisingly sympathetic response. She couldn't tell what he was thinking about, but she was considering what it would have been like if Lockwood hadn't immediately woken up just now. Here one moment, gone the next. She wondered if she could have even beared to come back to 35 Portland Row. They looked at each other, but the silence was different this time, as if they were building up to something, a subtle underlying urgency making them rush towards...something. They probably would have found out what that something was if she hadn't suddenly gotten distracted by a dusty frame on his desk.

“Is that…the picture of me?”

Lockwood stills, and for a moment she thinks that she can actually hear the cogs in his head go into overdrive. “…yeah. I have one of Lucy…and George…somewhere under this mess.”

In the picture, she was holding up the bagged source with tissue stuffed in her nose (Ah. So she really did look that terrible.) to stem the blood. That, coupled with the wall of coats surrounding her face, made her look like a misshapen blob. Not her most flattering picture, but something tugged at her when she saw how relaxed her smile was, looking not at the camera but at someone standing a bit behind it: Lockwood. Suddenly, it felt too intrusive to be in his office, to see this physical landscape of Lockwood’s mind. It was so intimate, so nerve-wracking. How did people ever fall in love?

Violently so, it seemed. That bride had been rolling in her grave, screeching and scratching anyone who tried to keep her away from her beloved. And when she saw that photo on Lockwood's desk, she was possessed by this overwhelming urge to keep him safe, to have and to hold him. It was a flicker of emotion, but enough to propel her to wage wars.

She put the frame down, staring at the wood grain of the desk, at Lockwood's index finger which was mere millimeters from her pinky. In that inky night, which was slowly but surely giving way to sunrise...it felt like love.