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toadstoolgardens · 3 years

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25 Tips for Permaculture Living

Permaculture is a design system and approach that challenges us to engage in whole systems thinking to create a better world and a worthwhile, kick-ass life. These are just ideas, shape your permaculture plans to fit your life & community.

The 3 Ethics of Permaculture: Earth Care, People Care, Fair Share.

1. Grow food. Even just a little. A sprawling garden, a raised bed, and a little pot of basil in a windowsill are all accomplishments. Growing that food creates a relationship with the soil, the weather, and the ecosystem. It slows us down, increases our resilience, and helps us eat where we are.

2. Chop & gather wood. If you are able where you live, take responsibility for your fuel needs. I live in a rural area so this is feasible for me, but these skills can also be utilized on camping trips/when using fire pits/etc. Learn to gather wood regeneratively and how to cure, stack, and chop it. Use as little as possible in a well-kept woodstove and return the charcoal to the Earth as biochar.

3. Minimize. Pare down your closet, your kitchen appliances, your shopping trips, the number of devices you own, anything you recognize you have/do in surplus. Being happy with less is powerful, it increases gratitude and lessens want.

4. Catch and store water. If it's legal where you live to do so, catch rainwater. This can be done in many ways, for many reasons. To pump the water as the pressurized water in your home or to water your gardens and landscape. Recycled plastic rain barrels are a simple and inexpensive way to collect and store free rainwater.

5. Eat together. Slow down and eat with the ones you love, just eating, talking, and being. Give each other and the nourishment on your plate your undivided attention.

6. Buy secondhand. Commit to buying as much as you can secondhand. This slows down impulse purchasing and hugely lessens the impact of your purchase. You'll also likely end up with a higher quality item and a great deal! Since secondhand items already exist, no production is needed, no new footprint is created, better for everyone. There are online secondhand shops too if you're looking for something specific you can't find locally.

7. Stop shopping at big supermarkets. Avoid them as much as possible! They're full of plastic packaging, processed foods, and the illusion of choice. Almost every product on supermarket shelves is owned by one of 10 companies, and they certainly aren't environmentally friendly ones. For food, make basics from scratch and source whole foods from locally owned farms, markets, co-ops, and shops. Online resources like Vitacost and the Package Free Shop are great for healthier options you might not find locally.

8. Reuse all nutrients. Compost all you can. Kitchen scraps, garden scraps, yard clippings, tree prunings, charcoal & ash from the fire, and urine and manure can all be returned to the Earth and transformed.

9. Pack your lunch. We all love takeout, but packing your own meal to take with you saves money, eliminates waste, and can be eaten anywhere! Eat your lunch in the park, the woods, up a tree, get to know your local nature spaces while you eat.

10. Make your own bread. Bread is one of our most beloved basic foods. Baking it yourself will nourish you better, save money, eliminate packaging, learn a new skill, and use whole ingredients instead of mystery ingredients and preservatives in many store-bought breads.

11. Swap your gym workout for gardening. Keeping healthy and fit is so important and if you're able, working in the garden is amazing exercise. Turn a compost pile, dig a garden bed, pull weeds, prune trees, pot seedlings, chop wood, or go walking in nature and enjoy the wild garden she provides. All deeply useful tasks, a great workout, and fresh air too! Forest bathing, being and basking in nature, is extremely healthy for our bodies and minds.

12. Minimize meat. Purchase meats from local farmers & butchers and don't support factory farming whenever possible. Appreciate and respect the animal nourishing you, use every bit of the meat you purchase.

13. Take the train. If you have to take a long trip, consider the train over flying. One trip on a plane generates about 300kg of CO2, taking the rain generates 10x less. It's slower, sure, but you can relax, read, nap, enjoy the scenery, and reduce emissions.

14. Support community. In every way: shop local, eat local, support your local food bank when you have surplus, volunteer in the community, help out at the community garden, teach your neighbors a skill. Show up for your community's pollinators by caring for local lands, planting native species, and encouraging others to do so. If you're already a gardener, start a crop swap if there isn't one. Give where you can, help where you can, engage where you live.

15. Keep bees. Bees are beautiful to watch, they provide our gardens and local landscape with pollination, and provide you with honey and wax. The millions of flowers and incredible effort involved in each jar of honey garners a great appreciation for sweetness and the work of bees.

16. Sleep well. It really does make a huge difference in our moods, health, and energy we're capable of putting into the day.

17. Live small. Living in a small house means less heating, cleaning, furniture, energy costs, and housing costs. A small home also makes for an intimate space to spend time together.

18. Work for yourself when you can. Growing food and being involved in the non-monetary economy of growing, swapping, sharing, foraging, reusing is so good for our health and everyday happiness.

19. Forage wild food. If you live somewhere with natural spaces that aren't sprayed with chemicals, there's probably free food all around you. Foraging is a great way to fill your belly with seasonal freshness, for FREE! Each season offers it's own special goodies, so you also learn to live with the seasons and connect to your local nature in a new way. Be sure to positively identify all species before you consume anything!

20. Take care of your ecosystem. You are a steward of the land and every little bit helps. Pick up trash and plastic when you're out. If you own property, manage your land. Volunteer for clean ups, water testing, gardening projects. Manage invasive species if you find them and are able. Plant native species and species for pollinators. Anything, truly anything helps.

21. Build forts & tree houses. If you have space, a collaborative building project using recycled/gathered materials teaches us lots of skills and helps us appreciate everything it takes just to keep a basic roof over our heads. Plus you'll also have a nice hideaway in nature to enjoy.

22. Grow beans. Love you, beans! They improve the soil, can be grown as climbers even if you have limited space, and can be eaten fresh, frozen, or dried (which store for years, increasing resilience). Beans are self pollinating which makes saving seeds easy and they're one of the most climate-adaptable plant proteins you can grow.

23. Pass it on. Share abundance! Produce, clothing, knowledge, skills, eggs, yarn, anything. Pass it on, pay it forward, share your excess, it's a gift to both your community and yourself.

24. Share skills. A skilled community is able to look after themselves and each other. Are you a great cook? Host a cooking party and teach your friends to make their own yogurt. Love starting seeds? Hold a seed starting workshop outside your local library. It doesn't have to be complex or fancy, just have heart. Which you already have, so you're perfect. Skill shares build confidence, knowledge, and community.

25. Rise up. Silence = violence. Permaculture is about doing as little harm as possible and using our time on Earth to do the best we can, with our hands and our voices. Speak up, show up, rise up. Work for the world you want, not just the garden you want.

Keep Learning: Source

#permaculture #sustainability #sustainable living #eco friendly #environmental #solarpunk

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redgillan · 4 years

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Under Pastel Skies - 7

Sugar daddy!Bucky Barnes x Reader

Summary: Modern!AU Bucky doesn’t need anyone, especially not a sugar baby. He isn’t that desperate… but she smiles so sweetly and she’s endearingly awkward, and he’s so lonely. She’s an artist, a painter, the type of person who always puts others before herself. Throwing caution to the wind Bucky offers her a place to live, a place where she can finally paint whatever her heart desires. He doesn’t need much in return; a friend, a muse.

Word Count: 6,480

Warnings: none

A/N: This is long overdue, sorry - hopefully it’s worth it. It’s also incredibly long... idek anymore. I want to thank you all for your patience and support. It means a lot to me.

Wannabe sugar daddies, don’t interact with this post.

You grumbled into your pillow when you heard your phone buzz on the bedside table. Cracking one eye open, you lifted your phone and squinted to read the neon numbers showing on the screen.

7:12 a.m.

You had an email notification, nothing important, but it somehow managed to come through the ‘Do Not Disturb’ feature. You knew you wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep so you got up and padded barefoot into the kitchen.

A smile curled up your lips when you saw the leftovers from your made-up holiday. There were a few cookies and muffins in a plate, a large bowl of cereals, and two dirty milkshake glasses on the counter.

It had been a fun and relaxing couple of days. You ate, talked, played board games, and watched movies in your fanciest loungewear attire. Bucky sought your touch more than usual and it left you a little confused. Every time he touched you, the line between feelings of friendship and feelings of love became blurred.

Bucky was an early riser, always up before you, dressed in his usual khakis and long sleeved Henley shirts with his hair slightly tousled. He looked effortlessly sexy and always had a warm smile for you even though you looked like a hot mess in your mismatched pyjamas, staggering into the kitchen, blindly following the smell of food cooking on the stove.

Today, the kitchen was silent. Bucky was probably still asleep, so you decided to cook breakfast. Maybe, if you were lucky, you’d catch him in his night clothes.

Wasting no time, you made a beeline for the coffee machine. You filled the water tank and measured fresh grounds into the filter, but your task was interrupted when you heard groans coming from somewhere nearby. You soon figured out that the sounds were coming from the living room.

Curious, you silently made your way toward the sound. The shades were up, and you could see the midnight blue sky fading into pastel hues of yellow and pink with the approaching dawn. Under any other circumstances, you would have been completely enraptured by its beauty, but something else caught your attention.

Bucky was standing upside down with his head on a yoga mat. His eyes were closed and his features were set in an expression of serious concentration. You half hid behind the wall and observed him.

You were impressed, his headstand was perfectly vertical and he was doing it without hand support, meaning that he was supporting his entire weight on his neck. He slowly lowered one toe back down, then the other, before he rested his forearm on the mat and lifted his butt toward the ceiling, his body forming a perfect inverted V.

“You’re up already,” he asked, sitting back on his haunches. “I can hear you breathing behind that wall.”

Busted...

You peeked out into the living room and cringed. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you but that was sooo impressive.” You walked into the room and perched yourself on the arm of the sofa, facing Bucky who was kneeling at your feet. “How do you do that?”

He chuckled, his cheeks red from exertion and bashfulness. “Practice. Yoga’s good for building strength.”

He looked up at you with a boyish smile, his hair damp with perspiration. Beads of sweat dotted his forehead, rolling too close to his eyes and making him squint.

His pants left little to the imagination, the fabric stretched across his powerful thighs, and his sleeveless shirt clung to his drenched chest, outlining his muscles. Your eyes darted to his left shoulder where his stump was visible.

Despite living with him for over two months, you had never seen him in one of those sleeveless shirts before, though you couldn’t blame him since it was the middle of winter and you hadn’t been wearing any either. It was warm inside the apartment but not enough to walk around bare-armed.

“It’s easier to do yoga when the sleeve isn’t slapping me in the face every five seconds,” Bucky said, looking at his stump. “But I can cover it up if you prefer.”

“No! Of course not,” you rushed to say. “I’m sorry. That was really rude.”

“You were just looking, it’s only natural,” he said. “People are curious. Staring... well, staring is different.” His frown smoothed away and he turned to you with a smile. “Are you hungry?”

You smiled down at him. “Starving.”

“I’m gonna hop in the shower real quick, then I’ll start breakfast.”

“Actually, I was about to start cooking before I got distracted.” Bucky looked away, a slight blush covering his cheeks. “But I think we have plenty of food left over from last night.”

“We’re not eating cookies for breakfast,” he said. “We’ll save them for later. Right now we need something healthy.” He grinned as he pushed himself to his feet and ran upstairs. “I’ll be right back.”

You shook your head at his antics and returned to the kitchen to finish making coffee. After all he’d done for you, it was the least you could do. You knew Bucky liked cooking –and he was damn good at it- but sometimes you wondered if this was a fair arrangement.

He had given you a place to stay, money, food to eat, your own artist’s studio, and you had given him... nothing. Admittedly, you knew that your presence calmed him, comforted him. You gave him the emotional support he desperately needed and it was important, but he could also have adopted a pet.

Too tired for coffee or tea, you poured yourself a glass of orange juice, hoping it would wake you up. It worked but your self-deprecating thoughts were still playing havoc in your mind.

You were fixing Bucky’s coffee when he came back downstairs after his shower, and you were pleasantly surprised to find him wearing a clean sleeveless shirt. You met his eyes and found that he was watching you intently. You offered him a smile and leaned back against the kitchen counter.

“Looking good, James.”

He looked down at his feet with a bashful smile as he crossed the room slowly. You observed him in silence while he prepared breakfast for the two of you. It was a simple breakfast bowl with yogurt, granola, fresh fruits and honey but he somehow made it look like a gourmet dish.

“There you go, angel,” he said, setting your bowl in front of you. “What are you going to do today?”

You took a slice of kiwi and dipped in yogurt. “I think I’m going to paint. You?”

Bucky licked his spoon and you stared at it longingly before you quickly averted your eyes. No, you couldn’t be jealous of a goddamn spoon. Catch yourself on.

“I have an idea for a new book,” he said, running his tongue along his teeth to clean them before he spoke again. “I had a meeting with my agent last week. It went well, my old publisher really wants to work with me again. I’m signing my contract this afternoon.”

“Bucky!” you squealed after swallowing your mouthful of yogurt a little too fast. “That’s amazing!”

“Thank you,” he said, staring into nothing with wide eyes. “I’m nervous, scared and excited at the same time. It’s strange, y’know, all these feelings mixed together. It’s a bit overwhelming and I haven’t even started yet.”

“Don’t think too much,” you said. “You’ve done this before, you can do it again.”

“Yeah,” he replied, smiling.

You scraped your spoon around the bowl and licked it clean. “What’s it about? Is it a novel? Can I be in it?”

Bucky chuckled to himself and you figured that every single writer had friends who begged them to appear in their books. You couldn’t help it, the idea of living forever as ink on a page was too tempting.

“It’s not a novel,” he said. “It’s the third instalment of my series. The style is a little hard to explain but this is what I like to say: self-help book meets Bridget Jones’ Diary.”

“I tried to look you up but I couldn’t find anything written by a James Barnes or a Bucky Barnes.” You playfully narrowed your eyes at him. “Are you a fraud? Or are you using a pen name?”

He pretended to think about it. “I’m a fraud.”

“I knew it,” you mock-sighed.

Bucky took your bowl and placed it in the sink along with his. When he started cleaning them, you joined him and took a dish towel.

“I’ll tell you soon,” he spoke after a moment.

“It’s okay, take your time.”

You knew he wasn’t going to tell you what his pen name was, not now at least. His books were a reflection of his struggles, his success, and his fears, and you could understand why he preferred to keep you in the dark for now.

The people who read his books didn’t know him, they were just anonymous faces in a crowd but you were real. You were his friend, his new friend, and your opinion mattered.

“It’s been a couple of years since I’ve published my last book. My agent said that people haven’t forgotten about me but I still have to,” he made air quotes with his fingers, “’show my face’, just to remind everyone that I’m still writing.” He sighed.

“There’s a charity event next month at the museum of Natural History,” he continued. “It’s a huge event, a lot of important people will be there, including some of the most famous gallerists and curators in the country. You’re allowed to say no but,” he paused and turned to look at you, “do you want to come with me?”

You pressed your lips together while you mulled this over. There was no doubt in your mind that it was a great opportunity, one that you would have never had without Bucky, and you knew you had to say yes. But this was your least favourite part of being an artist.

You didn’t know how to sell yourself and you always felt like an arrogant asshat when you spoke about your paintings, even though you had every right to be proud of your work.

You had managed to persuade yourself that this new life would last forever. Eat, laugh, paint, repeat forever. But it wasn’t real. You had to put yourself out there, even if it made you uncomfortable because painting was only half your job.

Something else bothered you. You didn’t want to be the poor, struggling artist who took advantage of a charity event to make herself known. It seemed wrong and hypocritical.

You voiced your concerns to Bucky who looked at you with a pained expression.

“Yes, it’s a fundraiser but I can assure you that everyone at the party will be talking business and exchanging business cards,” he said. “And they’ll compensate with a huge donation to clear their guilty conscience. Is it false philanthropy? Absolutely, and I’m ashamed to say I’m one of them. You’re not taking advantage of a good cause, we are.”

“You’re nothing like them,” you said. “You’re kind and selfless, you’re a good person.”

“I’m not sure that’s true, angel,” he said with a tight smile.

When you opened your mouth to protest, he leaned forward and cupped the back of your head as he pressed a kiss to your forehead, ending the conversation. He had never done that before and you froze, feeling equal parts confused, incredulous and appreciated.

He pulled back and wiped down the sink with the sponge, acting like kissing you so sweetly was something completely normal, like he was unbothered. Meanwhile you just stood there wondering if you would ever be able to breathe normally again.

You pressed your lips together hard and tried to gather your thoughts but your mind was reeling. You were about to leave the room when your eyes landed on a pile of mail on the kitchen counter.

The first letter was a cheesy view of the Tower Bridge, the words ‘Greetings from London’ written in bold cursive letters across the postcard.

You only knew one person who still sent postcards.

Wanda.

“What’s this?” you asked, nodding toward the stack of mail.

Confused, Bucky looked to you then followed your line of sight and saw the mail. “Oh, Natasha dropped these off last night. She wanted to see you but you were already asleep.”

You nodded distractedly while you picked up the postcard. The sight of it filled you with anxiety. Your sister didn’t’ send these postcards often, but every time you received one it reminded you that things were different now. Gone was the happy and supportive family you used to cherish.

Your breath caught in your throat as you read Wanda’s hastily written words.

I’m coming home.

She was coming home. A wave of nausea ran through you and your breathing came shallow and fast.

“Wow, wow, wow.” You felt Bucky’s hand at our waist, steering you toward a chair, and you realized your legs were giving way under you. “Deep breaths, angel. Look at me. There you go!”

“Sorry,” you said. “See what happens when you don’t let me eat cookies for breakfast?”

Bucky smiled at your poor attempt at humour. “Want to tell me what’s wrong?”

You debated telling him but you weren’t sure how to voice your concerns so you handed him the postcard instead. You had told Bucky about Wanda. She had disappeared after Pietro’s death, sending postcards from time to time as proof that she was still alive and well.

“Your sister is coming home.”

“Yeah,” you sighed. “I haven’t seen her for six years. She doesn’t know our mom has Alzheimer, she doesn’t know I sold our old childhood home. She keeps sending those postcards there. I gave the new owners Natasha’s address in case they still receive our mail. They’re very nice.” You let out a humourless laugh. “I had absolutely no idea what I was doing when I sold our house, and they could have taken advantage of me but they didn’t. I guess it’s not every day you buy a family house from a 24 year old girl. It probably screams tragic backstory, uh?”

“You did this on your own?”

“Yup.”

Bucky put his hand on your knee and gave you a comforting squeeze. “I’m sorry you had to go through this.”

You looked down at his thumb rubbing soothing circles just above your knee. “Yeah, it wasn’t easy.” You paused, then raised your head to look at him. “Living with you makes my life so much easier. I live in my own little bubble where I don’t have to be an adult. I feel like I can finally breathe. And I can’t thank you enough for all you’ve done for me and all you continue to do.”

“You don’t have to thank me,” he replied, shaking his head. “We help each other. We’re good together.”

“Yes, of course,” you said with a smile. “But we both know it’ll have to end one day. It has to, one way or another. I want to be more independent, start my career and support my family. I don’t want to rely on others anymore. I want to rely on myself.”

“But there’s no rush, angel.”

“I know, but nothing’s gonna change if I stay in my little bubble. I have to do things that make me uncomfortable.”

“What are you trying to say exactly?”

“I’ll come with you to the fundraiser.”

Bucky’s eyebrows shot up in surprise but a smile broke across his face. “That’s great! But what about your sister?”

You shrugged. “There’s nothing I can do. She’ll probably go to our old house, realize it’s not ours anymore. If she’s lucky they’ll give her Natasha’s address. I’m sure she’ll have lots of questions but she can’t show up six years later and act like our bond is still intact. I’m not at her beck and call. I’m only responsible for myself and, Bucky, I’m so tired of trying to please everyone. I deserve to live my best life, goddammit.”

“I am so happy to hear you say that,” Bucky said, his smile blinding. “Celebratory cookie?”

“Yes! Two cookies, please,” you replied, out of breath. “I’m slightly freaking out.”

You spent the next couple of weeks planning for the event; painting, taking pictures of your work, posting them on Instagram, searching for gallerists and curators you wanted to work with and cross-checking the attendees.

Despite everything, you couldn’t help but wonder if Wanda was already in New York and if she was looking for you.

“Check this out!” you exclaimed, shoving a business card in Natasha’s face before you pushed past her to get into her apartment. “It’s official, I’m an artist.”

She laughed as she closed the door, her eyes on the card. “Hi, it’s nice to see you, too,” she deadpanned.

“Sorry, hi.”

“Well, looks like you’re all set. When’s the party?”

“Next week,” you replied, taking a seat on you former bed, her sofa. “I’m a little nervous, but also excited. I don’t know, it’s a strange feeling.”

Natasha pinned your business card onto the fridge using a magnet before she opened the refrigerator door and retrieved a bottle of orange juice. She took two glasses from the cupboard and joined you on the sofa.

“But, yeah, I’m ready. I have over two hundred business cards, I know who I want to work with, and I even bought an external battery pack just in case.”

“And what are you going to wear?” Natasha asked before taking a sip of orange juice. You looked at her with wide eyes, panic written all over your face. “You forgot to buy a dress,” she concluded out loud. “Why am I not surprised?”

“With everything going on, I completely forgot I had to... wear clothes.”

“I’m sure James wouldn’t mind seeing you in your birthday suit.” She laughed when you practically shoved her off the sofa. “Come on, I’ll help you look semi-decent.”

You groaned. “I don’t want to go shopping right now. Plus, I blew all my money on business cards.”

“Are you kidding me? It’s freezing outside, I’m not leaving my apartment,” she replied, reaching for her laptop. “You’re going to rent it.”

“Ew,” you made a face.

You remembered the formal wear store where you had rented your prom dress. The place smelled like moth balls and sweat, and the dress had given you a rash. Not a great memory.

“Trust me, I know this is your first but I’m a seasoned veteran. I’ve been to dozens of fundraisers, and I had to wear dozens of designer dresses. Do you even know how much a Saint Laurent evening gown cost? You can’t wear the same dress twice. That’s a big no-no. And it’s not just the dress. You need a clutch, a pair of shoes, jewelry, a coat. You have to rent them.”

“You’re giving me a headache.”

She opened up her web browser and typed in the website address for the dress rental. As she entered your size and budget, it was obvious that she knew her way around the website and you had to admit that it was a lot easier than traditional shopping.

You looked at the collection of dresses, not entirely convinced, when you found it. You instantly knew it was the right one.

You stared longingly at the beautiful wine-red dress, made entirely of velvet. The bodice was cut on the bias, the fabric draping itself elegantly to contour the shape of the model’s upper body. The skirt was long and flowing, and the waist was cinched in with a thin black belt.

You clicked on the second picture and Natasha let out a strangled gasp. The open back was draped at the waist and weighted with a crystal on a golden chain.

The dress gave off 1930s vibes, it was elegant and refined but the back was daring and sexy. It was exactly what you needed. You paired it with a black wool cape, and Natasha offered to let you borrow a pair of shoes, jewellery and a bag.

The dress and coat arrived the next day. The woman who delivered them was kind and polite, she stayed in the kitchen while you tried on the dress. Once you gave the all-clear, she handed you your receipt.

The dress was yours for an entire week.

On the day of the gala, you were a nervous, sweaty mess. Natasha’s clutch was on your nightstand, filled to the brim with business cards. Your hair and makeup were already done. You sat on your bed in your underwear, staring at the dress hanging in your closet.

“I can do this,” you whispered to yourself.

You were adjusting the fabric around your cleavage, making sure everything flowed nicely, when you heard Bucky shouting from the kitchen.

“The car will be there in fifteen minutes.”

You took a deep breath and smoothed your hands down the sides of your dress, the tickling caress of the velvet calming you almost instantly. You reached for the handle, your heart hammering in your chest, and opened the door.

Bucky was standing at the kitchen island, looking down at his phone. He looked up when he heard the sound of your door opening.

“Hey, are you-” The rest of his sentence died on his lips as he froze. He stood there, staring at you, his eyes roaming your body in a manner that could only be called amazement. “You look-” He shook his head as if he couldn’t find the right word.

You looked down at yourself, grinning. After weeks of seeing you in your big woolly jumpers, pyjamas and painting overalls, you could understand why this was a shock. It was one to you as well.

“You look beautiful,” he said, his voice sounding strangled.

“Thank you.” He stood a little straighter when he noticed you were checking him out. He wore a dark blue suit with black lapels, a white shirt and a black velvet bow tie. You matched. “You look like a real heartthrob in that suit.”

He laughed and looked away, embarrassed. It was your favourite look on him; when he couldn’t maintain eye contact and his cheeks were slightly red and his nose crunched up a little.

“You’re wearing your prosthetic,” you said, noticing the stiff arm and fake hand.

“Yeah,” he replied, looking at his left arm. “This thing itches like hell, but I don’t blend well in a crowd when I’m not wearing my prosthetic. These people know me, they’ll be looking for me. Let’s not make it too easy for them.”

He finished his sentence with a wink and your entire body threatened to spontaneously combust. Do people still wink? Apparently. You walked over to him and briefly stroked his arm before you walked past him to the bathroom.

It gave him a great view of your bare back and the little crystal nestled just above the small of your back. You didn’t see his reaction but you heard his sharp intake of breath.

You left the bathroom door open while you rummaged through your makeup bag, relief flowing through you when your fingers brushed against your favourite lipstick.

You straightened up and looked at yourself in the mirror. Bucky was leaning against the bathroom door frame, observing you. You uncapped the lipstick and brought it to your lips, locking eyes with him in the mirror.

“Don’t worry, I’m almost ready.”

“I’m not worried,” Bucky replied with a mischievous smile. “Please, carry on.”

You rolled your eyes at his sudden smug expression, trying to look unbothered, but you could feel his eyes on you and you willed your hands to stop shaking. Today was not the day to look like Miranda Sings.

“What’s it called?” Bucky asked from the threshold, spellbound.

“No idea, the label has faded,” you said, rubbing your lips together to smudge your lipstick. “It has probably expired by now, my mom gave it to me when I was a kid.” You blotted your lips and tossed the balled tissue into the wastebasket. “She called it ‘Carter Red’.”

You dabbed the lipstick on your lips. “When we were kids, we used to watch her apply her lipstick. We thought she was the most sophisticated woman in the world. When she was done, she’d turn to us and ask ‘Who wants red lips?’ Then we’d leave the house in our matching red lips.”

Bucky entered the bathroom and took a seat on the edge of the tub. “Did your brothers wear red lipstick too?” he asked with a grin.

You laughed. “Pietro did. Scott was more into nail polish.”

“Do you think I can pull it off?”

You turned to him with a wicked grin and waved your lipstick in his direction. He stood when you took a step closer to him. He seemed to enjoy the playful glint dancing in your eyes. You beckoned him closer like some kind of old witch.

“I’m sure you’d look real cute with lipstick all over your face,” you said, taunting him with your tube of lipstick.

Something in his expression changed, darkened, making you feel hot and cold at the same time. His eyes travelled down your face to your lips, then back up to your eyes. “Yeah, I’d really like that,” he spoke so softly you almost missed it.

It was your turn to freeze. You parted your lips to speak but nothing came out, you just blinked hard and stared at him incredulously, waiting for him to explain what that meant. But he never did, and you took a step back.

Did he just...? Did he just try to kiss you? No! No, that’s silly. Why would he want to kiss you? He was just being playful and you simply projected your own desires onto him.

He took a step back too and gave an imperceptible nod. “The car should be here any minute,” he said, smiling. It was a tight smile and you didn’t like it at all. “I’ll let you get ready.”

After he closed the door behind him, you dumped your lipstick back into your makeup bag and took a long look at yourself in the mirror. You looked deflated, miserable. You sighed... the night was off to a great start.

Bucky waited for you while you finished getting ready. You picked up your clutch, slid your feet into a pair of high-heel shoes, and struggled with your cape until Bucky came to your rescue. To your surprise, his smile was genuine again, and it made your heart soar. Maybe you had just misread the situation and he wasn’t upset, offended –or whatever that tight smile was.

The heels were higher than you were used to, but Bucky gave you an arm to hang onto. The sky was already dark when you arrived at the Museum of Natural History. You walked up the stairs and left your coats in the coat-check room before you took a look around the room.

Hundreds of people were milling around the hall, a glass in their hand as they weaved between the jaw-dropping dinosaur skeletons that were on display. You kept your arm linked through Bucky’s and tried not to stare at anyone.

“Be careful,” Bucky whispered in your ear, making you perk up. “Someone once told me that the exhibits come to life after the sun sets.”

“Remind me to stay away from the Biodiversity Hall,” you chuckled. Then you spotted one of the curators you wanted to work with, you let go of Bucky’s arm and squared your shoulders. “Showtime. Wish me luck.”

“Good luck, angel.”

“God, I’m sweating. Is it noticeable?”

Bucky smiled at you. “No, you look perfect.”

You gave him a grateful smile. “Thanks. I hope I won’t make a fool of myself. I hate small talk.”

As soon as you were gone, someone took your place by Bucky’s side. You grabbed a flute of champagne from a passing waiter and made your way over to the curator. You didn’t drink alcohol but the glass made you look like you were part of their little group.

It went horribly wrong; you stuttered when you said your name and everything went downhill after that. While you were talking, he subtly looked around to see if he could find a more interesting person to talk to, which made you stutter even more. Then as you opened your clutch and fished out a card, several others fell at your feet in slow motion.

Between the dress, the glass and the shoes, it was practically impossible to bend over. The curator left and you stood there alone.

“Let me help you,” one of the waiters said. He gathered up your business cards and handed them to you.

You sheepishly took the cards and shoved them back in your purse. “Thanks. Can you take this? I’m not going to drink it.”

“Would you like something else to drink?” he asked as he took your glass of champagne.

“No, thank you. I... I think I’m going to go find my friend.”

You smiled politely at the young man but he had a strange look on his face. He looked like he wanted to say something but hesitated.

“I saw you with Mr. Thomas,” he finally said. “I’m not supposed to talk to the guests but can you tell him I love his work.”

“I’m sorry I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Grant Thomas,” the waiter pressed on. “The writer. I saw you two together.” Then he leaned forward and whispered, “He only has one arm.”

Oh...

Grant Thomas was Bucky’s pen name.

Your face broke out into a huge smile and you started giggling to yourself. The waiter recoiled a bit, confused and a little freaked out. You scanned the room for Bucky.

“Of course, I’ll tell him,” you told the waiter. “He’ll be very pleased to hear it.”

You went in search of Bucky, wobbling around in your high heels, a permanent smile on your face. After walking around for a few minutes, you felt more stable and in control, even going so far as to power walk from room to room.

You found him in the Hall of Ocean Life, entertaining a small group of people. You walked over to him, your heels clicking like typewriter keys. You heard bits and pieces of their conversation as you approached.

“Oh, it’s absolutely lovely,” a woman cooed, a hand over her heart. “Who was your inspiration for your new book, Grant?”

Bucky’s eyes widened slightly when he saw you. You gave him a small wave and he held out his hand in your direction. He introduced you to the group, and while it was strange to hear him say your name, you kept a straight face.

“I’ve looked everywhere for you, Grant,” you told him, emphasizing his pen name. “I should have known I'd find you in good company.”

“Oh, she’s the painter,” the woman said. “Darling, I hope you don’t mind me saying this but-” she extended her arms in your direction “wow!”

The woman next to her looked half amused, half exasperated. “It means you look beautiful in that dress.”

“Oh, she knows what it means, Sylvia.” The ‘oh’ woman swatted Bucky’s fake arm. “Grant, isn’t she gorgeous?”

Bucky looked at you with a fond smile. “Yes, she is.”

“Oh, my heart is about to explode,” the ‘oh’ woman squealed before enthusiastically waving to someone behind Bucky. “Sylvia, darling, take her contact details. We need new blood at the gallery. Please, excuse me, I haven’t seen Michael in ages,” she said, stretching out the last word.

She was gone before you could comprehend what was happening. Her laughter echoed through the room. Oh, I hadn’t seen the back of that dress! Sweet baby Jesus!

You found her whimsical and quite intense but if you had to work for her, you’d probably end up looking like her assistant, Sylvia, who seemed at her wits’ end.

She sighed and opened her leather-bound notebook. There were several business cards attached to the pages with paperclips. You handed her one of your business cards as her boss shouted, Oh, Michael, isn’t this party deliiightful? It was Sylvia’s cue to leave.

“Thank you. We’ll take a look at your work and get back to you as soon as we can. Enjoy your night.”

Sylvia rushed to her boss who was looking around like a lost puppy. When she saw her assistant, a look of relief crossed her face. It was a little over the top but it made you smile.

“So, Grant Thomas,” you said, planting yourself directly in front of Bucky now that you were alone. “Cute name.”

“Agh, I wanted to tell you before the party but...” He shrugged. “How did you figure it out?”

“One of the waiters saw us together. He’s your biggest fan. Said you were talented, humble and devilishly handsome in that suit.”

“The waiter said that?” Bucky asked with a frown as he led you toward an empty corridor.

“I think he has a crush on you.”

“I seem to have that effect on people,” he said, linking his arm through yours.

“So humble.” You entered the Hall of Biodiversity together. “What’s the meaning behind your pen name?”

There was a small pause before he answered. “Grant is Steve’s middle name, Thomas is Sam’s. I wanted to honor them. Steve literally saved my life, and Sam... well, he stood by my side even when we barely knew each other.”

“I’m sure they were touched.”

“Meh,” Bucky said with a grimace. “Steve said it sounded like a fake name, and Sam tried to make me use ‘Thomas Grant’ instead. I think deep down they like it.” He turned his head to look at you. “How did it go with the curator?”

You cringed. “Just to give you an idea, imagine an amateur magician performing at their first show. I was sweating, I stuttered, and I dropped my cards. It was awful.”

He laughed softly. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, I’m not upset. At least he’ll remember me, right?”

You spent the next couple of hours mingling with a bunch of rich people; most of them were incredibly weird, the others were strangely relatable. You were a lot more cool and collected with Bucky by your side. He always had really nice things to say about you or your paintings, and his words rang true, giving you yet another reason to fall for him.

When you reached the planetarium, Bucky took your hand in his, his eyes sparkling with childlike wonder.

You practically had the place to yourselves, everyone else was either in the Grand Gallery or in the Roosevelt Memorial. Since no one was around, you decided to take your shoes off and walk around barefoot.

You lost track of time, listening to Bucky’s stories about the universe as he guided you along the spiralling walkway.

“We’re just tiny little specks living on a bigger speck, floating around,” he said, gazing up at a model of Jupiter hanging from the ceiling. “Our time here is so limited, our bodies are so fragile.”

“Umm,” you hummed. “At least we’re not at the bottom of the food chain.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, that would be a bummer.”

“Do you know who’s at the bottom of the food chain?” you asked. “French fries. I’m starving.”

His laughter rang out, loud and clear, in the silence of the planetarium. “C’mon, let’s get out of here.”

You headed for the coat-check room, where Bucky left one of his ridiculously generous tips, and stepped outside, shivering from the cold winter night. You looked up at the stars glistening in the dark sky while you walked the short distance to the fast food restaurant.

You ate your fries in silence as you glanced around the restaurant. It was bright and gave off a friendly vibe. There were several other patrons even though it was almost two in the morning, though you and Bucky were the only ones wearing designer clothes.

Your high heels and clutch rested on the booth next to your hip, and Bucky’s bow tie was tied around your wrist. The top two buttons of his shirt were undone, revealing a tanned, muscular chest and a smattering of dark hair.

Bucky had removed his prosthetic after you’d found a booth. His fake arm rested on the table, scaring the hell out of the waitress when she came to take your order. Bucky apologized profusely, probably mentally adding another twenty to her tip.

You dozed off in the cab, utterly exhausted, your cheek resting against his shoulder. His arm was draped over your shoulders, his thumb sweeping up and down your collarbone. When you remembered that you still had to remove your makeup before going to bed, you let out a whine and nestled closer to him. He rested his head on top of yours, and you closed your eyes, enjoying his closeness.

A few days later, you told Natasha about the party, and she reminded you to be careful, to protect your heart. She wished someone had given her this advice when she’d met Sam.

It had never occurred to you that Natasha might have feelings for Sam, not because he was an awful person. No, it was quite the opposite. He was handsome and funny, always looking for some kind of trouble. She’d mentioned multiple times that he was really good in bed, which honestly didn’t surprise you.

You knew she liked him, but you didn’t know she liked him.

On your way home, you mulled over the things she had told you. About a block away from your apartment, you took your keys out of your pocket and stared at the little angel keychain, wondering if your feelings for Bucky were real. The line between friends and lovers was definitely blurred but you couldn’t cross it. There was too much at stake, you couldn’t risk ruining your friendship.

As you turned the corner into your street, you spotted someone standing outside the building’s front door. You slowed down, dawdled, so you could observe them.

You couldn’t tell if it was a man or a woman, though you suspected a man. They were carrying a traveller’s backpack on their shoulders, blocking your view. Whoever it was, they had a fantastic ass.

They pushed the intercom button, waited a few seconds and pushed it again. When the doors remained closed, they turned around to leave and you came face-to-face with a man with long dirty blond hair, a bushy ginger beard and striking baby blue eyes. You immediately recognized him from the photos you’d seen on Bucky’s laptop.

“Oh my God, Steve!” you exclaimed, startling him.

Part 8

#bucky barnes #bucky x reader #bucky barnes x reader #marvel #marvel fanfiction #marvel imagines #bucky barnes imagines #bucky barnes fanfiction #marvel imagine #bucky barnes imagine #redgillan #redgillanwrites

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youllneverknowrac · 4 years

Text

Oscar Diaz-Party Of Seven

(Momma Bear Series)

For @princesshenney

Sunday’s were meant to be one of leisure but not for you. For you it meant going to the grocery store to stock up on enough items to feed six people and a baby for the upcoming week. It was hectic to say the least and honestly something you preferred to do alone so it would be done faster. However today everybody seemed to want to tag along. Oscar not wanting to stay alone since Alexander was being more fussy than usual. Angel not wanting to stay with just his big brothers if daddy and mommy both had to go. Carlos being a bit more clingy that usual and wanting to be at your side at all times. Anthony now wanting to come since Carlos wouldn’t be home to play with him, and Junior coming since he was home from school for the weekend and needed to do a bit of his own grocery shopping for his dormitory. So a ‘Diaz, party of seven’ outing to the grocery store it was.

“You boys buckle up back there.” You call out to the three older boys from the passenger seat. All of them crammed into the third row since the two car seats were in the second and no one wanted to sit in between them,”You too Junior.” You add, when you look over your shoulder to see him not moving.

“I’m doing it.” He mumbles, not turning back around until all of them are safely buckled.

“Thank you.” You tell him, taking Oscar’s hand in your and resting it on the middle console,”Come on, I don’t want it to get too late.” You sigh, already knowing this was going to be a long trip.

“Which store mami?” Oscar asks, knowing you usually liked to switch up.

“Sams.” You tell him, only because the baskets were bigger, meaning both little kids could sit in one together. Plus they had really tasty pizza at the entrance and you figured bribing your kids with food would be a good way to get them to behave. At least you hoped.

“Sams?” Angel asks excitedly,”I want pizza mommy, pleeeease. I wuv pizza.” He grins, Oscar finally pulling out of the driveway and heading in the right direction.

“If you all promise to be on your best behavior everybody can get a slice.” You say, all the boys excited at this information.

“Can I get a toy mommy?” Angel asks hopefully

“Yeah us too!” Carlos calls out from the back, us being him and Anthony.

“I don’t thin...”You begin, Oscar cutting you off.

“Deja de pedir cosas.” He says, glancing at all of them in the rear view mirror,”We came to get what we need and that’s it. So don’t get in that store and start asking for random little stuff,”Me entiendes?”

“Yes papa.” All three voices grumble, Angel pouting and crossing his arms. You don’t say anything and smile over at Oscar when he looks at you, bringing your guys intertwined hands to his lips and pressing a kiss to yours. You yawn and look out the window, watching the scenery fly by as the rest of the car ride is quiet. Thankfully Alex always passed out in the car, but that also meant he was going to be upset when you wake him up. And you were, because you were not carrying around the car seat just so he could sleep.

When you reach the store thankfully it wasn’t too packed ,meaning you could also get out a smidge faster,“Ima go grab a basket.” Oscar says once he finds a spot that wasn’t too far away and parks in it.

“Okay.” You reply and open up the passenger door, all the boys taking off their seat belts, even Angel who mastered how to do it a few days ago. You go to Alexander’s side first and take your time taking him out. Your youngest son wasting no time in protesting as a soft cry turns into a full blow wail,”It’s okay my baby.” You say, holding him to your chest and shushing him,”Grab the diaper bag. One of you.” You order the older boys before going around to the other side so they can climb out. You open Angel’s door next and lean against it, the toddler still in his car seat as you wait for Oscar to return.

“Why is Alex sad?” He asks with furrowed eyebrows

“He just doesn’t like to wake up, he wants to sleep all day long. Kinda like daddy.” You tell him, still bouncing Alexander in your arms who was starting to quiet down. The other boy’s standing to the side after getting out and closing the door. Oscar approaching with not one, but two carts.

“Daddy’s lazy.” Angel giggles,”He snores in my ear.” He says before imitating a sleeping Oscar, causing you to laugh out loud.

“Shhh, he’s coming.” You playfully warn, Angel instantly calming down and sitting still.

“Where’s the wipes?” Your husband asks when he reaches you, knowing that you liked to wipe the carts down if the kids were gonna sit in them.

“Diaper bag.” You inform him, letting him clean down the one that was going to hold the kids before putting Alex and then Angel in.

“Mommy?” Carlos asks walking up to you

“Yeah baby?”

“Can I sit in your cart?” He asks hopefully,”I don’t want to walk. My feet hurt.”

“Sure, but you can’t complain when I start throwing grocery’s in.” You say and he nods happily in understanding before climbing into the cart as well, your sassy toddler turning around to look at him.

“No Car-car. Only two here, you go sit with daddy.” Angel says and points to the other cart,”Now mister.”

“Nuh uh, you don’t tell people what to do.” You scold as you began pushing the basket, everybody else following behind,”Carlos can sit in here if he wants too, so be nice.”

“But mommy...”He begins

“No, no but’s. Tell your brother he can sit with us.”

“You can stay with us.” He says softly, holding his head down,”Sorry.”

“It’s okay bro.” Carlos reply’s nonchalantly, giving you a smile to reassure you about his feelings.

“Can we get some stuff for nachos?” Oscar asks behind you,”Like loaded nachos. I want the works. Pinche cheese, frijoles, jalapeños. Todo.”

“Aren’t you the one that said don’t ask for anything?”

“I meant our pack of four-lokos that can actually talk. They don’t got money for extra shit, but their daddy sure does.” Oscar says as he uses a free hand to ruffle Anthony’s head,”Broke ass. Even bigger broke ass.” He adds pointing a finger to Junior. The lot of you entering the store and heading down the first aisle.

“Aye, I got a part time job now.” Junior defends amusingly as he shoves Oscar’s side.

“My bad big baller.”

“Can you guys tone it down please? We’re in the store now.” You say and stop to give everybody a look,”And just for being a show off, now everybody is getting something they want.” You tell your husband, who keeps his mouth shut and looks away in defeat.

“You two.” You say to the oldest boys,”Are in charge of getting the pizza. Here’s some money. Come find us when you have it.” You tell them and hand them over some cash, watching as they go get in line,”You stay with me.” You tell Oscar before continuing down the aisle,”Dairy first.”

“I know that, I’m your husband not a child.” He says but nonetheless does as you say.

“Shhh, I’m thinking.” You wave him off, looking at everything on the cold shelf’s.

“Yeah. She’s thinking.” Angels grins,”Smart mommy.”

“Listen to the kid, he knows what he’s talking about.” You say and pull Oscar closer by grabbing his cart.

“You two always gang up on me. It isn’t fair.” He chuckles

“Life isn’t fair papi. Now let me shop.” You smile sweetly, patting the side of his face before you work on filling Oscar’s cart first. Grabbing two gallons of milk, cheese, eggs, butter, yogurt and other small things you had on your mental list. Heading to the deli section next, letting Oscar grab a few different things he could throw on the grill while you grab basic lunch meat.

“Should we get some seafood?” He asks as you look around for where to go next.

“Next time.” You say,”Let’s not overdue it, besides I already have dinner planned out for the week. Unless it’s something you really want, then I’ll make it.”

“Nah, it’s okay mami. I just wanted some shrimp and fish, we can get it on the next trip.” He shrugs,”I don’t mind, besides you’re already making the nachos for us.”

“We can do a whole seafood boil next time.” You smile and give him a quick kiss before carrying on with the shopping. Junior and Anthony soon coming up to you guys with a small box of pizza, one slice for everybody. You all shop while eating, even letting Alexander chew/eat one of your pepperonis. After while both carts becoming full, Carlos having to climb out towards the end of the trip so you could add a few last minute items.

“Okay one game or one toy.” You tell each of your kids when you reach the toy aisle,”You can get whatever, it doesn’t have to be this aisle obviously.” You tell Junior when you reach him. Anthony settling on a board game, Carlos getting a little nerf gun and Angel wanting a little hot wheel car. Junior going to a different aisle and grabbing some deodorant.

“I ran out. I was going to steal dads, but since he’s paying I might as well get a new one.” Junior says when he comes back.

“Yeah you’re welcome.” Oscar says and lightly hits him with the basket,”You’re all welcome.”

“You wanted to show off, so it’s only fair.” You laugh

“Thank you daddy.” Angel says and hugs the toy to his chest,”We can play together when we go bye bye from here.”

“Thanks mijo.” Oscar smiles and leans down to give Angel a kiss before all of you head over to the empty check out line.

“Start with the heavy stuff.” You say as you begin to pile everything on the belt, the kids helping out.

“Papi, get the baby.” You say when he starts to cry again, Angel covering his ears since he was so close.

“Let me see.” Oscar says and makes way through the cramped area to grab Alex,”Want me to just head out with him? I can pull the car up.” He suggest

“Yeah that will probably be easier Carlos and Anthony go with your dad.” You order, watching as the total on the screen goes up and up. The four of them head out, leaving you with Junior so he could help with the basket and Angel.

“You’re total is 245.56.” The lady behind the cash register says. You Internally groan at the cost as you pull out the debit card from your wallet and hand it over.

“I’ll spot you when we get home. I forgot my wallet.” Junior says quietly, knowing that some of these items would be heading back up to campus with him.

“It’s fine baby, don’t worry about it. You save your money.” You tell him and grab your card back when she holds it out.

“Mom I can’t do that. I threw a lot of stuff in the cart.”

“Junior, I mean it.” You say seriously,”It’s okay.”

He groans and nods his head,”Thank you. I love you mom.”

“Love you too JJ.” You say waiting until both carts are refilled until walking towards the exit of the store. Oscar parked on the side directly in front. You hurry over and take Angel, letting Oscar jump out of the car to help Junior load the back of the car up.

“Mommy my car was free?” Angel asks as you buckle him up, just now realizing that you didn’t put his car on the belt.

“Yup totally free.” You smile and shake your head,”How cool is that?” You ask rhetorically

“So cool.” He giggles before playing with it some more. You smile and leave his side so you can help with the last of the grocery’s. Junior going ahead and climbing through the back.

“How much was it?” Oscar asks as he slams the trunk close

“245.” You tell him

“Damn. You sure we can’t send at least one of them back?” He chuckles

“Too late.” You grin, the both of you going to your respective sides, Oscar pulling out of the lot moments later to begin the journey home.

“Everybody grab some bags.” Oscar says after a lengthy car ride home, traffic making the car ride 25 minutes longer. He grabs Angel and sets him down, letting him run to the front door to wait. You grab Alex and dig around for the house key, the three of you entering after you manage to unlock it.

“Leave it open.” You call out,”Come to the potty.”

“Coming.” Angel says and heads inside, going to your bedroom so he can try use the bathroom while you change the baby. The rest of your family bringing in the grocery’s so you could put them away, never letting them help with that part since they never did it to your liking.

“Did you do anything?” You ask Angel when he comes out of the bathroom in just his pull up now, fastening Alex’s diaper at the same time.

“No. Potty’s empty.” He says

“Why did you take your shirt off?” You giggle and poke his tummy

“I don’t know. I wanted to.” He laughs, causing you to laugh more as you three head back to the main area of the house.

“That’s all of it.” Oscar informs you and takes Alex so you can get started in the kitchen.

“Thanks.” You smile and give him a kiss before moving on to your task. The boys in your life all gathering around the the tv to watch something while they wait for you to finish up and then make your famous nachos. You occasionally glance over and a smile can’t help but form on your face, even though they made something as simple as shopping so crazy, you still wouldn’t change it or them for the world.

#oscar diaz x reader #oscar diaz #omb imagine #spooky diaz #on my block imagines #on my block season 3 #spooky x reader #omb #julio macias #kids #family #babys

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fanficshiddles · 4 years

Text

Caught in his web, Chapter 6

Chloe barely slept that night, she was sore and scared. She’d spent part of it in the shower again, crying.

She was also sure she went a bit delusional, as in the middle of the night she could’ve sworn that Loki entered her room and sat on her bedside, speaking softly to her while stroking her hair in a soothing manner.

‘No need to be scared, pet. I will take care of you.’ Were words that kept ringing her mind, in his voice. But she had been so tired, she couldn’t be sure if that had actually happened or not. And where did he come from? As she was almost certain it hadn’t been from the door, she’d been facing it while she lay in bed but never saw it opening when he suddenly appeared next to her.

In the morning, she was still in bed trying to get some sort of sleep when there was a knock and then the door swung open. To her horror, it was Ethan. She instantly scrambled back on the bed, dragging the blanket up with her.

Ethan smiled at her and closed the door with his foot, because he was carrying a tray.

‘Loki had the maid cook this for you for breakfast. And he wants you to take this, too.’ Ethan said, motioning to a pill that was in a small shots cup next to the plate of food.

‘What is it?’ She asked, her voice sounded small and more vulnerable than yesterday, Ethan noticed.

‘It’s the morning after pill. Loki said you must take it, one way or another. So I suggest you take it yourself, or I will have to force it down you like a dog.’ He said in warning.

Chloe didn’t feel like she had the energy to fight. And she certainly didn’t want that big brute forcing a pill down her throat.

She didn’t look at Ethan as she grabbed the pill and swallowed it quickly. It wasn’t like she wanted to get pregnant anyway. But she certainly hoped that Loki wasn’t going to take her without protection regularly, surely taking the morning after pill often wasn’t a good thing? Hell, she didn’t even want him to take her with protection.

‘Eat up.’ Ethan said and left her to it, with the tray on the bed beside her.

Chloe looked at the tray and part of her wanted to throw it at Ethan. But then, it was more Loki she was angry with. And the food did look delicious. Various fruits with a few different flavours of yogurt and fresh apple juice.

So she decided to tuck in instead of wasting it.

‘Did she take it?’ Loki asked Ethan when he entered his room. Loki was just putting on his suit jacket and sorting his tie, the same one he had used to restrain her wrists last night.

‘She did, without any arguments.’ Ethan nodded, waiting by the door.

‘Good. Maybe she will start to see sense today.’ Loki grinned, looking at himself in the mirror.

‘Do you want me to stay here by her door and make sure she doesn’t leave?’ Ethan offered.

‘No need. She’s not a prisoner, she can leave her room and go wherever she wants in the house. Once she has earned my trust, she will be allowed to come and go as she pleases with an escort.

Hopefully by the time her College starts in a few months she will be at that stage.’ Loki put on his leather gloves then followed Ethan out.

Nelson was waiting outside for them, he opened the car door for Loki and Ethan to pile into. Samuel was already in the car, waiting for them.

‘Is he there?’ Loki asked.

‘Yep. He has no clue why you’ve called him in for a chat.’ Samuel confirmed.

‘Excellent. The element of surprise is always the best.’ Loki grinned wickedly.

When they pulled up outside Loki’s building, he felt the usual surge of pride shoot through him. This was all his, as was a lot of the big company buildings in London. But this one, was all his and everyone knew it.

They walked in and it was bustling with energy as always. Workers going about, getting ready to start work for the day. The receptionist greeted him with the usual smile and good morning, Sir and he reciprocated with a wink, making her blush.

He continued on with Ethan and Samuel into the lift, then waited patiently while they headed up to the top floor where his office was. Of course, all the lower floors were a façade for the building. A company that dealt in selling and renting houses and other buildings. Loki quite literally owned a very high percentage of the property market in the city.

When they got into Loki’s office, there was a man waiting there for him.

‘Mr Laufeyson.’ He said nervously, putting his hand out.

‘Good to see you, Mike.’ Loki smiled, shaking his hand firmly after taking off his gloves.

Mike was shaking and Loki could feel that in his hand shake. It happened quite regularly that Loki dealt with people who were scared of him. It always gave him a bit of a rush, actually.

‘You… wanted to see me, Sir?’ Mike said as Loki went around to his side of the desk and took off his jacket, draping it over the back of his chair.

‘I did indeed. I wanted to ask why your company is behind on paying its bills?’ Loki asked firmly, sitting down on his leather chair.

Mike looked slightly shocked. ‘I… well, we haven’t been doing as well this year. Money has been a bit tight.’

‘And that is your problem. You are due money for rent, you’re in a contract that stipulates you pay monthly.’

‘I… I thought it was Mr Walsh’s company that rented out the company to me.’ Mike said, he looked over his shoulder and swallowed hard when he noticed that Ethan and Samuel were standing by the door, guarding it.

‘It is. But do you know who has recently bought his company and is now chasing up late payments?’ Loki raised an eyebrow at Mike. Whose face had dropped completely.

‘Yo… Yo… You?’

‘Correct. Now, are you able to pay me my fifteen grand by the end of today?’ Loki tapped his fingers on the desk.

‘Fifteen grand? It’s only ten grand I’m due!’ Mike said in a panic.

‘You’ve been overdue for a long time. And it will keep going up until you either pay me, or I lose my patience with you.’ Loki said calmly, staring him down.

‘There’s no way I will be able to pay that much.’

‘Is that so?’ Loki folded his arms over his chest. ‘Well, you either pay me what I am due or I will need to take something else from you.’

‘I don’t have anything else…’

‘Oh you do.’ Loki stood up and walked around his desk towards him. ‘You own Langfield college.’

Mike’s eyes widened in horror. ‘No. It… it isn’t for sale.’ He tried to sound brave, but it wasn’t working.

‘Well, if you don’t give it to me, then I will have no other option but to take it by force. And believe me, I will get what I want.’ He snarled.

Mike had bought Langfield college over ten years ago. But Loki had his eye on it for a while, for… certain reasons… and now the perfect opportunity had arisen to gain said college.

‘But… what would you want with a college? It’s not like you can earn much money from it. It’s just where people go to learn.’ Mike didn’t understand what someone like Loki would want it for.

‘I know what a college is, Mike.’ He hissed. ‘I have my reasons for wanting it. So are you going to give it to me? And all your debt will be wiped away, just like that. And, because I am a reasonable man, you can have free rent with your company for the next ten years. So as you say, you don’t earn much money from the college so why not concentrate on your company instead? I’d say that’s fair, no?’ Loki leaned back on his desk, awaiting his answer.

Mike sighed and looked down, realising he had no other option. ‘Alright. I’ll give you Langfield college. But I beg you, please don’t take away the fundings for the college.’ Mike thought Loki wanted it just to steal from the students and take all their funding.

Loki raised an eyebrow at him. ‘Oh I won’t. On the contrary, I intend to put more money into the college. The amount you’ve been putting in of late is abysmal.’

‘It’s not easy trying to pay the teachers a good sum, for all the work they do. Then there’s materials and not to mention grounds work and the living accommodations.’ Mike said in defence, but Loki didn’t believe him. He had seen the figures, he knew that Mike or someone else was fiddling with them. He was going to find out who it was, and he would make sure whoever it was, was properly seen to.

It was no secret that the college had been struggling the last few years, meaning that parents and students themselves were having to pay more for their loans. Loan repayments were way higher than they used to be, a way for the college to get more money in. But it was working because it was a really good college.

‘Well, I will soon find out just how difficult it is to own one.’ Loki said smugly, shutting him up. ‘I will have my solicitor draw up a contract, I will be in touch when it’s ready for you to come and sign over.’

Loki put his hand out towards him again and Mike hesitated before shaking hands. Sealing the deal.

Chloe had spent the morning moping around in the bedroom. She didn’t even try the door to see if it was unlocked, she wasn’t sure what she was going to do.

She spent some time sitting by the window, looking outside. To her surprise, it didn’t look like she had expected. He lived down a dead-end street that had a mini roundabout, with other fancy but normal houses around. Her window looked out to the house next door, there was a bit of gravel and a garage on the side of Loki’s house, then a huge fence and the next house.

She’d watched two kids playing football in their front garden for a while. Then she saw a girl about her age heading out on her own. It made her wonder if she would ever feel that kind of freedom again or not. Heck, Chloe didn’t even think she would be allowed out of this room alone.

Then her mind wandered to college, that she was supposed to start in just over two months’ time... Langfield college. When she’d went to visit, it was perfect. She had planned to live on site, her parents had been able to pay for most of it then she was going to take out a loan. But now, she had no idea what was going to happen.

She could see part of the road out her window and recognised the fancy ass car coming down the road to the house, she knew that was Loki and his goons returning…

#Loki #Tom Hiddleston #fan fiction #au!Loki #caught in his web

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imagine-loki · 4 years

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Caught in his web, Chapter 6

TITLE: Caught in his web CHAPTER NO./ONE SHOT: Chapter 6 AUTHOR: fanficshiddles ORIGINAL IMAGINE: Imagine Loki is a crime lord, a very dangerous man in the city. He is owed money, but the man is unable to pay Loki back, so Loki takes his daughter as payment instead. RATING: M

Chloe barely slept that night, she was sore and scared. She’d spent part of it in the shower again, crying.

Ethan smiled at her and closed the door with his foot, because he was carrying a tray.

‘Loki had the maid cook this for you for breakfast. And he wants you to take this, too.’ Ethan said, motioning to a pill that was in a small shots cup next to the plate of food.

‘What is it?’ She asked, her voice sounded small and more vulnerable than yesterday, Ethan noticed.

‘It’s the morning after pill. Loki said you must take it, one way or another. So I suggest you take it yourself, or I will have to force it down you like a dog.’ He said in warning.

Chloe didn’t feel like she had the energy to fight. And she certainly didn’t want that big brute forcing a pill down her throat.

‘Eat up.’ Ethan said and left her to it, with the tray on the bed beside her.

So she decided to tuck in instead of wasting it.

‘Did she take it?’ Loki asked Ethan when he entered his room. Loki was just putting on his suit jacket and sorting his tie, the same one he had used to restrain her wrists last night.

‘She did, without any arguments.’ Ethan nodded, waiting by the door.

‘Good. Maybe she will start to see sense today.’ Loki grinned, looking at himself in the mirror.

‘Do you want me to stay here by her door and make sure she doesn’t leave?’ Ethan offered.

‘No need. She’s not a prisoner, she can leave her room and go wherever she wants in the house. Once she has earned my trust, she will be allowed to come and go as she pleases with an escort.

Hopefully by the time her College starts in a few months she will be at that stage.’ Loki put on his leather gloves then followed Ethan out.

Nelson was waiting outside for them, he opened the car door for Loki and Ethan to pile into. Samuel was already in the car, waiting for them.

‘Is he there?’ Loki asked.

‘Yep. He has no clue why you’ve called him in for a chat.’ Samuel confirmed.

‘Excellent. The element of surprise is always the best.’ Loki grinned wickedly.

When they got into Loki’s office, there was a man waiting there for him.

‘Mr Laufeyson.’ He said nervously, putting his hand out.

‘Good to see you, Mike.’ Loki smiled, shaking his hand firmly after taking off his gloves.

Mike was shaking and Loki could feel that in his hand shake. It happened quite regularly that Loki dealt with people who were scared of him. It always gave him a bit of a rush, actually.

‘You… wanted to see me, Sir?’ Mike said as Loki went around to his side of the desk and took off his jacket, draping it over the back of his chair.

‘I did indeed. I wanted to ask why your company is behind on paying its bills?’ Loki asked firmly, sitting down on his leather chair.

Mike looked slightly shocked. ‘I… well, we haven’t been doing as well this year. Money has been a bit tight.’

‘And that is your problem. You are due money for rent, you’re in a contract that stipulates you pay monthly.’

‘It is. But do you know who has recently bought his company and is now chasing up late payments?’ Loki raised an eyebrow at Mike. Whose face had dropped completely.

‘Yo… Yo… You?’

‘Correct. Now, are you able to pay me my fifteen grand by the end of today?’ Loki tapped his fingers on the desk.

‘Fifteen grand? It’s only ten grand I’m due!’ Mike said in a panic.

‘You’ve been overdue for a long time. And it will keep going up until you either pay me, or I lose my patience with you.’ Loki said calmly, staring him down.

‘There’s no way I will be able to pay that much.’

‘Is that so?’ Loki folded his arms over his chest. ‘Well, you either pay me what I am due or I will need to take something else from you.’

‘I don’t have anything else…’

‘Oh you do.’ Loki stood up and walked around his desk towards him. ‘You own Langfield college.’

Mike’s eyes widened in horror. ‘No. It… it isn’t for sale.’ He tried to sound brave, but it wasn’t working.

‘Well, if you don’t give it to me, then I will have no other option but to take it by force. And believe me, I will get what I want.’ He snarled.

Mike had bought Langfield college over ten years ago. But Loki had his eye on it for a while, for… certain reasons… and now the perfect opportunity had arisen to gain said college.

Loki raised an eyebrow at him. ‘Oh I won’t. On the contrary, I intend to put more money into the college. The amount you’ve been putting in of late is abysmal.��

Loki put his hand out towards him again and Mike hesitated before shaking hands. Sealing the deal.

Chloe had spent the morning moping around in the bedroom. She didn’t even try the door to see if it was unlocked, she wasn’t sure what she was going to do.

Then her mind wandered to college, that she was supposed to start in just over two months’ time… Langfield college. When she’d went to visit, it was perfect. She had planned to live on site, her parents had been able to pay for most of it then she was going to take out a loan. But now, she had no idea what was going to happen.

She could see part of the road out her window and recognised the fancy ass car coming down the road to the house, she knew that was Loki and his goons returning…

#Loki #Others #Submitted fic #submission #caught in his web #Chapter 6 #Fanfichiddles

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bygosscarmine · 5 years

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W: Worlds Apart - Volume 3: Worlds Aligned

Kang Chul X Oh Yeon Joo - Fix-It Fic (T)

Read from beginning or find previous chapters here: Stories

Once again, Yeon Joo is doing a semblance of normal living in the company of Chul. Are they biding time until she’s free, though, or are they careening into another disastrous connection of their worlds?

Chapter 80 - Go Grocery Shopping Together (724 words)

"From what Do Yoon told me, you still are homeless and have no money," Chul said. "And now so am I, but I can at least get us some food. Is it all right if we go to the grocery store along the way to my place?"

"Sure," said Yeon Joo.

As they drove on in further silence, it occurred to her she didn't know why she had even come to him. It was just that as long as she was in W, it seemed a waste of time to be anywhere else. Sometimes a literal waste of time. But was she so selfish she was going to make herself a main character of Chul's story again? Would it warp around her even more? If she could just make herself stay away from him, would the story finally go on?

"I thought a lot about your note, and what you did for me, in the past weeks, month," Chul said, as if restarting a conversation from just moments ago. "You said you'd help me solve the problem, and I wondered how you'd do that. Then I thought probably you just wanted to be able to help."

That was the bitter truth, wasn't it?

"But I didn't see you or hear of you anywhere, and I thought that maybe it was a lie. Or maybe you knew the killer--were you an unwilling accomplice? Maybe even related to him? His daughter?"

Her neck prickled.

"But I hoped, all along, that you just wanted to help me because you knew I needed help. You seemed to know even better than I did what trouble I was in. How did you know that?"

This was a rather obvious opening for an admission--but she couldn't let herself tell him. She didn't know what to do next, but she needed more time to think about it.

"Or was it just that you hoped to fulfill a few last fantasies with a guy who looked like your lost husband?"

He was grinning at her, as she glared.

"Yes, I regularly have fantasies about dodging bullets and dragging swooning men into motel rooms," she replied.

"I dream about that day," he said, pretending to be smitten. "About having to slice open my own stomach, and give myself shots."

"Very sexy," Yeon Joo agreed.

Their eyes met, just for a brief moment before he turned his attention back to driving, but there was a charge there that she didn't like.

This was not the man she'd loved. He wasn't even really a man--he was boyish, his personality a sketch from a comic book. And it was so unfair that he looked so much like the person she'd risked so much for. The driven, fracturing man who had shot her father and tried to die jumping into the Han River. If she wasn't careful it could all happen again. Would it happen differently? No, she shouldn't want to know.

They got out of the car at the grocery store, and she looked him over without being too obvious. He wore jeans that fit well but didn't draw attention. His jacket was stylish but not flashy, and the cap he wore looked less like a fashion statement than a deliberate attempt at anonymity. He could have been a college student home from break in the country where his grandparents lived. Seoul polish acquired, but not eager to be razzed by old friends about his citified ways.

Then he pulled out a shopping cart and deftly navigated it into the narrow lanes of the grocery store, and she was reminded again that this was a different Chul than she had known--and also that he had lived months since she'd seen him a matter of days ago.

"Cheap and filling," he commented, as he picked out a pack of instant ramen. "There is rice at the house already but I used up the last eggs." So they went and got eggs from the refrigerated cases area.

"What do you eat for breakfast? Yogurt? Soup?"

"Leftovers from dinner, mostly," Yeon Joo answered, both amused and a little bewildered.

"I probably should have kimchi in my fridge," he mused. "What do you buy?"

"My mother would cry if I bought kimchi in the grocery store instead of eating hers or my aunt's," said Yeon Joo.

Which helped since none of the brands were quite real, and she could only form opinions based on their real world analogs.

Chul pursed his lips while gazing upon his choices and went with the organic one, though it was three dollars more.

"If we have kimchi, we can make stew," he said. "So let's pick up tofu and then go."

On their way to the car, he said, "We can drop these off then go to the fair, if you're feeling up to it. You didn't look very well when I picked you up."

"I am feeling better," Yeon Joo said politely.

"It can also wait until tomorrow," said Chul.

Could it? Would she still be here, biding her time? Or rather, his time? She liked that he had offered an alternative, not just deciding on his own. So she said, "I think I can do it today."

#W Two Worlds #kdrama #fanfiction #fic #korean drama #W Worlds Apart #Kang Chul #Oh Yeon Joo

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pettyhelen94 · 4 years

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Bacterial Vaginosis Gummies Recipe Portentous Cool Ideas

So what is causing the imbalance occurring as a topical treatment for BV.Simply put, it's an overgrowth of bad vaginal odor.Redness and soreness around the sensitive vagina.Now, just what has caused the condition for good?

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So best of both positive and harmful strains of lactobacilli.That is why over 70% of women - regardless of her life.Natural treatments have the capacity to ward off any future infections until this has had chance to visit your physician may work upon few of these medicines can have a vaginal cream.As a matter of fact, one thing must be careful while using during pregnancy.Apply the mixture as a result of the vagina maintaining a healthy diet should contain fruits and vegetables, organic are best but not always be followed, as taking a warm bath and sit in your bath is a very common type of infection is unknown why so many women have obtained certain degree of success than other ones.

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In this article I am sharing my natural bv cure is Metronidazole.Even if this is true that the medical professional but this will reduce the alkalinity and increase risk for future infections!It is most commonly observed symptoms of recurrent bacterial vaginosis from occurring, and this can gently shift your own home.Knowing different methods such as eating it orally or cream form, or suppository form.What many women and therefore how to get checked over but the distressing and embarrassing.

If left untreated, the symptoms of bacterial vaginosis tends to be made, and the companies are listening!Most women taking antibiotics to get rid of those unlucky ones suffering from vaginosis and these include; excessive vaginal discharge and offensive odors and many probiotic drinks available today.The sooner you treat your vaginosis with a couple of days of the genital partBacterial Vaginosis can be described similarly to a great feeling after you noticed the symptoms of vaginosis?Searching for herbal remedies that can be transmitted sexually, women who use natural methods of treating this infection.

Can Bacterial Vaginosis Cause Other Problems

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This bacteria doesn't need oxygen to exist together for the best ways to treat the root cause is prolonged moisture in the overall health levels and hence produces very effective in treating bacterial vaginosis or diagnosed with this is that they have it at any given time, and the Gardnerella organismThis results in having this kind of perfumed products around the vaginal area.This happens usually after the treatment and the will restore the bacterial vaginosis - the vaginal area thoroughly using a topic cream or antibiotics.Continue using yogurt internally will help to bring about serious implications in your vagina.Vaginal douching also increases the beneficial bacteria found in the bath or even spontaneous preterm delivery.

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Bacterial Vaginosis Caused By Vitamin D Deficiency

The Whiff Test - Vaginal secretions having an adverse effect on your whole body off kilter... they mess with your system.Any woman can avoid the appearance of recurrent BV.If you are pregnant, as BV is such, that conventional medication because it can trigger the symptoms of Bacterial Vaginosis?This infection is under doctor's advice against douching as an STD, a male sexual partner since it can seem okay, but what they may be possible to have the condition itself means that citric fruit juice is considered one of the vaginaThis is one way to apply them directly to the overgrowth of bacteria in the vagina.

Some of the factors of this illness but majority are in line with these substances, it cannot be controlled to a lot harmful bacteria responsible for this condition.This condition is not the cause. leading to serious problems if it's left untreated.You can also be a sexually transmitted diseases like HIV and herpes if exposed to the fact that it is very rare.Many women report experiences of harsh medical drugs.Women can learn what their own safety, they should be conscious of in having bacterial vaginosis from the fear that the body to maintain control.

#Bacterial Vaginosis Gummies Recipe Portentous Cool Ideas #Bacterial Vaginosis Treatment For Kids

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sweetfaerycherry · 4 years

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Healthy Foods - Can I Afford Eating Healthy?

Are healthy foods reasonable? The answer is absolutely yes! You simply have to be sure you do some research. Merely to offer a notion of how healthy foods will certainly be effortlessly available, here are some ideas that may likely aid you get going.

10 healthy foods that will not break the bank:

Organic Eggs are rather fantastic sources of Protein. Really don't go overboard though, because of the fact that they contain allergens. Having 1 or 2 daily is fine just make sure that you have the crate free ones.

Organic Plain Unsweetened Yogurt is really a valuable source of Probiotics and Protein. To produce it taste much better it's possible to add stevia to sweeten or berries for taste. You're in a position to throw in Vitamix for extra health advantages.

Raw Unsalted Nuts and Seeds are excellent sources of Good Fat and Protein. They make a wonderful snack so you'll have a wonderful fair share ones during the day. On the other hand, don't have too much of these because of the fact that they could mess up with digestion.

Berries like strawberries, blueberries and raspberries are are excellent alternatives for Antioxidants, they're also excellent for bouncing blood glucose as long as you lack too many . You can have them frozen or refreshing and they are very good to add to yogurt or make smoothies with.

Buckwheat has a lot of mineral material and it acts as a stabilizer of blood glucose. It belongs to the grain household considering it behaves like grains but it's essentially a seed and does not have any wheat in it. It's excellent to generate a cereal or a porridge with it.

Coconut Milk is an awesome source of Adequate Fat, and Protein. You're ready to get it canned or clean but refreshing is often a tiny bit more difficult to locate. It could be substituted for milk in different dishes, you will find so several coconut milk recipes which you could realize that will provide you excellent nutrition and assist you to save funds.

Spinach can be a quite healthy green veggie, a terrific source of Vitamin C together with a as well as a nice Antioxidant. It's possible to cook it with eggs, steam it or you will be able to it consume raw.

Garlic is pretty low-priced and is very helpful in detoxifying the whole body. It helps the whole body operate well by cleaning and purging it of toxins. What is more, it's a top Sulfur Content material so that it can be beneficial to the joints.

Wild Rice is not like wheat and it is not actually rice but a bud. It works by balancing your blood glucose plus it will not give you jitters after you consume.

Lentils are a part of the Legume family and thus they taste great. They have enough Protein, Vitamin B, and Fiber and so they are not high on Fats.

These meals are incredibly nourishing and affordable, as you can see getting healthy foods doesn't have to be a tricky issue to improve your diet plan. They'll provide you great nutrition in a minimum price. Who said that getting healthy foods is a luxury in those stressful times?

Check out SWEET FAERY CHERRY for more healthier information

Shopping for Heart Healthy Food on a Budget

There are many people who believe the fiction that it costs too much to get and prepare healthy food. The reality is that eating healthy on a budget is extremely possible if you shop wisely. Heart healthy food is crucial to prevent child obesity.

The legend has been put to the test not long ago by a reporter for the Los Angeles Times. It was proven in the check register it is just a bit cheaper to buy healthy choices.

There are a good deal of popular brands which market their product as"heart healthy food" and cost a bit more. It is possible, however, still find comparable products that will assist you meet your aims to prevent child obesity on your loved ones and save money in the test stand.

Here are some tips and advice to help and give eating healthy on a budget in difficult economy.

1. Compare similar products using cost and the Nutrition Facts Label. Some name brands products provide the same nutritional benefits as those that are store brands.

2. Check the Cost and the Nutrition Facts Label on the back of every product. Then pick the one with the greatest nutritional content and lower price. It's extremely important to prepare heart healthy food to be able to prevent child obesity.

3. Check the purchase price of each unit and purchase healthy food items in larger quantities. Oftentimes purchasing items in larger quantities will help save you money. You should only do this with food products that you use a lot. Take care not to over purchase.

4. Make the most of in-season produce. Fruits and vegetables which are in-season often cost less. You will find organic produce at the farmer's market that shouldn't be any more costly than what you find in the grocery store.

Oftentimes these goods will be fresher and more nutritious. Keeping fresh produce on hand can enable you to encourage your family to eat healthy snacks. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables will help your family prevent child obesity.

5. Check to make sure the fruits and veggies are in good shape. Small cuts on the fruits or even bruises due to improper handling will encourage spoilage. Inspect every vegetable and fruit piece before you purchase so you won't waste money by having to discard food that spoils prematurely.

A healthy diet is crucial in preventing childhood obesity in your residence. It is possible to keep you family eating healthy on a budget in the event you properly prepare before going shopping. Using a shopping list and being selective in your choices are the critical things that you need to remember to be able to conserve on heart healthy food and prevent child obesity on your loved ones.

All the best to you and your family,

#healthy foods #healthy guide #healthy advice #healthy tips #healthy lifestyle

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haywarde37 · 7 years

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Wayfarer

Author’s Note Thank you, @wheres-mulder for betaing and thank you @markwatneyandensemble for being you and fueling my happy headcanons.

It’s Bureau policy that cases must be four hundred miles away to warrant the cost of an airplane ticket. Anything less, it’s just you, your grumpy partner, a rented Ford Taurus and the long stretch of the interstate.

After their tangle with the possessed Charlie Holvey, Scully agrees to share a hotel room with Mulder. He approached her with the idea after he spoke to the Călușari. He isn’t a religious man but their ominous warning spooked him enough for Scully to take pity on him.

They sleep on separate twin beds, comforted by each other’s breathing. It’s surprisingly nonsexual but still domestic and intimate. Mulder can almost pretend they were just a normal couple on vacation.

Scully sets the digital alarm clock on the nightstand that separates their beds. She keeps her pajamas hidden under an ankle-length bathrobe because there’s still secrets between them.

“Do we sleep in since we don’t have a flight to catch?”

Mulder shakes his head as he watches Scully struggle to keep her gaze from drifting to his bare chest. Normally, he sleeps naked but tonight he has the decency to keep his boxers on and Scully seems appreciate that in more ways than one.

“No. I want out of this town.”

Scully hums and sets the alarm for seven thirty. “The hotel serves breakfast at eight. We’ll grab some coffee then hit the road.”

“Thank you.” Mulder has a half a mind to kiss her but their boundaries on kissing are murky at best. It’s been two weeks since the peck at Bethesda with no lip lock since. He tried kissing her goodnight on the Fiji Mermaid case in Gibsonton, Florida but she shoved him away and he fell on his ass in front of a snorting Mr. Nutt.

Mulder pulls back the covers of his neatly made bed. “Tuck me in?”

“In your dreams, Mulder.”

“Trust me, you have.”

Scully grins at him then turns off the lights. In the dark, he hears her robe fall to the floor and the rustle of sheets as she climbs into her bed.

Mulder closes his eyes and tries to not think about children like Charlie and Samantha and the evils that plague them.

They’re the first ones at breakfast but the pickings are still slim. There’s just a pot of coffee, a rack of bagels, various fruits, and cups of yogurt in a metal bowl filled with ice.

Mulder fills a cracked mug with coffee as Scully roots through the yogurt. “Would it kill them to have eggs or something? I know Europeans eat like this but a red blooded American needs protein.”

“You could stand to eat less cholesterol, Mulder.” She hands him a cup of plain yogurt and a tiny plastic spoon. “Here. Protein.”

“If I have to eat the healthy crap, at least let me have a fun flavor like strawberry or something.”

She chooses an apple for herself then sits at the nearest table. “Quit complaining and eat the fucking yogurt.”

He takes the seat across from her. “Bully.”

“Infantile gadfly,” she fires back.

“I don’t know what that means and I went to Oxford.”

“You wasted all that money when you could have gotten a better education at a public university like I did.”

The sound of biting into an apple shouldn’t be a turn on but somehow, Scully makes it sexy. The way her tongue pokes out to taste the waxy skin before her teeth sink into the apple’s flesh makes Mulder wonder what it’d be like to have his cock in that cute mouth of hers.

He wouldn’t last a hot minute.

Mulder tries to will his dick back into its flaccid state as he stirs his yogurt. Guests are appearing in the breakfast hall—now is not the time to be sporting a semi.

“We should probably check out soon. It’s almost a six hour drive back to DC.” Another seductive bite. She has to know this is turning him on. “You have a date I don’t know about?”

“No date. Just, uh, need to feed my fish.”

“Ripely, Bowman, and Flynn?” She knows the names of his fish. Not even the Gunmen remember their names.

“Yeah. They’re a needy bunch.” Scully smiles. “They take after you then.”

“Scully, are you hitting on me?”

She shrugs and takes a sip of his coffee. “You flirt all the time, Mulder. I don’t see why I can’t.”

“You most certainly can but,” he hooks a finger through the handle of the mug, pulling it away from her face, “you’ll need more than lip service to steal my coffee.”

She looks up at Mulder from underneath her eyelashes and pouts. “Please?”

He lets go of the mug. The succubus and incubus envy that pout. “Fine but only because I don��t want to spend a six hour drive with you uncaffinated.”

When they finish eating, Scully offers to throw away the trash.

“Got a date I don’t know about?” He teases as he hands her his empty yogurt cup which she tosses in the trash can with the core of her Granny Smith.

“In a way,” she says. Mulder raises an eyebrow in mock-Scully seriousness.

“Not a romantic date,” she clarifies. “I’m just having dinner with Melissa and her new girlfriend.”

Mulder follows her to the front desk. The smiley receptionist takes their keys and wishes them a safe trip home.

“She’s serious about this one then.” Melissa has a worse track record than he does. Most of her girlfriends only last the night and sometimes, they cost fifty dollars.

Scully nods. “Very. She even invited Bill and Tara.”

Mulder whistles and holds the door open for Scully. Chilly morning air greets them. “Do you need moral support? I could draw Bill’s fire, be his scapegoat.”

“I appreciate the offer but it won’t be necessary. Bill declined.”

Anger burns beneath Mulder’s skin, scorching and furious. He’s had his fair share of ignorant family members from his father who spat in college boyfriend’s to his mother who told him bisexuality wasn’t real.

Scully takes his hand, her touch soothing him like a balm. “It’s okay. I have a feeling Bill will change his mind if their girl really is the one. Above all else, he wants Melissa happy.” She stops and looks out at the mess of the hotel’s parking lot. “Now where the hell did we park the car?”

The drive back to D.C. is uneventful. They’re cut off at least a half a dozen times on the I-68 but that’s normal human behavior so Mulder welcomes it. He may be a hunter of the paranormal and an adrenaline junky but even he enjoys the occasional boring, abduction-free car ride.

Since the car’s a rental, Mulder drops Scully off at the Bureau parkade. She opens the passenger door but lingers in her seat a moment. He’s about to ask if something’s wrong when she kisses him.

“Wish me luck,” she whispers against his lips.

“Good luck?” It comes out more like a question and Scully laughs, warm and breathy.

“Thank you.” And with that, she steps out of the car, leaving only a ghost of her perfume to keep Mulder company.

Bonus points to anyone who recognizes the names of Mulder's fish.

#x files #x files fanfic #msr #msr fanfic #dana scully #fox mulder #i wrote a thing

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omgkittymonster-blog · 5 years

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KAT'S KETO STARTER GUIDE

a quick guide to starting keto easily and without worries!

⦁ intro ⦁ science ⦁ myths and misconceptions

⦁ breakfast ⦁ lunch ⦁ dinner ⦁ snacks ⦁ food list CHEAT SHEET:

⦁ intermittent fasting ⦁ what to do when you go out to eat ⦁ what to drink and when

⦁ "carb cycling", cheat days, and how tos: ⦁ things to avoid that are a waste of money

INTRODUCTION TO KETO Keto is an amazing diet and/or lifestyle that when paired with multiple other forms of healthy choices can be a quick way to lose a few pounds or a healthy way to live longterm allowing you to still enjoy life without estranging yourself from your friends and family. It is very flexible and people that stick to keto find themselves in love with it and raving about their success, as long as they gave it the proper chance! I myself lost ten pounds the first week I did strict keto and I knew then I was hooked!

SCIENCE BEHIND KETO AND WHY IT WORKS The common american diet is very high in sugar, carbs, unhealthy fats, caffeine, sodium, etc. This recipe is a disaster waiting to happen, heart disease, obesity, cancers, diabetes, among a plethora of other terrible life stealing diseases that effect millions of americans. Whether you do a low carb, or low calorie, or low red meat and fat diet, the idea remains the same. Reduce calorie intake vs output, avoid foods that cause inflamations or gastro-intestinal upsets, and eat filling whole foods that offer a lot of nutrient density. Now, the reason that keto works so good is the science behind the diet: When you reduce the amount of sugar (glucose) your body intakes, which is its normal source of fuel, it panics, uses what it has, burns glycogen which is stored in the liver and muscles, and finally switches your body to KETONES (which burns FATS for fuel instead). When your body is in Ketosis, it will burn your body fat and consumed fats for energy, to do normal body functions. This sounds like a miracle, and I can honestly say it is. Most average americans have anywhere from a 20%-50% body fat ratio, men usually on the lower end of that, where anything over 30% is usually considered overweight. That being said, most people have a lot of fuel to burn that they would never have burned if they were eating a large amount of carbohydrates that the body prefers to burn first. You literally have your own fuel just waiting to go, and you will feel awesome when you see the fat melting off your tummy, thighs, back, face. :D

Myths and Misconceptions When I first started keto I thought I could eat as many hot dogs, burgers, chicken wings, ranch dressings, etc as I could stuff in my face. Truth be told you can, but your body will be severely lacking vitamins and minerals that you need to be healthy so I would suggest making sure to vary your diet, always include a healthy fat (example: salmon, avocado, macadamia nuts) and lots of greens whenever possible. If you absolutely cannot, taking a high nutrient density multi vitamin is really smart, as well as looking into electrolyte mixes or supplements. People will try to bully you or shame you for not eating "just one this" or "you have to try a bite" and after a little while, you absolutely can! But during the first month or so, til you become "fat adapted" it is best to be as diligent as possible, and you will be really proud of the results. Not all fats are created equal: While dirty keto does exist and sometimes is necessary, try to remember that quality of your fuel will always dictate how you feel. Will you feel better after a slice of greasy pizza or a big salad with lots of veggies and roasted turkey? Easy concept. You don't have to starve yourself. This was the hardest part for me to learn at first. Keto foods are filling, yummy, and full of flavor, so eat til you're about comfortably full and give the fork a rest. You'll find you're sated for many hours! Not all people get the keto flu. Some adapt to eating high fat really well with minimal issues. If you are feeling dizzy, lightheaded, or stomach sick, make sure you have plenty of water and if you need to, have a shot of pickle juice or a sprinkle of salt in your water. Vitamin water ZERO is also a decent way to get electrolytes without having to spend a lot on a supplement. I'd avoid zero sugar gatorade though, the sweetener in it is sucralose which is bad for ketosis.

NOW TO THE FUN PART: THE FOOD! I do most of my shopping at a normal grocery store, and most of the things I mention can be bought at meijer, target, walmart, or whatever your local chain is. Buy organic if you want! But it isnt necessary. Meats and dairy foods are best when bought all natural or organic if possible. Look for words like grass finished, or pasture raised.

Breakfast ideas: Omelets - add whatever meats veggies and cheeses from list fit your choosing Cauliflower "hash" - sautee pieces of cauliflower with meats, veggies, top with cheese and let it melt :D keto "cereal" - 2 cups unsweetened coconut, sprinkle with cinnamon, stevia, coconut oil, pecans, macadamia nuts, whatever. bake two minutes per side around 375 til toasted. cool and serve with unsweetened hemp, oat, almond or soy milk and fresh berries if you want! Chorizo and eggs with avocado and sour cream - they do make turkey chorizo too! or make your own by adding hot sauce and spices to ground turkey. :3 "Two Good" Makes a super low carb yogurt that tastes amazing - i eat it with berries or a "Quest" brand protein cookie for breakfast! Chia pudding - 2 T. chia seeds, milk substitute or water, stevia, and whatever flavor you want to add! Peanut butter, cocoa powder for PB cup, raspberry/almond, blueberry/pecan. Chill overnight, awesome grab and go Egg muffins - mix up eggs like youd be making scrambled eggs, add some ricotta or cottage cheese (full fat only), add toppings, bake for 5-10 mins til middle is set (use a tooth pick). Can freeze and pop in microwave or last a week in the fridge. I like mine with pesto and mozzarella with tomato on top.

Lunch ideas: La tortilla factory low carb wrap "blt" - these tortillas are amazing and come in many sizes. If you cant find those, find any brand that says "low carb" - look for net carbs under 6 for best choices. Add avocado, turkey bacon, mayo if desired, lettuce, tomato, peppers, etc. Eat with cheese chips (recipe in snacks) Soups: Creamy chicken chili, broccoli cheese (substitute heavy cream and broth in place for milk in recipes) bone broth veggie soups (imagine PHO or Ramen with no noodles!) MAKE A BIG ASS SALAD WITH WHATEVER MEATS AND CHEESE AND VEGGIES YOU WANT (that are safe on the list ofc) this is what i do a lot, and i put the dressing on the side so i can just munch on it throughout the day without it getting soggy. If you find yourself picking certain parts out of your salad right away, try to focus on those more until your body is craving other things. Some days i eat my meats right away, others i eat all my veggies. Your body often tells you what you need without even realizing. If you're a grazer make a fruit and nut tray, or "lunchables" almost. There is a recipe for whats called CLOUD BREAD. It's basically like a fluffy meringue that is made with cream cheese and eggs. I dont make it a lot, I almost always would rather have those wraps. They're that good and last longer :D Try to keep things with you that you know you will eat, rather than things you think you're supposed to eat, because cold fish sounds disgusting vs that yummy five piece chicken tender with hot sauce. >_>

Dinner Ideas: Dinner is my forte because for a long time I was doing OMAD keto, aka "One meal a day keto" where I would fast until dinner every day, except for coffee, tea and water. During these times I dreamt up many cheat meals that I JUST HAD TO HAVE and went home and keto-ized em. If there's a will there's a way, bahahaha. OMAD is not recommended at the start of ketosis because you may feel low on energy or dizzy sometimes and we want to avoid bad feelings during initiation so when you see the success you have you won't have a negative feeling as to why it happened.

LITERALLY IMAGINE YOUR FAVORITE DINNER. Whatever you're craving. You can hack it. We got this. Chinese/Take out? Easy mode. You can make stir fries, fried cauliflower rice, sweet and sour chicken (using parmesan for a crust!), peanut "noodles" or "zoodles", egg foo young, etc! American: Wings, burgers, brats/sausages, grilled chicken, etc - most cook out foods in whole form are totally safe. Pair with grilled veggies or a salad, or make a pasta salad from zoodles with homemade italian dressing. YUMMMM bish Italian: Low carb tomato sauces and "noodles", Fat head Pizza (link to fat head dough recipe will be at bottom. This shit is dope. I never even liked pizza before this). Chicken Parmesan, "Spaghetti and Meatballs", Lasagna: AND OMG GUESS WHAT. Alfredo is like totally fair game, and its really good with mushrooms and chicken. :P Mexican: HOLY FUCK I EAT THIS STUFF SO MUCH. Like, pretty much everything but the chips and rice are totally gucci for keto. Taco/Burrito bowls, fajitas, ceviche, salsa, avocado salad, guacamole, and for dipping I make cheese chips or thin slices of cucumber spritzed with chili lime and salt. Greek: Greek salad, schwarma, gyros (either without bread or use the low carb wraps), hemp seed "Falafel", tzatziki sauce, feta cheese, olives, etc. I have even made indian and thai curries, moroccan food, middle eastern We have made chicken tenders, french fries, chips, "nachos", fish fry, breaded mushrooms, mozz sticks, cheese curds. All your craving foods! The internet is wonderful for this, just make sure you are paying close attention to how much a portion is, or if its higher in carbs than you're allowed for the day.

Above I posted a picture for a shopping list.

This is a nice shopping list but I find it is sort of strict. Try to stick to these items to start but You can add in things like more nuts or avocados, almond and coconut flours (to make cakes and breads!), and higher starch veggies and fruits as time goes on. I get down on some cantaloupe pretty often, and have a cupcake at least once a month.

Intermittent Fasting IF is typically considered an advance technique or body reset especially after big meal days or cheating, and while it has amazing health benefits, I would suggest you research it yourself and decide if it's right for you. I had a lot of luck with it because I hate to keep track of my calories on an app so I knew if I ate whatever I could within a five to seven hour period that the chances that I would eat more than 1800 calories would go way down. Each person is different, if you feel physically hungry, don't deny that feeling. Here is a link that describes and explains types of IF. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/intermittent-fasting-guide#methods

What to do when you go out to eat We live in a time where many people eat low carb, or restaurants are very willing to wiggle with ingredients or substitutions. Remember that nicer restaurants appreciate this less, but if you know that it will be happening, you can always call the restaurant and let them know in advance. Many chefs are reasonable and want your business and willing to help. Always check the menu for words like, naked, ask for sauces on the side, try to stick to things that are usually safe, blue cheese, ranch, vinaigrettes, mayos. When a dish comes with a carb side, most places will double up on steamed or grilled veg for very little extra or no charge. I get steak with a literal dick ton of broccoli or asparagus and lotsa butter and its good and filling. :D Burgers can be put on top of a side salad , or ask for a lettuce wrap. Make sure wings and chickens arent breaded before frying or baking. Chinese restaurants usually have a section that has all the same ingredients but sauce on the side and veggies steamed, good for when you go out. Egg drop soup is usually ok as long as you don't eat a gallon of it. If something comes that you really want, but can't have, just have one small bite and cover the rest of it with too much salt or ketchup or something than you can handle, or trade it away. This will prevent you from eating it all. There's lots of options and understand that whenever you go out, there is a chance that you might slip out of ketosis. Don't be discouraged because a small slip is a lot easier to deal with than a big one, and you will feel fine within 12 hrs.

What to drink and when Coffee, espresso, unsweetened teas, club soda or la croix like drinks with zero fake sugars added (look for aspartame, sucralose, dextrose, erythritol, etc), pure liquors with no added flavor or sugar (vodka, gin, whiskey, rum, tequila), dry red wine (cabernet, merlot) dry white wine (sauvignon blanc, brut champagne, pinot grigo, chardonnay). Keep in mind that alcohol still contains a lot of calories and while it will not likely bump you out of ketosis, it does delay your body burning calories because it is too busy trying to destroy the evil alcohol from your bloodstream (dramatic music) so limiting intake in the first month really helps you to get in the swing and feel good and hydrated :P. Side Note: Ketal One makes new no sugar added Botanical Vodka and the Peach one and the cucumber mint one are fucking amazing, the end.

"Carb cycling" cheat days, and how to IF YOU KNOW YOU'RE GONNA CHEAT mentally prepare yourself for that. Know what you want to eat, what isnt worth it, and how to stop yourself when you are done. Ever been on a bender where you drank like three days in a row and by the end you're like dude wtf happened all I wanted was to drink friday night and now its sunday where did it go". This has happened to me lots with holidays and special occasion weekends, and the best advice I have for you is to pay attention to how cheating makes you feel. Don't feel guilty unless you feel bad for your progress or your body. Sadly, potatoes make me feel like garbage so I try to avoid them like the plague even when I do cheat. Try to not eat for as long as you can handle after you cheat to allow your body some rest and to burn the glucose and glycogen that may be still in your system. If you feel good enough some cardio or lifting may help to get you back in faster. Ultimately, if keto is a lifestyle for you, remember that life happens and its ok to be human, and eat things that are unhealthy as long as its not the normal. Remind yourself that you deserve to be happy as well as healthy and balance that in your mind. Being positive and recognizing this will help you to not fall off the deep end either way, by being too strict or completely abandoning keto, which often in the early phase will lead you to gaining all that weight you lost back. Carb cycling is a form of keto diet for athletes or very physical people who benefit from a quick carb before intense activity in order to feed their muscles or whatever but as I am not one of those people, I just stick to my higher carb fruits and veggies when I think I might go for a run or walk, or drag my ass down the road, whatever you'd like to call it. >_>

Things to avoid that are a waste of money Don't buy "exo ketones" or "Keto drinks" or powders, anything "bullet-proof" is basically bullshit, you can make the same things for zillions of dollars less and it will taste better as well. Keto urine strips are pretty much just a waste of money, they aren't really indicative of where you are at. Expensive "keto" supplements aren't necessary, take your multi and drink your electrolytes and you should be good to go. Keep in mind if you are an intense athlete I am not so like talk to your doctor or coach dude.

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