#shortest fasting time for weight loss

[arminreindl]

Croc Paleontology Recap Febuary 2025

January passed so fast probably cause its the shortest month but we still got a handfull of papers out of it. So lets get right into it.

The function of the armor of Stagonolepis

Getting us started in the Triassic is a paper on the osteoderms of the aetosaur Stagonolepis: "The histology and function of the dermal armour of the aetosaur Stagonolepis olenkae Sulej, 2010 (Archosauria, Pseudosuchia) from Krasiejów (SW Poland)". Now as you probably figured from the handfull of times I've talked about aetosaurs on here, their osteoderm armor is very characteristic, very important in telling them apart and VERY extensive.

The results of this study are interesting. For starters, although osteoderms frequently serve a function in thermoregulation in modern crocs and even temnospondyls, this does not appear to have been the case for Stagonolepis. Now superficially, aetosaur osteoderms do show the same pitted surface as modern croc armor, which is caused by the elements absorbing bone and depositing it elsewhere throughout growth, something that reduces mass while maintaining stability and also increases surface area. However, Stagonolepis osteoderms are not vascularized like those of modern crocs, lacking the densely packed blood vessels that help absorb heat. The external surface of the osteoderms also doesn't show signs of thick sharpeys fibres, which are generally used to anchor the osteoderm in the soft tissue. What this means is that the osteoderms were not deeply embedded in skin (as has been suggested for some notosuchians) but rather were covered in keratin like those of modern crocs. But if not for thermoregulation, then what are the osteoderms for. Well on the one hand, obviously they work as armor. Their structure makes them robust yet leight weight and they are firmly embedded through sharpeys fibres present on the lower cortex of the osteoderms (tho its highlighted that they aren't as densely packed as in ankylosaurs). The keels that mark the osteoderms further prove to be quite usefull when it comes to reducing stress from a vertical attack. If you really want an additional reason for the armor, the authors offer the suggestion of being an adaptation to prevent water loss. Finally, histology shows that the osteoderms do not feature lines of arrested growth (basically signs for poor growth throughout the animals life), which suggests that the environment inhabited by Stagonolepis was quite moderate and did not have strong seasons that might influence the animals growth throughout its life.

Bottom: A diagram of Stagonolepis is sideview, showing the various types of osteoderms covering its body. Reconstruction by S. Górnicki

Growth strategy in Trialestes and its implications

Up next something not too different from a study we had in January. Last time we had a study on the growth of a peirosaurid notosuchian, this time "A fast start: Evidence of rapid growth in Trialestes romeri, an early Crocodylomorpha from the Upper Triassic continental beds of Argentina based on osteohistological analyses" brings us something similar except for the "sphenosuchian" Trialestes (more on that group later).

So what did we learn? Well for starters, neither of the examined specimens (which included the holotype) were mature, both in terms of sexual maturity and skeletal growth. What is weird is that morphology (specifically bone fusion in the vertebra) indicates the opposite to what has been concluded based on bone microstructure, which may suggest that in Trialestes either reached sexual maturity at a delayed rate of that histology and sexual maturity do not correlate all that much. Anyhow, based on crosssections of the bones, they are estimated at a minimum of two years and one year of age at the time of their deaths. Histology also shows that Trialestes appears to have grown quite rapidly. Curiously a previous study estimated a third specimen to have been one year old, eventhough this new study recovered the same age for a specimen only half that size. This seems to suggest that age and growth do not really correlate for some unknown reason, with possible explanations including differences between sexes or simply differing environmental conditions. Looking at the results at a grander scale, similar growth rates have previously been calculated for other nimble crocodylomorphs such as Terrestrisuchus and Saltoposchus, with the latter growing even faster than Trialestes. Of course when you get into more derived members of Crocodylomorpha strategies start to change, for example the slightly more derived Hesperosuchus was growing at a slower speed than Trialestes and if you recall January we know that Notosuchians can differ even within a genus (see Araripesuchus). Modern crocs appear to generally grow slower overall in their ontogeny, tho in some like the broad-snouted caiman environmental conditions seem to play quite the rolle. Nevertheless, the paper concludes that faster growth rates appear to be more widespread in early crocodylomorphs and may have been the ancestral condition.

Below: Reconstruction of the head of Trialestes by Joschua Knüppe (there is really not much art of this guy out there)

Now for two papers that are very relevant to my efforts on Wikipedia, namely two studies on the European alligatoroid Diplocynodon.

Growth strategy of Diplocynodon hantoniensis

First of all, sorta the same thing we just had for Trialestes but applied to Diplocynodon hantoniensis, a species from the Eocene of southern Britain (and actually one of the first Diplocynodon species discovered). The greater goal of "Evolution of growth strategy in alligators and caimans informed by osteohistology of the late Eocene early-diverging alligatoroid crocodylian Diplocynodon hantoniensis", as you might guess from the title, is actually to use Diplocynodon in order to figure out how growth strategies evolved in the two modern groups of alligatoroids, gators and caimans, who share similar strategies despite having been separated from another since before the extinction of the dinosaurs.

With 9 studied upper leg bones, the sample used in the study ranged from immature specimens to adults, which in the case of D. hantoniensis might reach lenghts of 1.2–3.4 meters. The growth strategy of Diplocynodon is recovered as both being determinate (meaning that they stop growing at a certain point) and seasonally controlled (which feels self-explanatory), both also seen in modern alligatoroids. Now assuming that the growth marks accurately reflect yearly intervals (which may not necessarily be the case), then the studied individuals ranged between 5 and 26 years old at the least. Skeletal maturity seems to have been reached in a similar range as modern alligatoroids (gators reaching maximum size between 30 and 40 and caimans between 12 and 18). As with Trialestes earlier, there are some individuals that show signs of being fully grown, yet are less than half the size of other individuals, possibly indicating sexual dimorphism (female gators stop growing earlier and at a lower size than males) or environmental conditions that affected growth (though there is doubt cast over this latter interpretation). The study concludes that, based on Diplocynodon hantoniensis, alligatoroids are simply relatively conservative in their growth strategy and what we see in gators and caimans is likely their ancestral strategy, rather than having been developed independently.

Below: A photo of the skull of Diplocynodon hantoniensis (taken by John Cummings), not actually relevant to the study but I mean it shows what this thing looked like.

The sense of smell and EQ of Diplocynodon tormis

Moving away from the Eocene of the UK and to the Eocene of Spain, we got a different species of Diplocynodon as the main subject of "New data on the inner skull cavities of  Diplocynodon tormis  (Crocodylia, Diplocynodontinae) from the Duero Basin (Iberian Peninsula, Spain)". Specifically, the study deals with the description of and what we can learn from a CT-scan that gives us insights into the forebrain, olfactory bulbs, nasal cavity, air sinuses, etc..

Overall the shape of the brain matches the idea that Diplocynodon is an early alligatoroid, including some distinctive features of this clade and some traits that are basal to crocodilians. Like modern alligators, Diplocynodon tormis seems to have had a good sense of smell, though not as keen as that of crocodyloids. The holotype specimen falls within the upper values in terms of olfactory acuity among alligatoroids, but still clearly outside of the range exhibited by crocodyloids, while another studied specimen performed a lot poorer (though its also not as well preserved). As for cognitive abilities, the study also calcuated the Reptilian EQ of D. tormis. The authors note that the EQ of Diplocynodon tormis appears below the average of other medium-sized crocodilians and instead comes closer to the EQ of large forms. Tho it is also noted that damage to the specimen might have affected the results.

Left: A 3D model of the holotype skull of Diplocynodon tormis Right: A 3D model of that same skull but highlighting the various internal structures such as the brain, nasal cavity, nerves, etc..

A history, redescription and the biology of the teleosaur Macrospondylus

Ah Macrospondylus bollensis, once known under the name Steneosaurus (like every other teleosauroid lets be honest), perhaps one of the most well known members of this group given its extensive fossil record from the Posidonia Shale in Germany. Despite this, and also like many other teleosauroids, its history is confusing, long and just a whole can of worms. One dealt with in "A re-description of the teleosauroid Macrospondylus bollensis (Jaeger, 1828) from the Posidonienschiefer Formation of Germany".

To give you the abridged version, the holotype of Macrospondylus bollensis was found all the way back in 1755 (meaning it was discovered so long ago even Napoleon wasn't born yet) and quickly recognized as some sort of crocodile relative. It was named Crocodilus Bollensis in 1828, described in the 1830s and given the genus name Macrospondylus in 1831 (and then again by a different author in 1837, seemingly independent of the previous study).

Being this old, of course the fate of Macrospondylus would be shaped by historical events, specifically the German revolutions of 1848–1849, when a fire set by revolutionaries in Dresden grew out of control and spread to the collection, damaging but thankfully not destroying the fossil. Chaos ensued unrelated to that as various researchers proceeded to lump Macrospondylus into either Teleosaurus, Mystriosaurus or even Geosaurus before circling back to Crocodilus, eventually settling on Steneosaurus in the 1960s. Scientists did eventually grow wise to Steneosaurus being an overlumped wastebasket of a taxon, but this was not fixed until 2020 when this gordian knot was hacked to pieces once more, resulting in the revival of Macrospondylus.

Keeping all this confusion in mind, recent work including this paper still finds that Macrospondylus is actually the most abundant Toarcian teleosaur and especially common in Germany (no doubt thanks to the Posidonia Shale, this doesn't necessarily reflect how things were at the time). In terms of ecology, Macrospondylus may have been a long-snouted generalist, being able to consume a much wider selection of and overall bigger prey than some of its rarer relatives. Size might also have been a factor, since large Macrospondylus reach up to 5 meters in length and would therefore have access to more robust and larger prey. Its wide distribution might also suggest that it was less picky than other teleosauroids about where it lived and though previously suggested to have been more marine, this new study seems to favor the idea that it was still fairly amphibious throughout its life. This is interesting given that the Posidonia Shale, where so many specimen are known from, is a pelagic off-shore open ocean environment, with the potentially more terrestrial Platysuchus and the shallow water Plagiophthalmosuchus being much rarer. Of course, there is always the possibility that this idea of Macrospondylus being super common is skewed simply by the preservation and the excavation at Holzmaden, which as said before might not reflect the state of the entire species population.

Left: A fossil of Macrospondylus next to Dr. Michela Johnson, photo by Meike Rech Right: Thalattosuchians from Tübingen by Pascal Abel, the two skeletons on the left wall and the bottom slab on the right all represent Macrospondylus Bottom: Macrospondylus photographed by Sven Sachs

The metabolism of Notosuchians

Back to something less constrained to any specific taxon, we got "Revisiting the aerobic capacity of Notosuchia (Crocodyliformes, Mesoeucrocodylia)",a paper on notosuchian metabolism, which is one of those things that might surprise people unfamiliar with them.

Of course Notosuchia is the great post-Triassic terrestrial radiation of the crocodile-lineage, bringing forth a great diversity of land-dwelling froms from small omniv, ores, bulky herbivores and even lanky carnivores. Despite this, it might come as a surprise that they were in fact not "warm blooded". This is again reinforced by this months paper by Sena and colleagues, who recover that their mass-independent maximal metabolic rates lie somewhere between modern crocs and monitor lizards (which again fits with previous studies on the matter). This means that fitting with their anatomy and lifestyle, they were more active than modern crocs and able to sustain more vigorous activity. Being ecto-thermic, they were still dependent on outside temperatures to heat them up before they were able to really take things to their fullest. Consequently it has also been hypothesized quite a bit that to cool down, they might have entered burrows later in the day.

Left: Two Baurusuchus are shown hunting a small Caipirasuchus, with all individuals shown as being fast, agile and terrestrial. Artwork by Deverson da Silva Right: Armadillosuchus emerging from its burrow under a tree stump with a herd of sauropods in the back. Artwork by Julia d'Oliviera

Now, for what I'm guessing all five of you that made it this far have been waiting for. The newly named crocs....which I didn't have time to make dedicated posts for. Look shit sucks alright, weekends have been really brief this month and I feel very tired.

Pattisaura: A new sphenosuchian from Texas

Getting us started on Pattisaura, a new genus of "sphenosuchian" (I told you I'd come back to them) from the Late Triassic Cooper Canyon Formation of Texas. Described in "A new crocodylomorph (Pseudosuchia, Crocodylomorpha) from the Upper Triassic of Texas and its phylogenetic relationships", this little guy generally represents what one might see as a quintessential sphenosuchian. A somewhat body pointed skull with large eyes, terrestrial habits, long and slender legs, a far cry from what we tend to associate with crocodylomorpha today.

The name Pattisaura was coined in honor of Mrs. Patricia Kirkpatrick, who's family has let paleontologist look for fossils on their farm (gee I wonder why that name sounds familiar) and the species name gracilis derives from....I mean do I even need to say it?

Unsurprisingly, the phylogenetic analysis of this study shows that Sphenosuchia is paraphyletic and doesn't actually form a single clade, instead simply representing a series of consecutively branching early crocodylomorphs. What can be said is that Pattisaura seems to clade with Redondavenator.

While perhaps unassuming in size or ferocity, little Pattisaura is nonetheless an interesting addition to the pseudosuchian fauna of the Cooper Canyon Formation, which has previously yielded the remains of the phytosaur Machaeroprosopus, various aetosaurs including Desmatosuchus, Aetosaurus, Typothorax and Paratypothorax, poposauroids like Shuvosaurus and the iconic Postosuchus alongside many other Triassic classics such as drepanosaurs, silesaurids, lagerpetids, coelophysoids and more.

Left: The skull of Pattisaura photographed by Aaron dp Right: The skull in top, bottom and sideview, reconstructed to account for taphonomic distortion and damage to the material

Thilastikosuchus: Brazil's oldest notosuchian

And the final one for this month is Thilastikosuchus scutorectangularis (mammal crocodile with rectangular scutes) described in "Anatomical description and systematics of a new notosuchian (Mesoeucrocodylia; Crocodyliformes) from the Quiricó Formation, Lower Cretaceous, Sanfranciscana Basin, Brazil". This little guy, and I mean little as it is based on a juvenile specimen, was recovered from the Early Cretaceous Quiricó Formation of Brazil and represents a new member of the obscure family Candidodontidae.

To give a brief description, Thilastikosuchus was a small, slender-limbed animal, although admittedly we only have a juvenile to go off from. Its teeth are prominently heterodont, meaning that rather than having jaws filled with relatively similar conical teeth its dentition was a lot more diverse, specifically consisting of subconical incisiforms and molariforms with multiple cusps. The armor of the body, as the name suggests, is rectangular with a smooth outer and back edge, eventually transitioning into the square osteoderms of the tail that possess a prominent keel down their middle. As with most notosuchians, there were only two rows that run down along the spine, rather than the more complex armor seen in modern crocodiles.

Perhaps most interesting are the phylogenetic and evolutionary implications of this animal. Thilastikosuchus is the oldest known notosuchian from Brazil and perhaps even the oldest notosuchian of all of South America, which might have big implications for the groups evolution. It is placed as a member of the Candidodontidae, a family coined to include Candidodon and Malawisuchus but not always regarded as a distinct group throughout publications. This new paper specifically places them at the very base of Notosuchia, branching off even before Uruguaysuchidae and Peirosauria. Given the very mammal-like teeth of candidodontids, this raises the question whether or not such dentition was simply convergently evolved by them and sphagesaurids (assuming their position amongst notosuchians holds true) or if its the ancestral condition that was later lost by groups such as uruguaysuchids and baurusuchids. It also adds an interesting aspect to the diversification of the group. As things stand, the oldest known notosuchian is Razanandrongobe from the Jurassic of Madagascar, but this taxon and its significance are poorly understood. With this new paper, we definitely see a clear diversification of notosuchians in the earliest Cretaceous through candidodontids, another radiation later in the Albian with uruguaysuchids and peirosaurs and a final burst in diversity towards the end of the Cretaceous with the numerous forms known from the Bauru group.

Left: Skeletal reconstruction of Thilastikosuchus with special focus on the osteoderms by Felipe Alves Elias Right: Live reconstruction by the same artist with an adult individual looming in the background

[aspiringprimaryschoolteacher]

Lose Weight Naturally Through Correct Diet.

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In the developed world today, a whole lot of people seem to be struggling with a particular challenge common to them all and that is the issue of how to lose weight so as to live a healthier life. In the same vein, a good number of the people concerned tend to believe that the only way to lose that excess fat is by starving themselves or fasting. Nothing can be further than the truth in this case. It has been proven by the experts that one can achieve weight loss naturally through correct dieting.

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It is pertinent at this stage to note that when I talk of losing weight naturally through correct dieting, I am not talking about some very strict diet but simple ones that can be found in some cook books such as the Metabolic Cooking. I am also not talking about a particular diet for the whole day but an intelligent mix of recommended diets that will end up giving you a healthier body through weight loss.

I suppose that at this stage some of you out will want to know exactly how to eat wise and reap the benefits of losing weight naturally in the shortest possible time. It is not rocket science but simply doing what is right as already suggested. For an example, the diet experts claim that our ability to shed fats is eighty percent correct dieting and twenty percent how much exercise we give to our body. This also means that you need to steer clear of that attractive and sweet junk foodstuff you have been destroying your system with only to go back to the gym to try to burn the fat you got from wrong dieting practice.

Another important aspect of correct dieting is the issue of the water intake level. It is a fact that taking a good amount of water on a daily basis helps in ensuring a clean body system. As a matter of fact, the experts have made it abundantly clear that in order to keep our body system in a clean condition we need to take as much as sixty ounces of water daily. This is much better than the sugary drinks that many people use to replace water in their diet. It is recommended by medical experts that every adult should drink at least eight glasses of water in order to enjoy a healthier life devoid of obesity.

[pochacosicon]

Last night I was going through my photos and sc from 2019-2020 and I always thought that my problems w food stared in like 2022 since I was deep into my BED back then during the pandemic

But as I was going through all of these photos I noticed so many vids and photos about weight loss and starvation and working out, but honestly I don’t even remember my weight from that time

I know that when I was much younger, like 7-12, I also was struggling with binging cuz I was always scared that if I don’t eat sweets in bulks in secret my mother will scream at me or that I need to eat everything super fast cuz Idk when will be the next time I will eat smth

Idk looking through it made me feel so worthless, thinking about this never ending cycle of starving and then binging over and over again, since I was young

I wish I could just be normal for a moment, I wish that eating wouldn’t mean either inhaling everything in the shortest time possible or starving

[everfastfrieght]

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[lifelongwellnessguide]

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Read more: Are Fad Diets Safe

[breakofdawnfitness11]

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[literaphobe]

Realistically, who'd win in a fight between the feral boys?

u know what? i’ll give u one more. i’m gonna go through each feral boy dynamic and determine who i think would win and lose in each face off. bear in mind that i might change my mind about this on any other day so take it w a pinch of salt:

Dream vs George: tie. george would do some dumb move or talk/react in a crazy way that’ll make dream laugh and go ‘ur making me laugh that’s not even fair 🤣’ he’ll like somehow twist it into claiming george is cheating because he did some dumb underhand move or found a ticklish spot n call the whole fight off saying he’d have won anyway unless george fouled like the filthy cheater he is n then george would probably b like ok fine then let me hit u once just to see if it would hurt and dream would let him and anyone watching it would find it incredibly bizarre but that’s just how they are

Sapnap vs George: im sorry but he’s drop kicking george the second he walks through the door either that or he hugs him and cries for a solid hour. they’ll end up hanging out for hours even after fighting tho n i think george would prob be the one to convince dream to get their home gym set up so he could have one more outlet to amuse himself with. he’d watch the Buff Sapnap arc unfold as he plays w a gym bouncy ball and tells sapnap he isn’t bench pressing enough weight n needs to double the load. anyway sapnap would crush him easy. he’s been loading up on protein n greens this entire time n playing basketball n going ollie on his skateboard. george had a grape the other day and thought it was gonna make him buff and his source of protein is mcdonald’s nuggets. he also struggles to open windows in cable cars. most importantly, he has NOT to my knowledge, went ollie on a skateboard. sapnap wins hands down

Quackity vs George: trickier than you might think actually. because funnily enough quackity is one of the biggest victims of the GeorgeNotFound™ effect. yes i think quackity if pushed past his breaking point could absolutely pummel the shit out of george but george has a mouth as much as quackity has fists and sometimes all he needs to say is ‘Are You Done Now?’ or ‘I’m Leaving, If You Don’t Stop/Give Me What I Want Right Now I’m Actually Leaving’ and then it becomes a REAL toss up. victor of this fight changes depending on the day

Karl vs George: hm. george wins. no. karl wins. no. they both lose

Dream vs Sapnap: sapnap talks a big game of how he could take any of these dudes he could kick anyone’s ass he’s so strong he’s gonna rip em all apart but—he can’t wake dream up for an among us game? :/ he’s too scared to go into dream’s room? :/ he HIMSELF thinks dream could kick his ass? sorry sapnap if u don’t believe in urself n think height is everything n whatever aura dream has is everything then what can i do 😔 guess dream wins this one

Quackity vs Sapnap: huh. would it be weird to say that i think they are evenly matched based on what i know of them? like they’re equally physically intimidating as they are physically not intimidating. they would both talk SO much smack tho. so much that they might not actually fight. idk. quackity’s like boxed right? but also sapnap’s won that mr beast extreme tag thing. but also i literally do not know. not to give a cop out answer again but… t-tie? but in the sense where. they know it would be So evenly matched that if they actually fought for real they’d just both end up super injured w no clear winner

Karl vs Sapnap: karl paints his nails and that gives him super powers. he could probably knock sapnap out in one punch. PROVIDED he can find him. not only is sapnap a hide and seek champion he is clearly a full fledged skater boi now. he is so fast. he is zooming away on those wheelies as we speak. where will he go

Quackity vs Karl: i think karl would win but it’s an accident like. karl kicks a chair and it goes flying and quackity takes 10 damage. or karl falls over and crashes onto quackity. the whole fear of accidentally getting murdered by karl’s clumsiness/recklessness might throw quackity off enough for him to lose

Dream vs Karl: my mind is admittedly blanking at this one. i don’t know. i don’t think either of them would fight each other even if u forced them. i don’t think there is a Bone in either of their bodies that r willing to or care for antagonizing the other. they would probably hug n then like stage some half assed fight where it ends with them Winning Together or they take turns winning or dream ‘lets karl win’ and someone might point out that implies dream thinks He would win and then karl gets like jokingly passive aggressive about it

Quackity vs Dream: in some ways? fight of the century. absolute hoedown throwdown. this is the shortest person in the gc vs the tallest person we’re talking about. the two people who are Known for ‘fighting’ over the ‘love’ of ‘GeorgeNotFound’. buuuuuuut they also like each other a lot n want the other to like them a lot so much. buuuuuuut they also have a propensity for shit talking each other. i think dream might win but he might also cry from whatever psychic damage q inflicts but at the same time quackity might like pretend he threw on purpose n let dream win or he would use his loss as leverage over dream somehow and call him a very mean not good bully who bullies people physically over getting shoved slightly during the ‘fight’. OR dream makes one joke about how quackity is so short he has to bend over just to fight him or he purposely misses a punch and says he couldn’t reach because quackity’s too low and this causes q to see red meaning game over for dream

[outoftheframework]

characterization cheat sheet: the batfamily boys

Hey everyone! I had the idea to compile a comprehensive list of different traits and attributes for each member of the batfamily based off of both canon and fanon interpretations. I think this could be useful for new members to the fandom, or those looking to write and/or draw for these characters. Remember that these will have a slight bias considering I, a fanon creator, am creating the lists. But I’ll try to make them as accurate as possible.

Appearances vary from artist to artist, so I’ll try to stray away from general details and add more little things you can consider in your art.

Bruce Wayne:

Age: 35-45

Appearance: Extremely physically fit, but signs of aging and prolonged exertion can slip through. Has a collection of scattered scars varying from fresh to fully healed. Strong, dark features. Conventionally attractive, but can easily switch to be foreboding/intimidating. Well kept in public appearances, but can look like death incarnate when in private.

Personality: Dual personas: “Bruce” (at home, but not as batman) and “Brucie” (public appearances like galas, news interviews). Bruce is stoic, well-read and educated, well-mannered, and occasionally can be witty and laid-back. Smirks rather than smiles. Brucie is loud, spontaneous, charming, and sometimes oblivious. He is the womanizer and scandal-maker. Often the actions of Brucie are motivated by Batman’s interests.

Speech: Bruce was mainly raised by as English butler, so his speech patterns are proper and smooth. Rarely uses speech fillers such as “uh” and “um,” except when interrupted while concentrating. Despite living in Gotham his entire life, he has not picked up the accent. His voice is newscaster American, almost impossible to pinpoint to a certain region. His speech as Brucie changes to relate more to the audience he is addressing. Speeches to Gotham high society will sound different than those aimed to the general public.

Additional Attributes: Bruce Wayne in all of his personalities is fiercely protective, and can easily slip into a deeper voice to intimidate. Bruce can be extremely empathetic and slightly impulsive when it comes to children who have lost their parents. As learned through his training to become Batman, Bruce is disciplined and can work for hours straight.

Dick Grayson:

Age: 23-29

Appearance: Dick Grayson mirrors a young Bruce Wayne despite their not being blood related. This could be a subconscious action by Dick to absorb traits of his father figure. His lean acrobatic body starts to set him apart from Bruce’s image. Dick manages to be well-built but still limber and flexible. His feet and hands are rough and calloused. His hair can get long but usually stays at a length in between Bruce’s and Tim’s. His eyes are bright blue without even a hint of green or brown. 

Personality: In one comic I believe it was Superman who said that Dick Grayson is a universal constant, meaning that on every alternate earth or timeline, you can always rely on him to be good and pure. I think this really sums up who Dick should be. He is kind to a fault, and can sometimes be naive and not think things through. He loves to love, be that in his family, in his romantic relationships, in his friendships, and even in strangers. He is a chronic hero who only wants to see the world as a better place. But it’s important to note that Dick can get angry when pushed, and holds grudges.

Speech: Dick is an extremely interesting study in speech patterns. As a child he traveled with the circus, until he lived with clear-spoken Bruce Wayne and a proper English butler. So influences to his speech and accent come both internationally and locally to Gotham and Bludhaven. As a child living at Wayne Manor, Dick picks up a slight Gotham tinge to his accent with some British flourish in his vowel sounds. He regularly speaks in slang. As Nightwing he is able to suppress his unique speech to sound more evenly American.

Additional Attributes: Dick acts differently around each of his family members as to be what they need in a big brother. For example, he is more fatherly to Damian while to Tim he is more an equal. Dick can fidget and has less of an attention span than Bruce. He can use jokes as a coping mechanism.

Jason Todd: 

Age: 22-26

Appearance: Hair is often long on top and shorter on the sides, sometimes with a white streak as a side effect from the Lazarus Pit. Tallest and heaviest of all the kids, very physically intimidating. Has a lot of scars and burns, and in some fan works he has a “Y” shaped scar the length of his chest from his autopsy. Never skips leg day. Green/blue eyes.

Personality: Jason goes through a lot of character development, but for this list I’m going off a timeline of post-Under the Red Hood, where Jason is on okay, yet still a little shaky, terms with the rest of the family. Jason has a hard time separating vigilante life and civilian life; his death as Robin ended his life as Jason Todd, blurring the lines between the two. Jason is legally dead, so he is basically building an identity back up. He holds some attributes from childhood: brave, impulsive, loud-mouthed, and street-smart. But his experiences post-Robin have made him a hardened loner. He lives modestly and with some semblance of order. He’s hard to foster a relationship with, but can be a passionate friend/family member when he opens up.

Speech: Jason probably has the least influence from Bruce and Alfred’s speech patterns, seeing as though he spent a lot more time with his biological family/on the streets than he did as a preteen in the manor. He is the definition of Gotham vernacular, with a rough edge. So much so that as a child, the high society gala attenders sometimes had a hard time understanding him. Often talks in curt, short sentences.

Additional Attributes: He has trouble expressing his emotions, more specifically anger and/or grief. Can both love or hate furiously. Inherently good, but sometimes does “bad” things. Protective over children, especially those living on the street. Very much a believer in “the ends justify the means.”

Tim Drake:

Age: 17-20

Appearance: Pale skin, dark hair. Sharp cheek bones and jawline, mostly from how skinny he is. His body isn’t technically “built” to be extremely athletic, but he’s forced a nice lean build from stringently working out. Easily loses and gains weight as a direct result of his work, causing fluctuations in his build. Five foot something, will eventually be out-grown by Damian. Long hair that can still be styled to look professional.

Personality: Tim Drake is very passionate in pretty much everything he sets his mind to. He feels as though he imposed himself onto Batman to become Robin, so he works twice as hard to prove his worth. He can be self conscious and deprecating. Tim as Robin or Red Robin is very different than civilian Tim; his hero personas can be bolder and more confident. Despite dropping out of high school, he values education.

Speech: Tim grew up rich, and his speech reflects an intelligence gained from private tutors. Despite this, he knows how to interact with those his age in using less formal language and slang. Often quotes books and movies. Can be awkward and stumble over his words when teased by his friends/family. He can manipulate people easily in business settings by talking fast and confidently while explaining complex topics.

Additional Attributes: Tim’s demeanor is directly tied to his varying levels of confidence and anxiety. Tim is has above-average intelligence and is diligent in detective work, but can still act like a teenager. He can be stubborn to extremes and will patiently play the long con. He does not cope well with loss.

Duke Thomas:

Age: 17-19

Appearance: Short dark hair, shaved on the sides and/or the back. Often wears the colors yellow and black. Around the same height as Tim, but a little taller. Stronger and heavier build more alike to Jason than Dick, but he’s still light on his feet. Expressive face that can give away his feelings easily. Still a bit of a baby face, but he’s still well-proportioned and conventionally handsome.

Personality: In my works, I’ve often described Duke as having a “sun-shiny” personality. He is one to not even think twice about putting others before himself. Duke uses his own personal experiences to guide him as a hero rather than suppress his emotions. Duke went from being an only child to having a large family, so he can sometimes feel overwhelmed. He is on friendly terms with every member of the batfamily, as well as many other heroes. Duke is self-sacrificial and is still learning how to effectively work as a detective.

Speech: Duke grew up in a middle class Gotham family, so his speech is influenced by his parents as well as his city environment. Duke has a mild Gotham accent and speaks a lot in modern slang. He hasn’t had much influence from Bruce and Alfred, considering he hasn’t lived with them for long. It’s possible that as he grows he will pick up some influences from Bruce and Tim’s way of speaking, but will most likely hold onto the accent of his childhood.

Additional Attributes: Duke is a metahuman vigilante in a city where Batman typically bans them, which causes a bit of an insecurity and a perfectionist drive. These are exasperated by the long line of history preceding him, as well as the fact that he involved himself in the Robin movement rather than being handpicked by Batman. He and Tim can relate in that way. Duke is an ardent student of Batman and is dedicated to the cause.

Damian Wayne:

Age: 10-14

Appearance: Looks similar to Bruce when he was the same age, yet stronger and with tanner skin. His hair is expertly cut and styled, but still age-appropriate. He is the shortest of the batkids, but still has a lot of time and potential to grow. He pretty much won the genetics lottery with Bruce and Talia as his biological parents, and is made for athletics. He has some scars that stand out with their pale coloring against his tan skin. 

Personality: Damian is slowly becoming less of a brat, to put it bluntly. He admires his family and tries to mimic them, but will never confess it. Damian is quick to judge and will voice his opinion no matter how scathing it may be, both as civilian and hero. Damian is slowly realizing he may not want the Batman mantle as quickly as he planned. Jon is a perfect foil to Damian, and often makes him a better person when they’re together. 

Speech: His speech is proper and formal. Prefers formal titles: ex. “father” over “dad” and last names over first. Damian is at least bilingual (Arabic and English), and can switch between languages easily. Most of his speech patterns developed from his tutors in the League, and more recently, Alfred. Influences like Jon and Dick have introduced him to a more modern, laid-back way of speaking, which he sometimes utilizes when relaxed.

Additional Attributes: Damian has problems with authority, especially those that he doesn’t respect like his teachers at school. He can be arrogant and childish ever though he often acts like he knows everything. Damian is still a child and has much to learn from batman and family as well as unlearn from his time at the League. Dami was forged to be a ruthless warrior, but now has to find a balance between the hero Robin and the child Damian Wayne.

Hope this helps someone! Feel free to add on if you think I missed anything. Just please remember to be civil and respect different interpretations of these characters. Let me know if you want another one of these posts outlining the girls or other characters.

[fitlifecroc]

11 Super and Amazing Benefits of Oat

Oats are one of the world's healthiest grains.

They are a gluten-free whole grain that is high in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants.

Oats and oatmeal have several health benefits, according to studies.

Weight loss, lower blood sugar levels, and a lower risk of heart disease are only a few of the benefits.

Here are nine health benefits of consuming oats and oatmeal that have been scientifically proven.

What is The Difference Between Oatmeal and Oat?

Oat groats, the most intact and whole form of oats, take a long time to cook. For this reason, most people prefer rolled, crushed or steel-cut oats.

Instant (quick) oats are the most highly processed variety. While they take the shortest time to cook, the texture may be mushy.

Whole grain oats that are cylindrical in shape and raw and unprocessed are referred to as oats. They're frequently fed to animals. Oatmeal is made from rolled oats that have been thinly sliced so that it can be cooked in a matter of minutes. They have a mushier texture.

Oats are commonly eaten for breakfast as oatmeal, which is made by boiling oats in water or milk. Oatmeal is often referred to as porridge.

They’re also often included in muffins, granola bars, cookies and other baked goods.

1. Improves Heart Health

Oats are high in antioxidants and have a high fibre content. By combating free radicals, these antioxidants help to improve heart health.

Beta-glucan, a soluble fiber found in oats, lowers total serum and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels by preventing dietary cholesterol from being absorbed in the intestine. As a result, the risk of coronary heart disease is reduced.

Oats contain dietary lignans, which protect against heart disease. [nine] Oats contain vitamin E, which helps to prevent cardiovascular disease.

2. Helps Control Weight

Let's face it, we could all use a little support now and then, but did you ever consider that oatmeal could help you lose weight? Yes, that is right! A compound in oatmeal known as -glucan reduces appetite by increasing the hunger-fighting hormone cholecystokinin, according to a report published in the October 2009 issue of "Molecular Nutrition & Food Science."

3. Athletic performance

Oatmeal is a great source of carbohydrate and protein, as well as calories and electricity. When consumed 45 minutes to 1 hour before moderate-intensity exercise, oats have been shown in scientific studies to improve metabolism and efficiency.

4. Improves Bone Health

Oats are high in silicon, which is important for bone health.

Women with postmenopausal osteoporosis may profit greatly from consuming oats on a regular basis.

5. Helps you Sleep

Oatmeal has been ingrained in us as a breakfast snack, but it is also a good option before bedtime. In reality, the Scottish advise eating a bowl of oatmeal in the evening to help you relax and fall asleep.

What makes oatmeal a nice bedtime snack? According to Dr. Oz, oats contain melatonin and complex carbohydrates, which may help more tryptophan get into the brain and aid sleep. Oatmeal also contains a number of vitamins, including B6, which is a co-factor that helps the brain produce more serotonin.

6. Improves disease-fighting Immunity

Oatmeal's function in the immune system's response to disease and infection has been extensively researched. In essence, oatmeal's special fiber, beta-glucan, aids neutrophils in getting to the site of an infection faster and enhancing their capacity to kill the bacteria they encounter.

7. Stabilizes Blood Sugar

What exactly does this imply? We've all had a "sugar crash" or "mid-morning slump" after a big meal or sugary breakfast; however, this doesn't happen as much with oatmeal. Oatmeal's sugar is released more slowly into the bloodstream due to its high soluble fiber content (aka, it has a low glycemic index). Steel cut oats, as opposed to instant oats, would have a greater effect on blood sugar stabilization since they are less refined and thus contain more soluble fiber. Another advantage is that it takes longer to absorb, so you'll stay fuller for longer.

One of the best advantages of oatmeal is its low glycemic index. In reality, one study published in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that eating a low-glycemic-index diet is linked to lower insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes risk, and coronary artery disease risk than eating a high-glycemic-index diet.

8. Energy Booster

Oats are high in carbohydrates, making them an excellent breakfast option. Another factor oats increase energy levels in the body is that they contain a lot of B vitamins. [page 24]

Because of the high fiber content, oats keep you feeling fuller for longer and help you avoid energy slumps.

9. Lowers Risk of Colon Cancer

Colon cancer is dreadful and can be excruciatingly painful. Researchers from the United Kingdom and the Netherlands combined their findings to show that people who consume a high fiber diet (mainly whole grains and cereals including oats) had a lower risk of colorectal cancer. This research included nearly 2 million people and discovered that adding 10 grams of fiber to one's diet reduces one's risk of colorectal cancer by 10%!

10. Antioxidany Function is Enchanced

Oatmeal is high in avenanthramides, a form of antioxidant found only in oats. Antioxidants are necessary because they protect your cells from free radicals, which are molecules that your body produces as a result of metabolism and exposure to toxins in the environment. Since free radicals are unstable, they boost the risk of cancer and heart disease.

Avenanthramides antioxidants reduce inflammation and increase nitric oxide production, which prevents artery hardening. In reality, a study published in 2010 in the journal "Nutrition and Cancer" found that avenanthramides in oats inhibited colon cancer cell spread.

Finally, it's important to understand that oatmeal comes in a variety of flavors. Oat Bran, Rolled Oats, Steel Cut Oats, Oat Groats, and other types of oats are available. They all have different flavors, nutritional values, and cooking times, in my opinion. Steel cut oats are often recommended for health reasons because they are higher in protein, iron, and fiber, and therefore take longer to digest, allowing you to stay fuller for longer. If you're pressed for time in the morning, fast oats are a good option.

11. Good for The Skin

Oats are high in zinc, which is beneficial in the fight against pimples.

Oats aid in the absorption of excess oil on the skin and are an important component of acne treatments. They also aid in the treatment of dry and itchy skin because beta-glucans moisturize the skin.

Oats can also help to lighten the skin tone by acting as an anti-tanning agent.

[peashooter85]

The “Biggest Loser” is a terrible show that really pisses me off!

The Biggest Loser is a garbage show and as an obese person losing weight I find it disgusting.  It is a garbage show that preys upon, takes advantage of, and gets ratings from the humiliation and torture of obese people. All of the contestants on it are at least 350 lbs, some as high as 450 lbs.  From the very get go they have them running a mile, doing obstacle courses, burpees, box jumps, running on treadmills with the inclines at near max, and doing all kinds of crazy bullshit.  They actually have buckets on hand for the contestants to vomit in because they work them that hard.  It's absolutely ridiculous! On episode two they had a woman who is 360 lbs with knee and ankle problems doing box jumps.  Do any of the coaches on this show know anything about how devastating an injury could be for someone who is morbidly obese? On episode one a contestant broke an ankle jumping into a mud pit.  Some of these contestants have Type 2 diabetes.  Do these coaches know how devastating a broken ankle could be for a diabetic? A broken ankle for a diabetic could have the end result of a leg amputation. These people need to be doing simple low impact exercises like walking, water aerobics, simple calisthenics, or basic Yoga.  Of course they show nothing of the nutrition aspect, which in losing weight and getting healthy is the hardest thing to do and accounts for 75% of progress.  These people lose so much weight, on episode 2 a contestant was ashamed because he "only" lost 10 lbs in a month.  Like WTF that's amazing. These people are lose weight so fast but it's a crash program so when they are done, they like all other Biggest Loser contestants gain it all back.  Slow and steady wins the race. Health and weight loss is achieved through making a series of small steps in the right direction, having simple and clear goals, developing good daily habits, achieving one small goal at a time and building up from there, trying a little bit harder everyday,and being consistent. Not going absolute balls to the walls from the get go and trying to get six pack abs in the shortest amount of time possible.  It's a process and a journey, Rome wasn't built in a day, it was built brick by brick. No wonder people are shying away from fitness when shows like these make such a farce of it. IMO the biggest losers are the coaches.  They should know better but either they don't or more likely they gave in to the almighty dollar.  One coach was morbidly obese and lost a lot of weight, and she said she did it by eating healthy and walking everyday.  Like WTF!!! I guess doing that doesn't make good TV.  What a dumpster fire of a show!

[icy-warden]

ZevWarden Week 2020 Prompt Day 2 : La Petite Mort

Death || Weak Spots @zevraholics

Also on AO3

He's not sure, how he ended naked on bed so fast, with almost naked Vergil kneeling between his legs. Intense amber eyes seem to trace even the smallest move, Vergil’s touch feather light, teasing, easily bringing out goosebumps on Zevran’s skin. The tips of his fingers are always a bit colder than the rest of him, so Zevran could blame his reaction to Vergil’s magic, dormant at the moment, but always there.

Vergil's silent, not hurrying after their initial, thirsty tumble to bed. One moment they were all over each other, Zevran's hands whenever they were able to touch, ending in Vergil's hair ruining his perfect braid, black strands spilling from it messily, Vergil's mouth and palms as insistent as Zevran’s. Clothes were off of them in record time, like they couldn't be patient anymore or maybe it was privacy of the room, making them much more careless than usual. Not that Zevran could complain much about Vergil’s interest, far from it. They had their share of sex while on the road, though the seclusion of solid walls of the castle helps.

Comfortable mattress under his back and decent sheets are a bonus, he muses briefly, gasping into Vergil’s demanding kiss, pushing his hips up when Vergil rolls his own down, the delicious friction making his belly tighten. It’s urgent and messy and Zevran grips a fistful of black hair on Vergil’s nape and holds onto him, breathing harshly through his nose.

Vergil's hands stop on his hips and go under his thighs, grasping and kneading. He nips at Zevran's bottom lip, leaning back and Zevran’s hand untangles from his hair. Zevran looks at him, not so silently mourning at the loss of warm body pressing onto his.

“Wh-”

Vergil just hums, a small smile on his lips, now pinked and glistening and Zevran almost lunges after him, but Vergil’s palm on his chest stops him.

“Lie down,” Vergil purrs and he does, making sure he flexes all the right parts to make himself more desirable, adding a saucy grin to boost. One that slips into slightly more sincere expression, when Vergil sits back and one of Zevran’s leg goes up on his shoulder. His lips immediately latch onto delicate skin of inner thigh, much more sensitive. Zevran tenses for a moment to stop himself from curling away from sharp teeth near one of his most vulnerable places. Brief touches of hot mouth are making him shiver, the softness of it weirdly more unnerving than he's used to and he thinks it’d be better to rush it to earlier, faster pace, to get rid of the strange feeling spreading in his chest. 

He squirms a bit in Vergil's hold, almost ready to voice his suggestion, when he notices that Vergil’s thumb on his hip is slowly circling some patterns. Soothing. He stills under Vergil’s gaze, not sure what he wants to say, mouth open with no words on his tongue.

“Do you want me to stop?” Vergil murmurs, tilting his head away from his leg, silky hair brushing the skin. Zevran bites down the “No” ready to spring out, just to please his partner, make it easier, uncomplicated or joke about it, but. Vergil is not his target, not just a mean to survive, or not as fleeting as he’d thought, not anymore, not for some time. Instead he asks, uncurling his fingers from their grip on the sheets, letting his face relax into something slightly more open. 

“What exactly are you doing?” he asks, pressing his shoulders more to the mattress, feeling the fabric under his back. His leg around Vergil’s hip shifts and he bends his knee, planting foot on the bed.

“I thought it's something new for me,” Vergil admits silently, and Zevran bites at his lip, as fingers caressing the inside of his thigh tickle the skin.

“New?” He frowns. Surely he doesn't mean-

Vergil leans back and tilts his head to mouth slowly on the side of his knee, warm breath burning like coals for the shortest of moments and Zevran gasps. He shifts, part nervous and part curious, thigh tense over Vergil's shoulder, hips jerking when Vergil’s hand loosely curls around his cock.

“The no rush thing,” Vergil says with a small quirk of his lips, amber eyes glimmering in the candlelight. “I don't have to rush through it anymore. We have time.”

He doesn’t say anything at that but nods, oddly silent. It’s not that he doesn’t like it, it’s just… different from what they usually did. Vergil's touch is gentle, unhurried, as he goes up his body, fleeting brush of mouth on his skin and Zevran is waiting for something, not exactly on the edge, but weirdly off kilter with the softness. He feels vulnerable, when Vergil insists with slow and deliberate touch and for a moment he thinks of all the times he was in bed with someone, always hurried, always with purpose and-

Vergil's lips are on his neck and he leans back to give him more access, sharply drawing in a breath at a sudden nip, then wet tongue soothing the sting.

His arms are around Vergil’s sides, leg hooked on his hip as he arches up to feel the firmness of body stretched above him. Vergil’s mouth slowly makes its way to his lips, lazily licking into Zevran’s mouth, the kiss almost sloppy and he feels himself relax into it,  answering with the same speed. Vergil shifts over him, adding more pressure to their hips and rocking them both.

Pleasure coils in Zevran’s gut and his fingers curl at the back of Vergil's neck, into the loose braid. For a moment he longs to run his fingers through the long strands, but it would get tangled right now and be in the way, so he stores the thought for later, later he'd ask Vergil for permission to play with his hair.

He clings to him this time, refusing to let go instantly, when he feels Vergil pulling back again. Lightning quick, Zevran tugs at Vergil’s hair, soft hiss leaving mage’s lips, eyes narrowing in warning but he distracts Vergil with scraping that spot under his ear with his teeth. Sucking on the skin and locking both of his legs around Vergil’s waist, thrusting up, and making Vergil gasp and go limp in his arms for a moment. And it’s Vergil’s turn to tremble when Zevran runs his tongue over the long earlobe. He smirks when Vergil sighs, moans when Vergil pulls at his hair and he lets go of him. For now.

Quickly fading light lines appear on his skin, Vergil’s nails scratching at his chest and sides, as he’s shifting back. He’s leaking by the time Vergil takes hold of his cock, pumping few times. Then he feels a subtle change in the air and cool sensation on his skin, as Vergil spreads the summoned lube. He slowly jerks him off, watching his face with satisfied little smile and Zevran groans at the feeling, closing his eyes and just focusing on the hand on him.

Then it stops and he opens his eyes, disappointed glare fading away when Vergil leans down, as to take him in his mouth, amber gaze holding his and he sees those lips part, ready to wrap around the tip and-

And the only thing Zevran feels is the puff of his breath, as Vergil tilts his head to kiss his hip. He groans, head falling back at the pillow, body twisting, both hands not so gently tangling in Vergil's hair and pulling. Vergil's fingers on his cock tighten, teeth scraping the skin on his side and he goes up, again, gentle with nips. Hot mouth latches to his neck, under his jaw and finally, finally into his mouth, pressing down and rolling his hips with much more force and urgency. The slow and hot drag of both of their cocks trapped between their bodies quickly turns into something hurried, the teasing, the exploration already over and he's sure he would last much longer, given the practice. But Vergil hikes both of his legs onto his shoulders, easily bending Zevran in half, but not before he scratches at skin of his inner thigh and he nearly shouts at the sudden pleasure-pain.

From then on it's easy to get lost in the mutual chase of their pleasure, Vergil's arms holding him up as they grind together, Vergil's lips brushing his own in quick kisses until Zevran's patience snaps and he bites on Vergil's lip to keep him from pulling back, and then he leans down with a low growl. There's a tang on blood on his tongue when their mouths connect, but he doesn't care, not when he's this close and it seems Vergil is losing his composure as well. Zevran comes with moan muffled with Vergil's lips on his after few slick hard thrusts, hazily feeling Vergil's hips stutter but still going, pushing down on him. He lessens his grip on mage’s arms, angry red lines of his fingers on pale skin and he leans his head back, breathing hard and watching Vergil's expression through half lidded eyes. Vergil backs away, letting Zevran's legs slid off his shoulders and is quick to hide his face when he's coming, biting at Zevran's shoulder with a sharp intake of breath. He cries out and his legs squeeze Vergil's sides, arms wrapped around his back, wheezing a bit when the mage’s sudden weight presses him down.

They're sticky, sweaty in their blissful haze and try to calm down their racing hearts, slow down their rushed breathing. There's a soft brush of lips on his neck before Vergil pushes away to flop down beside him, eyes closed, small sated smile on his lips. It pulls similar one on Zevran's mouth and he stretches, feeling the pleasant loosening of muscles, warmth still lazily tingling in all the right places. Teeth mark on his shoulder throbs along with his pulse.

Maybe the new thing could be their old thing, he thinks, slowly closing his eyes to rest for a moment before they'd have to move and clean up.

[jacksgreysays]

Viridescent: Or, Tetsuki Goes Under New Management, (2020-04-27)

Related to this, but not required reading

~

Tetsuki is sent on a mission to yet another dimension with yet another group of people who she could help, but only if they pay an equivalent price in whatever the Shopkeeper has sent her to retrieve. It's a standard mission, all told, fairly straightforward for all that she's dealing in mercenary work exchanged for what should be intangible concepts. It doesn't even take that long. Only six days--not the shortest she's ever been on, that had been only six hours, and far from the longest--before she's ready to return to the Shop 

(Then again, what with the different dimensions and all, six days for her does not guarantee six days at the Shop.)

So she returns--with a bottled curse and a beloved keychain weighted with cherished childhood memories she had Assessed to be the equivalent exchange--and is only mildly surprised that on the other side of the Dimension Doors is an entirely different Shopkeeper than the one she left behind.

For a moment, Watanuki-kun doesn't look it. Startled and staring--as bewildered as the teenager she first met, tempered with a yearning grief--but that is quickly and carefully shuttered beneath the neutral guise of the Shopkeeper.

"Ah, you've inherited..." she says mildly, giving him time to compose himself, "... my condolences for your loss."

He nods his head, but doesn't say thank you, because he knows words have power, especially his own, now. But perhaps his education was not so thorough, because then he asks, "My loss, but not yours, senpai?"

Tetsuki blinks, but only because her eyes require it. "You're the Shopkeeper, I am no longer your senpai," she corrects, "And your loss, yes, not mine. Don't get me wrong, I liked Yuuko-san, but to me she was my employer, the Shopkeeper first and foremost and, well..." she does not gesture around her, because that would be unnecessary. 

"The Shopkeeper is dead. Long live the Shopkeeper."

Watanuki-kun's face doesn't even twitch, stays placid even under the wave of emotional turmoil she can feel off him. Good, he's a fast learner.

Now, the real question is, "Did you also inherit the title of Dimension Witch?"

---

The longest mission Tetsuki had ever been sent on lasted for six years: a grueling, grudging thing which was largely set in, of all places, Scotland.

The client was foolish, mismanaging his resources, and somehow both frustratingly vague and tediously inefficient with his Wish, besides. She even offered suggestions that she Assessed would suit the situation: it certainly wouldn't be the first time she bodyguarded someone from a villain obsessed with immortality or, alternatively, assassinate said villain.

(Yes, even including the whole magical soul container bit. Although, to be fair, most liches only bothered with the single phylactery.)

But Dumbledore only wanted her to observe and teach and no more.

And so for six years Tetsuki was Professor Babbling's apprentice and teaching assistant. Almost literally as far away from the important events of the mission as she could get while still being in the same castle. She never even had the Chosen One in any of her classes! 

She did get close in her third year, when the staff were deciding how to schedule around Professor Lupin's lycanthropy. Briefly they considered having her substitute for him--he would assign reading or have open study, so she didn't really need to be a master in the subject--except then Professor Snape swooped in, eager for his opportunity to sabotage, and made the matter unnecessarily complicated: she ended up covering the first and second year classes for both Defense and Potions so that Snape could go and torment the upper years.

Though at least Dumbledore paid his share of the price for the utter waste of her time, expensive as it was. Truly, it would have cost less if he had chosen to put a hit out on Voldemort. As if she didn't know how to extract a soul shard from a living vessel without harming said vessel--and that even before she learned magic.

At the end of six years, she returned to the Shop, having never spoken to either Harry James Potter or Tom Marvolo Riddle, but getting their payments, nonetheless.

And Yuuko-san--for who, it seemed, only six weeks had passed--raised an eyebrow, smirked, and asked, "Did you have fun?"

Tetsuki, irritated, refused to answer.

At least she was able to actually learn Ancient Runes, for all that it seemed less effective and more volatile than the various fuinjutsu, ofuda, and mahoujin she had picked up over her existence. Then again, that seemed to be the way of that particular dimension:

A whole lot of adversity for an unequal amount of payoff.

---

The first few missions Watanuki-kun sent her on were largely... local... as far as other dimensions went. Only dimensions he or either of the Mokona Modoki had already been to. Which, to be fair wasn't exactly a small list--Soel's journeys nearly too numerous to count. But it was a far cry from the literal infinity Tetsuki was used to.

"I've seen eight versions of the same person in the past ten missions, and six of them Wished for romantic help," she complains as she steps through the Dimension Doors, a clumsily made but charmingly heartfelt necklace in hand. She passes it on to Moro, to be placed in the store room, and takes a place at the table where Watanuki-kun is beginning to serve tea for three. Him, her, and a Doumeki-kun.

(She can never be sure which Doumeki it is--and it's not just her being unsure of the flow of time. They all physically look and magically feel identical--so it's best to just refer to them the same way)

"If I have to do one more mission involving playing messenger or clearing up misunderstandings for star crossed lovers, I'm going on strike," she says, once Watanuki-kun has taken his seat. The corner of this particular Doumeki-kun's mouth twitches up, even as he hides it by taking a drink--so not the most stoic of Doumeki, but certainly not the least either.

Watanuki-kun glances sharply at her, the Shopkeeper recognizing the wording of a transaction, informal as it was. "Is that--" he stops, hesitant, then reconsiders, "Does it feel equivalent to you?"

Tetsuki takes a moment to drink her own tea and Assess, the ability vital to her missions, something she had purchased from Yuuko-san at the very beginning of her employment at the Shop.

Truthfully, it would be more useful to Watanuki-kun now. He still struggles sometimes to make equivalent exchanges--generally skewing too much in the favor of his clients, and ending up paying the remaining price. But it's something he'll develop naturally as he gains experience as the Shopkeeper--to deprive him of that growth would be equally harmful.

"Well, it's not the most specific contract, though that works in our favor," Tetsuki begins, patient in her explanation. She understands why Yuuko-san was as hands off as she was, but it certainly hasn't helped the new Shopkeeper embrace his role, "Your Premonition ability isn't quite at the level it needs to be to know what the missions you send me on entail and so it's not as if you can screen which missions I do or don't go on at this time. It would be harsh to punish you for something you aren't doing purposefully. Luckily, I didn't say how long the strike would be for, nor did I define what concessions I would want to end said strike."

She shrugs, "I may just take a nap and request a specific dish for dinner, and if you cook it then we can either consider the exchange complete or renew the contract entirely."

Watanuki-kun splutters, "That's it?" he asks, more apprentice than employer. This particular Doumeki-kun barely bats an eye at this behavior, so either he's one of the earlier Doumeki or he is actually one of the more stoic ones.

"Sometimes specificity helps--it guides you in the right direction and prevents imbalance--but too much and it can make the prices too steep or inhibit the exchange entirely," Tetsuki shrugs again, "A lenient interpretation will serve you well until you are able to Assess for yourself."

~

A/N: I was briefly considering the idea that Tetsuki unknowingly inherited the title of Dimension Witch while Watanuki only got the Shopkeeper, but I didn’t like locking her in this limbo when, ostensibly, she started working for Yuuko because she Wished to go home (although, which home is the part where a lack of specificity will bite her in the ass). In a way, her training Watanuki to be an effective Dimension Witch/Shopkeeper is kind of her last mission before she finally completes her payment for her Wish.

[massivebakerygiantkid]

Most people who read my articles and e-books know me as a science guy who likes to quote studies and apply research to everyday problems such as weight loss, bodybuilding, and other health/fitness related topics. However, sometimes you have to step back from the science and look at the big picture to help bring people back into focus, so they can see the forest for the trees, so to speak.

For most people reading this article, finding an effective diet that works most of the time must seem as complicated as nuclear physics. It's not, but there are a bewildering number of choices for diets out there. High fat or no fat? High carbohydrate or no carbohydrate? Low protein or high protein? To make matters worse, there are a million variations and combinations to the above diet scenarios to add to the confusion. It seems endless and causes many people to throw up their hands in frustration and give up. In this article I will attempt to change all that.

There are some general guidelines, rules of thumb, and ways of viewing a diet program that will allow you to decide, once and for all, if it's the right diet for you. You may not always like what I have to say, and you should be under no illusions this is another quick fix, "lose 100 lbs. in 20 days," guide of some sort. However, if you are sick and tired of being confused, tired of taking the weight off only to put it back on, and tired of wondering how to take the first steps to deciding the right diet for you that will result in permanent weight loss, then this is the article that could change your life...

Does your diet pass "The Test"?

What is the number one reason diets fail long term; above all else? The number one reason is...drum roll...a lack of long term compliance. The numbers don't lie; the vast majority of people who lose weight will regain it - and often exceed what they lost. You knew that already didn't you?

Yet, what are you doing to avoid it? Here's another reality check: virtually any diet you pick which follows the basic concept of "burning" more calories then you consume - the well accepted "calories in calories out" mantra - will cause you to lose weight. To some degree, they all work: Atkins-style, no carb diets, low fat high carb diets, all manner of fad diets - it simply does not matter in the short term.

If your goal is to lose some weight quickly, then pick one and follow it. I guarantee you will lose some weight. Studies generally find any of the commercial weight loss diets will get approximately the same amount of weight off after 6 months to a year. For example, a recent study found the Atkins' Diet, Slim-Fast plan, Weight Watchers Pure Points program, and Rosemary Conley's Eat Yourself Slim diet, were all equally effective. (1)

Other studies comparing other popular diets have come to essentially the same conclusions. For example, a study that compared the Atkins diet, the Ornish diet, Weight Watchers, and The Zone Diet, found them to be essentially the same in their ability to take weight off after one year. (2)

Recall what I said about the number one reason diets fail, which is a lack of compliance. The lead researcher of this recent study stated:

"Our trial found that adherence level rather than diet type was the primary predictor of weight loss"(3)

Translated, it's not which diet they chose per se, but their ability to actually stick to a diet that predicted their weight loss success. I can just see the hands going up now, "but Will, some diets must be better than others, right?" Are some diets better then others? Absolutely. Some diets are healthier then others, some diets are better at preserving lean body mass, some diets are better at suppressing appetite - there are many differences between diets. However, while most of the popular diets will work for taking weight off, what is abundantly clear is that adhering to the diet is the most important aspect for keeping the weight off long term.

What is a diet?

A diet is a short term strategy to lose weight. Long term weight loss is the result of an alteration in lifestyle. We are concerned with life long weight management, not quick fix weight loss here. I don't like the term diet, as it represents a short term attempt to lose weight vs. a change in lifestyle. Want to lose a bunch of weight quickly? Heck, I will give you the information on how to do that here and now for no charge.

For the next 90 to 120 days eat 12 scrambled egg whites, one whole grapefruit, and a gallon of water twice a a day. You will lose plenty of weight. Will it be healthy? Nope. Will the weight stay off once you are done with this diet and are then forced to go back to your "normal" way of eating? Not a chance. Will the weight you lose come from fat or will it be muscle, water, bone, and (hopefully!) some fat? The point being, there are many diets out there that are perfectly capable of getting weight off you, but when considering any eating plan designed to lose weight, you must ask yourself:

"Is this a way of eating I can follow long term?"

Which brings me to my test: I call it the "Can I eat that way for the rest of my life?" Test. I know, it does not exactly roll off your tongue, but it gets the point across.

The lesson here is: any nutritional plan you pick to lose weight must be part of a lifestyle change you will be able to follow - in one form or another - forever. That is, if it's not a way of eating you can comply with indefinitely, even after you get to your target weight, then it's worthless.

Thus, many fad diets you see out there are immediately eliminated, and you don't have to worry about them. The question is not whether the diet is effective in the short term, but if the diet can be followed indefinitely as a lifelong way of eating. Going from "their" way of eating back to "your" way of eating after you reach your target weight is a recipe for disaster and the cause of the well established yo-yo dieting syndrome. Bottom line: there are no short cuts, there is no free lunch, and only a commitment to a lifestyle change is going to keep the fat off long term. I realize that's not what most people want to hear, but it's the truth, like it or not.

The statistics don't lie: getting the weight off is not the hardest part, keeping the weight off is! If you take a close look at the many well known fad/commercial diets out there, and you are honest with yourself, and apply my test above, you will find most of them no longer appeal to you as they once did. It also brings me to an example that adds additional clarity: If you have diet A that will cause the most weight loss in the shortest amount of time but is unbalanced and essentially impossible to follow long term vs. diet B, which will take the weight off at a slower pace, but is easier to follow, balanced, healthy, and something you can comply with year after year, which is superior? If diet A gets 30 lbs off you in 30 days, but by next year you have gained back all 30 lbs, but diet B gets 20 lbs off you in the next 3 months with another 20 lbs 3 months after that and the weight stays off by the end of that year, which is the better diet?

If you don't know the answer to those questions, you have totally missed the point of this article and the lesson it's trying to teach you, and are set up for failure. Go back and read this section again...By default, diet B is superior.

Teach a man to Fish...

A well known Chinese Proverb is - Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.

This expression fits perfectly with the next essential step in how to decide what eating plan you should follow to lose weight permanently. Will the diet plan you are considering teach you how to eat long term, or does it spoon-feed you information? Will the diet rely on special bars, shakes, supplements or pre-made foods they supply?

Let's do another diet A vs. diet B comparison. Diet A is going to supply you with their foods, as well as their special drink or bars to eat, and tell you exactly when to eat them. You will lose - say - 30 lbs in two months. Diet B is going to attempt to help you learn which foods you should eat, how many calories you need to eat, why you need to eat them, and generally attempt to help teach you how to eat as part of a total lifestyle change that will allow you to make informed decisions about your nutrition. Diet B causes a slow steady weight loss of 8 -10 lbs per month for the next 6 months and the weight stays off because you now know how to eat properly.

Recall the Chinese proverb. Both diets will assist you to lose weight. Only one diet, however, will teach you how to be self-reliant after your experience is over. Diet A is easier, to be sure, and causes faster weight loss than diet B, and diet B takes longer and requires some thinking and learning on your part. However, when diet A is over, you are right back where you started and have been given no skills to fish. Diet companies don't make their profits by teaching you to fish, they make their money by handing you a fish so you must rely on them indefinitely or come back to them after you gain all the weight back.

Thus, diet B is superior for allowing you to succeed where other diets failed, with knowledge gained that you can apply long term. Diet programs that attempt to spoon feed you a diet without any attempt to teach you how to eat without their help and/or rely on their shakes, bars, cookies, or pre-made foods, is another diet you can eliminate from your list of choices.

Diet plans that offer weight loss by drinking their product for several meals followed by a "sensible dinner;" diets that allow you to eat their special cookies for most meals along with their pre-planned menu; or diets that attempt to have you eating their bars, drink, or pre-made meals, are of the diet A variety covered above. They're easy to follow but destined for failure, long term. They all fail the "Can I eat that way for the rest of my life?" test, unless you really think you can eat cookies and shakes for the rest of your life...Bottom line here is, if the nutritional approach you use to lose weight, be it from a book, a class, a clinic, or an e-book, does not teach you how to eat, it's a loser for long term weight loss and it should be avoided.

The missing link for long term weight loss

We now make our way to another test to help you choose a nutrition program for long term weight loss, and it does not actually involve nutrition. The missing link for long term weight loss is exercise. Exercise is the essential component of long term weight loss. Many diet programs do not contain an exercise component, which means they are losers for long term weight loss from the very start. Any program that has its focus on weight loss but does not include a comprehensive exercise plan is like buying a car without tires, or a plane without wings. People who have successfully kept the weight off overwhelmingly have incorporated exercise into their lives, and the studies that look at people who have successfully lost weight and kept it off invariably find these people were consistent with their diet and exercise plans. (4)

I am not going to list all the benefits of regular exercise here, but regular exercise has positive effects on your metabolism, allows you to eat more calories yet still be in a calorie deficit, and can help preserve lean body mass (LBM) which is essential to your health and metabolism. The many health benefits of regular exercise are well known, so I won't bother adding them here. The bottom line here is, (a) if you have any intentions of getting the most from your goal of losing weight and (b) plan to keep it off long term, regular exercise must be an integral part of the weight loss strategy. So, you can eliminate any program, be it book, e-book, clinic, etc. that does not offer you direction and help with this essential part of long term weight loss.

Side Bar: A quick note on exercise:

Any exercise is better than no exercise. However, like diet plans, not all exercise is created equal, and many people often choose the wrong form of exercise to maximize their efforts to lose weight. For example, they will do aerobics exclusively and ignore resistance training. Resistance training is an essential component of fat loss, as it builds muscle essential to your metabolism, increases 24 hour energy expenditure, and has health benefits beyond aerobics.

The reader will also note I said fat loss above not weight loss. Though I use the term 'weight loss' throughout this article, I do so only because it is a familiar term most people understand. However, the true focus and goal of a properly set up nutrition and exercise plan should be on fat loss, not weight loss. A focus on losing weight, which may include a loss essential muscle, water, and even bone, as well as fat, is the wrong approach. Losing the fat and keeping the all important lean body mass (LBM), is the goal, and the method for achieving that can be found in my ebook(s) on the topic, and is beyond the scope of this article. Bottom line: the type of exercise, intensity of that exercise, length of time doing that exercise, etc., are essential variables here when attempting to lose FAT while retaining (LBM).

Psychology 101 of long term weight loss

Many diet programs out there don't address the psychological aspect of why people fail to be successful with long term weight loss. However, quite a few studies exist that have looked at just that. In many respects, the psychological aspect is the most important for long term weight loss, and probably the most underappreciated component.

Studies that compare the psychological characteristics of people who have successfully kept the weight off to people who have regained the weight, see clear differences between these two groups. For example, one study that looked at 28 obese women who had lost weight but regained the weight that they had lost, compared to 28 formerly obese women who had lost weight and maintained their weight for at least one year and 20 women with a stable weight in the healthy range, found the women who regained the weight:

o Had a tendency to evaluate self-worth in terms of weight and shape

o Had a lack of vigilance with regard to weight control

o had a dichotomous (black-and-white) thinking style

o Had the tendency to use eating to regulate mood.

The researchers concluded:

"The results suggest that psychological factors may provide some explanation as to why many people with obesity regain weight following successful weight loss."

This particular study was done on women, so it reflects some of the specific psychological issues women have - but make no mistake here - men also have their own psychological issues that can sabotage their long term weight loss efforts. (6)

Additional studies on men and women find psychological characteristics such as "having unrealistic weight goals, poor coping or problem-solving skills and low self-efficacy" often predict failure with long term weight loss. (7) On the other hand, psychological traits common to people who experienced successful long term weight loss include "...an internal motivation to lose weight, social support, better coping strategies and ability to handle life stress, self-efficacy, autonomy, assuming responsibility in life, and overall more psychological strength and stability." (8)

The main point of this section is to illustrate that psychology plays a major role in determining if people are successful with long term weight loss. If it's not addressed as part of the overall plan, it can be the factor that makes or breaks your success. This, however, is not an area most nutrition programs can adequately tackle and should not be expected to. However, the better programs do generally attempt to help with motivation, goal setting, and support. If you see yourself in the above lists from the groups that failed to maintain their weight long term, then know you will need to address those issues via counseling, support groups, etc. Don't expect any weight loss program to cover this topic adequately but do look for programs that attempt to offer support, goal setting, and resources that will keep you on track.

"There's a sucker born every minute"

So why don't you see this type of honest information about the realities of long term weight loss more often? Let's be honest here, telling the truth is not the best way to sell bars, shakes, books, supplements, and programs. Hell, if by some miracle everyone who read this article actually followed it, and sent it on to millions of other people who actually followed it, makers of said products could be in financial trouble quickly. However, they also know - as the man said - "there's a sucker born every minute," so I doubt they will be kept up at night worrying about the effects that I, or this article, will have on their business.

So let's recap what has been learned here: the big picture realities of permanent weight loss and how you can look at a weight loss program and decide for yourself if it's for you based on what has been covered above:

o Permanent weight loss is not about finding a quick fix diet, but making a commitment to life style changes that include nutrition and exercise

o Any weight loss program you choose must pass the "Can I eat that way for the rest of my life?" test,

o The weight loss program you choose should ultimately teach you how to eat and be self reliant so you can make informed long term choices about your nutrition.

o The weight loss program you choose should not leave you reliant on commercial bars, shakes, supplements, or pre-made foods, for your long term success.

o The weight loss program you choose must have an effective exercise component.

o The weight loss program you choose should attempt to help with motivation, goal setting, and support, but can't be a replacement for psychological counseling if needed.

Conclusion

I want to take this final section to add some additional points and clarity. For starters, the above advice is not for everyone. It's not intended for those who really have their nutrition dialed in, such as competitive bodybuilders and other athletes who benefit from fairly dramatic changes in their nutrition, such as 'off season' and 'pre-contest' and so on.

The article is also not intended for those with medical issues who may be on a specific diet to treat or manage a specific medical condition. The article is intended for the average person who wants to get off the Yo-Yo diet merry-go-round once and for all. As that's probably 99% of the population, it will cover millions of people.

People should also not be scared off by my "you have to eat this way forever" advice. This does not mean you will be dieting for the rest of your life and have nothing but starvation to look forward to. What it does mean, however, is you will have to learn to eat properly even after you reach your target weight and that way of eating should not be a huge departure from how you ate to lose the weight in the first place. Once you get to your target weight - and or your target bodyfat levels - you will go onto a maintenance phase which generally has more calories and choices of food, even the occasional treat, like a slice of pizza or whatever.

Maintenance diets are a logical extension of the diet you used to lose the weight, but they are not based on the diet you followed that put the weight on in the first place!

Regardless of which program you choose, use the above 'big picture' approach which will keep you on track for long term weight loss. See you in the gym!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1375468

[evankoenig958-blog]

Phen24- Effective Medication For Losing Weight Fast

Searching for effective medication for losing weight? Well, there are many, but trusting on the best one can help us in getting the best results. Before we talk about the right medication, it is important to know more about obesity. This is the term affecting the lives of many not just their health and wellness, but look as well. There are many factors why people’s obesity rate has increased, including- poor health routines to junk food, high levels of stress and more.

No matter why you are suffering from the same, it is a high time to look for the best and great solution can help you in getting back to the shape. If you are serious for losing weight fast, here is the best medication can give you magical results without affecting your body, health and wellness. So, here we are talking about phen24, which is called as the best medication, helpful in offering the best results. If you are the one would like to look attractive and alluring, this can easily be possible using the suggested medication. This is called as one of the best and great supplements help to facilitate weight loss by improving your metabolic functions. Not only this, it will be helpful in reducing your hunger, and increasing your energy levels, hence no more craving for anything at all.

Phen24 is the best weight loss supplement in the market today, which is proven and given benefits to all. With the regular and right intake, it can effectively lower your appetite, so you can maintain a great diet easily without any discomfort. Taking the same medication will help you to get rid of all sorts of craving, make you full and also improves your neural connections; hence it helps people to sleep better. As per the reviews, it has been found that the same medication is very effective weight loss dietary supplement, effectively help people to lose weight and improve metabolism. One can easily buy the same from the best source online, hence this will be delivered at the door steps anytime you want. Talking about phen 24 precio, this is so affordable and one will love to buy the same without any hassle. Buying the same from relevant online source will give them a great discount, hence for losing weight, there won’t be as good as the Phen 24.

All you just need to consult from your doctor before you carry forward with the same medication or know more about the right dosages for quick help. Taking it genuinely will help in enhancing the body due to thermogenesis process, resulting in more fat loss than anything else. Not only this, Phen24 will help your body go into the state of ketosis, wherein one’s body burns fat for energy without performing regressive exercises or cutting down excessive diet plan. So, just have the same and it will automatically burn our excess fat from your body, will surely be helpful in transforming your look and feel in the shortest possible of time.

[lauriejwesson-blog]

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[captainderyn]

Day 15: Realizations

Prompt number: 15.“That’s what I’m talking about!” 

Fandom: LOTRO

Rating: Gen

Warnings/Tags: 

*I know I’ve already kind of explored this idea but...it’s been a hard day y’all work with me lol 

Read more on AO3 or under the read more

--

Wulfwryn hadn’t meant to go down, hadn’t meant to find herself in a fight. 

It hadn’t even been a fight, they had been ambushed by a pack of goblins, been chased by them as they’d pushed their horses as fast as they dared over the unkempt path. A few lucky arrows had appeared out of nowhere, her horse’s legs going out from beneath it with a cry. 

While she didn’t remember hitting the ground, only the way it had knocked her senseless and shaken the world to a blur, she remembered adrenaline lifting her to her feet, drawing her sword unsteadily for the beasts that swarmed from the trees. 

Blood on her sword, spattering on her armor, Raenor’s shout. The ground, blissfully solid beneath her knees, breath loud in her ears. 

Raenor’s hands on her face, his voice rushing back to her. Asking her questions, noting her answers. 

Her thoughts became her own again not long later, holed up in a small in in the little town they’d been so close to reaching. Sitting on the hard packed floor, armor laid out in front of her as Raenor fussed as healers fussed. 

“You’re lucky you were wearing armor and that you landed the way you did.” he was saying. “I’ve known many an elf killed or seriously hurt in rotational falls with horses.” a long pause, mumbled, “And those were elven steeds, not the draftier types.” 

Grimacing at the truth of his words, Wulfwryn shrugged none the less. She was lucky to walk out of any dangerous situation--the danger in the moment had lost its edge of fear. If she found herself in something then well...there was no way for her to wind back time to get out of it. 

“Those goblins came out of nowhere--it’s okay. We got out of it. I came out of it none the worse for wear.” 

Some deeper bruises, some cuts and scrapes. Certainly some soreness in the morning, but she had dealt with and come back from worse. 

“See, that’s what I’m talking about! It isn’t okay.” it was the shortest Raenor had ever been with her, nostrils flaring as he heaved a deep breath, looking to the side.  It was enough for her to jump, turning her head to look at him. “I worry about you.” 

“You don’t need to worry.” Wulfwryn retorted, pulling away from his healing touch. “I can handle myself.” 

Eyes flashing, he glared at her. “You don’t think I know that?” he growled, frustrated. “But you’re so...so reckless and bravely foolish and...” 

Oh. She saw it now, the painful burst of conflict in his expression. The weight of his words, of the affection behind them, lay heavy between them now as understanding dawned on her. How hard it was to let his feelings manifest instead of denying them. That each time he saw her on the ground it was a flash to the inevitable. But beyond that, beyond her own mortality--for elves could be struck down just as humans in battle--the thought of that loss caused him pain. 

That was the degree in which he cared. Though he’d not voiced it to her in strict terms, if she pulled her eyes from the surface for just one moment perhaps she would have already seen it. 

“Please,” his voice deflated, his expression softening. Whether it was for her to come to him again, or a simple blanket plea, it was a pitiful word. Something ini his expression held a heavy realization. “Please.” 

Without a hesitation she moved back towards him, letting him smear the remaining salve on her bruises and pains as she sorted through what that entailed. To be so deeply connected seemed to only be setting themselves up for pain. 

What was she supposed to say to that? She wasn’t going to pry his true thoughts from him now, she wasn’t going to force him to lay everything on the table. Not when she herself wasn’t sure how to word the intense swirl of emotions in her mind whenever she dwelled too long on him. “Raenor?” 

“Please just be more careful.” he finally said. “I’d like to not lose you.” 

For now that was all the answer she needed.