#the sunscreen rec is in the replies

[a-queer-little-wombat]

The Puritans fucked up the USA so deeply hardcore for this, and Catholics are right there with them. FUCK THEM BATCHES, STOP SUFFERING. DO THINGS HOWEVER MAKES THEM TOLERABLE, IF NOT FUN.

Start playing Pokémon Go to have a reason to go walking. Get an under-desk bike.

Use that sunscreen that sprays on or us in a stick or whatever works for your sensory issues.

Make stir-fry vegetables. Look into baked salads. Make pie. Batch cook. Find someone on social media posting cooking/recipes that you like and subscribe/follow them so you've got a background feed of ideas for vegetables. Frozen vegetables are Just Fine, use em. Cut up your carrots/celery/etc into snack sizes and bag/box em in your fridge for easy grabbing.

Buy a cool pill case for your meds (mine isn't even fancy but it has helped SO MUCH, even if refilling it is still annoying).

Set the meds alarm on your phone to say "thanks for taking care of you" when you (finally) hit "done". It's fucking ridiculous but it tricks your brain into the dopamine instead of just "stop bothering me, alarm".

....

And yet, uh, some of this is also like "have you tried being neurotypical?" because some things you just can't make fun or even tolerable. Like fucking phone calls. I'll do nearly anything to NOT make a phone call.

PDA sucks a whole lot, y'all.

Sometimes I want to do the thing, I need to do the thing, but NOPE. No amount of planners, to-do lists, alarms, reminders, whatever will make me able to do the thing.

Hey btw, here's a piece of life advice:

If you know what you'd have to do to solve a problem, but you just don't want to do it, your main problem isn't the problem itself. Your problem is figuring out how to get yourself to do the solution.

If your problem is not eating enough vegetables, the problem you should be solving is "how do I make vegetables stop being yucky". If your problem is not getting enough exercise, the problem you should be solving is "how do I make exercise stop sucking ass". You're not supposed to just be doing things that are awful and suck all the time forever, you're supposed to figure out how to make it stop being so awful all the time.

I used to hate wearing sunscreen because it's sticky and slimy and disgusting and it feels bad and it smells bad, so I neglected to wear it even if I needed to. Then I found one that isn't like that, and doesn't smell and feel gross. Problem solved.

There is no correct way to live that's just supposed to suck and feel bad all the time. You're allowed to figure out how to make it not suck so bad.

[eiightysixbaby]

🤎 fic authors self rec game 🤎

when you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. let's spread the self-love

ty for the tag my lovely @etherealxwitch

i’ll be home for christmas - this one feels like a given as it’s my only actual fic with more than two parts. i poured so much time and energy and thought into this one and i love it so much, even if it may not be perfect. ❤️

sunscreen and chlorine - a classic! lifeguard!eddie! i feel like he’s lowkey my brand or at least he was last summer when i wrote this fic. he’s so special to me <3

when the van’s a-rockin’ - this is one of my favorite things i’ve ever written for jonathan, idk i’m just really proud of my writing on this one and she’s so spicy 🌶️

personal jesus - i just remember how excited i was when the motivation struck me for this fic. i love stripper!eddie

cruel summer - also a classic i feel like. it’s definitely not completely up to my current standards of what i consider “good” writing from myself, but i spent so much time on it and i had such a wonderful time writing it along with its second part. it’s a good benchmark fic for me to look back on and see how far i’ve come in terms of my writing :)

no pressure tags: @onegirlmanytales @prettyboyeddiemunson @eddiesxangel @littlexdeaths @aphrogeneias

[mammameesh]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love 💖

I'm just now getting to my laptop. Since I've done this here

I'll tell you 5 of my favorites of yours and give you a sneak peek at part 2 of Sunscreen as a very late birthday treat?

Dracontine Series Now Every time I hear "shake like a polaroid picture" I think of Dragon!Patrick and smile.

Goodnight, Sweatheart I often read this before bed to wind down. Like it's serotonin for my brain.

Plant Your Love and Let It Grow This is a lovely look at Patrick's Garden through a year.

May Showers I think you captures each boys voice/head so well in so few words.

If I could hold you for a million years This was an amazing feat of 100 ways to say I love you and it was such a joy to follow along.

Patrick is left dazed. The man in black was here and gone in a flash. Who is he? He was so expressive. Handsome. Friendly? Patrick looks around. He is left with very few clues. Luckily, Patrick loves a good mystery. Oh. He left behind the tube of sunscreen. Patrick picks it up and turns it around in his hand. Rosebud Apothecary, eh?

I'm workshopping the name of RA since this is an AU. Happy very very late birthday, my friend. you are such a treasure to our little fandom and so many of your words have brought me so much joy, I hope this brings a little joy to you too <3

[bakatenshii]

Try krave beauty “the beet shield” for sunscreen and make sure you are removing it properly at the end of the day. Sunscreen should be used as the last step of ur morning routine, on your face and neck, and the back of your hands. That might be what’s breaking you out. At night Regardless of your skin type, use an oil or balm based cleanser to wash your face first (DHC cleansing oil, it’s yellow btw) then wash with a water or gel based cleanser (cerave foaming cleanser or cerave SA Renewing face cleanser, I picked those cuz U describe oil acne prone skin). Make sure to always moisturize no matter ur skin type, for acne prone I recommend the cerave daily moisturizing lotion which u can use on face and body. Paulas choice BHA toner is good for one to two times a week only on non sensitive spots of your face and don’t combine with anything other than moisturizer, then over time maybe 3 times a week depending on ur skin type and how ur feeling. Only do this step at night and always moisturize well after. For morning as a first step, just cleanse with the water/gel based cleanser I recommended. Don’t double cleanse in the mornings, only do it at night. It’s unsolicited advice but I used to have the same problem as u so hope it helps. A niacinamide serum is also a great option to add for the daytime before moisturizer and sunscreen (Naturium niacinamide serum) Biossance also has a great sunscreen

AHHH THANK U THANK U, I’m immaculate with my skincare and in all 22 yrs of my life I’ve slept with my makeup on twice. I’ve woken up after ptfo-ing from drinking/etc and ran to the bathroom to find out that I’ve double cleansed, moisturized, and masked the night before in a right state LMAOOOO

I don’t wanna spam so threw in a read more but my skincare routine rn for combo dry is—

✯banila clean it balm (I’ve tried the DHC as well but prefer banila co!) and a milk foam cleanser that I’ve used since god knows when, it’s the one part of my skincare that never lets me down. not sure if it’s okay but I doublecleanse at night whether or not I’m eearing makeup because I tried only using a cleanser for a week and my skin visibly dulled and rhe texture got rougher. in the mornings I just use water to wash! it’s too much to use a cleanser during the winter so water only hehe

✯muji light toning water which has made a ridiculous difference tbh, I live for it.

✯laneige water bank essence or innisfree soybean essence, if my skin’s behaving ill throw in a vitamin C serum but oooonly a few times a week at night IF my skin’s not a minefield

✯laneige water sleeping mask at night/innisfree jeju orchid cream during the day

✯recently I’ve been using this sheet mask every night in place of the essences because it’s a lot more nourishing. I’ll wake up and see a visible difference + it feels incred

the one time my skin cleared up was when I was on the pill and it was actually insane, then I went back to china for like 6 months last yr and I dont think my skin had ever been that bad since I was like 17 and it lit hasnt recovered since sigh

everyone says it’s hormonal issues but I refuse to go on the hellpill again HAHAH I tried controlling my diet to mostly vegs + light meats + no dairy and all that did was make me irrationally hungry fffFFF I went 6 months without coffee or boba or any sweets and it gave me nO RESULT smh F in the chat truly

also when I was 15/16 I fucked my skin up with some prescribed topical cream by my doctor and i had such a bad allergy reaction I went to the A&E (just bc my face was so puffy HAHA I COULDNT OPEN MY EYES) and for a yr after that anything beside CeraVe/Cetaphil would damage my skin so that singlehandedly changed my skin from combo-oily to hypersensitive combo-dry rip

BUT THANK U SO MUCH HOLY FUCK THIS IS SO INDEPTH AND DETAILED I APPRECIATE U TAKING THE TIME OUT TO SEND THIS TO ME AHHHH FUCK THANK U THANK U

HI EDIT: IDK IF MY TUMBLRS ACTING UP OR IF IT RLY FUCKED UP MY REPLY BUT HERES THE FULL REPLY

[jake-kiszkas-smirk]

Not That Serious

Jake Kiszka x Reader

18+ only! Minors do not interact!

Warnings: graphic sexual content, unprotected sex, choking, light degradation, oral sex (m/rec)

Word count 3k

You walked up the steps to the beach house the boys had rented for the week.   They were still all out on the beach playing volleyball or lounging around but you were hot and tired.  You had all been out there all day.  You knew they would all be arguing over the shower when they got back so you decided to head back early so you could claim it first.  You stepped into the bathroom and peeled your wet bikini off your body.   There were obvious tan lines and you were a little sunburnt but nothing too terrible.  You knew if you were sunburned the boys would definitely be worse off, never deeming sunscreen necessary.  They’d all be begging for the aloe vera you had brought with you by the day. You got in the shower, going through the routine of washing and conditioning your hair, and washing your body to rid it of sand.  You stepped out and wrapped in a towel before padding down the hall to your room.  You grabbed your makeup bag out of your suitcase and walked over to the dresser that had a mirror over it.  Starting to lay out your makeup you realized how parched you were and decided to go to the kitchen to get a glass of water.   Halfway down the hall you heard the boys coming in the door.  You were still wrapped in your towel but deemed it fine.  You caught a glance at Jake as you pranced into the kitchen and he slightly narrowed his eyes at you.  You continued over to the fridge and poured a glass of cold water. 

“Whoa y/n, you got a little red today” Josh said, inspecting my shoulders, “Does it hurt?” He asked innocently as he carefully pressed on it, watching the spot turn white for a moment before going back to red.  

“Just a little,” you replied as you swallowed down my sip of water

“She still isn’t as red as these two” Sam said as he motioned to Jake and Danny, slapping a hand on Danny’s shoulder.  Danny hissed in pain and then chased Sam off through the house.  You just rolled your eyes and headed back to your room.  

“We are still going out tonight!” Josh shouted as you walked in and shut the door.  You weren’t sure if you wanted to go or not.  You were really tired and annoyed at a certain mans antics.  Speak of the devil and he enters the room.  You look at his reflection as he walks up behind you, putting his hands on your hips and pressing a kiss to your neck. 

“Did you have to go out there in front of them in a towel?” he asked as he pinched your thigh.  You ignore him and continue digging in your makeup bag.  He realized he wasn’t going to get an answer and spoke again,

“Are you going out with us tonight?” He mumbled against your neck, resuming his kisses.    

“I haven’t decided yet” You say nonchalantly, trying to ignore the tingly feeling those kisses are already giving you. 

“Is something wrong?” His tone changes as he turns his attention to your reflection in the mirror. 

“I just miss you I guess.  I don’t understand why we can’t just tell them we are dating.”  You say as you finally let your eyes meet his.  He groans and walks over to the bed and plops onto it.   

“Not this again baby, I told you, I am just not ready to tell them yet.” He insisted

“Yeah I know. You’ve said that a million times I just don’t get why” you said turning to face him so you can read his expressions.   “I haven’t got to spend hardly any time with you on this whole trip, I don’t even know why you wanted me to come.”

“We all wanted you to come.” He said.  And he was right, you had grown close to all of the boys working with them on the tour, but had always known you had a thing for Jake.  You were instantly drawn to each other like magnets. 

“Answer my question.” You said sternly, crossing your arms.

“We just aren’t that serious yet..and I just don’t…” He started but you felt anger bubbling inside you.  You knew that was a damn lie.  You had both already talked about exclusivity, and you both wanted that.   You had been seeing each other in secret for almost 3 months.  You were sure he just liked the privacy you both had, with no one knowing about the two of you.

“Ah. Got it.” You interrupted, “Please get out of my room.” You said as you turned back around to face the mirror.

“Baby that’s not what I should have said I-“  

“Get. Out.” You said flatly.  He sighed as he walked out and shut the door behind him.  He knew better than to argue with you.  You repeated his words in your brain and it just fueled your annoyance and anger more.  You knew exactly what this called for.  You took a few minutes to take some deep breaths, you’d need to be calm and collected for the show you’d be putting on tonight.  You did your makeup, leaving your hair in it’s natural loose waves.  You dug in your suitcase and found a short sundress, it was a halter style with a deep cut v in the front.  The boys had mentioned this little beach side club with a big patio, and it would be perfect to wear.  You picked out some wedges that laced around your ankles and took one final deep breath before walking towards the kitchen where you knew everyone would congregate before leaving.  You found that they had already started to pregame.  Sammy was situated on the couch, Josh was sitting on the kitchen island and Danny and Jake were talking by the front door. 

“Sammy,” You said as you sauntered over, “Can you help me with my shoes?”

“Sure thing gorgeous” A simple name he often called you in a platonic way.  You smiled and walked over, handing him the first shoe and lifting your leg to his lap, hiking the skirt of your dress up to your hip as you coached him through how to lace them.   You heard Jake and Danny’s conversation stall behind you, before Jake cleared his throat and continued talking.  You repeated the step with the second shoe. 

“Thanks Sammy” You said with a wink as you grabbed your bag off the counter. 

“Everyone ready to go?” Danny asked as he opened the door to the front of the house.  We all voiced our answers as we headed to Josh’s car.  You were one of the first out the door with Jake somewhere behind you, but you could feel his eyes on you.  You were in fact, in his favorite dress. 

“Shotgun!” You shouted. 

“Sure thing mama,” Josh laughed as he opened the door for you,

“Thanks Josh” you said as you gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before settling in the seat. 

“I thought you said you didn’t want to come out tonight” Jake said as he got in the back seat with Danny and Sam. 

“I changed my mind, I always have so much fun when I go out with you all” you said in a sickly sweet voice.  “I just hope I make it through the night in these heels.”

“With or without them you look great y/n” Danny said.  He wasn’t even in on your little ‘make Jake so jealous he sees red’ plan.  He was just being the sweet angel he always was. 

“Thanks Danny” You said as you quickly turned around and squeezed his knee with a smile before turning back around in your seat.  The drive to the club was filled with laughter and joked from everyone but Jake who was looking out the window the whole time.  Before we even approached the door to the club you could hear the bass thumping from the loud music.  You knew everyone would probably go their separate ways once you got inside so you quickly decided Josh would be your best way to really get Jake riled up.  He was always touchy, and even more so when he was drunk.   You followed him to the bar as the other 3 disappeared off to the patio that doubled as the dance floor.  You settled on the barstool next to Josh.  He liked to people watch, and so did you.  You both ordered drinks and then turned to watch the crowd.  You scanned the room quickly, and saw Jake in your line of sight.  He was definitely keeping tabs on everything you were doing.   You and Josh were a few drinks in and you were touching his knee and hair every chance you got.  You were surprised Jake hadn’t come and said anything yet or somehow pulled you away. 

“Do you want to go dance?” You got close to Josh as you whispered in his ear.  He nodded, downed the rest of his drink.  You took his hand and dragged him out onto the floor.  You started off dancing fairly innocently, but eventually you turned around and Josh’s hands were on your hips with your ass dangerously close to his crotch as you swayed your hips.  You caught a glimpse of Jake and you could tell by his face he was fuming. You’d never admit it to him with how mad you were at him right now, but he looked so good tonight.  He was wearing white linen pants and a grey shirt with only one or two buttons buttoned, showing off most of his bare chest.  His hair was up in a messy bun and he looked absolutely delectable.  “I gotta go to the bathroom I’ll be right back” You turned and whispered to Josh before heading off to the bathroom.  You slowly made your way through the packed dance floor.  By the time you got to the bathroom door someone was against your back ushering you in.  You grinned to yourself because you already knew exactly who this was.  His hands were already tight on your hips and you could smell his cologne. 

“Jake, what are you doing?” You turned and faced him, feigning innocence as he locked the door,

“What am I doing? What the hell are you doing?” He asked, his words already laced with an aggressive tone that had your heart racing.

“What do you mean?” your playing dumb was just enticing him more,

“You know exactly what I mean.” He hissed at you, stepping closer “You’re all over Josh”

“Oh” You paused, knowing the next words were going to push him over the edge. “I just figured since we aren’t that serious you wouldn’t mind if I fucked your brother.”  He narrowed his eyes at you, clenching his jaw.  You met his stare, not backing down as you smirked at him.  Before you could say anything else his hand was around your throat and he was pressing you against the wall.  You kept your face as indifferent as you could muster.  You knew he was trying to take you by surprise to rattle you, and you wouldn’t give him that satisfaction. 

“For your information, I told them that we were dating while you were getting dressed. So all you’ve managed to do is make yourself look like a slut.” He said, looking down his nose at you, faces so close you could feel his breath.  Now this, this rattled you.  Fuck.  You felt your eyes get wide at his admission.  He took in your reaction, his face still stern.  His hand slid from your throat to your jaw as he held your sight on him, “Is that what you wanted?  To be a slut for my brothers?”  Now his body was pressed against yours as he waited for your answer. “Answer.” He commanded as he gripped your jaw a little tighter.  You absolutely loved when he was rough with you, and you knew this would be the product of making him jealous.

“No.” You said finally mustering the composure to speak. 

“No what.” He asked and you pressed your hips forward into his searching for friction, feeling his hardness pressing against your thigh. 

“No, I wasn’t trying to be a slut for them” He hummed as he thought about your answer.  “I’m only a slut for you, you know that” You added.  A devilish grin spread on that beautiful face of his. 

“Is that so? Why don’t you get on your knees and show me.” He moved his hand from your jaw to caress your face. You nodded eagerly, “Good girl” He placed a chaste kiss to your lips before looking down, reminding you that you were supposed to be on your knees.  You sunk to the floor and quickly undid his belt, pulling his pants and boxers down to his thighs.  His cock sprang free, already unbelievably hard and dripping with precum.  You spit in your hand, pumping him a few times as you looked up at him through your lashes.  He grabbed a handful of your hair and guided your head backwards to the wall he just had you pressed against.  It was at this moment you knew that he wanted to throat fuck you.  The corner of your mouth turned up in a half smile as he stepped closer, letting him know you were into it.  You and Jake had been fucking long enough to have an established safe word and the rule that if you couldn’t speak you shook your head 3 times.  He was always very tuned in to you at all times, and you always felt safe.

“Hands” He said and you immediately offered both to him, he pinned them above your head against the wall.  “Open that pretty little mouth”  You obliged, he pulled up the bottom of his shirt and put the hem in between his teeth.  He leaned forward slowly sliding his cock into your mouth.   He started with a shallow pace, but eventually started thrusting deeper and faster into your mouth.  Your eyes clamped shut as he threatened your gag reflex.  You had drool dripping down your chin and mascara running down your face but you didn’t even care.  You were so turned on your panties were absolutely soaked.  You managed to open your eyes long enough to hear him grunt and throw his head back, his shirt still scrunched up in his mouth.  He was so impossibly hot, and the noises he made had you filled with lust.  You moaned as he stalled his movement, deep in your throat. 

“Fuck” He groaned as he pulled away from you, “Get up here” he said as he used your hands to pull you up.  He brushed his thumb over your chin, wiping off the drool, and for a moment soft Jake shone through.  He grabbed the hair at the nape of your neck and led you over to the counter, his other hand on your hip as he leaned you over the counter.  “Look at you, all fucked out from sucking my cock, you are a good little slut aren’t you?” he said as he made you look in the mirror. 

“Only for you” You repeated breathily, knowing it was what he wanted to hear. 

“That’s right” He said as he lifted your dress up and pulled your panties to the side.  He slid the tip of his dick through your slick before slamming it into you, causing you to scream out.  Luckily the music was loud enough to mask it.  He started an unforgiving pace, pounding into you as you moaned his name over and over.  “Who’s cunt is this?”

“Yours” You choke out, his grip on your hair and hip getting tighter the closer he gets to the edge.  He’s making sure to keep your face directed towards the mirror.  You closed your eyes as you feel your orgasm growing closer and closer. 

“Jake please” You moan out

“Open your eyes, want you to watch me fuck you, want you to watch yourself cum on my cock” You force your eyes open and he’s a vision. He’s slamming into you and he’s looking down, watching where your body meets his, sweat beading on his brow, his cheeks pink from the sun he got today.  You tilt your hips, giving him a different angle and it has both of you spewing curses.  That coil inside you snaps and its like a wave washing over you. Your legs are shaking and you’re suddenly grateful that you have a counter holding you up.  His rhythm starts to falter telling you he’s close.  “Tell me again, who’s cunt is this? Who fucks you this good baby?” He says and its almost a whine. 

“You Jake, only you!” You shout, the overstimulation starting to get to you.  His hips snap into yours a few more times before he’s burying himself deep and spilling inside you.  His forehead is resting on your shoulder as you both catch your breath.  He presses a kiss to your shoulder as he stands up and removes himself from you, pulling his pants back up. “Stay there” He says and lovingly rubs a hand over your ass cheek as he grabs a paper towel.  He dampens it with warm water before cleaning you up.  He pulls your dress back down and lets you stand.   He throws out that paper towel and grabs another one, also dampening it before he gently wipes the mascara from under your eyes. 

“Did you really tell them?” You asked softly, and a small smile spreads on his face,

“Yes, I did.” He says as he tossed the towel to the trash and pulled you closer. 

“Thank you” You reply as a grin spreads on your face.  He puts his hand behind your neck and pulls you in to a passionate kiss.  

“Now, can we go spend this night together, like a couple?” He asks playfully, taking your hand and motioning to the door. 

“I’d like that” You reply as he leads you back out to the dancefloor.  

[icasttourniquet]

WHAT'S IN YOUR (PROTEST) GO BAG?

Fan of the scout motto "always be prepared"? Oh boy is this post for you

You (the character) get the call to action for a protest; you have assembled the cast of characters you are traveling with; you want to be like Mary Poppins and have the “just-in-case” product for every situation that may emerge in your coming adventure. I ask you folks: what. is. in. your. B A G?

An every-person's guide of everything to have:

Essentials

Water: this is for drinking. Hydrate or die-drate.

Separate water (this is for eye flushes in case you, or the people around you, need it)

High impact snacks (no blood sugar drops or wooziness for you and your team!).

Identification and Phone (and a Sharpie)

Really though, dehydration is nothing to joke around about! Imagine being the man down while your friends hunt down an EMT, when you are supposed to be the Mary Poppins here. Or if not, you (the writer) get to make that choice!

It is helpful for this to be in a bottle that you can get some pressure on to spray it. A good reusable example is a Gatorade bottle.

You also do not want this to be the same as your drinking bottle, for risk of additional bacterial contamination.

While some folks prefer milk, or formulas for eye flushes, I haven’t found any research to back up the superiority of those products over water. Additionally, milk is far more likely to spoil if you are out for a long time, or in a predominantly hot climate. (Sour milk in your eyes? Sounds bad).

ID (this is topical)

IF:

You can't be arrested without larger repercussions, this is a conversation to have with your affinity group before you go.

Someone you are with can’t be arrested, then you know that your group is not going to be diving into confrontation.

You are in a position to be at the front of confrontation, without concern, yes, you'll need an ID if/when you get processed.

Phone  

Best practices to know ahead of time:

Turn off face/touch ID

Turn off your location information

Use apps that are secure and encrypted to communicate (I’m hesitant to cite my favorite one in case it gets targeted, but it’s blue and named for what your phone doesn’t get in deep basements!).

Write down numbers of your emergency contacts in places where they won’t sweat off. (This is what the sharpie is for, and is best done before you leave the house. You are bringing the sharpie to help other people make smart choices).

Clothes/ Physical Supplies

COMFY SHOES ON YOUR FEET! NO HERO MADE IT FAR WITH A BLISTER AND WET SOCKS!

DO NOT WEAR CONTACTS, they will hold the tear gas against your eyes; go glasses or go home

Weather-appropriate clothing (Wind, Wet, Warmth)

Goggles (with a rubber seal around the eyes, not foam; foam is porous)

Mask (gas)

PANDEMIC PRECUATIONS (keep these in a protected Ziploc from weather and from gas)

Look at the forecast, anticipating for the whole length of the time you expect to be outside

Sun

Sunscreen

Sun protective clothes

Hat (with rim is best; rims offer physical protection from pepper spray too)

Sunglasses

Rain

Protection for body and bag

Extra socks

Winter

LAYERS LAYERS LAYERS

A wetted bandana paired with goggles works in a pinch

Gloves

Sanitizers

Spare masks

A NOTE: While the above supplies have been normalized in the era of COVID-19, antagonizers often read masks and goggles as signs of escalation in non-covid times, and as a result, these can make you a target. Consider this as you will, and read the signs.

First Aid(Keep ALL these in a protected Ziploc from weather and from gas)

Band-Aids

Sterile alcohol pads

Menstrual supplies (if your body needs that, or might need that, or you want to help out a fellow protester who may need it)

Any medication you take and may need

(Pads and cups > Tampons; to reduce risk of TSS, or in case the plan changes and you don’t have time or place to adjust)

If you take a daily medication, bring a dose or few in case you are not able to return home as planned.

Anything I missed? Specific Brand Recs? Reply in the comments below!

[ballsballsbowls]

Hey! Do you have any favorite sources for skincare information. Thank u :)

Firstly, you sent this while I was away for a day or so, I’m really sorry my reply’s a bit late

I have a handful of resources, but admittedly I have some huge blind spots and I’ll list them outright

- I don’t use fb, ig, and barely use youtube for anything. There’s probably some great resources on there that I’ve never encountered

- My resources are pretty limited based on my current needs - my biggest skin “issue” is sensitive skin and a bunch of ingredient allergies, including lavender extract and snail mucin. Because of that, I tend to research specific products as I find out about them rather than keeping track of new products in the pipes or new ingredients

- My area of interest is East Asian skincare, Japanese and Korean about equally, so I don’t know much about Western products at all.

The only person I really follow on tumblr for skincare stuff is @birdkoskincare - she’s got a very robust biochemical background and is in the skincare industry in Europe, and I find her info to be really easy to follow along with regardless of your background. I reblog her stuff moderately often.

I use SkinCarisma and CosDNA about equally for ingredient lookups. SkinCarisma tends to have a little more info and the layout is a little more beginner-friendly, but it’s definitely worth using both, even on the same item

Back in the day, there USED to be a pretty robust search tool for reddit, which has since been abandoned. It makes things more difficult if you’re looking for general info or everything everyone knows about, say, lactic acid. Nowadays it’s more dicey, but there’s a lot of good info if you’re patient.

Asian Beauty and Skincare Addiction are both useful in their own ways. If you’re after Western skincare, the Asian Beauty reddit won’t be much use, but you’ll still see Asian products on it. I don’t spend a ton of time on Skincare Addiction, but they sometimes have more useful/current info on, say, the newest research on topical collagen or a new UVA blocker. Both reddits have a pretty robust resource section for people just getting into skincare, which can be a huge help and was where I learned a ton of info when I was starting out.

Lab Muffin is practically obligatory if you’re discussing skincare resources. I don’t look at her stuff all the time, but she’s a nice, accredited source of info if you need something clarified. She also is active on youtube and ig.

Past that, I don’t have any resources i rely on extensively. My boyfriends will vouch that I can spend a whole afternoon trying to find about a specific sunscreen or toner from every possible angle. I’ll open practically any blog, any resource (even REALLY skeevy resources like western beauty magazines) and sort of aggregate the data from 5 different places.

The unglamorous truth is the bulk of skincare is “look at EVERY SINGLE facewash option on jolse/sephora/whatever and scan the ingredient lists and scan them again in cosdna/skincarisma and scan all the reviews I can find on the internet so you spend 6 hours choosing a facewash”

You didn’t give me any indication if you’re a total beginner or not, so I’ll throw a few basic beginner tips in in case they’re useful to you. If you’re way past this, I apologize.

- You just need to start SOMEWHERE. Face wash is a great place to start and it’s a pretty cheap investment compared to a lot of other products. I did JUST face wash (I am being completely serious) for probably 2 years before I got into anything else.  

- Nobody is going to have ALL the answers. Someone with a PhD in biochemistry can tell you how sunscreen works, but they can’t tell you which sunscreen you need to buy. A random reddit user might have share your oily skin, but they don’t share your haircare routine and their recs might STILL be useless for you. If there was a Grand Poobah of Retinol on the internet, they still might recommend a formulation with an ingredient you’re allergic to. 

- That said, it IS a lot of trial and error. KEEP NOTES about what you buy and how you react. Most of the mistakes I made in my 5ish years of being remotely serious about skincare, I made because I didn’t refer to my notes about which ingredients I can’t use or didn’t recognize the alternate way of listing a known allergen.

- You really do need to start slowly and carefully with one product at a time. It sucks when you’re excited about starting a routine but you will regret it when SOMETHING in the past 2 weeks has given you acne and you have no idea what it is.

- You can honestly spend as much or as little as you want. There’s plenty of people who have developed a super elaborate, super expensive routine. There’s plenty of people who use suncreen, face wash, moisturizer and have no interest in anything else. I’ve barely bought anything this past year, just using stuff I already had, and it’s totally fine. In fact, a slow and measured (AND CHEAP!) approach will serve you better in the long run.

- A product that generates acne on your face might work on your neck or arms. A product that’s too harsh for your face might work on your feet. You WILL strike out at some point with a product no matter how carefully you purchase stuff. Having a plan for using it up if you can will make it less terrible.

- CHECK DATES AND TIMESTAMPS on reviews and posts. Products get reformulated all the time and that product that looks perfect for you may have been reformulated twice since that post was created. That dream product may also be discontinued.

I hope this helps at least a little! If you have more specific questions, I may or may not be able to help (if you skin is oily or you’re acne prone you are SOL as it’s NOT my area of expertise)

[flange5]

@onemuseleft replied to your post “@infrarae replied to your post “iirc you like sheet masks, right?...”

talk to me about overnight moisturizers. I've been using Olay Retinol 24 but I intensely dislike the way if feels

Okay so I think I’m going to talk about a couple of options, your night routine, night-specific moisturizers, and sleep packs.

If you’ve been using Olay Retinol 24, I’m guessing you both want anti-aging and lots of hydration (which makes sense, bc those go together well), and you said you don’t like the ‘residue’ feeling it leaves on your skin so you want something that absorbs well and doesn’t leave that film/greasy feel afterward that heavily occlusive things can

OKAY, so

You could try to get the same effect by layering lighter products, This has the benefit of adding and subtracting based on how your skin feels at any point. The con, obviously is buying lots of things.

I’d recommend the red (anti-aging) hado labo “lotion,” which is actually more of a tacky liquid essence you use after washing and before moisturizer. it runs about $15 for a big 170ml bottle but weirdly amazon is only selling the big size in doubles for $26 (x) You can also find it on ebay (x). 

Every few days maybe follow up with the leaders Lifting (x) $10/10 or moisture mask (x) $10/10, or since you said you’re a little sensitive, you might consider the propolis mask (x) $15/10 which is a bit richer and targets the skin barrier.

Follow up with a moisturizer/emulsion- I like a light gel type-- make p:rem’s moisturize me is about $27 and light on the skin, absorbs well, and disappears. It’s also often at target. They recently had a sale of it at $15, though, so I don’t know if that meant they don’t have it anymore. I also like Missha’s  Super Aqua Cell Renew Snail Cream at $23 (x) or Nature Republic Super Aqua Max Moisture Watery Cream at $11 (x). they also have a nice sleep pack if you want mooooore, at under $10 (x)

So that’s the layering approach.

Not everyone wants all that. If you JUST want a moisturizer, I recommend the Missha above or the Nature Republic.

Neither have the retinol component though, so you might want to work that and/or peptides in somewhere else in your routine. OR, I’ve not used it (yet) but I’ve never gone wrong with the brand so I’d feel good recommending the Hado Labo anti-aging hydrator at $15 (x)--it has retinol and hyaluronic acid in it. It does have a slightly tacky feel though, so if that’s a deal breaker for you, be aware. You might want to top it with the  NR sleep pack.

For sleep packs, it sounds like you’d want to go light or at least for ones that don’t have too much perceptible weight on your skin--so the Nature Republic Super Water Max is an option, as well as the Purito Dermide Cica Barrier $16 (x) and I know it’s pricey AND scented but I really love the Belif Aqua Bomb Sleeping mask $34 (x). NONE of these, though, have your anti-aging options. I really keep that to my actives stage, so it’s hard for me to rec things and I generally am nervous about reccing a thing I’ve not used. 

If you want a standalone retinol/retinoid, I liked the Ordinary’s retinol line and they’re CHEAP. Start at a low concentration and move up to avoid irritation. I would start at the .2% Retinol in squalene ($5.30) and move up. Use at night after washing and if you tone, toning, and before moisturizing and USE SUNSCREEN because it will sensitize you to sun. work up to the 1%. They actually recommend doing their Retinoid rather than retinol proper, but it’s the same procedure and the choice is up to you. I went full Tretinoin, so I’m the wrong person to counsel soft-pedaling >_>

I hope this was useful!

[suguwu]

everyday humans resting beach face sunscreen works really good for me + no tint, im white though so i dont know for sure about tint on other skin tones

oooh okay i'll check it out!! i'm white too so it'd probably be similar for me around tint! thank you 💞 (and everyone else who replied!!) for the rec!!

[earpdearp]

just coffee

Wherein Waverly and Nicole try to make good on being just friends following the spat in Nicole’s cruiser in episode 1x09.

Sort of an AU? But more like a filler? …It can be both! And all fluff. That’s all I write, really: fluff.

Also on AO3. Approximately 3,486 words.

Other friends fic: just another tuesday (Topic: Waverly’s birthday)

“…Well maybe… just friends…”

“Yea, sure, Waverly. Whatever you want.”

Coffee. They agreed to coffee. Shorty’s Saloon. 3:00PM. Between lunch and dinner when the bar was closed. Waverly didn’t feel like setting up for the night alone and Nicole had a few hours between her first and second shifts.

Easy. No pressure. Familiar spot.

Easy.

Nicole Haught stood outside the diamond-shaped windows of Shorty’s front doors. She shifted the duffle bag in her hand, a change of clothes she hadn’t had time for at the station. She also held her white Stetson respectfully to her chest.

Instead of eagerness, Nicole’s heart felt heavy.

It was all too familiar.

High school. College. The academy. Lather, rinse, repeat, Friends. Once in a blue moon did the cycle break. Just not this time, apparently.

It had been stupid to think this was gonna end any differently. All those little breadcrumbs of hope Nicole had been feeding on, those little smiles and glances and touches…

Stupid stupid stupid. I blew it.

If only she hadn’t been distracted outside the station the other day. If only she had been listening to what Waverly was trying to confess, instead of frustrated about Purgatory being its weird Purgatory self. She did get the chance to apologize, but the damage was already done. And here Nicole was. Standing outside Shorty’s to hang out with her Just Friend, Waverly Earp.

God. Damn. It.

Taking a deep breath, Nicole pressed into the heavy doors but they didn’t budge. She rapped a knuckle against the window and waited. After a few seconds, she heard the click-chunk of a deadbolt. Enough time to smooth her frown into an easy-going smile.

Waverly poked her head out, relief etched in her features. She twisted at a white bar towel in her hands. “Oh thank God,” she chirped with a broad smile. “I was afraid you weren’t gonna show.” Waverly held the heavy door open for Nicole to slip in before relocking the deadbolt behind them.

“Promise is a promise,” Nicole replied, hopefully managing to mask her bitterness. She held up her duffle. “Mind if I change? Hoping to squeeze in a run before evening shift. Gotta be fresh for all that paperwork.” She shot Waverly a mock-serious look and was rewarded with a smile.

“Of course!” Another chirp as Waverly tossed the bar towel over her left shoulder. She pointed at the back “Staff” door. “I’m almost done cleaning the coffee machine. How do you take yours?”

“I’ve heard good things about that Shorty’s cappuccino. Two sugars?”

A sunshine smile with a finger-gun. “You got it,” Waverly replied as she swept behind the bar over to a partly disassembled machine, chrome pieces glistening from a recent rinse.

The Staff room was hardly more than an over-sized closet with a safe for cash, an old computer for inventory, and a cracked window with an ashtray on the sill for smoke breaks. A shitty toilet latch secured the door, enough privacy for Nicole to peel off/fold her uniform shirt and khakis and swap over to running shoes, blue-striped pants, and a long-sleeve Purgatory Sheriff’s Department henley.

Threading fingers through long red hair, Nicole pulled out the French braid and snapped a hair tie to her wrist as she exited the break room.

Back at the bar, Waverly was struggling to kneel on an unstable bar stool to reach a high cabinet. A tan wrist barely crested the edge, fingers feeling blindly as Waverly’s tongue stuck out the side of her mouth in concentration. Her hockey-style Shorty’s shirt rode up higher than normal, Nicole noticed, before dismissing that thought immediately.

“Just friends.”

Nicole strode up as she finished binding her hair in a simple ponytail. “Need some help?”

Hazel eyes lit up in response. “Could you? The lunch crew likes to hide the espresso grounds in the back to screw with me. Still as hilarious now as it was three years ago.” Waverly rolled her eyes before spinning playfully on the bar stool on her knees.

“Three years, huh?” Nicole asked, light and conversational. She dropped her gym bag and Stetson on the counter then flipped the small wooden divider to reach the inside of the horseshoe-shaped bar.

Where the shorter Earp needed a stool, the Officer stood up on tip-toes before her fingers wrapped around a crinkling bag of coffee in the cabinet. When she turned, Nicole could have sworn she saw Waverly’s gaze… somewhere else. For just a second.

“Just friends?”

“Since I was 18.” Waverly accepted the bag (which smelled of a rich dark roast) then measured out a few cups into the coffee machine. The device fired up with a steaming hiss accompanied by warm bubbling sounds.

Turning back to Nicole, Waverly started counting on her fingers. “Before here, I worked at JD’s Restaurant down the street. Didn’t pay as well, but more time to read. I bagged groceries at Safeway before that. And I delivered pizza for one shitty week when I was 16. Hated that job. And in between, I taught some summer gymnastics and dance classes at the rec center for really little kids. That was fun.”

“Busy and popular girl,” Nicole remarked as she leaned her backside against the bar. It was strange being on this side of the counter, like she didn’t belong. Like they were equals instead of customer/server.

Like… friends?

As she started steaming the milk, Waverly shrugged off the compliment. She shot Nicole a curious look. “What about you? What did Pre-Officer Nicole Haught do?” There was a strain to Waverly’s smile, like it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“Not as rich a life, I’m afraid.”

“Try me.” There it was. That warm smile returned as Waverly scooped sugar into a coffee mug.

“Well,” Nicole started, her hands running along the counter edge behind her. “I worked at Tim Horton’s almost every weekend from high school through university. …Not the same one. Transferred to a different store when I went away for college. But the same routine. Still remember all the menu numbers by heart.” She smirked at another memory. “I was also a lifeguard for a miserable summer when I was 16.”

Long hair swept over a shoulder as Waverly looked over at Nicole. “Ooo! How was that? I always wanted to lifeguard but the pool is too far away.”

Reaching up, Nicole pulled at her ponytail and to show Waverly. “You see this red hair, right? I spent more time bathing myself in sunscreen than I did watching the pool. When one sunburn ended, another would begin. But I was trying to buy a car so I had to stick it out.” She tossed the red strands back over her shoulder and shook her head. “I’m just happy I didn’t get skin cancer… that I know of.” She shot Waverly a theatrical, fearful look.

The smile on Waverly’s face was hard to read. It was a soft, thoughtful crinkle. And just as a faint red started to touch her cheeks, she turned back to the coffee machine. Waverly deftly mixed the espresso into the cup before topping it with foam. She started to slide the mug over to Nicole, but suddenly thought better of it. Waverly snapped her fingers and started digging around under the bar.

Nicole leaned over to reach for the cup, but a hand appeared from below to gently slap her knuckle.

“Just a second! I keep forgetting I bought these.” Waverly appeared a second later with a small container of cocoa powder and a couple of round stencils with simple designs. She offered the metal, paddle-like set to Nicole. “I saw ‘em on Etsy. …I tried the foam pouring trick from YouTube, but I couldn’t even do like a basic heart.” She sighed and rolled the cocoa powder cylinder between her palms.

It was hard for Nicole to hide an endearing smile. Because she had just pictured Waverly hovering at the bar, making cup after cup of espresso and trying to artfully pour milk in. It also made her select a stencil without thinking it through.

Nicole held up the flat metal stencil of a heart, then had to bite her lip to keep the blush from spreading. The choice was not lost on Waverly, whose eyes widened.

Scrunching up her face, Nicole tried to hide the stencil behind her back. “Sorry. I didn’t—I wasn’t trying to—I just thought since you said you had trouble doing a heart the other way… this could count as a success.” She closed her eyes and gave a deep sigh.

God. Damn. It.

Waverly’s voice was soft and small, but confident. “Okay.”

Nicole’s eyes shot open. The other woman wasn’t awkward or blushing. She just held out her hand and offered that crinkling smile. “…okay?” Nicole repeated.

“The customer is always—mostly—right… right? And I said I owed you a coffee, right?” Waverly made a grabby motion with her hand.

“Fair enough,” Nicole said with a small clearing of her throat.

With that, Waverly turned and dusted a (slightly lopsided) heart over the top of the steaming cappuccino. She presented it back with a dramatic flourish. “And thus, the debt is repaid.”

Nicole nodded her thanks and took a sip. She could feel the foam coat her upper lip, but it was hard to take her eyes off Waverly, who stared back intently.

“So? How is it?”

Warm. The cocoa powder adds a nice flavor. Sugar cuts the acid of the espresso. All in all, solid.

“Pretty good,” Nicole said with a nonchalant shrug. She allowed herself another deep sip before swiping her thumb over her lips.

Waverly scowled. “’Pretty good?’ That’s it?” She crossed her arms over the bold SHORTY’S type on her jersey.

Well, we are just friends… Friends can be honest, right?

Nicole tried to soften with a lilting question. “I’ve had better?”

An offended (if good-natured) scoffing noise. “Your gratitude is overwhelming.”

“I’m kidding. It is really good. A good pick-me-up before my run. Thank you, Waverly.” A pause. “…I have had better, though. If I’m being completely honest.” Nicole allowed herself a teasing smile.

Waverly poured herself the rest of the espresso, unruffled by the critique. “Where at?” She wrinkled her nose in thought with one eye skyward. “I think the best coffee I’ve had is in the city at the fancy hotel we had for Prom. So good with like homemade whip cream and everything.”

“There’s this amazing café in Las Vegas where…”

Oh.

No, we are not going into that right now. Not on a first—er, not on a chill friends hangout between friends and only friends.

Nicole cleared her throat. “…well, they made a mean mocha cappuccino.”

“Did it have a fancy—?” Waverly trailed off as she made a gesture over the top of Nicole’s coffee.

“…It did. The logo of the café with lots of swirls.”

That faux-scowl returned. “Damn it. I knew it. Back to YouTube, I guess.” A smile curled across Waverly’s cheek as she patted the cocoa container over her own coffee, this time a sprinkled star on top. She settled in next to Nicole, mirroring her lean against the bar counter. They were just far apart to not be touching.

“I’ve never been to Vegas,” Waverly said thoughtfully with a loud sip. “Never left the Ghost River Triangle, actually. Been here my whole life.”

“Not even for, like, a family vacation? Or a school trip?”

A derisive laugh in reply. Waverly’s nose wrinkled with the barest hint of a scowl. “Just to the city. School trips to the museum or the stockyard for 4H stuff. And no family vacations. Daddy died when I was 6 and Aunt Gus and Uncle Curtis were too busy with Shorty’s or their farm to bother with something like that. Though now with Uncle Curtis gone…” She trailed off, long hair slipping over her cheeks as her head tilted down.

Reaching out, Nicole gently touched Waverly’s wrist. She was slow and careful, trying to avoid the awkwardness that happened in her cruiser. Two soft strokes before the hand returned to Nicole’s coffee mug.

We should go somewhere, Nicole wanted to say. She could even mean it in a friendly way… sort of. Mostly. Maybe.

“I never did much as a kid either,” Nicole said instead. “Didn’t start seeing any of the world til I graduated college. And that was mostly training camps and emergency management excursions sponsored by the government.”

After a few moments in silence, Nicole nudged Waverly’s side with a gentle elbow. “Well, I’m glad you stuck around Purgatory.”

Waverly gave a small sniff as she reached up to push her hair back. “Me too” was barely audible past a soft smile.

An alarm on Nicole’s phone chimed, a reminder to start her workout soon so she’d have time to return to the station to shower before paperwork. But she wasn’t quite ready to leave just yet.

“Gotta go?”

“…I’ve got time.” Nicole took a slow sip, smiling into the cup. “So, what is a day in the life of Waverly Earp?”

Chuckling, Waverly stroked her chin. “With Wynonna? I don’t even know anymore.”

“Hard to plan around?”

“Impossible,” Waverly confirmed with a sigh. “Used to just be yoga, study, Shorty’s, sleep. And occasionally I’d go out with—well…”

Another nose wrinkle and tight smile. Waverly certainly did that a lot, each with a different meaning. This one seemed a mix between embarrassment and a scowl.

…Champ. Of course.

Waverly did not elaborate. Instead, she took a deep sip of her coffee before continuing. “…but with Wynonna and Dolls and their coming and going all hours of the day and night… Some days I’m grateful I make it to work, if only for the familiar routine.” Her face fell as she glanced behind them.

Nicole followed her gaze to an empty booth near the door with a large spread of paperwork. Official looking documents were arranged in haphazard stacks.

“Anyway.” Waverly cleared her throat and pushed up from the counter. “I’m keeping you from your run.” A tired, evasive smile as Waverly busied herself with stowing the cocoa and stencils back under the bar.

Rumbling out an “Okay,” Nicole relinquished her empty coffee mug to the busy woman. As she started to gather her duffle and Stetson, a snapping noise turned Nicole’s attention.

“Hey! What are you doing for dinner?” Waverly stood with her arms crossed, hip thrust out, expression neutral.

Oh!

It was hard for Nicole not to stare back, heart stuck in her throat. “I—I was… I don’t—“

Waving a menu, Waverly skipped over to Nicole. “You’ll probably be hungry after a run, yea? I could ask Martin to fire up the grill early so you could take something back to the station?”

Oh…

“Oh. That would be… really great, actually. Lunch was forever ago.”

Not as great as—well.

Waverly smiled broadly. “And you could save the trip to your car and just pick your stuff up when you get back, right?”

Finally regaining her composure, Nicole managed a smile of her own. “You just want an excuse to try on my hat.”

“Maaaaaybe,” Waverly returned with a singsong. She walked her fingertips over to the white cowboy hat. But instead of trying it on, she stowed both under the bar in a clean, safe spot. “…not while you’re looking, obviously.”

“Obviously.”

Surveying the menu, Nicole asked, “Which is your favorite?”

“Oh! Hmmm!” Her long hair swayed with her head-tilt. “Probably the nachos, though only because it’s like the only vegetarian thing on there.” A nose wrinkle and a shrug.

Vegetarian. Noted.

“Pass,” Nicole replied with a grin. She pointed at an item under SANDWICHES. “How’s the chicken salad?”

“I’m told it’s great. I’ll get Marty on it when he’s up from his nap.”

Pulling her wallet from her pocket, Nicole waved a $10 bill.

Waverly shrugged it off. “On the house. I know the manager.” She winked and flicked a towel at Nicole to vacate the bar. “Get going, Haught! No rest for the wicked!” And just like that, Waverly pushed through the double doors to the kitchen and was gone.

Folding the bill, Nicole tucked it into the large glass (empty) tip jar before pulling her wireless ear buds from a zippered side pocket. A hard guitar riff started up in her playlist, “Bury Me With My Guns On” escorting Nicole down the Purgatory street.

Nicole rapped on the glass once more, out of breath and feeling the chill of the air through her henley. She smiled broadly at the sound of the deadbolt. That smile froze on Nicole’s face when she was greeted not by Waverly, but a stern older woman.

“Mrs. MacCready.”

“Officer Haught,” the woman returned cooly, dark eyes hard. She did allow Nicole entrance, but with sharp, abrupt movements. Gus called for Waverly, who was apparently in the kitchen.

There was an awkward silence as Gus headed to the closest booth, paperwork waiting at the table. She continued writing for a few moments, allowing Nicole to quietly catch her breath and rub the chill from her arms.

“So.”

“Yes, ma’am?” Nicole replied with respect, stretching out her calves on the wooden steps. She smiled awkwardly.

Gus did not return her smile. “You know, Champ used to come around. Begging for freebies. Free food. Free booze.” It was a loaded, simple statement. She glanced over at Nicole significantly before returning to her papers.

Defensiveness burned in Nicole’s chest. “I’m not Champ, ma’am. I offered to pay. Waverly wouldn’t let me.” She gestured to the tips jar, her folded $10 bill from earlier balanced upright.

Gus’s dark eyes flicked over to the jar, an impressed pull at her cheeks before her stoic expression took over. “Hm.”

The comparison was not lost on Nicole. And it felt like she’d just passed a test of some sort. Especially since this was the longest conversation she’d ever had with the matron of Shorty’s.

A shout drew Nicole’s attention to the kitchen. “You’re back!” Waverly grinned wide, holding a styrofoam container in triumph. “Perfect timing! Just pulled the fries from the deep fryer.” A plastic bag rustled at her wrist as she bagged the container with a few packets of ketchup.

With Gus watching, Nicole pushed away the temptation to go back to the familiarity behind the bar. She fixed a smile to her cheeks and met Waverly at the apex of the horseshoe counter. Nicole’s duffle and Stetson were already waiting for her.

“Have a good run?” Waverly asked.

No. I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I ran away so hard from this place that I was out of breath for 10 minutes… then I had to run all the way back.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

“It was fine, thank you. Everything okay here?”

Waverly’s voice was a warm chirp. “Perfect! Thanks for keeping me company earlier.” She patted Nicole’s collection and pushed it over. “Good luck with all that paperwork tonight!”

“Thank you, Waverly,” Nicole said warmly. “For—well—everything.” Her fingertips accidentally brushed Waverly’s wrist, but the woman didn’t flinch. In fact, she smiled wider.

Setting her Stetson on her head, Nicole tipped it at Gus MacCready as she padded up the steps. The woman’s chin raised in acknowledgement, but she returned to her documents.

Outside in her cruiser, Nicole opened the passenger door to stow her food and duffle. A flash of pink caught Nicole’s attention out of the corner of her eye. Inside the bag stuck to the Styrofoam container was a post-it note. On it was Waverly’s SnapChat handle with a doodle of a cowboy hat.

Nicole smiled and settled into the driver’s seat before pulling out her phone. Tapping into her own app, she added a “Waverly95” and sent an invite from “NHaught.”

Nicole turned on the cruiser on and angled towards the municipal building (a quick 5 minute ride a few streets over). She would have plenty of time for a shower and change before starting on her evening work. The day off tomorrow would be a welcome distraction from… all of this.

Except her phone pinged as she pulled into the private lot. New SnapChat from “Waverly95.”

A series of images streamed onto Nicole’s phone. All of Waverly at Shorty’s in her Stetson.

Waverly at the piano pretending to play.

Waverly making a face next to the grainy image of Wyatt Earp, her finger a pretend-moustache.

Waverly with an arm around Gus, who looked to be mid-conversation and confused by the phone in her face.

Waverly pursing her lips with the hat tilted over one eye.

Waverly pretending to talk to a beer mug wearing the Stetson, a fake laugh frozen on her face.

Wait.

Wait wait wait.

…What?! What was that second to last one?!

But it was gone, the app timer ticked down to zero.

God. Damn. It.

[thesoftdumbass]

Shore Leave

Jim Kirk X female Reader

Summary: You go on shore leave with the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise, and your best friend Nyota tries to convince you to ask your crush, Jim Kirk, on a date.

Word Count: 2,296

Characters: Reader, Jim Kirk, Nyota Uhura, Leonard McCoy, Hikaru Sulu, Spock (mentioned), Christine Chapel (mentioned)

Warnings: Kissing, slight flirting, the ocean, okay-ish writing

Author’s Note: I started this as a way to break writer’s block, but it turns out this is the longest fic I’ve written to date. I really hope you like it, I tried not to be too out of character, please tell me if you think I’ve failed at that. Sorry for any spelling or grammatical errors. I am not good at writing endings, so sorry ‘bout that. I used the prompt “Don’t get your hopes up” as a starting point on this.

Enjoy!

Also, for some reason I see the song Cigarette Daydreams by Cage the Elephant fitting in here somewhere.

(Gif credit belongs to owner)

"He's staring at you again," your best friend Nyota told you, gesturing behind you to the captain. You were eating lunch in the commissary when she spoke up.

"Are you serious? Ugh, Ny, what am I supposed to do," you ask desperately.

"Ask him out? Come on, we both know you like him too."

"Even if that were true, I can't just ask Kirk on a date! He's captain of the freaking ship, I'm just a lieutenant. And we're only on year one of a five year mission. Things could go horribly!" you exasperate.

"(Y/N) calm down. It was just a suggestion," Nyota says placatingly.

Wanting to change the subject, you asked a question. "What are you and Spock planning to do while on shore leave? I heard Risa is a very beautiful class M planet."

"I read about a few interesting places. Luckily we'll be there during the Luhlanat, or festival of moons, so I think Spock and I are going to that. What about you?" Uhura decides to go along with the shift in conversation.

"Probably just soaking up the sun on the beach. You have no idea how much I miss being able to feel the organic, solar heat. Which reminds me, I need to replicate a cute swimsuit." You make a mental note to do that later.

"Is there anybody special that you need a cute swimsuit for?" your friend questions playfully. You scowl at her as way of reply and continue to eat your synthesized food.

A few moments later when you're about to leave, a yellow shirt enters your field of sight. You sigh inwardly as you already know who it is. "Mind if I walk down to Med-bay with you? I'm on my way to see Bones."

"Of course not, Captain," you reply.

"Thank you." A few moments pass as you walk in silence, and you pick at the sleeve of your blue uniform. The peace was interrupted by Jim. "So how has your week been? I heard it's been pretty quiet around med-bay, so that's good."

"Yeah it's been calm, no big accidents. That is cause for a lot of organising and inventory, though. McCoy had me and Christine sort through that large storage room yesterday. It took all day," you exasperated.

Kirk chuckled but let you grumble. Before you knew it, you reached the med-bay. "It was nice to walk with you, Nurse (Y/L/N)."

"Thank you, Captain Kirk. It was nice to walk with you too," you reply.

"I'll see you later, (Y/N)." You nod in reply and head to the nurse's station.

While you get back into work, Jim heads to Doctor McCoy's office and enters without invitation.

"Oh come on in, Jim. It's not like it's my office or anything," Bones gripes from where he is sitting in his desk chair. Jim unceremoniously drops himself into one of the seats opposite the good doctor and sighs loudly. "What's wrong with you?"

"It's (Y/N)," he says without explanation.

"Okay...' Leonard draws out, hoping for more information. After a moment, he tries again. "So what about her? Is something wrong?"

"I think I'm falling for her. I don't know what to do, Bones!" Jim says dejectedly, drawing a sigh from his best friend.

"I don't know, what would you normally do?"

"Probably flirt shamelessly, but (Y/N) is different! I really like her and I don't want her thinking I just want to be with her for one night. I know I have a reputation and I want her to see me the way I am now, instead of how I was when I was younger,"Jim responds.

"(Y/N) is a good judge of character, and she wouldn't draw conclusions before getting the facts. I'd say just talk to her, get to know each other better," Leonard suggests.

"I can barely get three sentences out around her without choking! We walked here together from lunch and I could barely speak. I just let her complain about you."

"Well I don't know what to tell- wait what? What was she saying?" Bones interrupts himself.

"Oh nothing, nothing," Kirk interjects.

"Look, I don't know what to do about (Y/L/N)," the doctor huffs out. "Maybe you should talk to Uhura, they're pretty close aren't they?"

"Yeah thanks Bones, I might do that. I'll see you later," Jim says, determined. At that, he leaves to go back to the bridge.

It was a while later and alpha shift had just ended. Jim was talking with Sulu but said goodbye when Nyota walked by.

"I'll see you later, Hikaru. Uhura, wait up!" She kept walking but slowed down so Kirk could catch up. "You're not busy right now, are you?"

"No, I was just going to the rec room to get a cup of tea. Did you need something?" she replied conversationally.

"You're close to (Y/N) (Y/L/N), right?" When she nodded, he continued. "I was wondering if we could talk.

"Of course, Jim. What about?"

"Gosh, I feel like I'm in high school still. But has she said anything about me," he asked hopefully.

"Well it sounds like you're in high school still. Why do you ask?" Nyota avoided answering the question just yet.

Jim rubbed the back of his neck nervously before answering. "I was thinking about asking her to go on a date with me while we're on shore leave, maybe go to that boat restaurant for dinner?" By now they had reached the rec room and sat down at a table with drinks in hand.

"I don't know, Jim. As much as I know that she likes you too, (Y/N) is apprehensive. She doesn't want Starfleet to judge you because you are her superior, and she fears you'll break up and have to spend the rest of the mission in awkwardness. Don't tell her I said that she likes you, by the way. She would probably come at me with a scalpel," Ny laughed, Jim chuckling along with her.

"So how can I try to change her mind?" Jim asked a moment after their laughs quieted.

"I'll try to talk to her, Captain, but don't get your hopes up."

"Alright, thank you Nyota. I'll let you get back to your evening. See you on Alpha tomorrow?"

She nodded and James excused himself, going back to his quarters. What was he going to do?

You had just docked at Risa, the pleasure planet, and checked into the hotel you and the rest of the crew were staying at. The room you were sharing with Nyota was beautiful and spacious, with two full sized beds and a couch to lounge on. After unpacking your belongings for the week long vacation, you decide to sunbathe. You throw on your newly replicated swimsuit, a black and white striped halter top with blush pink high-waisted bottoms. After covering up with a pale blue sundress you grab a beach towel, sunscreen, and a book and throw them into a tote bag to take to the beach.

You say goodbye to Uhura and leave your room, getting onto the elevator descending to the lobby. The lift stops a level down from yours though, and who should step on but James Tiberius Kirk himself. You move aside so he can enter, and greet him.

"Good afternoon, Captain."

"Good afternoon, (Y/N). We aren't on shift though, so you can call me Jim. Headed to the beach?" he replies.

"Of course, how could I resist? The sun is so beautiful, and after spending months on board a starship I have to soak up the warmth," you point out. "What about you Jim, are you going anywhere special?"

The captain smiles at your use of his first name and steps out of the lift with you. "I thought I would take a walk, air out my lungs. I'm also enjoying the sulight."

"Oh, well then you're welcome to join me at the beach if you want. I brought a book but I could use some company, if you're up for it." You smiled at him, continuing to walk but stop when you don't get a reply. "You don't have to though, it was just an idea," you amend.

"No, I would love to go with you."

You sigh with relief and start forward again, your sandaled feet now hitting the sand. You reach a good spot on the shore and Jim helps you set out a beach blanket. The sun is shining perfectly down on you and your location isn't too crowded, making it an optimal beach experience.

You take your dress off and sit down on the blanket, and Jim perches himself beside you. After applying sunscreen you settle in with your book and Jim starts to play classical music from his PADD. You read for a few minutes, enjoying the beautiful day until mister perfect hair decides to distract you.

Jim stands suddenly and takes his shirt off over his head, throwing it over the book in your hands.

"James Kirk, what in the world are you doing," you ask perplexed.

"I'm going for a swim, come on and join me. I bet I'm a lot more interesting than that book." Seeing your look of hesitation, Jim pulls a puppy dog face and says "Please?" You still don't seem convinced though, so Jim drops his face into a sly smile and picks you up from where you're sitting, throwing you over his shoulder.

"JIM!" you squeal out, laughing as he runs down the sand towards the crashing waves.

"I'll drop you in, I swear," Jim laughs out playfully, jumping up and down in the tide.

"Okay okay, I'll get in! Just put me down on my feet!" you assent. Jim believes you and stands you upright in the shallow water. Before he can react, though, you're sprinting back towards your spot on the shore.

"Oh no you don't!" Jim calls out before catching up to you and grabbing you by the waist, bringing you with him back to the water. He sits down in a foot of water, pulling you with him. You collapse down on top of him, giggling and red-faced. Jim laughs at the huge smile on your face, and you surprise him by standing up and grabbing his hand.

"Gold star for Jim, you got me in the ocean. Now come on, I see sand dunes out in the water. Wanna swim to them with me?" You ask excitedly.

Jim nods a happy yes and you begin walking to the dunes together. He takes a moment to truly appreciate how happy and carefree you look, away from the stresses of the mission. The sun is bouncing perfectly off your (H/L) (H/C) hair and into your face, making you squint your eyes cutely. Seeing you in your natural element, it just confirms that he's fallen completely in love with you.

You look over at him, squeezing his hand to get his attention. "You okay?"

Jim stops still in the water, bringing you to a halt. You look at him questioningly, and he smiles sheepishly at you. "Jim? Are you alright?"

"(Y/N), will you go on a date with me?" he asks, looking at you with his Heavenly blue eyes.

"W-What?" you reply dumbly.

"I- I really like you, (Y/N). I don't want to scare you off but I might even love you. I'm not good at this sort of thing, but I want to spend time with you, and get to know you better. Will you let me do that?"

You stand in the water, stunned. You didn't know how deeply Jim cared for you. While your mind is trying to process his words, Jim is panicking beside you. Did he completely screw up? Why did he have to say something right then? He could have waitd until you were done at the beach and asked you for drinks, not confessed his love and ruined a sweet moment.

His thoughts are cut short though when you squeeze his hand again. You make yourself speak, trying not to let your voice shake. "I... I had no idea you felt that way about me," you mutter.

"Yeah... I didn't know how to tell you and so I just kept quiet. I'm sorry, I feel like I just ruined everything I had with you. I messed up and I shouldn't have said anything, I'll just-"

"No," you interrupted him. You pulled him back from where he was trying to walk back to the shore, bringing him closer to you than he was before. 'You didn't ruin anything, James," you say softly now. You lean forward, wrapping your arms around Jim's neck and placing a feather light kiss to his lips. You pull away, opening your mouth to speak again, but you are cut off by Kirk's lips meeting yours again. You make a noise of surprise and pull away, giggling.

"So, where were you thinking for our date, Jim," you ask playfully.

Jim chuckles and shakes his head, surprised by your answer. "Does this mean you'll go out with me?"

"What do you think, Captain?" You lean forward again, kissing him deeply until you need air. You pull away, grabbing his hand again. "So... Sand dunes?"

Come on, I'll get you to those sand dunes," Jim laughs out, picking you up again before throwing you into the waves and jumping in over his head beside you. You surface, laughing and wrap your arms around Jim when he too comes up for air.

You spend the rest of the day at the beach with Jim, laughing and talking. You know that your relationship won't be perfect, not even close. But the reservations you had before are gone, and you won't stop yourself from falling in love with James Tiberius Kirk.

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Saturday, December 21-Sunday, December 22

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

Make Up (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) by Fancyflautist

Imagine (Buffy/Spike, T) by Fancyflautist

No Longer Unspoken (Crossover with Star Trek 2009, PG-13) by M. Scott Eiland

Only One (the "Remember Who You Are" Remix) (Crossover with Highlander, PG-13) by Sroni

a little girl's dream (Crossover with Fast & Furious, G) by pprfaith

It never rains (Crossover with Marvel, G) by pprfaith

Buffy the Goth Slayer (Crossover with One Day at a Time, T) by morwencider

Sunnydale High, 2x14 "A Mid-Valentines Day Sweethearts Dance" (Not rated) by bsumone

Sunscreen (Xander, T) by KaibaSlaveGirl34

Angel Apoclaypse: Part One (sample) (Fred, T) by bsumone

In the Bleak Midwinter (Spike, Drusilla, G) by sparrow2000

take a bite of my heart tonight (Tara/Willow, M) by Ariesgirl666

Extended Family (Buffy/Giles, T) by Littleotter73

[Chaptered Fiction]

A Parallel World, Chapter 3 (Crossover with The Hobbit, NR) by Whedonista93

Guardian of Laketown, Chapter 5 (Crossover with The Hobbit, NR) by Whedonista93

Midway of Speech and Thought, Chapter 14 (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) by TheHousekeeper

Death is your Gift, Chapter 11 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Its all fluffy

Need a Second to Breathe, Chapter 35 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Axell

Make Me Feel, Chapter 18 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by The Danish Bird

LA Is the Hell You Make It, Chapter 19 (Buffy/Spike, AO) by Touchstoneaf

Stranger, Take My Helping Hand, Chapter 11 (Buffy/Spike, R) by Cosmic Tuesdays

I'm No Good at Writing Love Letters, Chapter 1 (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) by TheWiggins

Let it Burn! Chapter 14 (Buffy/Spike, AO) by Axell

The Key is Donnie Summers, Chapter 9 (Buffy/Spike, R) by Girlytek

Krampusnacht, Chapter 4 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Ginger

Twist or Stick, Chapter 30 (Crossover with DC, FR15) by EnergyBeing

*ncubation Period, Chapter 91 (Crossover with Stargate, FR15) by CaptainBoulanger

The Burbank Station, Chapter 29 (Crossover with Chuck, FR18) by Starfox

Dreaming of a Summers Christmas, Chapter 2 (Multiple crossovers, FR13) by vidicon

Summers in Montana (Crossover with Mercy Thompson, PG) by Vashti

In the Key of Q (Crossover with Star Trek, PG) by Vashti

At Her Beckett And Call, Chapter 1 (Multiple crossovers, FR18) by Greywizard

[Images, Audio & Video]

Artwork:Crossword Day/Happy Winter Solstice (worksafe) by Double Dutchess

Mood Theme:Improved Something Blue Mood Theme (worksafe) by thenewbuzwuzz

Icons: 20 BtVS + 160 White Collar Icons (worksafe) by

Artwork:5 Willow/Tara headers in purple (worksafe) by midnightisquiet

[Fandom Discussions]

'Buffy #10 question' and discussion by ofstormsandwolves and rahirah

A parallel by impalementation

Giles fic recs by skylineneartthesea and thirteenthblackbird

Did Angel the spin off hurt BtVS as a show ? by Btvs fan

Some thoughts on Oz by RogueDemonHunter

Topic for debate: Did the Angel spin off hurt BtVS as a show ? by BtVS Fan

To anyone that’s having a bad day, week, month, year... by LiaBrooksy

Was sorting my DVD vollection when I remembered I have this! by garethjones2312

I hate and love this part so much. by rettgoat

Need help remembering Buffy book title by ActiveBaseball

5 what by 5 what? by OriginalAngelBBA

Tracking down a possible quote: "What will you tell them?" by scarlet_sage

To me, this will always be the funniest line of the entire series by nancydrewin

Link Reply Really horrified to learn people thought Tara was fat by /u/champollion00000

Costume Giles is so adorably happy! by mandrillus-sphinx

They have very different colouring. by YipYipsUhhuh

Anyone else think that Naomi Scott (Aladdin 2019) bears a resemblance to Buffy? by Xinpoint1

Binge Buffy? by missingfmercury

What happened to the “Hush” podcast? by LilaTookbank

Xander is the most consistently written character on the show. by barre_chord_reality

Everyday of my life by LiaBrooksy

Villian by Spurs_Lads

Angel's Redemptive Abilities by BrianFoxPro

[Articles, Interviews, and Other News]

PUBLICATION: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The 10 Most Selfless Things Buffy Has Ever Done via Screen Rant

[kadaransmuggler]

Self-Rec Challenge

@orangeflavoryawp tagged me in this, so here it is! (Thank you so much!!) Fic authors’ self-rec!  When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you’ve written, then pass it on to at least 5 other writers.  These are in no particular order- I’m just pulling stuff off of my ao3 1. my empire of dirt- Dragon Age. Morrigan, Flemeth/Mythal.

Summary- “She is proud that her daughter is not her.” 

Why I Love It- I’ve always been interested in how Flemeth was so emotionally (and maybe physically) abusive to Morrigan when Mythal was the goddess of motherhood. This was also one of my most popular works so you best believe I thrived off of that attention lmao  2. in her tomb by the sea- Mass Effect. Thane Krios/Female Shepard.

Summary- “’He had already asked for his forgiveness, Commander. His prayer was for you.’ She feels like she is drowning in the ocean she had tried to hold back before.” 

Why I Love It- Shrios will always wreck me, man, it’s one of my top video game romances ever of all time and I guess I’m just a glutton for angst. I loved this fic (and this romance, ngl) so much that I’ve got a long-fic planned to start after I finish the fic I’m writing for the MEBB.  3. mosaic broken hearts- Dragon Age. Anders/Female Hawke 

Summary- “It is the kind of salvation he finds in the sway of her hips and the curve of her smile.” 

Why I Love It- Listen, I’ll be the first one to admit that the Anders romance is kind of too much at times, but damn, I love Anders as a character, and there’s so much potential there. Plus, I gave Anders a cat, and I’m always here for Anders getting a cat. 

4. you can’t take me (i’m free)- Dragon Age. Female Surana/Zevran, Female Lavellan. 

Summary- Neria Surana, the Hero of Ferelden, will never be able to take back what the Circle took from her, or the years she lost because of them, but she thinks that there are worse ways it might have ended. 

Why I Love It- The idea of Surana having a daughter in the Circle and then that kid growing up to become the Inquisitor will probably always wreck me. Besides, I’m always here for a Surana/Amell that’s bitter as hell about Cullen. Anyway, this story was one of the most fun timelines to play around with, and if I can think of something else, I am definitely writing more for it. 

5. Big in Vegas- Fallout: New Vegas. Currently Craig Boone/Female OC, but god do I have a lot planned (and by that I mean it’s going to be a huge fuckin’ mess of open relationships and polyarmory and Gay Things but you know what? I’ve accepted that)

Summary- It wasn’t that long ago that Katie Flynn was your average twenty year old college student, but all of that changed with a flash of light and an earthquake. Now, she’s woken up in a different world two hundred and sixty-seven years into the future in a time where nuclear warfare has long since destroyed the world. It doesn’t take her long to learn that all this shit is weird, Rad-X tastes like shit, and there’s no sunscreen in the Mojave Desert. She thinks she might have been better off if she had stayed in bed. 

Why I Love It- So this was one of this fics that’s taken over my life and I’m devoting at least 30% of my brain capacity to it at any given time. These characters are my favorite to write, and I’ve been trying out a different narration style that is (so far) really working. I’ve sort of put it on hold until I get more progress made on the MEBB fic I’m working on (I get nervous about deadlines) but I actually miss it. A lot.  I’m tagging @iseektheholygrail @nyenke and anyone else who writes fic (seriously if you follow me and you write fic you’re tagged) (also there’s no obligation or w/e to do this at all)  i’m bad at remembering who does and who doesn’t write fic, I’m sorry!

[ignitesthestxrs]

the-heart-of-my-mystery replied to your post: ok but my skincare routine has given me skin that...

share your secrets with the rest of us?

sob $200 worth of kbeauty products and using them 2x a day.

in the morning i use a water based cleanser, then acne solution, then a light moisturiser, then a light sunscreen (i don't have the sunscreen on this morning because i am not planning on going outside, but it's super light and doesn't grease my face up at all anyway)

and then in the evening i ~double cleanse~ which is where you use an oil-based cleanser to get all the sunscreen + make up off, then use the water based cleanser you used in the morning to get the remnants of everything (including oil cleanser) off your face. then acne solution + light moisturiser. for whiteheads/blind pimples, i used these acne patch things to...suck all the gross stuff out, it is disgusting and satisfying all at once

i wanna get a couple of other products (vitamin c + snail essence mostly), and i also have a ridiculous amount of sheet masks coming my way, because i tried an oxygenating mask yesterday and it was a fucking delight.

BASICALLY my pores are clear, my skin is smooth and hydrated, and my acne eruptions are slowly decreasing, even when i have my period. i still have quite red skin, so i’m looking into what can help with that + my acne isn’t TOTALLY gone, but it’s say there’s been an honest to god 80% improvement in my skin. a lot of what’s left is scarring and igmentation from having ten years of terrible skin tbh

and all it cost was a bunch of money and time sob. i have both to spare, luckily, but i know it’s not the solution for everyone. if you wanna try it out though, i made this post yesterday about what i started off with, and linked to the routine i’ve adapted. i’ve figured out a routine that worked for me mostly by using that blog + this one, a lucky guess from the nz kbeauty online store i found, and recs from @ravaging who has ruined my life/blessed me.

[feministdeathparty]

divorcedmilfaddict replied to your post “Not to start shower discourse, but how do people who don’t use...”

Soap

I’m going to have to ask you to drop your soap recs, bc ime sunscreen is welded onto my skin. It takes a least one pass with a cloth (or a loofah if that’s your thing) to get that stuff off, and if you miss even one spot its going to pill up all over.

[ballsballsbowls]

coldestcaress replied to your post “coldestcaress replied to your post “coldestcaress replied to your...”

I've had a terrible time finding anything that's not greasy and that I can wear under makeup :/

yeah, and it’s tough to even get recs on that stuff because “greasy” varies from person to person and “wears well under makeup” is similarly dicey depending on the makeup and other skincare stuff that’s on under it.

Korean sunscreen seems to have a moderately robust pipeline of primer-type/matte sunscreens (like the one I’m using now) that may or may not fit the bill depending on the aforementioned million variables. The advantage is that many of them are cheap enough that it’s not a huge investment if you hate it. 

The primer-type sunscreens are all, of course, packed with silicones, which is ALSO an issue of what your skin tolerates well