#*'s thumbnail i can't make you click it yet

[hidden-but]

Seo Linn - Cailleach an Airgid

[moons-and-mobility-aids]

Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three | Chapter Four | Chapter Five | Chapter Six | Chapter Seven | Chapter Eight | Chapter Nine | Chapter Ten | Chapter Eleven | Chapter Twelve | Chapter Thirteen | Chapter Fourteen | Chapter Fifteen | Chapter Sixteen | Chapter Seventeen | Chapter Eighteen | Chapter Nineteen | Chapter Twenty | Chapter Twenty-One | Chapter Twenty-Two | Chapter Twenty-Three | Chapter Twenty-Four | Chapter Twenty-Five | Chapter Twenty-Six | Chapter Twenty-Seven

Content Warnings: Adult content (video of a MMM threesome, d/s dynamics, praise kink), mostly accurate depictions of being an onlyfans creator ( hi, I am one), reader is fem, uses a wheelchair, and has cerebral palsy. Taglist: @alohastitch0626, @jspidey5

Your thoughts have been straying to them more often than you'd like to admit.

From the moment Prongs subscribed to you, they've been a persistent presence at the back of your mind. Their comments, their likes, their messages—all carrying an undercurrent of something that piques your curiosity. You've never been one to pay too much attention to specific followers, but these three...they're different.

Is it the way Prongs flirts without crossing boundaries, his words always respectful yet suggestive? Or perhaps it's Padfoot's bravado, his messages imbued with a confidence that makes you want to learn more about the man behind the screen. And then there's Moony, ever present and yet so elusive, his own brand of mystery stirring questions within you.

The knowledge that they are creators as well is inescapable. It was made evident when Prongs subscribed to your OnlyFans, and the content on his free feed has not gone unnoticed by you. You hesitate to watch any of it, afraid of what you might feel if you do, yet curiosity gnaws at you with persistent teeth.

The temptation to find their profiles on the free porn sites has been there since the beginning, a low hum in the back of your mind. You know they have them—Prongs mentions his in his bio, and it would be strange if Moony and Padfoot didn't as well. But you've held yourself back, created an unspoken rule: just because they consume your content doesn't mean you need to consume theirs.

Today, that rule is harder to follow. Your curiosity is piqued, not just by what they've said but by the mystery of them. The way they speak, the things they like... it paints a picture you're desperate to see filled in. You want to know what their voices sound like, how they move, the dynamic between them that's hinted at in every message, and if you’re being honest, the thought of seeing them together on screen sends a thrill through you that's hard to ignore.

You power up your laptop, the screen's glow casting long shadows across your desk. It doesn't take long to find what you're looking for—their online identities are well known in certain circles, their usernames public, their content tantalisingly explicit.

The thumbnail image of the first video you find is eye-catching; as always, their faces are hidden, their identities preserved by careful angles and strategic cropping, but there's an intimacy to the way their bodies entwine that speaks volumes, even in this tiny preview.

Your pulse quickens as you hover over the play button. You've watched countless videos before—you create adult content yourself, after all—but there's something different about this one. Perhaps it's the fact that you've interacted with them, shared a few messages, imagined them watching you perform with the same intensity you're about to direct at their on-screen display.

You click play.

The video starts mid-scene, the three of them already engaged, their bodies tangled. It's not the polished product of a professional studio; there are no theatrical lights or artificial poses. Instead, it captures a scene that feels stolen from someone's private moments—intimate, raw, and achingly real.

You can't see their faces, as expected, but somehow that doesn't detract from the allure. If anything, it enhances it, allowing your imagination to fill in the gaps, painting a picture that's more personal than any explicit detail could provide.

Prongs is on his knees on the bed, holding Padfoot's hips as he drives into him from behind. Their movements are fluid yet intense, a testament to familiarity and desire woven together. Even without seeing Prongs's face, you can hear his heavy breaths punctuated by soft grunts, each one matching the rhythm of his slow, deliberate thrusts. Padfoot is on all fours, his head buried in the sheets, but his participation is far from passive. Every now and then, his back arches, a low moan escaping him and getting absorbed into the fabric beneath.

Then your gaze shifts, and you find Moony.

He's positioned at the head of the bed, leaning against the headboard, legs spread wide. One hand rests in Padfoot's hair, fingers tangling in the dark strands while guiding him where he wants. Padfoot's mouth works eagerly on him, the sound of slick movement barely audible over the ragged breaths filling the room. Moony's other hand lies idle on his thigh, fingers tracing absent patterns on his own skin, a stark contrast to the control he exerts elsewhere. Despite the fervor with which Padfoot services him, it's clear who sets the pace, who holds the reins of this encounter.

His voice is the first to reach your ears—steady, low, a soothing balm that belies the tension beneath. And yet, there's something else in his tone, an edge that prickles at your senses and sends shivers down your spine.

"Good boy," Moony murmurs, the words slipping out like a caress. "Just like that, Pads."

You lean closer to the screen, breath hitching as you hear him—really hear him—for the first time. His voice is just as you imagined it: firm but not harsh, commanding without needing to raise its volume. It's clear who holds the reins here, even if Prongs is the one driving the action.

Prongs grunts softly, the sound reverberating through the room as he buries himself deeper into Padfoot. He moves with calculated precision, each thrust gaining momentum as he finds his rhythm. There's a restraint in his movements, a sense of control teetering on the edge of release. You can almost feel the anticipation coiling within him, waiting for the signal to let go. Despite being the one physically leading, it's obvious he's not the one calling the shots.

"Such a greedy boy," Moony's voice coos, a softness there that contradicts the rough pull of his fingers through Padfoot's hair. He tugs lightly, guiding Padfoot's movements with a firm but gentle hand. "You need it so much, don't you?"

The sound that rumbles from Padfoot's throat is all the answer he needs, and Moony chuckles.

Prongs makes a sound, half-growl and half-gasp, as he thrusts into Padfoot. His grip appears to tighten on Padfoot's hips, fingers digging into firm flesh. The rhythm is relentless, driving them both towards a precipice they can't yet see but can feel looming ever closer.

"Fuck," Prongs breathes, the word barely audible over the slick sounds of their bodies moving together. "So fucking tight."

Padfoot whimpers, the noise muffled by the length filling his mouth. His body rocks forward with each of Prongs's thrusts, pushing him further onto Moony.

It's too much—the sight of them, the sounds they make, the raw intimacy of this moment. It's like watching a dance only they know the steps to, a silent understanding passed between them with every move. You feel like an outsider here, looking in on something sacred and private.

Yet you can't tear your eyes away.

The camera angle shifts, bringing into sharper focus the way Moony's hand rests in Padfoot's hair, fingers rhythmically tightening and loosening as if conducting an orchestra of pleasure. It's a subtle show of power, one that belies the calm detachment in his voice. Yet there's a glint of satisfaction in his eyes, a soft hum of approval when Padfoot's moans grow louder and Prongs's breath hitches with each slow, deliberate thrust.

"Fuck, Moony... can I—" Prongs's voice is strained, the words barely more than a breathless rasp against the backdrop of flesh meeting flesh.

"No." The denial is swift, Moony's voice steady even as it curls around the edges with a hint of amusement. "Not yet. You wait until I say."

A low groan rumbles from Prongs's throat, but he doesn't protest further. His hands tighten around Padfoot's hips, guiding him with an urgency that borders on desperation. Yet even as he seeks release, there's a restraint to his movements, a conscious effort to hold back the tide that threatens to sweep him under. It's as though he's fighting against the current, struggling to stay afloat while Moony's words pull him deeper into uncharted waters.

The sounds of Padfoot's pleasure grow in volume and urgency, mingling with the wet noises of his mouth working over Moony's length. His breath hitches as he tries to keep pace with the onslaught of sensation, giving himself over entirely to the moment.

You watch, entranced by the scene playing out before you. There's a rawness to it, yes, but also an unexpected intimacy in the way their bodies respond to one another. This is more than just sex; it's a display of trust, of need, a manifestation of a bond that runs deeper than skin.

A low groan ripples through Moony, his fingers flexing against Padfoot's scalp. He tugs the dark curls, pulling Padfoot’s head back, forcing him to look up. The camera angle still shields Padfoot's face from view, but there's no mistaking the tension coiling in Moony's frame, the tremor in his voice as he speaks.

"You're doing so well for us, Pads," Moony murmurs, his voice barely audible above the rasp of cloth and skin. His hand moves from Padfoot's hair, disappearing from view but its destination is clear — a gentle caress against a cheek that goes unseen but not unfelt. "You want to come, don't you? You've been such a good boy."

Padfoot makes a sound, half-choked and desperate, as he nods. The motion is sharp, almost frantic, and the camera holds steady, capturing the raw edge of need that vibrates through him.

A soft chuckle rumbles from Moony, and the camera pans out slightly, bringing Prongs back into view. He’s straining, holding back with visible effort even as he drives into Padfoot with a steady rhythm. “What do you think, Prongs? Has he earned it?”

Prongs groans, the sound thick with need. “Yes. Fuck, yes.”

You can't see Moony's face, but you can hear the satisfaction in his voice as his hand returns to Padfoot's hair, guiding him back to his waiting erection. "Come for me, Pads."

The command sends a ripple of anticipation through you, and you watch as Padfoot's body stiffens, his hips jerking in sync with the low moan that escapes his lips. The sound is muffled by Moony's cock, but it's loud enough to send a shiver down your spine.

Prongs lets out a deep grunt then, his rhythm faltering as he reaches his own climax. His body trembles against Padfoot's, the two of them caught in the throes of ecstasy under Moony's watchful gaze.

"Good boys," Moony murmurs, his hand still buried in Padfoot’s hair.

The video cuts out then, leaving behind only the image of them lying there together, bodies still moving in small, unconscious ways from the aftershocks of their shared pleasure. It feels intimate, like something you shouldn’t be seeing but can't tear yourself away from.

As the screen goes dark, you lean back in your chair, your heart racing and your skin tingling from what you've just witnessed. You’ve seen plenty of porn before, and made hours of it yourself, but this… this was something else entirely. More real, more visceral. There’s a connection between them that’s hard to put into words, a bond that transcends the physical act they’ve just performed.

You close your laptop, letting the images settle in your mind. You've heard their voices now, seen them in action, and it's only fuelled your curiosity, your interest. You wonder how they would react if they knew you were watching too, with the same intensity they've been watching you.

For now, you let the moment linger. You've stepped over a boundary today, one that feels both exhilarating and dangerous, but there is no regret. Only anticipation for what comes next.

[reidsaurora]

Finale: "Not A Day That I Won't Try" ~ S. Reid

Summary: One last little story about Spencer, Imogen, and the new life they've created.

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Imogen Sterren (bipolar!OC)

Word Count: 2,744

Content Warning: takes place in a hospital, mentions of Imogen's previous episodes, mentions of Spencer's abuse during childhood, mentions of Spencer'a drug addiction lmk if I missed anything!

Genre: extremely Fluffy, i love these people sm, i guess a lil hurt/comfort too

Extra Notes: i'm sorry, i hate the summary too

Based On the Song: Soon You'll Get Better by Taylor Swift

Originally Written: 02/09/2023 (re-edited on 03/05/2023 amd 5/14/2023)

Criminal Minds masterlist can be found here!

"Soon You'll Get Better" series masterlist can be found here!

"𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐲." - 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚 𝐊𝐨𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐮𝐤

Penelope's heels clicked back and forth against the white tile flooring, her mind a fuzzy mess of anxiety, happiness, and anticipation all at once.

She stuck out like a sore thumb against the whites and grays of the decor—her favorite neon pink dress bouncing with every step she took, her aforementioned heels that suddenly felt about five inches too high, her now sloppy fishtail braids swinging about behind her, and her flower crown that had previously been placed perfectly atop her head, now sitting crooked from the mile she'd paced around the room.

"Penelope," a soft voice spoke across from her.

The sound of Astrid's voice was just barely enough to break Penelope from her book's worth of thoughts. "I'm sorry," she apologized, a cringed expression spreading across her face. "It's just that when I get worried, I pace. And when I pace, my mind paces along with my perfectly proportioned legs. And then when my mind paces-"

"Penelope."

"-I start to think of all the what ifs. And I know I shouldn't, considering that I was the one who made up a whole speech to Spencer not once but twice about how you should never worry about the what ifs but-"

"Miss Garcia."

"I just can't stop thinking about what if something bad happened? And what if Imogen-"

"Penelope!" Astrid shouted lightheartedly.

Penelope bit down on the thumbnail of her right hand before sitting down to Astrid's right. "I get anxious when I'm excited. Does that make sense?"

Astrid placed a soft hand on Penelope's shoulder, giving her a kind smile. "It's OK. I just needed you to sit down for a moment because the clacking of your shoes was making me nervous."

The sliding of the glass door behind them was enough to distract them from their conversation. The two turned out of both curiosity and sheer instinct, being met with the sight of JJ and Hotch, while Henry, Jack, and August followed quickly behind the adults. The three boys raced for an open sofa, gathering around the device Jack held in his hands. Penelope had the urge to ask Jack what game it was, wondering if he still found it fun to play video games with his cool aunt, but she bit her tongue and turned her attention back to the two colleagues that had sat down beside her and Astrid.

"Any word yet?" JJ asked, her mostly even tone covering up the slight joy and frenzy that sat on the tip of her tongue. She plopped down into the seat beside Penelope's, setting a gentle, motherly hand on her friend's knee.

She shook her head, her braids twisting in tow behind her. "Nothing. And it's been, like, at least an hour since the last time they came out here with an update."

Penelope paused for a moment, tapping a finger against her chin as she thought. Her eyes nearly glowed as she said, "Hey, you think you could show 'em your badge and get some information out of them?"

JJ let out a small chuckle, pulling Penelope in for a short hug. She wanted to bask in the smell of Penelope—one of strawberries, and vanilla, and familiarity—craving distraction from the horrible, overwhelmingly clean smell places like that tend to always have. "It's gonna be alright, Pen. I'm sure they're fine. Things like this take time."

As if on cue, the wooden door at the end of the hall burst open, and the group immediately popped up from their seats. To Penelope, it felt a bit like the whole thing was moving in slow motion as Spencer walked toward the group, each stride of his long legs seeming to take longer than the last.

Rossi had seen the look on Spencer's face only one other time—when his best friend, Jason Gideon, was in the same position about thirty years prior.

Spencer's eyes filled with tears as his chest heaved quite possibly the hardest it ever had. It seemed as though the world had stopped turning, and like a romance movie, a camera singled in on the tears Spencer was shedding in slow motion.

An ear-to-ear grin took over his face, pure excitement filling him from head to toe as he finally confirmed, "It's a girl!"

Penelope's mouth fell open as she sprinted down to Spencer, wrapping him up in what was quite possibly the tightest hug she'd ever given him.

Derek followed soon after, clapping the brunette on the shoulder. "Congratulations, kid."

Rossi was next, pulling him in for a fatherly peck on the forehead. "Congratulazioni, amico!"

JJ, Emily, Alex, Astrid, and Hotch all stood to the side, waiting for their own respective turns to congratulate the man on his newest achievement.

Spencer blushed at all the affection he was receiving, but he supposed it was earned. He found himself unable to stop smiling, and their kind words and sweet embraces only had his smile spreading that much further.

"Who wants to meet her first?" he asked, like he didn't already know the answer.

Penelope's hand shot up like a fourth grader ready to answer the question they'd been waiting all week to answer in science class. "Me! I do! Pick me!"

Spencer held out his hands in front of him, ushering toward the wooden door he'd emerged from just moments earlier. "It's a bit of a walk," he warned her as they stepped through the doorway. "They put us at the very end of the hall."

Penelope managed to answer, "That's OK. I'd walk twenty miles in these horrid heels if it meant I got to meet Baby Genius."

He chuckled, leading her down a hallway of doors upon doors. Finally, after what felt like years (but was really only about forty-five seconds), they arrived at a door decorated with the most wonderful sign Penelope could've ever imagined—a sleeping, angel baby with pink and blue letters that read, "Mama Reid and Co."

She practically burst through the door, waltzing straight over to the sink to rid her fingers of any hospital germs. She was going to cuddle with Baby Reid for the rest of the night if it was the last thing she did.

With a grin almost as wide as the one on Spencer's lips, she turned and quietly stepped toward Imogen—who was rubbing light circles against the baby's back—and the baby, who was thus far the most beautiful baby girl Penelope had ever laid her four eyes on.

"Can I?" she asked, though in her mind, she definitely meant it as a command.

Imogen gave her a soft nod before lifting the baby into Penelope's outstretched arms. Penelope felt like she was in the perfect utopia, holding her new favorite person and standing beside two of her other closely ranked favorite people.

"Look at you," the blonde smiled, taking in every detail of the child in her arms. From the short curls that sat atop her soft head to the green-ish blue tint in her perfectly shaped eyes, it was clear to see this baby was nothing short of the perfect mixture of her parents. "Look at those curls. You gotta teach me your routine sometime, sugar."

Penelope's commentary elicited a quiet giggle from both of the adults beside her, Spencer's hand landing on her shoulder as he watched the baby in her arms.

"Oh, I'm so glad she didn't get my eyes," Spencer chuckled. "Poor thing did get my nose though."

"And those Sterren lips," Imogen giggled. "No one in this family can get away from them."

Spencer pouted, leaning down and placing a soft peck on Imogen's lips. "I'll have you know that that's nonsense. They're the most beautiful, wonderful, amazing lips I have ever seen and I can't believe I still get to kiss yours every morning when I wake up and every night before I go to bed."

Imogen exhaled a soft, lighthearted scoff before reaching up to run a hand through those curls she'd fallen in love with all those years ago.

Penelope's eyes shot up from the baby, the word anticipation practically scribbled across her forehead. "OK, I love sweet moments like this but I really need to know her name and who you chose to be her godmother."

"Penelope-"

Just as she'd done to Astrid in the waiting area, she just kept on talking over Spencer. "Not that I'll complain if you choose Emily or JJ, but-"

"Pen," he stopped her again, and this time she finally bit her tongue for the first time that whole night.

"Yeah?" she asked before forcing her lips shut again.

Imogen and Spencer shared a knowing glance, but the expression only fueled Penelope's curiosity fire. "What? What? What do you two know that I don't?"

"Well," Spencer turned to face Imogen, the two sharing a knowing look, "I think it's only fair that her namesake also gets to be her godmother. Wouldn't you agree, Mrs. Reid?"

Imogen nodded, the knowing look they shared growing ever so wide. "I could not have said it better myself, my dear curly-haired husband."

Penelope's mouth fell open like she'd seen a ghost. "Namesake? Like you mean she's named after me?"

Spencer nodded, reaching a hand up to the baby's head and running a soft thumb over her hair. "Pen, meet Dorothea Penelope. Thea, meet your fairy godmother, Penelope."

The blonde's eyes welled up with tears of joy as she smiled down at the beautiful baby girl who cooed quietly in her arms. "Oh, it's the perfect name for you." Her head shot up to look at the couple across from her, a closed-lip smile appearing on her face. "I like the use of 'fairy godmother' as well. It's my favorite nickname in the whole wide world," she said, her nose scrunching in delight.

Spencer sat lightly on the end of Imogen's bed, giving her an affectionate pat on the leg. "Gosh, I see now why Will and Hotch both told me to brace myself. I didn't know my heart could hold this much love for someone that's seven pounds."

Penelope beamed, looking over Dorothea once more. "Oh, my goodness. What a little chunk! Not that there's anything wrong with that. I support all bodies. Every body is a good body."

After a few minutes had passed, Spencer had asked Penelope to invite the next person in, leaving the three to be in their own little, private world once again.

Imogen held Dorothea close to her chest, leaving small kisses on the soft curls that cascaded down her tiny forehead. "I can't believe we made this."

"I can," Spencer said, his thumb rubbing soft lines along her shoulder. "I know obviously there's science involved in the process, but if you told me this baby was made solely out of the love we have for each other, I'd be inclined to believe you."

A small frown appeared on Imogen's lips, and Spencer immediately noticed. "Hey, why are you sad, Immy?"

She looked away, knowing she couldn't bear to see the look on Spencer's face when she said her thoughts aloud. "Do you regret it?"

His eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "Regret what?"

"We were so happy as three. Three's our number. Three's good. Three's just how it's always been."

His heart panged like he'd just received death by a thousand cuts. "Where is this coming from?"

"I just…" she paused, tears sliding down her cheeks, "It's not that I regret Dorothea in the slightest. She's one of the best things that's happened to me. But what if I get bad again because of postpartum depression? What if I get so bad that I can't handle her? I know I mostly made it through whenever August was a baby but I had Astrid to help me."

"Guess what?" he said, leaning over to peck her on the forehead. "This time you'll have me. I'm not going anywhere. Ever again."

"Spence, what if I mess everything up? I mean, I almost let August eat a battery once because I couldn't get a rein on myself."

His hand moved to her cheek, rubbing softly against the lines that had formed near her eyes. "The fact that you think you, the most perfect woman to have ever walked on this earth, is going to be the one to screw this up."

"Spencer-"

A couple tears slipped from Spencer's tired eyes. "Imogen, I didn't have a father until I turned twenty and met Jason Gideon. What memories I do have with William…" his voice trailed as a swell of horrid memories flooded his mind, "Those are memories no child should ever have of their dad. Ever since you showed me those two, little pink lines, I have been so worried that I'll screw this up. That I'm gonna turn out to be the very person I've tried my whole life not to even think about."

"Oh, Spence," Imogen said through quivering lips. "You could never be him. No matter how hard you try. You're you, and that's the thing I love most about you."

The man sniffled, tears still welling in his eyes. "You say that I could never be him, and for a while I thought it was true. Until I got addicted to the very drug that kickstarted his abuse."

Imogen's heart was beating so fast, she was surprised it hadn't erupted yet. She used her free hand to swipe away some stray tears, deciding once and for all that Spencer crying was her least favorite sight. "You aren't him."

"You know that. And I think part of me wants to believe it," he told her. "We just both have all these what if's we've been focusing our energy on when we could be putting all that attention on the beautiful baby girl in your arms."

Her cheeks turned pink as she looked down at the bundle in her arms. One of her fingers traced circles across Thea's rosy cheek, and the sigh made Spencer realize there was nowhere else he'd rather be. He wanted to be here, this moment stuck on an infinite loop, the scent of a newborn baby lingering in the air, as odd as it sounded.

"Immy," Spencer said, pulling her face to look at his. "As a wise fairy godmother once told me, you shouldn't waste your time by thinking about all the what ifs. I know you're worried about it getting bad, but so what if you spiral again? Guess what? Now that I have an MD, I can get you on a drug trial if it gets to that point. But until then, I am going to do everything in my power to make sure you and I are the best parents we can be for Thea. There is not a day that I won't try to be the best father I can be. And yes, you might have an incurable disorder, but I know that there hasn't been one second in the last three years that you've had August back in your custody that you haven't tried to be the best mother for him, and I know you won't cease to do the same for Thea."

Imogen teared up again, this time with tears of joy, comfort, and an overall sense of love. She leaned up, placing her lips on his for the most passionate, adoring, and devoted kiss the two had ever shared. "Thank you. Always."

He met her with another kiss, and as he pulled away, he simply said, "Always."

Spencer had no clue seven years ago that he'd find himself here, holding what once felt like a beautiful stranger in his embrace, looking down at the perfect mixture of their flesh and blood, and feeling nothing but pure, unadulterated bliss. If you'd told him seven years ago that he'd find himself madly in love with someone who—to the naked eye—was less than ideal, and that he'd be the father of two beautiful children, he would've thought you were crazy. Would've said, "That kind of stuff only happens in fairy tales. Not to Spencer Reid."

But the second he walked into the Bennington Sanitarium and laid eyes on that beautiful, kind, amazing woman he still wholeheartedly, easily, naturally loved all those years later, he knew something had changed. A switch flipped in his heart and suddenly, it was as though nothing else mattered. Nothing else would ever matter. At least, not as much as Imogen.

"𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐧, 𝐈 𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞. 𝐍𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫, 𝐈 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐫, 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝." - 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐞 𝐀𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧

So this is goodbye 🥲

I can't believe I'm finally saying goodbye to this series. Words cannot express how many tears I have shed, how many times I've laughed, how many emotions I've felt while writing this. I cannot believe it's been almost a year since I posted the original version of this and I can't believe we're finally at the end.

I hope you guys have enjoyed Imogen and August and Astrid as much as I have. They are some of my favorite characters I've ever created and I'm so sad I have to say goodbye to them.

However, I do have another seri(e)s coming soon that I think you guys wi(ll) lov(e)! I can't wait for this next baby to be (r)el(e)ased (i)nto the worl(d) and I think you guys are gonna love it too.

Goodbye, Imogen. You will forever have a piece of my heart. I love you, star girl ⭐️💛

-> taglist: @lowsodiumfreaks67 @drayshadow @alexxavicry @nomajdetective @kbakery @leigh70 @darkloverfox @sammyrenae68 @cherrycandle @asgardprincess97 @gh0stgurl @esposadomd @randomwriter1021 @eddieharrington @lunar-affection @givemeth @lavhoes @rhyanishere @cat-lockwood @danielle143 @marsmallow433 @handsupforamiracle @topguncultleader @mente-sindescanso @reverieofmgg @spencer-reids-adventures @ah-blossom @encyclo-reid-ia @reidselle @thevisionthedream @dungeons-are-too-cold @wwwonzeee @louderfortheback @reidsbookclub @annahalstead5021 @cwritesforfun @soapiebear @maelartasch @buckyyyismahhlife @cynbx @hellooitsrose @rexorangecouny @lcvingprentjss

☆𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓 𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐏𝐄𝐎𝐏𝐋𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒☆

[beautifully-lumpy]

the beautiful person's journal - #1: graphic design

for this very first installment of my caddicarus history series, i'm gonna go full graphic designer brain on y'all. yeah, i'm turning it up to 100 already.

for brevity's sake, i'm only going to be talking about the profile pics, channel art, and the thumbnails/title cards/logos of the caddicarus show. i'll do separate posts about the other shows another time. but for this one, i'm sticking to the OG show we all know and love.

throughout its 11-year history, the caddicarus channel has changed a lot in its branding. that's expected for a youtube channel, especially one that was started by a 17-year-old kid who would keep making videos into his late 20's and beyond.

as a graphic design major who was 100% an autistic logo kid, i was fascinated by the channel's branding. fascinated by how...interesting it was.

to put it lightly, the branding was very rough around the edges. but before i dive deep into that, let's talk about how the channel looks now.

in the year of our lord 2022, the caddicarus channel has never looked better. this is personally my favorite branding the channel's ever had! it's very consistent, the color palette is beautiful, i LOVE the thick outlines, the character design for caddy is very clean and captures his cartoonish personality well. the shift from bright blue to these deep purples/dark indigoes gives the channel a unique identity compared to a whole bunch of other gaming channels that also use blue colors, similar to vinesauce with the color green. the halftone accents replacing the playstation icons help emphasize that caddy doesn't only talk about PS stuff, yet the logo retains the asciiware controller, still showing his connection. this flatter version of jan animations' logo works well with the rest of the branding, it's like the cherry on top. it really gives the channel this glorious late 90's-early 2000s feel. it's a gorgeous branding by littlemisschii, who is a godsend to this community.

i could go on and on about how beautiful this branding is and how it's the caddicarus branding younger me always wanted to see, but we've gotta move on to the brandings before this one.

this current branding may be sleek and clean, but it wasn't always like this. in fact, one of the charms of the pre-2020 (or pre-august 2018 by extension) caddicarus channel was how mismatched and rough-looking it was. i can't put too many images on here due to the image limit, but just scroll through the caddicarus channel and you'll see for yourself how rough it was before season 11.

when i started watching caddicarus in august 2014, the channel looked like this:

(thumbnails won't load on internet archive 😔)

this was an AWESOME banner by whaddupnico/nico vliek (yes, the nico vliek who did scott the woz's branding!) nico partnered with caddy for about 5 or so years, from 2013 to 18. in 2013 his first project for him was two t-shirts based on current quickies and jaws unleashed, and in 2014 he made this banner. nico designed a bunch of different logos for caddy's 5 shows at the time in the styles of various video game logos. and in the center was that masterpiece of a cooltext.com-generated logo that was used up until the channel (initially) reached 500k subscribers in mid-2016. i can't think of any other youtuber who got that high with a goddamn cooltext logo. it's just so wonderfully caddy.

this was the channel banner until 2016, when season 6 premiered, the caddicarus show became weekly and the three-videos-a-week schedule was officially established after some experiments. after this banner was retired, every caddicarus channel art followed the same format: logo in middle, schedule/social media somewhere on the banner, and starting in july 2016 - caddy to the right of the logo.

here's a dump of images i'm going to be explaining; i'm doing it like this to combat tumblr's 10-image limit. this shows how much i adore this channel and the lengths i'll go to preserve its history LOL. you can click on em get a closer look.

small error on the profile pics image: the sixth profile pic is supposed to say 2019-21 as it was introduced alongside season 13's thumbnails featuring caddy's actual face

okay, gathering up all those images and dates and compiling them together took a toll on me...now time to discuss them!

if you paid attention hard enough back in the day, you may remember how mismatched the branding was through 2016-18. the biggest example of this revolved around the blue playstation icons background.

on july 10th, 2016, the current logo was introduced to the channel. this logo designed by jan animations is the caddicarus logo nowadays - the first thing that comes into anyone's mind when caddicarus is brought up. but of course, back when it was introduced, it was pretty polarizing. it was quite possibly the snazziest, coolest, fanciest piece of branding the caddicarus channel ever had! but it had its detractors...and they honestly had a reason to detract, because for the first 10 months of its use, caddy decided to use this cheerful logo over the grungy, unfitting background he'd been using for years.

but what's even more slightly irritating about this is that only a week after the logo was introduced, caddy put this logo on the banner - using a blue gradient background with PS icons on it. this background was nowhere to be found in the videos, though.

but finally - starting with the shadowman episode - caddy added the new background to the intro! the logo fit!!

but...the thumbnails still had mismatched branding!!!

...until the debut of season 10, when the grunge was entirely taken away from the show and he added the PS icons to the thumbnail. it took him this long!

yeah, sure, it doesn't matter in hindsight, but man did it infuriate me at the time as an aspiring graphic designer!

but at the same time, that was the charm.

the thumbnail art...is a pretty divisive subject. but it's also another one of the worst offenders of mismatched branding. until season 6, the same image of caddy was used on every thumbnail for every show (except for drive thru reviews). and there's already a HUGE problem with this - this image was drawn around 2012-13 with 2012-13 caddy in mind. meaning...there was no beard, he had a scrawnier build, and his hair is longer. so...this image quickly became outdated as he began to grow a beard, but it became even more outdated when caddy shaved his hair in 2014. but he continued to use it. even into late 2015 after he'd gotten his mohawk. it got to the point where the thumbnail looked like some random guy rather than the guy in the video you clicked on. even the hair color was inaccurate! so beginning with season 6, we FINALLY got the thumbnail overhaul we needed.

and uh...it sure was a thumbnail overhaul.

of all the thumbnail art caddy's used, this was the most poorly received. caddy's mohawk and new hand tattoos were already polarizing among some viewers, and this new image didn't help matters. common criticisms revolved around the animesque art style combined with flawed lineart and shading. this image was used throughout the rest of 2016.

then, after he moved to his current house in 2017 and artificially created reached his 101st episode, caddy updated the image to a new one drawn by the same artist. while this art wasn't without its detractors, this was widely considered a massive improvement over the 2016 art and was welcomed with open arms. this one featured caddy wearing his beanie, so it could be a somewhat neutral, central representation of him should he change his hairstyle again.

this art was used until season 11 in august 2018, when jetpackbraggin was first brought in. you can scroll through his thumbnails and see how fast he got into the groove of drawing caddy; the first several or so thumbnails were pretty rough but it really started coming together by the spider-man episode. today, we have absolutely gorgeous unique thumbnails drawn by him for each new caddicarus episode! the thumbnails before had art and a logo that were both outsourced, but when it came to how jim placed things on the thumbnail...it was kinda messy lol. he'd make images too large and it would cover the caddicarus logo...you couldn't read the name of the show you were about to watch for some videos hahaha. these new thumbnails from JPB gave the channel a cleaner look.

and also, for seasons 11-13...the blue borders came in.

images that make you go hmmm...

you can really see how desperate he was here 😔

so if this post has taught you anything, it's that caddy himself isn't the greatest at graphic design LMAO. but i'll say it again...that was the charm! the caddicarus channel looks drop dead gorgeous these days, and i could gush over that forever, but man there's more and more people every day who either forget or don't remember how wonderfully awful everything used to look. it's just one more thing that made caddy stand out; a lot of other gaming channels had/have super sleek branding with a whole team of writers/producers/business people/whatever. but caddicarus - even after all the changes and branding outsourcing - has always been caddy's baby. it's his show and his show only, and that's what makes it so special! 💜

i hope you enjoyed this first installment of my series!