#(imagine the sickos image)

[accirax]

Danganronpa: Despair Time Chapter 2 Episode 14 Dissection

I can't think of how to introduce this dissection other than just saying "god damn??". This chapter-- especially its second part-- has been a wild ride, and one that it appears we're nearing the end of. However, we still have one important question left to answer, which I'm sure I'll talk about here. So, let's chat.

SPOILERS for Danganronpa: Despair Time Chapter 2 Episode 14.

Also, I will be discussing Ace and Eden as equally likely blackened candidates in this post. If it will upset you to hear about the prospects of either or both of them being the killer, you might want to sit this one out.

Given what happens later in the episode, it's very interesting that the episode began with (more or less) Ace "admitting" that he has no idea how the murder mechanism worked. A truthful method of disqualification, or a masterful play by Ace to ask Teruko to ask him about the murder method only to pretend that he has no idea what it was? Time will have to tell on that one, because I honestly have no leads.

Similarly, is this Eden being genuinely shaken up and not remembering what transpired in the Gym, or trying to play the helpless innocent card to get out of having to help Teruko explain the murder method that she stole? Spoilers for my thoughts later in this dissection, I guess: they're so evenly matched that it's crazy.

I've always thought that Hu is the prettiest DRDT character, and this episode did nothing but prove me right. Hot damn, ma'am.

The insistence that this questioning is "traumatizing [Nico]" makes me think that Hu could be projecting her own experiences on to them. Perhaps she was once an innocent in a situation for which she kept taking the blame? That would be interesting as another connection between Hu and Nico, of both of them having taken the blame for someone else's follies.

This was a hilarious comeback; never change, Ace. Or, maybe you do need to change slightly, to become a less cowardly and impulsive person. Or maybe I should at least be rooting for you to have the chance to change in the sense that you live long enough to have that work out for you.

Yet another instance of J being the one to say that murder is bad. I wonder if this has to do with her character/backstory in some particular way (although given what we know about her past I have no idea what that would be), or if DRDTdev just needed a judgmental and confrontational person who would snap back at anyone to take over these kinds of lines.

(That's not me dunking on J's character btw she's valid for this)

This was a really clever way for Charles to phrase this to make Hu listen and settle down. I appreciate the out-of-the-box yet logical thinking. (Also I missed hearing Charles' voice :,D)

Woah, I was not expecting to get a Closing Argument comic for the Gym murder, but I am obviously delighted that we have one! Also, OH MY GOD, THE CEILING GRATE. How did none of us even think to consider that as part of the murder mechanism?

However, there are still some aspects of the state of the Gym that haven't yet been accounted for with this version of the murder timeline. I don't really think it's anything that would stop Nico from being Ace's would-be killer at this point, but I'll list them out here in case they are or in case they turn out to be relevant to Arei's murder. I'll also be trying to debunk them, though.

Moved Benches: Some of the benches near the pullup bar were knocked over. These probably fell either in some sort of struggle while knocking out Ace, or when Ace's body fell from the fan.

Moved Weight Rack: The weight rack was moved closer to the bench press and flipped on its back. I guess this really was also knocked over in the same fashion, no matter how unrealistically difficult it should have been to move due to its weight? Or it really was "workout preferences"???

Nico's Missing Cowl: When Teruko and Eden found Nico at the scene of the crime, they weren't wearing their typical dark cape thing. I have no clue why. You could say that Nico was trying to look less instantly recognizable, but it's not as if anyone (other than maybe Teruko) who saw a dark-haired 5'5" individual in a blue shirt instead of a gray cowl would think it was anyone other than Nico. There's also ye olde theory that they might have used it to soak up blood somewhere, but 1) Ace seems to have lost less blood than it may have seemed, and 2) the cowl was still not seen anywhere in the crime scene. I think I remember speculating that after Nico hypothetically used it to soak up blood (or, on second thought, maybe used it to gag Ace with the turpentine), they then stuck it in the fridge to hide it for the time being, at which point MonoTV discarded it and Nico got a new cape from their room. Maybe if it was used to apply the turpentine, Nico also could've put it away to prevent themselves from being affected by the fumes? I guess that's what I'm going with.

Lack of Tape on Pullup Bar: So, this one is obviously relevant to the murder already because Rose not being able to do a pullup is part of what tips off Teruko to the fact that something is off with the tape. However, I have no idea why the tape actually got removed from the bar. I still maintain that I don't think anyone could have stolen the tape off of that bar and repurposed it elsewhere-- most online sources seem to agree that kinesiology tape isn't reusable, and the fact that it was already wrapped around the bar in such a tight spiral would make it difficult to conform to any new specific shapes. My best guess is that Nico might have tried to use the bar instead of the light grate at first, determined that the tape was preventing the wire from sliding properly, and then removed the tape before determining the bar still didn't work. Or, Nico could have tried using the bar before settling on the broom, and thinking that it wouldn't work with tape on it... for some reason? Kinda scratching my head here.

I wonder how long ago it was. It's been four days since the Chapter 2 motive was revealed, although Ace was attacked only two days after the motive. Furthermore, Ace had started bullying Nico to some level already by the end of Chapter 1. I'm sure that Nico must have known what their secret was and probably didn't want it to be shared. My guess would be that they probably started cooking on murder pretty shortly after the new motive was released. That would also work with Charles-via-Whit letting everyone know what the custom weapons were in the first Class Trial.

This was the perfect response for Nico's character. They don't understand why an untruthful "sorry" would actually serve as a courtesy for most people, so they try to say what they feel and get ostracized for it.

Gotta say though, Ace, that was a pretty aggressive reaction from someone who said he "didn't need other people to tell him lies just to keep him happy" ;) (/j)

Damn, way to throw Levi under the bus. I can see why, for someone like Nico, they would want to assert themselves as not the most abnormal person here, though. I just want them to be neurodivergent buddies :(

If that's the case, then I'd have to imagine that we won't be seeing Nico as a killer again down the line. However, they could also just mean "getting caught"/"going in without a solid gameplan," so it's still possible we will. There's also the possibility of them doing something more like a sacrifice kill, although it would take a lot of character work to make something like that feel within Nico's nature.

Sorry to keep screenshotting every little thing Nico says but they keep saying really interesting things. The fact that Nico specifically mentions their father as opposed to "parents" or "family" makes me think that we'll hear more about their father specifically sometime in the future. Or, who knows, maybe their other parent left or died.

Nico: I don't expect you to forgive me. Very few people ever do. So I don't see the point in acting sorry.

This was very interesting as an addendum to the above screenshot. What exactly did Nico "ask for" forgiveness for in the past? Was it just more social blunders, as they described in ch2-e2, or did they get into more trouble closer to this level than we realized? It could also be an indication that Nico has spent time with people who believe that being nonbinary is a crime that Nico needs to feel sorry for. Fascinating stuff, indeed.

Points for Ace being the killer. We know that he went into this trial looking to suspect Nico ("[...] I'm pretty sure I know who the murderer is. It's not David, it's Nico"), so if Ace is the killer, it would make sense if he'd want to make the crime scene resemble Nico's to make his bait more credible.

Hey, it's the aforementioned T A P E T I M E, motherfuckers :D (still /j) Personally, it's quite gratifying to hear that it wasn't just a visual malfunction or a minor detail blown way out of proportion.

You're, uh... getting to this point much faster than I expected, queen. I don't think she's now going to go down the exact same distrustful rabbit hole that she was in before, but there's definitely still potential for her hopes to be crushed by the end of this chapter. Or, maybe she will accept some people as genuine friends, and instead in the future have to confront how she feels when she loses a genuine friend, or not blaming herself for the effects of her luck, or something along those lines. I like that Teruko isn't a static edgy protagonist, though. Like, don't get me wrong, I've always known and appreciated that she has depth, but it's refreshing that she isn't someone who's so stubborn about her own way of thinking that she refuses to admit when she's in the wrong. Teruko really wants friends, guys.

TERUROSE REAL??????

(Also Rose's speech was excellent as well I just didn't have anything in particular to say about it other than "wow" at the moment)

Yahoo, lockdown logic strikes again! Also, a quick

Is Teruko Correct In This Assumption?

Personally, I fully think yes, only Ace or Eden could be the culprit at this point. MonoTV confirmed that it tried to restore the Gym to the best of its ability but couldn't return the tape, which means both that there was no tape in the Gym to be taken and that there was never any spare tape in the Storage Room that MonoTV could have used to replace the roll. I guess you could say that there was an extra roll of tape in the Storage Room that someone else took before the murder took place, but that level of coincidence seems implausible at this point in the Trial.

No, for anyone other than Eden or Ace to have acquired the tape, they must have either stolen it from one of those two or asked for it from one of those two. Asking them seems very unlikely-- for starters, if it was Ace who took the tape, I don't think he'd be giving free hand-outs to anyone. And, if Eden isn't the killer herself, that means all of her fright regarding stumbling upon Ace's body was genuine. I don't think she's naive enough to then hand over what was used in Ace's murder to anyone asking... or at least not without bringing it up now. Beyond that, anyone who would ask either of them for the tape would have to know that the tape was used in the murder attempt, knowledge of which was very limited. This episode went to lengths to establish that Nico was the sole culprit behind the attack on Ace, and while it's still possible it could all be an elaborate lie, the explanation Nico gave felt very in character and important for their characterization moving forwards. So, while Nico would obviously know it was used, if Nico asked either of them for the tape, surely neither Eden nor Ace would trust them. Otherwise, I think Rose is the only one who could have found out it was gone, but even so, given that neither Eden nor Ace have tried to argue that Rose asked them for the tape, I don't think that happened.

You could also say the same of neither Eden nor Ace claiming to have had the tape stolen from them-- but I could see either of them feeling like claiming to have taken the tape at all right now would be a death sentence, so I understand why they wouldn't say it. Still, I don't know if the narrative is there to support the tape having been stolen from them. On the day after the Gym murder (Day 7), Eden isn't seen in the daily life at all. If someone stole the tape from Eden on that day, I would think that DRDTdev would at least want to show us who Eden was spending time with on that day (given that he put in the effort to make the tape sprite disappear from the Gym at the time it did), so that we would have any idea who might have done so. Ace is seen once in the Day 7 daily life, arguing with Hu, Nico, Levi, Veronika, and Arei. However, having just been attacked, I imagine he'd be hyper-aware of anyone getting close to him, and therefore would be more likely to notice if someone was rifling around in his pockets (if he has pockets?).

Really, I think the only possible candidates for who could have stolen tape from Ace or Eden would be Levi (mostly just for Ace) and Arei (from either of them). Levi might have had an opportunity to take the tape from Ace on the night he was attacked, the night of Day 6. Eden said last episode that Levi "kept trying to help him" after Ace was attacked, which could imply that Levi was the one to put bandages around Ace's neck. Furthermore, he does have a criminal past, which could make him better at stealing. Similarly, Arei is confirmed to be a good pickpocket, stealing Min's pen without Min noticing at all. I think she's the only one with the proper buildup to have taken the tape from Ace at that breakfast, and would be the most likely to have spent time with Eden when Eden was off-screen. (Although, it would have to have been before lunch, because Eden says the last time she saw Arei was at lunch.)

However, I don't think many people think that Levi is the killer anymore, and if Arei stole the tape from Eden or Ace only for the killer to then steal the tape from Arei, I would start to wonder why DRDTdev even made the tape such a scarce resource in the first place. Remember that, if the killer was purposefully trying to recreate Nico's idea, they likely knew in advance that they would need the tape to pull off their plan. It was used in enough places that seizing the opportunity to take it off of Arei seems unlikely, as it was too fundamental to the plan's inception. Besides, for the killer to replicate Nico's plan in the first place, the killer likely needs to be Nico, Eden, Ace, or Teruko, who are the ones who could have most easily taken the tape on their own.

I've already seen people accuse this Trial of being bloated, and while I strongly disagree (I only think cases are bloated when they're stalling for time and have nothing of interest to discuss, and we've still had PLENTY of interesting stuff to discuss), if we spent a whole 'nother who-knows-how-many episodes reversing all of the progress we just made to say that either Nico wasn't actually the one to kill Ace or that someone who didn't see the crime scene killed Arei, that bloating problem would only seem worse to those people.

I understand if you don't want to believe that Eden or Ace has to be the culprit for whatever reasons-- whether that be that they're your favorites and you don't want them to die or you really like your theory and don't want it to be false-- but I really think that this episode cemented that either Ace or Eden will be voted for as the blackened for all of the reasons above. Therefore, I shall be proceeding accordingly.

She was WILD for this. Hilarious line of reasoning.

What's Up With the Body Discovery Announcement?

The "reveal" of this line of logic was no surprise to me. As someone who's believed that Eden is the culprit for quite a long time, we've had to figure out ways to get around this thing before, and besides perhaps "not witnessing the murder," someone else seeing the body before the BDA rang is the most obvious way to cheese it.

However, in order for this to be a thing, we have to ask ourselves-- who would have actually seen the body first?

David claims to, but he has an alibi starting at 7:30 AM with Veronika and J. Both because Arei theoretically wasn't dead before then and because we've been operating off of the assumption that a meal takes about 30 minutes to eat, I don't think any of the three of them could have stumbled across Arei in the morning. Nico and Hu both have an alibi, which I'm going to consider solid enough to remove them from possibility-- one of them spotting the body would be helpful to make Eden the killer, and I think the only people who believe that Hu and Nico are lying only believe so under the condition that one of them is the killer. Whit is out, because him seeing the body beforehand doesn't actually accomplish anything, and so is Charles, because we can assume that, if he saw the body, he would be out of commission. I'm also going to strike Rose from seeing the body before breakfast, both because she's very likely to have been asleep and because if she had already seen Arei's body in the Playground, she probably wouldn't have refused to draw a diagram. That would leave only Ace, Levi, and Arturo as non-blackeneds who could have helped facilitate culprit!Eden from not being caught by the BDA.

However, we also have to consider that "before 8 AM" isn't the only time someone could have stumbled across Arei's body. They also could have seen it before Teruko, Eden, and Whit did while everyone was looking for Arei. So, what do we know about what happened during the search for Arei? Not much. Hu says that they should split up, while J says she's going to check Arei's room. Teruko says that most people are probably searching the first floor, an assumption that's supported by Teruko, Eden, and Whit not seeing anyone else while they check the second floor. You might think that would eliminate the possibility of anyone else seeing Arei's body during the search, but Teruko did say most people, not all. There's also what MonoTV said when Teruko and Veronika were investigating the Gym.

MonoTV: It's too high! If you stood in the movie screening room on floor one and started punching through the walls, you'd fall into the playground.

This not-yet-addressed piece of evidence got me thinking about the possibility of someone seeing Arei's body from above, standing in the Motive Screening Room. It still probably couldn't be Teruko, Whit, Charles, Rose, or J, but anyone else would theoretically be back on the table if that were the case. That being said, I can't find any visual differences in how the Motive Screening Room looks between the beginning of Chapter 2, when the search for Arei begins, and when Teruko goes to check the motive secrets (other than a curtain being added over the screen in the third case). So, unless there was already a heretofore unmentioned hole to peek through in the room, I wouldn't count on that being the case. The connection between the Motive Screening Room and the Playground will probably just be relevant to a different chapter.

Therefore, that leaves us once again with Ace, Levi, and Arturo. The main problem with believing that any of them could have seen the body beforehand is why they wouldn't have brought that up at this point in the Trial. Here are my best guesses as to why:

Ace: I have genuinely no clue why Ace wouldn't have brought up that he saw the body in the morning (assuming that he actually did) to defend himself at this point. It's not like it would make anyone more suspicious of you.

Levi: Levi does seem to be a bit dense regarding what is and isn't helpful behavior in a Trial, so the most likely possibility to me is that he just didn't realize that confirming he saw her was helpful. Like, "oh, I didn't realize that me confirming that I saw Arei would help us pin down Eden as the killer. I was just trying to figure out how David and I both saw Arei's body this morning and I didn't see him." "Wh-- David was obviously lying!" "He was?" "I already told you he was lying before..." "Levi... we talked about this..." Bonus points for it not being out of character for Levi to be unfazed by seeing a body, though.

Arturo: In Arturo's case, I think it would have to be that he'd still be worried about people seeing him as suspicious for saying he found Arei's body in the case of accusing Eden specifically. They already have a past history of conflict, and I could see someone brashly accusing Arturo of throwing Eden under the bus just to get revenge on her for the secret thing (even if I don't think he would actually do that). He also made an enemy out of Arei, so I don't think he would be particularly fazed by seeing her corpse either-- similarities to Felicity's cause of death notwithstanding. However, I also find it likely that he trailed after J in going to check Arei's room.

So, what's our conclusion here? Does this mean that Eden is basically fully cleared by triggering the BDA? I wouldn't count her out just yet, but the evidence isn't looking great for her. It's quite possible David only brought up this argument to A) hold out suspension of disbelief that it's not just Ace for a little while longer, B) drop this logic as foreshadowing for a future killer's plan, C) characterize the kind of logic he uses in a Class Trial, or D) bring up this argument in canon so that the people who theorized that the BDA might not clear Eden or Whit wouldn't be like, "wait, but what about...?" However, it's also possible that one of the possibilities I listed above, something I might have missed, or the "see no evil" idea (as FF put it) could keep Eden in contention. That dynamism is part of what makes Ace and Eden feel so evenly matched.

See, this is what I assumed David was getting at after Nico reminded me of his early-morning alibi. But then he just kept talking...

I'm not going to delve into what David was thinking here too much, because I already have an anonymous ask about what I think David's rationale was that this will almost certainly come up in. However, as a short version, I imagine that David is trying to get everyone angry at each other in the hopes that it'll incite another murder that he can get the class to fail? Or to cause enough discord in the group that they just fail this one. That would be why he also rags on Rose for not remembering the tape, and insults Arturo's sister-- he wants no one to trust anyone so that the murder-solving process will be as un-streamlined as possible.

The fact that he targets Teruko so specifically is probably because he (accurately) assesses her as the only real threat there. Charles and Rose can help, sure, but their mental struggles make them easy enough to eliminate if you play your cards right. Teruko's main flaw is her lack of trust, so if David wants to weaken her, it makes sense to go right for that jugular. Furthermore, by stating his plans so plainly and publicly, it might incite other people to fight back against him and say that Teruko should trust them. However, that kind of olive branch might make Teruko even less inclined to get close to them, if what Teruko said to Eden at the end of ch2-e03 can tell us anything. Didn't stop Eden from trying at the end of this last episode, though!

After taking some more time to think about what David was up to this chapter, I might change my mind on those being his goals. But, this post does serve as my initial thoughts of sorts, and that's what I initially think about this scene.

I wholeheartedly agree.

Does Ace Have Nothing To Do With Arei?

What Ace has to say is more or less true-- barring the breakfast in which Arei didn't talk at all (AKA, no conversation), Ace has literally never been in a small group event with Arei. However, although they didn't talk to each other, Ace did overhear the conversation between David and Arei, which does give him a connection to Arei. Quite relevantly, Arei did say this to David during their conversation:

Arei: You said that sharing our secrets would help fight against the motive. But when I think about it, not a single good thing has come out of that. Eden was stupidly naive, as usual, and tried to talk to Arturo, so now I have to protect her.

From this, Ace could probably surmise that Eden had Arturo's secret, she talked to him about it, and that Arei stepped in to save her from Arturo. He was one of the few people who could have known that Eden and Arei grew closer before the murder occurred: another connection Ace had to information about Arei.

However, before you use that evidence to call Ace the killer, let me remind you that he still doesn't have enough information to write the note from just eavesdropping on this conversation alone. As I outlined in this theory (same as the one I just linked above), whoever wrote the note had to specifically know that Arturo's secret was about his sister, which Arei doesn't divulge (quite possibly because she didn't even know) to David. Therefore, although Arei mentioning Arturo and Eden in this conversation is interesting, it doesn't actually make Ace any more likely to be the killer, because he still would have needed to find some way to spy on Eden's secret and/or Arturo and Eden's conversation to write that note. (Unless mentioning the sister specifically was an oversight plot hole, but I never want to use that as my reasoning.)

So, do I get what Arturo is getting at? Yeah, Ace and Arei were never particularly involved, and Eden clearly has a greater connection to the victim. However, there is more to the Ace/Arei bond than it might first appear, and it's possible that could come up in the Trial moving forward.

This distinction-- between "Arei was my friend" and "Arei could have been my friend"-- could be very telling down the line. Eden pauses mid-tear-filled rant to distinguish that Arei is not her friend, not because she's dead, but because they hadn't reached that point yet. Arei is not Eden's friend in death. What can that possibly mean other than that Eden killed Arei?

... BUT THEN HOW THE FUCK CAN EDEN GO AND SAY ALL OF THIS, BE THE KILLER, AND THEREFORE PROVE DAVID RIGHT???

AND THE "BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT FRIENDS DO" REFERENCE??? AT THIS HOUR????? I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THAT MAKES HER SEEM MORE OR LESS SUSPICIOUS!!!!

OUGH AND THE MIN PARALLELS TOOOOOOO

MIN WAS TERUKO'S FRIEND BUT ALSO A KILLER. DOES THAT MEAN EDEN IS GOING TO BREAK THE CYCLE OR DOES IT MEAN THAT WE'RE STUCK IN A DOOMED STORY IN WHICH TERUKO IS THE PROTAGONIST? IT COULD GO EITHER WAY!!!

Jumping back in time for just a moment...

A Piece of Evidence That Lines Up to Them Only

I thought about making this its own separate post, but decided not to. If you guys want me to make this part it's own separate post so it's easier to find/comment on directly, let me know, and I'll set that up.

But before you can make your decision, I suppose I have to explain what I aim to do here. Basically, Teruko has told us that she's still torn between Eden and Ace (mood), and that, while she'll start off attacking Ace, she's looking for any pieces of evidence that could prove that only one of them could have committed the crime. Problem is, we have no indication of what that specific piece of evidence could be, and, trust me, it could be a lot of them. Thus, what I'm going to do in this "mini" theory is list out every piece of evidence that I can think of, and say whether it points to Eden being the culprit, Ace being the culprit, or it can't point to either of them. Perhaps once we're done, you'll see why I'm so conflicted on which of them it would be.

I'm going to tier these pieces of evidence in terms of least likely to be the missing piece to most likely to be the missing piece, starting with all of the aforementioned unexplained gym evidence. The knocked over benches and weight rack were not part of the replicated crime scene, and I have no idea how Ace or Eden would have wound up with any version of Nico's cowl. The missing tape on the pull-up bar has the greatest likelihood to be relevant, but as we're already suspecting both of them for having the tape, I don't think it'd be a decision maker. Any of those pieces of evidence would be likely to come up in proving that Nico wasn't the one behind Ace's murder, but this theory is operating under the assumption that Nico is the one who tried to kill Ace, and either Ace or Eden killed Arei. If you want the answers for your own theory, do your own homework. (/lh)

Ace or Eden will get a point for any evidence that I think would better be used to accuse them as being the culprit. Therefore, winning points is actually a bad thing if you want to be innocent. For convenience of "scoring," Eden will be purple because of her shirt and Ace will be pink because of his "maroon" hair... and because I needed red and orange for the likelihood ranking.

UNLIKELY FINAL PIECES OF EVIDENCE

Arei's Body Swinging: This evidence has already been used to establish that Arei was killed in the morning, not at night. Either Ace or Eden could have killed Arei at 7:30 AM, so point to neither of them.

Ace Trying to Assign Himself to Guard Duty: This one is obviously a point for Ace if it were the final piece, but it's such a minor happenstance that I doubt Teruko would think to bring it up as the main thing against him. Like, she could bring it up in general, but I don't think it'd be her crowning jewel. Still, it's a piece of evidence we haven't discussed yet, so credit where credit is due.

Arei's Bound Wrists: Bound by the grippy tape that either of them could have stolen. Point to no one.

Broken Playground Lights: The lights in the Playground are broken, likely from the mechanism being hung up through the ceiling rafters. You could argue that this is a point for Ace's strength, but I don't think throwing a ball that high requires so much strength that Eden couldn't do it, especially if you might be able to use the see-saw to launch it somehow. Point to no one.

Dried Up Puddles: This has nothing to do with either of them. Point to no one.

Carousel Wrapped in Tape: Again, either could have had the tape, so point to no one.

Two Pieces of Rope: Either of them could have taken the rope from Storage and cut it; point to no one.

Food/Utensils/Napkins in Trash: Probably David's dinner. Possibly evidence of Eden and Arei having breakfast together, but that's a stretch. Point to no one.

Cups/Tissues/Palette in Trash: Rose says these were hers. Point to no one.

Incense in Trash: I know thebadjoe had (has?) theories about this being used to conceal the scent of Arei's body being hidden in the Relaxation Room a day earlier than anyone thought, but I find that to be too much of a stretch to accost Eden for it here. I think it's just filler. Point to no one.

Grippy Tape in Trash: I should just stop writing out tape evidence. Point to no one.

Broken Jugs: The killer used jugs of water to make Arei heavier, which broke when she fell. They probably had the fish water in them, but we're not talking about the fish themselves at the moment. I'll say point for Ace because the jugs are probably from the Gym, and we've seen Ace in the Gym far more times than we've seen Eden.

Needle and Black Thread: This evidence... might have to do with the ball of clothes, which we'll get to later. However, if this is relevant to the murder, it's probably from the Dress-Up Room, in which we've seen Eden but never Ace. Point to Eden.

Construction of the Note: After a bit of internal debate, I'm going to call this a point for no one. Why? Well, it's because Eden would have reason to help construct the note whether she was the killer or not. If she is the killer, she might have wanted to guide the discussion that followed its reconstruction, to urge to Rose and Whit that she's innocent and that someone must have framed her. It would also give her reason to come into the Trial already having a handwriting sample on her. However, if Eden is innocent, she also easily could have just wanted to help out. Most importantly, Eden already brought up the note being constructed in her initial defense, so I doubt Teruko would reuse it as the nail in someone's coffin.

Splashing Arei With Water: Either of them could have thought of this and accomplished this. Point to no one.

SOMEWHAT LIKELY FINAL PIECES OF EVIDENCE

Body Discovery Announcement: While this may very well play an important part in solving the case, I don't think it'll be the final smash, so to speak. That's mostly because we already talked about it a lot in determining whether Eden could have done it. In the end, I think we'll either have to come up with a way to justify Eden having cheated the BDA-- by Levi or Arturo having seen it or via see no evil-- or we'll accuse Ace without the BDA being a problem. I guess I have to call this a point for Eden because if the BDA were to be the damning evidence, I think it'd have to be for her. However, in my heart, this is totally evidence supporting Ace being the killer.

Arei's Broken Neck: I'm using this as a stand-in for the strength of the killer, in the sense of lifting Arei up and being able to stop the carousel. This is a point for Ace, because he's a professional athlete and Eden is generally the weakest person in the cast.

Scratches on the Ground: This evidence certainly seems to indicate that there was a struggle at the Playground, but is there anything more to it than that? I'm more willing to believe that Ace could have beaten Arei in a fight, but does that point to Eden because there would've been more of a struggle, or Ace because Eden wouldn't have wanted to fight Arei at all? Ace also normally wears heels (while Eden and Arei don't), which is what Hu cites will naturally scratch up the floor. This evidence is vague enough that I don't think it'll be used to point to either of them, but if it did, I think it's more likely to be Ace.

Ball of Starched Clothes: For starters, I'll share (I think it's) thebadjoe's theory that the ball was adhered together using starch from the Relaxation Room that's sprayed on the plants at night, because I saw some people questioning how the clothes could have been stuck together. Anyways, the ball of clothes itself is definitely a point for Eden, because we saw her in the Dress-Up Room specifically looking for Teruko's clothes. Although, Ace certainly saw Teruko and Hu's new fits, so he could have figured it out for himself.

Actual Acquisition of the Tape: I don't think this will be used as the final piece just because I feel like the narrative is pointing towards the damning evidence relating to Arei's actual murder as opposed to Nico's. However, it's relevant to discuss, so I'll list it here. Although Teruko says that Ace and Eden had equal odds at the tape, on the surface, it really makes much more sense if Eden was the one to take it. Star explained it well here, but I'll add my own recap: in the moments when the tape must have been taken, in between when Nico leaves and when MonoTV kicks everyone out, Ace is recovering from unconsciousness, covered in blood, full of rage, and has all eyes on him. Meanwhile, Eden is scared, sure, but she had a clear moment to actually examine the scene of the crime and is also knocked to the ground-- potentially right next to the tape-- with all her wits about her. While it's not impossible to believe that Ace sleight-of-handed the tape, Eden had a much clearer path to taking it. Point to Eden.

MOST LIKELY FINAL PIECES OF EVIDENCE

Arei's Missing Glove: To my memory, Arei's glove hasn't been brought up in the Trial at all, which is definitely strange, because it must be missing for a reason. If DRDTdev is crafting so much detail into the BDA that the swinging of the body is plot-relevant, there's no way he would have just missed giving Arei her glove. The question is, what was this used for? Those who are familiar with my theories should know that I've never been a fan of dress-up theories, so I'm going to discount that possibility. The thing I thought was the most likely was that the killer donned the glove so that their hands wouldn't get super scratched up from grabbing the grippy tape-d carousel bars, before gleamingtempest reminded everyone that both Eden and Ace already wear gloves. Still, looking at them, Eden's gloves are probably made of something more like cotton while Ace's gloves likely have some sort of tougher grip on the inside. So, Eden would probably be more likely to need something else to protect her hands. Also, given that both of Arei's wrists have marks on them, the glove was likely taken off before her wrists were tied. I can't figure out why Ace would have taken off Arei's glove before restraining her or how he would have gotten Arei to take it off otherwise, while for Eden, at least, I can imagine her asking Arei to take off her glove. Therefore, I'm going to call this one a point for Eden, while also throwing out that it might just be missing if Arei didn't bother putting on her glove for the early morning meetup.

Fish on the Playground: You've heard it from me before, Eden has an alibi through the entire time the fish could have been taken. With seemingly no accomplices (other than possibly Arei) in sight, I don't know how Eden would have gotten her hands on those fish. Meanwhile, Ace had a great opportunity. Point for Ace.

Pieced-Together Note: This evidence is very confusing, because I don't see how/why either of them would have implemented it. For Ace, I wrote that entire theory (I'm not going to link it a third time) about how, based on the information in the note and the layout of the first floor, it really seemed like eavesdropping was impossible, and the person who wrote the note had to be Arturo or Eden. Then there's what thefandomenchantress pointed out about Ace's pedantry making it seem like he wouldn't misspell "responsible" in the note, and that he just doesn't give me the vibes of someone who writes in cursive. By all accounts, it really seems like Ace can't have written that note. But then again, why would Eden have written that note? Okay, bad phrasing; she wrote it to get Arei to come to the Playground. But still, why would she sign it? Or if she were to sign it, to make sure that Arei knew it was her, why include so much detail about what Arturo's secret was? More importantly, why wouldn't Eden have just stuffed the ripped up note into her belt, or her pockets, or her room if it would serve to incriminate her? Put it wherever she put that glove! Hell, why not eat the note, if it's a life or death situation? There's the "reverse psychology" argument, but similar to what Teruko said this episode, it would have been much simpler for Eden to have pretended that Arei came to the Playground for some other reason without the killer planting some sort of note meant to frame her. And it's not like I think Eden is really the type to misspell "responsible" either. So, I'm kind of at a loss. It's such a major piece of evidence that I feel it has to come into play again somehow, but I'm not sure how. I think I'm going to call this one a point for Ace because at the very least I understand why he would want to leave this evidence here, even if I don't know how he created it. For Eden, I don't get why she'd leave it lying around, even if in pieces. You can call it revenge for Eden getting the point on the BDA, if you wish.

So, what are the results? If you add up all the points together, you wind up with 6 points for Ace and 6 points for Eden. Funny. If you tier the points, however, with 1 point for unlikely pieces, 2 points for somewhat likely pieces, and 3 points for the most likely pieces, you get 12 points for Ace and 10 points for Eden. Of course, that's using my tierlist of which pieces of evidence are most likely and on top of that, assigning the BDA and the Note the way that they are (if you flip them it's 11-11), but still. If you're invested in my findings, these are the results.

Needless to say, I hope you can understand why I'm having such a hard time determining which one of them will turn out to be the killer. Although, I must add...

If we're suspecting Ace first before we've done our Debate Scrum, that's not a good look for Eden never being suspected again in this Trial.

Concluding Thoughts

What? A conclusion? I've never done one of these on a dissection before?!!

Yeah, well, this time, I have stuff to say that I couldn't really correlate to one image in particular! And also I ran out of images, so this is what you get!!!

I spent that whole "A Piece of Evidence" section talking about the physical evidence that could support Ace or Eden being Arei's killer, but in it, I really didn't get to talk about the narrative implications of either of them being the killer at all. I know that Narrative Defenses are typically Venus' thing, but I have my thoughts on this, too. Namely, that both of them are riddled with narrative problems for being the killer at this point.

(Note: I don't mean "problems" in the sense that DRDTdev has written anything poorly. What I mean is, my own perception of how the characters are conveyed has me currently raising red flags about how either of their stories will pan out as a killer or how the rest of the story will pan out without them. At the time the answer comes, I have full faith that I'll be satisfied with the results.)

Let's start by looking at Eden, the spotlight character of the end of this episode. After that whole heartfelt speech with the CGs and the tears and the brilliant voice acting and the everything, how could Eden possibly be the killer?! I'm the one who was trying to defend the possibility of her still being the culprit after her little rant last week, and while I could probably do that again with this speech, it just felt so... I dunno, sincere. You can really feel Teruko's reluctance to put her faith in Eden, but her choice to do it anyways. Teruko already showed signs of growth this episode by admitting that she can't always solve mysteries by herself, so could that be a sign that she might come around on the group faster than we initially anticipated? If Eden was the killer, it would crush Teruko so hard. Is there any recovering from that? Can we really prove David right?

On the other hand, Ace is, quite possibly, one of the most intertwined members of the cast. He's probably Levi and Nico's #1 correspondent, and he's up there for Hu as well-- assuming they both survive the chapter, I'm sure their animosity towards each other will only grow in Chapter 3. With Ace just having given up on Levi, having just been the target of Nico's battery and Hu's verbal lashes, can the story really work without him in it at this point? Eden hardly has connections with anyone other than Teruko-- Hu's probably next, but Eden probably ranks, like, fourth on her list after Nico, Ace, and David-- which should make her more expendable. Is it really Ace's time already?

However, despite my complaints, I also think that both of them could be really good options as the killer here-- the two options I prefer over anybody else.

Eden is the character who's most connected with Arei. She plays into the chapter themes of being a good person beautifully. She's a good person, a tragic figure, that killed not because she wanted anybody dead, but presumably because she had something back at home that she had to get back to at all costs. Killing her off would break Teruko-- would break everyone. With the reveal of everyone's secrets, next chapter is going to be a living hell, so why not make that hell worse by removing the biggest conflict de-escalator here? It would force other people to step up to bat. It would give everyone a chance to change, what Eden wanted for Arei most of all. Eden's development isn't an arc, per say, but a fall-- a reminder that even the "most good" people can do the unspeakable.

Meanwhile, Ace has perhaps the most obvious reason to kill someone: he literally almost fucking died himself. Ace's execution would be a reminder of the physical reality of the killing game. That actions have consequences. Even if the guy who started all those fights is dead and gone, you can still feel his presence lingering in the arguments between the others. The guy you underestimated most of all-- not for being kind, but for being dumb-- can send you into a multi-hour spiral in which you accuse even the sweetest of participants. Ace's development isn't an arc, per say, but a fall-- a reminder that reveling in your own distrust and anger might lead you to do the unspeakable.

For someone who's spent so long believing that Eden is the culprit of the chapter, it's really amazing how down-to-the-wire DRDTdev has made the end of the case, where either option feels so believable that it's like you can picture the rope in their hands. Whether my theories, old or new, were right or wrong, I am highly looking forward to watching next week's episode and discussing it with you all. See you on Friday-- just try not to freak out too much before then, alright? (/aff)

[hannibalismos-jaaneman]

i read a hannigram fic last night where op decided it was an okay thing to mention vatsyayana and my brain chemistry is fucked now.

[msommers]

found these lost amongst the million folders i have full of unfinished wips and may as well toss 'em up here bc i'll almost certainly never finish the intended 3-4 set

[brionysea]

i'm feeling clever

[blueberrylixie]

cherry pie

lee felix x fem! reader

word count: 9,453

content warnings: dom!felix (sort of? he's not that dom lol), power bottom reader, pet names (baby, babe), oral sex (m and f receiving), vaginal penetration, pussy job (barely tho), fingering, overstimulation, voice kink, smell kink, nipple play, unprotected sex, creampie (use protection kids!),

let me know if i missed anything, this one-shot really isn't that kinky tbh but i tend to miss stuff lol

Mundane. If Felix could describe his life in one word, that would be it.

Everyday was the same. He woke up to his blaring alarm (because he'd just fall back asleep if it wasn't), took a burning hot shower, and ate the same breakfast before taking the bus to his work, where he just filled out paperwork and made spreadsheets all day. Then, he came home, ordered takeout, and fell asleep. Over and over and over again.

That was, until you came into his life.

He had just gotten off the bus, and was walking back to his apartment. The bus had been twenty minutes late, and he'd gotten caught in a random rain shower, so his briefcase and suit were soaked through. He held back a yawn as he pushed open the door to the front lobby.

Felix prayed he wouldn't run into his landlord. It wasn't that she was mean persay, but she was very uptight about the rules, and liked to grill him about the condition of his apartment. He didn't think he could go another minute without throwing on his pajama pants and lounging on the couch watching Netflix.

He hopped into the elevator, and hit the button labeled "3". The complex was five floors. He didn't mind being right in the middle. The neighbors above him had dogs, and he was occasionally woken up in the middle of the night by their barking, but other than that, it was peaceful. He felt lucky for that, at least.

He stepped out onto the third level, trying to pull the key out of his pocket to let himself inside. They'd gotten stuck on a loose string, and he tried in vain to tug it loose without ruining his pants.

"Ah! Son of a bitch!"

Felix looked up, abandoning the struggle with his keys in an instant.

There you were, attempting to heave an entire queen-sized mattress through the narrow hallway, all by yourself. It had gotten stuck on the door handle of an apartment about five down from his.

Donning a pair of earth-green leggings (an image that would forever be burned into his mind) paired with a black skin-tight tank top, every one of your perfect curves was on display. As you wiped a droplet of sweat from your forehead with the back of your hand, he couldn't help but stare.

Everything, from your luscious thighs, completely covered in that buttery material, to your toned yet curvy stomach and hips and your slightly flushed cheeks, which seemed to only glow with sweat, was stunning.

You grinned over at him, standing up for a moment to wipe your hands on your pants. "Don't mind me," you said with a laugh, one of your hips popped to the side as you looked him up and down.

A completely unwarranted image of you underneath him, your face just as flushed and beautiful just as it was now. Only it was screwed up in a look of pure pleasure, as he thrusted in and out of you. You clutched at the sheets, letting out little moans, begging him to go harder.

"You gonna help, or just keep staring at me?"

Felix instantly snapped out of his fantasy, his face instantly heating up. Jesus, what the hell was wrong with him? He hadn't even talked to you yet, and was already thinking the dirtiest thoughts imaginable. That was beyond wrong. He must be a total creep. On top of that, what if you were an awful person, or had bad manners? Or maybe you had an annoying laugh or smelled bad. Yes, he shouldn't be jumping to conclusions.

But as much as he wanted to believe that himself, he couldn't hide the uncomfortable strain of the zipper on his pants. He needed to get inside his apartment right now so you couldn't see. You would definitely think he was some kind of sicko if you found out what he was thinking.

"Oh! Of course, sorry!" Felix nearly tripped over his own feet to help you, his briefcase forgotten by the elevator.

You shot him a devastatingly devious grin. "I'm just messing with you, this is really no big deal. I wouldn't expect a busy guy like you to help me out."

"I want to help," Felix found himself assuring you, covering the lower half of his body with the mattress as he picked up one end. "Which apartment is yours?"

"Number 313," you replied, glancing down at the sheet of paper you'd managed to balance on the top of the mattress.

"Looks like we're neighbors," Felix replied, barking out a laugh. His heart started to race. What were the odds you were moving in right next door?

You beamed at him, and he felt his blood rush south again. Dammit, what was wrong with him? He wasn't usually the type of guy to get riled up this easily. But with you, this was already the second time in less than ten minutes. Get a fucking grip. He ordered himself once again.

"I really like this complex, it feels so homey," you said, attempting to grab the other end of the mattress. "Miss Haneul sure is a little... talkative, isn't she?"

Felix chuckled, caught off guard by your comment. "Yeah, she definitely likes a good conversation, especially if it's about the apartment rules."

"Yes!" You giggled, hefting the mattress into your arms and starting to walk backwards towards your door. "When I told her I didn't have any pets, it was like she thought I was hiding a dog under my shirt."

Felix nodded, trying not to focus on the way you looked when you squatted down to pick the mattress up. Was everything you did attractive?

"She doesn't really trust anyone," Felix agreed, as the two of you finally stopped outside your apartment. "But don't let her get to you, she likes to threaten every tenant here. It doesn't mean anything, she's never kicked anyone out."

You laughed, and it was like a symphony to his ears. He decided his new goal in life was getting you to make that sound as often as possible, because it made him so happy. The happiest he'd been in months.

"I'll keep that in mind when I bring my dog here next week," you joked. "For real, do you think she'd be pissed if I got one? I've always wanted a pet!"

"She may have a heart attack, but she'll get over it," Felix joked back.

You smiled, taking your key out and unlocking the door before starting to shove the mattress through.

"Thank you for your help!" You said, gazing at him with sparkling eyes. "It means a lot, you taking the time to help a complete stranger. But I bet you're really tired. I can do the rest."

"I'm really not too tired, and I don't mind helping," Felix said. "Besides, we're not really strangers. We're neighbors now, right?"

You laughed and nodded. "You're right! What's your name, neighbor?"

"I'm Felix," he said, embarrassed that he hadn't even introduced himself yet.

You smiled, extending your hand and telling him your name. It was beautiful, he thought to himself as he repeated your name over and over in his head.

And he found that he wasn't lying. His exhaustion had completely vanished. On the ride up here, he'd wanted nothing more than to chill on the couch and watch tv with a bowl of ramen. But now, he felt like he could throw a party, maybe run a few miles, even stay up all night. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so energized.

"If you're gonna offer, then I wouldn't mind the help," you agreed, tugging the mattress through the door to let him inside.

Your apartment was the mirror image of his. The kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom were all on the same wall as his, with the living room on the opposite side. He found himself wondering how you would decorate the place, what home looked like to you.

After the two of you got the mattress into the bedroom, you lie down on it, letting your legs and arms sprawl out.

Giving a huge sigh of relief, you smiled up at him once more. Seeing you lying on the bed like that, an image of his earlier delusions flashed through his mind, and he gulped. It was almost like you were trying to tease him.

"Are you leaving your bed on the floor?" Felix asked you, trying to banish the dirty thoughts.

You shook your head, your hair fanning out around you. "No, my... boyfriend bought me a headboard and bed frame, but it hasn't come in yet. Actually, most of my stuff hasn't arrived. The mattress was the last thing I have right now."

So you had a boyfriend.

Of course you did. Someone as stunning, nice, and funny as you wouldn't be single.

Felix tried not to let himself feel disappointed. He'd just met you. It would be weird for him to care so much.

He should leave.

Just then, you motioned to him, patting the bed. "Since we're neighbors, you should already feel at home, right? My apartment is the same as yours."

Leave! Leave! Leave! His brain chanted, attempting to steer him towards the door.

But being your friend was better than nothing, right?

Ignoring his sensible side, Felix sat down next to you. As he did so, he was immediately wreathed in the scent of something warm and sweet. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but it made his stomach flip. He was exactly where he was supposed to be.

Here, getting to know you.

Even if he couldn't be with you, he could be near you.

The two of you spent the next hour talking and laughing, learning about one another.

You were a yoga instructor at a new studio down the block. This was your first instructing job since you passed the course a month ago, and you were nervous to start your practice. You didn't think anyone would show up. He assured you it would work out. He didn't tell you, but he could tell just from your energy that you cared. He would make sure you succeeded.

You were very interested in him. You wanted to know everything. What his interests were. Did he have any close friends? What did he do for a living? He felt embarrassed that his job was so boring compared to yours, but you didn't seem to care. But it was when he mentioned that he liked to bake that your eyes lit up.

"I wish I could bake! Ever since I burned a batch of chocolate chip cookies, my boyfriend won't let me back in the kitchen. He says I'm a hazard," you ducked your head at that, looking sad for the first time since he'd met you.

"I could teach you," Felix offered before he could stop himself. He needed to control himself, shouldn't be inserting himself into your life in this way. But he felt a compulsive need to be something to you that no one else - especially your boyfriend - could. He found himself wanting to be someone for you, no matter how small.

You beamed at him and nodded, bouncing up and down on the bed a little. "I would love that! But be warned, I'm a major beginner. You might need to invest in some new pans after I'm done."

Before Felix knew it, it was getting dark outside, and when you stood up to turn on the bedroom light, he stood too.

"I should probably go," he said, not wanting to intrude any longer. "I have to eat dinner, and I've got work tomorrow."

You nodded in understanding. "Oh gosh, I'm sorry! I didn't know! I bet you were bored out of your mind tonight."

You led him to the door, that delicious scent wafting after you like a pastry. He took a deep breath, not wanting to forget that smell. Your smell.

"Thanks for keeping me company tonight," you looked down at your feet, which were covered in purple cat-print socks. Felix couldn't help but find that adorable, storing that information away in a compartment of his brain now made specifically for you. "I-I don't have a lot of friends, so it was nice to spend time with someone so nice."

Your cheeks dusted with pink, you reached your arms out like you were going to give him a hug.

Felix froze as your arms circled around his waist. He could feel your chest pressing against him, and he had to fight to control his arousal. He would rather die than let you know how he felt about you, this early into your relationship.

He slowly put his arms around you too, feeling your small shape meld perfectly with his. His chest felt tight as he fought the growing attraction he felt towards you. You fit so well against him.

As Felix walked the few feet to his own apartment, he couldn't stop smiling. His cheeks hurt from the new sensation. He couldn't remember when he'd last spent so much time with someone else who wasn't his coworkers. It felt good.

As he lie alone in bed, thoughts of you invaded his mind. And not for the first time that night. In fact, he hadn't been able to stop thinking about you since he left your apartment.

He'd never met someone that he connected with in the same way as you. The chemistry was instantaneous. You were kind, funny, and passionate. And what was more, you were actually interested in him and his life, too. He wasn't anything special. But you made him feel like he could be.

And holy hell, you were gorgeous. Naturally, that was the first thing he'd noticed about you. Your petite, curvy figure paired with that bright, optimistic smile was now imprinted on his mind. No wonder you were taken.

He should stop thinking about you like that. Just letting you infiltrate his mind was getting his hopes up in a way he shouldn't. He barely knew you. Plus, he had impossibly high standards when it came to dating. You'd probably do something that turned him off, and that would be the end of it.

But those godforsaken leggings. They hugged you in just the right places, your tight, round ass bouncing just slightly as you bent down to pick up the mattress, your perky breasts pressed up against the black fabric of your tank top. That bright grin you sent his way whenever he said something even remotely funny.

Fuck. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to erase the memories that threatened to overtake him. His hard cock pressed against the front of his boxers, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop it.

Maybe I just need to jerk off. Felix thought, raking a hand through his already sweaty hair. Let off some steam.

It had been a long time since he'd masturbated, let alone had sex with anyone. Work took up so much of his time nowadays, he never went out. And by the time he got home, he was so exhausted, he usually just ate dinner and passed out.

Yeah, that must be it. Just jerk off, go to sleep, and feel better in the morning.

Felix slid a tentative hand into his boxers, wrapping his fingers around the base of his cock. Letting out a hiss, a mix of pain and pleasure, he began to stroke himself up and down.

Starting off slow, he tried to keep his mind off of you. But inevitably, his mind kept wandering back, to the way your tits bounced as you jumped onto the bed, the intoxicating smell of you when you hugged him goodbye, the way your chest pressed against him...

As he started jerking himself harder, those memories quickly morphed into fantasy. You sitting on his cock, bouncing up and down, moaning his name, squeezing those perfect breasts as you begged him to go deeper, move faster.

He thrusted into his hand, imagining he was hammering into your wet cunt as your moans turned into incoherent whimpers.

"Felix!" He could practically hear you gasp.

"Fuck," Felix bit out through gritted teeth, trying to keep his voice down. He imagined how tight you would be, squeezing him in just the right way.

"Please, go faster," you'd whine, and he would reach up to play with your tits as you cried out in pleasure.

Felix's breaths came in short, labored gasps as he thrusted harder and harder, the image of your moans turning to whimpers as you neared the top of the cliff.

"I-I think I'm close Lix," you'd pant, pressing your hands against his sweat-covered chest as your entire body shuddered above him.

Felix opened his mouth to say something, but only a loud moan escaped. "Baby, baby," he growled, fucking upwards like his life depended on it. "Shit, I'm gonna-"

He thrusted a few more times, his hips moving in stuttered jerks, before spurts of white liquid stained the front of his boxers, and he fell back onto the bed, gasping like he'd run the length of a football field.

He changed his boxers, before collapsing back down, exhausted, and passing out.

——————————————

Three weeks came and went. Felix continued to work at the same place, eat breakfast at the same time, and fall asleep alone in his apartment.

But now you were right here, next door. Things were somehow exactly the same, yet completely different with you around. You'd invited him over about a dozen times since your first meeting. You'd tried your hand at cooking that first day, which ended up with the oven nearly exploding, and only a charred casserole to show for it. After that, Felix had brought you over to his place for dinner, or you'd ordered in. You were a huge tv show buff, forcing him to watch a bunch of Korean survival shows with you. While they wouldn't usually be his cup of tea, he found himself enjoying them. Anything with you was fun. His life felt a thousand times fuller with you in it.

He had given up hope a long time ago of ever being with you. He just wanted to be around you, be in your presence. Make you laugh or smile, and if being your friend was the only way he could accomplish that, then so be it.

Felix would never tell you about what he did that first night after he met you. Or rather, what he'd done every night since then, with his hand wrapped around his cock, growling your name under his breath as he thought of you in every filthy position imaginable.

They were just fantasies. And that was all they'd be. And he was okay with that.

One day, almost exactly three weeks since you'd moved in, Felix was baking a cherry pie. It was the weekend, and seeing as he never had plans on the weekend, he'd decided he wanted to try his hand at baking. It had been awhile since he'd baked anything, but he was feeling in an especially good mood. Yesterday, you had fallen asleep on his shoulder during the finale of one of your favorite shows. He could still feel your rhythmic breaths against his neck as he stared at the tv, trying not to look down at you.

He'd thought about that all night, as he pleasured himself to what at this point had become an alternate version of you. A parallel universe in which you were single, and interested in him.

Now, he was mixing together the dry ingredients for the pie crust before he could mix it together and put the filling inside. He'd forgotten just how much baking calmed him down.

But right as he had placed the dough in the pie plate, there was a knock at the door.

After he recovered from the near heart attack the loud noise gave him, he hurried over and pulled the door open.

You stood there, wearing a pair of brown sweatpants and a plain white cropped tank top. He gaped at you, for a second unsure of what to say.

"H-hi," you said, your voice wavering for a moment. It was then that he saw how red your eyes were. Had you been crying?

"Are you okay?" He blurted. He'd never seen you look even remotely upset. The saddest he'd ever seen you was when your favorite idol from one of your survival shows got eliminated. But he'd never seen you cry. He decided he hated it. He definitely wasn't a violent person, but he wanted to punch whoever made you feel like this.

You nodded, trying to smile. But your lip wobbled as you did so, and he swore he would break down every door in this complex to figure out who the hell was responsible.

"C-can I come in?" You asked, peering inside his apartment nervously. "If you're busy, I can go."

He shook his head, immediately letting you inside.

You walked into the kitchen, rubbing your arms with your hands like you were a stranger, despite having been in his apartment multiple times.

You stopped and smelled the air. "Are you baking?" You asked, sounding like your normal self for the first time that day.

He nodded. "Cherry pie. I thought it could be fun, since I haven't baked in forever."

Your eyes brightened slightly. "When we first met, you said you'd teach me how to bake."

"You're right, I did," Felix chuckled. "I can't believe you remember that."

"I remember everything from the day we met."

You stared at him boldly, the remnants of tears starting to dry on your cheeks, leaving only a slight shimmer behind. He stared back, unable to look away. There had always been something alluring about your eyes. It was like you were trying to hypnotize him.

"R-right," Felix cleared his throat. "Well, I could teach you today, if you'd like."

You smiled, coming to stand next to him. You were close, too close.

He tried to subtly move away. Being that close to you was still intoxicating.

You were taken, he had to stay hands-off. And that was near impossible with your soft skin brushing against him.

"No one has ever wanted to teach me anything before," you said, staring at the pie plate with the unbaked crust sitting inside it.

"What about your boyfriend?" Felix asked. "Why did he give up so quickly?"

"He's uhh..." you paused, eyes laser-focused on the pie. "He's not my boyfriend anymore."

Silence fell over the two of you. Felix's mouth was so dry, he couldn't say anything even if he wanted to. Should he console you? Tell you "good riddance, that guy sucked anyway"? They both sounded grossly inappropriate.

"So, what do we do next?" You interrupted his thoughts, pointing at the pie.

"Oh!" Felix hurried back over to you, nearly slipping in his socks. "We take the cherry pie filling and put it in the crust, then we do a lattice pattern over the top with the leftover dough."

"Cherry pie is my favorite," you commented, poking a finger into the filling and tasting it. "That's sooo good! Did you make it yourself?"

If it was anyone else, Felix would have given them major side-eye for eating cherry filling with their hands like that. But this was you. His heart squeezed and his face heated up from the praise.

"Y-yeah, it's really not that hard," he scratched the back of his neck, trying to hide his blush.

You smiled up at him, dipping your finger back in and putting it in front of his face, like you wanted him to try.

He stared back at you, dumbfounded. Did you really want him to eat off your finger?

He guessed he must have stared at you for too long, because you shrugged and retracted your finger, before eating it yourself. He caught his breath, trying to calm his hammering heartbeat. Jesus, what were you doing to him?

"Fine, you wanna feed me instead?" You asked, the hint of a smirk appearing on your mischievous face. You held the bowl out to him.

You'd done cheeky things like this before, to the point that he wasn't sure if you were playing with him or not. Since you had a boyfriend, he'd just assumed you were a naturally flirty person.

Now that he thought about it, this wasn't the first time you'd come over with especially red eyes. He knew you didn't smoke or do drugs, and you usually played it off, saying it was allergies or something, so he'd just ignored it. But maybe this wasn't the first time you'd had boyfriend problems.

And now you were single - you'd just said it a couple minutes ago.

Maybe it was okay to hope again. He sure as hell wanted that. Because if he was being honest with himself, he'd never really stopped.

So he dipped his finger into the bowl, hygiene be damned, and offered you a taste.

You leaned forward and captured his finger between your lips. You sucked lightly on his fingertip, swirling your tongue along the surface of his skin, removing all the fruity syrup. When you released him and stepped back, an even more obvious smirk painted your stunning face.

Felix's heartbeat raced so hard he wondered if he was going to pass out. That had to have been on purpose. You were flirting with him.

And of course, it was working. His cock, which had been more active in the past three weeks than it had in his entire life, hardened instantly. The sensation of your wet tongue against his skin brought all of those dirty thoughts that constantly simmered in the back of his mind come exploding to the forefront. All he wanted to do was bend you over this counter and-

"Can I put the cherry filling in the crust now?" You asked, nodding at the bowl still in your hands.

"Uh- we have to um... yeah, put the filling in," Felix blustered, taking the bowl from you. That expression on your face as you looked him over, as if you knew exactly what he was thinking.

The two of you spent the rest of the day baking not one, but two cherry pies. He demanded that you take one home, and just bring the pie plate back when you were done. He hoped the gesture would remind you of him. And, even better, it gave him an excuse to see you, soon.

"If you're sure!" You held the pie in your right hand as you walked towards the door, your cheeks rosy from the warm kitchen. "If it's gross, I'm blaming you."

You stood on your tiptoes and planted a kiss on his cheek, before opening the door with your free hand and walking out.

Felix stared after you, trying to process what the hell had just happened. Your scent still lingered all throughout the apartment, and he couldn't help but breathe deeply as he dissected the entire day.

Did you just kiss him on the cheek? And had you just spent the entire afternoon baking in his apartment? And maybe even flirted with him, multiple times?

As he packed away his pie and continued to reflect, he had to admit one thing to himself.

He was falling for you. And he should just let it happen.

——————————————

Felix knew he should feel ashamed that he had come to look forward to his alone time right before bed. It had become something of a nighttime ritual. Every time he would cum to those filthy thoughts of you, he would tell himself  "never again." But before he knew it, he was back, staring at the ceiling of his room, unable to stop thinking about you, and what he wanted to do with you. It had become a delusion, one he knew would never come true.

But now, after today? Felix didn't know where you two stood. Even he, who had been described by multiple friends as "miserably dense", had caught onto the fact that you were flirting with him. And as much as he tried to stay pessimistic, he couldn't help but let a desperate hope sneak back into his mind.

It was probably because of this hope that he couldn't even wait until after his shower, before his cock was heavy with need. He was so hard it physically ached.

As he stood in the shower under the hot water, he ran desperate fingers along his tip, arousing himself further. His hips jerked forward instinctively as hungry images of you, pushed up against the shower wall, flashed through his mind. Could it be at all possible that you might want this too? Did you think about him in this way?

"I've been waiting for this," he imagined you gasp against his neck as he pressed his mouth along every inch of your body that he could reach.

"Fuck, please," he moaned your name much louder than he'd meant to as he rocked his hips back and forth. All he could think about was you. Your touch, your smell, your taste.

It was all too much.

He gripped the wall with one hand, the other stroking his rock hard cock, frantically trying to satisfy his never-ending craving for you. He raced closer and closer to the precipice of his orgasm, his voice growing hoarse from the low, desperate growls of your name. He hoped his voice was drowned out by the pattering of the shower on his back. But as he came with a few shuddering thrusts, thinking of nothing but the vivid image of your tight cunt clenching around him, he couldn't find it in him to care.

——————————————

Fuck, today had exhausted you.

You'd broken up with your boyfriend for the last time, had a breakdown in your car, impulse bought a new vibrator, and barged in on your hot-as-shit next door neighbor. And that was all before noon.

All of it was a long time coming, honestly. Your boyfriend - now ex-boyfriend - was a steaming piece of shit, and you should have ditched him a long time ago. He'd been jealous of the amount of time you spent with Felix over the past few weeks, and after numerous fights and yelling matches, that had been the last straw.

But he'd been right in the end, hadn't he?

You would much rather spend time with the sweet, funny, adorable, new neighbor than your cranky, gym-rat boyfriend with a high sex drive, but low drive to give oral sex, anyday.

Not to mention Felix was frustratingly ignorant to how irresistibly sexy he was. How was that possible? He could probably charm the pants off of a sewer rat, and yet he spent most of his time at work, or holed up in his apartment by himself.

You had wondered, on multiple occasions, how experienced he was in bed.

Not that you'd mind no matter what. There was an appeal to someone inexperienced. But you had a feeling, or maybe it was just your dirty mind playing tricks on you, that he was better in bed than he let on.

You groaned, stretching your arms across the top of the couch, trying to distract yourself. How many times had you thought about getting Lee Felix into bed with you?

You knew that had probably made you a bad girlfriend, but it wasn't like your ex was any better. You hadn't cheated on him once, even when he'd gaslit you into staying with him months longer than you wanted to. Plus, you knew he was at least flirting with multiple girls at the gym, and stayed out past five in the morning everyday partying without you, so you didn't find yourself feeling sorry at all.

How could you, when Felix was literally the perfect man?

Not only had he cooked you your favorite meals, watched your favorite tv shows, and laughed at all of your shitty jokes, but he taught you how to bake. That was something that your ex, or anyone else, had never done.

Felix was special. He seemed to understand you on a deeper level than anyone else ever had. And you'd only known him for three weeks.

You sighed, heading into the bathroom to brush your teeth and get ready for bed.

It was probably wishful thinking, imagining all these things about your next door neighbor. You'd been stupid enough to stay in a shitty relationship for so long, he'd probably never see you as anything other than a fun hang, maybe even one of the guys. Yikes.

But as much as you didn't want to believe that, he'd never even slightly responded to any of your flirty advances. Even today, after you admitted that you were single again, he didn't seem to be interested. It kind of sucked to get rejected like that, but you supposed you couldn't be mad at him. It was your fault, anyway.

But as you started to brush your teeth, you heard a noise through the wall that almost made you choke on your toothbrush.

A moan. A really loud one. And it was coming through the wall. From Felix's apartment.

You paused, toothbrush still in your mouth, waiting to see if more sounds would come. Maybe you'd imagined it. Maybe you were getting your hopes up, wishing so badly that he might think about you the same way you thought about him, that you were actually going crazy.

Because honestly, who wouldn't think about getting Felix in bed?

But you supposed if you could hear him so clearly through the wall in your bathroom, he wasn't in bed. It was a little early to be going to sleep anyway, you supposed.

Straining your ears to try and see if you could hear anything else, you thought there was the faint sound of the pipes pulling water into his bathroom. You had noticed that you could occasionally hear when your neighbors flushed the toilet or turned on the sink.

So was he taking a shower?

God, there was something so irresistibly sexy about Felix masturbating in the shower. You squeezed your eyes shut, trying to keep the images of the water hitting his back, steam surrounding his lean, muscular figure as he pleasured himself, at bay. Your core throbbed at the thought.

It was such a filthy thing to be doing, getting turned on by your next door neighbor, who you hadn't even known for an entire month. It was wrong, wasn't it?

"Fuck, fuck..."

You heard it again. Only this time, something else accompanied those sworn oaths that made your entire body heat up.

Your name.

If he kept growling with that hoarse, raspy voice, holy hell, you could cum from that alone.

Your breath caught in your throat, and you struggled to breathe. Did you hear that correctly? Was Felix touching himself, and thinking about you while he did so? You washed your mouth out and put your toothbrush back, but you were unable to get the sound of his moans out of your head. Your panties were absolutely soaked already, and he hadn't done anything to you yet. You hadn't even seen him. How could he affect you this badly?

What were you supposed to do in this situation? You stood in front of the mirror, refusing to leave, just in case you might catch something else.

You heard the sounds come again, louder this time. Your name spilled from his lips over and over, and you could tell he was getting close.

All you wanted to do was go over there and provide the satisfaction the both of you clearly needed.

There had been many nights when you'd been sexually and emotionally frustrated, either after you had a fight, or even really bad sex, with your ex, and couldn't resist touching yourself. And as much as you'd tried to think solely about your now-ex, your mind kept slipping to Felix. His low, gravelly voice (damn, you really couldn't stop thinking about that, could you?) when he joked with you, the way his hand accidentally brushed your thigh when you sat on the couch together, the smell of his shampoo. Everything about him was so hot. And the knowledge that he wanted you too was unraveling your self control much too quickly.

You heard another moan, this one more strangled, almost choked, than the others. You closed your eyes, sliding your hand into your pajama shorts. If he was thinking about you while he touched himself, then it couldn't be too weird for you to do the same, right?

You lost yourself in the sounds of his borderline tortured pleasure, like he also didn't want to be touching himself in this way, but couldn't control himself. There was something so sexy about his gritted out moans and groans that drove you absolutely crazy.

You tried rubbing your own clit, imagining it was Felix touching you instead, but it didn't work. Your fingers paled in comparison to the real thing. You needed him. And it was clear that he needed you. You pulled your hands away from your body and fixed your shorts.

And as you lingered for a few more seconds to listen to Felix finish, relishing in those aching grunts, you decided there was only one option: you were going over there to take what you wanted. Or rather, what Felix had so kindly begged of you.

——————————————

Felix sat on the couch after his shower. He felt a lot less frustrated than before, but he still wasn't satisfied.

He needed more. He needed you.

A knock came from his door. He checked the clock. It was nearly 10pm, much too late to be getting visitors. Not that he got any normally.

Peering through the peephole, he saw you, and his heart sped up tenfold. What could you want at such a late hour?

There could really only be one thing, right? But no, he couldn't get his hopes up. There were surely other possibilities. You could have had another fight with your ex. You could have gotten locked out of your apartment. Anything except what he needed, needed so badly he physically ached.

But when he opened the door, he knew.

"H-hi Lix," you said, staring up at him.

Your cheeks were flushed hazy pink, your eyes wide and glassy, lips slightly puffy and swollen, like you'd been biting them. You were in a cozy gray tank top and matching pajama shorts. Like you'd been getting ready for bed.

You'd heard him.

Of course you did. He hadn't exactly been quiet about his intense pleasure, and you had adjoining bathrooms. If you'd been brushing your teeth or showering at the same time, there was no way you missed his loud groans. And he'd said your name. There was no questioning his feelings.

He opened his mouth to say something, to ask you if you'd heard him, see if you wanted to come inside and talk about it. Maybe you could still be friends after all this. Maybe you wouldn't absolutely hate him.

But before he could say anything, you stepped inside, slammed the door shut, and launched yourself at him.

As you pressed your lips against his, his mind went blank. You tasted sweet and desperate, as if you'd been waiting for this too. Pulling himself out of his shock, he kissed you back, flipping the two of you around and shoving you against the wall next to the door.

You let out a small gasp, but didn't protest as you wrapped your legs around his waist and deepened the kiss. Your tongue pressed against his mouth, and he opened willingly, biting your bottom lip while grabbing your ass to hold you up. Fuck, was this really happening? His mind was a blur as he let his own tongue explore your mouth, taking in your smell and taste.

"Wh-what are you doing here?" He breathed, sliding his hand into your hair to pull you closer.

"I-I heard you," you gasped between your tangled mouths. "And I had to. I've been thinking about this for so long." You slid your arms around his neck, finally breaking the kiss, breathed heavily. "I-I've wanted you so bad."

Felix unwittingly let out a soft moan as he gazed into your eyes, which were blown-out in pleasure. "You have no idea how long I've wanted this too. I can't believe you're really here. I didn't know you heard me..."

You giggled. "Of course I did, you were really loud."

Felix blushed, ducking his head. "A-and what did you think?"

"It was the hottest thing I've ever heard," you said softly, brushing your lips against his neck. He shivered, leaning into your touch.

"I'm glad you broke up with your boyfriend," Felix murmured, one hand moving to your waist and squeezing. "He was an asshole."

"Let's not talk about him tonight," you whispered, meeting his gaze. "I want this to be about you and me."

He nodded. "I'd like that," he agreed, his heart picking up again. He'd been right. You were here to see him, to be with him. And even though he was scared shitless, he was ready.

"Are you sure you want this?" You ran a finger down his arm. "I don't want to pressure you into anything, I just thought that- because of- you might want me as much as I want you."

"Yes," Felix said instantly. "With you, always yes."

You opened your mouth to reply, your face red with delight.

Before you could say anything, Felix kissed you with as much fervor as he'd been dreaming about. Knowing that you wanted him too, he couldn't hold back anymore.

You moaned against him, opening your mouth to him once more, grinding your hips against him in slow, sensual rolls.

"F-fuck," he gasped in surprise, his cock already straining against his sweatpants. "That feels so good."

"Yeah?" You said against his mouth, smirking as you moved harder. "Tell me what you want, Lix. Tell me how you like it."

"I-I just want you," Felix breathed, starting to move his hips back against you to counter your movements. "Please, I need you."

"But what exactly do you want, Lix?" You blushed. "I want you to feel good."

Felix looked down sheepishly. "I-I just want to smell you. You smell so good."

You grinned, hopping out of his grip and instantly onto the floor, kneeling in front of him. You still hadn't moved more than a few feet from the front door, but Felix didn't care. There was something so much hotter about the urgency at which you moved, like you were dying for a taste of him.

You started pulling his pants down, along with his boxers. The image of you on your knees for him was one of the lewdest things he'd ever seen, and he nearly came at the sight.

As you tugged his boxers off, his throbbing cock sprang free in front of your face. The tip was already red and angry, leaking precum, and you licked it away. As you took him by the base of his shaft, a hiss of pain escaped his lips. A confident smirk on your face, you stroked him once from the base to the tip, before sliding your mouth around him.

"Oh shit," Felix forced out, his hand finding purchase in your hair. He didn't know if he wanted to push you away or pull you forward, to make you choke on his dick. "Please, more."

You obeyed, taking as much of him as you could and sucking hard, your tongue swirling along the tip. Your hand stroked him up and down on the part of him that your mouth couldn't fit.

The pleasure was so intense, Felix thought he was going to explode in your mouth right away. He took deep breaths, starting to thrust his dick in and out of your perfect, wet mouth.

"God, you're so perfect," he gasped, fisting your hair as you gagged on his length over and over, saliva dripping down your chin. "You feel even better than I imagined."

"You're so big, Lix," you gasped around him, your free hand massaging his balls as you continued to take him, hard and fast.

"Ah shit, I'm gonna cum," he gritted his teeth, pulling you off him. "I don't want to finish yet, baby."

You stood up, playfully frowning. "But what if I wanted you to cum in my mouth?"

He groaned, pressing his lips against yours in response, breathing in your scent. You smelled even more amazing than he remembered, your usual sweet scent now mixed with musky sweat. Before he could stop himself, he licked your neck, wanting to taste you. Fuck, you tasted like candy.

"Let me pleasure you, baby," he growled, starved eyes meeting yours. Before you could protest, he tugged your pants off and ripped your panties, leaving them in a pile on the floor.

"Fuck, yes please," you gasped as he lifted your leg up. Your hand ran through his hair as you gazed down at him, eyes wide and face flushed. You looked like a wild mess, even hotter than his fantasies.

Now eye level with your cunt, which was already drenched with arousal, he'd never seen something so perfect in his life. He wet his lips before licking a stripe across your clit.

"Felix-" you gasped, tugging on his hair. It was slightly painful, but he didn't care. "More, please."

Felix immediately buried his mouth in your pussy, sucking and biting at your clit, sliding his tongue in and out of you.

"Can you use your fingers?" You moaned, your hips moving back and forth against him.

He slid one finger inside your tight cunt, then a second. You were already so tight. Just the thought of his cock fitting inside made him even harder. He wanted to touch himself, but instead he focused all of his desire on you.

He continued to suck on your clit, pumping his fingers in and out of you at the rhythm that made you whimper his name the loudest and pull his hair the hardest. He thrusted his fingers in as far as they would go, until they hit a spongey part inside of you that made you cry out in pleasure.

"Shit, Lix I-I'm close, please," you panted, riding his fingers and mouth as you desperately tried to reach your climax.

"Cum for me baby," he ordered, continuing to lick and suck on your swollen clit. Your hips were shaking so hard he wondered if he should slow down, but your cries of pleasure told him not to.

With a few broken wails of his name, you fell apart, nearly collapsing against him as your legs gave out, and a rush of wetness spread across his tongue. You tasted perfect, sweet and tangy. He kept licking your clit until you whimpered from overstimulation, pushing him away gently.

He barely had time to wipe his mouth clean before you pulled him close, kissing him over and over again. His hands rested on your waist, his breaths coming in quick gasps as you nibbled on his bottom lip, just as desperate as before.

"Please Lix," you mumbled against his mouth. "I need you."

It took him a second to realize what you were saying. You were really standing in front of him, lips kiss-bitten and swollen, asking him to fuck you.

"You don't have to ask me twice," Felix chuckled breathlessly, before picking you up by the waist and carrying you to his bedroom.

He threw you down on the bed as gently as he could. As you laid in front of him, bare from the waist down, he couldn't help but think of you, lying on your bed the first day you met. You'd looked ethereal to him then. Somehow, you were even more beautiful now, almost otherworldly. He felt like he really knew you. You were more than just a pretty face. You were smart, determined, and incredibly kind. He never would have guessed he would be here with you, like this.

You motioned for him to join you on the bed, and he obeyed, coming to stand at the edge of the bed above you. Grinning, you wrapped your arms around his neck and pulled him down on top of you. At first, he was scared he might crush you, but with your legs around his waist, your bare pussy rubbing up against his semi-hard cock, all coherent thought vanished. It was only you.

"Please, Lix," you whimpered, sucking harsh kisses up and down his neck. "I'll beg if I have to."

He laughed softly, pulling your shirt over your head. "I want to see you first," he whispered, cupping one of your full, perfect breasts in his hand. "You're so beautiful."

You blushed, but didn't respond. "If you get to see me like this, I want your shirt off too," You replied, tugging at the bottom of his shirt.

He helped you to remove his shirt too. He usually didn't like others seeing him like this, but with you, it felt completely natural. Comfortable even.

You smiled, running your hands up and down his chest. "I've always wanted to know what you looked like shirtless," you said, raking your gaze up and down his entire body. He felt heat rise on his face, but he didn't mind. He just wanted you. His cock, which had started to harden earlier, was rock solid now. Just seeing you completely naked made him want to destroy you.

You climbed on top of him, your legs straddling his torso. "Fuck, you're so big," you murmured, rubbing your wet clit up and down his length, coating him in your arousal. "You feel so good, babe."

Felix groaned, the lewd sounds of your pussy sliding along his cock exciting him even further. "We'll go as slow as you need."

You shook your head. "No, I don't want to go slow."

You gripped the base of his cock, before lowering yourself onto him. You let out a loud moan, throwing your head back as you slid further onto him. "Oh shit, yes! Fuck, you fill me so good, baby."

Felix tried to hold your waist, but his hands were shaking so badly he couldn't get a good grip. Your tight, wet cunt practically sucked him in as you impaled yourself deeper and deeper onto him.

"You feel even better than I imagined," Felix panted, starting to thrust up into you. You felt so good, he couldnt control himself as he went even harder. "I'm gonna ruin you, angel."

You whined at his words, your hands going to your breasts as you squeezed them, pinching the nipples and moaning. "Yes, faster Lix, please!"

Felix grabbed you around the waist, pulling you down so you laid on top of him, both of your chests pressed together. He breathed against your neck, smelling that warm scent that he loved so much. Fuck, fuck. He thought to himself as he thrusted harder and harder into you, slamming his cock in and out of your tight hole.

"You smell so good baby," he gasped, his hips stuttering as the pleasure threatened to overwhelm him.

"Lix, lix," you chanted his name like your life depended on it. Your hair fell over his face as you pressed your lips feverishly against his, whimpering into his mouth as you bounced faster and faster on top of him.

The slapping sound of flesh on flesh, mixed with the squelching of your soaked pussy, continued as he hammered into you, your name exploding from his mouth over and over again as you got wetter and wetter, your arousal dripping down his cock and onto the sheets.

"I-I want you on top," you whimpered. "I want you to fuck me so hard that I'm screaming your name."

"F-fuck baby, you're driving me crazy," Felix breathed, thrusting into you one more time before he flipped you over, digging your back into the mattress. "God, you look so sexy underneath me."

"I like being under you, baby," you smirked up at him. He grabbed your face and pressed your lips back together. Your tongue invaded his mouth as he sucked on your lower lip, your bodies still attached.

Felix rested above you, using his arms to prop himself up.

"Just to warn you," he began, his voice hoarse. "When I'm on top, I tend to lose control. I don't do gentle."

Your eyes lit up like it was a challenge. "Good, I don't want you to."

Felix's cock throbbed at your words. Were you trying to kill him?

He started off slow, trying to tether himself to a rope to start. He didn't want to scare you away. No matter how confident you were, he didn't want to go too hard and hurt you.

"Tell me if it's too much," he rasped into your ear as he started to move.

"Mm," you nodded, instantly wrapping your legs around him, pulling him close so he went in hilt-deep. "Faster, please."

Felix smirked. "We're on my time now, baby."

Your eyes widened, but you didn't object.

He closed his eyes, starting to speed up. The feeling of his hard cock thrusting in and out of your tight pussy was driving him insane. His hips lifted up and down as he fucked you harder, the bed bouncing up and down as he went.

"Fuck, yes Lix!" You cried out, your fingers digging into his back, nails scratching at his bare skin so hard it left angry, red marks. "You feel so fucking good!"

"Yes baby, yes," Felix grunted, opening his eyes to gaze down at you. Your eyes were squeezed shut, mouth open in a half-moan of pleasure. "You feel so damn good babe."

"Just like that babe," you panted, pushing his head down to your bare breasts. He took the invitation eagerly, bringing a nipple to his lips and sucking. You gasped, bucking your hips up against his in response. He growled against your skin, his hips stuttering at your sound of pleasure as he increased his speed even more. He bit your nipple a little rougher than he meant, causing you to squeal, your cunt tightening around him like a vice.

"Please Lix, please," you begged, rocking your hips desperately against his. "I-I'm gonna cum!"

"Wait for me, baby," he growled, and you nodded, a quiet whimper escaping your lips as you pulled him closer to you, his cock driving impossibly deeper into your tight cunt.

He switched to your other nipple, pounding his length into you as hard as he could. You felt so fucking good, he couldn't stop. He buried his face in your neck, breathing as deep as he could as he lost himself in the warm wetness of your body.

His hips began to stutter and his chest shook, and he knew he was close. "Fuck baby, cum for me," he snarled, biting your neck as he did so.

"Please, please babe, fuck me, fuck me," you sobbed, pressing your lips against him. "I-I'm gonna cum, Lix I-" you stopped mid sentence, your pussy squeezing around him so tight he could barely breathe. Your entire body shook as you cried out his name, before you exploded around him, your whole body quaking from the power of your orgasm.

"You're so perfect baby," he grunted, his voice breaking as he fucked you with so much power, your entire body shook. He thrusted brokenly in and out twice, before releasing inside of you.

You shuddered at the sensation as he slowly pulled out, the white liquid dripping out of your soaked cunt.

He wrapped his arms around you, pulling you in close. He dug his nose into your hair, nuzzling into your neck.

"Fuck, thank god I'm on birth control," you said, letting out a soft laugh as you wrapped a leg around his waist. "That was even better than my fantasies."

Felix laughed against you and nodded. "Hell yeah. Can we go again?"

You smiled at him, nodding vigorously.

The two of you sat in silence for a few moments, soaking in each other's presence.

Suddenly, you turned to him."Why do you like my scent so much?"

Felix shrugged, breathing in once again. You still smelled fucking amazing. "I dunno, you just smell really good. Comforting."

You giggled, bringing his mouth to yours in a deep kiss.

It was at that moment that he realized what you smelled like.

Cherry pie.

laska's note —

eek! this was my first ever published smut one-shot here on tumblr, and i really like how it turned out! what did y'all think? was it too long? would you have liked even more character development? please give me all your honest feedback because i want to hear it! i love you guys and thank you for your support as i try out writing new stuff! i am not taking requests yet, but if this post does well or people really want it, then i might think about it! ily mwah!

[ikkosu]

Concept: Prowl being obsessed with you and ending up kind of perving on you. He sneaks peeks when you’re bathing, stole a pair of used underwear he keeps on him, uses his authority to keep you close to him so he can log images of you in his processor to wack it to later. Then come to find out that Bumblebee is doing the same thing but is sneakier about it. Both run into each other trying to do a panty raid on your room. Bee was ready to fight but Prowl was like “okay but imagine double penetration.” Now they work together being little sickos behind your back while trying to seduce you

I VOLUNTEER

I'd imagine prowl would be so humiliated when bee found out and was either about to ahem bullshit his way through (justify whatever pervy ass thing he did) or kill him (jk but I would like to think prowl would ACTUALLY do that internally) and he's bracing himself for the barrage of accusations about him being a perv and all until bee just goes 😏 JDJSCNSKFNDKF

[bidonica]

💖 for any asoiaf pair??

I was rotating ships in my head but you know what let's talk about JB. This is a headcanon that has been brewing for a long time at the back of my mind but only recently consolidated in a clear mental image like... you know how my ideal happy ending for JB is that they ride into the sunset to be traveling knights together, righting wrongs and enjoying freedom, BUT even in this rose tinted scenario I can't bring myself to believe Jaime will ever recover his fighting ability with his non dominant hand. He can probably get to "competent" or even "good", but I have trouble imagining him just transferring a lifetime of training and muscle memory from one side of the body to the other 1:1. So what he actually does is he becomes Brienne's coach (her master at arms if we want to use an in-world term and tbh I can see this happen to an extent even within the book's timeline) and he THRIVES. Even picks up Pod for his class he finds so much purpose in this shit. Meanwhile Brienne ups her already considerable game to unprecedented levels of knightly prowess because think of how good she was even with just Ser Goodwin's guidance and like... mad respect to Goodwin because he was obviously a very good teacher who was able to adapt his insights to Brienne's unique situation rather than expecting her to fit into some prepackaged notion of knightly training, but imagine Jaime who knows Brienne very well as a fighter *and* as a person PLUS he has objectively some of the best expertise in the realm. I don't know this is my happy fanon place now don't wake me up.

Bonus Larycent headcanon (actually pretty popular among the intellectual sickos who ship it but maybe not with the general populace) is that eventually Larys will sacrifice himself for Alicent's sake, taking the fall for Aegon's poisoning which she actually came up with as a sort of mercy killing and a way to end the war. Because in his twisted, nuclear waste levels of toxic way... he loved her.

[just-a-carrot]

going sicko mode in my brain rn thinking about orlam and iggy never marrying (in the traditional sense) because orlam WOULD be that sap who’s like “why would I need some piece of paper to prove you’re mine when you hanging on my arm wherever we go shows just that?” and he says this while doing that thing that where orlam takes him by the chin and makes iggy so flustered and gets him so weak in the knees,,,,,,,,,,they could be together for 50 years and orlam would still find new and creative ways of making iggy blush so hard he nearly implodes,,,,,,,,,,.,,,,,

live laugh love orly 🦅🦅🦅

SOB this is such a cute mental image... i love when orlam makes iggy flustered it makes my heart go brrrrr ldkjfasdfa

also fitting as i've always imagined orlam as disliking the idea of marriage in general so i've always thought he would never get married or want to get married (but that doesn't make his love any less vibrant lol 💕 just that he hates the idea of 1. needing a piece of paper to express his feelings, and 2. how claustrophobic the whole idea feels)

"they could be together for 50 years and orlam would still find new and creative ways of making iggy blush so hard he nearly implodes" --> this is so real and true 100% 🦅🦅🦅

[mulders-too-large-shirt]

s2 episode 18 thoughts

zoo episode! sad zoo episode.

but. i was giggling. because our very serious agents were forced to say lines like "you think it was an invisible elephant?" and i was laughing!!! sue me!! we can hold space in our hearts for the sentiments that both the sad animal story is sad AND ALSO the thought of them doing investigation work at the zoo is comical. like the tiger is INVISIBLE.

okay. from the top we start.

a janitor is grooving. his partner tells him to stop. i say, keep grooving, man. you deserve it.

dancing has been interrupted!!! stuff is exploding and crashing and we hear elephant noises?? invisible elephant.....? that can BECOME visible?

it seems while in invisible it went a bit sicko mode as the kids say and then came back to visibility mode down the road

(where did renting an elephant for this episode fit into the s2 budget....)

so elephant has been spotted. a family calls the cops. and i understand the sentiment but i'm not sure the cops can do a whole lot about the elephant situation.

NOOO a child is crying as the elephant is dying in the road... this will be a core memory for those poor girls

(elephant actor is really selling it though... emmy nomination deserved)

back to the scene where the janitors saw things explode. mulder jumps out the window and i can't explain why it was really funny lmao

mulder is convinced that the elephant being found dead some miles away is related to this scene of destruction. and yeah, the dead guy DID have an elephant footprint on him. but no one saw an elephant and the janitors were very much there the whole time. so what's the truth?

this is so silly. i'm laughing.

mulder's explaining his theories and scully deadpans "an invisible elephant?" and i'm laughinggggg. can you imagine an elephant making a huge scene but somehow the witnesses just managed to miss the giant creature responsible.

the zookeeper, whose name is ed, arrives at the scene. scully asks about the dead elephant, and ed corrects her use of the elephant's pronouns, which made me think he was an ally.

(later we learn that he was beating all the animals, so this is decidedly un-allied behavior. ally certificate revoked)

the elephant is named ganesha- hey, i understood that.

mulder says he's heard of the "elephant rebellion" phenomenon, and asks if this is an example. yeah of course this man knows about the elephant rebellion. "fucking nerd", i wrote in my notes.

(actually, i am aware that this season aired in 1996, and the infamous Hawaiian elephant incident was 1994. the phrase "elephant rebellion" sounds very niche and nerdy in 2024, but at the time i image this was still very fresh in the world's minds, and part of a wider reckoning on how animals are treated for the sake of entertainment, and this episode is commentary upon that. i was not around for this national discussion, but i did watch askamortician's video on the incident, which is very good by the way. i have mostly grown up in a world free of animals in circuses and with zoos as conservation agents, so interesting to get glimpses into the discussions that led to the shaping of the world i live in)

but then we see the zoo!!! zoo time!!! there are penguins. i saw penguins like that at the zoo once :)

they go to talk to the naturalist who is basically like "idk how the elephant got out" and i'm thinking, girl shouldn't you be... more invested in this?? like an elephant died. ur not even shedding a tear. i would be in mourning.

they see where the elephant was staying when she wasn't on display, and it's frankly awful. scully asks why it was so small, mulder notices chains on the floor, and she says it was leftover from the 1940's, and that ed is treating them poorly, and i understand why this and other elephants have chosen violence

the folks from a radical anti-captivity group are protesting the whole situation. and she refers to them by some acronym that mulder immediately understands, which is further evidence that he must listen to npr or something. my professor that knows everything all the time listens to npr so i'm guessing that is what mulder does too.

meetup time with the dude leading the protest! his name is kyle, and he is saying that no animals should be in captivity, and he often kidnaps animals from zoos to let them go... and i'm not sure if this is a great idea?? because if an elephant has been raised in captivity its whole life, is it gonna know how to be in the jungle?? idk i am not a scientist.

this episode is suuuuper fuzzy and has a very vhs quality to it... i bet y'all were sleeping on this episode, huh? i'm guessing there wasn't as much effort placed into de-fuzzing it because it was about invisible animals and not one of the "hard hitters" of the season. but i think it's camp and i'm seated.

so kyle reveals that ed, the zoo guy, is treating his animals awfully at this point, which is where i formally revoked his ally status. and he says that the naturalist is too busy being sued over her gorilla to really focus on making the zoo more humane.

yeah, you heard that: she "saved" a gorilla and took it home, and now the government of the country she took it from wants it back.

"i thought you said she saved this gorilla?" scully asks, and i dissolve into further fits of laughter, because that is such a funny line out of context and even in context.

well, she "saved" the gorilla by bringing it home and sticking it in a cage, so kyle isn't pleased by the whole ordeal.

so, what to make of these anti-captivity activists? mulder says he thinks they're all talk and not really apart of the whole crime, but scully says she thinks they are behind the elephant's fate, and will release another animal to get the zoo shut down. this is a deep philosophical difference.

he leaves and says he is going to talk to the animals, because i knew that was the type of guy he is

(he's actually lying, though. well, sort of, because he's calling his buddies at the lone gunman, that conspiracy magazine he is involved in somehow. and it's a video call using a camera and a projector, or as i described it in my notes, "a biblically accurate zoom")

his pals thinks its related to the nearby UFO hot spot, and offer this fun fact:

"no animal at the zoo has ever brought a pregnancy term" <- and yeah. i hit pause and yelled "WHAT" so quickly. hey. what's going on. are the aliens getting involved in their reproductive cycles??

frohike, the strange man who is always hitting on scully, hears mulder's phone ring and adds "if that's the lovely agent scully, let her know i've been working out" and i sentence him to a sentence of 10,000 years in the dungeons. (and this is a reduced sentence for his quick thinking in sneaking out her blood work when she was in coma mode)

she's calling to let him know that someone from the anti-captivity organization is breaking into the zoo!!! not a very good look for their cause!!! he climbs a fence to break in, and she looks around cautiously before doing the same. she is normally a ruler follower, after all.

where is this dude going?? to the... lions? he's setting up a camera?

ed the zookeeper has materialized behind scully, who explains she was following someone else, and then they go off into a warehouse area

but the activist dude is setting up his camera- probably just to record their poor conditions rather than anything nefarious, i think- when BAM! flash of light! terrible ruckus!!! tiger is invisible...?

activist man, you are going to be EATEN!!! and the camera is rolling while this happens!!!!

scully's trying to talk to kyle, the head of this whole organization, who is saying he doesn't know why the dude broke into the zoo, and he had nothing to do with it, and she says that if she finds out he was involved in getting that dude eaten by a tiger that she will have him charged

mulder comes to get her, and it's very cute.

she is mad!!!! "you know, that guy really pisses me off" she says, and mulder asks if she's calmed down- bad move, let her be angry- but he tells her that the video showed the attacker was INVISIBLE! even though she examined the body and it was CLEARLY mauled to death!!!! even more frustration ensues.

mulder decides he must question the gorilla... he is so open minded :)

(the gorilla has been taught sign language, so this is a thing you can actually do. but for a guy big into aliens, i don't think talking to a gorilla is really out of the picture, even if there was no known method of communication)

he asks her a few questions and gets very vague answers, learning that the gorilla really wanted a baby, and i'm like, where is this going... he says he is going to need scully's help and i'm thinking... is he going to have her give the gorilla a pregnancy test.....

not quite! it is ELEPHANT AUTOPSY TIME!!!

he is watching all this go on from above and commenting and NOT soiling his pristine suit by getting inside the elephant guts which made me laugh. just watch 'em do the dirty work big guy. i guess he wouldn't know what the hell he was looking at anyway. but with all the other random shit he knows maybe he WOULD know how to identify elephant pregnancy.

and his hunch is correct: scully says the elephant had been pregnant, delivering this news in very fancy medical terms while her face and clothes are covered in elephant gore. oh yeah baby. that's fbi work.

(she is so brave because i would Not have been able to do any work with elephant blood on my face)

okay okay now the tiger that got out has been tracked to a building... and the naturalist really really does NOT want to have to shoot him... but ed the animal beater does, and he kills the tiger!!!!!! what is he hiding....

this poor naturalist, who i am suspicious of, is just taking L after L, and dead tiger is not helping

and GUESS WHAT? tiger was pregnant at one point, too!!! even though there were no efforts to make that happen!!!! how could this be??

"what do you know about alien abduction?" he asks her, entirely serious. she laughs and we see his deadpan face. it never gets old seeing people think he is deeply strange and unusual.

he proposes that perhaps the aliens are taking the pregnant animals and their embryos, and then dropping them back down on earth, which the naturalist describes as "the most ridiculous thing i've ever heard". she has not opened her mind to the idea of the space-time continuum turning them invisible when they come back.

despite the hostile reception to his theories, he watches intently while she asks more questions to the gorilla in sign language. but as this is going down, she is given an order to put the gorilla into custody. another L.

faced with the thought of losing her gorilla, she goes to kyle, who she begs for help, and when he says that she should let the gorilla go back into the wild, she yells "she's MINE, kyle" which is a lot. and he refuses to help. honestly he was kinda rude about it but i understand sticking to your morals.

but he seems to change his mind, because he comes to the zoo at night, calling out for her. and i'm thinking, no, an invisible animal is gonna eat you!!!! but this isn't what happens... something FALLS ON HIM and KILLS HIM!!!! huh???

scully figures out that kyle and the naturalist knew each other, and asks if she went over to his office to ask for help, which she denies. because she is a liar. and she is also deeply mad, and says "why don't you ask agent mulder, he seems to have a novel theory... maybe it was alien abduction" okay queen this is even ruder like he is trying to HELP you

mulder thinks that SHE killed kyle so she could keep the gorilla... which would be tea...

he investigates the cage and he uses a pen to avoid making any fingerprints... will be employing this tactic if i am ever at a crime scene investigation....

he sees ed, the trainer slash animal beater taking off, with guns!!!

back in her office, the naturalist is packing up all the things from her office, including a framed photo of her smooching the gorilla... (sabrina brier voice) oh!

scully is like well ur actually not gonna leave right away. because it looks like kyle was kinda murdered. and she says it was an accident, ed was scared and hit him with a cattle prod. and out of desperation, she gave ed the gorilla. THE ANIMAL BEATER?? you gave HIM your precious baby??? girl.... these decisions.....

back at a warehouse he tracked down ed to, mulder is holding him at gunpoint, which he is remarkably good at doing

the gorilla is going ham because she is in a weird and dark place and mulder says ed, you're gonna have to tranquilize her... but when they open the door, he doesn't shoot and instead leaves mulder in the room with an outraged gorilla!!!! no, mulder, we all shout!! she pummels him, and he doesn't seem to know sign language, so there is a immovable language barrier!!!!

but she backs off from pummeling him, which is good, because gorillas are horrific and CAN kill you.

(and i semi-recently saw a gorilla at the zoo so i'm looking at this one, and i'm trying to figure out if it's a real creature or a dude in a suit... pls someone feel free to share what the truth is. i mean if they got an elephant actor maybe they could hire a gorilla one too... but it looks off. kind of like a guy in a suit. so i'm thinking about that episode of spongebob with the scary guy in a gorilla suit. which was honestly a scary episode!!! but i digress. mulder locked in with gorilla)

OH. LIGHT FLASH! alien time....?

he wakes up on the floor with a bloody head from gorilla pummeling, and scully bursts in, trying to get him to stay still because there is a big bleeding wound on his head, a place you do not want a big wound to be. she is really doing her best to wrangle him and take a look, but he is too wiggly for this.

the naturalist is at the scene, and he does the sign language the gorilla did back to her, which was quite good. if i saw a gorilla do sign language after it beat me i would not remember how she moved its hands. good memory on that mulder guy.

they get a call for an animal in a field, and of course, it is the gorilla, who was hit by a car, and the naturalist sobs into her... fur? hair? as she dies. a tragic end to a gorilla life.

mulder wraps the case up, asking the hard hitting questions: are aliens stealing zoo animals to breed them and steal the embryos, and then preserve them? is it archival or conservationist in nature? he gets very philosophical, as he always does when writing a report. and i can imagine skinner reading this and saying "... okay" and then not saying anything else.

so, what did i think? well, i think they aren't gonna want to recreationally visit a zoo for a while, which kills that one fantasy of mine, but don't worry, i'll make them go to a museum instead. and if there is museum related trauma in a future episode we can work around that.

honestly though, was this episode the best? nah. but was it campy? yeah. the aliens made the tiger invisible, dude. how could you not love that?

i do think this episode was trying to partake in the growing discussion of animal captivity and ethics, especially in the wake of the elephant incident of 1994, and i'm not sure if it really takes a stance beyond "hurting animals is bad". i suppose if anything it comes off looking like it supports the anti-zoo agenda, which is still something that is in the public discourse. i know because i follow a lot of zoos on instagram and there is always someone in the comments saying that the creatures should be free and then someone else countering that they are super endangered and actually he is doing just fine in his cage, eating an appropriately designed cake for his needs. but that discourse hasn't left the public sphere, so it's interesting to see it represented here.

and maybe aliens ARE interested in conservation. i would personally just take the whole animals rather than stealing their embryos and leaving the creatures on the side of the highway, but what do i know? not much in terms of tigers.

i liked seeing scully get pissed off, i thought that was really funny. but overall, this episode was more intersting to me in terms of cultural commentary and outlandish plot than character devlopment. which is fine!!! we need a break from the heaviness of the last two episodes.

[scout-in-situations]

would u like if i put you HERE

OKAY FINE! TODAY SCOUT CAN GO IN THE JAR

(i originally made the image in tf2addictedman’s ask so here it is again)

what you sickos add to the jar with scout i’ll leave to your discretion and imagination. i’m sure he’s in for quite a time

@tomjonescumjar ask answered as well

[total-drama-brainrot]

Alenoaheather grabbed me by the throat and body slammed me through 15 consecutive buildings a week ago and it is entirely your fault/lh

But I was thinking about the incredible Fake Dating AU y’all were putting together and had a question, then realized I could just ask the question because it’s ✨Tumblr✨. But what do you think would’ve happened if Izzy wasn’t there when Noah passed out at the gym with Eva? Like, imagine Alejandro and Heather bust into the gym, but because of Eva’s awkward ass self(I love her sm) it genuinely just seems like she knocked out Noah. How would you expect the scenario to play out after that, because I do imagine that Aleheather wouldn’t be happy about seeing Noah laid out like a starfish-

My apologies 😔 (I'm not sorry 😈). /lh

The idea of Eva holding up a passed out Noah by the collar of his undershirt, all but looming over him in her desperation to get him to wake the fuck up, only to have both Heather and Alejandro burst into the room and misconstrue the situation entirely is so fucking funny to me. Thank you for the mental image, anon.

Because Eva has aggression practically woven into the threads of her character; she speaks aggressively, se thinks aggressively, and we all know she acts aggressively. Even when she's trying to be gentle she's always going to be rough around the edges, so it'd genuinely look like she's about to pummel an unconscious Noah into nerd-paste. Without Izzy there as a mitigating force, Eva wouldn't have the eloquence to properly explain the situation before AleHeather jump to conclusions and act accordingly.

Which would mostly be Heather trying to beat the shit out of Eva, physical discrepancies be damned, as Alejandro scoops up their partner bridal style and fusses over the 'damsel' in the situation.

Because, out of the two of them, Heather's always been the more physically aggressive one. She's not afraid to start throwing hands- of course, Heather's more likely to attack others with her words, but she's never shied away from a more hands-on approach to conflict. Whereas Alejandro, for all of his displays of physical prowess, doesn't ever really use his strength in a hostile way (his boxing math with José non-withstanding), and he's far too much of a gentleman to ever hit a woman.

So Eva would be staving off an irate Heather, who's trying to claw her eyes out or something, using her superior muscle mass to (as gently as she can) subdue Heather so she could explain herself. But 'fighting back' only makes Eva look worse to the pair, and any explanations she'd try to offer would be all but drowned out by Heather's enraged screaming, falling on deaf ears. Eva really doesn't want to hurt Heather, so she'd hold back the majority of her overwhelming strength, but Heather would interpret that as Eva looking down on her which would only serve to fuel her anger.

Meanwhile, Alejandro and his saviour complex would be trying to resuscitate Noah from his overexertion coma (previously established; Noah goes sicko mode on a punching bag and his noodly ferret body couldn't handle the strain of physical effort), though half of his attention would be diverted towards Heather going beast mode on Eva- either because he'd be genuinely concerned/alarmed by her ferocity, or because Alejandro seems like the type of guy who'd find Heather going feral kind of hot (whichever's funnier).

Eventually Heather would either tire herself out and Eva could attempt to blunder her way through an explanation- under the dual judgemental/seething glares of AleHeather- to mixed results, OR Noah would wake up, have a 'what the fuck is going on here' moment, and quickly clear up the confusion in his patented know-it-all way. That is to say, insulting everyone involved for their incompetency whilst ignoring his own pivotal role in the disagreement, and then explaining that he and Eva are cool now. (He'd probably be a dick about it to; "We're besties, me and Eva are having a sleepover tonight and we're going to talk about Boys and Shoes and Makeup and you're not invited." Noah can't stop being a sarcastic jester-coded prick for more than one scene or else he'll implode.)

-

Of course, this is all just speculation. I expect @perpetualexistence has plenty of their own thoughts to add to this hypothetical, as the adoptive 'co-parent' of this AU!

This is mostly just me pushing my "AleNoah ask for no pickles, Heather's the one who confronts the cashier when they get pickles" Alenoaheather dynamic. Heather the girlboss and her two cringefail, pathetic-pilled boyfriends. She's the only one of the three who can be direct with her misgivings (Noah is blunt, sure, but he skirts around confrontation- see his reaction to Alejandro's comment in "I See London..."). Also a not-so-subtle nod towards Alejandro always prioritising being the 'hero who rescues the damsel' over the 'hero who confronts the villain', which is literally just canon. The guy's not confrontational despite being manipulative- the puppet master works behind the curtains, after all. (The only time I can think of him ever directly confronting someone is, again, his comment to "Noah in I See London...", which is less of an accusation and more of a pointed comment.)

[kroosluvr]

royal trio tennis au fuckign sav eme

uh oh akira gave goro and sumire a kiss before their biggest matches of the year and they somehow managed to sweep the competition. uh oh kisses are becoming part of their winning routine ("look im not superstitious but if it works it works" "ok goro. pucker up") uh oh!!!!!!!!! what could this mean for the salmon population

smth really special to me abt akira and goro walking on and off the court for doubles matches so close that their shoulders or legs knock together fondly. in tennis since you're always on opposite ends of the court and most often than not you're playin singles, something that suits goro stay-50-ft-frm-me-at-all-times-or-ill-bite-ur-head-off smth abt casual physical affection is so special.

goro always flips the score agonizingly slow when he wins a game or set vs akira. like yea ok rub it in why dont u

goro always buys multiple copies of any magazine that sumire is featured in. akira looks at the magazine rack and oh look the inside tennis section is noticeably ransacked goro was here.

they do travel internationally for training camps and tourneys and scrimmages and etc, so they get to sightsee a lot! i like to imagine them at the beach a lot, getting fresh air and running along the sand :') idk i associate them w water a lot.......free-flowing... always seeking the open sea....

ppfffghhh was this a scene in challengers? idk i didnt see it. akira tying goro's shoes

sumire is always like "i need an hour and a half to warm up" and it ticks goro off bc ur gonna wear urself down by 3 games in at that rate. "we're going out," he says bluntly, dragging her out of the racquet club room, "we're going to take a walk to downtown and grab some juice. yeah?" "but ill only have half an hour to-" "good." akira: so like just say you want some private time w her u sicko goro: THIS IS FOR HER OWN GOOD CANT U FUCKING SEE THAT!!!!!!

youd think that goro is the one to bite the opponent's head off if they make a bad line call vs sumire or akira but its actually akira who goes apeshit . i think goro still is self conscious abt his public image but akira will verbally tear them apart frm the sidelines over one bad line call

akira does the thing where he like stretches his legs out to be shorter+sumire's height so he can rest his head on her head or shoulder. he's stretching!

none of them are early birds lol they be goign to their 6:30am practices then passing out in first period and one of them has to kick the other two awake (Yeah just assume they have one class together idk)

goro does have dedicated fans who send him letters and presents and stuff and hes like "great" (tosses them) but sumire finds out and shes legitimately so heartbroken over it that he feels bad and starts reading the letters and etc. and wow hes actually inspired people to start tennis, to play competitively, that people are cheering him on worldwide......................................................... what a fucking joke.

cause it's akira and sumire that inspire him. goro akechi doesn't deserve this.

every day they're so grateful to have been born in the right time and right place to compete in tennis together. with anyone else it wouldn't have been the same.

[cumaeansibyl]

I don't know how Late Night with the Devil will fare with people who don't own a shirt of their favorite defunct '70s horror studio, but I loved it

(Amicus Pictures, masters of the horror anthology. Yes, I designed it myself.)

David Dastmalchian in a tan blazer looks like a sleazy Carl Sagan and I dig it so much. There's a Satanic cult leader with Anton LaVey's middle name and a skeptic who would be a libel on James Randi if he were still alive. The special effects are all either '70s-era practical work or look like they could be. Raw red meat for the degens and sickos who miss the days of bullshit like To the Devil, a Daughter and The Devil's Rain.

Now. The movie does make some use of AI-generated art (for a few of the "bumper" images that go between a show and the ad break). Some people are mad about this. I am not. I haven't been as angry about AI art as a lot of people in the first place, and then, well... look. I've watched movies that stole props, plots, music, dialogue, even actual footage from other movies. I've watched movies that earned the director a conviction for animal cruelty. Shit, I've watched movies where the directors should've caught a charge for actor cruelty (Kubrick, Cameron, lookin at you). On a bad horror movie ethics scale of 1-10, where 1 is an 8-hour day with fair pay and a union rep on site, and 10 is John Landis killing three people on the Twilight Zone shoot -- a line I will not cross -- I'm putting AI art at about a two. A lot of people will feel differently. I mention it because I think it's better for them to know in advance rather than finding out afterward and having the experience spoiled for them.

Late Night with the Devil builds the tension to a nearly unbearable point and then doesn't quite pay it off, but you know, who ever does? Stephen King was right: once you show the monster, the audience relaxes, because it wasn't as bad as the worst thing they can imagine. I thought it was pretty damn good, though, and it avoided some of the hoariest old demonic tropes after leaning pretty hard into them earlier in the movie (for good reason). 4/5 stars, glad we saw it in the theater.

[swordatsunset]

haha sickos voice yes

[ID: Indeed, all genuine artworks involve fantasy, the labor of the brain and/or imagination, and how to incorporate fantastic components into a work of art that negates what is externally expected of art in form and content. Every artwork must have some fantastic component, but not every artwork is artistic. In fact, much of what we call fantasy is predictable schlock and tritely conventional because it lacks critical reflection and self-reflection and appeals to market conditions and audience delusions. Those works are only significant because they reveal to what extent fantasy, the imagination, has become instrumentalized and how the fantastic is being used to impose views, as impositions (1) to profit from other people's needs and desires for spiritual regeneration and critical reflection; (2) to reconcile social, political, and aesthetic contradictions that are irreconcilable; and (3) to project images that can be readily consumed and only promote the replication of the same images. Fantasy artworks of all kinds have become depleted of cultural substance because fantasy matters too much. Fantasy has too much potential to subvert and explore the differential of freedom. It must be subdued, controlled, channeled, and sublimated so that it cannot serve to negate the spectacles that blind us to social forces that determine our lives. The culture industry realizes the potential of the fantastic by commodifying it: fantastic elements are produced and reproduced to become important ingredients in the constitution of constant spectacles that impede cognition of the operative principles of the social-economic system in which we live. Delusion has become the goal of fantasy, not illumination. Fantasy has become so common that it has become banal.

Nevertheless, there is a quality of hope and faith in serious fantasy literature and films that off-sets the mindless violence and banality and contrived exploitation that we encounter in the spectacles of everyday life. If fantasy can be subversive and resistant to existing social conditions, then it wants to undermine what passes for normality, to expose the contradictions of civil society, and to right the world out-of-joint in the name of humanity.

The fantastic is not only a projection of fantasy /imagination but also of rational critical consciousness. As Adorno remarked, there can be no separation of the intellect and the sensual when we talk about the fantastic, for fantasy negates what is corporeally experienced and sublimates what must be carried on as a necessary ingredient in the formation of a transformed condition with Utopian potential. Ernst Bloch, the great German philosopher of hope, and a good friend of Adorno, maintained that the best of artworks and even the worst often contained traces of anticipatory illumination that shed light on a way forward toward a Utopian society. Utopia cannot be defined, but it is constituted by fantastic elements in life and art that embody the daydreams of a better life, that is, a different life. A better life can only distinguish itself from what it negates in its differential freedom that is provided by the fantastic. It is through difference that the fantastic provides resistance and illuminates a way forward. It shows what is missing in our lives and refuses to compensate for the lack by proposing solutions and providing categories through which we can define people and situations. The fantastic offers glimpses and markers that recall the original meaning of fantasy, the capacity of the brain to show and make anything visible, for without penetrating the spectacle that blinds us, we are lost and lose the power to create our own social relations.]

[jeejyboard]

✦ and ✎ and ϟ (the scene in o god who avenges shine forth when kiriona is about to slice up harrow like a little hunk of deli ham!!!!)

★ what was the scene you most wanted to write in [fic]? what was the hardest scene to write?

i'm assuming this is for snuff butler!! I really liked writing Gideon getting kneecapped by the avulsion field and then kind of going into shock already when she hit the pool lmfao sorry gid.... walk it off... nothing felt particularly hard with that one but I do remember rewriting a lot of kiriona's early dialogue a few times til i liked the tone.

✎ how do you think readers would guess a fic was yours if you posted anonymously?

answered!! i think i have some characteristic images i end up circling around like a bug to corkboard or gooey gory organ stuff. virulent lingering pheromones on the typeface also

ϟ tell me what moment/scene in [fic] made you sicko in the window.jpg to read and i’ll tell you which scene made me feel that way to write

ok i did one for snuff butler by mistake when I should've done yjar so I'll say. ok. the shower scene. I'm sorry but it's so funny to me. imagine less than 2 miles away gideon is having a super normal depression nest one-player sesh like usual and then her knee cramps (???) and then she is having what she thinks is a heart attack, collapsing to the floor, damned by god for jerking it. gooned her last goon

[fertilize-my-eggs]

Let's talk about this image shall we!! (Long rant and yapping basically.)

I saw this image on here. (I was gonna reblog it and talk about it but the og is a minor and would rather keep them anonymous.)

So the adults should already know the difference between fiction and reality since they have a fully developed brain, they should know what is right and wrong. I used my coping mechanism in art or writing. Please tell me what a better coping mechanism then proship?? I'll wait and see some results!! This coping mechanism doesn't make me want to go out and commit a crime because it's fucking disgusting, I've been writing problematic fanfics for two years almost turning three next year.

I know I sound like a broken record but I've been a victim of online predators years ago so two fictional characters of a minor x adult ship doesn't make you a predator, writing problematic fanfics or fanart doesn't make you a predator, finding a Loli or shota attractive doesn't make you a predator nor proship.

What makes you a predator if you're looking at any mommy vloggers/family vlogs of children and them eating food (more specifically fruits) or them wearing swimsuits or anything like that if you find that attractive, you're a pedophile. If you talk to someone for nudes or being sexually towards them and then you find out they're a minor while you are being inappropriate with them after knowing their age, you're a pedophile.

Looking for csem and saving it in your phone or hard drive, YOU'RE A PEDOPHILE!!! Using imagine of children vs picture of lolis/shota debates. I've seen these types of people, you're disgusting human being who download images of children on your phone as got ya moment, imagine how their parent's reaction seeing that on the Internet.

I had antis straight up shit on me for years for me writing cringe problematic fanfics or fanart, I'll say it doesn't make my trauma as an excuse, I feel uncomfortable whenever they say that I have these fantasies about children.. the most disturbing thing an anti told me online.

I'm just a woman that writes fanfic about anime characters why is it that people like antis always bring children or say shit like that.

I've seen people shit on a chibi review on twitter/X calling him a predator only to find out he's talking about a lewd anime panel. These sickos send threats, disrespect his disease brother and hack his da to post csem??? I don't understand people's mindset and getting so triggered easily when it comes to anime or fictional characters... That's not normal behavior, those people need to be held accountable for their actions and need to be sent to jail for that.

I generally feel like the future, I feel worried and concerned about it because these antis will normalize sending people csem or threats of rape or death and it'll become the norm.