#they’re so bronze and tanned and smooth

[papayafiles]

holy shit. he has legs.

[ilguna]

☼ the little mermaid (Finnick Odair) ☼

summary; you find a mute man on the beach, and agree to take him in for the time being.

warnings; swearing,

wc; 1.7k

–

The next time one of your guards suggest you take a walk on the beach to clear your mind, you might just order them to follow you so they can see how unenjoyable you find it. You had to completely change into sandals because you knew that you wouldn’t step foot onto the sand if you kept your heels on.

They think you’re going stir crazy from being inside of the castle for so long. To be fair, you haven’t been offered many duties after you got knocked off the boat. It wasn’t your fault it happened, but with the way they’re treating you, it might as well have.

“Come on, Max.” You motion at the white and grey dog, “Let’s go back.”

He looks at you for a moment, and then begins to follow after you. When you get back to the castle, you’ve got to convince them that you truly don’t mind being inside. Otherwise they’re going to find something else for you to do. Although, you honestly wouldn’t mind tending to the garden. The flowers smell nice.

You only make it so far when Max freezes in the sand, and turns to look back at you. You raise your eyebrows, continuing past him. Your feet are beginning to cramp up from trying to keep the sandals on.

Max barks, starting in the direction you just came from. You halfway turn to watch him, and when you realize that he’s not slowing down or coming back, you let out a huff.

“Max!” You shout, starting with slow steps, “Max, come here!”

He continues barking, running away from you. You hike up the bottom of your dress to chase after the dog, scowling when the sand fights back with every step you take. Max leaves billows of sand in the air, bounding around a giant rock.

You drop your head, pushing to follow after him. You’ve already lost sight of him, you might as well go back to the castle. He’ll show up soon anyway, you’re the one that feeds him every night. He wouldn’t abandon you.

Regardless, you round the corner, huffing, eyes searching for your dog. You find him, as well as a partially naked man that’s sitting on a rock, out of reach of your pet. Max must’ve cornered him.

“Max!” You snap, finger pointed downward at your side, “Here.”

Max perks up at your tone, and immediately calms down. He drops from the rock, coming your direction to heel. You offer an apologetic smile at the man on the rock, letting the bottom of your dress down.

The man has tanned skin, golden in the sunlight. His bronze hair is curling above his eyebrow, it looks freshly washed, soft. From where you’re standing several feet away, you can see his green eyes. And as you look over him, you notice very quickly that he’s not wearing actual clothes.

There’s a white cloth around his lower half that’s being held there by a rope. 

“I’m so sorry, sir.” You press your hand to your chest, “He really has no manners.”

You stop a foot away from him, reaching up to smooth your hair down. The longer you stare, the more you realize that you recognize him. You’ve seen his face before, if you could just remember where…

“We’ve met.” You say, it’s not a question. The man nods very quickly, sitting up on the rock. “What’s your name?”

He opens his mouth to speak, and then his face falls, shaking his head.

“What is it?” You ask.

He reaches up, grabbing his throat.

“You can’t speak?” 

The man presses his lips together.

“I see.” You lace your fingers in front of you. “Well, if you’d like, I’ll take you back to the castle so we can get you cleaned up and into better clothes.” 

When you offer your hand out for him to take, he nods, slipping his hand into yours.

—

“Grim, I think it’s him.” You smooth down the front of your dress, watching the sunset’s colors across the sky. “The man I found, he’s too familiar.”

“(Y/n), we were very lucky to find you. I don’t think there was a man out there swimming around waiting for princesses to fall off boats.”

“Grim.” You warn, turning to look over your shoulder, “If I were a prince, would you be saying the same?”

“Yes, because if you were telling me a girl had saved you, I would still be asking if you’re sure you didn’t hit your head too hard.”

You make a noise, looking back at the window. “Well, if I ever do find the man who saved me, I might as well marry him.”

Grim sighs behind you.

The sound of laughter makes you turn away from the window and to the tall doorway, where you find the man you rescued with one of your handmaidens. She’s tugging on his arm, “Come on, honey. Don’t be shy.”

She’s dressed him up in a white long-sleeved shirt with buttons and black slacks. You offer a smile, raising your eyebrows.

“You look wonderful.” You tilt your head, watching the dazzling smile that crosses his face.

“Let’s get you seated.” Grim says, directing you to your chair. 

As you’re sitting, the bronze-haired man slides the chair under you properly. You turn your head, a little surprised that it’s not Grim, but you offer him a wide smile. “Thank you.”

He sits on the left side of the table, because you’re supposed to sit at the head. Grim sits across from him. He fiddles with the fork on the table, twisting it between his fingers.

“Carlotta, my dear, what’s for dinner?” Grim asks the handmaiden.

“Oh, you’re going to love it.” She smiles, “Chef’s been fixing his specialty, stuffed crab.”

“I’m sure it’ll be delicious.” You agree.

Carlotta nods, walking out of the dining room to go retrieve dinner. You turn your attention back to Grim.

“You know, (Y/n), perhaps our guest might enjoy seeing some of the sights of the kingdom.”

“It won’t be the beach.” You scoff, “If we must, I’m opting for the garden, and I’m not taking guards with me.”

“It’s completely your decision, princess. I was only going to suggest something in the way of a tour.”

“We’ll see.” You look at your guest, “Would you like a tour of the kingdom tomorrow?”

He nods, reaching out to place his hand over yours. You bat your eyelashes.

—

When Grim had suggested a tour yesterday, you didn’t think that it would be all that interesting. Especially not for you, because you live here and you’ve seen what this place has to offer a hundred times.

With your guest, it’s been different. He wants to do everything he sees, wandering on the streets, watching the puppet plays, listening to music, clapping along to a beat. You took him through the bakery, and bought him a hat to protect his eyes from the sun. 

While you were walking down one of the streets, he took your hand and twirled you, wanting to dance. He didn’t know how exactly, but after you taught him the steps to one of your favorites, he caught on very quickly. You don’t know how long you stayed there, swaying to the sound of violin music and words you couldn’t quite understand.

You decided that instead of taking him to the garden tonight, you’ll bring him to one of your favorite places. You’re surrounded by water on all sides of the castle, but if you travel far enough, the grass and trees turn into swamp. It doesn’t sound like a proper place for a princess, certainly not to Grim. The willows hanging over the water and the lily pads floating aimlessly tell you otherwise.

“Oh, I hope you know how to row a boat.” You laugh, using his hand to steady you while you step on. “Grim normally does it for me.”

Your friend nods, smiling at you. He steps into the boat next, takes a seat, and grabs the paddles without hesitating. You let your hands rest in your lap, watching the water ripple as you travel further into the area.

“I love it out here, it’s so serene.” You murmur, “I don’t have to worry about running the castle out here, or chase Max around on the beach. I can think.”

He nods.

The noises of the birds chirping are quiet but melodic. It begins with just the birds, until there’s a harmony of other creatures out there, joining the song that had already started.

Finnick watches your face carefully, leaning forward to get a leverage on the water before pushing the paddles out. 

“Did you come from a nearby kingdom?” You ask.

He tilts his head, moving his mouth to one side, allowing you to get a good look at his dimples for the first time. He nods.

“Well, if it’s not too far, then I wouldn’t mind visiting sometime.” You comb through the ends of your hair with your fingers. “If they ever let me on a boat again. Would you like to go back? I can arrange for them to take you.”

He shakes his head quickly.

“You want to stay?”

He nods again.

“That’s fine, we’ll figure it out.” You place a hand on his knee. 

He leans forward, and then sits back again.

“It’s odd, not knowing your name for this long. We don’t know what to call you.” You play with your fingers, “I could guess, but we’d be here forever.”

He nods quickly, taking your hands in his, squeezing them.

“Okay, how about David?”

He shakes his head.

“Johnathan? Eric?” You suggest.

No, that’s not his name.

While you think in silence, you hear a whisper of a name through the harmony of insects and birds.

“Finn? Finnick?” You say.

His eyebrows shoot up, a smile lighting up his face, nodding his head quickly.

“Finnick.” You breathe, “That’s a handsome name. I couldn’t imagine anything else.”

Finnick squeezes your hands, leaning forward into you, lips parted. You wish he could speak, so you’d know what’s going through his head right now. If he’s thinking about the same thing that you are. 

He moves one of his hands from yours, to reach and touch your jaw, fingers gently grazing up the side of your face. You close your eyes, letting out a breath, feeling your heart begin to beat harder in your chest.

You can feel his nose brush against the tip of yours, when the boat flips.

[icefang100]

I cannot for the life of me draw humans, so I’ve made some anthro designs for the Mechanisms crew!

In rows from right to left, these are Jonny as a Bengal tiger, Nastya as a gyrfalcon, Ashes as a black kite, Brian as a mouflon, Ivy as a barn owl, the Toy Soldier as a maned wolf, Tim as a coyote, Raphaella as a golden eagle, and Marius as a red fox.

Image descriptions below the cut - be aware they’re long.

[Image set ID: A set of nine digitigrade anthropomorphic designs for the Mechanisms crew. They’re drawn digitally, and have transparent backgrounds. All are wearing their usual outfits, though none have hats. End set ID.]

[Image one description: Jonny d’Ville drawn as a Bengal tiger. The stripes are jagged, mimicking his usual eye makeup. In contrast to his main fur and underbelly’s orange shades (underbelly being almost cream), the stripes are slightly blue-tinted black. Jonny is baring his teeth, and has dark grey eyes. End description one.]

[Image two description: Nastya Rasputina drawn as a gyrfalcon. Her colors are slightly blue-tinted greyscale. There is dark grey barring on her wings, a streak from her eye to mid-neck, and a few small spots around her neck. Nastya’s arms and legs are pale yellow, with dark grey talons and beak. She has a neutral expression, and her eyes are dark blue. End description two.]

[Image three description: Ashes O’Reilly drawn as a black kite. Their colors are a few shades of brown and a warm dark grey. Their face and the middle of their wings are cream-colored, while the tops of their wings, low neck, and tail feathers are more moderate. Their wings’ feather tips and a few spots on their neck are warm black. There is light barring on their wings. Ashes’s arms and legs are a moderate yellow, with medium grey talons and beak. They have a neutral expression and brown eyes. End description three.]

[Image four description: Drumbot Brian drawn as a mouflon. He is mechanical, looking to be made of bronze, with some fur-like texture on his neck. Many bolts and screws are visible at the edges of panels. Brian’s horns, hooves, and nose are a darker color than his main body; his hands, feet, and the end of his snout are lighter-colored than his main body. His eyes are yellow and have rectangular, horizontal pupils. Brian’s expression is neutral. End description four.]

[Image five description: Ivy Alexandria drawn as a barn owl. There are bronze panels visible on the side of her head. The undersides of her wings, her face, and front half of her neck being cream. There are warm grey specks across the middle of her wings and around the back of her neck. The rest of Ivy’s feathers are a moderate brown, while her arms and legs are a tan color, and her talons are grey. Her beak is pale yellow, and her expression is neutral. End description five.]

[Image six description: The Toy Soldier drawn as a maned wolf. Its colors contrast strongly - pumpkin orange main body, cream underbelly, and dark brown along its back. The divisions between colors are clean and smooth. The Toy Solder’s dark facial markings resemble a curled mustache. Its expression is vaguely happy, and its eyes are white. End description six.]

[Image seven description: Gunpowder Tim drawn as a coyote. His eyes have a circuit pattern radiating from the bottom edge and midway onto his cheek. His fur is a few shades of brown, with the grey-est of them on his ears, the back of his neck, along his legs, and on the top of his muzzle. A richer dark brown is present on Tim’s throat, his tail, the backs of his legs, and on the bottom half of his face. His underbelly, inner ear, below his eyes, and a little on the back of his neck have a cream color. End description seven.]

[Image eight description: Raphaella la Cognizi drawn as a golden eagle. Her wings are mechanical and look to be made of bronze; each feather is separate from the next, with the quills connecting beneath the joints of the wings. She’s a golden brown color, with a darker shade on her underbelly, the edges of her tail feathers, and a streak from her eye to the middle of her neck. A lighter shade is present along her beak and in a fragmented stripe on her tail feathers. Raphaella’s arms and legs are a moderate yellow color. Her expression is vaguely happy or interested, and her eyes are a moderate blue-green. End description eight.]

[Image nine description: Marius von Raum drawn as a red fox. His main body is a dull orange, with some grey ticking on his tail and the back of his neck. His ears, the bottom and tip of his tail, and his muzzle are a near-black brown. Marius’s underbelly and part of his tail are cream-colored. He is smirking, and his eyes are dark brown. End description nine.]

[elavateher]

Splash into Summer: Trendy Nail Colors to Rock the Season

Splash into Summer: Trendy Nail Colors to Rock the Season!

Summer is here, and it’s time to bring the heat to your nails! Whether you’re lounging by the pool, hitting the beach, or just enjoying the sunny vibes, the right nail color can elevate your summer style. From vibrant hues to cool pastels, we've got the trendiest nail colors that will make your manicure the talk of the season.

1. Bold and Bright Neon

Nothing says summer quite like neon. These eye-catching shades are perfect for making a statement. Think electric pinks, vibrant oranges, and striking yellows. Not only do they pop against your summer wardrobe, but they also look fantastic against a sun-kissed tan.

Why We Love It: Neon nails are a fun way to express your personality and add a playful touch to your look. Plus, they’re perfect for any summer activity, from music festivals to beach parties.

Click Here to Get 2 Bonuses With Pro-Nail Complex Today($50% OFF)

2. Cool and Calming Blues

From deep sea blues to light, airy pastels, blue nails are a summer staple. This versatile color can be as bold or as subtle as you like. Light blues and aquas evoke a sense of calm and coolness, perfect for those hot summer days.

Why We Love It: Blue is a universally flattering color that pairs well with any outfit. It’s also a great way to incorporate a bit of the ocean into your daily style, even if you’re miles away from the beach.

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3. Pretty in Pastels

Pastel colors are always a hit in the summer. Soft pinks, lilacs, and mint greens offer a fresh, clean look that’s both sophisticated and fun. These shades are perfect for those who prefer a more understated yet elegant manicure.

Why We Love It: Pastel nails are incredibly versatile and can be dressed up or down. They’re perfect for a casual day out or a fancy summer soirée.

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4. Gleaming Metallics

Add a touch of glamour to your summer nails with metallic shades. Golds, silvers, and bronzes reflect the sunlight beautifully and give your nails a luxurious finish. Whether you go for a full metallic look or just an accent nail, you’ll be sure to shine.

Why We Love It: Metallic nails are perfect for evening events and special occasions. They add a bit of sparkle and sophistication to any summer look.

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5. Tropical Vibes

Bright, tropical colors like coral, turquoise, and sunny yellow are perfect for capturing the essence of summer. These shades are vibrant and fun, making them perfect for vacations and beach days.

Why We Love It: Tropical colors bring a sense of fun and adventure to your nails. They’re great for adding a pop of color to your everyday look and are sure to put you in a summer mood.

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Tips for the Perfect Summer Manicure

Prep Your Nails: Start with clean, well-shaped nails. Use a good quality base coat to protect your nails and ensure a smooth application.

Stay Hydrated: Keep your cuticles hydrated with cuticle oil or cream to prevent dryness.

Top It Off: Use a top coat to seal in your color and add extra shine. This will also help your manicure last longer.

Experiment with Nail Art: Summer is the perfect time to try out fun nail art designs. From simple polka dots to intricate patterns, let your creativity run wild!

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Conclusion

With these trendy nail colors, your summer style will be hotter than ever. Whether you prefer bold and bright or soft and subtle, there’s a summer nail color for everyone. So, go ahead and splash into summer with a fresh, fabulous manicure that’s sure to turn heads!

[fademirrored]

gamma: Hero of Ferelden

“Look, your business can be your business as soon as it doesn’t involve me. Until then, I consider myself entitled to know.”

Temry Mahariel Warden-Commander. Arl of Amaranthine. Hero of Ferelden. Dalish elf.

Nonbinary. They/them. Pansexual, polyamorous. 27 Drakonis, 9:08 Dragon. Fereldan Lowlands Rogue; archer. Ranger, bard, shadow.

Eyes: Dark green, gold-ish central heterochromia. Large. Hair: Dark red-brown, smooth, pin straight, down to their hips. They keep it up in a high ponytail but rarely succeed at keeping their bangs out of their face. Skin: Golden bronze, tan. Many freckles, but most of them sort of blend in. Very calloused hands. Height: 5'8". Build: Lean, leggy, and sinewy, but with incredible shoulders, back, and forearms. Notable Details: Andruil vallaslin, simplified version, gold-ish reddish brown-ish ink; does amazing things for their cheekbones. Dark veins in their eyes from their time with the Taint. Voice: Radio show Crowley.

Positives: Fairly steady, mentally and emotionally; it takes a lot to rock them emotionally, and they’re good at maintaining an even-keel even once they’ve started getting exasperated with a situation. Reliable; if they say they’re going to do something, then either they’re going to get it done or they’re going to realize it can’t be done, but they aren’t going to abandon a task half-finished. Practical; they’re unlikely to get distracted by fanciful distractions, and they’re very good at pointing out the obvious thing that everyone else seems to be missing. Protective of what they’ve decided is theirs, be it people, things, ideas, or otherwise, even if that protectiveness is sometimes shaped like tough love. Negatives: Sees rules as optional, especially if they’ve decided those rules make no sense, be it in combat or otherwise; they’re going to take whatever shortcuts are most convenient. Can and will use emotional weak points to win an argument, even against friends or loved ones, and probably won’t apologize if they still feel justified about it. Worry wart, overly cautious; growing up with Tamlen, they fell into the ‘I’m going to worry about this because you clearly aren’t going to’ role more often than not, and it’s a tendency they aren’t chomping at the bit to shake. ‘Me and mine’ focused, otherwise less concerned about doing what’s best than they are about doing what gets the job done. Neutrals: Ambivert. Pragmatic. Snarky, in a deadpan ‘this is what we’re doing?’ or ‘do you realize what you sound like?’ way. Sarcastic, usually sort of gently. Optimist vs. Pessimist: Optimistic, with a ‘we are GOING to make this world a better place or SO HELP ME’ bent. Quirks: Paces a lot. Like, a lot. Tends to speak very efficiently, saying the most with as few words as possible; it’s not that they aren’t chatty, but just that they don’t like droning on. Tends to mumble to themself if they’re reasoning through a situation.

Religion: Believes in the Creators, but practices less as time passes. Likes: Music, be it instrumental or singing, though they do enjoy singing slightly more. Storytelling. Crossbows. Elemental bolts or arrows. Similarly, bolts/arrows that give status afflictions. Venison. Duck. Turkey. Knows how to make moonshine, the stronger the better. Dislikes: Being made to feel like a novelty, being gawked at. Being talked down to. Politics. Getting roped into other’s problems. Feeling like they’re losing control of a situation. Favorite Colors: Goldenrod. Tawny brown. Fern green. Hobbies: Archery. Singing. Learns how to play a hurdy-gurdy eventually, after the Blight. Hunting. Leather-working. String games. Gambling, though generally for nonsense/worthless stakes.

Family: Sabrae clan. Direct family deceased. Dog: Lethallin. Other Critters: Nehn, weasel. Atisha, barn owl. Samahl, crow. Dalen, fennec. Sabrae, hart. All collected gradually. Romance: Had a long-running crush on Tamlen. Romanced Morrigan. Friends: Alistair. Leliana. Sten. Anders. Oghren. Velanna. Justice. Note: Got along pretty well with basically everyone, all things considered. *everything in this sectioncan of course be tweaked or disregarded entirely for specific threads, if you’d rather.

[hossam-hassan-eg]

Everything you need to know about summer tan oil.

Tan oil for summer

Tanning has become a popular summer pastime, with thousands of products introduced to the market to help promote a darker tan. One of these products is tanning oil. Tanning oil comes in many packagings, fragrances and brand names, but each works by the same basic principles.

It’s officially summer, which means spiked temps and a dream of sun-kissed skin that mimics a day spent in the French Riviera. Enter tanning oil, a summer staple for many that gives off some serious shine all while delivering the ever-elusive real tan. We know tanning oils work to develop a tan quicker, but it’s pretty clear they also contribute to frying your skin. Many would argue that they don’t (it has SPF on the label!) or that they’re in the clear because they’re not making tanning an all-day affair (it’ll only be an hour!). Then there’s the idea of combining tanning oil with an SPF to make it “safer.” Repeat after me: All unprotected sun exposure is bad sun exposure.

Summer is all about sunbathing by the pool or at the beach, and getting that golden glow tan that will look super sexy with the summer’s brightly colored clothes. Tanning can be tricky for two reasons. First, it can go wrong and result in sunburn. The second reason is that spending too much time in the sun is bad for your skin. In this article, I will cover everything you need to know about tanning safely.

Use tan oil sparingly

If you still want to use tanning oil, please do so as responsibly as you can. That means being conscious of how much sun exposure you’re getting and keeping it as limited as possible. Remember, the tanning effect increases over time both naturally and thanks to bronzers. So even if you think you’re still too pale, you can get out of the sun and your skin will continue to darken for some time even when no longer exposed.

Tanning oil can give you a great overall tan if you use it responsibly. If you want that perfect, golden look make sure you’re buying a high quality product and make sure it has the SPF you need. Be careful not to spend too much time in the sun and, as always, stay safe and have fun.

Applying tanning oil is pretty straightforward. It’s best applied outside to prevent dripping that could ruin your clothes or carpets. Start by pouring a small amount into the palm of your hand then spreading it evenly across your arms, legs, face and exposed skin that you’re looking to get tanned. Smooth it over your skin to get an even layer.

Why you need to apply tan oil

Tanning oils work by attracting and focusing the ultraviolet rays of the sun onto the skin. Although the skin receives more than enough UV exposure in most sunny climates to create a tan, the properties of tanning oils speed up the process by intensifying the rays. In other words, tanning oil makes you tan faster.

When you apply a layer of tanning oil, the oil creates a barrier between your skin and the sun. This barrier intensifies the rays which penetrate deeper into your skin to interact with melanocytes — the cells that produce pigment (melanin) in your skin, resulting in a deeper tan.

Our experts agree that tanning oil can pose some serious risks to the skin. The implication with tanning oil is that you’re using it as an accessory to laying out in the sun which, in and of itself, can be ultra-damaging to the skin. “Sun damage is cumulative — even ten minutes of exposure a day over the course of a lifetime is enough to cause major problems and age your skin drastically,” explains Jaliman. “So when you lay out in the sun to tan, you are putting yourself at risk of sun damage and that [includes] wrinkles, age and dark spots (skin discoloration), and skin cancer.

Tan oil for skin tone

Knowing how to use tanning oil products properly is highly recommended, especially for those who are trying to achieve that perfect, sun-kissed bronze color of their tanned skin. Regardless of whether you are working on your natural tan by sunbathing, or you are using sunless tanning methods, using tanning oils will.

Bali Body Tanning Oils are filled with natural, organic and raw ingredients that provide long lasting smooth, hydrated skin. All oils are formulated to rejuvenate dry skin and treat eczema, cellulite, scarring and acne. These Natural Tanning Oils will give you glowing skin no matter the season and are 100% vegan friendly and Australian made.

Here are the best tanning oil available.

Best Overall: Dormi Fast Brazilian Tan Oil

Dormi Fast Brazilian tan oil will get you tanned Brazilian color. it is the best to use on your skin because it is 100% natural, helps you to get sexy attractive skin color without any skin damage, Brazilian tan oil have full of vitamins that help your skin look healthy and moisturize your skin.

[makeuptips-]

How to Pick the Best Foundation Primer for Your Skintype and Concerns

Primers come in many different tones, formulas, and finishes, and whilst you can certainly choose a “one-size-fits-all” style approach to your primer, that’s not necessarily best for everyone. There are multiple variations of product which can help to target individual skin types and skin concerns.

IMAGE: GLOSSIER

PRIMER 101:

In short, primers are base products that you apply after you’ve cleansed and moisturized your skin, but before you apply any coverage products like foundation or concealer. Primers are designed to help make your makeup last a lot longer and smooth over the surface of the skin so your makeup applies evenly. 

They’re a great makeup prep product, but they’re not the same as your moisturizer. Some primers are skincare-makeup hybrids which allow you to simply apply it to your skin and get benefits of both. Depending on the primer you use, you may find combining a moisturizer and a primer provide too much “slip” to your skin, causing makeup to slide and apply unevenly. Majority of the time, this can be overcome by simply allowing a full 1-2 minutes for each layer of product to absorb and set before moving on to the next. 

PRIMERS FOR EVERYONE:

If your only goal and concern is to prolong the wear of your makeup without targeting any concerns such as redness or excess oil, stick with the basics and opt for a regular primer. These primers are not all universal, but their main goal and purpose is to simply keep your makeup looking fresher for longer, no matter your skin type. 

IMAGE: GLOSSIER

SKINCARE-MAKEUP HYBRID PRIMERS:

Certain brands offer products which provide skin with nutrients, vitamins, and hydration, but combined with ingredients which are also designed to increase the wear time of your makeup. These primers typically are richer in texture than a traditional primer, and they may even be heavier than your regular moisturizer, if you find this too much for your skin, try a serum primer. A serum primer has the consistency of a serum with many of its benefits, but also works to prime your skin for makeup application.

Try: Glossier Priming Moisturizer, Tula Face Filter Blurring & Moisturizing Prime, e.l.f Hydrating Primer Serum PRIMERS FOR DRY/SENSITIVE SKIN:

If you have a drier skin type you may find that makeup has a tendency to appear flaky and cakey on your skin. As foundation and concealer can often grip onto areas of the skin which are flaky, makeup can “cake up” on these areas and look uneven, wrinkly, and blotchy. A hydrating primer can work to smooth over these areas whilst simultaneously hydrating the skin so makeup applies smoothly and has a healthy, hydrated base to apply to. 

Try: Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer,  Laura Mercier Hydrating Primer 

  PRIMERS FOR OILY SKIN:

For those with oily skin, a primer is your best bet for keeping makeup on your skin and preventing it from sliding and slipping all over the place, whilst simultaneously keeping your skin matte. If you’re someone with oily skin opt for a specifically designed mattifying or oil control primer designed to help reduce the appearance of shine and keep your makeup on all day.

Try: Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer, Bobbi Brown Primer Plus Mattifier

IMAGE: URBAN OUTFITTERS

PRIMERS FOR LARGE PORES/UNEVEN SKIN:

Large pores can be a burden on makeup, but every persons pore size is different and this can vary based on genetics and skin type. Whilst some brand claim to “shrink” your pores, that’s not really possible. Large pores can cause makeup to look cakey and you may find that foundations and creams “settle” into your pores. Furthermore, if you’ve suffered with bad acne in the past and have been left with “ice pick” acne scars, a velvety, resurfacing primer could be just the trick. 

Try: Benefit Porefessional Primer, Too Faced Primed & Poreless + Advanced Formula Primer PRIMERS FOR FINE LINES/BUMPY SKIN:

From fine lines, to wrinkles, to acne scarring, skin that has an uneven texture can pose a real struggle for makeup. Certain formulas can settle into fine lines and wrinkles (thus exaggerating them) and foundation can often accentuate uneven and bumpy skin texture. A smoothing, primer designed to blur imperfections will help to smooth the texture of the skin and provide a layer between your skin and. 

Try: Kiehl’s Micro-Blur Skin Perfector, Marc Jacobs Under(cover) Blurring Coconut Face Primer

PRIMERS FOR REDNESS:

Redness can occur regardless of skin type, so whether you’re dry and flaky, or oily, blotchy, red, and acne-prone, a primer specifically designed to correct redness in the skin can work magic. Many redness reducing primers contain a dose of yellow or green pigments to “correct” the redness in the skin, whilst it may look daunting to apply these bright shades to your skin, they essentially “knock out” the redness meaning you don’t need to add layers and layers of product to cover up redness.  If you have fair skin, try mixing these highly pigmented primers with a standard facial primer or moisturizer before application.  

Try: MAKE UP FOR EVER Step 1 Primer Color Corrector - Redness, Peter Thomas Roth Skin To Die For Redness-Reducing Treatment Primer

IMAGE: BOBBI BROWN

PRIMERS FOR DULL SKIN:

An illuminating primer is a glowy skin must-have. Dewy, illuminating, hydrating, and totally glow-inducing, but they’re often lighter than your typical hydrating primer (which may have illuminating particles also!) If you have dull skin or just love to rock dewy skin look for a a primer that contains light reflecting particles. These small, shimmering particles work to “bounce” light off the skin to give it a more radiant glow , you can also use it atop of makeup as a highlighter, mixed in with foundation to give your foundation a glow (and lighten the coverage) or on its own for an ultra-subtle, natural glow. 

Try: Laura Mercier Pure Canvas Primer - Illuminating, Charlotte Tilbury Wonderglow Face Primer

PRIMERS FOR A BRONZED GLOW:

Freshly tanned skin has a natural radiance about it, but a natural tan isn’t necessarily the safest thing you can do for your skin. If you’re wanting a little bit of shimmer and glow, try a bronzing primer. Use it underneath makeup for shimmer, glow, and a subtle bronze to your skin, wear on its own as a makeshift style tinted moisturizer, or mix a little in with your foundation to darken an existing shade + add a healthy dose of glow. 

Try: Laura Geller Spackle Tinted Under Make-up Primer (Bronze), Ofra Cosmetics Rays Of Light Bronzing Primer

Shop this post:

Urban Decay All Nighter Face Primer

Smashbox Photo Finish Primer 

Glossier Priming Moisturizer

Tula Face Filter Blurring & Moisturizing Prime

e.l.f Hydrating Primer Serum 

Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer

Laura Mercier Hydrating Primer

Laura Mercier Pure Canvas Primer - Illuminating

Charlotte Tilbury Wonderglow Face Primer

Ofra Cosmetics Rays Of Light Bronzing Primer

Laura Geller Spackle Tinted Under Make-up Primer (Bronze)

Story by: Evangeline Sarney

Imagery: [Supplied]

[catsnkooks]

Beach Craze

Hardcase x reader x Jesse

summary: The Clone Wars had finally ended. The Republic had won. The whole galaxy was filled with the same exhilaration of victory, and everyone seemed to be celebrating. To celebrate, you were on a girl’s getaway with your two best friends. The three of you had planned it many years ago, as your office job on Coruscant could get boring at times, but travel was dangerous during the war. But now that it was over, you could enjoy the sultry beaches and open bar that the hotel you were staying at on Scarif boasted.

rating: PG-13

warnings: some mentions of Sexy Times but thats abt it, mostly fluff

word count: 4,187

a/n: this was meant to be out a month ago but here it is!! canon never happened, nope, everyone lived (except sheev). inspired by @notreallybeccab and @suddenly-clones beach fics and @suja-janee beach times art :’)

here it is on ao3!

The warm winds that made Scarif famous blew through your hair as you sat on your colorful beach towel, the soft sound of the waves of the calm water echoing beside you. You buried your feet in the soft, warm sand. You laughed along with your beautiful Twi’lek friend, Torva’ris, as your other friend, Narei, told you the story of her latest romantic escapade.

“So as I'm talking to her,” Narei continued, flipping one of her twin braids across her shoulder, “some guy comes up to us and says, ‘No need to fight ladies, I can share.’ And she says, ‘I'm a lesbian, jackass.’”

The three of you burst into laughter again. You lifted your head, your mouth and heart singing with the exhilaration of being happy and free and at peace.

The Clone Wars had finally ended. The Republic had won. The whole galaxy was filled with the same exhilaration of victory, and everyone seemed to be celebrating. To celebrate, you were on a girl’s getaway with your two best friends. The three of you had planned it many years ago, as your office job on Coruscant could get boring at times, but travel was dangerous during the war. But now that it was over, you could enjoy the sultry beaches and open bar that the hotel you were staying at on Scarif boasted.

Torva rolled her eyes beside you, wearing a white two-piece that accentuated the deep blue hue of her skin. “Ugh, men.”

Narei snorted on your other side, sheltered underneath her large umbrella, and you knew she was rolling her eyes under her dark sunglasses. She had already applied sunscreen to her pale skin liberally, but she said she wasn’t taking any chances. Her natural green, high-waisted bikini showed off her petite frame. “Tell me about it. I don’t know why I'm still attracted to them.”

You laughed at Narei’s frustrated comment. You leaned back on your own beach towel, admiring the way it complemented the color of your swimsuit—your favorite color. Your eyes traveled up the stretch of the beach to where another large group of people rested. You noticed a group of six men looking in your direction, nudging and laughing at each other.

“Don’t look now,” you began, nodding your head in the direction of the men, “but I think we might have attracted some more of them.”

Torva and Narei turned to look in the direction you indicated. Narei peered over the rims of her sunglasses. “Hm, looks like clones.”

“Oh?” Torva asked, raising her eyebrows appreciatively.

Narei studied them closer. “Looks like the 501st, 212th, and 104th from their colors.” You then remembered Narei worked as a secretary in one of the GAR offices. “I had a night with a guy from the 327th once. I hope he’s not here.” She paused. “Actually, I do, because General Secura is kinda hot.”

“Well, I guess we’ll find out,” you said, settling back on your elbows as you also studied the men coming towards you.

They were made for fighting, that much you could tell. Toned, defined muscles lined their torsos and arms. Bronzed skin tanned even deeper by a short time in the sun. Your eyes traced the V of their stomachs as it disappeared below the band of their swim trunks, colored to what you presume were their battalion colors: blue, gray, and yellow. They all had different hairstyles and facial markings, which, you supposed, was the only way you could tell them apart.

“Why didn’t you hook me up with one of them sooner?” you muttered to Narei, still letting your eyes wander appreciatively over the six men who were almost at your spot.

“You never asked,” Narei huffed.

“You ladies mind if we join you?” said the one with the Republic symbol over his face.

You shook your head and patted the sand beside you. “No, we don’t mind.”

They all seemed to grin at your words and sat down beside the each of you, introducing themselves. Beside Narei sat Boost and Sinker from the 104th, beside you, Jesse and Hardcase from the 501st, and finally, Boil and Waxer from the 212th beside Torva.

“Did you see Tup brought a metal detector with him?” Hardcase said to you left, grinning at Jesse who sat to your right. You also noticed the way his eyes subtly roamed over your figure before coming up to wink at his brother.

Jesse rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I did. I'm surprised Dogma didn’t chew him out for bringing it.” He picked up your hand and rubbed small circles into your palm with his thumb, looking into your eyes and smirking. “He’s a big stickler on illegal contraband and everything.”

“I agree with Tup,” said Boost. Sinker was too busy checking Narei out to contribute to the conversation, his fingers dancing over her thigh. “You can find some interesting things with a metal detector.”

“Well, the only thing I'm interested in is getting some sun,” Torva said, flipping one of her lekku over her shoulder. Waxer reached up to smooth it along her back.

You nodded emphatically and groaned. “Ugh, yes. I missed it after being in an office for so long.” You lifted your arms, not missing the way Jesse and Hardcase’s eyes followed them. You let them fall back down with a sigh, laying one back in Jesse’s grasp. “It’s been way too long.”

Narei snorted. “Speak for yourself.”

Sinker finally looked up from where his eyes were trained on her thigh. “You allergic to the sun or somethin’?”

“You could say that,” she replied, gesturing to all of her protective measures. “I don’t tan, I burn.”

Boil let out a bark of laughter and grinned at Waxer. “Do you remember when we were on Ryloth and General Kenobi got that awful sunburn?”

Waxer laughed. “Yeah, I remember how Cody gave him so much shit for that.”

Torva perked up at the mention of her home world. “You’ve been to Ryloth?”

“Oh, I’ve been all over the galaxy, baby,” Waxer murmured, brushing a finger over her jaw.

Boil puffed out his chest. “Yeah, we were there for the Battle of Ryloth. Took out a whole battalion of droids there.”

Hardcase scoffed. “Those are rookie numbers.” He positioned his arm behind you and leaned in so his breath tickled your shoulder. “I couldn’t tell you how many of those clankers I’ve blown up.”

You giggled at his claim and the way his breath on your shoulder combined with Jesse’s incessant touch sent a rush of giddiness through you, leaving you feeling breathless. “Oh, really?”

“Oh, yeah?” Sinker snorted. “I bet I took out three battalions of clankers on Cato Neimoidia and that damn Viceroy’s personal ship.”

Narei ran her fingers through Sinker’s stark white hair, who leaned into her touch. “Oh, that sounds scary.”

“Nah, me and Sinker are the best shots in the 104th,” Boost said, sitting up straighter and grinning at her.

“You know you shouldn’t tell lies, Boost.”

Your group turned to look at the two men who had walked up to your spot. Narei detangled her fingers from Sinker’s hair and waved at them.

“Hi Master Kenobi, Master Plo,” she said. “Enjoying your visit?”

The two Jedi masters nodded.

“Yes, it has been quite relaxing,” said Master Kenobi.

“Though I think some of us might be enjoying it too much,” said Master Plo, who had spoken earlier. “Eh, Boost?”

Boost rubbed the back of his neck, his cheeks tinged a little pink. “I wasn’t lyin’, sir, just…ah….”

“Embellishing?” teased Jesse. Boost glared at him as you and Torva stifled your giggles.

The two generals chuckled at their trooper’s antics.

“Anyway,” Master Kenobi continued, turning to Narei, “the reason why we are here is because Padmé wanted to know if you wanted to meet the twins. She brought them down where we are stationed.” He motioned farther down the beach where you could see more people sitting.

“Oh!” Narei gasped, standing and disentangling herself from Boost and Sinker’s grasp. “Oh my goodness, yes! I would love to see them!” She pulled on your and Torva’s arms, pulling the both of you up. “You have to come see them! They're so cute!”

You didn’t notice the audible protests from your group of admirers as the three of you rushed off to see the babies. Boost and Sinker pouted, putting their heads on their hands, while Boil, Waxer, and Hardcase glared at their generals for interrupting their flirting. Jesse huffed and kicked at the sand.

“Beat by a kid that can't even walk yet,” he muttered, crossing his arms.

“Oh, don’t worry,” Obi-Wan teased, patting Jesse’s shoulder. “You’ll all have your chance soon enough.”

---

The babbling of the two infants mixed with the sound of the wind and the waves. You held a giggling Leia on your hip with Torva beside you making faces at her. Narei was cooing at Luke who was in Padmé’s arms.

“I'm sorry I couldn’t come see them sooner,” Narei said to the former senator. “You know how it gets at work sometimes, especially now that we’re at the end of everything.”

Padmé laughed. “Oh, yes I understand. Sometimes I do miss being in the Senate, but it is nice to come home and relax.”

“I bet these two are a handful,” Torva said, taking Leia from you and bouncing her on her hip.

“Oh, Anakin is worse than the both of them,” Padmé sighed, rolling her eyes. She looked over her shoulder where her husband was playing in the water with two others. “I suppose it’s a good thing he cares so much, but I didn’t think he was going to leave their sides.”

The three of you laughed at the image of the tall Jedi master worrying over the more than capable senator.

“Well, I’d say he’s got his work cut out for him,” you laughed, squeezing Leia’s plump baby cheeks.

---

You, Torva, and Narei finally said your goodbyes to Padmé, promising to come visit again some time. Your group of admirers met you halfway to your spot, and asked if you three wanted to play in the water, now that the sun was at its hottest and highest peak. You and Torva agreed while Narei declined, opting to sit and relax in the shallows. Hardcase waved over the togruta that was with Anakin earlier, Ahsoka, so you all could have a three-way chicken fight.

“You guys are gonna get destroyed!” Ahsoka threatened from Hardcase’s shoulders, the both of them grinning.

“I don’t think so!” you threatened back from atop Jesse’s shoulders. You felt the rush of giddiness again as Jesse’s warm hands encircled your thighs and you grasped at his broad shoulders.

Torva laughed from Boil’s shoulders, flipping her lekku behind her back. Waxer remained off to the side as the referee.

“Ready?” he asked. All of you nodded. “Alright. On your marks, get set, go!”

Jesse charged directly at Boil and Torva. You and Torva locked hands, squealing and laughing while trying to push each other off-balance. You pushed her back a little hard, causing her to sway off balance and Boil to take a few steps back, but then they came right back for you. This time, instead of grasping hands, you went right for the roots of her lekku, where you knew she was ticklish.

Torva squealed. “No fair!” Caught off guard, you pushed her again, this time causing her to fall down into the water, pulling a startled Boil with her.

Too caught up in your victory, you didn’t notice Ahsoka and Hardcase sneaking up behind you until you felt her hands on your back.

“Whoa! Sneak attack!” Jesse exclaimed, turning you around to grapple with Ahsoka.

You locked hands with her and tried to match her, but with her Jedi training, she was too strong for her. Soon you found yourself falling backwards, yelling, holding onto Jesse’s shoulders, and dragging him down in the water with you.

The salty water rushed around your ears as you bobbed up to the surface, gasping and laughing. Jesse surfaced beside you, and you swam over to him, wrapping your arms around his neck to keep you floating.

“Looks like they were right, huh?” Jesse chuckled, nodding to Hardcase and Ahsoka who were celebrating their victory by hooting and splashing in the water.

You sighed, setting your chin on his shoulder. “Yeah, we never stood a chance against a Jedi.” You looked in the opposite direction to find where Torva, Boil, and Waxer went.

“Well, there is something that I know that a Jedi couldn’t do,” Jesse murmured.

You turned back around to find that Jesse had turned himself to face you in the water, one arm supporting you by your waist. He raised his eyes from where he was looking at the way the cold water lapped at the tops of your breast and gave you a crooked grin. You raised an eyebrow, your lips curling up in a sultry smile, and caressed his cheek.

“Oh, really?” you asked. “You’ll have to catch me first!” You pushed off from his leg with a laugh and swam away, headed for Torva, who had acquired a donut floaty. You could hear Jesse splashing behind you to catch up.

You swam up to Torva’s floaty, wrapping your arms around it opposite of her. When you settled, she motioned behind you with a nod of her head. You looked behind you where Narei was sitting in the shallows with Boost and Sinker. One of her hands played with Sinker’s hair, who was asleep in her lap, while the other stood at a right angle on her knee, supporting her chin. She was listening to Boost talk, who had placed an arm behind her, leaning in close to her, a flirtatious smile on her face.

You sighed. “She’s really good at that.”

“Yeah,” Torva sighed also. Then she grinned at you. “At least there’s lots of them to go around, huh? We might still have a chance.”

You rolled your eyes at her, but you had to admit she was right. “At least we got separate rooms at the hotel.” And you hoped Jesse and Hardcase would see yours tonight.

---

You and Torva swam with the boys from the 501st and 212th and Ahsoka for a while after that. Jesse and Hardcase had a contest to see who could hold their breath the longest. (Hardcase won, but only after you pulled him up a minute after Jesse resurfaced). Then they tried for a splashing contest against you girls, until Ahsoka almost washed them away with a wave she created with the Force. (Which they called cheating, but it was four against three, so you thought it was fair.) Now, you held Jesse’s shoulders, giggling, as he lazily dragged you around in the water, with Hardcase swimming behind you, trying to grasp gently at your legs, a playful look in his eyes. Torva floated on her donut floaty somewhere beside you, her lekku dangling and swaying in the water, Boil and Waxer floating beside her. Ahsoka had rejoined Padmé with the twins.

You made Jesse pause when you heard your name being called from the shore. Narei was standing in the shallows, waving at you to come to her.

“I wonder what she wants,” you mused, mostly to yourself. Torva was already headed that way, Boil and Waxer following along.

“I’ll race you there,” Hardcase said, still grinning at you. He dove under the water, quickly heading for the shore.

You yelped when Jesse took off after him, clutching at his shoulders tighter as he raced through the water. You made it to the shore just a few moments after Hardcase.

“I don’t know about you two, but I'm pretty hungry,” Narei said.

You placed a hand over your stomach as you felt the familiar pang of hunger as well. You hadn’t noticed it with all the excitement.

“Ooh, yeah, I want to check out that sushi place by the hotel,” Torva said. She and Narei started walking back to your stuff still lying in the sand.

“I’ll be there in a minute!” you called after them. You turned back to Jesse and Hardcase, still in the shallows, grinning and jabbing at each other.

“What's up?” Hardcase asked.

“We’re going to get something to eat,” you replied, jerking your thumb to where Torva and Narei were packing up their things. “We’re pretty hungry after a long day at the beach.”

“So, you’re leaving for the day?” Jesse asked. If you didn’t know any better, you would almost say he looked like a sad puppy.

“Yeah, but we’ll be back tomorrow probably,” you said. You thought for a moment, the crossed your arms over your chest, sauntering toward them. “You know…there is a bar in the hotel....” You uncrossed your arms and placed a hand on both of their chests. “Meet me there later?”

Both of the men looked at each other, sharing a lopsided grin before turning back to face you. “Sounds like a plan,” Hardcase said, winking at you as they left.

A thrill ran up your spine as you watched them walk away. You turned to grab your things further up the beach with Torva and Narei. Now you had something else to look forward to tonight.

---

The bar was packed. Everyone was celebrating, as you had anticipated. Lights and music pulsed all around you, and it would almost be too much if not for the liquor already coursing through your veins. The three of you were sitting at the bar counter, drinks in hand, and waiting for the boys to show.

“Do you think they’ll come?” you asked, biting your lip and glancing again at the door.

Narei rolled her eyes and downed her drink in one gulp. “Not if you keep looking like a lost puppy.”

You sighed and glanced down at your drink, taking a sip of it. The sweet liquid burned its way down your throat, giving you a little boost of confidence. You looked back up and straightened your shoulders.

Torva laughed on your other side. “See? We don’t need them to have fun. It’s our girl’s vacay anyway!” She slid off of her stool and tugged at you hand. “C’mon! Dance with me!”

You laughed with her, letting her tug you off your stool and drag you to the dancefloor. You held her hand and swayed to the music with her, laughing and letting the giddy feeling of the alcohol and the music flow through you. She held your hand up and you twirled around her, letting your feet slide you out of her grasp. You bumped into someone and you gasped, turning around to apologize. “Oh! I'm sorry—!” You gasped again when you realized it was the two clones you were waiting for. “Jesse! ‘Case!”

“Havin’ fun without us, princess?” Hardcase asked, his hands sliding to your waist.

The strong liquor running through your bloodstream made you feel braver than usual. Your hands went to his cheeks and you leaned up to give him a quick kiss on his lips. You giggled at the surprised look on his face.

“What took you so long?” you giggled, turning to Jesse behind you.

“’Case had to make sure he looked good,” Jesse said. He put his thumb on your chin and pulled you to his lips.

You hummed and leaned into his touch. You rested a hand on his chest, leaning up slightly on your tiptoes to reach him, and broke away from him with a smile. You looked down to observe their outfits and hummed appreciatively again. “You dressed all fancy for me?” They were wearing, what you could assume, their gray military uniforms.

Hardcase tugged on the hand you left resting on his cheek and grinned. “Dress to impress, baby.”

You turned to face him completely, placing your hands on his shoulders. You liked the way their uniforms accentuated their broad chests and shoulders. Theirs had blue stripes, just like their swim trunks had.

“How much have you had to drink, baby?” Hardcase asked, pulling you closer to him. You noted the slight tinge of concern to his voice.

You rolled your eyes. “Just one! Narei was buying!”

“How ‘bout we buy you all the drinks you want?” Jesse murmured into your ear, pulling you toward the bar.

“No!” you exclaimed, pouting. “I want to dance! Dance with me!” You pulled both of them further onto the dance floor, laughing.

You didn’t know how long you danced with them. You could have danced all night with them, with the pulsing lights and music, with the alcohol coursing through your veins. It was only until Hardcase’s grip on your hips and sides became tighter, pulling you in for more heated kisses, and Jesse’s gaze became more intense and his mouth twitched up into an even cockier smile that you thought you might want to take things to your room.

“I think it’s time for a change of scenery, don’t you ‘Case?” Jesse asked. He nodded in the direction of the bar’s exit.

“Wait! I need to tell my friends!” You turned around to find Torva and Narei within the packed bar. You saw Torva in a booth sitting in Boil’s lap with Waxer’s lips attached to her neck. Narei sat at the bar with Boost and Sinker’s rapt attention. You huffed slightly in annoyance.

“I think they’re in good company,” Hardcase said behind you.

You turned back around to face them, a grin on your face. “I’d like some good company for myself.” You took both of their hands and led them out of the bar and up to your room, giggling with anticipation.

---

Soft breaths tickled your nose. You scrunched and wiggled it, squinting your eyes open. Your eyes were met with the rich brown skin of Hardcase, sleeping next to you. You smiled and traced the blue geometric lines down his face. His lips twitched and he let out a small puff of breath.

“G’mornin’,” he muttered, not opening his eyes.

You giggled and placed a kiss to his lips. “Good morning.” You tried shifting to face him, but then realized Jesse was still sleeping on your chest, his soft snores tickling the skin of your neck. You bent your head to give a quick kiss on his forehead and traced the tattoo covering the left side of his face.

Hardcase yawned and peeked his eyes open, stretching slightly. “How much did I drink last night?”

You laughed softly, so as not to wake Jesse. “I think I was the only one who drank last night.” You stretched your arms up and over your head, trying to wriggle out from underneath Jesse. “And now I have to go to the ‘fresher.”

“It’s alright if you’re a little rough,” Hardcase said, chuckling. “Jess’ don’t wake up for nothin’.” He shifted over and up slightly to let you wriggle out from underneath Jesse. Jesse just grunted and snuggled deeper into the blankets.

You stood up and grabbed your phone off the bedside table. You turned back around to give another quick kiss to Hardcase, who had flopped over to the other side of the bed. “I’ll be right back.”

You padded into the refresher. The hotel soaps were still in their packaging with your tooth cleanser and other toiletries stacked with them. You turned on the tap and splashed some warm water on your face, scrubbing it with a cloth. You grimaced at the marks on your neck and around your collarbone. That was going to be hard to explain.

Once you were done, you checked your phone. You bit your lip to stop smirking. Two unread messages on your group chat with Torva and Narei. This was gonna be good, you thought.

torva 🤘: so uhh

torva 🤘: wild night huh guys 😂 😂

You snickered. Yeah definitely 😂, you texted back. I'm gonna have to go out in a turtleneck now 😂 😂

torva 🤘: same 😂 😂

You sighed and rooted through your makeup bag that you had brought with you. You could probably cover it up with some foundation and concealer, as long as you didn’t stay too long in the water.

You looked back at your phone when you heard it ping again. Narei had sent a photo. You opened it and gasped, covering you mouth to control your laughter. She had taken it from the neck up; her hair was wild and she had a hand covering her forehead. The thing that stood out the most was the large bite mark on her neck, where you noticed Sinker’s platinum hair peeking in at the corner.

narei 😏: do either of you know how to cover a bite mark?

torva 🤘: YOU DIDN’T

torva 🤘: MOTHER OF MOONS 😂 😂

narei 😏: they're not called the wolfpack for nothing

You leaned against the refresher sink, your body almost collapsing from holding in your laughter. It seemed all three of you had some explaining to do today.

[mageicalwishes]

Read on AO3: Here

Rating: Teen & Up

Chapter: 1/? (More chapters to come a little later in Dec + Early Jan!) 

Summary: A loose crossover between Carry On and parts of I'll Give You The Sun. "He’s haloed under the streetlights, and I’m trying not to stare. But, it’s hard. His face is celestial - The sunshine of his soul peeking through his features. I want to say more, just so that he doesn’t leave. Our houses are right there but, I feel so ... multicoloured."

Carry On Countdown, Day 10 - Crossover @carryon-countdown​

Tags: Fluff, Getting Together, Meet-Cute, Social Anxiety, Crossover, Pining Baz, Artist Baz, Space Enthusiast Simon, Star Gazing, Anxious Thoughts,  Carry On Countdown 2020 Day 10

Words: 2,145

Baz

I need to stop thinking about grey, slippery roads and black shrouds. About the purple under my Father’s dull eyes, and the red of my Aunt’s anger. I need to stop thinking about me - About my life. My head is too loud. Too noxious. I need someone else to take my mind for a while. I need to see. To paint. And so, I search for a subject. 

Dragging my binoculars across the bleak, colourless houses, I search, desperately, for even a glimpse of a hue. But the colours are slipping from the world again. They always do when I’m trapped in my head.

And then I see them - The movers - so far from colourless that I’m dizzied. They’re great work horses, both of them - One chestnut, and one palomino - Hulking a grandfather clock up the house-next-door’s stairs. I’m zooming in, before I have time to reconsider - Into the stretch of navy against the flex of their arms, the rose flush of their foreheads, the tan swath of smooth stomach revealed each time they lift their arms. And then ... Shit. 

I drop the binoculars onto the floor, my body following swiftly behind them. Because, on the roof of the house, there’s a boy pointing a telescope directly at me. Fucking Hell. How long has he even been there?

I risk a glance over the top of my windowsill. He’s wearing a tatty purple jumper, and there’s a mess of bronze curls tangled atop his head. Even without the binoculars, I can see that he’s grinning at me. Is he laughing at me, already? Does he know what I was doing? That I was watching the movers? Does he think that I’m ...? He must. Why else would I be ogling them. God. I feel the dread pinching at my throat, and try to tether my mind, so that it doesn’t get away from me again. Maybe he’s just a smiley person. Maybe he thinks I was looking at his clock. That’s equally as plausible, surely? And, I mean, he has a telescope. Dickheads don’t tend to have telescopes, do they?

Tugging at the ends of my hair, I stand. When he sees me he waves, but before I have a chance to reciprocate, he’s reaching into his pocket, drawing his arms backwards, and lobbing something straight at me. (Maybe he is a dickhead, after all). 

On reflex, I stick out my hand. The unknown object slapping hard against my skin, as I close my fingers around it. 

“Nice catch!” He yells. His voice deep and bright, with a definite Northern tinge. I decide that I like it. It suits him. 

But, I don’t know what to say back. So, I don’t. Instead, I examine his potentially dangerous ‘gift’ - Spinning the rock around in the palm of my hand. It’s small (About the size of a pound coin) and covered in irregular lightening-like cracks. What am I supposed to do with it? Do I throw it back? Why did he even throw it at me, in the first place? I don’t know, but I slip it into my back pocket for safe-keeping, anyway. 

When I look back at him, hoping for some kind of explanation, he’s turned himself back towards the sky. Too focused on looking through his telescope to notice me. Which, to be honest, is odd. I mean, it’s daytime. What could he possibly be looking at? 

Even though I’m curious, I don’t stick around to find out. I’m worryingly off-kilter, and I need to rebalance. I hadn’t prepared myself for meeting a new person. I wasn’t ready. And so, I run to the place that I know best, to recuperate - The Art Institute. Where I can carry out further recon on the studio. 

-------------------

It was a good, productive sketch session. Nobody caught me peeping through the window, and I was able to get a few decent body references down. But … I don’t feel my usual post-art calm. My mind is still racing (Although, with a different genre of thought than earlier). 

Every over time I have visited, the models have been women. Posing demurely, with a bowl of fruit or silks. Arms placed, to partially protect their modesty. I’m used to that. I’m prepared for that. But today … it was a bloke. 

I don’t have a problem with that (Not really). There’s nothing wrong with blokes. And there’s nothing wrong with naked blokes, either. I’m mature enough to handle that. A body is a body. A sketch is a sketch. And I’m an artist first, queer person second. I just … hadn’t expected it. And I don’t like to be caught off guard. So, I’m feeling slightly rattled. I just need to get home, and get back to normality. To safe things - Like a beach scene, or a self-portrait. Familiar things. No more surprises.

And yet, a few steps into my walk back home, I see the guy from the roof leaning against a nearby tree, the same lopsided-grin aimed over at me. I blink, confirming his existence, and then he’s talking. Stood, barely 3 metres in front of me, in the dirt. 

“How was class?” 

He says it like it isn’t the strangest thing in the world that he’s here, with me, where he really has no reason to be. Like it isn’t only just slightly beaten in its absurdity by me, sketching propped-up on a wall outside, rather than inside, the studio. Like we aren’t complete strangers (Because, no matter how much he may be smiling at me, we don’t even know each other's names yet).

‘Yeah, sorry, I kinda’ followed you. I wanted to check out the woods, but I wasn’t sure of the way. So … I just tagged along. Figured you wouldn’t mind. Don’t worry though, I wasn’t watching you the whole time. I was busy with my own stuff.” 

He points to an open suitcase filled to the brim with ... rocks? As if that’s normal. 

“My meteorite bag’s all packed.”

I nod like that explains something, but it really doesn’t. Meteorites? I thought those were in the sky, not on the ground. And what does that even mean? He just carries around pieces of infinity. For what?

I look at him more closely, studying his face for any sign of disingenuity. For any sign that he’s just having me on. But I find nothing. Nothing … bad, anyway. Just a deep dimple accompanying his crooked smile, and miles of tawny skin, speckled with moles. He exists in shades of orange and gold. He’s the sun. And I can’t look away.

“Stare much?” 

I drop my gaze, embarrassed - Staring down at his scuffed Nikes, as my neck prickles with heat. I don’t talk. What am I even supposed to say to that? Yes? 

“Well ... you’re probably just used to it from staring at that bloke for so long. You know … for your drawing.” I look up - Grey meeting blue. He’s eyeing my pad curiously. “He was naked?” He breathes in as he says it, like the words stole his oxygen. It makes my stomach plummet, but I try to keep my face calm. I think about him watching me, watching the movers. How he watched me, watching the model. He must know. And ... I don’t know how I feel about that, just yet. 

He looks down at my pad again. I don’t understand why. Does he want me to show him the drawings of the model bloke? It seems like he does. And some disturbed part of me wants to. But I doubt it. ‘Hey stranger, wanna’ see how I draw dicks?’ said no sane person ever. My stomach twists tight, and I’m out of control - My brain hazy amongst the moment’s tension.

“Look, man,” he sighs, half-smiling as he scrubs at the back of his neck. “I legit’ have no idea how to get home. I tried, but I just ended up back here. I’ve been waiting for you to lead the way. You don’t mind do you?”

I don’t think I mind. Do I? I don’t know. I shake my head, anyway, and point him in the right direction. 

-------------------

It’s a long way home, and we walk the majority of it in silence (Well, near-silence. The bumping of his suitcase creating a constant accompaniment to our steps). I try and resist the urge to look back at him. The urge to ask him all of my ‘Why?’s - Why did you follow me? Why are you still following me? Why are you collecting meteorites? Why were you looking at the stars in daylight? Why were you looking at me in the daylight? It would only make me more muddled. So, rather than relent, I take out my invisible brushes and start to paint behind my eyes. 

And, after a while, I feel myself settling back into my skin. The dancing trees and setting sun relaxing me, in spite of the moment’s unsteadiness. Or ... maybe it was him. He’s an alarmingly relaxed person (I mean, I don’t know anybody else who would just follow a stranger around, with zero self-consciousness), so it wouldn’t surprise me if he had some sort of ‘Realm of Calm’ thing going on around him. 

When we emerge from the woods, returning to our familiar concrete-laden pavements, he spins around and jumps in front of me. Ecstatic. 

“Holy shit! That is like ... the longest I’ve ever gone without talking in my life! I was holding my breath just trying to keep the words in. How do you even do that? Are you always like this?”

He’s a mile a minute, and I’m lagging behind.

“Like what?”

And then he’s laughing at me. I can tell that he’s a person who laughs a lot, from the way he lets it take him over so easily - His whole being lightening up, as the sides of his eyes crinkle, joyfully. But it’s alright, I don’t mind. It’s not a mean laugh. It just makes me feel a little bit fizzy inside (In a good way. I think). 

“Dude! Are you kidding? You do know those are the first words you’ve said all day, right?”

I didn’t, actually. But I don’t tell him that. He’d probably just think that I’m more strange than he, no doubt, already does. 

He’s properly cracking up now (Although, I don’t know what, exactly, I did that was quite so funny). “And then you’re all just like ‘What?’”. </p>

He makes an absolutely atrocious attempt at imitating my accent (Which leaves him sounding like some kind of drunken Prince Charles impersonator), and before I can stop it, I’m laughing outright, alongside him. Both of us hunched-over cackling, wholeheartedly, probably looking more than a little mad. 

Once we’ve calmed down, he starts staring at my pad again. Jesus Christ. I really wish he wouldn’t. I’m not going to show him my sketches. Not even if he begs. I’d never survive the embarrassment.

“So ... lemme’ guess. You do most of your talking in there?” He points down at my pad, and I feel the tips of my ears flood scarlet. 

“Yeah. Something like that.” My voice comes out mumbled and gruff. I didn’t mean for it to. He probably thinks I did it on purpose, though. 

He’s haloed under the streetlights, and I’m trying not to stare. But, it’s hard. His face is celestial - The sunshine of his soul peeking through his features. I want to say more, just so that he doesn’t leave. Our houses are right there but, I feel so ... multicoloured.

“I paint in my head sometimes,” I blurt. Dumb. So unbelievably dumb. “That’s why I was so quiet, I was painting.”

“Oh that’s cool. Saves paper, I suppose. Better for the trees, and that.” Stalling. He’s stalling. I’ve made it weird. I always make it weird. “So ... were you painting anything specific?”

“You.” Oh, fucking hell! I’ve ruined it - I’ve smeared on that last glob of un-erasable acrylic and ruined the painting. I shouldn’t have said it. I didn’t even mean to say it, it just ... popped out. And now he’s stood, gawping, eyes wide and face flushed. I’ve embarrassed him. I’ve gone and dumped all my greedy keenness on him, completely uninvited, and now he’s drowning in it.

Everything feels tight. The air, suddenly too humid to swallow. I’m gasping - Waves of breath crashing, loudly, in my ears. Panic. I’m panicking. I need to - I have to go.

So, for the second time today, I run. Spinning on my heels and darting back towards my house, without as much as a ‘Goodbye”. Away from him. Away from humiliation. Back to my room, where I pull the blinds shut and open up my pad - Briskly skipping over today’s work. A blank page. A fresh start. I really am no good at talking the normal way.

[papayafiles]

watch drive to survive with me, a lando fan with absolutely zero chill, season 6 episode 3 edition:

(this got so long it literally exceeded tumblr's character limit, which i did not know existed until now, so i'm splitting it into two parts and posting it anyway because what is a tumblr blog for if not dramatic unhinged public breakdowns!)

it hasn't even started and i'm already Losing My Mind

"the brand cries out for more performance" with angsty heavy music... i forgot how dramatic drive to survive was. the music really enhances the stakes here.

"we did go backwards last year. no denying" cut to daniel struggling at the back 😭 he's not even in the team anymore and he's still catching strays. drive to survive editors have zero chill.

dramatic conversation between zac brown and a mclaren exec about how poorly things are giong... cut straight to lando walking into his interview with rice cakes smiling and giggling. I LOVE HIM.

the squeal of excitement that came out of my mouth at his VERY FIRST line (it's one word: "wow". wow indeed lando norris. you. yes. wow. i need to stop)

producer: "did you break it?" lando: *instantly looks concerned and checks*

LMAO not oscar waving his arms in front of the mtc double doors trying to motion sensor them open... only to fail epically 😭 dork (affectionate)

LANDOSCAR <3

oscar arriving late to the first mclaren team meeting and immediately thinking to ask his guide if lando's arrived yet vs lando making a point of pointing out that he beat oscar there 😭 idiots

lando watching oscar walk into the room for the first time with a contemplative expression… what are you thinking in that beautiful curly head of yours

oscar, doing an official interview about mclaren f1 vs lando, in the corner, eyeing him up and down: oscar’s quite tall, huh? he doesn’t look tall, but he is. he’s also like 15.

trademark dts beat drop after will buxton finishes dramatically chatting shit oh i've missed this

lando face scrunch count: 1

oh no we’re doing bahrain

i didn’t watch bahrain live so i didn’t know it was this bad 😭 wdym 25-30 second long fifth stop of the race my god

“red bull DOMINATES bahrain” yeah yeah shut up

claire williams??? what is she doing here

lando looking distraught cut the cameras i can’t do this 😭

“is it too soon to call it a crisis?” f1 journalists have zero chill (derogatory)

mclaren were DEAD LAST?? i was not aware

not christian horner again 😭 leave lando ALONE! he doesn’t want you!! netflix pls stop exploiting cute norstappen clips for your rbr lando agenda i do NOT endorse this

christian horner saying lando would fit really well in the red bull environment…………… in WHAT world

i’m so interested in seeing how conversations with pr managers go… like this is so fun to see them go through the bullet points of what topics journalists might ask and the ~vibe~ they want to be giving in their responses

…okay netflix i REALLY feel like you’re taking clips out of context and splicing them together to form a narrative here. and i get that that’s your whole job. but i think i also get why lando signed that renewal so early now 😭 warding off dts bullshit before it can even start to hit

“we’re so slow on the straight” dipping to a whisper like a confession he didn’t mean to slip out… glance up then back down again… i see you storytellers weaving the narrative. i see you. i get it. you really don't need to keep going

okay i know lando and zak are having a very serious conversation in this scene but also. lando in golf clothes. arms. AND legs. bronze tanned smooth skin... i’m not even thirsting here i’m just pointing out OBJECTIVE facts that are possibly maybe a little bit distracting me from… whatever they're talking about

“i’ll do my best, as always” ❤️ he always does

will buxton shut UP

why are they spending so much time on miami... they weren’t even good there… we’re getting more angst aren’t we.

ohh i forgot how pretty the red bull miami liveries were

nevermind they’re showing max lapping the mclarens. no longer pretty. fuck that livery actually

lando sounds so depressed on the radio i’m going through it 😭

did he really say haha. LOL. :/ on the radio 😭😭😭

“i’m not suggesting it may look bad. i’m suggesting it is bad”

lando saying "fucking hell" on the radio count: 2

okay do we really need another montage of team principals ragging on mclaren. we get it! you want him! he has a line of admirers a mile long! move on!!

NORRUSSEL CONTENT

according to george there are drivers who drink during normal race weekends?? lando throwing up his hands as the camera points toward him like not me! (i can't tell if george is joking but that sounds crazy to me? i bet it's either a really depressed backmarker or max after winning the wdc on a saturday)

not george calling the mclarens horrendous 😭 have some mercy

……………………………………...........

NETFLIX—

cut the cameras.

NETFLIX WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT TO ME

the way i'm actually in tears 😭 i'm so fragile right now do not talk to me

"this is the worst start to any season i've ever had. i want to be the best driver there is in formula 1. that's why i started my whole journey" THEN THEY CUT TO HIM IN A GO-KART??? A MONTAGE SEQUENCE???

they really edited together a mini montage of lando's whole journey including interview clips of him as a young child then put a voiceover of his tiny baby voice saying "i need to be stronger and not make so many mistakes" over video footage of adult lando looking depressed out the plane window and expected me to just be okay after that.

then they go straight into a montage of zak brown and lando's history together going way back ("first time i met lando, he was a small 14 year old ... he was very shy, as you'd expect a 14 year old... he was very fast.") cutting between old photos of them together pre-f1 with emotional music ("i think the first time he drove a racecar it was probably mine") oh! okay then!!

"i would love to create the story and finish the story and everything with mclaren. i really would love that." EVERYTHING HURTS

why does watching this episode make me feel like he's going to leave mclaren when i KNOW he just signed a contract extension? the magic of mood-setting background music and splicing clips together

zak brown meeting with all the sponsors... he is a stronger man than me. i would be freaking out in his position. it's also insane how much is riding on literal sports results from a corporation/business perspective? like the amount of pressure on f1 drivers to deliver is wild and here we are giggling at our silly clown sport and its silly circus events

oh claire williams shut up

(you don't even have a job in f1 anymore why are you still HERE)

[skincareroutinehackstips]

Best Summer Skin Care Tips From Beauty Hacks!!!

While we love a late spring swim in the sea and going on outings to the sea shore with our BFFs, the warm climate season isn't actually without its drawbacks. First off, dealing with your skin throughout the mid year months can accompany its own arrangement of difficulties—it's not all sprinkling under the sun and unwinding on the sand. The uplifting news is, there are many summer skin health management hacks that can make your healthy skin schedule a ton simpler. Anyway, what are you hanging tight for? Add these mid year healthy skin hacks—going from changing your facial cleaning agent to depending on self-leather treater for your fit figure to hydrating your face with a water-based cream—to your collection now!

SUMMER SKIN CARE HACK

 1: SWITCH TO A GEL CLEANSER

Subsequent to burning some serious calories in the late spring heat, you may find that your appearance looks excessively sleek. That is the reason purging ought to be the initial phase in your skin health management schedule. This mid year, think about utilizing a gel facial chemical, similar to the L'Oréal Paris Ideal Clean™ All Skin Types Foaming Gel Cleanser, which lifts soil and pollutants without over-drying Skin Care Tips. To utilize, wet your face and hands with tepid water, work a modest quantity of gel into a frothy foam and back rub it onto your face in a delicate, roundabout movement, and flush with tepid water.

2: TRY A WATER-BASED MOISTURIZER

At the point when the warmth and dampness begin increase, you might need to consider utilizing an alternate cream. No, you shouldn't skip lotion throughout the mid year—it's tied in with discovering one that suits your necessities this season. The L'Oréal Paris Hydra Genius Daily Liquid Care line is defined with hyaluronic corrosive and aloe vera water to help give durable hydration. Discover your match beneath. Smooth your water-based lotion of decision over your face and neck subsequent to purifying. As indicated by the American Academy of Dermatology, the best an ideal opportunity to apply cream is the point at which your skin is sodden, as this can help lock in hydration—so don't dry off when you're finished purging.

L'Oréal Paris Hydra Genius Daily Liquid Care for Normal/Dry Skin: Normal and dry skin faces outside components like contamination and UV beams that can harm the skin's dampness obstruction, expanding loss of dampness and making it become drier. Therefore, skin surface can lose its shine and become dull-looking. This cream wraps skin with dampness and lift the vibe of brilliance.

L'Oréal Paris Hydra Genius Daily Liquid Care for Normal/Oily Skin: In ordinary and sleek skin, outer variables like contamination, UV beams, and extreme purging can harm Skin Care dampness boundary, causing loss of dampness and an increment in oil creation. Therefore, your appearance can wind up looking excessively sparkling. This lotion lessens the appearance of overabundance sparkle and has a matte completion.

L'Oréal Paris Hydra Genius Daily Liquid Care for Extra Dry Skin: Extra dry skin has an extremely delicate skin dampness hindrance that can be handily harmed by outside components, for example, contamination and UV beams. Skin can thus lose its capacity to hold dampness, getting handily dried out and feeling tight and awkward. This lotion assists cause with cleaning to feel great and supported with dampness.

3: TAKE SUN PROTECTION SERIOUSLY

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suggests wearing a wide range sunscreen with a SPF of 30 or higher every day—except that is not by any means the only sun security measure you should take. Notwithstanding wearing an expansive range sunscreen day by day, the FDA additionally prompts reapplying sunscreen something like clockwork (or following swimming or perspiring), restricting your time in the sun (particularly during its pinnacle long stretches of 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.), and concealing uncovered zones in long sleeves, long jeans, a wide overflowed cap, and UV-obstructing shades.

Editorial manager's tip: Want to smooth out your healthy skin schedule? Utilize one item for dampness and SPF! Attempt the L'Oréal Paris RevitaLift Bright Reveal Brightening Day Moisturizer SPF 30.

 4: EXFOLIATE FROM HEAD TO TOE

Dead skin cells can develop on the outside of your skin, making your skin look dull—which throughout the late spring months isn't ideal, as you're probably keen on flaunting your skin in your warm climate closet. How would you be able to respond? It's an ideal opportunity to direct your concentration toward shedding! Shed your face with a sugar clean like the L'Oréal Paris Pure-Sugar Purify and Unclog Face Scrub, L'Oréal Paris Pure-Sugar Smooth and Glow Face Scrub, or L'Oréal Paris Pure-Sugar Nourish and Soften Face Scrub. What's more, remember to peel your body, as well! Utilize a body clean or peeling glove in the shower. To the extent how regularly you ought to peel, that depends. There's no correct answer—a few people can deal with day by day shedding, while others may just have the option to do so a few times per week. Focus on how your skin reacts to help figure out what turns out best for you.

 5: BLEND BRONZER WITH FACIAL OIL

What's mid year without a sun-kissed gleam? Accomplish an inconspicuous looking bronze effectively by blending a drop of a shimmery fluid bronzer into a couple of drops of facial oil and applying it to your composition.

6: SPRITZ ON A FACIAL MIST

Going around all day in the warmth and in require of a noontime shot in the arm? Keep a jug of facial fog close by to help invigorate your skin in a hurry.

7: USE BLOTTING PAPERS TO HELP SOP UP EXCESS OIL

Smudging sheets can be truly valuable throughout the late spring months. On the off chance that you will in general beginning looking excessively slick during the day, stash a pack in your handbag to help retain abundance oil at whatever point required. They're helpful and don't occupy a lot of room, making them a mid year healthy skin must-have.

8: STORE PRODUCTS IN THE FRIDGE

It's an ideal opportunity to relax! We're looking at putting a couple of key skin health management items in your fridge this late spring to help give a cool treat to your skin. One such healthy skin item that you can store in your refrigerator is eye cream. In this way, fly in the L'Oréal Paris Eye Defense. This light, non-oily gel-cream is exceptionally figured to safeguard against indications of maturing around the eyes, including puffiness, scarce differences, wrinkles, and dark circles. When you're prepared to utilize it, remove it from the cooler and apply it in little dabs around your eyes until altogether ingested.

Need to assist cool with offing your composition before you hit the hay? Another healthy skin item you can stash in your cooler is a short-term face veil, similar to the L'Oréal Paris RevitaLift Triple Power™ Intensive Overnight Mask. This smooth, leave-on face cover can quickly cause skin to feel hydrated and lessen the vibe of scarce differences and wrinkles with proceeded with use after some time. In the wake of purifying, utilize this short-term cover instead of your customary cream, streamlining it your face, neck, and facial structure until retained. Leave it on overnight, at that point approach your customary healthy skin routine in the first part of the day.

9: COOL DOWN YOUR SHOWERS

Subsequent to going through a day out in the sun, we have an inclination that nothing will feel very as pleasant as venturing into a cool shower. Furthermore, this will not simply feel better—it's additionally useful for your Skin Care.The thing is, heated water can strip your skin of fundamental oils, which is the reason it's a smart thought to turn down the dial and wash off in tepid temps all things considered.

10: DITCH FOUNDATION AND CONCEALER FOR BB CREAM

In case you're hoping to lay off the cosmetics over the mid year yet at the same time need immaculate looking skin, attempt a BB cream. Does your skin will in general look red throughout the late spring? The L'Oréal Paris Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream Anti-Redness has a green color that changes to an all inclusive shade to help lessen the vibe of redness. BB cream is a multi-reason item that can assist cut with bringing down the quantity of steps in your magnificence schedule. This one kills the appearance of redness, right skin for an in any event, looking composition, and give enduring dampness.

11: FAKE A BEACH BODY

At the point when summer comes around, it's an ideal opportunity to flaunt those lovely legs! Furthermore, there's a straightforward method to get a brilliant sparkle that makes it appear as though you went through the day at the sea shore—utilize the L'Oréal Paris Sublime Bronze™ Hydrating Self-Tanning Milk Medium. The steady self-leather expert gives a tanned sparkle in practically no time, while proceeded with use develops skin tone for a buildable, sans streak gleam.

Stage 1: Cleanse and peel skin. Dead skin cells can develop on the outside of your skin, and this development can make self-leather treater go on sketchy. To help guarantee your phony tan looks accept, it's a smart thought to peel in the shower previously.

Stage 2: Smooth the self-leather treater on uniformly over your whole body. Use sparingly around your lower legs, knees, and elbows. These regions will in general get evaporate and can splash shading all the more effectively, so a little comes way.

Stage 3: Wash your hands completely after use. You don't need tan impressions around your home—or stained palms.

Stage 4: Let your Skin Care Routine Hacks  dry totally prior to getting into garments. At the point when you do get dressed, go after free, dim apparel to help forestall staining.

Utilize the self-leather expert instead of body moisturizer three times each week for best outcomes.

TOP SKIN CARE ROUTINE HACKS TIPS

[ragewrites]

HELIANTHA : The Myth of The Sun-Flower on wordpress   |   chapbooks   |   buy me a coffee?

wordcount: 2099 genre: fantasy / mythology / romance rating: PG-13

.

.

.

What greater pleasure is there, thinks the girl to herself, than letting your body brown softly in the naked eye of the sun, until the skin matches in colour and in honey the heavy sugar ground from flutes of fragrant rum-grass, the kind that yields also a golden, heady wine, prized so high by the sailors?

Hers is a family of pearl-divers; their village sleepy, coastal, hidden in the cleft of basalt cliffs. Bare, often, like the bones of a carp that has been suckled clean of its lovely pink flesh, left to bleach on the fine sand when it had given all it had to give.

There are never many people around during the day, as half the villagers leave together with the low tide in their curved fishing-boats, the prows adorned with chicory coronets — this for good luck, as it is said in heavy mist the delicate blossoms will light and cut a bridgepath through the fog. They’ve never seen it, but such is belief: a seed in the heart, rooting strong. Unpluckable.

Of the half that is left, most are weary mothers with children too small to be weaned off the teat; few are the ancient elderly, and perhaps fewer still the divers, themselves quick as fish.

Quicker, maybe. Her mother always says she’s bodied like a snake.

Just like your father, Side says, smiles grimly, shakes her head. She’s afraid she’ll lose her daughter like she lost her man: the girl’s already too sure of her lungs, too comfortable in violent waves. Someday a shark will come along, your name in his teeth. Be careful, my girl. Be mindful. You’re only blood and meat, try not to forget.

The one that had worn her father’s name on his teeth had tore into him like scissors tear silk: she’s hated their lot since, our girl, though she respects their might in the way we all come to respect that which repulses and enfears, and therefore fascinates us. She wonders how they taste — those supple bodies, taut muscles rippling under the smooth of their skin as though disposed in one long, uninterrupted cut. They were made for the blade, warm veins and white meat.

She dreams of that when she light-bathes, sun low in the sky like a half-opened eyelid. Dreams of a banquet, oysters and carp and octopus legs, the shark with her name in its teeth set as the centerpiece, served with all sorts of melons, with pale wines as well as reds.

It’s morning, and soon she will have to work, abandon the warmth of her rock-bed; after, when she will have scavenged enough shells, she will be free to return to her cove, the sun again low in the sky like an eyelid touched by the lips of Sleep. She will let its kiss harden the salt the brine will have in her peregrinations washed her body with, until she herself will glitter quiet, like a pearl — or more boldly, with the many fires of the opal; and the sun, that red, royal sun, will make her beautiful, the way she’s heard talk grooms make their brides.

It pleases her to think this. It makes her flush.

§

“You shouldn’t spend so much time lying around,” Side says one night over dinner. Oyster stew is brothing quietly in the iron pot between them. “It’s ill luck.”

Ania purses her lips. “Why? There’s never anyone around when I do it, so don’t say it’s improper, or I swear—”

Her mother smacks her arm with the back of the wooden spoon, lightly. “Stupid girl. Even if there are no men, there are always the gods. Always. Do you want to end up like Semele, beautiful and burnt?” She stirs the stew, counterclockwise. “Besides, if you tan any darker, you’ll look like an Egyptian. People are going to start saying I stole you, or that I dishonored your father.”

“But—”

Another smack. “Eat,” Side says. “Stubborn girl.” Then, softer: “Don’t make me mother to a bride of Death, will you?”

§

After that night, she takes fewer baths, and always in great secret; and the secret thorns in her, grows to be pleasure. It pricks at her heart like the teeth of a mad hound.

I’ve found my shark, she thinks, and coppers for him. Oh, how sightly is the sun! How beautiful this Death, this groom!

§

“She’s lovely, your girl,” the women tell Side, one festival night in May. High fires are cracking all around and between them. To her they sound like bones. “Cheeks like dark roses, and that hair…Smart, too. She’ll make a wonderful wife.”

“I wonder about that,” Side says, and sips bitterly at her cup. By now her girl’s on her rock near the cove, no doubt thinking she’s so sly.

As if you can hide a lovebite when it’s in your every pore. Gods, Ania. You’re breaking my heart.

But what can you do? The girl’s in love, and Side remembers being sixteen and thinking that the world, stretched as it is between its two great waters, is still no larger than a pearl you can with ease hold in your palm when the right teeth are offering it to you.

If only she’d picked herself a less troublesome lover, she thinks, and feels like burying her face in her hands to spare herself the scene. Oh, Ania. You’re breaking my heart, you’re shattering it.

§

In her dream-banquets there is now another partaker seated at the altar: a man with eyes like fire, like bronze when it burns, clothed in such fine and costly purpure as you can only buy in the east. She may be but a humble pearl-diver, but she’s heard plenty talk of the Tyre, that fabulous city where even the molluscs are dressed in royal garb.

He looks at her across the table, those green-gold eyes lidded heavy, each its own low sun. “What is your name, girl?”

“Ania.”

He sucks an oyster from its shell with delicate lips. “Do you love the sun, Ania?”

The thorn in her gives to his voice: pleasure is made passion, now, and passion is a whip. Her heart fringes, bleeds. Everyone knows him by his eyes, but she realizes she knows him by his teeth. She’s known him all her life. “My mother thinks we’re all born with a death,” she says, toeing the question, “And that for each of us it has a different shape. She thinks my death is bodied like a shark.”

“And you?”

“I think the sun is a shark,” she says, and her sincerity makes his mouth etch a smile.

“So you despise it, then?”

If she could see herself in silverglass, she’d see her eyes burn bright enough to be his match. “Hardly. I just wish it would hasten its bite. There’s nothing worse than that shiver before a wave hits, before a blade stabs — I hate suspense. Meals are the only things one should draw out.”

At this he laughs, and it is like rum-honey, like a balm on the wound of her heart: “Is that so.”

“It is.”

His teeth are gleaming, saying, As you wish — and oh, how she wishes. How she wills.

§

Side notices a change in her girl: she doesn’t bathe in light anymore, but rather seems to bask in it: she moves her cot so that it’s opposite the window, the first thing to be touched in the morning by the rising sun. She eats less. She’s gaunted, like a consumptive, like one who is sick in the liver or the lungs. She shudders to think of the reason. Shudders to know it, and in her bones she does.

But what can you do? Nothing may untie what the Fates have tied. It’s sinew-string, that knot. It can’t be torn or cut.

“Ania,” she says one night over dinner, fish browned in a skillet, cast all around with green olives, like a laurel wreath.

“Mm?”

She takes her girl’s face in her hands and weeps. “Stupid girl. Didn’t I tell you not to make me mother to a bride of Death?”

Ania’s face softens, but the eyes don’t lose their fever. “Mom—”

She hushes her with her thumb. “My heart’s broken, but all the same it blesses you: may you have days. May they be happy.” She sobs. “My stupid girl. May you be happy, so stupidly happy, as it befits the holy fools.”

What terrible thing, she thinks, to be wed to a god. To have your nuptials with your pyre, to smile like that as it melts the flesh from you, as it ashens the hair and hollows the bones of their marrow.

O, Demeter. I know you don’t watch over seamen, but I know you watch over mothers. Give me strength, Goddess. Give me heart.

§

“I think I’ll die soon,” Ania tells him, breathes it soft into his chest. They’re lying on her rock, entwined like a pair of freshwater fish; from a distance, you’d think them sculpted in metal, or jeweled in some secret amber washed up from the depths.

He rubs circles into the small of her back. “I can ask Zeus to make you immortal.”

“That’s sweet,” she laughs, “But you’d bore of me one day, and then I’d have an eternity to stare at either the moon or my own misery, too in love with you still to bear the light of day.”

“I wouldn’t,” he says, and it is the first time she’s ever heard him forlorn. “And I can’t bear to know you in Hades, away from my eyes.”

“Selfish,” she says, kisses the sharp of his jaw. “Not that I mind. I’d hate to meal more than one shark. Too tedious.”

He turns them over, laughing, and the disc of the sun above is now nimbus for the one below. She touches her hands to his face, marvels at her god. “I won’t make you immortal if you don’t want to be,” he says when he sobers, trailing a finger down her body. “But I won’t let you leave me, either. Gods are jealous. Even straining ones.”

She pulls her bottom lip back between her teeth and thinks. “Let’s compromise, then.”

He listens.

§

At nineteen, Ania’s a woman who has known the world in ways the clergy may only ever dream of.

At forty, Side’s a widow burying her only child.

But something strange happens, something the undertakers in those parts still hush among themselves in whispers reverent, reserved usually for the Orphic mysteries: a brilliance fills the burial-chamber, and when it fades the cleaned body is nowhere to be found.

“Rapture,” one of those present calls it, and without meaning to thinks of the ways in which husbands hometake their new brides.

Side, shattered of heart, tears her veil from her head and laughs. It was one like Hades who stole her girl, alright, but unlike Kore her girl demanded herself the pomegranate sacrament.

Oh, Demeter, mother many and same-sorrowed; keep me. I beg you, keep the earth firm ‘neath my feet.

§

A single golden flower sprouts from the soil around her hut, turning its head gently as the day waxes and wanes, tracing the movement of the sun with its lone, dark eye.

Side holds onto it and weeps. “Stupid girl. My stupid, stubborn girl.”

§

“Heliantha,” Helios calls, many years therafter, wandering aimless through a field of sunflowers. He has aged, and sickened, and his skin is now as the bronze on an old church-bell, green as if kissed with seasalt for many a storming year. The Old Gods, once thought immortal, are facing burials: Zeus was usurped by a Son, but not his own; and isn’t that the cruelest joke?

Ah; how fair the Fates are in their punishings of hubris, even divine.

He calls again: “Heliantha, sun-lover, dear wife.”

The flowers rustle gently, although there is no wind. Eurus has long since silenced his reed-pipe, and for Pan only the lady-beetles and the spiders remember to weep.

“The gods are dying, Heliantha,” Helios says, seats himself on a jut of stone with a sigh. His whole body aches. His whole soul. “I am dying.”

Slowly, her arms embrace him, the warmth of them near-real, near-there. “Are you afraid, my shark? Does Aion make you fearful?”

He touches his lips to the inside of her elbow, turns the question over in his hands. “No. Not anymore.”

She sings, then, a soft, all but forgotten sailor’s tune. He closes his eyes.

Drifts, dreaming, dreaming…

.

.

.

fin.

[sonipanda]

Let me just mention here that I did not know the potential these tights had until I got them on and hit flash! I casually just picked up a pair a while back as I hadn’t been in Oroblu for a while, and was super shocked when I got them on the legs to review.

I bought this pair from TKMaxx for a discounted price, however I have shared a link below where you can purchase them directly from UKTights.

The Spec

Colour: Mandel

Size: Small

Denier: 20

Materials: 78% Nylon, 22% Elastane

Price: £11.99

Website: UKTights – Oroblu Magie 20 Satin Tights

My Outfit

I wanted to add a pop of colour with this pair today, so I went for a burnt orange shift dress, paired with a wide waist belt and I added tan court shoes to match.

My Deets

Dress: Whistles

Tights: Oroblu

Belt: Accessorize

Heels: Office

    The Review

From The Website:  These Magie 20 tights from Oroblu have a sheer leg with a brilliant high lustre finish. Excellent quality tights with a high elastane content for exceptional fit. Sheer to waist with flat seams and a reinforced toe. Great value for money as they are delivered to you from one of Italy’s leading manufacturers.

* 20 denier * Glossy * Sheer to waist * Reinforced toe * Flat seams * 89% Nylon * 11% Elastane

  The Packaging: we are looking at a lovely monochrome packaging, with the model wearing a pair on the front, along with the brand name, size, colour and model name too.

Flipping over, you will find more info about the pair along with the sizing guide and hosiery care.

These come flat folded, wrapped around plain card. These also have foot and leg shaping to them as well.

  Getting Them On: so I did my little scrunch and roll from the feet up the legs, taking care not to catch my anklets at the same time. As these have a good amount of elasticity to them, I could stretch out a little.

  On The Legs: so I wanted to start off with the shade difference. I wanted to show my skin tone against when they’re on. As you can see (below top right) these are very dark, and we are not talking tan. This is more of a deep bronze colour, which I was unsure about at first. I wasn’t too keen on the colour as it looked a little to dark for my liking, and this is where the flash comes in.

Now I nearly had a heart attack when I saw the images after; I could not believe this pair had such shine to them. I was fully taken back by this, and in such a good way too. They instantly became lighter in colour and looked really nice.

This has got some serious gloss packed into them

The quality is great on this pair; saying that I did manage to snag these. I have no idea how, but it happened and a little hole has formed. I mentioned before they had a nice bit of stretch to them so I got even coverage on the legs without having an ombre effect.

The fit of these are perfect; they fit beautifully on the legs and there is no gapping. I would recommend checking the sizing guide if you’re unsure of your sizing. The feel of them are STUNNING; they are so soft, they are super smooth and your legs just glide right off one another. I love everything about these!

    The Toes & Ankle: another bonus to these is that these have reinforced toes!!! I had plenty of wiggle room in them for my toes to move. There was no pressure applied onto the toes either when they go on.

Around the feet and ankles, it’s a beautiful smooth finish.

  The Waistband & Gusset: now this is a gorgeous band, and that thickness is just gorgeous I suppose on hot days you wouldn’t want a band like this, but you know what! I absolutely love it. It curves to fit your body well, it sits and holds up the tights well and they do not roll over itself either. I love how well these fit and how comfortable they are on.

The cotton gusset to these sit flush against the skin too 🙂

  My Thoughts?

I’m in awe of this pair and I wish I picked up more when I had the chance to. I love the quality even though I managed to snag them! That glossy shine is to die for, and I would happily recommend these!

Oroblu Magie 20 Satin Tights Let me just mention here that I did not know the potential these tights had until I got them on and hit flash!

[jflashandclash]

Tales from Mount Othrys

Magical Daycare IV

           Axel let out a string of cusswords.

         “Lou! Get her to the corner with her clothes!” From the shrill in Alabaster’s voice, Pax could deduce three things about Alabaster: he hadn’t realized Pax was a boy, he had never seen a naked girl outside of a magazine, and he was covering his eyes. Either that, or Alabaster had a thing or two to learn about girl anatomy, possibly true if Alabaster had never seen a naked girl.

         Lou Ellen took Pax’s elbow. She pulled him towards the shelves. “Come on, before you give my brother a—”

         When she quarter turned Pax, she went bright red and burst into giggles. “Oh!” she said.

         There weren’t a lot of options on how to react. He could apologize for his nudity and for tricking all of them earlier. He could sprint to the corner and pretend to be embarrassed. (Nudity had never bothered him.) That felt disingenuous. What would Uncle Frasco have done? How could he keep Axel focused on reprimanding him instead of attacking the witches for exposing his face?

         Pax winked his hazel eye at Lou Ellen. “My uncle said the best mornings are filled with surprises.” He tried to give her a charming smile.

         Pain erupted in Pax’s ear. Axel might have been about to rip it off as he dragged Pax away from Lou Ellen, towards the corner with his clothing. “Don’t be a creep!” Axel snarled.

         “Aye!” Pax complained. He switched to Spanish to whine, “I’m young enough; she might have thought it endearing and adorable instead.”

         Uncle Frasco said Pax would only have a few more years that he could use age and ignorance as an excuse. Might as well use it.

         “Get dressed,” Axel said. The tone cut off any more resistance.

Axel had handled killing the praetor. He’d handled chasing Pax down after Pax had run away—Pax knew Axel would. (Pax had just hoped the rest of their siblings would have been here with them.) Now, one of Axel’s last defenses had been robbed from him. Without the illusion, Pax could clearly see Axel’s massive canines, the gold glint to his eyes, and the way his tufted ears folded back into his hairline, several inches higher than a human’s would have been. Pax wondered if Axel could recreate the illusion when Alabaster was holding the old one or if Lou Ellen’s “Mist” weakening ward would make it difficult.

         Without complaint, Pax slipped the huge band shirt over his head and tied the flannel shirt back around his waist. Although now wasn’t the time to investigate, Pax could feel something in the flannel’s front pocket. There hadn’t been anything before. Had Mercedes put something in there when she moved his clothing?

         “They just seemed curious,” Pax said. “I don’t think they meant harm.” He was scared of upsetting Axel more. His older brother only ever showed his real features around the circus, where people thought it was costume make up or were performers that didn’t care. When their papa made a big deal about it, saying it showed favor from the gods, it made Axel even more self-conscious.

         “Is she dressed?” Alabaster called.

         Lou Ellen’s voice trembled with repressed giggles, “Almost.”

         If she let him, Pax would hug her later for continuing the farce on the older boy. He liked making Alabaster flustered.

         Now that Axel had accepted his features would be visible, he jammed his hands into his pockets. When the two of them approached the witches’ work table again, Axel scowled, making his elongated canines look more vicious.

         Once, when their youngest sibling, Hiro, had cried at seeing Axel’s barred fangs, Pax had grabbed Axel’s jaws and opened and shut them saying, “Nom. Nom. Nom!” It sent Hiro into a fit of giggles. Pax hardly resisted doing so now, though doubted it would ease Axel’s tension.

         Lou Ellen gave Pax a wink when they returned. “She’s dressed.” From the expression, Pax could tell it wasn’t a flirtatious wink but a mischievous one. Pax got the feeling she liked to mess with her sibling’s heads as much as he did.

         Alabaster had uncovered his eyes to pick Axel’s fake face off the ground. He must have dropped it when Pax transformed. After clearing his throat and pretending his face wasn’t bright red, Alabaster held the illusion up. “This is excellent craftsmanship, though completely unnecessary. Lots of monsters on the ship have a combo of humanoid and animal features.”

         “I’m not a monster,” Axel snarled, not helping the claim. Best way to convince people you’re not terrifying: bare your fangs at them.

         Lou Ellen’s Mediterranean tan shifted to a deeper red. She seemed more enchanted with him now that she could see the shorter, spotted fur below Axel’s ears, where he pretended to shave his hair. “People have animal features too. You should see our sister, Lamia. What are you?”

         The question wasn’t said with a scared or harsh tone, just curiosity. The Pax boys were used to hearing it in so many capacities. Pax and Lapis got it about their gender. Hiro, with his monolids, and Axel with his ambiguous bronze skin, got it about their race.

         “Maybe some sort of massive cat?” Lou Ellen continued, not seeming to realize how rude her question was. “You don’t have slit eyes—”

         “Large cats don’t have slit irises, Lelly,” Alabaster chided.

         Axel cut off their conversation by motioning towards his face. “This was not for the public to see.”

         Alabaster’s gaze went from distantly considering Axel’s face to narrowing at Axel’s eyes. He cleared his throat and held the illusion out for Axel.

         Axel snatched it from Alabaster and began smoothing the mask of brown eyes, human ears, and shorter canines back to his features. He muttered in Mayan while he worked.

         “I—I’m sorry,” Alabaster said, “I let my curiosity get the best of me. I’ve never seen someone tweak just a tiny bit of their face before. Lou Ellen is right though. You don’t need to hide your features here.”

         “You’re even hotter with your real ones,” Lou Ellen said.

         Pax glanced at Axel to see if the older one blushed.

         Axel cleared his throat. His mouth moved like he had a response.

         He didn’t.

         Pax gave Lou Ellen an appreciative grin. That was the best way to disrupt tension: shocking it out of people.

         “You guys are cool,” Pax said.

         This time, Alabaster blinked in surprise. “That’s not the typical response we receive when turning people into small mammals.”

         Most people, Pax decided, didn’t naturally have the disposition for cute, furry things the way that Pax did.

         Pax scurried up to Alabaster’s side. The boy didn’t flinch back when Pax tugged his lab coat sleeve. Pax tilted his chin down and batted his eyelashes at Alabaster, the way he’d learned from Kouta’s girlfriends and some of the prostitutes their dad occasionally hired for parties and business meetings. “Can you really do magic?”

         Alabaster stared at Pax for a moment, his brow furrowing in confusion. “As can the two of you, apparently?” his question was directed more at Axel. “Are the two of you children of Hecate?”

         “Half our siblings are monsters,” Lou Ellen said, seeming to forget that Axel really didn’t like the M word.

         “No,” Axel said.

         Neither Axel nor Pax knew what to say about their parentage. Pax didn’t like saying who his mother was. Not with the mini-cult his father had formed around her and the way that cult treated Pax.[1]

         Could they talk about Axel’s heritage with anyone on this ship?

         Lou Ellen tilted her head to one side. The black locks of her ponytail tumbled against one shoulder. “Are you even Greek?” she asked. “You two have some other magic that interfered with my vial.”

         Alabaster appeared to forget Pax for a moment. “I haven’t read of cat people in Greek mythology. Maybe—Egyptian? Though I suppose that would be your full head. Mesoamerican?”

         If Alabaster were throwing at a map of the world, he would have been hitting way too close to home. Axel flinched, like each of those metaphorical darts could blow up the country of Belize. To be fair, Pax thought, Belize was a tiny country.

         Something high-pitched chimed.

         All four of them jumped.

         After a moment, Pax realized the sound had come from a ship’s intercom in the corner of the room.

         Alabaster sighed. He went to write something on his flip notebook. “I want to test your magic and how it interacts when combined with Greek magic,” he said. “They’ll want you on the top deck to test you for sword prowess, combat training, and knowledge of mythology. I’ll be up shortly to help with the assessment. They’re split into specific skills afterwards. I expect you to report back here during that time.”

         When Alabaster tore the piece of paper out of his flipbook, it glowed green. Axel hesitated to take it. At his pause, Pax snatched the sheet.

         He couldn’t read anything on the page. As they always did, the letters looked like abstract art to him. The sheet itself felt warm. “We get to come back!?” Pax asked. He failed at keeping the excitement from his voice.

         Alabaster gently removed Pax’s other hand from his lab coat. The motion wasn’t angry, just awkward, like Alabaster wasn’t used to people touching him. Him and Mercedes. Pax vowed to give them both more hugs. “Willing test subjects, especially in their rarity, are always welcome back to the lab.”

         Pax wanted to say that Alabaster could test on him all day. He rather liked turning into a weasel and was excited at whatever else the witch boy might have up his white lab sleeves.

         Instead, he grinned at Alabaster’s emerald gaze.

         Axel took Pax’s arm and pulled him from Alabaster’s side.

         Alabaster shook his head, his expression unreadable. “Surely, if you were capable of killing the praetor, Luke will be most enthusiastic to assign you into the Assault and Battery unit. However, it would be a waste to exclusively delve into the sword with talent like that.” He motioned towards Axel’s face. The bitterness to his words reminded Pax of the conversation they overheard between him and Luke. The sentiment was so strong, he almost overlooked the compliment.

         Axel grunted. “Don’t touch my illusion next time.”

         Pax gave them a shy wave goodbye. Lou Ellen giddily waved back as Axel backed them towards the exit. Pax wanted to point out that the two witches could have turned them into weasels easily, and that Lou Ellen was much more likely to do so to have Axel transform back naked than for any other malicious reason. But, since Uncle Frasco and Aunt Nilley’ murders, Pax knew there wasn’t any reasoning with Axel’s paranoia.

         Once outside with the lab doors shut, Axel relaxed.

         “They were awesome!” Pax said, “And they want us to come back! They��”

         Axel snagged Pax’s ear. “Do NOT drink something without asking what is in it. What would you have done if nuts were in there? Did you even think to bring an EpiPen from home?! And what if they’d wanted to drug you?!”

         “Your imagination is boring!” Pax whined. He didn’t want to consider the idea that his new friends could be bad people.

         “Yea, and if they were going to drug you, they would, like, totally slip it into the cafeteria’s fountain machine,” someone said directly beside them.

         Axel jumped and dragged Pax behind him.

         The blond, sunburned Nordic boy stood outside the doors, exactly where they had been eavesdropping before. His grin was so wide, Pax thought you could sell advertising space on it.

         “Matthias Severe Hanson,” he said and extended a hand.

         Both Axel and Pax stared skeptically at the hand. It clearly had an electric buzzer strapped to the palm.

         When neither bit, Matthias lifted his hand, shook the buzzer back and forth in their faces, and tapped his fingers together. Pax wondered how often Matthias shocked himself with the device if he tapped his fingers together so often.

         “You two are good. Pax, right?” He pointed a finger gun at Pax. “Did you get it?! That Mercedes Benz chick said that you got it.”

         For a moment, Pax didn’t know how to respond. This was the first person to properly introduce themselves, but he’d glazed over the introduction so rapidly, Pax was still back by “Matthias Severe Hanson.” But hadn’t this boy already said that he knew his name?

         “Got what?” Axel asked.

         The answer hit Pax with a bead of sweat. He puffed up his cheeks and popped them, reaching into pocket of the flannel shirt tied around his waist. As he feared, he withdrew a vial.

         Axel was going to kill him.

         Matthias bent his middle and ring finger down in some weird hand motion. “Awesome!” he cried.

         Pax darted to the side when Axel went to slap him across the head. “Ajax!” he snarled. “When did you even have time to grab that?! You were a weasel!”

Pax dashed behind Matthias as the blond pointed out, “Actually, that’s kind of weasels’ thing.”

         “I didn’t!” Pax squeaked, “Mercedes!”

         “Yea right,” Axel growled.

         She must have slipped it into his pocket when she moved his clothing. He’d unwittingly been part of a smuggling operation. And he’d just stolen from two witches. He knew what happened to people who stole from witches. “These aren’t…. drugs, are they? Am I going to be cursed?!”

         Matthias laughed again, snatching the vial from Pax’s fingers. He didn’t seem to mind his meat shield status between the two brothers. “Na, man. This is the perfect thing for a prank! Ohhhhhhh!!!!! Chris is going to owe you some drachma!”

         “No, he won’t. You are going to owe Alabaster and Lou Ellen an apolo—”

         Axel never got to finish his sentence.

         Someone threw an arm around Axel’s shoulder.

         Like any normal teenager would, Axel judo-flipped Jack over his shoulder and onto the floor.

         Jack’s butt and legs smacked loudly against the carpet. He clutched at the arm Axel had mangled. “Ow—holy titans, kid! That was—”

         Axel paled.

         He and Pax scrambled to help Jack up.

         “Don’t sneak up on me!” Axel said. He puffed up his cheeks and popped them. Clearly, losing his face once today had left him on edge.

         Jack gave him a pained grin as the brothers each took an arm. “We finished up our vocal practices and wanted to check on how you boys were doing with your caretaker. You got your dad good.”

         “You’re not my—” Axel bit back his own comment. Pax could tell Axel didn’t want to both physically and emotionally assault the redhead within minutes of each other, especially with Jack’s eyes watering the way they were.

         A few feet behind them, Flynn stood. She was in the middle of slipping her hair blades back into her bun. Pax realized, in alarm, she must have withdrawn them to use on Axel if things got out of hand. Their new mother was terrifying. Awesome, but terrifying. “You’re late to sword practice,” she said, crossing her arms.

         Pax tried not to feel disappointed. He would rather help with the witches all day. Unlike Lapis and Axel, he never did as well during fighting practice, though he did excel at evasion and running away. Running away was his favorite, next to eating Reese’s Sticks.

         During their altercation, Matthias must have slipped the vial into his pocket. He’d taken a few steps back, to stay clear of their new parents.

         “Are you coming to sword practice?” Pax asked.

         Matthias grinned. “If by sword practice, you mean lay down and prostate myself…? I find it discourages people greatly from stabbing me.”

         Flynn scowled at Matthias. Unlike most other people Pax had seen, Matthias didn’t cower away from her.

         “He doesn’t have to come to this training. He makes the traps for it,” Flynn explained.

         Matthias pinched his thumbs and forefingers at his collarbone, like he was wearing suspenders. He rocked forward. “I’m a mechanic.”

         Pax’s mind buzzed with ideas. He could be part of this violent cult and not fight? That sounded awesome. Mercedes mentioned the Spy Unit that she wanted to create, but how long would that take to make? “How do I become a mechanic? Or a witch?!”

         Jack choked on a laugh. He ruffled Pax’s hair. While talking, he shooed Axel and Pax towards the stairs. “Be a child of Hephaestus or Athena, usually. Or Hecate for the other. There are some people that are naturally skilled at it—”

         Matthias scurried alongside them. He, like Pax, struggled to keep up with Jack’s long strides. “Ximena is a daughter of Ares and she’s really naturally adept with engines, so she helps us a lot.” Matthias bobbed his head to unheard music and tapped his fingers in the air.

         Pax’s shoulders sagged. His mom definitely wasn’t one of those gods. He liked to sew and draw; he’d never been good at fixing the beat-up cars that their Chiich’s boyfriend brought back to their house.

         “Does Luke run all the fighting drills?” Axel asked.

         From what Pax had seen of Axel’s fighting, his older brother would be genuinely curious. Axel always wanted to learn more so he could better protect Pax. After seeing how powerful the witches were, he probably wanted a confidence booster.

         Jack beamed at them and looked at Flynn, his bright eyes wide. The way he whipped his head made his red locks flop into his eyes.

         “I run them,” she said, staring ahead as they twisted up several flights of stairs. Pax wished he would have counted how many they descended so he could make a countdown going up. “And, since I can’t show favoritism towards our… children,” she said the word with distaste, “I will need to be harsher on the two of you.”

         Axel beamed at the thought. Leave it to his brother to be excited about a good ass kicking.

         Jack grinned back. He poked Axel in the chest and nodded to Pax. “Before Flynn beats you up, you two are in for a surprise today.”

         They finally crested the last flight of stairs, to a pair of glass sliding door. As their sensors went off and they automatically slid open, allowing a burst of warm air to blast Pax in the face, he almost squeaked.

         Waiting outside the doors was a smirking Luke.

         He tossed a sword to Axel, then Pax.

         Matthias, seeming to sense the gravity of the situation, bolted.

         “You’re getting private lessons with me today,” he said.

         Remembering what Alabaster said about Luke’s mood and the way he’d struck the witch, Pax swallowed. They were dead.

***

 Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed :D Next week, I’m taking a short break, but I’ll come back the week after with Luke’s two-parter Big Boy Conversations.

***

Footnote:

[1] Mel betanote: “cults everywhere!” Jack, “Now you get a cult! And you get a cult!” the Greeks will be so pleased XD

[kalibaby]

I don’t know how you all do your makeup, but for myself I love a natural beat. I don’t use foundation because my skintone is even. So I only use concealer and powder to really get a flawless face. (Then of course bronze/ contour) and blush and that’s the face right there. Then I do a wing, lashes, lip liner, then I’ll either throw on lipgloss or mix it with a lipstick as well.

It’s really simple and takes the most minimum time to look good so it’s my go to. Anyways, I had to restock for the New Year so these are the best products (I really mean this!) Two faced concealer -shade caramel- and Sephora micro smoothing powder -shade tan- (that and Mac finishing powder but they’re the same thing just different price points 🙄)

I also got more goodies from Sephora and Morphe cause I was just in there but these are my die hard right here

[insomnia-productions]

Stakes Claimed - a mat/rand drabble

Summary: Egwene plans to hand Rand over from herself to Elayne. But someone else, it seems, has already staked a claim.

[Read on AO3]

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Stakes Claimed

“Are you sure about this?” Elayne asks, for what must be the hundredth time, and bristles when Egwene rolls her eyes. Really, is it such an unreasonable question? “Isn’t this too… forward?” Her eyes slide to the ground, heat pricking her neck. Just thinking about it…

Egwene, walking briskly a few paces ahead, lets out a huff. “It has to happen sooner or later.” She glances over her shoulder at Elayne, and then turns back, almost dismissively. Voice light, she says, “Well, I am going to tell him I do not love him. You and Berelain can do whatever you like after that.”

The heat behind her neck disappears, replaced with a chill. Elayne hurries to catch up with her friend, feeling tricked when she catches sight of Egwene’s little smile.

“Shut up.”

“I didn’t say anything.” Egwene’s eyes widen innocently, but she drops the facade as they turn the corner. Maidens of the Spear fill the corridor, squatting against pillars, leaning beside dim torches, their hands flashing rapidly. A few look up as the two girls approach, appraising. Rand’s guard. Elayne can see the doors to his room just ahead, guarded, as always, by two Maidens holding sharp bronze spears. In spite of herself, Elayne feels her footsteps slow. Egwene seizes her arm, tugging her along. Her voice is gentle when she says, “It will be fine.” After a moment’s hesitation, she adds, “And if it’s not… well, I shall simply have to sit on him until he realizes how lucky he is to have your attention.”

She releases Elayne’s arm as they come to a stop before the doors, flashing her a small, reassuring smile, before smoothing her expression and turning to the Maidens at the door.

“We wish to speak with Rand.” Her voice is all cool authority. Elayne wonders at it; this adolescent farmgirl could give any Lord or Lady in Caemlyn a run for their money. The Maidens, however, are not so easily impressed.

“He is busy,” one of them intones flatly. The other—Adelin, wasn’t it?—shifts her feet slightly, her lips tugging up at one corner.

Elayne narrows her eyes. “Busy?”

“Busy,” repeats the first Maiden. Under the deadpan, is there a current of humor?

Thoughts like whips make sharp lashes across Elayne’s mind; she exchanges a sharp glance with Egwene. Busy? With what?

With whom?

Egwene draws herself up to her full height—not much, and especially compared to the Aiel, but she manages to make it work—and purses her lips.

“Well, whatever he is doing, he is certainly not too busy for a childhood friend.”

“No, he is not,” someone murmurs from behind. Elayne whirls around to see several Maidens glancing away, palms covering their mouths, eyes crinkled at the corners.

What on earth are they laughing about now?

Elayne is starting to feel distinctly uncomfortable, but there is a low heat in Egwene’s eyes that Elayne has come to learn means nothing but trouble and stubbornness. Oh, dear.

“I am going in,” Egwene announces. There is a twitch of irritation in her eyebrows. “Don’t any of you try and stop me.”

The Maidens at the doors shrug, exchanging small, barely perceptible grins, and step away. Egwene puts a hand on each knob and flings the doors open. Boots loud against the stone floor, she marches in. Elayne follows at her heels, remembering just in time to steel her spine and put on her most regal expression. She is the Daughter-Heir of Andor, after all. In the back of her mind, a voice whispers: and he is the Dragon Reborn. Dimly, she wonders how the hierarchy falls.

Rand is sitting in bed when they enter. He is not wearing a shirt, but he has the covers pulled up and he sits with his knees to his chest, a large book propped against them. Moiraine said he had been reading too many Prophecies, but this tome does not look so old; in fact it might be the tales of Jain Farstrider, going by what Elayne can make out of the cover. He has one hand on the book; the other rests idly on something just beneath the covers, by his side. Rand looks up as they enter, eyes wide, cheeks pink.

He opens his mouth. Before he can speak, Egwene is announcing,“I have come to tell you some things, and I mean for you to listen.” Her arms are folded tightly and her chin is lifted. Elayne holds a similar posture; they look down at him together.

Rand shifts, eyeing them. “Okay,” he says slowly. “Could you step outside for a few minutes first?”

Egwene does not seem to hear him. “First of all, just because you have those Tairen lords scraping their noses on your boots does not mean…” She trails off abruptly, face going red. Elayne follows her gaze and lets out a gasp, hands flying to her mouth.

How did she not notice the very person-shaped lump under the covers?

A thousand voices take up a cry in her head, some shocked, some hurt, most very, very angry.

If that is Berelain, she thinks darkly, I will drag her by the hair to Caemlyn and have her strapped in the street.

Egwene has drawn herself up, the glow of saidar surrounding her. She plants her fists on her hips and levels him with a dark glare. “Busy,” she hisses.

Rand lets out a yelp. The book falls to the ground as both his hands come up to press against his forehead. “Ow! What was that for?!”

“Here we have all been worrying about you,” Egwene fumes, “and you have been fooling around with some– some hussy—”

Rand lowers his hands, a flash of irritation crossing his face. But his lips quirk up at the corners, and Elayne bristles. What is he smiling about?

“No,” Rand says, soft but firm. “You wouldn’t say that if you knew—”

He is interrupted by a low moan emanating from under the covers. Not of pleasure, Elayne thinks—rather of complaint. She finds herself unable to breathe as the blankets move. A head of short brown hair pops out.

Elayne’s eyes widen as the blankets fall away, revealing a tanned, decidedly un-female torso. He is facing away from them, his whole body turned towards Rand, who appears caught between looking—smiling?—at him and looking at Egwene. The boy lets out a yawn and, perhaps taking note of Rand’s divided attention, glances back over his shoulder.

Elayne watches surprise settle into irritation on Mat’s face. Her mind spins and stutters to a halt. By her side, Egwene appears to be suffering a similar problem. Her mouth opens and closes like a goldfish, eyes widening by the second.

Mat is the first to speak. “Blood and ashes,” he mutters darkly. “Can’t a man have one peaceful morning?”

Egwene finds her voice. Slightly. “Mat? But… you… he… I thought…” She shakes her head, brows creasing, and suddenly the cool Aes Sedai authority is gone.

Rand, for his part, has the grace to look slightly abashed. “We would have told you before. It’s just that… well, everyone at home always assumed that I would marry you, and it was easier to let them assume that than to try and explain… this.”

“This,” Egwene echoes lamely.

There is a beat of silence. Elayne realizes she has forgotten how to think.

Rand clears his throat. “You wanted to talk to me?”

Just like that, Egwene snaps back into action. Elayne follows belatedly, trying to shake off the daze. “Yes! We’ve come to talk to you about channeling.”

Elayne doesn’t miss Mat’s flinch. Rand doesn’t, either.

“Mat? Would you mind…?” His voice is gentle, almost apologetic.

Mat rolls his eyes and sighs theatrically, but he drags himself off the bed and goes on his knees beside it, digging around underneath. He emerges with a wrinkled shirt and mud-stained boots; after pulling each on in quick succession, he stretches his hands above his head and lets out a languid yawn. Elayne watches with rising fury as he climbs back onto the bed on his hands and knees and gives Rand a wicked grin.

“Find me later,” he murmurs, just loud enough for Elayne to hear, and presses a quick kiss to Rand’s lips.

Then he slides off the bed and saunters out, flashing Elayne and Egwene a decidedly bratty smirk as he goes. The doors swing shut behind him.

Rand’s gaze lingers on the doors, his eyes soft, the emotion in them somewhere between fondness and exasperation.

Elayne takes a long breath, goes deep into her mind, and screams into the void.

.

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She sees them, later, in the garden. Elayne is not trying to spy—well, alright, yes, maybe she is. Mat is seated on a stone bench, flipping a coin and catching it, brows furrowing more with every flip. He doesn’t notice Rand coming up behind him until a red bloom is threaded behind his ear, and then he turns around, his frown falling away to make room for a wide, bright smile.

“How was it?” he asks as Rand sits down beside him. “Did they torture you?”

“Not too much. I think they will need some time to get over the shock before they start any of that again.”

Mat snickers at that. Elayne wants to box his ears.

“I think it was the best way for them to find out. I hope it happens with Nynaeve, someday.” His eyes sparkle in the sunlight. “Or Moiraine.”

Rand shudders. “The Light send it not so.”

“Or, better yet, those Tairen lords. Egwene was right, you know. They’re terrified of you. I wonder what they would think if they could hear you when—”

Rand clamps his hand over Mat’s mouth, ears flaming red. Elayne presses a hand over her own mouth, bracing the other against a pillar to keep from falling over. Lini was right. Absolutely nothing good comes out of eavesdropping. Still, she doesn’t move.

They stay like that for a moment, and then Rand yelps and snatches his hand away, wiping it roughly on his jacket as Mat cackles. “You licked me!” Rand cries, sounding affronted. “I can’t believe you!” But he’s laughing. “We’re not seventeen anymore, you know.”

“No?” He grins, and Elayne almost expects him to stick out his tongue. “Do you feel like an adult now, Lord Dragon?” Mat’s grin falters a moment, but returns brighter and cheekier, if that is possible. “It’s just me, here. And you. Just me and you.” He laces their fingers together. “Can’t we be seventeen?”

“I don’t know,” Rand says honestly, his voice almost too soft to hear. “I don’t know if we can even be twenty anymore.” But he keeps their fingers woven together, and the way he leans in to press his forehead against Mat’s makes the gesture seem like a wish whispered to the stars.

All of a sudden, Elayne feels like an intruder on the scene. She backs away, footsteps silent on the smooth floor. As she slips away, she glances back only for a moment. They have separated. Mat is yelling about something, hands waving in heated animation. Elayne cannot make out his words, but from the range of almost comic expression flitting over his face, she imagines he is telling some greatly embellished story. Rand is laughing loudly, eyes screwed shut and cheeks flushed with mirth. Elayne catches herself smiling and desists immediately. She sneaks another glance at Mat, then shakes her head and walks away.

Elayne does not think she will ever understand the appeal, there. But, well, if Rand is happy… she catches herself smiling again, and lets it happen. If Rand is happy, that’s all that really matters, in the end. Elayne walks down the corridor, back into the Stone. Laughter rings behind her.