#best places to travel without vaccine

[roseghoul26]

Cooper Howard x vault born reader. She's from one of the more messed up experiment vaults, when she uncovered the truth of the vault she runs away from it. The first interaction they have is when he tells her he fucking hates vault dwellers and she tells him "I don't really give a shit what YOU think of me". She's been in the wastes a good long while, has a lot of skills and they end up traveling together and getting close. The area she is naive in is sex her interpretation is it's boring, and hurts. He of course tries to explain that it's not suposed to feel like that. They become really close he asks if he can show her which she agrees, she cums harder than she ever has before he has to remind her to breath through it, maybe she squirts and is embarrassed he realizes it's new for her, tells her it normal and that he loves it. Bonus points for: squirting, choking, hair pulling.

Cooper Howard | The Ghoul x fem!Reader

Synopsis: A discussion with The Ghoul reveals things that you never wished to tell him, including your views on intimacy, and lack of experience. When he offers to show you what you were missing out on, how could you say no? Tags: Not Beta Read, Prompt Request, Backstory for Reader, Virgin Reader, Inexperienced Reader, Banter, This one might be even more OOC for The Ghoul, Soft Ghoul, Smut, Squirting, Doggystyle, Hair Pulling, Dirty Talk, Choking, Confessions (kind of) Author's Note: i know that vault 75 is actually like on the other side of the us from where the show takes place but this vault always stuck out to me so i needed to use it for the prompt lmao.  also thank you anon for the amazing prompt (and my first ever request :D) ! i hope this fulfilled it sufficiently!

If you’d told yourself a year ago that you’d be traveling the surface with an irradiated man dressed as a cowboy who only kept you around because you could make him his drugs, you’d call yourself insane, and rightfully so.

But here you were, following after him like an obedient soldier, just like you were raised to be. For the past few months, you had wandered alongside The Ghoul, searching for your purpose on the surface. There was a deal between you two; he’ll travel with you, and you’d make him the chems that stopped him from turning into a feral. 

It was a reluctant acquaintanceship at best, The Ghoul keeping you at an arm's length, and you didn’t blame him. The reason he had difficulty trusting you fully was because you were vault born, which he made abundantly clear when the two of you first started traveling. You spent the first eighteen years of your life in Vault 75,  where you were trained, both mentally and physically, to become the perfect soldier and scientist that would bring justice to the surface world. That had been your life’s goal, up until you turned eighteen. 

Along with the rest of the top peers, you were selected to make your way to the surface. But before you could leave they provided a vaccine, claiming that it would build immunity against the radiation that still plagued the earth. 

In actuality, it had been a sedative, and you remember awaking some time later, suspended in a glass chamber. For days, months, years, you weren’t quite sure, you were prodded, stabbed, cut open. It was pure agony, moments that you only remember in your darkest dreams, leaving you panting and shaking. To this day, you still weren’t fully sure what they had done to you, but you knew they had quite literally taken things from you that you’d never get back. 

Somehow, you managed to break free of the sedative that they continuously pumped into your body, keeping you alive yet without control of your body. You weren’t certain how you managed to escape, but you remembered that your hands and knuckles were bloody pulps, glass embedded into the flesh, fingers broken and mangled. Even now, you could still see the scars that still lingered, and the way your fingers looked off, bones not set right. It caused you issues and aches, but luckily today was a low-pain day. 

A gruff drawl snapped you out of your reminiscing, and you looked up from your hand into the eerily human eyes of The Ghoul, who had stopped in front of you. “What?” You had missed what he said. 

“The fuck you doin’?” 

“I… my hand hurts,” you lied. “Sorry.” 

He angrily grumbled something under his breath, yet you watched him dig into one of the pockets of his trench coat. He pulled out a small pill bottle, and after double-checking the contents he tossed it to you, and you caught it with your non-injured one. “Keep yer head on,” he added before turning to keep walking. 

You didn’t have to look at the bottle to know what he’d given you: painkillers. He’d always give them to you whenever your pain would flare, and each time you reevaluate your relationship with him. You couldn’t figure out if he detest you or cared about you, whether he saw you as a friend or foe. He was a confusing person, and his hard exterior and guarded responses to your questions made him hard to understand. 

“Thanks,” you mumbled, and if he heard you he didn’t respond, just continuing to walk away. Tucking the pills away, you jogged to catch up with him, keeping a few feet distance between the two of you. 

Looking around, you tried to make some sense of the dilapidated buildings and cracked roads, creating an image in your head of what you imagined the town to once be. Full of energy, full of life, able to roam without fear of being killed by man or creature, or fear of being slowly poisoned to death by radiation. 

There was a row of buildings on either side of the road, most caved in, but there were still a few that remained, windows shattered or boarded up. Rusted mental skeletons of cars littered the road, you and The Ghoul having to weave around them. Glass crunched underneath your boots, and you swore you stepped on a few bones. 

Glancing at the road, you noted how elongated the shadows were, and you didn’t have to glance behind you to know that the sun was setting, night right on the precipice of falling. Not wanting to become a late night snack for a deathclaw or some ferals, you cleared your throat, getting the attention of The Ghoul. He stilled, turning his head over his shoulder to look at you. “We should find a place to stop soon.”

You watched him debate it for a second, eyes flicking from the setting sun to the walk in front of him, then to the buildings on either side of you two. Eventually he came to a decision, sighing. “There’s a standin’ building’ down a little ways. We’ll stop there.”

You were eager to finally rest, the rifle in your hands was becoming heavy and the straps of your backpack were digging into your shoulders, so you had a bit more energy in your step as you continued down the street. As you reached the end of the street, you were able to see the building he had mentioned. It was an old shop of sorts, any signs long since gone, but it looked still relatively intact.

The Ghoul got there first, like he normally did. Opening the door with one hand, he held his gun in the other, raised and ready to shoot. He swept the room as he entered, and you follow hot on his heels, gun at the ready. 

In the dim light, you were able to see rows of shelves in the main area, a small desk with a register tucked into the left corner. There was a closed door behind the desk, and another on the rightmost wall of the building, also closed. 

Stepping further in, you were able to start making out the contents on the shelves: boxes and packages of food, no doubt beyond edible, labels faded away. But you also saw a few cans of food littering about, but you’d have to look through them once you’d cleared the building. 

Focusing back on the task at hand, you watched him peer into the far right room, before turning and speaking to you. “Check the desk,” he kept his voice low, as to not alert any possible dwellers. Nodding, you carefully made your way over to the desk, eyes rapidly scanning your environment. 

You tried to open the door, but it merely rattled against the frame, locked shut. If you had the tools, or the patience, you would’ve tried to pick the lock, but you didn’t care that much. Besides, if there was anything in there that was alive, it wouldn’t be able to get you. 

The desk didn’t have much to offer, either. Partial destroyed papers dotted the desk, and the register sat broken and open, robbed of the pre-war cash that once resided in it. You were a tad bit disappointed; it always made for great kindling. 

Searching through the rest of the drawers, you only found garbage, and after a few moments you gave up trying to find anything of value. You slowly made your way back over to The Ghoul, who had better luck than you with his door. You could hear him digging through drawers as you entered, and you were sure to make some audible noise so as to not startle him. 

It was a small living area, a twin bed tucked into the corner, as well as a kitchenette and small desk. A TV and couch sat in the center, and you saw another door, opened by The Ghoul, which you presumed was the bathroom. “Not bad,” you commented. This was truly one of the better places the two of you had stopped at; this at least had four walls and a roof. 

He grunted in response, still rifling through drawers. “Find anythin’?”

You shook your head. “I’ll go look again,” you responded, and before you backed out of the room you dumped your bag on the floor. You sighed happily at the relief, rubbing your shoulders as you began to look through the shelves again.

You didn’t bother to look at the boxed goods, heading straight to the few canned items you saw. The cans were still whole, thankfully, but the labels were long since gone. Shrugging, you grabbed the cans, about four in total, and brought them back to the other room, dumping them on the counter of the kitchenette. 

“What’s that?” You heard him ask, spurs clicking on the linoleum floor as he came over to you. The room was now illuminated by a small oil lantern placed on the desk. 

“No idea. But they’re still good. Probably.” You spoke as you moved to sit on the counter, legs dangling. Man, did it feel good to sit after walking all day. You reached for your knife, cursing when you felt empty space instead, your knife in the bag instead of on you. 

Before you could even get down, The Ghoul handed you his knife, the blade glinting in the low light. He pointed the handle towards you, and you took it from him, and you murmured a small thanks. You got to work opening the first can, hunger making your stomach rumble. The knife plunged in and out of the tin top, peeling back the rest once you got most of it cut. 

It was an almost gelatinous red substance inside, with darker red, round something suspended in it. It smelled sweet, sugary even, and you tried to tilt it into your mouth, but it didn’t budge. Maybe it had gone bad, then. 

Confused, you reached down to the drawer that was in between your legs, managing to get it open enough to reach your hand in. You grabbed the first utensil feeling thing you could find, and to your delight it was a fork. You didn’t waste any time, taking a decent-sized forkful and bringing it to your mouth. 

It was overwhelmingly sweet, and you’re sure you made some face, because The Ghoul was chuckling lightly. It wasn’t bad, but it almost hurt to eat, and the gelatinous nature of it made it stick to your teeth. “That’s whatcha get for eatin’ unlabeled food.”

You shook your head. “It’s not bad. It’s just… sweet.”

He hummed curiously, and you offered the can to him. You laughed when he eyed it suspiciously. “I promise you, it doesn’t taste bad. And I haven’t poisoned it,” you teased.

“I’m surprised you haven’t,” he grumbled, but he took the can from you. 

“I wouldn’t,” you grabbed and handed a utensil to him. “I rather like your company.”

See, as fun as it was to be out on the road, nothing but the endless horizon in front of you, it was the nights that you truly cherished. He didn’t talk much while you walked, keeping a literal and metaphorical distance between the two of you. It was like when he was on the road, he was The Ghoul, a cunning and vicious bounty hunter. But when it was just the two of you, secluded away in some abandoned house, around a fire, wherever, it was like the human side of him resurfaced, leading way to conversation and… friendship? 

You had no idea if he considered you a friend, but you knew you considered him to be one. It wasn’t like you had any other person in this wretched world, your “friends” from the vault turned enemy. As a wanderer, it was hard to build and maintain relationships with other people, so you chose to just stick with The Ghoul. 

And you wouldn’t lie, there was something beyond “friendship” that you felt for The Ghoul. It had taken too long for you to even admit that to yourself, so it was unlikely that you were going to admit to him. Besides, it went against everything that you were raised to believe, and even though you’d long since left the vault, their ideas were still ingrained into your brain.

“Not sure why,” he muttered before eating a spoonful of the mysterious substance. You were barely able to see it, but his upper lip twitched into an almost smile. You always liked when he smiled. It was rare for him, a genuine smile. He’d sneer and smirk, sure, but it was those true smiles that got your heart beating faster and your knees getting weak. You refused to name the reason why your body reacted the way it did, not wanting to face the reality that you felt something for The Ghoul just yet.

“It’s pie filling. Cherry pie filling, to be exact,” he lifted up another spoonful, one of the dark red balls on it, covered in the sheer red substance. 

“Cherry pie filling?” You said each of the words as their own question. You’d never heard of any of what he was talking about. 

He rolled his eyes, handing the can back to you, and you took another bite. You still weren’t used to the sweetness of it. “Fuckin’ vault dwellers,” he sighed. “Cherry’s a fruit. Pie is a pastry. Filling is what you put into pie.”

It didn’t clear up anything, but you nodded anyway, not wanting to annoy him further. “Interesting.” Taking one final bite, you set it next to you, moving on to the next can. You were in the middle of opening the second one when he spoke

“You mean to tell me they didn’t have pie in your vault?”

You weren’t expecting his question, and you halted mid-cut. He never asked you about the vault you grew up in, and you never told him anything besides the name and that you left. He made his opinion on vaults and vault dwellers abundantly clear when you first met all those months ago, back when your relationship was a tenuous allyship. You hadn't cared what he thought about you and your old life then, telling him straight to his face, and you certainly didn’t care now. But it was curious that he was willingly asking you about it now. 

“No,” you drew out the word, mildly suspicious. “If it didn’t have good nutritional value, then it wasn’t allowed. So no candy, no sugary drinks, no pastries. Nothing like that.” You answered while opening up the second can, and you recognized it immediately: sweet corn.

He didn’t ask any further questions, so you didn’t elaborate. Not needed to do a taste test of the sweet corn, you set it aside, then opened the other two cans, which were baked beans and tomato soup. Wordlessly, The Ghoul grabbed two of the cans, making his way over to the couch, and you followed behind him, the other two cans in your own hands. 

Sitting side-by-side, the two of you ate in silence, and you propped your legs up on the coffee table in front of you. The two of you would eat half the can before passing it off to the other. It was how you shared your dinners for at least the past month. 

It didn’t take long for there to only be the pie filling left, and you held it in your better hand. Even though you’d been free from the vault for some time, a part of you still felt wrong for indulging in a treat like this. Pushing those memories aside, you took another bite before passing it to the man next to you. You jumped when you felt his gloved fingers brush yours, and you missed the way he knowingly chuckled. 

Sighing, you sat back against the couch, ignoring the armor that dug into your shoulders, and you found your eyes flicking back down to your hand. You traced over the scars littering it, a familiar pattern to you at this point, and you flexed your fingers. They popped and cracked, bending unnaturally, and it caused a small jolt of pain to shoot through the nerves. You hadn't realized your eyes weren’t the only one on it until you heard the man beside you speak. “How’d that happen?” 

Now you were suspicious; he sounded like he actually cared. “Did you get replaced with a synth?” You asked, bewildered. 

He rolled his eyes in response, taking another bite before setting the can on the coffee table in front of you two. “I realize I don’t know a lot ‘bout you.”

“I didn’t think you cared,” you admitted. “But,” you added when he glared at you, “if you really want to know, I got it by punching something. Repeatedly.”

“If that’s your fist, I’d hate to see the other person,” he muttered. 

“Something, not someone. It was, well, glass.”

“Why the fuck were you punchin’ glass?”

“It was the only way I could escape.” You laughed humorlessly when he glanced at you, confused. “What, you think I left the vault freely?” You shook your head. “After my eighteenth birthday, they trapped me in a chamber so they could harvest stuff from my body, pumping me full of sedative and rapid-healing agents. Something about creating the ‘perfect human’. Eventually, the drug they used to keep me docile stopped working, and I was able to smash my way out. I’m pretty sure there’s some glass still left in my hand,” you chuckled, stopping when you realized he wasn’t joining in. “It’s fine. I’ve repressed most of the memories anyway.”

“Not well enough,” he muttered more to himself, and you couldn’t help the small bit of dread that washed over you at the realization that he knew about your nightmares. They made you feel weak, and you didn’t want him to think you were. 

“Well, I….” You trailed off with a sigh, finding it not worth it to try and disagree, sitting back on the couch. “Rude.”

“So you do have nightmares.” He chuckled at the glare you gave him once you realized you fell into his trap. “Are they ‘bout that?”

“Is this an interrogation?” You asked, getting defensive. “Why the fuck do you care? You haven’t before.”

“If ya paid attention, I said I barely know anythin’ ‘bout you. Figured if we’re gonna continue to travel I should know more besides your name.” He sighed before adding, “This ain’t an interrogation. You… you can ask me whatcha like.”

His reluctant openness made you feel more comfortable, and you relaxed a bit. “Really?”

“Sure, why the hell not. But answer my question first.”

There was silence for a few beats. “Fine. Yes, they’re about when they had me trapped. It’s… it’s mostly the pain I remember. And their faces, the people who raised me, who I trusted.  watching me through the glass. I forget most of the details when I wake, but that’s what sticks out.”

The Ghoul didn’t offer any verbal response, merely nodding his head slowly. You prayed that he couldn’t see the way your hands shook as you willingly brought up those memories in your brain. You shoved them away, forcing a light smile on your face. “My turn.” Adjusting so that your back rested against the arm of the sofa so you were facing him now, your knees tucked up to your chest. “What’s your name?”

He scoffed. “Out of all the questions, that’s the one ya go with?” 

“You don’t have to-”

“Cooper. Cooper Howard.” His response cut you off, and a small smile lifted the corners of your mouth. 

“A pleasure, Cooper Howard,” you smiled gently. It was hardly noticeable, but something shifted in him when he heard you say his name, but you weren’t quite sure what exactly. 

He cleared his throat while adjusting in his seat, his eyes flicking away from your own. “Better not make me regret tellin’ ya that.” 

Your slight smile fell at his semi-threat. “I’m assuming you don’t want me to call you that, then.” His responding silence was answer enough, and you didn’t press it further. “Do you got any more questions for me?”

“Plenty,” he seemed more comfortable now that the attention was off his past life. “Why the hell are ya still travelin’ with me?”

You thought of your answer for a moment. “I wasn’t lying when I said I enjoyed your company. And it’s not like I’ve got any place to go.”

“We’ve traveled to plenty of towns. Why don’t ya just stay there?”

“Do… Do you want me to leave?” It almost hurt to ask. You thought things were amicable between the two of you, and the thought of leaving your one “friend” was something you truly did not want to think about.  

He regarded you for a few moments, eyes dancing over your face. “I suppose not,” he finally sighed out, crossing his arms and resting against the back of the couch.

“Good,” you tried to not sound too relieved. “You’re stuck with me.” You swore you saw a smile tug at his lips.

“Unfortunately.” He didn’t sound too upset about it. “Anythin’ else?”

“Why didn’t you kill me when we met? I tried to rob you, and I’ve seen you kill people for less. You had the gun right to my head; why didn’t you pull the trigger?”

“That’s two questions.”

Rolling your eyes, you scoffed. “They’re the same damn thing. Just… why didn’t you kill me?”

“I dunno why I didn’t kill ya right away. Somethin’ made me hesitate. And then once I realized you was a vault born, I figured I could get a good amount of caps for you, so I kept you alive.” The Ghoul sighed. “I expected to only keep ya ‘round for a week. But then you saved my life, even though I had ya captive, and I couldn’t bring myself to sell you. That’s when I set you free.” He chuckled as he reminisced. “But for some fuckin’ reason, you decided to stick around, and I thought I was gonna regret not killin’ or sellin’ ya.”

“Do you regret it?”

“That’s three questions now, sweetheart.” Your cheeks grew warm at the nickname. It wasn’t the first time he’d called you it, but it always elicited the same reaction from you. “But no. It’s nice, havin’ someone you trust enough to watch your back. After years of solitude, wanderin’ this godforsaken Wasteland with you has been a pleasant change.”

You don’t think you’ve ever heard anyone regard you so kindly, which was insane because of who it was coming from. “Thank you,” you responded, sincerely.

“Before I inflate your ego any more, it’s my turn. Do you miss life in the vault, back before all… that?” He gestured to your hand. 

“Honestly, you’d think I would,” you chuckled. “No danger around every corner, no radiation, no worry about dehydration or starvation. It was secure, but so constricting. Every part of my life was monitored, from the foods I ate, to the things I did, to the people I spoke to. If the higher ups didn’t like it, they’d make me change. If anything threatened the ability to become the most optimized person, then it was removed. I’ve had more freedom during the time I’ve spent up here than I did for the first eighteen years of my life.” You took a breath. “So, no, I don’t miss it.”

It went like that for a good while, you weren't quite sure how long, and eventually the two of you finished off the pie filling. Questions were shot back and forth, and you learned some things about the man beside you that you never thought you’d know. He learned more of the experiments led by Vault 75, and your role in it. You refrained from asking him about his life before becoming The Ghoul, and although he didn’t say it, you could tell that he was grateful. He had long since shed his coat, draping it across the back of the couch, down to only a once luscious blue button down. His hat was also off, sitting on the table alongside the now empty cans. 

You had asked him about the strangest person he’d met, and he was recounting this one “doctor” he’d met in Filly, with greased hair and a rotted cap, selling ailments for quite literally every predicament. “Pretty sure he was fuckin’ the livestock,” he added, and you gapped at him, horrified. “Strange fellow indeed. But, after that it probably has to be this vault born I met, who no matter what I do, refuses to leave.”

“I’m second after that? I… fuck you!” You’d never sworn at him before, but now felt like a good time to change that. 

His brow raised, shocked, and he grinned at you. “Looks like I’m rubbin’ off on ya, sweetheart.”

Rolling your eyes, you tried to hide your own smile behind your knees, which were still tucked up close to you. “It’s your turn. Although, I don’t know if I wanna respond after you insulted me like that.”

“My apologies,” he responded, not sounding sorry at all, especially with the way he continued to chuckle as he thought of a question. “Did ya have friends? Lovers, perhaps?”

If you weren’t blushing because of the nickname, then you certainly were now. It was a taboo subject in your vault, having lovers. Romantic companionship was seen as a hindrance, a liability. “I had some friends, sure, but they all turned out to be back-stabbers or were taken like me. I don’t know if they survived; I couldn’t stop to rescue them if I wanted to live.” You shook off the bit of guilt you felt when thinking of the others. “But I wasn’t close friends with anyone. As weird as it is, you’re the closest thing to a true friend I’ve ever had.”

“You only answered half my question.” Damn him. “Any lovers?”

“No.” Your hand was looking quite interesting now, and you traced over the familiar pattern of the scars again. 

“‘No’? That’s it?” If looks could kill, The Ghoul would be six feet under right now. “Touchy subject?” 

You realized that no matter what you said, he was still going to continue to ask. Groaning, you let your head sag back off the couch, not wanting to make eye contact with him when you responded. “We weren’t allowed to take… lovers. There were no romantic relationships allowed in the vault; they were seen as a liability. And I know that they’re not, but it’s been drilled into my brain that they’re wrong, that they’re… improper, and I’d rather not talk about it.”

When he didn’t respond, you thought he lost interest in the subject, and you slowly began to lift your head back up. “How the fuck did you guys repopulate?” And there your head went back down, face burning. 

“IVF. They took the eggs and sperm from the captives, as they were the best genetically, physically and mentally, and then put them in the body of one of the scientists.” You chose to not add the fact that there was an entirely real possibility that you had a kid or two.

“So no sex then?”

Something like a groan and a curse left your lips, and you squeezed your eyes shut, embarrassment and something else washing over you. How you wished for a raider or synth or anything to break down the door and kill you. “No,” you responded, and you missed the way his gaze locked on to you, intrigued by your answer.

“So you’ve never-”

“No!” You didn’t let him finish his question, not caring about what you just admitted to him.

“Not even after you left?”

“No.” You were getting really tired of your same responses. 

“Why not? It ain’t like you got your vault monitoring everythin’ ya do anymore.”

“Well…” you sighed, running a hand over your hot face. “It seems boring, from what I heard. I’m just supposed to, I dunno, sit there in pain while they use me for their own pleasure. It’s never appealed to me.” That last part was a lie, and you both knew it. You just wanted to hold on to some semblance of your pride that was lying in tatters around you.

He had the audacity to laugh, and you wished the couch would just swallow you whole. “I dunno who told ya that, but it ain’t like that. Not even fuckin’ close.”

Shakily, you exhaled, your heart feeling like it was about to beat out of your chest. You couldn’t believe you were having this discussion, with The Ghoul of all people. His next words had you going deathly still, staring wide-eyed at the mildewed ceiling. “Can I show ya?” 

In just one sentence, he managed to change the entire atmosphere of the conversation, of your relationship. You wouldn’t deny, the idea of being intimate with him was appealing, and definitely not the first time you’d thought of it. What made this time different, though, was that you didn’t push those thoughts away, disgust and shame not overwhelming you. And it was also different because this wasn’t just a scenario that you’d played out in your head, alone while you slept. No, this was actually happening. 

“What?” You managed to stammer out, sitting up slowly. Your mouth went dry at the way he stared at you, almost hungrily. You squirmed under his intense gaze, which seemed to please the man. 

“Can I show ya what it’s supposed to feel like?” He repeated again, and one of his gloves hands crept across the couch, resting an inch away from where your legs were. “If ya don’t want this, just say the word, and we can pretend like this ain’t ever happened. But I can promise ya won’t regret it.” For once, you were grateful for his self-assurance and cockiness, as it bolstered your own confidence in your decision. 

It felt like five hours had passed before you nodded, and you felt his hand brush up your clothed calf, gripping the muscle lightly. “Lemme hear ya say it, sweetheart.”

Even though it was far from the first time he’d called you sweetheart, the implications now made your face burn even more. He made it sound dirty, and you had to take a breath before speaking. “Show me.” Your voice barely came out as a whisper; any louder and you feared it would crack.

You let out a startled noise when he pulled you close to him using the hand on your calf, the action effortless; you’d forgotten how unnaturally strong he was. You were now laying down fully on the couch, hair splayed out around you. He moved between your legs, hands now braced on either side of your head as he leaned above you. His face hovered a few inches from yours, and you could feel his breath as he spoke. “You gotta let me know if ya don’t like somethin��, deal?”

“Deal.” 

You shivered when you felt him caress your cheek, a surprisingly gentle gesture from the rough man you knew. He smiled at your body’s response to him. “Finally,” he muttered out, but you didn’t get a chance to ask for further elaboration before his lips were on yours. 

Unlike his touch, they weren’t gentle, almost bruisingly strong against yours. You groaned, and you could feel him smirk. The hand that had been touching your face settled, grasping the side of your face in a warm, gloved palm. The other hand remained braced by your head, keeping him upright. You found yourself latching your own around his wrist, the other grabbing a handful of his shirt, trying to find some way to keep you grounded. 

Kissing felt even better than you’d imagined it would. You didn’t think it would be so enjoyable, feel so good, so right. It was like his lips were made to slot perfectly against yours. If you concentrated hard enough, you could taste cherry pie filling the both of you had eaten. You jolted when you felt teeth tug at your bottom lip, a droplet of pain in the sea of pleasure, and your grip tightened even more, threatening to tear the clothing. You didn’t think he would mind. 

Energy pulsed through your body, and you found yourself unconsciously beginning to move, your hips moving in small circles. A familiar tension began to form in your lower body, something you felt during your late night thoughts of The Ghoul. Even though it was only just forming, you’d never felt it this intensely before, and you were desperate for some kind of relief. 

An amused chuckle left him, pulling away slightly to do so. You almost whined at the loss of contact, and you attempted to pull him back down with the hand that currently had a fistfull of his clothing, but he didn’t budge. “Eager?” It was a rhetorical question, but you found yourself nodding anyway. 

“Please.” What you were asking for, you weren’t quite sure. Your words trailed off into a sigh when you felt his lips return, this time along your jaw by your ear. He left your cheek, running down the front of your body tantalizingly slow. 

“Where’s these manners comin’ from?” It sounded like his voice had turned raspier, and it elicited a shiver from your body, his lips still pressed close to your ear. “If this was all it took for ya to start actin’ all proper, then I would’ve done this weeks ago,” he teased, and his fingers ran underneath your breasts. 

Maybe it was his lips on your skin, or the way he pressed his body into yours, or the way he touched you, but you lost control of the words tumbling from your mouth. “I would’ve let you,” you admitted, and even though it was quiet you heard his breath hitch. 

“Yeah?” His voice had somehow gotten even raspier, and he groaned when you nodded. “Fuck, sweetheart,” his teeth nipped at your earlobe before moving further down your neck. You no longer felt his lips; instead you felt tongue and teeth leaving marks, growing more fervent as he descended. 

You let go of his shirt, your fingers popping uncomfortably, yet you paid it no mind. You rested your hand on the back of his head instead, almost immediately pulling it away, unsure if he wanted to be touched or not. But you felt him gently grab your wrist, bringing your hand back to where it had once been, making an approving noise when your fingers made contact. 

When he reached the strap of your shoulder armor, you felt him immediately get to work at losing the strap, and you sighed in relief when fresh air hit the newly exposed skin. He tossed it to the side somewhere, and it didn’t take long for your chestpiece to join it. The only thing left on the top half of your body was your bra and tank top, yet you felt completely naked, both because of the lack of armor and the way his eyes bore into your body.

His eyes trailed over the top of your chest, which was rising and falling rapidly, greedily taking in the swell of your breasts. You gasped when he took them in his hands, kneading and toying with the tender flesh. Even through the thick material of his gloves and your clothing, you could still feel his heat. But you wanted to feel him closer. You wanted to feel his bare hands on your body. 

Before you could even comprehend what you were doing, you were tearing off your tank top, throwing it somewhere in the room. You arched your back, your chest pressing further into his touch, and he groaned. Reaching behind, you had enough confidence to unlatch your bra and remove it, but not enough to look him in the eye. Your cheeks were burning, a flush creeping down your neck. 

“Fuckin’ perfect,” you heard him mutter, and his praise gave you enough confidence to finally return your gaze to his, expecting them to be locked on your chest. And they were, at least until he felt your eyes on him. His pupils were blown out, irises gone, and the almost predatory smirk on his face made you look away again, the tension in your body growing. 

“Take them off,” you whispered when his touch returned. His movement stilled, much to your dismay. “Your gloves,” you pleaded. “Take them off.”

When he didn’t respond, you forced your attention away from the ceiling, breath catching when you looked into his eyes. “And here I was praisin’ your manners,” he rebuked, and even through the lust in his eyes you could see a playful glint. “C’mon, you can do better than that.”

“Please take your gloves off,” you responded immediately, not caring if you sounded desperate. “I wanna feel your hands on me, please.”

“Much better,” he practically purred, and you watched him bring a hand up to his own mouth, tugging the glove off his hand with his teeth and letting it fall, landing on your body. It almost felt wrong to see his hands without gloves on them; it felt like he was more undressed than you.

He wasted no time in returning his now bare touch to your breasts, and it felt better than you thought it would. Fingers dexterously toyed with your now perked nipples, pulling little noises from you. You never thought it would be enjoyable to have someone playing with your breasts like this, but you were happily proven wrong.

It was when his mouth joined the fray that your noises turned louder, his lips wrapping around your other nipple. When his teeth grazed the sensitive bud, your hips bucked right against his, and you felt him groan against your chest. Wanting to hear that noise again, you repeated the action, and your ears were blessed once again. 

But your victory was short lived, and the hand that had been by your head the entire time finally moved, pressing your hips down into the couch. “Behave,” you heard him growl, not halting his attention towards your chest. But you did see his eyes flick up, making it look like he was glaring at you, and you found your mouth going dry. You nodded, not finding it in yourself to go against him just yet, to see how far you could push him. You hoped there would be a next time.

He continued to lavish your chest for a few more moments, swapping his hand and mouth, continuously building up that tension in your core. You fought against the desire to move your hips, his “threat” still ringing in your ears. Your hand was still resting on the back of his head, trying and failing to keep your nails from digging into his scalp. A particularly hard suck had them biting in deep, but any apology you had died on your lips at the sinful moan he let out, followed by a string of expletives. You took a mental note to do that again later.

With a pop, he removed his mouth from your chest, and he let you pull him up into a searing kiss. His hand sneaked down between your bodies, which you only realized when you felt his fingers run beneath the waistband of your jeans and underwear.

He pulled away, sitting back on his heels, and you weren’t quite sure who was panting heavier. You immediately missed the feel of his body over yours, the comforting weight of him, and you couldn’t help the small pout that formed on your lips as you tried and failed to pull him back down again. “Please,” you whispered, hoping that your words would convince him. And you could tell they almost worked, his jaw clenching as he grit his teeth. 

But he didn’t relent. Instead, you watched as he began to slowly unclip your gunbult, your armor, your kneepads. Every bit of protection against the Wasteland stripped from you, joining the pile on the floor, leaving you only in your clothes. It was freeing, yet a bit nerve wracking, your chest continuing to rise and fall rapidly. 

You tried to lean down to help with your boots, but he swatted your hands away, silencing any rebuttal with a look. It took a few moments, but he eventually was able to remove your boots and socks, but you barely heard the sound of them hitting the floor over the loud heartbeat in your ears. He practically ripped off your pants, his patience becoming thin because of the boots, but you were just grateful he didn’t actually ripped them. Good clothing was hard to come by.

His gaze was locked onto your lower body as he eased off your underwear, the final article of clothing on your body joining the rest. You were almost glad to be rid of them; they were cold and uncomfortable, and damp, for some reason. But it didn’t seem to put off The Ghoul. In fact, it seemed to please him immensely, an almost proud grin on his lips.  

You quickly grew embarrassed under his ravenous gaze, his eyes trailing over every inch of your body. You tried to close your legs, or at least tuck them to your chest to try and cover you, but he was having none of it. Two hands, one gloved and one not, wrapped around your ankles, pulling them back down and out. “None of that. Lemme see ya.”

Swallowing, you relaxed, at least as well as you could. It became easier when you saw how much he was loving your body. His eyes jumped around, like he was trying to memorize every detail of you. “Like I said. Fuckin’. Perfect.” You weren’t expecting the sheer honesty in his voice. 

The hands on your ankles began to slowly trail up, making goosebumps appear on your skin. It was like your skin was a million times more sensitive when someone else was touching you. You got lost in his touch, your eyes fluttering close, simply enjoying the feel of another person. 

They shot open when his touch suddenly left, and you gaped at him, confused. You watched him adjust so that he was now sitting normally on the couch, resting against the back of it. 

You understood, though, when he patted his legs, wanting you on his lap. With shaky movements, you complied, but were once again confused when he stopped you, hand resting on your shoulder. Wordlessly, he turned you so that your back was to him, and you let out a startled noise when he roughly pulled you onto his lap, his still clothed chest pressing into your bare shoulders. 

Moving the hair from your neck, you felt his lips return their ministration on your neck, and your head rolled back, giving him more access. Both hands were on your body, ungloved one returning to your breasts, the other skating down the side of your body. You gasped when it began to inch towards your center, and you felt him chuckle. “So sensitive,” he commented almost absentmindedly.

You felt him grip your thigh, spreading your legs even farther so that they went around his own, now using his knees to keep your legs open. It left you completely exposed and at his mercy, but you felt comfortable, safe even. Relaxing fully against his chest, your head now rests on his shoulder, and if you strained enough you were able to look at him. It was clear by the expression on his face that he was enjoying this just as much as you were, if not more.

He reached his hands around your body, and began to pull the glove off his other hand. You stopped him with a gentle grasp of his wrist, tugging his hand to your mouth. Just like he did, you took the material between your teeth, and he was able to free his hand with a tug. “Thank you, sweetheart,” he rasped. “Think ya can do one for thing for me?”

“Anything,” you responded, and you felt two of his fingers, the middle and ring, trace your bottom lip. 

“Anythin’?” You nodded, not caring what that might imply. “Well, I’ll have to keep that in mind. But first,” those fingers tugged at your lip, “get those nice and wet for me.”

Even though you weren’t quite sure what you were doing, you parted your lips anyway, taking the digits into your wet mouth. Slowly, you began to bob your head up and down, running your tongue along the textured skin, barely tasting the saltiness of it. Whatever you were doing seemed to please him, because you felt his chest rumble with a groan. 

Before you could build a rhythm, he pulled them out with a pop, and they glistened in the low light. He didn’t give you much time to observe them, though, because before you could process he was running them through your folds. The sudden touch in your most sensitive area made you try and shut your legs, but his knees made it impossible.

His chest rumbled with a light laugh, and you were confused as to what could possibly be amusing him. “Guess that wasn’t necessary; you’re already so damn wet for me.” You detected another hint of pride, this time in his voice. 

Another swipe had you moaning, but then you felt his fingers locate something between your legs that made you cry out, your legs jerking involuntarily. “There we go,” he rumbled, and he focused his attention on that area, fingers pressing firm and slow circles into it. You weren’t quite sure what he was doing, but it felt incredible, the tension that had slowly begun to rescind returning. 

You tried to tell him, but it came out as a garbled moan instead. “Feel good?” It was another rhetorical question, and you yet again nodded, and you watched his lips quirk up. 

“Ghoul…” you moaned out, one of your hands reaching behind to hold the back of his head, needing something to hold onto as he continued to pleasure you. 

For the first time since you’d met him, something like self-consciousness flicked across his face, gone as soon as it came. “That ain’t my name, sweetheart. C’mon, lemme hear ya say it,” he almost sounded desperate as he talked. 

It took a moment for your lust-addled brain to remember what he had told you earlier in the night. “Cooper…” you sighed out, and he bit back his own moan, and you felt his hips jump the tiniest bit. 

“And I thought I liked hearing ya say my name, but fuck, I like hearin’ ya moan it a hundred times more.” You realized that when you had seen something shift in his eyes when you first said his name was disdain, it was actually the opposite. That realization had you smiling, and you managed to pull him down into a messy kiss, the angle too weird to allow a proper meeting of your lips. 

But it wouldn’t have lasted long anyways, another few moments of his fingers making you cry out again, that tension beginning to become unbearable, like it was just on the precipice of snapping. “Cooper.” It came out as a moan, but with a hint of confusion and worry behind it, unsure of what was happening with your body.

“You close?” 

“Close?” You had enough focus left to be confused, and even though his fingers didn’t yield, you felt the rest of him go still. 

“You’ve never… oh, fuck,” his voice turned husky, almost like a growl, “am I gonna make you come for the first time?” He sounded elated. It just created more questions, but another swirl of his fingers made all thoughts go out the window.

You fidgeted and squirmed, trying to escape the onslaught of things you were feeling. “Relax. I promise ya, this’ll feel good.” And because you trusted him, foolishly or not, you did relax, no longer fighting against him. It felt like you were a dam that was about to burst, and you barely registered that your nails were digging back into his scalp until you heard one of those delicious moans escape his lips.

That sound triggered something in you, and all at once that tension snapped, exploding like something that was pulled too tight. Pleasure ignited your body, making it feel as light as a feather. Every nerve in your body was humming, and you swore you blacked out for a moment. 

His voice, gruff yet a bit concerned, brought you back to your body. “Breathe,” you heard him say, and you realized the dizziness you were feeling wasn’t just because of the mind-shattering pleasure you’d just felt, but you indeed had stopped breathing. Inhaling shakily, you felt some of that dizziness leaving now that oxygen had returned to your lungs. 

An uncomfortable jolt had you glancing down between your legs, where he continued to pull every last bit of pleasure from your body. “S’too much,” you managed to slur out, your voice quite hoarse. He halted, thankfully, resting his hand on your thigh, still close enough to your center that you could feel the heat from his hands. 

“You alright, sweetheart?” He sounded mildly amused, and if your muscles weren’t currently jelly you would’ve hit him. 

“I… what did…” you said between gasping breaths, trying to get your heart rate back down. 

“You just came. Rather loudly, at that,” he teased, and your incredibly hoarse voice made sense now. You were suddenly very glad that you were in the middle of nowhere. 

Turning so that you were able to face him better, you felt the material of his pants rub against your bare legs, which wouldn’t have been too weird if it weren’t for the fact they were wet, borderline soaked. The hand that had just been resting on your thigh was brought into view, just as soaked as his pants, and you watched as he examined his hand, almost transfixed. “And messily,” he added, and you felt your cheeks burn even more than they already were. 

You opened your mouth, ready to apologize, but nothing but an airy noise left you as you watched his tongue run from up from his wrist to his fingers. A pleased hum left him, his eyes never once leaving your own as he continued to clean his hand, like it was the most delicious thing he’d ever tasted, even better than the desert you had shared. There was a stir in your gut at the action, what you now assumed to be arousal coming to life as you continued to watch him. 

When he caught you staring, his lips twisted into one of those smirks that made your stomach flip. Turning fully in his lap so you were now straddling him, you tugged his wrist far enough away so that you could kiss him. You groaned when his tongue swept between your parted lips, his slightly damp hand holding the side of your face gently. 

With shaky fingers, you began to try and unbutton his shirt. You didn’t get far before he was suddenly standing, and even though he had an arm tucked beneath your thighs, you still clung on to him, legs and arms wrapping around him tightly. Not once did he remove his lips, even when he bumped into a few things on the way to the bed. It was like all that mattered was you and the way you felt. 

The bed, which was barely big enough for one person, let alone two, squeaked obnoxiously when he lowered you onto it, but neither of you paid attention to it. And it wasn’t like you had to worry about anyone else hearing. Like on the couch, he hovered over your body, arms braced on either side of you. His lips were back on your neck, giving you a few moments to take heaving breaths of air. 

For once during the entire night, you knew what was about to happen next, but even though you could feel anxiety threaten to grip your mind, you managed to shove it off. It was easier when you focused your attention on the man in your arms. His continued attention was nice, but you wanted, needed more. “Cooper, please…” you trailed off, hoping he got what you were asking for.

And you know he did, because you felt his lips curl into a smile against the skin of your neck, and he lifted his head up. You don’t think you’ve ever seen him so care-free, and the sight had your heart swelling, a small gasp leaving you as well. He looked good like this, and a part of you craved to see it for days to come. 

“What was that, sweetheart? I didn’t quite hear what ya said.” For a moment, you retracted your previous stance, embarrassment making your ears burn. You either wanted to kiss or slap that shit-eating smirk off his face when he noticed how bashful you’d grown. “I’ll give ya whatever you want. All ya gotta do is ask.”

Your pride and embarrassment were at war with your desire, but a winner was quickly decided. “Please, I need you, Cooper.”

Apparently that wasn’t good enough, because he didn’t move. “You need me to…?” You groaned in frustration, and you tried to get him to just forget it with a roll of your hips, trying to make him break. It seemed to almost work, but you felt him press down firmly on your hips, pinning you to the bed. “That ain’t gonna help ya. Use your words.”

You sighed, finally relenting. “Fuck me, please,” you whispered out, and it finally seemed to do the trick.

“Atta girl,” he praised. “Go ‘head and roll over for me.”

As much as you wanted to be able to see him clearly, excitement had you turning over anyway, now on your hands and knees. The position was revealing and it almost felt degrading, but yet again you felt at ease, anticipation making your heart beat fast. Turning your head, you were able to see him a bit, and a moan slipped from your lips when you heard the sound of his belt being undone, the sound of a zipper following suit. This was really happening. 

One of his hands gripped your hips, and you felt his still clothed legs pressed up against the back of your own. His cock, warm and solid, pressed into your entrance, a low groan pulled from your lips when he breached it. It was only the tiniest bit painful, not as bad as you initially believed it would be, like a muscle being stretched, which was earlier overshadowed by the pleasure it brought. He let out a groan of his own, the fingers on your hips digging in harshly. 

Inch by inch, you felt him press himself fully into you, both of you letting out similar sighs when he was fully sheathed. Cold metal bit into your skin when his hips were flush with yours, the buckle of his belt no doubt going to leave imprints on your skin. He stilled once he was fully in you, giving you a chance to get adjusted to him, which you were grateful for. You could tell that it was taking every ounce of restraint in his body to just sit there, though, and it only took a few moments until you felt like you were ready for him to move. 

All it took was you wiggling your hips for him to get the message, something like a sigh of relief leaving his lips. Slowly, he pulled out of you, fingers never once letting go of their grip. The sensation made you moan, and you could feel him everywhere, hitting all the right spots as he pulled out.

You grasped at the barely-together bedsheets, probably creating new holes in the fabric. It was less uncomfortable when he pushed back a second time, and you felt your head go limp between your arms, his name falling from your lips. He started creating a rhythm, hips beginning to pick up the pace. His hips snapped into yours, slowly at first, but gradually picking up speed.

You could do nothing but take it, pleasure making you lose control of your body. Your cries were becoming increasingly louder, that familiar tension returning, and you tried to bury your face in the mattress. 

That was until you felt him grab a fistfull of your hair, yanking your head back up. It hurt, but it felt wonderful, and you felt yourself tense, a wanton moan louder than anything previous escaping you. “Fuck, ya like it rough?” His pace quickened, his cock spearing you relentlessly. It filled something in you that you didn’t quite know you needed, a craving satiated that you didn’t know you had. But now that you had it, you needed more of it. 

You nodded, at least as best you could, the grip in your hair keeping your head still. It took you too long to realize that he was using the leverage from his grip in your hair to pound into you. “D’ya know how fuckin’ incredible ya feel?” He panted. “This cunt was made for me. For me to ruin.” 

“Cooper,” you cried out, and he groaned in appreciation. 

“Fuck, that’s right. Who’s fuckin’ ya this good? Who’s ruinin’ ya for any other?”

You certainly weren’t expecting him to be this vocal, but you were far from complaining. His voice, which normally electrified you, was driving you insane, the tension building up tenfold. You tried to say his name again, but it came out incoherent. “Oh, sweetheart,” he cooed before laughing lightly. 

You were so close to your release again, and you could feel moisture run down your thighs, but you had little mind to be embarrassed now. “Cooper,” you were able to sigh out. “I’m… I’m close.”

His grip turned vice like, and you’re sure your neck would be hurting later because of the angle, but you didn’t care. “Let go. C’mon, lemme feel ya cum on my cock.” His words left no room for debate, so who were you to go against his orders? After a few more thrusts, you felt that tension snap again, pleasure once again washing over your body, making your arms turn to jelly. Panting, you collapsed on your arms, face squished against the mattress, the sound of slick skin on skin the only thing you could make out.

You didn’t stay down for long. Both hands wrapped around your front, pulling you flush against his body. He continued to thrust into you, and you felt another release begin to build, but it was too much. You made a sound of protest, something like you couldn’t come again, but he shushed you with kisses on your cheeks, which were damp with tears and sweat. “Just one more, sweetheart. You can do it.”

Nodding shakily, you felt his continue to fuck you, one arm wrapping around your stomach, the other holding right above your breasts. A startled noise left you when you felt his hand wrap around your throat, survival instinct kicking in immediately. With wide eyes, you twisted out of his grasp on your throat, panic evident on your face. 

He had let go as soon as he heard any sound of protest, but he still lingered close by. “You trust me?” He asked, somehow still able to form a coherent sentence. 

Your answer came immediately; you trusted him with your life. Why else would you travel the Wasteland with him? You nodded, a soft yes leaving you as you did. He pressed another grateful kiss to your cheek, a wordless thank you, and you felt his hand return to where it was. You still tensed when you felt his grip return, unable to turn off the instinct to be free of someone choking you, but you provided no further protest. 

Fingers squeezed against the sides of your neck, and like with your hair he used the leverage to snap his hips up into you. Even though it was harder, you were still able to breathe, your gasps and noises labored. Yet you still found yourself growing dizzy, the restricted blood flow making you so, which just heightened the pleasure you felt. 

Your third and final release of the night barreled into you, completely catching you both off guard. Your mind was so fuzzy; you couldn’t even get his name out. You were quickly snapped out of that haze when you heard him moan your name. Not sweetheart, not Vaultie, not any other nickname. Your name. 

He eased you to the bed, hand leaving your neck, and you let out a small whine when you felt him pull out of you. You felt empty, lacking, and even though you knew it would upset your overstimulated body you wanted him back in you. 

You had just rolled onto your back when you felt something hot splatter against your skin. You watched slack-jawed as he stroked himself to completion, his release painting your skin. The sight caused the flames of arousal to reignite, but you tried your best to snuff them out; you needed a moment. 

He sagged forward when he was done, arms once again bracing him from completely falling on top of you. Silence now filled the air, which was significantly warmer than it was a bit ago. It was you who moved first, grasping the side of his scarred face and pulling him in for a gentle kiss. It was short, but probably the most passionate of the night. 

When it broke, he sat up, getting up and off the bed and towards his belongings. You let out a noise of protest, and he just shot you a teasing look. “I’ll be back in a sec. We gotta get ya cleaned up,” he gestured to the remnants of him on your skin, and you watched as he fished out a canteen, before searching the area for something else. 

You decided to glance over your body as you waited for him to return. Your skin glistened with sweat, and you could see various marks littering your body; you didn’t want to know what your neck looked like, where he focused a lot of his attention.

The feeling of the bed shifting snapped you out of your examination, and you regarded the man who sat beside you with a soft look, and you were surprised when he returned it. It quickly turned into a scowl when you felt a damp cloth brush against your stomach and breasts, the cool water making you hiss. 

When he was done cleaning your skin, he handed you the canteen, and you took a few sips. You’d long since gotten used to the acrid taste of the Wasteland’s water, so it didn’t bother you, and you watched him finally kick off his boot. He was still fully dressed besides that, shirt sticking to his body.He set it beside the bed once you finished, before eying the bed that you were currently laying on.

“What?” You cringed at how raspy your voice sounded.

“Just dunno how I’m gonna fit.” In the back of your mind, you worried that he was going to push you away after all was said and done, so you were quite relieved to find the opposite happening. 

With a grin, you scooted back until your head rested against the thin pillow, before opening your arms to him. Shock crossed his features for a split second, before a grin of his own grew on his lips. He was still hesitant when he entered your embrace, but he relaxed almost immediately, especially when your hands ran soothingly up and down his back. When you pressed a kiss to the top of his head, he practically shuddered, his face nuzzling into your skin. You wondered how long it had been since someone showed him affection like this. 

You held him for a good while, your body calming down, and you thought over the events that had just transpired. Weirdly enough, you thought less about the things he had done and more of the words he said, especially right at the beginning. “Cooper?” You called out hesitantly, almost immediately regretting it. “Do… Can I call you that?”

He had raised his head when he heard his name being called, and you watched him debate it for a second. “Only in private. I’ve gotta reputation to uphold.” His response was gruff, but there was something warm in his eyes. 

It made you giddy, that he trusted you enough to call him by his true name, and you hoped you weren’t smiling like a fool. “Alright, Cooper. What did you mean when you said ‘finally’?”

He chuckled lightly, propping up a big so he could respond properly. “What, ya thought this was a spur of the moment decision?” He shook his head. “Sweetheart, I’ve wanted this for a while.”

You gaped at him, stunned. “You… you have?”

“How could I not? I mean, look at’cha,” his eyes trailed appreciatively over your still naked body. “But you’ve got a fire ‘bout ya. You ain’t afraid of this world, even though you damn well should be. You ain’t afraid of me, even though I’ve given ya plenty of reason to be. You’re a fighter, and I… I admire that ‘bout you. I-” He caught himself, like he said something he wasn't supposed to. “I’m too sober to be discussin’ my thoughts with ya. All ya gotta know is yes, I have.”

You were once again left stunned, so you let your action speak for you, pressing another kiss to his head, trying to ignore the way your heart soared. You felt him shift upwards, and he kissed your proper. It was another short yet passionate kiss, and when he broke away he rested his head against yours. 

“You wanna know somethin’, sweetheart?” His voice had dropped lower, and that familiar dark look was back in his eyes. So much for snuffing out the arousal you felt. He smirked when you nodded vehemently. “You wanna know the real reason why I always take first watch when we go to bed?�� You felt his grasp one of your hands, loosely enough that you could pull it away if you wanted to, and he brought it between your bodies. You gasped when you felt the hard tent in his pants, having tucked himself away when he got up, but you knew it wasn’t going to stay like that for long. 

“It’s ‘cause you do this to me. You should hear me out there, moanin’ your name like I do, imaginin’ your hand wrapped ‘round my cock instead of mine.”

Your tiredness was completely forgotten, the pleasant ache in your muscles nothing more than a gentle distraction. “Can you show me?”

“Fuckin’ gladly, sweeheart.”

[yelenasdiary]

Hello, I am resubmitting my order. And I want to say that I'm sorry for these horrible comments that you are receiving without meaning, people have to understand that everyone has their time and deserves to live their life in the best way possible.

-> I have a pretty cute request I think? 😂 like, I'm a pretty whiny person when it comes to getting vaccinated. You can make it like it's Maximoff family day to go for the annual vaccines, Wanda and the kids get it with no problems, but Reader is a crybaby and gets all sensitive just wanting Wanda's cuddles afterward, which is funny because Reader is the strongest in the family, but at needle time she gets all whiny. I hope you can write because I really need a hug after getting vaccinated 😖

[ sorry if my english sucks, that's not my first language, but I hope you understand ]

I want you to feel free to do this or not. 😊

Vaccination Day

Pairing: Wanda Maximoff x Reader

Summary: The yearly vaccinations updates brings out a whole new side of you.

Fluff | Mentions of Needles | They/Them pronouns |  0.9K | 

AC: I HATE needs! I used to donate blood just fine thou lmao! I hope this helps, I’m sorry it took a while!  

"Well done Billy, you're all done! Just sit for a few moments then you can help yourself to a lollypop" the nurse smiled as she placed a Band-Aid on Billy's arm. "Thank you!" The boy smiled before he looked at you and Wanda as he swung his legs back and forth. 

"My turn!!" Tommy rolled up his sleeve to his shoulder as the nurse prepared the next vaccination. 

You hated to show it but you couldn't control how your hands where shaky and your eyes tightly closed when you saw the needle. "Something the matter baby?" Wanda whispered without taking her eyes off the twins. "You'll laugh at me" you replied in the same softened tone. Wanda slowly turned her head to look at you, she raised a brow slightly at your reply. 

"Laugh at you? Darling, are you scared of needles?" she asked with a now amused look. 

"N-n-no?" 

"Is that a question?" Wanda chuckled. 

"I told you; you would laugh!" you pouted before your eyes shifted to Tommy who sat perfectly still for the nurse, not even a flinch came from either of your boys as the needle pinched their skin. "Oh honey, if the boys can do without making a huss, so can you" Wanda's amused look didn't budge, you looked at her and sighed, "I'm being serious Wands, I hate needles! More than I hate spiders" you whispered so the twins wouldn't hear. 

"Your turn Ma!" Billy stood up and reached for a lollypop out of the nurse's jar. "It's okay buddy, Mom wants to get hers done first" you nervously smiled at your son before your eyes traveled to Wanda who just tilted her head slightly at you and shook her head.

You watched Wanda get her vaccinations with your nerves getting the better of you causing you to excuse yourself from the room. "Is Ma okay?" The boys turned to Wanda with a worried look. "They are fine, they just don't like needles" she explained trying her best not to let her amusement get the better of her. 

"But they don't even hurt" Tommy commented with a confused frown, "I know love but even though we are strong and can take a vaccine, doesn't mean Ma isn't strong either. Do you boys remember when Sparky ran away? Do you remember how scared you boys were and worried that we might not find him?" 

The twins nodded, "Well, that's how Ma is feeling right now. This is a little scary to them" Wanda added as the nurse placed a band-aid on her arm, "don't worry, I've seen plenty of adults get scared over needles, it's normal" the nurse pitched in. "Really?" the twins asked the young nurse, "of course" she smiled as she began to prepare the next vaccine. "Ma doesn't have to be scared!" Billy looked at Wanda who smiled softly at him, "Yeah, let's go find them" Tommy suggested.

"How about you boys wait here and I'll go find Ma" Wanda suggested before looking at the nurse, "is that okay? I'm sorry, I know you're busy" she added. "Oh, it's fine" the nurse smiled. 

Wanda stepped out of the room to find you sitting in the waiting room with your right knee bouncing to distract you from your nerves. She smiled softly to herself before she walked over to you and took a seat beside you, placing a hand over your bouncing knee. "Honey, it's okay" her thumb stroked your knee, "tell me what you need" she added as you looked at her. 

"Will you hold my hand?" you asked in a soft and quiet tone, "I mean, so I can squeeze it when the nurse pricks me with the needle" you added. Wanda couldn't help by chuckle, "yes my love, I'll hold your hand and after we can take the boys for ice cream before we go home" Her thumb continued to stroke your knee. 

"I'm not getting it done in front of the boys"

"Don't worry baby, they already know Ma is a little scared of needles" she chuckled before placing a kiss on your cheek, "come on love, lets get his over with so I can give you all the cuddles you want when we get home" she added. 

"I'd like that" you smiled softly. 

----

Wanda held your hand as the twins held your other has the nurse gave you the vaccination, light tears filled your eyes at the prick feeling from the needle. Even though you were seen as the strongest member of the family, the boys promised that from now on that they would hold your hand next year and make it a little tradition that Ma gets to pick a treat for after. 

Ice cream definitely helped take your mind off the events of the day, Wanda kept you close to her and showered you with kisses and praises to make you feel better. Although she couldn't help herself and made a couple of jokes which did actually cause you to giggle. After dinner and when the twins were tucked into bed, Wanda continued to shower you with love and affection, giving you the biggest and warmest cuddles as you fell asleep in her arms while watching your favorite movie. 

Even though you didn't feel so tough and strong today, Wanda didn't look at you any differently, you were still the strongest member of the family in her eyes and the twins.

Taglist: @red1culous | @sayah13 | @charl-lally | @when-wolves-howl | @bentleywolf29 | @fxckmiup | @lissaaaa145 | @high--power | @parkerdaramitzzzz  | @mmmmokdok | @wackymcstupid | @kiwiana145 | @shin-conan-kun | @nattyolw | @ripofflizzie | @goofy-goonie | @makegoodchoices | @wandsmxmff | @apollo2907 | @wandaroman0ff | @dumb-fawkin-bitch | @lovelyy-moonlight | @santana1437 | @fluffyblanketgecko | @puta1 | @inluvwithfictionalwomen | @tintedrose12 | @jaymieflorissssssss | @tita001 | @lizzieslcver | @youralphawolf72 | @donnietarantino | @natashamaximoff69 | @hehehehannahthings | @pandaemonium111 | @secrettoallofyou | @romantic-slaps-on-the-asss | @marvel-fan-2021 | @mmmmokdok | @riveramorylunar | @ripofflizzie | @marvel-madnessx | @scarsw1fe | @toldthatdevil | 

[wheresmycontent]

Cognitive Dissonance [Demon Slayer]

Muzan Kibutsuji x Reader [Gender Neutral]

C|TW: none,

For centuries Muzan spent his extended life searching for the flower that’ll help him conquer the sun. Dedicating his life to becoming powerful would be fruitless without being able to work in the sunlight. He’s read every book he could get his hands on and has followed each clue to its dead end. You’d think he would’ve made a discovery with the number of demons he has under his control but they’ve proven time and time again that they’re incapable of making him proud.

He’s long given up on the lower ranks providing anything other than failure, opting to use them as distractions and bait for the demon slayer corps. It’s the upper moons that are now responsible for aiding his research on the blue spider lily. Whether he wants to admit it or not it’d be just as pointless considering the plant hasn’t been spotted for decades. That won’t stop him though. The last thing he’ll do is accept that he’s never going to survive in the sunlight.

For years you’ve watched with fascination as your parents worked to create serums and medicine. Your father studied as a botanist and your mother was a pharmacologist. They’d teach you little things about drugs and plants, in the way a child would understand. It always blew your mind that with the right knowledge plants could change people’s lives and even save them. That’s why you followed their footsteps and combined both of their science backgrounds to continue to aid people.

Aside from making medicines or herbal remedies, you had a passion for unique plants. During your childhood your parents would often travel to different places and take you with them. It seemed that everyone had a special or mythical flower of some sort. Promising to heal mortal illnesses or give humans a gift. Sure it was relatively fictional but your curious mind would always wonder if you could discover a mythical or legendary plant.

Now having the knowledge and resources you sometimes set your duties aside to research unique plant life. For most it seemed like a waste of time yet you were able to resurrect a flower once said to heal deadly illnesses. The Moonlight Zinnia. Its delicate petals shimmered as if they were dusted with silver and the ends of the petal were a soft blue. It was a beautiful flower that allowed you to finally create a cure for the common cold. Its unique genes aided in fighting against multiple rhinoviruses, thus providing the necessary material to create the vaccine.

Humans weren’t the only ones applauding your success though. Posing as the adopted child of an elderly couple that happened to study pharmacology, Muzan heard the news. His false parents were marveling at your contribution to the world of medicine and hoped to collaborate in the future. Surely you could help them develop a drug to cure their son’s deadly condition. While the vaccine itself caught Muzan’s attention he was more interested in the fact that you actually managed to resurrect an extinct plant.

The next night, Muzan broke into your home as you slept. Searching through your lab trying to find the notes you have written about your discovery. He wanted to read every detail so he could understand how you were able to achieve such a feat in a matter of months while he’s been going in circles for centuries! His temper seemed to get the best of him as he grew annoyed, the thought of a mere human beating him was enough to have Muzan breaking anything in his reach. It was clear to him that he’d be better off forcing you to do his work.

You wake up in confusion at the strange walls and decor, it wasn’t hideous or anything, it was just unfamiliar. As in you don’t understand why you aren’t in your home. There’s an eerie silence, disturbed only by the sound of your breathing that becomes heavier as you start to panic.

It pissed him off listening as you lost your mind at the simple act of being relocated. You’re supposed to be above this, seeing as you have a great mind. Yet you’re sprinting through the halls embodying a frightened child that has lost its mother at the market. He unclenched his teeth and relaxed enough for the veins on his face to disappear before having Nakime direct you to him.

You’re not given a moment to comprehend what’s happening. Muzan begins asking you questions, expecting you to answer swiftly. Giving you the same treatment he would the lower rank demons, failing to bear in mind that you’ve just witnessed the walls and doors change around you in a way that shouldn’t be possible. He shouts your name through clenched teeth in annoyance, causing you to freeze up.

You didn’t expect him to ask you questions concerning the fabled Blue Spider Lily that went extinct. Sure you’ve heard a few rumors and stories about the flower but that didn’t explain why you were snatched from your home and trapped in some maze of a mansion! It got worse though, Muzan had no problem admitting that he wanted you to dedicate your life to resurrecting the flower for him. That his goal was to walk into the sunlight as a demon and conquer the human race.

His words go through one ear and out the other as you’re trying to understand the reality of your situation. You hear Muzan mention transforming you into a demon to have control over you, in case you got any ideas. Snapping out of your thoughts, you blurt out that it’ll ruin your chances of bringing back the Blue Spider Lily, veins appear on his face and his nails become like claws. You reason that according to the rumors the flower only bloomed in the sunlight at certain times so being a demon, you wouldn’t be capable of growing the flower.

The woman, Nakime, struck the chords of her biwa before you could continue. Now standing in the empty halls the eerie silence filled the space again, leaving your mind to race as you wondered what would happen. Were you going to die alone without your family finding you, are your parents even going to know where to look? Since Muzan and that woman playing the biwa are demons, does that mean they’ll devour you?

The next time you heard the music, you were suddenly in a room standing in front of Muzan. He tells you that from this day forward your sole purpose would be serving him. That you’re to dedicate your life to reviving the Blue Spider Lily in order to create a serum. Because you’re most useful as a human you’d be forced to do your research under the watch of Doma. The second rank upper moon. You’d be under heavy supervision, surrounded by the members of his cult with nowhere to go.

Again, before you had the chance to protest Nakime struck the chords of her biwa. This time you were falling between the walkways and opened doors. When the sight of the doors faded from your vision you fell onto an empty path. You look to see a tall demon with pastel rainbow eyes staring down at you, smiling wide as he held a fan near his face.

[leave-your-body]

My name is Anas Al-Sharfa. Since October 7, 2023, we have been suffering from a brutal war that has destroyed our dreams and hopes, exceeding the limits of human comprehension. During this savage war, we have endured hardships that mountains could not bear. We are facing severe water shortages and a critical lack of food and nutrition due to the blockade in northern Gaza for the past 10 months, preventing essential supplies like meat, vegetables, and fruits from entering. This situation has forced us to eat animal feed, leading to weight loss, various diseases, and a significant weakening of our immune systems.

We also suffer from severe water shortages, often walking nearly 1 kilometer to obtain a single gallon of water, which is approximately 16 liters, barely enough for five family members. As a result of the war, our home and agricultural land, which used to provide our daily sustenance, were destroyed and completely bulldozed, leading to major disruptions in our lives. We have also suffered from repeated displacement, moving from one place to another and from one area to another due to the horrific and brutal bombings.

Additionally, we have been deprived of education and the opportunity to build a future. I was studying to become a doctor to help people, but fate did not allow this as my university, where I dreamed of studying, was destroyed. I have been overwhelmed with thoughts during this war—how will I build my future? How will I complete my studies?

We also suffer from fear and terror due to bombings, fire belts, and explosives. Hospitals, which are the lifeline for every sick and needy person, have also been destroyed. We face a shortage of medicines and vaccines while diseases increase and ravage us, with no solution in sight as there are no hospitals or medical supplies available here in Gaza. We live in constant fear for my younger siblings because they haven't received their general vaccinations, particularly after the widespread outbreak of polio due to the lack of cleaning supplies and the massive accumulation of waste in the streets. The streets are also flooded with sewage, posing a grave threat to our children. My brother suffered from jaundice, battling it for about two weeks with fatigue, dizziness, and other symptoms. It's a deadly disease, and as mentioned before, there’s no treatment available due to the destruction of hospitals and health centers.

We are also suffering from the absence of cooking gas, forcing us to use wood and plastic to start fires, which could lead to poisoning. We've been without electricity since October 7, spending days in darkness, causing immense fear in my younger siblings. This has also made it extremely difficult to charge our phones and batteries for lighting at night. We had to travel kilometers from our home to find places with electricity, incurring high costs to charge our phones and batteries.

Moreover, we have had no stable income since the beginning of the war after our agricultural land was destroyed.

I kindly request assistance for my family so that we can live a better life.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/7fn48y-gaza-palestine

https://www.tiktok.com/@anas.alshrafa8?_r=1&_d=eegd1e4bgd3b6m&sec_uid=MS4wLjABAAAAsV6ZBEz6iF1rqntC6MpuWHuPJiIQPYdXX0aAH-pYWmrFXwLlIRmO02n7dFU1mFVM&share_author_id=7405660048045556753&sharer_language=ar&source=h5_m&u_code=efla4echdd989m&timestamp=1724864658&user_id=7405660048045556753&sec_user_id=MS4wLjABAAAAsV6ZBEz6iF1rqntC6MpuWHuPJiIQPYdXX0aAH-pYWmrFXwLlIRmO02n7dFU1mFVM&utm_source=copy&utm_campaign=client_share&utm_medium=android&share_iid=7402927531621926663&share_link_id=002275c1-795d-4f6c-9a63-20dc58e8fe46&share_app_id=1233&ugbiz_name=ACCOUNT&ug_btm=b8727%2Cb0229&social_share_type=5&enable_checksum=1

https://www.instagram.com/anas.2007667?igsh=eXZrcDg3ZXYzbXNr

best of luck to you and your family 💗💗

reverse image search comes clean, and donation is protected. only €522 /€50,000 have been raised. please donate.

[auddityy]

trumpism is actually a great instruction in branding. i think he's genuinely falling out of fashion for the final time in his life but i think studying his career and public persona/mode of communication is an excellent insight into "how to brand".

you have to literally believe and say you are number one and have something to back that up that is either actually of supreme quality or be of an unknown quality to anyone other than your customer, who is 1. such a small minority that they can't sink your public brand to the majority of your audience 2. so rich that they essentially pay a 100% or more markup for the exact same product that poor people use, but with an upper class brand on it - this is exactly what he did with his first big success, trump tower. he bragged that it was made with the absolute premium in materials to the most amazing standards. construction crew said that the materials were the cheapest possible. the trump tower customer was so rich that they would pay more than double in rent simply to be associated with what was said to be the best. the people who couldnt afford it never lived there and could never find out there was no difference. thus there was no proof - he advertised a supreme product and delivered an adequate one.

like its that simple. you have to say, with apparent conviction, that you are the best and then deliver something at least adequate to someone who doesn't know that what they have isn't better than average. you can actually deliver the best, but the most profit is to be found in delivering something adequate, which is what all "number ones" do - none of them ever overdeliver. people who actually deliver the best are number twos, or even lower - they invest so much in the product that their profit and therefore growth falls behind those who cut corners.

the physical difference between "the best" and "adequacy" isn't actually percieved at all by most people. number ones create the feeling of overdelivering through emotion rather than physical substance in the product. saying something is amazing, high quality, and simultaneously having lots of others saying the same thing, generates way more interest and loyalty than physically having a superior product and remaining quiet about it.

i'm thinking about this because the two number ones in regenerative agriculture p*lyface and GJ follow the same method of branding - essentially trumpism. "i'm the best", "i'm amazed at the quality of my product", saying so loudly and often, without ever specifying their own failures or mistakes, unless they fit into a narrative of being long-past (no longer affecting quality of current product) and being a learning experience that actually improved the product.

GJ lost over 200 sheep, more than 90% of his flock in 2023 - nothing about that to be found anywhere online. the only reason i know is because i talked to his wife intimately in person. for over 20 years he's advertised them as the most hardy sheep in the US, and still does, despite losing ALL of the original flock he's built over 30 years... but he repeats many anecdotes of mistakes from 20 years ago that made him a better producer.

also, never responding to critics unless it's in a disparaging way. trump is famous for insulting critics in crazy dramatic ways, but all number ones do this. polyface does it to the USDA, vegans, people who disagreed with their stance on covid/vaccines. GJ does it to conventional people in his comments or just whoever he sees as he's traveling.

when you inspect closely it is not completely honest, and seems to be lacking integrity. i wonder if honesty and integrity are considered virtues because everyone else being "honest" and "having integrity", in other words damaging their own brand, benefits the number ones who don't do that. everyone making themselves harmless gives the few willing to be sharks free reign.

this sounds like it's coming from a place of jealousy. i don't really feel jealously i am just learning the choices i'll have to make. i will have my own business/brand and i could make the choice to follow the trumpist branding strategy, and have the successes it entails...

[anyroads]

This collection of articles on Long Covid popped up in my browser this morning. Please read at least one of them.

I don't even know where to start putting all the frustration and anxiety caused by knowing how much vulnerable people and disability rights activists begged everyone not to forget them when Covid protections started getting rolled back. Everyone wanted to get back to normal and didn't care who got left behind. And now people are still getting left behind because most people don't want to observe basic safety measures that would take so little effort (masking in public places like supermarkets and public transit! vaccine availability! I'll pay! just let me have one every six months!). Which means people are still getting infected with Covid, and many of them are still developing Long Covid, except now so few people are even aware of it as a condition (some have actually forgotten about it even though they heard of it a year or two ago) that many aren't seeking help, and many who do simply don't have access.

Vulnerable people are worse off now than a year ago, because most countries have rolled back the safety measures that protected them, and they aren't receiving compensation for the fact that every day life is dangerous for them. This limits access to work opportunities, not to mention social lives.

So, in the interest of general safety, here's a brief primer on how Covid works that can inform your own safety steps:

Ventilation is your friend. Covid travels best in enclosed, unventilated spaces and is the most limited in its ability to infect outdoors. Outdoor events and gatherings are safest for your vulnerable friends, as long as they aren't too crowded. If you aren't infectious then it makes little sense for you to wear a mask outdoors unless you're in a crowded space. I still see people wearing masks on the street and then taking them off when they get on a bus. This is the opposite of what you should be doing.

Masks protect others from you more than they protect you. Which means that it's not enough for vulnerable people to wear a mask in enclosed spaces to protect themselves, others need to wear one too.

Viral load is a huge factor in infection severity. The less of the virus a person is exposed to, the more of a chance their immune system stands. This idea that "you're going to get covid anyway, so you might as well not worry" doesn't take into account that viral load matters. If an infectious person wearing a face mask breathes on someone, they'll shed much less virus than if they stick their tongue in that person's mouth or even just breathe on them without a mask. Basic safety measures can make the difference between a low-level infection and hospitalization for vulnerable people. It can also make the difference between low-level long covid symptoms and debilitating long covid.

Covid has a 48 hour incubation period. This means the virus takes 48 hours to settle in before you become infectious, once you've been infected with it yourself. If you think you've been exposed, start testing and masking after this period ends (this means if you went to a party where someone had covid, you start the 48 hour count from the beginning of the party, not from the time you left).

If you think you've been exposed, test and mask for 5 days once you start to do so. If you keep testing negative and don't have symptoms at the end of the 5 days, most research indicates you're safe and not infectious. This means it's been a full week since your potential exposure because 48 hrs + 5 days = 7 days.

If you test positive, even if you have no symptoms, test, mask, and try to stay away from others until you test negative. If you test negative but have symptoms, take a few days to keep testing, masking, and stay away from others. Covid can take a few days to show up on a test even if you have symptoms.

One vaccination isn't enough. The covid vaccines are effective for 4-6 months. After that, you need a booster. Please don't tell people you're vaccinated and safe if your last vax was more than six months ago, you're misleading them, even if unintentionally. Vaccination also doesn't mean you can't still pass on the virus if you get it, even if you have no symptoms (this is true for the flu as well).

Please keep protecting vulnerable and disabled people and advocating for them. Happy disability pride month.

[ringchollyandfriends]

Things I love about Elliot, Bean and Nelly: I know I've already written 10 versions of this, but why not.

- Bean and Nelly are the easiest beings to live with. Some pets here and there, food, a place to sleep and they're good.

- Bean and Elliot both travel really well. They love car rides and they're happy to be wherever we go. Bean ran to the couch the second we got to an Airbnb in an unkown city and was at home from the start.

- Bean and Elliot love each other. They somehow fell in love since day one.

- Bean, Nelly and Chico coexist seemlessly.

- Elliot is so friendly. Eck, we're struggling with some barrier frustration because he wants to greet everybody. Which is a bit stressful because strangers don't know he's friendly, but it's so nice that any time someone asks if they can pet him, I know he'll think it's the best thing ever. I'm also able to leave him with anyone— petsitters, friends, etc.— and he's good, he just wants to be with somebody.

- Elliot also loves children. I know that children can be a lot for dogs, but it's always been extremely important for me to have a dog that kids can safely be kids around and I finally have that. He *loves* meeting kids. Bean and Chico can walk past kids without issues, but I need to be very mindful. Elliot? They're all his best friends.

- All three are so good at adapting to my chronic fatigue. They all have their limits, which is only fair, but I'm thankful for how tolerant they are.

- They're not loud often. Dogs are dogs, but with 20+ dogs at work barking, I'm glad the pets I live with are naturally quiet. They're allowed to bark, they just rarely do.

- They're all food motivated. I love pets that will eat whatever is offered to them. Except Nelly, who thinks it's an offense to her core, they all easily take meds.

- Elliot loves water. I love water, swimming, etc. and it makes me happy to have a dog that shares that.

- None of the pets I live with are scared of thunder, rain, etc. This is huge to me. I am very scared of that kind of weather and living with a pet that feels the same way gives me panic attacks. I'm very thankful that none of them are bothered.

- Elliot is environmentally stable. He will get spooked, rarely, but basically nothing scares him. He recovers quickly from anything. I can bring him anywhere with me. I only do pet friendly stores because he still marks, but I already know he'd do great anywhere.

- Elliot loves the vet. I wasn't expecting that, but it's a great bonus. There's people there, he's happy. I'm sure he's not a fan of vaccines (I'm not with him, I'm at risk of fainting seeing needles) but he always loves going to the vet. He gets very excited when we pull into the parking lot.

[sniffcity]

How To Ensure Stress-free Pet Transportation In Chicago?

Leaving everything behind and relocating to a new place is quite daunting and exhausting for your body and mind. With so many things already on your plate, you may be unable to deal with the additional stress of relocating with your pet. Truth be told, moving to a new place with your furry friend is perhaps more overwhelming and stressful than anything, especially if it’s your first time. So, having a few tricks up your sleeve can make pet transportation Chicago hassle-free and less daunting. Read on to this below piece of writeup to know the best ways of ensuring stress-free pet relocation and transportation.

Familiarization with travel regulations

If you are relocating to another state or country, you should familiarize yourself with travel regulations concerning pets. These usually include vaccination, detailed health documentation, and microchipping. It’s important you become compliant with all these laws to avoid any problems at the end moment. Your veterinarian will further help in getting all the papers correct, especially health documents and vaccination details.

Get a pet-friendly travel crate

Travel crates are best for ensuring both safety and comfort for your little furry friend during relocation. However, while choosing the crate, check if it is approved by the airlines, especially the one you will be flying with. If that’s not the case, you might not get the travel approved till the very end. Apart from this, you should also check if the crate is big enough to let your pet move around freely without feeling restrained and cramped up. It should have appropriate ventilation to avoid any sort of palpitation. Also, it would be best to get your pet familiar with staying in the crate for hours by taking shorter trips before the main travel day.

Arrange a soothing and caring kit

After consulting with your doctor or the specialists at the small dog daycare in Chicago, you can easily arrange a proper pet travel kit with all the essentials needed to make the journey soothing and comforting. For instance, you can include small blankets, favorite toys, pillows, and other such essentials your dog likes to have to stay comfortable and cheerful. Also, add a few calming essentials, like cooling sprays and pheromone cans to ensure your furry friend won’t get agitated due to changing environments.

Hire a professional pet relocation service

Since you already have your hands full with packers and movers and all the tasks associated with getting a new house, you might consider hiring a professional small dog daycare Chicago for pet relocation. They are experts in arranging everything you may require during the travel for your little one. Additionally, they will take care of all the regulations and compliance requirements for you in case you oversee them in a frenzy.

Give some time for adjustment

Just like you need quite a significant time to get acquainted with the travel, let alone the thought of shifting completely to a new place and everything behind, your pet will also need the same. Animals are more attached and clingier to their habitats than us humans. So, when you relocate to a new place along with your furry friends, don’t expect them to acclimatize to the new environment from day 0. They will need several days before they start feeling at home and won’t stir up any more trouble. If you do not give this time to adjust to the new environment, your pet may suffer from both physical and psychological issues due to unfamiliarity. Source: https://sniffcity.com/how-to-ensure-stress-free-pet-transportation-in-chicago/

[greenpaths]

My name is Baraa Al-Shorfa, I am 15 years old. We are a family of 6, my mother, father and 4 children, my youngest brother is 8 years old, since October 7, 2023, we have been suffering from a brutal war that has destroyed our dreams and hopes, and has gone beyond the limits of human comprehension. During this brutal war, we have endured hardships that mountains cannot bear. We suffer from severe water shortages, and we often walk about a kilometer to get one gallon of water, which is equivalent to about 16 liters, barely enough for five family members. We also suffer from severe food and nutrition shortages due to the blockade imposed on northern Gaza for 10 months, which prevents the entry of basic materials such as meat, vegetables and fruits. This situation has forced us to eat animal feed such as barley, which has caused us to lose weight, suffer from multiple diseases, and greatly weaken our immune systems. As a result of the war, our home and agricultural land that provided us with our daily sustenance were completely destroyed and bulldozed. We also suffered from repeated displacement, moving from one place to another and from one area to another due to the horrific and brutal bombing. We also suffer from fear and terror due to the heavy bombing, fire belts and explosives, the sound of tanks was very terrifying. In addition, we were deprived of education and the opportunity to build a future. My younger brothers suffer from skin diseases, but the hospitals, which are the lifeline for every patient and needy, were also destroyed. We face a shortage of medicines and vaccines while diseases are increasing and spreading among us, with no solution in sight as there are no hospitals or medical supplies available here in Gaza. We live in constant fear for my younger brothers because they have not received their general vaccinations, especially after the spread of polio due to the lack of cleaning supplies and the massive accumulation of waste in the streets. I also should have been vaccinated against Tetanus and Typhoid fever, but I did not receive them due to the lack of vaccinations, and sewage water flooded the streets, posing a serious threat to our children. We suffered from jaundice, where we struggled for about two weeks with fatigue, dizziness and other symptoms. It is a deadly disease, my brothers' little bodies became full of red pimples and as I mentioned before there is no treatment available due to the destruction of hospitals and health centers.

We also suffer from the absence of cooking gas, which forces us to use wood and plastic to light fires, which can lead to poisoning. We have been without electricity since October 7th, spending days in the dark, causing immense fear for my little brothers. This has also made it very difficult to charge our phones and night light batteries. We had to travel kilometers from our home to find places with electricity, which costs us a lot to charge our phones and batteries.

Moreover, we have not had a steady income since the beginning of the war.

This is our goal to achieve with your help.

I appeal to you to help my family so that we can live a better life.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/uybndx-alhrob-mn-alhrb?utm_campaign=٨p_nacp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/e/2PACX-1vTKQYInYewFiGUX4afdHK-rANJDT4dgOC4IV6elKYNvYI2HvOTf_6IsTqt5m2KXcr_pGxcqR8AvsAJi/pubhtml#

VETTED BY BUTTERFLY 🦋NU 911

I'm sorry you and your family are going through such a horrible situation, and I wish you all the best!! may you all one day live in a free 🇵🇸!!

[bdlifespeedsignup]

Your Travel Partner in Discovery

Travel is one of the most enriching experiences one can embark on. It opens doors to new cultures, diverse landscapes, and unforgettable memories. In an era where the world feels both vast and accessible, the desire to explore is stronger than ever. "Adventure Awaits: Your Travel Partner in Discovery" isn't just a phrase—it's a call to action for those who yearn to step outside their comfort zones and dive into the unknown. This blog will serve as your ultimate guide, offering insights, tips, and inspiration to become the intrepid traveler you’ve always wanted to be.

The Thrill of Exploration

Rediscovering the Joy of Travel

Travel isn't just about visiting new places; it’s about rediscovering yourself. The thrill of exploring the unfamiliar can reignite your sense of wonder and adventure. From navigating bustling markets in Marrakech to hiking the breathtaking trails of Patagonia, every experience contributes to your personal growth. Embrace spontaneity and allow yourself to be surprised by the magic that lies around every corner.

Choosing Your Adventure

When it comes to planning your travels, the options are endless. Here are some categories to consider for your next adventure:

Cultural Immersion: Engage with local traditions, food, and languages. Consider destinations like Japan, India, or Italy, where rich histories blend with modern life.

Nature and Wilderness: For the nature lovers, places like New Zealand, Costa Rica, or the Canadian Rockies offer stunning landscapes and diverse ecosystems.

Adventure Sports: If adrenaline is your thing, explore destinations known for activities like rock climbing, white-water rafting, or skiing—think of places like the Swiss Alps, Queenstown, or the Colorado Rockies.

City Escapes: Discover the energy of urban environments. Whether it’s the vibrant streets of New York, the historic charm of Paris, or the futuristic skyline of Tokyo, city travel can be exhilarating.

Sustainable Travel

As we seek adventure, it’s crucial to consider the impact of our journeys on the environment and local communities. Sustainable travel ensures that our adventures don’t come at the cost of the places we cherish. Here are some tips for being a responsible traveler:

Choose Eco-Friendly Accommodations: Look for hotels or hostels that prioritize sustainability.

Support Local Economies: Eat at local restaurants, shop at artisan markets, and participate in community-based tours.

Offset Your Carbon Footprint: Consider carbon offset programs to balance the environmental impact of your travels.

Practical Tips for Your Journey

Researching Your Destination

Knowledge is power when it comes to travel. Before embarking on your journey, invest time in researching your destination. Understand the local customs, language basics, and cultural norms. This not only enhances your experience but also shows respect to the local people.

Packing Essentials

Packing can be a daunting task, but with a little planning, you can make it easier. Here are some essentials to consider:

Versatile Clothing: Choose items that can be layered and mixed and matched.

Comfortable Footwear: Invest in a good pair of walking shoes; they’ll be your best friend on your travels.

Travel Accessories: Don’t forget essentials like a reusable water bottle, a portable charger, and travel-sized toiletries.

Health and Safety

Your health and safety should always be a priority. Make sure you have travel insurance that covers health emergencies. Familiarize yourself with local healthcare options, and keep a basic first-aid kit on hand. Also, be aware of any required vaccinations or health advisories for your destination.

The Art of Travel Planning

Creating an Itinerary

A well-planned itinerary can enhance your travel experience, ensuring you maximize your time without feeling rushed. Here are some steps to create an effective itinerary:

Set Priorities: Determine the must-see sights and experiences for your trip.

Balance Activities: Mix sightseeing with relaxation to avoid burnout.

Allow for Flexibility: Some of the best experiences happen when you deviate from your plan. Leave room for spontaneity.

Utilizing Technology

In today’s digital age, technology can be a traveler’s best friend. Use apps for navigation, translation, and recommendations. Social media platforms can also provide inspiration and tips from fellow travelers. However, remember to take breaks from screens to fully immerse yourself in your surroundings.

Finding Your Travel Community

Joining Groups and Forums

Connecting with fellow travelers can enhance your journey. Online communities and forums like Reddit, Facebook groups, and travel blogs provide platforms to share experiences, seek advice, and even find travel companions. Whether you’re a solo traveler or part of a group, these connections can offer invaluable insights.

Attending Travel Meetups

Look for local travel meetups or events in your area. These gatherings allow you to meet like-minded individuals, exchange tips, and even plan future adventures together. Building a travel community can provide ongoing support and inspiration.

Tales of Adventure: Inspiring Stories

Real-Life Travel Experiences

To truly capture the essence of adventure, let’s share some inspiring travel stories that showcase the transformative power of exploration.

The Solo Journey: Sarah, a 28-year-old graphic designer, decided to travel solo to Thailand. What began as a daunting prospect turned into a life-changing experience as she navigated bustling cities, learned to cook traditional dishes, and made lifelong friendships with fellow travelers.

The Family Expedition: The Martinez family embarked on a two-week road trip across the American Southwest. From the Grand Canyon to the vibrant streets of Santa Fe, they discovered not only the stunning beauty of the landscape but also deepened their family bonds through shared experiences and adventures.

Cultural Exchange: After volunteering in a small village in Ghana, David returned home with a new perspective on life. He learned about the importance of community and resilience, which inspired him to advocate for sustainable practices in his hometown.

Preparing for Your Next Adventure

Setting Travel Goals

Before you embark on your next journey, take a moment to reflect on what you hope to achieve through your travels. Setting specific travel goals can provide focus and motivation. Whether you want to visit a certain number of countries, learn a new language, or engage in volunteer work, having clear objectives can enhance your travel experience.

The Journey is the Destination

Remember, travel isn’t just about the destination; it’s about the journey itself. Embrace every moment, from the mundane to the extraordinary. Each encounter, whether with a stranger or a breathtaking landscape, adds depth to your adventure.

Conclusion

Adventure awaits at every turn, and the world is full of wonders just waiting to be discovered. As your travel partner in discovery, I encourage you to step outside your comfort zone, embrace new experiences, and make memories that will last a lifetime. Travel is a journey of self-discovery, connection, and growth. So pack your bags, grab your passport, and let the adventure begin! Your next unforgettable experience is just around the corner.

[somebodynew1guess]

My name is Baraa Al-Shorfa, I am 15 years old. We are a family of 6, my mother, father and 4 children, my youngest brother is 8 years old, since October 7, 2023, we have been suffering from a brutal war that has destroyed our dreams and hopes, and has gone beyond the limits of human comprehension. During this brutal war, we have endured hardships that mountains cannot bear. We suffer from severe water shortages, and we often walk about a kilometer to get one gallon of water, which is equivalent to about 16 liters, barely enough for five family members. We also suffer from severe food and nutrition shortages due to the blockade imposed on northern Gaza for 10 months, which prevents the entry of basic materials such as meat, vegetables and fruits. This situation has forced us to eat animal feed such as barley, which has caused us to lose weight, suffer from multiple diseases, and greatly weaken our immune systems. As a result of the war, our home and agricultural land that provided us with our daily sustenance were completely destroyed and bulldozed. We also suffered from repeated displacement, moving from one place to another and from one area to another due to the horrific and brutal bombing. We also suffer from fear and terror due to the heavy bombing, fire belts and explosives, the sound of tanks was very terrifying. In addition, we were deprived of education and the opportunity to build a future. My younger brothers suffer from skin diseases, but the hospitals, which are the lifeline for every patient and needy, were also destroyed. We face a shortage of medicines and vaccines while diseases are increasing and spreading among us, with no solution in sight as there are no hospitals or medical supplies available here in Gaza. We live in constant fear for my younger brothers because they have not received their general vaccinations, especially after the spread of polio due to the lack of cleaning supplies and the massive accumulation of waste in the streets. I also should have been vaccinated against Tetanus and Typhoid fever, but I did not receive them due to the lack of vaccinations, and sewage water flooded the streets, posing a serious threat to our children. We suffered from jaundice, where we struggled for about two weeks with fatigue, dizziness and other symptoms. It is a deadly disease, my brothers' little bodies became full of red pimples and as I mentioned before there is no treatment available due to the destruction of hospitals and health centers.

We also suffer from the absence of cooking gas, which forces us to use wood and plastic to light fires, which can lead to poisoning. We have been without electricity since October 7th, spending days in the dark, causing immense fear for my little brothers. This has also made it very difficult to charge our phones and night light batteries. We had to travel kilometers from our home to find places with electricity, which costs us a lot to charge our phones and batteries.

Moreover, we have not had a steady income since the beginning of the war.

This is our goal to achieve with your help.

I appeal to you to help my family so that we can live a better life.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/uybndx-alhrob-mn-alhrb?utm_campaign=٨p_nacp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/e/2PACX-1vTKQYInYewFiGUX4afdHK-rANJDT4dgOC4IV6elKYNvYI2HvOTf_6IsTqt5m2KXcr_pGxcqR8AvsAJi/pubhtml#

VETTED BY BUTTERFLY 🦋NU 911

I'm not able to donate, but I wish you the best and I am happy to share your fundraiser!

[rhmis-user-2020]

My name is Baraa Al-Shorfa, I am 15 years old. We are a family of 6, my mother, father and 4 children, my youngest brother is 8 years old, since October 7, 2023, we have been suffering from a brutal war that has destroyed our dreams and hopes, and has gone beyond the limits of human comprehension. During this brutal war, we have endured hardships that mountains cannot bear. We suffer from severe water shortages, and we often walk about a kilometer to get one gallon of water, which is equivalent to about 16 liters, barely enough for five family members. We also suffer from severe food and nutrition shortages due to the blockade imposed on northern Gaza for 10 months, which prevents the entry of basic materials such as meat, vegetables and fruits. This situation has forced us to eat animal feed such as barley, which has caused us to lose weight, suffer from multiple diseases, and greatly weaken our immune systems. As a result of the war, our home and agricultural land that provided us with our daily sustenance were completely destroyed and bulldozed. We also suffered from repeated displacement, moving from one place to another and from one area to another due to the horrific and brutal bombing. We also suffer from fear and terror due to the heavy bombing, fire belts and explosives, the sound of tanks was very terrifying. In addition, we were deprived of education and the opportunity to build a future. My younger brothers suffer from skin diseases, but the hospitals, which are the lifeline for every patient and needy, were also destroyed. We face a shortage of medicines and vaccines while diseases are increasing and spreading among us, with no solution in sight as there are no hospitals or medical supplies available here in Gaza. We live in constant fear for my younger brothers because they have not received their general vaccinations, especially after the spread of polio due to the lack of cleaning supplies and the massive accumulation of waste in the streets. I also should have been vaccinated against Tetanus and Typhoid fever, but I did not receive them due to the lack of vaccinations, and sewage water flooded the streets, posing a serious threat to our children. We suffered from jaundice, where we struggled for about two weeks with fatigue, dizziness and other symptoms. It is a deadly disease, my brothers' little bodies became full of red pimples and as I mentioned before there is no treatment available due to the destruction of hospitals and health centers.

We also suffer from the absence of cooking gas, which forces us to use wood and plastic to light fires, which can lead to poisoning. We have been without electricity since October 7th, spending days in the dark, causing immense fear for my little brothers. This has also made it very difficult to charge our phones and night light batteries. We had to travel kilometers from our home to find places with electricity, which costs us a lot to charge our phones and batteries.

Moreover, we have not had a steady income since the beginning of the war.

This is our goal to achieve with your help.

I appeal to you to help my family so that we can live a better life.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/uybndx-alhrob-mn-alhrb?utm_campaign=٨p_nacp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/e/2PACX-1vTKQYInYewFiGUX4afdHK-rANJDT4dgOC4IV6elKYNvYI2HvOTf_6IsTqt5m2KXcr_pGxcqR8AvsAJi/pubhtml#

VETTED BY BUTTERFLY 🦋NU 911

The most I can do is spread the word. I wish I could do more, but I don't even have enough money in my own bank account. Let's hope this reaches those who can donate. We'll help your family, I do not have any money but I'll share this just in case someone does. I wish you the best and I hope you can free yourself from the genocide, I stand for Palestine as Macedonian.

[pinkmvlk]

My name is Anas Al-Sharfa. Since October 7, 2023, we have been suffering from a brutal war that has destroyed our dreams and hopes, exceeding the limits of human comprehension. During this savage war, we have endured hardships that mountains could not bear. We are facing severe water shortages and a critical lack of food and nutrition due to the blockade in northern Gaza for the past 10 months, preventing essential supplies like meat, vegetables, and fruits from entering. This situation has forced us to eat animal feed, leading to weight loss, various diseases, and a significant weakening of our immune systems.

We also suffer from severe water shortages, often walking nearly 1 kilometer to obtain a single gallon of water, which is approximately 16 liters, barely enough for five family members. As a result of the war, our home and agricultural land, which used to provide our daily sustenance, were destroyed and completely bulldozed, leading to major disruptions in our lives. We have also suffered from repeated displacement, moving from one place to another and from one area to another due to the horrific and brutal bombings.

Additionally, we have been deprived of education and the opportunity to build a future. I was studying to become a doctor to help people, but fate did not allow this as my university, where I dreamed of studying, was destroyed. I have been overwhelmed with thoughts during this war—how will I build my future? How will I complete my studies?

We also suffer from fear and terror due to bombings, fire belts, and explosives. Hospitals, which are the lifeline for every sick and needy person, have also been destroyed. We face a shortage of medicines and vaccines while diseases increase and ravage us, with no solution in sight as there are no hospitals or medical supplies available here in Gaza. We live in constant fear for my younger siblings because they haven't received their general vaccinations, particularly after the widespread outbreak of polio due to the lack of cleaning supplies and the massive accumulation of waste in the streets. The streets are also flooded with sewage, posing a grave threat to our children. My brother suffered from jaundice, battling it for about two weeks with fatigue, dizziness, and other symptoms. It's a deadly disease, and as mentioned before, there’s no treatment available due to the destruction of hospitals and health centers.

We are also suffering from the absence of cooking gas, forcing us to use wood and plastic to start fires, which could lead to poisoning. We've been without electricity since October 7, spending days in darkness, causing immense fear in my younger siblings. This has also made it extremely difficult to charge our phones and batteries for lighting at night. We had to travel kilometers from our home to find places with electricity, incurring high costs to charge our phones and batteries.

Moreover, we have had no stable income since the beginning of the war after our agricultural land was destroyed.

I kindly request assistance for my family so that we can live a better life.

https://gofund.me/acc70aa1

https://www.tiktok.com/@anas.alshrafa8?_t=8pNRw50jbdI&_r=1

https://www.instagram.com/anas.2007667?igsh=eXZrcDg3ZXYzbXNr

unvetted but appears legitimate - URGENT 🚨; please donate to the GFM! Anas and his family have been suffering from lack of food and nutrition, as well as water shortages and repeated displacement. make sure to follow and boost so he can get the donations he needs.

once again: DONATE HERE.

wishing you and your family the best ❤️

[purplenightingales7]

My name is Anas Al-Sharfa. Since October 7, 2023, we have been suffering from a brutal war that has destroyed our dreams and hopes, exceeding the limits of human comprehension. During this savage war, we have endured hardships that mountains could not bear. We are facing severe water shortages and a critical lack of food and nutrition due to the blockade in northern Gaza for the past 10 months, preventing essential supplies like meat, vegetables, and fruits from entering. This situation has forced us to eat animal feed, leading to weight loss, various diseases, and a significant weakening of our immune systems.

We also suffer from severe water shortages, often walking nearly 1 kilometer to obtain a single gallon of water, which is approximately 16 liters, barely enough for five family members. As a result of the war, our home and agricultural land, which used to provide our daily sustenance, were destroyed and completely bulldozed, leading to major disruptions in our lives. We have also suffered from repeated displacement, moving from one place to another and from one area to another due to the horrific and brutal bombings.

Additionally, we have been deprived of education and the opportunity to build a future. I was studying to become a doctor to help people, but fate did not allow this as my university, where I dreamed of studying, was destroyed. I have been overwhelmed with thoughts during this war—how will I build my future? How will I complete my studies?

We also suffer from fear and terror due to bombings, fire belts, and explosives. Hospitals, which are the lifeline for every sick and needy person, have also been destroyed. We face a shortage of medicines and vaccines while diseases increase and ravage us, with no solution in sight as there are no hospitals or medical supplies available here in Gaza. We live in constant fear for my younger siblings because they haven't received their general vaccinations, particularly after the widespread outbreak of polio due to the lack of cleaning supplies and the massive accumulation of waste in the streets. The streets are also flooded with sewage, posing a grave threat to our children. My brother suffered from jaundice, battling it for about two weeks with fatigue, dizziness, and other symptoms. It's a deadly disease, and as mentioned before, there’s no treatment available due to the destruction of hospitals and health centers.

We are also suffering from the absence of cooking gas, forcing us to use wood and plastic to start fires, which could lead to poisoning. We've been without electricity since October 7, spending days in darkness, causing immense fear in my younger siblings. This has also made it extremely difficult to charge our phones and batteries for lighting at night. We had to travel kilometers from our home to find places with electricity, incurring high costs to charge our phones and batteries.

Moreover, we have had no stable income since the beginning of the war after our agricultural land was destroyed.

I kindly request assistance for my family so that we can live a better life.

https://gofund.me/acc70aa1

https://www.tiktok.com/@anas.alshrafa8?_t=8pNRw50jbdI&_r=1

https://www.instagram.com/anas.2007667?igsh=eXZrcDg3ZXYzbXNr

Unfortunately i cannot donate but i will try my best to help you reach people who can

[dustywave]

My name is Anas Al-Sharfa. Since October 7, 2023, we have been suffering from a brutal war that has destroyed our dreams and hopes, exceeding the limits of human comprehension. During this savage war, we have endured hardships that mountains could not bear. We are facing severe water shortages and a critical lack of food and nutrition due to the blockade in northern Gaza for the past 10 months, preventing essential supplies like meat, vegetables, and fruits from entering. This situation has forced us to eat animal feed, leading to weight loss, various diseases, and a significant weakening of our immune systems.

We also suffer from severe water shortages, often walking nearly 1 kilometer to obtain a single gallon of water, which is approximately 16 liters, barely enough for five family members. As a result of the war, our home and agricultural land, which used to provide our daily sustenance, were destroyed and completely bulldozed, leading to major disruptions in our lives. We have also suffered from repeated displacement, moving from one place to another and from one area to another due to the horrific and brutal bombings.

Additionally, we have been deprived of education and the opportunity to build a future. I was studying to become a doctor to help people, but fate did not allow this as my university, where I dreamed of studying, was destroyed. I have been overwhelmed with thoughts during this war—how will I build my future? How will I complete my studies?

We also suffer from fear and terror due to bombings, fire belts, and explosives. Hospitals, which are the lifeline for every sick and needy person, have also been destroyed. We face a shortage of medicines and vaccines while diseases increase and ravage us, with no solution in sight as there are no hospitals or medical supplies available here in Gaza. We live in constant fear for my younger siblings because they haven't received their general vaccinations, particularly after the widespread outbreak of polio due to the lack of cleaning supplies and the massive accumulation of waste in the streets. The streets are also flooded with sewage, posing a grave threat to our children. My brother suffered from jaundice, battling it for about two weeks with fatigue, dizziness, and other symptoms. It's a deadly disease, and as mentioned before, there’s no treatment available due to the destruction of hospitals and health centers.

We are also suffering from the absence of cooking gas, forcing us to use wood and plastic to start fires, which could lead to poisoning. We've been without electricity since October 7, spending days in darkness, causing immense fear in my younger siblings. This has also made it extremely difficult to charge our phones and batteries for lighting at night. We had to travel kilometers from our home to find places with electricity, incurring high costs to charge our phones and batteries.

Moreover, we have had no stable income since the beginning of the war after our agricultural land was destroyed.

I kindly request assistance for my family so that we can live a better life.

https://gofund.me/acc70aa1

https://www.tiktok.com/@anas.alshrafa8?_t=8pNRw50jbdI&_r=1

https://www.instagram.com/anas.2007667?igsh=eXZrcDg3ZXYzbXNr

shared your post, wishing you the very best 🙏

[wabbles-art-folder]

My name is Anas Al-Sharfa. Since October 7, 2023, we have been suffering from a brutal war that has destroyed our dreams and hopes, exceeding the limits of human comprehension. During this savage war, we have endured hardships that mountains could not bear. We are facing severe water shortages and a critical lack of food and nutrition due to the blockade in northern Gaza for the past 10 months, preventing essential supplies like meat, vegetables, and fruits from entering. This situation has forced us to eat animal feed, leading to weight loss, various diseases, and a significant weakening of our immune systems.

We also suffer from severe water shortages, often walking nearly 1 kilometer to obtain a single gallon of water, which is approximately 16 liters, barely enough for five family members. As a result of the war, our home and agricultural land, which used to provide our daily sustenance, were destroyed and completely bulldozed, leading to major disruptions in our lives. We have also suffered from repeated displacement, moving from one place to another and from one area to another due to the horrific and brutal bombings.

Additionally, we have been deprived of education and the opportunity to build a future. I was studying to become a doctor to help people, but fate did not allow this as my university, where I dreamed of studying, was destroyed. I have been overwhelmed with thoughts during this war—how will I build my future? How will I complete my studies?

We also suffer from fear and terror due to bombings, fire belts, and explosives. Hospitals, which are the lifeline for every sick and needy person, have also been destroyed. We face a shortage of medicines and vaccines while diseases increase and ravage us, with no solution in sight as there are no hospitals or medical supplies available here in Gaza. We live in constant fear for my younger siblings because they haven't received their general vaccinations, particularly after the widespread outbreak of polio due to the lack of cleaning supplies and the massive accumulation of waste in the streets. The streets are also flooded with sewage, posing a grave threat to our children. My brother suffered from jaundice, battling it for about two weeks with fatigue, dizziness, and other symptoms. It's a deadly disease, and as mentioned before, there’s no treatment available due to the destruction of hospitals and health centers.

We are also suffering from the absence of cooking gas, forcing us to use wood and plastic to start fires, which could lead to poisoning. We've been without electricity since October 7, spending days in darkness, causing immense fear in my younger siblings. This has also made it extremely difficult to charge our phones and batteries for lighting at night. We had to travel kilometers from our home to find places with electricity, incurring high costs to charge our phones and batteries.

Moreover, we have had no stable income since the beginning of the war after our agricultural land was destroyed.

I kindly request assistance for my family so that we can live a better life.

https://gofund.me/acc70aa1

https://www.tiktok.com/@anas.alshrafa8?_t=8pNRw50jbdI&_r=1

https://www.instagram.com/anas.2007667?igsh=eXZrcDg3ZXYzbXNr

I myself cannot donate, but I'll put it out to anyone else who can. I wish you all the very best and I hope that you may soon find relief.