#synthetic strawberry my beloved

[rondoel]

Guys! Important survey!

This question is brought to you by the fact that apparently some people don't like the taste of strawberry milk

[crimsonlyinglilly]

Day 8: rejected apology / trap / attack

A delayed day 8 for @augustofwhump,

still with Caged Founder, It's the Strix Gala and there's a few uninvited guests.

Takes place some time after this,

Klaus had been sulking in his studio until Lucien dragged him out to recover Alexis with the promise of getting to see Elijah.

----

Sometimes dealing with his lovers is far too similar to managing his siblings.

“Aurora my love,” he called as he spotted, able to know her even with her mask, beside another woman, one he was familiar with who should not be anywhere close to here. “why have you stolen Lucien’s seer?”

“Well-” she started moving slowly to be able to bite her neck, there was no true threat to it but still he moved with vampire speed to slip between them.

“Don’t,” he told her, ignoring as she used her new place under his arm to snake a hand of her own under his suit jacket. “harm her he retaliates.” 

“He’s not-”

“Going to harm you or Jason,” he finished for her, “Ariane however would be the intended target.” a seer for a seer, it was very clear and even with all the protection the Strix could provide he didn't want a price on Ariane’s head.

It was bad enough that unlike the other witches he had taken under his care over the years, she wouldn't have the choice of leaving the Sisters in the future.

“He’s not getting through-” she was pouting at him now, he sighed feeling more than a little sorry for the woman on his other arm stuck listening as they debated her death.

“Beloved of mine, he’s fond of her,” he reminded her, it was one of the few things he and Lucien had come to an agreement, over their concern over the burden being a seer placed on their charges, “he won’t take your murder of her well. Take it from someone who had to use it, having the obsession of a mad man is far more useful than losing it.”

He would be a broken wreak if Tristan didn’t want him him as he was, far too many times Tristan had needed to draw him back from the dark pit of his own mind, and for all they hate each other Lucien and Tristan were far too similar to his brother on their possessive need to have their people as they were but under their control.

“You're comparing Tristan to Lucien.” she narrowed her eyes. He was very aware how badly Tristan would take learning of that opinion but his concern over any future action was distracted as he felt her slim fingers slip through his shirt to drag her nails across the skin over his heart.

He knew he should have worn an undershirt but then he hadn’t suspected she would be coming to the Gala tonight, and he had grown far too used to England's cool temperature to adapt to New Orleans’ heat so quickly.

Elijah attendance was never a choice on attending, from the very earliest a few years after his capture, Tristan couldn’t help but want to show him off, now the galas were the rare times he could check on his former students that had been accepted into the Strix upper ranks.

Aurora however had a choice and while she rarely refused always happy to arrive on either his or Tristan’s arm and switch between the over the night, she had tonight, claiming she wanted to read Jason a story over the phone.

“And Klaus are all very similar,” he told her not bothering to ask about Jason, no doubt she had called their son while in the middle of her abduction and attempted murder, he was going to need to speak to him and try to explain, “you have a type it would seem.” he mused.

“You're different.” she beamed wrapping her free arm around his neck to pull him down into a kiss.

Instead of arguing he met her, tasting the favoured lip gloss she had decided to wear before biting her back slightly when she drew his blood, metallic replacing synthetic strawberry, as he let her slip away from his hold, he licked the last of the blood and lip gloss from his lips.

“Antidote.” he reminded her before she could vanish, he knew when she was trying to distract him, he should stop her wandering free but he needed to return the seer to Lucien, keep an eye on Marcellus and watch over his niece’s mother and her husband, why Tristan had decided to invite a pair of werewolf to a party full of particularly stuck up vampires he didn’t know.

No he did, it was to show off, it was always about Tristan showing off his power in some way.

She giggled as she handed it to him, he raised an eyebrow.

“It’s the real one, just don't go taking a drink from her.” she told him, before sighing “your right, if I start anything it will be even longer before we can bring Jason to our new home.”

He didn’t say anything else as he watched her walk away, Tristan's protectiveness meant he wasn’t going to arrange Jason’s travel to join them until he was sure all threats to the stability of the city and threats within the city were neutralised.

Tristan and Elijah’s ideas of threats were different which had led to more than a few arguments since he had arrived, as had Tristan decision to make him suffer through all of the effects from Klaus’s venom, so he 'could remember it when he next wanted to let Niklaus near him.’ Tristan had explained to an indignant Aurora as he had struggled to control the shivers that racked him. 

Then again Tristan’s original plan had included leaving him and Aurora behind with Jason and if it wasn’t for Lucien warning Aurora, Elijah wouldn’t have noticed his own spies watching his family had been tampered with.

“Take it,” he told the woman as he offered her the antidote, this wasn’t the first time they had met, that had come shortly after Lucien had first learned of the prophecy and shared it with Tristan and Aurora. Tristan had wanted him to let Ariane into his mind to see if she could see more of the threat but Elijah had refused after spending years doing everything to keep her out and spare her that so they had compromised and he had allowed Lucien’s Alexis into his mind instead.

It didn't help as much as they wanted. The future was vague, blood, danger and pain all things Elijah knew but he had at least been a way for Elijah to see his siblings, his remaining ones with Kol dead again.

He was tired of watching and hearing of his sibling troubles a world away, first Finn had tried to trap him in a Chambre de Chasse to convince him of a new escape, which might have worked if a Chambre de Chasse wasn’t Tristan's plans for keeping his siblings out of his way. Elijah had gotten very used to being placed in them by the sisters and Finn in his new body didn’t have half the power of his girls to keep him.

Then Kol had managed to reach out to him in desperation as he was dying, not the way he wanted to learn his little brother was dying again because of a hex Finn and place on him nor the painful realisation that the sisters may have had the power to save him but it was far too late by the time Elijah found out.

That failure was made worse when Kol had revealed he knew about Tristan and had apologised for failing Elijah, his brother’s last moments with him shouldn’t have been tainted by that and yet they were.

They shouldn’t have happened at all but Elijah had a way to fix that now, he just needed Miss Davina Clare and his older sister’s help, they each held a piece of his brothers and his mother’s grimoire was in the city, the final piece needed for getting the unlinking spell to work for sure.

“I didn’t know I was poisoned.” Alexis said, bringing him out of his thoughts, after she took it from him, careful not to touch his skin and took it quickly.

“Aurora’s like that.” he didn’t bother to stop the fond smile appearing on his face.

“Your chains fell away when you stopped fighting them.” the seer told him with an intense look in her eyes as she looked at him.

“Yes, since fighting just led to the dark and I was tired of being swallowed by the darkness.” he replied, time with Ariane had gotten him used to that.

He led her back to the ballroom, her holding the sleeve to his jacket. He was either going to find someone he could trust to return her to Lucien unharmed or convince Tristan to allow him to do it himself; the latter was far more unlikely but he had to try.

He should have been aware that coming to a city not in Tristan’s control would have returned him to his controlling ways of a few decades ago but it had surprised him, he hadn’t realised how much Tristan had let his chains loosen until they were once again choking him.

Before he could fully return to the ballroom someone called their name.

He turned at the call of his name and was surprised to find his brother and Lucien, neither dressed for the gala, there was still paint on his brother.

Had he been sulking in his studio?

Klaus was looking at him far to openly, pain and hurt a world away from the rage he had been snarling at Elijah with last time they had met. Elijah took a breath to smother his emotions at the knowledge that it meant Klaus knew, no doubt Lucien had told him and Lucien had no reason not to tell him everything.

In part to hurt him, no doubt. Had Lucien kept up the mask of sympathetic friend as he retold Klaus how weak Elijah was? How much Niklaus had missed and failed? He was just thankful Lucien wasn’t aware of the true depths of patheticness Elijah had fallen to.

“Lucien, I believe this one belongs with you.” he greeted.

“Alexis.” Lucien called appearing in front of them with a burst of speed to pull her towards him, checking her over for any harm.

“Brother, I’m sor-” Niklaus started, and Elijah hated how much Tristan was right in that Elijah was so willing to accept the words if he finished them, Niklaus so rarely apologised now, seeing them as weakness.

After everything Elijah still had to fight the urge to wipe the paint from his brother's face and promise him everything was fine to chase the hurt from his eyes.

But it wasn’t and Elijah couldn’t lie to either of them. He wanted a future with his family but that included both of them, and he knew Niklaus wasn’t ready to accept that. “No.” he cut him off, he couldn’t take that now.

Not when his brother was looking at him with pity, when he had to face that Tristan was right. Klaus would destroy the life he had built simply because it wasn’t in his control.

Niklaus was far too similar to Tristan and Elijah wasn’t risking losing everything he built for new chains and prison bars built from brotherly love.

Niklaus had a history of his siblings dead lovers and Elijah wasn’t letting Tristan and Aurora join them.

He wasn’t inviting Niklaus’s habit of hurting his family into Jason’s life.

“I wouldn’t recommend drinking her blood for a day or two.” He told Lucien, refusing to look at his brother, it was easier to ignore his brother’s sad pleading blue eyes when he wasn’t looking at them.

“What why?” Lucien narrowed his eyes and placed himself between Elijah and Alexis. 

“The antidote may have cured her; the poison will take longer to clear her blood.” Elijah explained.

“Antidote?” Lucien asked with a little too much teeth for the mild tone he was trying to affect.

Truly if he was going to wear his heart so openly he should protect it better, his girls had a coven and Aya to stand between them and any threats, Jason had the Stix. 

Then again Aurora was very good at finding ways to slip in.

“You know what Aurora’s like.” he shrugged slightly, her fondness for him and his love for her was the only reason he was still alive, after all. Tristan knew killing him would be the one thing Aurora would never forgive him for, and as such stopped Elijah from killing him.

Now it was the fact Jason would be sad if his uncle Luc died, that spared him Elijah, something Aurora likely knew would happen when she introduced them.

“Elijah-” Niklaus tried reaching out, Elijah stepped back leaving his finger to just brush hsi jacket.

“Now then, you can leave as I don't believe you were invited.” he said, ignoring the sound his brother made at the brush off.

“A bit heartless not to invite your own brother when in his city, don’t you think, impolite even?” Lucien grinned as he looked between the pair of them.

Of course he was going to have fun with this, even the shark with a taste of blood and Niklaus’s wounded expression, the more he ignored him, was an open wound. 

He smothered the need to fix it, Niklaus shouldn’t be showing his weakness here, but where they were was hidden from the rest of those gathered.

If he let himself weaken he would fall into his old ways and prove Tristan correct, and he wasn’t doing that.

“New Orleans was once mine as much as his.” Elijah told him with more than a little honest irritation, he had built this city in a way Niklaus hadn’t bothered, far more interested in claiming the power but never working in keeping it peacefully “Besides, Tristan has sent him numerous ones before to be ignored.” he added carelessly knowing it would cause Niklaus to flinch at the reminder. How much would have changed if his brother had accepted any of them? 

True, Tristan had only started offering them after Elijah had given up openly trying to escape but Klaus might have noticed something wrong if he had been there and perhaps just seeing one of his siblings would have prevented one of his breaks. 

“Of course they were more for me than Niklaus,” he explained with a sharp smile, decided if Lucien had already told Niklaus, he may as well add to it, to make it clear he wasn’t the helpless victim his knew his brother was likely already mentally painting him as, “a test and taunt, to see if I would break and beg my little brother to help me. I’d like to think I wouldn’t have-” before he could finish a voice interrupted him, his smile froze.

“But given what happened following Finn’s visit perhaps we should be thanking Klaus for his abstaining.” Tristan’s words were filled with amusement as he stepped beside him, too close to his side not to be read as intimate.

Tristan’s appearance had one positive effect as the hurt puppy expression on Niklaus’ face vanished in an instant.

“Tristan.” Klaus snarled body moving in a way that clearly showed his need for violence, Elijah cut him off just as quickly as he shifted his weight to lean into Tristan, who slipped an arm around his waist.

There was a moment of frozen silence as Elijah could feel Tristan’s smugness without looking away from the complicated mix of rage, disgust and horror on Niklaus’ face.

“I heard you mention Aurora,” Tristan cut the silence “What has my sister done now?” Tristan asked, fondly exasperated.

“What have you done to my brother?” Klaus demanded, making Elijah sigh at being spoken of as if he wasn’t right there, then wince at Tristan’s reply

“When?” Tristan asked with a smirk and Elijah felt the hand on his hip tighten slightly, and bit back the urge to groan because of course Tristan would take this as a challenge. 

“What?” Niklaus forced out, almost wordless with rage.

“When are we talking about?” Tristan started what Elijah had to wonder was a rehearsed speak, had Tristan practised it for when he could finally gloat knowing Elijah would be stuck defending him from a wrathful brother, “the first year, the first ten, the second decade, what point in the last near century are you asking about because the answer changes a lot-”

Elijah cut him off with a kiss, swallowing the rest of his words as he deepened it.

Elijah wasn’t the one to break the kiss, as it took him vampire speed and strength to catch Klaus’ wrist before he touched Tristan to tear out his heart. Tristan did, as he pulled away to look down at the clawed hand aimed for his chest.

“At least the Marshall-Kenner conduct themselves with manners.” Tristan commented snidely running his free hand down the front of his jacket to brush off imagined dirt as Elijah kept hold of the wrist, it now shaking in his hold desperate to reach Tristan.

Tristan's attitude wasn’t helping Elijah’s desire to hold it, while he didn’t want Tristan dead Niklaus offered an excellent way to knock his lover down a few levels of arrogance, maybe once Elijah could be sure he wouldn’t end up accidentally dead.

“Niklaus,” he said with a wide smile as his brother was glued to him, “you may not believe me or want to accept it but I will not be happy, if any harm were to come to either Aurora or Tristan.” he warned him, Aurora and Tristan were his. 

“Brother, let me go.” Klaus insisted but his eyes flickered to Tristan still, his want clear.

“Will you be keeping your hands to yourself?” he asked, making it clear that if he refused he would be breaking his wrist as he tightened his hold. 

“Fine.” Niklaus huffed after a short pause.

“Good.” he beaned and released his hold. “Now Lucien, you have what you came here for and Niklaus isn't dressed for the event, so can both leave.”

He had no interest in being followed by Niklaus for the rest of the night or needing to follow him around to prevent any further disturbance, he still had Marcellus to watch over during his initiation and the pair of werewolves wandering around the party.

“Brother, I'm not leaving you here with them.” Klaus snapped but Elijah caught the undercurrent of a whine.

“Yet you had no issue with that before.” he said, ignoring his own hurt as Niklaus blanched at the word and continuing reminding himself of the words Klaus had spat at him the last time. “You're not welcome.” 

“My dear Sire has spoken,” Tristan voice was spoken to carry, likely bring the attention of Elijah’s guards that had gathered just out of view, but he was far more aware of the warmth of his breath on his neck, Tristan knew better than to bite him in public but the way Niklaus had tensed made it clear he took it as a threat “ so gentlemen please see yourself out.”

Niklaus’ narrowed eyes never left them until he was forced to turn, led out by Lucien who had his arm around Alexis.

“Did you enjoy yourself with that?” he asked, keeping his tone flat and his back straight even if part of him wanted to slouch, to lean into some comfort but Tristan currently was a fragment the cause of his issues, and outside of their home, he would never.

Here, he was the untouchable Sire of the Strix, the treasured Founder, here he didn’t break.

“Yes, watching you tear your brother’s heart out with words was a delight.” Tristan answered, at least catching his veiled annoyance to remove his arm and step back. “I am surprised though, I was sure you would falter at his sad eyes.”

Elijah didn’t mention how close he had come to doing that.

“So what were you doing to miss Aurora arriving with Lucien’s seer?”

“Speaking to the beautiful Hayley Marshall-Kenner and her husband about the future of our son getting to meet his cousin.” Tristan told him with a smile before it dropped for a serious look, “what was Aurora doing with Lucien’s seer?”

“Likely planning to leave her body upstairs to upset Lucien.” he guessed, he had an idea why she was doing it, not what her true plan was.

“Why?” Tristan frowned, “i thought she was getting better, she knows any chaos she brings will delay-”

“She’s angry and lashing out.” he explained, “this separation isn’t easy, she misses Jason.”

“You're dealing well with it.” Tristan replied, looking at him with curiosity.

“I don't have time for a bad day at the moment, the pair of you are keeping me distracted enough.” Elijah informed him, besides Elijah did have a bit more practice with dealing with  the aching longing of missing someone than Aurora, he had decades kept from his siblings. 

“Neither of you would be apart from him had you stayed.” Tristan reminded him, and Elijah smirked and pressed a hand to his lover's chest over the heart his brother longed to tear out.

“Then you would be dead,” he reminded him, adding with far too much oblivious enjoyment over the fact, “because my family will kill you now they know. I’m the only thing truly keeping you safe.”

He left Tristan’s side after that when he caught sight of Kendall, one of the first teenagers Aya had added to his lessons after the moved from France.

[excuseme-youpretty]

Anonymous

Pairing: Kim Taehyung & Park Jimin (Platonic soulmates)

Side Pairings: None

Rating: G / Suitable for all audiences

Genre: Fluff

Word Count: 1432

-

Notes: This was supposed to be a neat little warm-up drabble to ease my way into writing. I ended up taking things far too seriously. But look how cute and fluffy it is!

I’m always willing to take requests for little drabbles so feel free to hit up my ask box. This particular drabble idea was requested by @toruhagakure1a​ ♥ Enjoy!

-

You don't know his name.

But you know that his face is painfully beautiful. His skin is as rich and dark as your favourite salted caramels, the ones that your beloved Halmeoni would sneak into your palm at the end of her visits because she has always loved your cheeks to be a little bit fuller. 

His lips are plump and intricately shaped, with a few moles dotted around the bow of his lips and just underneath a creased lash-line. His smile is broad, as bright a thousand-watt bulb and in the most peculiar rectangular shape. And his eyes are dark, impossibly so, but they gleam with mirth as though he is holding on to a jovial secret which you could only wish to discover.

He exudes a vibrancy which completely belies his status as a brand new student; one who had the misfortune of transferring to one of Seoul's most prestigious highschools part-way through the term. 

He is sparkling and enigmatic. And you are completely captivated.

You don't know his name.

But you know that his large ears are far too big for his head. Round, curved and protruding between a curtain of neon-bright tangerine hair. They hold a pair of black geometric earrings, dress code be damned, with a duo of similar violations looped over his index and ring finger, respectively. 

With the hemline of his trousers just barely extending past the base of his calves, you can clearly see the mismatched print of his clashing socks. The fit of his jacket is atrocious, practically swallowing his broad shoulders whole. He even has to pitch them close to his jawline to avoid tearing through the material. 

He has the presence of someone who abides by spontaneity alone. As though he had chosen to forego a proper uniform fitting in order to succumb to his own chaotic instincts. 

Clearly, this student is a man who marches to the beat of his own drum, however wild and unpredictable the percussion may be. And as you run your trembling fingertips back and forth across your silk tie - freshly laundered and pressed that morning - you cannot help but to admire his tenacity.

You don't know his name. 

But you know that he has an adorable affinity for tigers. You can see them plastered all over his notebook, some haphazardly doodled with heavy paws and slanted whiskers whilst others are artistic illustrations highlighted by the downstroke of a glitter pen.

They are each surrounded by a bouquet of asymmetric purple hearts, some with anthropomorphic smiles and others containing a single consonant symbolizing victory. 

Even as he throws himself down into the vacant desk beside you, taking a little longer than necessary to get settled, you can see his fingertips shading detailed feline features across a blank canvas of lined paper.  

He is a man of relentless energy, and the hand which is not preoccupied by his enthusiastic sketching reaches absentmindedly into the pocket of his too-tight jacket to fish free a small tube of lip balm with a red top.

He pops the cap with ease, massaging a film of sweet strawberry over his pout without even glancing up from the intricacy of his artwork. For a single moment, one which seems to linger in the air for far longer than you deem absolutely necessary, you cling to the visual of his petal-pink tongue catching on his smile as though he were savouring the fruity tang of his balm.

Something inside you aches imperceptibly as you watch the strange boy return his lip balm back inside his pocket. Your own plump lips suddenly feel far too dry and in desperate need of nourishment. 

You don't know his name.

But the moment that your beloved teacher rises from her desk, her wrinkled hands folded politely in front of her person and her smile incredibly fond, and encourages all students to branch out into pairs for today's science experiment, he leaps toward you as though you have been friends for several millennia. 

"Hi!" He exclaims loudly, his voice akin to freshly incinerated gunpowder; a shocking juxtaposition to the childlike innocence of his fine, elven features. 

He drags his chair across the floor with unbridled enthusiasm, rickety metal grating shrilly across hardwood floors, until he is comfortably situated right beside you. He is pressed so unbelievably close that you can feel hot, arid heat radiating from the thick of his thigh. 

The sensation makes your head spin akin to a catherine wheel balancing precariously on the apex of a toothpick, an uptake of momentum which twirls and twirls until you have to bite your nails into the wood of your desk to keep you from toppling over.

Your pumpkin-haired companion glances at you expectantly. A tinted eyebrow piques high upon his forehead, his lips mirroring that adorable 

oblong grin from earlier. And when his dark eyes begin to bubble and froth with the familiar glint of smothered secrets, your fingertips buzz like television static. 

If only you had some sort of key in order to better understand him, to decipher the cryptic code nestled inside his iris. 

Perhaps then you would be able to accurately deduce whether or not he feels the same magnetic pull within his soul that you do, tugging on your insides like a marionette string from the moment he illuminated your classroom. 

You don't know his name.

But the longer you stare at him the quicker your mouth transforms into a sunstroked savanna. 

Your naturally rosy cheeks have darkened considerably, lush roses flowering open atop your cheekbones, and a film of mist freckles like dew across your lash-line. 

All at once you are struck by how completely out of character the numbness of tongue is.

Your social skills are frequently unparalleled. You can maintain a conversation for hours, effortlessly navigating through a myriad of pleasantries and poorly-conceived jokes with relative ease. You know when to pause and when to listen intently to your conversational partner's statements and questions. 

And you really do listen. There is a reason you were voted class president, after all.

But there's just something about this perplexing stranger with the highlighter hair and the boxy smile. Something which has your brainwaves skidding to an unceremonious hault.

Thankfully, he takes notice of your vocal paralysis for long enough to sit upright. He pushes his unfathomably long fingertips through his hair and chuckles sweetly, the sound resonating like heavy rain on asphalt. 

"Let me try again. Hi, I'm Taehyung!"

Taehyung. His name is Taehyung. 

It takes a minute for you to find your voice. The sobering sting of slanted teeth against your bottom lip is just barely enough to condition you back into proper functionality. 

"I… I'm Jimin. Park Jimin." You whisper, your words tasting like dry cotton inside your mouth.

Without a moment of hesitation, Taehyung reaches across your desk and braids his large fingertips between the narrow junctures of your own. His touch is feather light and strangely familiar, like the brush of synthetic fur against your cheek as you huddle a nighttime companion close to your chest. A safety blanket, almost.

Taehyung smothers your petite palm underneath a verifiable blanket of sun-kissed skin and crisp cool rings, guiding your hand to rest against his chestplate.

"Listen here, Jimin-ah." He announces, seemingly unaffected by his use of the honorific. "You and I are gonna be best best best friends, yeah? I can already tell!"

Your soul burns, gasoline and petroleum, a lit fuse sizzling and popping betwixt your veins like a serpent.

Taehyung's eyes are bright and clear, unobfuscated by any traces of doubt or uncertainty. His smile is a concentrated flicker of pure sunlight, his pinky finger extending out toward your own.

That magnetic pull returns to your chest once more, blossoming vibrantly between the perimeters of your ribcage and tugging incessantly until you link your (much smaller) pinky around Taehyung's own.

"Okay." You breathe in a rush, trusting him unconditionally.

You know his name.

But now it is simply not enough. 

You long to discover every little detail about him.  From the pandora's box of his imperceptible eyes to the reason why his mere presence is enough to trigger aerial somersaults within your heart. 

You have a catalogue of questions swirling around inside your brain, your consciousness completely overstimulated, and yet one thought remains at the forefront of your mind; from now on you and Taehyung are a pair, a unit.

Jimin and Taehyung. 

Taehyung and Jimin.

Best friends forever; that is what you both pinky promised. 

And he can't hide from you now - you know his name.

[impracticaldemon]

A little ErLu for the inimitable @sassyhazelowl in honour of Femslash February ♥ in under the wire on February 28! This is almost entirely fluff and fun, but why not? Hope you enjoy it!

~ Imp

No-Longer-Valentine’s-Day Day

What do you give a woman who already has the ultimate wardrobe of expensive dresses and fine armour?  Not to mention accessories ranging from hand-painted fans (with steel reinforced edges) to pennant-decked horse lances.

Lucy was flipping morosely through a catalogue of swords that included everything from Japanese katana (second blade 50% off!) to Scottish claymores (for life with a little extra swing—ideal for beheading your immortal enemies), trying to pick out the perfect No-Longer-Valentine’s Day gift.  They’d agreed that Valentine’s Day could be overdone, although it was still a good opportunity to pick up strawberry-creme chocolates.  Plus, they’d stocked up on bath bubbles and scented candles the day after at a significant discount.

Not that they hadn’t supported their friends.  Nothing wrong with celebrating Valentine’s Day in traditional ways, or on the traditional date.  Juvia had gone all out, and foregone her usual—as in every single day of the year usual—blue in order to dress up as the Queen of Hearts, complete with tiny red velvet miniskirt, gorgeous, lacy, black bustier, thigh-high black and red boots, and a crown.  Cana had adored it, even though Juvia had muttered that it looked odd with her blue hair, and the two of them had gone off laughing into the night, on their way to both an extravagant masquerade ball, and a waterfront dive.

Lucy hadn’t been envious.  By celebrating Valentine’s Day in their own way, she and Erza could make it more personal, and less commercialized.  …At least, that was the theory.  She flipped the magazine closed with more force than necessary, and managed to give herself a nasty paper cut across the tip of one finger.

Okay, okay, we can do this.  Ignore massive PAIN radiating from little finger, focus on being creative and different!  Juvia dressed up for Cana way outside her comfort zone, wrong colours and everything.  Cana bought tickets to a fancy party, even though it’s not really her crowd–and she’ll behave perfectly, too, just for Juvia.

The sound of familiar footsteps brought Lucy up off the couch in a bound.  It wasn’t much, but maybe there was something she could do for Erza today.  And after that she would make a suggestion.  More of a recommendation, really—a firmly-worded, emphatic recommendation.  Next year, they would do Valentine’s Day with everybody else, and wallow in commercially-induced, over-priced froth. They were both far too addicted to following advice from magazines, and the “celebrate on a different day!” advice had sounded better in principle than in practice.

Fortunately, Lucy knew exactly where to find what she was looking for, and after several years around Team Natsu she was an expert at dressing quickly.  Mentally, she ticked off the list of preparations that were already done:  candles—lit; sparkling wine—chilling; chocolate-raspberry cookies—baked; window—locked against unwanted guests.

She emerged into the living room just as Erza was hanging up her coat and turning to admire the sights and smells of Not-Valentine’s-Day.

“Lucy—this is amazing!  I really appreciate—”  And then Erza stopped, having finally gotten a good look at her girlfriend, who was lounging against the door to the bedroom.  “…Oh Lucy…”

After the fateful Grand Magic Games, Lucy had brought home their uniforms, and washed, and scrubbed, and gotten help patching up rents and tears and scorch marks.  Their victory on that last day of the Games had come at a high cost, but they’d been a team, and she knew how much that had meant, and still meant, to Erza.

“Glory days?” Lucy asked, softly, but with just a hint of provocative hip, and her best I-think-you’re-gorgeous smile.  The indigo-purple uniform, emblazoned with the Fairy Tail crest, hugged her torso, and swirled around her thighs, leaving most of her legs bare.

“Eh, yes—I suppose… You look so pretty!”  Erza was an affectionate, demonstrative lover, and she hurried over to Lucy now, and gave her a tight hug, before pressing a happy kiss to her lips.  Lucy melted into Erza’s warmth, returning the kiss, and reaching out to twine her fingers into one, calloused, strong-fingered hand.  A moment later, she winced.

Erza drew away, concerned.  “Lucy?”

Embarrassed, Lucy laughed.  “Just a paper cut!  Funny how the smallest things can really hurt, you know?”

“This, from the woman who survived Minerva at her worst!”  Erza’s words were gently teasing—she’d spent many long nights, and days, too, helping Lucy cope with the aftermath of her least pleasant experiences of the Games. At this point, they’d both come to terms with what had happened—and with Minerva of Sabretooth.  Erza lifted Lucy’s hand, and examined the thin red line across the top of the pinkie.  “I suppose I’ll have to kiss it better…”

Lucy hummed happily, and then with a little heat, as first her ‘injured’ pinkie, and then her other fingers, were caressed by Erza’s soft lips and attentive tongue.  It took an effort to pull away.

“Why don’t you get changed, and I’ll pour the wine?  And I made your favourite cookies…”

Erza was always—almost always—surprisingly compliant when it came to doing things as a couple.  Lucy suspected that her beloved enjoyed being able to relax out of the ‘leader’ role when they were together like this, although of course it depended on the day, and whatever else was going on.

When Erza got back, shyly holding a small gift wrapped in white lace and fancy red ribbon, Lucy was waiting for her on the couch.  She let Erza set down the gift, and handed her a glass of wine as she took her place on the couch beside Lucy.

“Now then,” said Lucy, “I have a gift for you, too, but I didn’t get to wrap it.”  She cleared her throat.  “I left my shopping a little late, you see.  But then I realized that I can give you something much better than just a new weapon to add to your… collection.”  They grinned at each other, since Lucy usually referred to Erza’s assortment of weaponry as her ‘freakishly insane personal armoury’.

“Well I can think of several better things, actually,” Erza told her, raising both of her elegant brows.  Then she blushed.  Erza was still endearingly embarrassed by physical intimacy at times, despite the very racy novels she read in private.

“Ahem!  I’m trying to make a grand gesture here—don’t interrupt!”

“Sorry, sorry…”

“As your very special It’s-Not-Valentine’s-Day present, I, Lucy Heartfilia, will help you to choose a new weapon.”

Erza blinked, obviously confused.  “But, Lucy—”

“Seriously, try me!  It just occurred to me that I haven’t spent years with you—not to mention the last four weeks with your favourite catalogues—without learning how to speak the language of sharp metal things.  Bring it on!”

Still puzzled, Erza tried to comply.  She rarely discussed weapons with Lucy, since it wasn’t an interest they had in common, and Lucy didn’t even really like weapons much.

“I was thinking, recently, that I should improve my range of middle-to-long-reach swords—”

“Sure, no problem—I would suggest something in either the medium-heavy end of the katana, or possibly the true longsword of the Europeans, which was originally more like the katana, in the sense of being a sword requiring two hands to heft and direct with precision.  This type of longsword was also referred to as a hand-and-a-half sword, or bastard sword—although that seems like a rather rude name, to me. 

“Anyway, let me draw your attention to page twenty-three of this catalogue, and we can start by discussing the relative merits of the katana they have in stock at the moment.”

“Lucy?”

“Talk to me baby!”  Lucy reached out and pressed Erza’s hand, before handing her the catalogue.  “I know I’m not always up to talking sword dynamics, but that doesn’t mean I can’t.  I’ve got a surprisingly good memory, you know!”

“…Are you sure?”

“Yep.  This attractively-attired celestial mage is here to get serious about blade curvature and tang length.  Feel free to debate speed versus power with me—or more likely yourself—to your heart’s desire.”

Erza’s astonished expression finally relaxed into a very soft kind of smile.  “This could end up being a very… invigorating… discussion.  After all, what person doesn’t like being asked to talk about herself, or her favourite interests?”

“I’m counting on it,” Lucy responded, eyes bright with humour and anticipation.  She set down her wine, and patted her lap invitingly.  “Come lay your head on my lap, and talk dirty to me about your favourite grips, and the benefits of real leather over synthetics.”

Much, much later, a sleepy Erza murmured to a sleeping Lucy:

“Next year, I want to celebrate Valentine’s Day and No-Longer-Valentine’s Day…”

[END]

tags:  @shell-senji @nalufever @eliz1369 @lockandk3yfiction @furidojasutin @miss-zei @strawberryliaelleth

[absolutelyxosmittenxo]

General nuts and dolts headcanons?

{ notes: hands down, my absolute favorite pairing. no discourse dares to interfere with it in the community and it is bursting in complete purity. my deepest apologies if these aren’t the most well written and if i went overboard, haha. but thanks so much for requesting and i hope you enjoy ❤ }

－ ＮＵＴＳ ＡＮＤ ＤＯＬＴＳ ⭐

⭐ The key elements of RWBY were already fairly acquainted with Penny, as well as what peculiarities she’d cluelessly boast. Ruby doesn’t hurry to introduce her girlfriend to JNPR, Taiyang, Uncle Qrow or anyone holding relevancy. In hindsight, you might be flummoxed. But what I allude to isn’t corresponding to humans or faunus, as seen in Blake, Sun or Velvet’s case. How could their relational transcendence be neglected by the cutest pup to ever come into existence? Cordially, the quirky dolt would greet the yapping critter, “Oh, salutations, furry meat person!” Synthetic material doesn’t divert Zwei’s glee; they befriend one another in two milliseconds flat. Except when she catapults a stick so far across the world Ruby can’t find the poor puppy for a month.

⭐ Jeopardy is a rare sighting. There wouldn’t be much nitpicking the girls could community physically or verbally. Five percent of it comprises of arguments that couldn’t damage anything; fifteen perfection is perspiration leaking joy. The highest portion of eighty percent is fluff powerful enough to tear your heart into itty bitty pieces.

⭐ Location doesn’t take priority to them. Now, we shall document the activities of a mechanical cutie within her natural habitat, preying on a creature whose scientific classifications are “Miss Rose” or “Dolt” (according to Schnee specialists). The Polendina doesn’t make haste nor a sound. Once she has her eyes on “Ruby”, instincts take control as she pounces onto the prey. The predator almost suffocates her prey, appearing so, so, so, so very happy.

⭐ The animal kingdom would hook Penny by the metallic gills. To pacify her pleas, Ruby excavates the jungle with her girlfriend through the zoo’s access. Chipper as can be, an inventor’s greatest treasure would be stuck in a trance from every tooting elephant, cheering chimpanzee, zany zebra and more, declaring them close companions on the spot. But they aren’t allowed back after the incident with the bear.

⭐ Sensualism wouldn’t translate with nuts and dolts. Celibacy satisfies them. Although intercourse could dictate one’s intertwining with another soul, it hasn’t crossed their minds much, if at all.

⭐ Slumber parties of Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Yang, Nora and Pyrrha are a notoriety to Beacon personnel. Spontaneousness, polarity, unpredictability and high strung personalities don’t brew the finest wine. An invitation for Penny to pitch in would be a recipe for disaster. Do you know how many noses she has broken in pillow fights?

⭐ Somehow Professor Polendina theorized installing jet wings in his daughter would be most appropriate - and she doesn’t splurge them carelessly. Sometimes the robot will pluck up her rose petal unexpectedly and send them soaring to a seventh Heaven.

⭐ Penny daydreams over what fairy tales are stored in Ruby’s library. She demands a bedtime story every night and pretends her equally socially awkward lover is a knight in shining armor and she is a damsel in distress. Well, a damsel in distress equipped with high class military weaponry.

⭐ Nicknames aren’t a convention adopted by the pair - the synthetic soul venerates her beloved’s name as is, and the rosebud doesn’t protest.

⭐ The weight of who dominates wouldn’t trample them. A couple composed of oblivious cutie patooties doesn’t require superiority. All they need are learning experiences.

⭐ Penny will never fathom Taiyang’s right to abominable dad jokes. Ever.

⭐ “Could you please impart your wisdom upon me, friend Yang? I wish to evoke a certain emotion from Ruby!” Lethal does not come anywhere in a close perimeter to define what stunts the fist fighter pulls. As half sisters, Yang has insight on what irks the young scythe wielder. Susceptible to oblivion, Penny would invite Ruby to her own funeral service without taking the outcome into account. The younger daughter will pursue her vengeance in due time.

⭐ Ruby can’t throw surprise parties for Penny following the last one, where she was on the cusp of detonation.

⭐ Kisses can be compared to the consumption of a strawberry shortcake: The softened ring outside entices one to unearth the rest as they are divulged in the center’s secrets. It is the Magnum Opus of climaxes, as the dessert’s denouement ties all loose ends with each savoring the chaste bliss.

⭐ Although she cannot ever replace what accessory her father gifted her with, the little Polendina would be rapturous giving new outfits a try. The two dolts would giggle mirthfully until their guts were busted in half, strutting their stuff.

⭐ Bouncing off the walls couldn’t epitomize how thrilled Penny would be to bake cookies. Anticipation of everything going swimmingly is denied. Batter sticks to the girls’ noses, flour covering them in white, eggshells on the counter is what the process commands. Their efforts would be rewarded with the flavorful explosion the batch brings.

⭐ Ruby can not believe she is the big spoon for once, and Penny needs to help to stop hyperventilating once she breaks the news. The robot pries on human body functions, paying close heed to the thumping of a heartbeat that is a melody she is hypnotized by.

⭐ Self conscious of her artificial composition, Penny would fret. Ruby would project solace down onto the inquisitive machine, “Just because you have nuts and bolts and not squishy gutd doesn’t make you any less real. You have a heart and soul, I can feel it.”

⭐ Insecurity pins itself on the huntress from time to time, too. The robotic girl would stop at nothing to raise her spirits. Ruby has taught Penny to embrace the sum of her parts, and needs to discover she deserves to feel the same.

[alpheratz1]

OC Aesthetics Tag

Rules: Bold the things that apply to your OC.

I’ve seen this game and I couldn’t resisto to do for my most beloved OC: Eden

[ COLORS ] red. brown. orange. yellow. green. blue. purple. pink. black. white. teal. silver. gold. grey. lilac. metallic. matte. royal blue. strawberry red. charcoal grey. forest green. apple red. navy blue. crimson. cream. mint green. cobalt blue. lime green.

[ ELEMENTS ] fire. ice. water. air. earth. rain. snow. wind. moon. stars. sun. heat. cold. steam. frost. lightning. sunlight. moonlight. dawn. dusk. twilight.midnight. sunrise. sunset. dewdrops. magic.

[ BODY ] claws. long fingers. fangs. teeth. wings. tails. lips. bare feet. freckles. bruises. canine. scars. scratches. wounds. burns. spikes. feathers. webs. eyes. hands. sweat. tears. feline. chubby. curvy. short. tall. normal height. muscular. lean. piercing. tattoos. lithe. moles. dimples.

[ WEAPONS ] fists. sword. dagger. spear. arrow. hammer. shield. poison. guns. axes. throwing axes. whips. knives. throwing knives. pepper sprays. tasers. machine guns. slingshots. katanas. maces. staffs. wands. powers. magical items. magic. rocks. mud balls. pyre. teeth. rifles. words.

[ MATERIALS ] gold. silver. platinum. titanium. diamonds. pearls. rubies. sapphires. emeralds. amber. amethyst. metal. iron. rust. steel. glass. wood. porcelain. paper. wool. fur. lace. leather. silk. velvet. denim. linen. cotton.charcoal. clay. stone. asphalt. brick. marble. dust. glitter. blood. dirt. mud. smoke. ash. shadow. carbonate. rubber. synthetics. jade.

[ NATURE ] grass. leaves. trees. bark. roses. daisies. tulips. lavender. petals.thorns. seeds. hay. sand. rocks. roots. flowers. ocean. river. meadow. forest. desert. tundra. savanna. rainforest. caves. underwater. coral reef. beach. waves. space. clouds.mountains. poppies. galaxies. stardust. sky.

[ ANIMALS ] lions. wolves. eagles. owls. falcons. hawks. swans. snakes. turtles. ducks. bugs. spiders. crickets. birds. whales. dolphins. fish. sharks. horses. cats. dogs. bunnies. praying mantises. crows. ravens. mice. lizards. werewolves. unicorns. pegasus. dragons. rats. livestock. foxes. bluebirds. jackals.

[ FOODS/DRINKS ] sugar. salt. bitter. candy. bubblegum. wine. champagne. hard liquor. beer. coffee. tea. spices. herbs. apple. orange. lemon. cherry. strawberry. watermelon. vegetables. fruits.meat. fish. pies. desserts. chocolate. cream. caramel. berries. nuts. cinnamon. burgers. burritos. pizza. french fries. ambrosia.

[ HOBBIES ] music. art. watercolors. gardening. smithing. sculpting. painting. sketching. fighting. writing. composing. cooking. sewing. training. dancing. acting. singing. martial arts. self-defense. electronics. technology. cameras. video cameras. video games. computer. phone. movies. theater. history. libraries. books. comic books. magazines. cds. records. vinyls. cassettes. piano. violin. guitar. electronic guitar. bass guitar. harmonica. harp. woodwinds. brass. bells. playing cards. poker chips. chess. dice. motorcycle riding. eating. flight. climbing. running. freerunning. exploring. partying. yoga.

[ STYLE ] lingerie. armor. cape. dress. tunic. vest. shirt. sweater. boots. heels. leggings. trousers. jeans. skirt. jewelry. earrings. necklace. bracelet. ring. pendant. hat. flower crown. crown. circlet. helmet. scarf. brocade. cloaks. corsets. doublet.chest plate. gorget. bracers. belt. sash. coat. jacket. duster. trenchcoat. hood. gloves. socks. masks. cowls. braces. watches. glasses. sunglasses. visor. eye contacts. makeup. ties. uniform. fancy shoes. leather jacket. sport underwear.

[ MISC ] balloons. bubbles. cityscape. light. dark. candles. war. peace. money. power. percussion. clocks. photos. mirrors. pets.kisses. diary. fairy lights. madness. sanity. sadness. bittersweet.happiness. luck. optimism. pessimism. loneliness. family. friends. assistants. co-workers. enemies. loyalty. smoking. drugs. kindness.love. hugs. revenge. lust. regrets. passion. spontaneity. potty mouth. recklessness. practicality

I tag everyone to want to do this and to tell about their OC’s!

[megabrocklesner1world-blog]

Getting More Nutrients From Your Fruits and Vegetables

Anyone can be quite a prey of diabetes. It does not subject if you're young or old. Your competition can be no issue. You are able to obtain that illness if you will not be careful.

Special meals carry the greatest risks to people with diabetes, particularly the synthetic ones. But, they can include natural sugars inside their diet, such as fruits. It is not the case that diabetics must totally avoid fruits. They can be secure to take provided that you are conscious of your limits. There are recommended amounts for diabetics and they should purely follow those.

It'll help you best if you will check first if the good fresh fruit you're going to consume is abundant with fructose. Such good fresh fruit will not involve the body to make insulin to metabolize. It will even not influence your blood sugar and energy supply. On the contrary, you need to avoid fruits which can be abundant with glucose. Dry fruits and good fresh fruit juices are also not advisable for you. Here are some of the recommended fruits for diabetics:

Typical consumption of avocado Amandelen will help in taking your cholesterol stage down. Furthermore, it improves the generation of insulin in your body. Being abundant with potassium and magnesium, additionally, it helps in maintaining balanced body pressure. Yet another positive thing about avocados is that they brush out cholesterol and decrease the risks of heart disease.

Cherries supply the body with the large antioxidants it needs. They also aid in raising the insulin levels and in controlling the blood sugar levels. Ingesting cherries will not allow you to obtain weight.

Being low in glycemic index, grapefruit ought to be part of any reduced carbohydrate diet. It will help in weight reduction and in regulating the sugar in the body. Grapefruit can burn off human body fats and you are able to consume many of it and never having to ingest way too many calories.

There are a few fights about peaches. Some folks are wondering if diabetics can definitely consume that good fresh fruit or not. Apricots are carbohydrate meals; nevertheless, they're abundant with fibre, vitamins and antioxidants. Ergo, they should be taken away from the diabetic meal plan.

Pomegranates have the mix of the very most effective antioxidants that will help improve the situation of a diabetic. They also battle chronic conditions and defend you from free radicals.

Fresh figs are saturated in nutrients and crucial minerals. They're also abundant with potassium, iron and calcium. On the contrary, you need to avoid eating dry figs as the sugar inside them is already concentrated; that won't be great for your blood sugar levels. These fruits is found in 2 shades, dark and green. The color does not actually subject as equally can be very nutritious.

Organic fruits such as blackberries, strawberries, loganberries, goji fruits, elderberries and blue fruits are normal fruits. They usually grow all throughout the year. For this reason, it will not be hard for you really to include them regularly in your diabetic meal plan. Fruits are abundant with antioxidants and they will not cause significantly stress in your blood sugar levels.

From the time we were children, we have always been taught that we ought to be eating at the very least 5 amounts of fruits and veggies each day therefore that we can grow around be strong and healthy. That same principle continues to be in power, as we need to teach our youngsters to consume well balanced meals as opposed to planning to the neighborhood McDonald's and begin chowing down on food that is saturated in calories and fats. Understanding these specific things and performing them are 2 many different subjects because it is simpler to do one thing and your investment other. We constantly preach that we can purchase more fruits and veggies instead; we discover ourselves at the neighborhood industry stockpiling unhealthy foods and produce the excuse they are for the youngsters to help keep them occupied. Here are a several a few ideas, imagination comes into play, on ways to toss in the well balanced meals into your family's daily diet routine:

1. Making and drinking a break fast shake is the greatest way to really get your time going off the right foot. Making a break fast shake isn't bomb research, that is something which anybody will make when they're short on time. All it will take to help make the best shake actually is to incorporate a few fruits, couple of snow for added texture, your preferred reduced fat yogurt and a deal packed with protein powder to provide the body energy. For your children, nephews, nieces and grandchildren, you could add snow product in the shake, mixture it altogether and they will get the best treat they have ever endured inside their life.

2. Buying a food dehydrator would not be this type of poor idea to buy because it could dry a variety of fruits and greens that your kids can try school inside their lunch bags. Stock through to trail combinations, because they include a variety of nutrients, including protein, to revitalize the human body. If you may not prefer to create a break fast shake each morning and only want to stick with the break fast cereal, take to introducing dry fruits, such as plums or strawberries.

3. Provide your sandwiches new living as you add fruits and vegetables. Nothing can actually beat out the usual peanut butter and jelly. To spruce it down slightly, include sliced apples or plums to the all-time beloved sandwich. If it's something similar to tuna fish, burger, bologna or a chicken meal, include slices of veggies to provide your meal new flavors.

4. At dinner time, kiddies become really picky in regards to eating their veggies. What I indicate is that you produce a salad bar available with a variety of greens and salad dressings. In this way, the youngsters can choose their particular toppings as opposed to having to consume what you provide them.

5. Purchase investing in a good fresh fruit and veggie juicer, since you and your loved ones may reap the benefits of that amazing machine. A month or two before, my partner bought one through amazon and I can let you know that it performs miracles for my family. You can create your own V8 liquid or the ultimate good fresh fruit beverage drink that the household may enjoy.

[thirteenthanda]

These 5 Wellness Tips Actually Changed My Life

These evidence-based nuggets of truth from across wellness domains—including natural beauty, reproductive health, and exercise—have changed my daily practice in real ways, empowering me to take control of my own health. Could they do the same for you? Here's what I learned:

1. Ditch fragrance and parfum.

Do you love smelling like crème brûlée? Or maybe it’s just too hard to part with your beloved strawberry-scented body butter. I get it. I’ve been there. For years, I was a product junkie—I had every potion and lotion on the market. It wasn’t until I took a deeper dive to understand the toxins in our everyday products that I became a more conscious consumer of my products and their aromas.

Go into your bathroom and grab your shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. Do you see the words, "fragrance" or "parfum" listed in the ingredients? Sounds ambiguous, right? Due to copyright and trademark laws, scents are considered proprietary. Therefore, anytime you read fragrance or parfum on an ingredients list, buyer beware of the mishmash of various aromatic chemicals that may potentially be carcinogens, neurotoxins, and reproductive toxins. In fact, fragrance dispersants, like diethyl phthalate, may bioaccumulate in the body and cause allergies, dermatitis, and respiratory issues.

If you’re about ready to toss your entire bathroom cabinet in the trash, hold up. My go-to resources to learn more about hazards and toxic ingredients in cosmetic and personal care products are the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database and the Think Dirty app. And, if you’re a true aroma-lover who can’t go without a signature scent, consider swapping out synthetic fragrances for unadulterated essential oils and hydrosols.

2. Get in tune with your cycle using FAM.

For many years growing up, I attended a progressive all-girls school. As forward-thinking as it was, I look back and shudder at the poor formal reproductive education I received. Far too often other educated women tell me that they honestly don’t know all that much about their cycle and how it connects to overall health. While not all of us are taught the nitty-gritty of charting and our female cycle in a classroom, it’s never too late to think about birth control, fertility, and contraception differently.

What if there were no hormones, no pills, no procedures? The first time I learned about the Fertility Awareness Method (FAM), I remember asking some obvious questions—so, a woman isn’t fertile for only 24 hours of her cycle? What does my body temperature have to do with anything? If you’ve struggled with painful periods, contraception, or just want to learn more about your body in a way that has no side effects and is environmentally friendly, perhaps FAM is for you.

By creating a more mindful connection with our cycle, we are able to more deeply tune into our bodies. For instance, I realized that taking magnesium and vitamin C reduces my PMS symptoms. And I’ve concluded that I experience less cramping during menstruation when I practice barre and yoga consistently (at least three to four times a week). Plus, charting and FAM allow you to engage in safe sexual practices with a lot more knowing and a lot less praying and hoping.

Are you wondering where to even start? The book Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler is a great introduction. And if you’re ready to get right into it, check out the Kindara app. Kindara makes it super easy for you with their Wink tool—it’s pretty much an Amazon echo that syncs your temperature and data to the app for you. No manual input required!

3. Tap into scent to get what you want.

A huge part of my interest in health in wellness lies in the intersection of our brain and behavior. How can we thrive at home, at work, and in our relationships? Initially, I found the wellness world to be an overwhelming to-do list of practices with which I originally had little or no attachment and therefore interest. Every day, you must do some interval training, practice yoga—oh and don’t forget to meditate! Instead of looking at these habits as chores, I started tapping into what I call the "me and not me" of spiritual practices.

I found my love and niche in aromatherapy and all-natural product formulation. From my years of study, it’s become clear that everyone can learn how to cultivate different states of being through the power of scent. Evolutionarily, we’ve moved away from our old friend, olfaction, making it one of the last frontiers sense-wise. Just smelling certain aromas, like essential oils, influences neurotransmitters.

Want to be more productive? Reach for some peppermint or rosemary at work, which have been clinically proven to improve memory and energy level. Can’t sleep at night? Rub some lavenderand roman chamomile essential oils on your pulse points, since they’re both potent nervous system sedatives. A recent study demonstrated that lavender creates an affinity to bind to GABA, the brain’s relaxing neurotransmitter, which supports the popular anecdotal claim that lavender works wonders for relaxation and sleep.

Aromatherapy and aromatic molecules were once regarded as woo-woo and placebo—thought to offer little scientific advancement to the understanding of the brain and their influence on human behavior; however, recent clinical discoveries (namely, that these molecules easily pass through the blood-brain barrier) have shown us that it’s worth hopping on the scent bandwagon as they may hold the key to future brain therapeutics that potentially rewire stress, anxiety, OCD, and trauma circuits.

4. Once a day, get moving with low-impact, isometric workouts.

I’m an advocate of finding a variety of workouts for your body and goals, but I’m also a big believer in low-impact and isometric exercises. As a woman who enjoys getting active once a day, taking it easy on my body is a top goal. Running multiple times a week was too hard on my joints, and I desperately sought a complement to gentle restorative yoga. And with autoimmunity on the rise, it's coming to light that caring for and moving our bodies in the right way can make all the difference in the long-term.

That’s when I found barre. There’s a body of research demonstrating that the ballet-like moves, like plies, lifts, and bends, actually require more lower-body muscle than traditional lower-body exercise moves, like squats. Plus, low-impact workouts, like barre, help target the seldom-used back and side abdominal muscles that contribute to the core strength needed to maintain posture as you age. And while you might be thinking good posture and flexibility aren’t enough to entice you, you’re also increasing the energizing hormone serotonin and decreasing cortisol.

If you’ve tried barre and it’s not your thing, be sure to explore other low-impact but high-cardio exercises like cycling, yoga, and swimming.

5. Buy an old-school alarm clock and limit phone use to 1 hour of screen time.

For Instagram lovers, this can be a tough pill to swallow. I know it was for me. In 2017, people spend more than four hours a day on their mobile phones. Researchers estimate that about 90 percent of that time is on apps. And it’s recently come to light that people are spending more time on Instagram than email. I used to spend so much time refreshing email on my phone that the pang of anxiety from the influx of messages became normal.

I read a study that discovered we use our phones twice as many times as we think we do. Reaching for the phone and scrolling through Instagram was a go-to mindless ritual. But living life on autopilot and engaging in automatic behaviors was making me less analytical, creative, and intuitive. Once I started to realize that I wasn’t relying on my own mind for actively retrieving information or entertaining myself, I knew I had to make some lifestyle changes.

Currently, my bedroom is a technology-free zone. I bought a battery-operated alarm clock and use that instead of my old routine of using my iPhone alarm. Beyond that, I only use apps on my phone (Facebook, Instagram, mail, etc.) for an hour total each day. You might think 60 minutes is an arbitrary number, and it is, but it works for me because of my circadian rhythm’s sensitivity to blue light and desire to be more present in everyday interactions.

If you’re inspired to implement these changes, or try a digital detox, incorporate the crystal shungite, which is believed to block electromagnetic frequencies and radiation, into your living spaces, set micro-goals for yourself, and verbalize them or make a pact with a partner or friend. I suggest setting the night-shift mode on your phone to start at least two hours before you intend to sleep. And if you’re committed to curbing your smartphone addiction, I enjoy using the Onward, Offtime, or Moment apps. While it may seem ironic to use your phone in an effort to use it less, I promise these apps that track your time and behavior can help you make the necessary changes to improve your quality of live and overall mood.

Often, it's making seemingly small lifestyle shifts that changes your day-to-day and has a huge impact on your health and well-being. These are the five that have made a huge impact for me.

by Leigh Winters