#Golf cart maintenance

[premiumgolfcarts]

Buy Premium Golf Carts

Golf carts are a popular way to get around the golf course, especially for older golfers or those with limited mobility. They are also a great way to save time and energy, as you don't have to walk the entire course.

There are a variety of golf carts available on the market, from basic models to those with all the bells and whistles. Some golf carts even have GPS systems and Bluetooth speakers.

What are the benefits of owning a golf cart?

There are many reasons benefits to why you need a golf cart as a golfer, including:

Convenience: Golf carts make it easy to get around the course, especially for older golfers or those with limited mobility.

Speed: Golf carts can help you save time by allowing you to travel between holes quickly.

Comfort: Golf carts provide a comfortable ride, especially on hot days.

Enjoyment: Golf carts can add to the enjoyment of your golfing experience.

How to choose a golf cart

When choosing a golf cart, it is important to consider the following factors:

Price: Golf carts range in price from a few thousand dollars to over $20,000.

Features: Some golf carts come with features such as GPS systems, Bluetooth speakers, and USB ports.

Size: Golf carts come in a variety of sizes, so it is important to choose one that is the right size for your needs.

Brand: There are a number of different golf cart brands on the market, so it is important to do your research and choose one that has a good reputation.

How to use a golf cart

Golf carts are easy to use. Simply turn on the key, press the accelerator pedal, and steer. Most golf carts also have a reverse pedal and a brake pedal.

Golf cart safety tips

Here are a few golf cart safety tips:

Always wear a seatbelt.

Drive slowly and carefully.

Be aware of your surroundings.

Don't drink and drive.

Where to buy a golf cart

Golf carts can be purchased from a variety of retailers, including golf cart dealerships, online retailers, and big-box stores.

Conclusion

Golf carts are a fun and easy way to get around the golf course. They are a great way to save time and energy, and they can add to the enjoyment of your golfing experience.

[proteus-no]

I finally got a job and they're giving me a private wee-wee mobile fuck yeah

[inartinguidance]

Safety4Decorations Dew frost ice Will be sitting Tape those extensions Look around for fire hazards Don’t burn up in tree Decorated Just for Christmas Not that plugged in heater That Dryer Vent Clogged Check the fire hazards Not like my apartment maintenance I snapped pictures Look just now So near a .|. To them But I looked out for the whole of my part of building, if maintenance sucks here, probably clogged for you, do you even check, maintenance will keep it up, I paid for it, their looking out for me, I signed the lease, golf cart riding, saying how do you do’s not looking for fire starters, just getting paid along for the ride, they live off sight Not here To them Not here Unclogging my outside dryer vent Fuck you dears Wanting fires!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Fuck u & ur family in Charge under the Lease I’m adding presents My presence To the outside my home Watch UR Safety4Decorations No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No……….. Holiday Fires No fuel And don’t listen too nor after Fuel from metal lick All prior before is the Greatest No burns Intended Safety4Decorations

[bgreen-cooperation]

Golf Cart Repair and Maintenance After you find the perfect golf cart for sale or rent, it’s important to schedule regular golf cart maintenance in order to keep it functioning at peak capacity for as long as possible. Schedule your repair at our golf cart service today!

[renewprotect]

RenewProtect RP-05: The Ultimate Solution for Protecting Your Golf and RV Investments

Golf and RV enthusiasts understand the importance of maintaining their investments in top condition. From protecting against UV rays to defending against harsh weather conditions, there are a variety of factors that can affect the appearance and longevity of these vehicles. That's where Renew Protect RP-05 comes in. The Renew protect golf cart RP-05 is a high-quality protective film that is specifically designed to provide long-lasting protection for your golf and RV investments. The film is made from a clear, self-healing material that is resistant to yellowing, fading, and cracking, ensuring that your golf cart or RV will look as good as new for years to come. With its easy application and customizable fit, the RP-05 is the perfect solution for anyone looking to protect their golf and RV investments. Whether you're an avid golfer or simply enjoy taking your RV on the road, this protective film is the ultimate way to ensure that your vehicles stay in top condition. So, why wait? Get your hands on the RenewProtect RP-05 today and enjoy peace of mind knowing that your golf and RV investments are protected for the long haul!

[lovifie]

Price and his lovely caddy girl. 🏌🏻‍♂️

Smut | 896 words | Back to masterlist

Every time that Price has free time, he plays golf. 

He picked up the sports a while back, when during rehabilitation after a special shitty injury his doctor recommended light walks. 

So he started to play. Sundays in the morning until noon, then a pint, then home. 

It was nothing more than doctor's orders at first. 

But then he met you. 

The little caddy girl with dangerously short skirts and a sharp tongue to get the juiciest tips. 

That's what he thought it was at first, that you were just doing his job. 

He felt perverted on the way he would look at your young body, how his eyes would lay on your pink lips when you bite your nail. How he wished to slide his-

“Mr. Price.” Your sweet voice draws him out of his trance.

“Yes, sweetheart?” He asks in a beat, seeing how your face lightens at the nicknames. 

“It's your turn.” You say, pointing with your head to the ball. “Which club?”

“Whichever you think is best.” He says, handing you the one he had on his hand from the last hit. 

“Hmm… letting me choose, Mr. Price? What a privilege!” You exclaim, walking the couple of steps back to the cart. Leaning over the seat to pick the club.

And Price's shameless eyes roam the back of your legs all the way up to your cheeks spiking from the skirt.

“How about this one?” You say, pulling it from the bag and handing it to him. “I'm sure you'll get it in… the ball, I mean.”

He shakes his head, taking the club and getting in position. Slightly swinging his hips as he gets the motion, hitting the ball swiftly but too soft to actually reach the hole. 

“Aw, Mr. Price… I expected better aim from the military…” You say, a teasing pout on your face as you look up at him, using your hand to cover your eyes from the sun. 

“My aim is perfect, mind you, little minx.” He says, walking to the cart to grab a water bottle. 

You skip after him, a mischievous chuckle leaving your mouth. “You call that ‘good aim’? I’m sorry for your lovers, Mr. Price.”

“Oh, shut up!” Price exclaims, making you laugh again. “All my ‘lovers’ are perfectly happy with my aim.”

You hummed, satisfied with the raise you got out of him. “I bet they are.”

Price scoffs, looking at you; checking your face for any joke hidden in your features. 

“Wouldn't you like to know.”

“Maybe I do”

And maybe Price thought he was perverted, but if you are just as filthy as him… what's the damage?

That's how you found the two of you hiding in the maintenance closet back at the resort, with you squatting down and with Price rolling his cock deep into your mouth.

“Fuck… just like that, sweetheart… suck on it like the good girl you are, fuck!” He lets his head drop back, his hands keeping your head in place as he slowly slides his cock deeper and deeper, hitting the back of your throat with ease. The lewd noise filling the small space. “I bet you are fucking soaked, aren't ya? Hm? Play with your little cunt, love, let me hear how fucking wet you are…”

You move your hand under your skirt, pulling it up and sliding your hand inside your underwear. And the moment you peel your lips apart, the sound of your juices gets to Price's ear, urging him to fuck your throat faster. 

“Just like that, darling… fuck your pretty little cunt while I fuck your mouth… such a good girl, letting me do what I please with you… Look at you… so fucking pretty…” You look at his eyes, seeing the hungry stare on his face, making you clench around your own fingers. You feel his thick digits dig into your skull, making you wish so badly that it was his fingers inside of you.

“C’mon, pretty girl… make yourself cum… let me feel you moan around my dick, yeah, just like that… such a good fucking girl.” His thrust emphasises every word, making your eyes tear as your spit rolls down your chin. 

And it's the way he is talking you through it, how he slows down his pace to keep himself from cumming, making sure you do first, making sure you follow his orders. But he still holds your head so dearly, his thumbs caressing your head as if his dick wasn't bruising the back of your throat. 

But it's the promise of what will come after this, after today, that has you spilling over the edge, soaking your hand and underwear, and your throat clenching around his lengths. 

He cums so deep into your throat that you only manage to get the taste on his way out, making sure to clean his shaft sucking him in just for a second making him hiss. You let it go with a sonorous pop, and sit back on your feet taking your hand out. 

He stands in front of you, an intimidating 6ft man, wide and strong, looking down at you as you kneel between his feet. Your chin wet from the spit of sucking him off and the little mischievous smile still on your face. 

“I think I just developed a new kind of appreciation for golf."

[skillofsurvival]

The Dead Simple Trick to Bring Any Battery Back To Life (Never Buy Batteries Again)

You know how important it is to be prepared for emergencies and power outages. But building a battery bank for emergency power supply can be expensive. Fortunately, we've discovered a new option in town that can bring any battery back to life.

You know how important it is to be prepared for emergencies and power outages. But building a battery bank for emergency power supply can be expensive. Fortunately, we’ve discovered a new option in town that can bring any battery back to life. The EZ Battery Reconditioning program offers a cost-effective solution to this problem. This program teaches you how to recondition all types of old…

[ambrosiaaddiction]

The Princess and The Tool

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ repair man!Simon Riley x curvy!Y/N

₊˚ପ⊹ Warnings: None other than Simon’s just a man, and his thoughts start to wander.

₊˚ପ⊹ Part 1

₊˚ପ⊹ Word count: 2.5k

₊˚ପ⊹ Summary: Y/N and her best friend have finished unpacking in their new apartment. However, in the span of two months, more and more problems have occurred. Simon Riley is one of the several repair men in the area, and he’s sent over as a last resort to provide the solutions.

➽──────────────❥

Y/N was the most independent woman known to her family and friends. She was headstrong, had an incredible work ethic, and always looked after those who were close to her. As the youngest of two children, she took it upon herself to learn valuable life skills rather than wait until she was older. While her childhood wasn’t like what she had seen in movies and tv shows, Y/N never lost hope.

Y/N and her best friend, Luna, have known each other since freshman year of high school, and their friendship was nearing a decade. They were now in their early twenties, and they decided to proceed with their plan of moving together into their first apartment.

Although, Y/N had noticed a couple of things that seemed kind of worrying. She soon realized that the previous owner hadn’t taken great care of it when they lived there. A singular step on the staircase wasn’t properly bolstered, which led to the poor woman getting her foot stuck in the hole. She fell forward with a loud bang, and silence fell upon her roommate and herself.

“Are you still alive?” Luna joked as she stared at her best friend’s fallen body at the top of the staircase. Luckily, Y/N wasn’t injured judging by the laugh of disbelief that fell from her lips.

The worst of them was when the breaker shut off and neither of them were home. Y/N urged Luna to send a work order to the people in charge of repairs. The following week, the first man to check the breaker was no help whatsoever. He stared at the breaker for five minutes, shrugged at Luna, and left.

So Y/N sent a message herself, which was taken more seriously than her roommate’s. Little did she know who would be the one to come to the rescue.

➽──────────────❥

Y/N and Luna were planning on how to spend their afternoon together. Unbeknownst to either of them, there was a man parked outside of the apartment and sitting on a golf cart. Luna had her back turned to him, phone nestled between her cheek and shoulder as she locked the door. She almost walked past him until he called out to her, which pulled her attention to him. She put her phone against her chest, startled and embarrassed that she actually didn’t see him.

“I’m so sorry! I had no idea you were waiting here!” Luna’s face was reddened with a deep blush as she apologized profusely. The man chuckled in response, not really offended by her reaction. It sent an unexpected shiver down her spine. “S’alright. I tried callin’ ya, but I’m glad I caught ya before ya left.” He had a thick English accent, and his voice only caused her blush to worsen.

He rose to his feet, easily towering over her, the lower half of his face adorned with a scar running across his lips and chin. Like the other maintenance men that arrived at their apartment before him, he wore the standard uniform. Khaki shorts that hugged his muscular thighs, a standard cobalt blue uniform t-shirt that stretched tightly around his broad chest, and he had short cropped blonde hair. On his left arm, he had a full sleeve of black and white tattoos.

A few seconds later, Y/N drove up to the empty parking spot and turned off the car engine. Her eyes widened at the welcome sight of the repair man standing in front of her roommate. She got out of her car, making sure to lock the doors more than once as she made her way over. “Hello! We didn’t know what time you would be here, so we figured we would go for a little shopping trip.” Y/N explained as she waved to him with a warm smile.

In the back of his mind, Simon thought that he was lucky to be around two beautiful women. But that wasn’t the reason why he was outside of their shared apartment this morning. “Oh? Well, name’s Simon Riley, and I hope tha’ I can help you ladies with any issues.” He introduced himself, and gently shook Y/N’s much smaller hand. “I’m Y/N, and she’s Luna. She’s my best friend/roommate.” She replied in kindness, and her roommate smiled up towards Simon.

He shook Luna’s hand as well, the soft crow’s feet by his eyes crinkling with a wide smile of his own. “It’s a pleasure to meet you both.” With introductions were out of the way, Simon followed the two of them inside the apartment. He also noticed their similar styles. Y/N wore black spandex that stopped mid-thigh with a baggy t-shirt, and black Nike slides. Luna, on the other hand, wore ripped denim shorts, a black video game t-shirt, and black combat boots.

“My roommate told me that when she came home, everything was turned off.” Y/N began to explain as she stood against the wall adjacent to the circuit breaker. “We have no idea why or how the breaker tripped when neither of us were home.” Luna added with a shrug and watched Simon turn on his flashlight.

He nodded in acknowledgement of their concerns then rolled his eyes at the mention of his co-worker not being any help whatsoever. He wasn’t surprised, but he was glad that he had the opportunity to prove he was more experienced. “So it turns out that there’s a loose screw. Chances are that it was caused by the storm we had recently.” Simon concluded as he switched off his flashlight and sighed.

Y/N and Luna looked at each other, the both of them silently communicating before laughing. “That’s it? Just a loose screw?” Luna asked mid giggle, and Y/N laughed a bit harder. “And here we thought that we were going crazy.” Luna shook her head before sighing softly. Y/N soon calmed down then noticed how Simon’s gaze lingered on her. She cleared her throat, straightening her posture and tilting her head slightly to the side with a smile.

Simon quickly tore his eyes away, cursing at himself for getting distracted by a gorgeous woman who was clearly younger than him. “Was there anything else that you needed help with?” He asked Luna, who nodded and was aware of how he stared at Y/N. “Yeah, the paint is peeling off in her bathroom, and there’s like, mold in the corner of my bathtub.” She replied, glancing at her best friend for confirmation.

“Also, one of the stairs at the top has the carpet lifting.” Y/N added, which caused Simon to furrow his brows. The more he learned about the negligence of his co-workers, the more disappointed he became. “She got her foot caught in the hole and fell on her face.” Luna piped up, and Simon’s eyes widened. “What? You fell?” His scarred lips morphed into a sneer, but it wasn’t directed towards either of the women.

How dare the other repair men be so careless? They should’ve done a routine check before approving that everything was safe. Especially with two sweet women who just moved into their very first apartment. Simon’s intense glare could’ve burned a hole in the floor.

“I’ll show you where exactly the paint is peeling.” Y/N walked past Simon, and he caught a whiff of her perfume. It suited her perfectly; there were notes of vanilla, sandalwood, and peony. Soft, feminine, and certainly alluring as he followed after her up the stairs. He couldn’t stop himself from staring at her hands that were covering her ass out of courtesy. A part of him wished he was able to see it jiggle with every step she took.

Y/N claimed the master bedroom for herself. It was spacious; the king size bed was against the furthest wall from the door, a singular window with grayish-blue and sheer curtains was on the right side of the bed, the tv was mounted on the opposite side, and there was a shelf that served as a temporary night stand. A very simple setup for Y/N until she bought more furniture.

She turned on the light in the bathroom, and Simon was right behind her. Y/N had chosen to go with a black and white aesthetic. The shower curtain had a deep green leaf print, and there was also a toilet overhead shelf. Facing the toilet were matching black fluffy towels, and two checkerboard print hand towels side-by-side. It almost a tight fit with his bigger stature taking up most of the space.

“I didn’t really think of it as a big deal at first,” Y/N pointed at the top of the tile wall next to the shower head. “But I did want to have it redone before it could peel even more.” Her lips formed a soft pout, and Simon had to fight the urge to stare at them.

He had to stand behind Y/N, and the smell of her perfume filled his nostrils again. “I see. I’ll have it lookin’ brand new, I promise.” His voice rumbled in his chest as he leaned closer to assess where the paint was coming off.

But it was impossible to stop his mind from wandering. Simon pictured her covered in bubbles as she bathed. Her skin glistened from the warm water, aromatics wafted in the air, and her sultry gaze met the hunger brewing behind his eyes. Her hand slid down her soapy tits and disappeared underneath the water. Her plump lips parted to moan out his name as her back arched in pleasure.

What pulled him out of his naughty fantasy was when Y/N lost her footing leaning too far over the tub. She yelped in surprise, and his fast reflexes caught her before she fell. They stayed like that, his thick strong arms wrapped firmly around her waist to keep her upright. Y/N’s heart was pounding in her ears, and she had to ignore where his fingers were gently pressing into her skin through her t-shirt.

“Careful, love,” he whispered in her ear. “Wouldn’t want you hurting tha’ pretty head o’ yours.” Y/N would’ve melted right then and there if it weren’t for Simon supporting her weight. It was both amazing and flattering that he wasn’t struggling to hold her up.

“Thank you, Simon.” She whispered back, her voice slightly trembling as he carefully helped her stand on her feet again. “You’re welcome, princess.” He chuckled at the sight of her adorable blush. Y/N wasn’t sure how to recover mentally and emotionally from what just happened.

Luna eventually came upstairs to check on them, and with one look on Y/N’s face, she immediately put the pieces together. “So… will you be able to start painting the wall today?” Luna spoke up after a few moments of awkward silence passed. Simon’s mind was reeling as he turned to the other woman, and his hands were itching to feel Y/N again. “I’d have to come back on another since I don’t have the right tools with me. But let me take a look at your tub.”

They then left Y/N’s room, went down the stairs, and made their way to Luna’s bathroom. Compared to the Y/N’s bathroom, hers was an all blue aesthetic. Beside the tub was a soft navy blue bath mat. Luna’s shower curtain had a continuous pattern of navy blue teardrops in the form of circles. She pulled the shower curtain to the right, revealing her personal hygiene care and the corner with mold buildup.

“I noticed it a couple of days ago, but I couldn’t clean it off.” Luna gestured to the left corner of the bathtub next to the faucet. Simon’s eyes followed the direction of where she was pointing, and he understood why she felt somewhat frustrated. “Not even the scrub daddy could remove whatever that is.”

“It shouldn’t take me too long to caulk and re-paint that corner.” Simon reassured her, his hand pulling out his phone from his pocket to take a picture the mold. “I’ll care take of this on my next availability before moving up so I can re-paint your wall, too.” He said to Y/N after standing up to his full height. It was almost comical how he looked so out of place in Luna’s bathroom. Almost. If he wanted, he could have Y/N pinned against the wall and keep her there until he was done with her.

Simon waited for the roommates to leave the bathroom first, making sure to turn the light off as he walked away. “Alright,” he began once they gathered in the kitchen. “Just to be clear—replace the breaker, paint the bathroom wall, re-caulk the bathtub corner, and fix the stair. Does that sound right to you ladies?” Y/N and Luna nodded at the same time, pleased to hear that Simon remembered what needed to be taken care of.

“Yup! I don’t think there’s anything else.” Y/N beamed at Simon, and he swore he felt his chest tighten. She was beautiful, had a wonderful personality, and now she would plague his thoughts from now on. “Good, good. I’ll start on the breaker, so I won’t keep you waiting too long.” He turned around to leave, closing the front door behind him.

Luna waited until his footsteps receded and that he was out of earshot. “Girl, we got a man who knows what he’s doing. And he’s attractive!” Luna softly gushed to Y/N, and they both giggled. “His tattoos and arms, though? I’d let him put me in a chokehold any day.” Y/N rolled her eyes with a smile at her best friend’s comments. She recalled the moment when he had her in his tight embrace. Simon truly was a good-looking man despite his height and scars.

Half an hour later, Simon returned and finished replacing the breaker with an entirely new one. He took a step back to ensure that it wasn’t loose on any side, and nodded in satisfaction. “Yeah, tha’ should do it.” He hummed, pleased with himself for completing the task. Y/N and Luna were also pleased that he knew what he was doing—unlike his co-workers. “Like I mentioned earlier,” Simon spoke as he shut the breaker door, “I’ll come back to re-caulk and re-paint in both of your bathrooms.”

“Would it be possible for you to come in the morning? I’ll be available, but Y/N has work at night.” Luna questioned him as they all hovered near the now open front door. The women could tell that his visit was ending soon, and they were grateful for his help. “I can be here at ten o’clock sharp.” Simon readily agreed to her request, but a part of him was disappointed that he’d miss out on seeing Y/N again. “I’ll also give you a call to let you know that I’m on my way.”

“Perfect! Thank you for your help, and I hope you have a great afternoon!” Y/N waved goodbye, her (e/c) eyes shining in the sunlight. Her smile must be protected at all costs, kept away from the evil of the world. Simon returned the gesture before he winked at her. “No problem, love. Likewise.” And with that, he got into his golf cart then drove away.

Y/N and Luna stood in the doorway, completely shell-shocked by what unfolded. “What just happened?” Y/N whispered to her best friend, who honestly didn’t have an answer. “I’m pretty sure he finds you attractive.” Luna replied before shutting the front door and locking it. “Oh, my god, he finds you attractive!” She squealed with excitement, gently shaking Y/N’s arm. “Don’t worry, I’ll tell you everything that happens tomorrow when you’re at work.” Luna promised her because that’s what good best friends do.

When Y/N gathered her once scrambled thoughts, she grabbed her purse from the kitchen island. “We’re going shopping, and you’re driving.” Luna let out a dramatic groan, but didn’t complain about being the designated driver. “Okay, let’s go.” She put her bag over her shoulder, took out her keys, and the two best friends left to do some retail therapy.

[hometoursandotherstuff]

Welcome to Villa De La Creme. (No, you don't need no damned landscaping. Less maintenance.) Don't know when it was built b/c other countries don't usually say, but it's in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada, has 8bds, 7ba, asking $5.8M and that includes the golf cart. They describe the architectural style as a "bungalow." A $5.8M bungalow. Interesting.

The marble floors are imported Marmara marble and the chandeliers are imported crystal from Vienna.

To the left off the entrance hall is a large living room with high ceilings and wainscoting.

Then double doors open to the dining room. I don't like the wainscoting- it's kind of Craftsman style and this is a European style home.

The kitchen's very large and very white. The double doors open to the formal dining room.

There's a brick feature wall, but the description says there're rare blue Calcutta marble counters and I don't see any blue.

Back in one of the wide hallways, we're about to enter the primary bedroom.

It's gigantic. Seriously, you'd need a riding floor cleaner like they have in stores, to keep these floors.

Doors open to this small "terrace."

Very large bath. Look at that- a park bench in the shower.

This bedroom is nice, with the round window.

It has a nice en-suite.

I like the en-suite for this bedroom- it has a blue sink cabinet. At least it's a little different.

The home office switched to floor tile.

Large home gym with glass walls.

Interesting. The stairs to the basement have a gate. Maybe for young children or dogs.

Nice guest 1/2 bath.

I didn't know it had an elevator.

Huge empty basement.

Basement suite. Fancy sink vanity down here.

Looks like there are a few bedrooms down here.

It's not isolated, but if you don't like close neighbors, like the house hunters on HGTV, this is a good property for you.

And, you're right across the road from the water.

[justagalwhowrites]

Lavender - Ch. 38

You, Joel and Ellie hit some snags on your journey west. A continuation of Lavender, Ch. 1-37 found on Tumblr here.

Pairing: Joel Miller x Female Reader

Warnings: Smuttttttt (unprotected P in V sex), canon typical violence, threat of SA (unsuccessful), reference to past SA (not described.) No use of Y/N. Minors DNI 18+ only

Length: 5.5k

“See that?” 

Joel pointed to some grass that was catching the sunlight a bit better than the grass around it. 

“I think so,” you frowned, looking at it. 

“Called a shining,” he said. “Something steps on the grass, presses it down, shiny side catches the light. Only stays shiny like that for about two hours after it’s stepped on but the grass will stay bent for about a day. So you know that something passed through here within the last two hours.” 

You nodded slowly. 

Joel had been teaching you and Ellie how to track and hunt. She was getting better than you were with the rifle, though neither of you were as good as Joel. You tried to not think about just why he was so good with it. 

The tracking, though, was probably going to get easier. It was mid-October now and the weather had been steadily getting colder. Snow was not far off. At night it was dropping below freezing and you’d had to start building fires to stay warm - something Joel wasn’t exactly thrilled with. 

You’d stayed in Curtis for a few days. Joel killed a deer in town, something that was oddly easy in the post-outbreak reality, apparently. The animals out here had never seen people. They didn’t have the same reaction to humans that the creatures of your youth did, or even those immediately around the QZ. You could practically walk up to them here, them just looking at you quizzically for a moment, almost like they were questioning what the hell this bipedal animal approaching them could be. 

They were everywhere, too. The town had been reclaimed by nature. You were walking to the grocery store again the second day there when you came across a small herd of deer in the middle of the street. They stood there, looking at you, clearly puzzled. You looked back, waiting for them to run. They never did. 

Part of you hoped the one Joel killed hadn’t been one of the ones you’d seen. The hotel had a small garage - a golf cart, riding mower, some general maintenance stuff inside - and Joel turned it into a place to dress the carcass and then dry the meat you weren’t eating immediately. You’d ended up with almost 50 pounds of venison jerky, enough to supply you for a stretch. 

The whole process had made Ellie take an interest in hunting. You supposed it was natural, her wanting to know the survival tactics you’d all been relying on. It definitely made sense to learn it. If something happened to Joel, you thought you could get her the rest of the way on your own, but it would be a lot more difficult. Joel’s skills were immensely valuable. 

But hunting made you uneasy. You knew meat came from animals, obviously, but buying it from the store before or getting it as a ration was so far removed from the process, you didn’t have to think about it. Stripping an animal of its meat was so oddly surgical, it was hard to separate the two in your mind. It made them seem too close to human for your liking - though you’d far rather do that than die of starvation.  

You were well into Wyoming now. But neither you nor Joel had acknowledged that you weren’t sure what you were supposed to do now that you were here. 

He had a vague idea of where the radio tower was so that’s where you were headed. Just hoping that the operator would have some inkling about where Tommy might be living. Otherwise, you were at a loss. It was a large, empty state. It wasn’t like there were people every few miles you could stop and ask - even if you felt like you could trust the people you ran into. You hadn’t seen another person besides Joel and Ellie since you’d fled the camp. 

“So which way should we go?” Joel asked you, still looking at the shining in the grass. 

You looked out, finding another spot like the first, and another after that. 

“That way,” you said. “Looks like there are more…” 

“Good,” he nodded. “Lead the way.” 

You obeyed, following the small path through the grass that it appeared that the rabbit you were tracking had taken. 

It really hadn’t been far ahead of you at that point and you caught up with it a few minutes later, Joel putting an arm out to stop you and Ellie from moving closer and startling it. He looked to Ellie and jerked his head toward the rabbit. She nodded once and slung the rifle off her back before lining up to shoot. You watched her as she did, not wanting to see rabbit die if you could help it. She took a deep breath and fired before a look of satisfaction spread over her features. 

“Fuck yes,” she nodded, smiling a little. You looked over. The rabbit was dead on its side, its tan fur fluttering in the wind. 

“Good shot,” Joel nodded. “Go grab it, we’ll find a place to camp for the night.” 

There was a cliff line that made for decent shelter and the three of you settled in there for the night. You built a fire while Joel and Ellie dressed the rabbit before you put it over the fire to cook. 

You liked the quiet of evenings like this. It felt almost oddly domestic, not so different from grilling in the yard by the pool or cooking while the news was on in the background and Sarah told Joel about her day. Just part of the routine the three of you had settled into over the past few weeks. 

It seemed like Boston was a lifetime ago now, not just over a month. You could hardly remember what life without Joel and Ellie had been like anymore. It felt like they’d just always been there. Sometimes, when you thought about spending time with Andrew and Jess and the kids, you found yourself wondering where Joel and Ellie had been - were they sick? In another room? - before you remembered that they hadn’t been anywhere besides just not with you. They hadn’t been a part of you yet.

Ellie fell asleep and you sat, leaning against Joel, already zipped into your sleeping bag to ward off the cold. 

“Gettin’ close to Casper,” he said, looking at the fire. 

“Hmm.” 

“Thinkin’ that’s gonna be our best shot at runnin’ into people and infected in weeks,” he continued. “Unless we wanted to try and skirt around it…”

“What do you think?” You frowned, glancing up at him. He sounded oddly unsure. The only time you’d ever left the QZ without Joel had been the one run to Lincoln you’d made when you first met Bill and Frank. Every time, he was cool and certain. Even for this trip, unless someone was at gunpoint, Joel was self assured. He’d consult Tess, but it was usually just that - consultation. It wasn’t to ask for help, just to make sure his partner was on board. This was different. It sounded like he didn’t know. 

“Normally, I’d say let’s go to Casper,” he said. “Or at least close to it. See what we can find. Probably be a good place to resupply, somewhere we can stay for a few days, rest, get cleaned up, see if anyone knows Tommy. But…” 

He broke off for a moment before he looked at you. 

“Baby, it just feels like too damn big a risk with you and her.” 

You frowned. 

“Do you think we’ll hold you back that much?” You asked. 

“No,” he shook his head and looked back at the fire. “It’s not that. It’s just… They tried to take you, tried to kill her. What if I can’t stop it next time? Rather never find Tommy and just live in the wild than lose you…” 

“We need to find the Fireflies,” you said, pressing closer to him. 

He sighed. 

“I know.” 

“If there are people - assuming they’re friendly people - then we should try,” you looked up at him, your head on his chest. 

He sighed again. 

“Fine,” he said. “We’ll at least come up to the edge, see what we can see. But no offering yourself up or I swear…” 

“Swear what?” You asked, half teasing, when he didn’t finish his sentence. 

“I’ll make sure you regret it,” he said. 

“That I’d like to see,” you yawned. He scoffed. “Wake me up for my watch.”

***

The outskirts of Casper were quiet. Joel didn’t fucking trust it. 

For starters, it was quiet of animal life, too. Like the wild things knew to give it a wide berth. There were people around. He could feel it. 

He just wasn’t sure where the fuck they were. He’d have to try to go into the city. 

“Stick close,” he said, snow drifting down in delicate, lazy flakes. 

He led the way into the city - if you could even call it that, civilization in this part of the country was so goddamn small, rotted away so bad that he knew it must have been in shit shape when the world ended - keeping an eye out for any signs of people. 

The signs were there. The people weren’t. 

The closer the three of you got to the river, the more signs of humanity there were. Buildings that had clearly been maintained over the last 20 years, laundry - though stained and torn - hanging on lines, chickens pecking a scraps in enclosures. People had been here and they’d been here recently. 

“Where is everyone?” You asked quietly. So you saw it all, too. 

“Fuck if I know,” Joel muttered. “But nowhere good, I’m sure…” 

“Ellie!” You hissed and Joel’s head whipped around. The kid was on a porch, opening a door. “Get back here!” 

“No one’s around,” she shrugged. “And if you guys don’t want to look for reasons why…” 

She opened the door and went inside. You looked, exasperated, at Joel and took off after her. 

“Fuck,” Joel swore, following you into the house. 

“Ellie!” You looked around, bypassing the living room and the stairs, heading for the back of the house. “We need to get out of here…” 

“They left in a hurry,” she said, standing by the kitchen table. There were three plates sitting there, half eaten food covered in a layer of mold. “Doc, how long would that take to grow?” 

“It varies a lot depending on the kind of mold and it’s not like I have a microscope with me,” you sighed. “But probably a week?” 

“So whatever made them leave is probably long gone, right?” Ellie looked at you, her brows raised. “Probably nothing to worry about, right?” 

“We should move,” Joel said, grinding his teeth, getting you and Ellie back outside. Ellie walked in front, looking around, her thumbs looped through her backpack straps. 

“What are you thinking?” You asked quietly, voice low. 

He glanced at you, cautiously. 

“Raiders,” he whispered. “Looks like just the shit they’d do if the town just decided to stop paying them off…” 

You nodded slowly and Joel looked straight ahead. 

He’d never had a proper conversation with you about what he’d done before he came to the QZ. He told himself for years that it could have been worse. He wasn’t really a raider. He never raped anyone. He didn’t hurt women if he could help it, never children. When him and Tommy would partner up with a raider party, he’d make that deal: no women, no kids. By anyone in the group. 

But that shit didn’t mean much. He’d still killed people he didn’t need to kill. He’d still terrorized communities to make them pay for protection. He’d hurt people who didn’t deserve it. He’d been so numb to it at the time - Sarah gone, believing you were gone, too - that he didn’t give a fuck about anything. He was trying to survive, he told himself. Trying to keep Tommy alive. 

All the while, he could have just gone to a fucking QZ. If he had, he’d have found you sooner. Maybe gotten past his own bullshit sooner. 

No, he didn’t want raiders to know you or the girl existed. That was too goddamn dangerous. But he also didn’t want to face his own shit because raiders turned up.

The three of you made it up to the river, looking around for some indication of people. But everyone was gone. 

“I guess we just keep heading for…” you began, but a voice cut you off. 

“Hello!” Someone yelled. 

You and Ellie spun to face the sound, Joel raised his rifle. A man - maybe more of a boy, he was maybe 20 - came out from in between two buildings, his hands up. 

“Stay back!” Joel barked. “Or I’ll fucking shoot you!” 

“That…” the man stopped and laughed darkly. “That would actually be a big help. I got bit, ankle, about a day ago. And I can’t…. I keep trying to and I…” He started getting choked up. 

“Oh shit,” Ellie breathed. 

“Joel,” you looked at him. He scowled and lowered the gun. 

“No,” the guy drew closer. “No, man, I wasn’t kidding…” 

You slipped your pack from your shoulders to the ground. 

“I’ve got a better way to do it,” you said, your voice kind. You went to a large rock, on the bank of the river, and patted the spot on the rock next to you. 

“Doc,” Ellie put her back to the man as he came closer. Her eyes were wide. “Do you think… can we try my blood? Just… just in case it could work?” 

“Oh honey,” you smiled sadly at her. “No. Even if that would work, if he was bitten yesterday, it’s too late. It’s a lot better if he doesn’t go through the change, if I just euthanize him.” 

She set her jaw and nodded slowly. 

“You don’t have to save anyone, Ellie,” you said quietly. “It’s not your job to save anyone but yourself.” 

The man kept his distance, his arms still up. Joel took Ellie by the shoulder and tucked her behind him, his rifle still ready. 

“It’s OK,” you assured him. “Just come sit here and I’ll confirm the bite and then give you a shot. It’ll be just like going to sleep.” He still stayed a few feet away. “You’re not going to scare me, if that’s what you’re worried about. It’s OK. It’ll be OK.” 

He sat on the rock beside you and Joel kept Ellie back, her peering out from behind him to watch you. 

“Show me where you were bit?” You asked, your voice kind and calm as you pulled a euth kit from your bag. The man tugged the hem of his jeans up and you leaned forward, looking at the injury. Even from a few feet away, Joel could tell it was infected. You nodded a little. “I’m sure this is no surprise but yes, you were bitten by an infected person.” 

“Yeah, the mushrooms growing out of their face was a dead give away,” he laughed a little, his voice thick. 

“What’s your name?” You asked, unpacking the kit. His eyes were on your hands as you worked. 

“Jason,” he said quietly. “Jason Small.” 

“Alright Jason,” you held the needle in your hand. “It’ll take a few minutes to kick in so you’ll have that time but before we get going, is there anything you want to say? Anything you want someone to know?” 

He looked at you for a moment. 

“No,” he laughed again, dark and sharp. “No, fuck, I never really did jack shit with my life. No one left to miss.” 

“What happened?” Ellie stepped out from behind Joel. You gave her a look that she promptly ignored. You looked to Joel for help but he just shrugged “Where is everyone?” 

“Raiders showed up about a week and a half ago,” he said. “Wanted payment for services but they showed up weeks earlier than normal, we didn’t have payment… They killed a bunch of people, not that Casper was ever huge to begin with, it’s not like we were a QZ and FEDRA left us alone. The people the raiders didn’t kill took off, mostly headed south because of the winter but… well, we started getting infected coming up from that direction not too long after. Probably following the trail of fucking people…” 

“Thank you,” you said kindly, shooting Ellie a glare before turning back to the man. “OK Jason, are you ready for me to inject you? It’ll just be a small pinch, you’ll have a few minutes of feeling normal and then you’ll feel really tired. It’s just like going to sleep. I’ll stay with you, if you want. So you’re not alone.” 

He nodded slowly. 

“Nothing left to really hang out for,” he shrugged. “But… if you could stay… I think I’d like that.” 

Joel looked off toward the water. 

“Joel,” you said, your voice soft and calm. “I’ve got this. Why don’t you take Ellie up that way a bit, I’ll catch up.” 

He opened his mouth to argue but you gave him a look. He sighed. 

“C’mon, Ellie,” he steered her away from the scene. 

The two of them walked in silence for a few minutes, putting some distance between you and them - something Joel didn’t like at fuck all. 

“She did that a lot, didn’t she?” Ellie asked, looking up at him. “Euthanizing people, I mean.” 

“Yeah,” Joel sighed. “Yeah, she did.” 

“Fuckin’ sucks,” she trudged along the sidewalk, kicking at the broken concrete. 

They found some rocks that were out of sight of you and Jason. Joel sat down on one. 

“If there was a cure, no one would have to do that shit,” she said, staring at her knees. “Right?” 

“I don’t know,” Joel said after a moment, looking at the girl. “But I don’t think people would need to be doing it quite as often.” 

She nodded slowly. 

“There’s a lot of shit riding on my blood, isn’t there?” She looked at him. He looked back. He was reminded - again - of Sarah. This time, it was of when she first started understanding that she didn’t have a mom like the other kids at school, when she was trying to figure out whether or not it was her fault. 

“No,” Joel said. She looked surprised. “Your blood is your blood, all that’s ridin’ on it is keepin’ you alive. If Doc and those other scientists can figure out how to do more with it, great, but that’s not on you or your blood. The infected are on the infected, on the governments who didn’t do enough to stop it, on a lot of shit. Not you, not your blood. Got it?” 

“Yeah,” she nodded. He wasn’t sure she believed him. 

You trudged up the sidewalk, tears in your eyes, a few minutes later. You were missing a ribbon on your braid. 

“He’s gone,” you said, voice thick. “It was peaceful. He did ask if there was anything else we wanted to know, so I asked about the radio tower. He said he thinks it’s an old tower that was used by the National Parks Service for things like fire warnings and such, out at Grand Tetons. The name Tommy Miller didn’t ring a bell, though.” 

“What happened?” Ellie said, nodding to your braid. “With your…” 

“Oh,” you glanced down at it. “The ribbons apparently reminded him of his sister. She died a few years back. He wanted to hold it, I didn’t want to take it from him…” 

Joel pulled you against him and pressed a kiss to your forehead, holding you to him for a moment. 

“We should move,” he said. “Get the fuck out of here before we run into raiders or infected.” 

You nodded and Joel led the way back on the road. 

It was two more days before you ran into more people. And it was far less friendly. 

The snow was thicker now, making you easy to track. It made Joel nervous. His whole body was tense, his jaw squared, his hand almost absentmindedly stroking the butt of the rifle as the three of you walked through the woods. 

He heard them half a second before he saw them, three men encircling your trio like a snare. Joel raised the rifle quickly and you threw Ellie behind you, backing up so she was tucked safely between you and Joel. 

“Hey, hey,” the first man said, his gun drawn. “Let’s take it easy, no need to make this any harder than it has to be…” 

“Right,” Joel said. “So why don’t you just leave us be and we’ll be on our way…” 

“Afraid we can’t do that,” the second man said. “There’s a toll to pass through our territory. One I’m sure we’d remember if you paid…” 

“Bet you fuckin’ would,” Joel’s gun was still up, his eyes darting between the three men. “We’ve got some jerky. Otherwise, you’re shit out of luck.” 

“Think you’ve got a bit more than that,” the third man said, leering at you and Ellie. “Think we can be quick, take turns…” 

You looked to Joel, your eyes wide, as the third man took you by the arm and pulled you back against him. 

“Fuck you, motherfucker!” Ellie moved to charge him but Joel grabbed her by the shoulder and ripped her back, delaying him getting a shot off. You were further away now and he started plotting the plan of attack, just who he was going to kill first, how to get you back safely. 

But Joel had underestimated you. Luckily, so had the men, not bothering to restrain your hands in any way. You went for the knife that was strapped to your waist and you freed it, bringing it up and then down in one swift, hard motion, catching the man with the thigh. 

He screamed and shoved you away and you stumbled forward. Joel grabbed you and threw you behind him, next to Ellie, before he shot the man with the gun and then the man who’d been holding you, dropping them both with a single shot before turning the gun on the last remaining man. 

“Weapons,” he barked. “Drop ‘em.” The man froze. “MOVE!” 

He pulled a gun from his holster and dropped it into the snow in front of him before he did the same with a knife. 

“Good,” Joel growled before he glanced to you. “You OK Baby?”

“Yeah,” your voice was shaky but he nodded. 

“You did good, Baby,” he said, keeping his gun on the man. “You did real good. I need you to take Ellie and keep goin’ the way we were walking, at least a quarter mile, no more than half. Find a good place to wait for me. I’ll get you.” 

“Joel,” you began but he cut you off. 

“Need to have a conversation with our friend here,” he said. “See you in just a minute.” 

He felt your eyes on him. After a moment, you obeyed, leading Ellie quietly into the woods. Joel turned his full attention to the man. 

“This’ll be a lot easier if you just tell me what I want to know,” Joel said, keeping the gun trained on the man. “I’d rather not scare my girls with you screamin’ so don’t give me a reason to make you.” 

“Look,” the main said, his hands up. Joel cut him off. 

“Don’t remember askin’ you a question,” he replied. The man shut up. He was younger, maybe in his early 30s. He didn’t know shit about shit. “How many people are out here?” 

“Just the three of us,” the man said quickly. “We’re cousins, had a family settlement not too far from here but my sister got bit, we’re the only ones who lived.” 

“And you just stayed out this way?” Joel asked. “Terrorizing people passin’ through?” 

“It’s hard out here, man,” his voice cracked. “Don’t have many resources…” 

“Not here for your fuckin’ sob stories,” Joel snapped. “So this is your territory? Won’t run into anyone else out here?” 

“No, no one else,” the man said quickly. “It’s just us, we haven’t seen anyone in weeks…”

Joel nodded. 

“So what was your fuckin’ cousin planning to do to my girl?” He asked, grip tightening on the gun. 

“Look man, he didn’t mean anything by it,” he said quickly. “Just lookin’ to trade, that’s all…” 

Joel lowered the gun and fired a round into the man’s thigh, making him drop to his knees with a pained scream. 

“I wasn’t going to touch her,” he was sobbing. “I swear I wasn’t…” 

“I think we both know that’s bullshit,” Joel said, pressing closer. “You plannin’ on raping all the women who come through here or is mine just special? Hm?” 

“Haven’t seen a woman in weeks,” he choked and sobbed. “Please, he was just… we were desperate, that’s all…” 

“Think that’s an excuse?” Joel asked. His blood was hot. This man and his friends had threatened you and Ellie. Wanted to hurt you. He’d hurt him. “Last chance. Anyone else out this way?” 

“No,” the man was sobbing now. “No, I swear, we’re it, we’re it for… fuck, probably 100 miles west…” 

“Good,” Joel said, aiming the gun for his head and shooting him there. He dropped like a rock. 

Joel collected what was worth taking from the bodies - mostly ammunition - and walked to find the two of you. 

It didn’t take long. You and Ellie were sitting close together on a fallen log. He slung the rifle back over his shoulder. 

“You both OK?” He asked. 

“Yeah,” you nodded. 

“Fine,” Ellie said, glancing at you. 

The three of you walked a few more miles that day before stopping, Joel filling you in on the status of nearby people on the way. You spotted a place where the tree canopy was thicker, the snow cover on the ground a bit less dense. It should be a good place to spread out the sleeping bags without freezing. He dug out a place nearby for the fire pit. 

“I’ll be back in a minute,” you said before quickly walking into the woods. Joel looked to Ellie for a moment. She seemed oddly calm, reading a comic book in the remaining daylight with her back against a tree, sitting out of the snow. 

“I”m goin’ for firewood,” he said. She just nodded absently. 

Joel went in the woods after you. It didn’t take him long to find you, only five minutes from the site he’d picked to spend the night. You were pressed back against a tree, your arms wrapped tightly around yourself. He approached you slowly, his hands up. 

“Hey Baby,” he said quietly. You jumped, looking around for a moment before you spotted him. 

“Hey,” your voice was wet. You wiped your tears away. “Sorry, I can get back…” 

“No,” he stepped closer. “No, you don’t need to… I just wanted to see if you were OK.” 

“I’ll be fine,” you wiped your eyes again and sniffed. “Really, it’s not a big deal…” 

He watched you for a moment. 

“Can I touch you?” He asked. You looked up at him, confused. “It just seemed like that was awful close to what… what he did to you and you didn’t want me touchin’ you when he showed up in the QZ. I don’t want to hurt you, just take care of you.” 

“You can touch me,” you nodded. “Please touch me…” 

He moved to stand in front of you and pulled you gently against him, wrapping you in his arms, kissing the crown of your head. 

“How’d you know?” You asked after a moment. “Did Andrew tell you?” 

He paused, his hands keeping a steady rhythm as they moved up and down your back. 

“A bit,” he said eventually. “The rest… well, I… I wanted to know what happened. Felt like you’d lived it so I should, too. So I made him tell me before I killed him.” 

“You shouldn’t have done that, Joel,” you said softly. “Shouldn’t have to think about that…” 

“Should have been there,” he replied. “Should have been able to step in faster today, you shouldn’t have needed to do a damn thing…” 

“It wasn’t your fault, Joel,” you pressed your cheek tighter to his chest. “Not then, not now. It wasn’t.” 

He held you for a while and you stretched up and planted a kiss on his throat, sending a shiver through him. He pulled you closer. 

“Want you,” you said quietly. 

“Baby,” he groaned. “Not a good idea…” 

“Why not?” You asked, pulling back from him slightly. He cupped your face in his hand. 

“Just had something pretty fuckin’ terrible almost happen to you,” he said gently. “We shouldn’t…” 

“But I want to feel you,” you breathed. “Need to feel close to you, just for a minute. You said we should be safe out here… Please, Joel…” 

You pressed yourself against him, looking up at him with wide and desperate eyes. He gritted his teeth, glancing back toward the campsite. 

“We have to be quick, Baby,” he said. “Can’t leave Ellie for too long. And it’s cold…” 

You were already unbuttoning your pants, stepping out of one boot so you could free one leg of your jeans. He opened his jeans and freed his cock, rubbing it a few times, already hard in spite of the cold air. 

“Gotta keep it down,” he breathed as he pressed you back against the tree. “Ellie ain’t far…”

With that, he trailed one finger through your slit, the heat of you almost shocking against the cold. He gathered some of your wetness and spread it over himself, jerking himself twice more before he lifted you, your arms going around his neck as he lined himself up with your entrance. 

“Tell me if I hurt you,” he warned, already panting for breath. You nodded eagerly, your eyes still wet. He pressed into you and pulled you down onto him. 

He kept your back against the tree and your legs went around his hips, pulling him deeper. He groaned, your pussy gripping him so fucking tight. He kissed you as he started to fuck into you, taking things slow but hard, the head of him pressing into your back wall with every stroke. 

“Fuck, Joel,” you moaned. “Fuck, I love you, I needed… This is what I needed…” 

His hips worked harder and faster against yours, one hand coming around to the place between you so he could press against your clit while he worked himself into you. 

It always felt fucking incredible being inside you but something about this time - knowing that you’d almost been hurt and the only reason he was inside you now was because you weren’t, that you trusted him enough with your body to want him - need him - right now - was driving him over the edge quickly. 

“Need you to cum for me Baby,” he kissed down your jaw to your throat. 

“Joel,” you whimpered, your voice wet. He pulled back from you, looking in your eyes. You were crying again. But before he could pull back from you, your fingers wound in his hair, pulling his mouth to yours, your legs tightening around him. He licked into your mouth, pressing his tongue deep, trying to devour your fear.

He pulled back from you just enough to speak. 

“I’ve got you Baby,” he breathed. “I’ve got you, I’ll keep you safe. Not going to let anyone hurt you, not going to let anyone take you from me, I’ll protect you, promise I’ll protect you…” 

You came with a shuddering moan, the fluttering of your walls triggering his own orgasm as he emptied himself into you. You went slack on him, your face buried against his neck, and he just held you for a moment, his spent cock still inside you, noticing the cold air again for the first time since he entered you. After a minute, your lips brushed his cheek. 

“I’m OK,” you said quietly, pulling back from him. Your eyes were dryer, you looked calmer. 

“Are you OK to go back?” He asked, still holding you. You nodded. He pulled himself slowly, gently from your body and tucked himself away before helping you get dressed again. 

Joel built the three of you a big fire that night, the flames licking high, casting heat you could feel from yards away. You smiled and dealt for Texas Hold ‘Em and Joel let Ellie win - a fact she adored. When the time came to sleep, you curled around Ellie and Joel curled around you, feeling the warmth of you tucked safely against him. 

“Love you,” he whispered when he was sure Ellie was asleep. “Promise I’ll keep you safe, Baby. I promise.” 

A/N: This was it, the last OC chapter before we get back into the canon overlap. EVERYONE GET READYYYYYYYYYYY :D

I hope you enjoyed this little diversion and some exploration of the time between Kansas City and Jackson. I know I did :)

I do have a tag list. If you'd like to be added, please comment below. If you've asked to be added and don't see your name on the list, please comment again! I'm sorry I missed you! If you've asked to be added and your name is on the list BUT you're not being tagged, Tumblr won't let me tag some blogs. I'm not sure why! I keep the names on the taglist in hopes that they one day can be tagged. But alas, today is not that day.

Thank you thank you thank you all for reading and caring about these characters! You make it so fun to explore this world. Love you all!

Taglist: @paleidiot@ayamenimthiriel@ginger-swag-rapunzel @drewharrisonwriter @flugazi @pedropascalsbbg @taoyuji @starstruckmusiciansartghost @splendsay @bigboiseason123 @jpbplvr @ashleyandring. @mrsyixingunicorn10 @sloanexx @ninaminaromina @lady-bellyn. @hufflepuffriver@sarap-77 @storyarcscribe @mellymbee. @jasminedragoon @lemonmeli. @reds-ramblings @arizonadaydreamer @mumma-moonchild @blackroseguzzi @candypeaches16 @kittenlittle24 @wrappedinfiction @oatmeaiboy @pedritosdarling @winchestergypsy90 @imnotdatboii @lalalalemonade11 @maknimuk1 @mrsdarcyinlovewithbuckybarnes @pedrosaidsheispunk @commanderawkward @n7cje @elliesgirlll @tsunamistorm123 @spookyxsam @leeeesahhh @anoverwhelmingdin. @untamedheart81. @pedropascalfan221 @pedr0swh0r3. @pedrobae @fifia-writes @fatima-marisa

[slippinmickeys]

Drabble prompt for you: M&S are together and she teases him while on a case. Like sexually teases him. Okay, maybe it's OOC but i NEED it.

The body was in a water hazard off the 15th green and they had to take a golf cart to get to it. Mulder drove it with a practiced ease that Scully’s Navy base upbringing could not compute.

They came up behind a foursome on 12 that was on the tee box and Mulder slowed the cart, stopped and gave the players silence so the last two guys could tee off. The men waved when he finally passed and Mulder saluted and zipped down the second cut.

“Woof,” he said. “Did you see that last guy? That six hundred dollar driver ain’t gonna to fix that two dollar swing.”

Scully gave him a look.

“What?” he said. “Have you never golfed?”

She blanched. “Navy brat, Mulder.”

“Not even once?”

“It took me six tries to get the through windmill at putt-putt when I was twelve,” she answered him. “My dreams died that day. Do you still play?”

“Not since I was a teenager, but Bill Mulder insisted on lessons thrice a summer and Teena Mulder liked the bloody marys at the clubhouse.”

Mulder craned his neck around the next dogleg and then zipped through a fairway when he found the coast was clear.

“Did you wear plaid pants? Argyle socks? Tell me you did.” She was desperately trying to picture him.

Up ahead, Scully could see the little lake where the body was. There were maintenance vehicles next to it and a few local deputies who’d also conscripted club golf carts.

Mulder didn’t answer, thought maybe she was making fun of him.

“I dressed up as a golfer for Halloween when I was sixteen,” she offered.

“My culture is not your costume,” he said, slowing the cart.

“Short skirt,” she said, trying to get a rise out of him. “Long argyle socks.”

He parked the cart and she saw him swallow uncomfortably. The deputies craned their necks to get a look at the feds who’d just pulled up.

“You dressed up for Halloween when you were 16?” he asked.

“Caddyshack had just come out,” she explained, sliding out of the cart. Her heels sunk a little into the turf. “And I was trying to get a date with Mitchell O’Brien.”

“I think I golfed with Mitchell O’Brien,” Mulder said. He was desperately trying to fight an erection.

Scully looked at him a long moment, glanced down at his lap with a smirk. “Well…” Scully said, channeling Ted Knight. “We’re waiting.”

“You’re going to pay for this at home,” he said.

“Sure hope so,” she grinned, turning and sashaying over to LLE.

[tamagotchikgs]

my sister was craving adventure n asked me to go for a night drive w her in the dark and we drove for awhile until we got to this country club n then she wanted to go in to see what it was n peer at the rich ppl n so we drove in n around n we saw some fancy stuff n then she headed down this back road to a giant maintenance shed n i was like pleas no please leave i am so fear and while she was turning around she backed into the ditch and got us stuck o(-< she had me try n help push the car but i couldnt im weak as hell n the ground was all marshy and even i was sinking n it felt like the car was about 2 flip any second so i was just begging her 2 call our mom but she refused because she constantly gets her car stuck in precarious places n would get in trouble again but eventually this guy came driving down in a golf cart n i jumped in the back out of fear but he was like hey whatcha doin and she was like o i got stuck turning around n he was oddly chill about it BHJAJHB he was just like ok ill go see if i can find another guy 2 help but then, after some more waiting we see like an army of golf carts comin at us . im talkin like 6-7 and it was so scary in the night 2 see that coming at u but , it turned out one of them was just pulling the rest and there was in fact only 2 dudes and then they were like is there anyone else in the car so i had to get out n i went n hid behind the golf card while they literally PICKED UP THE CAR,,,,,, and got it up out of the ditch,,, ,, so we were finally free n i had 2 sprint back to the car. but i did get hit w a piece of gravel that cut my face when the wheels spun out ;'o

[hanasnx]

no yeah i need more of the indy x beef love story!! add a cut if you have to (jokey joke i'm not trying to nag) i've got a cup of ice water and a bowl of popcorn beside me (also a joke. the popcorn, not the ice water. it is toasty rn) i'm invested, i'm seated, i'm tuned in!! much love xoxo

part one sorry this took so long

i had this sense of belonging with him. i was already comfortable with him even though we'd only had a handful of conversations. this was a big step for me seeing as how i'd only ever been with people that gave me that thrill in my stomach especially if i was doing something wrong. in this case, that thrill was completely gone, replaced with a sense of safety i'd never felt before besides a friendship that was very dear to me. so i thought i needed to be his friend. i wanted to hang out with him.

i think i decided this when i went out walking late at night because its my favorite thing to do and it started pouring rain so i went to the little mailbox garage to keep my phone/earbuds dry otherwise i wouldnt have minded the rain. but i was sitting there and i found myself wanting to run into him. i was wishing he'd, for some reason, come check his mail so that we could talk more.

now that its decided that i knew i wanted to be closer to him, i did not have a game plan. instead, i applied the logic i usually would apply to this situation: if it's meant to be it'll come back. because i was too scared to make a move when he came in for coffee in the morning. we said our usual hellos etc but i did not give him my number. i was disappointed, even though it was my own fault, because its rare that i see him twice in one day. so the "if it's meant to be it'll come back" was kind a way out for me, 1) i wouldnt have to do the thing i was dreading, creating a sense of relief 2) but that would mean i dont get to do the thing i wanted to do, creating a sense of disappointment.

i was working all day and my boss left early, which means that when i went home for lunch, i put on non-corporate dress code socks because my feet were cold. ones that her micro-managing ass would've noticed and told me to take off. but i was behind the desk, it was nearing the end of the day, no one would notice my crazy socks. my coworker that knew i liked this guy was sitting next to me, and my head maintenance guy who didnt know and could not know. we were all talking when beef came in.

like i said before, it was rare to see him twice in one day, so my stomach did a flip. it meant i had to give him my number, i made that commitment. i wrote it down on a sticky note, waiting for my chance. but my maintenance guy wouldnt leave, and beef was making his coffee. i was running out of time. i didnt know how to find a situation to give it to him in which my maintenance guy wouldnt see it because i knew his ass would report me or hold it over my head. and beef left before i could figure it out.

crestfallen, i hadnt fulfilled my commitment. i was really upset with myself, it was perfect. he came back just like he was supposed to, just like the mantra. if it's meant to be it will come back.

i was beating myself up for it tbh. "you always do this shit, indy, you always do this shit." which is so rare considering how kind i am to myself, which goes to show just how upset i was at myself for not manning up about it.

some time passed and it was probably the last thirty minutes of the day, so i was gonna go put the golf cart back. i was walking out when something told me to go back to my desk, so i went back, and i grabbed the sticky note with my number on it. to this day i have no idea why i did that. something came over me that i went back to my desk and grabbed the sticky note with my number on it to shove into my pocket to take with me. maybe it was because i didnt want other people to see it on my desk, but i couldve just thrown it away.

i drive around and i go the longways because i usually did that. its about evening time, the sky is orange, im still upset over earlier.

and i see in the distance a familiar silhouette. one i've seen a thousand times. it was beef roller blading alongside his running dog. i cant believe my eyes it was like magic. i was genuinely, to my core, shocked. a third time. a third time in one day.

he goes to the sidewalk to let me pass, but i turn in to a parking spot like a mad man. i am determined to get this over with. a third time in the same day, ive never seen him three times in one day, this had to be it. i have to give him the number and miraculously i brought the fucking note with me. i march up, i say "hi (name), hi (dogs name)" quick asf. "dont look at my socks" i tell him because im still wearing the crazy socks that dont go with my shoes or outfit and the first thing he fucking does is look down at my socks. he laughs at them. i hand him the note "call me if you wanna hangout sometime." i say and get back in the cart to take it to the garage.

an hour later he texts. "hi :) this is (name)" and we text for hours. paragraphs about our pasts and shows we like and what we do for fun, everything. at one point he texts that he feels like he needs to say that hes "not ready for a relationship, and hes happy being friends" and i said "thats fine because thats why i gave you my number. to hang out" which is true. i asked him if he wanted to go around the community yard sale on thursday with me, and he said yes.

around 11 o clock that day, we meet up, and i remember he looked me up and down. he gave me that scan. it was subtle but i was like oh?

we walked around together and i got a bunch of stuff for my roommates cats and a lemon soap dispenser for my roommate who loves lemons etc. beef hasnt gotten anything, but he helps me carry my stuff :) he had insisted on it. at one point we come across a collection of framed paintings, and he looks particularly taken with a small portrait of a snowy landscape with a man in furs. he sets it back down. i check the price, its $5 so i buy it for him. he looks touched.

we text a little for the next week, but he says hes really busy with work and has to focus on that so i give him that space. at one point i subtly try to hang out with him late at night using the excuse of putting our crystals out for the full moon, and he says that he'd love to but can't, and i had to backtrack and act like i wasnt trying to hang out 💀

towards the end of that week, i had started texted with an ex-best-friend of mine we'll call her EBF. ebf invited me to a kava bar, then asked if her boyfriend could come, i said no that makes me uncomfortable bcos i dont know her boyfriend, she says "oh then i cant go", im like wow i wonderrr why we stopped being friends u pos but whateverrr so i said "if you get to bring someone, i get to bring someone" and invited beef. i said "hey i know its short notice but im going out tonight at a kava bar you should come" he says "great! give me the address ill be there" so i do. while im getting ready, EBF texts to cancel last minute. fucking dick n balls, right? so i had to text beef to be like "hey man so sorry but my friend cancelled. do you still wanna go just us?" and he says yea :)

he picks me up and at one point i pay a compliment to myself, i say i've got nice curves. he looks at me while hes got a spare moment driving and gives me a little once over again... and says "yeah, you do have nice curves" i couldve died

we talk about anything and everything on the way here, at the kava bar, and then when we take a walk. we walk up and down that strip for like an hour and a half. we drive back to the community and we take another walk. when i look at my phone after all this walking and talking it realize its 2am and we started hanging out at 7pm. so i have to run back home bcos ive gotta get ready for work in 6 hours.

the next day my roommates rly wanna meet him, so invite him over to hang with them. after that, i walk him home, and spent a bit of time with him there. i tell him im cold, and he says "heres my favorite hoodie". i go home and spend a few hours apart at my place. we keep texting, and he says "let me know if you wanna play some games tonight" as in like online, but i was like "im literally packing up my ps3 to bring over rn" bcos he had mentioned he wanted to play black ops 2 and i was feeling spontaneous. around midnight im back at his place and we play games until way later, and im feeling too tired to keep playing so we put on a movie and we "cuddle" which was kind of spooning but he kept his crotch away from my ass. (he tells me later that the reason he did that was because he got a boner laying down with me)

we fall asleep watching rio, our first sleepover. he had set an alarm for me so that i wouldnt miss work and i didnt even ask.

the next day he asked me to come over again. he cooks me dinner. we have another sleepover. i got to work, and then i go right back to his place. that night we're sitting and facing one another in the dark, that invisible string is pulling us together. he's murmuring, "i don't wanna be friends. i wanna be your boyfriend." and we kiss. its soft and slow, and it marks may 7th our anniversary.

since our first sleepover, i did not sleep again at my own place, which means that before we were officially dating, we were technically living together first.

[timemimic]

What are the Clone Watch, Super Clone Watch, and Replica Watch?

Clone Watches

Clone watches are only similar in appearance, with their movements and functionalities being different from the original. They are essentially look-alikes on the outside, but with internals that don’t match up to the genuine article.

Super Clone Watches

Super Clone Watches go beyond mere appearance. They not only resemble the original in looks but also replicate the original movement and functions. However, they fall short in some details, such as the technology used in the calendar’s oil pressure and the engraving on the movement’s plates, where noticeable differences can be observed.

Replica Watches

Replica watches are comprehensive restorations of the original product, both inside and out. They achieve true 1:1 replication, from the fine details of the appearance to the functionality of the movement, and even the texture of the movement. These watches replicate over 95% of the original, striving for near-perfect accuracy in every aspect.

In the intriguing world of high-end watches, where the line between the real McCoy and its doppelgänger gets blurry, we have three fascinating characters: “Clone Watches,” “Super Clone Watches,” and “Replica Watches.” Let’s dive into this horological soap opera and see who’s who.

How to distinguish them?

First up, we have the “Clone Watches,” the distant cousins in this family. These timepieces have the look but not the genetic code of their pricier kin. They often use Chinese-produced ETA movements (A2824/A2836 & variants), which are essentially Swiss ETA automatic movement doppelgängers. Although these clones generally boast decent quality and reliability, they’re like that off-brand soda that’s almost like Coke but not quite. You know, the kind that tastes just fine until someone tells you it’s not the real deal. For instance, the Rolex Submariner series in this category uses the Citizen 2813 movement, which, while stable, is more vanilla than a vanilla milkshake. It’s easier to repair, though, which is a plus if you’re not keen on watch surgery.

Next, we have the “Super Clone Watches,” a step up in the imitation game. These guys use the 2824 movement, which is to 2813 what a Tesla is to a golf cart – more stable, reliable, and even passes the COSC (Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres) tests, the watch world’s SATs. The Replica Watches, however, are the crown jewels of mimicry. They use the Rolex 3135 movement (and now the 3235, with longer energy storage but a bit like a high-maintenance celebrity in terms of stability). These replicas nail everything from the movement’s details to its functionality, achieving over 95% similarity. It’s like having a stunt double for your Rolex that does all the hard work but costs less.

Thickness is another area where these watches show their true colors. The replica Submariner is thinner than the clone version, and this difference is especially noticeable in ultra-thin series like the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Moon, where we’re talking a whopping 3mm gap. That’s like comparing a pancake to a waffle, thickness-wise.

Now, let’s talk about the wristbands. Clone watches use the same 904L steel as Rolex, so they have a heft to them that screams, “I’m almost the real thing!” The replicas, on the other hand, miss the authentic mark by just 2 grams, which in the watch world is like missing a flight by two minutes – so close yet so far.

The mirrors are different too. Clone watches use ordinary glass (some even dare to go acrylic), while replicas use sapphire crystal, which is like comparing a regular TV screen to a 4K Ultra HD one.

In conclusion, if you’re looking for a watch for occasional wear or just to add to your collection, a clone watch might suffice. It’s like having a double for your favorite actor in a movie – good enough for wide shots, but don’t expect Oscar-worthy close-ups. Super Clone Watches are your go-to for most social situations where no watch aficionados are present. And if you’re after the crème de la crème, go for a Replica Watch. Even the experts need a magnifying glass and some Sherlock Holmes skills to spot the difference.

Remember, though, that no matter how good they are, replicas are still the horological equivalent of a stunt double – fantastic in their role but not the star of the show. And if you’re hunting for replicas, Guangzhou, China, is the Hollywood of watch replicas, with over 20 years in the game and a supply chain as robust as Arnold Schwarzenegger in his prime. But if you’re not buying from Guangzhou, beware of getting a lemon dressed as a Rolex. And lastly, remember, if you can, always go for the real deal. It’s like choosing between an autographed photo of your favorite celebrity and meeting them in person – the latter is just so much better.

[betterbooktitles]

My wife and I got married in the Hamptons of Cleveland, a small gated community an hour south of Buffalo called the Chautauqua Institution. A year later, steps from where we had danced to a Beatles cover band, someone stabbed Salman Rushdie. 

I worry Chautauqua will be known for that attack someday. When I tell a friend where we were married, will I see their face change in subtle recognition? Will it become like saying you went to Columbine High School but graduated years before the shooting?

Probably not. The Chautauqua lore is so rich that it’s unlikely to be known for any single event. It’s been praised by the New York Times for being a spiritually and intellectually satisfying retreat, and bashed in the New York Times for its Boys’ and Girls’ Club, the oldest children’s day camp in the country, one that still separates the sexes. 

“Chautauquas,” according to the first few pages of Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance once littered the United States. Intellectuals toured the country giving lectures during the Lyceum Movement, an experiment in adult education for the masses. Chautauqua, New York was the flagship community and is also one of the few Chautauquas that has survived.

An entire page of my sophomore American History textbook was devoted to Chautauqua. Writers, politicians, comedians, and essayists all traveled on the lyceum circuit to get their message out to the world. William Jennings Bryan was likely the most exciting speaker, a man who I first heard about in the play Our Town where the Stage Manager excitedly tells the audience that “Bryan once made a speech from these very steps here.” Thanks to my family’s yearly vacations in Chautauqua, I too had seen some steps where Bryan had once made a speech. Exciting stuff. I was walking through a page of my history textbook every summer.

Though I knew the place was somewhat famous, Chautauqua’s history often seemed embellished. Once, a nice white-haired lady walking past me on the road, unprompted, pointed at a patch of grass beyond the institution’s fence and said “You know, Amelia Earhart landed her plane on that golf course once.” Sure she did, lady. Then a few days later, I’d found myself in the Chautauqua library staring at a giant black-and-white photo of Amelia Earhart standing on the Chautauqua golf course. It’s near a few photos of FDR in front of the Chautauqua Opera House. 

It’s difficult to describe Chautauqua to the uninitiated. I happily let my wife describe it for others whenever the subject comes up: “It’s the set of Dirty Dancing.” Aside from the fact that it’s not in the Catskills and the spirit of the place is a little more centered on intellectual/spiritual edification, it is exactly like the set of Dirty Dancing, complete with a treelined lake, an enormous hotel, and a house full of actors and dancers at one end of the grounds who let loose, partying every night to the wee hours (10 PM) when everything in the Institution closes and strict quiet hours are enforced. Women can even take Ballroom Dance classes with young men, though I get the sense that both parties are a little more puritanical than Swayze and his students. Unfortunately, also like the movie, thanks to a few speakers from the Heritage Foundation, there are also several Chautauquans who like Ayn Rand.

For the kids who grew up going to Chautauqua every summer, it was a giant playground. We went during Week Five of the season consistently and became fast friends with anyone our age. Boys’ and Girls’ Club hours went from 9 AM to noon, and from 2 PM to 4 PM so parents could attend talks or a pottery class while the kids were playing dodgeball and rehearsing for Air Band (a lip-syncing competition for all club attendees). Because the Institution is safe compared to nearly every place people visit from, the kids roam free. They have carte blanche to do whatever they please during daylight hours. We biked, ate mountains of ice cream, or played ping pong for hours when we weren’t at club playing GaGa Ball, a game where you hunched over and used your hands to hit your opponents’ ankles with a volleyball.

Read more here.

[eliasbouchardslut]

gd the maintenance people riding around in those little golf carts mean everything to me . do they take apprentices. i don't wanna fix anything i just wanna ride around in a golf cart