#worn items for sale

[vampriestpoison]

Week old dirty socks looking for a good home

These socks were worn for an entire week and are filthy! DM Me if you want them shipped and sealed directly to your house~

[stereax]

[naomiknight-17]

I have survived going to the mall... this time...

[solradguy]

Etsy is banning the selling of adult toys (i.e., insertables, penetrables, etc), erotic art/literature, and other "adult" goods come July 29th: https://www.etsy.com/legal/prohibited/

They're taking the Tumblr route with it. From the above link:

Examples of What is Allowed: - Illustrative (i.e. non-photographic or photorealistic) artwork depicting female nipples [included is a painting of a woman with her bare chest facing towards the viewer, standing casually. her lower body is dressed in layers of skirts] - Illustrative artwork depicting buttocks [included is a watercolor painting of a nude man from the back, his buttocks unobscured] - Illustrative depictions of genitalia without sexual context [included is a photograph of orangish transparent penis-shaped lollipops]

They go into more detail on the guidelines on this page: https://www.etsy.com/legal/policy/adult-nudity-and-sexual-content/1269612959532?ref=list

The page defines what it considers pornography ("Printed or visual materials that explicitly describe or display sex acts, sex organs, or other erotic behavior for the purpose of sexual arousal or stimulation") and then covers any methods people have used before to get around this or comply with it, such as:

This policy applies even if the above body parts are only partially visible, including through very tight, sheer, or mesh clothing, or through insufficient use of blurring or “censor” bars.

The adult toys and accessories section:

Etsy prohibits the sale of adult toys that are: - Inserted into the body - Applied to the genitalia - Designed for genitals to be inserted into them This includes adult toys such as dildos, vibrators, anal plugs, sex dolls, and fleshlights. Etsy allows the sale of non-insertable and non-penetrable adult toys and sexual accessories, as long as they meet our requirements for sale on Etsy. This includes items such as restraints, handcuffs, nipple clamps, body harnesses, sex furniture, and BDSM accessories. Permitted adult toys and sexual accessories may not be shown in use or worn by human models in listing or review photos. Consider using a mannequin or flat lay photography instead.

The final section on this page covers the banning of "mommy" and "daddy" branded mature items.

As always with these types of policy changes, it's going to hit LGBTQ+ creators harder than anyone else. There is a thriving adult toy/mature art community on Etsy and smaller creators are going to struggle greatly with finding a new platform and audience. Many of these merchants also sell gender-affirming items such as packers, artificial nipples, breast forms/padding, and specialized undergarments. While these weren't explicitly mentioned in the above rules, they're still going to be affected by these new policies.

Some creators that I follow have independently run stores alongside their Etsy storefront. I highly recommend supporting these artists and creators while you can and subscribing to their socials or the email newsletters on their independent stores before they have to close up on Etsy. It is extremely difficult finding creators like this due to how algorithms—even on sites like Twitter that allow nsfw art—and search engines actively reduce visibility on posts by nsfw creators or by independent merchants.

[artsninspo]

FORGIVELESS - VI - I'M TOO PROFOUND TO GO BACK AND FORTH, WITH NO AVERAGE DORK 📱

Full Masterlist

PREVIOUS CHAPTER

RIO MASTERLIST

VI - I'M TOO PROFOUND TO GO BACK AND FORTH WITH NO AVERAGE DORK 📱

Pairing: Rio (Good Girls) X Reader

Word Count: ~2.2K

Warning: NSFW and steamy🌶️ elements 😉 .

Summary: This chapter explores Rio's POV. You and Rio grow closer in spite of your distance. You both explore your new feelings and ultimately prepare for the trip to Mexico.

Standing at the register Rio avoids the flirtatious looks from the cashier at the luxury retailer. She was pretty but he’d put his rakish ways on pause potentially indefinitely with what he had going on now. His housekeeper began packing his bags and there was no question that you needed a luggage set to match his. Usually he didn't care. You aren’t the first plus one he’s brought around the family but for the first time he feels differently about the situation. About you.

“Can I get you anything else?” the sales associate asks.

“Nah, that's all” he replies, giving the woman a look of impatience. His nerves were worn thin again. He hadn't been around you in two days and he hadn’t yet made James pay for getting physical with you. If he didnt care what you thought about him, James would already be missing. Only that would make things harder for the both of you. It would be a dumb fucking move on Rio’s part. A jealous lover was almost always the culprit. It’s why he’d been looking into Japan. It was her real name, funny enough. Party girl social climber into the pay for play lifestyle. Unfortunately, as far as Rio could tell there was no one else aside from James involved with her. She was really into him for whatever reason.

Rio would keep his hands clean for now using his network to kill any fun the pieces of shit we're having at your expense. The only thing they would be allowed to eat in the city would be at mass chain restaurants and in their homes. No dine in options would be made available to them. Rio had already made the calls and circulated photos of the two traitors. He didn't want you to have to stomach that. He takes the receipt and his bags out of the mall as he heads to his car putting the items in the trunk. He hoped the gifts wouldn't be seen as too much. Getting in his car he sighs deeply wishing he was heading inside of you to take the edge off. The thought of you in a predicament without him was wearing on him. How strong you were being about everything bothered him even more. He’d been betrayed by family too, and no matter how much he played it cool it always hurt. He never wants you to pretend not for him or anyone else. He doesn't want you to give consideration for a man that disregards you. James needed to be apologetic, screaming, in pain and wishing he never crossed you. Then, he needed to hold the regret forever.

Rio needed there to be blood. To cheat was one thing, to lie about it another, to move your wife away from your family scummy, to get rough with your wife after she finds out. James was in a rush to be acquainted with his casket. Rio wanted to see how the tough guy with muscles would react to being confronted by a real man. His thoughts go to you, he wanted Mexico to be a clean slate, a fresh start, a chance for you to be happy and not worry. Why should you have to keep secrets anyhow? It was a dangerous thing for him to have his nose wide open like it was. He’d learned that long ago. Women didn’t acclimate well to his lifestyle, the late nights, early mornings, temptation and sometimes lack of communication. It usually left them with a few screws loose. That's why he kept his boundaries clear, mostly for the benefit of the women he dealt with. Then where was the reality of Nick, his cousin and polar opposite. He loved the daylight, people, talking, colour and taking what isn't his. If it was clear there was something Rio wanted or enjoyed more than usual Nick would swoop in to steal it away. But this was the perfect opportunity, as the groom Nick wouldn't have any time to intervene with the demands of the wedding..

Sighing Rio shakes the thoughts of self sabotage from his head settling into the driver's seat and starting his truck. Putting the car into gear he pulls out the lot cutting on the radio to drown out his thoughts. Right now, business was the simplest part of his life. Looking at his phone he sees no new messages from you and opts to call you instead.

“Rio?” you pick up on the second ring.

“Mama” he responds, smiling at the vision of you smiling on the phone in his head.

“I was just about to call you, I’m shopping for a dress. You didn't tell me the wedding party colours and I don't want to make you look bad. What's the vibe and dress code” you ask and it's his turn to smile.

“Let me see what you have so far,” Rio asks, requesting a video call.

“Rio, I’m in the fitting room and my moms outside the door” you whisper as your cheeks burn with embarrassment.

“So mama doesn't know you're a freak?” he teases, making you laugh. The sound settles him as he focuses on the road. Accepting the video call you put on headphones and step back from the phone now suctioned to the wall via a grippy phone case. Rio watches you materialise in a classic dress with a finger to your lips. You spin giving him a 360° view.

“You’re too sexy to be hiding it all the time” Rio comments and you try to swallow the smile and blush he gives you again. Rio chuckles proud of his effect on you. 

“How's it going sweetie?” your mom calls from the waiting area.

“This one was a no, I'll show you the others if I like them more.”

“Ok, love” your mom responds and you hear her footsteps go back to the sitting area.

“Sexy at someone else's wedding, Rio?” you whisper again.

“It’s for me and I’ll handle anyone who looks too long,” he shrugs, making you shake your head. He has no idea the wonders he’s done for your confidence after the blow that is being cheated on. You move away from the safe option and pick up a bright coloured dress that compliments your skin tone and that’s backless. You shimmy out of the first dress giving Rio a show and he watches like a starving  predator. You feel your body heat when you realise you’d previously removed your bra. Instinct has you cover yourself. But, the fact that it’s Rio watching strikes out your inhibition. He watches without protest of you covering yourself. He watches as you cast a look back at him over your shoulder, removing your arms from your chest and giving him a full view from the mirror in front of you. All the blood rushes straight between his legs as he takes in a deep breath of air happy he’s nearly home.

“You’re beautiful baby girl” he mutters in his usual sexy tone.

“The way you look at me I believe it” you smile putting on the dress. You zip it at the hip and fix the neckline. Looking yourself over in the mirror you check your angles before deciding you need to keep your hair up and off your neck for this style.

“You’d better fucking believe it mama” Rio mutters adjusting himself in his pants. Smiling, you go closer to the camera to kiss at him.

“I miss you Christopher” you confess and Rio’s eyes light in excitement at the use of his given name.

“Call your mom before we get started, I think that's the one” Rio says not wanting the call to descend into full phone sex.

“Yes daddy.” You wink feeling both playful and powerful at the same time.

“Keep playing with me,” Rio warns with a promising smile.

“Ma, I think this is the one” you call opening the door.

Grabbing her purse your mom walks over and from the look in her eyes you know Rio’s right. It’s the perfect dress. “Baby, this is it. It’s gorgeous” she smiles, spinning you around.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, baby, it's all on me. Colour looks great on your skin. I’m glad you're finally showing off those curves instead of hiding them for the sake of professionalism”  she says with an eye roll. Rio hears the contempt in her voice and smiles to himself.

“Thanks Momma” you smile heading back in.

“I'll be at the register” Mom declares as you head back into the fitting room.

“Can’t wait to take it off you, if you see something else you like, get it for the reception. I got it. I gotta go but you call me if you need anything ya hear?”

“Ok” you nod, unzipping the hip zipper.

“What happened to yes daddy?” He jokes and you laugh a little.

“Yes daddy” you concede.

“Good, take care Mama” he says, ending the call with a deep sigh as he looks at the tent in his jeans. Shaking his head he parks in his condo’s lot and has to use the shopping bags to cover his predicament before he can use the fresh material of you getting dressed for his consideration to take care of himself.

… 

You’ve never been on a vacation with a man other than James. Your first had been your honeymoon, everything since had been less climactic. Standing in the middle of the mall now you feel a familiar flutter in your heart. Rio’s appreciation put him in a league of his own. He was far more present than James who always seemed to be far away with his five to ten year plans. Always looking ahead and not at what was right in front of him, never settling into comfort or appreciation. You hadn't realised how exhausting changing yourself to fit into his standards had been. You’d turned into an accessory somewhere along the way, it's how you added value. Your commitment to his goals, willingness to partner with him and create comfort alongside him. It killed the spark, annihilated the spontaneity and extinguished desire. Yet, he couldn't even honour your commitment or how much sacrifice you’d made to keep him comfortable. You reach for a bright coloured bikini. You explore a few varieties and cuts in the change room before settling on one that accentuates your best features. You have a few that are a little risque and others that are more family friendly.

Your phone rings in your earpods for the fifth time this shopping  trip and you sigh knowing its James and answering the blocked number.

“Hello?”

“Where are you? You haven't been home in two nights.” he probes.

“I don't have to answer you anymore.” You respond, bored already.

He exhales. “We’re still married Y/N.”

“Not for long” you tell him, holding your new items and looking around for where to head next.

“Don’t threaten me with a divorce, you don’t work. You can’t afford to be single and you love me just like I love you. What you saw isn't what you think it was” he says doubling down on his newest lie. You smile to yourself happy for the clarity.

“I don't love you anymore” you tell him honestly. “Keep screwing the bitch, I don't care what you do. I just know it won't be me” your words surprise even you. There’s no need to spare him anymore.

“Y/N you’d better stop threatening me before I do what you're asking. It’ll kill you to see me with someone else. I know how much you love me” he says again.

“You knew it’d kill me and you still did it. I know your dick James and I recognized it on your explicit messages you sent her. You’re still lying, James. I’ll have someone come by and move my things out next week.”

“No, come home! We need to talk” he shouts

“Why? So you can put your hands on me again?” you ask.

“I didn't hit you” he specifies.

“You’re never gonna get the chance” you clarify.

“Baby, it's me we're talking about. I would never hit you. I just didn't want you to leave and for you to get all these crazy ideas about leaving when you're with me, where you belong.” he says.

“Don’t call me baby, I’m not yours. I’ve wasted too much time with your lying, cheating ass already. I won’t for a minute more. Stop calling me” you snap before hanging up completely done with the phone call. 

Reorienting yourself in the mall you look up to see a lingerie store. It’s time for a fresh start. You have a ball thinking of yourself and your tastes before considering Rio. You pick up a few things to spice up the trip. After checking out you find your mom and tell her about your conversation with James over a meal at the food court. She’s had it with James and encourages you to get a new number for peace of mind. You do as you're told before leaving the mall knowing it's only a matter of time before James employs more flying monkeys in his bid to get you back.

The list of people you message is short, your mother, Rio and a few of the girls at your yoga studio. You save Rio’s message until you get home. After a day of vacation prep you feel like a new woman and send him a spicy picture to notify him of your new number along with a message about your excitement for the upcoming trip. You know you should keep things cool but you can't wait to smell his cologne, be in his arms and loved on by him again.

Authour's note: Thanks for letting me take some time away. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and Rio being boyfriend material without the title. Let me know what your favourite part was. Also any suspicions 👀 . As always, like, comment and vote for more.

Next stop ✈️ MEXICO

LOVE LANGUAGE SUMMARY REFERENCE

TAGS:

@meadows5@wnbweasley@becauseimher@ariiaeltheedonn@woahthatshitfat @miniaturehideoutmentality @kokobells @ffenthusiastt @sowhatariyana @1xtral1983 @theegoddessofmelanin

[sunnie-angel]

A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out

Part 2: Pretty Woman

fem!jason todd x fem!reader summary: reader convinces her girlfriend jay to dress up tags: teasing, sexual tension, groping, cunnilingus, thigh riding rated explicit (mdni) | wc: 2.2k a/n: honestly just an excuse to put jay in cheetah print

Your girlfriend in her steel toed boots, rotating closet of identical tank tops, worn in jeans, and leather jacket is hot. Capital H O T hot. You are absolutely not complaining about the way she dresses, especially when she’s looking at you like you’re something particularly tasty. No, it’s just – she makes you feel so pretty, that’s all. She makes you feel dainty, delicate in her hands, the belle of the ball on the arm of the most handsome woman there. You love the way she makes you feel, you love the way she lets you do her hair sometimes, and you just want to make her feel happy.

So it’s with that in mind that you start planning. Slowly start adding images to your pinterest board, start looking up hair and makeup tutorials. Flag certain items in your online shopping cart for when they go on sale, just so there’s no fuss when the items do turn up in your closet. Primp and practice, collect and wait until just the right moment. For the right mood to strike. And when it does, you’re ready.

You’re curled up on the couch, head resting on Jay’s stomach as you watch old reruns of Dynasty on the tv. She’s got a hand resting on the side of your face, fingers stroking softly as the lights from the screen flicker across your face.

“D’you think they’re pretty?” You ask her, not looking up from your comfy position.

“Who, the actresses?” Her fingers still on your face as you move your head to nod. “I guess, though their fashion’s pretty dated.”

“Yeah but don’t they look so gorgeous and confident though?” You continue to prod. “Big hair, bigger attitude.”

“O-kay,” she drawls, clearly just humouring you but it’s an opening.

“Doesn’t that remind you of anyone?” You tease, starting to push yourself into a seated position.

“What, you don’t mean me?” She squints at you like if she looks hard enough she can see the exact shape of the head damage that put you in this mood.

“Uhuh,” you nod, eyes bright and enthusiastic. “ A little bit of primping, a dab of red lipstick.”

“And then what?” Jay asks. “You turn me into some tv villain sleeping with her ex-husband’s mortal enemy?”

“Um,” you stutter, suddenly shy. “More like the morally grey lesbian that seduces her daughter?”

Jay grins because now she’s got the gist of your plan unfurling into the palm of her hand.

“Yeah?” She teases. “You want me to seduce you?”

You nod, vigorously.

“Okay fine, turn me into your soap opera lesbian then.”

You squeal and grab her hand, drag her off the couch and ignore her rolling eyes at your excitement. Push her down into the vanity seat as gently as you can while dashing around to grab things from their hiding places. Jay looks at you in the mirror as you start to backcomb her hair.

“Is this you preparing for the outcome you wanted again?” She asks suspiciously like she already knows the answer.

“Might have been,” you say, already nearly done with shaping her hair.

A fog of hairspray brings it all together, Jay coughing and swatting at your ass to leave off. Grinning, you spin her around in the chair and start on the makeup. End up sitting on her lap, legs splayed, as you swipe bold oranges and gold across her eyelids, too engrossed in your work to notice the way she’s palming at your ass. A careful hand applies a crisp line of red lipstick to her pout. Grabbing a tissue, you hold it up to her mouth and tell her to “Bite gently.”

She does, eyes never leaving yours with a hunger in them that’s not quite appropriate for prime time television. With a careful finger under her chin, you turn Jay’s head side to side to make sure you haven’t left any spidery mascara marks or fallen glitter. Satisfied with your handiwork, you push off her lap, only suddenly just realizing how far up your skirt had ridden.

“There’s an outfit laid out in the closet,” you tell her, hands fidgeting with your skirt hem. “You don’t– you don’t have to wear all of it if you don’t want to, but um, I’d really like it if you did. I’ll just um, just wait here for the grand reveal then?”

Sighing the heavy burden of the long suffering, Jay walks to the closet, trailing a lone finger down your shoulder as she brushes past. Inside just as you said is an outfit, or, what should be an outfit only there is barely enough fabric to qualify as such. Grumbling she throws her clothes in the laundry basket and starts inspecting what you’ve gifted her.

“Hey these underwear are missing half the fabric,” she calls out to you, holding out the glorified strings of cheetah print, trying to figure out which bit is supposed to actually cover her.

“Thongs just always look like that!” You call back.

“Well I hope you didn’t pay very much for them,” she continues to grumble, finally figuring out how to slide them over her hips without turning them into a garotte.

Pulls the high cut of the waistband up over her hip bones and admires the way they make her look curvy. The bra – the bra almost makes her laugh out loud. That same loud cheetah print only stuffed to the gills with padding. It’s probably 80% padding and the balconette cut means there’s basically no cup for her actual boobs. A very far, far cry from her usual sports bras, but she’ll bite. Has to adjust and play around with it to stop her nipples from wanting to spill out but she’ll admit her tits look good. She will be asking you later about why you had a lingerie set in her size just lying around though. A tight, tight pencil skirt that has her jumping and shimmying to get on goes on next, the stretch of the fabric smoothing out the harsh lines of her. A thin, see through button down is all that’s left. With a snort she simply knots it, already knowing that the hassle of the tiny buttons won’t be worth it. Not with how she plans the rest of the night to go.

Taking a breath, she allows herself a moment to just look at herself in the long mirror. Twists to admire what the skirt does for her ass, the line of her legs. She looks... powerful. The kind of beauty that crushes lesser beings underfoot with casual cruelty, sharp edges tempered by the fullness of curves Jay was never sure she’d really have. Wild. Her muscles make her look dangerous and wickedly feminine, red lips curling up at the corners at her thick thighs test the limits of the skirt seams. The way the shirt clings for dear life across her shoulders, make her an hourglass figure to kill for. Oh you knew what you were doing, dropping hints about seduction, but Jay’s gonna make you regret not being honest about it.

With a swish to her hips that is enchantingly new, Jay walks back into the bedroom. She savours the instantly glassy look in your eyes. The sweet little parting between your lips and the harsh bob of your throat as you swallow. Walks right up to where you sit on the bed and uses her height to loom over you. Your legs part automatically and she slots herself between them like she belongs there. She ghosts the back of her hand down the side of your face and you close your eyes and shudder.

“Like what you see, sweet thing?” She teases. You nod blindly and press your face into her hand. “Such a good girl, getting everything ready for me like this.” You sigh as her fingers card into your hair, cups the back of your head. “There’s just one teeny, tiny, little problem.” Your eyes fly open, brows creasing with confusion. With one hand Jay pulls on the knot keeping her shirt closed, exposes her breasts to the cold air of your bedroom. “My tits are sore from this teeny, tiny, little bra. You’re going to put that conniving little mouth to work and make them feel better.”

The hand cradling your head turns to iron, guides your face to her chest and plants it right in her cleavage. It takes a few slow seconds to realize what’s expected and Jay’s fingers tightening in your hair before you start to move. Quickly you begin to mouth at the warm flesh of her tits, laving your tongue over their heavy weight, kissing and sucking little red marks into them. Use your empty hands to massage them, squeeze at them the way you’ve been to ever since she walked out and tied your tongue into knots. Carefully free one breast from its confines and latch onto her dark nipple. Tease at it with your teeth until you can feel her panting. Your hips start undulating, desperate for friction at your throbbing core. The wet core of your panties brushes against her leg and the iron grip on your head pulls your off of her breast with a wet sounding pop. 

“I generously let you play with my tits but you just had to get greedy, huh?” She taunts. Steps back and has you moaning at the loss of her. “Thought your gluttonous little cunt deserved more.” With a broad hand she smacks between your legs, has you writhing and whimpering only held up by the hand still in your hair. With disgust she throws you back onto the bed and crawls up your body. Shimmies the tight skirt up around her hips, just the thin string of her thong keeping her covered. “I’m going to ride your lying little tongue,” she tells you with a cold kind of disdain. “Your hands are going to stay on my ass the entire time and if you’re good and make me come, maybe I’ll let you grind on my abs after.” 

Your keen gets cut off by Jay seating herself over your face, hands scrabbling to grab onto her plush ass. You tongue aside the wet fabric of her thong and start sucking. Seal your lips around her hole and grind your nose into her clit. Use your hands to encourage her to use you. Tongue at her entrance until she starts swearing, knuckles white around the head board. Slick coats your mouth and chin. Stiffening your tongue, you start to thrust inside of her and she grinds down on you. Throws her head back and arches her back in a way that pushes her breasts out. Entranced, you lap at her cunt reflexively as she starts riding your face in earnest, tits bouncing rhythmically. You throb between your legs, hips meeting nothing but air as you squirm beneath her.

Urging her on, you start to tongue fuck her in earnest, desperate to make her come in your mouth. Jay takes one look at your wide glassy eyes and grins wickedly, instantly understanding what part of the show has all your attention. Reaching behind her, she unclasps the bra and shrugs it off, lets her tits fall heavy. Arches her back artificially and starts to feel herself up. Moans as she tweaks and pinches at her own nipples, hips grinding faster against your tongue. She comes just as you start to give up hope of being good for her, thighs clenching around your ears and slick dripping into your throat, slow fire lighting up her veins.

With a heavy sigh she rolls off of you, sits next to your head as she fixes her skirt. Carefully you keep your hands to yourself as your roll onto your elbows to look up at her. Very intentionally you don’t grind your aching core into the mattress. Jay strokes her thumb over your cheekbone, then uses her hand to tilt your chin up, admiring the way your face glistens in the light.

“My, my baby girl’s a messy eater,” she chides, your face flushing warm. “M’gonna have to teach you better manners.” She tuts.

“Was I–” you clear your throat “Was I good though?”

“Yeah baby, you can have your reward,” she says affectionately. Scrabbling on the bed you straddle her, almost crying out in relief at finally having something to rub up against. “You’re gonna have to do all the work though,” she tells you, warm hands coming up to steady your hips.

You groan and start grinding, her hands guiding you. Strung tight already and achingly turned on, you know its not gonna take much. Your panties are disgustingly wet, soaked through and practically dripping. Frantic, grind as fast as you can, plant your hands on her chest and bear down on her taut stomach. Your thighs already burn and you whine in frustration, pleasure not building fast enough in your gut to satisfy you. Jay reaches up a hand and cups your breast through your t-shirt. Brushes a thumb over a sensitive nipple and you’re crying out as you come on her stomach, legs shaking and cunt quivering.

Exhausted, you slump over on her chest, face buried in her neck. She pets a hand over your hair and coos as you shake against her warm skin.

“There she is, there’s my good baby girl.” You sigh and try to wriggle closer at the praise. “See what being patient gets you? Now come on baby,” she says, rolling you onto your back on the middle of the bed. “Let’s get these sticky panties off. I want to see whose lips this lipstick looks better on.”

series masterlist | part 1 | part 3

[femmefatalevibe]

Femme Fatale Guide: Lingerie Essentials Every Women Should Own

Simple everyday bra and underwear sets in black and nude that match your skin tone: Think of items like a lined bra and seamless thong/bikini panty set. My favorites are the SKIMS Fits Everybody Push-Up Bra paired with the matching Fits Everybody Thong and the Natori Feathers bra paired with the Natori French Cut Briefs.

Sexy yet practical bra and underwear sets: Sexier options you can still wear every day and look good under your clothes. Consider an all-lace or animal print bra with coordinating all-lace or sheer underwear – love the bra options from Chantelle, Natori, Cosabella, and Simone Perele (these are pricey, so I look for them on sale) paired with Natori or Cosabella underwear. My favorite styles are the Natori Push-Up bras (I'm super flat-chested, so I need it for my clothes to fit properly, lol – otherwise the Natori Flora Contour Underwire Bra is stunning) with the Cosabella Never Say Never Comfie Thong & Natori Bliss Allure Lace Full Brief.

Ultra-sexy bra and underwear sets: Less so for clothes, more for yourself or for show. I love Fleur Du Mal for these bra/underwear lingerie sets.

Strapless bra: Natori Feather Strapless Bra. Thank me later!!

Lace bralette: Something comfortable that still feels a bit sexy. I love the options from Journelle, Cosabella, and Natori.

Satin/silk robe: To wear after the shower or around the house. Lilysilk, Victoria's Secret, Cosabella, and Fleur Du Mal have great options.

A quality pair of black tights: I love HUE and Wolford! The control top ones always feel the best for me, personally.

Sheer black thigh-highs with lace-stay-up detailing: Natori Feather range ftw yet again!

Sheer black tights with or without back seam detailing: Hue and Wolford, always!

Simple bodysuit/shapewear bodysuit: The SKIMS ones are great.

Elevated shapewear bodysuit (in a fabric like satin, lace, or vegan leather): I love the Spanx Shaping Satin Thong Bodysuit and the Commando Faux Leather bodysuit – perfect to wear with a pair of jeans and a blazer.

High-waisted sculpting underwear: SKIMS Seamless Sculpt is my favorite (runs on the smaller side!)

Satin slip dress: Can be worn at home or with a blazer/leather jacket for a night out.

Fully lace or lace trim slip dress: If wearing it alone could run someone's life, you're doing it right. Love the one from Cosabella. If you want to wear it out, try a vegan leather bralette, an opaque black brief, and lace or sheer black tights for a "naked" dress look or black pants/denim for a night-out look. Otherwise, save this one to feel sexy while relaxing at home or to wow a partner any night of the week. If you want some ultra-glamorous options, I suggest checking out Oséree but their items are $$$$ as a fair warning.

Satin/silk cami & shorts or pants set: For some equally comfortable and sexy loungewear or pajama options. I love styles with lace trim for that added feminine touch.

[e-hibiscus]

Pairing: Demon!Ningguang x reader

Authors Note: Happy Hallows eve 👻

As part of @edgeray ’s Halloween Event, I’ve written you all a fic for the spooky season‼️‼️

Warnings: Nsfw, suggestive UTC

As a hobby you enjoy sifting through old estate sales. It’s always an entertaining thing to see objects that people hold onto. Each thing is tied together with a story from the past. Anytime you see a sign posted about a garage or estate sale, you always go to take a look because there’s always a hidden gem in the sea of “junk”.

Stepping out of your car, you see a man out by the garage, organizing an assortment of toys, books, clothes, and other nicknacks. The crunching of gravel lets the man know of your arrival, and after some small talk you're sifting through the mountains of mementoes. Looking through faded pictures and books for anything of interest.

While looking through some old posters, something catches your eye. An old book in excellent condition despite how dusty it is on the surface. In some odd way… you’re compelled to take it with you, so you buy it along with a few other things , like a beautiful hairpin and intricately designed pipe.

Standing before your small haul of items, the book falls to the wayside. The worn and dirty gold hairpin is the first thing you decide to restore and you’re glad you did because after cleaning the damn thing it was simply beautiful. Feeling the pattern underneath your fingertips, it’s clear this was a masterpiece in its own right. You decide to keep it on your vanity incase you ever want to use it. The pipe too, is a very similar line of event. Restoration and then ultimately you display it in your collection with your other bits and bobs.

It was only months later that you get around to the weird book you’ve picked from that estate sale. A few times you’ve found yourself staring at the cover while it sits on your shelf. You bring the worn book in your hands, being careful not to cause anymore damage to its delicate body. Despite its clearly aged appearance, your able to read the characters written in the pages.

Only some seem familiar to you, but there was much more you didn’t understand about it. It was clear that this was a ritual of sorts, that much was clear if the images and diagrams were anything to go off of. Tracing over the characters, you decide that you’re going to try and summon whatever this thing is. Everything is confusing though… so you brush up on your researching skills for the sake of finding out more about this ritual. Your curiosity got the best of you, so you began pouring in hours of research in your free time.

After years of on and off research and deciphering of the characters you’ve finally figured it out.

You couldn’t get in any faster than you already were. The frantic jingling of your keys was the only thing you can hear other than your labored breath. Your eyes continue to dart between each key and the time on your watch until you finally get the door open and shut behind you.

In your living room, mostly everything had been cleared out so you could make space for all the things necessary. You spent hours the day before crafting the sigils, referencing your notes so things would be absolutely perfect. You didn’t come this far to half-ass this, right? You couldn’t help but cover your eyes when the characters light up brightly, and you miss how Ningguang’s pulled from her slumber. The demon manifests from the smoke, to see her new “master” and when she sees you the demon only raises a brow.

Slowly, you crack your eyes open to see not an ugly scary demon… but an older woman who eyes your body almost as if she’s picking jewelry instead of looking at a person. Even under the scrutinizing gaze of the demon before you, a small “Woah…” escapes under your breath because Ningguang’s beautiful.

••

The ruby eyes take in the room around her. It’s bland for her taste. There’s only a few things amongst all the “junk” Ningguang could appreciate however the succubus can’t help but be disappointed by your taste in decor.

“Well,” Ningguang’s voice draws out smoothly. It’s not often a woman summons her, and a rather cute one at that. “What do we have here?”

The way you averted your gaze from her immediately when it became clear you’re reserved and inexperienced. With a firm grip on your face, Ningguang forces your attention into her face. A chill ran down your spine as her pertent gaze bore into you. The sharp manicured nails leave light crescents on your cheeks before her thumb gently runs over the markings with faux care. She drinks in you slightly panicked expression.

She doesn’t miss the way your breath hitches as her thin tail snakes its way around your thigh. The desire in your core grows from the sweet scent filling the air and you only grow more sensitive to everything. From the fabric of your shirt to your panties your body is getting worked up in the presence of such a power succubus. You remain still as she turns your head, a pleased hum escaping her lips before she lets go satisfied by your obedience. Ningguang’s praise sounds smooth like honey. “What an obedient little master.” Her delicate fingers swipe over your lips, before she plants an indulgent kiss to rile you up some more.

Your hand reaches out to grab her wait, however Ningguang grabs hold of your wrist. “Have patience, little master. You’ll get a taste soon enough.” Her words ghosting the shell of your ear. Ningguang leans in to steal a kiss with an indulgent chuckle before setting her smoke aside.

Soon enough you’re laid in the sheets presenting your pretty little pussy for her. Already the thin fabric of your thong is soaked through with your arousal, pupils blow wide as you stare up at her figure leaning over with nothing but grace and elegance.

The way her nails scrape against your skin sends a shiver down your spine. You should be embarrassed that a simple swipe over your clothed sex has you rolling your hips against Ningguang’s hand. The needy feeling aches from the lack of stimulation.

“All you have to do is say yes,” Her words break through your clouded mind with a tempting offer. “and offer your body to me?”

[officialabortive]

Barbarian!Bakugou x FoxHybrid!Reader

Barbarian!Bakugou had already set up camp for the night under a canopy of thick tree branches. Finally finding some semblance of relief within the cool shade, when he was disturbed by jingling of rusted bells and worn out wooden wheels clacking against rough terrain. Of course, he knows before even looking, that it was the tell tale clatter of a wandering merchant. Bakugou makes haste, jogging over to see the available merchandise. Opportunities like this are rare, as merchants who travel so far out are few and far between.

The stallions —who are surprisingly well kept and very clearly well groomed— hauling the small wooden caravan came to a halt as the man holding the reigns gave a tug upon noticing a blonde figure jogging up. Dropping the reigns, the man swiftly hoped to the ground, ready to offer a sales pitch. Clasping his hands together, the merchant gave his best smile. It was obviously forced, far to wide and toothy to be genuine. Katsuki already pinned him as an obnoxious asshole.

"Ah! Hello, hello, good sir! Would you be interested in making a purchase? You've come at a good time, I have quite the selection at the moment!"

Bakugou grunts "maybe. What'd you have?" The cart was ever so slightly too elevated to see inside without needing to jump to look in over the edge

"Oh please do come take a look!"

Bakugou trails behind him to the back of the caravan where they can see in through the open back. Several hybrids sat on the wooden flooring, all of which having their gaze pinned directly back on him.

"I only carry the cutest and most unique hybrids! Even some exotic breeds! Only the best of the best! And I can assure you they are all perfectly family friendly!" He started pointing to them individually. "Here we have a beautiful teddywidder rabbit! This is red tailed deer! Over here is one of my personal favorites, a rare spot-"

"Got any hunters?"

The man began stumbling over his words. Now one ever wanted something like that, a possible threat. People wanted a nice cute hybrid to have around the house and be loved by children.

"I- uh- well, I do have this exotic snowy fox, who I'm sure is an amazing hunter. Foxes are known for their incredible hearing, agility, and stealth! All amazing attribut-"

"I'll take 'em"

There was an audible ting, Bakugou having flicked something to the man who fumbled to catch it, even with using two hands. Greedy eyes bulge at the perfectly circular gold piece in his palm. Gluttony has evidently long had it's unshakable grasp on his greed ridden soul.

—

You were fairly well behaved. Immediately inspecting the temporary camp, analyzing each item in the worn out bag that lay open on the dirt. Than coming to sniff at bakugou, poking and prodding, curiously tugging at each individual necklaces on his chest. He'd even noticed how you sat exclusively in shaded areas, and squinting whenever you weren't.

Yeah, he regrets not thinking further into the whole 'only liking dark areas' thing. Turns out foxes are fucking nocturnal.

Now, the sun had long gone in to hiding, yet here sits a very much wide awake, agitated barbarian. Slouched with arms crossed over his chest as he glares at nothing in particular.

"Can't believe I spent fuck'n money on this bullshit– QUIT IT!"

The sales basterd was right, you were definitely stealthy. And for Katsuki, it's annoying as shit. He can't even hear your approach when you pounce on him from behind, cackling when you successfully grab on to him mid-jump. Only after several hours worth of attempts to catch you, only for you to slip right out of his grasp, to have you apprehend and tired. Finaly he can get some damn shut ey- why the fuck are you burrowing under his cloak!?

Whatever. At least bakugou is confident in your skills required for hunting. Perfect.

MASTERLIST

[marlequinncos]

Cosplay Build Guide: Marko's Jacket from The Lost Boys (1987)

I am a lover of the horror genre; horror movies, books, games, you name it! And one of my favorite horror movies is the 1987 classic “The Lost Boys”, which focuses on a gang of motorcycle-riding vampires in the fictional California town of Santa Carla. I'm also a big fan of thrifting and modifying items for cosplay. I decided to combine those two things and make a garment that has lived rent-free in my head since I first saw the film: the colorful patchwork jacket worn by the vampire Marko.

I'm going to walk you through how I made Marko's jacket, breaking down the different parts that comprise the garment.

Marko’s outfit is made up of several components: a white cropped tank top, light wash denim jeans, leather chaps, custom painted leather moto boots, fingerless motorcycle gloves, a black skull earring, and of course, that iconic and extremely loud jacket. 

All four titular vampires have a signature jacket they wear in the movie, and Marko’s is by far the most elaborate and distinctive. It consists of three main parts: the base jacket, the Italian tapestries, and the patches. Because of the nature of this build, I had to do a ton of intensive research to determine the individual and highly specific parts of the jacket. My main references were photos from movie memorabilia auction sites whenever one of the original jackets went up for sale, since they photograph the jacket from all angles.

Part 1: The Base Jacket

Marko’s base jacket is, according to my research, a men’s black Levi’s denim jacket in a size 40, which I believe translates to a medium. Now, I’m a petite woman (5’3”, athletic but slim), so I knew that the exact jacket would be too big for my frame. Instead, I found a men’s black denim jacket in an extra small; it's very similar in style to the original, but a little better proportioned for me. It's still very much oversized though. The first things I did were remove the buttons and pockets, and I cut off the hem of the jacket and the sleeve cuffs. Then I tossed the jacket in the washing machine to fray the edges. 

Part 2: The Tapestries

The hardest part of the jacket by far was finding the tapestries, for two reasons. The first is that the tapestries were all from the 1960’s and 1970’s, meaning I had to scour vintage stores and websites to find the right ones. The second is the variation. Six jackets were made for each Lost Boy in the movie; this is standard for a film, since some jackets would be used for closeups (the”hero” jackets) while others were used for stunts, and a few even have intentional holes in them for harness rigging. Because of that and the thrifted nature of the jacket, the Marko jackets for the film all differ slightly in the placement of the tapestries and patches.

There are five tapestries in total. Three are velvet: the matador, the peacock, and the leopard with the messed up face. These are impossible to dupe via Spoonflower or Contrado (custom fabric printing websites) due to the fact that these three are essentially small rugs. The other two, chariot lady and cat lady, are dupable via Spoonflower or Contrado printing since they aren’t the same fabric as the others.

The two pin-up tapestries are nearly impossible to find, more so than the velvet ones. In my months of searching, I never found either pin-up tapestry, so I had them printed by Contrado, along with the collar trim.

If you go searching for the velvet tapestries, you'll notice that there are several different versions of each one, with slight changes in color and placement of things in the art. How accurate you want to be is up to you. My peacock and matador are accurate to the tapestries on one of the stunt jackets, whereas my leopard is the correct color but wrong direction. That's doesn't bother me much, personally, especially since the leopard is the hardest of the velvet tapestries to find by far.

Once the tapestries were acquired, I measured different sections based on the dimensions of the jacket, mapped it out using washi tape on the tapestries, and then cut them all out. There was a decent amount of math involved here, specifically regarding scaling the sections of tapestry down by a few inches since my jacket is smaller than the original. I then arranged them all onto the denim jacket and pinned them in place before hand sewing them (yes, you read that right; I hand sewed this whole thing) on in the correct overlap. I also added the rhinestones to the cat lady.

I recommend using embroidery needles and upholstery thread to attach the tapestries to the jacket, due to the thickness and the weight. I also sewed along the designs in the tapestries themselves to better hide the stitching within the image.

Part 3: The Patches

Marko’s jacket has a total of 26 different patches on it, most of which are motorcycle or punk themed. For these, I found a seller on Etsy who makes 24 of them, and I used Contrado to print the remaining two (the anarchy symbol and the large skull) on canvas and added the stitching. You could thrift and find the patches as well, but here's the thing: while some of these patches are pretty easy to find, others seem to be nonexistent, to the point that I wonder if some were made exclusively for the movie. That's why I went and purchased my patches instead of hunting them down. My personal favorite is the “Screw U” one. One fun fact about the patches is that the large winged skull on the back is a leftover from the movie “The Warriors”.

I once again hand sewed these all on as per the references from the movie. You might think that ironing the patches on is an easier method, but there's a few reasons why that won't work: 1) the patches in the movie are sewn on; if you zoom in, you can see the stitching 2) I'm not sure the patches would even adhere to the velvet and velour of the tapestries and 3) if you decide you don't like the placement of a patch that you sewed on, you can just seam rip the stitching and adjust it, which you can't really do as cleanly with an ironed-on patch.

Part 4: The Tassels

The tassels on the jacket’s shoulder are not tassels at all; they’re squid skirts (a type of fishing lure), which is something I never knew existed until I started researching for this build. For these, I found a fishing tackle website that had the closest match to the colors I needed, a blue-grey/orange and a yellow/green. Both squids also have glitter and little eyes painted on.

Part 5: Weathering and Finishing Touches

Lastly, I weathered the jacket to give it that lived-in look. For the dirt/dust on the patches, I used powder eyeshadow. I also picked at the edges of the tapestries to fray them a bit. And to make the patches less stiff, I just broke the jacket in by wearing it around my house. The great thing about this jacket is that the more I wear it and the more it weathers, the better it'll look.

FAQ

How heavy and warm is the jacket?

The jacket is made of denim and rugs, so its pretty warm and heavy. It honestly feels like wearing a weighted blanket, which is a nice bonus if you're anxiety made flesh like I am. It makes a lot of sense for the jacket to be on the heavier side, because if you’ve been to Northern California, you know how cold it can get on the coast, especially at night (not sure if vampires can feel cold, but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)

How long did it take you to make the jacket?

I don’t time my cosplay builds, but I can guess based on the amount of TV/movies/podcasts/playlists consumed as I was working on it. I'm also pretty fast when it comes to hand sewing. By my estimation, the jacket took me about 45-50 hours of work, and that’s not counting the time I spent searching for the tapestries.

Can you make me one?

Sorry friend, I don't take commissions. Even if I did, there's no guarantee I could find the exact tapestries again. I appreciate the interest though!

One of the most useful resources for making this jacket is the Replica Prop Forum! There's a ton of information there, as well as discussions and troubleshooting about the construction of the jacket.

I hope you enjoyed this walkthrough of Marko's jacket! This was a fun build and I'm really proud of the finished product. I'm going to make the rest of Marko's outfit + wig to complete the cosplay, so stay tuned for that!

If you have any other questions, feel free to plop them in my inbox! In addition to tumblr, you can also find my cosplay work on instagram and bluesky @/marlequinncos

[vampriestpoison]

I’ve got a pair of week old nasty socks for sale for only $45 with free shipping! They’re sealed so they’re just as fresh when they arrive on your doorstep. DM Me for puchase~

[hometoursandotherstuff]

Here's a 1952 ranch style home in Bremerton, WA that has some creative decor choices. The 5bd, 3ba, 3,330 sq ft home is for sale for $799k. There's a new kitchen, but the rest of the home needs updating.

Any home that is not white or gray catches my attention. This home has a bit of a dated entrance, but at least it's not gray. I bet that with some cool, updated decor and fresh paint, it could be very pretty.

There's a very large, sunny living room.

It has a brick fireplace wall and room for a dining table, plus doors to the patio.

Next to the kitchen is a combination family/dining room. As you can see, the dining area is very pink.

Is the floor worn?

There's a lot going on in the kitchen. The centerpiece is a huge island with a wildly marbleized counter. I prefer that to the pure white ones.

A whimsically colorful chandelier is directly over the island. Painted walls and the ceiling are done in gloss black.

Display cabinets with glass fronts are above.

This large room must be the primary.

The kitchen and 2 baths were redone, which are the biggest ticket renovation items.

This bedroom is large, also.

The bedrooms are all quite big.

Bath #2 has also been remodeled.

Very nice room with sliders to the patio.

I don't think that this bath was recently updated, but it's fine.

And, this large bedroom is actually the basement. I would love to have a vintage merry-go-round ride.

There's a large fenced yard with an above-ground pool.

.69 acre lot.

There are waterways just a few blocks from the house- on one side there's the Port Washington Narrows, and on the other side is Phinney Bay.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2144-N-Cambrian-Ave-Bremerton-WA-98312/23401906_zpid/?

[heartfullofleeches]

Antique shop yandere that’s just a spirit with a physical body made of all the trinkets in the shop, maybe darling is shopkeeping as a part time job? I imagine just yan being kinda annoying and teasing maybe even speaking in riddles like a poet, and darling is probably just like the ff darling

-blahaj anon🦈🤍

Yan Spirit + Shop Worker Darling

-

Another drop off.

Better than the alternative of having to pick up everything yourself. A family a few streets down from your place of work generously donated the left over trinkets from their yard sale - agreeing to leave everything at the back door on their way out of town. Most of the boxes had already been taken in - a fact you knew thanks to the sticky note taped to the top of the container.

"Morning, Love. ♡ Carried in most of the boxes myself. Could you kindly bring this one in? It's a little too heavy for me.

See you this afternoon! - Auntie"

You slip the paper into your pocket, making a mental note to check up on your boss before then. She wasn't your real aunt, but she acted as much. Probably pays you a bit more than she should with her always trying to take your job off your hands and let you rest. Her kindness is one of few reasons you can't up and leave this place.

Lifting the box off the ground, you kick the ajar door open with your foot - balancing the heavy box in your arms as you slip through. You walk through the back office up to the front front desk. You search the cubby beneath the table for a box cutter, nails latching onto the rubber handle as you stretch your arm to the far back. You stand up - only to find that the box appears to have been torn open by something. The entire top looks to have been ripped off and tossed across the room.

Sighing, you brace yourself for what's to come - wishing you had had just a few more minutes to yourself. You place the box cutter back where it came from to prevent yourself from causing anymore damage to the merchandise.

"Hello....Dear...."

Static hisses from the worn out speakers of the device your tormentor uses - overlaying the awful amalgamation of voices its stolen from customers. Being unable to communicate due to the limitations of their vessels it had to find some other way to speak to you. That alternative wind up being a soundboard someone brought in a few weeks into your employment. Everyday since you berate yourself for not taking that damn thing out back and smashing it..... Or just purchasing it yourself and taking it off the property.

"I've been waiting for you......all night. New.... treasures for us?

A hand reaches over your shoulder and begins to shift through the box - the creaky moan of its joints reverbing from the wooden shell encircling them. The mannequin had proved to be the spirit's favorite body. Near identical to a human form despite the lack of a face, the ability to speak, and one of its arms after a guests insisted on paying for the singular pair. It made due with items it found around the shop. The sound board, an old Halloween mask to disguise its blank fact, a limb from another figure in the shop though it wasn't as articulated as the previous.

The spirit tosses items it finds no interest in at the floor - your skin jumping as glass shatters in the distance. Halfway through the box its sporadic movements hault - the springs in its neck screaming out as its head falls to its shoulder. Using the flat palm of their other hand as a perch, the mannequin pulls out a ring box. It opens the box, a pearl ring housed inside. You were expecting - and praying for it to be empty. You meet the mannequin's sightless gaze over your shoulder.

"No."

Its fingers rapidly tap at its soundboard - slamming down on every sweet name in arsenal.

"Darling....."

"Angel..."

"Sweetheart."

"Love?"

"I'm not letting you put that on me."

The mannequin slams its hand on the counter- repeatedly jabbing a single button.

"Love? Love? Love?"

"Knock it off!"

You make a grab for the board, but the damned thing is quicker. It holds the device over its head out of reach - twirling the ring around its pinky finger. There was only one thing you could do to buy it compliance.

You hold up your left hand, sticking out your ring finger. "Just get it over with."

The mannequin sets the soundboard on the counter - clapping its hands together as it kneels. It takes your hand, pressing the mouth of its mask to your knuckles before slipping the ring onto your finger. Surprisingly enough, it's almost a perfect fit. A little wiggle room, but not so much that it would fall off from you moving around. The mannequin bounces back to its feet, throwing its arms around you.

Your dating life was hard already - it'll be pretty difficult to find anyone what with you now being spiritually married to a sentient mannequin possessed by the ghost of someone likely as old as this building.

[withacapitalp]

Reasons

I wrote this for the STWG daily prompt today which was "Joyce" and uhhhhh I'm sorry haha thank you for @stevethehairington and @hairstevington for beta and encouragement and generally being the best of the best!

Read it on ao3 here

The thing Steve had always loved most about the Byers home was the clutter. 

There wasn’t a single surface that was bare. The tv stand was filled to the bursting with scratched up VHS tapes, the bookshelves crammed with dimestore paperbacks. There were always dishes on the kitchen table, magnets holding up dozens of drawings on the fridge, even the hallway was littered with picture frames. It was a complete contrast to the house he had grown up in, with bare cream colored walls and perfectly immaculate rooms. 

It was a mess, and none of the things in the Byers home were worth much, but every item in the home was treasured, important, valued. Everything in their home mattered. 

Now there was nothing left in the house. Nothing but boxes and empty air. 

Boxes.

And Steve. 

And Joyce.

“Where’d Jonathan and the kids go?” Steve asked when the silence had finally grown to be too much, looking around the barren space that used to be the living room. 

Joyce had always apologized for how uncomfortable the couch was. Every single time he had ended up on her doorstep late at night, after every midnight mug of hot cocoa, every midnight conversation where Steve finally finally let some of his anxieties slip out, she had led him over to that couch and wrapped him in a hand me down quilt that smelled old and worn and loved and apologized to him about how lumpy the couch was. 

Steve had never known what she was talking about. He had never slept anywhere that felt more comfortable. 

But the couch was gone now. Probably tucked away in the big box truck outside, or sold at the garage sale they had held last week. Or maybe Joyce had just thrown away like the trash it had always been, finally getting rid of the dead weight of a couch she didn’t really like all that much. 

She probably wanted a new couch for their new house. Something better.  

“They’re all at the Wheelers. Jonathan snuck out around three in the morning to go stay with Nancy tonight, and all of the kids slept over in the basement,” Joyce explained, a wry little smile falling on her lips as she fondly rolled her eyes at her children’s antics, “One last campaign before we hit the road.” 

Steve hummed, acting like this was fresh news to him when he already knew. He was the one that had driven Dustin, Lucas, and Max there. Hell, he had stayed to watch part of the campaign, and to give El and Will one last hug when it was just him and them. 

He wasn’t exactly sure why he was playing along, why he was continuing to pretend, but it was easier than just staring at the place where the couch used to live in complete silence. Better than Joyce knowing exactly how little she knew about Steve’s life these days. 

“I’ve missed seeing you around,” She tried, creeping just a little bit closer to where he was standing, “We haven’t really talked much since…”

Joyce trailed off but they both knew what she was talking about. 

Since the realtor's sign had appeared at the end of the Byers driveway. 

Since Joyce had finally had to admit that she was taking Jonathan, Will, and El away. 

Since their big fight. 

“I’ve been busy,” Steve said shortly, turning away from the living room and towards the kitchen, hoping that would take the spike out of his heart.

No, now the pain was worse, because the kitchen table was gone too, whisked away like it had never existed in the first place. Like Joyce had never sat him down there and patched him up after Billy’s fight, both of their eyes drooping with exhaustion but her fingers still sure and steady. Like Steve had never leaned against it, trying to understand his homework while Joyce did her best to explain why the color of curtains in a story mattered. Like there had never been breakfasts, or dinners, or midnight cups of hot chocolate that were only ever for the two of them. 

Like Steve had never had a place here at all. 

“What do you need from me? You said you needed something,” Steve asked in a rush, turning away from the kitchen as nausea began to bubble over in his stomach. He wanted to run, to break free, to escape Joyce and the house and all of the feelings that came along with it. He just wanted to give her whatever last thing she wanted to take and get away before too much of him broke. 

“I did. I mean is there something else you’re doing today?” Joyce asked, startled by Steve’s sudden shift, “I thought you might want to be here when-”

“Robin and I are going to an interview,” Steve said, interrupting her in a flash. He definitely did not want to be here when they left, and he did not want to be here to say goodbye. He had already done that. He had already said his piece to Jonathan and Will and El. 

Steve had nothing left to give to Joyce.

So why was he here? What could she want from him? 

“It’s a big interview for a job for both of us.” He continued, laying it on thick when they both knew how thin the excuse really was. He and Robin could have done this any day, at any time. Now that the mall was gone, they had their pick of the litter for shitty jobs in town. 

But Steve had purposefully asked Robin to plan the interview for today. He had done it the second Jonathan had told him their moving date. And Robin, saint that she was, had done it without asking why. 

He made his bed, just like Joyce had made hers, and now they both had to lie in it. 

“That’s…that’s great,” Joyce said, crossing her arms over her chest, her fingers twitching like she wanted to go for a cigarette. 

“Besides it doesn’t look like you need me,” Steve said, unable to help himself. He looked around, a bitter smile on his lips, “You’ve got it pretty well handled.” 

“Steve, honey…”

“Don’t,” He said immediately, stepping back when she tried to come forward to console him. That wasn’t her job anymore, it had never been her job in the first place, and Steve wasn’t going to fall for it again. 

He was stupid, but he learned. Eventually, he learned. 

“You already know what I think, and I don’t want to argue.” He said woodenly, the words coming out short and full of static. 

He didn’t want to argue again. Not like last time. 

Steve and Joyce had at least waited until Jonathan and Nancy had ushered all of the kids out of the house before exploding, but once it was just the two of them, it had been a supernova. Steve could barely remember what they had said, but he knew it was bad. That he had claimed she never cared about him at all, and she had told him that he wasn’t her responsibility. 

Steve knew she had called him an entitled brat at some point. 

Steve knew that he had called her a selfish bitch too. 

And he had no way of knowing if Joyce actually thought he was an entitled brat, but he didn’t want to hear it. Not again. It had been hard enough to forget the way it made him feel the first time. 

“It’s not an argument.” Joyce said softly, her voice as fragile as glass as she slowly lowered her hand down from where it had been reaching out to bring him into a familiar, warm, hug, “I just need you to know that it’s over now. I don’t want you looking over your shoulder for the rest of your life, trying to find monsters that aren’t there.” 

“Do you really believe that?” Steve asked, finally looking Joyce in the eye, “Really?”

“Yes,” She said immediately. Steve could see it in her eyes, in her voice, in the way she held herself. 

She did believe it. Joyce really thought it was over. Or, at the very least, she had made herself believe that she believed it.

“Then stay,” Steve whispered, loathing himself for saying it. He had promised himself he would never again beg for someone not to leave, but now he had done it twice in just a month. Twice. Because the first time apparently hadn’t been humiliating enough. 

But Steve’s hope had always been more powerful than his shame, and he couldn’t help but pray that she would listen this time. Joyce would see what leaving was doing to all of them and change her mind. It didn’t matter that the house had already been sold and the truck was already stuffed to the bursting with their belongings, it could all be undone. 

Steve would carry it all back in himself, even. The couch, the kitchen table, the hand me down quilt, everything that had made this house the first place he had actually felt at home. 

She could undo it all. She could put their lives back together, back to the way they had been before, and Steve wouldn’t have to think about it ever again. He wouldn’t have to agonize over how Will and El would adjust to high school without the rest of their friends, or worry about Jonathan being alone in his senior year. He wouldn’t have to think about his own empty house and the bare cream walls that hated him just for existing. 

He wouldn’t have to wonder why he wasn’t enough to care about. Why everyone eventually always left him. 

“If it’s gone, then there’s no reason to leave,” Steve muttered, his eyes burning as he turned them downward to the floor between them, feeling like he was eight instead of eighteen. A child instead of the adult they both knew him to be. 

An adult. Soon to be the last adult left in Hawkins that knew about the Upside Down. The last adult the rest of them had to rely on. 

“There’s a thousand reasons,” Joyce sighed, pulling out her most beloved weapon, “And I have to protect my kids,”

Her kids. Her kids. Not her boys anymore, now her kids, because of El. 

But what about Steve’s kids? What about Max and Dustin and Lucas and Mike and Erica? How was he alone supposed to protect them when the monsters came? 

What about Nancy? What about Robin? They were older, but they were still kids, weren’t they? They still needed someone to be the adult. 

And a quiet, almost silent part of him, couldn’t help asking

What about me?

“From what? If it’s really over, then what are you protecting them from?” Steve asked, a question he had already pressed her to answer in their last argument. 

Joyce didn’t have an answer, because they both knew the truth. This wasn’t about the kids. Not Jonathan. Not Will. Not El. 

It was about Joyce. What she wanted, what she felt like she had to protect herself from. 

And the worst part was Steve understood. He got why she had to leave, why she couldn’t bear to stay here any longer than she had to, but what he couldn’t understand, what he would never understand, was the need to hide behind a shadow. 

“You don’t have to say the truth, but, please, don’t tell me a lie,” Steve said quietly, Joyce sucking in a sharp breath as he carefully threw her own words back in her face. 

She had said it to him dozens of times over the last year, and dozens of times he had caved and told her the truth. 

But Joyce was not Steve. 

“Steve, it's too late to go back on this.” Joyce said firmly, as if her tone would be enough to spontaneously change Steve’s mind. He scoffed, shaking his head and turning away from her to stare out the front window. He welded his lips together, planning to keep his mouth shut and ice her out until Joyce finally got annoyed enough to cut him loose. 

It wouldn’t take long. 

It had only taken her six weeks to pack up their whole lives and completely tear apart Steve’s. 

“I want you to come with us.”

“What?” Steve said, the shock of Joyce’s words enough to make him speak without meaning to. 

“That’s why I wanted you to come here before everyone else,” Joyce said, trying to walk towards Steve again. This time he was too startled to stop her and she entered into his space, a soft smile on her face. The same smile she used to give him when she would push his hair away from his face at night, and tell him that he didn’t need to stay awake. 

That she would be there, and nothing was going to get between her and her boys. 

She had always said it, and they had always both known that she meant more than just Jonathan and Will. 

“I wanted to ask you to come with us,” Joyce repeated, laying a soft hand on his arm. 

“I don’t understand,” Steve said helplessly, his heart starting to race, the bare walls beginning to close in. 

“The house we bought has a little condo next to it that’s free, and I’m sure that Doctor Owens would be able to get it put in your name the way he got mine,” Joyce explained, a plan laid out neatly, too neatly, “There’s lots of jobs out in Lenora, or you could even go to the community college there. Take some classes while you figure out what you want to do?”

This was not a spur of the moment offer. Joyce had to have thought about it before this morning. More than once. 

“You want me to move to Lenora with you guys?” Steve heard himself ask, a spring blossom blooming in his chest without his permission. A little seed of hope that had no reason to exist at all. 

Joyce nodded, her smile growing, and for a second Steve let himself think about it. Truly and honestly think about it. 

He let himself imagine a world where he didn’t go to his interview with Robin this afternoon, and instead stayed here. Packed up the rest of the boxes, hopped in the van with Joyce, and went out to California. Where there was never any snow to shovel, no Mother and Father to disappoint, no dead end job to hate. 

No monsters waiting to jump out of the shadows. 

A life that was only about what he wanted, what Steve thought would be best for him. A life that came with a family that wanted him. 

“It’s over and done and nothing is holding you here anymore,” Joyce pressed, looking around the empty house, “There’s no reason for you to stay.”

And the dream was gone. 

Crushed into bits, shattered like a plate against a skull. 

Steve had reasons, seven of them. Seven people. Seven people who had gone through hell three times for a town that didn’t care and didn’t notice. Seven people who  

Seven people who deserved someone to protect them. Someone who would put them first. 

Steve had never been enough of a reason for anyone to stay, never been enough to put first. Not enough for his parents, not enough for Nancy, and now not enough for Joyce. 

But he would never let his kids think the same about themselves. 

“No, there’s no reason for you to stay,” Steve spat out, hating how bitter he sounded, but hating even more that he had let himself fall for the same trap again. Somewhere along the way he had let those walls down, let another person in, and let her put herself where she didn’t belong. 

That was the truth wasn’t it? They both knew Joyce didn’t fit where they had put her. She was never going to be his mother, and Steve had never fit into her life, but he had played pretend anyway. Ignored all the signs, ignored all the little whispers in his head that told him he was getting too close, trusting too much. He had let her brush his hair, and help him with his homework, and say the words her boys like she meant to include him. 

And now Joyce was just reminding him exactly how much he meant in the grand scheme of things. 

And, really, Steve only had himself to blame for the way his heart was starting to break into tiny impossible to put back together pieces. His mistake. His stupidity. 

He just never fucking learned. 

“At least there no reason to stay that actually ever mattered to you,” He added with a laugh that did not sound at all funny, walking out the door before he could hear another one of her lies. 

[getexcitedandmakethings]

I've posted about this quilt before, but I wanted to use it as an example to talk about the perceived vs the monetary value of handmade items (eg. what people think something is worth vs the time and effort that went into making it).

For reference, here is the quilt:

The original quilt was hand-stitched in the 1970s and it's sized for a twin bed.

Before we go further, think about what you would pay for this quilt based on what you know so far. Ready? More below the cut.

The original quilt was made by my grandmother and it was completely worn out to the point where if I hadn't taken it on as a project, it was destined for the trash. Value of the original quilt: somewhere between $0 and priceless, depending on how sentimental you are. For the purposes of this exercise, I'm going to say $0.

To repair the quilt, I purchased more than 60 square feet of felt and I used an uncountable amount of embroidery floss. All in, I estimate the cost of materials at about $250.

To repair the quilt, I hand embroidered 234 three inch diameter hexagons that were then appliqued over top of the exisiting quilt. Some of the hexagons were simple designs that only took 15-20 minutes, while others took 5-6 hours. All together, I spent 2-3 hours per day from November to the beginning of June sewing the patches and stitching them onto my quilt (that's an estimate of 532 hours in total for those who like math).

Once I finished the hand stitching, I paid a local quilter $135 to put a new back and edging on the quilt.

With all that information, has the amount you'd be willing to pay for this quilt increased or decreased?

My costs:

Materials - $250

Time (542 hours at $15/hr minimum wage) - $8,130

Quilting: $135

Total: $8,515

Obviously, this quilt isn't for sale and I didn't make it because it made sense from a monetary perspective. But I wanted to use this as an example to talk about the time that goes into making handmade items, whether they be quilts or paintings or even writing books or making music and how the time and effort of the artist is often at odds with what the market will bear.

[murdrdocs]

thinking abt being a rockstar so to hobie and running his merch table ! gn reader

wearing some sort of outfit that's practically always effortlessly cool; a pair of well worn jeans and a band tee that sells behind you, a tiny skirt and a tinier top with one of the bands bandanas tied in your belt loop, a pair of leggings and an oversized band sweatshirt.

always repping their merch, and not because you get it for free for working the table. you talk passionately about it as you fold the shirts and sweatshirts and put them into bags, detailing how each item is hand dyed by you, hobie, and the other bandmates in someone's apartment. there's usually a cute story to go along with an item, something about how you helped with that design or how one shirt has a typo because the drummer was laughing too hard at one of hobie's stories while working.

and as the band gains traction, as hobie gets more attention, naturally the person he's kissing after shows near the merch booth becomes a prominent figure in the fandom. leading to fans coming up to you, buying a fair amount in merch, talking to you the entire time.

and hobie jokes (he's not really joking, though) that having someone as pretty as you run the booth seriously boosts sales, and people are only buying as much as they are because the want an excuse to be able to talk with you as much as they can.