#plexus slim

[magnificentbirb]

okay so i wrote a little thing. this is just some mild post-abu dhabi charlos angst, mostly charles overthinking, but after seeing the photos of carlos all in white for the williams tests, i couldn’t get this scene out of my head, so… jazz hands. here it be.

idk if this will turn into anything longer, but i figured i’d drop it here for anyone else having c² feelings this week. 🫠

enjoy~!

*

The first photos of Carlos in a crisp white race suit hit Charles like a punch to the solar plexus.

He sees the shots while scrolling absently on Instagram, attempting to stave off the remains of a mild hangover with mindless social media. Charles knew the test was happening today, but apparently he forgot his own promise to himself to avoid social media so soon after an emotional race weekend, and now he’s paying the price with a rush of breath from his lungs.

Carlos looks… good. Of course he looks good. His skin is still tanned from days on the beach in Qatar and his hair is perfect, as always, and his broad shoulders and slim waist were basically made for the clean lines of a race suit, but the white—

The white feels wrong.

And if Carlos is wearing a race suit, that means he drove the car. A car that, for the first time in four years, is not the perfect match to Charles’s.

Charles stares at the photos, gnawing on the inside of his bottom lip. Against his better judgment, he opens Twitter. The videos and photos of Carlos in the sleek blue Williams are easy enough to find. Carlos’s fan accounts are posting them with wild, reckless abandon, posts full of exclamation marks and blue hearts and genuine excitement. Charles’s heart pangs a bit at that—at the idea of these fans so easily abandoning legendary red for legendary blue—but he can’t find it in himself to blame any of them. Carlos’s fans are loyal, and seemingly as delighted by the prospect of a new journey and a new challenge as Carlos is. Charles can’t really begrudge them that. He’d also follow Carlos Sainz to the ends of the earth, if he could. A new team would be nothing.

Charles watches the videos of Carlos driving the Williams. He’s not sure whether he’d be able to know without prior context that it was Carlos driving until one clip shows Carlos taking a corner where he brakes a bit later than Charles would, because he always brakes later than Charles at that particular corner, and—yeah. That’s Carlos. The white 55 emblazoned on the nose of the car confirms it.

White on blue. No more white on red.

Charles closes Twitter. He stares at the golden-lit ceiling of his hotel room, then over at the clock on the bedside table. If there are photos of Carlos after the test, then that means his laps are done, right? He should be free.

Charles has his phone unlocked and opened to Carlos’s contact, his thumb hovering over the call button, before he finally pauses.

Carlos is probably debriefing with his team. He’s probably focused on the car, on the potential improvements, on the tests lined up for tomorrow, on the unfamiliar engine and a new racing engineer, new mechanics, new possibilities.

He’s probably not thinking about Charles at all.

Charles lowers his phone. He shouldn’t interrupt. He’s no longer Carlos’s teammate, no longer a priority, and that’s… fine. It makes sense. Charles should let him get on with his new team. He knows how much Carlos has been looking forward to these two days of testing. He doesn’t want to get in the way of that.

Charles sets aside his phone and stares at the ceiling some more. Eventually, he’ll meet his mother and Arthur for dinner, and before he knows it, it’ll be tomorrow morning, and he’ll be back at the track and maybe—maybe—he can see Carlos then. He doesn’t need to bother him tonight. It’s been less than twenty-four hours since they were teammates. Charles doesn’t miss him that much. He’s fine. He cried it out a bit with Carlos on Sunday, both of them laughing at themselves through their tears, and that was that. Charles is fine. He can wait.

He closes his eyes and sees Carlos in blinding white.

He can wait.

*

[silveryshards]

Night Rut

NSFW! KiriBaku. Dragon!Kirishima x Human!Bakugo. Fantasy AU. All characters are 18+.

Tags/Warnings: dragon dick, huge dragon dick, rut, handjob, kind of soft dom Baku?, light praise, encouragement, lots of cum, wings, quickie

Word Count: ~675

A/N: Softer smut vs straight porn. Fantasy is my fav AU!

Traveling across the lands with a red dragon for a companion sounds like it would be badass, right? Right?

Tch. Yeah, maybe, if that dragon wasn’t Shitty Scales.

Eijiro Kirishima was a loyal dragon, exceedingly so. But that wasn’t what annoyed the prickly, blonde barbarian prince. No, what got on his nerves was the fact that his travel companion was more like a golden retriever than a dragon.

The shitty lizard needed mountains of food constantly and was always so gods damn happy all the time.

That’s why, when Bakugo was woken from sleep one night to his dragon growling and whimpering on his bedroll, he sat up quickly. Eijiro’s handsome face was twisted up in torment and he lay on his stomach on his bedroll….rocking his hips?…

Oh. It was that time of year again.

“Shitty Scales.” His voice was gruff and deep with sleep.

The dragon froze and his vermillion eyes darted to his companion. “Y-yeah?”

“Rut?”

“U-um…” He sighed. “Yeah.”

“Get over here then.”

His dragon scrambled from his own bed roll to the prince’s and crashed into him so hard Bakugo’s breath joined the atmosphere. Sharp teeth grazed across neck skin and smooth horns bumped jaw as the dragon buried his face in Bakugo’s neck and inhaled.

The prince’s usually aggressive attitude was nowhere to be seen as he ran his hands over Eijiro’s quivering wings, the scales smooth and un-keeled. The wings flapped under his touch as Eijiro shivered and gasped. His nose was still pressed against Bakugo’s pulse point, his breath near scorching hot.

“I’ve got you, you’re a good boy, Ei.” Kats purred as he started to unravel his dragon. 

In a matter of moments their clothes had been discarded onto Kirishima’s bedroll and the dragon was nestled between his prince’s thick thighs. Big, clawed hands were exceedingly delicate as they wrapped around muscled slim waist.

Between them Ei’s dick throbbed and bounced, precum flowing from the tip and hotly pooling on Kats’ solar plexus. The massive thing spanned from the base of Bakugo’s own cock all the way up his abs to rest between his pecs.

 He once again wondered how the fuck Eijiro walked around with this thing in his pants. Gods damned it was huge. Katsuki knew it was because Ei was a dragon and that part of his anatomy was the most dragon of all when he was in rut and human form.

It was somewhere between a mauve purple and a dusky red getting lighter as you traveled to the base. The head about as thick as Bakugo’s palm, the entire front of the length was ribbed with rounded off triangular scales, the exact same soft skin as the rest of the cock.

Eijiro whined again from above him, drooling, panting, and practically vibrating with need. It was molten hot as Bakugo wrapped both hands around its girth and started stroking over that ribbed texture. Ei’s head threw back beautifully as he growled his pleasure.

Katsuki’s own cock was throbbing and pinned underneath Eijiro’s. His heart raced in time with the throbs and he started grinding his hips up in sync with the strokes he made along Ei. Moans rumbled between them as the blonde pleasured them.

The dragon’s massive cock jumped and dropped more hot precum as he growled louder. “K-kats!”

“S’kay, Ei. Let go for me. Let go let go let go.”

The dragon’s back arched and his wings unfurled with a monstrous roar. Bakugo barely managed to put his palm in front of the head before his chest was flooded with an ocean of scorching, thick, white dragon cum, saving his face from being splattered.

Bakugo’s own release throbbed under the dragon’s cock and he moaned loudly along with him. Together their cocks released their orgasms on Bakugo’s torso.

The blonde panted and looked up at the dragon, whose ruby eyes stared back, pupils blown wide. Ei’s chest heaved and his cock showed no signs of going down.

Bakugo groaned, “This is gonna be a long few days.”

Find me on Bluesky!

Find me on AO3!

My Masterlist

[inoreuct]

i mean- if youre willing to write the angstier version 🥺🥺

https://www.tumblr.com/inoreuct/738704605780885504/thinking-about-zoro-being-the-crews-main

more than willing 🤭 enjoy!!

everything kind of hurts when nami comes to.

she honestly can’t tell if she’s opened her eyes or not; it’s all pitch black, and her eyelids feel gummy. the lashes of her left eye are crusted together with what’s probably the same thing making her forehead stiff, so that’s most likely blood. lovely.

the back of her skull bumps against something hard and cold with damp as she cranes her neck around, trying to get her bearings, and she can bend her wrists just enough to confirm that those are chains wrapped around them above her head. it's still too dark to see but she can smell salty air, mildew and rust, hear the vague murmur of the ocean; her body feels sore and stiff all over but she can't have been hanging here long. her shoulders haven't started hurting the way she knows they can.

something moves within the shadows ahead, and nami deliberately keeps her breathing even as footsteps get closer to her. the person reaches the wall to her left and pries something away��� a plank, she realises, as moonlight starts spilling through the barred window and the face of her visitor is thrown into sharp relief.

the man is pale, slim to the point of being gaunt with a greasy, grimy quality about him; she presses her teeth together as he slinks forward and clasps his hands behind his back and cocks his head.

“cat-burglar nami,” he begins, beady eyes blinking. "tell us your plans."

her eyebrows go up in a flash, lips pinching in bemusement. getting right to business, are we? "we don't have any," she laughs, and chokes when a fist sinks into her gut.

she admits that she hadn’t expected that as she sputters, coughing as her lungs burn. people usually work up to it; a little bit more forceful questioning and a couple of threats against, say, anything and everything she’s ever loved, and then she’d figure they’d start punching. this man, or whoever he represents— they’re desperate.

and he just proves her right, god, men are so predictable. "what do you mean, you don't have any?" he spits, jagged nails digging in as he grabs her chin forcefully.

nami chuckles again, weak huffs that make her chest heave. her shoulders are starting to ache. “we see someone that needs help and we help them. we don't plan anything."

another swing, straight to her solar plexus. "where's your crew?"

"you don’t… interrogate people often, do you?” she wheezes, and holds her breath as his fist draws back again. the pain bites and then blooms across her cheek, blood-hot and thrumming like an infection, and she works her tongue between tooth and soft flesh, the pocket around her lower gums as she bares a grin and turns her head.

"where is your crew."

this time, when nami's laugh flutters from her mouth, blood goes with it. "here." she takes great pleasure at the fear that singes the edges of the man's face before he tries to blank it again. it’s not very effective. "they're here."

"impossible," he sneers. "we're on a deserted island in the middle of nowhere."

it’s false fucking bravado and it fills her with a sick sense of glee as she smirks at him through sweat-sticky lashes. "impossible's what we're best at, if you haven't noticed." she has no doubt that her nakama have already tracked her down. it’s a matter of time before luffy takes the roof off this place or sanji kicks the door down with a flaming leg.

the third possibility, well— this guy better hope it’s not zoro that comes for her.

she watches as the man digs into his pocket, his breathing harsh. “fine.” the brass knuckles he slips over his fingers gleam in the low light, a pretty polished bronze, and nami’s mouth goes dry. “you don’t wanna tell me? fine.”

all she knows for a while after that is pain. hell, she’d never even been beaten this badly under arlong’s thumb, and aside from the occasional swat to the wrist her mother hadn’t hit her either. this, though— it’s slam after slam of metal into her gut with a hand pinning her shoulder to the wall. her entire body shuts down for a moment when the hard edges jab into her liver, and she chokes back a scream when she feels her ribs snap seconds after she hears them break.

the air feels too thick when he finally pulls back, damp with her own breath, her body hot all over and shivery with pain. this isn’t an interrogation— this is someone taking out their frustrations, and it’s confusing because she doesn’t even know one, who this guy is and two, what they did to warrant such a violent retribution because, and she reiterates, she has no idea who the fuck this guy is. if it turns out that he’s just a nobody who got too ballsy she is going to be relieved but so, so mad.

her entire body’s starting to feel like one big bruise. the joints of her arms burn as she tries to lift herself up, to take some weight off her shoulders, but a cold chill settles in the pit of her stomach when she sees the glint of metal. something else, as if the knuckles weren’t enough— silver this time, sharp and liquid, and she is gonna throw luffy in the godsdamned ocean for taking his own sweet fucking time because where the hell are they.

her new personal annoyance breathes a huff of a laugh as he slowly drags the knife down the front of her blouse (and thank god she’d decided to wear one today), grazing over the shiny buttons until there's a soft snck and the dull sound of the very last one clattering to the floor. "still not talking?”

…okay, that's it. time to get out of here. "fuck you," she says loudly, turning her face towards the window so her voice carries even as she keeps her eyes on the leering bastard in front of her. hello? she wants to yell, the voice in her head steeped in annoyance and fringed in just the tiniest bit of anxiety. i needed backup in here ten minutes ago? ring ring? anyone there?

she can see the looks on her crewmates’ faces. luffy would have that big sheepish grin on, one hand pressed to the top of his hat on his head as she reams him out for their tardiness before he blames it on zoro, the swordsman looking off to the side with a hand on his hilts, in a stubborn sulk.

the knife digs into her cheekbone, grimy fingers squishing her face, and nami grins as she chokes out the first name that comes to mind, under her breath and half-mouthed. "zoro."

he's here, she's sure. her crew is already here and he’ll hear her, he always does. she can feel it in her bones, in the blood that's dripping from her chin, because zoro's never let any of them down. he’s one of the first people who had understood the weight of guilt and unwanted responsibility crushed onto her shoulders, even through her betrayal, and he’d fought for her freedom without hesitation. he won't let anything happen to her. luffy wouldn't, sanji wouldn't, usopp wouldn't— they're gonna get her out of here and then she’s gonna see these bastards burned to the fucking ground.

nami’s a pretty thing, she knows. all short skirts and slender hands and freckled skin but she packs a punch, and she can take one too. she’s held out this long and she can do longer if need be.

she isn’t afraid to ask for help anymore, either— not since then, that faraway time when she’d pushed metal through the only physical evidence of her ties to the man who she’d nursed so much hatred for, hatred that she’d turned into strength.

the man pushes her face away and the tip of the knife nicks across her skin, a shallow slice down to the right side of her upper lip and then the knife is moving, a bright flash of silver, and her voice breaks when it stabs right into her shoulder.

it fucking burns. the tip wedges between the joint, slowly snapping cartilage as the man twists it with a cackle, and she seethes through her teeth. luffy had taught her that strength was asking for help. that admitting that you need someone to save you, if only in that moment, is the bravest thing anyone could do. zoro had taught her to wield it like a weapon, to withstand the strongest of the storms of her own creation—

and she grins, now, as the blade cuts through her flesh and blood drips into her mouth, eyes wild. “zoro!”

the knife drives deeper into her shoulder, white-hot. "cry all you want. they won't get here in time."

that pain is a reminder that she is alive.

her core tenses as she kicks off the wall and drives her boot into the man's gut, heel slamming into his spleen— it winds him enough that he doubles over gasping and nami smiles painfully wide, a wild, vindictive thing. "fuck. you."

“you’re gonna regret that, bitch,” he hisses, and he’s shaking, trembling as he drags himself upright and nami knows that by the gods, he’s only human and she’ll kick him again. she’ll kick him as many times as it takes. sanji would be so proud.

she huffs a laugh, mean and low and raw as she presses her cheek against her bicep and lets her head tip down. she’ll rest, just for a little while before she gets back to fighting and clawing like a bat out of hell. something flickers at the edges of her vision, warm orange bleeding into the peripheral even through her lowered lashes and a soft, whispering crackle that carries on the breeze, smelling of ash— fire. a resounding boom shakes the walls and the man’s head snaps to the window, to say something or maybe to yell—

nami doesn’t get the chance to find out before a blade cleaves him clean in two.

the vertical halves of his body stay frozen for a split second before they slide apart and crumple into a mess of pink and ivory, slick red on the rough-hewn floor. wado gleams wickedly in the moonlight as zoro flicks the gore off her blade, shining silver streaked with the same blood that drips from the swordsman’s face.

“witch,” he grits out, eyes blazing beneath his bandana as he pushes a seething breath through his teeth, and there’s clear worry in the way he uses the side of his hand to push her sweaty bangs off her face and tilt her head up. it reminds her of her mother checking her forehead for fever, and she almost laughs. “you good?”

nami’s eyes burn as she stares at him tiredly. “no. i’m not fucking good,” she deadpans. “get me down.”

sparks shower down above her head as zoro cuts through the chain stringing her up, and her stomach swoops when she drops before an arm catches her around the waist. she cries out as it hits her ribs directly and zoro swears, his sword clattering— and then nami's world tilts as she's leaned carefully against the wall and zoro's face swims into view.

"hands out."

"what took so long?" she snaps weakly, trying to catch her breath. her hair bunches against the wet, grimy stone, and now that there's nothing to worry about she almost gags.

"they weren't completely stupid. took a while to find you," zoro grits, voice tight, before his face softens. "now put your hands out."

it's a struggle to lift them but she manages, albeit with her arms lopsided. the iron shackles around her wrists and rusted and heavy, tight enough that the skin of her wrists is itching, and her arms ache something fierce as zoro slices through the short chain connecting them and then eases his blade through the scarce gap between metal and skin to pop them open one by one.

she hears a cannon boom again. franky, probably— the walls shake and all of a sudden she’s aware of the raw relief coursing through her system, so much that it hurts, like blood rushing back to a limb. she’s lightheaded with it. or perhaps that’s… something else, she ponders faintly, as a knee buckles underneath her and zoro hauls her up before she can fall.

"just hang on, witch, i've got you,” she hears him murmur, squinting at him in the orange light as she’s lifted horizontal, an arm below her back and one beneath her knees.

her own arm flops uselessly, blood soaking her sleeve and collecting in the crease of her elbow. nami reaches up to find purchase and digs her manicured nails into the swordsman’s trapezium. "zoro."

a pause in movement as he looks down. "hm?"

she pulls herself up enough (or pulls him down enough, she can’t tell) to look him in the eye and says, low and dangerous, "i can't do it myself right now, so— give them hell, but don’t kill them. make an example of them. make them a warning.” the last word is spoken quiet enough that she can barely hear it herself, and zoro’s eyes are deadly serious. “death’s a privilege i don’t want them having just yet."

she can tell that the idea doesn't sit well with him; he bristles like an angry cat and his nostrils flare, but she knows he understands when he jerks a nod at her all the same as they step through the busted door and past piles of bodies, all the way out until they’re graced by the last smears of yolk-orange sun across the sky.

somewhere, luffy laughs.

nami shifts and as far as she can see, her crew is going fucking ham. she watches usopp shoot a man point-blank in the face with something that explodes in a shower of red dust and sends him twitching to the ground. another guy goes flying as jinbei quite literally throws him, and a whole row of goons get slammed into a crumbling wall as her captain swings his arm.

“cook!” zoro roars over her head, and it’s barely a second before sanji’s cutting a path towards them, kicking enemies out of the way left, right and centre before he stops right in front of nami.

his mouth parts in a silent question even as his eyes grow stormy blue with anger, face darkening when his gaze locks with zoro’s, and neither of them need to say anything. sanji just nods, solemn, before zoro carefully hands her off and makes sure she’s settled. wado sings as he pulls her out of her scabbard, and he’s relatively out of sight with a spray of coppery red.

nami swallows, suddenly very aware of her dry throat as her temple thumps down on his shoulder, and she gets the sudden ridiculous urge to apologise for her half-dried blood dirtying his suit.

“none of that,” he hushes, and fuck, she must be more out of it than she realised if she’s speaking out loud. sanji chuckles tightly. “you're alright, my dear. we've got you now."

she cranes her neck slightly to check her immediate field of vision, counting off mentally. "where’s everyone else?"

"taking care of things." an elegant hand appears and curls around her broken ribs, making sure they don't jostle as robin walks calmly into view. her beautiful face is serene. “they hurt one of ours. nobody except our crew is walking out of this place.”

nami blinks at her, limbs leaden, eyes narrowing with an irritated sigh as she cradles her injured shoulder against her body. “somebody better get my fucking clima-tact.”

she passes out.

*

the world is a soft blur when nami wakes, like she’s seeing things through dandelion fluff. or pain meds. probably pain meds. she knows she’s in chopper’s infirmary; the smell of antiseptic is painfully sterile, and she is glad of it. she vaguely remembers being carried in, sanji’s voice pitched low, someone sponging the blood from her skin as chopper’s hooves carefully prodded her torso.

the mattress dimples under her fingers and she jerks a little at the sound of slippers pattering towards her, cutting off abruptly with a yelp and a few hissed words. luffy’s hat is lopsided, gleaming in the afternoon sun.

she slips back into unconsciousness with a smile on her face.

*

the next time she comes too, she’s still in the infirmary. she doesn’t open her eyes just yet— soft breathing fills her ears, slightly raspy, a soothing rumble like the earth itself is shifting. she knows it’s zoro. it couldn’t be anyone else.

sure enough, the swordsman is asleep next to her pallet, squished into a chair that’s slightly too small with his arms crossed and his chin dipped to his chest.

nami coughs loudly, immediately regretting it as her chest and shoulder flares with pain, and then deciding that it’s worth it when zoro nearly tumbles out of his seat.

they stare at each other for a while. nami raises an eyebrow after three seconds of zoro being wide-eyed and open-mouthed. “how long was i out?”

the swordsman recovers himself with a swallow and a hand scrubbed through his hair. “not long. it’s the second morning after.”

she hums. “who were they?”

“a bunch of idiots who got lucky. we just jumped in and beat the shit outta them like usual.”

a muscle twitches in her forehead because god, they really were just idiots with balls too big for their pants. “and where are they?”

“marooned on that island, s’far as anyone’s concerned. luffy and franky turned their ship to splinters.” the grin that tugs at the corner of his mouth is a feral, satisfied thing. “ain’t no way they’re going anywhere anyway, even if they still had a boat. probably can’t even get their sorry asses off the sand. we didn’t kill them—” he says before she can get a word in edgewise, and nami closes her mouth, “but they’re closer to death than life, that’s for damn sure.”

a second’s pause, before she deems the answer satisfactory. “the others?”

“resting. or on watch.”

and it sounds to her for once like there’s nobody rootling around in the kitchens. “awfully quiet, no?”

zoro huffs a laugh, knowing what she means immediately. “the cook told luff to keep it down.”

both her brows go up at that. their captain is not one usually inclined to keep it down. “surprised he listened.”

“he does what he wants.” zoro shrugs, like it’s the simplest thing in the world. “and he wants you to get better, so he listened.”

maybe it really is the simplest thing in the world. luffy is simultaneously layers upon layers and one thin sheet. he is so much and yet still so simple in the way that he cares. nami takes stock for the first time, vision widening to encompass the rest of the room. it’s early morning, early enough that the top of the sky is still dyed dark, pale blue and pink streaking the rest. her body aches all over, concentrated in her shoulder and ribs, bandages looped in layers beneath the soft, loose shirt that she’s pretty sure is sanji’s. there are dark circles smudged under zoro’s eyes and his hair is loose. her clima-tact sits on the table nearby, as does—

luffy’s hat glows in the early dawn, individual strands lighting up like spun gold. it’s old and battered and worn thin. it makes nami’s heart feel warm.

“sorry."

she blinks, turning back to zoro to find him with his head bowed, hands clenched tightly in his lap. “…hey."

"i'm sorry," he says again, taking a deep breath that shifts his massive shoulders as he sits back. "we should've gotten there sooner. they shouldn't have been able to get to you at all—"

"hey." nami pushes a palm against the mattress to sit up before the pain makes her decide against it, grimacing. "don't be stupid. you got there before anything happened."

zoro's eyes are blazing when he finally looks up. "that's bullshit. the fact that they got you at all is—” he bites off his words, chest rising with a measured inhale that she suspects doesn’t help much. “and something happened, witch. a lot happened. you're bruised half to hell. they broke your ribs. your shoulder—"

"will be fine," she stresses, rolling onto her uninjured side to face him.

“your face.”

“superficial.” nami reaches up to press her fingers over the bandage on her cheek, feeling the silhouette of stitches beneath. unbothered by the way zoro’s seething. “our doctor’s one of the best. at worse, now luffy and i match.”

“you’re missing the point,” zoro grits, fists and teeth clenched so hard they both creak. “this wasn’t supposed to happen. nothing like this. not with me around.”

she knows her physical injuries aren’t all he’s talking about. knows he’d noticed the missing button on her shirt. knows that it’s guilt that’s eating him up inside, staining his undereyes the same purple as her bruises and putting that haunted look on his face.

nami sighs. zoro's a dumbass on a good day and he's got the emotional awareness of a brick wall, but of course he has to get this of all things.

she says it sarcastically in her head, but the thought makes her want to curl up and cry. the way he’s staring at her, wide-eyed and waiting for her judgement, makes something in her ache so fondly that she sniffs before she looks down.

he looks his age, for once. not a child anymore but also barely a man. too young to have so much weight on his shoulders, but aren’t they all? the words would be easy to say. it’s not your fault. don’t beat yourself up over it.

but mercy towards himself a language in which zoro is still not yet fluent, so for now she’ll defer to a more familiar tongue. "i'm fine. promise,” she mutters, looking down like she doesn’t mean it with everything she has. like she wouldn’t say anything to make him feel just a little better. “but you keep up with this attitude and i'll add to you debt."

he sputters, weak but still incredulous. "i just saved you, you witch."

"so?" she swallows her heart as she arches a brow. "you didn't do it fast enough. what's your point?"

"you're a tyrant," he breathes, rolling his eyes and huffing a loud breath as he looks away.

nami smirks. "a tyrant who budgets for your liquor with our beri, might i remind you. now go get your cook to make me a snack."

"he's not my cook!" zoro hisses, half in shock, getting up on reflex like a startled animal to yank the door open and storm out.

nami can’t help it— she laughs as tears spill hot down her cheeks, and she swipes them away so her bandage stays dry. it feels so good to be able to banter like this again. she hears her crew now, their voices rising and falling as zoro breaks the news, the cheers going up against the still morning air; it warms her through like fire on a brisk winter’s day. the gauze wound around her torso restricts her movement, but nami eases herself back down into the pillows with a sigh and let the noise of her nakama wash over her.

it soothes the ache. they always do.

(zoro returns within ten minutes with a slice of tangerine cheesecake and a mug of rich, creamy chocolate. sanji's drawn a spiky, frowning mossball on the top with milk foam, and she giggles when she looks up and zoro's making the exact same expression.)

(later, before the sun is even properly up in the sky, her crew curls around her in the tiny room she’s temporarily calling her own. they sit on every available surface and take up every available space, in the infirmary, in her heart; luffy’s cross-legged at the foot of the bed, beaming at her with a mouth full of chocolate biscuit. robin’s hands lift her hair off the nape of her neck. franky’s knitting some sort of sweater with yarn that’s coincidentally her favourite colour, and jinbei’s voice is deep and calming as he chats quietly with brook.

zoro stands, a silent sentinel by the door, arms crossed and brow lowered, and when she catches his eye his face softens.

“you gonna stand there all day?” she asks, brow arching in expectation, and she scoots over to make space for him to squeeze in next to sanji by her hip. their lack of squabbling does not escape her notice, but she’s not about to look a gift horse in the mouth— she’ll enjoy her peace and save it for another day.

and there will be another day. she’s planning on sailing with this crew for a long, long time.)

(even later, after everybody else has filed out of the room, zoro remains by her hip. his face is shadowed and unreadable.

“they should have died for what they did to you,” he says, low and soft. not tightly, no, not when she’d already told him it wasn’t what she wanted— not a protest. just a statement.

“you already bisected the one who did it first-hand,” she hums with her thumb shoved halfway through the middle of a tangerine, oil misting into the air, pith gathered beneath her nails as she pries it apart. “isn’t that enough?”

zoro doesn’t look up as he shakes his head, hands clasped in his lap, and nami feels something in her chest soften because zoro, for every good thing he is, has never been one to address how much he cares, and this— this allowance, however indirect, for her— it means a lot. it means everything.

his head snaps up with a frown as the piece of rind she throws smacks him square between the brows, staring down at the slice of fruit she offers him next like it’s something alien.

he shoves it in his mouth anyway, and she bites back a laugh.

they don’t say much more. they don’t need to.)

[rainyfestivalsweets]

2/4/24

The MLM hack list

Alright. So there are a bunch of MLM diet companies that make a shitload of money of of us and yet our obesity rates in developed countries are thru the freaking roof.

How many times have you gotten the messages on Facebook, Instagram or whatever and it's like: Hey girl, haven't seen you since high school, let's get coffee... OR... they just post the precopied message & ask about your goals, & proceed to add a flurry of hyperpositive social media messages, like my friend recently did to me.

Did anyone in high school like you? Not me! Do that screams danger from the start. I was horrendously bullied in elementary school. I was gone to a parochial school for a couple years so the only reason that I avoided constant bullying in high school was because... they forgot who I was.

Here are some ideas I stole from various companies, cheaper:

Herbalife: this company's stuff works, for 2 reasons- you replace 2 out of 3 meals with shakes. However, alot of people are not successful if they make their shakes at home and if they add in all the snack bars. People do, however, lose weight if they get their shakes from a "nutrition" shop. Why? Because they blend those shakes super thick with a metric shitton of ice & I think alot of them add sf pudding, which enhances the thickness. Also, you get an iced tea, normally with added fiber. So the answer is- you have 2 drinks that take a long time to finish AND give you added caffeine & fiber. So? Just do it at home: keep your shake calories low, make it extra large & thicker than a snicker, & follow with a caffeinated tea & add fiber to it. I like the herbalife brand but I order it off Amazon so I don't have to get the whole shpeel. Now brand has "prebiotic fiber" that is cheaper. There is also benefiber from Walmart. It is cheap, so why not?

Beachbody: you don't need to spend a billion dollars on protein shakes or meal replacement shakes. I do, however, love some of their workout systems.

Tai Slim: this company's great idea was the chocolate gluccomannon chews, I just didn't know ot at the time. I have tried to order it but have been unable to so maybe they don't make it any more. So my hack would be- the chocolate calcium chews, some gluccomannon tablets, & a large glass of water.

Modere: this company was all over tik tok & reels for awhile, while the reps were trying to schlep people into this scheme. The Golden Child was the liquid CLA chocolate, probably because it tastes like a chocolatey treat while it is actually a CLA supplement. CLA can be purchased at almost any health food store, way cheaper.

Plexus: the pink drink. More research needed on this, but I think it is just a fiber drink. Hack: gluccomannon powder & a Starburst all pink flavor packet.

Most of these companies often sell an associated "fat burner:" often something with caffeine, ecgc from green tea, etc. You can get something similar at a health food store for a fraction of the price. If you want something fancy, there is Ember from the Ambrosia Collective. Use the Google. MFINGCOO is a discount code that I think still works, but it isn't mine.

Buy In for then"tribe:" Weight watchers (not an MLM, just a diet culture sales supergiant but they still somehow acquire affiliates, idk if that qualifies as a True MLM), beachbody, herbalife are pretty cultish in nature-- they rope you into a bunch of meetings, calls, and online groups. If someone calls you to ask why you weren'tat Power Hour, you may have bought into a cult! It works by reprogramming certain thought & behavior patterns..... Basically a bunch of people are sharing ideas regularly and getting involved in their cultish antics.& promoting it on social media. (Example: OMG have you tried the new WW/herbalife/beachbody PROTEIN BAR?? Only $15 for 4!! What a deal! LINK IN MY BIO) You can do this on your own by finding your own people. You can get your own seminars by watching a lot of youtube. Anything that focuses on reprogramming you to cook at home and eat primarily whole foods will probably work. Join free groups. Disregard anything outside of what works for you ( I have to ignore a lot of dessert recipes because they cause bingeing for me).

Lipozene: pretty sure this is just gluccomannon. You can find gluccomannon tablets way cheaper at a health food store. Walmart also was carrying a generic version.

Hydroxycut: pretty sure the active ingredient here is HCA? I don't have a bottle currently to look. But isn't HCA just garcinia? So much cheaper at a health food store. I personally cannot take hydroxycut, it makes me RAGE. I like, get upset and freak out at work, so I don't even think I am willing to try it again.

It works: I think the skinny coffee would be comparable to the "slim coffee," which was cheaper but seemed to be chromium. You can just pick up a chromium supplement... & seriously, you can just drink coffee. Don't add calories to it.

Apple cider vinegar gummies: Just take shots of apple cider vinegar. You can buy a gallon at walmart, it will last a long time. Play with shot recipes, you can do good girl moonshine (ala Trim Healthy Mamma), & use it liberally for dressing recipes.

L-Glutamine: don't remember the company, but this is available at more health food stores, not for $100 a container.

Maybe I have bought so much shit so you don't have it. Is there an MLM company I missed? 🤔 let me know and I will check it out for future posts.

Remember- whatever you do, stay safe. Research your shit. Focus on your daily habits and remember that what you are eating outweighs almost any supplement you could buy. Eat whole food, walk, have an exercise routine & stop expecting a 30 day result for a body that took you 40 years (or whatever) to create.

I definitely don't think the ozempic trend is worth the cost, but if there is no other way for you & you have the money, it is worth a shot. Just don't expect your insurance to pay for it. Many insurance companies are currently not covering it, and I don't really know if they should consider it.

Surgery? If there is no other way and you want to, go for it.

The way that these things work though, is by changing what you are eating. Period. These are all systems to change what you ingest and you can change what you eat for free.

I am still on Nomorbidity & Alkemi from the Ambrosia Collective. I have not found suitable replacements for them but I am also not looking hard, they have a reasonable price point to me.

Edited: To reword, as WW is a diet culture vulture, not quite an MLM. Just a big money making company.

[ericcooper153]

Holistic Wellness: Embracing a Plexus Lifestyle

At Plexus, we believe in taking a holistic approach to wellness – addressing the needs of the body, mind, and spirit. Let’s explore how the Healthy Lifestyle Advanced (Hunger Control) Combo fits into this philosophy. The Healthy Lifestyle Advanced (Hunger Control) Combo combines Plexus Slim Hunger Control with MetaBurn™ and Plexus Block. Together, these products support healthy weight management,…

[hungryhangryhippo-blog]

Weigh In 11/19/17

I know it's Sunday and my weigh in days are Mondays, but I hadn't weighed myself in a while and I've eaten out a lot so I just wanted to see where I was at. I'm at 370.2, which is actually (and surprisingly) a 2.5 pound loss since the last time i weighed myself so that's always good!

In wedding news, we have gotten a little more done. We hired our cake baker and I bought my dress. It is sooo beautiful and I can't wait for it to come in. We also finally took our engagement photos, and I was much less self conscious than I thought I would be. I'm excited to see how those turn out.

[ahthelife]

The #wedding #weightloss #challenge is working. #mom and I committed to 2 months of salads and #plexus #slim & #proteinshakes I needed a tad more room in my dress and now I have a tad #toomuch #keepyourrecepit #smallersize #please #plexusworks #feelinggoodneverfeltsogood #healthjourney #functionalnutrition #plexusworldwide #weddingprep #40days #whensisterssayIdo https://www.instagram.com/p/Bxr9et1BL3_/?igshid=18jdfl450u7au

[rebecca-guthealthcoach]

Plexus is for men too! Let's chat! I love what Dave Asbury shares~ “Two years ago, I started something because I saw (my daughter) Ashley's health do a 180. You aren't too young or old for this. Your health is your health. Two years ago, I started drinking our pink drink every day and taking some simple supplements. Gut health wasn't on my radar. I wouldn't have even known what it meant. I was fine dealing with aches and pains... blaming it on just getting older. I was ok taking prescriptions that were just dealing with symptoms, and not getting to the root of the problem. I was ok with getting sick a lot and going to the doctor. I was ok putting money in someone else's pocket, instead of getting healthier while doing something that actually helped my own pocket. What I didn't know? 👉Two years later, I would be off cholesterol meds. 👉Two years later, I would be off gout meds and no more flare ups. 👉Two years later, my allergies would be gone. 👉Two years later, no more reflux and not having to keep otc meds in the cabinet. 👉Two years later, I wouldn't have achy knee joints any longer. 👉Two years later, I would be down 40 pounds. 👉Two years later, I wouldn't have anymore hypoglycemic crashes. 👉Two years later, my life would be better.” What an incredible story of hope!!! Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult a physician before starting this or any other supplementation, diet, or exercise program. Plexus products have a 60-day money-back guarantee. #plexusworldwide #plexus #guthealth #bloodsugar #bloodsugarregulation #sugar #diabetes #sickness #health #wellness #nongmo #plantbased #plants #vegan #inflammation #diet #organic #candida #slim #pinkdrink #triplex #hopedealer #hope #lean #active #plexusslim #probio5 #biocleanse https://www.instagram.com/p/CJu7_VSljS2/?igshid=p0eghw7mwtoq

[ericcooper153]

Navigating Weight Management with Plexus Slim

When it comes to weight management, Plexus Slim is a game-changer. Let’s explore how this innovative product can help you achieve your goals. Plexus Slim is a delicious pink drink that helps regulate blood sugar levels, reduce cravings, and support healthy weight loss. It’s packed with clinically studied ingredients like chromium and green coffee bean extract. By simply adding Plexus Slim to your…

[plexusprincess]

Hey! Have you heard of Plexus before? If you’ve seen my recent posts, you probably have 😂 There are a TON of products to help with weight loss, bloating, headaches, energy, skin problems, literally ALL of the things! I am sure we could find a starter pack that is perfect for whatever you want to target! It’s all natural, plant based, non-gmo & SO good for you! What do you say? Wanna give it a try for 30 days?

•Not everyone needs to lose weight.

•Not everyone wants to exercise every day of the week 😬

•Not everyone wants to cook organic meals at home every day

•Not everyone meal preps

BUT…

•Everyone wants to be healthy.

•Everyone wants to have more energy.

•Everyone wants to sleep well at night.

•Everyone wants to be the best person they can be. 🖤

That’s why these products I fell in love with are for {literally} everyone – it fits so easily into your daily routine and doesn’t take any time or effort away from the things you want to be doing—the products do so much of the work for you!

🏃🏻‍♀️With more energy, you will want to move and exercise more.

😴With better sleep you can be more productive during the day.

🥗With balanced blood sugar and a healthy gut your body will start to crave healthy foods!

Health takes time and effort, and this offers a great way to start the process.

Hey! Me again! I know you were thinking about plexus but today is a perfect day to jump on! Usually these products are around $150 but because of the pandemic the bundles are on super sale! Your total with tax, shipping, 10% off online & $10 back from me... is $102! That’s an insane discount! I would love to help you get started. Let me know when you’re ready to order & I’ll send you the code to type in at checkout💕

You don’t have to skip summer treats to maintain your healthy lifestyle OR even to prep for your summer body 💗

When your system is working FOR YOU instead of against you everything is different!! But to change the tides 🌊 you’re going to need an arsenal of natural options that tell your body what to do instead of letting your metabolism continue it’s winter hibernation mode ⛄️ 👙

Sooooo what are you going to choose?I’m alllll about working smarter instead of harder. And right now my favorite arsenal is on DEEP discount until the end of the month. Grab it and don’t look back, friends. A year and a half in and I’ve NEVER seen it fail to work. ✨🙌🏽

#pinkdrink #healthy #plexus #weightloss #plantbased #hungercontrol #transformation #leanprotein #slim #makemoney #paybills

[ahthelife]

The mail is here! Ready to get started on the Slim Down - Lean Up, 14 -Day Challenge. Join me! It starts June 25th!! #plexus #slim #lean #healthjourney

[pulpman2]

The Stocking

“Honestly, Gerry, you don’t need to come over, I can look after myself,” said private eye and prosecution witness Jane Lowe to her boss and partner, Gerry Dean down the phone, “Booth would not dare to try to take me out - not with all the publicity surrounding this case.” Jane smiled at Gerry’s protestations down the line. “You’re very sweet, honey,” the woman replied, “but I need to get my beauty sleep now if I am to send that lowlife away for ten years from the stand tomorrow.” There was no reply from the detective to her reassurance, which she found odd. She listened for a few seconds before replacing the phone on the receiver. ‘Must be a fault,’ she mused as she realised the dialling tone was no longer there.

Perhaps it was the unexpectedly dead line, but something made Jane turn round at that moment and, horrified, she was met by the terrifying sight of a man in a slim blue suit and fedora, squeezing his way through a window she had left only partly ajar in the heat of the night. His expression was cold and determined, but most alarming of all, was the nylon stocking held tightly between both hands. She knew what that meant. The man eyed her and then suddenly leapt towards the woman. “Say bye bye, toots!” he exclaimed, his tobacco breath filling Jane’s nostrils as he attempted to wrap the nylon around her neck. Jane acted in pure instinct, adrenalin coursing through her body. She fell onto her back, a foot extended that landed neatly in the man’s solar plexus. As the wind was painfully forced out of his body, Jane seized his flailing wrists and, using her foot as leverage, sent her attacker flying through the air. The man landed hard on her coffee table and Jane was on him before he knew what was happening. Loose house dress flapping around her brassiere, panties and stockings, the female private eye was astride the man in an instant. He looked up at her, even as she seized him by his tieless collar, with a bemused look on his face, as though not comprehending this turn of events. The woman drove her small but tightly balled fist into his face once, then twice. Her attacker’s head fell back. Jane was not finished. She dragged him up by his collar once more and smashed him in the face again, harder this time. He fell back, his whole body going limp. “No more, ma’am…” she heard him groan faintly through a broken mouth.

*

“There.” the red headed detective said with satisfaction as she bound the choking intruder’s hands behind his back with the very stocking he had hoped to strangle her with as he lay, defeated, on the floor.. “That looks a lot better tied around your wrists than it would have done wrapped around my neck, buddy.” She stood up and wandered over unsteadily to her underwear drawer, still shaking from the encounter, in search of more pantyhose with which to secure her prisoner’s legs. “Well,” she told him, pulling out a pair of tights, “once I’ve got you nicely wrapped up you can tell me everything - I reckon you will be exhibit A for the prosecution’s case at Booth’s trial tomorrow!” She smiled down at the bitterly glowering man. “You boss is going to be so pleased with you, toots!”

My interpretation of the story behind the cover to In Comes Death by Paul Whelton (January 1952)

[mrsstephenfinch-blog]

PLEXUS UPDATE To date, I am 16 lbs lighter, inches thinner, my shoulders are not as broad, my hair is thicker, my energy level is steady, my moods are “chill”, my brain is less foggy, my favorite UK sweatshirt is baggier, no sugar cravings( the empty Girl Scout Cookies box wasn’t me-I didn’t have a one of them!) and I’m loving it all! Life is good;God is great! #wellnesssuccess2020 #plexuspower #plexus #slim #probio5 #biocleanse #metaburn #lean #healthy #energy #thebestme https://www.instagram.com/p/B8CGlP2JT-XQjHFC6fs7XC5uZMeaBMDlsdr7Nw0/?igshid=1gogceqlrr510

[ericcooper153]

Fueling Your Fitness Journey: Plexus Products for Active Lifestyles

Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or just starting your fitness journey, Plexus has products to support your active lifestyle. Today, let’s talk about Weight Management Advanced Support. Weight Management Advanced Support is a comprehensive system that promotes healthy weight management and supports energy levels. It includes products like Plexus Slim Hunger Control and Plexus Lean. Plexus Slim…