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lucalicatteart · 3 years ago

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Pretty random post but, just a compilation of information/lore/images for a little species I made up to do adoptable creatures on a game website I use lol. Not sure yet if they actually exist in Nanyevimi (my actual world) or are just an isolated thing for this one purpose, but I guess it still counts as worldbuilding so is worth posting here! :0

(info under read more)

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This isn't extremely comprehensive, but just kind of a bullet point-ish list of details about the species that I have for now, which I may update over time.

- -

~~ Physical Traits ~~

-- Adults are usually about 2 and a half to 3 and a half feet tall

-- Back arms are thought to possibly be residual limbs leftover from them previously having wings in the back. They can be smaller than their normal set of arms, or sometimes larger, and sometimes have weird little feathers/different textured fur on them.

-- They generally can live to anywhere from about 190 - 300 years old. 0 - 15 is considered a child, 16 - 26 is considered teenagers, and by the time you're about 30 yrs old you're actually an adult. 160+ are elders. -- The little dots on their faces near the mouth are actually small holes (though designed in a way that it's not like water falls out of their mouth if they drink or something lol) that they can kind of force air out of to make a little trilling chirping noise, which is thought to have previously been part of their language. It's a leftover trait that many have evolved out of - about half of the Little Creatures are born without these holes, and instead may get piercings there, or draw them on with makeup (which is for appearance only of course, they're not functional) in order to fit in, as culturally it's seen as desirable to have them. -- Some are bioluminescent in certain patterns (usually for those with spotting patterns, some/all of the spots might glow slightly, but it's usually very faint and only apparent in an extremely dark environment).

-- Covered in light fur pretty much everywhere, with it thicker in some places (around hips, neck tuft, armpits and inner sides of joints, etc.), or lighter/just barely fuzz in others (outer elbows, outer side of knees, face, lips, and underside of ears). Though their skin usually matches or is a very similar color to their fur, so this often is not too distinct. -- Forehead 'nubs' can vary from either being so small they're hardly even there, to being large enough to look like secondary horns

-- Little glowing symbol above their head in between their horns just kind of floats there (like a halo kind of) and isn't solid (it's just projected light, so things can pass through it). It usually matches their appearance in some way, and is thought to be a reflection of their magical energy/vitality (can disappear when completely drained (or dead), can be fainter when ill, etc.). As an extremely magically based species (possibly thought to have been created through magic/not even originated from nature (though have still evolved over time as natural beings do)), this can be a significant indicator of health. -- Feet and hands are mostly fur, but do have small light padding in certain spots.

-- Also, feet and hands are very small and stubbly. If their bones and bodies weren't unnaturally light, they probably would have difficulty supporting themselves on them lol

-- Teeth usually are just plain and flat (with some texture for chewing plants and meat), though it's common to have occasional canine-ish fangs. A mouth of fully sharp teeth is rare, but not unheard of. -- Can come in any color really, and it's uncertain what genetically determines this (child creatures often may not look like their parents). Scattered spots are the most common coloring, then stripes, and then other patterns. To have both stripes AND spots is rare, and is seen as lucky in their culture. They most commonly seem to be in bright pastels or dusty lighter colors, so more dull colors (like gray, dark purple, etc.) are seen as rare/unique. -- Don't have reproductive organs or a digestive system (all of their food waste (whatever isn't turned into nutrients) is converted directly into magical energy by their body, and they reproduce magically using a special ceremony), though they do still have most other things (lungs, heart, blood). This atypical biology is also why some theorize they're an artificial creation (though in such ancient times that they've since integrated into the world naturally and nobody is clear on their exact origins anymore). - - -

~~ Culture ~~

-- Ears can twitch or change positions to show emotion, same with the two little feeler things next to their horns. This is part of body language they utilize in reading each other's expressions

-- For diet, they mostly eat fruits, nuts, flowers, leaves, seaweeds, certain species of butterfly (the others they keep as pets), and raw meat (mostly of squirrels and birds and fish, though similar to butterflies, the types they choose are very specific. some are seen as pets/friends, and others aren't, mostly based on mythology and other cultural reasoning.) -- Despite their very tiny fingers/toes, they're actually good at climbing trees and also rocky areas (aided by their very light body weight and tail), so they usually live in little caves they dig out in these spaces.

(the entrances to their homes are usually decorated with many tapestries and fabrics and beads and etc., for privacy, but they rarely have solid doors. They also don't really have windows, though sometimes can in tree-homes, since wood is easier to carve through. They cook and bathe communally in special outdoor centers, so usually homes are just for sleeping, relaxing, and personal item storage. -- The little creatures mostly all live in one area together (in basically a giant secluded lush forest/mountainy area near a rocky coast), though it is large enough that there are different sections and 'neighborhoods' (like, a grouping of homes carved into a cliff wall near the coast/edge of land, a grouping of homes in a particular cluster of trees, a more central area for community events, etc.) -- Though they don't have any reproductive organs or sensitive areas to protect, it's still common to wear clothing as a decoration.

(the fabrics are of course much brighter, patterned and decorative usually, this is just a plain example hgh) -- Since there's such small numbers of them overall, they usually have no trouble keeping up with plenty of food and resources for everyone, and live rather communally. They do all work together when needed to build shelters, gather food, etc., but for the most part they all have a pretty leisurely lifestyle just focusing on crafting, telling stories, etc. -- Culturally they tend to value: glowing things and lights, making tapestries, fruit juices, raising and breeding insects as pets, beauty and natural aesthetics (like putting decorative flowers everywhere all the time, making sure their homes are elaborate, etc.), water, dirt and stones (they have a lot of myths in their society about long lost godlike beings that live underground, so they like to feel close to the earth, and see special minerals or crystals as gifts from the gods. this is also why they see well water (from a deep ground source) as more pure and sacred than the coastal ocean waters they have easier access to). -- The stars are seen as mysterious and slightly scary but also inspiring awe. The canopy of tree leaves over the forest is usually so dense they can't much fully see the sky most of the time (though plenty of sunlight still peeks through), so it's seen as a significant activity to either crawl hundreds of feet to the top of trees, or trek 25 minutes to a clearer area on the coast at night and look up at the whole actual sky, uninterrupted by branches, mapping and discussing the interesting patterns they see in the stars. -- They also sometimes recreate these constellation patterns on the ground with stones, to show them to the gods underground (since obviously living so deep in the earth, the gods can't actually see the sky, but they CAN sense the movement of the stones on the surface and thus read the celestial imagery like braille, a gift from their loyal little creatures above, eager to share their new discoveries.) -- Though they're careful not to over-use magic (it can exhaust their energy or even be physically harmful sometimes) and still find many non-magical ways to do things, the use of magic is well integrated in their society and regularly utilized to aid in certain everyday tasks (lighting, accessing hard to reach areas, etc.), or for special occasions (birth ceremonies, using them for special effects during plays during a harvest festival, etc.)

-- Then this whole last section is just info about how they reproduce through magic -

First, an eye must be taken from each parent (magically!!! It's not brutal or gory or anything, not even painful, and are usually replaced with decorative glass eyes. They consider it a cool accessory as it's culturally common for them)

Then, they wrap both eyes in a large leaf from a special herb that grows on the coast, instill it with magic, and plant the wrapped bundle in the ground in a special area (it's a large covered section of land with a glass ceiling, kind of like a botanical garden museum type of place, with many different unique plants inside, though the central section is used only for birth ceremonies, and the entire place itself is also sacred and not visited without purpose). The new planted eyes are watered every other day using water infused with a special blend of herbs, flower petals, ground up minerals, and insect wings. Within a few months a new tree will rise, and within a few more months there will be huge blooming flowers on it, with what looks like tiny berries at the ends. Only one of these flowers will grow even bigger, with the berry turning into a large fruit, which when ripe will fall gently onto the ground. This fruit is then peeled open, and a child should be inside of it.

It's often clear when the fruit is about to drop because the flower above it becomes significantly more fragrant, filling the entire area with a strong floral aroma (something similar to rose mixed with mint mixed with maybe a jasmine sort of smell), so the parents will camp out in the garden for the few days leading up to it so they can be with the child immediately. New creatures when first born are usually very small, hairless, colorless (like a blank unpigmented ivory sort of color), eyes shut, and will be nearly covered in flowers similar to those on the tree (it's thought that where flowers grow on a child are also where their spotting patterns or stripes will be later on).

Though, they grow very quickly, and within only a few weeks will begin shedding the flowers, growing full fur, open their eyes, and slowly start forming pigmentation. By 4 years old, they will have full colors and spotting patterns and hair, though of course are still smaller than adults. It's rare, but sometimes even up into late teenage years (like 18 - 24 yrs old), some little creatures may still have the odd flower growing on them here and there.

misc related notes:

Creatures can on rare occasion be born with a mutation that gives them 3 eyes, and these people are seen as special since they could have two children if they wanted.

You can usually recognize parents pretty easily, as they'll be the ones with decorative eyes in. This can be seen as a rite of passage, but certain groups culturally are expected not to have children and often keep both eyes (scholars/researchers, hunters, etc.).

Children do usually have a closer relationship with their parents than other adults, but also are often raised at least partially communally, having many other mentors and trusted caretakers out within the community.

The 'instill the wrapped up eyes with magic' portion of the birth ceremony is usually extremely magic intensive and takes at least 10 - 15 sometimes 20 creatures all working together to do the spell. It's thought that part of the tradition of having a feast/celebration after a birth ceremony originated just from the fact that they've used up so much magical energy they all need to lay around and eat food and recover for a while lol.

Since it's just wrapping eyes in a leaf, you could technically have many parents, or craft a child entirely on your own (1 eye), but there's a limit to this. Usually after adding 4 eyes, the children start to be born with various health issues, or the ceremony may not work at all (the fruit is unpeeled and nothing is inside). People generally stick to usually 1-3 eyes at most because of this.

---------- That's all for now! Hopefully I can add more details and silly MS paint scribbles at some point, but I think this covers the basics at least.

#fantasy worldbuilding #worldbuilding #since for some reason I cannot simply design some creatures to be sold to people I have to like.. make at least SOME information #to go with it of course lol #also not sold for real money obviously (I still don't fully understand how that works - I never buy art despite making it lol) I mean just #game currency for the site I posted these on #the website is dappervolk for anyone curious. it's an avatar/pet site kind of like neopets or gaia or etc. lol #ANYWAY #design is kind of similar to ythrili and other species of mine but I think they're cute I guess

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elopez7228 · 5 years ago

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Scenic route 20/47

Read on AO3 : https://archiveofourown.org/works/18268208/chapters/43229774

Start over : https://elopez7228.tumblr.com/post/620919089893933056/scenic-route-0147

***

The conversation flowed amicably and Rey was quite relaxed by the time the Millenium Falcon reached the parking lot of the tourism office.

Maz left the car with one last affectionate pat for BB8, taking a moment to thank Rey for wishing her safe travels.

Inside the immense air-conditioned mass that was the tourism office, a 4-feet-wide digital clock showed the countdown until the next eruption of the geyser.

With nearly half an hour to spare, Rey took a walk through the gift shop. She briefly admired the keychains and postcards, before pausing in front of an item that left her quite perplexed. Bear spray? What on earth was that?

The shopkeeper—who was appropriately decked out in green forest ranger attire—informed her that it was used by hikers to ward off bears in the unfortunate event of an encounter. An accessory that would surely save lives, given the population of grizzlies that roamed freely within the park.

Rey bought one because she knew that only too well. The odds of her being attacked by a bear a second time in so few days were low, but she had learned not to underestimate her natural tendency to conjure bad luck out of nowhere.

Her phone informed her it was almost show time, so she settled on one of the benches installed in a semi circle at a safe distance from the white crater of the geyser.

***

Syed felt like a punk in a playground. She had ended up in the middle a sea of tourists who were all wearing some hideous combination of sun hats, shorts, Hawaiian shirts, cameras, and—she shuddered—socks with sandals. She stuck out like a sore thumb against the pastel masses with her tall black-clad frame, her numerous piercings, and her menacing brass chains.

She cursed Kylo for sending her to hell, far from her friends, her audience, her guns... and him. She had taken multiple photographs of a very sloppily dressed Rey, who had taken the Millennium Falcon for a joyride. Now she was wondering who to send them to. Kylo? Or Hux? Or maybe Snoke?

Theoretically, she was doing this mission on behalf of Kylo Ren. But he had shown signs of weakness that in his interest, she had the duty to report further up the chain of command...his obsession for this little English brat was beyond comprehension.

He used the hunt for environmental activists as an excuse to justify his meddlesome romantic advances, but Syed was no fool. This girl was just a tourist. She wasn’t a secret agent of the Earth Soldiers. She was frolicking about with sunglasses and a cap glued to her skull, sipping some basic frappuccino, bothering bears, and taking selfies. It was improbable, and even impossible, that she was on a mission for an ecologist association that was making dooms-day preparations. She was too relaxed; obviously a woman on vacation, certainly not an agent on active duty.

Syed meanwhile, was always on the clock. It was a shame really, the amount of time had she wasted stalking that bitch.

She finally sent the photos to Armitage Hux. He was particularly pleased when he received an image of Kylo in the throes of passion with his plaything. She didn’t know what he would do with it, but she knew from experience that when Kylo needed a guardrail, Armitage Hux was the man of the hour. He would simply do a little sleight of hand and suddenly the unruly punk would fall back in line.

Everything would be back to normal...like nothing had ever happened.

As for Kylo Ren himself, knowing he needed a bone to chew on, she sent him hourly reports of his little protege, deliberately omitting any mention of the hitchhiker. It was really the only useful information of the day; and she preferred to keep an ace up her sleeve in case he decided to be difficult.

The hitchhiker was nearing the Millennium Falcon again, and Syed went off to disappear into the crowd.

The little woman circled the car for a while, then sat down on the hood, with spectacular ease. She took off her hiking boots and massaged the soles of her feet. Syed rolled her eyes. For fuck’s sake, this old hag was probably less important an update than she had initially anticipated.

When Rey came back, the woman had come down from her perch and was waiting patiently next to the mirror. Rey frowned. People had to seriously stop their fascination with her car. What was that all about?

All her wonder at the sight of the geyser (the truly magnificent explosion of water and steam as high as a five-storey building), faded to give way to an anxiety that was alas, very familiar.

"You’re still here?” Her reaction was harsher than intended, spurred on by the unexpected intrusion.

"I was waiting for you, I hope you don’t mind," Maz replied innocently. “I haven’t found another ride, may we continue some of this journey together?”

Rey regretted her initial inclemency. She reacted too intensely, to everything. She took a breath to force herself to regain her composure. Maz was harmless, but it was easy to see why she was struggling to find a helping hand: the park was teaming with pretentious tourists who were reluctant to change their route or their agenda...and who were suspicious of pickpockets. She had been one of them, after all.

Rey sighed, her shoulders sagging. “Okay, fine...but I’m warning you, I’m doing a tour of all the geological marvels out here.” She said with a smile.

“Fine with me,” Maz smiled in return. “Thank you very much. I promise you won’t even know I’m here.”

Rey swallowed a remark about Maz’s tiny stature, and gently pushed BB8 over to make space.

“It's funny,” Rey observed. “BB8 doesn’t seem at all disturbed by your presence. She’s rather aggressive with strangers, usually.”

“What strangers?” Maz laughs, reaching out to stroke the dog.

"Oh, just one stranger in particular," Rey corrected with a wave of her hand. “It was impossible for him to approach, she would try to bite him.”

“Had they met before?”

“No, of course not. He would have told me if...” Rey’s voice caught in her throat.

Did Ben and BB8 have history? It was unbelievable, and yet...he had immediately shown interest in her, seemingly out of nowhere, when they had joined him in the Jackson Hole Lodge parking. He even outright asked if BB was her dog.

It was a silly question to ask someone walking with a dog on a leash. Why would he need confirmation?

Now that she thought about it, he had asked the same strange question about the Millennium Falcon:

Is this your car?

Obviously, it was hers. It’s not like she was just playing Russian roulette out there, hoping to find a car she could force open in the middle of the parking garage. But it was strange that he tried to make sure.

That said, in his defense, perhaps it was simply because the Millennium Falcon was an infamous bastard of a car. Anyone would have been shocked at seeing a machine like this still in use! Who knows what went on in Ben’s head?

Her face had scrunched up into a worried expression, which did not escape Maz.

"Something bothering you?” She asked in a gentle voice, “maybe I can be of some help?”

"I don’t really know," said Rey, still pensive, as she slowly pulled out of the parking space, "I've experienced some rather unlikely things since I landed in Denver. I wouldn’t even know where to start.”

"Start at the beginning," Maz replied encouragingly. “I've got plenty of time.”

That afternoon, Rey and Maz visited some of the most spectacular geological sites around the volcano: boiling springs that gave way to rainbows, geysers by the dozen, bubbling fumaroles ...they even crossed paths with animals that were once threatened in the wild—but were in total safety within the park’s verdant confines. They came upon placid bison, elk, and bald eagles. Thankfully, they saw neither bears nor wolves. These animals, however numerous, tended not to approach busy trails.

They spoke a lot.

Rey found in Maz an attentive third party, to whom she could open up without fear of judgment, and especially without fear of the rampant sexual tension present in her conversations with Ben. She knew he was attracted to her, he did nothing to hide it. But as a result, she continually wondered if the words he said were sincere, rather than a carefully prepared speech designed to charm her to his bed. He had almost managed to get there, in fact.

In principle, there was no harm to that, she was a consenting adult. And she had to admit that she had savored every kiss, every touch...But her own ardor worried her. Had she flirted with Ben Solo because she wanted him, or because she needed to be reassured, to be held, after what Finn had done to her?

She had to put her heart back in place, heal her wounds, find her inner peace. Only then would she consider Ben Solo.

"You do not want to make him your consolation prize," Maz hummed sagely. “That is rather commendable.”

“I don’t think he cares either way. I mean, we are both consenting adults, but I don’t want to be a trophy...be just another notch in his bedpost.”

"You should talk to him...is it possible you’re mistaken about his intentions towards you?”

Rey narrowed her eyes. “Yes, we need to talk ...” about more than you know.

Maz was from Florida. She was bored of her apartment which sat at one end of the land, and thus decided one morning to go on foot to the other end. She had plenty of time, and improvised her itinerary at random. She had a host of tales to tell about backpacking trips to Central Asia or South America, often far from cities and crowds, and Rey began to wonder how old she really was.

It was impossible to say: her face was both smooth and furrowed, her eyes constantly hidden behind huge triple-focus glasses. Her hands were small but her fingers were long and bony. Despite her diminutive appearance, she seemed to burst with energy, and possessed an exceptional amount of savoir faire.

Yellowstone? She knew every corner of the place. Alaska? She knew which roads to use in which season. London? She had lived there twice in her youth. The Millenium Falcon? She had once owned a car of the same make and model. BB8? Canine behavior was no mystery to her.

What a strange old woman, Rey pondered, finally glad to have good company.

Black Sand Basin, Geyser Basin, Great Fountain Geyser, Lower Geyser Basin...The park's attractions were like cat nip to tourists, including Rey and Maz. It was hard to blame people for coming all the way to Yellowstone form the corners of the globe.

Evening was falling. The day had been exhausting, the traffic was atrocious, and the heat was stifling.

Rey went to the Madison Village campground in the park to reserve a place for the night.

Everything was complete.

Finally able to stop panicking, she was content to sleep in her car in the campground parking. Simple as that.

But what about Maz?

Leaving the campsite's bungalow, she returned to her car. The little woman was standing there, her bag hoisted on her shoulders.

"I’m all done for today," Rey explained, “I'm going to sleep in the car, they told me it was okay as long as I paid parking fees. How about you?”

She gestured awkwardly at the car. “Do you want the back seat? BB8 can come sleep with me...?”

Maz smiled to assuage her fears. “Don’t worry, young lady. I'm used to sleeping under the stars.”

"Right here?! With the bears and everything—“ Rey was incredulous.

“Don’t fret. I’ll take care of myself, you take care of yourself and BB8.”

Rey looked away as the sound of tinkling bracelets faded into the distance. Better not think about it, the last thing she need was an extra dose of anxiety. And besides, she was hungry.

The vending machine at the campsite procured a packet of chips, a flavorless coffee, and a Snickers bar. Dejectedly, she looked down at her meal. It was the food pyramid of sadness.

She wanted fresh vegetables and a hot plate...she would have to plan better tomorrow. These snacks were barely what she considered food.

What was Finn doing now? She couldn’t help but wonder.

He was probably still on the respirator; if there had been any improvement in his condition, Poe would have called her.

What was Ben Solo doing?

That was easy, he was about to give a concert. Rey pulled out her phone. Should she call him or send him a message? She opted for a message.

Good luck with the concert tonight! Not too nervous I hope?

An answer arrived immediately. He wasn’t on stage yet.

Thanks for the good vibes! But I wish you were here in the room.

#reylo #fanfiction #Scenic route #Modern AU

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horseluvr00-ff · 4 years ago

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A Place to Call Home | Chapter 34

Masterlist Here

Rating: T+

Fandom: Marvel Cinematic Universe

Genre/Warnings: action/adventure/family | kidnapping, violence, strong language.

Story summary: It’s been a few months since the Battle of New York. Steve Rogers is acclimating to life when he crosses paths with teenager Katelyn Sanders, a SHIELD recruit and highly valued asset with a dark past. Follow Kate’s adventure from SHIELD asset to Avenger to wanted fugitive over the course of her youth and into adulthood with her Avenging family. Follows Infinity Saga and beyond.

Words: 7,208

Disclaimer: Majority of properties within this fanfic are owned by Marvel/Disney. My OC Katelyn Sanders, as well as a few other unaffiliated things within this fanfic are of my own creation.

Author Note: Relogs are welcome and appreciated :) Please no plagiarism or reposts on other platforms. Updates occur weekly on Fridays, however posts on Tumblr usually occur Saturdays.

Full story available on FFN and A03 here and here

Chapter 34 can be found here on FFN and here on AO3 in full.

Check out a portion of Chapter 34 below:

It's late in the evening, and Kate is out wandering the streets.

While one could argue it was more dangerous than walking around during the day when people were out and about - for Kate - the desertedness of the city made it easier to spot threats. The overwhelming nature of the day, when hundreds of thousands of people roamed the streets, it was difficult for Kate to focus. Walking around late at night however, with fewer people present, brought about a certain clarity.

While Kate's ability granted her many talents, it also made her hyper aware of a whole magnitude of things. Things most people didn't notice or perhaps didn't even have the courage to confront.

Picking up dinner with Clint earlier that day - Kate hadn't planned on doing anything out of the ordinary. Waiting for the agent to return from the restaurant with their takeout was the plan… Until she heard it.

An individual yelling out, proclaiming someone had taken their backpack. Attention already peaked; Kate had found herself pushing off the wall, heading down the sidewalk towards the closest alley before feeling her senses heighten. The sound bounced off walls and channeled her way. As if she had a sort of psychic map in her mind, Kate picked up a jog, making her way through the small maze of alleys until she heard the sound of heavy breathing pick up.

Breaking into a short run, Kate made her way around the corner, gauging her point of impact before running round the corner, left arm extended out she slammed it into an individual's chest, causing their feet to fly out before they hit the ground with a pained grunt-like yell.

Picking up the backpack, Kate had watched as the individual, looking only a few years older than herself, had quickly gotten up and ran away, more fearful than she had originally anticipated.

The whole ordeal had been over as quickly as it had started. The individual that had called out regarding their stolen property eventually ran up to her and Kate returned the property, mentioning that the one who had taken it had dropped it. No need to gloat.

Kate had made her way back to the restaurant quickly, hoping she hadn't been missed, only to see Clint on the phone and looking somewhat nervous.

Yeah, that hadn't been the greatest moment. Especially after Steve's reaction when they got back to the Tower.

Hands deep in her hoodie pockets, Kate continues to walk down the mostly empty sidewalk dimly lit by streetlights. There weren't many people out. The majority of them didn't look all that menacing, but her senses made clear which people projected ill-intent and which didn't. Raised heart rates and tense muscles were prominent in most of the individuals she passed, as if they thought they'd get caught any moment.

While her better judgment told her this wasn't smart, she also couldn't really remember a time when she did something like this. The last time she was "normal" she was probably seven years old. The amount of freedom people her age had- she didn't know… However she felt capable enough to be out here… looking for trouble to stop.

She tried not to dwell on that fact too much - the fact that she was out here late at night looking for trouble - some kind of bad to stop.

Turning down a different block, Kate keeps her eyes ahead but somewhat low on the sidewalk. She could feel eyes turn towards her as she passed people here and there. Pulling her hood over her head, Kate continues on her way.

Aside from the thundercloud over her head telling her she was asking for trouble, the city was somewhat comforting at night. It might be her subconscious understanding that she could handle any individual who may approach her with ill intent, but regardless of the fact, she felt a sense of ease walking down the street, the cold air soothing her.

A string of angered curses suddenly pulls Kate from her thoughts and her eyes snap upwards. Coming to a corner, she looks down the sidewalk seeing two people disappear into one of the alleyways.

"I- said no," A female voice; agitated.

Clenching and unclenching her hands in her pockets, Kate begins making her way down the sidewalk before slowing at the corner of the alleyway where the two people now where.

"You don't seem to understand that me telling you no at work, and me telling you no now, hasn't changed anything-" The woman's fist was curled up tightly, the man in front of her holding her wrist tight enough that she couldn't pull it away, but loose enough that he wasn't trying to fully restrain her.

"I paid you double, you owe me more than a private sh- Can I help you?"

Kate tilts her head lightly, the man now looking over his shoulder expectantly while eyeing her impatiently.

Kate's eyes move between him and the woman momentarily before the woman rips her wrist from his grasp and begins walking towards Kate, and then out onto the sidewalk. Her expression was one of annoyance and frustration but her heart rate gave away how fearful she was as she picked up a quick pace down the sidewalk.

The man was stationary momentarily, the tenseness to his body obvious - ability or not.

Cursing under his breath, he begins walking in the same direction the woman had, going to pass Kate and head down the sidewalk. He intentionally knocks her shoulder with his own as he passes her, causing her to step back a hair before turning to look over her shoulder.

There were certain aspects to her ability that made things not usually visible, known to her. Certain factors helped her to anticipate behavior. Muscle tension, walking pace, expression, even smell by means of odor changes. Fear, anger, and happiness can cause chemical changes related that give off different odors. For example, when someone is afraid, they may sweat, which gives off a distinct odor she can associate accordingly.

Turning on her heel, Kate picks up her walking pace to follow the man.

~0~

A Few Hours Later…

For Tony, sleeping was something becoming harder and harder to come by. It wasn't that he had… trouble. He just had a lot of energy. And ideas and random thoughts would also hit him at odd hours of the night, thoughts he had to act on in case he forgot them in the morning.

He had promised Pepper to give the workshop a break. While he was doing that- she never said he couldn't hangout on the communal floor doing what he most likely would've done in the workshop.

"Jarvis, how's it looking?" Tony questions, the only light in the area coming off the tablet in his hands.

"Diagnostics have been run, sir. Trials are ready whenever you see fit." The AI responds.

Tony chews on his bottom lip lightly for a moment, eyes searching the screen as he looks over the image present.

It was something he had been working on as a side project. Something for Kate. With the kid being around for the foreseeable future, he figured finding something they can work on aside from her ability would be beneficial.

She was an interesting character, Tony had to admit. He usually didn't let much visibly surprise him, but she was a curious individual and he was looking forward to getting her out of her shell. There were certain moments or situations where Kate would surprise him, give someone sass or show a confidence he suspected lurked just beneath the surface - something she didn't reveal very often.

"Sir, Katelyn Sanders is about to get off the elevator."

Tony's brow knits as he looks over his shoulder, eyes meeting the closed elevator doors before he swipes the images on his tablet aside.

"Where's she coming from?"

"The lobby, sir."

"... Uh huh." Tony's lips part slightly as he processes the statement.

This wasn't the first time Jarvis had informed him. Whatever it was the kid was doing - going out at night, she seemed to be coming back alright. It wasn't his place to necessarily scold her for her actions.

The ding of the elevator finally opens and Tony doesn't acknowledge the movement of someone walking out of the space before stopping. In the following seconds, Kate goes to disappear back into the elevator.

"Goin so soon?" Tony speaks up, tapping about on the tablet screen. "You're out kind of late, kid… Three a.m.? Good thing I was down here and not your pops."

A gentle scold… a suggestive scold; not a full on scold.

"I was jus-... I wanted to get some air" Kate responds. She sounded a bit closer.

"Could've gotten some on the balcony," Tony turns and eyes the teen with an amused smirk. She appeared anxious but accepting of the situation.

"Regardless of whatever this is I am now a part of; just make sure you don't do anything rash on these little adventures you're taking." Voice laced with a hint of concern, Tony continues to eye the teen, seeing her gaze elsewhere.

"Adventures? Plural?" Despite her controlled expression, Tony can hear the amusement in her voice and gives a little chuckle before nodding to the side.

"Well you looked like a zombie this morning, and we only watched that show til around ten," Tony offers.

At his comment, Kate clenches her jaw and takes a couple steps to the side, blocking his view of her face as she crosses her arms.

Alright, m'probably pushing her a little too much.

"I won't pester you, go get some rest Kenai."

Tony may or may not have a small list of nickname ideas for the kid. Nicknames for her weren't coming as easily to him. T-1000 was the next one that came to mind but… Calling the kid a terminator wasn't appropriate. Especially now that he knows more about her. Those details… Made his skin crawl. When he looked at Katelyn, he didn't see someone capable of racking up a body count greater than two dozen.

Hearing the teen question the nickname, Tony blinks his thoughts away quickly before giving her an amused smile and a shrug - brow knitting seconds later.

"You haven't seen Brother Bear? Bah- we'll get you caught up, don't worry. For now I gotta keep thinking of some nicknames for you." Tony mumbles, eyes still on the tablet.

Preferably ones that don't label you a killing machine… Unfortunately something I don't think it too far off from what that Doctor Gordon was trying to turn you into.

Kate is silent following Tony's words, but doesn't wait too long to head towards the stairwell.

Once the door closes, Tony lets the tablet fall into his lap, brow knitting gently.

"Jarvis, I need you to scope security cameras within a five block radius. I wanna know where's she's been going and what she's been doing,"

"Will do, sir."

The rest of chapter 34 can be found here on FFN and here on AO3. Take a peak to keep reading!

Stay healthy, stay safe, sending lots of love. <3

Masterlist Here

#avengers fanfiction #dad!steve rogers #Steve Rogers x Daughter!OC #tony stark #natasha romanoff #clint barton #bruce banner #iron man #black widow #hawkeye #hulk #captain america #shield #nick fury

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aflaxtonjaegerbomb · 6 years ago

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Too Much Food, Not Enough Love Chapter 8

Pairing: GTop, ToDae

Word Count: 1165

For: @vipnetwork

Also Posted On: AO3 (PeaceMinusMOTTE)

A/N: Consistent updates? On my fic? It’s more likely than you think.

Jiyong knew it was too late to put the box back and hide his actions, so he steeled himself for the impending scolding.

“What’s that?”

Jiyong snapped his head up in surprise. Poking his head through the door was none other than Youngbae. His eyes flickered curiously between the box and Jiyong’s face. Jiyong let out a small “oh” and handed the polaroid in his hand over to Youngbae. He took it gently and looked over it for a couple seconds. He glanced over his shoulder, looking at Seunghyun’s peaceful form.

“Are they all like this?” he spoke softly, gesturing to the box. Jiyong nodded, sniffling a little. Youngbae gently took it from his hands, setting the pictures back inside. “Where was it?”

“Back there a little. Under the coats,” Jiyong pointed to where he’d found the box and Youngbae placed it neatly amongst the shoes.

“I brought the pizza. Let’s go eat,” he suggested, tugging Jiyong out of the wardrobe and through to the living room. Two large pizzas lay on the table.

“Drinks?” Youngbae asked, moving to the kitchen expectantly.

“...Wine?”

“Ji, really?”

Jiyong shrugged sheepishly. “It’s late,” he supplied in response to the quirk of his friend’s eyebrow. Youngbae sighed and pulled out a random bottle of wine from the fridge, along with two glasses from the cupboard. Jiyong eagerly grabbed for the wine bottle as Youngbae put it on the table.

“Don’t judge me,” Jiyong said sharply, without even looking a the older man. Youngbae held his hands up in defence as he sat next to him on the sofa.

“I just think it’s impressive, is all.”

“Impressive my ass,” Jiyong grumbled, filling both glasses with the pinkish liquid.

“I agree, your lack of ass is impressive,” Youngbae beamed at his own joke. Jiyong turned slowly to him with a blank expression. Youngbae held a straight face for a couple of seconds before bursting out into hysterical laughter.

“You’re not funny, you know. I don’t deserve this disrespect,” Jiyong pouted.

“You absolutely do!”

“I don’t!”

“If you don’t want to be the butt of jokes like these then maybe stop showing off your nonexistent ass all the time,” Youngbae giggled again as Jiyong’s face scrunched up cutely.

“Your wife lives with this?”

“Very happily, yes,” Youngbae smiled brightly again, lighting up at the mere thought of his other half.

“You guys are cute,” Jiyong gave him a little smile in return. Youngbae hummed in agreement, taking a pizza slice and biting into it. Jiyong was cradling his wine glass, taking small sips. He was still wearing that oversized jumper from earlier this afternoon, and his hands were mostly covered with the sleeves, only the tips of his fingers peeking out. Youngbae gestured to the pizza with his free hand.

“You’ll lose that figure if you don’t eat. It’ll upset our precious VIPs, you know.”

Jiyong exhaled through his nose in response and picked up the tiniest slither of pizza he could.

*****

Seunghyun lay on his side, facing the hallway leading to the living room. The lights were a little too bright for him, so he closed his eyes and focused on the sounds. He could tell it was Jiyong and Youngbae, and that they were eating something. A small piece of Seunghyun wanted to get up and join them, but the more commanding side of him kept him rooted to the bed. Seunghyun couldn’t bring himself to care, in fact, he found it difficult to care about much at the moment. His head was empty, his emotions were meaningless and everything was just… blank. Blank and quiet.

“I’m just... I want to check on him, is all.”

Seunghyun twitched at the sound of Jiyong moving towards the bedroom. He kept his eyes closed.

“You still haven’t told me what happened.”

A small hum from Jiyong.

“And why he’s unconscious.”

Another hum.

“Is it as bad as I’m thinking?”

“I… I can’t quite say. I’m not sure. I want to say no, but I wasn’t here the whole time.”

Seunghyun could hear the tremor in Jiyong’s voice. He sounded like he was going to cry. Seunghyun sighed internally. There he goes again, causing trouble, upsetting the people most important to him. Youngbae stayed silent and Jiyong made his way to the bedroom. Seunghyun felt his presence next to the bed, and a soft hand lay carefully on his cheek. Seunghyun found it in him to raise his hand at that moment and cover Jiyong’s with it.

“You’re awake?” It was a whisper so soft Seunghyun almost missed it. He opened his eyes slowly. Jiyong was standing in the way of the light so he was able to properly see this time. He looked up at the younger man. Worry was laced within his facial features and the image pulled weakly at Seunghyun’s worn heartstrings. He turned to lay on his back and Jiyong sat beside him on the bed, picking at the sleeve of Seunghyun’s sleepwear.

Seunghyun frowned. This all felt wrong - Daesung is the one who looks after him when he ends up like this. Daesung is the one who lies next to him until he wakes, who brings him food and water when he can’t even muster the energy to get out of bed. Daesung, the love of his life. Instead of Daesung, Jiyong was sitting across from him. Why was Jiyong even in his house? Seunghyun asked him as much, voice hoarse.

Jiyong finally met his gaze, looking for all the world like a lost child. His eyes were wide and sad, and he was fidgeting sheepishly.

“I wanted to talk to you about what happened at the campsite, but when I came in and I found you like that I-”

“Like what?” Seunghyun interrupted. He couldn’t remember much after Daesung left.

“Like… in the bath. It looked like… maybe… like you tried to drown yourself…” Jiyong spoke very slowly. It was as if he were afraid of Seunghyun’s reaction. The man in question huffed arrogantly.

“And what gave you that impression?”

Jiyong visibly flinched at the sudden stern tone, but he continued nevertheless.

“You were fully clothed and the taps were left on so the bath was overflowing and nobody normal decides to have a cold bath in the middle of the night and you looked-” his voice rose until he caught himself. Seunghyun feared he’d scream or cry, or both. Even so, he waited for Jiyong to finish. Jiyong took a deep breath. “You looked so peaceful.”

At that moment, Youngbae came hesitantly into the room. Both men glanced over to him.

“Sorry, I heard the yelling and wanted to make sure that you weren’t at each other’s throats,” Youngbae smiled apologetically, perhaps a little sadly too. Looking at Seunghyun, he added “Feeling okay, Hyung?”

Seunghyun nodded slightly, focusing his gaze on Jiyong who’d gone back to studying the bed sheets.

“Well then,” Youngbae said, approaching the bed. “Is anyone up to telling me what’s gone on?”

#gtop #todae #bigbang fanfiction #bigbang angst #bigbang fluff #gtop fanfic #kwon jiyong scenario #choi seunghyun scenario #gd x top #gdragon fanfiction #top fanfiction #fanfic #my writing #vipnetwork #too much food not enough love #suicide #tw: suicide #suicide mention

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isabeau25 · 7 years ago

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Get To Know Your Author

Tagged by @eastofthemoon!

1. How did you come up with your username and what does it mean?

There’s a book called Dove Isabeau that I loved as a kid, and also I loved the movie Ladyhawk, and Isabeau was one of the main characters.

2. Which fanfic of yours has the most feedback? (bookmarks/subscriptions/hits/kudos).

Room with a View (although Can’t Take the Sky From Me was a very close second - I had to do actual math to figure it out; I’m impressed I remember how to math.)

3. What is your AO3 profile icon, and why did you choose it?

I don’t have one. I never bothered to upload it. If I did, it would be the same as the one for this account. It’s my cat Nibbs laying on my foot not long after we found him in my parents’ backyard. I use it because he’s cute and fluffy, and because I don’t like pictures of me floating around the internet.

4. Do you have any regular/favourite commenters?

I love all my commenters! It’s always exciting to get the notice that someone took the time to comment and I go back and reread them all all the time.

@maychorian has commented on a bunch of my Voltron fics (almost all of them I think), and I’m always super excited when I see her comments because she leaves such excellent and well thought out ones.

5. Is there a fanfic that you keep going back to read again and again?

Hound by story_monger I come back to because it’s so well done. The writing is fantastic, and the sense of suspense is amazing, and I really love the way it dealt with different layers of trauma and wove together the way past trauma continued to impact how present trauma was processed and dealt with. Plus the team was wonderfully tender with Keith, and he got cuddles.

Hyggelig by heyheroics I’ve gone back and reread a couple times. It is an example of the ever rare, non-romantic Keith and Lance center story. Well written and even though it’s not finished, the chapters read as short stories, so I’m not left with cliff hangers. I’m always excited when it updates.

I reread pieces from @maychorian all the time, particularly from the Boom Crash series and the Dream Seam series (*whispers* a lot of the time I skip straight to the cuddles. She writes the best cuddles.)

The Raised by Lions series by @eastofthemoon I like to go back and reread. Red and her strange furless cub are super fun to read about, and then Shiro comes along and there is even more fluff and cuddles.

Basically there’s a shortage of platonic fluff and cuddles in the Voltron fandom and when I run out, I go back and re-read my favorite cuddles.

6. How many stories are you subscribed to? How many do you have bookmarked?

I have like 12 bookmarked and 4 subscriptions. I always forget that’s a thing you can do on AO3.

7. Which AU do you find yourself writing the most?

.... so many. I’ve been working on The Five Lion Cafe au lately, trying to finish up the next one (almost done *fingers crossed*), and Mermaid Rescue and Rehab Inc. is up next on my list to finish, so I’ve been picking on that.

I’d like to get back to Babe’s in Space at some point. I have general outlines for lots of short stories in that AU, and there actually is a bigger over arching plot if I ever get to it.

8. How many people are subscribed and bookmarked to you in total? (you can view this on the stats page)

91 subscriptions and 992 bookmarks

9. Is there something you’d like to write about but are afraid of people judging you for it? (Feeling brave? If so, share it!)

Mostly platonic physical intimacy, just because I don’t want to deal with it being labeled as romantic or shippy (I guess that’s not so much a fear of being judged as just not feeling like dealing with other people’s reactions). Once something is posted, you have no control over how it’s received or interpreted. That’s just the nature of publishing something; you have to let it go (or drive yourself crazy trying to force people to see it only the way you want, which is just not worth the time or energy).

Because of that, I sometimes pull back from writing a scene as intimate as I’d like, or I choose a slightly different approach to it, just because I don’t want to deal with seeing it labeled as a ship in the tags and comments.

10. Is there anything you would like to be better at? Writing certain scenes or genres, replying to comments, updating better, etc.

Action sequences and creating suspense. It’s hard to translate the movie-like images in my head into words for action sequences. I watch a lot of youtube videos for reference when I’m trying to write them.

And suspense, when done well, is just a great thing to be able to do. It keeps the reader engaged and makes the piece more exciting.

Also replying to comments! They mean so much to me, and I’m so terrible at replying.

11. Do you write rarepairs or popular ships more often?

Not really? I guess Ronin and Tara from Epic qualify as a rarepair just because the fandom for Epic is so small. I think the idea of Ezor and Kolivan from Voltron being a crack pair (not one that ever would or should show up in canon) is hysterical, but I haven’t written anything for them yet.

I really just don’t ship much in general.

12. How many stories have you posted on AO3 to this day (finished and unfinished)?

As of December 22, 2018, I have 49 stories up on AO3, all of them finished. I never start posting a story unless it’s already done.

13. How many stories do you have saved in/with your writing program?

So, that’s really hard to calculate. For every fandom I have what amounts to a dump document where I write random scenes and stories that I’m not sure will go any where, in addition to that I have:

Epic - 14 docs, most of those are probably single stories

ROTG - 9 docs, but I don’t think I separated out many of the WIPs from my main dump doc, so there’s probably more WIP there.

Voltron - 15 docs, but some of those documents are for series, so there’s might be multiple WIPs in the document.

And that’s just the unfinished stuff. I didn’t include the stories that are done. I usually keep those on my hard drive too because I don’t trust the internet not to suddenly eat my work.

14. Do you write down story ideas, or just keep them in your head?

I keep them in my head way too often, then go back to stories I’ve set down for a couple months (or years) and don’t remember what was going to happen. I’m trying to get better about writing out at least a general outline for stories so that doesn’t happen.

15. Have you ever co-authored a story?

I have co-authored with @eastofthemoon and @ladydouji. I’m kind of a flake about writing though and I’m really bad at keeping deadlines with something I just do for fun, so I don’t team up very often.

16. How did you discover AO3?

Google search for fanfiction because there wasn’t enough decent stuff on ff.net.

17. Do you consider yourself to be a popular or famous author in your fandom(s) on AO3?

I don’t think so? I don’t pay much attention so I don’t have much bases for comparison.

18. Do you have a nickname or fandom name for your readers?

Nope.

19. Was there an author who inspired or encouraged you to write?

I read a lot growing up (not so much now - grad school does a really good job burning you out when it comes to reading). I loved fantasy mostly, and a little bit of sci-fi, although that’s never been a super sharp distinction for me.

Patricia McKillip is my favorite author. I absolutely love the way she writes and the way she crafts stories. I really enjoyed Jane Yolen, and Bruce Coville too.

20. What writing advice would you give to a beginning author?

I really like Neil Gaiman’s 8 Rules of Writing.

The most important thing you can do is write. Get the words on the paper. That’s really the hardest part. I like his last rule best though “Write your story as it needs to be written. Write it honestly and tell it as best you can.”

21. Do you plot out your stories, or do you just figure it out as you go?

I usually know where they’re going (in my head at least, by the time I actually start getting words on the page), but sometimes they end up taking unexpected turns or new scenes show up out of now where while I’m writing. That’s part of what makes writing exciting.

22. Have you ever gotten a bad comment on a story? If so, what did you do?

Nothing terrible, but a few (at least one of which went over my head until years later because they were being sarcastic).

I find I have an increasingly low reserve of energy, and things like that are not worth spending it on. I just ignore them.

23. Is there a certain type of scene that you have a hard time writing? (action, smut, etc..)

Interpersonal conflict! Why would these two normally rational people who care about each other let a thing escalate to the point of them actually fighting over it, or having it damaging their relationship, or coming to blows over it? And how do I write that in a way that doesn’t sound contrived and is in character to everyone involved.

24. What story(s) are you working on now?

Right now I’m working on finishing up the next Five Lions Cafe story, and also working on the last of the Mermaid Rescue and Rehab series.

I’m also working on a story that is probably going to be called Bad Moon on the Rise, and is focused on Lance and the Red Lion’s bond (and also has quintessence vampires).

25. Do you plan your next project(s) before you finish your current ongoing story(s)?

Yes! My brain never stops planning stories. Never.

26. Do you have a daily writing goal set for yourself?

Not really. Sometimes I’ll got through stretches where I write a lot, and other times my brain just melts and refuses to make words.

27. Do you think you’ve improved as a writer since you first started?

Yes! Even just going back a few years, but I’ve been writing since I was in elementary school, so there has been a great deal of improvement from the epic and fully illustrated “There are dinosaur ghosts living in our playground” that I wrote in first grade (and tried to convince my teacher was true).

28. What is your favorite story that you’ve written?

It’s actually not even up on AO3. It’s the only Narnia fanfic I ever wrote, and it’s called Refuge. One of those things that just felt unfinished and unaddressed in the Prince Caspian movie, and I like how I addressed it.

29. What is your least favorite story that you’ve written?

*Snorts* Thankfully lost to the great ether of individual fan sites that no longer exist, I had some CATS fanfics that were pretty terrible.

There’s also some Ronin Warriors stuff, and I think some stuff from the original Voltron dub, that’s pretty terrible, but I don’t have the heart to take down because people were actually kind enough to leave nice comments on them.

30. Where do you see yourself (as a writer) in 5 years?

The same, but hopefully better at it. I don’t really have any aspirations to be a professional writer. I’m happy just doing it for fun.

31. What is the easiest thing about writing?

The stories!

32. What is the hardest thing about writing?

Putting the words on the page!

33. Why do you write?

Because it’s fun! And challenging! And it gets the things in my head out of my head!

Tagging: anyone who wants to. I think all the people I know on tumblr have already been tagged.

#writing

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kurtwarren54 · 7 years ago

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PREGNANCY / WEEK 20 TO 28

Excited to chat with you and share more pregnancy updates (and currently 29 weeks pregnant as I write this EEK!!!). Hope you enjoy these updates and if there is anything else you are dying to know, please leave me a comment on this blog post and I will be sure to include in my next update.

WEIGHT GAINED As of the start of week 28, I have gained 16 pounds.

HOW BIG IS BABY By week 28, Baby is the size of a large eggplant. A little over 2 lbs and about 14-15 inches.

BABY MOVEMENT This has been one of the most exciting things to happen during the second trimester. It started off as what felt like little gas bubbles popping in my stomach. I remember the first time I thought to myself, “OH MY GOD THAT IS THE BABY MOVING!!!!!!” And I put it in my calendar the first time that Blake felt a kick at 22 weeks! (Which was on April 23) It took me considerably longer to feel movement because of the position of my placenta. My placenta is both in the front and on top so doctor said it might take a touch longer for me to feel stronger movements. I am happy to report baby is dancing on the inside now and it’s such an incredible thing to finally be able to get that immediate knowledge that baby is inside doing well and able to actually kind of communicate with me that way. It’s also so special that Blake can feel the movement. It brings such a real element to the pregnancy that we have been waiting for till now!

HOW I’M FEELING: PHYSICALLY Headaches/Migraines: I have continued to have migraines during this time but they have started to settle down. My doctor allows me to take excedrin migraine at the onset (since I can always tell when they are coming on) as well as I lay down, put on my eye mask, and lay an ice pack on my forehead. This usually REALLY helps and has allowed me to not be taken out for an entire day or two because of them. As I have gotten closer to week 28, I have not had one for quite some time. So fingers crossed this time has passed.

Hip + Tailbone Pain: I started to get really intense pains in my hips and tailbone making it even difficult to walk. The pain has come and go and my strategy is to continue doing a lot of the stretches I learn in my prenatal yoga class which seems to be helping. I also make sure to sleep with a pillow (or A LOT of bunched up comforter between my knees) to relieve some pressure and that seems to help as well.

Peeing my pants: I am still peeing my pants on the regular over here. TMI I know… but let’s be real. It happens. Now Blake thinks it’s funny to see if he can get me to laugh so hard that I pee myself… NAUGHTY HUSBAND. I continue to pack panty liners with me in every single purse for those… just in case scenarios. But at this point, I think I should prob pack a spare outfit in my car for a super serious accident. We also recently started taking a prepared child birth class at our hospital and while facing each other on a mat during breathing exercises, Blake and I were literally laughing so hard I peed myself in class. AWESOME. Maybe I should just wear an adult diaper to my next class. In all honestly, I think it’s great he can make me laugh like this.

Bye Bye Nausea, Hello Energy: The nausea is gone and I have to say I am feeling much more “normal” if that is a word for it. It’s incredible how much nausea can really drag you down in every way and it’s been amazing to be able to start to enjoy my pregnancy in new ways.

HOW I’M FEELING: MENTALLY These weeks were right in the sweet spot for me. Because the physical symptoms started to subside, it’s like there was this huge breath of fresh air for me to breath in mentally. It’s easy to not love being pregnant when you feel like garbage 24/7 and I have to say, things started to get a little bit easier. I know I talked to you about not 100% LOVING being pregnant in my last update and I am happy to report that this chunk of time relieved some of that. While I still have this amazing respect for how difficult it is to go through pregnancy, it’s been a beautiful blessing to be able to fall in love a little bit more with my body, the process etc. Some days are harder and some are easier but being able to feel the baby, watch my body grow, it’s created this amazing little spark of love that I just can’t describe.

HIGH RISK DOCTOR APPTS So at our last scan, the anatomy scan, we saw a CPC (choroid plexus cyst) which had me FREAKING OUT. We went to our echocardiogram at the high risk doctor and quickly saw that the CPC was gone and that there was nothing to worry about. The heart all looked great as well. This was all amazing news. The doctor did however notice something going on with the placenta. He found what they call a “marginal cord insertion” where the umbilical cord inserts into the placenta within 2 cm’s from the outside of the placenta. There is also another type of cord insertion that is much more severe and worrisome but my doctor assured me that this was not that. Because they saw this, we now need to be monitored more frequently as the baby gets bigger to ensure he is growing on track and getting all the nutrients he needs from the placenta. We have been going every 4 weeks to monitor and everything has been looking good! At this point we just roll with the punches and know that is baby is growing, that is all that matters. And getting a little extra screen time with our little guy is never a bad thing.

GLUCOSE TEST At week 26, I headed to the doctors office for the dreaded Glucose test. The horror stories I heard… were endless. Let me tell you about my experience. It’s a fasting blood test so for a preggo that has nausea and needs to eat.. It’s not the most fun experience. But, considering my background in what I have done for this baby to date, I wasn’t really that worried about this test. I got there and was able to pick a glucose drink flavor that was refrigerated (which I think made it easier to drink) and I picked lemon lime. Like drinking a Sprite right? HA. They take 1 blood draw before you drink the beverage and then wait an hour, test again, and wait another hour and test again. I chugged water before the test so I would not be dehydrated which made the blood draws easier. Honestly, the experience wasn’t bad for me. I had my laptop with me and just kept myself busy working while I waited for each blood draw. All in all, it wasn’t my preferred activity but the experience wasn’t as bad as everyone made it out to be. Excited to tell you I PASSED!

WHAT I’M EATING My food preferences always seem to include some kind of dessert or sweets. Love having something on hand after dinner to get that little bit of a sweet tooth fix! We have been taking more frequent trips to grab ice cream and frozen yogurt and I am not mad about that! We also stock the freezer with ice pops, haagen daz bars, and yasso frozen yogurt bars (mint chip is my fav!) We cook a lot but I always love a good italian meal. Something about it comforts me. I also always have string cheese on hand as well a new favorite, Blue Diamond Honey Roasted almonds for when I want a sweet treat but also a little protein. Other than that, I pretty much am eating everything and have random cravings all the time where I tell Blake, “Hey you know what sounds good?? Strawberry shortcake.” Totally reasonable requests coming from me all the time. HA!

HOW I’M SLEEPING Sleep has been going ok. I have stopped taking the unisom for now as I have been sleeping through the night and don’t want to take things if I don’t really need them. If you remember, my doctor let me take unisom to help me with sleeping. I do toss and turn all night from side to side but generally that is how I usually sleep anyways. I have actually been sleeping without a body pillow. What I do is steal ALL of the comforter and bunch is between my knees and my feet since I move around so often. It’s working for me for now but I am sure that will change soon. I have my pillows handy for when I need them. I actually slept surprisingly well on our babymoon to Maui. Considering we were not in our own bed, I slept like a rock. Likely because of the time change and spending 8 hours a day in the sun.

EXERCISE I am still loving my prenatal yoga class every Friday and the stretches and practices I am learning are going to serve me well getting closer to Labor. I also still try to get to the gym when I can but after the babymoon, I have been more tired and getting to the gym less these days. I don’t force my body if I feel like I am too tired to go. I always listen to what my body needs. When I go, I still do the treadmill at an incline of 3 and speed of about 3.5 and then do some arm circuit machines. Thank goodness I have Blake who will keep me motivated and always ask if I want to join him at the gym. So when I feel up to it, I can go.

BODY IMAGE Last post I talked about body image and at this point in pregnancy I am feeling much more comfortable in my own skin. We headed to our babymoon around week 26 and I have to say, it’s the best I have felt my whole pregnancy. Maybe it was that sweet Hawaiian breeze… but it’s also likely because it was in the perfect sweet spot for my body and soul. My bump was finally loud and proud and something just clicked where I felt confident and beautiful. I spent my days in Hawaii in my bikinis with a smile plastered on my face, watching my baby boy move from the outside, and having literally the best time. Do I have cellulite? Hell yes. Are there things I might not love about my body? Of course. But you know what, there is way more love than anything else I have for my body at this part of the journey. Getting ready in the bathroom I would just start staring at my belly, thinking back about how much I dreamed of these days. To look into the mirror and stare back at a rounded growing belly. Every time I catch that reflection I take a minute to think about just how lucky we are.

BABYMOON If I can suggest one thing, take a babymoon. It doesn’t have to be a whole big vacation, it can even be just a weekend getaway. If you can make it happen, just slip away for the weekend with your significant other and take the time to indulge just the two of you. Have a nice meal, enjoy a sunset, anything. Looking back on our trip, I am so thankful we had the time to spend together and really just RELAX together. Without work or obligations getting in the way. Everyone LOVES to tell me how your life will forever change once that little love bug comes into our life but it’s really true that this time together just the two of us is so special. We scheduled a photoshoot with my dear friends of Love and Water to capture the moment and ended up with some incredible memories from our trip. For us, Maui is so special because we got married there 3 years ago and it was the start of our family of 2 (plus lola and the cats!). Being able to come back as a soon to be family of 3, was even more magical and I can’t wait to bring out little one to these exact same spots and create new memories in one of our favorite places.

CHALLENGES Hormonal meltdowns: The hormonal meltdowns are still real. ALL. THE. TIME. I really try to curb my unreasonable nature but at times it’s just impossible. So this continues to be one of those things throughout pregnancy that lingers but at this point, I think I (and Blake) are semi used to it by now.

WHAT I’M WEARING I recently did a post here sharing my babymoon wishlist and alot of things I wore while in Hawaii. I recently did a huge shopping haul before our trip and stocked up on alot of dresses. Honestly dresses are the easiest thing to wear and not feel constricted and it’s been so wonderful that is Summer and I can get away with doing that. It means that I can still buy non-maternity dresses to slip into as well. I have been lounging in this cute graphic tee, this little bit sexy cover up, and this dress that just makes me feel like a sexy, beautiful pregnant woman. I also picked up this bra that is not maternity and surprisingly cozy to wear under white tops and dresses for summer. I need to pick up another in black.

SELF LOVE Part of my self love routine has been scheduling time to get a mani pedi. Seems so simple but it’s always so fun to get to pamper yourself. I was able to enjoy an AMAZING prenatal massage on our babymoon and will likely schedule another massage in the coming month. Blake and I also continue to make time for date night every week. We either plan a new recipe we want to try together, or try a new restaurant to savour the time when we can just pick up on a whim. So important to focus on always strengthening our relationship and having fun along the way. Blake has been my rock and does SO much for me in general, and basically takes over cooking all the time so I can rest and he is basically the best husband around. I need to actively thank him more because without him, I would be a hot mess.

RECENT PURCHASES Babyletto Crib from Serena & Lily YAY!!! We got our crib and put it together. Alot of you asked about it and we bought it from Serena & Lily because apparently it’s been sold out alot of other places online. It’s modern, and beautiful and I am in love.

LexyPexy Pretzel Teeth because baby toys, I just can’t help myself

Hooded sweater + Disney Pants from Zara Zara kids is a dangerous place. I ordered a couple things that are so freaking cute. You know how I feel about disney and I bought these little disney joggers… that I wish came in my size!

BABY PREPARATIONS Like I said above, we finally have our crib and it’s set up, and it’s glorious!!! We are in full swing designing our nursery with my dear friend Anne who is making sure Baby Boy has the coolest room around town! We are not focused on a theme per say. We are more focused on soft neutrals and creating a warm rich texture based space. Will share a sneak peek with you all soon.

I am also currently working on my West Coast Baby Shower with the lovely ladies of Beijos Events which is making me just so happy. Excited to celebrate with all my friends out here! I have been sharing a lot of the baby products and gifts coming in from my registry and others and started to share them to my highlights on my IG profile. I will be sharing a roundup of my registry must haves as it’s been a number question lately for all you mama’s to be out there planning your own registries. I have to say, making a registry is VERY overwhelming for a first time mom that literally has no idea what they are doing. It took me SO long to comb through research and decided on things. So will be excited to share what I learned with you all.

I need to start planning for my hospital bag, Blake’s and Lola’s. That is high priority now as I want to be sure I am prepared for the unexpected.

WHATS NEXT Hopefully it will be smooth sailing into the third trimester and as the clock starts to tick down, I am sure I will have a bigger update for you all on what I am planning, how I am feeling etc. That’s all for now! Leave me a comment with any more questions you might have. Happy to answer!

photos by Love and Water

The post PREGNANCY / WEEK 20 TO 28 appeared first on eat.sleep.wear. - Fashion & Lifestyle Blog by Kimberly Pesch.

from Wellness http://www.eatsleepwear.com/2018/06/20/pregnancy-week-20-to-28/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

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elizabethcariasa · 7 years ago

Text

PREGNANCY / WEEK 20 TO 28

WEIGHT GAINED As of the start of week 28, I have gained 16 pounds.

HOW BIG IS BABY By week 28, Baby is the size of a large eggplant. A little over 2 lbs and about 14-15 inches.

LexyPexy Pretzel Teeth because baby toys, I just can’t help myself

I need to start planning for my hospital bag, Blake’s and Lola’s. That is high priority now as I want to be sure I am prepared for the unexpected.

photos by Love and Water

The post PREGNANCY / WEEK 20 TO 28 appeared first on eat.sleep.wear. - Fashion & Lifestyle Blog by Kimberly Pesch.

0 notes

kurtwarren54 · 7 years ago

Text

PREGNANCY / WEEK 20 TO 28

WEIGHT GAINED As of the start of week 28, I have gained 16 pounds.

HOW BIG IS BABY By week 28, Baby is the size of a large eggplant. A little over 2 lbs and about 14-15 inches.

LexyPexy Pretzel Teeth because baby toys, I just can’t help myself

I need to start planning for my hospital bag, Blake’s and Lola’s. That is high priority now as I want to be sure I am prepared for the unexpected.

photos by Love and Water

The post PREGNANCY / WEEK 20 TO 28 appeared first on eat.sleep.wear. - Fashion & Lifestyle Blog by Kimberly Pesch.

from Wellness http://www.eatsleepwear.com/2018/06/20/pregnancy-week-20-to-28/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

0 notes