#like one of those people who's always eat right exercise daily early to bed early to rise

[ganymedesclock]

Mr. "I would rather saw off my own limb than train back up to my former strength" vs. Mr. "if unnatural darkness is taking over my mind I will just have to do what always calms me down: rigorous exercise"

OR

Phantom picked exactly the wrong person to vent to about his training woes and Luminous is about to get himself banned from the Lumiere by suggesting a 5AM daily jogging routine.

[smellsfaintlyofvanilla]

Headcannon of a poly relationship w fem Y/N, Mikasa, and Annie? Like the relationship dynamics and what a normal day would look like? If u include a NSFW dynamics I wouldn’t mind👀

BUT IF YOU DON’T HAVE TIME I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND 💗💗💗 love ur posts and have a nice day😇💞

Sure thing anon! Also, thank you, and have a nice day as well!

Mikasa Ackerman x Reader x Annie Leonhart: HCs

AU: Canon

Warnings: None

(SFW)

Surprisingly, being in a relationship with these two can get quite hectic sometimes, despite the fact that they're both pretty calm people by themselves

They are fiercely protective over you sometimes. Even if you are just as good of a soldier as you are, they will be defending you left and right

They usually stick by your side during missions, making sure that the three of you are near each other at all times, that way you have each others' back

But they don't just defend you against titans, no, they will defend you against anyone

They show their protectiveness differently, though

Annie is generally more relaxed about it than Mikasa is, and on top of that, Annie is very physical when it comes down to it, but Mikasa is more verbal about it

For instance, if a training partner is being too rough on purpose, it wouldn't be a surprise for Annie to quietly ask to speak with them after practice, only to show up to breakfast with a black eye the next morning

Or, if, heaven forbid, someone else start coming on to you, Mikasa will pull them aside for a stern talking to, telling them to back off. And, since it's Mikasa, they always listen

Even Instructor Shadis isn't safe. If they feel he's being a little too hard on you during training, one or both of them will talk to him, using their wits to convince him that you're in no fit to keep training for the day, and then joining you in bed once he excuses you

After a while, people start to learn that it's best to stay on good terms with you, unless they want to make enemies with two of the strongest soldiers in the 104th

Though, they are great listeners when it comes down to it. If you think they're being a bit too overbearing, they'll back off

They both love you and respect you a lot, and would hate to do anything against your wishes

They're both very aloof people, but around you (in private, that is) they're both really soft

Mikasa's love language is quality time, so you can expect her to be near you at most times, reminding you of her presence every now and then just to remind you that she's here for you. She doesn't need to say or do much, she just wants to be close to you, physically and emotionally

Meanwhile, Annie's love language is, surprisingly, physical touch. She'll constantly be having her shoulder up against yours, or her hand gripping yours, or, if you're really lucky, she'll show one of her rare moments of vulnerability, embracing you tightly and clinging onto you until she's satisfied

The three of you, while caring deeply about your friends, value the moments where you all get to be completely alone, not having to worry about the gazes of others on you

Cuddle piles (subsequently leading to long, comfortable naps) are quite common

Mikasa, being the nurturing type she is, will gently pull you and Annie closer into her sides, tucking yours or Annie's head onto her chest or into the crook of her arm, keeping you warm and close to her

It's at these moments, too, that Annie isn't afraid to seem vulnerable or meek, curling into Mikasa's side and draping an arm or a leg over the ravenette's body

Or, sometimes, if either Mikasa or Annie isn't present, the other one will pull you to rest against their chest, letting you fall asleep against them while they wait patiently for the other one to show up

Sometimes, though, when they do show up, they'll take a short moment to fawn over your sleeping form, discussing how cute you look when you sleep, and how lucky they are to be in a relationship with both you and the other

As I've mentioned a little earlier, Mikasa is the nurturing one of you three

If you or Annie get hurt, she's at their side at an instant, treating their wounds with such a gentle touch, as if her lover was made of glass, and would break at any touch just a tad too harsh

Sometimes, Annie gets insecure about your relationship, feeling like she isn't great at opening up and showing emotions/vulnerability, and that the two of you seem so much more content when she isn't around

Which leads you and Mikasa to share a quick glance before you rush over to comfort her, hugging her gently and whispering just how much she means to you both

And that was the first time either of you—or anyone for that matter—had seen Annie cry.

But neither of you make any huge notice of it, instead just pulling her closer, wiping her tears away with your hands

A daily routine between the three of you always starts very early in the morning, due to Annie's habit to always get some running in before training starts

And, within about a week of dating her, Mikasa joined her

You were... less enthusiastic about waking up early just to exercise, so often, you would just stay in bed

And, ever since you made it clear that you prefer the extra hour of sleep over a run in the early morning hues of dawn, they started to speed their run up, taking it from a light jog to a running pace, just so they can get back to the barracks to spend an extra thirty minutes in bed with you before the official wake-up time

During breakfast time, you'll usually sit with Eren and Armin, just so Mikasa can spend some time with her friends (which is surprisingly scarce between her relationship and her training/duty as a soldier), though sometimes you'll let Annie sit with Reiner and Bertholdt. She never really says much at all to the two, but you know she likes to be in their presence sometimes, so you and Mikasa never pestered her about it

Unfortunately, the three of you are seldom ever partnered with each other, but more often than not, you'll be able to pester Shadis into letting you three train together

In that case, you usually forgo the actual instructions in favor of Annie teaching you and Mikasa her martials arts technique

After a long day of training, the three of you will often go straight to bed, too exhausted to do anything else, but sometimes, you'll sneak out after dark to spend a little quality time together

Usually, you do something simple and relaxing, just enough to truly unwind you from the days activities

Sometimes you'll go for a walk, other times you'll climb up onto the roof to stargaze, or sometimes you'll even just huddle up under a tree for a while

But no matter what it is, there's always a conversation

Since moments alone like this are few and far between, the three of you take the time to talk about anything and everything

The future, the present, or even the dark past they both seemed to share

You'll discuss plans for the future, about where you'll go and what you'll do if you ever retire from the military

And, seldom does it happen, but Mikasa might even bring up the idea of starting a family of your own someday

Though, with death looming so threateningly over you three at all times, it's best not to humor the idea

Still, you appreciate all moments together like this, because they truly love you and love each other more than words can express

(NSFW)

In the bedroom, things can get really heated between the three of you, considering both Annie and Mikasa are very passionate lovers

It's not something they can devote time to everyday, so when you do get down to it, you'll probably be at it for a while

As for how things get started, it's surprisingly a bit of exhibitionism

Just because they're lovers doesn't mean they still have a playful rivalry between the two of them

So, if one of them is in the mood, they'll try to isolate you and start eating you out or fingering you, just waiting until the other one inevitably walks in and joins you

Which often leads to little contests about who can please you more/give you more orgasms

Which is all well and good for you, until they get a little too into it, leaving you helplessly overstimulated without them even realizing it, with Annie's fingers in your cunt and Mikasa rubbing at your clit

But, most of the time, sex involves all three of you equally

Annie tends to be a service top most of the time, perfectly content with eating you or Mikasa out for hours, even if she doesn't actually get to come that night

Mikasa does top sometimes, but tends to be a little bit more submissive

Especially when it's just her and Annie, Annie will almost always top

But either way, they both have one shared desire—having you be in the middle of them

Since they are both very giving women, they love to please you and have you be the center of attention during sex

One of the most common positions, for example, has you situated on your back, while Mikasa rides your face and Annie hikes a leg over her shoulder and scissors you

That one almost always leaves a mess, but they get too caught up in the moment to care

Speaking of mess, Annie is a shameless lover of cum. There, I said it

Mikasa on her own is already a squirter, but if you are too, she just loses it

She loves when you come hard and squirt everywhere. She will 100% lick it off of you

In a modern AU, I imagine both of them being really fond of toys

Annie's strap game would be IMMACULATE

She would always have just the right pace as she sits you down in her lap, forcing you up and down on the silicone cock as it splits you open mercilessly

Meanwhile, Mikasa is a huge fan of vibrators, both on her and you

She loves when the two of you sit really close together, just enough so that she can stick a vibrator between you two so it stimulates both of your clits at once

I also have a feeling that they would make you wear those vibrating panties, then go out in public and take shifts with the remote

But they don't want to actually get caught doing it, so after about 30 minutes of torturous on and off vibrations, they just take you into an empty restroom just to finish you off quickly

I also have a feeling that Annie would kinda get off to watching you and Mikasa go at it without her

Like, she'd stand over you two and tell you exactly what to do to each other, and shamelessly start fingering herself as she watches

But, after quite a few rounds, you three would be way too tired to continue, eventually just collapsing right where you were

Mikasa would 100% be the queen of aftercare

Like, as soon as you and Annie are done, she'll be up to grab anything either of you need

Something to drink? A light snack? Something to clean up with? She has whatever you need

"Are you thirsty? Hang on baby, I'll go to the kitchen. Need anything else while I'm there?"

And she's so gentle with it, too

She does get a little embarrassed, though, having to take the dainty little napkin and wiping it over your cunt and the inside of your thighs to clean up all the mess you made

But, once she's satisfied with how you two are feeling, she'll lay down right next to you, pulling you or Annie into her chest, clinging onto them protectively

Which leads to the other one inevitably shuffling over to Mikasa's side as well, not wanting to miss out on the post-sex cuddles

What can you say? She's a great cuddler

And then, finally, you enjoy the gentle moment between you and your lovers, your eyes slowly closely as sleep overtakes you

I might have just written more NSFW than I did SFW... and if so, I don't know whether to be more disappointed or impressed by myself.

[bstudies]

Source

Pick an umbrella word. A word that embraces how you want to feel, what you want to become. Your word is probably connected to what you're struggling with right now. Find an umbrella word for your year, your quarter or even your month. Really try to understand how you're really feeling. You shouldn't be setting any goals w/o a clear why behind it. This helps clarify what goals you want to achieve and increases your motivation to do so.

Make life clarifying activities. These are essentially big brainstorm sessions that could become goals. 

Start and Stop List: Make a timer for 30 mins and take two pages and write two lists. One with the things you want to start doing, and another with the things you want to stop and the branch out to ways you can start and stop those things.

The Antivision: An exercise where you try to picture what your life will look like in 3-5 years down if you don't take any of the actions that you want to take. Then turn it around and try to figure out the ways you can prevent this vision from coming to life.

The Perfect Day Exercise: Write what your ideal day would look like. Your morning routine, the little details in your life that excite you to wake up early, how you feel going to bed at night, what you do for work, etc.

Brainstorm. What are you avoiding? What makes you feel good, and should you be doing it more? What goals could you accomplish that, having done that, would make everything else easier or unnecessary? These goals will either: (a) create more time in your life allowing you to work on your goals and making them easier or unnecessary; (b) give you more money, so you can spend it on more meaningful things (long-term); (c) creating more energy in your life, so you have more time for other goals.

Decide what goals you want to pursue. Have one most important goal and two mini goals. You don't need to pursue all the goals you brainstormed - in fact, that is where most people fail when setting goals, because doing so is impossible and leads to failure. Give yourself 13 weeks or a quarter to achieve them. These goals are short-termed and, as such, help increase your motivation to achieve them. They also allow you to be flexible, since setting goals in January for a whole year could contribute to goals that in December no longer interest you (e.g. in January you decided to follow a Keto diet, but by December you've realized that intuitive eating is the best approach), so that's why this time frame is perfect.

Q: How doable your goals realistically. If you put in the effort, will you be able to achieve them?

Q: How impactful is this goal? Will it matter in 3 years time?

Q: How challenged do you feel by your goal?

Measure these questions on a scale of 1-10.

Create an outcome vision. Get highly specific on how you want your outcome to look like. You shouldn't be setting off to achieve your goals without having a clear idea of exactly what you want. What outcome is going to feel the best?

Detach yourself from the outcome. Focus more on the process of achieving your goal, on how you want to feel as your achieving your goal. Outline the present activities you want to focus on.

Creating a plan. What often looks like resistance, is actually a lack of clarity. Make clear what are the step by step actions you need to take next. This, however, does not need to happen once, but constantly, as re-clarifying your plan and next step actions is essential to continuing to take action. Firstly,

Map out the habits that will help bring your goals to life.

Map out the next action steps. Time creates fuzziness, so make sure you update it so it feels tuned to what you are right now and what you want to achieve.

Make clear what are the next few steps you need to take, not every single step. The point of a plan is to be helpful, and over-planning without action is not contributing to the achievement of the goals you set yourself.

Plan until you feel clarity. Then revisit it a few weeks or months afterwards when you need more clarity.

Staying consistent with your goals. This is the most difficult point of this list. Most people have no difficulty clarifying their action steps or planning how they want to achieve their goals. But the hard part is continuing to stay consistent even when it's been a long time since you created your plan.

Have an accountability partner: Find someone who holds you accountable, either on an online community, paying for a coach or by asking a friend. You meet every week, see how your goals are tracking and,

Do a weekly check-in: Ask yourself how you did in the last week and how you can improve. Don't focus on failures of will-power since it only leads to shame and prevents you from trying to find solutions that actually work. A weekly check-in should simply be a time of self-compassion and curiosity, that's it.  Ask yourself why something isn't working, if there's something holding you back or what you could to differently to improve.  We often don't look at all the possibilities that exist simply because we don't look enough. There's always another possibility, you just need to keep looking.  Experimentation is essential to goals.

Daily or weekly plan with your goals in mind: If you aren't planning out your weeks with to-do's related to your goals, time blocking with chunks of time dedicated to working on your goals, they aren't getting done. Write your goals daily, so you don't forget them and remind yourself on why you're taking these action steps.

[southeastasianists]

In 2020 Singapore was hit by a series of coronavirus outbreaks, centred around dormitories where thousands of migrant workers live. Cases have dropped significantly, but most of the men are still not permitted to leave except to go to work. It is one of the longest periods of Covid confinement faced by anyone anywhere in the world.

"This is prison life. This is a captive's life."

Sharif came to Singapore in 2008. At the time, his wife was pregnant and the book stall he ran in Bangladesh was shut down.

Over the past 13 years he made a life for himself here, but since early 2020 all he has known are the four walls of his dormitory and the construction site where he works.

He and nearly 300,000 others are banned from mixing with the general public. Last week, Singapore's government said it would allow a handful of workers to go out in a "pilot scheme".

"I appreciate the experiment," he says. "But I can't express much joy at this news. Workers are only allowed to go to a certain place for a fixed time."

Sharif was not one of those selected for the scheme. Sitting on the back of the lorry that takes him to work, he often catches glimpses of the city and its people, who have never been subject to the same restrictions.

"When I see everybody outside, looking happy, it's very painful for me," he told the BBC on a video call.

"They are eating out, going shopping, meeting their friends. And I think, 'why is that not me? Did I make this coronavirus?'"

Most of his spare time he spends lying on the top bunk of his bed, either talking to his family or writing prose and poetry - both in English and Bengali.

He says night time is when things are most difficult. Men often wander the corridors or try to sleep outside on the ground.

"I lie in my bed and sleep won't come. How can I sleep? I need fresh light, I need fresh oxygen," he says.

'Are we animals?'

On the first day of the pilot scheme, the BBC was invited to Singapore's Little India neighbourhood.

Fifty workers were allowed to spend four hours out of their dormitories unsupervised.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) called it a "milestone".

At one of Singapore's main Hindu temples, two men were presented to journalists.

One of them, Packrisamy Muruganantham from India, told those assembled that he was "very happy to be out" and "very grateful to the Singapore government and to the MOM for taking care of us".

Since the start of the pandemic, Singapore has reported 58 deaths out of a population of 5.7 million.

The country's success in suppressing the virus has afforded Singaporeans long periods of freedom over the past year and a half.

But even when restrictions were at their toughest and the country was locked down, no healthy person in Singapore was ever banned from leaving their home.

Socially-distanced exercise, for example, was encouraged. But not for those in the dormitories.

"The communal living and working conditions of migrant workers in dorms put them at higher risk of infection and the formation of large clusters," Singapore's Manpower Minister Dr Tan See Leng said in February.

Dr Tan declined an interview with the BBC, but in a statement a Ministry of Manpower (MOM) spokesperson said the policy of keeping workers in their dormitories was "to protect the health of our migrant workers and to mitigate the risk of further transmission".

For Sharif, it feels more like he is being punished rather than protected.

"Everybody in the community is allowed out. All these people are expected to follow the social distancing rules, but they think we cannot do this also," he says.

"When I see a law only for migrant workers I think, 'Are we not human? Or are we animals? Do we not understand anything? Are we so uneducated?'"

A wake-up call

The men in the dormitories - mostly from South Asian countries - do vital manual work here.

They build the country's roads, bridges and apartments. In return, they are able to send back good money to their families.

Tasrif - also from Bangladesh - arrived in 2017. He is 25, earns less than $750 (S$1000; £400) a month and maintains air conditioning units.

He spent around $7,500 in agency fees to come to Singapore.

"We are working tirelessly for the country," he says. "We're making everything, we're doing everything for you guys."

"We are human beings just like you, like everyone in the community. We want our dignity back."

But life in the dormitory typically means sharing a room with up to 30 people and dividing your bathroom, cooking and recreational space with hundreds more.

These conditions led to major Covid-19 outbreaks in dormitories back in March 2020. Big clusters meant Singapore went from being almost untouched by the virus to announcing an island-wide shutdown for two months.

It prompted Tommy Koh, a former Singaporean ambassador to the UN, to rebuke the government recently.

"We should use this as a wake up call," said Mr Koh. "To treat our indispensable foreign workers like a first world country should and not in the disgraceful way in which they are treated now."

But Singapore's government has always been open about separating dormitory residents from everyone else in the country.

They hold a different visa, work under different labour laws and the authorities do not pretend that these men have the same rights as other foreigners who do the white collar jobs in the city.

Even official daily case numbers for Covid-19 are split into three categories: "Imported", "Dormitory residents" and "Community".

"Community" means everyone, apart from those living in a dormitory.

The figures are stark. As of 16 September, migrant workers accounted for 74% of all recorded cases. For context, the workers make up just 5% of Singapore's total population.

Last year several media outlets reported on a spate of suicides and attempted suicides in the dormitories.

When asked by the BBC about the current situation, the MOM declined to provide any details.

Instead, they said they were "always mindful and conscious of the need to better support the mental wellbeing of our migrant workers" and that they offer counselling services and a helpline for those who need it.

Professor Jeremy Lim, director of global health at the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health at the National University of Singapore, says denying workers their freedom has few public health benefits at the moment.

"I would say that the Covid-19 concerns are massively overblown.

"They are vaccinated, they are familiar with safe distancing, they wear masks. So what more can we do?

"Speaking as a public health professional, we have to recognise there are limits. Right now is the time to focus on these workers' mental health because they are really, really struggling at the moment."

[neoheros]

how would haikyuu boys handle the quarantine? feat. pretty setter squad

sugawara koushi

respects the quarantine a lot

it’d be very hard to get him out of the house especially when it involves other people

has stocked up on literally every kind of canned food

“we don’t need to go to target, we’ve got a house full of food !!”

gets up at about 9 - 10 am

but he likes to sleep early

if you don’t sleep early, he doesn’t mind staying up with you if you ask him to but don’t expect much of him since he’s most likely out like a light after 11

he makes sure you wash your hands every other hour

it’s kinda repetitive but he cares yknow

eventually you’ll get so bored of staring at the same things that you promp him to go out with you

he’ll say no the first five times

and you’re just like 🥺

he’ll eventually agree but on the condition of bringing alcohol wipes and surgical masks

“NO DAICHI WE AREN’T ACCEPTING COMPANY !! ITS THE LAW !!”

kageyama tobio

he’s a baby

take care of him please

tbh if the two of you aren’t living together, you most likely have to be the one to help him stock on food and necessities

but if you do share a house/apartment then he’d go grocery shopping with you every now and then to make sure you don’t run out of stuff

i’m talking you in the shopping cart and him complaining about it being heavy but not letting you get off

once you get back in the car though he makes sure to put sanitizer on both your hands and the moment you get home, he reminds you to wash them

his sleeping habits are kinda out there

most of the time he sleeps early, but there are times when you see him on the couch under a weighted blanket scrolling through tiktok at 3 am

no matter what time he sleeps though, he always get up at either 9 am or 2 pm

no in between

if he wakes up at 2 pm then that’s because he doesn’t want to let go of his grasp on you

is the big spoon all the time

and no you’re not gonna get to squirm out of his embrace, i’m sorry

kenma kozume

i’m just gonna be blunt here

this kid is grateful for the quarantine

of course he’s distasteful for the pandemic and stuff but c’mon he’s a teenage boy with a full ass gaming system and you think this isn’t a life he’s dreamt of?

like kags, you’d most likely have to be the one to make sure he’s stocked up on food and stuff

whenever you both would go grocery shopping together he’d always go for the junk food like sodas and lays chips

knowing this fully well, you get the things needed to actually make a proper meal

y’all know damn well this boy goes to sleep at 6 am and wakes up at 2 pm

it’s how his body clock has adapted and there’ll be times he’ll try to sleep with you at 11 pm but he’s just staring at the ceiling and moving and flinching and at this point even you can’t fall asleep with all the ruckus he’s causing

“K E NM A LEAVE THE BED”

“no, i’m trying to be productive by sleeping early and then i’ll wake up early then we can have a good day together.”

“baby i’m sorry but neither of us will be able to sleep at all if you DON’T GODDAMN LEAVE”

when he’s not gaming or having kuroo yell at him for barely participating in his online classes, he likes to have you in his embrace

most of the time if you’re not up doing daily things, the two of you are in bed just hugging

or you’re in the living room scrolling through tiktok and he’s in the bedroom also scrolling through tiktok

and when you both find a funny video you call to each other and then show it and go back to doing your thing

goals ngl

oikawa tooru

no

if i were to be stuck in the house for a month with this man i would cry

he’s a morning person for fucks sake

he gets up at 8 am and goes to bed before 11 pm and yes he will drag your ass in and out of bed so you guys can start and end the day together

it’s so sweet i’m not gonna lie but holy fuck my dude

he goes on morning walks and runs and sometimes he’ll ask you to come with him and tells you you’re missing out if you say no

but most of the time he’ll let you sleep in when he’s gone and you wake up to either your favorite starbucks drink or a protein shake he made you

oikawa tooru = healthy quarantine lifestyle

the two of you have cabinets and pantries full of food, both healthy and absolute junk

he tries his best to steer away from that stuff though but sometimes he doesn’t mind eating through them when you two are on the couch and binging old nickelodeon shows

with his bad knee, you also take into consideration how important it is to be exercising and keeping his regimen up

so even if you cry blood from running with him too much, you never mind coming with him since it’s for him to get better

he’s like one of those white moms who’s always out for a walk and always cleaning the house

whenever the two of you would go out for a quick raid in target or walmart, he always has to hold your hand

because “who knows what’s out there now that the world is ending, babe? gotta keep you safe.”

bro i love him so much i miss his stupid face oikawa i didn’t mean it come back home baby

akaashi keiji

when i tell you this man deserves an award for being the best boyfriend on earth

ugh he’s just so ? perfect

quarantine life with akaashi !!! is so !! romantic and domestic and beautiful

he insists on going grocery shopping alone, keys in his hand, him wearing a jacket over his hoodie, jeans and sneakers with a cross chain

this man is a sight for sore eyes

but even if he does insist on going alone so you can just sit back and not get exposed to the corona

you always tell him you like it when you’re with him especially when you do domestic stuff like shopping together and driving together at night with the windows down

when you’re shopping together, he’s the one who pushes the cart with his right hand and his left hand is intertwined with yours

you go pick out the stuff you like to buy and he tells you whether or not to put it back because let’s be honest he’s 90% of your wise decision making

he’s a light sleeper who has a good bed time

but when he wakes up at 2 am to see you leaning against the bed frame with the comforter over your head watching tiktoks

he doesn’t mind propping himself up next to you as he leans his head on your shoulder and watches what’s on your fyp

(he falls asleep there 97.9% of the time)

you love him

[quazartranslates]

Welcome to the Nightmare Game - CH112

**This is an edited machine translation. For more information, please [click here]**

[<<< Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | Next Chapter >>>]

-----

Chapter 112: The Dream of the Holy Nun (II)

"So Ning Zhou is there with you now?" Miao Li asked as she roamed Qi Leren’s dream.

Qi Leren kept having unwanted dreams whenever he nodded off, but thanks to Miao Li's intrusion, he had been woken from the nightmare he had been having just now. His dreams of continuous death only made him more tired.

Miao Li yawned: "That's great, we’re still busy with the follow-up for the Slaughter Secret Society."

"Isn't it all over?" Qi Leren asked.

"Over? No, no, no, this task is much more complicated than you think. Although you’ve performed the most critical part, there are many other things besides this..." Miao Li pushed her glasses up. "Do you think sending you into the Slaughter Secret Society undercover is the only thing we did? It took a lot of effort for the Illusionist to cover up your tombstones on Undead Island. He’s very curious about you."

Tombstones? Qi Leren suddenly remembered that when he’d recognized Luo Yishan, Luo Yishan had also recognized him. If he sent someone to investigate the identity of 'Qi Leren', then those amazing tombstones on the Undead Island…

Wait a minute.The Court knew about his tombstones? Qi Leren was stunned.

"You thought no one knew about it? In a few months, the whole Twilight Township will know that there’s a player named 'Qi Leren' who has died many times. This kind of bizarre news always travels quickly," Miao Li said with a smile, seeming to see what he was thinking.

Qi Leren suddenly had a bad feeling. He didn't want to get into any trouble: "Is there any way to cover up my tombstones? For example, by digging them out?"

For the sake of confidentiality, Qi Leren would not hesitate to dig his own graves.

"...Your idea is really interesting, but the Nightmare World is different from reality after all. Even if you forcibly dig out your tombstone, it will be refreshed after midnight. The Undead Island is like a game log, recording the names of players since the birth of this world. What qualifications do we have to delete the game logs when we’re only players?" Miao Li said with a slight irony. "So we just sent an Illusionist to temporarily cover your tombstones on the Undead Island after confirming that you needed to go undercover. Now the Illusionist has removed the illusion, and your secret can't be concealed for too long. As long as one person finds out, a secret is no longer a secret. You should be glad that there aren’t many people who have grave-sweeping as a hobby."

It was unfortunate. If the Illusionist had covered the tombstones earlier, he wouldn’t have been distracted by the mountain of death records. It seemed that you should use your real name less when walking outside. If there were onlookers, he would be afraid of someone trying to take advantage of his ability to resurrect himself... This had already happened and would continue to happen. Speaking of which.

"The Slaughter Secret Society’s believers were caught, right? Luo Yishan... Lie Yang knows my real name. At that time, I failed to kill him in the field," Qi Leren asked with a frown.

"He’s dead, died of the seed of slaughter’s outbreak and blood loss. Now the Village of Dusk’s enchantment has been closed, only in not out. The connection attached to the memento ring can track the identities of people who have entered the field, and basically all believers have been either arrested or will be soon. However, there are still several believers who were not in Dusk when the incident occurred, and two other believers escaped before the enchantment closed," Miao Li gave a brief account of the situation.

"Who escaped?" Qi Leren suddenly had a bad feeling.

Miao Li gave him a deep look and seemed a little sympathetic: "Two people you know very well. Mrs. Kathleen, and her subordinate Ashley."

"..." The sense of foreboding always came true. Qi Leren couldn't say what kind of revelation this was.

"Let Ning Zhou train you, maybe it will be useful one day," Miao Li said.

The depressed Qi Leren looked indifferent. Ning Zhou didn't speak kindly when he trained him. He couldn't remember how many times he knocked him to the ground even when he was prepared. Even if his psychological quality was better, he would soon have a psychological shadow from falling into a sprawl all the time.

"Oh, another thing about Slaughter, go to the Trial after you finish your first compulsory task and set aside at least one week of survival days. We’ll help you take out your ticking timebomb," Miao Li said with a smile and walked out of his dream lightly.

It was already morning when he woke up. Although it was still sunset outside the window, the countdown of survival days told him that another day had passed. Qi Leren struggled to get out of bed, washing and thinking about today's mission.

Ning Zhou gave him a daily training menu, and he was also responsible for sparring with him for some of the contents that required a partner. Therefore, Qi Leren took the initiative to prepare the "coach"'s three meals. At present, the two people got along well - considering that so many embarrassing things had happened between them, this harmonious relationship was even more commendable.

There was a faint warmth when he remembered the scene of them eating together in the warm sunset.

However, Ning Zhou said yesterday that he would be absent today and Qi Leren didn't bother to ask him where he was going, so he was the only one who enjoyed breakfast today.

Compared to a large number of procrastinators and lazy parasites in modern society, Qi Leren was a very self-disciplined person. After entering the Nightmare Game, he consciously exercised himself. Now that he had this scientific tutorial, he cherished this opportunity very much. Although every day he was drilled so black and blue that he had to crawl to bed at the end of the day, and when he fell asleep he was haunted by nightmares from time to time, the next day he would still grit his teeth.

Ning Zhou was not here, so the training schedule was cancelled. After training in the afternoon, Qi Leren had some rare leisure time. Out of camaraderie among friends, he specially copied a training menu for Dr. Lu. In the private clinic, he saw Dr. Lu lying on a soft sofa enjoying dessert and hot drinks. He warmly invited Qi Leren to share in the afternoon tea.

After learning about Qi Leren’s recent training menu, Dr. Lu showed the expression of "My little friend is so masochistic he would scare a baby to death" and only reluctantly agreed to jog for two kilometers every day after being persuaded by Qi Leren. However, when he saw his criminal record of falling flat after running only two steps - which Dr. Lu repeatedly explained was because his cerebellum was naturally uncoordinated and his balance was worse than the average person - Qi Leren didn’t believe he would last for long…

After coming out of Dr. Lu's clinic, Qi Leren also saw a player who spoke with an accent talking with his friend: "There’s a female doctor here whose medical skills are very good! There’s just a few more rules. "

"Really? Is she beautiful?"

"He's a man."

"Didn't you say it was a female doctor?"

"Oh no, it's Nu (woman)."

The window on the second floor suddenly opened. Dr. Lu poked his head out and said maliciously, "My last name is Lu! I don't treat people with accents!"

After asking for forgiveness, the two people found that the doctor was hard-hearted and they immediately took up evil thoughts, wanting to threaten violence. Worried about Dr. Lu’s safety, Qi Leren, who hadn’t left yet, simply practiced his recent training results and was pleasantly surprised to find that one or two players weren’t a problem.

The two players didn’t even dare to trash talk as they escaped. Qi Leren watched the two disappear at the intersection and then reluctantly looked at the helpless Dr. Lu: "Now that you know how important exercise is, let’s teach you a few tricks."

Dr. Lu opened his mouth and exclaimed: "I’m used to you having the aura of a mysterious soft girl, you’re as easily bullied as I am. I’m surprised to see you’ve improved so much. It’s really hard to look at you now, you were so cute before..."

Qi Leren’s hands itched to beat him. What is this mysterious soft girl aura?! Who the hell is cute? Although that one task forced me to be a girl for a few days,  I’m still a man normally. I just sent two seven-foot men packing!

"Have a good time training yourself. If you can’t run at least two laps, what will you do the next time someone makes trouble? If you can't beat them, you have to run for it," Qi Leren said earnestly, too lazy to care.

"Don't I have a skill card, [Here, We Will Have Free Wi-Fi]? When equipped, everyone will slowly forget my existence and do their own thing. If the duration of the skill is up, I'll either admit defeat or call the police. If it truly doesn't work out, there'll always be passersby who will help me at the crucial moment," Dr. Lu said firmly.

"...Do whatever you want." Qi Leren said tiredly. As someone with E-level luck, he didn't quite understand the confidence of someone with EX luck, so he left in a disgruntled manner.

It was still early, so he could go somewhere else. Qi Leren made a trip according to the addresses and information given by Chen Baiqi. There were two players who were good at manual work and could be used to make chargers. As a result, when he came to the doors that matched the addresses, one had gone out to do a task and wasn’t at home and the other house was empty, which should mean he’d died recently.

Qi Leren was in a state of melancholy. It seemed he would have to come back another time to see if the player who had left to do a task had come back alive.

As he had plenty of time, Qi Leren simply checked the main task again. Ever since he’d entered the Nightmare World he would go see if the key NPC Rudd, who triggered the task, was present, but he deliberately didn't trigger the task for fear that he would die again. He just wanted to see if anyone knew about it.

Following the remembered route, Qi Leren came to the Twilight Township’s NPC settlement, which was close to "Red’s" home where he’d been staying while undercover with the Slaughter Secret Society. Qi Leren was afraid he would meet some believers who hadn’t been arrested, so he put on his cloak for safety.

Under the setting sun, a large amount of water vapor gushed out from the rusty iron pipes on both sides of the road, seeming like smoke when seen from a distance.

There was a tavern in the depths of the alley near a garbage dump made of scrap iron. The iron waist-high iron gate couldn’t keep out the noisy sounds coming from the building. Men played cards, drank, and chatted loudly, making this remote tavern seem very lively.

Qi Leren pushed open the waist-high iron gate and walked into the pub.

The tavern owner recognized him, the man with short curly hair asking enthusiastically, "I haven't seen you in a long time, Qi."

"I’ve been busy with some things recently," Qi Leren answered and looked around.

The NPC Rudd he is looking for wasn’t here... This was unusual. Every time he’d come here before, he was drunk in the corner of the pub. According to the plot, if he bought him a drink, he would recount his memories with a face of snot and tears, the tragic battle where mankind's Holy City was overtaken by demons more than 20 years ago, and then he would go to the churchyard to pay homage to his comrades.

"Where's the drunk?" Qi Leren asking, pointing to the corner of the pub.

"Oh, him. Just now, a man in a cloak came to have a drink with him and then they left together. Before leaving, the guy even paid off the wine bill he owed. I’m really grateful," said the boss.

Qi Leren's face changed instantly: "What did the man look like?"

"I don't know, he was also wearing a cloak. I couldn't see his face clearly," the boss said. "But I haven't seen him here before. I don't remember his voice... Hey, don't you want your wine?"

"Keep it!" Qi Le rushed out of the pub and headed for the abandoned church not far away without looking back.

The main task’s next step was there!

-----

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[ibijau]

Jin Rusong Lives / On AO3

An unpleasant but much needed conversation is had

Jin Yixin arrived to the Unclean Realm a few days after Lan Xichen did. Although Jin Rulan had written that she was an old woman in her seventies, she looked hardly a day over nineteen and behaved with timeless politeness. If Nie Huaisang had not been warned in advance, he might have mistaken her for a junior disciple of Lanling Jin, or at best for someone of his own age, and chatted with her as such. 

In fact a few Nie juniors made that very mistake in the early days, apparently thinking that Lanling Jin had sent a nurse rather than a teacher. They tried to befriend Jin Yixin with a complete lack of care for her seniority, thinking she was of their generation. She did not scold them for their familiarity, instead explaining the true situation before sending them on their way. A few of the juniors still expressed interest in her company, impressed by her high cultivation and interested in anything that had to do with their sect leader’s ward, but Jin Yixin turned down any offers for tours of Qinghe or Night Hunts. She was here to teach Jin Rusong only, and had little interest in mingling, preferring to dedicate her free time to her own improvement.

At some other time, Nie Huaisang might have attempted to make her join at least some part of his sect’s life. If she was to stay for a long while, it seemed to him she should become part of the family, so to speak. But although her refusal to so much as eat with Nie disciples made him feel like a bad host, it was also a relief of sorts when so much of his energy was already spent worrying about Lan Xichen.

Not that Lan Xichen was purposefully causing problems, of course. In fact, for the first week or two of his presence in the Unclean Realm, he remained mostly confined to his room, to his bed even. Nie Zhilan, in her daily reports, said that he slept a lot. He only became active at night when Jin Rusong came to have dinner with him, and often begged to be allowed to sleep with his uncle Lan. That request was granted to him each time, which in turn meant that someone had to go to Lan Xichen’s quarters in the morning to help Jin Rusong get ready for his day. 

Nie Huaisang missed sharing those moments with the little boy, whom he saw little of now. It upset him more than he would have cared to admit that their routine had been disrupted this way, but if it was to make Jin Rusong happy, he could deal with it. And of course Nie Huaisang could have been the one to go help Jin Rusong in the morning, if he’d wanted, but he thought he would spare Lan Xichen the displeasure of his company.

It was better if they weren’t around each other too much, Nie Huaisang had decided. Lan Xichen was there only because of Jin Rusong. Upon arriving in the Unclean Realm he had been too unwell to resent Nie Huaisang for everything that had happened, but that was sure to change as his health improved, and Nie Huaisang had no wish to bear witness to the other man’s hatred. That night at the temple had been enough.

It became harder to avoid Lan Xichen when Nie Zhilan decided that he had rested enough and was now in need of exercise and company. Jin Rusong was of course happy to provide both, having obtained permission to make his Uncle Lan visit the Unclean Realm to show him his favourite places. The two became an accepted sight in late afternoons, holding hands and walking together, usually discreetly trailed by a Nie disciple ready to intervene should Lan Xichen start feeling unwell.

It made Nie Huaisang happy that these two could enjoy their time together.

It would have made him happier if Jin Ruson’s favourite places had not also been the ones where he was mostly likely to spend time when he had a little freedom.

At first, Nie Huaisang managed to spot them coming his way and to escape unseen. Or else he would notice them when he was the one going somewhere they already were, and changed his plans quickly. It was unpleasant, and a little taxing, but he refused to impose his presence to Lan Xichen who would surely find it distasteful.

Of course Nie Huaisang’s luck had to run out sooner or later. After over a week of playing hide and seek, one afternoon Nie Huaisang found himself cornered in his aviary when Jin Rusong and Lan Xichen came to have a look at the birds. The two men stared at each other with uneasy expressions, Lan Xichen clearly unsure how to behave around Nie Huaisang now that he wasn’t exhausted to the point of sickness. Even Jin Rusong seemed to notice the tension between the adults and silently waited for one of them to speak.

It did something to Nie Huaisang’s heart to see Jin Rusong holding Lan Xichen’s hand, how that impossibly tall man effortlessly leaned toward the child to make it easier on him. Lan Xichen could have made a wonderful father. He would someday. Maybe without any previous hopes left to distract him, Lan Xichen would finally get married and have a family.

He deserved that happiness, even if it would break whatever was left of Nie Huaisang’s heart.

The silence between them lasted a while, until Lan Xichen, always polite to a fault, remembered his manners and decided to be the one to break it.

“I hope we’re not disturbing Nie zongzhu,” he said. “We were just…”

“Pretty! Pretty!” A shrill voice exclaimed behind Nie Huaisang, making all three of them jump.

As soon as he realised where the voice came from, Jin Rusong shrieked in delight. He let go of Lan Xichen's hand and ran to the mynah’s cage, startling the bird which turned silent again.

“It really can talk! Can it learn my name?”

The mynah hopped away from him, still wary of that little stranger, but came back closer when Lan Xichen too approached the cage.

“Hello little friend,” he said with a gentle smile and a gentler voice. “It had been a while. Have you been well?”

“Pretty! Pretty! What a pretty bird! Pretty!”

Lan Xichen laughed softly, and passed one finger through the bars of the cage to scratch the bird, which allowed it easily.

“Yes, you’re still the prettiest bird around,” Lan Xichen said. “The vainest too. I wonder if your master would let me feed you a treat?”

“Pretty bird, treat for the pretty bird!”

Nie Huaisang made a face, unsure whether he wanted to laugh or cry. When Lan Xichen turned to look at him, silently asking if he could be allowed a treat for the mynah, Nie Huaisang hurriedly looked away to hide his emotion and went to pick some pieces of dried fruit he kept around. He gave a slice of apple to Lan Xichen, and another to Jin Rusong who was now frowning at the bird.

“Something wrong, SongSong?”

“It’s still not talking to me,” Jin Rusong sighed. “It was speaking to uncle Lan, not me. It hates me.”

“Of course it doesn’t hate you,” Nie Huaisang protested. “I’ve told you before, that bird just finds it a little hard to trust anyone. It will come, though. Before today, it wouldn’t even speak in front of you, right? So be patient.”

“But it talks to uncle Lan!” Jin Rusong complained, tears of frustration forming at the corner of his eyes.

Lan Xichen removed his finger from the cage and knelt down next to the child, apparently not caring that his robes would get dirty.

“A-Song, that bird has known me for a very long time,” he patiently explained. “That’s why it knows me and talks to me. With a little time…”

“But uncle Nie said it only talks to him and his friend who’s never coming back!” Jin Rusong exclaimed, before wiping a tear. “And now it also talks to you and it’s not fair!”

Nie Huaisang froze when Lan Xichen shot him a surprise look. 

They both knew that his mynah had always refused to speak to anyone but the two of them. It wouldn’t even say a word in front of other people most of the time. They used to laugh about that with Jin Guangyao, who had been as frustrated as his son by the bird’s silence, and sometimes jokingly accused them of pulling his leg when they mentioned how well it spoke. It had felt like a secret between the two of them, something only they shared.

This was one more thing to add to the list of everything Nie Huaisang didn’t want to talk about, least of all near Jin Rusong.

“I think somebody is getting quite tired,” Nie Huaisang announced, forcing himself to smile and to sound as jovial as he could. “And I think this time, it’s not uncle Lan. SongSong, let’s get you some dinner and then you’re off to bed. You’ve had a long day, I think.”

Without surprise, the little boy loudly protested that he wasn’t tired at all. He tried to resist when Nie Huaisang picked him up, but by the time they’d reached Lan Xichen's door in the guest quarters, Jin Rusong was asleep in Nie Huaisang’s arms.

“Do you want me to take him to his bedroom for tonight?” Nie Huaisang asked Lan Xichen, selfishly hoping to have a morning with the child again after this long.

“No, it’s fine. Do you want me to hold him? He must be quite heavy.”

“Lan zongzhu, I’m not that weak,” Nie Huaisang protested, tightening his grasp on the child. “And Nie Zhilan is going to murder me if I let you do anything tiring without her permission. I’ll just drop him inside and have dinner sent your way. It’ll be…”

“You could dine with me,” Lan Xichen offered, having the gall to sound hopeful. “I’ve been here nearly a month, and I don’t think we’ve shared a single meal except for that first breakfast.”

Nie Huaisang looked away, pretending to adjust the way he held Jin Rusong.

“I assumed you would rather not see me more than strictly necessary, Lan zongzhu.”

“I wish you’d have asked then,” Lan Xichen gently scolded, “so I could have told you earlier that your assumption was wrong. I would be grateful for a chance to spend time together again. Unless you do not wish for my company?” he added with clear worry. “I realise that you might feel you’ve had little choice in this matter. Considering everything that has happened, if being in my presence has become unbearable to you, I will not insist of course. But, Huaisang…”

At hearing his name again instead of his title, Nie Huaisang’s heart started beating so hard that he half feared it might wake Jin Rusong.

“I’ve missed you,” Lan Xichen admitted. “I know things cannot go back to what they were, but I’m hoping it doesn’t have to be over for us.”

“After all this?” Nie Huaisang gasped, fighting against tears. “Er-ge, that’s…”

“Don’t call me that,” Lan Xichen immediately cut him, something changing in his expression. “If I never hear that again, it’ll be too soon.”

The demand, made in such a serious tone, shocked Nie Huaisang out of his tears. It made his chest clench painfully, so much that it was difficult to still hold Jin Rusong.

“Of course, you’re right. Lan zongzhu, then?”

“If you must,” Lan Xichen conceded. “But you used to call me by my name once, and I’ve never minded that. In fact, I’ve missed that too.”

Nie Huaisang couldn’t help a small grimace, his cheeks heating up at the memory of the last time he’d taken that liberty.

“Things were different then,” he whispered. “I think it would be unwise to start using your name again, lest I forget where we stand now.”

“I won’t force you, Huaisang,” Lan Xichen sighed. “I can’t say I know where we stand anyway. But I know what I used to want, and I miss that as well. Call me a fool for it if you like. But I’m convinced things would have been different if we had both allowed ourselves to be a little more foolish back then. Maybe then you would have known you could trust me.”

Hearing that hurt more than the request not to call him ‘Er-ge’. It was a fair accusation to make, a logical conclusion to have come to. Nie Huaisang didn’t feel like defending himself at the moment. He never might feel like it. He’d made the choice he had made, there was little point in talking about that. The past couldn’t be changed, the harm he’d done to Lan Xichen couldn’t be undone.

Besides, Nie Huaisang knew himself. There were few things he’d do differently if given another chance. He’d care a little more about keeping Qin Su alive, so Jin Rusong wouldn’t lose his entire family at once, but nothing else.

The rest he couldn’t quite regret, even when he knew he probably should. Everything had worked out too well.

“Zewu-Jun, I don’t think this is a matter worth discussing,” Nie Huaisang announced. It came out sounding more like a warning than he intended. “All I will say is that I’ve never stopped seeing you as my friend, even if my actions have not always been friendly. That’s where I stand on this matter.”

Lan Xichen sighed, but nodded.

“I can work with that for now. But I hope you understand there are many things we’ll have to talk about sooner or later.”

“We really don’t have to.”

“We do,” Lan Xichen insisted. “I’ve learned from my mistakes, Huaisang, and I won’t content myself with assumptions about people’s intentions and actions, not anymore. Not after what happened.”

“Zewu-Jun, please…”

“Not tonight,” Lan Xichen agreed, opening his door and motioning for Nie Huaisang to come inside. “But I’ve been lied to by a lot of people, on many subjects, and I’m tired of that. I think I’m owed the truth about why you chose to keep me in the dark, at least.”

Nie Huaisang tensed, annoyed to be cornered that way. He went inside with a huff.

“Even if I told you, would you believe me anyway?” he snapped, looking around for a place to put down Jin Rusong.

It would have been too forward to go into Lan Xichen’s room, but he wasn’t sure it would be wise to just drop the child on the sofa, in case this conversation blew into an argument.

“So far I’ve always trusted you too much rather than too little,” Lan Xichen coldly noted, confirming Nie Huaisang’s fear about the direction they were headed. "I'm not the one who brought distrust into our friendship." 

Propriety be damned, Nie Huaisang strode toward the bedroom and put Jin Rusong down on the bed. The child sleepily complained, and struggled a little when his shoes were removed, but thankfully did not actually wake up. Nie Huaisang quickly wrapped him in a blanket before returning to the main room, carefully closing the door.

Lan Xichen gave him a long look. So much for respecting his refusal to speak about this, Nie Huaisang bitterly thought. At the same time, perhaps it was best to get this over with. Then Lan Xichen would know exactly where they stood, and realise that he didn’t want to maintain their friendship after all. Nie Huaisang would finally be able to stomp out the last embers of hope he hadn’t yet managed to kill, and Lan Xichen wouldn't seek his company again, making this easier for both of them. 

“Fine, you want to know why I never told you what Jin Guangyao did to Da-ge?” Nie Huaisang snapped, to which Lan Xichen nodded. “Fine. Fine, right. The truth is… I wanted to protect you.”

Lan Xichen’s eyes opened wide.

“What?”

Clenching his fists, Nie Huaisang looked away.

“He’d killed Da-ge!” he exclaimed, the pain of it still fresh after all these years. “My Da-ge, who had survived everything else! And I couldn’t prove it at that time, but the fact that Jin Guangshan had died so suddenly, and… and Jin Zixuan and Jin Zixun too, who were the two next in line to inherit? Zewu-Jun, I was terrified ! It felt like there was nothing he couldn’t do, nothing he wouldn’t dare attempt, to get what he wanted! I knew he’d kill me,” Nie Huaisang noted with a grim huff of laughter, “and I was terrified that if you confronted him he might have killed you too. And you would have confronted him, of course. You’re so good. How could you not have?”

His voice rose a little too high, an old panic seizing him at the idea of what might have happened if he had made different choices. Even after so long, even after it was all over, that old fear still made Nie Huaisang sick to his core.

“It’s not just that he would have murdered you,” he added, closing his eyes to fight tears. “He made the world believe that Da-ge was blood-thirsty and unstable. He made sure everyone would remember Jin Guangshan as the man who loved sex so much he died in the middle of an orgy. If Jin Guangyao had turned against you, then for sure he’d have stained your legacy in some way to justify it, and I couldn’t bear it! It… it was better to keep you ignorant, to keep you safe. And I did, right?” Nie Huaisang insisted, a nearly manic smile on his face as he finally dared to look again at Lan Xichen. “He never turned against you, never hurt your reputation or your person! I kept you safe from him, until almost the end! Until…”

“Until that,” Lan Xichen mumbled, stunned by that revelation.

Nie Huaisang quickly nodded.

“I really thought he had moved. Once he was wounded and dying, I knew he would have hurt you if he could, just so you wouldn’t get out of this either. I thought… but I was very scared and so much kept happening. I really can’t be sure what I saw but… but I’m sure I don’t regret that he died.”

Pale as a sheet, Lan Xichen stumbled onto the sofa, pressing a hand against his mouth.

“I thought you didn’t trust me,” he whispered.

“Of course I trusted you,” Nie Huaisang protested, taking a step toward the other man before he could stop himself. He dared not come closer than that though. Not when Lan Xichen seemed to be having such a hard time with that revelation. “I knew you would take action if you were presented with reasonable accusations. That’s exactly what you did when Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian told you what they had found out. And even then, it nearly failed!" Nie Huaisang cried out. "Even then, he nearly managed to get Wei Wuxian killed again! I cannot imagine what would have happened if you had gone there alone, if you’d tried to do this the honourable way… He was a dishonourable man, Xichen, and so it had to be someone as despicable as him taking him down.”

“You should still have told me,” Lan Xichen retorted, glaring at him. “If you trusted me to believe you, you should have trusted me to hear your worries as well.”

"Maybe. Maybe not. I was terrified, and I couldn't risk losing you as well. I had to keep you safe." 

Lan Xichen scoffed, hiding his face in his hands. 

“I wonder how fragile I must appear that everyone wants to keep hard truths from me," he muttered.  "First you about Da-ge, then Wangji and uncle about Jin Rusong… Am I really so pathetic?" 

"You're looking at it the wrong way," Nie Huaisang replied, taking a step closer. 

He clenched his hands into fists again and his them behind his back. His fingers were aching with a need to touch Lan Xichen, to comfort him somehow, but then more than ever, he doubted such a thing would be welcome. 

"Zewu-Jun, you have done so much for me, and for your brother," Nie Huaisang argued quietly. "And if anyone is pathetic here, it must be me and Hanguang-Jun. We jumped at a chance to protect you, and only ended up harming you more. How foolish of us. How selfish too. We've both relied on your protection, more than once. We should have realised you never needed ours."

Lan Xichen stared at him, stunned once more. And once more, Nie Huaisang felt compelled to look away. He had promised himself he wouldn't regret not involving Lan Xichen in his scheme. It was the one thing he'd been sure he had done right, he couldn't bear having that certainty taken from him. 

He couldn't have risked Lan Xichen. It was better to be in his current situation, hated and lonely, than to have given Jin Guangyao a chance to take from him the last person he cared about. 

Nie Huaisang didn't need Lan Xichen to like him. He just needed him to be alive. 

As an awkward silence fell between them, Nie Huaisang decided it would be better for him to go. Clearly, after this, Lan Xichen's invitation to have dinner together no longer stood. Before he could say anything about that, a small voice rang from the other room, calling out for him. 

Without thinking, Nie Huaisang rushed back into the bedroom where he found Jin Rusong sitting on the bed, looking a little disoriented. Upon seeing him, the child smiled, and opened his arms to silently demand a hug. Nie Huaisang immediately complied, going to sit on the bed with him and pulling him on his lap. 

"Hey SongSong. Hungry maybe?" 

Nie Huaisang felt a nod against his chest, and sighed. 

"Well, it's dinner time. I'll go call for someone to bring food to you and uncle Lan." 

Another nod, and Jin Rusong clung tight to Nie Huaisang’s shoulders. 

"Uncle Nie, are you going to eat with us?" 

"Well, I'm not sure…" 

"He will," said Lan Xichen, having dragged himself to the door of the bedroom, leaning hard against the frame. He seemed exhausted once more, but his smile carried unexpected warmth as he looked at them. "Your uncle Nie has already agreed to dine here. It would be very rude of him to change his mind now." 

Nie Huaisang shot him a surprised look, which Lan Xichen pretended not to notice. 

"A-Song, come sit with me on the sofa while uncle Nie gets food sent here,” Lan Xichen asked. “Then when he's back you can tell him about your lessons with Jin Yixin. I'm sure he'd love to hear about that." 

"Yes!" Jin Rusong exclaimed, looking up at Nie Huaisang with an excited grin. "I have learned so, so many things ! Today I've done…" 

As the little boy impatiently started chatting about the things he'd done with his teacher, Nie Huaisang just gathered him in his arms and stood up while carrying him. When he dared a glance at Lan Xichen, the other man's smile was still as warm, as if the conversation they'd just had was forgotten already. 

In the end, they spent a pleasant evening together, the three of them. Nie Huaisang had missed having Jin Rusong with him like this, and it seemed the child must have missed him as well, staying on his lap the whole dinner, eventually falling asleep there when exhaustion overcame him again. When that happened, Lan Xichen and Nie Huaisang started chatting together about the little boy's growth, and how well he seemed to be doing since coming to the Unclean Realm. 

It was nice to be talking like that again, after so long. 

If Nie Huaisang hadn't been so self aware, he might have been tempted to pretend they were happy together, almost like a family.

[pi-cat000]

Girl who made the night sky: p5

NOTE: so I started writing this again this year but didn’t get very far. Here’s what I wrote if anyone was interested. I might post it on ao3 as well, not sure.

Summery: To return home Shikako splits herself infinitely across dimensions. A fault in one of the splits results in a discorporated Shikako stranded in the Naruto canon-verse.

Part 3, Part 4

Her alarm goes off just as the sun begins to peak between the buildings opposite her apartment block.  Sakura roles over to glare at the thin beam of light filtering through her window, catching in floating dust particles. Somewhere in the dark of her mind Kako shifts with amusement, prodding at her sluggish thoughts, pushing them into a state of awareness.

/Morning./ The word is said slowly, echoing with a lazy laughter. Sakura scowls, flopping over to hit the snooze on her alarm, yawning. She is still getting used to waking up at dawn and is thus completely reliant on her alarm to shake her from her sleep. A real shinobi would have enough control to wake up whenever they desired.

/Practise makes perfect,/ Kako says as if guessing the direction of her thoughts.

“Easy for you to say,” Sakura mutters, dragging herself up and yawning again. There is more idle amusement from Kako.

/Have a good day./

Slowly, the impression of Kako fades into the neutral baseline of just-Sakura, signalling that the other was asleep.

“I will,” Sakura comments in her renewed alone-ness.

Kako now slept during the day, leaving Sakura to her own devices. Whatever that not-dream had been, it had disturbed Kako enough that she now spent most of her ‘awake’ time watching over Sakura while she slept. This left only a few scant hours in the evening for discussion, conversation and hanging out together. Despite only having Kako around for a few months, Sakura already misses the other’s presence. Though their interactions had always been limited, reduced to scattered sentences and the occasional emotion, just having Kako listen to her ramblings or watch as she walked to and from the academy, studied or completed whatever other task she had set herself. Funny how much of a difference just having someone around and interested made even the most mundane parts of life. 

Discouraged by her own solitary thoughts, Sakura contemplates returning to bed and sleeping an extra hour. Not like Kako would know if she did. The notion passes quickly. Kako would be disappointed and the thought of disappointing Kako make her sad. Also, she was pretty sure it was dangerous for her and Kako to sleep at the same time. Sakura’s not an idiot. Even if Kako had yet to outright say it, she could put two and two together. Something bad had happened during the nightmare other than just giving them a fright. 

...

The rest of the morning progresses according to her new schedule. She dresses and packs her bag. With her collection of notebooks steadily increasing, it was starting bulge in the middle. The sooner she figured out how to properly make storage scrolls the better.

Next, she shuffles down to the kitchen, pulling together a meal with the correct amount of nutrients. Now Sakura is waking up before her mom, she has been forced to plan her own meals. Kako had been very helpful in that department, pushing her towards the type of diet she would need to help with muscle growth and keep her energy levels high throughout the day. It didn’t taste particularly nice, but it was functional, and she couldn’t help but wonder if the other non-clan kids knew about this sort of stuff. Meal planning was something they’d touched on in class but not something Sakura had bothered applying to her day-to-day life. Sure, she’d always tried to eat healthy but, like most things ninja related, there was a lot more to physical conditioning than just that being healthy.  It had only been a week but she has already noticed a marked improvement in her daily energy levels.

...

Sakura closes the door her apartment just as she begins to hear her parents start to shuffle around, preparing for their own workday. She takes a second to breath in the cool morning air before heading towards the old academy training grounds.

When she arrives the training area is empty like it usually is. Not a lot of academy students bothered coming out so early, especially not to this training spot which was in an awkward location. She hadn’t even known it existed till Kako pointed it out.

Another yawn.

A long sigh.

Sakura begins her warmup stretches, trying not to let the silence of her own mind bother her too much.

She is maybe halfway through the revised exorcize routine that Kako put together for her, when movement at the edge of the training field catches her attention.

It startles her enough that she almost trips through the final set. If Kako were awake Sakura might have had some warning as Kako was usually the one to sense and alert her to people approaching unexpectedly. Maybe she should work on her spatial awareness or lack thereof. She’ll add it to the list.

As it is, she thankfully doesn’t trip and embarrass herself because the person approaching is very familiar.

“Sasuke-kun!” She can’t help but call an enthusiastic greeting, waving. Sasuke freezes on approach, staring his usual blank stare. He blinks, expression shifting ever so slightly to surprise. Well, as surprised as someone as cool as Sasuke can be.

“Hello!” What were the chances of running into Sasuke outside of school hours? Practically zero. Ino would have a fit.

Saskue about-faces and walks in the opposite direction.

“Wait!” She starts to follow as the other quickly disappears into the trees encircling the training grounds.

“Do you want to train…” She hesitates, slowing, “with me…?”

Does she want Sasuke to see her huffing and puffing as she tries to make it past her tenth lap of the field? Her stamina is less than impressive and Sasuke always placed in her class’s top three when it came to combat and physical ability. She stops following. No way was she letting Sasuke see her like this.

If Kako was right, and she usually was, she would start seeing a physical improvement in another weeks time.

She pouts, trying not to feel too unmotivated.  Maybe…hopefully, she’ll see Sasuke out here again and ask to train then? Then she wouldn’t be a total embarrassment. Yes, a prefect plan. She resumes her exercises. Before Kako had come along, catching up to Sasuke would have seemed like an insurmountable task. Now Sakura’s seen what a real shinobi is capable of and said shinobi believes she is capable of the same things, it doesn’t seem as impossible. Goal reaffirmed, she tackles the rest of the morning with renewed energy.

...

Her day progresses as per usual. Sakura sits in class, takes notes, and revises on past topics when Iruka deviates between teaching and crowd control. When lunch break starts, she takes it as an opportunity to sit around the side of the building and examine her sealing notes. Away from her noisy peers, she has a chance to sort through all the stuff she’s been learning and figure out what questions she wants to ask Kako in those few hours they have together in the afternoon.

“Why do these seals use a bunch of descriptive kanji while this one is just a collection of stylistic lines?”

She mutters to herself, scanning the copies of Kako’s seal and her copies of Iruka’s notes on storage scrolls. The storage scrolls are easy enough to understand. The symbols and lines follow a logical progression, building on the basics she’d learnt while studying explosive tags. Kako’s seal is different…very different. Instead of easy to follow connections between the function and kanji, Kako’s seal is a simple circle, spiral and tomoki. Nothing else…No hint at what the lines might mean.

….

...

/Seal is collapsed…simplified. Needs expanding./

Is Kako’s somewhat confusing answer. After spending most of her lunch, then the following lesson mulling the question over, this is less than satisfying.

“What do you mean by needs expanding?” There is a long pause and Sakura waits for Kako to find the right words and energy to talk. Kako could almost communicate in full sentences now but it was still somewhat stilted.

/Not the full seal…simplified…smaller./

Sakura frowns, staring at her desk. Strewn across it are piles of notes, several bottles of ink she’s been infusing with charkha, and blank sealing paper. She had been half asleep at the time but she vaguely recalls how, on the night of Kako’s arrival, the seal had been a lot bigger, stretching across almost all her visible skin. 

“You mean this is only a small part of the seal and there’s more that I can’t see.” A wave of warm encouragement has Sakura continuing, “No, it’s more than that…all the seal is here it’s just…. just smaller…symbolic of the larger seal.”

/Compressed./ There’s a warm swell of pride like she’s just understood some tricky concept Kako’s been trying to impart

“Well …then how do I study it? How do I un-compress it?”

/An expansion seal./

She groans, “So…I need another seal to look at this seal.”

/Hmmm./

“Let me guess: That’s complicated as well.”

/Basics first./

Sakura rests her head on the desk, sighing.

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #411

“everybody’s got loaded stories, and i know for a fact everybody sees a bullseye on my back”

Have you ever been to jail? No. Opinion on snow? I absolutely love it! Not big on the slush it leaves behind, though. It gets ugly. What are you best at drawing? Meerkats. Are you scared of going over bridges? Nah. If you had endless energy and stamina, how would you spend your days? Plenty of exercise, lots of exploration with my camera, doing chores much more regularly... stuff like that. What mental or physical space do you go when you want to recharge or relax? I go to my room and watch YouTube. Did you have/use a comfort object as a child (do you continue to have one)? I actually don't remember. Now as an adult, if I go somewhere, my purse is actually like my comfort item in that I like to sit and sort of hug it to feel more secure. When was the last time you said something you regret? What did you say? I'm unsure. What do you tend to get carried away with? New hobbies/interests. It will be like all I care about for a long while, ha ha. Do you believe we have souls; do you believe in a life after death? Yes to both. Do you still talk to the person you last made out with? No. Have you ever seen your best friend cry? Ugh, yes, and it's the absolute worst. What kind of vitamins did you take as a kid? We had those Flintstones ones for a while, but for most of my childhood, we had gummy vitamins. Have you ever gone to court? Well, yes, but not for like your ordinary court hearing. While hospitalized on one occasion, a lawyer visited to speak to the patients informing us that we could argue against our discharge dates if we believed we were going to be committed for too long, which I thought I was, so I signed up to bring my case in front of a judge. So yeah, I've been to court, but not for ordinary reasons. Are you friends with your neighbors? "Friends," no. The people to our left like just moved out, and I don't even know if we've ever been outside at the same time as the family on our right. Favorite color? I like baby pink. How long has it been since you’ve seen The Lion King? I saw the CGI remake when it came out, if that counts? I don't know about the original. When did you last hold hands with someone? Sometime when I was at my sister's house, my niece grabbed my hand to drag me somewhere, ha ha. Have you ever had a crush on your sibling's friend? No. Have you ever gone to a beach? Multiple times. How good is your eyesight? It is very, VERY bad. I need new glasses severely. What’s the best wedding you’ve been to? My former dance teacher's. Have you ever had a negative encounter with the police? What happened? No. What’s your favourite thing to cook/bake? Do you eat it often? I don't do either. How do you flush the toilet in public? I generally use my elbow. I don't like standing on one leg, so I don't really use my foot like I'd prefer. Favorite horror movie? Silent Hill is dearest to me overall just because of what it is, but as a horror film, I think the original Blair Witch Project is best. Do you have your wisdom teeth? X-rays have only ever shown two are present, but I have enough space for those. What would you name your pet snake if you had one? It would depend on their appearance. The snake I have currently is named Venus because her coloration is similar to the planet. Do you like peanuts? Only when covered in chocolate. Where do you typically shop for bras and underwear? Do you tend to keep it simple, or have a variety of different items? Have you ever gotten a professional bra fitting? I don't get new undergarments (or clothes in general) frequently, but historically, my bras are bought online and underwear just from Wal-Mart. I don't really get the second question? I mean I don't have a style when it comes to those types of clothes, if that's what you mean. I've never had an actual bra-fitting, but I absolutely need to but keep putting it off. It seems like NO bra fits me properly all-around, and it's ridiculously annoying. What (if any) types of xrays/scans/other diagnostic tests have you had done? Was anything found? Idk man, a lot. I've had xrays on my wrist (found a fracture), teeth, legs... maybe more? I've also had an ultrasound on my liver for reasons I don't recall. I either had an MRI or CT scan (I can't remember which) when I got a concussion, and uhhhh... I can't think of anything else. Were you breast or bottle fed as a child? If you plan to have children, which do you think you’ll choose? Do you think one is really better than the other? I was nursed, and if I hypothetically had children, I'd definitely try to do the same. It was so incredible to me that I've never forgotten this: when I was at the hospital while my sister had her first baby, there was a chart on the wall of how many more nutrients were in breast milk versus formula milk, and the list was GARGANTUAN. Like, unbelievable. Now, do I think it's BETTER? That's a complicated question for which, in short, my answer is no. More nutritious, well, given what I just said, obviously. But breastfeeding just doesn't work for all mothers for a plethora of reasons, like the time demand, they can be self-conscious, it's painful... and all those things are okay. A mother should do what works best for her. Neither one is "wrong" or makes someone less of a mother because they feed their child less traditionally. Do you find that you have become more selective in terms of friendships as you’ve gotten older? Did the friendships you thought would last over time end up that way? Absolutely. There are just some kinds of people I absolutely do not tolerate anymore. And no, not most. We just drifted apart with time, or given most of my closest friendships are/were online, they just fell off the face of the earth. What are you doing right now? This and re-watching John Wolfe play Bloodborne. Bloodborne is such a comfort series to me... somehow, ha ha. Yet another game I've never played but desperately want to. Where are you? In my bedroom, as always. When you get yelled at, do you yell back or let it go? Depending on who it is, I might yell back, but most likely cry, ha ha. I hate being yelled at, like a lot. Is the person you last texted single? That would be my mom, so yeah. I've hoped she'd find a partner forever... She, probably more than anyone I know, deserves love from the *right* guy. I worry a lot how lonely she may become whenever I move out. Are you easily scared by horror movies? Not at all. Are you friends with any of your ex boyfriend/girlfriends? Girt and Sara, yes. Are you lonely? Be honest. Very. What has made you happy today? It's too early for this. What has made you sad today? Nothing, really. Last thing eaten? I had leftover pancakes from yesterday. Are you wearing anything that’s not yours? No. Do you like to wear makeup? I mean it makes me feel prettier, sure, but the actual time investment doesn't feel worth it for me personally. Especially when you're not even that good with applying it. Have you ever attempted to write a story or novel? Many times when I was younger. Would you rather have perfect hair or perfect skin? Perfect skin. I hate my skin, it has so many blemishes. What’s your middle name? Marie. How big is your bed? Queen. Do you drink? Only a bit for special occasions, really. I'll have a daiquiri on your average day every once and a blue moon. Would you fall apart if that last person you kissed walked out of your life? That's an understatement. Do you prefer pasta, salad, or coleslaw? Pasta. I hate coleslaw. Do you find smoking unattractive? Yes. Where’s the last place you went besides your house? The TMS office. Do you eat breakfast daily? Yes. Who were you with the last time you went to the movie theater? My dad. Do you like your cell phone? No, but it gets the job done. I just wish I had a phone with a good camera. Has anyone ever sang to you? Yes. So, what if you married the last person you kissed? That's the dream, but I acknowledge and accept it just might not work out like that. Do you usually answer your texts? Almost always. Have you ever changed clothes in a vehicle? Yes. Who has seen you cry the most? My mom, for sure. Have you ever just laid down outside and stared at the stars? Yeah, Jason and I did that one night on the trampoline. Have your friends ever randomly stopped by your house? In the past, yes. Think to the last person you kissed; have you ever kissed them on the ground? No. Do you have a condom in your room? No, got no use for one. Do your siblings ever pay for stuff for you? Yes. What brand is your digital camera? Canon. Do you own expensive perfume/cologne? No; I really don't get the point. When was the last time you went tanning? Ew, never. I find NO appeal in just lying in the boiling sun. Do you like the smell of fresh cut grass? No, I hate it. Do you get embarrassed easily? Like you would not fucking believe. It's one of the things I hate most about myself, because I'm embarrassed about everything I like and what makes me me. Has anyone ever thrown you a surprise party? No. Do you always wear your seatbelt? Absolutely. You couldn't pay me not to. Do you sing in the shower? No. Have you ever been called a slut/whore/something along those lines? Only playfully among friends. Have you ever stood up for someone you hardly/didn't even know? Yes. Have you ever fallen in love with a really good friend of yours? Yes. Do you own a blacklight? No. Do you like fruit better than vegetables? Definitely. Have your friends met the last person you kissed? Of my current friends, only Girt has. If you’re straight, have you ever thought about kissing the same sex? If you’re gay, have you ever thought about kissing the opposite sex? I'm bisexual, soooo. What does your laugh sound like? Do you have a loud laugh or a quiet laugh? Bro my laugh is so fucking loud and obnoxious. Is there a reality TV show you would consider taking part in? No.

[greekbros]

"greek-Bros: The Return of an Old Enemy"

Chapter 8: A Sour Deal

After a full day of preparation, training and anything that shouldn't take less than 24 hours to do, the "Dionysian Games" were ready as soon as the sun rose. Which is when Apollo discovered, his brother was at it again.

Apollo rode his chariot arcross the sky, toting the sun along for the day to begin. To him it was just part of his daily schedule, as he glanced over, looking down on Delphi. "Wait a minute....isn't it early in the year for the games to start?", the thought stewed in his head for only a few seconds when it suddenly dawned on him the Olypmic games, in deed DID NOT, take place in Delphi. He looked down and was shocked to see that Dionysus broke his promise, "as soon as I'm done with the sun, I'm going to give Dionysus the dressing down of the millennia!", he angrily told himself.

Back in Delphi, the Delphians were preparing for the games. The teams have been set up into 5 large groups, in Delphian fashion, no can tell which team is which. Being a mock-Olympics game, there was nothing to worry about representing a country or anything, so it was just harmless fun. There was no prizes outside of bragging rights.

Meanwhile, Dionysus attempts to get a hold of Ares for the joust. Communication between the gods was always complicated considering that the gods communicate better humans than they do themselves. In Dionysus's case, the best way to get in touch with Ares...was to get him to come to you via the most complex ritual involving two of his favorite things: Aphrodite and dogs. He knows for the best results, he had to do the ritual in private.

Dionysus prepares the ritual at an effigy made to resemble Ares he had created the night before. As it turns out he woke up in morning remembering that he hadn't even talked to Ares about the joust. Using a small puppy he borrowed from one of the farmers and a plate of extra rare steaks, lights some candles and places a sensual picture of Aphrodite. ".....Come on Ares. Come out.", Dionysus spoke to the effigy, he waited a few seconds for anything to happen but nothing did. "Oooookie dokie, I'm just going to "enjoy" myself with this really sexy picture of Aphrodite", Dionysus taunted the effigy hoping it would get his attention. He takes the picture of Aphrodite and slowly hovers it near his groan, as he was about to even let the picture touch, the loud thunderous sound of an explosion echos outside of his winery shed. "Aaaaaand just in time." he grinned from ear to ear, now with the star of his joust just outside his door, he could finally get the event going. He walks to the door, opens it and sees Ares nearly towering over him with the biggest frown he's given so far.

Ares quickly gabbed the photo from Dionysus. "Ok you fat fuck what do you want?" He growled. He looked behind Dionysus to see the crudly made effigy, pushed him aside to at least eat some steak and make sure the dog was ok.

Dionysus didn't expect much from Ares outside of agreeing to joust. "So buddy, ugh I was wondering....you don't having any plans this afternoon do you?" Dionysus nonchalantly asked. He turned to see Ares chewing on the steak with his bear hands while sharing his steak with the puppy. "I know you're ugh.... busy man....but I know you're going to.love this." He continued.

Ares wasn't much for Dionysus's brand of fun unless it resulted in copious amounts of bloodshed. In fact, most of the time when he would come to Dionysus, it was mostly to get wine or get drunk before certain battles. He was skeptical, but than again there really wasn't any current wars he could participate. It had seemed the entire country was focused on other matters, so indeed he was very much bored. "Wut is it?" He spoke with a full mouth.

Dionysus grinned, "well... would you like to joust with me? For my little 'games'? I mean, I know it isn't much....buuuuuut the people will love it."

Ares was interested but not convinced yet. A joust wasn't going to satisfy him enough, there had to be more to it. "Ok....what's in it-", he swallows his mouthful of steak,"- for me?", He asked as took another bite of meat, giving a little piece to the puppy again.

Scratching his head at what could Ares possibly want, "well...I know that if I win...I just win. After all, the audience likes it when the local god wins right?", Dionysus bargained. "I mean, it's not much but that all depends on what you want, big guy.", he knew Ares wouldn't be creative enough to want something outside of anything material or in some cases bragging rights.

Ares paused to think of the best way to painful screw Dionysus over. He thought of how Dionysus prided himself for his wine, but what was a god of wine going to do with wine. He remembered Dionysus's love for his big cats, he could always get Dionysus to kill his precious leopards, but no....he wants something far more precious. "How about this...." he lightly scratched the puppy behind it's ears, "...if I win, I get to be the local god and keep Delphi, you stand down...aaaaaand I fuck your wife.", he said through a menacing smile.

The mischievous grin that Dionysus sported had died into a panicked look, "wait wait hold on man, this is for fun." he responded hastily. Never would he have expected Ares to actually name such conditions. "Seriously, you can't just take my town and my wife if you win, that's....just fucked up....plus NO, I refuse to agree to those terms.....", Dionysus was flustered, what started out as an innocent challenge between brother quickly escalated into something a little more mean spirited.

Ares stood there looking at Dionysus, mildly disappointed that he wouldn't agree to what he believed was completely reasonable terms, "ok whatever drama queen, than I'm leaving.", he walked out of the shed. "Fucking wasting my time with your little circus act and shit. I mean I thought you liked having fun, whatever I guess you're too much of a pussy." he continued.

As much as the ownership of Delphi, the safety of the residents and his wife's honor was at stake, he couldn't just let Ares walk out from the joust. He didn't care about why or what Ares thought of him in the second, he was already too deep into the situation given not only he was not allowed to sleep in his own bed until after the Dionysia, but he disappointed Ariadne with his stubborn attitude. "Hold on, ok if you're going to play "Mr.Edgelord", than if I win......I become the new god of war aaaaaand...you have to wear a dress....for an hour and I will NEVER let anyone forget that", unlike the rest of the brothers, Ares was too prideful of his masculinity to ever wear a dress and the idea of his title as "The God of War" would also be a stake. This was too juicy of a bet. Dionysus's whole world was either going to include the chaotic attributes of war....or he was going to lose everything.

In mid-step, Ares turned around, his button has definitely been pushed, but the challenge was too irresistible. "Now you're talking fun.". He walked up to Dionysus, took his arm and gave it a sportsmen's shake. "Fine, I'll join your little circus. When...and where?", he stared down Dionysus hoping to throw him off even before the joust.

Dionysus wasn't really sure what Ares was doing and why was he staring at him for so long, but now he had to put up some effort in the joust, perfect for a performance. "Ha, you're on...just ugh go over there in the meantime...chill...I don't know it will be hours before we do it.", he informed. He pointed at tent in a field that was overlooked by the winery shed, it was prepared for the participants of the games, which was loaded with all the essentials any Dionysian needed.

Glaring at the overly lavished tent on the field, then his glance glazes over the rest of the field, it really was a bit like a circus. Ares takes a deep breath, rethinking if it would be worth winning given he will have to wait for a few hours before the joust, than be remembers he gets to turn this land into a training ground for an army fit for a king. "Ok.....do...you have anything I can do?", he asked.

He looked at Ares and said in a serious tone, "if you're planning on lifting bro, you're shit out of luck....you can....drink, you can.....fuck.....you can......eat.....you can take naps.....some of the folks are doing improv....I mean THATS something you do....I don't know. Just....relax or something.", Dionysus knew nothing worsened Ares's mood then a lack of exercise and anything he liked. "Aaaalso there is only wine.", he added. If Ares was going to be serious about his wager, he needed to insure that Ares was going to lose.

"Dude...that's ..... fucking lame.....I'm just going to take laps, can't wait to fuck your wife.", Ares left without saying another word. Dionysus was a bit floored, but the day was young and there was plenty of time to make sure he would win the joust. He was about to run to find some of his more "violent" maenads when he heard someone shout his name from the field.

"DIONYSUS YOU ARE NOT GOING TO FUCKING BELIEVE THIS!", it was Hermes, he ran through the field, up the hill passing Ares (who apparently didn't even notice him) and right up to Dionysus. "Ok holyshit you're never going to guess what me and Artemis found a few days ago! I was going to tell you about it but I had to find dad and I can't find him than I had to run around Greece looking for him an-" he felt Dionysus placing his hand on his head in attempts to calm him down.

Dionysus unfortunately wasn't in the mood to hear Hermes, but he was in the mood to ask him for help. "Hermes.......I've made a horrible miscalculation.", he told him, looking at Ares angrily uses a log to do bench presses. ".....I got what I wanted...but my....fucking self....I am in quite a pickle.".

Hermes was still processing all he has been doing the past four days, but somehow he had to know what happened. ".....what....are you talking about?", he calmly asked. He looked at the field, than looked at Ares, than he looked at Dionysus. "Why is there a circus in front of your house?", he can see Dionysus's face.

Taking a deep breath, "Hermes do you remember that time I joked about the idea of me and Ares.... jousting or something?", Dionysus asked.

"ugh....yes I think.", Hermes was now starting to worry if there is something even worse than semi-immortal wolf people. "But seriously man there's some weird fucked up things happening.", he continued.

Dionysus chuckled a little, "well....I hope you're ok with cheating. I really need your help.", he looked at Hermes in hopes he knows he serious. Hermes however, whom just arrived, is getting a terrible feeling there will be hijinks.

End of Chp8

[angelubasco]

"YOUR MIND AND BODY MATTERS"

-October 28, 2020

Have you ever check upon yourself? Especially your mind and body? And if so, when is the last time you did it? As of now that the worlds facing a pandemic it is important to monitor our mind and body not just on the month of celebration about mental health. Many news are coming out about their physical and mental health to their family and personal problems in life especially those students who are having difficulties on their online classes. There are lots of sayings that this is not good for them as you browse on different social links that is based from their experience and it is sad to say that most students felt depression and anxiety that they killed themselves because their minds are full of pressure about simultaneously deadlines/activities and felt sick beacuse of having a lack of sleep. This is one of the examples I have cited that I wanted to encourage my fellow students to ask themeselves right now this kind of questions, "How healthy is my mind and body?" & "Am I truly happy and enjoying what I am doing?". Because we can't deny somehow we feel lost and empty. That's why it is important to assess if we are still okay about our physical and mental health because both are interconnected as our thoughts affects our physical body.

According to Newport Academy (2019), "The mind and the body are not two separate entities—although they are often treated that way. Physical health and emotional health are intimately intertwined in what’s known as the mind-body connection.

Our chemistry and biology impact our mood and emotions, as well as thoughts and beliefs. With all of these factors combined, they play a major role in influencing our stress and physical health. If you’ve ever felt your stomach tighten up when you were anxious, you’ve experienced the mind-body connection."

If you are one of this kind of students who doesn't have healthy mind and body or who wanted to know how to maintain your mind and body strong and healthy, here are Eight Habits for you according to Valentine (2017).

1. Exercise using something you love

Physical exercise has been shown in countless studies to help reduce stress, increase energy, improve mood, and even help make us more creative.

Great right? However, advice on how to make exercise a habit is a bit lacking. That’s because exercise can be a really difficult habit to stick to. But if there’s one thing I’ve found really helps stick to physical exercise and make it a long-term habit it’s this:

Exercise in a way that allows you to enjoy something you love.

You have to really look forward to working out. Whatever it is that you do, whether it’s running, lifting weights, doing cardio, martial arts, Yoga, or something else, you need to pick an exercise method you really enjoy.

For example, I love martial arts. I’m a lot more likely to stick to my work out while doing that than running or lifting weights. On the flip side, if there’s no particular exercise-like activity you enjoy, maybe you really love music. Play all your favorite music during your workout and you’ll notice yourself far more likely to get up to exercise. Another option is listening to podcasts about your craft while running.

Either way, exercise is a big one, so find a way to make it work for you.

2. Meditation

Meditation is another huge one. However, meditation isn’t really what most people think it is.

If you don’t like the traditional idea of meditation, you can meditate while doing virtually anything if you use the right method (i.e. mindfulness meditation). Also, studies have shown that as little as five to ten minutes of meditation offers great benefits, so don’t think you need to sit for a half hour every day. You really don’t.

Similar to physical exercise, there are several different methods and forms of meditation, so do a little adventuring and experimentation to find a method and form that works for you. Everyone is different and different methods of meditation tend to work better for different people.

3. Mindful walking

This is easily one of my favorite activities on this entire list, but it’s also the most obscure. Mindful walking, also known as walking meditation, is meditation in motion. It can be done formally as a dedicated practice and informally by paying attention to your steps and what is going on around you as you move.

This is great for many of the reasons formal meditation is (albeit less concentrated), however, there’s another big reason to do mindful walking: it helps you tune in to the body.

Sometimes, things occur in the body that we don’t notice. Oftentimes, chronic issues and illness begin to creep up in ways often unseen. However, by learning to tune in to the body with mindful walking, we can notice these things arise before they become more of an issue.

It’s a hard thing to explain, but it’s been infinitely useful to me. In many ways, this one exercise gives us a way to check in with both the mind and body on a regular basis and in an incredibly convenient way while going about our daily activities, so its place on this list is well-earned.

4. Rise early

Rising early is something I took years to develop. However, it was so worth it.

There are positives to staying up late, particularly if you find that you’re more productive or creative during late night hours. However, in general, I’ve found that the majority of people are most productive in the early morning hours.

In addition, though, waking up early and adopting a morning routine that prepares you for the day helps you start each day off with the optimal state of mind to tackle problems and make decisions, something incredibly useful for everyone no matter what your profession.

So, if you’re not already, see what waking up a little earlier does for you.

5. Adopt a nighttime routine

On the flip side of that, adopting an effective night time routine that puts your mind in the right state before bed and helps maximize the quality of your sleep is also incredibly beneficial.

Unfortunately, most of us in the West just don’t value sleep enough. We tend to place work above well-being and prefer to leave sleep for when we die. However, two decades of scientific research now says this isn’t just a bad idea health-wise – it’s unproductive.

Take some time to craft a simple but effective nighttime routine and I promise – you won’t regret it.

6. Remove sugar, add water, get your food from the source

This is the basic recipe I follow when it comes to nutrition advice.

Over the years, I’ve learned a lot and tried so many different things with regards to nutrition. At this point, my ideology on nutrition is pretty relaxed. And it’s never worked out better.

There’s a ton of advice out there and, rightfully, it can be pretty confusing. So, I’ve chosen to follow a pretty simple mantra that offers me roughly eighty percent of the benefit of any particular diet while doing about twenty percent of the work to get that benefit. It’s this:

Remove sugar: Sugar is bad. Really bad. Occasional sugar is just fine, even daily, as long as you try to keep it under 50g at an absolute a maximum (30g even better).

Add water: Buy a dedicated flask just for water and you’ll have a one thousand times higher likelihood of sticking to the habit of drinking water daily. About eight to ten cups is fine, but you should look into what your specific amount is based on your body weight.

Get your food from the source: Do you have a farm where you live? Or a farmer’s market? Awesome. Section of your grocery store with local farm foods? Pretty good too. Also, this refers to what food you eat as well. Put a little more whole foods into your diet or get a juicer.

Keep it simple and use this method to get most of the benefit of altering your diet while saving you time to focus on what’s most important to you.

7. Find friends who identify with your challenges

We’re social creatures. No matter what you do, you can’t escape this.

And so, by virtue of this, the more social we are, the healthier we tend to be.

However, there’s something very specific about relationships that helps us more than anything else: having people around us who identify and sympathize with our challenges and who we communicate with often about those challenges. The lack thereof is often the reason for suicide in those who suffer from depression or bullying.

When we have people around us who listen and understand what we’re going through, something magical happens: we get through it (what it is for you). It’s a very simple thing that we often overlook but is so critical to our mental and even physical health.

8. Find a passion project or creative outlet

If you’ve been pursuing something you love for some time now, I don’t have to tell you how great it makes you feel.

The energy we get while pursuing our passions is limitless and gives us a sense of vitality that is hard (if impossible) to acquire any other way.

Using our brain regularly keeps our mind strong and moving helps keep us physically healthy, so if you haven’t yet taken the time to find what you’re passionate about and to start pursuing that with every fiber of your being, start now (before it’s too late).

There's no harm in trying, our mind and physical gives us energy. A person who can change his/her mind can change his/her lives. Always remember health is our wealth. Keep on checking and doing the things you love.

Sources:

Newport Academy, (2019). Understang the Mind-Body Connection. https://www.newportacademy.com/resources/mental-health/understanding-the-mind-body-connection/

Valentine, M., (2017). 8 Habits You Need to Lock Down for a Strong, Healthy Mind and Body. https://www.goalcast.com/2017/12/14/8-habits-healthy-mind-and-body/

[headoverjojo]

I’m a big fan of cute fluffy stuff, can I get some fluffy Domestic head cannons with Bruno and his gang?

Hello hello dear! Awwwwww, sooooft :,) I hope it is what you wanted! In case, please dm me and I’ll write right what you want :3

Fluffy domestic headcanons for Bruno’s gang

(Under the cut for length!)

Bruno Bucciarati

Every morning, when he wakes up, Bruno spends at least ten minutes watching the sea from his window. Seeing the sea, doesn’t matter if placid or stormy, gives him the strength to start the day. It’s also a way to honor his passed father: he feels connected to him, for some minutes, and it gives him peace.

Even if he usually has lunch out, almost always with his team, he prefers to eat dinner at home. On his home road, he stops by some small stands to buy sometimes some veggies, sometimes a bit of meat, when he feels like he wants to eat fish then he stops directly at the docks, where he knows some trustworthy fishermen, and buys here the fish. He likes to take his time while cooking, humming and putting on background a soft low CD. It’s the moment when he finally starts to relax for real.

Evening are usually spent chilling on the couch -or on the porch, if the weather is warm enough- reading or watching a show that keeps his interest. Bruno never goes to bed late, as he follows a rigorous routine -and he needs his beauty sleep-, so, around 10-11 p.m., the day, for him, is ended and it’s time to sleep. He usually sleeps with a light pajamas even in winter, and he’s one of the lucky people who fall pretty fast asleep.

If he’s a s/o, he’d share all those moments with them: he’d brew coffee for two and would take them a mug, watching with them the sea in a still half-asleep state, hugging them, in the evening he’d prepare dinner -with them if they are at home-, while quietly chatting and chuckling with them, and would go to sleep early, hugging them tightly and keeping them safe in his embrace which tastes like home.

Leone Abbacchio

Abbacchio doesn’t get a lot of sleep, definitely not as much as he’d need, due both to insomnia and recurrent nightmares. When he wakes up, early in the morning, he’s groggy and grumpy and doesn’t like to talk to anyone before his second cup of coffee. If someone dares to do so, he just grumbles, but by now all the gang knows how to interpret his morning mumbles and growls.

He learned how to cook when he was at the police academy -he’s not from Naples and he had to move in when he was accepted in the academy, so he had to learn fast how to live alone- but by now he’s a bit rusty. He just… doesn’t enjoy to cook just for himself. So he usually prepares something simple -but he’s actually pretty good when someone is his guest- and then does at least one hour of work out, following his old policeman habits. Doing his exercises helps him, other than keep his body in shape, to relax his mind in the reassuring routine.

Sleep doesn’t come easy, even when he’s so tired that he’d just like to hit the wall with his head to fall asleep. He has a small television in his room, which he synthonize on the most boring channel he can find while zapping, hoping that a 4 hours documentary about the daily life of sloths could lull him to sleep, in vain. He usually ends up watching all the show or reading all the book he had picked up -usually one of Fugo’s tomes-, falling asleep usually around 4-5 a.m.

Almost paradoxically, with a s/o things would be slight better, especially if his s/o is patient with his shenanigans. If they chuckle at his grumbles, instead of being annoyed, they’d make him start the day with a smile instead of a pout; a kiss before going on mission or wherever he has to meet with the others would improve considerably his day; dining with someone and not alone would greatly improve his mood and he may find again his hobby for cooking; sleeping with someone would tame his demons and nightmares. He’d fall asleep faster and more serenely when his s/o gently caress his hair and rub his scalp, making him feel safe, at home.

Guido Mista

Mista is not a morning guy. He’s also not a person who oversleeps too; he’s up around 8-9 a.m., not at the ungodly 5-6 a.m of Bruno and Abbacchio but not even around 10-11 a.m as Narancia. Once he gets his 6-7 hours of sleep, he’s up. In the morning, he likes to take things easy, if he hasn’t a mission or a meeting: he takes his time to brew coffee, he eats his biscuits sitting on the windowsill, after giving his Pistols their beloved salame, usually he has to divide the babies that are fighting -usually 3 and 5- and then, finally, he takes a shower. His morning routine requires more or less one hour.

Especially if he’s back from a mission, he loves to take his time also to go home -or the HQ, if he feels like to stay here for the night-. He wanders through the so known streets, sometimes stopping to chat with someone he knows, sometimes stopping just to admire the landscape… he loves it. It reminds him that he made it again, that he has more time to live and that he’s finally home. Then, he usually heads to the HQ for dinner, as he doesn’t like to dine alone. Meals are something to share with his family!

He doesn’t have a precise time to sleep. It may be early, if he’s tired, but also late, if there’s a show he likes or he’s busy chatting with Narancia and Fugo. On weekends he usually sleeps at his small flat, but during working day he usually stops by the HQ also for sleeping, since it’s more convenient. In any case, he tends not to go to sleep after 12-1 a.m., even if his friends are still up, and sleeps just in his boxer. He’s a warm boy.

If he has a s/o, he’d sleep at home with them, no stories. He loves to wrap his arms around them while sleeping, keeping them warm and safe! In summer this could be a problem, but in winter it’s so damn perfect. And waking up near Mista is wonderful! His sleepy smile is the cutest thing around. And the Pistols would surely go to them to be spoiled, nestling on their hair and shoulders, making Mista huff and grumble about their behaviour. They’re like children, in the end!

Narancia Ghirga

Narancia is definitely not a morning guy. If he hasn’t a mission -and even so, he’d grumble, even if not actually complaining about- he loves to sleep long in the morning, all wrapped around his pillow, a happy smile on his face. Usually, it’s Fugo the one who throws him off of bed, mumbling that it’s late and he has to get ready, while opening the window. Even if he whines and complains, Narancia gets up and immediately shoves his face in the sink full of cold water, both in summer and winter: it’s his only way to wake up properly. Then he usually dresses quickly, running down in time for lunch with all the gang.

In the afternoon, after a mission or a meeting, he likes to go out to have some fresh air or, if he’s pissed off, to steam a little. If Mista is available, he’d go around with him; if not, he’d go to a secluded place where he can make Aerosmith fly as he likes, training on aim and range. He always felt like he was the only one Bucciarati didn’t “want” in the gang -he knows that Bruno did it not ‘cause he thought he was weak, but because he wanted him to have a normal life far from mafia, but it still stings- so he wants to prove both to him and to himself too that he is, instead, worth of his place. He’d come to the HQ when darkness is about to fall, to help Fugo cooking.

Narancia in fact is a person who falls asleep easily and on any surface. He just doesn’t want to sleep! Life is too short and he’ll sleep when he’s dead, he always says it. He stays up to chat with Fugo or Mista, huffing when they go to their room, usually after midnight - 1 a.m., and so he stays up watching some show on the TV or playing a video-game. If Bruno is in the HQ, he has to be careful not to be catched, or papa Bruno will scold him! But usually he’s pretty good at keeping things silent, during night, until he falls asleep face on pillow.

If he has a s/o, his days would be way funnier! He’d never make them feel alone or “forgotten”, as they’re his sun and moon. In the morning, he’d try to keep them in bed a bit longer, to cuddle a bit, while pouting in his adorable way that always, always makes them melt in a puddle of sweetness. He’d try to spend as much time with them as possible, since he’s often out for missions! With them and his friends and family. It’d be the perfect day! And then dine all together, chatting on the couch or on the balcony after dinner, staying up and cuddling together… Narancia can’t think about something better. Who needs heaven, when his is already on Earth?

Pannacotta Fugo

Fugo is definitely a morning person. Since his early childhood, he was used to get up rightly at 7 a.m. and by now he can wake up precisely at that hour even without alarm. He usually needs a good cup of strong coffee, in the morning, to properly get up, since it’s sure that he stayed up late, the previous night, to read. After a light and quick breakfast, he usually takes a shower, but then, once he’s all ready and dressed, he spends a bit of time just watching as the city slowly wakes up. By 7.30 a.m. the city starts to really get into business and Fugo is fascinated by how people run back and forth, how life pulses so hard and strong… even if he actively started to be part of that pulse, sometimes he still feels like he’s just a viewer of a bigger show. Not a bad show… just one he’s still not completely accustomed to actively join.

After a mission or a hard meeting, Fugo loves, and needs, to have even just half an hour for himself, to cool down. He usually goes to some park or to the library, to finally find some peace. He loves to lose among the books labyrinths, to pick a book and read a small part and then put it back, to explore new parks and find the most quiet spots… it makes him feel at ease, like he can breathe again. This, however, doesn’t last long; as much as he loves to spend some time alone, he also came to appreciate the time he spends with his family. And so, he soon goes back to the HQ, to join Mista, Narancia or Giorno in some chats; sometimes, if the topic can pick enough his interest, he slips into the teenager he really is, almost surprising even his teammates.

Fugo suffers of insomnia. He always did  but, while before he grew angrier and angrier when he couldn’t sleep, ending up in total sleepless night because of his nervousness, now he just shrugs it off and waits in a resigned patience. Soon or later he’ll sleep, he always says. And so he usually stays up late, chatting with Mista, Narancia or Giorno, when Gold Experience’s user doesn’t go to sleep early, and then, more or less around midnight, he retires in his room. Here he lays down with a good book and reads and reads, going on until his eyelids are about to finally fall down. In the end, this method guarantees him at least 4-5 hours of sleep every night. Not enough, he perfectly knows, but still way more than before.

If he has a s/o, he’d adapt his routine to theirs. If they have a day off and they can wake up later, he’d stay more in bed -if he doesn’t have any morning errand to do-, just hugging them and relishing in their warmth until they wake up. He’d love to spend his time with them and less time alone, as their presence represents the peace he needs. If they also want to go to the library or to the park, then it’s wonderful! Spending time with them in a quiet place is the best he can ask for. Dinners would be even better, now that they’re here! And after dinner chats too, it’d all be better, with them around. More colorful, brighter. And he’d sleep even a bit more, especially if they let him nestle on their chest, relaxing under their caresses and cuddles or if they softly read aloud a book, lulling him to sleep. Fugo’s quite cute while he sleeps, his lips softly bent in a small pout, his pale eyebrows which furrow and relax… plus, especially if he’s really tired, he tends to hug tightly, as to never let them go and keep them safe and sound.

Giorno Giovanna

Mista sometimes pokes fun at him for this, but Giorno rises literally with the sun. In winter he rises later and in summer earlier, rightly following the sun, without forcing himself. It’s just like he feels it! He usually dresses and takes a shower, before going down to have breakfast, mostly because he wears curlers. Three big curlers on his forehead, those donuts don’t form by themselves! Even if he likes to make the others think so. He usually has breakfast with Fugo or, if he’s at the HQ, Bruno, quietly chatting and drinking his beloved morning tea. His day can’t start before a good cup of tea and a sweet, he needs it!

Giorno has a deep passion for gardening and mostly without using his Gold Experience. It doesn’t seem, but, even when he was at the high school campus, he was the one who always helped the gardeners with plants and flowers. He has a natural talent with it! Even at the HQ, Giorno found a small space to transform in “his” garden -which is, in fact, the communal garden- and, when he has a bit of time or needs to relax after a mission or a meeting, he hides here, among his beloved plants. Sometimes it can happen that he cheats using GE to refresh some flowers he particularly likes, but it’s really rare. He feels so good and at ease among plants, his little garden is the most beautiful of all the neighborhood! For once he feels good in something, after a childhood and early teenage years spent always hearing that he wasn’t enough and that he wouldn’t ever done anything good in life. It’s his way to take his “revenge” on those words.

Like he rise with the sun, when the sun starts to set down he starts to feel sleepy. In summer it’s not a problem, but in winter it can be an issue that could need even a cup or two of coffee to be solved. He tries to stay up as much as he can, as Giorno loves to hanging out with his friends, chatting, laughing, being for a bit the young boy he still is… but when Mista has to nag his shoulder to keep him awake, Giorno calls out the day and, after bidding his goodnight, retires for the night. After putting on the curlers, he nestles under the blankets, hugging his pillow or, even if no one knows it, a peluche; his mother never showed affection to him, she almost never took him in her arms and so, to fight the deep touch starvation he felt, little Giorno hugged pillows and peluches, wishing to be hugged back. It’s a habit he still has, even after so many years.

If he has a s/o, hugs are the keyword. Even if he comes out as wary, at first, once the relationship is stable and he trusts them with his whole heart, touches are really common among them. Giorno wakes up all wrapped around them, mumbling in his sleep, and it’s such a cute sight that his s/o can just melt in a puddle. They have to cuddle him! And waking up while feeling their lips on his cheeks or on his forehead, under his curlers, while their hands gently rub his scalp or back, is the most beautiful feeling in all the world. The day then goes on with a quiet breakfast -where Giorno often loses himself softly caressing their free hand- and then, when he’s done with missions and meetings, if they’re willing to he’d love to spend some time with them in the garden, simply chilling out or actively gardening, he doesn’t care as long as he’s with them. Dinners are wonderful, now that he has a family to share them with; and he’s so cute when he starts to get sleepy, losing his usual composure and yawning while rubbing his eyes and face to stay awake! When they’re finally in bed, he loves to nestle near them, hugging them tightly and visibly sighing in relief when they hug him back. It’s like a dream become true…

[abgailgibbs]

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[eldritchsurveys]

945.

When did you wake up today? >> I woke up at like 4a at first, and then finally fell back asleep sometime after 6a, and woke up for good at a little after 8a. IDK why this happens, but it’s really annoying when it does.

Are you a breakfast person? >> I don’t know what a “breakfast person” is. I do eat a meal in the morning...?

How often do you exercise? What type of exercises? >> I don’t exercise. It’s difficult for me to find something engaging and fun enough for me to stick with it. When the weather cools off a bit I will probably take up morning walks again, but right now I’ve reached my limit with summer conditions and can’t be motivated to willingly drench myself in sweat.

Any favorite TV shows? >> Plenty. Here are three: Person of Interest, The Dragon Prince, Hannibal.

Do you pay attention to the news? >> I read news articles sometimes, when the subject matter is of interest to me or I want to get the full story behind something. Also, I get daily emails from The Flip Side, so that’s a bit of news every morning.

Do you ever donate a dollar to fast food charities? >> Not usually. I also am rarely at fast-food restaurants, so.

What type of books do you like to read? >> I like a wide variety of books -- genre matters less to me than whether the content is written in an engaging manner and whether I care about either the characters or the subject matter presented.

Have you ever enjoyed a reading assignment for school? >> ---

Did you get to decorate your own bedroom? What's it like? >> As a child? No. Now? Yes, because I’m an adult and I pay rent here so I can do whatever I want with my own room. It’s not really decorated in a specific manner, though, like it doesn’t have a ‘theme’.

What size bed do you sleep on? >> Twin, because that’s what fits in my room. Fortunately, I am a relatively small person.

Do you wake up easily to alarms? >> I would if I used them.

Do you stay up unnaturally late at night or do you get to bed early? >> I don’t think I go to bed particularly early or late. Ten PM seems a pretty neutral bedtime.

What are you usually doing if you're up late at night? >> If I’m up late at night, it’s most likely because I couldn’t get to sleep no matter what. It’s definitely not on purpose.

Do you keep anything on like a fan or the TV while you sleep? >> I have the fan on in summer because otherwise the heat would kill me. But I don’t like the noise, I prefer silence when I’m in bed.

Do you procrastinate with deadlines? >> I don’t usually have deadlines.

Do you put a lot of effort into school? >> ---

What food could you absolutely live off of? >> I don’t think I could live off of any food (barring survival situations, of course). I require an array of nutrients just as much as anyone else.

What do you get when you go to the movies? >> An alcoholic beverage, sometimes. Otherwise I don’t usually buy concessions, they’re too expensive. I’ve definitely sneaked many a snack or beverage into a theater and I’ll do it again.

Where do you like to sit at the movie theater? >> Back center.

If you're just lounging around the house, what are you wearing? >> PJ pants or shorts and an undershirt or t-shirt.

Do you like wearing heels? >> An inch or two is fine. I’d prefer not to wear anything higher than that.

Would you prefer a night in or a night out? >> A night in usually suits me, but depending on the kind of night out, I wouldn’t say no to that either. Definitely been getting nostalgic for dinner-and-movie outings lately.

Do you enjoy being alone, or does it make you feel lonely? >> I do enjoy being alone. It’s nice to just veg out in the apartment doing whatever I want, and I don’t feel like I’m being scrutinised every time I move.

Obsessed with any songs at the moment? >> Not any that I can think of.

Do you enjoy showers, or do you take them cause you need to? What about baths? >> Showers are a bit triggering for me for a tangle of reasons, I don’t enjoy them at all. I never take baths, those are a hard limit for me.

Shower robe or towels? >> I just get dressed immediately after drying off and moisturising.

Do you have routines for waking up and going to bed? >> I clean my face and take my Pill before going to bed. I usually read for an hour after waking up, before getting up for bio stuff.

Do you remember your dreams often? >> Not often.

Do the dreams you remember make sense? >> I usually only remember ones that have some kind of connection to waking life. The more esoteric ones are difficult for my brain to hang onto, I think. They come through less frequently.

How is summer going so far? >> I’ve had my fill of summer and now I am looking forward to fall. That’s the thing about summer -- it’s short enough that by the time I’m tired of it, it’s almost over anyway. By the time I’m tired of winter, the worst months haven’t even hit yet.

Do you spend a lot of time tanning? >> I don’t spend any time tanning.

What would you say occupies your time most? >> The Internet, I guess.

Do you keep your room clean, or are you not phased by mess? >> I try to keep my room clean, although the size and how everything is set up makes it look a little more cluttered than it actually is, which drives me batty.

Do you get hassled to keep a clean room? >> Who would hassle me...? I’m grown, I’m responsible for my own damn room for better or worse.

Do you do your own laundry? >> Sparrow does the laundry.

Do you think graffiti is art or vandalism? >> It’s both. Art from the perspective of me, a passerby who likes pretty colours and funky lettering. Vandalism from the perspective of a building owner or law enforcement official.

How do you like your marshmallows roasted? >> Until they’re crispy? Is there any other way, lol...

How do you get rid of hiccups? >> I don’t do anything, mine go away pretty quickly.

How about brain freezes? >> I don’t do anything for that, either, it’s over in a few seconds.

Do you have any healthy addictions? >> That’s... that’s an oxymoron??? What do you think “addiction” means?

Are you old enough to vote yet? >> Yes.

Is voting important to you, or are you uninterested by politics? >> I am uninterested in politics and yet I still participate in the voting system. I didn’t used to, but I’ve come to understand the importance of participating and so I do my best.

Are you alright at world geography? >> I’m pretty abysmal at world geography. I know where some countries and geographical features are, and I can figure out the general area of where other countries or geographical features would be, sometimes... but mostly I just never put much mental energy into that sort of thing and I’m often wrong.

How about navigating your city? >> I can navigate this city pretty well. I’m good with cities.

What part of history interests you most? >> What part of history doesn’t interest me, at least marginally?

Do you keep your cell phone on you all the time? >> Not necessarily on me, but it’s usually somewhere nearby. ... *looks around* ...Well, right now, it’s all the way across the room, but hey.

Do you answer it when it rings or do you screen your own calls? >> I don’t answer my phone at all. Every call I get is spam or a misdial / someone thinking this number belongs to someone else entirely.

Are you big on the texting? >> I don’t text much because there’s no one to text except Sparrow, who I see every day in person anyway.

Do you like chewing gum or eating mints? >> I like the cognitive effects of gum-chewing. But Orbit changed the formula of my favourite gum so I had to give it up.

Do you use dental floss much? >> I don’t floss.

If you're biking do you wear a helmet? >> I hate the way helmets feel on my head but I understand their importance so I just avoid biking at all, basically.

What is your favorite outdoor activity? >> I’m not sure. Hiking, maybe? I do miss hiking.

Do/did you enjoy living with your parents? >> I did not enjoy it.

Do you have any favorite clothes? >> If I still have an article of clothing, one can assume it’s a favourite of mine. Otherwise I’d just... get rid of it. I don’t like keeping things I don’t enjoy.

How about a favorite pair of shoes? >> I only have two pairs of shoes and I like them both for different reasons / purposes.

How many different types of ID do you have? >> Well, I have a state ID, and a Social Security card somewhere (... I should really figure out where that is, I always seem to misplace those), and a birth certificate. I think those are the major forms in this country (I don’t have a passport, which would be another major form).

Do you always remember your license when you're driving? >> ---

Do you pay much attention to speed limits while driving? >> ---

What do you listen to when you're in the car? >> Sparrow’s iPod, usually. But she got a new dongle for the car and it’s Bluetooth, so now I can play my Spotify sometimes too. I have a playlist specifically for the car that’s my Liked Songs with all the metal and hard rock removed (which is, like, three-quarters of my likes, lmao).

What do you spend most of your money on? >> Rent.

Do you take advice when it's given to you? >> I don’t usually receive advice.

Are you optimistic or pessimistic under the shield of "realistic"? >> I feel like that’s not the whole picture. Some people are plainly pessimistic, some people are pessimistic and call themselves “realistic”, and some people are realistic. Whatever. I think my viewpoint depends on what kind of day I’m having, not some innate preference.

Do you avoid arguments or do you go out of your way to express your views? >> I avoid arguments but not to the point where I never express myself. Sometimes my trauma-inspired aversion to perceived conflict can get in my way, but I try not to let it win every time.

Are you looking forward to the future? >> I don’t usually think about the future. I’m busy enough with the present.

[breathlester]

Play date

pairing: dan howell/phil lester

summary: Dan and Phil need a night off parenthood duties, so they leave their baby son with Phil’s mum and make reservations at a nice restaurant. Only things don’t really go to plan…

genre/themes: parenting, fluff, smut

content warnings: mild sexual content

“Y’know-,” Phil says mid yawn and stretched halfway across the table. “Y’know what we need?”

Dan doesn’t respond, face hanging so low above his mug of coffee he’s inhaling it rather than drinking.

It’s seven in the morning and neither of them have slept for more than three hours.

There was a time when three hours of sleep would have been fine with them. There was also a time when getting up at seven would have been intolerable - at least for Dan - but those times have passed, and though neither of them says it, they are both immensely thankful for this short while of peace and quiet that only the early morning grants them.

Phil tries again, this time lifting his face off his arms. “Dan, you know what we need?“

The other man makes a grumbling noise, not looking up. His hair is a mess of tangled brown curls and his lids are so heavy Phil can barely make out his eyes.

“We need a day off,” he declares.

There are two bowls of cereal on the table in front of them that Phil has managed to pour in his overtired state. He’s forgotten milk and spoons, which proves handy now as Dan extends one hand and shows a bunch of dry cereal into his mouth.

Phil listens to the crunch, crunch of his teeth, then his inevitable cough as he swallows too many shreddies at a time.

“You think?,” Dan replies finally, lifting his mug with a shaking hand to take a careful sip.

His brown eyes blink at Phil, small and blood-shot.

Phil drapes one arm across the high-chair next to him to be able to interlace their fingers, cracking the first tiny smile of the day as Dan’s wedding band presses cold against his skin.

For a while neither of them says anything else, as Dan sips his coffee in silence and Phil is content for the moment playing with his fingers, his head resting on the table again.

He doesn’t realize he’s fallen asleep until said fingers weave through his hair and tickle him awake.

A mewling noise slips off his tongue and he frowns, hearing Dan giggle softly. It takes the greatest effort to crack his eyes open again and he yawns so wide he can feel his jaw click unpleasantly.

“Did you hear what I said?,” Dan asks, seeming slightly more awake now that he’s had his daily dose of caffeine. “I think you’re right. We do need a day off. And a night, for that matter. We haven’t slept through in a week.“

Phil smiles up at him, feeling giddy at the mere idea, until doubts and a sense of guilt seep into his mind. “Are you sure we can do that, though? Just leave him with somebody? Wouldn’t he get -“

Dan interrupts him before he can start to obsess. “Phil, he’ll be fine. He’s been without us before, remember?“

“You mean when we were sent on a BBC thing late at night and he was supposed to stay with my mum until the next day but you got so anxious we drove all the way up north afterwards and picked him up at 4 in the morning?“

Dan blushes and looks down, fiddling with his cuticles. “Yeah, well, he was only a baby then. Now he’s a toddler and we know better.“

Phil catches his hand and pulls it away, up to his mouth so he can kiss Dan’s maltreated fingernails as a silent ‘don’t do that’.

“Let’s call my mum later?,” he suggests. “She’s been meaning to visit us in a while; we could have her over for dinner tomorrow and let her take Charlie home. Then we can take off Friday and go up north on the weekend. I haven’t seen my dad in a bit anyway.“

Dan closes his eyes and sighs happily as Phil’s lips move to the back of his hand, pressing a soft kiss there.

“Sounds like a plan. We should probably give her a fair warning though…“

-

“Sounds to me like he’s moving on to his defiant phase now,” Kath says on the phone. “You boys better prepare yourself for some mean temper tantrums.“

Dan’s slouched on the sofa, forming a new crease on their fairly new piece of furniture. He’d brushed off Phil’s attempts at critique with the argument that he needed to break it in.

“Yeah, yeah, I know. The paediatrician said so, too. The terrible twos and all.“

“Oh, Phil was bad with those. I don’t quite know how I survived.“

Dan bites back a grin, watching Phil stack lego towers on the lounge floor, looking quite a bit more enthusiastic about the building exercise than their small son who’s sat next to him. “Was he? I can hardly see that.“

„Yeah, he’s playing Mr Innocent now. You’d better watch him with Charlie though, I have a feeling he might turn out just as indulgent as his dad used to be. It’s no good for a child to be spoiled.“

Phil looks up questioningly when he feels Dan’s eyes on him. Dan puts him off with a wave of his hand, but Phil pushes out his lower lip and reaches out one hand for the phone.

Dan chuckles. „Speaking of two-year olds – your thirty-two year old is pouting at me because he wants to talk to you.“

She laughs. Dan can hear her clanking with pots. „Ah, that sounds like him. Well, then, Dan. It’s been nice chatting with you! I suppose I’ll sort out the details with him?“

„Yeah, alright. See you soon!“ Dan straightens his back, stiffling a moan as he hears it crack, and gets off the couch to hand the receiver to his husband.

„Hey, mum!“ Phil’s face lights up immediately as it always does when he’s talking to his family. Not like Dan’s jealous, because he knows he’s part of that.

And someone else is as well, for nearly two years now.

„Hey, duck“, he says softly, crouching down next to the infant. „You’re building a nice house, yeah?“

Charlie looks up at him, dark blue eyes wide and honest. „Daddy build house.“

In front of him, Phil has constructed a small tower of blocks. Dan smiles, settling down cross-legged. „Yes, daddy was building one just now, you’re right. But let’s bet you and I can build an even better one, huh? One just like the one we live in?“

As Phil reclines on the sofa, Dan picks up a yellow brick and holds it out to Charlie. „What colour’s this one?“

-

It’s the morning after dinner with Kath and Phil is a nervous wreck.

„And you’re sure you’ve got everything you need? Nappies, toys, his blanket -“

He reaches out to check the baby bag for the third time, but his mother stops him.

“Philip, I’m not an old woman, I promise you I haven’t forgotten anything. Besides, Martyn’s left some of Sophia’s things, including a potty that Charlie can use.“

“I’m sorry, I’m just trying to make sure.“

She reaches out to pat his cheek. “Since when have you become the over-anxious one? Wasn’t it Dan last time who rang me out of bed in the wee hours?“

“Hey, I’ve improved since!“ Dan emerges from the nursery down the hall with a warmly dressed Charlie in his arms.

Kath’s face lights up like a christmas tree at the sight. “Aww, look at you, little man! All dressed up! The neighbours are going to be so jealous, Mrs Hudson’s granddaughter isn’t half as charming as you are.“

Dan laughs, tugging on the jacket his son’s wearing. “I know, right? Phil found it online. It’s got a duck’s bill on the hood and a tail and everything.“

“Me ducky“, Charlie voices confidently, causing Dan to press a kiss to the side of his face.

“Yes, you’re a little duckling, aren’t you, sweetheart?” he coos, smoothing down Charlie’s feathery locks of ginger hair.

Two years ago, Dan would have cringed at words like these, but now look at me, he thinks, gone all mushy and soft. And he’s not even ashamed of it. If it’s true that fatherhood changes people, it’s certainly brought out the best in him and Phil, and they wouldn’t have it any other way, even if lately Charlie has cost them their good night’s sleep more often than not.

The boy calls for his granny, and Dan passes him on to her after one last kiss to his cheek.

Phil observes with a smile how his mother greets the two-year-old, lifting him up and joggling him softly until he giggles.

Dan’s arm snakes around his waist, chin coming to rest on his shoulder; a touch that reassures him without words, ‘don’t worry, it’ll be fine.’

“I’ll best be off then,” Kath says, the baby bag slung over her shoulder and Charlie stood next to her contently holding on to her hand. “Before traffic gets too crazy. You boys enjoy yourselves, yeah?“

She eyes them with a smile playing in the corner of her mouth.

Phil goes red in the face, about to say something when Dan bursts out, “Oh, right! The baby seat!“, and runs off again to fetch it.

-

At five in the afternoon, Dan stumbles out of the shower and wraps himself in a towel. Phil’s playing Muse in his bedroom while getting dressed. He’s banned Dan from the room as if this was their wedding all over again.

It’s good though, it makes Dan feel giddy and even more excited for the night. They’ve reserved a table at a nice place in London they haven’t been to in a while. Living on the outskirts, they rarely visit central London now except for the BBC.

But tonight they will, and considering the traffic they should leave in about half an hour if they want to be on time, Dan realizes with a glance at his phone.

He dries himself off and puts on his clothes – a semi-formal black suit and a white dress shirt, because how long has it been since they’ve had a proper date? Just as he’s done straightening his hair with extra care, Phil calls for him from the hall.

He’s leaning against the wall next to the door, checking his phone as Dan walks up to him.

And fuck, this is one of those moments Dan wants to pat his own shoulder for getting this gorgeous man to marry him.

Phil’s wearing a slim grey suit and the azure blue shirt Dan got him for his last birthday that matches his eyes perfectly. His hair is pushed back casually into a quiff, there’s a subtle waft of his cologne in the air, and Dan wants to eat him up.

“Good, you’re ready.” Phil’s eyes dance over Dan’s frame and he smiles before looking back down on his phone. “Shall we go then? I was thinking we could take a walk along the Thames before, since the restaurant’s right there. You know, work up a bit of an appetite and all that”, he rambles on, taking no note of Dan’s change of mood.

“Oh, I’ve already got quite an appetite, to be honest,” Dan remarks and Phil finally looks up, picking up on his suggestive undertone.

Dan meets his stare, smirking although his heart is beating slightly too fast. Saundering towards him with his hands pushed into his pockets, he allows his eyes to wander as well.

“God, you’re a feast for the eyes, aren’t you,” he says in a low voice once he comes to stand in front of Phil, watching with satisfaction how Phil’s adam’s apple bobs as he swallows hard.

“Dan…”

Dan ignores him, reaching out to smooth the collar of his suit jacket, then grabs his tie to pull him close. Phil’s breath hitches, his eye lids fluttering closed, and Dan can’t lie, he definitely enjoys the little whine his husband gives when he draws out the moment before the kiss.

“I’ve always wanted to do that”, Dan admits, tugging softly again on Phil’s tie to emphasize his words, before Phil lets out a moan and takes the initiative, leaning in to crash his mouth against Dan’s.

Dan flicks his tongue against Phil’s bottom lip, then takes it between his teeth, and Phil’s hands capture his face. When he tips his head to deepen the kiss, Dan wraps his arms around his waist and pulls him flush against his body.

Phil groans, attempting to pull back, which only causes Dan’s mouth to leave his and press tiny kisses to the underside of his jaw instead.

“Dan – we’re going to – be late,” he manages to croak out.

“Oh, screw the walk to the restaurant, Phil, don’t pretend you hadn’t got this in mind when you said we needed a night off,” Dan mutters against the soft spot beneath Phil’s ear, making him shiver.

He sucks a patch of skin into his mouth, biting into it softly, and Phil���s hands slip to his shoulders, fingers digging into his suit jacket. “Don’t l-leave marks,” he warns him, head leant against the wall to allow Dan better access nonetheless.

Dan moves to nibble on his earlobe, causing Phil to whimper softly. He kisses his way down Phil’s neck, fingers fiddling with the upmost button of his shirt. When he manages to pop it open, he pulls Phil’s shirt to the side so he can latch his lips onto the joint between Phil’s shoulder and neck.

Phil whines, running his hands down Dan’s arms in search for something to hold on to. As Dan pulls back to admire the purple mark he’s created, conveniently hidden beneath Phil’s shirt, Phil pushes him against the door.

“We should really leave,” he says, palms pressed flat against the door to both sides of Dan’s head, “if we want to make it on time.”

His cheeks are flushed, his hair is starting to come loose and his lips are red and swollen.

“Who needs dinner when I can have you?,” Dan murmurs, head cocked to the side, glancing up at Phil from beneath his lashes.

“That such a sentence should come from your mouth,” Phil huffs in amusement, still keeping a fair distance between their bodies.

“More than that shall come from my mouth,” Dan smirks and Phil gasps.

"Dan.”

He chuckles, watching intently as Phil exhales heavily, then bows his head until their foreheads touch.

They stare into each other’s eyes for a bit, basking in the simple fact that they’re able to. No child is going to start crying in the background and disrupt the moment, no child is going to walk in on them doing something he shouldn’t see.

They’re alone. And fuck, if they aren’t going to make the most of it.

The next kiss is soft and slow, composed of Dan’s arms around Phil’s neck and Phil’s smile against his lips.

“Love you,” Phil sighs as Dan winds a strand of hair around his finger and tugs on it. As a reply, Dan pushes his thigh between Phil’s legs and breaks the kiss so he can whisper into his ear.

“Say that again.”

A moan tumbles off Phil’s tongue. “D-dan – love y-”

Dan doesn’t let him finish, pulling his fingers out of Phil’s hair and snatching his wrists in his hands in one quick movement. He sucks Phil’s bottom lip into his mouth, revelling in the way Phil thrusts his hips against him eagerly. Interlocking their fingers, he lets go of Phil’s lip.

“Want to take this to the bedroom?”

-

It’s dark and quiet when Dan comes to.

He feels so warm and relaxed it takes him a bit to orientate. He stretches, then flinches as he becomes aware of the soreness in his lower back.

Steady, gentle breaths to his right.

He turns, moving closer to the source of the breaths and the source of body heat, trying to recollect his memory.

Hot breath against his neck.

“You smell like cinnamon and apples.”

“New shower gel.”

A flick of tongue, a sharp inhale.

“Hmm… I like it.”

Soft giggles, muffled by skin.

Oh, right. There was that. Well, that might explain why his ass hurts.

Dan almost laughs at himself. Between their demanding jobs and their even more demanding two-year-old, they’ve gone without sex for so long he’s nearly forgotten what it feels like to wake up afterwards.

But god, was it worth the pain. He closes his eyes again, revelling in the memory.

The sound of skin slapping against skin.

Forgotten words whispered into his ear.

Phil’s hands holding on to his shoulders too hard, not hard enough.

The feeling of heat pooling in his stomach, legs wrapped tightly around Phil.

Breathy moans, high-pitched begging, fingernails scratching flushed skin.

The final thrust, the touch of Phil’s hand that sends him over the edge.

And then bliss – Phil curling up next to him – panting breath, a kiss to his cheek –

He blinks as someone yawns and shifts next to him.

Right, Phil.

He looks so lovely with his hair ruffled and no clothes on, Dan thinks, and I’m the only one who gets to see him like this. A smug smile spreading over his face, he reaches out to wrap one arm around his husband.

Phil reacts by snuggling up to him, face pressed into Dan’s shoulder.

“Hi,” he mutters, voice soft and slurred.

Dan chuckles and presses a kiss to the top of his head. “Hi, love. Sleep well?”

“Hmm…”

He’s ready to happily settle back in and drift off again when one thought rises from the back of his mind, claiming his attention.

“Oh, shit.”

At first he wants to slap himself, but then he just throws his head back and laughs, because fuck it, this was worth it.

Phil looks up at him, his wide, puzzled eyes replicating the expression on Dan’s face. “Dan?”

It takes him a few minutes to stop laughing. “Phil,” he chokes out, breaking off into a hiccup. Tears are sliding down his cheeks, and Phil reaches out automatically to wipe them away.

“What? What is it, Dan? You’re scaring me.”

Dan bites his bottom lip to force the laughter to subside, cradling Phil’s face in his hands.

“Phil, we had dinner reservations,” he says finally, like it’s the funniest thing in the world.

But actually, the funniest thing must be Phil’s face as realization hits him.

“No,” he says slowly.

“Yes,” Dan replies, still chuckling.

“No,” Phil repeats, sitting up and reaching across Dan. “Give me my phone. What time is it?”

Dan finds it on the bedside table and unlocks it, promptly beginning to laugh again. Phil pries the phone away from his hands.

His eyes grow even wider. It’s hilarious.

“Fuck!” he exclaims, throwing the sheets off. “Why won’t you stop laughing? Dan, we’ve got to get dressed, maybe if we hurry we can still make it!”

“Phil, I’m moderately sure they’ve given our table to someone else by now,” Dan says, watching Phil climb out of bed to put on his boxers.

“Why? It’s not seven yet, I mean we’ll probably be a bit late but we can call in and -”

Dan shakes his head, sitting up as well. “Phil – Phil, wait. Phil!”

“What?!” Phil cries out, exasperated and half-dressed. He’s got his underwear on backwards.

“It’s half past six in the morning, not at night!”

-

“Stop laughing already!”

Phil hits him across the head with his pillow.

Dan rolls over on to his back, still choking back laughter. “You have to admit it’s funny!”

“It’s not! I really wanted to go there, Dan!” He looks genuinely upset.

Dan raises one eyebrow. “Are you saying you would have rather gone to this restaurant than have sex with me?”

Phil looks at him uncertainly for a moment. “Yes?”

Dan huffs and turns away from him. “I’ll just pretend I didn’t hear that.”

He’s mostly faking, but it serves to finally get Phil’s mind off their missed reservation.

His arms snake around Dan’s waist from behind, lips brushing his shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers. “I’m not saying I didn’t enjoy the night, though.”

Dan grins, pushing his bum out to earn a gasp from Phil.

“Yeah, I had the feeling you were enjoying yourself quite a bit there, just like your mum told us to.”

“Shut up,” Phil says, pulling back one hand to pinch him, albeit gently.

They settle into silence again, curled up comfortably until Dan mutters, “There’s one disadvantage though. I’m fucking starved.”

Phil groans in agreement. “Pizza would be amazing right now.”

Dan giggles. “It’s seven in the morning. I’m pretty sure they don’t deliver before noon.”

“I think we still have some in the freezer,” Phil murmurs sleepily into his neck.

“Are you serious?” Dan frees himself from Phil’s embrace and sits up, pushing back the duvet. “Then why exactly are we still in bed? Come on, move! It’s time for breakfast!”

Ignoring Phil’s protest, he strolls to the door, swaying his hips as he’s aware of Phil’s eyes following him.

“Don’t you wanna put some clothes on?” Phil asks, the corners of his mouth curled upwards.

“Why?”, Dan replies, eyebrows raised. “Charlie’s not here. Or does it bother you?”

They look at each other for a moment.

Then Phil grins.

“Go preheat the oven, I’ll be right there.”

*** this used to be on my ao3 page (softiejace). i’m taking my phan content down from there for personal reasons but reposting it here so people can still enjoy it :) ***

[entirebodyexercise]

Easy Ways to Give Your Health a Summer Tune-Up

Ah, summer-- the season of wealth, plant and lazy care free days. Who doesn't feel motivated at this time of year? Longer days, even more sunlight and also the promise of fun all motivate us to obtain our act together as well as make positive modifications in our lives. Since we tend to really feel more energised and also favorable in the summer, we're more most likely to stick to health-related resolutions now than we are during the bleak January days that follow the New Year.

Of training course, this doesn't always mean taking on an extreme fitness program or embarking on a week-long juice detox-- although both of these points can be useful, especially during beach period. Instead, tidying up your wellness could be as simple as making those little changes in your daily routine that you know make a difference, but in some way never ever quite stick-- so why not make use of the period's dynamic energy to present these advantageous tweaks on a long-term basis?

To reveal you just how simple it could be to give your wellness a summer tune-up, right here is a listing of easy modifications that will make an actual difference to your wellness, both currently as well as throughout the year:

Get enough sleep

This one might appear a little bit apparent, however the truth is that numerous of us lead such stressed, frantic lives that we do not allow enough time for a full evening's sleep, or are so preoccupied by our concerns as well as to-do lists that we have difficulty dropping asleep when we do retire to bed. Although the days are much longer and also we could be tempted to stay up later, aim to make rest a concern-- this implies making time to loosen up adequately as well as obtain a strong 7-9 hrs of rest. This will boost your state of mind, focus and also look, as well as minimize your threat of weight gain and an array of major illnesses.

Eat more salads

Many leafy eco-friendlies are coming right into period currently, so capitalize on this fresh, delicious produce making a selection of appealing salads. Leafed eco-friendlies are stuffed packed with antioxidants to safeguard against disease and the cost-free radicals that create aging, and they're low-calorie as well as dental filling, which will assist your waist. Miss iceberg lettuce and also attempt darker eco-friendlies - such as rocket, watercress as well as spinach - for maximum benefit.

Start walking

For optimum health and wellness and weight maintenance, most experts advise you do some sort of modest exercising for a minimum of half a day a day, five days a week. For those simply obtaining back into fitness, or those that lack the time or motivation to strike the gym or go for a run, simple strolling could be just as effective. Walk some of the method to work, take a walk during your lunch break, or choose a trek with a team of good friends at the weekend-- all of it matters. Go for 10,000 steps a day for the very best outcomes-- it appears like a lot, however you 'd marvel just how quickly it adds up. Use a digital pedometer or gadget such as a Fitbug to track your progress.

Eliminate simple sugars

Many people criticize carbohydrates for weight gain, however much more usually it's eating the incorrect sort of carbs that's to condemn. Straightforward, polished carbs such as those located in white bread, white pasta and also white rice (as well as biscuits, cakes and also any type of sugary reward) add little nutritional value and also could trigger your blood sugar levels to surge and after that drop, making you really feel exhausted as well as possibly causing fat storage. Wholegrain carbohydrates, nevertheless-- such as those found in brownish rice, wholegrain bread and also pasta, and beans and also beans-- are abundant in nutrients and fiber and offer a slow-moving launch of energy that will fuel your mind and body throughout the day. Change your refined carbs for wholegrain versions for much better health and wellness as well as a slimmer figure.

Get a tune-up

Now is a good time to visit your GP, dental expert, or any other professional if you have any wellness niggles that you have actually been placing off getting examined. Also if you do not, it's not a bad suggestion to obtain a regular check-up to identify any type of troubles before they have an opportunity to obtain major-- this can include high blood pressure, cholesterol, and also mole checks, to name a few things.

Wear an SPF cream

Most of us recognize the threats of sun tanning, however not everyone realises that incidental everyday exposure to the sunlight-- while outdoors, in the vehicle or bus, or through home windows-- could likewise add to early ageing and also, a lot more seriously, skin cancer cells. Safeguard your skin by putting on a daily moisturiser or sunlight lotion with SPF 15 or greater, each day. Apply at the very least 15 minutes prior to heading out into the sunlight, and also make certain you make use of sufficient to coat the skin extensively-- an irregular application won't afford enough protection.

Drink your way to health

This of training course suggests selecting much healthier drink alternatives. As opposed to dehydrating coffee and also sugary carbonated beverages, choose antioxidant-rich eco-friendly tea and also distilled water, both of which assistance hydrate the body and also eliminate toxic substances without adding additional calories or damaging your teeth. They can also help with fat burning because they assist you really feel full and also pleased for longer, as well as some researches recommend that components in eco-friendly tea could really help accelerate your metabolism.

What healthy habits are you embracing this summer?