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punkshort · 9 months

Text

Chapter warnings: language, violence, m masturbation, smut

Chapter Eight

Pairing: Joel x F!Reader, pre-outbreak and post outbreak

AU (the only thing I kept was the outbreak, Joel, and Tommy's characters. Joel's backstory is different, and the way he finds Jackson is different. I may include Ellie one day, I just haven't planned that far)

Fic Summary: You worked for Joel and Tommy a few months before the outbreak. The outbreak happens, and you and Joel get stuck traveling the country and keeping each other safe. Neither of you spoke about the feelings you had for one another pre-outbreak, and in a post-apocalyptic world, it seems like survival should be your only focus. But feelings can't be ignored forever.

Fic tags: Explicit Smut (18+ MDNI), Smut, Language, Canon-Typical Violence, Alcohol Use, Age Difference (Reader is 10 years younger than Joel), slow burn, mutual pining, angst, trauma, SA referencing later but I will put a big warning on those chapters

Back in your apartment, the two of you set to work quietly organizing everything spread out on the living room floor that you could think of to pack. The biggest section was food. Luckily you were still used to a dorm room diet, so you had tons of useful items to take on the go. You had focused on the cans with protein like tuna, chicken and beans, then moved on to granola and protein bars, nuts, dried fruit, ramen noodles, cereal, instant rice and easy mac. Joel packed each of you a flashlight with extra batteries, and handfuls of matches and lighters he had found rummaging through your floor. Justin's camping equipment came with a canteen, plate, bowl, and foldable silverware for each, and a small first aid kit, which Joel significantly bolstered after raiding all the bathrooms on the floor.

He told you to only pack one or two extra sets of clothes, that you would have to break into houses or stores along the way if you needed more. He didn't want to waste the space in your packs that could be used for food and medicine.

You both set to work filling your bags with as much stuff as you could. Joel slipped a map into his pack that he had picked up from a kitchen drawer down the hall, and you had snuck in an unopened box of tampons and a folded up picture of your parents in yours when he wasn't looking.

It was around midday when you were all set to go, making sure to eat something left behind in your cupboards one last time.

You closed the door behind you, but you didn't lock it in case someone came along and needed something. Then sadly, you turned and gripped your baseball bat, following Joel down the long hallway, down the stairs and to the lobby.

Before Joel pushed the lobby door open to the outside, he turned to you.

"Which way's the subway?"

You pointed down the street to the right.

"It's about 3 blocks that way, not far. It's mostly all apartment buildings and a few stores on the corners."

Joel nodded, cracking the door open to listen for any sign of trouble. It sounded clear, so he ventured out to confirm before pulling you out behind him.

"We gotta be quick, but not too quick. Don't want to accidentally sneak up on somethin' out here," Joel explained in a hushed tone. "If you hear anythin', stop and don't make a sound. And you tell me if you see anythin' at all, understand?" You walked closely next to him as he was speaking, the whole time looking all around you frantically, your senses in overdrive, and your heart hammering in your chest. All you did was nod, not wanting to risk making too much noise.

The streets were quiet. Joel peeked around the corner and made sure no soldiers or infected were nearby before ushering you across the open street and back behind the safety of a building. One block down.

The two of you trotted down the sidewalk, swiveling your head around every few feet to see if there was anyone behind you. You almost made it to the next corner when Joel swung out his arm to stop you. You held your breath, heart racing as you focused on the noise he heard. It was the slow rumbling of an engine that reminded you of the FEDRA truck you heard patrolling outside your apartment last night. Joel must have figured that out, too, because he grabbed your arm and pulled you over to hide behind a dumpster that was sticking out of a narrow alley. You both crouched down and waited for the truck to pass. Fortunately, it didn't turn down the street you were on, where you would have been exposed.

Once the noise faded, Joel stood up slowly before motioning for you to follow. Again, he poked his head around the corner and took extra time to make sure no one was around before dragging you across the street once more. One more block to go.

You were halfway down the block as you passed a pawn shop, windows smashed in and the place ransacked. You grabbed Joel's arm and his head whipped around in a panic. You shook your head to tell him nothing was wrong and pointed into the pawn shop.

"Weapons?" you mouthed.

He hesitated a moment, trying to decide if you should press on or see if there was something useful in there before ultimately deciding to check it out. If the subway had infected in it, it would be better if there was more than just one knife between you. Joel stepped through the broken glass door carefully, glancing around at the small shop before holding his hand out to guide you through the opening. You both took a quick look around, noticing anything valuable was long gone, and most of the knives were picked over, but you did find a decent sized switchblade for yourself. You tucked it into your jeans pocket, and you carried on down the street towards the subway entrance.

You had a long way to go down the dark tunnel, but so far it had been quiet and uneventful. Your flashlight beams bounced off the brick walls as you walked in silence, trying to stay focused on your surroundings. Your anxiety spiked with every new subway station you passed, reminding you of just how much deeper into the city you were getting. From what the soldiers had said, more densely populated areas were worse off, and so far in your limited experience that had proven to be true.

You were two stations away from the one you stopped at for work when you first saw people. It was just two families, huddled together on the platform. They had seen your flashlights long before you saw them, so trying to sneak by was useless. They seemed like they were just innocent survivors, so Joel kept walking, holding his head up. He made eye contact with two of the men in the group and gave them each a firm nod, hoping to convey you were just passing through and not looking for trouble. They nodded back wordlessly, and you carried on your way.

The next station had more people who had sleeping bags, blankets, pillows, and lanterns. It looked like they were trying to wait it out underground long-term. A few of the men approached the end of the platform to address Joel.

"You soldiers?" one of them asked.

"No, just passin' through, tryin' to stay off the streets, sorry to disturb you all," Joel replied. He paused for a moment, and looked back at the men who were still watching you carefully. "Any of you see any infected down here?"

One of the men shook his head. "Nah, man, that's why we're sitting tight down here. Soldiers must be keeping them busy up top."

Joel nodded. "Thanks... good luck to you."

Finally, you approached your stop for work and found the platform to be filled with people, just like the previous one. They were kind and immediately helped you both up off the tracks. You introduced yourselves and explained you were headed to Joel's apartment not too far from there. One of the women, Josie, warned you the closer you got to the heart of the city, the worse it was.

"We heard, thank you. Once we get up top it won't be a long walk," you said, swiping the back of your hand across your forehead to clear the sweat collecting there. "We've been walking for hours. Joel?" You turned to him, interrupting a conversation he was having with Josie's husband, Peter. "Can we rest here for a bit?" Joel turned back to Peter.

"That ok with you folks?" he asked. Peter and Josie nodded, seemingly the leaders of the small group of strangers huddled on the platform.

The two of you slunk down against the tiled wall, pulling out protein bars and your canteens after sitting down. You shut your eyes for a few minutes, leaning the back of your head against the wall, chewing and grateful to be taking a break.

"You holdin' up alright?" Joel asked softly beside you. You nodded, keeping your eyes closed.

"I'm just tired," you replied, taking another bite of your protein bar without looking.

"It ain't much further, once we get on the street it's another few blocks. We should be able to get there before - "

Joel's sentence was cut short by screaming, and your eyes flew open in surprise as you dropped your protein bar and grabbed your bat while fumbling around in your pocket for the switchblade. Joel was already standing, gripping his bat and trying to locate the source of the scream in the group. One of the men, who looked asleep when you arrived, was snarling and had his teeth clamped down into the shoulder of an older man, blood pouring down his arm and soaking both of their shirts. Peter and another man jumped into action to pull the infected off the poor man screaming in agony, struggling to pin it to the ground.

Joel charged forward before you could stop him, your hands desperately clawing at his t-shirt, but he was already throwing himself into the group to help. You watched in horror as the three men struggled to hold it down, and just as Joel was getting ready to bash its skull in with the baseball bat, it lunged forward, knocking Peter and the other man off to the side and pushing Joel onto his back.

Joel held the infected up by its shoulders as it pinned him down, snapping and growling inches from his face. Joel's jaw was clenched tight, his eyes flashed with rage as he summoned all the strength he could manage and pushed it off him, making it stumble backwards. It was just enough time for Joel to reach to his side for his hunting knife and plunged it into the infected’s skull with a guttural yell.

The infected went limp immediately and fell to the floor. Joel stood over the body, tense, covered in blood, and panting heavily with the knife still clutched in his hand. Peter and the other man rushed to join the rest of the group helping the one who was bit in the shoulder, but you raced straight to Joel, wrapping your arms around him tightly. Surprised, he lifted one arm to place it reassuringly on your back, the other still clutching his knife.

You let him go, tears threatening to spill down your cheeks as you frowned at him angrily. He looked down at you, the adrenaline wearing off, and saw the anguish on your face. He reached his hand out to you, but you slapped it away and instead shoved his chest heatedly, making him stumble just a bit in surprise.

"What the fuck were you thinking?!" you seethed, narrowing your eyes at him and fighting to keep the tears from falling. "You could have gotten killed!"

Joel stared at you, still panting slightly, then put the knife back in its holder. He couldn't gauge your reaction. Were you upset he would be killed because then you would be alone, or upset because of something else? He sighed and reached out to you again. This time, you didn't shove him, but you didn't go to him, either.

Josie approached you, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Thank you, Joel, for saving my husband," she said, clutching his outstretched hand in her own, then turned to you. "Don't be mad at your boyfriend, dear, he just saved us all."

Your mouth fell open, and before you could correct her, she went back to Peter and hugged him tightly. Joel cleared his throat beside you, seemingly pleased with himself.

"You heard her," he winked at you. "Can't stay mad at me." You scowled back at him, and with a more serious tone, he added, "us or them, remember?"

You sighed, relaxing your brow. You knew he was right, but you were still pissed off. You turned on your heel and headed back to your abandoned protein bar, effectively ending the conversation.

Joel joined you and watched as the group deliberated quietly on how to deal with the man who was bit. You had learned he likely only had a few hours before he turned, based on the location of his bite. Ultimately, Peter volunteered, and he quickly and privately put the man out of his misery with a kitchen knife. You winced when you heard the squelch of blood from across the platform, burying your face in your shoulder.

You didn't stay much longer after that. Once Joel had gotten his strength back, you picked up your belongings and gave your farewells. Josie and Peter thanked Joel again, and you headed up to the familiar street corner, dusk fast approaching.

It took you both an hour to walk to Joel's apartment, which normally would have taken ten minutes, but he insisted on going slow and being careful at every turn. When you approached his building, you had to crane your neck all the way back to take in the full height. His building definitely used to have a doorman: it was fancy. You walked into the ornate lobby and turned around in a slow circle, taking in everything from the detailed crown molding to the beautiful, tiled floor that looked more like a piece of art. You almost felt bad for stepping on it. Even the ceiling was vaulted and decorated in tiny, intricate squares with gilded chandeliers hanging from it. Finally, you looked straight ahead and saw an arched window that overlooked a private garden.

"Shit," you whispered, "I almost got an apartment in this building."

Joel turned back to you, surprised, then realized you were being sarcastic when he saw your grin. He smiled to himself and shook his head, leading you down the hallway towards the stairwell door.

"I take it you're not on the second floor?" you asked him quietly as you began to climb the stairs.

"No, little higher than that," he replied. "30th floor."

You stopped dead in your tracks, which made him stop and turn back to you questioningly. He could tell what the problem was when he saw the pained expression on your face without you even having to speak.

"I know, it's gonna take us a while, but we can stop and rest whenever you need to." You sighed and hung your head, continuing your journey up the stairs.

You made it to the halfway point before you had to take a break, sitting on a step, panting and chugging water from your canteen while Joel leaned against the wall across from you, sipping his own water. The sun was going down, so you each dug your flashlights out of your packs before continuing.

"Not much further," Joel panted, turning the corner of another staircase, "then we can rest. No point in diggin' around in the dark, it's been a long day." You nodded, choosing not to speak to conserve your energy, and focused on the flashlight beam ahead of you.

You weren't sure how long it took, but finally you climbed the last step to face the door marked with a big, red "30". That's when you looked up and noticed you were on the top floor. Of course he lives on the top floor.

Joel pushed the door open a crack and peeked down the hall, which was very short and only had two doors and an elevator at the other end. He held the door open for you to walk through, then gently closed it. You frowned, looking back and forth at the two doors, puzzled.

Joel looked uncomfortable, shifting his weight when he saw your confusion, before mumbling, "It's a penthouse," and brushed past you to unlock his door.

You had never seen a penthouse before, but you knew they were for people who were really rich, especially in New York City. He opened the door, locking it behind you. You couldn't really see much other than what your flashlight exposed, but you could tell the room you were standing in was massive. You briefly flicked your light around, taking in some couches, bookcases, a fireplace and some other furniture. You stopped when you noticed the entire wall was top to bottom windows with a balcony attached, and covered your flashlight quickly. Joel kicked off his sneakers, and noticing the dimmer light, turned his flashlight to shine on you questioningly.

"Can't people see in? Like, the lights moving?" you asked. He shook his head.

"Privacy windows," he explained, then turned and headed towards another room. You quickly kicked your own shoes off, skittering after him, sticking close. The place was so huge you were afraid you'd get lost, and the darkness mixed with the eerie silence from lack of power and road noise made the hairs on your arm stand up. As you walked, you shined your flashlight on everything around you, baffled by how far the apartment seemed to stretch. You were so engrossed in your surroundings that you bumped into him when he had stopped walking.

"Oops, sorry," you whispered.

"Why are you whispering? We're safe here," he replied at full volume. You shrugged.

"I don't know, this place is huge, Joel, give me a minute - oh my god, is this your kitchen?!" you exclaimed as your jaw dropped, noticing the kitchen island in front of you that must have seated ten people. On one side. Easily. The island, made of marble or quartz, was white with silver and black specks. You noticed the counter was the same all over the kitchen, even on the built in bar in the corner. The cupboards were a light oak that was soft against your fingertips as you gently trailed them against the wood, wandering around his kitchen in amazement.

Joel watched you as you walked around his kitchen, gently touching the handles of the knives in the block and running your fingers along the countertop. You looked like you had never seen anything like this before, and his chest ached when he wondered what would have happened that night if you agreed to come home with him. You could have seen this place in a whole different light. He could have made you a drink from the bar and played you some music over the sound system. If he was lucky, he could have laid you down on the kitchen island you were so currently fascinated with, your fingers gripping the edges as he slipped his fingers inside your underwear to explore your soaking wet folds, pushing one finger inside you, and then another, slowly teasing you until you begged him for more.

Having you in his place was clouding his mind, he needed to focus. He cleared his throat before heading towards the pantry door. You eagerly followed closely behind and when you realized the pantry was a room as big as your own kitchen, you moaned with envy, causing his eyes to flutter shut momentarily.

"This place is amazing," you told him, sifting through the food on his shelves. You grabbed some peanut butter and crackers, turned and headed back to the kitchen.

"Where's the silverware?" you asked over your shoulder.

"Drawer next to the sink," he replied, and watched as you grabbed a butter knife. He picked up a can of Beefaroni off the shelf and opened the drawer in the kitchen with the can opener after picking a fork out from the silverware drawer you left open in your haste to eat.

He sat across from you at the island, eating his cold Beefaroni out of the can while you slathered crackers with peanut butter and popped them in your mouth. You smirked at his choice of food.

"Chef Boyardee?" you asked curiously, eyebrows raised. "I'm sure your private chef could have made you the real thing from scratch." Joel chuckled.

"Alright, I ain't got a private chef. Besides, this is the real thing. Nothin' beats it."

You smiled, fascinated that a man who lived in such a lavish apartment would have Beefaroni as his guilty pleasure. Feeling full and sleepy, you twisted the top of the peanut butter jar closed, and out of habit ran your tongue along the butter knife to clean it. You didn't even realize how that looked until you heard Joel's breath hitch and he looked down to study the empty can in front of him. Your cheeks felt warm from embarrassment, but luckily, he couldn't see it under the cover of darkness. You cleaned the knife (with a sponge, this time) and Joel's fork, putting them back in the drawer.

"Alright, let's get some shut eye. We should try to get an early start tomorrow, I want to get out of this city as soon as we can," Joel said, grabbing his pack he had set down when you walked in, and headed further down the hallway.

You followed him nervously, looking at the expensive-looking art on the walls and even a few statues on pedestals before reaching his bedroom. He pushed the door open, and your flashlights bounced around the room to illuminate the corners the moonlight hid from view. As expected, his bedroom was spacious with a bathroom and two walk-in closets attached. You noticed one of the closets was void of any clothes, and the other was packed to the brim. You poked your head in his bathroom, sighing enviously when you saw the huge, glass walk-in shower and built in vanity. You turned around to find Joel had dug out a couple lanterns from his closet and placed one on each end table so you could conserve your flashlight batteries. You clicked it off and walked over awkwardly, not sure what the sleeping arrangements should be. Unlike you, he has couches more than big enough to accommodate a grown adult, but the thought of being alone in the living room of this huge apartment made you nervous.

It hadn't even been a question in Joel's mind.

"Hop in and make yourself comfortable, I'll be right back," and he left the bedroom, back down the hallway to double check the locks. You rummaged in your pack for some more comfortable clothes to sleep in, and quickly changed before he returned, nestled under the covers on the most comfortable mattress you had ever been on in your life.

When Joel reentered the bedroom, his thoughts didn't even have time to catch up with how fast he felt the blood rushing to his cock. He squeezed his eyes shut as he blindly walked right to his closet and shut the door so he could change into his pajamas, willing his erection away. He groaned quietly, leaning his head against the wall of the closet, frustrated with how distracted he's been. If he doesn't stop, it could get you or him killed. He would have to do something about it before heading out tomorrow. He was lucky so far, you've had relatively safe places to hole up in, but that was going to end.

When he finally got himself under control, he exited the closet and got into the other side of the bed. You already had your lantern off and you were laying on your side with your eyes closed, exhausted from all the walking and events of the day. His bed was much larger than yours, and he hoped the extra space would help him get his mind out of the gutter. He turned his lantern off, and leaned back into the familiar pillow and sheets, closing his eyes. It was silent for a few minutes before you spoke.

"Joel?" you squeaked.

"Hm?" he replied, keeping his eyes closed.

"This is the nicest apartment I've ever seen, how long have you lived here?"

"About six years or so," he said, shifting a little under the covers. "But I like your place more," he admitted.

"My place?!" you said, outraged. "You could fit my entire apartment into this bedroom, you're crazy."

"Yeah, well, your place felt more..." he trailed off, trying to find the right word. "Like a home. This place feels like a museum."

"I'm sure you could make this place feel just as cozy," you yawned before adding, "this bed, for instance, is the most comfortable thing I've ever laid on." Joel smiled.

"Glad you like it." Sweetheart.

He waited until he was sure you were sleeping deeply enough before he locked himself into his bathroom and pulled his sweatpants down just far enough to free his throbbing cock, stroking it steadily with one hand while the other propped him up against the wall, eyes screwed shut. His thoughts picked up where he left off in the kitchen, his fingers deep in your pussy, but then he would add his thumb to your swollen clit, making your back arch off the cold counter and gasp his name. His thumb would pick up the pace, keeping up with your moans, rubbing tight circles and flexing and thrusting his fingers inside of you until your body finally stilled under him, whimpering his name as you came.

He imagined you gazing up at him hazily, the same way you looked at him last week outside the bar, but now you would reach out and grab the waist of his jeans, pulling him closer and whisper hoarsely to him, "Please, Joel, I need you, I need more..."

He imagined what it would feel like to slide inside you, your cunt soft and warm, so welcoming and taking him inch by inch. He would grasp your hips, his feet firmly on the ground and your legs wrapped tightly around his waist, one of your hands lost in your own hair and the other firmly holding onto his wrist, eyes rolled towards the back of your head, moaning, as he stretched you out. When he would start moving, he would go slow at first and enjoy the way your tits bounced gently along with his movements. He would do his best to take his time, but he imagined you asking him - begging him - to fuck you harder. Of course, he would give you what you wanted. He would slam into you, over and over, groaning as he would feel your cunt squeezing around him, warning him you were close. His thumb would travel down to your clit once again, pressing firmly from side to side until you were screaming his name and he felt your warm release spill over his cock.

"Fuck!" Joel grunted out into the darkness, as he shot thick ropes of cum over his hand and onto the tile floor, completely losing himself and forgetting to grab a tissue. He stood there a few minutes, catching his breath, his forehead pressed against the bathroom wall. Finally, he pushed himself away and cleaned up his mess carefully, using his flashlight to make sure he didn't miss anything. He sighed and rubbed his eyes. He hoped that would help keep him sharp and focused for tomorrow.

He opened the bathroom door quietly, relieved to see you hadn't moved a muscle since he left. You were still sleeping peacefully, facing his side of the bed with your lips slightly parted. He smiled at the sight, setting his flashlight down and about to slide back into bed when he heard a noise coming from down the hall. He froze, listening intently, trying to figure out the source. He glanced down at you once more to confirm you were still asleep and headed quietly out the bedroom door, carefully closing it behind him.

He walked down the hallway, now on high alert, the hairs on the back of his neck standing up. He walked by a statue, grabbing it and turning it upside down so the square base was upright in his hand. He gripped it tightly as he neared the kitchen, now hearing rustling and seeing a beam of light coming from the pantry. He glanced around the room before peering around the open pantry door, seeing someone crouched on the floor and rifling through his food, but all Joel could focus on was the revolver on the floor next to him, shining in the moonlight. Shooting one more glance over his shoulder, Joel stepped inside, silently placing the statue down on the floor, and then lunged forward, quickly wrapping his arm around the intruder’s neck, and using his other hand to lock his arm in place. Joel yanked them both up to a standing position, putting his foot over the revolver and shoving it under the shelves in the pantry, out of arms reach. The intruder slapped wildly at Joel's arms, then tried clawing at his face, desperate to loosen his grip so he could breathe, but Joel didn't budge, his grip strong and unmoving, his face contorted in a fury and a heat he never felt before. It didn't take long before the man passed out, but Joel held on a few minutes longer to make sure the air didn't revive him.

Once he was satisfied he was dead, Joel laid him gently on the pantry floor, frantically trying to catch his breath. He slowly picked the statue back up, temporarily forgetting about the gun, and then closed his eyes a moment as his breathing began to stabilize. He reopened them, nostrils flared, and jaw clenched. He needed to make sure the man was alone, and you were safe.

He left the pantry, glancing around the room once again before stepping forward. He was about to enter the hallway to head back towards the living room when something hard hit him across the chest, sending him crashing loudly back into the kitchen, dropping the statue. Joel gasped for air in the darkness, scrambling backwards and reaching around blindly to try to find his statue, but the other intruder kicked it away and pinned Joel down with his own baseball bat. The bat was being pressed to his throat, and Joel struggled to push against the man's weight.

"Who else is here with you?" the intruder sneered. Joel was barely able to make out his face in the darkness.

"No one," he gasped and shook his head, pushing back harder now that he was reminded of you sleeping sweetly in his bed, hoping and praying you stayed in there.

"Bullshit," the man spit. "I saw the shoes by the door. Maybe I'll have a little fun with her after I kill - "

Suddenly, the pressure was gone, and Joel coughed, holding his throat. He whipped around frantically, trying to find anything to use as a weapon, when he heard wet thumping over and over. He stood up, desperately trying to make his eyes adjust to the shadows. Remembering the flashlight, he scrambled back in the pantry and snatched it up, casting the beam of light over the scuffle.

You were bent over and brutally caving in the skull of the man who almost killed him.

Over and over, you aimed the corner of the statue at the man's disfigured face, beating him to a bloody pulp, the squishing sound of blood echoing in your ears. Joel calling your name and grabbing you around the waist was the only thing that stopped you. You dropped the statue and looked him in the eye, like a wild animal cornered and ready to strike. He grabbed your face, repeating your name until your eyes focused back on him. The enormity of what you did hit you in an instant: you just killed a man.

Tears welled up in your eyes and your lips trembled as you continued to stare into Joel’s eyes. He shook his head when he saw the emotion on your face.

“No. No, no, no, no. C’mere,” he said, pulling you into his embrace, and it was then you let the tears flow as you sobbed uncontrollably into his chest, gripping his t-shirt in your fist like a lifeline. He snaked his arm up your back, so his hand rested at the crown of your head, and his other arm tightly squeezed you around the ribs. You both slunk to the floor of his kitchen, holding onto each other for dear life, the horror of the world around you finally making its mark on you both.

Chapter Nine

#joel miller fanfiction #joel miller #joel miller smut #joel miller x reader #joel miller x you #joel miller fic #joel the last of us #tlou hbo #the last of us hbo #joel miller x f!reader #joel miller x female reader #joel miller series #joel x reader #joel x reader smut #joel miller angst #joel miller fluff #the last of us fanfiction #the last of us game #the way we were joel miller fic

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devondespresso · 1 month

Text

Mr. Crayola Henderson

T | 1791 words | ao3 link | cw: minor ableism from a side character, also they swear, I always forget f-bombs bother some people sorry guys | STWG Prompt: Telling a story to get out of trouble

EDIT: I NEARLY FORGOT thank you @pearynice my beloved for the brainstorming GENIUS and @hairstevington for the sensitivity read! You guys are awesome!! Also thank you @saradika-graphics for making free dividers!!

((little bit of context for extra clarity: this universe is vaguely canon divergent, post season 2. Steve is hoh (hard of hearing) and already adopted by the Hendersons, and in this one they're in the middle of a sort of family reunion/gathering))

Steve went to duck inside the house, holding the door open for Aunt Tracy on her way back out into the backyard where the majority of the gathering was taking place. She smiled and said something, probably just a thank you that he would’ve heard if the batteries in his hearing aids hadn’t died. He smiled back at her and gestured to his ear and she nodded again with a smile that did its best to not be patronizing.

She left and Steve went inside, sighing a little and tried to not hold it against her, the lack of filter seemed to run in the family, but it was moments like that that made him grateful his mom was the most laid-back of the Henderson women.

Steve went over to the media room and dug through the little bin of batteries under the phone, pulling out an opened pack that had just enough left. He took both aids off, changed the batteries, and put them back on to make sure they worked.

He heard a strong thud from his bedroom, followed by muttering.

Steve put the dead batteries down on top of the table and stared at his bedroom door. The muttering escalated to hushed bickering.

Steve walked closer to the door, hearing the bickering more clearly, then opened the door.

Dustin and their cousin Aiden both jumped and turned to look at the door, Dustin relaxing when he saw it was him. Steve paused for a second, looking at both of them crouched on the ground, bright pink paint on their hand and clothes and the carpet around them with no bottle in sight.

Steve leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow at Dustin.

“We were just… snooping through your shit. ” Dustin said.

Steve glanced back down at the paint everywhere, and gave him a look.

Dustin just smiled like a little angel, which worked on mom and maybe Steve-from-two-years-ago, but not now.

“Oh no, you found my secret stash of… bubblegum pink paint.” he deadpanned.

“The cheap kiddy bubblegum pink paint.” Dustin corrected, looking down at the carpet. “It’ll wash out.”

“Of course.” He looked over to Aiden, who had relaxed significantly as he realized Steve wasn’t going to blow up on them. “And… why is there totally washable pink paint in my room specifically? Weren’t you guys sticking to dicking around outside to avoid doing stuff like this?”

Aiden opened his mouth to give a better excuse, but Dustin started tapping his shoulder excessively to get his attention.

“He’d help us.”

Steve raised his eyebrows, not arguing because odds were good he’d end up doing something, but he still played it up like he wasn’t already planning to.

Aiden was turned mostly towards Dustin and muttered something he couldn’t catch, throwing a glance at Steve.

“Trust me, this is like a walk in the park compared to–” Dustin said.

“Hardly a fair comparison, man.” Steve interrupted.

“–compared to the other shit he’s helped me with.”

Aiden thought about it, then glanced towards Steve. “And he's not going to jump ship afterwards and get us in trouble?”

“Of course not, right Steve?”

Steve looked at the two of them and ran a hand over his face.

“You know step one of not getting in trouble for stupid shit is not starting stupid shit, right?”

Aiden groaned but Dustin agreed immediately, “Yes, 100% understood.”

Dustin elbowed Aiden, and he nodded despite his clear annoyance.

Dustin smiled and looked at Steve.

He rubbed his temple one last time before throwing his hand down.

“Okay. Step two then.”

Dustin jumped up and shot him a thanks before running around him towards the kitchen. Steve watched him go then turned back to Aiden who looked just as confused.

“What’s he doing?”

“I don't know.” Aiden lied, looking at him curiously, “What's step two?”

“Find me and let me finish the stupid shit.”

“Huh.”

Dustin came running back with a slice of deli-meat in one hand.

“Dustin, this isn’t looking much better than last time.”

Dustin paused his mad dash for just a second to look at him.

“It’s significantly better, I swear.” he said, then ran to sit back down, dropping the slice of meat on the floor in front of him, and waited.

After a few seconds of nothing, a fuzzy little white face poked out from under his bed. Cautiously, a opossum with pink paint splashed on its back came waddling out. It sniffed at the food given to him, nibbled at it, then opened its mouth as wide as it could to awkwardly chomp at its new snack.

It was a wild animal, Dustin brought in a wild animal inside, during a family gathering with some of the most worry-wart mothers he’s ever met–

But god, the tiny opossum was really fucking cute.

Dustin beamed at the little guy like a proud mom, then up at Steve. Steve shook his head in disbelief and joined them carefully around the opossum. He picked up the deli meat and placing it on his hand to get the little guy used to it.

“You’re crazy, Henderson, you’re fucking crazy.” He grumbled, playing up annoyance to avoid losing his better judgment.

Dustin said something probably cheeky as hell, but he didn’t catch it.

“One more time.” he said, looking away from the opossum for just a second.

“And what does that make you, Henderson?” Dustin smiled, definitely cheeky.

“Reluctantly, also fucking crazy.” he sighed, shaking his head before moving the deli meat further up his hand to lead little Mr. Opossum onto it.

He lifted Opossum gently, letting it have the rest of the deli meat so he could use two hands to hold it steady. He stood up slowly, and started walking towards the bathroom.

Dustin and Aiden went around him to get the door, lights, and sink ready– apparently, to continue where they left off. There were pink handprints around the edge of the sink and a bottle of dish soap sat next to the hand soap.

“Wow, I wonder what happened here.” Steve deadpanned. He looked over at the both of them, not a hint of guilt in their eyes. “And this is why there aren’t two Dustin Hendersons.” he bitched with no real anger, and set Mr. Opossum down gently in the sink.

“You mean this is why there aren’t two Aiden Haults.” Aiden said, leaning over the sink.

“Nope, Dustin gets the credit for this one.”

Steve closed the drain to make a pool of water and Opossum gravitated to it immediately, taking a drink before waddling into the pool and almost rolling in the water to get his fur wet.

Steve tried and failed to bite back a smile.

“His name is Sir Crayolan.” Dustin said.

Steve had no choice but to bark out a laugh.

“Sir what?”

“Sir Crayolan.”

“Oh god, I heard you correctly.”

“It’s a great name!”

“You know Sir Crayolan isn't staying, right?”

“Yeah, we were gonna let him go after we washed him, we just–”

Aiden muttered something and tugged on his sleeve, pointing out the bathroom doorway towards the back door.

Just out of the window, Aunt Tracy was caught in conversation with someone, looking like she was laughing, but clearly stopped just before she was going to come inside. Steve quickly rinsed some of the minimal paint on his fingers, careful not to scare Mr. Crayola or whatever.

“Does she know you’re in here?”

“No, we hid in your room–”

“Good, you guys wash him, carefully and quietly, I’ve got the rest.” He whispered, wiping his hands off on a towel.

“You’re the best, Steve.” Dustin said, giving him a quick side hug to avoid getting paint on him.

“Oh really? I’m gonna need that in writing.” He smiled and Dustin stuck out his tongue. Steve returned the gesture and slipped out of the bathroom, straight across the hall and into his bedroom.

He turned off the lights immediately to hide the pink mess on his floor and waited to hear the front door.

He heard Aunt Tracy’s laughing rather than the actual door open, heard her wave off whoever it was she was talking to through the door. He took one hearing aid off before he walked out of his room, closing the door behind him. He made his way back to the abandoned dead batteries and put his aid back on, messing with it a little longer than strictly necessary.

“Oh, Steve, there you are. Everything okay?” she said, joining him by the tv room.

“Yeah, just had to find batteries. What’s up?”

“Oh yes, well– now, I know I could be overreacting, but I haven’t seen Aiden anywhere for– oh, for god knows how long–”

“He was with Dustin earlier–”

“I know, I know, but they were near those woods weren’t they? And you know there were those missing kids stories–”

“Trust me, I know.” he said, dropping the dead batteries into their battery jar. “I can help you search for them if you want, but I don’t think Dustin’s ever gotten lost. He carries around a compass like it's his wallet. Worst case scenario? They’re messing around in the woods somewhere a little too far away and they’ll come running back once they realize we started eating hotdogs without them.”

“God, you know Claudia said the same thing, I just worry…”

“Ron just lit the grill, right? Let’s give them twenty minutes,” he checked his watch, “Until five… five fifteen-ish. If nobody sees them, I’ll help you look.”

“Twenty minutes, alright, I’ll tell Claudia.” She said, and circled back to the door.

“I’ll join you guys in a second, I’m grabbing a coke.” he called, jutting a thumb back towards the kitchen.

She called something back with a wave and Steve just waved back until she disappeared out the door. He walked over to the kitchen and grabbed a cold can for himself and a diet pepsi for mom, then circled back to the bathroom.

He checked over his shoulder once real quick before tapping on the door and opening his coke.

Aiden answered the door, cracking it open just enough to stand in the doorway.

“You got all that, yeah?”

“Twenty minutes, we’ve been exploring in the woods.”

“Yup. Release your critter out the front door and circle around. I am not joining a search party for you guys today.”

Aiden nodded and gave him an overserious salute. Steve threw a more casual one back.

“Tell Mr. Crayola I said ‘bye’.” he said, then turned around to leave as Dustin came to the opossum’s defense. He hid his smile by taking a sip of his coke, and went back out the door.

(obligatory disclaimer uhhh dont pick up wild opossums please ok thanks guys love ya)

#stranger things #steve harrington #dustin henderson #steve and dustin #hoh steve harrington #hoh!steve #hoh!steve harrington #steve henderson au #been a while since ive used that tag straight up hfdklashfhdl #ive kinda recently realized that my steve henderson au's like. origin-story part? was spanning a lot longer than i thought #and odds are i wont be able to exhaust every possible shenanigan these brothers could get in to #so starts the not-really-the-same-universe-but-like-also-kinda-close steve henderson au hfsdjklafhdkl #stwgdailyprompt

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carionto · 7 months

Text

A Proper Welcoming Party - Epilogue

Always Rig to Blow

Parts 1 2 3 and extra context

Jumping short distances with an emergency activation is generally safe due to the simple fact that the universe is so vast that 99.9999% of the time you'll end up in empty space.

This group of Big Thrashers raiders - Gobsmack's Gobbers (Big Thrasher named everyone and objections meant death) - found themselves in a nightmarish cluster of icy planetesimals, heavily illuminated for some reason, and criss-crossed with makeshift installations and contraptions whose purpose one could only guess at.

Alarms rang out of imminent collision as one of the ice rocks was hurtling towards their general direction. Barely composing themselves, the crew managed to fire up the engines and perform evasive maneuvers, but only just. And only for a brief moment - they were in a navigational nightmare, the likes of which even the most hardcore simulations only ever run as an example for places you never, ever, EVER fly into.

To add to their distress and confusion, the raiders were hailed by a lone Human vessel, which was darting with unbelievable agility through the impossible and ever changing field.

"Howdy there, names Abigail, you boys are lost I'm guessin'. Keep moving for a bit more, I'll turn off the Intermediate track config."

The Gobbers were stunned and blinded by a sudden outburst of hundreds of massive jets streaming immense propulsion force from all of the moving icy objects. Viewed from afar, a magnificent sight to behold - cascading lights, reflections, fiery cones, and sparkly clouds from escaping ice particles. Viewed from within, pure terror, a torturous miasma of fire, ice, dust, and raw force of power emanating from whatever is powering all these massive engines.

Merely a few seconds later though, complete silence. Peaceful even.

"So... bad jump, eh? It happens. Real poor luck ending up here though, gotta say. You should buy lottery tickets beating the odds like this!"

Abigail snort-laughs.

"If ya want, hook up to any of the track-layer movers, those things you just saw that, well, move the track pieces around. I hear our generators can fill up your wee batteries or whatever you got in minutes. Sorry I ain't got much else to offer, still working out the logistics for food and drink stalls here. Hard to get any sponsors so far out, you know?"

The raiders did not.

The more quick witted of the crew had already scanned the whole... mess of whatever this was, as well as Abigail's vessel, and realized something - all these engines mounted on some useless rocks, and her craft in particular, were extraordinarily powerful and tough, and most importantly - not attached to things with giant rail cannons. Big Thrasher wasn't here, so they were allowed to speak up and convince the others using evidence based facts and to make decisions as a group.

The pack of about a dozen ships had made a decision - they would plunder this area, take the Human as a trophy, and form a new Pirate Fleet with their soon-to-be enhanced ships. Abigail did not respond how they expected her to when they made their statement.

"Ooh, so like, you wanna have a competition, eh? See who's gonna be on top of the food chain. Alright."

An excited grin forming on her lips with that last word. A second later, every engine fired a searing jet of energy to once again engage the race track. This time on Expert difficulty.

Two of the Gobbers' ships were instantly crushed between colliding ice rocks, sending a shower of dust and debris all over the place, the rocks bouncing around (with the aid of the engines) to create a true chaos field of death.

It was a struggle to find any valid escape vectors in this ever changing vortex, but a few of the crew were working on a plan. The pilots just needed to keep the ships alive long enough. Meanwhile, Abigail was practically dancing around the field in her customized vessel, named Victor in bold neon lettering on its left flank. Whenever she spotted an opportunity, she manually fired off certain engines to make life for these pirates just a tad more unsurvivable than it already was.

Just as she had split three more ships in half with a particularly slim and sharpened icicle (the size of a small container ship) Victor came to a halt. All systems fried - it was a targeted EMP. Due to the prevalence of shielding technology, electromagnetic pulses were generally not that useful, unless you could generate one powerful enough to overwhelm the entire shield system, but that would be the equivalent of a star shooting one off, so they were rarely fielded. But as ramshackle pirate fleets go, you mount and use whatever you can get your hands on.

One of the more tech-savvy of the crew remembered that they had yet to encounter Human craft with shields, and that one of their ships had an EMP cannon. Being able to put two and two together at a greater pace than their former "Admiral", this one cleverly found a way to quickly defeat the Human.

Another crew member, who liked to dabble in the digital realm, initially dismissed their surprisingly easy access to the engine systems, thinking only a poorly set trap would use "Password" as the passcode for full system access. Once the excitement was slightly lesser from Abigail no longer making it worse every second, did they think to give it a try anyway.

And it worked. The UI was comically simple, again, most would dismiss a screen that just had five buttons on it labeled - [Beginner] [Novice] [Intermediate] [Expert] [Reset] - as a trap, but getting the sense this Human liked things simple, they pressed the Reset button, and once more the fireworks of engines and particles illuminated the area before halting the movements of the race track entirely.

Relieved beyond belief that the nightmare was over, the pirates, formerly know as Gobsmack's Gobbers (they'll come up with a new name soon, they just wanna get rid of Big Thrashers legacy as quickly as possible) set about to strip the place for all it was worth.

All of the pirate ships had indeed taken Abigail up on her previous offer and one of them was the first to finish recharging their hyperdrive, and was about to set out to go and retrieve Abigail's craft, when it suddenly burst back to life and a modified looking escape pod shot off to a fair distance from the track and the pirates who had all latched themselves to it. She opened a comm-link to the pack of raiders:

"Ehmps are annoying, but we got redundancies for a reason fellas. Also, you didn't think this place wasn't set to blow if I couldn't deal with ya'll in a bit more controlled way, did ya?

Well, cuz it is.

Rule #1, buckos - Always rig to blow."

With the flick of a switch and the brightness of a star, Abby's Action Asteroids (trademark never made it through), alongside a half-dozen of the remaining Raider ships, was no more.

Victor, or what's left of him, a shabby escape pod. Hector, sound asleep, she'd just given him a can of wet food before the whole... excitement started. And Abigail - miffed, scuffed, and a little drained, was looking to see what she hadn't "modified" or outright removed from the pod for her other "ideas". Fortunately, basic life support is intact, thrusters and quantum comms though... not so much. There's enough to cobble a regular transmitter and the cryo-stasis module appears intact.

"Welp, looks like it'll just be me, Victor, and Hector, ain't that right? (Oi, at least turn one of yer ears at me). Fine, then it'll be me and Victor. A-hem:

Dear diary, I hope somebody is less than a light-month out from here, cuz I got a fair to attend. They'll be showing off the newest burst jets. Imagine - you're going 0.002C, full stop, 180 turn, then back to 0.002C in under 10 seconds! Sure, any organic'll become a puddle, but at race-track speeds - think of the cornering we can do with that! Anyway, there's food for maybe a week, so imma join Hector now. (C'mere ya bum, we're sleepin' together). The end.

P.S. If you're the popo, it was totally self defense, I got the footage right here, I am not responsible for where the debris goes."

#humans are space orcs #humanity fuck yeah #humans are deathworlders #humans are space australians #humans are space oddities #story #scifi #carionto

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every-dayiwakeup · 2 years

Text

Hard of Hearing HC

Author's Note: This is based in part off of my experiences as someone with hearing loss, and I haven't seen many hoh! Billy Hargrove hcs so here goes 😜

****

Billy didn't know he was hard of hearing until he reached middle school. Neil thought he had been "disobedient" on purpose, but Billy couldn't always hear what his father was yelling at him.

Billy taught himself to read lips because Neil refused to believe he wasn't making excuses for his poor grades or giving Neil his undivided attention. Needless to say, hearing aids weren't an option, so Billy learned to deal with it.

He didn't mind not hearing his father's threats and orders, but he got embarrassed when he couldn't hear his teacher or his friends.

After his mother left, there wasn't much Billy wanted to hear. He missed her voice when she sang to him.

Since his hearing loss is mostly in his right ear, his left ear compensates. He just has to remember to tilt his head ever so slightly to the left so there's less of a chance for him to be caught by surprise.

Neil makes sure to yell extra loudly to bother him and smacked the right side of his face, asking him if he could hear the sound of palm against cheek.

He's very sensitive to noises, but he likes to turn up his car radio to the max so he can feel the vibrations, annoy Max, and it drowns out the world around him.

He sometimes can't hear himself, so he has to raise his voice, which can get on people's nerves. He gets frustrated because there are times when he hears himself just fine, but others can't hear him.

Max puts two and two together and gets sign language books from the library. They go over it in the Camaro. Billy learns curse words first.

When Billy starts seeing Steve, he's overwhelmed by how accommodating and loving he is. Steve doesn't baby him, and Billy appreciates that.

Steve is patient, and he learns ASL just to communicate with Billy. The three have a field day gossiping about people, and the best part is, that no one (but Nancy) understands what they're doing.

Billy wants to hear Steve's voice clearly, and when he finally gets hearing aids, that's when Steve asks for his hand in marriage.

Billy makes a face when he really hears himself at first. He's not entirely fond of it, but it takes some time to get used to. Steve tells Billy that his voice is Steve's favorite sound, and that shuts Billy up (temporarily)

Billy talks more when he adjusts to the hearing aids.

Going from limited hearing to now hearing everything can be overwhelming. Sometimes his ears get sore, and so does his head. Steve massages his ears and temples.

Billy has to keep his hair up so his curls don't get tangled in them. If he gets pouty, Steve does his hair, and Max takes advantage of the situation by adding some sparkly clips.

Billy can't cover his big ears with his hair anymore, and he thinks they look stupid. Plus they turn red when he blushes, and that kind of fucks with his image. He can't bring himself to bitch much, though. The hearts in Steve's eyes seem to double in size every time the brunette looks at him, and how can Billy argue with that?

Billy names his hearing aids "Mad Max" because they're red like Max's hair.

Steve keeps batteries for Mad Max in his fanny pack, along with wax traps and domes.

Steve spoils Billy with hearing aids that match his outfits, and as per Billy's request, new earrings.

When Steve talks too much, Billy simply plucks his aids out of his ears or just takes out the right one.

NsFw (it's pretty tame imo)

Billy can now hear every one of Steve's lovely moans and grunts

++++++

Tags:

@suspiciouslackofclowns @geormenia @emeraldwitches @jaethecreator @shawgrove @wixterirox @polaris-ursae @phishyie @shipworm @spaceboxkitty @talesfrom-theupsidedown @flayedintheusa @harringroveho @harringroveheart @harringrovetrashh @justan-0-t-h-3-r

#billy hargrove #harringrove #tw neil hargrove #tw abuse #i hate when my hair gets caught in my hearing aid #and since i also wear glasses its...#an experience lmao #i am guilty of taking my hearing aid out 🙃#i actually dont wear it as often as i should #because theres not much i wanna hear lol

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scarletsaphire · 1 year

Text

Spilled Contents (Dannymay Day 2: Backpack)

Danny keeps a lot of stuff in his backpack. Most of this stuff is not something that does well being dropped on the floor. Dash does not particularly care.

Danny had a lot of stuff in his backpack. These things included, but were not limited to: -Two first aid kits. One for him, and one for regular humans -Two Fenton Thermoses. He liked to keep an extra, in case there was multiple ghost attacks before he could dump them back through the portal. Like right now, where he had Johnny sulking in one thermos, and various ghost animals in the other. -Two gatorade bottles. One held actual gatorade, and the other held ectoplasm. He would drink both throughout the day. -Batteries and a charger for Tucker’s PDA. He hadn’t intended to keep those in his bag, but Tucker had shoved them in there a few weeks back and it would be more effort than its worth to remove. -A Fenton Phone. He would be wearing it, but sometimes that would mean he couldn’t hear the ghost he was fighting as easily, so he preferred to keep it in his bag. -A Fenton Wrist Ray. It was a backup for Sam, in case hers ran out of power -Extra ectoplasm based batteries for both his and his friends devices -A pack of crackers. Sometimes he was just hungry! -Pencils, pens, erasers, folders, and a textbook or two. He did still use this for schoolwork, you know. -His homework. It was not often that this found his way into his backpack, but today was a special day. He had actually finished an assignment!

Needless to say, Danny’s backpack was heavy. Very heavy. Especially when there was so many ghosts in the thermoses (the ghosts, contrary to popular belief, did have a weight on them. Not a lot, but enough to make a difference.) That weight meant that someone who wasn’t expecting the backpack to weigh a solid 40 pounds, they would be very surprised.

Dash did not expect Danny’s backpack to weigh 40 pounds. So when Dash grabbed Danny by the bag on his way out of the school, attempting to pull Danny back, he greatly underestimated the amount of strength needed to pull it free. Danny in turn greatly overestimated the amount of strength he’d need to stay on his feet. This led to Danny face first on the ground, Dash stumbling after him, and his backpack (which had been holding on by a thread for a while now) to tear open.

This would have been bad enough; having to explain the copious amounts of green flowing liquid spilling from various containers would have been difficult. Unfortunately, it wasn’t just the ectoplasm that had spilled. One of the thermoses had fallen perfectly on the release button. Danny held his breath, hoping that it was just the animals. He could explain those away, some other students had dealt with ghost animals before without ghost hunting tech.

Danny was a lot of things. Lucky was very rarely one of them. Johnny materialized in the hallway of the school. Someone screamed. Danny sighed. How did this end up being his halflife?

#danny phantom #dannymay2023 #dannymay day 2 #danny phantom fanfiction #its short and not my favorite but oh well.#it happens

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eyeoftheaxolotl · 11 months

Text

another important time of year to know about that begins in june is hurricane season.

if you live in an at-risk area, make sure you have all the supplies you need. i live in miami, so you bet your ass we're getting all the batteries, non-perishables, emergency supplies, etc. that we need.

do not wait until a storm is approaching to prepare. panic may ensue after a storm is announced. items may become hard to find. get them now while there is not much going on.

here's a list of items to stock up on. ill also put it here bc if you dont read any of the links from this post i want to be sure you at least read this. this is (in no particular order) the list from Ready, the site NOAA has linked:

water. Ready recommends a gallon per person per day for several days; get what you can. be sure you also have water for pets if you have them.

food. have several days' worth of non-perishable food. again, be sure to get food for pets as well if needed. if the food is in cans, make sure you've got some way of opening them, i.e. manual can opener. dont rely on an electronic can opener. (optionally, extra plates, utensils, etc.)

radio, etc. ESPECIALLY if you're in a risk zone, your power can go out so fast. so can cell service, etc. know which devices work without power, which require a charger, and which can work without internet.

flashlight. generally a good thing to have anyway. harbor freight has rly bright ones for cheap, theyre by the front counter

first aid kit. again, generally a good thing to have in or out of hurricane season.

covid preventative measures. especially if you're living with other people — you may end up in close quarters for days at a time or longer, and that's gonna get really bad really fast if you don't have some way to ward off the virus

MEDICATIONS!!!! i can say from experience that hurricanes and even just storm surges have a very real chance of messing up your ability to get your prescription. all it takes is a power outage and the pharmacy to be like oh :( sorry cant give u ur meds now :( computer isnt working :( and you can get screwed so easily. also, check up on your supplies of any over-the-counter stuff you may need to use, especially if regularly (for example, ibuprofen and similar that might be needed for menstrual cramps)

menstrual products (pads, tampons, etc.). you will want to have enough of these for a while. make sure to account for anyone else you're living with who needs them too.

baby care products. Ready specifically lists formula, bottles, diapers, wipes, and diaper rash cream.

diversions for kids. Ready lists this too, and i can say from experience — being trapped inside without power during a hurricane as a kid is not only terrifying, but also boring as all hell. you don't really understand what the adults are talking about, you just know that you're possibly in danger and that your games arent working because of it, and it sucks. i highly recommend legos, but even a silly board game can be enough for a couple hours.

batteries. yes okay sure maybe you have batteries. but please double-check — are they the right kind? do you have enough for the things you may need to use them for? also keep track of batteries for devices such as hearing aids, which you are less likely to be able to find batteries for from a neighbor

whistle to signal for help. you can get em for like 3-4 bucks

dust mask for contaminated air. i tried to find whether this can be a covid mask, but no dice. lmk if you know! in the absence of any evidence that the two are completely interchangeable, i would recommend to get a separate dust mask just in case. harbor freight sells em in packs of 10 for 3-4 bucks. also keep in mind that not all dust masks are designed for use against covid

plastic sheeting and duct tape. this one is to seal up the walls in case of danger outside — here's how to do it. (Look at the section titled "Sheltering in place".)

wet wipes, garbage bags, plastic ties

wrench or pliers to turn off utilities. here's how to do it. be sure you know which tools can be used for what BEFORE you have to go do it yourself. while you're at it, check if you've got any tools you need to repair damage to mobility aids, etc.

maps of the area. if you dont know your area, if you're dorming or rooming and don't know what's around, whatever your situation — trust me, you do not want to have to rely on an electronic device to get to where you need to be. know what you're looking for in advance if possible.

phone, charger, etc.

other important supplies based on what you might need:

glasses + lens solution. once again, this is pretty much just a thing that's generally good to have. but also remember that a lens wipe can only do so much if your glasses are covered in large particles or particles in a large amount

cash, important documents, etc. preferably in a waterproof container. Ready specifically lists insurance policies, identification and bank account records.

blanket or sleeping bag for each person. yet another instance of something that is generally good to have.

full change of clothing + shoes. if you can get good, sturdy shoes — great. but if you have a pair of extra shoes, that's fine too.

fire extinguisher. i'll be honest — i've never included this in the kit, and i don't have one, but Ready lists it as an item some people might need. idk. if you feel like you might need one, you can look into it — they do seem to be among the pricier items on the list, though.

this list will show you your evacuation zone if you live in the eastern/southern US:

this shows flooding zones in the US and Puerto Rico:

please feel free to add on any other resources you know of!

#hurricane season #psa #axolspeaks

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griffinkid · 1 year

Note

Are you willing to share any tips you have for not overpacking backpacks and optimally using the pockets?

Finally, a scientific essay I actually want to write!

I usually organise by size. Standard backpacks have one main compartment and one front pocket, so we'll take this as an example. I organise my items by size and put the big ones in the main compartment. Smaller items, like keys/etc, things you need to reach quickly and easily*, should go in the front pocket.

Larger items should be sorted by size, with the biggest item closest to the back, and getting smaller towards the front. If you sort them like this, you will have some extra space on top of the smaller items, and likely at the sides as well.

Pack it all up and check the zips. If they seem to be straining, take a few items out and try to judge what you really need that day. It's hard to be specific on this because what everyone needs day-to-day is different, but try to cut down on a few things… or find a bigger bag, of course.

If you're down for further organisation (you can never be too organised), I recommend getting a pouch for your small items. I have one that I think was meant to be an old camera case. I keep small items in there- phone chargers, feminine items, hearing aid batteries, that sort of thing. It keeps it all together and you can fit it in next to your bigger things.

*Worth saying that I never put my purse (wallet) into the front pocket, as it seems easier for pickpockets to get into a front pocket than have to stick their entire arm into the main area of your backpack like some kind of comedy villain. I may be overcautious, but I've never had a theft, so…

#answered asks #hester's bag tag #i'm gonna tag it with that #seems relevant

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hearingcarecenterbd · 3 months

Text

Traveling with Hearing Aids: Tips for a Seamless Experience

Traveling with hearing aids can present unique challenges, but with proper preparation and planning, you can ensure a smooth and enjoyable travel experience. Whether you're embarking on a weekend getaway or an international adventure, these tips will help you navigate travel with hearing aids confidently and comfortably.

1. Pack Essential Supplies:

Before you embark on your journey, make sure to pack essential supplies for your hearing aids, including:

Extra batteries or rechargeable battery chargers to ensure uninterrupted use.

Cleaning tools and supplies to maintain your hearing aids during your trip.

Spare tubing or domes, if applicable, in case of damage or loss.

Waterproof or moisture-resistant storage containers for protection during water-related activities.

2. Carry Documentation:

Bring along documentation for your hearing aids, such as:

Manufacturer information and model numbers.

Warranty or insurance details.

Prescription or audiogram from your audiologist.

Contact information for your audiologist or hearing healthcare provider.

Having this information on hand can be helpful in case of emergencies, repairs, or replacement needs while traveling.

3. Protect Your Hearing Aids:

Take precautions to protect your hearing aids during travel:

Store your hearing aids in a sturdy case or pouch when not in use to prevent damage.

Avoid exposing your hearing aids to extreme temperatures, humidity, or moisture.

Remove your hearing aids before engaging in water-related activities, such as swimming or showering, unless they are specifically designed for water use.

4. Plan Ahead for Transportation:

When traveling by air, inform airline staff that you wear hearing aids:

Request pre-boarding or priority seating to ensure you have ample time to stow your carry-on items and settle in comfortably.

Communicate any specific needs or preferences related to hearing assistance or communication during the flight.

For other modes of transportation, such as trains or buses, familiarize yourself with available accommodations and accessibility features in advance.

5. Communicate Your Needs:

Inform travel companions and relevant personnel about your hearing loss and any specific communication needs:

Use visual cues or written notes to facilitate communication in noisy or challenging environments.

Advocate for yourself by requesting clear communication, facing speakers directly, and asking for repetition or clarification when needed.

6. Stay Connected:

Stay connected with your hearing healthcare provider and support network while traveling:

Program important contact numbers into your mobile phone for easy access.

Utilize telehealth services or online resources for remote support or assistance if needed.

7. Enjoy the Experience:

Above all, enjoy your travel experience and make lasting memories:

Embrace new experiences, cultures, and adventures with confidence.

Focus on the sights, sounds, and sensations of your journey, and savor every moment.

By following these tips and taking proactive measures, you can ensure a seamless and enjoyable travel experience with your hearing aids. Bon voyage!

If you need additional advice or support for traveling with hearing aids, contact Hearing Care Center to consult with our experienced audiologists. We're here to help you travel confidently and enjoy all that life has to offer with your hearing aids by your side.

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fishinggeartx · 4 months

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Fishing Weather Awareness and Preparation Guide

When planning a fishing trip, understanding and preparing for the weather is as crucial as selecting the right bait. Weather conditions can greatly influence the safety and success of your fishing experience.

Checking Weather Conditions Before Fishing Knowing beforehand before setting out what the weather’s going to be like is essential for every angler who takes safety seriously, here are a few ways to do this;

Leverage Technology Utilize advanced weather apps and websites to get accurate and up-to-date weather forecasts. Look for apps that offer hour-by-hour forecasts, wind speed and direction, wave heights (for sea fishing), and temperature changes. Pay attention to severe weather alerts and advisories.

Understanding Local Weather Patterns Research the typical weather conditions for your fishing area. Coastal regions, for instance, may have different weather patterns compared to inland lakes. Be aware of seasonal changes and how they affect weather conditions like fog, storms, or high winds.

Consult Local Fishing Reports and Fishermen In addition to online reports, talking to local fishermen and bait shop owners can provide insights into how the weather might affect fishing conditions. They can offer anecdotal advice based on years of experience in the area.

Observe Nature’s Signs Nature often provides cues about impending weather changes. Birds flying low, sudden changes in wind direction, or a halo around the sun or moon can indicate an approaching weather system.

Dealing with Unexpected Weather Changes Observing the weather is a great way to go but when things don’t go as planned, here are a few tips to help you properly navigate things.

Develop a Comprehensive Safety Plan This should include identifying safe harbors or shelters nearby, understanding the fastest route back from your fishing spot, and having a communication plan in case of separation from the group.

Emergency Preparedness Kit Equip yourself with an emergency kit that includes waterproof clothing, extra layers for warmth, non-perishable food, water, a first aid kit, a flashlight, extra batteries, and a portable weather radio. Also, consider a waterproof bag for your mobile phone and other sensitive items.

Regular Weather Updates If possible, keep a weather radio or app running in the background. Some devices and apps can send alerts if there’s a sudden change in the weather forecast.

Recognize the Danger Signs Learn to recognize the signs of dangerous weather conditions. For example, if you see darkening clouds, hear distant thunder, or notice a sudden drop in temperature, it’s time to pack up.

Be Prepared for Water-related Risks Understand the risks associated with your specific fishing environment. In areas prone to flash floods, know the quickest evacuation route. If you’re on a boat, understand how to navigate in rough water and have a float plan.

First Aid and Survival Skills Basic knowledge of first aid and survival techniques is vital. This includes knowing how to treat minor injuries, manage hypothermia, and signal for help. Regularly review these skills, especially if you fish in remote or challenging environments.

Listen to Your Instincts If something feels off about the weather, it’s better to err on the side of caution. Trust your instincts; if you feel uneasy, it’s best to reschedule your fishing trip.

Educate Yourself About Local Weather Phenomena Some areas may have specific weather phenomena like sudden fog, squalls, or thunderstorms. Educate yourself about these and know how to react if they occur.

By being vigilant and prepared, you can handle unexpected weather changes and ensure your fishing trip is both enjoyable and safe.

Keep in mind, the unpredictability of weather demands respect, and a well-prepared fisherman is often a successful one.

ORIGINALLY FOUND ON- Source: FishingGear(https://fishinggear.net/fishing-weather-awareness-and-preparation-guide/)

#Fishing gear #fishing rod #fishing reels #fishing #fly fishing

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awn-moo · 11 months

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<[VIDEO ID - PART FOUR OF ???]>

Vic and Ingo are sitting on old station benches, facing each other.

“So, how often do you get to go down in these tunnels? Or get reports of trespassers?” Vic asks, crossing his right leg over the left.

“It’s a rare sight for me to be down here. At the beginning of working for the station, Emmet and I would sneak away down here during lunch breaks. Now, this occasion is the first time I’ve been since then. As for the reports? Quite often. Security catches a lot of people trying to get in. Emmet and I also catch them on security footage. Despite the safety warnings, people still decide to chug along.” Vic nods as Ingo speaks.

“Well, I am thankful for this opportunity we have to be down here. I almost always ask to enter places like this with security. Mostly because I don’t want to get fined for trespassing, but also because I know that safety risk. When Curt told me you and Emmet okayed this adventure, I was so excited. Truthfully, I had expected a no, so hearing a yes drove me into a planning spiral. I uh, I didn’t sleep because I was planning so hard.” Vic sheepishly laughs at that last part, raising a hand to lightly rub the back of his neck.

“Really? I didn’t think exploring took a lot of planning.”

“Oh! Yeah, it takes quite a lot of it. You have to be aware of any pokemon that will potentially be there, safety risks and precautions, what attire is most suitable, what to bring, how many people do you have to watch for, and just, a lot of technical stuff. I know security checked my bag upon arrival, as it’s packed pretty tight. But I’ve got first aid, simple antidotes and potions, backup camera batteries, extra mics, respirators in case of black mold, gloves, and even shoe protectors.” Ingo nods as Vic speaks. In the background, Flit and Luxa can be seen resting next to each other on a bench.

"You are well equipped. How long have you been running along these tracks?" Ingo asks, crossing his legs. Vic hums and leans back.

"Ah, I think it started when I explored Sea Mauville during my Hoenn challenge. So I think around 12 years? So I've got plenty of mistakes under my belt," Vic laughs, "But yeah, after doing it for so long, you start to take planning very seriously. My first actual video of doing this a couple weeks back was rough. I didn't plan and it was my first time recording one of these. I also kind of freaked myself out beforehand." Vic then looks towards the camera.

"Don't smoke a dangerous amount of weed before going exploring. Be sober, but then again, don't go exploring without taking a buddy along. The most dangerous thing you can do is explore alone." He then turns back towards Ingo, who's laughing softly.

"Good advice. Safety checks are verrrrrry important." Vic smiles and nods.

"Shall we keep going?" Vic asks as he slowly gets up. He stretches a few times as Ingo hums in agreement.

A voiceover plays as the scene changes. The camera pans slowly across the empty station. Benches with moss are scattered throughout, all in rows facing each other, while a few are missing. Most of the lights are out, with only the few working ones barely illuminating the space. The soft purple glow from Flit illuminates the darker areas as she hovers just out of frame.

“After the small sit-down conversation in the old station, we explored the area for a while. Now, to keep things short, I can’t show off everything we encountered. But after this exploration, we headed back. I couldn’t sense any pokemon within these walls, it just felt so still and silent in there. Being with Ingo and our pokemon helped lift the heaviness. Maybe I’ll try to come back and explore more, but for now, may I see you all again at a later date.”

The voiceover fades away as soft music slowly takes its place. The camera pans to an old ticket booth that sits tucked away in the dark. The next shot shows the inside, as papers sit across the desk alongside an older looking keyboard. There are some low-light vines draping across the ceiling. There are a few more shots of the benches, the flickering lights, and the vast emptiness of the area. At the end as the screen fades to black, a polaroid photo appears. It’s of Vic, Ingo, and their Chandelure. At the bottom is written, “RIP In Peace Curtis Caughner. You didn’t have a Chandelure so you died. So sad ;<”

<[END VIDEO ID]>

#pokeblogging #pokemon irl #pkmn irl #vics urbex adventure #Urbex Adventures #long post

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sheltiemomma · 1 year

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Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: Hearing Aide SuppliesBRAND NEW.

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findmyblogs · 1 year

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Best Earbuds for Android

The best wireless earbuds want over the simply nice sound. We've reviewed a sizeable variety of models offered and rated absolutely the leaders of the pack supporting each necessary comfort, battery life, noise cancellation, water resistance, phone, and assistant integration, and so on. These little headphones are virtually as important because of the phones in our pockets. Our buyer's guide for the simplest wireless earbuds can assist you to realize the combination that suits your wants and sounds the best, despite what you like listening to. The best wireless earbuds strike the proper notes wherever it counts. We're talking about glorious sound quality, excellent comfort, solid microphones, and accessibility even higher after they return at an inexpensive price.

Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds 2

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 aren't the most effective approximately 30% smaller than their predecessors, however, their case is ready 40% smaller and certainly pocketable. They characteristic best-in-magnificence noise canceling and stepped forward for sound. The Bose's new Custom Tune sound is a calibration device that customizes the sound in your ears. Voice-calling overall performance is likewise drastically higher than that of the authentic QuietComfort Earbuds. The different huge alternative is to the ear recommendations. Bose has ditched its one-piece Stay Ear wing recommendations for a two-piece Fit Kit device that is capable of separate ear recommendations and "balance bands" in 3 length options, providing you with extra flexibility to get a stable suit and tight seal.

Jabra Elite 7 Pro

The Jabra Elite Active 7 pro are still out there together as the simplest price wireless earbuds you'll wear right now, and they ultimately set the stage for what the Elite 7 professional waken the table. we tend to notice that in our review of the Elite 7 Pro. As a skilled hearing aid company, Jabra has shown a uniform ability to search out the balance in how it approaches each comfort and sound. These earbuds feature a nicely balanced sound signature that you just can simply modify within the wonderful Sound+ app available for robots and iOS.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro

In a review of Samsung's Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, we found they took the most effective options from the previous Galaxy Buds Pro, creating them stand out in concert with the foremost comfy we've tested. Comfort reaches new heights, particularly by Samsung standards once deed these in your ears. it's going to want a special twist, solely these earbuds accommodate further technical school within despite reduced size. They're little and nimble, packing in active noise cancelation (ANC) and crisp sound all at once. ANC is smarter and has a lot of precise points around, muffling a wider variety of frequencies. Decision quality conjointly remains wonderful with some improved clarity to travel with it.

Review and Conclusion

Wireless earbuds have had a full-grown additional common over the previous few years, and also the selection has grown with them, creating a necessary audio category. Selecting the correct try is less complicated than it's going to appear as a result of numerous vendors having gotten in on the action, and value points currently vary therefore widely.

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anantradingpvtltd · 1 year

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Price: [price_with_discount] (as of [price_update_date] - Details) [ad_1] The phone is powered by the Unisoc T107 1.0 GHz Cortex-A7 processor. The smartphone comes with a 2.8 inches TFT LCD and 240 x 320 pixels resolution. It also features a secondary external 1.77 inches display. The device has been packed with 0.3 MP rear camera with LED flash. However, there is no camera on the front for clicking selfies. It also features Bluetooth 4.2, Wireless FM radio and microUSB 2.0. The smartphone is fueled by a Li-Po 1450 mAh battery. It is available in various colors including Black, Blue, and Red. The phone weighs in 123 grams. The phone also packs 48 MB internal storage and 128 MB RAM. The storage space can be expanded with the help of a microSDHC. the new Nokia phone also comes with Hearing Aid Compatibility (HAC) as another extra bonus for elderly users. [ad_2]

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emirateshearingcare · 1 year

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Which Hearing Aids Are Best: Rechargeable or Battery-Operated?

Hearing aids are battery-powered devices or machines that are intended to improve your hearing. Small enough to wear behind or in your ear, they help make sounds better and louder. They are nowadays powered by disposable, removable batteries or rechargeable hearing aids batteries that are not removed. The type of battery has a huge impact on the performance of the hearing aid, its cost, and the duration of using them all through the day. Whether you are buying a new hearing aid, or replacing an older model, it is crucial to look through the battery options. You have to decide whether you want a rechargeable hearing aid or a non-rechargeable one.

Hearing Aids with disposable batteries

They are disposable and button-shaped batteries. The batteries of these hearing aids can be removed. They are still the only option for specific types of hearing aids. They require to put fresh ones in every few days to weeks, depending on the type of hearing aid. They sit in a box in the hearing aid. You can easily access them through the battery door. When the hearing aid loses power, you switch out the battery and replace with a new one.

The most common type used is zinc-air batteries. They have different sizes, usually small, depending on the level of hearing loss the patient has. They have to be changed on a regular basis, generally every 5 to 14 days depending on the size of the battery and your hearing loss severity.

Hearing Aids with rechargeable batteries

They are built-in batteries with three types of rechargeable batteries that are used in the market today: lithium-ion, silver zinc and nickel metal hydride. The lightest and the fastest charging time of all ones are the lithium-ion.

Rechargeable hearing aids are grown to be more common and natural than other models. They are available for behind-the-ear, in-the-ear, receiver-in-canal, and in-the canal-styles. With the advancements of latest technology, the batteries are powerful and long-lasting, just like the ones found in laptops and cellphones.

The batteries are put on chargers and are not removed from the device or hearing aid. They are built-in and don’t require habitual removal. Instead of taking out the batteries, you place your hearings aids on a charging unit each night, just like you do to recharge your smartphone.

Most of these hearing aids are suited to fit people with mild to moderate hearing loss. Yet, rechargeable “power” ones are recently used for patients with severe to profound hearing loss. That means those who are able to hear very loud speech or sounds and are unable to hear speech at a normal range.

Pros and cons of each Hearing Aid

1. Lifelong performance and 24-hour usage

Disposable batteries are the norm or the standard ones. If you are used to disposable hearing aid batteries, you simply know how it goes. It is simple and basic. You don’t need to keep in mind charging the batteries every night. They provide 24 hours and more of continuous usage, or up to 18 hours for those with heavy usage of direct streaming. In addition, they are usually stored with the rest of the accessories, all in one place. However, hearing aid chargers are usually kept on the bedside table. It is risky to forget them when packing for work, travel or going out. Another drawback might be any damage to the cord or charger. You will be stuck without power until the part is replaced and fixed or until you buy an extra charger, thus paying extra money.

On the contrary, looking at it from a different perspective, rechargeable hearing aids give you the luxury of simply charging it overnight and having it full power all next day. You can use Bluetooth and direct streaming from talking on the mobile to listening to music and TV without worrying about the power. They are easier to use and handle without worrying about changing batteries every now and then. This can reduce the monthly expenses on the long run. Whereas in non-rechargeable batteries, you should constantly change them and have to always carry backups.

2. Sealed cases

Another thing you can stop worrying about is the dust and moisture affecting the batteries. Because lithium-ion batteries are totally sealed, the hearing aids will become more resistant to moisture and dust. This reduces maintenance issues, boosting the life of the hearing aid and advancing its performance.

However, sealing cases are tricky because when they reach the end of their life, they cannot be changed by the patient. They need to be exchanged by the manufacturer.

3. Easy to handle

Changing out very small hearing aid batteries for those suffering from vision or dexterity issues can be tiring and tough. The packaging itself might be difficult to get into and use.

Rechargeable hearing aids are quite the opposite.

4. Safe and environment-friendly

The tiny batteries of non-rechargeable hearing aids can be dangerous to kids, pets and even few adults who may unintentionally swallow them. On the other hand, changing batteries yearly, more than 100 batteries estimated, means huge amounts of toxic metals going to landfills. As a result, non-rechargeable hearing aids can be environmentally friendly due to the fact that you are recharging rather than buying, thus generating less waste.

5. Prices

Depending on the type and model of your hearing aid, the charging unit, any replacement batteries, and the hearing aid itself all cost a lot. When it is time to exchange your batteries in rechargeable hearing aids, you might pay double the amount you normally pay on standard or traditional hearing aid batteries.

Looking at it from a different angle, although they are costly, they can be more cost-effective on the long run, since you don’t have to pay and buy lot of batteries.

How can you determine which hearing aid is best for you? It is a personal and individualized choice based on your preference and finances. It also became now a more informed decision since you are able to distinguish between the differences of each. Whichever hearing aid you decided to go with, you can be sure that it will improve your life, work, and relationships and enhance your social life and emotional welfare.

#hearing aids #rechargeable hearing aids #hearing loss #hearing aid batteries

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