#What Workouts Increase Height

[jsooly]

idk why but i feel like reader was SO happy when tuk was born simply because someone was shorter than her

get my girl on stilts

ur so right anon 🙂‍↕️ this is so silly LMAO wait—

human!reader x sibling!sullys

the seven years before tuk came along, you swore you developed chronic neck pain from looking up at everyone all the time. jake was two inches shy of 9ft, neytiri following close behind, and even lo'ak, the youngest, was comfortably over 7ft.

it got to a point where you just didn't bother to look them in the eye anymore. not when they stood, anyway. sometime along the line, the kids started to crouch when they were around you. it started subtly. bending at the waist to match your eight. and you didn't think anything when they squatted around you—they did that all the time.

it was their rapid growth stage. they shot up from below you to being just over you, and suddenly they were acting as if they were as gigantic as your parents.

it clicked in your brain when you were out and about, taking a stroll through the forest and supervising your troublesome brothers and sister. you paused, propping your foot atop a rock to adjust the wraps around your feet.

they circled around you, bending at the knees in a squat while chatting among themselves. you paused, giving them suspicious looks before you began walking once more.

you stopped near a tree, shielding your eyes from the sun to get a better view of the foliage above. you remembered that you were low on fruits back home and—

you turned when you felt breathing over your shoulder. lo'ak was right behind you, neteyam and kiri just behind. they were low to the ground, a pattern you were just becoming aware of.

"...what are you doing." you said flatly.

"do you need a lift?" lo'ak offered his arms, nodding up to the tree as if it were a perfectly reasonable offer.

you scrunched your face, offense souring your expression like a lemon. "you're kidding me."

"i mean, it's a pretty tall tree." he mumbled, shrugging unconvincingly.

you let out a slow breath, flicking your gaze past him to neteyam and kiri. "and what about you?"

"we're standing here with you?" neteyam answered with a quizzical tone, thinking the answer was obvious.

"you're not standing. you duck down every time i stop walking. this better not be a prank."

"how else will you hear what we say from way up here?" lo'ak retorted, rising to his full height again.

you gave him an incredulous look, taking a pause in the conversation that set off danger bells in your siblings' heads.

"...because you have so much height on me." you said sarcastically.

the intent of your words flew over lo'aks head, missing the sarcasm completely. he smiled proudly, puffing out his chest. "yeah. yeah, i do."

"lo'ak, you're barely a foot taller than i am. i fear you are the last person that should be talking."

his ears shot up at the jab, pointing an accusatory finger in your face. "hey! i grew over the summer—"

"wanna go shoulder to shoulder?" you shot back.

his mouth hung open, his brain processing his response. he pulled back his finger. "no." he said slowly.

"don't stoop anymore," you instructed the obvious to them. when they all squatted around you, they looked like kids cornering a pet. "my ears work just fine." you glared at lo'ak.

"good, cuz that was getting tiring." kiri sighed when she finally pushed herself upright, her legs burning from the unintentional workout. neteyam stood up as well, stretching his arms over his head.

"unbelievable." you grumbled, rolling your eyes as you continued your trek through the forest.

—

all of this to say that you were really happy when tuk was born. she had at least a decade before she surpassed you and you intended to treasure every second of it.

you were more than happy to rub it in the other kids' faces when they suddenly complained that you spent an increasing amount of time with the newest addition to the family.

"it's not gonna last long." lo'ak grumbled beside you. you pushed him away playfully. wait until he finds out about the stilts humans regularly use.

[csuitebitches]

On Becoming Better

A sign of positive change as you religiously follow your routine is this: your body automatically does the “habit” required in your routine.

it becomes a habit to clean up, instead of putting it off for later. it becomes a habit to pick up your book as you get into bed at night. it becomes a habit to eat a fruit in the mornings, and to do a simple 30 minute exercise.

you won’t feel like an “IT girl” at any point in the beginning. In fact, you might feel demotivated, lethargic, you might find yourself making excuses to not accomplish your daily goals. But the feeling of being put together, of feeling like you’re finally Her, comes as you consistently and diligently look after yourself. This will take time.

even if you’re practicing just being more social / feminine, that’ll take time. An example - I have these beautiful Jimmy Choo heels that are honestly, hell to walk in. I barely ever wore them and whenever I did, I felt like a chunky Godzilla monkey clanking down the stairs - I just didn’t feel ladylike. then one day, I came across this video of a lady showing exactly how one walks in heels. And boy, was that a game changer. I actually wrote her advice down and began practicing walking in heels every night, starting with a shorter heel height. in time, those heels have become one of the comfiest heels I own. I absolutely love them, and I get endless compliments. I began wearing kitten heels at work because somehow, they made me feel confident, yet feminine - and I felt a lot more put together than wearing flats.

Another example is using my Orai speaking app. It helps me so much with impromptu speaking! I love doing their little public speaking exercises. After two weeks of using it, I noticed a confidence boost in my presentation and talking skills, especially at work. I combined that with learning new words and I feel like my communication has improved significantly.

One last example is my Sweat app. I hate working out for more than 40 mins, I just can’t do it. I hate using crazy heavy weights too. With Sweat, I can workout for about 30 mins, select a fantastic low impact workout, feel amazing after, not be ridiculously sore the next day - and I’ve been seeing increased muscle definition. I was at a party the other day and whilst I was in the bathroom I suddenly noticed how toned my arms had gotten.

what this example shows is that taking little steps towards any goal you have - big or small - and practicing religiously helps a lot. And selecting the method that works for you. Lifting heavy weights works for some girls, not for me. My boyfriend keeps trying to “build” my workouts and I’ve flat out told him no, I’m doing it my way because it’s just what works for me.

do what works for you but do it consistently.

[reformhim]

Becoming Rafael

A word of thanks to the incredibly talented @rowdy317 for the graphics to this story!

Part 1: A New Man Awaits

Jenna had always been proud of her body. She was the kind of woman who turned heads without trying—pale, flawless skin; soft, full breasts; long legs and a waist like a wasp. She lounged in her silk robe in front of the mirror, brushing her honey-blonde hair and admiring the curve of her collarbone.

It was day three of her solo retreat—an Airbnb tucked into the humid, jungled edges of southern Mexico. She was supposed to be relaxing, disconnecting, finding herself. But something odd had begun.

It started subtly: a warm flush across her thighs and shoulders the night before. She figured it was the sun. But by morning, her skin had deepened—not burned, but bronzed. Perfectly golden. It glowed. She stared at herself, running her fingertips down her forearm. “Did I… tan in my sleep?”

The glow wasn’t just her skin. Her body felt strange. Warm. Restless. Her thighs tingled, her core buzzed. She slipped off her robe, exposing her bare body—and frowned.

There was… hair. Coarse, dark hairs dusting her navel, her lower back, the tops of her feet. She touched them in disbelief. “What the hell?”

By noon, her legs looked like she hadn’t shaved in weeks. The hair grew thicker by the hour—up her thighs, under her arm pits, across her belly. She gasped when she saw it spidering across her chest. “Okay, okay, this is a dream or something,” she whispered, voice trembling. But it wasn't. It itched, pricked, smelled. She was producing a faint, warm musk, like a man after a workout. Her robe no longer felt right. Her panties dug painfully into her hips as they subtly thickened.

By nightfall, Jenna’s reflection was almost unrecognizable. Her jaw looked… stronger. Her cheekbones more angular. Her once-delicate arms had a new heaviness to them, a swell of muscle beneath soft skin.

She lay in bed, sleepless, her hands roaming over her changing body. Her breath quickened. Her nipples felt numb. Her groin pulsed strangely—like something new was stirring beneath the skin. She touched herself and moaned—but it wasn’t a soft, high moan. It was lower. Raw. Masculine.

Part 2: Waking Rafael

The next morning, Jenna awoke with a start. Her voice cracked as she yawned—and her Adam’s apple bobbed for the first time. She touched it with trembling fingers. “No way…” Her voice was rough, deeper. Still feminine, but slipping.

She threw off the sheets.

Her breasts were gone.

Well—mostly. The soft roundness had flattened, firmed into the beginning of pecs. She cupped them in disbelief. “Fuck.” Her chest was dusted in thick black hair now. Her shoulders broader. Her feet—she stared in horror—were visibly longer. Her toenails looked… masculine. Her thighs were heavier. Muscular.

Then she felt it—pressure between her legs. She clutched herself, gasping. Something had pushed forward—parting her folds, stretching into shape. It wasn’t quite a penis yet. But it was happening. Becoming.

She spent the day in isolation, pacing the tiled floor, staring at herself in the mirror as her body completed its shift. Each hour brought more change: deeper voice, stronger hands, thicker beard shadow crawling across her jawline. Her waist tapered into her hips. Her back grew broader. Her height increased inch by inch—until she loomed over the sink, her blonde hair darkening at the roots into thick, jet-black waves.

And then… it happened. She stood at the toilet, driven by a curious impulse. The pressure in her groin was unbearable. Her hands trembled as she pulled down the loose boxers she’d found among the old clothes in the house.

And there it was.

Long. Uncut. Veiny. Hanging heavy between her muscular thighs.

She moaned, trembling. “Oh my god…” Her voice was deep. Rich. Sensual. Her cock pulsed with pride. Her testicles sat low, full. She needed release.

But more than that—she needed to use it.

With a grin, Rafael—because she knew that’s who she was now—stood tall, gripped his cock, and let go. The sound of piss hitting porcelain was ecstasy. So direct. So liberating. So fucking manly.

Part 3: Embracing Him

By the third day, Rafael was fully formed.

His skin was golden brown, kissed by sun and heat. His body was a masculine dream—thick chest hair across hard pecs, a narrow waist, broad shoulders, strong calves, huge feet. His hands and arms were veined and powerful. His face, once porcelain and delicate, was now chiseled and rugged, with a jawline dusted in stubble, a bold nose, and full, dark eyebrows.

And his cock—thick, perfectly shaped, leaking with anticipation—was his pride. He stood in the mirror, stroking himself slowly, lovingly, moaning deeply at the sight of his own reflection.

“Fuck… I’m so hot,” he muttered, his deep accent surprising even himself.

He thought about sex now—constantly. The smell of his own musk turned him on. His voice turned him on. His power. He was the kind of man who made others weak. He had gone from a beauty to a beast—and he loved it.

The awkwardness of day one was long gone.

Now, he was addicted to being Rafael.

And he’d never go back.

[eilorow]

Family Bond - Part 1

Tyler was a 19 year-old teenager who lived alone with his dad in their small home. His mother had passed away in an accident a few years ago, so he and his father stuck close together. They would usually play board games or look at science magazines, spending entire weekend afternoons with quality family time.

However, Tyler was not a happy boy. Standing at 5’7, and very skinny, he attracted the attention of his school’s football team, who enjoyed making his life a living nightmare. As a puny sophomore, there is nothing much he could do to prevent them. What added insult to the injury is the fact that, deep down, Tyler had always wished he could be one of them. He was longing for popularity and friendship, two things he was never able to obtain.

One day, Tyler was walking home after a rough session of bullying. The football team had pushed him inside his locker and locked him in, meaning he had to bang on the door until the janitor went and fetched a metal cutter to set him free from the lock. He was feeling even more down than usual, so when he passed by the local sports supplies store, he couldn’t help but feel sour. He kept thinking “why couldn’t that be me?” As he was about to go past it, he got an idea. He went inside and bought a football; he had never tried before, so how else would he know if he had some kind of potential? Feeling a little ashamed of his spontaneous purchase, he continued walking towards his home.

“Dad, I’m home!” Tyler yelled, while stepping through the front door. No answer; his dad must be out getting errands done. He slumped his way to his room and dumped his bag and football on the floor. He then sat on his bed and held his head in his hands. Still thinking about his day at school, he pouted at the ball next to him; it was a stupid idea to even buy it in the first place, but he might as well do something with it. He decided to take it outside and try it out; he put on a red t-shirt, black sweatpants and his white and red running shoes.

As he was walking towards the back door, his attention was suddenly driven towards the garage. He couldn’t pinpoint exactly why, but he had a sudden urge to go there instead. In the back of the room, he saw his dad’s old workout furniture. There was a stationary bike and a bench with some free weights. Tyler had never wanted to use the weights, but felt like trying something new.

The teenager moved over to the bench, apprehensively, and dropped his football next to it. He then grabbed a couple of weights, got on his back, and started lifting. That was when he started growing. As he was bringing his arms up and down, they were getting slightly bigger, his biceps inflating until he had an easier time keeping the weights up, and his hands enlarging until he could comfortably wrap them around the dumbbells. His chest and pecs puffed up slightly as his shoulders started broadening, filling his once loose t-shirt until it fit him snugly. His back also broadened and stretched, making him grow from 5’7 to 5’9. Then, his legs bulked up slightly, tightening his sweatpants who lightened to a dark grey color.

After dropping the weights next to him, Tyler got up from the bench, not noticing his tighter clothes or increased height. As he headed towards the stationary bike, he grabbed his football from the floor. Once on the bike, he cranked the knob to make it a bit harder for himself. When he started pedaling, he went much faster than he normally would’ve. Then, as his legs were gaining speed, they started growing as well. His thighs and calves swelled bigger and bigger, until his sweatpants were tight enough to ride above his ankles, as they turned a medium shade of grey. His ass started plumping up, slightly raising his vantage point. His feet were twisting in his shoes, lengthening until they took up the whole space, hurting slightly from being constricted. His legs also stretched until he grew two extra inches, bringing him up to 5’11. Then, as if an old habit was coming back, he started throwing the ball up and catching it, while pedaling on the bike.

After stopping the bike and stepping off, the now fit young man went towards the bench again, still not noticing his changes, in spite of the fact he was slightly unbalanced due to his 4 new inches of height. However, after dropping his football next to it, he decided to do some push-ups instead. He walked a few steps over and positioned himself on the hard ground. He did one, two, three in a row, not even stopping to catch his breath in between each one, going up and down easier than ever before in his life. Suddenly, after a few more push-ups, he got a searing pain in his stomach, as if all his abs had cramped at once. He immediately dropped on the ground, writhing in pain all over, and started growing again. He felt as if he was being stretched from all over, groaning as all his muscles grew at the same time.

As the pain started to fade, Tyler felt his cock getting erect, pointing up its fully hard 4 inches. He propped his arms forwards, trying to stabilize himself into getting back up, but was distracted by the feeling of his neck thickening. He pushed out a deeper groan as his face started changing slowly, his nose and chin pushing forwards as his jaw hardened. His hair also lightened from dark brown to a lighter brown as his meager body hair receded back into his skin. He tried to get up again, only to watch his hands grow, his fingers stretching and thickening against the ground, his palms and knuckles broadening. The growth moved up to his forearms, biceps and shoulders, bulking and bulging until both sleeves ripped off of his t-shirt, leaving him in some kind of tank top exposing his muscly arms.

The exhausted and groaning Tyler finally managed to prop himself into a sitting position, only to feel a sharp pain mixed with pleasure coming from his crotch area. He looked down in bewilderment to see his dick poking out further, as it grew from 4 to 5 inches. He then felt a heaving at his chest as his shirt ripped to bloating pecs, broadening shoulders and an expanding torso. He looked down to see his abs chiseling, forming a bulky 6-pack above a muscly pelvis. He then put his buffed arms forwards again, using them to prop his legs up into a kind of push-up position, trying to stand up again. He was interrupted by the feeling of his legs growing again, looking between his arms to watch his thighs and calves bulking up into meaty legs while his ass was puffing out again, causing his pants to ride up to just under his knees, as they turned an even lighter shade of grey. He suddenly let out a moan, as he watched his dick start to grow again in girth and in length, reaching 6 inches, the pleasure causing him to buckle and fall on his knees. Feeling a sharp pain at his feet, he looked back to see them push out from the front of his shoes, until the soles eventually gave out. The destroyed shoes falling on the ground, he could see his white socks tightly stretched across his huge feet. He then felt another wave of pleasure, arching his back and moaning deeply as his dick grew girthier and longer, reaching 7 inches.

Out of breath, and finally feeling the transformation subside, he propped a leg up and stood up. He felt unsteady at first, thrown off due to him reaching 6’1 during his last growth spurt. Pre was leaking from his dick as he made his way back to the bench, wobbling slightly, only to fall forwards onto it, grabbing both sides to steady himself. As he was wincing in apprehension of the coming growth, a rich tan started spreading on his skin as his face changed again, his brows furrowing, forehead pushing forwards with his widening nose and hardening chin, his cheeks and jaw muscling up, his lips plumping up as his now blonde hair receded into his head, giving him a short buzz cut. As his neck started thickening, he pushed out a deepening groan as he started contorting. His hands grew and strengthened his grip on the bench, his arms bulked up, his torso stretched up and expanded, his back pumped up, his pecs and ass blew up, his thighs and calves bulged and stretched out, and his elongating feet arched upwards to support his new height. His pants rode up to his knees, became white and turned into some kind of stretchy material. Ultimately, he cried out a deep moan as his dick girthed up and stretched to an impressive 8 inches, making him cum on the spot.

Tyler remained there for a few seconds, his head down, a dumb, sweaty, panting, 6’3 buffed up jock in white stretchy pants that showed his muscly ass and thighs. After catching his breath for a bit and letting his dick soften up, the athlete lifted his head up, looking down below the bench, not noticing the new white and red wristbands he was wearing, and saw his football and a cap he recognized as his. He picked up the first and put the second on backwards, then leaned on the bench to cool down further. When he was done fully catching his breath, he got up and went into the bathroom to take a shower.

-----

Tyler is now a senior in college. At 21 years old, 6’3 and 240 pounds, the star player of the football team feared no intimidation or bullying. As for friends, he was the one choosing who to decline, as he was one of the most popular guys in school.

[arctic-space-penguin]

For the bad things happen bingo, could you do mistaken identity with Leo and Donnie (this is called disaster twins right?) where one gets mistaken for the other and that both A: causes one to get hurt & B: causes the other to feel guilty and think it’s their fault for their twin getting hurt. (I’d prefer if Leo is the one getting hurt. I would be curious to see what emotional turmoil Donnie goes through, but do it any way you want too)

if you don’t like the idea feel free to ignore it

OH BOY DO I HAVE EMOTIONAL TURMOIL FOR YOU!!

I'm gonna be honest, it's night where I am right now and I thought Donnie would come out of the shadows just to kill me himself for this 😭😭😭😭😭

Seventh BTHB fic - Mistaken Identity - 5277 words

tw: temporary major character death, one blood mention at the end, psychological torture, hallucinations, and panic attacks

---

Leo doesn't know why he even went anymore. He was too busy trying to not pass out, breaths coming out quicker by the minute. The spell that witch had sent at him, he had a small understanding of what it did now. If the shadows he could practically feel smothering the inside of his head was anything to go by. It only made his breath increase further.

Donnie had trackers surely, right? They could find him before he passed out? He had been in the Hidden City square for an hour or two before heading for Witch Town after all. Perhaps they would show up any second now. They had to. Right?

Half an hour flew by. Pedestrians continued past the alleyway he was in. How did he manage to get up to the surface in the first place? He doesn't know that either.

His breath was the quickest it had ever been by now. It was terrifying. Did he tell someone where he was going? He didn't, did he? Maybe he was a dum-dum like Donnie said a lot.

They'renotcomingthey'renotcomingthey'renotcoming

He had to get himself out of here on his own. With newfound (rapidly waning) determination, he grabs onto the wall and uses it to get himself to his feet. His head spins with the movement, but he keeps going.

The second he reaches the manhole cover at the back of the alley, he sinks to his knees to pull it away. Leo throws his legs over the edge of the hole, reaching for the ladder.

About halfway down the rungs, still a moderate height from the ground, his eyes flutter close, hand slipping from the railing, as the shadows complete their takeover of his mind. He lands hard against the ground shell-first and gasping, blacking out in the same instant.

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

Donnie sighed and put his palms up to cover his eyes as the spiking headache hit again. He pushed out of his chair and went to the kitchen for his tenth cup of water in two hours. Mikey was there making lunch and greeted Donnie with a happy chirp.

"Hey Dee! Have you seen Leo around anywhere?"

Donnie drank the water in one sip. "No, I haven't. Wasn't he here for breakfast?"

Mikey hummed. Right, Donnie almost never came to breakfast. "Nope. Has he bothered you at all today?"

Donnie refilled his cup and realized, "No, no he hasn't yet. Maybe he just left the lair and didn't tell us again."

"But he's been getting better at that!" Mikey protested. "If he wasn't here for breakfast and hasn't bothered you at all, something has to be wrong."

Raph entered the kitchen then, freshly showered after his second workout of today. "You talking about Leo?"

"Yes," "You know it," Mikey and Donnie replied.

"I thought I saw him leaving before breakfast," Raph supplied, earning weird looks from both little brothers. "Woke up a little earlier than usual."

Donnie sighed and held his wrist tech up to examine it in silence for a minute. "It says he's still in the sewers..."

"We split up and search for him then!" Mikey switched the stove off. "Lunch can wait, let's go!"

Donnie and Raph exchanged a glance before following the box turtle out of the kitchen. The snapper went with Mikey down the right tunnel while Donnie went down the left tunnel toward where they normally leave the sewers. The softshell never stopped scanning the tunnel for something, eyes flicking every which way.

The worst time for the headache to come back was right now, but it had it's own rules. Donnie held his head and had to pause for a second. He continued on the moment it subsided, only for it to come back full force, almost sending him to his knees. He growled and pushed through it.

He eventually reached the ladder they used to leave and the sight made him widen his eyes in horror. Leo was on the ground, eyes closed, breath so fast it didn't even look like he was breathing. Donnie sank down and the headache vanished for good.

"No no no," Donnie's hands hovered over Leo's unconscious form despite not knowing what he could even do. "Leo! Leo, wake up, c'mon!"

He tapped Leo's face desperately. Should he try to get him home by himself or call the others? Raph could probably carry Leo better than any of them. Donnie shook away those thoughts and got his arms under his twin himself. He pushed himself up with difficulty and ran as fast as he could back to the lair.

Once he had gotten Leo in a safe spot on a cot in the med bay, he yanked his phone out and texted Mikey and Raph to come home immediately and that he had found their missing brother.

The older and younger brothers made a swift appearance after the text was sent. They both crowded around the cot Leo was on.

"What happened to him?!" Mikey cried.

"I don't know, I just found him like that!" Donnie replied.

"Deep breaths, you two," Raph commanded. "We can't be freaking out right now, we need to find out what happened. Mikey, call Draxum. Donnie, get Dad."

Mikey had his phone out in a flash. Donnie turned tail and sprinted for the living room. Dad was on his couch like always.

"Dad, Leo's--" Splinter leapt from his chair the second his son spoke. "Leo's sick, I-I think. He was missing and we just found him, but--"

Splinter was gone. Donnie took a second to recompose himself before going straight back to the med bay. Raph and Mikey were still close to the cot, but not enough for Dad to hear their whispers. Donnie went in their direction to listen.

"Draxum should be here soon," Mikey was saying. "Hopefully he can at least tell us what's going on because that doesn't look like something human medicine can fix."

"Raph agrees," Raph nodded.

Donnie stayed silent for now. He turned to Leo and stared, eyes glazing over the longer he did. He didn't know how long he had been doing that when Draxum's gruff voice cut through his haze.

"Donatello, I need to be where you are," the goat man said.

"S-sorry," Donnie blinked and backed up out of the way.

The three brothers stood off to the side and let Draxum do his thing. It only took him a minute to find out what was wrong and he looked a little worried despite himself when he turned to the brothers. A panic button almost identical to Donnie's creations was pushed into Mikey's arms at the same time.

"Put that on," Draxum commanded.

"Where'd you find that?" Donnie asked him back.

"Abandoned by the ladder," Draxum replied.

Mikey slowly slipped the button on after removing his own. When the magic that came up vanished, the button was revealed to really be a cloaking brooch.

That had Mikey look like Donnie.

"Why would Leo have had this?" was the first thing the box turtle asked, examining himself.

Donnie snatched the button-brooch away. Draxum sighed.

"The mystics currently taking over Leonardo's brain can only be done by one being in the Hidden City," Draxum eyed Donnie. "A witch."

Donnie's whole life came crashing down when Draxum said that. His breathing quickened and all he wanted to do was hide.

"--ello!"

"D--!"

"Pu--e!"

Voices cut in and out of his consciousness. He recognized them. His family? No, they would hate him for what he did, right? They wouldn't be talking to him. He scrambled under the cot Leo was on and pulled his legs to his chest to bury his head in between. People continued to speak above him, but he didn't care to listen.

"Should we call April?" Raph wondered. "Raph has a feeling he'd take seeing us badly right now..."

"Do not bother April yet," Splinter commanded. "I will see what I can do first."

The rat slowly got closer to Donnie and reached a hand out. Donnie's head shot up all at once. He saw the hand coming at him and the person, no, witch behind it, wearing a sinister smirk on it's face.

"Stay away from me!" he cried, maneuvering out from under the cot quickly.

He fearfully looked up at the legs he ran into and shrank under the similar smirk as the first. He rushed away as fast as he could, but ended up tripping a few feet from the lair exit. He twisted back around to see darkness swallowing up the walls and floor as the too-wide smiles exit the med bay. He choked on spit when he tried to scream.

He needed to get out of here.

He turned tail and scaled the ladder two rungs at a time, looking down once he was at the surface to see the darkness had followed him. It had taken over his home. He couldn't go back until it was gone. So where could he go?

April.

Yes! Right! He could go to April's! She was safe.

Donnie leapt up the building on his right to the roof and reached his best friend's apartment before he knew it. He frantically knocked on the bedroom window until she came to open it.

He threw himself inside, still panicking a little, and muttered out begs for her to close the window, to which she complied.

"Donnie, what's going on? You normally don't just show up out of the blue," April asked softly.

"Witches," he whimpered. "E-everywhere. In... In Leo t-too."

Her eyes widened as she settled by his side. "Everywhere where?"

"T-the lair. Can't go... can't go b-back," he replied.

She gently rubbed his shoulder. "Okay, deep breaths, baby. You're safe now, you know that."

"I k-know," he sucked in deeply then released.

Silence stretched between them as he continued taking the breaths. She gently rubbed thumbs into his shoulders comfortingly. Eventually, his breathing evened out and he was able to speak clearer again.

"Good," April praised. "Now, what was this about a witch being inside of Leo?"

"The dumb-dumb went to the Hidden City, Witch Town, more specifically..." oh God, he didn't want to admit this part. "With a cloaking brooch to disguise himself as me."

Her eyes widened again. "It's because we didn't tell him what happened there, wasn't it?"

"He's been unconscious for about an hour now since I found him. I don't know," Donnie supplied.

"An hour?! And none of you told me?!" she shouted.

"We would have eventually," he rested his chin on his knees.

She sighed. "So he got cursed, then?"

He nodded. Silence filled the empty space in the room. His phone inevitably started going off with worried texts that she made him answer. They both decided to go back to the lair after. Mikey threw himself at Donnie the second he stepped a foot into the lair.

"Donatello," Draxum spoke over everyone else. "I believe you and I need to talk."

Donnie exchanged a frightful glance with April. Was he allowed to say no to this? He really, really (that's two reallys) didn't want to talk about what happened.

April stepped forward and hooked her arm around Donnie's. "If you're going to talk about the Witch Town thing, I'm coming too."

"Very well," Draxum beckoned them both to the living room.

The goat settled himself on the couch when they both there and gestured for them to start explaining. Donnie didn't want to, but there was also no way April would let him get out of explaining when this was all his fault.

"I messed up when we went," Donnie admitted first. "I thought April would've been better off with me helping her and not the witches so I..." Insulted them. Destroyed their statue. Helped unsuccessfully. "I just messed up."

He avoided gazes and stared at the very interesting floor on his left. Painful nothing happened for a few seconds following his words, as if no one wanted to address his failure. Seconds turned to minutes. He finally looked up, but when he did, Draxum and April were just... gone.

He panicked again. He tore around the couch back to the main atrium only for it to be empty. His brothers and dad were gone too, fantastic. He took deep breaths to attempt to calm himself down. That is, until movement in his peripheral caught his eye and made him crane his head up to the right.

Leo stood on the edge of the platform in front of the medbay, almost looking like he would fall off. Donnie widened his eyes and was about to shout up at him to back up, but Leo spoke up first, pointing his finger at the softshell and staring him right in the eyes.

"Seize him! Seize the scientist!"

Donnie's breath hitched dangerously at those all-too-familiar words. What's worse: the witch's voice that had initially said those words was echoing along with Leo. The slider leapt down from the platform and landed easily behind Donnie.

The purple twin spun around. The blue twin's eyes were pure white, like he was angry. When Leo opened his mouth to say something, glowing blue liquid poured out of his mouth.

"This is all your fault, Donnie~" Leo singsonged, advancing, more liquid dripping down his chin. "You didn't tell me what happened down there~"

"No!" Donnie screeched, reaching back for his techbo only to realize he had left it elsewhere and therefore didn't have it.

Leo practically pounced on Donnie when his backing away buffered. "It's your fault I got cursed~"

"I would've told you eventually! I just wasn't ready to yet!" Donnie whimpered.

Leo snarled, some of the liquid falling to land on the ground in between them. Without warning, Leo grabbed Donnie's forearms, spun around once, and threw him right into the wall behind them. The impact knocked Donnie's breath from his lungs. He didn't have time to recover before Leo slammed him back against the wall again and hands tightened around Donnie's throat.

"L-Leo, let g-go!" Donnie cried, scrabbling at the slider's ever-tightening hands.

Leo leaned in close. Donnie shivered at the impact of breath against his tympanum. He felt Leo smirk before whispering something in a voice that definitely wasn't his own.

"Well, aren't you fun to torture," Whatever it was said. "Should've done something sooner."

Donnie's second shiver was much more violent than the first. Leo spun Donnie around by his throat twice before releasing him. Before Donnie could hit the sewer wall directly outside of the lair, he opened his eyes, sat up, and screamed.

Splinter, who had been sleeping nearby, startled awake with his son's scream. "Purple!"

At their dad's call, Raph and Mikey hurry into Donnie's bedroom.

Wait, how did he get in his bedroom? Wasn't he going to explain to Draxum what happened?

"You passed out," Mikey supplied, as if having read his mind, squeezing Donnie in a hug.

"P-passed... out?" Donnie asked in a barely audible voice.

Raph got behind the softshell and pulled him closer. "Yeah, bud."

Donnie keened and sobbed, covering his face with his hands. "S-sorry..."

Mikey started crying too, ever the empathetic one. Raph churred comfortingly deep in his chest. Donnie melted between his brothers and didn't hear Splinter say he'd be right back.

When Donnie got the courage to open his eyes again, the first thing he noticed was their dad gone, just like before. Donnie thrashed in a panic trying to look for him. Raph yelped a little when Donnie scratched his arms in desperation, but didn't let go.

"Don, what are you looking for?" the snapper asked as gently as he could.

Donnie continued frantically searching and didn't seem to hear his older brother. Raph tried again.

"Donnie, stop. What are you--"

The moment Splinter came back into the room, Donnie stopped moving and hiccuped. Raph opened his arms to let Donnie go and Mikey didn't hesitate to do the same. Splinter seemed shocked when his son wrapped his arms around him.

"I'm sorry," Donnie dug his beak into the robe. "This is all my fault. Leo's cursed because of me."

"You do not know for sure," Splinter whispered.

"I am!" Donnie insisted, pushing away. "I am sure! He would've never gone to Witch Town looking like me if I had just told him what happened!"

Splinter looked up at Raph and Mikey with a serious stare that said they needed to be alone. The duo exchanged a glance before getting up and leaving. Donnie resisted in going after them to make sure they wouldn't disappear.

Splinter's gaze flicked to Donnie, who was hugging himself and openly sobbing again. "My son, it is not your fault."

Donnie continued like he hadn't spoken. "Why couldn't it have been me?"

Splinter hovered his hand over Donnie's knee. Donnie noticed and let him rest it on top. Splinter did.

"It is not your fault, Donatello."

"How do you know?" Donnie muttered.

Splinter sighed. "You could not have known what Leonardo would do. You didn't tell him because you felt uncomfortable, correct?"

Donnie nodded slowly.

"Blue is stubborn, as are you at times. He does what he likes when he wants. He wanted to know, and made a decision that wasn't the smartest and got him cursed. But it is not your fault."

Donnie pulled his dad in for another much-needed hug, wetting his robe again with tears.

"Repeat it," Splinter commanded. "Repeat what I said last."

"I can't. I don't... I don't believe it," Donnie returned to hugging himself.

"It is not your fault. Say it. I'll repeat it as many times as I need to," Splinter smiled.

Donnie opened his mouth to say it, but then snapped it back shut. He hiccuped. C'mon, Tello, just say it already! "It's-- It's not my f-fault."

Splinter initiated a final hug before leaving Donnie's room. Donnie scrambled back under his blankets and cried himself to sleep.

A week bordering on two passed following that talk. Draxum had revealed Leo had a month at find a cure two days following the talk. Donnie only had solace from nightmares, panic attacks, and hallucinations when he was under his twin's cot.

Which is where he was now.

Donnie was scrolling through feed after feed without really seeing any of the posts when Mikey crouched beside the bed.

"I made pancakes for breakfast," the box turtle informed. "Want some?"

"Not hungry," Donnie replied immediately.

Mikey frowned. "Dee, come on. You've been under here all day."

Donnie paused from scrolling to glare at his little brother. "I haven't and I said I wasn't hungry."

Mikey's face turned unimpressed, but he groaned and left. Donnie poked his head out from under the cot to make sure Mikey was gone only for a plate with two pancakes to be shoved his way.

"You're going to eat," Mikey demanded from somewhere above him.

Donnie rolled his eyes and grumbled, taking the plate to retreat back into his solitude. He grumpily stabbed into the top pancake. About halfway through it, creaking from the cot above made him abandon them both. Especially when a pair of light olive green skinned legs appeared over the edge.

"Leo?" he asked cautiously. The legs opened enough for a head to appear between them. "Leo!"

Then Donnie noticed the glowing blue eyes, almost like one of his twin's portals.

"Not exactly," Leo laughed nervously. "He's actually, um... been taken prisoner."

Donnie narrowed his eyes. "That doesn't make any sense. Who are you then?"

"A manifestation of your beloved twin's ninpo of course! You can call me Blue!" the slider smiled widely.

Donnie didn't take long to decide to go along with this. "Assuming I believe you, color me skeptical, how was Leo 'taken prisoner'?"

"I can explain everything later, but right now what I need is Draxum. Like, immediately," Blue said.

Donnie had already sent a text off to Mikey and the family before 'Blue' had even finished talking. Speaking of Mikey, the youngest brother sprinted into the room after summoning Draxum with a text.

"What's up with Leo?! What do we need... Draxum... for...?" Mikey trailed off at the sight of Blue.

Donnie crawled out from under the cot, stood up, and stretched his back. "Before you jump to conclusions, this isn't actually Leo. Apparently it's some of his sentient ninpo of his."

"Blue's the name, portals the game! I was supposed to protect your brother, but I got him taken instead," Blue caught Mikey up. "That's why we need Draxum."

"What's he supposed to do about a kidnapping situation?" Mikey blurted without thinking.

"Uh, determine how much time he has left to live?" Blue adjusted himself to put the world upside down, muttering "Oo, make Leo do this more often, it's amazing."

Donnie had to blink. "I'm sorry, live?"

Blue looked over at him. "Yeah, this curse is supposed to make his mind deteriorate until either she kills him herself, she kills me, or until his mind falls to her magic."

Donnie threw his hands in the air. "And who's this 'she' you keep bringing up?"

"The witch," Blue replied simply, shrugging. "Oh, hey, Draxy's here!"

Donnie and Mikey turned away from Blue to face an almost buffering goat man. Draxum yanked himself out of it violently to stomp over to Blue, forcibly sit him up, and waved his hands around in thinly veiled confusion and worry.

"Look, I know I screwed up, but if you want Leo to live, we probably don't have very much time left," Blue warned.

Draxum eventually got himself to calm down and pulled Donnie and Mikey to the side. "That is not Leonardo's ninpo. I don't know what it is exactly, but stay vigilant when I send you into Leonardo's mind."

Donnie and Mikey shared a nervous glance before Mikey lowered his voice.

"Should we bring Raph too, then?" he asked timidly.

Donnie nodded confidently. Draxum agreed too.

"Go fetch Raphael while I prepare to get you two into his mind," Draxum told Donnie.

The softshell nodded again and hurried off to the garage where he knew he was. Sure enough, there was Raph, just finishing up using a dumbbell.

"Donnie, you okay?" Raph asked when he noticed him.

Donnie could finally shake his head. "Leo's been captured by the witch in his mind. There's something claiming to be some manifestation of Leo's ninpo in control of his body right now that told us." Donnie curled in on himself standing up and sobbed. "I d-don't want us t-to die, Raphie."

The snapper got up and went over to comfort Donnie. "Hey, hey, it's okay. Neither of you are going to die with me there, I promise. We'll do whatever we have to do to save Leo, okay?"

Donnie shakily nodded. "Y-yeah... okay."

Raph offered a reassuring smile before leading Donnie back to the medbay. The three brothers stood where Draxum wanted them to and did whatever he said. Soon enough, Raph, Donnie, and Mikey were standing on a beautiful green hill that sloped down into a valley with a castle right in the middle of it all.

"That's where he's being held," Blue appeared next to them, revealed to be a see-through, glowing light blue (same color as his eyes earlier) version of Leo. "We just need to go in, get him, and get out before she knows and can stop us."

Mikey and Donnie both recalled Draxum's warning to stay vigilant. Blue started down the hill and Donnie made Raph wait an extra second so Blue wouldn't hear what he had to say to him.

"That's not actually Leo's ninpo," Donnie whispered. "Draxum said so. He warned us to watch our backs too."

Raph played it off by pretending he didn't hear. Donnie knew he did though. The group reached the castle gates surprisingly fast for being on foot. Blue pushed open the large doors easily and gestured for them to go inside.

"Shouldn't we be sneaking directly to where Leo is and not going in the front door?" Raph questioned with narrowed eyes.

Blue waved off his question. "Relax. She doesn't have any guards since she didn't believe we'd reach her castle and there's no other surveillance that I've seen."

"What do you mean 'you--"

Blue cut off Donnie's question by leading the way into the castle. Was it just Donnie or was it really dark in here? Mikey clung to Raph's arm and jumped at just about every shifting shadow in the dark. Donnie wanted to bolt the darker it got.

At some point, the trio didn't notice that they're guide had vanished. They reached some room, the doors slamming closed behind them, effectively just making it all even darker. Donnie went to push his goggles down, but they weren't on his head anymore. Raph and Mikey didn't have their tonfa or kusari-fundo either. How stra--

A light flicked on in front of them all, illuminating a familiar face tied up to a chair and gagged. Leo. The slider squirmed and whined and tried to shout a warning around the cloth in his mouth, but to no avail. Suddenly all the lights turned on, making Donnie flinch at the sudden brightness.

"Wait, where'd Blue go?" Mikey asked, finally noticing him missing.

A sinister laugh echoed around all of the walls. Leo widened his eyes, staring at something behind his three brothers and tried to shout or yell a warning. Raph spared him a glanced and followed his gaze before widening his own eyes.

"Donnie, look out!"

The softshell stiffened when he felt something cold brush his arm.

"If it isn't the mutant I'm after," the voice said. "The one that the other one sacrificed himself for," the cold reached further up Donnie's arms, making him shiver. "The one that's so easily tortured."

Donnie had to lift his head up when the cold reached his neck. He whimpered, whined, and shook his head as if that would make it go away. It actually worked though. Raph had to rush to catch his purple brother before he could fall.

"But glad you could all make it to the show. It's a killer one."

Donnie immediately thought the worst. Raph and Mikey did too, judging by the looks on their faces. The witch laughed again in a mocking way.

"Don't worry, it's not any of you who're going to die. It'll just be the worthless one."

Donnie growled and sprinted forward only to run into an invisible wall. He didn't get time to straighten his stance before the witch froze the three brothers on the outside of the wall so they wouldn't try to break it and just watch.

"Leo is not worthless!" Donnie shouted. "I know you want me, so why not kill me instead?"

"Because maybe the only way to make you really sorry for what you did," she answered simply.

And just like that, time slowed down as the spear-shaped piece of ninpo reached Leo's front. Donnie screamed bloody murder the second it skewered his twin open from lower plastron to the top of his shell. When Donnie met Leo's too-calm-for-the-current-situation eyes, he felt the whiplash of being thrown back into his body.

Donnie caught a glimpse of the light in Leo's eyes dying before collapsing to the floor to just scream until his throat couldn't take it anymore. Raph and Mikey weren't sure what to do for someone who had just lost not only a brother, but a twin. They just hugged each other close and released their own tears.

The softshell scrambled under the cot and tried to get the images of Leo dead and bleeding out of his mind, but failed. He refused to move from his spot no matter what.

"Don, we're all grieving. Please come to dinner and we can find a spot to bury him in the morning," Raph tried to sooth.

"No!" Donnie's throat was still a little scratchy from screaming so much earlier. "I'm not coming to dinner! I'm not coming to help find a spot and admitting Leo's really dead!"

Raph sighed and left. Donnie stared at the floor mindlessly for hours. It wasn't until the middle of the night that something miraculous occurred. Leo coughed.

Donnie was at the bedside in a blink with wide eyes staring down at his twin for any other signs of life. He quickly lost hope when nothing happened for three minutes. He was about to get right back under the cot when Leo coughed even more and much more violently. Donnie wasted no time to sit Leo up so he could breathe (Donnie really wished he had a tail right now).

The slider's coughing died off after a few more and Leo blearily looked around. Donnie laid Leo back down and sank to his knees, burying his head in the sheets. He felt a hand rest on his head and gently rub in a circle.

"I'm okay now, DonTon," Leo whispered.

Donnie raised his head at that, tears still running down his cheeks. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure," Leo smiled, a rare genuine one.

Donnie pulled himself closer to his twin, curling up on the cot. Leo wrapped his arms around him. Donnie buried his beak into Leo's shoulder.

"You were dead," Donnie's breath hitched. "I saw you die..."

Leo waved his hands around dramatically. "I arrived on this sick spirit plane place. There were so many spirits there, all wearing almost the same clothes. It was soooooo coooollll. I was told it 'wasn't my time to die' like almost every hero movie ever and sent back into my body."

Donnie chuckled softly at his retelling. Leo was always the best at making boring stories interesting. The softshell closed his eyes, churred comfortably, and promptly fell asleep at his (alive) twin's side.

When morning came, Donnie woke up in his bed. He panicked and hurried to make sure last night wasn't just a dream. It wasn't.

Raph and Mikey were both crowded around the bed when Donnie got there. The purple-clad turtle went up to the cot quietly, not wanting to disturb the other's time with Leo. Mikey noticed him and chirped excitedly.

"Can you believe this Dee?! Leo's actually back and-- what's wrong?" the box turtle broke off when he noticed his second-oldest brother crying (and realized Donnie had cried more in the past two weeks than in his entire life).

"Nothing," Donnie wiped them away. "Just happy to have a twin again."

"Deeeeee!" Leo drawled. "I knew you loved me."

Donnie huffed and rolled his eyes. "And you ruined the moment."

Leo pouted and frowned, crossing his arms. Raph recognized they needed another moment and led Mikey away to finish making breakfast. Donnie feigned acting annoyed at being left alone with the slider.

"You owe me a movie night," Leo told Donnie out of nowhere.

"For what? What did I do to owe you a movie night?" Donnie asked back.

Leo smirked. "You blamed this on yourself."

Donnie spluttered. "How-- What-- When--"

Leo laughed. "I knew it! You're not escaping a twin's only movie night tonight or I'll get Mikey to help me bother you for an entire week."

"Fine. I'll be there," Donnie got closer to the cot. "Promise you won't go down to Witch Town looking like me ever again like a dum-dum."

"I promise I won't go down to Witch Town looking like you like a dum-dum," Leo repeated. "And I also promise to wait for you to tell me something on your own time. I think I already learned my lesson."

"Good," Donnie smiled. "I can't wait for our movie night now."

"Me neither," Leo agreed.

---

Tags:

@ceciturtle-myproudtime

@tonystarkwasrobbed

@kitkatthekitkatkat (even though this was your ask)

@badthingshappenbingo

Ao3 Link

[marshmellowrio]

Semblance of Control | Chapter 1

A/N: First chapter is up! I can't wait for all of you to discover my OC and what she's capable of!

Word count: 1K

Reaching the top of the stairs, the woman takes in her surroundings. She’s one of the first up on the turret, about three candidates standing in front of her now. Her eyes move to the man in front of her, he’s tall with muscles in all the right places, he definitely spent the better part of his teenage years training to be in the Rider’s Quadrant. The relic on his arm catches her attention, the swirls covering his wrist crawl up his arm, disappearing under his sleeve towards his shoulder. Her own arms are covered up by long sleeves and fingerless gloves on both of her hands.

Another candidate steps onto the Parapet and the line moves up. As the girl steps forward, she glances up again and locks eyes with one of the three riders. His dark eyes look familiar and she furrows her brows almost unnoticeably, she can’t remember where she’s seen them before. It definitely isn’t the man standing before her now, she’s sure she hasn’t seen his handsome face before. His arm also bears a relic, giving away some indication to his heritage. His dark hair blowing in the increasing wind, in her peripheral she sees the storm clouds rolling in. Here’s to hoping it doesn’t hit until after she makes her way across the Parapet.

The line moves up again, she gives a small nod to the rider she has been eyeing and steps forward, focusing on the Parapet. Only the tall blond in front of her remains, she hears him say his name to the roll keeper, “Liam Mairi.”

She doublechecks all of her weapons to make sure they’re secure enough to cross the Parapet safely, something she’s done five times since she wrote down her name at the base of the tower. Two daggers at her belt, along with a satchel with her throwing stars and another dagger strapped to her right thigh. Easily accessed by her dominant hand.

Liam steps onto the covered part of the Parapet, he doesn’t hesitate one second before he’s off.

“Name?” The roll keeper asks her as she steps up to the Parapet.

“Colette Wilder.”

The rider to her right glances to the Parapet and nods in her direction. “Off you go.” Colette closes her eyes, taking a deep breath and opens her eyes again. Then she steps into the open air of the Parapet, arms wide.

★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★

Colette steps off the Parapet, onto the courtyard, breathing heavily. Heavier than after any other workout she's done before. Parapet was scarier than she had anticipated, she’s not exactly afraid of heights but she is afraid of falling. Might not be a good personality trait for someone who just entered a quadrant where she’ll have to ride a flying dragon, miles up in the air, but it is what it is, right?

She doesn’t remember most of the Parapet because of the adrenaline taking over her senses as soon as she stepped on. Only now it was slowly ebbing away, leaving her out of breath and slightly shaky on her feet.

The redheaded rider next to her, asks for her name and Colette repeats her name for the third time today. The rider jots down her name, claiming her as alive. The rainclouds that were moving in before, finally reach the Parapet, soaking everything in rain in seconds. The rider with the scroll sighs, looking up at the sky and covering up the paper.

Colette welcomes the cold rain, cooling down her flushed skin.

“Congrats, you made it.” The other rider says without any enthusiasm. Yeah, Colette understands there’s not much to be enthusiastic about in a college surrounded by death. While also getting drenched in rain standing around waiting for candidates to pass the Parapet and join that very same college. If she survives until the end of the year, she’ll probably be right here, doing the exact same thing as him.

She gives him a small nod in acknowledgment, before moving on to lean against a wall not far from the end of the Parapet. As she approaches the wall, she recognizes the guy that went in front of her, Liam. She stands next to him, leaving an acceptable distance between the two of them.

The young woman finally gets to catch her breath again, slowly regaining some of her strength after being drained by all of the adrenaline.

“Scary right?”

Colette turns her head slightly to take in the blond next to her, looking him up and down again, seeing his face for the first time. Meeting his shiny blue eyes, she nods, “You can say that again.”

“Wait,” she shakes her head lightly, “you were already halfway across when I got on and I stepped on, like 10 seconds after you.” Her brows furrowed.

He extends his hand with a smile, “Liam.” He chooses to ignore her statement all together.

“Colette.” She takes his much bigger hand in hers, it engulfs hers almost completely.

“Nice to meet you Colette.”

She nods and lets go of his hand. “Likewise.”

Liam pushes off of the wall, “See you around.” With that he walks off further into the courtyard. Colette nods her head again, now that she’s alone it started to sink in that she belongs to the Rider’s quadrant from now on. She’s a cadet. At the mercy of her superiors. And dragons.

Suddenly a woman rushes off the Parapet, a broad man hot on her heels.

Colette lifts her head at the commotion, she raises her eyebrows and cocks her head slightly to get a better view. She sees the woman holding a dagger against the man’s breeches. Impressive.

“Violet Sorrengail.”

Colette straightens when she hears the name coming from the small woman’s lips. While the man pushes past her, Colette catches a glimpse of her face and hair. She turns to the teardrop shaped courtyard and walks away.

She’s not in the mood to get into that sort of drama on day zero of this first year in the war college.

A/N: Let me know what you think in the comments! This will be a Bodhi Durran fanfic, since I've been gravitating towards his character and the votes were pretty close together. If anyone's interested in a taglist, please comment below!

Chapter 2 click here.

[pekoehoneyncream]

Ghoaptober # 22

Prompt: Water

Words: 600~

TW: None (sfw)

This version of Ghoaptober was created by @spadesandshovels

Super simple one today.

Enjoy!

Gaz’s exaggerated spluttering and Soap’s subsequent manic laughter drew Price and Ghost’s attention away from where they’d been swearing at Ghost for increasing his treadmill’s incline, and slowly increasing the incline on Price’s treadmill to see if he’d notice, respectively.  

The Sergeants were stood beside the chair that all their water bottles were clustered on, Gaz dangerously close to spilling the open bottle in his hand with all his hysterics. 

“Did you grab Soap’s bottle?” Price called over as he swatted Ghost’s hand away from the controls and turned off the treadmill to hop down. 

It was a fair question, Soap liked to taint his water with flavoured electrolyte-booster powders, but as he didn’t like the overly sweet taste of the berry flavoured ones he always chose the lip puckeringly sour lemon-lime ones. 

“No,” Gaz wheezed and coughed dramatically, “Ghost’s.”

“What’s wrong with mine?” Ghost demanded, storming over to snatch the bottle in question out of Gaz’s hand. 

Ghost never added anything to his water. 

“It’s fucking warm!” Gaz exclaimed, flailing a hand at the offending bottle in Ghost’s grip. 

The ‘anything’ that Ghost never added to his water included ice. 

“I don’t like cold water.” Ghost defended himself, taking a defiant swig of his water. He screwed the lid back on with an unnecessary amount of strength, then slammed the bottle back down onto the chair amongst its brethren. 

The blame of Gaz’s downfall could be laid firmly at the feet of the identical Military Issue water bottles they all used. Unless they resorted to little league tactics of ‘my bottle is the one with the string around the neck’, they were impossible to tell apart without close inspection. 

“It doesn't have to be cold,” Gaz debated fervently, “But it doesn't have to feel like you're drinking spit either.”

“It doesn’t taste like spit!” Ghost rebuffed, “Just because I don’t fill the whole bottle with ice then add a little water to top it off, like some kind of snow misering freak.”

“A snow misering freak?!” Gaz spat, stomping forward to get in Ghost’s face. Prodding at his chest with one finger, while Ghost straightened up to lord the full twelve centimetres that separated their heights over Gaz. “I wou-”

Gaz’s tirade was cut off by Price stepping solidly in between the combatants, forcibly separating them. 

“Alright, that’s enough of that. Gaz-” Price reached down without looking and grabbed what he knew was Garrick’s bottle, pressing it into his Sergeant’s hands, “here’s your water, go cool off. Ghost-” he turned to his Lieutenant, propping his hands on his hips, “stop antagonizing him.” 

Price nodded crisply at the mumbled “yessir”s that met his pronouncment, then grabbed his own bottle and marched into the showers. Thoroughly done with trying to work out for one day.  

Gaz stormed after the Captain and when Ghost turned those big brown eyes on Johnny, Soap had to work overtime to corral his amusement.

“Nae, mo chridhe.” He assured, stepping in close to lean against Ghost’s side and stare up into those lovely eyes, “Ah dun think it’s weird ye dun like cold water, Ah ken it hurts y’ur teeth.” 

Ghost nodded a couple times, more to himself than to Johnny, then pressed his lips against Johnny’s warhawk in thanks. Giving him a faux kiss through Ghost’s thin workout-balaclava. 

Soap popped up onto his toes to smack a kiss onto Ghost’s cheek, then returned to his original goal of grabbing a drink while Ghost wandered off to finish his workout. 

Gulping down his tangy lemon-lime mix, Soap eyed Ghost’s unremarkable water bottle with speculative eyes. 

The next time the one-four-one gathered for a group workout session, Soap arrived brandishing industrial strength stickers that he’d special ordered for the team. They spent the first five minutes of their scheduled exercising time arguing over who got what sticker and decorating their bottles. Price had to be reminded multiple times that pulling rank did not extend to arts and crafts.

Thank You For Reading!

PekoeHoneynCream's Masterlist

[octuscle]

Hi there, its been a long time since I used this app. I got a new phone a few weeks back and when I reinstalled the app it restored me to my original hairy skinny fit body. I didn't have time to mess around with any changes during my exam season and then I completely forgot I even had the app downloaded. The other day I got a notification about a "special birthday offer" I opened the app and accepted but it just took me to a page that said Mode: Bodybuilder [Freak] Muscle Size Transformation: Extreme [increase] Height Size Increase 6.3ft >>> 8ft Stench/Body Odour: Extreme [increase] Sweat Level: 24hr Overdrive Intelligence Transformation: Moronic Oaf [extreme decrease]

I can't do anything with the app anymore whenever I open it now it just says "your transformation is pending, recommend purchase before transformation: size 7XL underwear"

Damn, which rookie was at work during the preset? If you do not do everything yourself! The physical transformation is waiting for a damn pair of underpants. And the mental transformation is already underway. Is almost already completed. Let's see what I can still save there.

Oh, you're almost at the "moronic oaf" already. So simpler sentences: Take your sports bag. Go to the gym. The address of the gym is on the bag.

So here we go. First, let's take the setting "Adapt the environment to the transformation". Then you don't have to worry about the fucking underpants. And then I'll organize a training session at the gym. After that, your birthday present should be ready.

Fuck, you are not small. But your trainer is a colossus against you. But already during the warm-up training you catch up. You get off the treadmill at eye level. And shit, you really sweat like a bull. And to be honest: You smell like one, too. While doing lat pull-downs, you can watch your back getting wider and wider. Your moans become deeper and more animalistic grunts with each repetition. You let the weights fall down with a crashing scream. Bruh, you are huge!

During the bench press, the first tattoos appear. Your clean-shaven chin disappears under a well-trimmed beard. And your just almost knee-length pants are barely able to cover your dick completely. Especially during the squats. You've outgrown your trainer in the meantime. In the parking lot, your hybrid compact car has turned into a monster truck. You live in an old warehouse, because in normal apartments the ceiling is simply much too low. And you earn your money as a building cleaner. In most rooms you can clean all the windows without a ladder.

Your workout is finished with situps. With your hands behind your head, you notice how your armpits smell of sweat. You get a hard-on from the smell. And your trainer gets a boner from the sight of your boner. Fuck, he can almost give you a blowjob standing up.

Bruh, you are one of the big boys now. Happy birthday! Was that what you wanted? You have deserved it in any case. At least for a few days.

[optimal-living-lab]

Health and Fitness: Tips and Benefits

Health and fitness are two interrelated concepts that affect our well-being and quality of life. Being healthy means having a good physical and mental condition, free from diseases and disorders. Being fit means having the ability to perform physical activities with ease, strength, and endurance. Both health and fitness can be improved by following some simple tips and enjoying some benefits.

Tips for Health and Fitness

One of the most important tips for health and fitness is to exercise daily for at least an hour. Exercise can help you burn calories, strengthen your muscles, improve your cardiovascular system, and boost your mood. You can choose any type of exercise that suits your preferences and goals, such as walking, running, cycling, swimming, dancing, or lifting weights. The key is to be consistent and challenge yourself gradually.

Another tip for health and fitness is to eat the right foods and portion each meal. Eating a balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, healthy fats, and water can provide you with the nutrients you need to function properly and prevent diseases. You should also avoid or limit foods that are high in sugar, salt, saturated fat, and processed ingredients. Additionally, you should control your portion sizes and avoid overeating or skipping meals.

A third tip for health and fitness is to keep track of calories and food intake per day. Knowing how many calories you consume, and burn can help you balance your energy intake and expenditure. This can help you maintain a healthy weight or lose weight if needed. You can use a food diary, an app, or a website to record what you eat and drink every day. You can also use a calorie calculator to estimate how many calories you need based on your age, gender, height, weight, and activity level.

A fourth tip for health and fitness is to be sure to get enough sleep. Sleep is essential for your body and mind to recover from the day’s activities and prepare for the next one. Sleep can also affect your appetite, metabolism, immune system, mood, memory, and concentration. You should aim to get at least seven to nine hours of quality sleep every night. To improve your sleep hygiene, you should follow a regular sleep schedule, avoid caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and screens before bed, create a comfortable and dark sleeping environment, and relax before sleeping.

A fifth tip for health and fitness is to stay motivated. Motivation is the driving force that keeps you going despite the challenges and obstacles you may face. To stay motivated, you should set realistic and specific goals, track your progress, celebrate your achievements, reward yourself, seek support from others, join a group or a class, find a workout buddy, or hire a personal trainer. You should also remind yourself of the reasons why you want to be healthy and fit.

Benefits of Health and Fitness

Health and fitness have many benefits for your physical and mental well-being. Some of the benefits are:

Reduced risk of chronic diseases: Being healthy and fit can lower your chances of developing conditions such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, arthritis, and obesity.

Improved balance and coordination: Being fit can enhance your ability to maintain your posture, move gracefully, avoid falls and injuries.

Increased energy levels: Being healthy can boost your metabolism and provide you with more fuel to perform your daily tasks.

Enhanced mood: Being fit can release endorphins in your brain that make you feel happy. Being healthy can also reduce stress hormones that cause anxiety.

Better self-esteem: Being healthy and fit can improve your appearance, confidence, and self-respect.

Conclusion

Health and fitness are important aspects of our lives that we should not neglect. By following some simple tips such as exercising daily, eating right, tracking calories, getting enough sleep, and staying motivated, we can improve our health and fitness levels. By doing so, we can enjoy many benefits such as reduced risk of chronic diseases, improved balance and coordination, increased energy levels, enhanced mood, and better self-esteem. Health and fitness are not only good for us but also for those around us who care about us. So, let’s start today!

[voraciousvore]

The Half-Blood Giant (35/51)

***Contains soft, safe, willing, sexual vore***

Chapter 35: Inside You

Pedro had survived his first week at his new job. Being on the giant side of town had been a wild ride so far, but he was looking forward to spending the weekend with Ray. Unfortunately, Ray had to pick up an extra shift on Saturday to cover for a sick coworker, spoiling their plans for a date yet again. Ray woke up very early in the morning, as usual. What was not usual for him was waking up with a tiny man sleeping on his plushy belly. He attempted to get up without waking his miniature lover, but Pedro opened his eyes when Ray nudged him into his hands. 

“Good morning, my Ray of sun,” Pedro yawned, rubbing his eyes. “My, my, it’s so early.” 

“Sorry to wake you,” Ray apologized. “You know me. Gotta go for my morning jog as usual.” 

Pedro perked up. “Let me come with you!” 

Ray chuckled. “I don’t think you’ll be able to keep up.” As he talked, he got out of bed, setting Pedro down on the sheets, and dressed in his workout clothes. 

“Nah, I’ll just ride on your shoulder or something.” 

“You’ll fall off, little buddy.” 

“I’ll cling to your hair,” Pedro reasoned.  

Ray pondered before grasping Pedro and sticking him on top of his head. “What about this?” Pedro looked around in amazement at the forest of shiny black hair around him. He was so high up. He had thought it a little scary at first to be carried in giant hands, but he was practically in the clouds at this staggering height. He gripped a few thick tufts of hair securely in his hands. 

“I think this will work.” Ray took a few steps. Pedro hung on for dear life and managed not to fall off. Assured that Pedro was secure on his head, Ray went outside on his porch and did a few warm-up stretches, keeping his head upright. The two men breathed in the cool morning air, refreshed. The sun had yet to peek above the horizon, tinting the world with a dark velvet blue. 

Ray jogged down the street, starting off slow to make sure Pedro didn’t fall off. At first, Pedro was jumbled around wildly, but he dug his feet into Ray’s scalp and pulled on his hair to create a more stable stance. Once he was certain Pedro was secure, Ray increased his pace gradually until he was jogging at his normal rhythm. Pedro was having the time of his life; he never imagined he’d be riding around on a giant’s head. Ray ran so fast, with such long, powerful strides, that Pedro felt as if he were flying at a dazzling height in the sky. The effect was intensified by the cold breeze that blew through Ray’s hair, whipping it around. 

Ray started to sweat, making his head and hair slippery, but Pedro successfully held on. The giant ran towards the sunrise as the sky lit up with resplendent orange and yellow highlights. He paused briefly to catch his breath and admire the fiery display. He was glad to share the moment with Pedro, in the tranquil stillness of the crisp morning. He experienced a light tickle as Pedro rubbed the top of his head with his tiny hand. Sucking in lungfuls of clean air, Ray jogged back to his house with the rising sun kissing his back and painting the scenery with gold highlights.  

By now, he had worked up quite an appetite with all the exercise. He placed Pedro on the counter in the kitchen to keep him company and whipped up a quick breakfast of pancakes. 

“Regrettably, I don’t have any blueberries or anything to flavor the batter,” Ray noted as he poured the pancake mix into the pan. He dripped a single drop next to his big pancake to make one appropriately sized for Pedro. 

“Oh, that’s fine,” Pedro said. “Next time though, we should get some chocolate chips!” 

Ray chuckled. “It doesn’t surprise me that you like chocolate chips, considering you taste like one yourself.” He bit his lip and went quiet as he immediately regretted his faux pas. He didn’t want Pedro to know that he fantasized about eating him. He didn’t even want to think about his strange new cravings himself. He suddenly became very preoccupied with flipping the pancakes, sheepishly averting his eyes from Pedro. 

“Uh, what was that?” Pedro asked. He wasn’t sure if he’d heard Ray correctly. 

“Oh, nothing, nothing! Forget it!” Ray exclaimed with a bloom of fresh pink tinting his cheeks. “Here, take a pancake!” He slapped Pedro’s miniature pancake down in front of him. Pedro looked up at him with confusion at his response. Ray flung his much larger pancake down on a plate and stuffed a hardy chunk in his mouth so he wouldn’t have to clarify his words. “Mmmmm, isn’t that good?” he said, barely coherent with his mouth full. 

Pedro cocked an eyebrow as he took a small bite out of his own breakfast. “Yes, it’s delicious. Thank you, Ray,” he said softly. The two ate in awkward silence. Pedro gave Ray a questioning look, but Ray made it abundantly clear he wasn’t ready to talk about it as he continued to scarf down his breakfast. As he gulped down the final bite, he made a show of checking his watch. 

“Oh, look at the time! I need to hurry up and get ready for work!” he yelled, at a louder volume than necessary, and rushed out of the kitchen. Pedro stared after him, increasingly dumbfounded. Ray was acting very oddly, and he didn’t understand why. Ray returned soon after, groomed and suited up in his police uniform. He looked stunningly handsome, freshly shaved and washed and with his hair neatly combed and parted. He made sure Pedro was all set up with access to everything he could potentially need, since he was restricted in the giant house with his miniscule size, and left in a hurry before Pedro could ask any uncomfortable questions. 

Pedro sat by himself in the giant house, which felt so empty without the rumble of Ray’s clumsy feet. He thought about what Ray had said that rendered him so flustered. It didn’t make any sense. If Pedro had heard him correctly, Ray claimed he tasted like chocolate chips. But that was impossible, wasn’t it? Pedro looked down at his arm, thinking hard. Ray had lapped him all over with his enormous tongue when they had sex. He gave his arm an exploratory lick. He didn’t think he tasted particularly flavorful—definitely not like chocolate—but then again, he wasn’t a giant, was he? Were giant taste buds different? 

He grabbed his phone and searched the one place where he knew he could get definitive answers: the internet. What he found was... disturbing, to say the least. Giants did eat humans. Apparently, the practice wasn’t common, but some giants had a natural urge to eat humans after tasting or swallowing one for the first time. Pedro wondered to himself if Ray had ever eaten a human before. Obviously, he had tasted a human: himself.  

He dug deeper. There was so much. He found recipes for cooking humans, suggestions for pairing humans with complimentary dishes or wines, advice for how to lure in humans or convince them to allow themselves to be eaten. How to predict what a human tasted like based on their appearance or personality, what foods to feed them to improve their flavor, the differences in taste between men and women. Pedro was surprised to learn that humans came in a wide variety of flavors, ranging from sweet to savory or meaty. From what Ray had told him, he was solidly in the “sweet” category. 

He ventured further down the rabbit hole. He was stunned to discover that giants could experience erotic pleasure from consuming live humans. The feeling of a living creature squirming on the way down their throats or inside their guts, rubbing their insides, was arousing. Furthermore, there was a safe way to eat a human without fatally digesting him. Special “human pills” existed that made a human immune to digestion. Pedro read articles describing the experience from a giant’s perspective. He even found erotica and porn that he had to admit was pretty hot when he imagined himself and Ray performing the act together. 

Pedro was fascinated. The concept was too intriguing to ignore; he had to try it with Ray. Pedro was quite the adventurer, and pleasuring his giant lover in a way that he was uniquely suited to was too alluring an opportunity to pass up. Ray’s behavior suggested he wanted it too but was probably nervous to ask. Pedro smiled to himself as he ordered a human pill kit online. After some thought, he purchased a packet of brownie mix as well. The advice online had suggested pairing the correct food flavors, after all. He made sure to choose express, same-day shipping, despite the extra fee. He was too exhilarated to wait—perhaps nervous as well, but the danger was part of the thrill. 

When Ray came home from work, he was surprised to find a couple of packages sitting on his porch. He brought them in, puzzling. “Pedro? Are these yours?” 

“Ah, yes!” Pedro called back with excitement. “Open them up!” Ray complied, tearing open the plastic on the larger package. 

“Brownie mix?” he questioned with confusion, holding up the box. 

“Yes!” Pedro shouted with enthusiasm. “I’ve been craving brownies! Can you make them? Pretty please?” He gave Ray sweet puppy dog eyes. 

“Well, sure, if that’s what you want.” Ray thought it odd, for Pedro to be so enthused about a dessert, but he happily complied. He had quite the sweet tooth himself, and brownies sounded delicious. He placed Pedro down on the counter next to the second package, forgetting it as he prepared the mix. He threw the brownies in the oven to cook and left to go change out of his work clothes in the interim. While he was gone, Pedro labored to poke a hole in the wrapping of the second package until he finally succeeded in opening it. He popped open the pill bottle and took one of the anti-digestion pills. He was ready. 

He tingled all over with elation as Ray removed the brownies out of the oven to let them cool. The giant had no idea what he was getting into as he carved the confection into squares with a knife and pulled a big serving out of the baking dish and onto a plate. He figured, since the brownies were soft, Pedro could tear off small pieces as he pleased, so he didn’t need to break it into crumbs for him. He inhaled the rich chocolate aroma with delight. His stomach was grumbling with hunger. 

Ray looked away for a moment to serve up a second brownie, and Pedro saw his chance. He stripped off his clothes and climbed up on the gigantic brownie, striking what he hoped was a seductive pose. The giant turned back, and his eyes boggled out of his head. He dropped the plate he was carrying in shock, but didn’t even acknowledge it as it shattered on the floor. He was fixated on Pedro. 

“Pedro!” he gasped. “What-” He couldn’t bring himself to finish as his eyes wandered over his naked form, the tasty little topping for an irresistible dessert. He licked his lips, his eyes wide as saucers. 

“Do I look appetizing?” Pedro purred, rubbing a handful of chocolate on his chest. Ray nodded wordlessly, his face heating up with passion. “Then take a bite, big boy. Eat me up.” He winked and bit his lip, sliding his hand down over his nude body sensually. He stopped on his hard cock, gripping it in his hand.  

Ray was lightheaded as his heart thrummed in his chest. He felt pressure in his groin as blood flowed to his extremity with physical arousal. Was he dreaming? He felt disconnected from his body as he watched his hand reach out of its own volition to grasp the brownie, with Pedro on top. He brought the brownie up close to his mouth. His lips quivered. Pedro gazed up at his expansive face with rapturous eyes. He lifted his tiny hand up to those huge, soft lips and grazed them reverently with his fingers. Ray flinched slightly at his touch. 

The giant gulped nervously. Pedro couldn’t repress a shiver as he heard the squelching sound of his massive throat as he swallowed, watched his oversized Adam’s apple pulse under the skin on his neck. As eager as he was to pleasure his giant lover, the idea of being eaten alive was still frightening. Regardless, he remained firm in his resolve, even as Ray wavered. 

“I-I can’t…” Ray murmured fearfully. “I might… kill you…” He began to pull away, but Pedro grabbed his lips to stop him. Pedro tickled his mustache with his fingers, teasing him. 

“Shhh… no need to worry,” Pedro assured him in a soothing tone. “I took a pill. You can swallow me and I’ll be safe and cozy inside you.” He slid his hand between the giant’s humongous lips, worming his arm inside up to his shoulder. His hand brushed against the slick surface of Ray’s massive teeth. He felt the incisors separate, and his hand contacted the fleshy tip of Ray’s tongue. The tongue sampled him, coating his hand in saliva. The slimy, bumpy appendage moved up his arm, exploring. Ray’s lips opened with longing, revealing the deep, dark cavity within. 

Pedro froze up as he stared into the gargantuan mouth, with its fearsome teeth, the great arch of the hard palate above like the roof of a cathedral, and the passage to the back of the throat that he knew would entirely engulf him, and drag him down to the depths of the forbidden inner sanctum, the stomach. He suddenly felt very, very small and vulnerable, as he experienced the raw power of the hefty tongue licking his skin. He was insignificant enough to be nothing more than a snack. His pulse spiked as he realized this act would be the ultimate test of trust: He would be giving himself up entirely to Ray, permitting the giant man to consume him whole, completely dependent on him to let him back out, helpless in his fate. His life was in Ray’s hands, soon to be in his mouth and digestive system. 

Pedro trusted Ray. He willingly entered the giant’s mouth as Ray hesitantly opened his jaws wider to immerse him, along with the brownie. He passed through the pearly white gates of teeth to be inside Ray. The ivory tiles of bone closed around him, and he was fully submerged in his body. He gave himself up to the giant as the tongue moved to separate him from the brownie. He sat on the colossal sensory organ, jostled about as he watched the brownie disintegrate into mush under the powerful crushing force of the huge molars. A thrill of anxiety jolted through his heart as he observed the masticated food get sucked down the fleshy shaft of the throat in a tremendous, yet effortless, gulp, with the knowledge that he would soon follow. 

Ray was in no hurry to swallow Pedro, however. His flavor was marvelous and put the brownie to shame. He rolled the tiny man around on his tongue, feeling every inch of his body from his head to his feet, stroking and caressing him with sublime sensual pleasure. Pedro went limp as he allowed himself to be handled however Ray pleased. The mouth pooled with saliva, soaking him like a warm bath. He looked around with wonder at all the inner details of the mouth, the teeth and gums and gullet, blown up on such a vast scale. 

He found himself sliding down the curve of the tongue towards the throat, and realized Ray was ready to swallow him. He took a deep breath to steady himself as he gazed down into the slippery red tube into darkness. With a flash of determination, he dived in. The throat muscles seized him and dragged him down with shocking force, squeezing him tightly. Pedro’s heart pounded as he was pulled down with frightening rapidity and strength in a controlled drop. Ray’s colossal heart and lungs thundered around him when he passed through his chest. By the time he dropped down into his stomach, he was a bit overwhelmed and dizzy. 

He plopped into a puddle of gastric juices inside a wet, churning, gurgling sack and realized he had completed his wild journey. He was deep inside Ray’s core, almost a part of him. He explored the pitch blackness, walking around and feeling the squishy, pulsing walls surrounding him with astonishment. He could feel Ray’s movements as he shifted his mass and hear his soft moans of contentment reverberating through his viscera. Recalling what he had read about how giants enjoyed their insides rubbed, Pedro caressed the stomach walls around him. Being inside Ray meant he could pick up on every subtle physiological response of the giant’s body, including changes in his heartbeat, breathing, and body temperature, and Pedro marveled at how intimate it felt. He nestled into a fold of the stomach lining and curled up with comfort. He felt warm, cozy, and safe. 

From the outside, Ray rubbed his belly with fondness. He had been scared to swallow Pedro, but now that the man was inside him, he felt full and satiated. He had to admit that Joey was right: Eating a human was a special and remarkable feeling, comparable to sexual satisfaction. Every small movement from Pedro, as he walked around inside his gut and fondled his insides, filled him with intense pleasure. He carefully sprawled out on the couch, trying his best not to jostle Pedro within, and kneaded his belly with his hands like pizza dough. He was in heaven. 

Chapter 36

Chapter 1

[dreamerfms]

[ … ] ❀ you’re not from around here , are you? i figured because you totally just missed { ZORA OWUSU } walking by. don’t tell me you don’t know who { SHE/HER } is ? they kind of look like { L.OVIE SIMONE } and i could be wrong but i think that they might be { 25 } years old right now. they’ve been living in palmview for the last { TWENTY-FIVE YEARS }. and i don’t know if anyone has ever told them this before but they kind of remind me of { MARIANNE SHERIDAN } from { NORMAL PEOPLE }. if you stick around the town long enough you might catch them in action working at { - } as a {  OLYMPIC SWIMMER }. you see this town isn’t really that big of a place, some folks like to call them the { FALLEN CHAMPION } of palmview! they took a liking to the name too after a while, go figure. oh crap, they must have heard me yapping. they’re coming this way. i got to warn you though, rumor has it they can pretty { RESILIANT } at times. i wouldn’t take it too seriously though, from the times i’ve spoken to them they seemed pretty { SELF-CRITICAL } to me. we see each other all the time since they live in that { TWO } apartment beside me over in { SEAGLASS HEIGHTS }.

full name : zora owusu. birthplace : palmview grove, florida. date of birth : january 2nd. parentage : denise walker, kwame owusu. sibling(s) : two half-siblings. occupation : olympic swimmer ( on indefinite break ), swim instructor. relationship status : single. gender identity : cis female ( she/her ) sexual orientation : bisexual. faceclaim : l.ovie simone.

background

trigger warnings include mentions of : anxiety, panic attacks, eating disorders & mental health struggles.

zora grew up by the water, sparking her love for swimming at a very young age. raised primarily by her mother, who was a woman with high expectations, zora was introduced to structure and discipline almost right away. her mother believed in hard work and self-reliance, and though she was supportive of zora's talents, their relationship was often strained. as her swimming demands increased, so did the tension between them. her mother pushed her hard, sometimes too hard, believing it was the only way to prepare her daughter for the challenges ahead. by the time she was ten, zora's talent was undeniable, and she quickly became a prominent figure within the junior competitions, winning multiple medals and solidifying herself as one to watch. but at thirteen, after a year of arguments and emotional exhaustion, zora would move in with her father. unable to live under her mothers intense pressures any longer. and while it helped for a while, eventually she began to put the same pressure on herself. because some habits are hard to break. throughout her teenage years, her life revolved around training. early mornings, intense workouts, strict diets, and endless competitions. her focus paid off, and by eighteen she had earned a spot on the national team. at twenty, she qualified for her first olympic games, winning bronze and gaining widespread recognition. her silver medal came at the age of twenty-four. gold was the next goal, but things took a turn. after her silver medal win at twenty-four, what should have been a celebrated step toward her ultimate goal of gold, instead marked the beginning of an overwhelming struggle she hadn’t anticipated. in the months following the olympics, the relentless schedule and mounting pressure began to take a toll. at first, it was just moments of intense worry before races, racing thoughts and a tightness in her chest she tried to brush off. but soon, those feelings escalated. during a major international competition shortly after victory, zora experience her first panic attack. and after the first, they didn't stop. everything slowly got worse, and she began to spiral. after conversations with medical professionals, she made the difficult decision to take an indefinite break from competitive swimming to focus on her mental health. since stepping away, she has been dedicating time to therapy and rebuilding a life outside of competition. the road hasn’t been easy, and she's often plagued with moments of self-doubt and loneliness, but her resilience remains intact. she is slowly rediscovering joy in the everyday, reconnecting with loved ones, and exploring who she is beyond her identity as an athlete. but in the back of her mind, the idea of gold won't go away, and she plans to get back into strict training as soon as her mind stops betraying her.

wanted connections

first love - it may have been years ago, but there's still unresolved feelings and a lingering tension. maybe they splits due to her gruelling schedule, going from each others everything to nothing at all. or maybe they cheated while she was out chasing her dreams. ex on uncertain terms - someone she was dating, seriously or just briefly, before her struggles with anxiety. it's likely that she pushed them away, or used an excuse for it to end, not quite sure how to give time to someone else when she wasn't sure what she was going to do with herself. her best-friend(s) - they're opposites, to a degree, but that might just be why it works so well. they reign each other in and push each other out of their comfort zones at the same time. a well-needed balance. emotional anchor - someone outside the athletic spotlight, who has been in her life for a number of years. they help her navigate her anxiety and fears with patience and understanding, and each of them always show up when the other calls. some have speculated that there's more than a friendship, and they might be right about that. but it's not without complication. someone she's teaching how to swim - whether it be they never learned how, or perhaps they just want to feel more confidant in the water. either way, this helps her get back into the water without too much pressure. maybe that was their plan all along. more tba. open to anything as always !

[thevindicativevordan]

Any reactions to the casting of David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan as Superman and Lois Lane for Superman : Legacy ?

They certainly have the looks!

Crazy that people were fancasting Corenswet as Superman all the way back when Cavill was first announced to be dropped from the role, and he actually has gotten the job! Corenswet is Julliard trained just like Chris Reeve was, and also like Reeve, Routh, and Cavill, is basically an unknown. He's done a few TV shows but hasn't starred in a breakout hit yet. Gunn saw something in Chris Pratt when no one else at Marvel did, so if Corenswet is his guy, that's good enough for me. His Jewish heritage might hopefully cause him to emphasize the Jewish DNA that Siegel and Shuster first gave the character. If we must draw on biblical figures, then give me Superman by way of Moses and Samson.

Brosnahan apparently turned in an amazing audition tape per a Deadline reporter, and she's basically been playing Lois for the past couple years as Ms. Maisel from what I understand. No worries about her, Lois is a very well-defined character that you actually have to work to fuck up. Adams' Lois was bad because she was given nothing to do, and her only purpose was to be a womb for Superman and Batman to quarrel over. I don't believe Gunn will make the same mistake. Interesting that McKay didn't get the Lois role but was brought back to screen test with all three of the Superman hopefuls. I had thought that was a sign of Gunn choosing her, but I guess Brosnahan was simply too good to pass up.

Funniest outcome of the news, aside from the Snyder Cult meltdowns which were as expected as they were pathetic, is all the swooning over the height difference between Corenswet (6" 4') and Brosnahan (5" 3'). Apparently a lot of people find that to be quite the turn on! Can only imagine how that will increase once Corenswet gets put through the superhero workout and gets shredded.

Oh and Hoult needs to be cast as Lex. You better believe he can look Corenswet's Superman in the eye and start screaming about how "you're not Superman, I AM" with 100% sincerity. Poor guy has been passed over for both Supes and Bats!

[fitnessnirvana]

RESISTANCE MACHINES 

Not sure where to begin if you're new to the gym? Beginners can begin resistance training with resistance machines! Resistance machines add weight to an activity, just like free weights do, to make it more difficult for your muscles and encourage adaptation and growth. But since resistance machines follow a preset movement pattern, they're especially beneficial for newcomers as they allow you to gain strength and confidence while learning the form of the exercise in a safe and regulated manner.

Resistance training machines aren't only for novices; professional lifters can use them to gain muscle.

Are resistance machines as good as free weights?

Free weights are generally more effective at exercising numerous muscle groups simultaneously and can be more challenging than resistance machines since they stimulate more muscles. Resistance training equipment is still a useful training tool for both novice and seasoned gym users. It's safe for beginners to start building strength because the movement pattern is fixed, making form errors nearly impossible.

Resistance machines are a terrific way to add a mix of isolation training towards the conclusion of your session for gym-goers who are intermediate or advanced.

What are the benefits of using resistance machines?

Resistance machines help you to master essential movements

Beginner resistance machines in the gym are an excellent method to become familiar with some of the safe, regulated movement patterns used in weightlifting.

With resistance machines, you can only raise and drop the weight properly because of their limited range of motion. Before moving on to free weights, this helps you learn the exercise, develop strength, and learn which muscles to use.

Resistance machines are easy to set up

We recognize that beginning a fitness regimen may seem intimidating, but it doesn't have to be. The only setup required for resistance machines is to change the starting position to fit your height. Additionally, changing weights is easy, and you can experiment with different weights without locating and storing free weights like dumbbells or kettlebells.

Resistance machines help you to target specific muscles

Resistance machines are fantastic because they are ideal for isolation work, which is focused on one muscle at a time as opposed to several muscles at once. This can be quite beneficial for improving muscular balance and for strengthening muscles that might otherwise go unnoticed.

You are only as strong as your weakest muscle when it comes to compound exercises like squats and deadlifts, so train them all equally!

What resistance should I use?

It is crucial to begin with a weight that you can lift comfortably without experiencing any form of slippage. Therefore, we advise you to begin with a modest weight and gradually increase it. Working within the range' that corresponds with your objective is often a good idea. For instance, 4–6 repetitions for strength, 8–10 repetitions for hypertrophy (muscle growth), and 12+ repetitions for endurance. It's time to increase your weight if you discover that you can lift more repetitions than you had intended to.

This is known as progressive overload, and it's a training approach where you increase your muscles' stress to promote higher adaptability. This can be accomplished by using heavier weights, doing more repetitions, training a particular muscle more frequently, or even taking shorter breaks.

How often should I do resistance machine workouts?

When preparing an exercise regimen, resistance machines can be an excellent place to start because they're fantastic for beginners. You can divide your resistance machine workouts into days dedicated to working out your upper or lower body, depending on your goals. You might want to do these workouts many times a week. But after you've gained some muscle tone and increased your confidence with the exercises, you might want to start including free weights or more useful exercises in your routine.

However, because there are so many advantages to using resistance machines, we would advise incorporating them into your regimen in addition to free weight exercises to achieve a balance between isolation and compound movements.

[calisthenicsgrow]

7 No-Equipment Calisthenics Moves for Home Workouts

In a world where fitness trends come and go, calisthenics remains a timeless and effective form of exercise. What sets calisthenics apart is its simplicity and accessibility – all you need is your body and a bit of space to get started. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned athlete, calisthenics offers a wide range of exercises that can be tailored to your fitness level and goals.

In this article, we'll explore seven equipment-free calisthenics moves that you can incorporate into your home workouts. These exercises target various muscle groups, promote functional strength, and improve overall fitness without the need for expensive gym equipment. So, let's dive in and discover the power of bodyweight training.

Push-Ups

Push-ups are a classic calisthenics exercise that targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps while engaging the core and stabilizer muscles. To perform a push-up:

Start in a high plank position with hands shoulder-width apart and arms fully extended.

Lower your body by bending your elbows until your chest nearly touches the ground.

Keep your core engaged and maintain a straight line from head to heels.

Push back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.

Push-ups can be modified to suit different fitness levels by adjusting hand placement, tempo, or performing them on your knees.

Bodyweight Squats

Bodyweight squats are an excellent lower body exercise that targets the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. To perform a bodyweight squat:

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out.

Lower your body by bending your knees and pushing your hips back, as if sitting back into a chair.

Keep your chest up, back straight, and weight in your heels.

Lower until your thighs are parallel to the ground, then push through your heels to return to the starting position.

Bodyweight squats can be intensified by adding pulses, jumping squats, or holding a squat position for an extended period.

Pull-Ups (or Inverted Rows)

Pull-ups are a challenging upper body exercise that targets the back, biceps, and shoulders. If you don't have access to a pull-up bar, you can perform inverted rows using a sturdy horizontal bar or suspension trainer. To perform a pull-up:

Grip an overhead bar with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, palms facing away from you.

Hang with arms fully extended, engaging your core and keeping your body in a straight line.

Pull your body up until your chin clears the bar, then lower back down with control.

Inverted rows mimic the movement of pull-ups and offer a scalable alternative for beginners.

Planks

Planks are a fundamental core exercise that strengthens the abdominals, lower back, and stabilizer muscles. To perform a plank:

Start in a forearm plank position with elbows directly beneath your shoulders and feet hip-width apart.

Keep your body in a straight line from head to heels, engaging your core and glutes to maintain stability.

Hold this position for as long as possible while maintaining proper form and breathing rhythm.

Planks can be made more challenging by lifting one leg or arm, performing side planks, or adding dynamic movements like plank jacks.

Lunges

Lunges are a versatile lower body exercise that targets the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. To perform a lunge:

Start standing with feet together.

Take a step forward with one foot and lower your body until both knees are bent at a 90-degree angle.

Keep your front knee aligned with your ankle and your back knee hovering just above the ground.

Push through your front heel to return to the starting position, then repeat on the other side.

Lunges can be performed in various directions (forward, reverse, lateral) and with added weight for increased resistance.

Dips

Dips are an effective upper body exercise that targets the chest, triceps, and shoulders. To perform dips:

Find two sturdy surfaces of equal height, such as parallel bars or the edge of a chair or bench.

Grip the bars or edges with hands shoulder-width apart and arms fully extended.

Lower your body by bending your elbows until your upper arms are parallel to the ground.

Push through your palms to extend your arms and return to the starting position.

Dips can be modified by bending your knees or elevating your feet to increase or decrease the level of difficulty.

Burpees

Burpees are a full-body, high-intensity exercise that combines strength, cardio, and coordination. To perform a burpee:

Start standing with feet shoulder-width apart.

Lower into a squat position and place your hands on the ground in front of you.

Jump or step your feet back into a plank position.

Perform a push-up, then jump or step your feet back to the squat position.

Explosively jump up, reaching your arms overhead.

Land softly and immediately lower back into the squat position to begin the next repetition.

Burpees can be modified by eliminating the push-up or jump to suit different fitness levels.

Conclusion

Calisthenics offers a convenient and effective way to improve strength, endurance, and overall fitness without the need for fancy equipment or gym memberships. These seven equipment-free calisthenics moves provide a solid foundation for a full-body workout that can be done anytime, anywhere. Whether you're a beginner looking to kickstart your fitness journey or a seasoned athlete seeking a new challenge, give these exercises a try and experience the transformative power of bodyweight training. So, clear some space in your living room, lace up your sneakers, and get ready to sweat with these equipment-free calisthenics moves!

[davidboles]

Bells Build Massive Biceps

Hello again, my Kettlebell friend! We always want to look and feel our best — that’s why we do what we do everyday with slinging our rounded iron! Yes, creating massive biceps is a common goal for many fitness enthusiasts — not that there’s anything wrong with that! While traditional dumbbell exercises are widely recognized for bicep development, kettlebells offer unique benefits and challenges that can lead to impressive muscle growth and strength. This article will guide you through an effective kettlebell workout specifically designed to target and build massive biceps.

Why Kettlebells for Biceps?

Kettlebells, with their off-center mass, engage muscles differently than dumbbells. This means your muscles have to work harder to stabilize the weight, leading to increased muscle activation and growth. Additionally, the thick handles of kettlebells improve grip strength, which is crucial for pulling exercises that target the biceps.

The Workout

This kettlebell workout for biceps focuses on high-intensity exercises that stimulate muscle growth. It's important to start with a warm-up to prevent injuries. A good warm-up could include arm circles, wrist rolls, and some light kettlebell swings to get the blood flowing.

1. Kettlebell Bicep Curls

How to: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a kettlebell in each hand. Keep your elbows close to your torso, curl the weights while keeping your palms facing up. Lower them back down after a short pause. Aim for 3 sets of 8-12 reps.

2. Kettlebell Hammer Curls

How to: Similar to the bicep curls but hold the kettlebells with your palms facing each other (neutral grip). This targets the brachialis, a muscle that can push your bicep up, making it look bigger. Perform 3 sets of 8-12 reps.

3. Kettlebell Clean

How to: Start with the kettlebell between your feet. Bend your knees slightly, then explosively pull the kettlebell up, flipping your wrist so it rests against your forearm at shoulder height. This not only works your biceps but also engages your core and shoulders. Do 3 sets of 6-8 reps per arm.

4. Kettlebell Concentration Curl

How to: Sit on the edge of a bench or chair, spreading your legs wide. Lean forward slightly, holding a kettlebell with one hand. Rest your elbow against your inner thigh for support, and curl the kettlebell towards your chest. Focus on isolating the bicep. Perform 3 sets of 10-12 reps per arm.

Tips for Maximizing Bicep Growth

Progressive Overload: Gradually increase the weight of the kettlebell as you get stronger to continue challenging your muscles.

Mind-Muscle Connection: Focus on the contraction of the bicep muscle during each exercise to maximize engagement.

Recovery: Biceps need time to repair and grow. Ensure you're not overtraining and that you're getting enough rest between workouts.

Nutrition: Protein is essential for muscle repair and growth. Make sure your diet supports your fitness goals.

Hey, Incorporating kettlebells into your workout routine can significantly enhance your bicep development. The unique properties of kettlebells, combined with the exercises listed above, can help you achieve massive biceps. Remember, consistency, proper form, and a balanced diet are key to seeing the best results. Start integrating these kettlebell exercises into your routine and watch your biceps grow! Be careful out there! Get bigger out there!

[novankenn]

J/C - the Idols of Beacon

--==(Table of Contents) ==--

(Chapter Eleven - Agony is Life)

It had been two weeks since Joan and Carla’s training regimen had started. The first week had been pure hell, as their bodies slowly adapted to the brutal schedule. It was late into the second week that the pair, started to notice that things were not as hard as they used to be. They both shivered at the thought that once it became easy, the intensity would increase. The pair were intimidated… especially with the physical conditioning. Nora had decided to support Pyrrha, as apparently Nora, in Pyrrha’s own words, had “Adopted” them.

Watching Pyrrha and Nora doing their normal work out was scary. Joan and Carla were getting stronger, and their cardio was improving, but just watching the intensity of those two while doing light jogging on a treadmill made the pair of gender-swapped men sweat… with fear.

The voice and dance instruction was their preferred sessions. It was easy for them. Carla’s voice when she sang was angelic, while Joan’s speed and rhythm was infectious. Then of course as both had been trained in dance for multiple year… was child’s play.

There was one more day of training before the pair could have their cheat day. Joan was exiting her room when she saw Carla twisting and posing, while looking at her reflection in the full wall mirror. Both were in their workout clothes… or more specifically, the workout clothes they wore under their sweats.

“Stop checking out your ass, and get ready. Pyrrha will be her soon.” Joan commented as she finished pulling on her sweats.

“You’re just jealous, that I have the better ass.” Carla suddenly stopped, and her face went slack, as she just realized what she said.

“Says you.” Joan retorted. “I’m the full package… tits, ass, thighs.”

“Oh really?” Carla quickly forgot her shock and gave Joan a glare. When they had been… altered, Carla kept most of her height, only losing a couple inches. Joan on the other hand was a good seven inches shorter than she had originally been. “It’s just because you’re short. It makes everything look… bigger.”

“You trying to say my ass looks fat?” Joan yanks down her sweatpants and gym shorts to be just standing in her panties and sweatshirt. She arches her back and then slaps her panty clade cheeks. The sound of flesh striking flesh echoing slightly. “Just the hint of a jiggle. Pure toned Rank S cheeks, dude!”

“Oh no, you didn’t!”

“I already did!” Joan stuck her tongue out at Carla, and wiggled it in a slightly suggestive manner. “Suck it!”

“Ha… you wish!” Carla proceeds to yank her own shorts off, and angled her own body to show off her own assets. “This is a grade AA set of buns, Hun.”

Joan stepped out of the pile of clothes at her feet, stalked over. Carla gave her a puzzled look, as she wondered what her roommate was up to.

“EEP!” Carla screeched and jumped as Joan had just hauled off and slapped her ass as hard as she could. “Ow! Ow! Ow!’

“Nothing but jiggling fat!” Joan snapped, before twisting and slapping her own posterior for the second time that night. “Hard, toned and soft.”

“Oh, you…” Carla snarled as she rubbed her backside. “This means war.”

“Oh yeah? What are you…” Jaune was taken by how fast Carla could and did move. “EEP!”

“How’s the butt floss?” Carla sneered as she used both her hands to yank up on Joan’s panties, giving her a wedgie. Twisting the stretching fabric in one hand, Carla freed one of her hands and grabbed Joan’s ample rear. “Tight, but nothing to grab! A 

Man likes to have his fingers sink in a little!”

Joan was dancing on her tip toe, trying to ease the pressure.  Carla gave Joan’s butt a final squeeze before release her hold and allowing Joan to drop to her knees. Carla dusted her hands as she turned to head back to her discarded shorts.

“Ah! Let go!” Carla shrieked as Joan launched a counter-attack, grabbing hold of the back of Carla’s sports bra and yanking back, painfully compressing her chest.

“Don’t you EVER suggest… OW!” Joan let go of Carla, and grabbed her right tit. The pain was smarting, and caused her a dull ache in her chest. The reason, Carla, had landed a back elbow to Joan’s chest.

“What the hell is your problem?” Carla growled as she held her hands to her own sore chest.

“A guy is NEVER going to touch me.” Jaune snapped back as she gently rubbed the breast Carla had struck.

“Whatever. Like you have a chance with anybody.” Carla retorted.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Just what I said. A loser like you has NO chance of catching anyone’s attention.” Carla sneered, looking down at Joan, while crossing her arms over her ample chest. “Face it. You’re just eye candy… no one is ever going to take a blond bimbo like you seriously.”

“Bimbo?” Joan was more than a little angry now. “I could too find people who would take me seriously… who would be happy to be with me!”

“Really? Name two.”

“Pyrrha and Coco!” Joan snapped.

“Um… hello?” Pyrrha called out, her face bright red. Carla and Joan froze. They had never heard the door open due to their little argument. “I… ahem… seeing as you both have so much energy.”

“I… I…” Joan finally started to stammer, while wishing she could melt into the floor and vanish. “How much did you hear?”

“Most of it… anyway, as I was saying.” Pyrrha took a deep breath, “Seeing as you both have so much energy, I think it is time we increase the intensity of your work-out. How does a 3km run sound?”

“Perfect. Just perfect.” Carla groaned.

“Excellent!” Pyrrha slapped on a smile as she clapped her hands together. “Get dressed and let’s go. Nora is waiting at the gym for us.”