#us dental supplies

[cerecdepot]

US Dental Supplies: A Complete Guide to High-Quality Products and Innovations

The dental industry is evolving rapidly, and with it, the need for high-quality dental supplies is more crucial than ever. Whether you’re a dentist running a small clinic or a larger dental practice, having access to the right tools and materials is essential for delivering the best patient care. In this guide, we’ll dive deep into the world of US dental supplies, exploring the market, the most important products, and how to choose the right supplier.

The Dental Supplies Market in the US

The US dental supplies market has grown exponentially over the past few decades, thanks to advancements in technology, a focus on patient safety, and the increasing demand for dental care. The US remains one of the global leaders in dental innovations, with its products trusted by professionals around the world.

With the rise in cosmetic dentistry, the aging population, and an increased awareness of oral hygiene, the demand for high-quality dental supplies has skyrocketed. From basic tools to advanced equipment, the variety of dental supplies in the US offers something for every dental professional.

Essential Categories of Dental Supplies

When discussing dental supplies, it’s essential to understand the main categories that are vital for every practice:

Diagnostic Tools and Equipment

These include tools like dental mirrors, explorers, and x-ray machines. Diagnostic tools help dentists evaluate oral health conditions effectively and develop accurate treatment plans.

Dental Restorative Materials

Restorative supplies include fillings, crowns, and bridges, all of which are crucial for fixing damaged or decayed teeth. The quality of these materials impacts the longevity of dental restorations.

Infection Control Products

Infection control is paramount in any medical setting, and dentistry is no exception. Gloves, masks, disinfectants, and sterilization equipment fall under this category, ensuring a safe environment for both staff and patients.

Importance of High-Quality Dental Supplies

Why does quality matter so much when it comes to dental supplies? Simple: high-quality supplies lead to better patient outcomes and a more efficient practice.

Impact on Patient Care

Using top-notch supplies ensures that patients receive the best care possible. For example, poor-quality dental implants can fail, leading to discomfort or additional surgery. Quality materials, on the other hand, offer durability and reliability.

Enhancing Dentist Efficiency and Precision

Good tools allow dentists to work more efficiently. For instance, precision instruments help reduce the time spent on procedures, improving patient comfort and increasing the number of patients that can be treated in a day.

Key Manufacturers and Brands of US Dental Supplies

There are several top manufacturers in the US known for their commitment to quality and innovation. Companies like Dentsply Sirona, Patterson Dental, and Henry Schein are leaders in the dental supplies market, offering a wide range of tools and equipment that meet strict regulatory standards.

Innovative Products and Technologies

Many US-based companies are leading the charge in dental innovation. Products such as CAD/CAM systems for custom prosthetics, advanced laser tools, and eco-friendly disposable products are shaping the future of dentistry.

Dental Equipment vs. Dental Consumables

One common distinction within dental supplies is between dental equipment (e.g., chairs, x-ray machines, and handpieces) and dental consumables (e.g., gloves, disinfectants, and restorative materials).

Difference Between Equipment and Consumables

While equipment typically involves a more significant investment, consumables are used daily and need to be purchased regularly. Both are essential to running a functional dental practice, but understanding the difference helps manage budgets and inventory more effectively.

How to Choose the Right Dental Supplies for Your Practice

When selecting dental supplies, consider several factors:

Quality and Certification

Always opt for supplies that have been tested and certified. This ensures safety and adherence to regulatory standards.

Cost-Effectiveness and Bulk Purchasing

Buying in bulk can save money in the long run, especially for consumables. Many suppliers offer discounts for bulk orders, making it a cost-effective option for dental practices.

Supplier Reputation

Do your research and choose suppliers with a solid reputation for reliability and customer service. Look for reviews and testimonials to gauge the experience of other dental professionals.

Innovations in US Dental Supplies

The dental industry is continuously evolving, with new technologies and innovations emerging regularly.

Digital Dentistry Tools

Digital tools like intraoral scanners and CAD/CAM systems have transformed dental practices, allowing for more accurate diagnostics and faster production of restorations.

Eco-Friendly Dental Products

With an increased focus on sustainability, many suppliers are now offering eco-friendly products, such as biodegradable packaging, reusable tools, and sustainable materials.

The Role of Technology in Modern Dental Supplies

Technology plays a critical role in the modern dental industry, improving both efficiency and patient care.

How Technology is Transforming Dentistry

From teledentistry to AI-powered diagnostics, technology is reshaping the way dental care is provided. Dentists can now monitor patient progress remotely, and AI helps in diagnosing issues more accurately.

3D Printing and Dental Implants

3D printing has revolutionized the production of dental implants, allowing for faster turnaround times and custom-made solutions that fit perfectly.

The Impact of Regulatory Standards on US Dental Supplies

The FDA plays a significant role in regulating dental supplies in the US, ensuring that all products meet strict safety and quality standards. This is crucial for maintaining patient safety and minimizing risks associated with faulty equipment or materials.

Best Practices for Storing and Maintaining Dental Supplies

Proper storage and maintenance of dental supplies are crucial for ensuring they remain effective and safe to use.

Proper Storage Techniques

Certain products, like dental adhesives and sterilization materials, need to be stored under specific conditions to maintain their efficacy.

Importance of Inventory Management

Keeping track of your inventory ensures that you never run out of essential supplies and helps prevent wastage.

How to Find Reliable US Dental Supply Distributors

Choosing the right distributor is key to ensuring a steady supply of high-quality products.

Online vs. Local Distributors

Online distributors offer convenience and often lower prices, but local distributors may provide faster delivery and personalized service.

Checking Reviews and Certifications

Always verify that your chosen distributor is certified and has positive reviews from other dental professionals.

Benefits of Buying Dental Supplies in Bulk

Cost Savings

Buying in bulk can significantly reduce costs, especially for high-use items like gloves, masks, and sterilization supplies.

Consistent Supply and Product Availability

Bulk purchases ensure that you have a consistent supply of essential items, reducing the risk of running out during a busy day.

Future Trends in US Dental Supplies

The dental industry is always evolving, with exciting trends on the horizon.

Sustainable and Biodegradable Products

As environmental awareness grows, more dental practices are seeking out sustainable products, such as biodegradable disposable items.

Advances in Dental Laser Technology

Laser technology is becoming more accessible, offering painless procedures and faster healing times for patients.

Conclusion: Why Quality US Dental Supplies Matter

Investing in high-quality dental supplies is essential for providing top-notch care, improving efficiency, and ensuring patient safety. The US dental supply market offers a wide variety of tools, consumables, and innovative technologies that cater to the needs of dental professionals. By choosing the right products and suppliers, you can keep your practice running smoothly while delivering excellent care.

[yeahlikethebird]

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[fiveminuterice]

what kind of toothbrush do you use for kitty? 👀

i use a 360 silicone toothbrush, i’ve had it for so long i’ve forgotten what brand tbh

tbh i think a more traditional bristled toothbrush would work better, but it all depends on what your cat will tolerate.

I’ve heard people also use little finger brushes, just make sure if you get one it’s not super bulky because kitty mouths and teeth are very little. Oxyfresh has a pet dental kit that comes with toothpaste, a water additive, and a (somewhat bulky) finger brush (however if kitty has a filtered fountain the water additive isn’t really effective lol) Most if not all of Oxyfresh’s dental stuff is flavorless as well.

the toothpaste im using is PetSmile’s london broil flavor, which i got for freesies at work, and my cat really likes it. (PetSmile also sells pet tooth brushes too) however, a general enzymatic toothpaste is also good.

Technically, as long as you get the toothpaste on the sides of their mouth they can lick it around and it’ll do its job, but for best results it is recommended to brush their teeth.

i’ve found my cat is more tolerant of me getting toothbrush near her mouth when i give her neck some scritches, but just take it slow and everything should work out

[sud-e-magia]

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[chaptersleftunwritten]

Led by candlelight

Blurb: You and Eddie are close- closer than what most people call ‘friends’ and there’s no hiding the affection for you have for one another… despite what your peers say about you.

Pairing: Best friend!Eddie x Fem!Reader

Warnings: Book a dental appointment because your teeth are about to rot from how sweet this shit is.

-

divider by @cafekitsune

You and Eddie grew up together, your parents regularly said hello to one another and engaged in riveting conversation from time to time and you would always seek Eddie out on the playground. Even back then you two were inseparable. You would always long to hold his hand, just because you could and he would let you. He would always let you.

High school hasn’t been kind to Eddie, the long hair adoring his handsome face wasn’t for everyone’s taste. No one cared that tattoos are only a form of self expression and that they don’t automatically make you a ‘devil worshipper’. Jean jackets were considered ‘poor taste’ and overall your peers treated him like trash- he was the freak of Hawkin’s High… and it shattered your heart to see him commit to the role, because you knew him. You knew how hard he had it, his home life and everything in between and you saw right through his act. You saw his pain.

Eddie never let the tormenting affect his mood when he was around you. You were his sweetheart and he would be willing to bow down to death himself if it meant he could see a smile grace your face. He opens doors for you, he’ll pry your dented locker open for you whenever you need your books for your next class, he’ll walk you home- right to your front door! And he won’t leave until you get inside safely. Sometimes, he’ll even surprise you with underground concert tickets, even when he can’t afford them, just because he knows how much you love music and how you are always longing for a little bit of trouble and rebellion. He looks after you when you guys watch horror movies together, holding your hand and passing you pillows to use to block your vision from the screen when things get a little too frightening- And yeah, he laughs at you and he teases you about it but he treats you with such kindness that it makes your heart swell to even think of it. Kindness that he deserves to feel, too.

So, tonight, you decide that you want to show him how thankful you are for him. For everything that he is, and that he represents and everything that he does for you. You have Robin and Steve arrange a get together with Eddie, but in reality it’ll be you there instead at the location- ready to surprise him. Eddie thinks that they are going to explore a creepy abandoned house just out of Hawkins but when he gets there he’ll be met with a home cooked meal, lit by candlelight. In the past months, and in your years of knowing one another, you’ve come to notice that Eddie doesn’t cook. Not for himself, not at all, really and you can’t help the tears that prick your eyes when you think of your best friend, who you love so much, living and eating from cold tinned food every night. He deserves more. He deserves the world and you wish you could give it to him.

You are serving him ‘the world’ in the form of some red wine that you stole from your dad and some spaghetti bolognese. You chose spaghetti for 1 of 2 reasons. Number 1 being that everyone loves spaghetti, and number 2 being that it’s a pretty hard dish to fuck up- so it was the safest option. Plus, you paired it with garlic bread which you know Eddie is an absolute sucker for. He loves it when you bake some for your regular movie nights together so it would be borderline criminal to not supply some.

The clock is ticking and you are starting to get nervous. Darkness has clouded the sky as it succumbs to the night and you’re beginning to wish you brought more than three candles. Nonetheless, they do provide a gorgeous warm glow within the house which you still can’t wrap your head around why no one is living here. It is quite remarkable on the inside.

You take a few deep breaths, your mind clearing as you wait to see Eddie’s vans headlights glare through the foggy windows, which they do, sooner than you had expected and now you are contemplating on bolting out of the back door and sprinting away. You pace back and forth, the worn out floorboards creaking beneath your feet as you fight to regain composure. This is just Eddie, your Eddie- the Eddie you adore. He won’t hurt your feelings.. he won’t laugh in your face. It’s Eddie…

The front door whines on its hinges as Eddie enters inside, causing you to stop in your tracks like a deer in headlights. Dried rose petals decorate the floor leading to the small table you had acquired especially for this occasion and Eddie’s jaw hangs loose at the sight, his voice clearly having abandoned him.

“S.. surprise!!” It’s hard for you to smile with how nervous you are, your face keeps on twitching and Eddie can sense your discomfort, however, he can gauge that this is a different type of discomfort. You’re really anxious, “I cooked.. for us! It’s nothing fancy but I thought hey! Maybe Eddie will really like this and.. and so I just threw this together because well.. because uh.. I..” in your panic you hadn’t even noticed Eddie secure the front door and walk towards you, but he had, and now he is standing with his arms wrapped around your shoulders and your head resting against his chest.

You sigh softly, the smell of his cologne immediately acts as a relaxant and you feel like you can finally breathe in his embrace, “I want you to know how much I care about you.” You admit, your soft voice muffled by your busy buried in his t-shirt. Eddie holds you there for a moment, stroking your hair before he pulls away to see your face, his eyes searching yours.

“I already know, Sweetheart.” His ring clad thumb swipes across your cheek, “I have always known. You’re my person, remember? And I’m your Eddie. Always.” Your eyes flutter closed as you lean more into his touch, nodding meekly in agreement with him. Your heart has calmed in your chest and you suddenly get a whiff of the hot food waiting for you both on the table.

“You brought garlic bread, right?” Eddie quips, a grin forming on his face, “Cause’ if not then I’ll have to draw the line in this friendship.” You nudge his shoulder lightly, giggling at his remark as you pull a tinfoiled plate from your picnic basket.

“Do I look like a sadist to you? I would never see my Eddie go without his beloved garlic bread. Never!” Your hand finds your chest as you mime defensiveness and Eddie’s head falls back as he laughs, taking a seat at the tiny table across from you.

“Y’know, if I had know that you would be here waiting on me.. I would have dressed up a bit more.” He plucks at the Hellfire t-shirt that he is wearing and you look at him, doe eyed and oblivious.

“But you look great.” Your smile is so sincere and warm that it makes Eddie’s knees weak and he has never been more happy to be sitting down than he is right now. He wish you knew the affects you had on him.

“And you look stunning, Dove.” He glances at your outfit, “As always.” He quips with his classic Eddie charm and you begin to peel the tinfoil from the plate in your hands, trying to hide the growing heat on your face.

“Stop it.” You don’t mean it- you never do. You place the plate on the table, perfectly situated between the both of you and you hope that the garlic bread is enough to distract him from your love-sick grin, but it isn’t, “The food might be a little cold, I do apologise.”

“This is fine dining compared to what I usually have,” He twirls his plastic fork in the dish, “You don’t have to worry about me all the time.” He takes a gracious fork full of the spaghetti, a string of pasta slapping his face on the way in which causes your mouth to erupt in a fit of giggles.

“Holy shit-“

“What? What is it?” Your smile fades.

“This is fucking delicious!” Eddie rolls off of his chair, parading around the room before he suddenly comes to cup your face in his hands, “You are a miracle worker!” His lips press against your forehead and a confusion stricken look possesses your face as Eddie bursts into uncontrollable laughter.

“What? What did you-“ Your fingertips swipe at your forehead and when you glance at them you see the red sauce staining your skin, “Eddie!” You pout at your best friend who is laying on the floor, his arm shielding his face as he chuckles relentlessly. You can’t take it, you have to retaliate and the only thing nearby? A piece of the garlic bread. You launch the delicacy at him and an eerie silence fills the room as the bread thuds onto the floor, but you don’t get scared, you get excited. You get so pumped with butterflies that you are already on your feet and ready to run away from him if need be.

“Was that- the garlic bread?!” Eddie bounces up to his feet, his eyes wide with shock as he looks at you, “Ohhh, ohhh- Now you’ve done it. Wrong move, princess.” He glances at the spaghetti and your heart drops. Your fight or flight kicks in and you are running away from him before he has the chance to cover you in spaghetti and meat sauce. You are in a fit of giggles as you fight to climb the raggedy old staircase, your feet nearly betraying you as you reach the top. Looking down to see Eddie closing in behind you laughing as he does.

“I’m sorry, Ed’s! I’m sorry!” You’re squealing as he corners you in one of the empty rooms, your hands outstretched in front of you to try and keep him at arms length.

“You insult the bread… you insult me.” He shakes his head, his curly brown hair bouncing as he does, “How could you do this?” His eyebrows scrunch and his lips downturn into a frown as he attempts to trick you into feeling bad, “I thought we were friends-“ He sniffles before he makes a sudden movement toward you, ready to pick you up and throw you over his shoulder, however…

“Wait! Wait!-“ you scream, stopping him in his tracks. He quirks an eyebrow and his hands land on his hips ,”I brought dessert.”

He takes a step away from you, “I’m listening.”

You’re choking on your own laughter as you try to think of an escape plan, however in moments like these, when you are faced with Eddie Munson- you just have to go with the flow, “It’s called, ‘eat my dust’.”

You sprint past him and you hear him groan behind you as you leave him standing in the room but it doesn’t take long to hear his footsteps thumping toward you. Eddie is faster than you, but you got a head-start.

This time, when Eddie catches up to you, he avoids negotiation all together. Grasping your waist he flips you up and over his shoulder, carrying you back to the main room where your dinner has definitely gotten cold. You thrash in his arms, swaying back and forth with every step that he takes and eventually you give in. You accept the fate of the sauce.

Eddie plonks you down on your seat and you squeeze eyes shut, bracing for impact… but the impact never comes. You reopen your eyes to see Eddie looking at you, his brown eyes are rounded and they reflect the love you carry for him. He is kneeling on both of his knees in front of you, his hands in his lap.

“I wanna tell you something…” He trails off and your heart sinks to your stomach, this sounds serious, “Gorgeous.. I have loved you since we were 9 years old. Hell! I probably loved you before then, too. And.. and you don’t got to say anything but you should know. You deserve to know that I, Eddie Munson, am in love you with. Hopelessly in love with you. I’d do anything for you- but I just couldn’t keep this from you. Not anymore…”

Silence wrapped around you like a thick blanket, caging any words deep within your chest- but you were going to tell him, even if it choked you to death, even if it fucking killed you- you weren’t going to let him walk away.

“I love you.” Your voice is a wheeze as you fight to let the words free, “God, I have loved you for so long, Ed’s.” Tears glisten in your eyes at the intense wave of emotion that consumes your entire body, “You are the only person I ever want to be around. The only person who knows me- truly knows me and.. and I want this. I want us. Forever.” Your vision is blurred but you smile at him, hoping that he is smiling too, and once the tears fall from your eyes you realise that he is. He is beaming.

“Us? Forever?” He edges closer to you, coming to rest between your legs, “I’ve never wanted anything more, baby.” And just like that, the kiss you have dreamt about, wrote about, fantasised about- is happening. It’s happening and you could float with total happiness.

You and Eddie. Forever.

It has a nice ring to it…

-

taglist: @colorful-white-ideas (lmk if you want added!)

[crowgvts]

How to start a pair of punk patch pants

(a potentially really shitty tutorial)

I've seen a couple videos on this but a lot of them seem to skip out on some really key information and tricks so I thought I'd just write a probably really long and really rambly post about it!!!

Step one: gathering supplies

In terms of supplies the main things you'll need are:

The pants

Approximately 4 rolls of dental floss (this can change depending on number of patches and your pant size)

A needle with a big enough eye to fit the floss through

Acrylic paints

Brushes

Scrap denim or other scraps of fabric for the patches

Pins

Some kind of marker or pencil that will work on the fabric you've chosen

I will be going into some detail below about why you need each of these items!!

The pants themselves

personally I prefer either using a pair of jeans I already own or thrifting a pair to be as sustainable as possible, however if you really need to go out and buy a new pair for whatever reason get a high quality pair, this will help in the long run with preventing them from falling apart as easily.

The second main point I want to make is that the pants should not be skinny jeans. This is because when you sew on patches it slightly cinches in the fabric, and with skinny jeans generally being stretchy, this is going to result in the thread of the patches stretching out and snapping. Your patches will all just start falling off and it'll ruin your hard work.

This is why I'd recommend using a pair of jeans or pants that are a bit looser of a fit, such as straight legged pants or a pair of pants a size up from your actual size if possible!

Dental floss

The reason it's generally suggested to use dental floss rather than actual thread is because dental floss tends to overall be a lot stronger than your average thread, as well as often being more easily accessible to buy.

Needle

This ones pretty self-explanatory, just make sure you get a needle with a long/wide enough eye (the hole the thread goes through) for your floss to be able to fit through without trouble.

Acrylic paints

You may be wondering why I'm suggesting acrylics over fabric paints and there are a few reasons!

The first is simply that they're both cheaper and far easier to purchase for the average person than fabric paints, and I want this tutorial to be as accessible as possible for as many people as possible.

The second reason is that fabric paints require a lot of fucking around with setting the paint, whereas acrylics can just be left to dry and be finished, and so long as your pants are hand washed, the paints won't come out (unless you layer it on super thick or are really rough when you clean them).

Brushes

Another pretty obvious one, these are needed so you can actually paint your patches!!!

Fabric/spare denim

You need fabric or scraps to be able to actually create patches for your pants, so this is essential.

Any kind of scrap fabric can do, a lot of fabric stores tend to have bins of scrap fabric that are either pre-priced or priced by weight and that can be a really good opportunity to acquire the fabric you need!

Another way (the method I tend to use) is thrifting a few pairs of jeans alongside the pair I want to patch and then ripping them up into patch-sized pieces!

Either way, I really advise against buying straight up new fabrics by the metre for this as it kinda goes against the entire idea of sustainability and reuse.

A really big tip I have for when you're cutting the fabric of your choice up for patches is to actually only cut a little slit, and then rip. This produces a really nice distressed edge and will help add some texture and more of a fucked up look to your pants a lot quicker than if you waited for the fabric to fray by itself!

Marker/pencil

This is literally just so you can draw your designs onto your patches! I've personally found that either a black or white (depending on how dark the fabric you're using is) pastel pencil is generally good enough to get the general gist of what you want down well enough for you to paint it on.

Pins

These are literally just to hold your patches in place and literally any kind from proper sewing pins to safety pins will work! (just don't forget they're in the jeans before you put them on I promise you it isn't fun to put on a pair of jeans full of pins).

Optional: a sketchbook

You may want a sketchbook or alternatively scraps of paper if you have any kind of original concept for a patch so you can draw it out a few times first to really nail it, and it's also helpful to have if you aren't as confident in your painting and drawing abilities!

Step two: patch making

I personally pre-rip/cut all of my patches before I paint anything on them generally speaking and then fit whatever design I want onto whatever piece I think it would fit on, however if you want to paint your patches and then rip/cut the design out that's also an option (and probably a much smarter one I'm just incredibly stubborn).

For punk pants you want a good mix of both punk bands, politics, and also maybe something a bit daft (I have the "he scream at he own ass" possum on the back pocket of a patched skirt for example). If you don't have bands and such, it kinda defeats the point of them being punk patched pants.

I personally generally pick a theme (eg. colourful patches, all black and white) when making anything patched because I think it makes everything look a bit more cohesive, but that is by no means a rule you actually have to follow I'm just autistic a fuck tbh.

Step three: the assembly

I personally put my main/bigger patches on first and put them on in a few different places until I get the placement I like, and then sew them on with the floss like this:

The main thing you want to do to make sure your pants don't wind up looking a bit weird or bare is to fill in any gaps between your painted patches with small, blank patches. Like this:

and that's pretty much it!!! I can't really explain via written text how to sew and how I personally tie off etc but if anyone would like a video tutorial lmk!!!

[allthecanadianpolitics]

is it worth it to vote in federal elections ? i'm a young adult surrounded by other young people who think it's worthless to vote because esssentially we have no good options, similar to the US. i agree that none of our option are perfect or even great but what other difference can i make ?

In the last federal election the NDP only got 24 seats out of 300+.

With that small number in a minority government the NDP has forced the Liberals to pass bills for Universal Pharmacare, Dental care for all low income people, anti-scab laws (workers rights) and more:

So, yes voting matters. We're not in a USA style situation where the choice is between a Centre-Right Neoliberal Party and a Right-wing one.

The NDP is like if Bernie Sanders and AOC had their own party that was viable in the USA. The NDP is not perfect, but they can pass laws that make people's lives a lot better. We at least have an option that is left of centre AND viable.

Also voting by itself in a vacuum won't fix everything. Voting is just the bare minimum. Outside of elections we need to be holding politicians to account and protesting and using other means of leverage to push for the change we want.

[grimesgirll]

you and daryl are smoking out the window when rick walks in.

"what do you two think you're doin'?"

mid hit, you almost choke at the sight of the sheriff. breathing in deeply to prevent yourself from wheezing, you pass the joint to daryl as cooly as you can after that hit.

daryl grunts. "buzzkill."

"how quick on your feet are you two right now?" rick questions, blue eyes dark and annoyed.

"we're not on watch." you say in a matter-of-fact way.

"no," rick agrees, "you're not. thank god." he runs a hand through his chocolate curls hurriedly.

"glenn's got it," you assure him, offering him a smile at the same time. "you should sit with us. you don't have to have any, drink one of the beers we brought back." you gesture to the full six packs leaning against the wall, branded with the faded logo of the brewery you guys had picked clean the other day while looking for supplies.

"he doesn't know how to relax," daryl tells you with a scowl.

neither do you, you think, but you just frown and shake your head. "rick, c'mon," you croon from your seat by the window.

"yeah, and shut the door," daryl barks.

rick turns and shuts the door lightly. surprisingly, he does what you suggested and picks up a six pack, errantly dropping it by the foot of the loveseat you're cozy on. he takes up the seat next to you, dark stained bottle in hand.

you grin. this is so not how you expected things to go. usually, rick was all pissed off and disappointed about the fact that you guys were getting high of all things. beside you, he twists on the bottle cap. high and focused on his hands, you watch them struggle against the aluminum cap, tensing and unclenching. with a huff, he uses his white t-shirt to grip the bottle again to no avail. the older man looks up from his ordeal to see you absolutely engrossed in him and smirks at you.

he says your name, breaking you out of what your high ass thought was a self-contained act of voyeurism. "wanna try?" he tilts the bottle your way.

you raise an eyebrow. "if you can't get it open, i don't think i can."

rick just smiles at you, like you said something funny. "i don't want you to use your hands, doll. try your teeth." he catches your confused expression. "remember when you did it at the bonfire a few weeks ago?"

suddenly, you recall standing outside around the fire with the group and accepting a request from maggie to open a beer bottle for her with your teeth. you could never say no to her - neither would you pass up the opportunity to hang out with a buzzed maggie for the night. so you showed everyone how to use your chompers to open the bottle. looking back, rick's eyes had never left you as you slipped the neck of the bottle into your mouth to quickly twist the cap off with your teeth. a move you later told carl not to try. you didn't want to be responsible for any dental damage.

you nod and take the bottle from his hands, sitting up in the loveseat. daryl watches, joint in hand, from the other side of the window while you take the bottle into your mouth and the cap at angle just between your molars. you feel two pairs of eyes on you as you struggle for a moment, the cap not coming loose as easily as you'd thought it would. usually, you could just maneuver it a bit for the cap to pop off, but now you're wondering if this cap is just too old, and you consider giving up. that is until suddenly, you angle your teeth just the right way and the cap comes free. it falls into your palm and you wipe the neck of the bottle off with your shirt for rick, just in case any of your spit got on it.

you try to hand the bottle back to him but rick shakes his head. "no," he gestures back to you. "i think after all that, you deserve the first sip."

who are you to say no?

you bring the bottle to your lips and drink, rick's gaze still on you. you consider chugging the entire thing but first of all, that would be rude and second of all, you're not at college anymore. wiping your mouth with the sleeve of your henley, you pass the bottle back to rick who takes a long, ginger sip as you free your hair from your ponytail and settle deeper into the loveseat.

you remember daryl's there when he offers you the halfway done joint. you want to turn it down but suddenly you're craving more. as the skunky smoke fills the air and drains out the window, you start to even crave a beer. you wouldn't mind getting crossed right now; getting a good mix of buzzed and stoned like in your college days back before the world went to shit. it was a nice way to relax, and it wasn't like you were neglecting your responsibilities.

after that hit, you're zoning out more and more. you had set up the cd player with a lynyrd skynyrd album daryl'd found in a record store with you. they weren't your favorite rock artists, but you guys could've been listening to worse bands in the apocalypse after all. you loosely follow the lyrics of one of their songs while daryl finishes off the joint.

"where'd you even get that?" rick asks, breaking the silence.

"you know some places you would get shot for asking that, 'fore all this?" daryl had told you when you'd asked him that.

"house down the road." daryl answers between puffs. "looks like they were tryna' get ahead of that medical shit."

you snicker. the story was true but without seeing those folks, you really didn't know what kind of operation they had going on. the way daryl phrased it though was a nice way to phrase it to a cop. better than we just found it.

"and you'd smoke it without knowing where it came from?" rick inquires, hand wrapped around the dark bottle.

"we know where it came from," you speak up from in between them. "it came from that house's backyard."

he repeats what he asked daryl.

"there could be anthrax in your beer."

that's when you realize you're super high.

rick doesn't have the opportunity to be confused because he's laughing and suddenly you're giggling in his face. he doesn't take it as an accident when you lean forward and fall into his lap on the loveseat. in fact, he takes the opportunity to lift your chin up, saying, "silly girl," and flipping you over to sit on his lap.

"wanna finish my beer, baby?" he offers it to you, holding it up to your lips.

"i don't need it," you reply but your words are cut off when the bottle breaches your lips anyway and you gulp down the drink. beer wasn't your favorite beverage but, in the apocalypse, beggars really couldn't be choosers. he takes the empty bottle from you and sets it on the end table before leaning back up to connect your lips.

you lean into the kiss as he pulls you closer in his lap. the satisfying pressure on your ass from his squeezing has you hazy minded and wishing he would speed up now that you realize what's happening.

then you remember daryl, the one who you'd originally been hanging out with. you hadn't even planned on seeing rick tonight.

you look up from rick towards the auburn-haired man who was ashing the joint out the window. you frown. isn't that what the ash tray on the windowsill is for? you give him a look that says come here and he walks towards the loveseat, sharing a look with rick that has the men positioning you in their favorite way.

you move willingly; they pull you, pliant and eager to please - eager to just do what someone else says and relax. the joint was supposed to help you shut off your brain after a long day but now you can only think about being pressed in between the two pent up men on the loveseat with you. rick has your bottoms off now and is two fingers deep inside of you when you start helping daryl undo his jeans.

"you feelin' ready or do you need more, baby?" your leader asks you, lips bruising your shoulder.

you shake your head. "i don't need any more fingers." you clarify. "wanna feel your big cock inside of me," you blurt out. usually, it takes you a bit to warm up and they're the ones who talk filthy but tonight you're feeling a little less inhibited.

he raises an eyebrow with condescension. "sure you can handle it, doll? last time i thought i broke you."

you snort. "i think the proper word is reset."

you feel a low rumble from rick's chest and he gently lifts your hips to remove his fingers and lower you onto his cock. you whine at the blunt intrusion but the more you grind your hips down into him, the better it feels, especially once you find a good rhythm. you're pretty sure rick's dick is way bigger than it should be but that doesn't stop you from letting him stuff you whenever you two get the chance to sneak away. it was even more rare to find the time for all three of you to be together like this. speaking of, daryl is standing on your side, dick in hand now that it's been freed from the confine of his pants, looking down at you with darkened eyes.

"wanna finish me off, baby?" he mocks and you roll your eyes, opening your mouth for him as rick bucks into you.

he gladly accepts and just like that, you can feel rick smirking as he fucks into you, barely letting you hold on as he drags your hips up and down. he hijacked your smoke session and it ended just the way he wanted. typical.

even more typical when he makes you switch positions so he can finish in your mouth, not taking his eyes off you while daryl lines himself up with your sopping entrance. rick couldn't help but twitch in your mouth watching how you reacted to daryl's cock in your freshly pounded pussy. his face tenses as he nears his orgasm, hands in your soft tousled hair while you take him in your throat so well. he's ready to just let go, he knows you can handle it, after all he knows you can get off more than a bottle cap with your mouth.

[dreamscarx]

New Updated version here: Version 2

Welcome to my first save file! This is version 1. I'm so excited to put this out, this is by no means finished it is just what I have done so far, I really hope you like it. 🤗 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Worlds included: Willow Creek Newcrest Magnolia Promenade San Myshuno ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lot Types: Willow Creek: Clothing/Music store, Nightclub, Restaurant, Office Supply Store, Church, Children's play/therapy center, Pool, Wedding Venue, Gym, and Hotel Newcrest: Skating rink, Furniture store, gas station, sports store, and pet store Magnolia Promenade: Outlet mall, bank, and photography store/studio San Myshuno: nightclub, "adult" club😏 , theater, park, and restaurant !Note: I have all my sims living in San Myshuno, and I split all of the apartments to 2-3 apartments to house more sims, so if it says for example 2 of 2 apartments used it might not be! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ About this Save: All original Maxis townies have been deleted and replaced with my own sims and I used MCCC to place other creators townies in my save. Creators used: BrownieeTheGoat Plumzet Symplesimss Simquoya Kingzbomb Please check them out they have amazing sims! A lot of the lots are based on buildings in my town and surrounding cities. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I did use a lot of packs for this save however you don't need all the packs to play this save

Packs used: EPs: All packs except for Horse Ranch GPs: All packs except for Vampires, ROM, JTB, and Werewolves SPs: All Stuff Packs Kits: All kits except for Bust the Dust and Modern Menswear ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ No CC was used in this save, but I did use mods however you do now need these mods to play in this save. I do recommend some mods in order for some builds to function and some storylines to work BUT YOU DO NOT NEED THEM, they are just for realism MODS used: MCCC UI Cheats Tool Better Build Buy Recommended MODS: (They are Optional, you don't need them for this save file only if you want more realism) Simrealist: SNB, Real Estate Mod Turbo Driver: Wicked Whims Basemental Mod, Basemental Gangs BlacklifeSims: Default Car Replacements Khippie: Default Terrain Replacement Littlemisssam: SimDa Dating App, More Visitors, Zooroo ATM Lumpinou: Contextual Social Interactions, First Impressions, MoodPack, No Strings Attached, Open Love Life, Road To Romance, Relationship & Pregnancy Overhaul, Talents&Weakness Weerbesu:- Ui Cheats, More Columns Mod Adeepindigo: Dental Mod, Healthcare Redux Thepancake1 and MizoreYukii: Color Slider, Bed Cuddle MizoreYukki: Sim City Loans, Drama Mod RVSN: Retail Therapy Food Mods: Littlebowbulb | QMBIBI | Srsly | ATS4 | Somik & Severinka | TheFoodGroup: Custom Drinks, Custom Food | Icemunmun | Apricot Rush Food Retextures ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you decide to download this savefile and run into any problems please message me so I can fix them and update the save file.

Also if you decide to download this save file, please don’t claim any of the lots or townies as your own, Please tag me in any post I would like to see your sims in this save! With all that said I really do hope you enjoy this safe file if you decide to download it!

Happy Simming! Download (SimfileShare)

[cpunkwitch]

disabled artist in need

[disabled artist in need]

hey guys

bad news

i dont have health insurance and i have both a dental appointment and medication to pay for

i want to add those cane wrist straps to my store but i need money to get supplies to make them (all i have is the thread rn)

i dont get paid from work until next week and it will probably be just enough to only cover my dental appointment the week after if anything at all.

i take art comissions, i sell woven bracelets, i sell art prints, im working on adding another piece to the prints option and adding stickers (part of the price goes towards paying staples for their printer since mine doesnt do colour). i even do tarot readings and theres more available for you to check out in my store.

my sisters helping me make little buisness cards i plan on sending out with a thank you for each order i get.

any support at all would be amazing, i got a lot going on but have to put getting myself supports and aids on hold to focus on paying for meds and appointments right now.

i could use all the help i can get

[theambitiouswoman]

Hormone disrupters are chemicals 🧪 that interfere with your body’s endocrine system, which regulates hormones. They can be found in a lot of every day products like:

Plastic bottles and food containers

Pesticides in agriculture

Cleaning supplies

Chemicals used for clothing

Personal care products like lotions, shampoos & makeup

❌ These are hormone disrupters found in common every day products that you should stay away from ❌

- Bisphenol A (BPA) (plastics and can liners)

- Phthalates (personal care products, fragrances, flexible plastics)

- Parabens (makeup & personal care products)

- Triclosan (antibacterial soaps and cleaning products)

- Polychlorinated Biphenyls (older electrical equipment and industrial products)

- Flame Retardants (furniture, textiles, electronics)

- Pesticides (agriculture)

- Perfluorinated Chemicals (stain resistant treatments, non-stick cookware)

- Dioxins (industrial processes, combustion byproducts)

- Lead (older paints, pipes)

- Dye chemicals (textiles and clothing)

- Water repellents (outdoor clothing, upholstery)

- Stain repellents (carpets, fabrics)

- Formaldehyde (wrinkle free and anti-shrink treatments for fabric)

- Mercury (fish, some thermometers, dental amalgams)

- Cadmium (batteries, some fertilizers)

- Atrazine (herbicides)

- Glyphosate (weed killers)

- Perchlorate (rocket fuel, fireworks, fertilizers)

- Arsenic (contaminated water, pesticides)

- Styrene (plastics, rubber, insulation materials)

- Phosphates (detergents, fertilizers)

- Nonylphenol ethoxylates (industrial detergents, cleaners)

- Organotins (PVC plastics, marine antifouling paints)

- Benzophenone (sunscreens, plastics)

- Octinoxate (sunscreens, makeup)

- 4 Methylbenzylidene camphor (sunscreens, makeup)

‼️ Exposure to these can lead to health issues like reproductive problems, developmental issues and cancer.

🌿 Needless to say, that in order to protect our hormones 🫶 it’s important to recognize these risks and take measures to reduce our exposure them.

[cerecdepot]

Discover a wide range of premium CEREC dental equipment and supplies at CEREC Depot. From cutting-edge digital dentistry tools to essential materials, we provide everything you need for an efficient and modern dental practice. Shop online with confidence, enjoy competitive pricing, and benefit from fast shipping and exceptional customer service. Transform your workflow with our top-quality CEREC solutions today. Source Link https://justpaste.it/fu6w4

[twistedblunderhand]

How often do the characters leave NRC?

Ik the game is focused on the school, but I feel like at least some of them would have a life outside of school

HEARTSLABYUL

Duce- it was mentioned he left to the beach to let things out before, so obviously he leaves the campus sometimes. Since he’s trying to be an honor student I can’t imagine he’d go out too much for fun, but he will to clear his head or with his friends

Ace- he’d get way to pent up if he was in the school all the time. He definitely goes out occasionally and invites the first years

Cater- All. The. Time. Both as a way to distract himself and also to keep up with the outside world.

Trey- occasionally, but mainly to get ingredients or things to decorate for unbirthday parties. And once a month he gets bulk dental supplies

Riddle- other than mandatory vaccinations, probably not. Especially early game. As he grows he might go out with Trey and Cater from time to time. But never on his own

SAVANACLAW

Jack- he leaves now and then, but not too often. During the winters he goes home for some weekends to spend time with his family and snowboard at his favorite places

Ruggie- iirc it’s mentioned he has multiple jobs. If he leaves more often than not it’s to work or find work. That and to go to a local donut shop

Leona-he can canonically drive, and also is 20. He’s not spending all his time at NRC. He’s got friends outside he meets with once or twice a week and drives Ruggie to his jobs if he can’t get the twst version of an Uber

OCTAVINELLE

Jade- he’s apart of the mountain appreciation club, so he probably goes hiking at least three times a week. He might go into a nearby town if Azul asks him to, but I can’t imagine he leaves too often

Floyd- probably joins Jade on some of his hikes and also goes into town when Azul asks. He also travels to the beach/ocean whenever he’s feeling homesick

Azul- he rarely leaves school, and if he does it’s to check up on business opportunities

SCARABIA

kalim- all the time. He takes people out, he explores the areas close by, he single handedly pays the bills for the local party barn with all of the supplies he gets. Out of anyone in the music club I think he tries to get a bunch of gigs for them, but he rarely follows through

Jamil- usually if he’s out it’s to drag kalim back to school. He’s just too busy that he doesn’t really have time for himself, especially early game. Eventually I like to think he gets out of working for kalim, and so he has a lot more time on his hands he’s not used to having. Then, he’d probably go out sometimes to go to coffee shops alone and finds a dance studio where he can destress

POMEFIORE

Epel- under Vil’s eye, probably not. Might be forced to go to ulta once or twice or on little “field trips” to learn. Mainly performances and shows

Rook- probably leaves to hunt once in a while or to go to performances or follow a target.

Vil- as mentioned before, he takes Epel on little trips to educate him, but also to study/learn from other performances himself. Also, if he has a roll obviously he’ll go to do that too

IGNIHYDE

Ortho- usually follows his brother so doesn’t stray far from campus

Idia- dude he doesn’t leave his room. No way he leaves campus on his own free will

DIASOMNIA

Silver- I don’t think he’d stray too too far from malleus so I don’t see him leaving campus much

Sebek- I feel like he wouldn’t leave campus too much to stay near Malleus or Lilia

Lilia- he goes out every week at least once. He has friends outside of school and loves to learn about the area/culture outside and near school

Malleus- mainly stays on campus because of his social awkwardness/anxiety. If he finds there’s an abandoned place outside of school he’ll probably venture there once in a while

STAFF

Just as a general thing, they all probably go out and meet up and talk about life once every two months

Crowley- asshole gets out every night instead of working. He skips work and will be out during his office hours. Like he should have a life outside of work, but he doesn’t do shit at his job

Crewel- he volunteers at the dog shelter and doesn’t live on campus.

Trein- he has a three kids, so yeah. After school he leaves to go home and probably has family dinners every Friday night at local restaurants

Sam- for sure. He has lots of clients outside of the school store and needs to get his stock from somewhere, but also he has tons of friends and doesn’t live at the school

[acapelladitty]

gotta firefight, gotta cool the bad

Pairing: Cooper Howard/Lucy Maclean

Summary: After a marketplace fight, Lucy purchases a gift for Cooper and finds her generosity repaid in kind. (5.3k words)

(warnings for: physical violence, oral sex, mild blood, gun violence, cunnilingus, handjobs, drug use, orgasm)

Fic Masterlist

Link to AO3

"It fucking stinks out here."

In the hustle and bustle of the small marketplace, it wasn't hard for Cooper to find the culprit causing such a nasty violation of his senses. A nearby vendor, their large barbecue hosting rows of neatly sliced and diced mutated fish, was slowly cooking the snacks atop the heated coals and the scent of the roasting fish was enough to even make Lucy's nose twitch as she stood in silent agreement with Cooper.

Glaring daggers at the stall owner, a short woman with greying hair that seemed to defy gravity as it stood on its end, Cooper sauntered past with a disgusted grunt as his eyes cast over the other available wares.

Supplies were low and his long memory had served him well as he recalled this busy little shopping district only just off the path which he and Lucy were treading on their dogged path towards her prick of a daddy.

A quick search of an old barn the previous day had yielded a sweet find; a case full of caps had fallen right into their hands and the sudden flushness marked with the low supplies had forced them to stray from their goals yet again as they chose to make a pit-stop. In the wastelands, good fortune didn't come around often so it was always the better choice to strike while the iron was hot and use their findings for immediate benefits.

Lucy was just looking forward to the distraction.

It had been three days since they'd fucked and nothing dramatic had changed between them outside of Cooper's mean-spirited teasing taking on a more physical edge as he grabbed at her and took more opportunity to brush against her with greater regularity. He hadn't brought up their little roll in the dust and sex to her was as casual as playing a game of cards so she didn't see the point in being the one to mention it.

A dreary sign hung over one of the stalls, offering a limited deal on anyone who required both dental work and haircare, the dental barber lounging beneath his advert with predatory eyes as he watched the handfuls of people slip amongst the varied goods and wares. To his side lay another rickety table, this one housing various pieces of tech and trinkets which Cooper could immediately tell were scavenged from the remaining wreckage of Dusty Dunes.

One of the stalls boasted some pretty decent looking vegetables, the stark green standing out against the muted browns and oranges of the surrounding desolation and Cooper found himself latching his fingers to Lucy's elbow as he all but dragged her over to have a closer look.

The man who owned the stall, his right hand missing a thumb, watched them approach with hateful eyes but Cooper ignored the obvious tension as his gaze zeroed in on his goal.

"How much for the lettuce?"

"Fuck off, mutant."

Smiling dangerously, Cooper took the insult in stride, unbothered by the attitude. People hated ghouls and he was more than happy to meet their disdain with his own.

To his side, Lucy was not quite so calm.

She wasn't ignorant to the way people reacted to Cooper, her eyes and ears were quick to pick up on the whispers and outright nastiness which people afforded him before he could even open his mouth.

"Hey! What's your problem?"

Equality in the vault was an absolute rule. No job or ruling position was limited in who could hold it and all an individual had to do was speak their truths and hope that they garnered enough votes or interest to succeed. Skin colour, gender, sexual persuasion, all irrelevant as they each saw past these things to choose the best person for the job.

To see actual discrimination in the flesh, so to speak, was an aspect of her travels with Cooper which needled her with just how unnecessary it was. That and all the other shit they had to deal with. This at least, she could control.

Regarding her with less open hostility, there was still an edge of disgust in the stall owners features as his gaze roved over her.

"No try before you buy, lady. If you see something you like then I'll tell you a price."

"And what about my friend here?"

Content to let her steam ahead on her one woman crusade to bring some class to this shithole marketplace, the amusement which Cooper hid behind his stoic features was laced with a dangerous warmth that she even gave enough of a shit to speak up for him over such a thing.

"I'll play nice with a pretty lady looking to buy, but I ain't looking to play nice with a fucking mutan-"

His insult cut off by the fingers of Lucy's right hand as they collided across his cheek, the immediate ruckus caught the attention of more than one passer by as numerous guns were pulled free and triggers clicked.

"Don't be so mean!" Lucy exclaimed, righteous fury burning in her veins as she stood her ground, unaware of the growing attention her actions were pulling. "You take that back and say sorry right now."

Spluttering furiously, the humiliated man squared up to her in a moment - his hand raising in the air to meet her in turn with a harsh slap until he found his wrist captured in a punishing hold which dragged a pained squeal from his lips.

"Bad move, buckaroo."

One hand an inch away from snapping the wrist in his iron grip while his other hand held his pistol to the man's nearest thigh, Cooper pulled the trigger and offered up a vicious grin as the prick screamed bloody murder while dropping to the ground.

Cooper whirled in position as he held the attention of the gathered crowd, more than one having trained their own guns on he and Lucy as their little violent show drew an interested crowd.

"Nothing to see here folks." Cooper announced, hands sweeping outwards in a placating gesture as his pistol hung loose from his trigger finger. "Just a fella defending a very pretty lady from a fucking dumbass with a big mouth."

Said dumbass continued to yell on the ground, his leg dripping blood to the dust as he curled his hand around the wound.

By his side, Lucy matched Cooper's placating gesture as she called the crowds attention to herself with a clear of her throat.

"This man," she pointed down at him with a stern finger, her voice carrying as easily as it had across her classrooms as she considered her argument for the crowd, "started it."

A lame finish and one which Cooper barely held back a groan at as he side-eyed her with disgust. With a swift kick, he knocked the screeching man unconscious and told control of proceedings once more.

"Now, as I said, we're not looking for trouble but if trouble wants to find us then we're more than happy to meet her half way."

A vague look of recognition dawned in the features of some of those gathered and it quickly morphed into uncertainty as no one was really prepped for a full on shoot-out with a ghoul who looked comfortable with taking the kill where necessary.

With mutters of disinterest and the holstering of weapons, the few brave members of the crowd who were considering some retaliation appeared to think better of it as they rapidly upped and dispersed back to their own business.

As Cooper helped himself to a fresh head of lettuce, his other hand dropped appropriate payment to the table. His shoulders remaining hunched as the tension of potential violence refused to allow him to truly relax himself, Cooper tore the outer leaves from the lettuce before bringing it to his lips.

The crunch of his bite vaguely repulsing her, Lucy found her eyes drawn to the long line of trinkets which lay off to the stall by her side. Some looked ancient while others had the tell-tale shine of a recently-stolen object and she gazed across the collection until her eyes landed on something which sparked a firm idea in her mind.

Speaking from the side of her mouth as Cooper continued to enjoy his makeshift meal while his legs started up on a fresh journey, Lucy pointed out the object with her replaced finger.

"How much for that?"

This vendor, a one-eyed woman with filthy, matter hair which had been scraped back into a messy bun, offered little more than a casual shrug.

"Eh, eight."

"Done."

Handing over the caps and pocketing the small gift before Cooper could see, Lucy whirled on her heels and followed her ghoulish companion as he continued to devour his lettuce and stroll towards a nearby building; an advert for available rooms hanging over the double doors.

"We'll spend the night, vaultie. Daylight is fading and there's no safe place for camp nearby."

x-x-x-x-x

Payment given and room for the night secured, Lucy glanced around said room with a scrunched nose as she took in the mess.

"Wow. And they charged us for this?"

"Bed, no breakfast, vaultie." Cooper exclaimed with false cheer. "Just be thankful there's no radroaches between the sheets waiting to take a bite of your ass."

"It's not the radroaches I worry about."

The space barely fitting the large cot which functioned as a bed, Lucy shimmied around the side of it as Cooper openly chuckled at her comment and she lifted the sheets to check out the accuracy of his words - just in case.

Cooper continued, his amusement open on his features as he pulled his cowboy hat from his scalp and dropped it to the end of the bed.

"Now, a gentleman would offer the lady the bed and offer to sleep elsewhere. But I ain't no gentleman, and you're not the kind of lady to let a man get a bad back from sleeping like a dog. So, let's agree to share without argument."

Having already fucked him, Lucy shrugged her shoulders - the concept of sharing the space any other way not even having crossed her mind.

"Okay dokay."

It wasn't often Cooper removed his hat for any length of time and Lucy enjoyed the view while it lasted. The shadows of the hat tended to hide the curves of his head, from the way his cheekbones sunk into his skull to the leathered appearance of his scalp, and she narrowed her eyes slightly as she committed them to memory - her fingers itching to run across them.

So distracted, it wasn't until Cooper let out a loud sigh as his clothed body dropped to the bed that Lucy recalled her earlier purchase.

"Hey, I have something for you."

Keeping his eyes closed, Cooper tilted his lips into a smirk.

"Unless it's allowing me to snort a line of chem off a part of you of your own choosing, I ain't interested, sweetheart."

"Nasty." Lucy retorted but kept up her insistence as she nudged the bottom of his shoe with her elbow. "But really, put your hand out and I'll show you."

"Nope."

"Hand out!"

"No. Last time you got a hold of my hands you ripped half my finger off with your teeth like a feral bitch. Ain't falling for that again."

"Shut up and do it. You'll like it."

Giving a weary sigh and mumbling something about her being a nagging mare, Cooper relented and held his hand out as his arm propped his head up to allow him to watch her movements.

"I bought you something down at the market."

Dropping her hand into her pocket, Lucy pulled free the small item and placed it gently into Cooper's extended hand. "It's for your chem. It holds each vial perfectly and it'll stop them from jerking around and smashing in your jacket."

The metal component was light but sturdy enough that Cooper rolled it in his hand to test how much force it could take. His expression was blank, a strange series of emotions flitting through his chest as he considered the last time he had received a gift.

Straining his thoughts, he genuinely couldn't remember a time he hadn't had to fight or bargain for every piece of kit he owned.

It was a surprisingly thoughtful gift and one he immediately put to use as he sat upright and dropped his hand within his side pocket to pull free a few loose vials of chem. Slotting them into place, the little container held each one perfectly and Cooper's lips quirked into a hidden smile before he schooled his face back to a typical smugness.

"Bout time I got some recognition for all the hard work I've been doing here. Working myself like a pack mule to keep your stupid ass alive."

"Well, you're welcome, Cooper." Lucy rolled her eyes but her sarcastic tone dropped into something more earnest as she gazed down at him. "But I think the way that man spoke to you was wrong so I wanted to get you something nice. Because you're better than they think you are."

Looking at her with incredulity, Cooper couldn't help but scoff.

"If you think my hide is so thin that I give a fuck what they think then you don't know me at all, vaultie."

Cooper looked at her, really looked at her, and he could see the discomfort - the hatred which slid off him like water off a ducks back - settle on her skin. She was genuinely bothered by how they treated him and his ghoulish appearance, their unkindness making her unhappy with its perceived unfairness. She was naive as hell, but that unshakeable softness did amuse some part of him that often grew tired of having to fight for every fucking inch of his existence.

"Y'know what, sweetie. I just realised that I left something out there in the market. You stay here to keep the riff-raff out and I'll be back soon."

Striding out the door before the marketplace could fully shut up shop for the night, Cooper sought to even the playing field - uncomfortable fondness making him itch as an idea, much like the one which had afflicted Lucy earlier, blossomed in his mind.

x-x-x-x-x

The last gift Cooper had purchased had been a stunning silver necklace, the metalwork intricate, and he had slipped it over Barb's neck with a smile which matched her own as she watched it settle against her skin in the mirror.

Since the bombs, selfishness had become the way of the world and he wasn't anything if he wasn't quick to get with the times. But he had seen something that he thought Lucy might like.

He had spotted it earlier, the garment hanging on a thin rail with various other pieces. It was a blue slip, the fabric fine and almost like silk as it stood out against the other earthy colours which hung along its side. The ground beneath his feet felt oddly light as he trekked a rapid path back to the stall which he had perused earlier to go and snap it up.

Indicating the rail with a jerk of his hat-clad head, Cooper spoke lowly - enjoying the more relaxed atmosphere of the market as the fading day had robbed a lot of the customers from the area as they slunk off to whatever hole they'd crawled out of.

"How much for the slip?"

Barely glancing up at him, the stall girl - younger than Lucy and much blonder - glanced behind her as she counted her takings for the day, a fat pistol next to fingers to ward off any potential thieves.

"The blue one? Five caps."

Reasonable enough.

"Done." Cooper agreed, slamming the caps down on the wood with a steady hand.

Looking over the payment, the girl expertly unsheathed the slip from its hanger as she handed it over without any hesitation.

"Got a matching pair of heels for you if you want, sugar?" Her voice was surprisingly deep and Cooper held her gaze as she gave him a proper once over before meeting his eyes. "Might not match the duster though."

Tucking the fingers of his left hand in his pockets, Cooper held the slip between the clenched fist of his other hand.

"Blue ain't my colour, sweetie."

And with that, Cooper turned on his heels and headed back to his bed for the night, having concluded his business and desperate for a little bit of extended peace from the pulsing heat of the earlier day. Cooper strode back the room with purpose, forcing several people to side-step out of his way to prevent being knocked to the ground and he found his path unblocked until he stepped through the surprisingly sturdy door which separately his hired room from the outside corridor.

Lucy had made herself comfortable in his absence. Her clothing with minimal, a stained white tank top and matching cotton panties all that preserved her modesty as she reclined atop the bed - her fingers struggling to balance one of his vials of chem on their tips.

"You paying the rent to be sitting around here like a harlot?"

Caught off guard by his comment, Lucy's mouth fell open in comical shock and her eyes narrowed at the insult until she sensed the amusement rolling off Cooper as he tilted his head in her direction.

"Be nice."

"I am being nice." He countered with a grunt. "Last time I let someone share my bed looking like that they had to earn their place."

Perking up, Lucy didn't seem too put off by the idea but Cooper cut off her reply by throwing the slip at her - the thin fabric flying through the air with an almost ghost-like flourish as it landed in a crumpled mess to the side of her legs.

"What's this?"

"Eye for an eye, vaultie. I ain't having a gift hanging over my head like a fucking noose."

"Cooper!" Squealing in delight, Lucy snatched up the fabric with a wide grin and something odd curled in Cooper's chest at how enthusiastically she accepted it as her fingers smoothed it out. "It's gorgeous."

"It's what they had."

"Can I?"

"Sure. Knock yourself out, sweetie."

Without shame, Lucy snatched her tank top and bra free of her upper body and her tits bounced free in such a way that Cooper had to physically stop himself from following their motion with a slight head bob. Clenching his fist, he swallowed down the flare of arousal which pierced his groin at her brazen show of skin.

She was quick to throw the slip over head, the silken fabric trailing across her skin to settle against her frame with a delicious tightness that made Cooper immediately forgive the mild price. The blue stood beautifully against her creamy skin and the neckline was so low that it was practically obscene, the rounded edges of her areolas just beginning to peak free as she knelt up on the mattress of the bed.

"I-It's so pretty."

"Hrm."

"Did you want to see me wearing it?"

It would have been an innocent question if it weren't for the way Lucy's upper body tilted forward to flash even more of her barely concealed tits, and Cooper felt his teeth bite at his his inner mouth as she openly teased him.

"It's your gift. Do what the fuck you want with it."

"Do you want to feel what's under it?"

Asked the question as he once again dropped his hat to the end of the bed, Cooper inhaled deeply at the obvious come on and fired off a quick prayer to a non-existent god as he felt his cock twitch against his thigh. Her brazen attitude towards sex continued to surprise him in a way that he would never confess to her. Hell, he and Barb hadn't even kissed until their third date.

And yet.

Cooper was on her like a rash, his body pinning her own to the bed as he wrapped an arm beneath her shoulders and dropped the other to the hemline of the dress - teasing his fingers along the bottom.

"Are you asking me to fuck you on this here bed, Lucy Maclean?"

Still enraptured by her gift, Lucy gave a girlish giggle as she spread her thighs in open invitation, bringing one hand to his chin and tapping along his jaw as she replied. "You can do what you want with me."

"Big words, vaultie." Cooper growled and his hands worked quickly to slip her panties free - the process made easier by her raising her ass to help out. "But you think you know what I have from one fuck? You got a lot to learn, princess."

Lucy scowled at the nickname, her eyelashes batting as she narrowed her eyes at him, but he ignored it as he returned his hand to her thigh, using his wrist to push the hem of the slip up and expose every delicious inch of her sex.

"Mmm." Humming her agreement, Lucy closed her eyes as she tilted her body further into his grip - her hand coming to rest atop his own as he groped at her skin.

Dragging his first two fingers along her slit, the slight moisture there making him cock a non-existent brow, a sharp gasp escaped Lucy as her eyes flew open to meet his own.

"I can feel it."

With a push, Cooper slipped his two fingers within her hole and the digits sank into the wet, inviting warmth of her as if they were made for it and she responded in kind by clenching to pull him in deeper, immediately greedy for more.

"Well, I would hope so. We've only fucked once so I know i ain't broken it ye-"

"No. Silly man. Not that. Ugh- I mean I can feel it. My finger. It feels so different to yours. It's softer."

Caught off-guard by her comment, Cooper's fingers paused in their motions as they slowly pumped in and out of her deliciously wet cunt. He couldn't feel shit, his own body having grown used to the new finger without too much issue.

Her finger.

Return to sender, he supposed.

"Huh. Who would have thought." Cooper growled, filing her words away for future consideration. "Which feels better?"

At the question, he pulled his slickened fingers free and grazed them along her clit, the digits pushing past the protective hood to give her the fullest experience of their raw touch.

"Gosh, Cooper." Lucy whined, the immediate stimulation of her most sensitive nub causing her to jerk in place. "I don't know."

His fingers were quick to return to her cunt, pressing insistently at her hole until she swallowed him up again, grinding herself into his palm as one of her hands pinched at her left nipple through the silken slip.

"That colour is beautiful on you."

The words slipped free of Cooper's mouth before he could think too much about them but the truth of them was undeniable. A royal blue, the colour stood against her skin with pride, making her dark hair and eyes appear even more intense as they were off-set by how vivid the material was.

So engrossed by his fingers, Lucy either didn't hear him or didn't choose to respond as she continued to chase her own pleasure - her hands alternating between clutching at his leather duster and rolling across her own chest. Taking advantage of that, Cooper snatched his hand free of her and slid it within his pocket to pull free one of his small vials of chem.

"I wasn't kidding about the line, sweetheart. I'm in need of a pick-me-up and I'll let you choose the syringe."

"Thigh." Lucy responded with heat, her hands tugging the slip fully over her hips to expose her entire lower half. "You can take it from there but if I feel teeth then I'm shooting you with your own gun."

Emptying a small line of the vial onto the willing creaminess of her thigh, Cooper was quick to lick up the mixture of radaway and other addictives like a man possessed, his tongue dragging across her flesh to taste both the drugs and her sweat-slicked skin - a delight which flooded his mouth and made him shudder.

His little vaultie had a side to her that kindled that wicked sense of humour which refused to abandon him, even through the horrors he had both suffered and enacted, and in rare moments like this, Cooper felt a touch of his old self emerging; the rogue cowboy determined to play.

Cooper slipped his head higher, snaking his mouth further along the curve of her smooth skin as he kissed a sordid line along her inner thighs towards his goal. The scent of her arousal was clear, calling him towards her cunt like a sirens song as he momentarily mourned how long it had been since he'd gotten to enjoy such a simple act.

Cooper Howard had always loved giving head, almost as much as he loved getting it and goddamn if he didn't miss the feeling of having a pair of thighs warming his ears.

Lucy didn't seem to mind his eagerness as her thighs spread even wider, soft moans crossing her lips as her hands settled on the back of his head to pull him closer while he teased at her innermost thigh.

"Not even a little teeth, sweetie?" Breathing through words against her sex, Cooper didn't wait for an answer as he licked a salacious line across her slit - tasting her truly for the first time and feeling his cock jerk as it remained woefully neglected within his slacks.

Willing to deny himself for the moment as a little boon to her earlier, unexpected, defense of him, Cooper locked his hands around her thighs as he dove into the expectant meal before him. His nose bumping against her clit, his tongue immediately set to work as it followed up his initial lick with some much more controlled movements.

Lucy, her upper body reclining against the sheets, felt her breath catching in her throat at the sudden onslaught of pleasure that sparked across her cunt at his instant enthusiasm. Crying out in the quiet room, the sensation of his roughened skin pressing against her sensitive cunt was intense - his choice to devour her like a final meal making Lucy writhe in place as her hands flew to wrap around his hairless head.

Licking, biting, sucking and nibbling away at her, the lurid sound of Cooper's mouth as it worked on her cunt was obscene and Lucy locked her thighs around his head as she ground herself roughly into his face - forcing him to tactfully pull free for air when possible.

Enthralled by the little noises of pleasure which she mewled out, Cooper gathered Lucy's clit between his chapped lips and suckled it with a teasing hum. A move which almost cost him his life as her thighs clamped around his head and her fingers dug crescent shapes into his scalp as she rode herself on his mouth - her obvious and sudden orgasm even catching him by surprise as she pressed against him desperately.

Cooper snatched himself free, allowing her a small respite by lapping at her hole to gather some of his prize as it dripped free of her. The soft, dark curls which framed her cunt were wet, glistening with her arousal and Cooper found himself rolling his groin against the bedsheets to satisfy some of the need in his aching cock; his own pre-cum making the feeling in his pants more than a little uncomfortable.

"It hasn't felt like that befor- Cooper that was really good." Breathless and sated, Lucy's dark hair fanned behind her head in a mess as a hot flush stained her cheeks. Catching sight of his harsh positioning against the sheets, a sudden look of questioning entered her wide eyes and it only took a moment for her to work out what he was doing.

Lucy held back a soft laugh, as she slid her body further down the bed so that she was more in line with Cooper's positioning. Smiling brightly at him as his blazing eyes watched her with open arousal, she was unstoppable as her hand snaked its way towards his clothed cock. Her own features slack with pleasure, Lucy sighed as her hand wrapped around his cock - feeling just how hard his treatment of her had left him as he allowed her to grab him as she pleased.

"Golden rule." She muttered.

Quickly freeing his cock from its confines, his livid length jutted proudly from his groin as she ran her hand along the shaft, only pausing to gather some of the pre-cum which leaked freely from his slit to help her hand glide more smoothly. The texture of his cock against her soft fingers was so interesting that she could help but look down at her own actions, watching his cock slip between her fisted hand as she committed each inch to memory - from the darkened head to the prominent vein which ran along the underside of his shaft.

So different to anything she'd seen before.

But so goddamn good.

Already on the edge, it only took a few gentle strokes for Cooper to come undone - his balls tightening as he openly groaned out his pleasure, his lips forming around the grunts and whines without shame as his release arced gracelessly over her fist and wrist. Satisfied with her work, Lucy feel back to the sheets once more and exhaled as Cooper matched her movements; both bodies laying diagonally across the bed like marionettes with their strings long since cut.

Lucy surveyed the mess on her hand and they both lay in compatible silence, gathering their breath. Despite his ghoulish differences, his cum was just like the others - same colour and consistency.

A fact which made her wonder.

Bringing her stained hand to her lips, Lucy licked off the cum which stroked across her fingers and Cooper had to resist the pathetic urge to groan at the sight of her tasting him. Willingly. Even enthusiastically.

Fuck, she was going to kill him.

"If you're going to be doing shit like that, then you'll need to up your radaway, sweetheart. It won't knock you up but the factory that's cooking it ain't exactly meeting normal standards."

Feeling the salt and slight acridness of his release an interesting taste across her tongue, Lucy rolled to her side as she turned to face him completely. The fact that he still wanted to have sex with her after the first time made warmth spread across her skin and she basked in that satisfaction as she spread her knees slightly to take the pressure off her sensitive cunt, her entire sex feeling wet and sticky with her release and his mouth.

"It's sweet when you think of me."

Unable to help the selfish picture of her lips wrapped around his cock as she swallowed him down from flashing through his mind, Cooper was willing to allow her to continue in her more innocent reasoning of his actions as he grunted out his retort.

"I'm a charitable man when you get to know me, vaultie."

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 7

[elicathebunny]

HERBS AND THEIR BENEFITS.

Ginger:

Eating ginger can cut down on fermentation, constipation and other causes of bloating and intestinal gas. Wear and tear on cells. Ginger contains antioxidants. These molecules help manage free radicals, which are compounds that can damage cells when their numbers grow too high. It is useful in minimizing menstrual cramps, and it relaxes the muscular spasms as well

Cinnamon:

high in antioxidants, which may help protect against disease, inflammation and ageing It may improve gut health, dental hygiene, reduce cholesterol levels and lower blood pressure.

Garlic:

Garlic offers an immune system boost to help prevent colds and the flu virus. One study found that allicin, an active component of freshly crushed garlic, had antiviral properties and was also effective against a broad range of bacteria

Chamomile:

commonly used for many human ailments such as hay fever, inflammation, muscle spasms, menstrual disorders, insomnia, ulcers, wounds, gastrointestinal disorders, rheumatic pain, and hemorrhoids. 

Rosemary:

antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-apoptotic, anti-tumorigenic, antinociceptive, and neuroprotective properties. It could prevent hair follicles from being starved of blood supply, dying off, and leading to hair loss.

Tumeric :

Turmeric has been used in both Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine as an anti-inflammatory, to treat digestive and liver problems, skin diseases, and wounds.

[canary-prince]

Ways For US-Americans To Help If You're Abstaining From Voting

Can't vote on moral grounds, but still raring to do something? Stuck in America and unsure of how to meaningfully serve your community? Here are some ideas that I, a social worker serving house-bound citizens, can share out of personal experience. Feel free to add other ideas or links. We are not powerless.

Volunteer (these are just examples/sources of info)

Planned Parenthood needs volunteers for nearly every non-medical department

See if your state has a volunteer stewardship program, where you can help weed out invasive plant species and defend your natural ecosystem

If you have medical skills, become a street medic

Contribute to the preservation of Queer History

Put your labor towards the upkeep or repair of properties in Indigenous communities

Adult literacy is not great right now, and we're harder to lie to if we're literate; volunteer to help your neighbors who were failed by the school system

Resources to help the unhoused constantly need volunteer counselors, cooks, and someone to sort donations

The sick and elderly are very under-served, particularly if they're broke, so reach out to a local hospice to see what skills they need

Give (if you can't physically volunteer but have money to spare)

Donate to an abortion fund; this one is for Native peoples specifically

Donate to a book gifting program or book mobile; this link is for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library

Donate to preserve the histories of communities of color; this fund is specifically for preserving African American historical sites

Donate to protect the natural environment

Donate to help free those caged in prisons; this link is for the Innocence Project, which aims to challenge wrongful convictions

The arts are for everyone, but wealth gaps interfere; this fund is for art initiatives that contribute to community building, including increasing accessibility

Learn (resources that many communities have but aren't widely educated on)

Community Action Agencies: these are non-profits and private companies that act in service of their communities' human rights and quality of life. Many have utility funds, run food banks, manage emergency shelters, provide education and job skills opportunities, and participate in social activism.

Area Agencies on Aging: Non-profits that serve elders (and non-elderly disabled citizens) in a designated service area. They primarily offer services to prolong independent living (free or low cost in home care, meals on wheels, home safety modifications, and Medicare guidance) or help with transition into assisted living.

Habitat For Humanity: They aren't just in disaster zones or on foreign soil; they have local US chapters that provide critical repairs to families in need. They repair roofs, address barriers to access, and perform electric and plumbing work.

Durable Medical Equipment Loan Closets: Communal sources of vital medical equipment including wheelchairs, walkers, canes, hospital beds, shower chairs, and more. May be able to provide incontinence supplies or diabetes supplies. Rarely but sometimes provide oxygen.

Non Emergency Medical Transportation/Alternatives to Mass Transit: Transportation for elderly, disabled, cognitively impaired, and low income citizens to help them reach medical providers, dental care, physical therapy, and eye exam appointments. Can also provide transit to shopping centers, the grocery store, religious events, cultural events, and polling stations. Offer door to door services for the housebound. IF YOU HAVE MEDICAID, YOU SHOULD NOT EVER BE PAYING FOR THIS. MEDICAID IS OBLIGATED TO MAKE SURE YOU REACH ANY AND ALL MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS.

Legal Aid Clinics: Sources of pro-bono or sliding scale legal advice and representation.