#Water As Weight Loss Aid

[healthyboom]

Unlocking Weight Loss: The Essential Role of Water

Discover the untapped potential of water in your weight loss journey with our comprehensive guide. In this enlightening resource, we delve into water's crucial role in shedding those unwanted pounds. As you explore the pages, you'll learn how water acts as a natural appetite suppressant, aids in boosting metabolism, and supports efficient digestion. Uncover the science behind why hydration is essential for effective weight loss and how it can help you achieve your goals faster. From practical tips on increasing water intake to understanding its detoxifying effects, this guide equips you with the knowledge to harness water's power in your weight loss endeavors. Embrace the potential of hydration and unlock your path to a healthier, slimmer you.

[ribsonrepeat]

ana tips to stay as safe and healthy as possible <3

**important to note that I’m not encouraging this behavior in any way but if you’re going to persue unhealthy wl then harm reduction is important**

1) take multivitamins EVERYDAY and stay hydrated

2) if you’re down with the flu or any other sickness please increase your cal intake to aid in the recovery process

3) if you notice negative side effects like hair loss, excessive bruising, joint pain, etc take more vitamins i.e. hair, skin, and nails, joint vitamins, iron supplements

4) if you’re feeling faint/dizzy/nauseous constantly please eat something and maybe consider raising your cal intake for at least a few days

5) avoid hot temperatures, hot showers, working out, etc if you think you may faint to avoid any injuries, embarrassment, etc

6) don’t stay at a super low cal intake for extended periods of time (under 500 cals)

7) if you’re fasting and start to experience heart palpitations, dizziness, nausea, spotted vision break your fast immediately it’s not worth it

8) never NEVER dry fast!!!!!

9) avoid excessive caffeine intake it can cause headaches, nausea, heart palpitations, etc and it doesn’t curb your appetite enough to risk that

10) if you’re feeling dehydrated but feel like you cant drink more water try a hydration multiplier like liquid iv

11) make sure you’re using your cals for healthy choices at least try to eat a fruit or vegetable once a day

12) make sure you’re getting enough protein it will aid in wl while also keeping you healthy

13) don’t excessively purge or avoid it all together the health problems it causes are nothing to play around with

14) don’t abuse laxatives it fucks up your stomach badddd

15) don’t push yourself too hard the goal is to lose weight not death 😘

[bethanythebogwitch]

Wet Beast Wednesday: walrus

There are a lot of iconic arctic animals, such as the polar bear and narwhal, but my personal favorite is the walrus. Known for their large tusks, prominent whiskers, and habit for busting myths creepy eyes, walruses are unique amongst the pinnipeds. Most people know of the two main groups of pinnipeds: Phocidae, the earless or true seals and Otariidae, the fur seals and sea lions. Walruses however are in a class of their own, being the only surviving species of their own family: Odobenidae. A weird fact that I learned researching for this is that taxonoimists used to think Odobenids evolved from bears before later reclassifying them alongside the other pinnipeds. Old-timey taxonomy was wild and came up with some absolutely unhinged ideas. Like they used to think that microbats and megabats weren't related, instead classifying megabats as primates.

(image; a walrus sitting on an ice flow. It is a large, brown mammals with short limbs that end in flippers. Its head has a wide, blunt snout and two long tusks emerging from the upper jaw)

There is one species of walrus, Odobenus rosmarus, divided into two subspecies based on location: the Atlantic walrus (O. r. rosmarus) and Pacific walrus (O. r. divergens). The two subspecies are still very similar and genetic testing indicates they diverged between 750,000 and 500,000 years ago. There used to be a third listed subspecies from the Laptev sea, O. r. laptevi, but they have since been reclassified as a population of the Pacific walrus. Walruses are very large, being the third largest pinnipeds after the two elephant seal species. The Pacific subspecies is larger than their Atlantic brethren with most males reaching an average weight between 800 and 1,700 kg (1,800 to 3,700 lbs). A few males have been known to grow considerably larger than average. Male Atlantic walruses average about 900 kg (2,200 lbs). In both subspecies, females are about 2/3 the size of males and have shorter tusks. a large portion of their weight comes from the thick layer of blubber under their skin that helps them stay warm. Both subspecies have an average length between 2.2 and 3.6 meters (7.4 to 11.8 ft). Walruses have hind flippers that can turn forward to act like feet, letting them crawl on all fours like sea lions. Like true seals, they have no external ears. The skin is very thick and mostly bald. They are born with brown skin that becomes lighter as they age. While swimming, the blood vessels in the skin construct to reduce blood flow and limit heat loss, which makes them considerably lighter, almost white. Males have skin nodules called bossed around the neck and shoulders. Their creepy eyes are the result of eye sockets with no roof and powerful extraocular muscles that let the eyes protrude out of the skull and look both forward and sideways. The famous mustaches are composed of 400-700 thick whiskers. The whiskers are attached to muscles and have both nerve ending and blood supply. They are incredibly sensitive sense organs and a walrus can identify objects as small as 2mm with its whiskers. Their lips are muscular and flexible and aid in creating a large variety of noises.

(image: a close-up of a walrus's face, showing its prominent whiskers and small eyes. Its mouth is open, revealing its tongue)

How come the walrus can whistle but I can't? (video: a walrus in a zoo being instructed by its handler to make multiple vocalizations)

Of course the most famous features of walruses are their tusks. These two large canines can reach a meter in length and are larger in males than females. The tusks have a number of uses in both sexes, though males use them more. In both sexes, they are used to help dig breathing holes in sea ice, hang onto ice and help the walrus climb out of the water. Males also use their tusks in displays of dominance, especially during mating season. Larger tusks are a sign of dominance and typically the walrus with the largest tusks will win standoffs. If a standoff escalates from posturing to a fight, they will use their tusks as weapons. They tend to strike around the neck and shoulders and the skin nodules in those areas help protect males from each other's tusks. It was formerly believed that walruses would use their tusks to dig for prey on the sea floor, but this is no longer believed to be the case.

(image: a walrus skull showing the tusks)

(image: a walrus using its tusks to hang onto the ice and keep its nostrils above the water)

Walruses spend a lot of their time searching for the food they need to support a body that big. They prefer forging along the continental shelf and spend much more time in shallow water than other pinnipeds. While walruses have been tracked diving 500 meters deep, the majority of dives are much more shallow. The vast majority of a walrus's diet consists of seafloor-dwelling invertebrates including tubeworms, soft corals, tunicates, crabs and shrimp, sea cucumbers, and mollusks. While that's a wide palette, their absolute favorite food is clams. To hunt, walruses drag their noses and the forward surface of their tusks through the sediment and use their whiskers to search for food. This stirs up the sediment and releases nutrients back into the water column, a process balled bioturbation. Many foods can be swallowed whole or chewed, but they have a special feeding style for clams and other bivalves. Walruses will hold the bivalve in their mouths and use their flexible lips to form a water-tight seal around it. It then withdraws its tongue into its mouth to create enough suction to suck the bivalve meat right out of the shell. So important is this strategy to feeding that the shape of their mouths is specially adapted to it. Walruses are also known to feed on seals, though how much of that is due to hunting or scavenging is unknown. Additionally, they will scavenge whales, may hunt walrus trapped under sea ice, and have been seen catching and eating birds.

(image: a walrus foraging for food underwater. It has its snout pressed into the sea floor and is kicking up a large amount of sediment. Still from a National Geographic video)

Walruses are social and migratory, traveling south for the winter and north for the summer in aggregations that can be tens of thousands strong. They will haul out onto land or sea ice in huge numbers, blanketing the landscape in blubber and tusks. While these aggregations are preferred, they are not considered a true social species as they do not aid each other when together. Walruses on land or ice are skittish and will spook easily. Being startled can lead to stampedes while the walruses flee back to sea. Sometimes, walruses will be trampled to death during these stampedes. During mating season, the normally cordial walruses become much less friendly to their neighbors. Breeding seasons lasts from January to March. During this time, males will gather in the water around females in heat and compete for the change to get to that nice walrussy (I will not apologize). This is usually done via bellowing and posturing with the tusks, but may escalate to fights. While males become sexually mature around age 7, they often do not become large and strong enough to secure mates until around age 15. Females become sexually mature between 4 and 6 years old. Curiously, females enter heat twice per year, but males are only fertile once per year. Gestation takes up to 16 months and calves are born able to swim and weighing up to 75 kg (165 lbs). Females with calves move away from the large aggregations, possibly to keep their calves from being crushed in stampedes and possibly to make it harder for predators to detect their scent. Nursing lasts for over a year, longer than in many pinnipeds. Walrus milk is fattier than that of land mammals, but less fatty than that of true seals, forcing walrus mother to nurse longer. Even after being weaned, walruses may spend up to 5 years with their mothers. Females only mate at most every two years, which gives the walrus the lowest reproduction rate of all pinnipeds. Walruses can live up to 30 years in the wild and 40 years in captivity. Male walruses have the largest penis bone of any non-cetacean both in absolute size and proportionately.

(image an aerial shot of a walrus herd on land. There are many walruses and they are so tightly packed together that no ground is visible)

"Don't talk to me or my son ever again" (image: a mother walrus with its calf. The calf is a smaller version of the mother with no tusks. The calf is sittting by its mother's side. Both are looking at the camers)

Walruses have been hunted by humans living in the arctic circle for millennia. Hunting peaked in 18th and 19th centuries when there was a high commercial demand for meat, blubber, skin, and ivory. This almost led to the extirpation of Atlantic walruses. Since then, hunting has been outlawed except by indigenous peoples, allowing the populations to recover. Now, the major threat to walruses is climate change leading to loss of sea ice needed for hauling out and breeding. The IUCN lists both subspecies as Vulnerable. They were an important source of food and other materials to the peoples of the arctic circle and appear frequently in the mythology of said peoples.

(image: a walrus tusk carved with the images of multiple fish, seals, and polar bears)

[thewulf]

Entwined Realms || Legolas

Summary: Request: So I thought about this idea with Legolas x reader where the reader is the daughter of Galadriel and Celeborn (which makes her princess of Lothlorien and a very high elf) and she is nervous because its commonly known that Galadriel and Thranduil dont like each other (she is still his superior but you get the point) and the reader and Legolas have a dinner or some council or something together with their parents.

A/N: This was one of my favs to write. Just love everything LOTR... please keep them coming! Thank you for the request @lillisummers

Pairing: Legolas x Female Reader

Word Count: 4.1k +

TW: Talks of war/death

In the timeless realm of Lothlórien, you, the daughter of Galadriel and Celeborn, walked among the golden trees with a heavy heart filled with the weight of ancient grudges. It had been many years since you last tread upon these familiar paths, for you had spent much of your time in Rivendell, aiding in the healing of those who bore the scars of war.

As a princess of the high elves, you bore the burden of your lineage with grace. Yet the tension between your mother and Thranduil, the Elvenking of Mirkwood, weighed heavily upon you. The animosity between them was no secret, and you often found yourself caught in the midst of their disagreements. You were torn between loyalty to your mother and the desire for unity among your people after the war of the ring. Your return to Lothlórien had been sudden, called back by your father during the darkest days of the war. The news of battles raging across middle earth had filled you with dread. Yet, you knew that your place was by your family's side, lending whatever aid you could in the struggle against the darkness.

Despite the discord that lingered between your realms you held onto hope, believing in the power of unity to overcome adversity. The memories of Celebrian's capture and torture haunted you still. She drove your determination to see an end to the suffering that had plagued your people for so long.

As you walked beneath the golden canopy of the trees, you found solace in the familiar sights and sounds of Lothlórien. The gentle rustle of leaves in the breeze, the soft glow of the evening sun filtering through the branches. They spoke to you of peace and beauty, reminding you of all that was worth fighting for in this world. Your steps carried you towards a familiar spot. The quiet glade where the gravestones of those fallen in battle lay. The air was hushed. The only sound was the soft whisper of leaves and the gentle trickle of water from the nearby streams.

Stopping by the gravestones, you traced your fingers over each weathered stone, feeling the weight of loss settle upon your heart. Here, beneath the earth, lay the brave souls who had given their lives in service of a greater cause. A cause that you had fought for alongside them. Your thoughts turned to Haldir, the gallant Marchwarden who had stood by your side in the darkest of times. His laughter, his kindness, his unwavering loyalty… they were memories that you held dear, memories that would live on long after he had passed from this world. At one point you were convinced you would marry him but that was before he was taken so suddenly from you.

Closing your eyes, you allowed yourself a moment of silence. A moment to remember those who had been taken from you too soon. Their faces flashed before your eyes, friends, fighters, and loved ones alike. Each one leaving behind an indelible mark upon your soul. And yet, amidst the sorrow, there was also hope. Hope for a future where their sacrifices would not be in vain. Where the darkness would be banished for good and the light would shine so brightly once more. With a silent prayer upon your lips, you vowed to carry their memory with you always, to honor their legacy in all that you did.

As you stood amidst the gravestones, lost in memories and reflections, a soft voice broke through the silence. She was calling your name. You turned to see your mother, Galadriel, approaching with a gentle smile upon her lips. Her eyes, always so wise and knowing, held a depth of understanding that eased the ache in your heart.

"Y/n," she said, her voice like the gentle rustle of leaves in the wind, "I have been searching for you. It is good to see you home again. You look well my love."

You returned her smile, feeling a sense of warmth and comfort wash over you at the sight of her familiar face. "It is good to be home, Mother," you replied, stepping forward to embrace her.

Galadriel held you close, tight. Her arms a reassuring embrace amidst the turmoil of emotions swirling within you. "You have been missed, my dear," she said softly, pressing a kiss to your forehead.

As you pulled away, Galadriel's gaze softened. Her eyes filled with a mixture of pride and affection. "There is much to discuss," she said, her voice taking on a more serious tone. "But first, I have news that I believe will bring you much joy."

Curiosity piqued, you listened as Galadriel spoke of the upcoming marriage between your niece, Arwen, and Aragorn, the King of Gondor. The news filled you with a sense of anticipation, the prospect of a wedding bringing a glimmer of hope amidst the darkness that had shrouded middle earth for so long. "I would be honored to attend," you said. Your heart swelling with love for your family and excitement for the joyous occasion to come.

Galadriel smiled, her eyes sparkling with pride. "I had no doubt that you would," she said, her voice tinged with warmth. "Come, let us return to Caras Galadhon and begin preparations. There is much to do, and little time to waste." She motioned you to follow her.

With a nod of agreement, you fell into step beside your mother. It felt as though the weight of grief and loss lightened by the promise of love and celebration on the horizon. As you walked the golden light of Lothlórien illuminated your path guiding you towards a future filled with possibility.

Too quickly the day of celebration arrived. The grand halls of Minas Tirith were adorned with banners and flowers, filling the air with a sense of festivity and anticipation. You, dressed in your finest elven attire, mingled with the guests. Your heart was aflutter with excitement and nerves for your niece and the King of Gondor. Amidst the bustling crowd, your eyes scanned the faces of those gathered taking in the sight of strangers and acquaintances alike. And then your gaze met that of a mysterious elven stranger across the ornate courtyard who you did not recognize.

His eyes were a captivating shade of blue. They held a warmth and kindness that drew you in, sending a shiver down your spine. For a brief moment it felt as though the world around you had faded away leaving only you and this enigmatic stranger in a universe of your own making. But as quickly as the moment had come, it was gone. Broken by the sound of laughter and music drifting through the air you tore your gaze away. Your cheeks flushed with a mixture of curiosity and excitement, heart racing with the memory of that brief but electrifying encounter.

Though you knew not who he was, nor what fate had in store for you. You couldn't shake the feeling that this chance meeting was somehow significant. And as you allowed yourself to be swept away by the joyous festivities you couldn't help but wonder about the identity of the mysterious elven stranger who had captured your attention with a single glance.

As the celebration unfolded you found yourself standing beside Arwen, basking in the glow of her happiness as she greeted guests and well-wishers. The air was filled with laughter and music. The joyous atmosphere infectious as people celebrated the union of Arwen and Aragorn. But amidst the revelry your attention kept drifting back to the beautiful blonde elf who had caught your eye earlier. He stood amidst a group of guests, his presence commanding and his gaze holding a quiet intensity that seemed to draw you in.

Unable to contain your curiosity any longer you turned to Arwen with a hint of nervousness in your voice. "Arwen," you began, pointing subtly towards the mysterious elf, "who is that?"

Arwen followed your gaze, her eyes sparkling with amusement as she noticed your interest in the stranger. "Ah, him," she said, her tone tinged with mystery. "That is Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood."

Legolas. The name echoed in your mind. Though you knew little about him there was something about the way he carried himself, the way his eyes seemed to hold a thousand untold stories that intrigued you beyond measure. As Arwen spoke of Legolas' exploits and noble deeds you found yourself captivated by the tales of his courage and valor. And though you knew it was foolish to be so taken with a stranger, you couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more to him. Something that called to you on a level you couldn't quite understand.

With a grateful smile you thanked Arwen for indulging your curiosity. Though your mind was already consumed with thoughts of the mysterious Prince of Mirkwood. And as you turned your attention back to the festivities you couldn't help but wonder what secrets lay hidden beneath the surface of the captivating blonde elf who had captured your attention with a single glance.

As the evening wore on, the atmosphere grew more relaxed. You found yourself drawn into the lively conversations and laughter that filled the air.

As if he had known your every thought, he had come right up to you. A charming smile playing on his lips as he offered you a goblet of wine. "Care for some wine, my lady?" he asked, his voice smooth and all too inviting.

Grateful for the distraction you accepted the goblet with a smile, the cool liquid soothing the nerves that had been fluttering in your stomach. "Thank you," you replied, taking a sip and relishing the taste of the rich, fruity wine.

As you savored the wine, Legolas took a seat beside you. His eyes alight with curiosity as he extended his hand in introduction. "I am Legolas," he said, his tone warm and genuine. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance."

You felt a rush of excitement at the sound of his name, "And I am Y/n," you replied, your voice betraying a hint of nervousness that you quickly tried to mask.

Legolas smiled warmly at you, a glint of mischief dancing in his eyes as he raised his own goblet in a silent toast. "Well then, Y/n, here's to new acquaintances and delightful conversations," he spoke.

As the evening progressed, you found yourself drawn into conversation with Legolas. His easy charm and quick wit putting you at ease. Despite your initial nervousness you soon found yourself laughing and chatting with him as if you had known each other for years. With each passing moment you felt yourself growing more and more enchanted by Legolas. His presence filling you with a sense of warmth and belonging that you hadn't felt in a long time. Not since before your sister had set sail. And as you shared stories and laughter with the captivating Prince of Mirkwood you couldn't help but wonder what adventures lay in store for you both in the days to come.

When the topic turned to your family, you couldn't help but feel a pang of apprehension, unsure of how he would react upon learning the truth. "Your parents must be proud of you," Legolas remarked, his voice sincere as he glanced around at the grandeur of Minas Tirith. "To have a daughter as kind and courageous as you."

You smiled, touched by his words. Though a part of you hesitated to reveal your true lineage. "Thank you, Legolas," you replied, your voice tinged with uncertainty. "My parents... they are indeed proud, though our family is not without its complexities."

Legolas cocked his head with curiosity shining bright in his eyes. "Complexities?" he asked, his brow furrowing slightly.

You took a deep breath, steeling yourself for his reaction. "My parents are Celeborn and Galadriel," you confessed, watching closely for any sign of recognition or judgment in his expression.

To your surprise, Legolas' eyes widened in genuine surprise, his gaze softening with understanding. "Galadriel," he murmured, a hint of awe in his voice. "The Lady of Light herself. And Celeborn, the Lord of Lothlórien."

You nodded, relieved by his reaction. "Yes, though our family is not without its challenges," you admitted, your voice growing quiet. "There are... tensions between my parents and certain others in Middle-earth." You knew he knew, and he knew you knew. The two of you were dancing around your parents disdain for the other.

Legolas' expression grew somber. A shadow passing over his features. "I understand," he said, his tone tinged with empathy. "My own father, Thranduil, can be... difficult at times."

You felt a surge of empathy for Legolas knowing all too well the challenges that could arise from strained familial relationships. "It seems we are not so different after all," you said. A small smile playing at your lips.

Legolas returned your smile, his eyes warm and understanding. "Indeed," he said, his voice gentle. "But perhaps together, we can find a way to bridge the divide between our families."

Touched by his sincerity you could only keep grinning at him like a fool. "I would like that, Legolas," you replied. Your heart swelled with gratitude for the bond that was beginning to form between you.

As the night wore on into the wee hours of the morning you and Legolas found yourselves drawn deeper into each other's company. The hours quickly slipping away unnoticed as you laughed and talked beneath the starlit sky. The connection between you grew stronger with each passing moment. A bond of friendship and understanding blossoming into something deeper and more profound. Unfortunately, the celebration began to wind down. You found yourselves reluctant to part ways. The prospect of saying goodbye filling you with a sense of melancholy. "Perhaps we could extend our stay in Minas Tirith," Legolas suggested, his voice tinged with a hint of worry as if you wouldn’t accept. "There is still so much more to see and do. I have not seen this city without war disparaging it."

You nodded eagerly, the idea of spending more time with Legolas filling you with a sense of joy and excitement. "I would like that very much," you replied, a smile tugging at the corners of your lips. "There is still so much more we have yet to see. You distracted me tonight."

And so, you and Legolas remained in Minas Tirith for longer than planned, seizing every opportunity to steal away moments alone together amidst the hustle and bustle of the city. Whether wandering the streets hand in hand or sharing quiet conversations in secluded corners. Each moment spent in Legolas' company felt like a precious treasure, a memory to be cherished for eternity.

As your extended stay in Minis Tirith came to an end the bond between you and Legolas deepened further than you could have imagined. Your hearts intertwining in a dance as old as time itself. One evening beneath the stars after your going away dinner the two of you sat together in the quiet solitude of the gardens, surrounded by the scent of blooming flowers and the gentle hum of crickets. The words you had been longing to say spilled forth from your lips.

"Legolas," you began, your voice barely above a whisper, "there is something I must confess to you." It truly was now or never for you did not know the next time you would see the elf that had captured your heart so quickly.

Legolas turned to you, his eyes filled with warmth and affection. "Yes, Y/n?" he replied, his voice soft and reassuring.

"I know this is quick,” you began, your voice soft and hesitant, "And we tend to do this slow, but I must admit... I really like you. More than a friend would."

You glanced away, cheeks flushing with embarrassment as you awaited his response. But when you dared to meet his gaze once more you found Legolas looking at you with a tender smile. His eyes filled with a warmth that mirrored your own feelings.

"Y/n," he said softly, reaching out to gently take your face in his hand, "your honesty means the world to me. I too have come to care for you deeply as well. As more than a friend would."

Your heart soared at his words. A sense of joy flooding through you at the knowledge that your feelings were reciprocated. And as you sat together in the quiet beauty of the gardens you knew that your bond with Legolas was something truly special. It was the beginning of a love story that was just beginning to unfold.

You didn’t want the night to end so you kept your wandering through the gardens. "Legolas," you began, your voice tinged with concern, "what do you think about... our families?"

Legolas glanced at you. His gaze thoughtful. "Ah, our esteemed parents," he replied with a wry smile. "Stubborn as ancient oaks and twice as difficult to move."

You couldn't help but laugh at his analogy, feeling a sense of relief at his lighthearted approach to the situation. "Yes, that's one way to put it," you agreed. A smile playing at the corners of your lips.

"But," Legolas continued, his tone turning more serious, "I believe they will come around in time. After all, love has a way of softening even the hardest of hearts."

You nodded feeling a flicker of hope kindling within you. "I hope you're right," you replied, leaning closer to him. "I just want them to see... how much we care for each other."

Legolas placed a comforting arm around your shoulders, drawing you closer to him. "They will, Y/n," he said softly, his voice filled with quiet confidence. "And until then, we'll just have to prove them wrong together."

As your time in Minas Tirith drew to a close, you couldn't shake the feeling that it was time for your parents and Legolas to meet. Despite the tension between your families, you were determined to show them that love knew no bounds, and that their differences could be set aside in the name of happiness.

On the morning that both of you were to depart you knew what you had to do. "Legolas," you began. Your voice tinged with nervousness, "I know it's unconventional, but... what if you and your father were to visit Lothlórien?"

Legolas blinked in surprise, clearly taken aback by your suggestion. "Visit Lothlórien?" he echoed, his brow furrowing in thought. "It's an... intriguing idea, Y/n, but I'm not sure how my father would feel about it."

You nodded, understanding Legolas' reservations. "I know it's a risk," you admitted, "but I believe that if he could experience the beauty and hospitality of Lothlórien for himself, he might begin to understand... and perhaps even appreciate our way of life."

Legolas considered your words for a moment before a smile spread across his face. "You may be right, Y/n," he said, his eyes alight with excitement. "Let's extend the invitation to my father and see what he says."

With a renewed sense of hope, you and Legolas set about preparing for Thranduil's visit to Lothlórien. You knew it wouldn't be easy, but you were determined to show both him and your parents that love could conquer even the deepest of divides. And so, with hearts full of anticipation and determination, you bid farewell to Minas Tirith. You knew that a new chapter of your journey was about to begin.

As Legolas and an initially reluctant Thranduil arrived in Lothlórien, the tension between them was palpable. Thranduil's expression was stoic and reserved, while Legolas wore a strained smile who was clearly uncomfortable with the situation. You greeted them warmly, hoping to ease the atmosphere, but even your efforts seemed to fall flat in the face of the lingering animosity between your parents. The initial interactions were awkward only filled with polite but strained conversation and forced smiles.

But as the evening progressed and the wine flowed freely the atmosphere began to shift. Your parents, Thranduil, and Legolas found themselves gradually relaxing in each other's company. The rigid barriers between them slowly melting away under the influence of hope after the war and shared experiences. You watched with a mixture of joy and relief as the tension dissipated, replaced by laughter and genuine conversation. Thranduil who had initially been so guarded found himself opening up. He began to share stories and jokes with Celeborn and Galadriel as if they were old friends.

And Legolas, too, seemed to come alive in the warmth of his father’s acceptance. His smile growing more genuine with each passing moment. It was as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders finally allowing him to truly be himself in their presence. He chuckled at one of Thranduil's jokes and clinked glasses with Celeborn, a genuine smile gracing his features.

In the midst of the conversation Legolas turned to you, his eyes sparkling with affection. "Meleth nin," he said softly, his voice filled with utmost warmth.

As Legolas inadvertently uttered the Elvish endearment, my love, the words hung in the air laden with the weight of unspoken emotions. Your heart skipped a beat at his slip-up, and you couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement coursing through you.

"Really?" you exclaimed. Your eyes widened with surprise and utmost delight. For a moment you almost forgot that your parents and Legolas' father were present too caught up in the rush of emotion that swept over you.

Legolas blinked, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment as he realized what he had said in front of the parents. "I... uh, I mean..." he stammered, clearly flustered by your reaction.

But before he could finish, Thranduil let out a soft chuckle. The elvenking’s eyes twinkling with amusement. "It seems our children are more than just friends," he remarked to your parents. His tone surprisingly light-hearted.

You turned to your parents with a sheepish smile tugging at the corners of your lips. "I guess we should have mentioned that sooner," you admitted feeling a surge of relief as you saw their understanding smiles.

Celeborn and Galadriel exchanged knowing glances before Celeborn spoke up. "Love has a way of revealing itself in unexpected ways," he said, his voice filled with warmth. "We are happy for you both."

Thranduil let out a small chuckle. His eyes crinkling with amusement. "Young love," he said before shaking his head in mock exasperation. "It seems like only yesterday that Legolas was just a boy chasing after butterflies in the woods."

Legolas rolled his eyes playfully at his father's comment. "I assure you, Ada, I have grown up a bit since then," he spoke. His tone teasing but affectionate.

Celeborn chuckled softly his eyes twinkling with mirth. "Indeed," he agreed, his voice warm. "But some things never change." He motioned to you with a knowing grin.

And as the tension melted away completely, replaced by laughter, and shared understanding, you couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude for the unwavering support of your parents. With their blessing and acceptance, you and Legolas knew that your love story was only just beginning. You were finally destined to have a beautiful and unforgettable journey filled with laughter, joy, and the sweet promise of a future together. You had waited a long time for this. A very long time.

As the night grew deeper and the fire crackled softly, you and Legolas found yourselves immersed in a comfortable silence. The two of you basking in the warmth of each other's presence. Legolas turned to you with a playful glint in his eyes, taking your hand in his. "Well, my dear, it seems the hour grows late," he remarked, his voice soft and warm.

You nodded feeling a surge of affection for the elf beside you. "Yes, it does," you replied, a smile playing at the corners of your lips.

With a gentle tug on your hand Legolas rose to his feet pulling you up with him. "Allow me to escort you to your room," he said. His voice filled with gentle sincerity.

You followed him, the touch of his hand sending a shiver of anticipation down your spine. As you reached your door, Legolas turned to you. His eyes sparkling with mischief. "Until next time, meleth nin," he whispered, pressing a soft kiss to your cheek before turning to leave.

A faint blush coated your cheeks at his actions. “Until next time, meleth nin.” You repeated. You watched him go with a smile playing at your lips as you realized that no matter what adventures lay ahead, you would face them with him. Oh, what a life.

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[n1ghtfurys]

Apocalypse with König

Part 1: Word count: 9475

There's a little bit of gore, mentions kidnapping, weight loss due to lack of food

You'd found him on the road.You'd been planning on making it to your grandparents, since they were in the country. You figured you'd be safer with them if they were still alive and if not you'd at least have a house, maybe their food was still good. They had a greenhouse and so maybe you'd even be able to figure it out.

You hadn't expected to find anyone on your way. Especially since everyone of importance had been evacuated to quarantined cities, and most of the other people who hadn't made the cut had either: started or turned. An unlucky few probably fell prey to the military, and other people who had decided it was better if everyone was dead.

The motorways were mostly deserted and as much as you were out in the open, you felt safe enough. There were deserted cars for cover, which you'd pick through, and sometimes get lucky in finding a first aid kit or something wearable.

You'd lost your mother and siblings in the chaos of the first days, you hadn't heard from them in months and figured…hoped they'd gotten to safety. You knew deep down that they'd probably died looking for you but it was, and still is, easier to hope.

You'd never been great at maps but you could remember places from how they looked and the road signs were all relatively intact. Unlike the movies with zombies, the government hadn't tried bombing or burning down populated areas. They'd simply taken the rich and important and hid them, stowed them away, and left the regular people to die. At the start there were churches and homeless shelters trying to help; Taking in traveling families and stragglers, trying to at least; especially, in their own cities but all it took in those places was for one infected to get in and they'd all be gone.

You'd tried one for a while, even made a few friends, but you'd barely managed to get out with your own life so you didn't figure anyone else had.

When you found König, him finding you might be more apt but still, you were running low on water. You didn't trust yourself to leave the main roads and since you hadn't come across any running water you didn't have the chance. It was autumn so you'd scavenged blackberries from the bushes on the side of the road and occasionally you'd come across a granola bar in one of the cars but other than that you'd been hungry and tired. Sleeping in cars hadn't done you much good either.

It has been quiet, eerily so. You hadn't come across an infected in at least a few days, which had surprised you but you didn't want to jinx your sudden good luck. Dealing with the infected was hard, at least before him it was. They were often stronger than you, and even if they weren't they were hell bent on ending you. You had managed to get your hands on a hatchet from the back room of a hardware store somewhere along the road.

You were sleeping in the back of an abandoned car before you heard his footsteps. You weren't sure if he'd seen you or not, you hoped not. Most people on the road were desperate, like you, so they were often willing to use whatever force they deemed necessary. Of the bodies on the road, at least the ones you'd come across in the past few days, only a few of them were probably due to being infected, the rest had various stab wounds; while others had arrows sticking out of them- You wondered who had provoked who.

The memories of all the dead you'd passed on the road in the last few days came flooding back. You had thought, at the time, that the chances of the guy who was practically stomping around out there, was probably the guy who killed all of those people; People like you, who were just trying to get from point A, to B. You tried to stay low hoping that he wouldn't see you. you could just about see him in the rear view mirror.

He was tall, like really tall and very built. The bruising on some of the bodies made more sense considering the size of him. You waited until he had disappeared completely from view before you got the courage to open the door.

It opened more quietly than you had expected, much to your appreciation. You pushed forward, essentially following the man. He was slow and gradually more meticulous the further along the road he got. When he had passed you he was just casting fleeting glances around the sea of deserted cars but now he has started peering through the glass and checking under cars. You had managed to stay relatively out of sight or at least you thought you had.

You hid behind a car when he turned back on himself. You hoped he wouldn't see you. He didn't move for a while and then he chuckled deeply. You heard what sounded like the creaking of a slowly deteriorating car as he assumably lowered his weight onto the hood. “I know you're there maus” his accent was heavy but his voice was definitely not what you'd expected. You'd expected deep and gravely. It had only met one of your expectations.

Regardless, his acknowledgement of your presence made your blood run cold. You were already on edge, the lack of food and good sleep had left you in a state of near constant anxiety. You didn't say anything in response hoping that maybe he would just forget about it and leave you alone. “Come out, kleine maus” his voice was softer this time but he was still a threat.

Maybe if you managed to surprise him ,If you injured him enough then he wouldn't be able to come after you. You settled on making a run for it.

You often wonder if things would be different now, if you had chosen to attack him instead of trying to outrun him. If maybe you would have joined the bodies on the road or even made it to your grandparents.

It ate at you for the first few months with him. You resented him for taking you away from the road, for being nice to you when you treated him with such venom. For keeping you there, at first you had felt like a prisoner, refused to talk to him- look at him; even to eat for the first few days but that didn't last as long as you'd hoped it would.

You'd hated him for months. Despised him so entirely that you couldn't count the number of times you'd considered his death.

You'd attempted to escape a few times only to end up lost in the dark, then thrown over his shoulder the next morning when he'd somehow find you.

You hated it. Hated him for it. Just hated everything. In hindsight it made sense, he was probably just lonely and really, you were too but at the time it felt like hell.

When he brought you back; Originally, you'd kicked and screamed doing no real damage past hurting his ears. You did the same every other time he found you. You both had a routine by your third escape; he would find you curled up under a tree, trying not to freeze to death (after the second time he started putting out wooly clothes, in case you tried to run off again) and then he would carry you back to the house. You'd be locked in the sitting room for about 10 minutes, before he'd open the door and wait for you to walk through it. When you inevitably refused, he would just throw you over his shoulder again.

You would be put down in the bathroom next to a hot bath, which you would refuse on the grounds that you don't want to like him. Despite him being incredibly nice to you (past the kidnapping part) you didn't want to like him. You found out after the first night that he'd give you about an hour; in that hour , you assumed, he hoped you would bathe but when he came back he'd always find you wherever he left you- which for the first few times was the floor but later became a rocking chair.

It was a nice chair, rustic. It looked almost as if it had been hand carved, probably not but maybe. After his failed attempt at a bath he would move onto food.

In between your attempts to run away, you'd begrudgingly accept food. Usually, it would go cold before you would even consider touching it, but it was never too long before you to got sick of ignoring how your stomach growled.

You assume he took note of what you liked eating or at least did his best, because more often than not there were things you liked on your plate. You're not sure how he knew really, if it was how quickly you ate or which order you chose to eat things. He never really said anything, not that you would have responded but still.

Since the last time, you'd been trying to figure it out, racking your brain and trying to remember which way he had walked on the first day. If you ran fast enough you could probably make it back to the road, or you would end up terribly lost and scared and utterly screwed.

You waited until all movement in his room had ceased and then made a break for it. He hadn't taken any of your stuff. You thought that it was because he found you entirely unthreatening or he thought you were too weak to use it- either way it pissed you off. Sure you'd been living on scraps long enough for it to take its toll on your body but you weren't weak. Boney, sure but weak? No.

You managed to get out of the house with ease, as much as you thought he'd kidnapped you; he gave you free range of the house and the garden. It was nice, you could see yourself living there if it wasn't for him.

You make it to the forest and come to the conclusion that it was downright idiotic to try this again. The leaves of the trees made such a thick canopy that they all but separated the sky from ground, so much so that when you made your way into the forest you could barely make out your hand in front of your face.

You ignored the ringing sound in your ears and the way your heartbeat was hammering in your chest . You grip the hatchet you'd found on your trip and venture deeper into the forest. You hadn't heard any howls as of yet, so that was a good sign- it was actually relatively still.

You made your way deeper and deeper. Sinking slowly into the monotonous task of walking and the comfort of silence. You came to what looks to be the center of the forest, you can't remember whether you had come this way when he took you from the motorway.

The bushes behind you rustled and panic seeped into you. You recognised the uneven steps and incoherent muttering almost immediately- infected. You freeze, maybe it wouldn't see you. You thought you only heard one set of shuffling feet. Maybe it wasn't even coming in that direction, maybe you would have gotten away but your luck was never that good.

A scrawny, unkempt man stumbled out from the bushes. You tried to stay completely still but it was no use, he'd either spotted you or heard you earlier. His gaze was trained on you. He was probably about 17 before he got it, he was missing a shoe. It would have been funny if it wasn't for your impending doom.

He'd stopped muttering, the froth around his mouth dropped down his chin as he drooled. The government had tried experimenting on the first hundred-ish infected. The only thing they had determined was that it was similar to rabies. There were some consistent traits, infected wouldn't go near water, you could even hear them screaming whenever it rained. At first it had upset you listening to them wail but it had become a regular occurrence especially since it was autumn then.

It was all good and well knowing that they didn't like water but it did you no use then. You didn't know where the nearest source of water was. You couldn't hear the sound of a stream or anything similar.

The boy hadn't moved the mixture of froth and drool that had collected around his mouth made you feel sick. It was vile, worse to think that he probably had a family or friends that he probably hurt without even knowing. He had a bite mark right above his ankle, on the foot without a shoe.

You wondered how long he'd been wandering around. If maybe he was like you and he just happened to be less lucky than you. Maybe one of them had gotten him from under a car or while he was sleeping.

He took a step forward and you were forced back to the reality of your situation. That you were probably going to die, in the woods alone. You stepped back almost on instinct. He took another step, then another and then broke out into a full on sprint. You did the same, you bolted forward until the shrubbery got too thick and then wrapped around a tree and came back on yourself.

You looked back to find him only a few feet behind you, he was breathing heavily but quiet. You always hated when they got quiet, meant they were focused, determined. He was probably hungry too.

Your foot caught something as you ran and you hit the floor hard. You scrambled back as fast as you could but he was on you before you could even get up.

That was it, you were gonna die in the forest alone. All because you didn't want to accept help from that shockingly, nice kidnapper.

You locked your arms out in hopes you could hold him back but he was heavy and strong and even though you'd been eating again, you hadn't had time to get much weight back on, let alone muscle.

He wasn't focused on your neck specifically, he was searching around for any exposed flesh. Your mind flicked back to the people you'd seen on the road, the few you had figured weren't by the man. They'd all been missing flesh, the infected here were hungry. They definitely weren't fast enough to catch wildlife and these places didn't get much foot traffic.

You heard a branch snap. It was most likely just a deer or something being far smarter than you and leaving the area before it too got itself killed but for whatever reason the movement had caught the boys attention too. He stopped trying to push towards you and instead looked up at the source of the noise.

A large boot crossed your line of vision before it made contact with the boy. It sent him flying back off of you. He didn't even have time to react before a machete was pushed through his chest. The sound of ribs cracking under the strain made you feel sick, the boy tenses and let out a strained sound. The man twisted the knife, another crack but this time he went limp.

You wanted to be sick, wanted to cry, wanted to run but your chest hurt and your legs wouldn't move. The man looked over at you then back at the body in front him

“Sorry Maus.”

You looked back at him entirely dazed- He'd got a mask on. He had never worn a mask around you before. Looked more like a sheet he'd thrown over his head with some stitched eye holes. It's funny, it should make him less intimidating but the fact that he's upwards of 6’6” eliminated any sort of humour in the situation. 

You were completely frantic and scared. Tears welled in your eyes, you tried to will them back down but you couldn't. You didn't want to cry in front of him, didn't want him to think of you as any weaker than he already did but you couldn't stop them. Overwhelmed was an understatement. You were relieved but still so terrified. 

You looked past the wall of a man in front of you and watched the boy's body twitch. He was definitely dead but that didn't make it better. You felt sick, disgusted by the sight of his mangled chest. Plus the adrenaline was leaving your body faster than you would have hoped. It left you aware of how fast your heartbeat was, how much your arms hurt from having to hold him back and a dull throbbing in your wrist. 

He retracted his hand and made his way over to a log. He sat facing you, you couldn't make out his eyes under the mask, you didn't even know what colour they were. 

He didn't say anything, just watched you. He didn't speak; didn't make any more moves towards you- just sat there and watched. It was weird but you felt safer having him there. Maybe it was because he'd saved your life or because it was in his interest just as much as yours to kill the infected on sight but it was still a comfort.

You eventually pulled yourself up from the floor, you did your best to avoid putting pressure on your wrist. With the last of the adrenaline having worn off, the dull ache had morphed into shooting pains. 

He watched you get up, probably watched how your legs trembled slightly. “Nobody's keeping you here Maus” His voice was soft, nice and somewhat familiar. He didn't talk much, at least not to you, but he'd mutter around the house or humm songs in what you assumed was German. 

You immediately started off walking in a direction you hoped was the motorway but there was no way to tell.The forest was thick and it was dark and there could be more infected; not to mention the  state of your wrist. It wasn't going to be much use to you if it was broken. You barely made it out of the clearing before you stopped and turned to look at the man still on the log. 

He cocked his head to one side and examined you. You had supported your damaged wrist with the other arm and lifted it to dull the throbbing, at least a little. Not that it had helped much but still you had tried. 

“You're hurt?” He sounded almost amused by it. That had annoyed you, how was any of this funny? You had almost died and he was amused by it or maybe it was the crying- either way it pissed you off to no end.  

You moved to flip him off but it sent waves of pain up your arm. Maybe it was broken. He watches you wince and lets out an amused huff. 

“So yes?” he still sounded the same, slightly softer after watching you wince but still. You bet he had a stupid smirk on his face. 

“Why the mask?” It's the first thing you had said to him since you met. It seemed to shock him. He took a while to answer you. 

“Military. Used to be part of my uniform.” It didn't really explain much past the sheer size of him. Actually it didn't explain anything at all. He wasn't still in the military since it didn't exist anymore and you had absolutely no context to why he put on the mask in the first place. You nodded regardless. 

You weren't really sure what you wanted. If you wanted to go back to the house where you knew it was at least safe or if you wanted to run. Ok you did know, you had wanted to run but that feeling of safety he had, unfortunately,  presented you with made you want to stay. You hadn't felt truly safe in months and it was nice, even if you didn't want the source of safety to be him. 

“What are you doing, Maus?” It was as if he could tell what you were thinking. Maybe he could. 

“What?” You responded quickly. Pretending to be confused by the vague question. 

“You wanted to leave, no? This is your chance. Leave.” he sounded a little flat, there was always something to his voice when he spoke, some sort of emotion but it was gone. “Nobody is going to stop you Maus.”

You're not sure why but it upset you, that he was suddenly so flat. “What happens if I stay?” 

His head fell to the side. “Change of heart?” 

You nodded. Really you just wanted to not be attacked. You didn't exactly enjoy life on the road, not that you enjoyed life with him any more but at least you didn't have to deal with the stresses of the road if you stayed. 

“So I don't have to carry you back?” He chuckled and you just nodded again. It had become part of your ritual, a part that you didn't want to admit you enjoyed but it was fun to see him lift you with such ease.

Still, it wouldn't have made sense to make him carry you back after you agreed not to run off. “No.” You nodded and got up from the log, you kept your arm in your clutches, it still throbbed. 

The walk back was entirely silent. You kept your eyes trained on the floor and he walked slightly ahead of you. You weren't sure why at the time but you had appreciated it. 

When you got back, he fell right back into his old routines. You found yourself back in the living room, although this time when he had gone to lock the door he paused and simply left instead. You considered following him, watching him draw the bath but you decided against it. You weren't sure why you wanted to be around him, maybe it was the whole saving your life thing or maybe it was because he was sweet. Not that you would ever admit it. 

He came back right on time, around ten minutes and stood at the door waiting for you. You stared back at him, you didn't really know how you wanted to play this. He wasn't keeping you here, so you didn't want to be inconvenient but you still didn't like him. Not that you had as much of a reason to but regardless it didn't change how you felt about him. 

He stared back for a while before he sighed and pushed himself up off of the door frame. You looked back down at your feet and then stood up. You heard his footsteps stop as you got up, he waited for you to look up at him before turning and waking off. 

He looked back after a moment to check that you had followed him, you had. He still had his mask on, you were so curious about it. Once he escorted you to the bathroom he paused at the door. 

“Let me check your arm.” He held his hand out waiting for you to present him with the wrist that was still throbbing.

You looked at him skeptical before you offered your wrist, you flinched when he ran his fingers over it. After a few moments of examination he lets go. 

“I don't think it's broken, and if it is, it's a fracture. I'll put it in a sling later. Just try not to bash it on anything.” He sighed and started to leave.

“I'll be back in-” he started looking back at you as he said it.

“Yeah, 1 hour. I know.” you cut him off. You expected him to be annoyed by this but he wasn't. You could see his eyes crinkle up and he made an exaggerated exhale sound, one that could be mistaken for a laugh. 

“Clean yourself up, Maus.” his tone was lower,softer. He sounded quite nice really. You listened to his footsteps as he walked back down the stairs. For such a large man he was rather quiet. 

You looked around the familiar room; at the bath tub which was filled with hot water and what looked and smelled like rosemary; at the chair in the corner which had a folded up towel resting on the seat; at the door that barracked you from the rest of the house; at the walls that separated you from the outside- from them. 

The thoughts came flooding back to you and you shuddered, thinking about what could and would definitely have happened if…you still didn't know his name. He had a whole nickname for you and you didn't know his name. You felt a little ashamed by that. 

You shook your head and tried to remind yourself that you didn't care about him even if he was really nice to you and clearly cared, at least a little for you. 

Your muscles ached and you would be lying if you said a bath didn't sound good but you were still reluctant to be so vulnerable in such an unfamiliar place. He did say you had one hour and you knew you had one hour. Reluctantly, you started to pull off your shoes. 

Who would it hurt? You were already in pain and if he had wanted anything like that he would have done it already. There was no point stressing, it wasn't going to help anyone, least of all you and you really wanted to not be in total discomfort. Especially not with the sharp pain in your arm. 

Eventually, you had pulled off all but your underwear. Folded all of your clothes in a pile next to the tub. Only now had you realised just how dirty they were, how dirty you were. You dreaded having to put those back on but that was a problem for later. For now you wanted to enjoy warm water and an actually nice smell. 

You looked back at the door once more, still a little paranoid that he would burst in and find you like this. All of those thoughts went away when you lowered your foot into the water. You hadn't had hot water since everything had gone to shit. 

You put the other foot in and then lowered yourself into the water. You sighed audibly as the warm water enveloped your aching body. It was nice, you felt lighter even if the smell wasn't doing anything to help your pounding head. 

You sat back, resting your back against the edge of the back and spreading out. Letting the warm water soothe your body. Gradually, you relaxed more and more. If you weren't so paranoid about a six foot ten man in a mask storming in on you, you would have stayed there forever. 

You didn't let yourself relax for too long since your mind had drifted back to the boy, so you busied yourself with washing all of the dirt from your skin. You watched the water gradually go from clear to a milky brown, as you scrubbed the dirt from the skin and hair. It felt nice to be clean and to smell of something other than sweat. You looked up at the ceiling and tried to figure out how long you'd been in the water. It must have been coming up to an hour now.

If you listened really carefully you could hear him pattering about in the kitchen. You managed to pull yourself out of the embrace of the slowly cooling water when you heard the pattering switch to slow footsteps up the stairs. When he reached the door he knocked, you panicked even though you had already wrapped yourself in the towel he had left on the chair. 

He opened the door a crack, clearly waiting for some indicator that you weren't still nude or in the bath. 

“Maus?” He seemed unsure. Whatever semblance of confidence he had, had left his tone. 

“I'm decent.” you assured him. You heard him puff out a little sigh of relief at that and he opened the door the rest of the way. He was holding a roll of bandages.

“You bathed.” he seemed both shocked and entirely unsurprised. You just nodded and looked down at your feet and the gradually expanding pool of water around them.

“I've got the sling.” He laughed at himself. “It's not a sling yet but-” He trailed off and looked down.

“I can do it later if you want Maus.” You shook your head and let him sling your arm, his hands felt warm on your skin and the fabric clung to the water still dripping from your hair. It wasn't so bad though, since some of the pressure on your arm was finally gone.

Your eyes drifted to the pile of clothes you had stacked by the bath. You really didn't want to have to put muddy clothes back on your finally clean body. His gaze followed yours to the pile of grimy clothes you had stacked by the bath.

“Come Maus.” This time he didn't look back to see if you were following. You hesitated for a moment, before you grabbed your clothes and scrambled to catch up with him. You weren't unfamiliar with the house. You had been there for a while, but now you were actually walking around it: One, when you could see and two, not while being flung over his shoulder.

It was nice, quaint. You had mostly envisioned living in a place like this when you were a kid. It was small and the floors were rickety, even crooked in some places, but it was nice. The walls, at least in this hallway, were a muted green and at the top of the stairs there was a table with a pot of flowers and a small book with a pen lying next to it.

He led you to the room in the corner. The one he had stowed you in, in the first few days. Originally, you had felt trapped but it was nice to walk around and actually take in the place.

He stopped at the door and waited for you to go in, then nodded towards the clothes he must have folded and placed on the bed.

You had previously refused to take in the room, but now that you were looking at it, it was nice. The walls were a pale violet and all of the wood in the room was light (birch maybe?); it was bright and airy, despite the fact that it was probably the early hours of the morning at this point.

You jumped when he shut the door. You heard him walk back down the stairs and figured it was probably time you stopped standing around in just a towel. He had left you another wooly jumper and a pair of baggy jeans, which were slighting too big on your waist, but you could definitely sort them out with a needle and thread.

You pulled your socks on before admiring the room for a little longer. There was a flower on the windowsill, you had never been good at flowers, but you were pretty sure it was a lily. On the wall to the left of the bed was a fireplace, it wasn't lit, but it was still warm from the fire he had built the night before for you.

You eventually made your way down the stairs, your steps never sounded quite as heavy as his. You placed that more down to the worn converse you had on, in comparison to his heavy combat boots. You could hear him humming in the kitchen, so you followed the sound and found him, slightly hunched, over the stove.

It was a little funny watching him in the kitchen, the ceilings were just high enough for him to stand up straight, but there were wooden beams running across the room in almost all of the rooms, so he had to hunch a lot. You wondered if he ever forgot and hit his head.

He turned his head when you hovered in the doorway. The mask lay next to him on the counter and he smiled when you met his eyes.

He hadn't said much of anything really, but he did nod towards a glass of water on the counter, which you reluctantly drank. You tried to look around him to see what he was cooking, but there was simply too much of him.

Instead, you retreated to the rustic looking table in the corner of the room. There were more plants in there than you had expected;it probably shouldn't have shocked you, because what better had he got to do than tend to plants?The world had literally ended.

You had thought about raiding a few bookstores, but you had never gotten around to it. You thought carrying books up the motorway would be a waste of valuable space and hell on your shoulders, but maybe if you were going to stay here you could get some? Who would it hurt? Not the already dead economy; definitely not the probably dead authors. That's if you were going to stay here. You had come back so you would have thought that meant- yes you were staying but were you really willing to stay with the man that had kidnapped you? Even if he wasn't still keeping you here.

On the other hand, it would be really nice to not have to worry about the world, or what would happen if you ever did make it up to your grandparents and they weren't there or they weren't alive or they had…Yeah, you would rather not think about that part.

It was times like these that you wished you had your mum, you hoped she was okay. That she had gotten somewhere safe and she had managed to stay with your siblings. You can't imagine she dealt well losing one child, losing more would probably break her.

You looked up to find him looking at you. You didn't entirely know what to do with that so you just stayed where you were and just looked into the water you were drinking. He turned back round when you didn't meet his eyes.

Whatever he was cooking didn't take long once you were downstairs, so you sat in a somewhat awkward silence for around 10 minutes before a bowl was placed in front of you.

You weren't exactly sure what it was, soup of some kind?. It smelt nice enough but you were still wary of it. It's not like you hadn't already been taking food from a stranger, but that was different. You needed that considering how long it had been since you had eaten real food and not just berries on the road.

Regardless, it felt different now, you pushed your spoon around the bowl and watched the vegetables move through the broth. It even looked like there was meat in there. It made sense, to you at least, you had assumed a man like him would know how to hunt.

He studied you for a moment, before leaning back against the counter and eating his own portion. You figured that was a good enough sign that he wasn't trying to kill you. You didn't really know why he didn't sit down at the table with you, maybe he was trying to make you less uncomfortable, maybe he also didn't like you. That thought bothered you a little, it's not like you should care because you didn't like him but what had you done to make him dislike you? Why did you even care that he might dislike you?

You decided to drown out your thoughts with soup- it was nice. Nothing particularly special but it was nice, you wondered if he likes cooking or if it was just a necessity for him. You didn't think you would mind picking up chores like that, if you did stay that is.

You took almost twice the time he did to finish your food. Especially since you spent most of the time pushing it around the bowl; it was mostly cold by the time you had finished, but you could feel his gaze on you and looking up felt like an unachievable task.

When you finally managed to look away from your empty bowl he smiled. “You look tired Maus.” He sounded sweet, almost concerned.

“Well I didn't get much sleep with my planning to escape and all.” Your response came out a little more dry and snappy than you had intended.

His face morphed into a frown at your response. “Maybe you should sleep then.” This time his tone matched yours. “You know where your room is.”

You felt a little bad, but you made your way upstairs anyway. You had no clue what brought on you being so rude in that moment. Maybe you were tired. You pulled the door, to what he had called your room shut, and got into bed. It was near dawn, but it was dark enough to sleep or at least to try. The bed was comfortable, a little dusty but it was nice, far better then the car seats you had been sleeping on prior to meeting him, you still didn't ask his name. Could you even now? Without it being awkward. Maybe? It's not like he knew your name either but he has been calling you Maus and you were okay with that.

You weren't sure when you drifted off, but now you wished you hadn't. You were back in the forest, you could hear the same shuffling from earlier, that poor boy's incessant muttering. You had tried to run but he was faster this time, on top of you in seconds. You stumbled, both of you hitting the floor hard and before you had time to react, he was pinning you down. The vile mix of froth and drool hanging from his mouth.

You screamed and thrashed, trying desperately to get out of his grasp or put some form of distance between the two of you- but it was no use.

Your eyes stung with tears and a sob tore through you, your wrist started to hurt again. The ache started morphing back to sharp pains. The boy shook you…the boy shook you? You slowly came back to reality, to the pale violet of the walls, to the dusty smell of the room, to the two warm hands that cupped your cheeks.

“Maus?” The man looked down at you, the concern he was feeling evident on his face.

You take a few deep breaths and then realise that he's touching you. You rip yourself away from him, as comforting as it was, you didn't want to like him. You did have to admit that it was comforting, but still you didn't want to get attached to someone and you definitely didn't want that someone to be him.

He seemed a little hurt but let you distance yourself from him.

“He can't hurt you, Maus.” You know he was just trying to comfort you but you also knew that the dead kid in the woods wasn't going to start walking again, and something about the fact that he felt the need to point it out annoyed you. Maybe it was that you were tired, you would have liked a good night's sleep or maybe it was just because you didn't want to accept that he was really nice.

“I know.” The words once again came out more snappy than you had intended. Maybe it was your lack of human contact prior to meeting him; you had never considered yourself to be one for holding grudges, but maybe it was because he kidnapped you.

He sighed and stood up from the bed. “I'll let you be Maus.”

“Um-” You immediately regretted opening your mouth. “What do I call you?”

The corners of his mouth curled into a slight smirk. “König.” His voice was low, almost a whisper, as he made his way to the door.

You hadn't heard a name like that before, when he reached the door you were suddenly struck with panic at the thought of his absence.

“Stay.” Your voice came out slightly strained and higher at the end, almost making it seem like a question. “Just until I-” Your cheeks had definitely flushed. “In case I-” You were embarrassed,you sounded like a child asking for a night light, but this was rational, right? It made sense to want someone there.

The smirk on his face morphed into a small genuine smile, as we walked over to a chair in the corner of the room. It was a bit worn but went shockingly well with the room. The chair groaned under his weight when he sat down.

You would be uncomfortable having his gaze on you if your eyes weren't so heavy. It was a struggle to keep them open. “König, is it German?” Your voice comes out quieter than expected, but he hears anyway. Despite your heavy lids you saw the nod he gave you.

“Are you German?” You muttered again, fighting off the need to sleep and taking advantage of your hazy mood.

“Austrian” he responded in the same soft tone.

By this point you had stopped trying to keep your eyes open. “Like Hitler.” your voice was heavy with sleep and you could hear your words starting to slur slightly.

He chucked at that, it was a nice sound. You heard the chair creak as he moved. “Yeah, I guess.”

You eventually managed to fall asleep, you weren't sure for how long, but when you eventually got up there was a warm stream of sunlight hitting your face. You weren't sure of the time, but you couldn't hear birds like you could in the early morning and when you looked over to the chair, König was gone. You could, however, hear grunts coming from somewhere beneath your window and the sound of metal hitting wood? You thought it was anyway.

You made your way over to the window, partly because it meant you got to enjoy the sun on your face for a while longer but also to investigate the noise. The room you were in backed out into the cottage's overgrown garden. Considering the size of the house the garden was quite big, although most of it now had been turned into space for crops there were still patches of unruly grass lining the areas of tilled dirt and the greenhouse that sat in one corner, near the hedge lining the back.

In the opposite corner was König, next to him were two piles of wood, one looked to be what he would use for fires and such and the other like the lumber he clearly intended to cut; He used a large tree stump as a surface to cut the wood.

You glanced around your room, the wardrobe caught your eye. It was nice, dusty for sure but nice. It had carved flower details on each panel of the door and a mirror on each side separating the panels. It didn't look like it had been opened in…well ever.

Much to your shock when you opened it, there was a small selection of clothes. You figured he must have scavenged clothes of all sizes ,but the ones in here seemed nice. There were a few pairs of jeans, more of those wooly jumpers he would put you in and some plain t-shirts. Folded up in the very back was a dress, it was sage green and had small embroidered flowers. It looked a little big for you -at least on the bust- but if he would let you, you'd take it in.

You held the dress up to your body, you even shut the doors so you could look at it against your form. You smiled at your reflection, it was a pretty dress and it suited you quite well.

As much as you wanted to wear it, you decided against it. Instead, you took one of the t-shirts and a pair of jeans before you folded the dress and placed it back in the wardrobe. It belonged on a hanger but they were none in there so delicate folding would have to do for the time being. Regardless, you had no intention of letting it gather dust in there.

You wondered if you would be about to find fabric in some of the looted stores, you had always had an interest in sewing and the idea of creating your own clothes brought a smile to your face- Something particularly rare since the outbreak.

You glanced back out the window and let your eyes fall on König as he brought down the axe on another piece of wood and finally made your way down the stairs and into the garden.

The sunlight felt just as nice, as it had through the window and the light breeze was equally pleasant.

König looked up when you walked into the garden. “Maus” he greeted you and placed the axe against the tree stump. He had worked up quite a sweat, which made sense;His sleeves rolled up and his breathing heavy from the activity.

“Good morning.” You had to look away because of how you felt your cheeks heat up. You had absolutely no idea what was happening, you hated him. He had essentially kidnapped you, so what if he had nice arms and his voice made you smile? So what if he was nice to you and had given you your freedom; not that you were sure he ever really took it away now. He still did it. Technically.

You looked up at the sun and figured it was probably late morning. Your days on the road had made it easier to judge, since after dusk you would have to take shelter in cars to avoid the sick.

“Do you do that often?” You cringed realising how much that sounded like a shitty pickup line.

He clearly picked up on that too because when he looked up from the stump he was smirking. “Gonna offer to buy me a drink too, Maus?” He teased. “I was running low.” He chuckled and picked the axe back up before looking at you again.

“Why don't you try, Maus? I'm sure it will make it more fun, at least for me.” He smiles and hands you the axe. “Know what you're doing?”

You nodded, even though in truth you didn't and having only one usable arm would probably make it harder. You hoped that what you had watched from the window would be enough to not have you make a complete fool of yourself. König set a log on the stump for you and then took a step back.

You gave him a nervous smile as you lifted the axe and then brought it down onto the piece of wood. The wood barely splintered but it was enough for the edge to go in. He snickered to himself while he watched you attempt to get the tool out; or the rest of the way through the timber.

“You can't laugh!” You complained. “You're ruining my performance!” You hadn't really noticed, but you were grinning too. You gave the wood a few more bashes before dramatically tossing it down.

You looked at him for a moment, trying to keep a straight face before the two of you burst out laughing.

“I did a great job! How dare you.” You spoke between fits of laughter. “Plus I'm down a hand!” You gesture to the sling before you cast your eyes back to the unchopped wood. “It was just really strong wood.” You tried to say it as seriously as you could, but it only made the two of you laugh harder.

“Thought you would be better with an axe” He nodded towards a bench at the back of the garden. Not too far from where he was. “Geh und setz dich.” When you tilted your head in confusion he smiled and translated for you. “Go sit, Maus.”

“You keep calling me Maus.” You weren't really sure if it was a question or if you were simply stating the obvious to him. In all honesty you were a little curious but maybe it was better not to know. “It sounds like mouse.” Yeah, definitely just pointing out the obvious.

“That's because it means mouse.” He chuckled again and if you were looking at him he would definitely still be grinning.

“You've been calling me a mouse the whole time?! Why?” You weren't sure why it shocked you but then again it wasn't exactly a common nickname.

“Because you're small, and cute, like a mouse.” He said it like it was obvious, you felt heat rise to your cheeks but that was just embarrassment- obviously.

“I'm like average height, you're just the size of a small house.” he let out an amused breath.

“Whatever you say, schatz.” the smile still hasn't fallen from his face, when he brought the axe down on another piece of wood. You gazed around the garden, it was pretty and very organised. You looked over the rows of crops, you couldn't imagine a guy like him gardening. Nurturing little seeds and shoots, but needs must right?

You got a little lost in your thoughts and the rhythm of him bringing the axe down onto the pieces of wood; You barely even caught yourself staring.

Why were you staring? It's not like you had never seen a man before. Technically, never that much man but still. He was just a guy, a 6’ft something guy that looked like he could snap a person in half but just a big guy.

He didn't seem to notice anyway, not that it stopped you from feeling embarrassed. You spent most of your time around him for the past few hours in some state of flushed. Which made no sense because you were still mad at him right? It only made sense to be. Even if he was sweet you were supposed to be upset.

You looked at the man you regarded as your captor. You didn't feel like that anymore. It was like if you really wanted to leave you could, probably could have in the beginning. He was sweet if nothing else, he was even willing to sit with you while you fell asleep ; You wondered how long he sat there for before he left. If he got up the minute you drifted off or if he waited.

God you were being such an idiot. It was definitely just because you had been alone for so long- Nothing more, just enjoying human interaction after so long.

You jumped when he brought the axe down on the wood again. You looked between him and the growing pile.

“Surely that's enough.” He nods in response.

“Probably.” He brings the axe down on another chunk of wood. “But I don't like doing this so it's easier to get a stockpile.”

“How long have you been here?” Considering the crops it must have been a while right? That would make sense at least, maybe it was a holiday home? Or he just moved here when things got bad because it was secluded.

“Found it.” He looked down at the wood, and his voice was quieter than before. “When I found it there were two-” He sighed.

“A couple lived here, when I got here they were already sick… I think the wife got it first, she was worse off.” He looked back up but didn't make eye contact. “They attacked, probably half starved and- well”

You got the rest, you kinda got the rest the minute he started talking. That explained the dresses in the wardrobe, the pretty furniture and probably the garden too.

After a while, you broke the silence. “Did the military know anything about it?” In asking, you failed to change the subject and lighten the mood but you were curious. You couldn't help it.

“Higher ups said it was like rabies, but they didn't tell us much more than shoot on sight. Not a lot else really” He seemed so nonchalant about it.

You knew that much, that much was on the news; then the radio when the TVs went down. The government knew it was like rabies and that you couldn't get bit, or swap any sort of fluids.

Regardless, it all happened so fast, since it was quite slow acting and nobody really showed signs;Until most people had it and by that time it was too late to think about a cure or a vaccine. Last you heard the government, or what was left of it, wasn't even trying to make a cure or a vaccine. They had simply hidden out in some ‘safe city', but that hadn't really shocked you either.

“Did you have to do that a lot? Shoot on sight?” He nodded in response and started piling the chopped wood back into the little storage shed in the garden, presumably to keep it dry.

When he got to the last few pieces, he picked them up and put them under his arm before making his way towards the house.

“You coming Maus?” You nodded and followed behind him, pulling the door shut after you. He placed the wood down in a basket and then went to the kitchen.

Lunch was cold soup, because he said he didn't want to start a fire this early in the day.You didn't particularly mind even if it was better when it was warm like yesterday.

The rest of the day was very uneventful, König went back into the garden and you sat with him. Mostly in silence, since you had run out of conversation topics and he was focused on the garden. Shockingly, more focused than he had been while he was working with the axe.

Over the next few weeks, you picked up the routine, it was rare that you would have breakfast; and lunch was always whatever had been cooked the night before. König would hunt every other Thursday- mainly hare. You went with him a few times, eager to spread the chores more. Only because you were going to stay, or at least until your arm healed then you might get back on the road.

So far you have volunteered for collecting and boiling rain water as well as cooking. Originally, you had offered to help garden (or hunt) but with one functional arm you weren't particularly good at either of those. The other problem with hunting being that you didn't really like guns or killing the animals.

So instead of hunting when he went out, you would forage somewhere nearby so he could keep an eye on you. He never put it like that but you knew that was why. It wasn't like you wanted to go far anyway, for fear of another run in with a wanderer.

It had been working well, the both of you appreciated the company and spreading the workload seemed to be helping König too. He looked less tired than he did before, you can't say he got any softer because he was always smiles when you were around but he did have more energy.

Obviously you did too, since you were finally able to eat more than scavenged granola bars, you were doing better too. The protein was helping your arm heal too and you couldn't deny how nice it was to have someone around to talk to.

Before you even really knew it, you had been with him a few months and your arm had almost completely healed. It was weaker than the other one and sometimes a bit achy but overall it was better and you were happy. The thought of leaving now was silly, why would you? To go up to your grandparents and probably find them dead? There was no appeal to it anymore, you had already lost enough people and the idea of potentially losing more was not something you really wanted to dwell on.

So it seemed like you were staying; regardless, you had become a functioning member of the house. You had jobs, jobs that weren't just to stay alive and not get lost.

So you decide you will stay because it's smarter, and that's easier to admit than staying because you're happy. Plus you just so happen to like the guy that ‘kidnapped’ you.

[ranaissingle]

Whispers and Melodies

(Rhysand X Reader)

Summary: She has heard a deep melodic voice speaking to her from a far away place for decades. Anything from snippets of a longer conversation to roars that shook the very earth she walked on.

Rating: T (for now)

A cup of tea sat cooling on the window sill of a small cottage on the outskirts of the Day Court. The quaint home overlooked a large river delta with roiling waters whose waves flowed into an ocean only a stone's throw away. Inside the cottage sat a girl gazing into the night sky while she forgot all of the day's troubles. 

The healer had spent the entire day tending to patients from the village near her cottage. It was a quaint town whose community was close-knit and small. It had taken the townspeople a while to grow accustomed to me but as the years had come and gone, they had opened up to each other. Her skills as a healer also aided in this endeavor. But despite how much she enjoyed her dealings with the townspeople, her favorite part of her job was the research that it allowed. At the end of a hard day of treating her patients, she could lock herself up in her office and lose herself in the formulas and ratios she tested in her compounds. 

Y/N padded over to her small kitchen, mug in hand, and placed it into her sink before walking toward her research room and locking the door behind her.

She always thought of her research room as a safe haven. The vials full of various substances that she had been testing littered her desk along with her carefully taken notes about the contents and phase changes of each substance on her log book. Her most recent project had been to synthesize some type of blood clotting or replenishing potion that would allow her to administer it to a patient who was more likely to die of blood loss before she even had the chance to solve any of their injuries. A potion like this would allow her ample time to stitch up any wound or brew some other cure for poisons and the like. 

Her current issue consisted of not being able to stabilize the potion for long-term storage. The fennel root and crushed carrowfish shell she’d added seemed to be slowly decomposing each other which made the potion essentially useless after more than 4 days of storage. The trials she was running right now attempted to add some honey which slowed the reaction process as well as introduced some antimicrobial properties to the potion. 

Y/N quickly jotted down the physical changes in appearance and consistency of each of the test tubes with varying amounts of honey. Each testing glass contained more honey than the last. Whichever combination yielded the best preservation and overall effectiveness is the ratio that she would begin perfecting. 

Y/N stayed in her laboratory until she felt her eyes begin to strain and her feet start to ache. She carefully placed all of her measuring tools and weights back onto her working table before she exited the room and made her way to the front door of her cottage. She undid all 3 locks and tugged the large oak door open with both her hands. 

In the distance, she saw a figure. A male it seemed; lying on the ground as the ocean lapped at his skin and crusted it in dried salt. The setting sun gleamed against him and warmed his pale skin in a sheen of gold that she thought suited him much more than the sickly pallor he seemed to have. Most people tended to steer clear of her section of the beach out of some deeply engrained paranoia of outsiders. But this male seemed to have missed that particular message.

Rhysand had known he had been fooled the moment he stepped into the ballroom on that fateful day. Amaranth had promised a ball in celebration of the many alliances she had made as well as an apology to those she had wronged. Rhysand had gone to the ball purely for formalities' sake. He had always loathed these types of false pretenses that the upper echelon of fae had always insisted on perpetuating. Nonetheless, he had dragged himself out of his court that afternoon and appeared at this ball. His own cowardice to refuse Amarantha’s invitation had resulted in 50 years of extortion, rape, and violence that despite his centuries of experience, he could not seem to shake the black cloud that it had cast over him. 

Feyre being his mate was not something he had seen coming nor was it something he wanted. Tamlin would treat her well, she cared for all of his people and he would care for Feyre Rhys was sure. Despite his freedom, Rhysand could not bring himself to go to his home in Velaris. His family was likely waiting for him to return but they would all know exactly what had happened to him as soon as he stepped in the door. He did not wish to deal with their horrified faces and pitying looks once they found out. So instead, he wandered. 

He wandered around lands both Night Court and Day. He walked and flew so far that he ended up somewhere on a coastline. Rhys has no idea where he had landed but he didn't seem to care that he was likely lost. So as the sun set, he continued a slow walk along the cliffside coast and eventually down onto the sandy beaches. The sun sunk further into the horizon leaving only the gleaming light of a cottage in the far-off distance. As Rhys drew closer, he noticed a crop garden with some vegetables and herbs growing on the plot off to the side of the house and a water well located up a hill. Rhysand was tired. He was tired of walking, of flying, of breathing even. He just wanted to rest. He wanted to sleep on a soft bed and not have to think about anything at all, not be worried that one wrong move would result in the death of everyone he had ever loved. So he made his way closer to the cottage before sitting on the wet sand closest to the water and stretching out his long legs. The water lapped at his feet and calves, almost as if it was slowly pulling away all the tension that wound itself in his legs. He stared out at the ocean for what seemed like an eternity. Rhysand got lost in the repetitive movements of the water and the slowly setting sun in the distance casting beautiful colors on the waters and sand. 

When he eventually woke up from what felt like an eternity of slumber, he was not nestled in the sand as he had expected. Instead, he was cushioned underneath with quilts and pillows, and on top of him lay thick blankets to combat the morning chill that often accompanied this time of the year. The room itself looked lived in, to say the least. Canvas’ and embroidery projects were pinned to the wall in various positions. Everything from people to landscaping were inscribed into the wall. Pages that appeared to be ripped out of books with certain lines underlined also adorned the cedarwood walls. The entire room smelled of something woody and calm that Rhysand couldn't quite a place. He stretched up from his lying position and slowly removed the layers of quilts and blankets from him. His legs felt sore and ached from the hours of walking he had done the day before. He tried to stretch his wing muscles but they also ached from their overuse. He hadn't flown in decades, yet he had taken to the sky’s as soon as he could as if he had never left the great blue expanse. He now felt his lack of practice as he tried to rotate his shoulders and ease the aches that had rooted themselves in his back. 

A shuffle from outside the door had Rhysand snapping his neck towards the door. He slowly lifted himself off the bed, careful to make sure none of the wooden beams snapped. He paced towards the door and stuck his ear against the wood grain to listen for any further movements. He was listening to the slicing of metal that would indicate a weapon the characteristic heavy footfalls that usually indicated a warrior of some capacity. Instead, he heard sharp cutting noises blunted by a wooden board, the shuffle of lithe feet, and the soft humming of a female. 

Hello everyone! It has been too long! So many things have happened in the last months and I can't wait to get back into the groove of posting multiple-part stories.

[t-a-k-a-k-o]

Heyyy can I ask for weight loss tips ?

Yeah! I have a few but idk if they work, it's just a couple things I have done, so yeah (⁠✿⁠^⁠‿⁠^⁠)

Log ur food BEFORE eating, it is easier to stick by that way

Walking is SO much better than running, it's low impact (so it's easier for injured ppl :D) and u can keep it up much longer than a run

A brisk walk can burn more than a run, my favorite (on a treadmill) is ~4.0 mph (~6.4 km/h), it is pretty easy to stick to, you work up a light sweat, and it burns abt 250 cal per hour

Take SMALL sips of water between each bite of food, like hold a cup with a straw, take a bite with one hand and sip with the other, if it's in ur hand (or at the edge of the table) it makes it easier, at first I would take like gulps but even just enough to wet ur tongue works

Portion ur snacks, if u have a big bag of like veggie chips portion it into the recommended serving size or whatever amount u want, otherwise u might eat more and it's harder to control urself, if it's in containers or little bags whatever, just portion

Eat ur healthy food first, if u have a balanced meal eat ur vegetables and fruit first, then move up for calories, so eat ur food lowest cal to highest bc u might get full from the lower cal stuff first, save some fruit for the end of ur meal tho so ur mouth feels clean and the reason why ppl eat dessert/crave sweetness after eating is because their body is craving fruit to aid digestion

Try little workout apps (yk the stupid ones like "lose weight in 30 days) it may not be much but it gets u to burn a few extra calories in a short time if ur busy, they are fairly easy and beginner friendly, and depending on which one u can actually feel them work if u want to burn more than just a bit, it also holds u accountable

Adjust ur calorie limit by weight, if u lose like 10 lbs (4.5 kg) u can't consume the same amount of calories bc ur maintenance amount is lower now and u will plateau

I recently started this, but have a weight tracker on ur body, I have a chain that I put on like permanent jewelry around my waist, it's like African waist beads or I think in Latin America they use like a string, it makes it so if u don't know when to stop eating it will tell u by the way ur stomach expands

DRINK DRINK DRINK WATER, I try to drink at LEAST a US gallon (~4 l) every day

OMAD is one of the BEST things if u live with family, skip ur insignificant meals and the one ur family most often sits together/finds "important" is the one u eat

If ur at home and ur craving food, take a shower, take a shower, take a couple hours for self care, pamper ur skin a bit, by the time ur done u will feel fresh and the craving will probably be gone

Try to not "give up" like if u have eaten like crap and u want a cookie try to not be like "oh well I'm doing bad enough today anyway" personally that just leads to more guilt and purg1ng

Ok this one may sound a bit weird, but gaslight urself, after eating some and the feeling in ur stomach changes be like "omg I'm so full" and keep saying it aloud, and if u eat more u will lowkey be shamed by others bc they will say stuff like "I thought u were full", gaslight urself into being like "I don't feel hungry" I do those two a lot but, gaslight urself into liking things, disliking things, putting in effort, etc.

This one rly made me work out, if I am laying in bed and I am a bit (even just a teeny TINY bit) restless I tell myself "if I'm just gonna scroll [Tumblr] I might as well walk while I do it" and then I consciously get up, walk into my basement, and on this treadmill we got (it was free from a friend and the middle is broken but it functions enough, and it's still snowing where I live), it doesn't matter what u wear, as long as u can make urself get up u and exercise it's a win (esp with depression lol), I have worked out in nice little workout clothes to rly give the vibes but I have also worked out in pajamas, my 16 km walk for my birthday I did on the treadmill in fluffy socks (I got rly bad blisters so I don't recommend it but it turned out fine, I was planning on a short little walk but it just extended a whole lot) just getting urself up is a win so whatever it takes, do it

If u have workout equipment at home, u don't have to raw dog it, listen to music, read a book, scroll on Tumblr, etc. no one says u can't

In my experience eating even a bit during a fast just leads into temptation, I do better when I don't eat at all than eating a bit bc after I eat a bit I see how hungry I am

That was a lot but those r the ones I can think of off the top of my head, if I remember more I can post more if u want, but yk what? Don't feel bad, ik it sounds stupid but it rly is the best thing u can do, if u binge move on, it's in the past, if u r not able to get up and exercise that's ok, just by being ur beautiful self u burn calories, if ur exhausted and u need something to run on eat a snack, it's better to be able to keep going than drown

I don't know if anyone will rly make it all the way down here but I just want u all to know u r loved by sooo many ppl no matter what u look like, every single one of u are art and art is in the eye of the beholder, I hope ur fast goes easy and u lose a kilo before u step on a scale again

Ily all and stay safe ♡♡♡

[charmsandtealeaves]

Just Drink

Working on a few things tidied away in my writing vault. @jilymicrofics ☕☕☕☕ Read it on AO3.

James peered warily into the teacup that was being offered to him, holding his palms open to begrudgingly accept it. The amber-coloured liquid was murky, and if he was honest didn’t look very inviting - not what he had expected when Lily had offered to make him a cup of tea while they completed Professor McGonagall’s latest dastardly Transfiguration essay before bed. They’d secluded themselves in their shared head students’ space after doing their usual castle patrol. Lights out wasn’t for another hour and he was sure to snap grumpily at the excited chattering of the first years if they tried to finish in the Gryffindor common room. 

“Do you want it or not Potter?” she asked, briskly. 

“It’s got no milk in it,” he replied. 

“It’s cinnamon tea. It’s not supposed to” She thrusted the cup into his palms. 

“Personally, I’d go for an English Breakfast or Earl Grey,” James muttered, swirling the contents of his cup with one hand and letting spirals of steam waft up his nose. 

The aroma was a blend of warmth, slight fruitiness, and almost vanilla-like. It reminded him of third year when he’d tried Divination for the supposedly easy grade until he and Sirius got themselves kicked out for smashing too many precious cups and saucers.  

“You’re the one who's been complaining about feeling stiff all week thanks to Quidditch! It's good for you. Look here, read the packet if you don’t trust me.” Lily grabbed the small purple cardboard box off the kitchenette bench and tossed it at him, and he caught it swiftly in one hand despite the lackluster throw. 

He had to admit she was right, he had been complaining about feeling stiff and sore. But their first match of the year was just a week away and the team needed all the practice they could get. James scanned the box description briefly.

Made from the inner bark of the cinnamon tree, and steeped in boiling water, Cinnamon tea is full of beneficial compounds that may offer various health benefits. These benefits include aiding weight loss, improving heart health, alleviating menstrual cramps, and reducing inflammation and blood sugar levels.

He could now understand why the girls from her dormitory were always coming in to raid Lily’s private herbal tea stash from the kitchenette. She had an entire cabinet full of boxes of various fruity concoctions she brought from home or bought from Madam Puddifoot's tea shop in Hogsmeade.  

“I’m not PMSing Evans. I just have a twinge in my neck, that's all.” James scoffed. 

“Keep reading, idiot,” Lily scolded. “It’ll loosen you up.”

“Drinking Cinnamon tea at night before going to bed helps relax tired muscles, build immunity, boost metabolism, and aid digestion - all this while you sleep peacefully!” James read aloud as he brought the cup to his lips and took a few cautious sips. The taste was slightly tangy but it wasn’t terrible. 

“Could do with a bit of sugar,” he muttered. 

“I already put a little honey in it for sweetness, you don’t need any more.” 

“You tellin’ me I’m sweet enough Evans?” James responded coyly. 

“Just drink your tea, you bellend.”

[writingoddess1125]

My Shooting Star

A Request I received on Ko-Fi, Hope you enjoy Darling!

Shanks x FemReader x Mihawk

⚠️ Warnings: ⚠️ Sadness, depression, mention of injury.

Request more stories on Ko-Fi

You stepped back, a bit frightened by his sudden forwardness and general excitement he possessed. He raised a brow in confusion at this as he took a step back.

You're my Shooting Star...

Shooting Star...

Pain... it was so painful..

Black waves, Crushing Boulders, Dark skys and purple sand. That is the first things you saw when you opened your eyes.

Your body ached and your lungs burned from salt water that you forces from your lungs. Pulling yourself up slowly from the icy water you saw that you were in a foreboding place like it had been cursed to be dreary and bleak, wincing as a sharp pain shot through the back of your head as you tried to focus your gaze around you but the darkness wasnt helping.

Rolling up you see a shadow, like a castle just up the beach.. your aching head screaming that it was shelter and possibly help. Crawling through the sand you make it to the steps of the castle, climbing the dark cobblestone and opening the massive doors.

Collapsing in the hallway you felt your body burning in pain, like you had scrapped your knee but over most of your body.

You didn't even hear the sound of footsteps approaching you. That was till a sword was brought to your neck, The steel warmer then the chill from your bones as you looked up. There standing was a man, in a open white shirt, gold cross hanging from his neck and a stoic face that was chiseled just like the black facial hair and combed back darkness on his head.

"How dare you break into my home.. State your business" He hissed, not lowering his blade as you stared up at him from the ground.

"I-I need help.." You managed out, before coughing up more water from your lungs onto his floor. Him cringing at the sight.

He stared at you before lowering his blade and returning it to his back. His eyes looking over you before sighing and holding a hand to you- which you accepted and finally stood up on uneasy legs.

Supporting most of your weight with ease, He lead you to what looked to be a study and set you a bit ungratefully into a large chair. Sitting across from you with a heavy scowl on his face-

"I am Dracule Mihawk- How did you find my home?" He questioned, his eyes narrowed dangerously at you as you sat in the chair shivering from the wet clothes.

"I-I don't know? I just washed on shore" You admit, the man's yellowed eyes locking onto you as his brow raised.

"You are dressed in pirate gear- What crew did you sail with?" He questioned but you gave another 'I don't know' answer.

"What is your name?" He asked, Staring at you as he poured you a cup of tea. Your head hurt... and you winced when you tried to think... but nothing came up.

"I-I don't remember?.. Honestly I don't remember anything.. I judt remeber waking up on that sand out there" You admit, rubbing the back of your head once more and wincing. Mihawk standing up and leaning over to take a look at the back of your head, seeing a horrendous wound there which he attributed to your memory loss.

"It looks like you have a head wound...Ill return soon"

Standing up suddently he went off to grab the first aid kit quickly he began to clean the back of your head.

He asked you basic questions, ones you didn't know the answer to in any way which he seemed to forgive.

"May I see whatever else is hurting?" He questioned, You nodding and pulling away the wet cut up fabric of your coat and shirt underneath. The fresh air adding a cold sting to your body as you saw the harsh twisting wounds thay decorated your body, like your body had been sent through a grater or rubbed raw with a pumice stone. Mihawk winced at the sight, sighing as he saw many tattoos that had been on your body was clearly removed by your treatment of the sea.

"Looks like the sea was not kind to you.." He whispered softly as he set to work cleaning you up. Talking to you about nothing as he tried to distract you as he worked, picking bits of coral and stones from your flesh. Once it was all over and you were wrapped in bandages Mihawk gave you a shot of a strong alcohol to help the pain. He found some leftovers which he quickly fed you as well and gave you some more booze to help dull the pain through your body. Offering some clothes to change into as well as he helped you to your feet again.

"You can stay here to rest.." He said softly, guiding you himself to a nice bedroom were you could rest- That night dreams of a red ship filled your mind, sailing with blurred faces of people you had once knew and the warmth of someone kissing your face.. it was bittersweet and you didn't know why.

It had been a few weeks you'd spent with Mihawk and Perona. They were so nice to you, and in truth you had started to really like Mihawk. He was quiet sure but he was so kind as well, He helped your wounds and would keep a careful eye on you. You saw it and maybe because you didn't know his true identity you saw a sparkle of enjoyment everytime you came to speak to him-

In that time Mihawk and you had found a name for you, (Y/N)- You two having spent some time in the library together as Perona came in and out screaming if it was cute or not. Finally finding one that suit you and you liked hearing yourself being called by.

However it seemed the quiet bliss you were experiencing was soon to be disrupted once more, as a storm rolled in much like the one that had brought you and a massive knock on the door brought Mihawks attention from the chess match he shared with you.

Telling you to wait you watched him leave the library you two were playing in- It was almost 30 minutes of silence. Eventually standing up to go see what was happening, You didn't hear any fighting or anything but could see that the fireplace in the Study had been lit and light was pouring out. Silently walking over you took a peak inside, Hearing a small conversation spoken between two men.

There a red haired man sat, talking to Mihawk in a stressed way as he ran a single hand over his tired face. He reminded you of a weathered dog, Kindness still in those eyes but a loyalty and fierceness that said he had seen a lot. Mihawk caught you staring and nodded at you.

"Ah, (Y/N)- this is Shanks" Mihawk said calmly as he gestured for you to enter further, The red haired man standing to greet you.

He turned to stare at you with wide eyes, a wide smile breaking over his face as he rushed to you suddently. His hand reaching out to cup your cheek in affection.

"Starlight! You're alive I'm so glad my Love I was worried sick for you!"

"Starlight? It's me Shanks- You know me" He emphasized.

"I-Im sorry but... I don't remeber you" you say softly, his eyebrows raising in surprise at this

He tried... for weeks he stayed on that island, bringing foods he claimed you like, songs you used to love, and books that used to inspire you. Non of which held the value or interest you apparently once had for them-

His face washing in worry as the realization whatever marks had been on your body had long since been washed away by the new scars that decorated your body. He swallowed thickly as he took a shaky breath, Mihawk grabbing Shanks shoulder gently.

"Shanks... Let us talk about this privately. I do not think it is fair to frighten them like this" Mihawk said softly, the Red head opening his mouth ready to protest but looked at you once more. Recognizing the shine of fear in your eyes.. so he nodded softly at this. Mihawk waving you to leave and go to bee, which you did and glanced back to see the red hair man looking to Mihawk as fresh tears ran down his cheeks... your heart aching at the sight even if you didn't understand.

The next morning when you went for breakfast you saw everyone was already there, Perona seeing you up and quickly dismissing herself back to her room. Which ment this wasn't good.. Taking a seat Shanks started talking immediately, you not even able to take a sip of your tea.

"Starlight- er sorry (Y/N) I wanted to apologize for how I approached you last night.. But I wanted to explain... See you were a member of my Crew and.. my partner" He started, you feeling a wave of embarrassment and unease hitting you at his words. Mihawk taking a sip of his tea as he clearly wanted this to be as civil as possible.

"However not long ago we were in a terrible battle, a storm hitting the ship before you were swept overboard. Me and the crew trying to find you but was unsuccessful and even I was separated from my ship in the disaster.." He mumbled, clearly unset from the situation for himself as well.

"Mihawk has taken his position as your Ward of sorts.. and well" Shanks hesitated clearly unsure how to proceed so the Warlord stepped in.

"He wants to stay here, see if he can jostle your memories in a few weeks and if by the time he needs to leave if you'd join him" Mihawk said calmly, fear hitting your heart at the request... you looked at both men, Mihawk of course keeping his eyes lowered to not sway your opinion while Shanks stared at you with pleading eyes.

"Okay.. I'll give it a chance" You say softly and give a hesitant nod. The red head smiling brightly at this.

"I'm glad (Y/N)- I promise it will be fine" He said in a reassuring way, however you felt unease in your soul as you took a bite of your now cooled breakfast.

Mihawk keeping a close eye on Shanks to make sure he didn't throw you in a panic or go too far in wishing for you to remember him.

You bit your bottom lip, your stomach churning at the choices laid before you. A man who swore you loved him, vs the man you found yourself falling in love with.. a past that you had lost or a future you could see.

You however just felt guilty- It was like being told you were someone's fantasy but not living up to their ideas.. you didn't know who this 'Starlight' was, What she liked or what she did. You wanted to help Shanks and make him feel better but when something just didn't click for you, the disappointment in his eyes were unmistakable.. many nights you would go to Mihawks room and cry, letting him hold you as you admitted your guilt of hurting the stranger and seeing his broken heart.

Clearly after your tearful cries for far too many nights, Mihawk had called off the trial between you and Shanks. Deciding it was best to make a decision now.

Gathering in the Study you sat awkwardly in a chair as Shanks and Mihawk went back and forth, bickering about if they should let you continue humoring Shanks and leaving with him or stay with Mihawk and live your life as (Y/N).

"Shanks this is ignornat- You can't force her to remember and you are putting to much pressure on her" Mihawk stressed, Shanks glaring at his peer.

"She needs to remember- You are giving in too quickly and when she wakes up she's going to regret ever-"

"Enough!" You finally spoke drawing both their attentions.

"I think this is my choice" You spoke firmly, both men growing quiet as Mihawk nodded in respect of your wish and Shanks doing the same.

"I'll always cherish the memories with you" Shanks said softly, even though there was a smile on his lips you could see the heartbreak in his eyes. Like he was mouring and saying goodbye to a passed love one.

You look to Shanks, he had been kind to you despite everything... but something said it wasn't right- Not him but you... you weren't who he wanted, He wanted Starlight not (Y/N)- you lowered your gaze and sighed softly.

"I-I'm sorry Shanks.." You whisper softly, and it was almost like you could hear his heart shatter at your words. Glancing up to see his eyes blank and glossed over, shock clearly in his system as he slowly lowered himself down into the chair. His movements almost robotic in nature as he grabbed the bottle of wine Mihawk had set out and pulled it close to his chest like a child would pull a teddy bear.

"Come (Y/N).. let us retire..." Mihawk said gently as he wrapped a gentle arm around you and guided you out of the room. Shanks still seated there, still like a statue and the second the door closed behind you and Mihawk you could have swore you heard a broken sob.

Shanks stayed locked away for 3 days and nights. He didn't step out once from your knowledge and you saw plates being left at his guest room door but never touched. Once again guilt eating your soul.. however on the 4th day he emerged, speaking to Mihawk before returning to his room.

"Mihawk?... what's going on?" You question, Seeing the man grab his hat and coat.

"Shanks has agreed to leave the island. He requested a temporary ship to set sail.. he leaves this evening" He said calmly- Your heart clenching at hearing this, but you nodded non the less... you spent the day in your room, in a whirlpool of unease and pain, Yet confuses by your feelings that was set before you. Snapping out of your feelings only when Mihawk knocked on your door to tell you it was time.

Standing at the pier you wait next to Mihawk, Shanks had yet to appear.. after 30 minutes the man stepped out, his eyes had bags under them and his stubble was unruly having clearly been depressed to do much. Shanks walked to the two of you and smiled softly at you as he patted your shoulder tenderly.

He stepped back from you, Smiling still as he looked to Mihawk who was still behind you with a hand on your shoulder.

"Take care of her Hawkeye, See she's a a special one. Like a real life Shooting Star"

'Shooting Star-... My Shooting Star'

A sharp pain hit your heart, like hearing that Nickname suckerpunched your stomach... you swore you heard it before. However shook it off quickly as you watched the Red-Head turn away from you the final time and walk to the ship.

Uncertainty filling your chest as you watch Shanks turn and leave. A ache in your chest like your heart had been broken at the sight and tears filled your vision- Like a loss you could never hope to understand.

Or remember.

[poemsfor-her]

TYPES OF TEA'S AND THEIR BENEFITS ♡⠀࣭⠀ֹ⠀͡꒱

hello! today i'll be talking about the benefits of drinking tea. the only thing i drink besides water is tea and i love it (except the fruit ones). my personal favorite is green tea and it's so beneficial for our health.

1. green tea - the best tea there is for weight loss and treating your skin, good for diabetes and it boosts heart and brain health.

2. chamomile tea - amazing for sleep, reducing anxiety, good for the heart, for soothing coldes and sore throats. (in my country we also use it for treating conjunctivitis)

3. peppermint tea - good for bad breath, improves energy and digestion, helps in relieving menstrual cramps, good for sleep and relieves clogged sinuses.

4. white tea - improves immune system, promotes weight loss and heart diseases, good for skin health, dental health and cancer prevention.

5. black tea - promotes heart health, reduces the risks of strokes, improves focus, lowers blood sugar levels.

6. matcha tea - helps you manage weight, makes you think more clearly and reduces disease risks.

7. jasmine tea - boosts immune system, improves mental clarity and alertness, aids in digestion and reduces inflammation.

8. hibiscus tea - lowers blood pressure, fights inflammation and bacteria, good for liver health, promotes weight loss and it lowers cholesterol.

9. lemon tea - reduces anti-aging, good for mental health, antibacterial activity, anticancer activity and good in lowering blood pressure.

10. yellow tea - promotes digestion health and heart health.

with love, 𝒯

[s-4pphics]

first vi brainrot

… heyyyy arcaners 😋

getting back into writing after like a month LOL art by lottie-lot :3 @trackinglessons

fck you free palestine. 

WORD COUNT: not eem 1k just some plotting 

CONTENT: rugbyplayer!vi, femcel!oc… is she deranged or is she in love who knows fr, a lil horny, brief mentions or familial death/grief

rugbyplayer!vi who’s loved dearly. . . 

shines brighter than the sun whenever she enters the room; makes every person she comes across glow with her charisma, her laughter. she’s so polite and gracious. people can’t help but gravitate towards her radiance. 

no one would’ve ever guessed the turmoil she experienced before moving to her college town. loneliness was no longer comforting. the silence she was once eased by brought forth distress she couldn’t control. 

rugbyplayer!vi who moved through university like a ghost who never crossed over. only left noticeable tracks in the smiles she gave people before vanishing to nothingness in her room. 

rugbyplayer!vi who had no idea what rugby was. only got introduced to it at a bar where matches played on the tv screen above as she sipped her drink in silence. it seemed like watered-down football and made her nose turn up. 

who would’ve thought she’d be at her university’s rugby tryouts a few months later. one poorly made sign with every single one of her crushes in shorts and she ended up with her heels in the wet dirt, nerve wracked in front of both coaches. only then did she realize how out of shape she’s gotten. sports were her escape in high school, but the loss of her sibling destroyed her. crumbled every aspiration she ever had into dust that buried her baby sister. 

when she first got recruited, she was fearful. how would she ever be able to focus on practice when she’s surrounded by people she’s desired to emulate? they’re strong and resilient and quick; she’s leagues behind them in terms of skill and she knows it. her brain discourages her like no other. 

rugbyplayer!vi who was relentless the first few months of training. the aches in her thighs and the salt leaking from her pores and into her eyes did nothing but motivate her, distract her, drive her to do more. to reach where her peers sat comfortably at the top. she pushed so much that she called out of class multiple times; she couldn’t fucking walk. 

it took seven ruthless months to get where she wanted to be. seven months of self-doubt, of quitting and forcing herself to retry. her teammates believed in her more than she believed in herself. whenever she struggled, they were right behind her, carrying whatever weight her limbs couldn’t support. 

her teammates swiftly became her family. . . not a day goes by where she doesn’t miss her sister. 

it’s been a year since her recruitment. . . her exhaustion finally paid off in wins and meticulous tackles of her opponents. the sport aids her aggression, keeps her attention off of her damaged past for hours as she rides the high of a successor. whenever she walks onto the field she’s cocky, ego blasted to the clouds because she knows people are there for her; every time her cleats sink into the dirt, she’s home. 

it’s a rush she can’t explain. she loves this fucking game. 

. . . but you love her more. 

it’s not an obsession. you’re observant. you enjoy watching people. . . do things. you feel socialized whenever you study the joy, the grief, the yearn individuals exude through their behavior. you don't feel as lonely. almost connected to yourself through other people. 

when you first met rugbyplayer!vi, it was through a window during sophomore year. 

sat on a beanbag on the second floor of the library, completely distracted from your coursework, you gawked down as she conversed and smiled and laughed with people you didn’t know but wished to. rugbyplayer!vi captivated you like no other. education be damned. you’d drop everything for her at that moment if she asked. 

you’re not stalking her. it’s not your fault that wherever she is, you are. call it fate. you never say a word. simply stand off to the side and crave and think and fantasize. your mind is sinister. 

rugbyplayer!vi is the sun. you’re a moth, shadowing wherever light trails. 

witnessing her rugby career develop was a blessing. you’re always in the stands, hiding in plain sight from her. the muscles in her legs and arms are much larger than when she first started; they flex whenever she snags and throws the ball. pummels other women to the ground. lifts her shirt to wipe her sweat. clenches her fist when she’s angry. what you'd give to ease her tension. 

how can you not love her? everything she embodies is perfect. every cell that crafts her being is godsend. 

you crave to be in her presence. but you can’t. 

people are turned off by you. you’re not sure why, but you’re always alone, comforted by the repulsive compartments of your brain. the voice that encourages you to detach. 

so, you go where there’s no judgment. dump all your thoughts of the love of your life where no one can find you. where she can’t find you. forever undiscovered. forever anonymous. 

REDDIT.

[healthyfitlifestyle09]

Which is the best foods for weight loss in united states ?

The best foods for weight loss in the United States combine nutritional value, portion control, and sustainable eating habits. Here are some attractive options:

Leafy Greens: Incorporate kale, spinach, and Swiss chard into your meals. They're low in calories but packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Lean Proteins: Opt for skinless poultry, lean cuts of beef or pork, tofu, and legumes. Protein helps you feel full and preserves muscle mass.

Fruits: Enjoy colorful fruits like berries, apples, and citrus. They're rich in antioxidants and fiber, making them satisfying and nutritious.

Whole Grains: Choose whole grains like quinoa, brown rice, and whole wheat bread. They're fiber-rich and provide lasting energy.

Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, walnuts, and chia seeds are excellent sources of healthy fats and protein. They also keep you feeling full longer.

Fish: Fatty fish like salmon and mackerel are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which support heart health and can aid in weight loss.

Greek Yogurt: It's protein-packed and can be a creamy, satisfying snack or breakfast option.

Vegetables: Broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts are low in calories and high in fiber. They make great additions to meals.

Avocado: While calorie-dense, avocados provide healthy fats and fiber, helping control appetite.

Beans and Lentils: They're rich in protein and fiber, keeping you full and stabilizing blood sugar levels.

Water: Don't forget the importance of staying hydrated. Drinking water before meals can help control portion sizes.

Herbs and Spices: Flavor your dishes with herbs and spices instead of salt or high-calorie sauces.

Remember, the key to successful weight loss is not only about individual foods but also about overall dietary patterns and lifestyle choices. A balanced diet, portion control, regular physical activity, and consistency are essential for achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. Consult a healthcare professional or a registered dietitian for personalized guidance on your weight loss journey.

Read more helpful information about health & fitness :

[bethanythebogwitch]

I haven't covered any pinniped pals for Wet Beast Wednesday yet, so for my first one I'm going big. Really big. Elephant seal big. Elephant seals are not only the largest of all pinnipeds, they are the largest of all carnivorans and the largest marine mammals that aren't cetaceans. There are two species: northern (Mirounga angustirostris) and southern (Mirounga leonina), with the southern species being the larger of the two.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! (image: an elephant seal bellowing)

Elephant seals are true seals (as opposed to sea lions and walruses), meaning they lack external ears and their hind legs have fused into a sort of pseudo-flipper that allows for highly efficient swimming but is of little use when maneuvering on land. While it is common among pinnipeds for males to be larger than females, elephant seals exaggerated that with one of the most extreme size differences between sexes. Females of both species range from around 350 to 900 kg (880 to 1,980 lbs) and 2.5 to 3.6 m (8.2 to 11.8 ft) in length. Male northern seals average between 1,500 to 2,300 kg (3,300 to 5,100 lbs) and 4-5 m (13-16 ft) while southern males break the scale at 1,500 to 3,700 kg (3,300 to 8,200 lbs) and 4.2 to 5.8 m (14 - 19 ft). The southern species has the largest mass difference between sexes of any mammal, with the males averaging 5-6 times the weight of the females.

(image: male and female elephant seals chillaxing on a beach)

In addition to the size difference, the other major form of sexual dimorphism is that the male has his nose elongated into a proboscis. This snout serves two major functions: it amplifies the roars of the male allowing him to be remarkably loud and it traps and reabsorbs moisture when he exhales. This is important as the seals do not eat or drink when on land and recapturing moisture lets him stay hydrated.

(image: a male[top], female [bottom left] and juvenile [bottom right] northern elephant seal)

Seals are adapted to spend the vast majority of their lives in the water and elephant seals are no different. They spend around 80% of their lives in the water and have many adaptations to aid in their lifestyle. Like most marine mammals, they have a thick layer of fatty blubber that preserves heat in cold water, reduces drag, and provides buoyancy. Like other seals, they can slow their heartbeats and redirect blood flow to the core of their body to avoid losing heat. Another seal adaptation is that veins returning blood to the heart grow near arteries carrying blood from the heart. This allows the cold returning blood to leech some heat from the arteries to avoid cooling down the body's core. They have a lot of blood to store oxygen, allowing for long dives. Elephant seals dive deep (averaging 300-600 m but occasionally much deeper) when searching for food. Females typically go on deeper but shorter dives than males. They can hold their breath for over 100 minutes, longer than nay non-cetacean mammal.. Their eyes are highly adapted to low-light conditions and their whiskers can sense motion in the water, both things that aid in finding food. Elephant seals are very opportunistic predators and will eat a large variety of fish and cephalopods.

(image: a female elephant seal swimming)

The 20% of time not spent at sea is mostly taken up by two yearly periods: the molting and breeding seasons. In both cases, the seal will haul out onto the beach and will not eat or drink until it has finished. Molting season lasts about a month and usually occurs in summer. Elephant seals undergo what are called catastrophic molts, where they not only shed and regrow their fur but their outer layer of skin. During the regrowth of their skin, extra blood has to be directed toward it. In the water, this would cause too much heat loss, so it must be done on land. The skin sheds in large patches and not all at once, resulting in molting seals having a ragged appearance.

(image: a seal mid-molt)

The longer and more famous time on land is breeding season. In early spring, males will arrive on beaches and fight each other for dominance. In time, a few alpha males will claim most of the beach. These fights last even after the females arrive. Fights are very dramatic, involving posing and bellowing. If one male does not submit, they will fight by biting and slapping each other with their heads. Fights are rarely fatal, but are frequently bloody. Males have thicker skin on their chests to protect them during fights. Alpha males claim the right to mate with the females. Other males are forced to the outskirts of the beach, where they try to mate while the alpha is distracted. Some males will become betas, who help the alpha patrol his territory and drive off competing males. These betas will often try to mate while the alpha is distracted. Only the largest and strongest males can claim alpha status, and usually late in life when they have grown to their largest. After the females arrive, mothers will give birth to their pups. After birth, the female uses unique vocalizations so her pup can always recognize her. They nurse pups for up to 28 days while the males continue to fight. Elephant seal milk is extremely high in fat content, with up to 50% of the milk being fat, compared to 3.5% for cows. Some mothers may adopt the pups of others, especially if their own pup died before weaning. Weaning is very abrupt, after which the females will mate and the adults will return to the sea. The pups are left on land for up to 10 weeks, where they must learn how to swim and hunt while subsisting off the energy stores they built up while nursing. Juvenile mortality is high, with up to 50% of pups dying before reaching maturity. Adults can lose a third of their weight during breeding season.

(video: a clip from the BBC documentary Seven World One Planet about males fighting fro dominance. warning: there is blood)

(image: a mother seal and pup)

A few pups are known as super weaners because they can grow exceptionally large during nursing. This is usually due to the pup being adopted by an additional female and therefore getting an extra dose of milk or it will steal milk from another pup. In a few cases, the mothers will just wait longer before weaning for unknown reasons. Average pups weigh between 110 and 160 kg (250 - 350 lbs) at weaning while super weaners can weigh up to 270 kg (600 lbs). They can put on so much blubber their ability to move becomes impaired. Super weaners are rarely observed again after leaving the rookery. It has been speculated that their excess blubber makes them exceptionally buoyant, reducing their ability to dive and making it harder to feed, leading to increased mortality.

(image: a chonky baby super weaner)

Both species of elephant seal were hunted to near-extinction in the 19th century as their blubber could be used to make exceptionally high-quality oil. After the hunting period ended, their numbers increased to the point both species are classified as least concern by the IUCN, though their populations have never risen to pre-hunting numbers and many areas that were historically occupied are now vacant. Genetic bottlenecks in both species has led to an increase in diseases and birth defects. El Nino is known to have a negative effect on northern seals by drastically increasing pup mortality, so this year was probably a bad one. One major limiting factor in their population growth is a lack of beaches to haul out on and many beaches they use are now protected by local laws or as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

(Gif: a female versus a car. Round 1, fight!)

[nightmarist]

Spoiler-ish? My cousin beat the game (I'm in act 3 but have some spoilers). This is his stat screenshot from endgame and we figured he was Oath of Devotion based on the buffs. His unnamed tiefling companions are listed as Hellriders, but he remains an exile. I have opinions on what broke his oath and how. But I did wonder if him leading the tieflings out of Avernus was his "last mission for Helm." I suspect being a Hellrider would have shielded him from being ousted (minus the broken oath, and his own sense decency). And the fact he brings two (veteran-looking) tiefling Hellriders implies that the Hellriders didn't push out all their tieflings.

The losing faith leads to losing your paladin status theory holds water, but I'm using something else in my fanfic.

Oooh thanks!

I haven’t actually reached endgame I’ve been avoiding it for like a month ORZ so I wasn’t sure if there was anything extra when the allies come to aid you.

Devotion was my initial assumption for my fic <3 although I do have certain things I’m writing for his oath restoration/replacement 👀

Elturel as a city exiled tieflings, but the Hellrider status of them could be up in the air or even depend on who you ask in Elturel vs Baldur’s Gate, which is a potentially interesting political tension: You have “tiefling’s don’t belong in Elturel” clashing with “Hellriders are for Life”

I assume the Riders, if at least tiefling Riders, would still consider themselves such, even begrudgingly with prejudice. I mean, the ones you have here plus Tilses is a Hellrider tiefling in the grove and looks young compared to Zevlor. There were some Riders who went to Baldur’s Gate prior to the Descent as well. Even if they don’t live in Elturel I suppose they have a sense of duty to continue to protect with a Hellrider pride.

Zevlor is an interesting case as the only one we see who is specifically stated as exiled.

The idea of the tiefling journey being his final mission I think adds weight to his desperation/devotion! It’s very “My final duty and final act as a Hellrider is to protect my people” and it could very well cost him his life (which is part of the point of rider final missions) so that probably has a lot to do with why he doesn’t bother including himself in future plans.

:’)

Not all Paladins are guided by or bound to gods or faith, its the Oath that’s important, but Zevlor is tied to Helm as a Rider.

He does mention Ilmater once or twice in lines, but I think that’s just a Faerûnian thing to acknowledge gods when cursing/talking about their domain, not necessarily being devoted.

His Oath may not necessarily be tied to Helm either but the Narrator implies the loss of both are connected, if not losing faith could have been the catalyst for breaking his Oath or vice versa then at least the loss of both tied to the Descent and/or tiefling exile.

I love this sad goat man

[pleaseeeimjustagirl]

It Is Time For 'Baddie Hibernation'

Hey babes we have 3 months before the summer! It is time to tighten up! This is the time to work on your physical and mental I know we all want to be hot girls this summer so now is the time to prioritize ourselves!

Routines

♡ Routines are super important. they are your key to success and living an organized life. If you have not created a routine already I created a blog post on how to create a productive routine. This is the time to stick to your routines in the morning and night and adjust them if needed. 

Physical 

♡ Hygiene. Consistency is key for your facial care routine to work so be consistent in applying all your products. If you aren't seeing results with a certain product you have been using for over 3 months maybe try and find a better product. I recommend using a gua sha three times a week there are so many benefits in using a gua sha blog post coming soon! Don’t just focus on your facial care focus also on your body care use African exfoliating net sponges, shave regularly, apply lotions and body oils, and use feet masks to peel dead skin.

♡ Diet. For my girlies who are on a weight loss journey and want to be snatched before summer, it is time to be dedicated to sticking to your diet. I don’t have any specific diets to recommend do what works for you. If you struggle with Binge Eating Disorder like me I have a book that I can recommend that will help you work on your ED and also help you lose weight “The Binge Code” by Allison Kerr and Richard Kerr. This book has been a game-changer for me!  For my babes who aren't focused on weight loss, it is still important to try and eat healthier try including a variety of whole foods into your diet and drink waterrr!!! Water is so good for us from our skin to our digestive system try and drink at least 50oz but aim for 100oz of water daily.

♡ Movement. Try and include some sort of movement daily we must move our bodies daily. Figure out what type of exercise you like walking is very simple and costs absolutely nothing. Start small with 10 minutes of outdoor walking daily. Natural light is so beneficial for our mental health and mood. Yoga and pilates are such amazing slow and impactful forms of exercise. I've been including yoga in my nighttime routine there are so many channels and videos on YouTube you can follow. There are so many other forms of exercise you can try some free and some that cost money.

♡ Supplements. Help and maintain our overall health they can also help with our daily requirements of essential nutrients. I will be listing a few supplements below <333

Multivitamin. Find a reputable multivitamin and take it daily or as instructed. Multivitamins can boost energy and give you vitamins and minerals you might be deficient in.

Magnesium. Improves mood, sleep, exercise performance, regulates blood sugar, and so much more. Magnesium is overlooked by many but so beneficial for us. I've been seeing the bedtime magnesium mocktail I have yet to try but I plan to.

Omega 3(fish oil). Helps with typical brain and eye development. It can fight inflammation and help prevent heart disease and the decline of brain function.

Vitamin D. A lot of us during the winter time have a deficiency in vitamin D because the sun is not out a lot so vitamin D supplements are a must-have they help with regulating mood, reducing depression, healthy bones, and so many other amazing benefits.

Vitamin B Complex. Helps boost energy levels, brain function, digestion, and cell health. There are so many other benefits.

Probiotics. Helps improve gut health, puts healthy bacteria into our gut that in turn helps our digestive system, and inflammation, and can even help aide your weightless journey. 

Mental 

♡ Sleep. Our bodies function so much better when we are getting a good amount of sleep. You think clearly and your mood is better. Try and set a bedtime for yourself and stick to it. I had to sleep train myself at the beginning of the semester it was so harddd but I'm reaping the benefits now I have energy during the day, my mood is better in the morning, and my brain functions better during the day.

♡ Journaling. We have a lot of emotions that we carry throughout the day and it is important that we let them out and journaling is the best way to do so. I have three journals. One journal is for my emotions, another for gratitude journaling which I highly recommend you get into, and finally my last journal for shadow work. You do not need to have three journals but I like to have everything separate it helps me. 

♡ Book. I love reading and listening to self-help books. We all have issues that we need to fix and thankfully we have so many self-help books dedicated to so many different issues people face on a daily. I have so many recommendations I’ll list below.

The Mountain Is You by Brianna Wiest (self-sabotaging)

The Most Powerful Woman In The Room Is You by Lydia Fenet (confidence and career)

Atomic Habits by James Clear (building good habits)

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson (living a carefree life)

The Binge Code by Allison Kerr and Richard Kerr (binge eating, weight loss)

The Shadow Work Journal by Keila Shaheen (internal healing)

The Eldest Daughter Effect by Lisette Schuitemaker and Wies Enthoven (eldest daughters)

The Game Of Life And How To Play It by Florence Scovel and Joel Fotinos (from pessimistic to optimistic, affirmations, and manifestation)

The Power Of The Pussy by Kara King (femininity and dating) 

8 Rules Of Love by Jay Shetty (dating and psychology)

The Muslim Woman’s Manifesto by Kashmir Maryam (religion, mental health, and women)

These are the books I can recommend so far there are more searches for books related to the issues you may be facing or things you want to improve on in your life<3 

♡ Therapy. I'm a big mental health advocate and it is very important that if you are dealing with mental health issues you get help<3. I've dealt with my issues before and I used better help I found the best therapist who helped me through so much. I love the way they allow you to choose your therapist. I recommend that you use better help. For my NYC teenagers between the ages of 13-17, there is a website called talk space that offers free online therapy for NYC teens NO REFERRAL IS NEEDED. If I find more websites that offer free therapy for other teens around the world I will let you all know<3.

If you have any tips that you want to share down in the comments please do I want all of us to be happy and glowing this summer!

[nazzistar]

Metab boosting drinks

Green Tea: Rich in antioxidants and catechins, enhance metabolism and aid in weight loss.

Coffee: The caffeine in coffee can temporarily increase metabolic rate and promote fat burning. However, moderation is key.

Water: Staying hydrated is essential for a healthy metabolism. Drinking enough water helps the body function optimally and can support weight management.

Ginger Tea: Ginger has thermogenic properties, meaning it can slightly increase body temperature and boost metabolism.

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) Drink: Some studies suggest that apple cider vinegar may help increase metabolism. Mixing a small amount of ACV with water and drinking it before meals is a common practice.