#Custom Made Vertical Blinds

[elitewf]

Vertical Blinds in Canberra

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Aluminium Venetian Blinds are a stylish and practical choice for any room. Their sleek design and durability make them a top pick for modern interiors. Here's why they’re a great option:

[morning-star-joy]

honey don't feed it, it will come back (Joel x F!Reader)

Pairing: Bodyguard!Joel x Sex Worker F!Reader

Summary: You run a brothel in the Boston QZ, devoting yourself to taking care of your girls. When the safety of one is threatened, you hire a bodyguard in the form of the surly Joel Miller to protect them. Little did you know that you were going to become his new favorite vice, and him your favorite addiction.

Warnings: MDNI Explicit Smut (oral f receiving, v fingering, Joel jacks off while going down on Reader, dirty talk, bit of a sir kink, bit of a brat tamer dynamic). Pet names (baby, darlin’, sweetheart). Alcohol/drug use. Sex work (Joel listens to Reader). Age gap (20 years). Mentions of physical assault (towards minor characters, never from Joel. Not stated to be sexual assault but it can be inferred as such, so please take care of yourselves).

Wordcount: 9.6k (how the fuck)

joel miller masterlist

The world was fucked to all hell and back, and so what did men do in those circumstances?

“Oh fuck,” your customer was grunting as he fucked into you from behind, your hands on the headboard as it rocked against the wall to keep yourself up, breathy moans expertly leaving your lips to spur them on, even if you hadn’t felt an inkling of desire in years.

Yeah.

They fucked.

Fight or flight were often referred to in the first years following the Outbreak, a default of survival instinct that most everybody resorted to in order to survive.

But fucking was the much less talked about, incredibly prevalent third option.

It became clear in the Quarantine Zones that there was a need to be filled here, a way to satisfy that urge in a way that wouldn’t cause a barely held-together society inside high walls to erupt into chaos.

From this need, brothels made an appearance. While FEDRA had nothing to do with the establishments officially, they turned a very convenient blind eye to the street corners where women trying to make some kind of a living in the QZ took up their stations, tempting any lonely man who may wander by into a night of needed release.

It was a dangerous profession, in its own way. Contraceptives were long expired twenty years after the society collapsed, and even if a client pulled out at the best time and you were keeping track of your cycle, there was always the risk of being put out of work for around 9 months if you were unlucky.

And then came the obsession.

Clients could become far too eager far too quickly, addicted to the touch and feeling of a certain girl, mistaking lust for affection and lurking around those street corners before the night even came or, worse, outside the brothel doors.

You’d experienced it first-hand and through other girls, but it wasn’t until one of the younger ones came to you with a black eye and bruised jaw that you had had enough.

“Who did it?” you said in a low tone, breathing deeply in and out through your nose as you tried to control yourself, reigning yourself back in from the need to grab the gun you kept tucked in the top drawer of your rickety old nightstand and find who the fuck had laid their hands on one of your girls in such a way.

After years of being in the business, you had gone from only taking clients to keeping a watchful eye over the other women who made the same living you did. Your glory days were mostly behind you, but you still had your reputation, even after the incident that left you with a jagged scar that stretched vertically across the right side of your face, from above your eyebrow, down across your eye to just below your cheekbone.

Those clients you did still have preferred to fuck you with you facing away from them now, but you weren’t complaining. Not seeing their ugly faces as they used you to cum helped you dissociate, focus your thoughts on how well you were going to eat the next few days because of a few minutes of sacrifice.

The young woman whose lip was trembling as you held her hands gently in yours now was hardly past her early twenties, a sweet young thing who you had taken under your wing when she confessed needing a way to get some extra ration cards for her little brother who had gotten sick recently.

You had snuck Isabel some of your own ration cards with each of her payments, not caring that you had a bit less to eat each night, especially when she had come to you a couple weeks later with a bright smile and the news that her brother’s health had improved.

Now that smile that could light up the whole goddamn QZ was nowhere to be seen, an abject horror darkening her gaze, making her angelic face gaunt as you reached up to gently hold it, tilting it so you could assess the extent of the damage.

Her eyes, a deep honeyed brown that had drawn in the most clients your brothel had seen in years, were avoiding yours as you searched for her gaze, and you gently directed her face back towards you, voice softer as you implored her, “Isabel. Please, talk to me, babygirl.”

A choked sob was the first sound to leave her mouth then at the sound of your genuine affection. The world may be fucked, but protecting these girls was your purpose. And the thought of not being enough to protect them, for one of them to come to you like this…

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” you whispered as her petite form collapsed against yours, holding her close as you smoothed a hand over the tangles in her hair, gently combing them out with your fingers as your other hand rubbed at her back. “It’ll be okay, love. You’re safe now. You’re safe.”

Even as you assured her, a fear was creating pressure in the back of your mind, causing the first of many sleepless nights as you tried to figure out how to make sure this could never happen again.

You sat at your little makeshift desk in your tiny room on the top floor of the brothel, a cheap cigarette you had just gotten from a couple smugglers perched between your fingers as you slowly exhaled the smoke, staring down at your incoherent scribbled notes.

With a groan, you pushed yourself away from the desk, standing to cross over to the small window on the wall, gazing out in paranoia to make sure there were no dark shadows lingering nearby, waiting to get a hold of one of your girls if they didn’t want it.

Glancing back down at the lit cigarette, you pondered your few options.

FEDRA was not a viable source for protection. Yes, they turned a blind eye on your activities, but they would never risk their image by offering guards for your girls. Besides, you didn’t trust anybody in one of those uniforms within an inch of your life.

Fireflies weren’t a fucking option either. Those jackasses were so far up the proverbial ass of justice that they couldn’t see the actual struggles of the real people around them, subjecting them to be collateral in whatever useless statement they were making lately.

The cigarette was raised halfway to your lip when you paused, staring down at it as you suddenly had a small epiphany.

Who did you know that had not an ounce of a moral code, but a strong work ethic and determination to get the job done for a good deal that promised a stack of ration cards?

A smirk curled onto your lips then as you brought the cigarette back to them, placing it in your mouth as you took a long drag, exhaling it towards the window and watching it fog up the glass as you realized exactly who you were heading to.

“We don’t do protection,” your smuggling contact was saying, her voice as gruff and no-nonsense as always, and you sighed, meeting her sharp green eyes straight on as you shifted to cross your legs.

“Don’t bullshit me, Tess,” you said flatly back, your voice not harsh, but definitely firm, calling her out on her bluff even as you saw her ever-present guard dog shift a ways behind her at your tone. “You’ll do anything for a good trade. And I have that.”

“I don’t wanna fuck your girls,” Tess dismissed, waving her hand as if to brush the thought away, and you rolled your eyes, even as you couldn’t help a smirk, glancing at your associate with a small hint of mirth that matched her own.

“I’m not offering that,” you replied honestly, slowly drumming your fingers at the small table you were both seated at in one of the back alleys where these deals tended to go down. Public enough to avoid a shootout, but private enough to avoid FEDRA breathing down your backs. “My girls get paid for their work. So would you.”

Tess raised an eyebrow then, leaning in just a fraction, and you knew that you had captured just a fraction of her attention.

Good. You could work with that.

“What are we talking?” she asked in a low tone, voice still disinterested, gaze still closed off, but you knew that would change when you laid out the conditions of the deal.

When you did—offering a heft of ration cards (that they didn’t need to know was almost your entire cut of the brothel’s proceeds) for an able body to keep watch at your brothel during active business hours—Tess leaned back again, eyes flickering over your face as she processed the information.

“You know I’m good for it, Tess,” you implored, allowing a bit of emotion to creep into your tone now as you meet her gaze, hoping she would hear what you were asking for, woman to woman. “And these girls…they need it.”

She frowned then, sympathy flashing over her face as she glanced over yours, hearing what went unsaid.

Tess began to turn her head slightly over her shoulder, though she didn’t bother sparing a glance back as she called, “Joel.”

That was the first time you think you’d heard the name of her silent, watchful companion.

You knew that they were a package deal, but whenever you met with Tess, he lingered in the background, making sure you didn’t lay a hand on her.

Good, you thought to yourself, glancing over at him as he pushed himself off the wall and strolled over just at the unspoken order she gave for him to approach. If he’s who she has in mind, hopefully he does the same for the girls.

It was also the first time you really got a look at the man who Tess finally introduced you, explaining to the both of you how this was going to work at the same moment.

With those thick arms that could be around your neck as fast as you could blink, hardened dark eyes that were already measuring you up and calculating at least six ways to take you out before you could even open your mouth to say hello, you knew that just the sight of him in your brothel would strike fear into the depraved hearts of meeker, cowardly men.

He was older, too. Maybe had twenty years on you, and if somebody had lived that long in the apocalypse, they had to know how to get their hands fucking dirty if they needed to.

“I’ll take him,” you said back to Tess after appraising the man who would be your brothel’s bodyguard, your attention only pulled back to the hunk of muscles when you heard him scoff at your words. “There a problem?”

“I’m not a piece of meat,” he grunted, expression flat as he stared at you, and you arched an eyebrow, unamused by his comment that came right after you and Tess had agreed to the terms of the deal.

“Hate to break it to you, but a bodyguard is nothing but that,” you replied as you gracefully uncrossed your legs, rising to your feet as Tess collected their first payment from you off the table, pushing it into her front pocket as she rose from her own seat as well. “Muscle that can drop a man at a moment’s notice.”

You watched as Joel’s strong jaw ticked, your other eyebrow rising with the first as you stepped around the table, getting closer to the man than you probably should, watching as his tense shoulders bunched up even more around his ears when you approached. 

“And now, you’re my muscle, Mr. Miller,” you said in a perfectly conversational tone, a practiced smile pulling onto your lips as Joel glanced down at them briefly before looking back into your eyes, his gaze narrowing as you added, “Pleasure to be doing business with you.”

Spinning on your heel, you strolled away from the smugglers towards the exit to the alley, but not without saying back over your shoulder before you got too far, “First shift’s an hour after curfew. Don’t be late.”

There was the sound of low grumbling behind you, followed by the smooth low tones of Tess’ voice, and you didn’t know why you felt the urge to laugh at that moment.

You didn’t know why, because you hadn’t laughed in years.

But you brushed that feeling aside, heading back towards your establishment to ready your girls for the change that would be coming in their worlds tonight, hoping that it would give them the peace of mind you all so desperately needed.

Whether you would be able to relax all depended on if Joel Miller could actually do his job.

He could.

One of the very first nights Joel had taken up station in the main hallway in the brothel that led off to private rooms, he had proven his worth, and then some.

You had been down the staircase in an instant when you heard the loud crash, heart racing in your chest, breath quickened from panic as you rounded down to see what had caused the loud sound.

Some thumps and bumps were common in an establishment like yours, but that sounded very much like a body not only hitting the ground, but being thrown down onto it.

What you saw then was an image that etched itself deep into your brain for the rest of your days.

Joel, your brand new, stoic bodyguard who hardly gave so much as a grunt to you or any of the girls he was hired to protect, had a half-naked man pressed to the old floorboards, knee digging right into his back to pin him down, a large hand keeping a tight grip on his neck to stop him from moving.

But what got your attention even more than the struggling client who Joel was snarling at as he roughly kept them down, was the girl who was standing behind him, arms wrapped around herself and subconsciously shifting to stay behind the bodyguard, eyes wide and relieved at the sight of him catching the out of hand customer.

You walked towards the scene that had drawn spectators in the form of clients and workers alike, peeking their heads out into the hallway to watch as you slowly knelt down in front of where the bastard was pinned so roughly to the ground that you weren’t sure he could even breathe.

Good.

You glanced up at Joel then, meeting his hard gaze with one of your own, and you gestured with a jerk of your chin towards the staircase leading down and out of your establishment that he could throw them out.

After rising to your feet, you paused next to Joel, watching from the corner of your eye as he grabbed the man roughly, yanking them to their feet and halting in his task only when you briefly laid your hand on his shoulder.

“Let him know not to come back,” you muttered under your breath, sending a sidelong glance full of unspoken things towards Joel, a tiny smirk curling onto your lips as the whimper of fear from the sick bastard and your bodyguard’s short nod let you know you’d been heard.

You walked straight towards your girl who had nearly been treated in a way you would not tolerate towards any of your women, wrapping your arm around her shoulder and pulling her against you, letting her sink into your warmth as you addressed the rest of the brothel that everything was fine, to resume their activities while Joel shoved the guy down the stairs as they started to beg for mercy.

Luckily, there weren’t many similar incidents after that one, letting you know the investment into a well-abled bodyguard for your girls had been more than worth it.

Because more than the concrete evidence of their safety, it was the palpable shift in energy at the brothel that reassured you that you had made the right choice not only in having a bodyguard, but in who you hired.

Joel never really warmed up to anybody, but all the girls had certainly grown fond of him. There were more than a few crushes on the emotionally unavailable older man who stood like a statue in the halls, ranging from innocent love to lustful fantasies.

There were a handful of times one of your girls had offered their services to him, some even trying to get him into a room free of charge, but Joel turned down every one—interestingly enough, it was never without kindness. Each time a proposition was offered, the detached bodyguard would give a slight shake of his head, mumbling a “no thank you, ma’am” in that deep Southern drawl that soon made almost every girl in that building buckle at the knees.

The fondness your girls had for Joel Miller became ingrained in the way the brothel functioned, and you knew that you couldn’t get rid of him even if you wanted to, even if that meant continuing to share a large portion of your personal livelihood with him.

And maybe you were crazy, but you thought that maybe Joel had a bit of warmth in that tiny, shriveled up heart for your girls, too. Sometimes he’d eye a client up and down before giving the girl with them a respectful nod and a polite murmur of their name as a greeting, and you didn’t know why the familiarity of the stoic man warmed your own barbed wire heart, but it did.

Maybe it was because after all the shit they’d gone through to survive long enough to reach this point, they deserved to experience an ounce of genuine kindness from a man, without having to think about what they had to offer him.

Still, Joel irritated you. Any hint of kindness he had for your girls was never shown towards you, but you didn’t let it get to you. You were his employer, and the only times you ever really interacted with each other were the few short seconds it took him to head up the stairs to your office, collect his payment with you and leave.

Besides, you weren’t exactly the most gentle with him either.

You’d taken up a habit of poking fun at your bodyguard, a little teasing here and there about things like his face getting stuck if he never unfurrowed his brow, a comment that only made him scowl further, the sight pulling forward again that urge from deep within your bones to laugh.

But you never laughed, even as you smirked up at him before turning on your heel and going on about your work keeping the place running smoothly.

That work mainly involved management and finances, but when you began to realize you soon wouldn’t be able to keep supporting yourself with keeping Joel on as a bodyguard, you knew you’d have to start doing something a little extra.

Time to go back to your roots.

For all his time working at the brothel, Joel had never seen you take a client.

In fact, he could probably count on one hand the amount of times he had seen you in the hallways, only to check on a few of the girls from time to time.

But most of the time you were holed up in that small office upstairs, the one he entered for a minute or two at a time, long enough for you to gather his payment and give it to him so he could be out of your hair—or, more accurately, to get you out of his.

Because fuck, you were irritating. You knew exactly how to get on his nerves, and Joel suspected you actually enjoyed doing so, for whatever goddamned reason.

Still, the job paid well. He was living with a bit more comfort in the QZ than he ever had before with those cushy extra ration cards.

And besides, he was actually, maybe a little bit attached to the girls who worked these streets. They were kind, just making a living in the best way they could, and needed somebody to protect them.

Maybe there was also a part of Joel that needed somebody to protect.

He had to admit though, for all his aggravation towards your mere existence, Joel did respect you. You were the person who kept this place up and running, the one who looked after every need of each woman, the lady who had cared for them enough to search for a protector to keep them safe.

Joel had honestly assumed that you didn’t do sex work at all, just judging from how you were never in one of those rooms.

But tonight, you were walking up the staircase from the base floor instead of down from your office, drawing Joel’s attention and subsequent confusion when he saw what you were wearing.

Gone were the baggy jeans you usually wore around the brothel, replaced by thigh-highs that enveloped soft skin he had never seen before. There were just hints of lace at the top of the hosiery from where the tight black dress hugging your curves rode up with each step you took.

It had to have been one of the least scantily clad outfits he’d seen down these halls, but something about the sight of you wearing it caused a lump to form in Joel’s throat, an itch curling inside his veins that needed to be scratched when you turned your head back, offering a sly smile different from any you had sent him towards somebody behind you.

When you ascended to the top of the stairs, Joel saw the man following you, his back stiffening for more than one reason.

The first reason was that he knew this man. Not personally, but he had seen them around—on wanted posters, specifically. They were a higher up in the Fireflies, one who had their eyes on every covert deal around the city, a puppet master pulling the strings.

But it was clear now that you were pulling his, a coy batting of your cunning eyes tugging him after you down the hallway, your body turned slightly towards him in a way that accentuated every curve of your body in its side profile, illuminated in the lowlights of the hall.

When you passed by Joel, eyes meeting his as they shifted into something darker—not lustful, but with clear intent—he knew the other reason he had suddenly snapped to attention.

This man was your customer.

That look you had given Joel, it was an unspoken order to keep you safe in case anything went south with this considerably more…“exclusive” customer, for lack of a better term.

You didn’t spare another glance back as you moved to a door at the end of the hall, one Joel didn’t think he had ever seen another girl enter, slipping into the room as the man followed behind you, and the door quietly clicked shut.

Joel stared at the spot where you had just been in the hallway, feet frozen to the ground until he slowly stepped forward, moving down to lean against the wall next to the room you had entered, following your silent order to stay close and keep an eye out for trouble.

All his time working in a building full of the sounds and smell of sex at every moment, Joel had been unbothered. The moans, the grunts, the cries of “oh fuck” and “I’m coming!” that would echo through the halls, the overpowering scents of sweat and cum when a door next to him would open and a satisfied client would walk out—he couldn’t give less of a fuck. It neither bothered him, nor turned him on to any degree.

But at the very first soft, breathy moan of yours that drifted through the thin wall his back was pressed to, Joel’s breath was catching in his throat, entire body stiffening at the alluring sound.

A few seconds later, there was another moan, longer than the first, and Joel’s head tilted back, resting against the wall as his jaw clenched to the point where it was almost painful.

He didn’t care, he told himself.

Joel had never cared before, he didn’t care now.

But it had never been you before.

You, the stalwart image of the establishment, all business and no pleasure, putting every other person’s needs before your own.

So at the thought of you giving into pleasure now, satisfying your own needs as the sounds of slow, rhythmic squeaking of a bedframe carried towards him through the door, your whimpering echoing the steady echo of skin slapping against skin—

“Fuck,” Joel whispered under his breath, eyes fluttering shut at a particularly loud moan of yours that reached his ears that had tuned in through the walls, and he snapped his eyes back open, straightening back up and realizing with a quiet groan from the movement how painfully hard he had grown in his jeans at the sounds of you being fucked.

He reminded himself then that this was your job. There was no guarantee you derived any real pleasure from it—to think that you did was a delusional male fantasy, and made him no better than the rest.

But his dick wasn’t listening to logic, only growing harder in his pants with the more lewd sounds that you made, and Joel sucked in a deep breath, rubbing a large palm over his face and shaking his head to himself.

You were no different from the others.

Just another girl to protect.

Joel didn’t want you.

“Oh, god, yes!” you were gasping in between keening moans now, and Joel bit down hard on his lower lip, feeling the chapped skin break and bleed a bit as his hand twitched at his side, the urge to do something about the erection straining against his pants so incredibly strong.

He could do it. None of the other girls were close to finishing with their clients. Joel could pull his cock from his pants right now and fuck into his own hand as he listened to you having sex, get himself off from the sounds you were making, imagining he was thrusting into you instead of his palm as you—

“Yes,” you whimpered, the sounds of skin slapping against skin rapid now, the bedframe inside your room slamming against the wall as you repeated yourself louder and louder, higher and higher, “Yes, yes, yes!”

Then you were crying out at the same time your client did, and Joel grunted, hips bucking up into his palm at the same moment he realized his hand had drifted there, subconsciously seeking relief from the ache of burning desire before he snapped his hand away.

“Fuck,” he huffed, shaking his head sharply and cursing himself at how he had nearly jacked himself off at the sound of you having sex without even realizing what he was doing. “Get it the fuck together.”

But his erection hardly eased up even as the minutes passed, and Joel had to fold his hands together, trying to casually hold them in front of the obvious bulge constrained by his jeans when your door opened.

The client walked out first, and Joel stared straight ahead at the wall opposite him, jaw clenching painfully once more as the man walked down the hallway, glancing back to send you a wave as you leaned against the doorframe, bending forward out of it to wiggle your fingers back towards him in goodbye.

Joel’s eyes snapped from how relaxed the gait of the man now was before looking over at you, sucking in a sharp breath at the tattered silk robe you were wearing, seeing the dip of your collarbone down to the soft curves of your cleavage, nearly catching a glimpse of the tempting pillows of your tits from the way you were leaning forward before he forced his gaze away.

You were watching him now—he could feel the familiar intensity of your gaze on him, and Joel resisted the urge to swallow thickly, struggling against the lump in his throat as you pushed yourself off the doorframe.

He expected you to head back up towards your office, preparing himself to keep his gaze off you when you walked past him in that temptation of thin fabric, when you surprised him by speaking.

“Want a smoke?”

Joel froze, his head tilting towards the sound of your voice subconsciously before your words even dawned on him.

When they did, he glanced towards you from the corner of his eye, seeing you were watching him with a thumb pointing back over your shoulder towards the room behind you.

The room you had just fucked a client in.

Oh fuck.

Joel cleared his throat, brows furrowed deeply as he looked back at you, and he half-expected you to make a comment about it like usual, but you were simply watching him with an impassive look, not a hint of emotion or motive he could try to decipher.

Before he knew what he was doing, Joel nodded, feet automatically moving after yours when you walked into the room.

“You can close it,” you said over your shoulder as you walked towards a nightstand next to the bed where—

Joel spun around, trying to control how rapidly he was breathing as he grabbed the door handle, pulling it shut behind him before slowly turning back to face the room again.

He had never actually been in one of them before, but he still should have expected the smell to be so much stronger in one—especially right after it had been occupied.

Still, the scent of sex pulled his attention right back to the bed you stood next to as you perched a cigarette between your lips—one he thinks Tess got you, he realized somewhere in the back of his mind—and Joel’s eyes lingered on dark spots on the mattress, forgetting how to breathe for a moment before your voice brought him back.

“Mr. Miller?”

His head snapped forward, eyes meeting yours to see you looking at him in a question he didn’t know that you were asking.

“Huh?” he mumbled so eloquently, wincing internally as your lips twitched into a small smirk around the cigarette in your mouth before you pulled it out, blowing it into the heady air of the room, nicotine joining the smells of sex and making the space tighter, hotter, before you paced towards a window on one wall.

“I asked if you wanted one,” you said slowly, and Joel just then noticed how scratchy your voice was—from the cigarette, the moans you were making not that long before, or maybe both.

“Uh—no,” Joel shook his head, watching with bated breath as your smirk towards him grew. “No thank you.”

His heart skipped a beat in his chest as you beckoned with the cigarette held delicately between your fingers for him to join you at the window. 

Joel did, almost automatically, cursing himself internally at his blunt eagerness to be beside you while you lifted the window to let some fresh air in, and he turned, resting his back against the open window pane, arms crossing over his chest as he watched you instead of observing the room any longer.

Not all that fresh, considering the perpetual staleness of the QZ air, but it did cut down on how overwhelming the aroma of sex currently was in that room.

If somebody was going to break the tense silence that had fallen between the two of you, Joel had expected it to be you, so he was surprised when the quiet words fell from his lips, “Didn’t know you took clients.”

You huffed out a laugh then, the stream of cigarette smoke leaving your plump lips in puffs with the action.

“The Mistress has to earn her keep somehow,” you muttered, pulling in another drag of nicotine to blow back out the open window, and Joel’s gaze snapped back towards you.

“The Mistress?” he repeated, eyes flickering over your face as he recognized that name in an instant.

Being a man in the Boston QZ, it was impossible not to hear about The Mistress. An elusive sex worker who was very selective about her clientele, but even still, the stories about her stretched far, the name representing the countless fantasies of every horny man who dreamed of a chance to get their cock wet with her.

His recognition must have been noticeable in the tone of his voice, because you lazily rolled your head back to look up at him, smirk growing fully across your lips, swollen from whatever you had been up to, and Joel nearly swore under his breath as he felt his cock stirring in his jeans again.

“You act like you’ve heard of me,” you murmured, tongue darting out to wet your lips before you placed the cigarette between them again, and Joel’s brain short-circuited for a moment before he could find the words to reply to you.

“I just—” Joel cut off, brows furrowed as he shook his head, as if trying to jumpstart his mind, get it to string coherent thoughts together again but Jesus fuck why were you looking at him like that, with dark hooded eyes he’d never seen from you before. “I mean, I’ve heard about her, but I didn’t think—”

“Why not?” you interrupted him before he could finish. The cigarette was back between your fingers, gesturing with it up towards the scar that stretched down one side of your face. “Because of this?”

Joel frowned then because, to his own surprise, he was offended that you would think he’d care about such a thing. That he’d judge your attractiveness off something as inconsequential as a scar, especially in such a time where such marks on your skin were proof of hard-earned survival.

Attractiveness. 

No, no, oh, fuck.

“Just didn’t know it was you,” Joel muttered gruffly, shrugging in a way that he knew must have looked incredibly stupid as he turned his face away from you, only to see the mess of shabby sheets on the bed, and those same dark stains on the fabric.

“Oh, so you have heard of me,” you were nearly goddamn purring the words now, in the same moment his mind was recalling those sweet, sweet moans you were making, the ones that had left your lips and resulted in the cum stains he was now staring at. “What have you heard?”

“They say you have the ti—” Joel cuts himself off again, feeling blood rushing towards his cheeks and somewhere lower, somewhere he should not be feeling any heat as he realized what he was about to say without thinking.

That you have the tightest, hottest cunt you could get in the whole QZ.

“They say I…?” you trailed off as you quietly repeated his words, and Joel’s attention flashed back to you to see you drifting closer to him, one arm crossed over your chest to prop up your elbow as you smoked your cigarette.

The way your arm pressed to yourself pushed your cleavage together to make an alluring dip, lifting your tits so they were almost spilling out of the open collar of the silk robe. Although the fabric was faded and tattered from the years it had survived, it may as well have been the richest texture in the world with the way it caressed your soft skin, taunting Joel as he struggled to look away.

When you shifted just an inch closer, one of the sleeves of the robe tumbled down your shoulder, and Joel sucked in an audible breath as more of your body was revealed, tempting him with how bare you were under that flimsy fabric.

He tried to look back up towards your eyes then, he really did, but the sleeve slipping down to hook around your elbow nearly revealed half of your chest to him. The only thing keeping him from seeing one of your tits completely was the way your forearm was pressed against your nipple.

Was it a peak right now? Were you as aroused as he was? Did you need him like he needed you?

Joel finally pulled his eyes up to yours, and when he saw the smug, knowing look in the heat of them, his desire flared into a fever pitch.

“They say you make sex an art,” his voice rumbled out from deep within his chest, and Joel hardly recognized it with the way his every word was coated in a thick need. “That your body feels like heaven, and you taste even better.”

You laughed at that, head tilting back with the action, and Joel was as distracted at the gentle, husky cadence that left your soft lips—how soft exactly, he wondered—as he was focused on the curve of your exposed neck as it led his eyes down your collarbone to the valley of your breasts.

There was a thin layer of sweat there, he just realized, and he wanted to dip his tongue between the soft pillows of flesh, tasting and tracing you, when your words pulled him out of his fantasizing that was quickly spiraling out of control the longer he was in this sex-tainted room with you.

“Those men don’t know a single fucking thing about how I taste,” you muttered, not bitterly, but simply matter-of-fact as you gazed out the window towards the dark lit streets of the QZ, taking another long drag of the cigarette.

Joel’s brow lifted, glancing over your side profile, noticing the way the deep red lipstick you had been wearing was almost completely faded, smeared a little at the corner of your mouth and down your chin, and coupled with the confession you had just made, he struggled with a sudden surge of an emotion he couldn’t name—or didn't want to, as it would surely become dangerous if he dared to entertain it.

“Seriously?” Joel found himself saying, and you turned back to him, your own eyebrows arching at the odd tone of his voice—almost appalled, but not towards you. “None of them?”

Your lips pulled back then, showing teeth in a grin that was nearly predatory, and Joel’s pulse raced as you answered with your own question, “You really think any man still alive wants to pay to go down on a woman?”

“I would,” Joel said in a heartbeat, and you blinked, surprise flashing through your eyes, and Joel hated the way his stomach flipped at the knowledge of catching you off-guard, as you were usually the one doing so to him.

“You’d pay for sex,” you repeated slowly, and although it was a question, you said it in a flat tone, disbelieving as you glanced up and down his body. “You. Mr. ‘I hate everybody and wish they were all fucking dead’ Miller?”

What surprised him the most out of everything tonight was the way you just made him laugh.

The sound was pulled from him so easily, tugged from his lungs towards you, and he sucked in a breath, as if trying to pull the sound back in as a dark look twinkled in your eyes from where they had fixed on the front of his jeans.

“Maybe you would pay for it, Mr. Miller,” you murmured, and Joel stiffened, his mind filling with a variety of curses in every language he still knew as you surely noticed his erection that still hadn’t fucking gone away.

Your eyes flashed back up to his, long eyelashes fluttering as you leaned forward, and Joel struggled to breathe as the forearm still covering the nipple of your almost completely revealed breast grazed against his chest.

“How would you prefer to take me, sir?” you asked breathily, and Joel’s chest began to rise and fall rapidly, brushing with your own nearly exposed chest with every fast breath he took as he tried to reign himself in, even as you started fucking seducing him. “Are you a fan of foreplay? Would you take your time and go slow with me?”

Your head tilts oh so slightly, hair tumbling down in a way that begged Joel to wrap it around his fist, as you continued to mercilessly tease, “No, I don’t think you’re one for taking it slow. Are you, Mr. Miller?”

Fuck, if you kept calling him that, he was going to lose his goddamn mind and take you right against that window sill if you would let him. He’d pay you all the fucking food rations in the world for a taste, just a taste of how sweet you’d drip for him when you came.

Because if Joel was fucking you, you were going to come.

“You like it hard and fast,” you whispered, your arm finally dropping from your chest, and Joel swallowed down a strangled sound as he finally saw half of your chest completely, your nipple hardened in the air before you pressed it against him and fuck, oh Jesus fuck, “I bet you’re rough too. Big man like you, you like to be in control. Probably gets off on taming brats, hm?”

Goddammit if you didn’t shut up he was about to show you just how well he could tame you, shutting up that pretty mouth by making you come again, again, and again, until all you knew to do was cry out for him every time he wracked your body with pleasure.

“But you’re not a missionary man,” you shook your head as it tilted the other way, bringing your face to hover inches away from his neck, and Joel shivered, actually fucking shivered when he felt your breath caress his skin as you teased, “You like a cowgirl, don’t you, Joel?”

That was the first time his name fell from your lips.

And at the sound of it, Joel lost any ounce of self-control.

His hands were on you in an instant, enveloping your waist in his large palms as he pulled you flush against him at the same moment he turned to push you against the wall.

You gasped, the dwindling cigarette falling from your fingers, and Joel lifted a foot to stomp it out, using his knee to nudge your legs apart with the motion. When his hips nudged against yours, erection pressing against the spot between your open thighs, he moaned at the feeling of your heat against the impossibly tight fabric.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he realized the robe you wore was completely open now, and your exposed cunt was pressed right up against his clothed erection, but his entire mind was focused on the way you also moaned at the same time he did.

“You keep running your mouth like that, I’ll show you how fucking good I can tame a brat,” he growled into your ear, one of his hands easily lifting your hip, dragging your folds across the bulge in his jeans, and he sighed as he felt wetness seep against the fabric. “Fuck, you this wet for me already, baby? Just from talking about how I’d fuck you?”

“I-I–”

Suddenly, no words were falling from your lips other than incoherent stuttering, and Joel smirked as he ducked his face against your neck, licking a path along the curve of it, groaning in need and irritation at the salt of sweat from your previous sex that still clung to it.

“Did you come for him?” Joel growled the question against your jaw, now directing your hips to grind against him in a way that put pressure to your clit, his eyes fluttering shut at the soft moan that left your lips—it sounded different than the ones he heard you make before, quieter, a bit huskier as opposed to so high-pitched—before he nipped at the skin just below your chin. “Answer me.”

“No,” you gasped, and Joel loosened his grip on your waist just a bit, wanting to see if you still chased that friction he had been providing against your clit.

When you did, grinding yourself against his clothed erection, Joel smirked against your jaw before asking his next question, “When’s the last time a man made you come, sweetheart?”

A shuddering breath fell from your lips to fan across his face, and Joel pulled back, looking down at how blown-wide your pupils were, his thumb brushing a strand of hair from your face as you muttered, “I—long. Too long.”

Joel wanted to smile at how you were already struggling to form full sentences before he had even started with you, but the anger he felt at you going so long without feeling an ounce of pleasure from being with a man made his jaw tick as he frowned deeply instead.

“Do you wanna come tonight, darlin’?” Joel murmured, his calloused thumb finding your bottom lip to gently pull it out, caressing the wet inner part of your lip while he searched your gaze. “I need you to answer me, sweetheart. I’m not doing anything unless you want me to.”

“Yes, Joel,” your voice nearly broke with the husky whisper, head bobbing in an eager nod, but Joel still waited to hear you say it clearly before he began. “I want you. Want you to make me come, please.”

A shuddering breath left Joel then, and he returned your nod, brushing his thumb across your lip again before pulling it back and leaning down to replace the digit with his own lips.

You were both moaning from the first moment your lips touched, kissing in a way that was much like how you always acted around each other—a battle for dominance, adding gasoline to the fire, but with an underlying respect that neither of you could shake even if you wanted to try.

“Fuck,” Joel mumbled when you allowed him access to slip his tongue inside your mouth, exploring every inch of it with a quiet moan that you echoed with your own. “Taste so good already, sweetheart.”

Every time he tried to pull away, you brought him back in with your lips chasing his, trapping him in another hot kiss, passion he didn’t think he could ever feel again building between you until he needed to taste more.

Joel finally tore himself away from your mouth fully, hands finding the opening of your robe to make sure it was pushed open completely, giving him access to every inch of your soft skin as he pressed kisses down your neck towards the perfect, perky tits that had been taunting him since you leaned out into the hallway.

His large palms cupped them, fingers stroking the soft flesh as he pressed them around his face, groaning into your skin at the feeling of being surrounded by them before turning his face to lap a path up the curve of one with his tongue until he reached that goddamn nipple that had been pure torture to nearly catch a glimpse of during your entire conversation.

Joel flicked his tongue over it, hips nearly bucking up as you gasped at the sensation, back arching to press further against his tongue when he flattened it against the stiffened peak. When he sucked it into his hot mouth, your fingers found his hair, tangling in the strands as you pushed his face further against you, and he moaned through a mouth full of your breast, teeth grazing against the sensitive peak before he pulled back to quickly do the same to the other.

Despite your teasing, he would take his time with you eventually. But tonight he was desperate, a drowning man gasping for air—but no, even that wasn’t accurate.

You were not the air Joel needed, but rather the unfathomable depths that he was drowning in.

He dropped to his knees between your spread legs, grunting quietly at the pain that ricocheted through his old bones at the action, but he couldn’t care less as he found himself facing your hot, dripping cunt.

Joel leaned forward, letting his breath fan across your sensitive folds as he lifted two fingers to run across your wet entrance, dragging the digits up to where you clit was already swollen with the need to be touched, to be pleased by him, and he smiled to himself at the sigh you exhaled above him from the sensation of his touch.

His fingers slid back to your entrance, dipping the rough pads of his fingertips into you just enough to collect more of your desire, spreading it along the lengths of his thick fingers as he swiped them up to your clit and began to rub in slow, tight circles.

You gasped quietly, hips rolling into his gentle ministrations, and Joel smiled against your skin when he ducked his face forward to press soft kisses along your inner thigh and up.

“Gonna take care of you, darlin’, don’t you worry,” Joel murmured against the mound of trimmed hair above where his fingers were slowly working at you, his lips moving down to replace them as he added breathlessly, “Gonna make you feel so good.”

Your hips bucked against his face when his tongue found your clit, a louder, breathless moan tearing from your throat at the heady sensation of his hot, wet mouth sucking around the sensitive bundle of nerves.

“Joel,” you gasped, nails scraping against his scalp as you grabbed his hair tighter, and he groaned around your clit at the feeling, pulling a delicious whine that sounded so much more real, more feral, more needy than the perfect, practiced ones you had made through the wall. “I—oh, fuck, that’s so good…”

He hummed around your clit before flattening his tongue against it, alternating motions until he found the rhythm that made you grind yourself against his face, and his palms found your hips to pull you up against him further, encouraging you to ride his tongue until you found your high.

“Come on, baby,” he murmured in between the moments when he’d suckle your clit, teeth gently grazing it as he resisted the urge to palm himself at the steady stream of moans and muffled curses that were echoing above him. “You can do it, come on. Soak my face, wanna taste your sweet cum.”

When you did just as he told you, Joel thought he really did see the gates of heaven, a sight he was convinced would never grace him after the lifetime of hell he had lived and caused.

He lapped up every gush of wetness that dripped from your folds in your release, dipping his tongue inside your entrance to drink you up, his thumb replacing his tongue on your clit, rubbing gently to prolong the waves of your pleasure.

Once the gyrations of your hips against his lapping tongue slowed, Joel pulled back from your cunt, your release glistening on his mouth and down his chin as he gazed up at your slack-jawed expression.

Your head tilted down, gaze meeting his as a lazy smile curled onto your lips, and Joel tried to ignore the way his heart lurched in his chest at the sight combined with the feeling of your grip loosening on his hair, fingers combing gently through the strands.

“Good?” Joel mumbled, turning his face to press a soft kiss on your inner thigh, and your head dipped down in a nod, humming in satisfaction as Joel smirked against your skin. “Good.”

His mouth opened, teeth gently nipping at your soft flesh, pulling an endearing squeak of surprise from you as he rasped, “Not done with you yet, though, sweetheart.”

When his tongue found its way back to your clit, his fingers went back to your entrance. This time, when he dipped one fingertip in, he didn’t stop, sinking into your tight, wet heat until the first knuckle, smiling against your swollen bundle of nerves as you rolled your hips into him at the sensation of his digit slowly filling you.

He gave a few slow pumps of his finger when he had sunk it in completely before pulling it out, chuckling around where he had sucked your clit back into his mouth at your whine at the loss of his finger before he added it back in with another.

“Fuck, can you feel you squeezing my fingers, darlin’,” Joel grunted against your cunt, lapping desperate licks against your clit, eating you out with increased fervor as his fingers pumped you faster at every mewling moan that left your lips, encouraged by the rolling of your hips to curl his fingers until he found the spot that nearly made your knees buckle.

His other arm wrapped around your waist, giving you support to stand while keeping you pressed to his face, not allowing you a moment of peace as his tongue worked mercilessly at you until you were coming around his fingers this time.

“Oh, fuck,” Joel was whimpering against your cunt this time as he continued to fingerfuck you through your high, sucking at your clit and drawing out every aftershock, his arm around your waist the only thing keeping you up now as the pleasure overwhelmed you.

“Joel,” you whispered hoarsely, fingers tugging at his hair again, and he pulled back to look up at you, his fingers stilling inside your cunt, but not sliding out of you just yet.

“What is it, darlin’?” he rasped, breath trembling as you stroked his lips with your thumb, collecting your own release combined with his saliva on it before raising it to your mouth to suck on, pulling a moan from Joel’s throat at the sight.

“Want you to touch yourself, sir,” you murmured, and Joel’s eyes widened, his fingers finally slipping out of your heat, reaching down to fumble with the button of his jeans at your permission he didn’t even know he was desperate for. “Make yourself cum just from the taste of me.”

“Jesus—” Joel couldn’t even finish whatever he was going to groan out as his hand wrapped around his cock once he pulled it out of its fabric constraints, eyes rolling back into his head at the relief of finally, finally doing something about the erection that had plagued him since he guarded you outside the room while you worked.

“Mouth on my pussy, Joel,” you ordered, and he was diving back into your folds without a second thought, sloppily thrusting his tongue inside your wet heat as his hand pumped his cock, your release still coating his fingers spreading across his length as he felt himself already rapidly approaching climax. “That’s it. You like the taste? You wanna come because I taste so good?”

Joel was nodding against your pussy, groaning into your folds as he lost any rhythm towards making you feel good now, but you didn’t seem to care, your hand in his hair still keeping him pressed to your cunt as you encouraged him this time around, “Do it then, Joel. I want to watch you cum for me.”

If you said anything else at that point, Joel couldn’t hear it through the blood rushing through his head as he came harder than he had in years.

He couldn’t even remember the last time he had felt an orgasm so intense, his vision darkening at the edges as he sucked mindlessly at your wet folds, hips bucking up into his fist as his cum shot out to paint the wall behind you before leaking out steadily over his hand.

You loosened your grip on his hair, allowing him to pull back with a gasp, sucking in air he needed to not black out as Joel’s blurry vision focused back in on your face above him.

There was a small smile on your face, satisfied in more ways than one, and Joel couldn’t help but match it with his own half-smirk as he focused on catching his breath before slowly pushing himself back up to his feet.

“Mm,” Joel moaned quietly as his lips met yours in a lazy kiss, one he wasn’t sure who initiated as he mumbled against your mouth, “Heavenly.”

You laughed then, and he felt himself brighten at the sound, though he tried to ignore it as you gently pushed him away from you.

“Come on,” you sighed, straying away from the wall towards the door on shaky legs while you tied your robe back up, making yourself decent enough as he tucked his dick away and zipped up his jeans. “I’ll get you your payment for today.”

There was a brief moment where you made sure nobody was lingering in the hallway before beckoning him out, and you both made your way towards the staircase towards your office while Joel tried to ignore the foreign thrill at the chance of being caught with you after what you had done together.

When you passed his payment to him, he counted out a generous portion before holding it right back out, earning a scoff from you at the offer.

“You’re not paying me for making me come, Mr. Miller,” you said with a sly smirk, and Joel tried to ignore how oddly disappointing it felt for you to resort to calling him that after tonight. “That wasn’t work.”

Joel slowly arched his brow, but nodded at your insistence, tucking his payment in his back pocket before rumbling out a quiet question of, “One-time thing?”

It wasn’t an offer, nor was he insisting that you did or didn’t do it again.

In fact, he was secretly hoping it would happen again, and Joel felt the treacherous anticipation for even more of you when your exhilarated gaze met his.

“Guess we’ll have to find out.”

taglist: @darkroastjoel @thetriumphantpanda @cupofjoel @dinsdjrn @cavillscurls @tightjeansjavi @sinsofsummers

[hometoursandotherstuff]

Mid-century was the era of shiny foil wallpaper and bright floral patterns. Here's a 1962 time capsule that has the hippest decor of the period. It's in Abington, PA, has 4bds, 2.2ba, and $449,900.

The entrance foyer is elegant in foil paper that looks like a mirrored wall.

The living room is open.

And, it's a large space.

The dining room has nice uplighting.

The kitchen is surprisingly large and is eat-in.

And, just like a modern open concept home, it shares space with the family room.

There's a nice modern fireplace and doors to the patio.

Check out the completely original blue guest powder room. They even have the custom made vertical blinds and they look brand new.

Very large back room has lots of space for freezers, a desk, whatever. It has the floral wallpaper with a matching shade and valance. It was also the fashion to wallpaper the ceilings.

Going up to the bedrooms. White wrought iron railings were popular.

The spacious primary bedroom.

Has a nice walk-in closet.

The yellow primary bath has a fancy original sink cabinet and a vanity table, plus the original yellow sink.

The secondary bedroom is large, too. It was also the fashion to wallpaper everything, like the closet doors and light switches.

This home is beautifully preserved. Original bath with an overhead light, shiny foil wallpaper, and double pink sinks.

This very large room is on the lower level.

Huge rec room has a picture window with a door to the yard.

Another guest powder with a corner sink.

Oh, it has a cedar closet for wool clothes so the moths don't get them.

A big basement with laundry and a workshop.

The garage is in the back of the house.

Patio.

There's lots of room for a pool on the .43 acre lot.

It's really a gem.

https://www.compass.com/listing/1863-hemlock-circle-abington-pa-19001/296867959288971521/

[steddieas-shegoes]

Request: Hellfire night is happening post spring break from hell, it's at the apartment of Steve & Eddie. Steve has an intense migraine & chronic pain flare ups. He can barely make it through the door. Eddie has to bring Steve but Steve is in pain and wants to stay close to Eddie. So they play dnd with Steve essentially curled up on the couch near Eddie.

MY DARLING!!!! STEVE SUFFERING TIME!!! I know I shouldn't make him suffer so much, but it's just that he's so easy to make suffer. But this one is so so soft, and so comforting. Steve is loved so much, it makes the hurt not so hurt-y. As a migraine sufferer myself, there are times when I genuinely consider just laying on the floor and hoping I pass out so I don't have to feel it anymore. I do base a lot of Steve's experiences off of my own (though mine is less head trauma and more genetics), but I hope other people can see themselves in it and get some comfort, too. I also used a new little cute term of endearment inspired by one of my favorite regular customers at my last job who called his wife of 64 years sweet love from the day they met, even when he was talking to other people about her. - Mickala ❤️

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

If he’d gotten his shift covered at work today, he probably wouldn’t be in so much fucking pain.

But he needed the money, and when he first woke up, the pain wasn’t that bad. He’d had worse.

After hours of customers asking him to reach the top shelf, screaming babies and children not getting the ice cream or candy they wanted, and a few too many old men complaining about the prices of bread, Steve’s headache escalated from minor pain to unbearable, and had spread throughout his body.

He’d gotten somewhat used to the aches he sometimes woke up with, the throbbing pains in his joints when he spent too long on his feet or tried to do too much exercising. Some days were less tolerable than others, but today was the worst he’d had in a while.

Every breath stung, his lungs pushing against his ribs, his ribs pushing against his skin, his skin on fire.

And when he arrived at his apartment, he knew it was about to get worse.

He could hear Eddie, his booming voice painting a picture for all of Hellfire. He didn’t need to see him to know he was probably standing on his chair or, more dramatically, the table.

Any other time, Steve would be endeared, would walk in and say hi to everyone, give Eddie a kiss on the cheek before he made his way to the shower and then make snacks for the group.

Tonight, though, Steve didn’t even know if he could make it past the couch.

Or to it, for that matter.

Maybe he could just use the rug at the door as a pillow for the night. Everyone could step over him as they left, or maybe they could all just stay the night so he wouldn’t get woken up.

He was shaking with the effort to make it through the door, the key missing the lock the first couple of tries because his hands kept wobbling.

Eventually, he got inside.

He leaned back against the door, his body screaming at him to be horizontal instead of vertical. He let out a groan, which hurt more than he planned.

The dining room area got quiet.

“Stevie? That you?” Eddie’s voice sounded concerned, even without seeing his face to confirm.

He couldn’t answer. It hurt to even think about answering.

He let his eyes close, the pain in his head dulling for just a moment with the light from the living area being extinguished. It wasn’t even that bright, just one lamp in the corner and one on the table by the couch, but it still felt blinding when he opened his eyes again.

Eddie was standing in front of him now, hands reaching towards him but hesitating to actually touch.

“What’s hurting, sweet love?”

All Steve could do was let out a small whimper, and even that was more pain than it was worth.

“Everything?” Eddie whispered, getting closer, but still not touching. Steve could almost feel the heat coming off of Eddie’s constantly too-hot skin.

“Mm.”

“Alright, you wanna go to the couch?”

Yeah, he did, but he didn’t think he could make it. But as always, Eddie read his mind.

“I’ll carry you if it’s okay to lift you,” he suggested quietly.

“Mm.”

“Okay, assuming that’s a yes,” Eddie responded at the same volume as before, though Steve knew he was smirking, could hear the way his mouth was curled up at the corner, amused.

Before Steve could even try to form a response, Eddie’s arms were under his legs and back, lifting him up and cradling him against his front.

Pain shot through his entire body, but he bit his lip so he wouldn’t make a noise. He didn’t want Eddie to feel bad about something outside of their control.

“‘S okay, angel. Let it out.”

He let out another whimper, louder than the last. He heard footsteps coming into the room and assumed everyone here for Hellfire had decided to check in.

He opened one eye, but immediately regretted it, inhaling sharply as he squeezed his eyes shut again.

“Can someone shut off the lamps?” Eddie asked as he managed to set Steve down slowly, gently on the couch.

Eddie’s fingers were barely brushing along his forehead, moving his hair away from his face with the lightest possible touch.

Steve felt a tiny bit of relief from laying down, though his head decided to start pulsing as it lay flat against the cushion.

“Lap?” Steve asked, forgetting for a moment what he’d walked home to: the weekly D&D campaign.

Eddie needed to be a DM for them, he couldn’t sit out here with Steve.

“Alright, everyone grab the stuff, we’re using the coffee table. I don’t need my notes or screen so leave it, and so help me, if I suspect any of you looked at them, I will kill you all in a trap,” Eddie said from the floor next to Steve.

Steve could hear light footsteps moving out of the room and then Eddie’s whispers in his ear.

“Gonna lift your head for just a minute while I sit. Want you to turn so your face is looking at me, it’ll block out the light when we turn them back on. I can rub your shoulders and back that way too.”

Steve couldn’t really nod, but he tilted his head up just a bit to show he was okay with it, though they both knew it would be painful.

Eddie was fast though, didn’t want him to suffer a single second longer than he absolutely had to.

Before Steve could process the zing of pain through his head and neck, he was already situated as comfortably as possible on Eddie’s lap, face turned into his stomach.

One of Eddie’s hands gently cupped the back of his head, holding him steady so he could completely relax.

He did, or as much as he really could with the level of pain he was at.

“You take anything?” Eddie asked as his other hand started slowly rubbing his shoulder, just a light pressure to ease him into more touch.

“Mhm.”

He’d taken something at lunch, and then again when he got off of work and didn’t think he’d be able to drive home without something in his system.

It seemed like it was actually kicking in now, though that could also be Eddie’s practiced attention to all the worst areas of pain.

The kids were slowly coming into the room, Steve could hear them setting things on the coffee table as quietly as possible, whispering amongst themselves.

It was suddenly extremely hot in the room, and Steve knew that was just part of the crash as the medicine kicked in further. Normally, he was alone or only with Eddie, and could strip and lay on cool sheets with a fan blowing on him, but he couldn’t with the kids here.

He knew if he asked, they would go. They were good kids, and they’d understand, and Eddie could reschedule for the next day since he was off.

But he didn’t want them to have to rearrange everything because of him, not when Eddie was so excited about a new character introduction for tonight.

“Alright guys, gonna have to keep it to a whisper,” Eddie said, the rise and fall of his stomach as he breathed lulling Steve into a calm state, though not quite sleeping.

Eddie continued to run the campaign, everyone being as quiet as possible, only Dustin having to be reminded once to keep his voice down when he got a bit overexcited about getting past the guards surrounding the water they had to dive in to get to some kind of map.

It was all very complicated to Steve, and he couldn’t keep on a good day.

Eddie’s hands rested on his body the entire time, slowly rubbing circles into any part they could reach, fingers running slowly through his hair.

Steve drifted at some point, and when he woke up, the room was pitch black and Eddie’s hands had stilled, resting on his arm and head.

Steve blinked up at him, moving his head only enough to squint up at Eddie’s face.

He was passed out, mouth wide open, head leaned back along the back of the couch.

He had no idea what time it was, or how long they’d been like this, but he wasn’t going to wake him up.

He noticed the pain in his head had dulled to just the occasional sharp pinch in his forehead and most of his joints seemed like he could move them without wanting to crumble to the ground.

He slowly rolled onto his back, but Eddie let out a loud snore and immediately opened his eyes when he felt the movement.

“You okay?” He rasped.

“Better,” Steve smiled up at him, reaching a hand up to cup his cheek. “Thanks for taking care of me, baby.”

“Anytime, sweet love. You wanna move to the bed?”

“Can we take a bath first?”

Eddie looked over at the clock.

“It’s past midnight, are you sure?”

“Yeah. Just wanna relax in a bath with you for a bit.”

Eddie leaned down to kiss him.

Sometimes he did that; Just kissed him instead of using words to reply, showing him instead of telling him in the best way.

These kisses were different from his other kisses. They were softer, less hungry, loving in a way that Steve didn’t think words could even say.

“Let’s go relax in the bath, then.”

“Did the game go okay?” Steve asked as he slowly sat up.

“Yeah. Kids were worried about you.”

“I’m okay. You told them I’m okay, right?”

“I told them you’d be okay. They just love you,” Eddie said, standing up and stretching his arms above his head.

“I love them, too.”

“You’re kind of our north star, Stevie.”

“Oh?”

“Mhm. We’re a bit lost without you. That’s why it’s hard to see you hurting like that. Not just for me, but for all of us.”

“I’m fine now.”

Eddie didn’t respond, left a kiss on his forehead, and started walking towards their bathroom.

“Come be fine in the bath with me!” He said over his shoulder.

Steve obliged. He’d be fine anywhere as long as Eddie was there to take care of him.

[thesims3help]

Sims 3 - Gameplay enhancing mods: CAS, Build/Buy, World, Objects + Chores & Services.

A category-based mod post. Mods and links previously featured in our Masterlist. All credits to their rightful owners.

Categories include: CAS, BB mode, (Edit) World, game objects related mods, along with chore fixes and new services.

CAS:

Truely Unique Sims

o violet on Tumblr - Pure CAS lighting mod

The Sims 3 [cas background, cas lighting mod, & cas organizers] | Patreon

CAS Sim Bin Genetics as Presets

CAS Lighting Edit

ColorLash: Eyelashes Match Eyebrow Color + Mascara

XCAS core mod: more tattoo locations, edit naked outfit, slider hack, body hair, more

Build/Buy:

One More Slot Please! (with vertical shifting)

[TS3] Catalog Search Mod | Patreon

Add Any Lot Size

No More Free Roofs by Gurra (simlogical.com)

TS3 HD Textures Series - Terrain Pack [UPDATE: Fixed road tiling]

Builder Stuff

Reworked & Improved EA Lights

Lazy Duchess — [TS3] Auto Lights Overhaul (tumblr.com)

More Light Coming Through Windows

Microwave Slots

Railings on Spiral Staircases!

Stuff on the Back of the Toilet

More 1-tile Dressers!

Decorate 6 Base Game Dressers - with more slots

"Stuff on the Fridge" Mod

What's On Your Stereo?

Showbiz, Profession & Other Trophies for Displays & Pedestals

Floor Plants Placeable On Slots [BG & SEAS]

More Slots for EA Furniture - End Tables, Coffee Tables, Windows, Bookshelves & More

Midnight Hollow Toys and All Teddies on Surfaces

Horse Trophies for Display Cases

Shelves + Extras Shift & Hide With Walls Down

So Many Shiftables! And a little more.

Shiftable Curtains

'Cortinas Festivas!' and 'Traditional Curtains' Blind Fix UPDATED!

Shiftable Televisions

Shiftable Skill and Partnership Certificates

Shiftable drafting table sketches

Fountain and Hot Tub Fixes by sydserious (simlogical.com)

Base Game Half Walls FIXED!!!!

Dangerous Stoves Mod - More Fire!

Objects:

Collection Icons and Files

Functional Washboard - Sims 4 Conversion

Harvestable Tree Default Replacement

More Harvestables

Buyable Mermadic Kelp

Same Energy Gain For Every Bed

Super Hampers -- Automatic Laundry Pick Up (Plus Bigger Hampers) by Nona Mena (simlogical.com)

Spring Harvest And CookBook

Harvestable Flowers

Better Hoverboards

Canning Station Overhaul

The Transmogrifier (aka Object Script Changer)

New and Improved 9/11/21] Functioning Well - and Off-Grid Plumbing!

No Crappy Bunk Beds!

Default Umbrellas & Parasols

Default Taxis

Digital Photo Frame Overlay Replacement

Unlocked Permanent Tents for Residential and Community Lots

Wildflower Sell Price Nerf

Buyable Beach Towels (with custom script)

Vending Machine Tweaks

Salvaged Junkyard Objects Made Usable

Make those elevators go faster! Or slower...

Toilet Tweaks

Fairy House motive tuning: Bladder and Hygiene

Buyable Culinary Career Rewards: MinusOne Kelvin Fridge by Nona Mena (simlogical.com)

[WA] Buyable Permanent Sultan's Tabernacle (Scripted object) by Nona Mena (simlogical.com)

[SEAS] Gift Pile Tweaks by Nona Mena (simlogical.com)

[SEAS] Buyable Bunch o' Gifts (Gift Pile) by Nona Mena (simlogical.com)

Motorcycle Parking Spaces

World:

Reduce/Remove Lag caused by Houseboats

SetHour Cheat

Lot Population Mod

TS3 Apartment mod - Updated for patch 1.55 - 1.63/1.67

nraas - Apartment Mod

Invisible Sim Fixer Mod by Consort (simlogical.com)

RPG Manager - Edit your Bin sims, towns and Active household!

NPCRomance

Space Rock Spawner Edit

Lunar Lakes missing EP rabbit holes by Darkitow (simlogical.com)

Auto-place official festival lots in later Store worlds

AMB Community Lots Auto Placement Fix + Add Other Lots (Compatible with Patch 1.63-1.67)

Chores + Services:

Gardener Service 2

Housekeeper Service - v1.2

Housecleaning For All Sims

Dirty Laundry Mod (Update 8/8/23) - Maid & Butler Tweaks

Butler & Maid will Feed Pets & Clean All Pets.

DouglasVeiga's Dancer Service

[imembroiderline]

A Guide on the Best Way to Kill Yourself

One

Turn on the gas

Close off everything

Doors, windows, peepholes, and retreat thoughts.

First you will feel headache,

then a pain in the throat

An urge to call it off

a regret

Don't move just wait

Until it's too late

You are to weak to stay

Just jump

Don't leave a note

You have a bad hand writing,

and nothing can be worse than a misunderstood suicide note

Print one if you must

Make it funny

Like: Don't disturb

You don't want to cause them pain

It's enough that you are leaving soon

Two

Go to the market, Choose the best quality of blade.

If you had a shitty life you want a fancy death,

and if you had a fancy life, you will not stand a shitty death

Smile to the lady tell her a joke

Like: Can I try one first!

Whatever you do,

don't buy anything else

You want her to remember your face,

when the police asks

Unless you think it's funny to accuse someone,

accuse someone!

I'm joking don't

seriously Do Not

They will steal your glory

Don't do it in the bathroom,

have some self-respect

You can do it in the bedroom!

No, it’s too messy

In the kitchen!

No

You will be remembered every time they chub meat

In the balcony!

It’s too cold,

and you want a warm death,

Do it in the bathroom.

Yes

But replace the toothbrush with pens and the soap with sticky notes, the sponge with clips, and your towel with your graduation gown.

Cut vertically, it might hurt,

but remember staying hurts more.

You will cry,

it's getting messy

Keep going

Keep going

There's nothing more ridicules than going to the ER for attempted suicide.

Everyone will think it was a call for attention, not really intended to work.

and no one would understand that attention can not be called by a sharp blade

unless you are a butcher in Tuesday market.

Finish what you start

Don't leave a note

Nothing can be worse than bloody paper

And you don't want to cause them pain

It's enough that you are leaving soon.

Three

Fill the bathtub with water

-If you found one that would fit you first-

Hot water

Life was cold enough, you want a warm death.

Don't be naked wear something funny

Make them laugh,

Bunny custom, a tie on colorful shirt, or pants under a skirt

Don't put make up

You have had your share of fakeness

An honest death is what you seek

Break every record by staying down

Until everything fades,

the bubbles, the selling, and the noise in your head

Life was't so bad

But death will taste better

when you drink it up

Drink everything up.

Keep in mind if you stop

you will have to explain the drenched custom on the floor, the graduation gown on bathroom wall and the high water bill.

Don't leave a note

Nothing can be worse than a paper that milt while being read

And you don't want to cause them pain

It's enough that you are leaving soon.

Four

Don’t use pills

pills are tricky

They can cause diarrhea, or spread rashes

You will need a stomach cleaning

And nothing can be worse than a hose in your mouth,

while bunch of strangers batting on your shoulders.

-The wrong pills will make hair grew on your eyeballs -

I was told

When I asked for a pills to lock my demons

The pills didn’t put the demons into bed

Didn’t switch off the fights in my head

But grew a rain-forests my eyeballs

and made me bitter.

Life is bitter enough

You deserve a sweeter death.

So don’t use pills

And don’t use gun,

guns are cold and blind

Plus

You are't strong enough to pull the trigger

Don’t Swing like pendulum

You are not holly enough to become a strange fruit.

Don’t jump from a high building

You may fly,

or bounce back

Everything bounce back.

Whatever you choose don’t leave a not

It will be posted on Facebook and shared by strangers

Remember

you don’t want to cause them pain

Five

Stay

your life is a note

Leave a note.

[enbyleighlines]

Leigh plays Tellius prt 12

I forgot how dramatic Geoffrey can be. But I guess with a best friend like Bastian, he would have to be a little dramatic.

I love how Ike continues to value his work as a mercenary above everything else. Of course, I don't think this high level of integrity is common amongst mercenary groups, but the Greil Mercs have always been different. Like how Greil himself would take work without pay, if it meant helping out someone in need. They fight for people, not for ideals such as honor or glory.

Now, I remember this map giving me so much trouble when I was a kid. This was the map that had me give up on not losing any units. I remember sacrificing Calill here, back in 2007, just so I could finally advance to the next chapter.

So when it came time to face this map again, 16 years later, I was feeling rather nervous.

Turns out I had no reason to be nervous, because I wiped the floor with all the enemies without issue. The boss gave me a scare at first, when I realized he was activating a skill in battle. I was afraid it was Resolve, but it turned out to be Parity, which was far less intimidating.

What a gorgeous scene! I love this moment between Elincia and her retainers. Their friendship is so great, and I'm glad that they got to be reunited.

This may be my shipper goggles blinding me again, but... was there something in that letter you don't want others seeing, Tibarn?

I understand where he's coming from, but it is jarring to be see a young boy say "Kill 'em all!"

Love this base conversation. Ike cannot be bothered to figure out what the hell Bastian is talking about half the time. And we learn that, though Ike's not a fan of desserts, he does drink tea! Unsweetened, I imagine, but still. Idk why, but I really love the idea of manly man Ike sitting down and having a cup of tea. Maybe he even used to have tea parties with Mist as a child. Too cute!

Here comes Largo. I do think this entire conversation is hilarious enough to justify Largo's existence as a playable unit, but otherwise I have never used him and probably never will. That being said, I love his character development in Radiant Dawn, where he goes from a fame-seeking beserker for hire to a humble restaurant owner and doting father.

I made Jill another custom javelin, and I named it Diablo because of how much it cost. Plus it's red, to match her armor!

Funniest NPC? Funniest NPC.

They don't go into it, but I can imagine that Soren must be really nervous at this moment. He's about to lead a discussion in front of an army that includes judgemental Begnion knights, beast laguz, and hawk laguz, including the king of the hawk laguz. That's a lot of pressure, especially for a character who doesn't feel comfortable talking to anyone that isn't Ike. He did a brilliant job, though! It probably helps that he has an A rank with Ike now, so his biggest insecurity has been put to rest.

Kudos, Soren! You're going to need that growing confidence when you're promoted to chief strategist of the Laguz Alliance.

I love how Ike is just so taken off guard here. This conversation also raises some questions for me. Namely, how long do pegasi live? Didn't Elincia say that this one belonged to her great-grandmother? Are they just like... immortal?

Time to seize Fort Pinell! This map is a little intimidating due to its sheer size, especially it doesn't have many choke points. However, I managed to beat this map on my first try. Luckily, they let you take a ridiculous amount of units, so I managed to just cross the field by lining up my defensive fighters in a long vertical wall to keep my squishies protected. Meanwhile, Ike, Soren, and Ranulf destroyed the entire upper right section of the map all by themselves.

The Black Knight fight is coming!! I'm so nervous ahhhhhh

It was also around this point that I realized that it would be nearly impossible to achieve one of my goals. I intended to get Ranulf to level 20 with as many capped stats as possible. Unfortunately, after doing the math, it looks like the only stats it's possible to cap are strength and defense, because you get him so late in the game, and his stat caps are so ridiculously high.

For example, you get him at level 9, which means he will only level up 11 times. In order to cap his strength, he has to level up strength 10 times, which is possible, but not without a lot of resetting. Meanwhile, in order to cap his defense, he has to level up his defense 13 times, which is only possible if you get him to level up defense Every Single Level, plus give him a Draco Shield for that +2 defense.

As much as I love Ranulf, I want to use that Draco Shield for someone else if I can. So in the end, I only capped his strength. And I was only able to do so by burning through the rest of my bexp. Ugh!

Was this worth it, or a massive waste of resources?

Probably the latter, but what's done is done.

Either way, Ike's 1v1 match with the Black Knight is imminent. I would like to save Nasir if I can, so I'm hoping that I get lucky with triggering Aether.

[hotelfurnitureturkey]

Luxury Studio Apartment Furniture SAGIST GROUP LUXURY FURNITURE FACTORY Made in Türkiye #luxuryapartments #homedecor #homedesign #luxurydesign #sagistgroup studio residence apartment decoration tips: Decorating a studio residence apartment can be challenging, but there are several tips and tricks you can use to make the most of your space and create a functional and stylish home. Here are some ideas to consider: Maximize natural light: Use sheer curtains or blinds that can be easily opened to let in as much natural light as possible. This will make your space feel brighter and more open. Use light colors: Choose light colors for your walls, furniture, and decor to create a sense of space and airiness. White or light gray walls, for example, can make your studio apartment feel larger than it actually is. Create zones: Use area rugs, furniture placement, and other design elements to create separate zones within your studio apartment. For example, you could use a bookshelf or curtain to create a separate sleeping area. Choose multi-functional furniture: Invest in furniture that can serve multiple purposes, such as a sofa bed or a storage ottoman. This will help you save space and make the most of your square footage. Utilize vertical space: Use shelves and tall bookcases to maximize your vertical space and create more storage. You can also hang artwork or plants on the walls to add visual interest. Add mirrors: Mirrors can make your space feel larger and brighter. Consider adding a large mirror to one of your walls, or using a mirrored piece of furniture like a coffee table or dresser. Incorporate plants: Plants can add life and color to your studio apartment. Choose plants that are easy to care for and that can thrive in low-light conditions. Use lighting strategically: Use a combination of overhead lighting, task lighting, and accent lighting to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. Avoid using harsh fluorescent lighting, which can make your space feel cold and uninviting. By following these tips, you can create a stylish and functional studio apartment that feels like home. (Luxury Custom Made Furniture Factory) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpL10tbIhju/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[a-url-that-exists]

Addendum to the general cane guide: Sight Canes/White Canes (from another sight cane user, writer, and artist)

Please note: i don't have visuals drawn for this because im lazy. Similar disclaimers to the previous user, im not an expert I'm just a dumb guy with vision bad enough that they won't let me operate a forklift.

ADDITIONAL NOTE: i may have things wrong. I'm privileged to have a large amount of usable vision, and this means that i have been largely isolated from my community and taught by a neglectful O&M teacher. I am more than happy to take criticism and amend incorrect information. Please do not send hate my way for anything i might say that is wrong.

With white canes, it can vary which hand it's used in. I was taught to use it in my non-dominant hand so i could use my dominant hand for other tasks, however others I've met use their cane in their dominant hand.

The design of a white cane is usually very simple. Most simplified, it's a hollow and thin, relatively flexible stick with a larger vertical handle and a tip of some sort.

Most traditionally, sight canes are covered in reflective white tape, with many modern canes having reflective red tape on the bottom joint or bottom twelve inches of the cane. Most commonly you will see canes with joints breaking up the body, and a black handle.

This is not always the case however; many companies offer variations in colors and patterns. Some areas state that only white canes with a red tip are recognized as an indicator of blindness in a court of law, making it the most common iteration of a sight cane. However traditionally, a white cane with a red tip indicates low vision, a solid white cane indicates no usable vision, and a red and white striped cane indicates blindness and deafness. Canes are also sold in most every color and combination, as long as they're still reflective. These colored canes must be custom ordered however. I personally have a blue tipped cane, and a close friend of mine has a few solid pink, and pink and white canes.

Sight canes are usually made of a very light material. Graphite, aluminum, and fiberglass are all common in the modern era. Modern sight canes are often collapsible, either being telescopic or folding. however, some non-collapsible sight canes are still used today.

Telescopic sight canes, are, as you would imagine, telescopic, and can consist of around 8 sections usually.

Folding sight canes often consist of between 4-8 sections connected by an elastic string that runs from the handle to the tip.

Tips can come in many forms. Most commonly used are white plastic rolling tips. These consist of:

- Marshmallow Tip: it's a plastic rolling tip that is vaguely a marshmallow in size and shape. Good for most all terrains but does well on hard surfaces, as well as relatively small and easy to transport. Non-rolling versions are also available.

- Roller Ball Tip: it's a tip in the shape of a ball that rolls as well, usually small enough to fit in the palm of the hand, though sizes can vary. This is also good for many different types of terrain, however it does better in grass, gravel, and snow than a marshmallow. Non-rolling versions are also available.

- Pencil Tip: a plastic or otherwise sheath for the end of the cane. Typically these do not roll whatsoever, and are the most likely to get stuck on things, however they are lighter and easier to travel with. They also provide more feedback.

- Ceramic/metal glide tip: A small disc-shaped tip that goes around the cane. These may or may not roll, and provide feedback similar to a pencil tip while being less likely to get stuck on things- sort of a middle ground between a marshmallow tip and a pencil tip.

- Omni-Sense Tip: it consists of an axle attached to the cane which can tilt with the angle of the cane. It has four wheels, two on each side. I am not entirely sure about the effectiveness of this tip.

- Dakota Disc Tip: it consists of a round disc that sits parallel to the ground. This is supposedly the best tip for going over the top of grass, snow, and other difficult terrain. I personally have not verified this.

There are many ways to use a sight cane, and i do not intend to speak to every single method. However, most commonly, i see a few different types.

- Constant Contact/Sweeping, where the sight cane is swept back and forth in front of the user. This provides the most information, however it is difficult to do in crowded settings and at slow speeds, and can be tiring. Some cane users will sync their sweeping with their steps. I would describe this motion as similar to that of a windshield wiper.

- The cane is held diagonally across the body, without any sweeping or tapping. This provides some minimal information, and serves mostly to alert others to the disability.

-Flagging/Tapping from side to side. I was taught that it's a method to increase the cane user's visibility. I do not have much information on this.

Sight canes can also be used to probe things on the ground in general.

Going down stairs, many sight cane users will hold the cane out in front of them diagonally, at an angle such that the cane hits the step beneath the user as the user steps down. Many sight cane users prefer to find a railing and use that as a guide than use a sight cane alone.

Going upstairs, the sight cane is often held upright like a pencil, and pushed forward against the next step. As the user steps up, the cane too moves up and swings forward to hit the next step. Again, railings are often preferable to cane use alone.

Many sight cane users may also use a cane whilst walking with a sighted guide. Walking sighted guide is typically seen as the person following holding onto the arm of the person guiding them just above the elbow. Often, the visually impaired person will still use their cane on their preferred side while walking with a sighted guide.

Some sight cane users, especially on folding canes, will attach keychains and lanyards for decoration. However, these tend to swing back and forth and impact feedback from the cane tip, and i personally cannot do this.

Many cane users will have a holster or pouch to stick their cane in when it's not in use, especially with collapsible canes. This can clip onto the belt or be attached to a bag strap. Similarly to support canes, using a sight cane makes it so that you can only use one hand while walking, however while standing still the sight cane can be leaned against things or into the arm to hold more items. Some cane users will simply keep their cane nearby; i tend to set mine on the ground beneath my chair when eating at restaurants, and i sit on top of it on trains and airplanes.

Due to having one hand unavailable, many sight cane users carry bags or purses. Especially when writing and drawing blind and visually impaired characters in an academic settings, give them lots of bags and storage! Braille books, papers, textbooks, are always massive and heavy and more often than not you will need many bags to carry your things for an average school day, especially in high school. The same applies to large print items; however these are not nearly as bulky as Braille textbooks. (RIP the spines of Braille readers; may your ibuprofen be strong and your pain be minimal).

Not all people have access to guide dogs and they are significantly less common than some would believe, and we need more representation of people with white canes/sight canes.

That's all i can think of! Thank you for reading.

edit 1: cant fucking believe i misspelled cane as crane, oops

A general cane guide for writers and artists (from a cane user, writer, and artist!)

Disclaimer: Though I have been using a cane for 6 years, I am not a doctor, nor am I by any means an expert. This guide is true to my experience, but there are as many ways to use a cane as there are cane users!

This guide will not include: White canes for blindness, crutches, walkers, or wheelchairs as I have no personal experience with these.

This is meant to be a general guide to get you started and avoid some common mishaps/misconceptions, but you absolutely should continue to do your own research outside of this guide!

The biggest recurring problem I've seen is using the cane on the wrong side. The cane goes on the opposite side of the pain! If your character has even-sided pain or needs it for balance/weakness, then use the cane in the non-dominant hand to keep the dominant hand free. Some cane users also switch sides to give their arm a rest!

A cane takes about 20% of your weight off the opposite leg. It should fit within your natural gait and become something of an extension of your body. If you need more weight off than 20%, then crutches, a walker, or a wheelchair is needed.

Putting more pressure on the cane, using it on the wrong side, or having it at the wrong height will make it less effective, and can cause long term damage to your body from improper pressure and posture. (Hugh Laurie genuinely hurt his body from years of using a cane wrong on House!)

(an animated GIF of a cane matching the natural walking gait. It turns red when pressure is placed on it.)

When going up and down stairs, there is an ideal standard: You want to use the handrail and the cane at the same time, or prioritize the handrail if it's only on one side. When going up stairs you lead with your good leg and follow with the cane and hurt leg together. When going down stairs you lead with the cane, then the good leg, and THEN the leg that needs help.

Realistically though, many people don't move out of the way for cane users to access the railing, many stairs don't have railings, and many are wet, rusty, or generally not ideal to grip.

In these cases, if you have a friend nearby, holding on to them is a good idea. Or, take it one step at a time carefully if you're alone.

Now we come to a very common mistake I see... Using fashion canes for medical use!

(These are 4 broad shapes, but there is INCREDIBLE variation in cane handles. Research heavily what will be best for your character's specific needs!)

The handle is the contact point for all the weight you're putting on your cane, and that pressure is being put onto your hand, wrist, and shoulder. So the shape is very important for long term use!

Knob handles (and very decorative handles) are not used for medical use for this reason. It adds extra stress to the body and can damage your hand to put constant pressure onto these painful shapes.

The weight of a cane is also incredibly important, as a heavier cane will cause wear on your body much faster. When you're using it all day, it gets heavy fast! If your character struggles with weakness, then they won't want a heavy cane if they can help it!

This is also part of why sword canes aren't usually very viable for medical use (along with them usually being knob handles) is that swords are extra weight!

However, a small knife or perhaps a retractable blade hidden within the base might be viable even for weak characters.

Bases have a lot of variability as well, and the modern standard is generally adjustable bases. Adjustable canes are very handy if your character regularly changes shoe height, for instance (gotta keep the height at your hip!)

Canes help on most terrain with their standard base and structure. But for some terrain, you might want a different base, or to forego the cane entirely! This article covers it pretty well.

Many cane users decorate their canes! Stickers are incredibly common, and painting canes is relatively common as well! You'll also see people replacing the standard wrist strap with a personalized one, or even adding a small charm to the ring the strap connects to. (nothing too large, or it gets annoying as the cane is swinging around everywhere)

(my canes, for reference)

If your character uses a cane full time, then they might also have multiple canes that look different aesthetically to match their outfits!

When it comes to practical things outside of the cane, you reasonably only have one hand available while it's being used. Many people will hook their cane onto their arm or let it dangle on the strap (if they have one) while using their cane arm, but it's often significantly less convenient than 2 hands. But, if you need 2 hands, then it's either setting the cane down or letting it hang!

For this reason, optimizing one handed use is ideal! Keeping bags/items on the side of your free hand helps keep your items accessible.

When sitting, the cane either leans against a wall or table, goes under the chair, or hooks onto the back of the chair. (It often falls when hanging off of a chair, in my experience)

When getting up, the user will either use their cane to help them balance/support as they stand, or get up and then grab their cane. This depends on what it's being used for (balance vs pain when walking, for instance!)

That's everything I can think of for now. Thank you for reading my long-but-absolutely-not-comprehensive list of things to keep in mind when writing or drawing a cane user!

Happy disability pride month! Go forth and make more characters use canes!!!

[wedezine]

Smart Solutions for Interior Design in Bangalore's Cozy Apartments

Living in Bangalore often means adapting to the realities of compact apartment spaces, a result of the city’s fast-paced urbanization and high demand for housing. Designing a functional, stylish home in such limited spaces can be challenging—but with the right strategies, it’s entirely achievable. At WeDezine, we specialize in innovative interior design solutions tailored to Bangalore’s unique living environments. Here are some expert tips to transform your small apartment into a beautiful, comfortable space.

1. Maximizing Space with Smart Design Solutions

Compact apartments call for efficient use of every square foot. Here’s how to optimize your space:

Invest in Multi-functional Furniture: Choose items like sofa beds, extendable dining tables, or ottomans with hidden compartments to enhance utility.

Incorporate Built-in Storage: Wall-mounted shelves and built-in cabinets help reduce clutter without sacrificing style.

Utilize Vertical Space: Tall bookshelves and hanging organizers can provide additional storage without taking up valuable floor space.

WeDezine Tip: Custom-made furniture designed to fit your apartment’s dimensions ensures both functionality and aesthetic harmony.

2. Lighting: The Key to Bright, Inviting Spaces

Small apartments often lack sufficient natural light, especially in densely built neighborhoods. Enhance the brightness with:

Layered Lighting: Combine ambient, task, and accent lighting to add depth and warmth.

Mirrors: Strategically place mirrors to reflect light and create the illusion of a larger space.

Light Color Schemes: Opt for wall colors like white, beige, or pastel shades to make your apartment feel airy and open.

WeDezine Tip: Replace heavy curtains with sheer drapes or blinds to allow more sunlight into your rooms.

3. Decluttering for a Spacious Feel

Clutter can quickly make small spaces feel cramped. Here’s how to maintain a clean, organized look:

Embrace Minimalism: Keep only the essentials to avoid overcrowding.

Use Hidden Storage: Opt for under-bed storage, floating shelves, and wall-mounted organizers to keep surfaces tidy.

Regular Decluttering: Periodically review and eliminate items that no longer serve a purpose.

WeDezine Tip: Assign a designated “clutter-free zone” in every room for a consistently neat appearance.

4. Creating Privacy in Open Layouts

Many apartments in Bangalore feature open layouts, which can compromise privacy. Define distinct spaces with these strategies:

Room Dividers: Use sliding panels, screens, or curtains to create private zones.

Furniture and Rugs: Arrange furniture and use area rugs to visually separate living, dining, and other spaces.

Green Dividers: Indoor plants can double as subtle dividers while enhancing the ambiance.

WeDezine Tip: Modular partitions are versatile solutions for privacy and can be adjusted as needed.

5. Incorporating Greenery into Your Space

Bring a touch of nature into your home to complement Bangalore’s identity as the “Garden City.”

Vertical Gardens: Install a green wall in your living room or balcony for a vibrant, natural touch.

Compact Indoor Plants: Choose easy-care plants like succulents, pothos, or snake plants to add greenery without occupying much space.

Balcony Revamp: Transform your balcony into a cozy retreat with small furniture and potted plants.

WeDezine Tip: Choose decorative planters that match your interior design theme for a cohesive look.

6. Adding a Personal Touch to Your Interiors

Your apartment should reflect your personality, even within a limited area. Personalize your interiors with these ideas:

Art and Decor: Use carefully selected wall art, vases, or decor pieces that resonate with your style.

Accent Walls: Add character with textured paint, wallpapers, or murals.

Customized Design Solutions: Tailor furniture, lighting, and layouts to your unique needs and preferences.

WeDezine Tip: Balance personalization with functionality to ensure your home feels spacious and comfortable.

Why Choose WeDezine for Your Interior Design Needs?

At WeDezine, we bring creativity and expertise to every project, crafting interiors that perfectly balance style and functionality. Whether you’re looking to optimize space in a compact apartment or elevate your home’s elegance, our team is dedicated to designing spaces that align with your vision and Bangalore’s distinctive lifestyle.

Transform your apartment into a haven of comfort and sophistication with WeDezine’s expert interior design services!

[innovablinds12]

Where Can I Get Affordable Blinds for My Home?

When updating your home’s interior, choosing the right blinds can elevate your space without overspending. Finding quality, affordable blinds can make a big difference to both the aesthetic and functionality of your rooms. In this guide, we’ll discuss what makes blinds affordable, types of budget-friendly blinds, and why Innovablinds is the ideal destination to buy affordable, high-quality blinds in Sydney, Australia.

What Makes Blinds Affordable?

Several factors influence the affordability of blinds, including materials, design, and custom features. Here’s a closer look:

Material: Blinds are available in a variety of materials like fabric, PVC, aluminum, and wood. PVC and fabric blinds tend to be more cost-effective while still providing durability.

Customization: Standard-sized blinds are more affordable than custom-made options. However, semi-custom and DIY blinds provide a budget-friendly solution for specific needs.

Additional Features: Options such as blackout liners, motorization, or energy-saving properties can add to the cost. Basic, functional designs keep prices low while still offering style and privacy.

Also Check: Top Trends in Window Blinds for 2024

Types of Affordable Blinds to Consider

Price Range: Roller blinds typically start at a lower price point compared to other styles due to their simple mechanism and material variety.

Check: How to Install Roller Blinds: A Step-by-Step DIY Guide

Vertical Blinds: Known for their functionality with large windows and patio doors, vertical blinds are also a cost-effective choice. They’re easy to install and maintain, available in affordable materials like PVC and fabric.

Price Range: Vertical blinds are generally budget-friendly, making them a great option for expansive windows.

Also Check: How to Choose the Perfect Blinds for Your Home

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Price Range: Aluminum and faux wood Venetians are more affordable options, while real wood is pricier but adds a premium look.

Check: How to Buy Venetian Blinds Online: A Complete Guide

Roman Blinds: Although often more expensive than other styles, there are affordable fabric options for Roman blinds that bring an elegant touch to your space. These are ideal for those seeking style on a budget.

Why Choose Innovablinds for Affordable Blinds in Sydney?

If you’re looking for affordable blinds without compromising on quality, Innovablinds offers some of the best options in Sydney, Australia. Here’s why they’re a top choice:

Wide Range of Styles: Innovablinds offers a variety of blinds including roller, vertical, Venetian, and Roman, allowing you to find something that fits your budget and design preferences.

High-Quality Materials: Affordable does not mean low quality. Innovablinds uses durable materials designed to last, ensuring you get value for your money.

Customization Options: While Innovablinds provides cost-effective, standard-size blinds, they also offer affordable custom solutions if you need specific sizing or features.

Sales and Discounts: Innovablinds frequently offers seasonal discounts, helping you save even more on your purchase.

Tips for Choosing Affordable Blinds for Different Rooms

Living Room: Roller blinds offer a stylish, simple look suitable for most décor, and are affordable, especially in standard sizes.

Bedroom: For a cost-effective light-blocking solution, choose blackout roller blinds.

Kitchen/Bathroom: Faux wood or PVC Venetian blinds work well in these moisture-prone areas, providing durability and ease of cleaning.

Office/Study: Vertical blinds are practical and budget-friendly, especially for large windows or sliding doors.

Also Check: Buy Blinds Online | Custom Blinds Australia: Your Guide to the Perfect Window Treatment

How to Save Even More When Buying Blinds

Looking for more ways to save? Here are a few tips:

DIY Installation: Roller blinds and other straightforward designs are easy to install on your own, saving on installation fees.

Shop Sales: Keep an eye on Innovablinds for seasonal promotions and discounts.

Opt for Standard Fabrics: Premium fabrics are great, but standard options are budget-friendly and still look fantastic.

Why Innovablinds is the Best Place for Affordable Blinds

Finding affordable blinds for your home doesn’t mean you have to compromise on quality or style. Innovablinds offers a range of options to suit your budget and design needs, making it the top choice in Sydney, Australia for homeowners seeking both affordability and style.

From roller blinds that combine simplicity and functionality to Venetian blinds that bring character to any room, Innovablinds provides value, quality, and a wide selection to make your decision easier. Visit Innovablinds today to browse their collection of affordable blinds and find the perfect match for your home.

FAQs on Affordable Blinds

Where can I get affordable blinds in Sydney?

Innovablinds in Sydney offers a wide range of high-quality, affordable blinds, including roller, Venetian, and vertical blinds.

Which type of blind is the cheapest?

Roller blinds tend to be the most affordable, especially in standard fabrics and sizes.

Do roller blinds provide good insulation?

Yes, roller blinds with thermal or blackout fabric can help regulate indoor temperatures, offering energy efficiency at an affordable price.

Are affordable blinds easy to install?

Yes, many affordable blinds, like roller and vertical blinds, are simple to install and can be set up without professional help.

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Enhancing Your Home with Stylish Blinds & Shutters

Why Choose Blinds & Shutters?

Blinds and shutters have become a preferred choice for homeowners due to their versatility, durability, and elegance. Unlike traditional curtains, these window treatments offer more control over how much sunlight enters your room. They are also easy to clean and maintain, making them a practical solution for modern lifestyles.

Moreover, they come in a variety of styles, colors, and materials, ensuring a perfect fit for any room. From sleek, contemporary blinds to classic wooden shutters, there's a solution for every taste. For example:

Enhanced Light Control: With adjustable slats, you can allow just the right amount of light into your space. This makes them ideal for creating a cozy ambiance or brightening up a room.

Energy Efficiency: Quality blinds & shutters can help regulate indoor temperatures by reducing heat gain in the summer and heat loss in the winter.

Improved Privacy: Whether in a bustling neighborhood or a quiet suburb, these treatments offer privacy without compromising on style.

Types of Blinds

When choosing blinds, it’s essential to understand the different types available:

Venetian Blinds: These are popular for their horizontal slats that can tilt to control light and privacy.

Roller Blinds: A minimalist choice, roller blinds are excellent for rooms with a modern design. They are also available in blackout materials for complete darkness.

Vertical Blinds: Ideal for large windows or patio doors, vertical blinds add a touch of sophistication.

Roman Blinds: Made from soft fabrics, Roman blinds bring elegance and warmth to a room.

Each type of blind can be customized to fit your needs and preferences. Whether you're aiming for a formal, casual, or playful vibe, the right blinds can achieve your desired look.

The Timeless Appeal of Shutters

While blinds are versatile, shutters provide a timeless charm that’s hard to replicate. Crafted from materials like wood, vinyl, or composite, shutters are a long-term investment that boosts property value. They are available in two main styles:

Plantation Shutters: These are known for their wide slats, which allow ample light while maintaining privacy. Perfect for living rooms and bedrooms.

Café Style Shutters: Covering only the lower half of a window, these shutters offer privacy without blocking natural light.

Shutters are not only aesthetically pleasing but also robust, making them a great choice for areas prone to wear and tear, such as kitchens and bathrooms.

Factors to Consider

When selecting blinds & shutters, keep the following factors in mind:

Material: Ensure the material complements your existing decor and is suitable for the room's humidity and sunlight exposure.

Color: Neutral tones are timeless, but bold colors can make a statement.

Functionality: Decide whether you prioritize style, privacy, or light control.

Installation and Maintenance

Proper installation is crucial for the functionality and longevity of your blinds & shutters. It's always best to rely on professional services for a perfect fit. Maintenance is relatively straightforward—regular dusting and occasional deep cleaning will keep them looking new for years.

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Enhance Your Space with Stylish Blinds: The Perfect Solution for Every Commercial Setting

The Benefits of Choosing Blinds

Blinds are a versatile window treatment option, suitable for virtually any environment. They come in a variety of materials, styles, and designs, making them an adaptable choice for different spaces. Some of the key benefits include:

Light Control:

Blinds provide excellent control over the amount of light entering a space. Adjustable slats or fabrics allow users to customize the lighting according to their preferences, making blinds ideal for rooms with varying lighting needs.

Energy Efficiency:

By reducing heat loss in winter and minimizing heat gain in summer, blinds contribute to energy efficiency. This feature is particularly valuable in commercial settings, where energy costs can add up significantly.

Durability and Easy Maintenance:

Made from high-quality materials, modern blinds are built to withstand wear and tear. Additionally, they are easy to clean and maintain, requiring little more than occasional dusting or wiping.

Aesthetic Appeal:

With a wide array of colors, textures, and patterns available, blinds can complement any interior design theme. From sleek metallic finishes for contemporary offices to warm wooden tones for a cozy feel, the options are limitless.

Enhanced Privacy and Security:

Blinds are excellent at ensuring privacy without sacrificing natural light. In commercial environments, where sensitive information may be displayed, this feature is particularly important.

Why Choose Commercial Blinds?

For businesses, investing in commercial blinds is more than just a decorative choice—it’s a strategic one. Commercial spaces have specific requirements that are not always addressed by standard blinds. Here’s how commercial blinds stand out:

Customization Options:

Many providers offer bespoke solutions tailored to fit the unique dimensions and designs of commercial spaces. Whether you need blinds for large windows, unusual shapes, or specific branding colors, customization ensures a seamless fit.

Durability for High-Traffic Areas:

Commercial environments demand durable materials that can withstand frequent use. Blinds designed for businesses are crafted to endure such wear while maintaining their appearance over time.

Compliance with Regulations:

Many commercial blinds meet specific fire safety and health standards, ensuring compliance with workplace regulations and providing peace of mind for business owners.

Boosted Productivity:

The ability to control light and reduce glare is crucial in workplaces. With the right commercial blinds, employees can work in a more comfortable environment, leading to better productivity and satisfaction.

Cost Efficiency:

Energy-efficient blinds help businesses reduce operational costs. By minimizing reliance on artificial lighting and improving insulation, they contribute to long-term savings.

Types of Blinds for Commercial Spaces

Several types of blinds are particularly well-suited for commercial use, including:

Vertical Blinds: Ideal for large windows and sliding doors, offering both practicality and style.

Roller Blinds: A sleek and space-saving option that provides excellent light control.

Venetian Blinds: Known for their adjustability and classic look, these blinds are perfect for offices and conference rooms.

Motorized Blinds: A high-tech option that offers convenience and precision, suitable for modern smart offices.

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Upgrading your window treatments with premium smart blinds or motorized blinds offers exceptional comfort, style, and efficiency. While the initial investment may be higher, the benefits of quality window blinds—from allusion shades to zebra blinds—make them a smart choice for any home. Here's why high-quality smart home blinds are worth the splurge.

1. Exceptional Durability and Longevity

Premium custom blinds and roller shades are built to last, made from durable materials that resist fading and warping. Investing in quality from a reputable blinds store in Mississauga, Oakville, or Toronto means your windows covering will maintain their beauty and functionality for years to come.

2. Enhanced Comfort and Convenience

Modern smart home blinds offer unparalleled ease of use with options like voice control blinds and motorized blinds. Simply say a command or use a remote to adjust your drapes, smart drapes, or outdoor blinds. This convenience is perfect for busy lifestyles, allowing seamless control over light and privacy.

3. Energy Efficiency and Cost Savings

Smart blinds provide insulation, helping to reduce heating and cooling costs. In winter, roller blinds or California shutters can retain warmth, while sheers and window shades can block out heat in summer, making your windows treatment energy-efficient and comfortable year-round.

4. Tailored Style and Luxury

Premium custom shades offer tailored elegance that enhances any room. Whether you prefer Dream Shade for a soft glow, allusion shades for versatility, or zebra blinds for a unique style, the variety of window shades and vertical blinds available makes it easy to match your aesthetic.

5. Improved Home Value

Investing in high-quality window treatments like smart blinds and motorized blinds adds value to your home. Prospective buyers in Mississauga, Oakville, and Toronto are likely to appreciate the added luxury of advanced windows covering solutions that enhance convenience and design.

For homeowners seeking quality and functionality, premium smart blinds offer long-term value, energy savings, and style, making them a wise investment for a comfortable, efficient, and stylish home.

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Custom Blinds Calgary: Transform Your Home with Personalized Window Treatments

When it comes to elevating the aesthetics and functionality of your living space, custom blinds are a versatile and stylish solution. For homeowners in Calgary, custom blinds not only enhance interior design but also provide essential light control, privacy, and energy efficiency. Here's everything you need to know about choosing custom blinds in Calgary to upgrade your home.

Why Choose Custom Blinds?

custom blinds Calgary are tailored to fit your windows perfectly, ensuring a seamless look that complements your home's design. Unlike off-the-shelf options, custom blinds offer flexibility in terms of materials, colors, and styles, allowing you to create window treatments that align with your vision.

Benefits of Custom Blinds in Calgary

Perfect Fit for Any Window

Whether you have large bay windows, narrow sashes, or uniquely shaped openings, custom blinds are made-to-measure for an exact fit.

Enhanced Privacy and Light Control

Adjust light levels and maintain privacy with features like blackout options or top-down, bottom-up functionality.

Ideal for Calgary’s varying seasons, offering full sunlight in summer and coziness in winter.

Energy Efficiency

Insulated blinds help regulate indoor temperatures by reducing heat loss in winter and blocking excess heat in summer.

Contribute to lower energy bills and a reduced environmental footprint.

Durability and Quality

Custom blinds are crafted from high-quality materials designed to withstand Calgary’s climate.

Long-lasting and low-maintenance compared to standard blinds.

Design Versatility

Choose from a range of materials like wood, faux wood, aluminum, or fabric.

Customize colors, patterns, and finishes to match your interior décor.

Popular Types of Custom Blinds in Calgary

Roller Blinds

Sleek and minimalist, perfect for modern interiors.

Available in light-filtering or blackout options.

Vertical Blinds

Ideal for patio doors and large windows.

Provide excellent light control and a contemporary look.

Roman Blinds

Add a touch of elegance with soft, folded fabric designs.

Available in a variety of luxurious textures and patterns.

Wood and Faux Wood Blinds

Bring warmth and a natural aesthetic to any room.

Faux wood is moisture-resistant, making it suitable for kitchens and bathrooms.

Motorized Blinds

Convenient and modern, allowing you to adjust blinds with a remote or smartphone.

Great for hard-to-reach windows or tech-savvy homeowners.

Choosing a Custom Blinds Provider in Calgary

Experience and Expertise

Look for providers with a proven track record in custom blinds installation in Calgary.

Variety of Options

Choose a company that offers a wide selection of styles, materials, and finishes to suit your needs.

Professional Installation

Proper installation ensures the blinds fit perfectly and operate smoothly.

Customer Service

Reliable customer support and after-sales service make all the difference in your experience.

Conclusion

Custom blinds are a smart investment for Calgary homeowners looking to improve their living spaces. With their tailored fit, energy efficiency, and stylish designs, custom blinds not only add value to your home but also enhance your comfort and privacy.