#Pulse Products Market

[foodandbeverages]

Pulse Products Market Growth Analysis, Varieties And Analysis Of Key Players – Forecasts To 2032

The pulse products market refers to the industry that deals with the production, processing, and distribution of pulses. Pulses are a type of leguminous crop that includes various dried beans, lentils, chickpeas, and peas. They are known for their high nutritional value, being a rich source of protein, dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

The global pulse products industry has experienced significant growth in recent years, driven by factors such as increasing consumer awareness of the health benefits associated with pulses, changing dietary preferences, and the rising demand for plant-based protein alternatives. Pulses have gained popularity among health-conscious individuals, vegetarians, and vegans due to their low fat and cholesterol content, as well as their ability to support a balanced diet.

Dive into the captivating world of Pulse Products Market. Request a report sample to unlock a treasure trove of comprehensive insights@ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-15712

As per FMI, the global pulse products market size is valued at US$ 1,28,023.8 Mn in 2022 and is expected to grow to US$ 1,95,044.6 Mn by 2032, with overall sales likely to rise at 4.3% CAGR throughout the forecast period.

Growing health awareness among people and growing demand for nutritious plant-based products are driving the global pulse products market.

Plant-based products are both healthier and safer than animal-based products. The pulse products market is being driven by the growing popularity of veganism around the world and increasing applications of pulse products in bakeries, snacks, beverages, and pet food.

 Pulse products are linked to a number of health benefits. Some of these health benefits include improved heart health, lower blood pressure, and reduced cholesterol levels. Additionally, pulse products have also been linked to a decreased risk of developing certain types of cancer, which has led to a growing consumer preference for these products. This will continue to boost pulse products market during the forecast period.

Another factor driving the sales of pulse products is the growing demand for vegan and gluten-free foods. Pulse products have become great choices for people with dietary restrictions or allergies as they are low in carbs and calories. Pulse products are also non-GMO and made with organic ingredients. This appeals to consumers who are looking for healthy, natural products.

Key Takeaways:

Based on product, dry peas segment is expected to account for a significant value share of over 13% in the global pulse products market in 2022.

By type, the pulse protein segment is likely to grow at a higher pace during the forecast period.

North America is projected to hold a revenue share of around 34.4% in the global pulse products market during the forecast period.

The India pulse products market is anticipated to expand at around 5.4% CAGR between 2022 and 2032.

The pulse products market in the U.K. is expected to grow at a steady CAGR of 4.6% during the projected period.

The U.S. pulse products market is expected to reach a valuation of US$ 34 Bn in 2022.

“Rising demand for healthy and nutritional products by consumers is projected to boost the pulse products market during the projected period. Besides this, growing applications in pet food will further propel the demand for pulse products over the next ten years,” says a lead analyst at Future Market Insights.

Rising Usage in Food Products Boosting Pulse Products Market

Companies are using pulse products in their food products because they are a healthier option than some other types of food. For example, pulse flour is lower in calories and has more nutrients than other types of flour.

Pulse products are used by companies like Avena Foods to create functional foods and supplements. The products come in many forms, including powders, granules, and tablets. They can be used to create healthy snacks or meals, and they are also popular among athletes and those looking to maintain a healthy weight.

Competitive landscape:

The top 5 manufacturers of pulse products include Roquette, Vestkorn, Purisfoods, Avena Foods and  ADM, together holding around 20% to 30%  Pulse products market share. These companies are adopting various organic and inorganic strategies such as new product launches, mergers, acquisitions, collaborations, partnerships, price reduction, and strengthening of distribution channels to improve their revenue share as well as expand their global footprint.

Get More Valuable Insights

Future Market Insights, in its new offering, provides an unbiased analysis of Pulse products presenting historical demand data (2017-2021) and forecast statistics for the period from 2022-2032.

The study provides valuable insight on the pulse products market based on by Product (Chick Peas, Kaspa Peas, Lentils, Pigeon Peas, Fava Beans, Black Gram, Beans, Lentils, Dry Peas, Mung Beans, Other), By Type (Pulse Fiber, Pulse Grits Pulse Starches, Pulse Protein, Pulse Flour), By Application (Bakery, Beverages, Extruded Snacks, Pet Food, Others), By End Use (Home use, Snack Food Industry, Flour Industry, Others)

Frequently Asked Questions

How big is the pulse products market?

At what rate is the pulse products market expected to rise during the forecast period?

What is the demand outlook for the pulse products market?

What is the North America pulse products market outlook?

Which are the major countries driving demand for pulse products?

At what rate will the China pulse products market grow?

At what rate will the pulse products demand grow in Europe?

Who are the top 5 players operating in the pulse products market?

Information Source: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/pulse-products-market  

[harshnews]

Abscisic Acid (ABA) Market Size, Share, Trends, Growth Opportunities and Competitive Outlook

"Global Abscisic Acid (ABA) Market - Industry Trends and Forecast to 2028

Global Abscisic Acid (ABA) Market, By  Product Type (99% and above Purity, No greater than 99% Purity), Application (Fruits and Vegetables, Grains and Pulses, Ornamentals, Others), Country (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Germany, Poland, Ireland, Italy, U.K., France, Spain, Netherland, Belgium, Switzerland, Turkey, Russia, Rest of Europe, Japan, China, India, South Korea, New Zealand, Vietnam, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Rest of Asia-Pacific, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Rest of South America, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait, South Africa, Rest of Middle East and Africa) Industry Trends and Forecast to 2028.

Access Full 350 Pages PDF Report @

**Segments**

- **By Form**: The ABA market can be segmented based on its form into liquid and powder. Liquid ABA is more commonly used due to its ease of application and faster absorption by plants. On the other hand, powder ABA is preferred for certain applications where precise dosing is required.

- **By Source**: Another important segmentation of the ABA market is based on its source, which can be synthetic or plant-derived. Synthetic ABA is generally more cost-effective and easier to produce in large quantities, while plant-derived ABA is favored for organic and sustainable farming practices.

- **By Application**: The market for ABA is segmented based on its applications in agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and research. In agriculture, ABA is used as a plant growth regulator to improve crop yield and stress resistance. In pharmaceuticals, ABA is being researched for its potential therapeutic effects on various health conditions. Additionally, ABA is widely used in scientific research to understand plant physiology and stress responses.

**Market Players**

- **Valent BioSciences LLC**: Valent BioSciences is a key player in the ABA market, offering a range of ABA products for agricultural applications. With a strong focus on innovation and sustainability, Valent BioSciences continues to be a dominant player in the market.

- **Sichuan Longmang Fushen Bio-Technology Co., Ltd.**: This Chinese company is known for its high-quality plant-derived ABA products. Sichuan Longmang Fushen Bio-Technology has a strong presence in the global ABA market and caters to a diverse range of agricultural and research needs.

- **Yara International**: Yara International is a leading player in the ABA market, offering a wide range of ABA products for agricultural applications. With a global presence and a strong focus on research and development, Yara International remains a competitive force in the market.

- **Syngenta**: Syngenta is another prominent playerSyngenta is a significant player in the ABA market, known for its comprehensive portfolio of agricultural solutions that include ABA products. The company's strong R&D focus is reflected in its continuous efforts to develop innovative ABA formulations tailored to meet the evolving needs of farmers worldwide. Syngenta's global presence and well-established distribution network give it a competitive edge in reaching a wide customer base and ensuring product availability in key markets.

Syngenta's commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship is evident in its initiatives to promote responsible ABA usage and support sustainable farming practices. By integrating ABA products into its broader sustainability strategy, Syngenta not only addresses the needs of farmers but also aligns its business objectives with the growing demand for environmentally friendly agricultural solutions.

In terms of market positioning, Syngenta's strong brand reputation and track record of delivering high-quality ABA products have solidified its position as a trusted supplier in the industry. The company's emphasis on product efficacy, safety, and regulatory compliance further enhances its credibility among customers and regulatory authorities alike.

Looking ahead, Syngenta is likely to continue investing in research and innovation to develop new ABA formulations that address emerging challenges in agriculture, such as climate change, pest resistance, and sustainability. By leveraging its expertise and resources, Syngenta can capitalize on the expanding market opportunities driven by the increasing adoption of plant growth regulators like ABA by farmers and researchers globally.

Syngenta's strategic partnerships, collaborations, and marketing efforts play a crucial role in expanding its market reach and enhancing its competitive position in the ABA market. By engaging with key stakeholders, including farmers, distributors, researchers, and industry experts, Syngenta can gain valuable insights, strengthen its market presence, and drive demand for its ABA products.

Overall, Syngenta's strong market presence, commitment to sustainability, focus on innovation, and customer-centric approach position it well for continued success in the dynamic ABA market landscape. As the global agriculture sector evolves and**Global Abscisic Acid (ABA) Market**

- **By Product Type**: - 99% and above Purity - No greater than 99% Purity - **By Application**: - Fruits and Vegetables - Grains and Pulses - Ornamentals - Others - **By Country**: - U.S. - Canada - Mexico - Germany - Poland - Ireland - Italy - U.K. - France - Spain - Netherland - Belgium - Switzerland - Turkey - Russia - Rest of Europe - Japan - China - India - South Korea - New Zealand - Vietnam - Australia - Singapore - Malaysia - Thailand - Indonesia - Philippines - Rest of Asia-Pacific - Brazil - Argentina - Chile - Rest of South America - UAE - Saudi Arabia - Egypt - Kuwait - South Africa - Rest of Middle East and Africa

The global Abscisic Acid (ABA) market is witnessing significant growth due to the rising demand for plant growth regulators in agriculture and increasing awareness regarding the benefits of ABA in enhancing crop yield and stress tolerance. The market segmentation based on

Table of Content:

Part 01: Executive Summary

Part 02: Scope of the Report

Part 03: Global Abscisic Acid (ABA) Market Landscape

Part 04: Global Abscisic Acid (ABA) Market Sizing

Part 05: Global Abscisic Acid (ABA) Market Segmentation By Product

Part 06: Five Forces Analysis

Part 07: Customer Landscape

Part 08: Geographic Landscape

Part 09: Decision Framework

Part 10: Drivers and Challenges

Part 11: Market Trends

Part 12: Vendor Landscape

Part 13: Vendor Analysis

Core Objective of Abscisic Acid (ABA) Market:

Every firm in the Abscisic Acid (ABA) Market has objectives but this market research report focus on the crucial objectives, so you can analysis about competition, future market, new products, and informative data that can raise your sales volume exponentially.

Size of the Abscisic Acid (ABA) Market and growth rate factors.

Important changes in the future Abscisic Acid (ABA) Market.

Top worldwide competitors of the Market.

Scope and product outlook of Abscisic Acid (ABA) Market.

Developing regions with potential growth in the future.

Tough Challenges and risk faced in Market.

Global Abscisic Acid (ABA) top manufacturers profile and sales statistics.

Browse Trending Reports:

Ferrochrome Market Crop Development And Farming Market Wooden Furniture Market Rice Malt Syrup Market Ibc Cap Market Needle Free Blood Drawing Devices Market Regulatory Affairs Outsourcing Market Noise Source Mapping Market Cyclophilin Inhibitors Therapeutics Market Solid State Transformers Market Home Office Spending Market Dairy Ingredients Market University Management System Market Torticollis Treatment Market x Ray Detectors Market Access Control Market Milking Robots Market Cenospheres Market

About Data Bridge Market Research:

Data Bridge set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.

Contact Us:

Data Bridge Market Research

US: +1 614 591 3140

UK: +44 845 154 9652

APAC : +653 1251 975

Email: corporatesales@databridgemarketresearch.com"

[aimarketresearch]

Pulse Based Product Market Size, Share, Trends, Growth and Competitive Analysis

Pulse Based Product Market report is an important manuscript for every market enthusiast, policymaker, investor, and market player. A detailed market research study of this report focuses on several essential parameters related to the market that includes but are not limited to a competitive landscape, brief segmentation and industrial infrastructure. This marketing report offers an in-depth overview of product specification, technology, product type and production analysis considering major factors such as revenue, cost, and gross margin. Pulse Based Product market is supposed to grow during the forecast period due to growing demand at the end user level.

An influential Pulse Based Product report represents all the regions as well as countries across the globe, which showcase a regional manufacturing status, such as volume, market size, value and price details. It has been believed that the finest market research report is the one which is pertinent, unique, and creditable that employs proven tools and techniques to turn complex market insights into simpler version. A market research carried out in this report assists in improving and enhancing the products so that future products offer more fulfilment to the valuable customers.

Access Full 350 Pages PDF Report @

The pulse based product market is expected to witness market growth at a rate of 8.3% in the forecast period of 2021 to 2028. Data Bridge Market Research report on pulse based product market provides analysis and insights regarding the various factors expected to be prevalent throughout the forecast period while providing their impacts on the market’s growth. The rise in health consciousness globally is escalating the growth of pulse based product market.

Table of Contents: Pulse Based Product Market

1 Introduction

2 Global Pulse Based Product Market Segmentation

3 Executive Summary

4 Premium Insight

5 Market Overview

6 Pulse Based Product Market, by Product Type

7 Pulse Based Product Market, by Modality

8 Pulse Based Product Market, by Type

9 Pulse Based Product Market, by Mode

10 Pulse Based Product Market, by End User

12 Pulse Based Product Market, by Geography

12 Pulse Based Product Market, Company Landscape

13 Swot Analysis

14 Company Profiles

Countries Studied:

North America (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, United States, Rest of Americas)

Europe (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Rest of Europe)

Middle-East and Africa (Egypt, Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Rest of MEA)

Asia-Pacific (Australia, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Taiwan, Rest of Asia-Pacific)

Objectives of the Report

To carefully analyze and forecast the size of the Pulse Based Product market by value and volume.

To estimate the market shares of major segments of the Pulse Based Product

To showcase the development of the Pulse Based Product market in different parts of the world.

To analyze and study micro-markets in terms of their contributions to the Pulse Based Product market, their prospects, and individual growth trends.

To offer precise and useful details about factors affecting the growth of the Pulse Based Product

To provide a meticulous assessment of crucial business strategies used by leading companies operating in the Pulse Based Product market, which include research and development, collaborations, agreements, partnerships, acquisitions, mergers, new developments, and product launches.

The major players covered in the pulse based product market report are ADM, AGT Food and Ingredients, Ingredion Incorporated., Buhler AG, Diefenbaker Spice & Pulse, GPA Capital Food Pvt Ltd, USA Pulses, Puris, Vestkorn, Batory Foods, The Scoular Company, Groupe Emsland, Roquette Frères, Popular Pulse Products Pvt. Ltd., Esteem Bio Organic Food Processing Limited, Beacon Foods Limited, Cargill, Incorporated., Parmanand & Sons Food Products Private Limited, CKP Products Limited., and Avena Foods, Limited, among other domestic and global players. Market share data is available for global, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA) and South America separately. DBMR analysts understand competitive strengths and provide competitive analysis for each competitor separately.

Browse Trending Reports:

Malt Ingredients Market

Normal And Specialty Fats Market

Wine Processing Equipment Market

Natural Sugar Substitute Market

Lentil Protein Market

About Data Bridge Market Research:

Data Bridge set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.

Contact Us:

Data Bridge Market Research

US: +1 888 387 2818

UK: +44 208 089 1725

Hong Kong: +852 8192 7475

Email: corporatesales@databridgemarketresearch.com

[techmarkethunter]

Tata Consumer Products Ltd Joins the Rs 1 Lakh Crore Club in Market Cap Milestone

Title: Tata Consumer Products Ltd Joins the Rs 1 Lakh Crore Club in Market Cap Milestone Introduction:In a significant milestone, Tata Consumer Products Ltd (TCPL) has achieved a market capitalization of over Rs 1 lakh crore, solidifying its position as the sixth Tata group company to achieve this feat. This achievement follows a merger in February 2020, bringing together Tata Global Beverages…

[j2archives]

pretty baby ꨄ︎

── - ˚.⋆ 𝜗𝜚˚.⋆ - summary he’s infatuated with you, how could he not?

content warnings lovesick!sammy, brief mention of dean, sugarbaby!reader (kinda), mentions of hunting/training reader and sam’s protectiveness, feminine qualities and traits used so fem!reader, whipped!sam, implied/mentioned intimacy, sweet talk, praise, pet names (pretty girl, sweetheart, baby, angel), mentions of sam thinking reader is out of his league, fashion and style for reader used, p!v w/ creampie, unprotected sex, brief marking kink, gentlemanly sam (of course), and more!

notes based on a mood board I reblogged, reader has honey daniels style, dean headcanons are being planned i swear!! there’s 500 wc too. proofread. lemme know if you guys want more of these in the comments if you want <3 reqs are open.

sam winchester is infatuated with you to say the least.

naturally in that winchester brain of his, he’s surprised you gained an interest in him. some guy who doesn’t spend his time at the local bars, who is always on the road with his elder brother, who is so soft spoken he sometimes feels bad for thinking inappropriately. but, you didn’t seem to mind that. he was still puzzled by it. you were so beautiful and way out of his league.

and now he had the pleasure of calling you his. his girl, his pretty baby, his everything.

whenever he’s out on a hunt, he always stops at the local market when he can to buy a bouquet. bringing you home a bundle of your favorite flowers, candies — whatever satisfies you. sam does his best to do it every time he’s away. you’d stay at home. sometimes researching lore for their new hunt, but mainly because sam wanted you out of harms way. he knew that the supernatural was everywhere, and he was honest with you about it. Teaching you how to load a shotgun filled with salt shells, how to salt the windows and doors, he even stashed an exorcism book in the apartment. on his free time, sam would help you with pronunciation and the meanings of each syllable.

dean would take solo hunts, letting sam stay at home with you.

sam knew how much you loved shopping and he also knew how much your style fit you. if you wanted a new belt, he’d take you. if you wanted a new pair of shoes, he’d drain his wallet for you. whatever you wanted, he had no issue in getting it for you.

your hair products sometimes could be a bit pricey, but that doesn’t mean sam can’t use his credit card scams to buy each and every one. god, he could go on about you for ages. every feature of you was perfect. stunning. gorgeous. he couldn’t get enough of you.

he was a gentleman by all means, in the bedroom and outside of it.

he’d start slow, savoring the feeling of your painted lips against his. he could taste the lipgloss you wore, almost the same one each time. when you switched it up, he’d compliment you on it. saying you tasted divine every time.

sam loved seeing your marks on him, the red streaks that you left when he had you splayed out on the bed. his cock reached places inside of you that you hadn’t known existed and he’d change angles, pounding into your sopping cunt just the way he knew you liked it.

he hated having to be quiet with you, fuck, sam would drown in your moans every chance he’d get. your song would replay in his head and he never wanted it to stop. but he also loved the feeling of your lips wrapped around his cock or his thumb, another way he could muffle you without slapping a palm over your mouth. he was sure he leaked steadily every time you pulled him out of his boxers. how could he not though?

the sight of loose strands sticking to your forehead after two or three rounds drove sam crazy, especially when you were mumbling incoherently when he was fucking you so thoroughly.

“such a pretty girl, laying beneath me like this. taking every inch of my dick. god, you’re gorgeous.” his praise echoed and sometimes he cut himself off with a moan, feeling your heat pulse around his throbbing length. “you feel fuckin’ amazing, sweetheart.” he couldn’t stop the words from tumbling if he tried, but he didn’t want to. he wanted you to know how ethereal he thought you were, how intoxicating every moment he spent with you was.

he always had an idea of when you were close, sam would coax it out of you. purposely pulling out until just the tip remained before slamming back into you. keeping the same pace to earn those breathless sighs from you. “c’mon, baby… cum on my dick, i know you can, angel. you always take it so good, right? i know you can give me another.” sam would pull as many orgasms as he could from you, working you over the edge and then himself. his head jerking back with a guttural moan as he filled you to the brim.

afterwards, he’d run you a bath or shower when he could. peppering your face in sweet kisses, cooing and telling you how precious you were. how good you always were for him. telling you how much he loved you.

tagged @h8aaz @sorryitsmyfirstdayonearth @immodestly-marina + comment to be added <3

[crying-fantasies]

Love fantasy

Masterlist

It all started as a normal cycle, he swears on his spark that it was an innocent and normal cycle.

"I interfaced with one of the humans".

Until it wasn't.

No bot can verify the fact but all are equally flabbergasted at the statement, humans are still a novelty aboard, it has been only a few earth years since they arrived to the starship and while friendships and primitive market of products are normal to see nowadays it still doesn't stop one or two glass cubes from shattering against the floor of Swerve's or the high grade that has gone down the wrong pipe by the mere words formed by Fizzle's vox.

No bot asked, no one even knew, no one really noticed him gone from the ship or when he came back but now they all have their attention at him even when he simply said it to the bot next to him, but gossiping, no matter species, is a big deal among sentient beings.

"You're lying"

"No!", almost sensing the others receptor audials over him he can only try to cover his EMF as close to his frame as possible, spoiler coiled near to his armor in a display of nervousness, "it was- it was out of this world, okay? And- and then she was-"

"It was a human femme?!"

Again, some were at their seats end, some again chocking on their drinks, others feeling their fans activate, everybot has seen for themselves how soft humans are, and even heard from the same humans that some are most soft than others.

Human femmes- er, woman and alike, were supposed to be the peak of softness, even human primitive communication devices (porn and magazines) said so!

"Primus dammit- do you want everybot to hear about it?", oh yes, please say more was something resonating among the processors of the most curious in the theme and the most deviant of them that had also thought of some organic colleagues in such a way, of course, Fizzle didn't had to know, and in some way it was his fault to talk about such a thing like a sparkling sharing secrets in a public area when the Lost Light was so big.

"Okay, okay, go on, what did she do?", there was silence, one that preceded the proton storm while Fizzle's spoiler raised back again in excitement to remember the exchange.

"...she played with my wires and with my spark"

If the two bots didn't know they were being eavesdropped before now they knew after a few bots cracked their glasses full of energon at the mere mention of the interface related activity, making they almost scape even when some bots wanted to keep hearing and asked them to come back, because it was the discovery of the century, well, almost, but it was still of great interest nonetheless for most of them!

"Wow, that was crazy, huh, Roddy?", Drift tries to ignore the other bots still remaining in the bar and their obnoxiously loud fans, hardly covering the growing charge on their EMF and now heated frames trying to seem as undisturbed as possible.

Even Rodimus, who stops as hard as he can his cooling fans, servos being negated of the littlest possibility to even shake at how hard his spark is pulsing, "Uhum".

First of the questions running around his processor is who was it? Fizzle doesn't even have any game going on or perceived by his optics to be able to drag along another mech on his habsuit, let alone a human that knows nothing about interfacing, which get to the next question running wild in circles around his processor: can a human do sparkplay? The idea is impossible but it doesn't stop his imagination where, in fact, it seems more than possible with those little hands and fingers running wild on a bot's spark chamber, he remembers the humans being taught cybetronian medic techniques, how they were so focused in healing illness and it isn't so hard to change the purposes of the delicate and sometimes rough way those little hands made their way around a spark and all the sensitive wiring around.

He ask to himself if the human Fizzle was talking about were to be, by any chance, you.

And he negates it, scratches it, deletes as far as he can any trace of the mere idea of it because it will break his spark in million pieces would be improper in everyway.

It is also improper to remember it when he is next to you while you read a datapad about once living creatures of Cybertron, little finger moving the page once in a while in your hunger for more information that gets his optics focused on the way your eyes move along the light and the glyphs on the screen.

Will your curiosity also extent to other possibilities? He has seen you go "woah" and "ahh" over simple things like the subtle communication between frames with wings and spoilers or the fair quantity of differences of one frame to the other, the image of your face looking with interest whatever you're reading and how you take notes on your personal datapad, little fingers moving along and pressing different places in the sensible screen while showing your obvious interest, your possible awe over his bared spark in front of you.

It's almost too easy, he only needs to change a few things, his open spark chamber is now the source of light reflecting on your eyes, a perfect miniature mirror of your actions as your fingers touch the sensible glass cover of his spark, he can almost feel the electricity driving away to your body to his waiting spark that welcomes it with a tremor as hard as lightning that spreads to his whole frame in electric pleasure, wires tensing at the movement around and all the pressure, trying to make give accomodations to every little electric pulses your body can send to his most sensible component.

"Roddy"

It's way too real, way too hard, and it gets worse when your fingers get replaced with your soft looking lips and tongue, lapping above the connections before sliding to his tensed wires, making a wet trail to his spark while he debates internally in his own fantasy, he is supposed to concentrate, to not come undone or look because he is sure it would be JUST. SO. HOT.

"Rods"

It doesn't even end there, he can hear your voice along it, processor and cooling fans working overtime while he can only focus on the possibility, on the maybe that lingers above, it only takes so little to have you kiss with tongue his spark and he can't take it-

"Rodimus!" Oh, now, that's his designation, the fantasy is shattered in pieces and he soon realizes one of his digits is above his spark chamber, you are looking at him, maybe confused, obviously worried, it's enough to make him let go of the digit between his dentae and feeling his spike depressurize- "why are you so hot?", nevermind.

"... I'm hot?...", a wicked grin blended with happiness is forming on his faceplate as his words trail on slowly, almost as he is tasting it.

"I mean", you correct yourself, you really didn't need to, "heat is coming from your body, are you going flames on again? Are we under attack again?"

"What? Nah, just...", daydreaming about impossibilities, about a weak porn, like humans call it, without basis, heated romance and passion he isn't even sure you share with him, impossibilities that drag his bleeding spark over every movement and word of yours that he clings on with greedy servos, it's so embarrassing and he is sure he'll offline by pure mortification if you ever get a word about his attraction to you just to be faced by any degree of disgust coming from you, "it's getting cold in here, wouldn't want you to freeze those little fingers to dead", he doesn't even offer his servo but it is almost a natural response when he sees you approaching him with fear on your steps by any possibility of being another normal day aboard the Lost Light, he doesn't even stop and let's you settle on his lap like the security protocols indicated.

Fear washes away quickly when you register his words, there is curiosity on your eyes, looking between him and your hands, before finally look at him in the optics again, "Oh, didn't know you heard about the effects of excessive cold on the most distant phalanges, I mean, it's something that only happens while in extreme freezing conditions in harsh environments or controlled ones in closed lab experiments-"

Rodimus really didn't get what you were talking or the whole deal you were explaining to him, but seeing you feel secure next to him, taking seat above him showing the full confidence and trust you put on him while your hands move to explain your point, putting the warm palm against his armor from time to time.

"Everything you touch is bound to fail anyway", harsh words pang among his memory archives while he touches a side of yours to prevent a fall, but he silenced it, preferring the sound of your voice that now was about something called homeostasis.

He wouldn't trade this moment for anything, not when he offers you a digit and you hold it immediately, well, maybe a kiss if you could be generous enough, but he will get there soon, he hopes so.

.

I totally offer this one to @archie-sunshine and @pinkanonwrites by their glorious work of overheating and teasing Rodimus, I love it to the moon and back to hear about one of my faves even when he is mentally unstable and runs hot most of the time, it's his own charm, specially their newest works that relate to Roddy so much.

[nightlyrequiem]

Be Still My Heart

Chapter 25- Tomorrow

Masterlist AO3 Previous

You're the best in the meth industry but a new product suddenly pops up. You and your boss, Valeria, must figure out who is making it so you can take back the market. All the while tension is building between the two of you.

A/N: THE END! This series gave me burnout lowkey but it's okay. Can't believe it's already over. Feels like just yesterday I was plotting down the chapters in a little notebook. I'm a little sad it's over

Tags/Warnings: Illegal Substances, Boss Employee Relationship, Angst, Some Hurt/Comfort, Violence, Manipulation, Suggestive Themes, Smut (But Only in CH19.), Dual POV

You throw yourself to the ground as bullets begin raining down. Landing roughly beside Valeria. The bodies of your team fall heavily as they're struck. You're too disoriented and it's too dark to see who's making it and who isn't. There's an old car a few feet away. Gathering up every atom of strength in you, you grab ahold of a now unconscious and heavily bleeding Valeria and try to drag her. Cold claws of fear grip your heart tightly. How much blood has she lost? You can't tell, the amount is skewed by how much has soaked up into the dirt. Something wizzes by and burns your leg. you gasp and drop Valeria. Looking down. Your pants are torn by the knee and blood starts wetting the material.

Gritting your teeth you grab Valeria and use up the last of your strength the pull her behind the car. Breathing heavily and shaking so bad that you can barely pull of your rifle, you drop it to the ground and check over Valeria. Lifting up her shirt. In her side is a clean enter wound. Profusely bleeding. The smell is overwhelmingly metallic and your head swims. Don't pass out, don't throw up. Valeria will die if you can't do this. Fighting back the queasiness, you reach down and use your knife to rip apart the legs of your pants. You struggle to wrap the fabric around her. The sounds of gunfire feels deafening.

You tie the strip fabric tightly and feel helpless as it darkens with blood in seconds. Is that tight enough? You peek your head over the car and see Doug half crouching half running to the gate. Furious and panicked, you grab Valeria's handgun and aim. You miss the first shot, not even seeing where the bullet lands, but you hit him the second shot. Landing a shot right in his back. He stumbles and crashes down. You duck back down, narrowly avoiding getting shot yourself as a bullet pings off the front of the car. You check back on Valeria, checking her pulse and feeling disturbed by how faint it is. You should've stayed back at the house. Hot tears blur your vision and you don't fight them. Instead letting them fall as you press down on her wound. Keeping pressure on it and pleading with her not to die. You're not mad at her anymore.

Valeria has never looked more human covered in dirt and her own blood. It's a startling cold reminder that no matter how smart or strong a person is, that they all fall eventually. You count down the seconds. Just trying to keep Valeria's blood inside of her body where it belongs. Scared out of your mind and trying not to pass out. It finally goes quiet. You wait a few more minutes before peeking around the car again. Seeing the compound littered with hole-ridden bodies both familiar and unfamiliar. Your blood roars in your ears as silhouettes begin moving out from cover. Fear gives way to relief at the familiar faces.

You wave some of them over.

"Valeria's hurt!" You say, voice cracking with nerves. Alain and another man rush over. You back away and let the more experienced and collected individuals take over. Dawn begins to break by the time Valeria is carefully lifted from the ground and into the truck. You're sat in the back with her, instructed with keeping pressure on her wounds. A couple of the group stays behind for cleanup duty, erasing any evidence of their presence. Valeria's head lays in your lap and you brush her hair from her face. Damp with sweat. She looks so pale. You're exhausted, and cold, and need a shower. The ride back to the house feels like it takes days. Many times, you bite back the urge to demand that they take her to the hospital. That would raise too many questions and Valeria wouldn't want questions. She had the foresight to bring medics.

You follow behind the men uselessly while they carry Valeria down into the basement. The medics kick everyone out of the basement while they work on her, everyone including you. You pace around by the basement door. Feeling like you're losing your mind.

"What happened?" You hear Mark ask. "Is she going to die?"

You sure hope not. Valeria, strong, opinioned, powerful Valeria, reduced to an empty corpse and memory. Your chest tightens painfully. She's a liar, murderer, evil drug lord, but she's also your friend. Hired you when no one else did.

What will become of the cartel? Of you? Fear and uncertainty threaten to overwhelm you. The following days you don't leave her side. Setting up a nest of blankets and pillows in the basement, uncaring of the bugs and rats. You look down at her on the hard little table. She looks so still. You can't help but feel at fault for this. You knew something didn't feel right. You told her it was clear and now she's unconscious and dying on a table in some guy's basement. Maybe if you were just better at cooking meth she never would have felt the need to find and kill Doug. Though deep down you know how competitive she was. Is. She's not dead yet. The thin blanket covering her shifts and you look up hopefully. She lifts her arm and covers her face, groaning in pain.

You feel sick with relief and rush to her side, grabbing her hand.

"Valeria." You say. Valeria looks at you, brows furrowed.

"Why am I in a basement?" She growls, trying to sit up only to gasp and fall back.

"Relax." You murmur. "You... do you remember what happened?" You ask anxiously.

"Yeah, we raided the compound and then I was fucking shot. Now why am I in the basement?" She says, sounding annoyed. You squeeze her hand.

"The medics treated you here, it was out of the way." You tell her.

You let yourself indulge in her for a few more moments.

"I'm sorry, Val." You say. "I should've checked harder, Alain should've checked harder."

Valeria looks away. "It's... things don't always go perfectly, and even the most experienced of people make mistakes. How many casualties?"

You bite the inside of your cheek. "Seven. On our side. And Doug is dead too." You tell her quietly. Valeria grimaces.

"We shouldn't have come here. Waste of time and men." She says gruffly. You reach out a hand and brush it through her hair gently. Valeria subtly leans into it.

You sigh wearily.

"We got rid of the competition." You remind her. "We'll go back to being the best in the business."

Valeria looks at you. "Will you still cook for me?" She asks. "If this scared you off, I'd understand." You're surprised by the lack of bite to her words. Like she means what she says.

"Of course I'll still cook for you." You murmur. "Besides, I don't think I'll be able to work a normal job after this. I was the one who killed Doug." The realization hits you hard. A pit opening up in your stomach. It makes you feel dirty. Bad. wrong. You shake it off for now, there's a time and a place to think about it.

Valeria stares at you. Looking wholly vulnerable. 

"I know you want a genuine apology." She says. "But I can't give you one. But I can give you honesty. I'm not sorry for lying about Corra, but I am sorry that it hurt you. I was acting in my own best interest. And yours by extension. I don't expect you to forgive me but I want you to know that no matter what I do care about you, even it it's from arm's length."

You frown at her. Considering her words.

"What you did wasn't okay. You don't get to decide things for me even if you think they aren't good for me. That's up for me to decide." You tell her. "I'm willing to forgive you eventually though. But you have to be willing to change some of your ways." You caress her face. "If you can't do that, then I cannot be with you. I need someone who sees me as my own person. I appreciate your protection, but protect me a little less." You lean down and gently press your lips to hers.

Valeria kisses back without urgency or fire. The kiss is simple and sweet and doesn't overstay it's welcome. You pull away and look at her with affection and concern.

"I'll go tell the others that you're awake. Then we can finally go home." You give her a fleeting smile before leaving her on the table. Rick and Corra are together again. You wish you could apologize to them but you're too caught up in how relieved you are that you didn't lose Valeria. You don't know if she'll be able to change but you know you'll always love her, as a friend, as a boss, maybe as more.

[wheelscomedyandmore]

The first time Steven Spielberg saw the mechanical shark in action, it sank. Not in a dramatic, monstrous way, but embarrassingly, right to the bottom of the ocean. The 25-foot, pneumatically powered beast nicknamed "Bruce" after Spielberg’s lawyer was supposed to be the terrifying centerpiece of "Jaws" (1975). Instead, it was a 1.2-ton headache. The saltwater wreaked havoc on its hydraulics, its skin bubbled under the sun, and it frequently refused to move at all. Some days, Bruce simply sat there, lifeless, while the entire cast and crew waited. Spielberg, at just 26, feared he’d never work again.

Filming on Martha’s Vineyard was already a logistical nightmare. The production had planned for a 55-day shoot, but the ocean refused to cooperate. Waves, tides, and unpredictable weather turned scenes into endurance tests. Boats drifted into frame. Cameras had to be stabilized on a constantly shifting sea. The crew, many of whom had only worked on controlled studio sets, struggled with seasickness. The actors weren’t faring much better. Robert Shaw, playing the grizzled shark hunter Quint, battled both the script and his own alcoholism. His drunken rants frustrated Richard Dreyfuss, leading to real-life tensions that bled into their performances. Roy Scheider, caught between them, later admitted he spent most of the shoot waiting for someone to explode.

Every day felt like a new disaster. The mechanical shark broke so often that Spielberg was forced to rethink entire sequences. Instead of seeing the shark, audiences would hear it John Williams��� ominous, pulsing score filling the void. Instead of overusing Bruce, Spielberg relied on shadows, floating barrels, and reaction shots. This wasn’t just improvisation; it became a masterclass in suspense. By hiding the monster, the film became even scarier. When Bruce did finally emerge, its jerky, unnatural movement worked in the film’s favor, making the shark seem even more alien and menacing.

Behind the scenes, Spielberg fought battles beyond the technical failures. The budget ballooned from $4 million to nearly $9 million. The studio panicked. Universal executives considered pulling the plug. The director, exhausted and paranoid, feared the crew might mutiny. Rumors swirled that he’d be fired. Spielberg later recalled sleepless nights, convinced his career was sinking alongside Bruce.

But when test screenings began, everything changed. The audience screamed. They jumped at every underwater shadow, every flicker of movement. They weren’t laughing at the mechanical shark they were terrified. Universal rushed to capitalize, launching an unprecedented marketing campaign with prime-time TV spots. On June 20, 1975, "Jaws" opened in 409 theaters, a wide release unheard of at the time. It shattered records, grossing over $470 million worldwide, cementing Spielberg’s career and creating the concept of the summer blockbuster.

What started as a sinking production became one of the most influential films in history. "Jaws" (1975) didn’t just survive its failures it thrived because of them, proving that sometimes, disaster is the best thing that can happen to a film.

[boinkingbattlemechs]

Iron Cheetah

The Iron Cheetah is an Assault OmniMech originally designed by Clan Smoke Jaguar in an effort to create the ultimate assault OmniMech. Even though the Smoke Jaguars were running into issues of limited resources, they were still able to develop one last OmniMech. The Iron Cheetah was designed to supplement the Dire Wolf and represented the pinnacle of 3050's BattleMech technology. The lack of sufficient resources precluded the Jaguar ability to field more than a handful of these machines before their Annihilation at the hands of the Inner Sphere. The Draconis Combine was able to salvage a few chassis, which were assigned to the most prestigious of MechWarriors.

The plans for the Iron Cheetah managed to find their way to Clan Diamond Shark but it wasn't until 3080s that the Diamond Sharks were able to put the OmniMech into production. The Republic of the Sphere purchased an exclusivity contract, thus preventing widespread dissemination of the Iron Cheetah. The Republic concentrated its machines in Stone's Brigade and the Fidelis. With the death of the Republic, Clan Sea Fox began selling the Iron Cheetah on the open market, mostly to House Steiner, Marik, and Davion. Out of the Clans only Clan Snow Raven and Clan Wolf-in-Exile have shown interest in the 'Mech.

Designed to improve upon the Dire Wolf, the Iron Cheetah mounts a 400-rated XL engine. This enables to the 'Mech to reach speeds of 64 km/h. While designers feared the increased engine mass would excessively reduce the 'Mech's payload, the increased cooling efficiency meant little impact to the 'Mech's practical punch. Both Endo Steel and ferro-fibrous armor were used to save additional weight.

The Primary Configuration mounts a number of long-range weapons, giving the Iron Cheetah amazing sniping potential. Dual ER PPCs supported by an Artemis-IV-augmented LRM 15 rack and Gauss rifle allow it to disable or destroy most opponents before they can close. Medium pulse lasers and an ER small laser provided close-in defense, while an anti-missile system handled any incoming missile barrages.

[pure-ablution]

What’s your daily shower routine like ?

I take a shower every morning and a bath every night—it’s a bit much, but it’s just my habit, and I have different products and routines for the morning and evening. Here’s my morning shower routine; it’s focused mostly around scented products, so that I can layer my fragrances and smell lovely for the day ahead.

Step 1. I dry brush my body.

I like dry brushing every morning before my shower. It wakes me up, stimulates my circulation, and just generally invigorates me, and it gives my skin a gentle exfoliation, too. I use an ionic body brush with bronze and horsehair bristles from the German brushmaker Redecker—the same brush is sold by Officine Universelle Buly, only at a higher price point. You could really use any basic body brush for this step, but I was taken in by the ionic marketing. For a basic explanation of dry brushing and an approximation of the same routine I do, I recommend this video.

Step 2. I wash thoroughly.

It’s maybe a little bit excessive to use 3 different soaps and bodywashes in the shower, but I promise that every one has its uses. In my opinion, soap works much better than bodywash to properly clean your body and remove any odour, and I find that it lathers really well (and exfoliates, of course) with a Salux cloth. I use Asepso sulphur soap on the areas of my body that are prone to acne or congestion, and Kojiesan on the areas that are prone to hyperpigmentation, and then finally I go all over with the vanilla-scented soap from Le Petit Marseillais to reset the scent for me and stop me from smelling like sulphur for the day. I like a silicone loofah (much easier to clean than a traditional loofah) to foam up my bodywashes, and I use the vanilla shower milk from Le Petit Marseillais first, then FemFresh on the more pH-sensitive parts (if you get my drift), and lastly the shower oil from Bioderma to soothe, soften and moisturise my skin before I step out of the shower again. Of course, at this point, I might also wash my hair, but that routine is covered in another post.

Step 3. I tone and moisturise.

As soon as I’ve dried myself, I go all over my body with glycolic acid. It brightens my skin, keeps it soft, and prevents any blemishes from forming. Once it’s absorbed, I use the original (vanilla) whipped body butter from Josie Maran—it isn’t the cheapest option in the world, but I went on a long quest for the perfect vanilla body lotion, and this was what won out for me. It smells amazing and the scent lasts all day, and it’s so moisturising, too. The last step is a bit of an odd one, but please hear me out: I wanted a simple vanilla body oil that would absorb quickly and came in a large bottle, and this massage oil, originally intended for more sensual activities, works really, really well for that purpose. It’s quite inexpensive and smells lovely, and the bottle is discreet.

Step 4. I massage my body.

With my body still quite soft and slick from being moisturised, I go in for massage therapy. I get quite stiff overnight, and I like to massage my sore muscles after going to the gym in the morning, so this is really a must for me. In the mornings, I mostly just use my hands and a few wood therapy tools to wake up and loosen my muscles, and I save the more intense massage for the evening. I focus on my legs and shoulders, because these are the parts of my body that tend to grow stiffest overnight, and I also make sure to properly massage my breasts exactly as my grandmother always taught me.

Step 5. I apply SPF, deodorant, and perfume.

Last step! I use kids’ sunscreen for my body because it’s cheap, has high sun protection, and this one in particular smells like vanilla. It’s the same deal for the Old Spice deodorant: cheap and vanilla-scented. I also make sure to use a little Vaseline on my pulse points before applying my favourite perfume, ‘Dialogue with Venus’ by Pierre Guillaume, and let it warm up and settle before I get dressed.

[biblicallyaccuratemeat]

Melting

A/N: Happy Valentine's Day to my all-time favorite human being and best friend, @teaflavoredwitch! My life would be so boring and lame if you weren't in it, I'm immensely thankful for your friendship and our 2,000+ ongoing rps :) <3 I had so much fun writing your tiefling babe and Gale, they really are my OTP. Gale Dekarios x original tiefling character, established relationship, tooth-rotting fluff, post-game, non-sexual body worship, intimacy, domestic fluff, Valentine's Day fluffy goodness!

Word count: 4.2k

Gale stood at the window of his study, gazing out at the bustling streets of Waterdeep below. The sun shone brightly on this Valentine's Day, the perfect weather to kickstart a day dedicated to lavishing affection upon his beloved Tea. As the front door opened and Tea stepped inside, Gale turned to greet them with a warm smile. His brown eyes sparkled with anticipation as he took in the sight of his partner returning home. He had been eagerly awaiting their arrival, having spent the morning meticulously planning a day filled with thoughtful gestures and heartfelt experiences to show Tea just how deeply they were loved.

"What a pleasant surprise seeing you home already," Gale remarked, his rich baritone voice tinged with delighted anticipation. He stepped closer, his graceful yet strong posture accentuated by the simple yet refined wizard robes he wore. A neatly trimmed full beard framed his handsome face, and his brown hair swept back. "I trust your foray into the market was a productive one? For myself, the morning has been quite the opposite - a period of idle anticipation, not for lack of industry, but for the opportunity to spend this day in your exquisite company."

He reached out to brush a stray lock of hair from Tea's forehead, his fingers lingering on the soft skin of their cheek in a tender caress. The dark scar on his upper chest, a relic from his past encounters with the Netherese orb, seemed to pulse with a life of its own as his heartbeat quickened in their presence. The little tiefling beams at Gale, setting their heavy satchel down, no longer able to contain their excitement, they chirp, “I got you a Valentine’s gift at the market!”

They turn their attention to the discarded satchel, digging through it with a determined little furrow of their brow. After a moment of rooting around and tossing random items to the side, they let out a little triumphant “Ah-ha!” Pulling out a leatherbound, ancient tome, they hold it up proudly. Gale immediately recognizes it as the very volume he has been searching tirelessly for to no avail. His eyes widened in delighted surprise as Tea presented the rare tome, his smile softening into an expression of heartfelt appreciation. He accepted the gift with a gentle reverence, his fingers tracing the worn leather cover and the intricate embossed symbols adorning the front.

"My dear Tea," Gale murmured, his voice laden with emotive weight, "you truly have outdone yourself this time. A work of arcane literature such as this is an exquisite find, even in the sprawling markets of Waterdeep." He opened the tome, the scent of aged parchment and the faint shimmer of magical wards ghosting across the pages.

"This is a compendium of Valthrun Shadowweb's research on the dynamics of arcane weather phenomena. I have long sought an original copy of this text, and you have delivered it to me as if it were a piece of my own heart." Gale's eyes glistened with unshed tears of joy as he gazed at his beloved. "Your intuition and thoughtfulness never cease to amaze me, my darling."

He set the tome down on a nearby table and stepped closer to Tea, one hand coming to rest gently on the small of their back. His thumb traced the curve of their spine, a tender gesture of love and appreciation. Gale leaned in, his beard brushing against their cheek as he hummed happily, “That must have cost you an arm and a leg to procure such a rare item.”

Tea’s face flushes a deeper pink than their complexion, giggling nervously, “Oh, right, about that…” They wring their hands together nervously, sneaking a glance up at the wizard, “I wouldn’t exactly say I bought it…um, it’s more like I happened upon it and took it?” They offer a tentative smile, though they know Gale wouldn’t be angry.

Gale's brow furrowed slightly as a flicker of confusion crossed his handsome features, his thumb coming to a pause on the small of Tea's back. He tilted his head curiously, his brown eyes searching theirs as they gazed up at him with a nervous yet sweet smile.

"I see," Gale murmured, his voice taking on a gentle, almost indulgent tone. "Well, however you came by this tome, I am deeply moved by the gesture of your thoughtfulness." He leaned in closer, his beard brushing against their cheek as he spoke softly into their ear. "My beloved, you need not worry about the price or the means by which you acquired this rare treasure. The true value lies in the love and care you have put into this thoughtful gift and the joy it brings me."

“Oh, well, anything for you," Tea chirps happily, preening under Gale's attention, their heavy tail swishing happily. "I'm glad you like it.”

A soft chuckle rumbled in Gale's chest as he listened to Tea's cheerful admission, a warm smile spreading across his handsome face. His fingers curled gently around their waist, holding them close as he gazed into their eyes with adoration. "Anything for me, you say?" Gale repeated, raising a brow as a playful smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. "My dear, I would say the sentiment is mutual." He leaned in closer, until their foreheads touched and his warm breath ghosted over their lips. "You spoil me so very much, my love."

Gale's hand slid higher up their back, his fingers threading through their short, thick hair. He tilted Tea's head to the side, exposing the delicate curve of their neck revealingly. Unable to resist the temptation of such succulent flesh, Gale bent down and pressed a tender kiss to the tender pink skin, his beard leaving a light roughness in its wake.

"Today, I wish to return the favor," he murmured against their throat before trailing gentle kisses up to their jaw. "I have planned a day filled with our every indulgence, from the heights of cuisine to intimate moments I intend to share in the sanctuary of our chambers."

His voice was a low, husky murmur as he spoke of his intentions, his breath hot against their skin. Gale had always been one to use words like the finest of weapons, and he wielded them now with intent to disarm Tea entirely. "Will you allow me the pleasure of pampering you, my heart? This Valentine's Day, I wish to show you the depths of my devotion."

Tea's pink skin flushed a brighter shade of pink, and they all but glowed from Gale's intimate kiss. They pressed their petite body eagerly into Gale's strong arms, heart racing. "Really?" Tea gasped thrilled, their voice a mix of surprise and anticipation tinged with a level of mischievousness. Their short, chunky tail swept excitedly behind them as Gale spoke of his romantic plans, eyes sparkling.  "That sounds absolutely wonderful, my love," Tea chirped, practically drinking in Gale's words.

Gale's brow raised in delight at Tea's animated response, a playful smirk gracing his handsome features. "Indeed, it shall be," he murmured, fingers dancing along their spine. Tea melted against Gale's firm chest, bashfully tucking their chin to their shoulder. "You spoil me rotten sometimes, you know that?" They giggled, gecko-like tail curling as they gazed up at Gale with a coquettish air.

"Rotten with love and affection, my dear," Gale countered with a roguish grin, his eyes glinting with mischief. His arms tightened around Tea's petite frame, pulling them flush against his firm chest as he leaned down to capture their lips in a loving kiss. The kiss was a promise of passion to come, his tongue delving past their soft lips to claim the warmth of their mouth. Gale drank in the sweet taste of his beloved, a groan rumbling in his throat as he held them tighter.

"Besides," he murmured, breaking the kiss to trail his lips along the curve of their jaw, "if spoiling you is a crime, then I proudly confess to being guilty as charged." Gale's voice was a husky whisper, his breath hot against their blushing pink skin. "And I intend to indulge in this particular vice for the rest of our days together."

"If it pleases you, my adorable little thief," Gale hummed, nipping playfully at their earlobe, “I’m ready to begin the celebration, starting with unwrapping the gifts I painstakingly procured for you.”

Tea blinked in genuine surprise, their chunky, rose-tinted ears twitching as they gazed up at Gale with wide, sparkling eyes. The pink skin of their round face flushed an even deeper shade at the realization that he had also prepared gifts for them. "Oh my, Gale... you didn't have to get me a gift!" Tea chirped, a breathless note of delight and gratitude coloring their voice. Their chunky tail swished excitedly behind them as they pressed closer to the warmth of their beloved's strong arms. "I'm already the luckiest thief in all of Faerûn to have captured your heart." 

Tea's fingers curled into the fabric of Gale's refined robes as they tilted their head to meet his heated gaze, a playful smile tugging at the corner of their kiss-swollen lips. They nuzzled into the comforting roughness of Gale's beard before fixing him with an impish grin, their voice dropping to a teasing murmur. "But since you insist on spoiling me rotten, my clever, thoughtful mage... lead the way to my surprises!"

Gale couldn't help but chuckle at the delighted surprise and gratitude in Tea's voice, a warm glow kindling in his chest at the knowledge that he alone had put such a luminous expression on their handsome face. He gave their plush rear a playful smack before taking their hand in his, entwining their fingers tightly as he began to lead them towards their private chambers.

"Ah, but I did have to get you a gift, my dear," Gale insisted, his thumb stroking the delicate bones of their hand as he drew Tea along the hall. "For how else will you come to fully understand the depths of my adoration and devotion?" He paused before the ornate door to their shared room, turning to face Tea with a roguish smile playing about his handsome face.

With his free hand, Gale pushed open the door, revealing the sumptuous chamber beyond. Rose petals were strewn across the plush carpet, and the air was suffused with the heady scent of incense. Candles flickered in every corner, casting the room in a warm, inviting glow. Atop the grand bed sat an assortment of gaily wrapped packages and a grand bouquet of red roses.

"I may be a man of learning and sorcery," Gale said with a wink, "but I am not so arrogant as to believe that the sum of my affections can be conveyed solely through grand gestures." He raised Tea's hand to his lips, pressing a fervent kiss to their knuckles before leading them into the candlelit room. "Today, I wish to cover you in gifts and indulgences, until you are quite overwhelmed with the force of my love."

As Tea entered the room, Gale reached out to close and lock the door behind them, ensuring their privacy. He kept hold of their hand as he led them further into the room, pausing before the bed strewn with presents and the grand bouquet of roses.

"This is... incredible," Tea breathed, gazing around the room with wide, sparkling eyes. Their wide tail curled and uncurled behind them as they took in the romantic scene before them. They turned to Gale, their heart stirring in their chest, and pressed a kiss to the rough stubble of his jaw. "Thank you so much for all of this, my love."

Gale smiled, immensely pleased by Tea's heartfelt gratitude. His hand drifted up to cup their cheek, thumb brushing over the soft skin. "My beautiful thief, I would spend a lifetime searching for ways to shower you in gifts and love, were it possible." He leaned in to capture their lips in a tender kiss, pouring his affection into the gentle pressure and lingering caress of his mouth against theirs. "But for now, I want you to open your gifts and take pleasure in each one, as I find bliss in lavishing you with devotion."

With a smile, Gale guided Tea to sit on the edge of the bed, the plush mattress dipping slightly beneath them. As they sat on the edge of the plush bed, Tea's gecko-like tail curling and uncurling behind them in excitement, they reached for the nearest gift. With deft, nimble fingers accustomed to thieving and pilfering, they carefully unwrapped the present, a soft gasp escaping them as they revealed a stunning, handcrafted pendant necklace.

"Oh, Gale... this is exquisite," Tea breathed, holding the glittering treasure up to the candlelight. They turned to their beloved, a luminous smile playing about their lips. "You always know just how to make me feel special."

One by one, Tea opened each gift, each more thoughtful and kind than the last. A beautiful silk robe, a collection of fine chocolates from a renowned Waterdeep confectioner, a first edition copy of a celebrated bard's tales, and finally, a small, velvet box containing a pair of opalescent earrings that shimmered like the stars themselves.

"These are... I don't even know what to say," Tea murmured, blinking back sudden tears of joy and gratitude. They looked up at Gale, eyes glowing softly in the candlelight. "No one has ever given me such stunning, loving gifts before. Thank you, my darling."

Gale's heart swelled with warmth and affection as he watched Tea unwrap each thoughtful gift, a soft smile playing about his handsome face. The candlelight danced in their eyes, illuminating the raw emotion and gratitude shining in their expression. He knew he had done well, had succeeded in making his beloved feel cherished and adored.

"My dearest Tea," Gale murmured, raising their intertwined hands to his lips to press a fervent kiss to their knuckles. "There is one more gift, a small token of my deepest affections, that I have yet to bestow upon you."

He reached into the inner pocket of his robe with his free hand and withdrew a small, leather-bound journal. The cover was worn and the pages slightly dog-eared, a testament to the countless hours he had spent pouring his heart out upon the brittle paper within.

With a playful smirk, Gale presented the journal to Tea, his eyes glinting with a mix of anticipation and a hint of nervousness. "I know I am not the most skilled artist," he admitted with a self-deprecating chuckle, "but I wanted to capture a small piece of your beauty and essence, to immortalize the way your smile ignites a fire within my very soul."

Gently, he opened the journal to reveal a series of sketches, each one depicting Tea in various joyful and candid moments. There was a sketch of their smile as they laughed at a joke, their gecko-like tail curled around their legs as they lounged in the sun. Another captured the fierce concentration on their face as they worked on a delicate lock, their brows furrowed and their tongue peeking out the corner of their mouth. Each sketch was a testament to the love and admiration Gale held for his beloved thief.

"I may be a man of magic and learning," Gale explained softly, turning to the final page of the journal, "but I am not skilled with a charcoal pencil as you are." He turned to face Tea, his brown eyes shining with a vulnerability he rarely showed. "So I tried to draw you from memory, each moment etched into my mind like a precious gem."

"This is how I see you, always and forever," he whispered, his voice rough with emotion. "Beautiful and flawless."

He leaned in to capture their lips in a searing kiss, pouring every ounce of his love and desire into the heated press of his mouth against theirs. His tongue delved past their soft lips to claim the honeyed cavern of their mouth, stroking along the slick flesh in a sensual dance.

Breaking the kiss with a muffled groan, Gale leaned his forehead against Tea's, their breath mingling as they gazed into each other's eyes. "I love you," he breathed, his voice raw with feeling. "I love you more than words can express, my darling thief."

He tilted their chin up gently, forcing Tea to meet his intense, adoring gaze. "My beautiful, wonderful thief... Do you have any idea how exquisite you truly are?"

His hands drifted down to trace the delicate curve of their jaw, the elegant column of their throat, as if committing every inch of their skin to memory. "Every inch of you is a marvel to behold," Gale declared, his voice filled with reverent awe. "From the way your pink skin flushes like the first light of dawn to the fiery strength that burns in your eyes, you are a vision of breathtaking beauty."

He leaned in, his beard brushing against the sensitive skin of their neck as he pressed a trail of fervent kisses along their racing pulse. "Your horns, your tail, every unique feature that marks you as a tiefling... they are all testaments to the incredible being you are." Gale's hands drifted lower, skimming over their waist and hips. "You are a masterpiece, my darling, crafted with the finest of materials and the most skillful of hands."

His own hands were slightly rough and calloused from years of wielding a quill and casting spells, but they were gentle as he mapped out the contours of Tea's body with a worshipful touch. Gale's lips found theirs once more in a slow, sensual kiss, his tongue toying with the seam of their mouth until they granted him entrance.

"I want you to see yourself through my eyes, my heart," Gale breathed against their lips, his voice raw with emotion. "I want you to feel the deep, abiding love and adoration I hold for you in every fiber of my being." His hands slid down to squeeze the plush, perfect globes of their rear, pulling their hips flush against his. "You are beautiful, inside and out, and I will spend every day of our lives showing you just how deeply you are treasured and loved."

Tea smiled softly, their nose brushing gently against Gale's as they gazed into his warm, loving eyes. They nuzzled into him affectionately, their voice a tender murmur, "And so are you, my darling Gale. I am incredibly proud of the journey you've undertaken since the day we first crossed paths. Watching you grow, heal, and embrace your true self has been one of the greatest joys of my life."

Tea's hand came up to cup Gale's slightly stubbled cheek, their thumb stroking the fine lines etched there - lines that spoke of a life lived with passion, heartache, and hard-won wisdom. Their eyes, sparkling with genuine admiration, searched his own as they spoke from the heart. "You've faced your demons, claimed your power, and emerged as a force for good, not just in the magical community, but in my world and my heart. Your strength, your compassion, your unwavering dedication to learning, growing, and being the best version of yourself... it never fails to take my breath away." They leaned in closer, until their foreheads touched and Tea's short, thick hair mingled with Gale's own brown locks. "Meeting you, falling in love with you, has been the greatest adventure of my life. You've shown me what it means to be truly seen, loved, and appreciated for all that I am. And in turn, your growth and transformation have inspired me to be the best partner I can be for you."

With their other hand, Tea interlaced their fingers with Gale's, squeezing gently as they gazed at him with a mix of tender adoration and fierce pride. "You are a remarkable man, Gale Dekarios. I am so deeply in love with the incredible person you are, and I can't wait to see all the amazing things we'll accomplish together in the years to come."

Gale's heart swelled with a profound, overwhelming love and gratitude as he listened to Tea's heartfelt words. He felt the warmth of their tender touch, the gentle stroke of their thumb against the lines etched into his skin - each one a testament to the life he had lived and the trials he had overcome. Tears of emotion glittered in his brown eyes as he gazed back at his beloved, a soft smile playing about his lips.

"My heart," Gale murmured, his voice thick with feeling, "you honor me with your kind words and unwavering faith." He turned his head to press a fervent kiss to their tender palm, his lips lingering on their soft skin. "To know that my journey, my struggles and triumphs, have been a source of joy and inspiration for you... it is a gift beyond measure."

He wrapped his arms around Tea's waist, holding them close, his body covering theirs in a protective, loving embrace. "You are my guiding star, my moral compass, and my heart's truest home," Gale declared, his hands roaming over the curves of their body with a worshipful touch. "Every challenge I have faced, every demon I have vanquished... it has all been in service of becoming the man worthy of your love and affection." Gale captured Tea's lips in a slow, sensual kiss, pouring every ounce of his love and devotion into the heated press of his mouth against theirs. His tongue delved past their soft lips to stroke along the slick flesh within, tangling with theirs in a dance as old as time itself.

"Together, my heart, we will face whatever adventures and trials the future may hold," Gale vowed, his voice a low, passionate murmur against their kiss-swollen lips. "Side by side, hand in hand, and with the strength of our love as our guiding light."

"Today, tomorrow, and for all the days to come," Gale breathed, his brown eyes darkening with lust and love, "I will love you, cherish you, and show you the depths of my devotion in every way I know how.

As the sun began to set, casting a warm, golden glow across the city of Waterdeep, Gale set about preparing a feast for his beloved Tea. He consulted with the countless cookbooks he amassed over the years, making a list of Tea's favorite dishes - hearty stews, sinfully rich desserts, and succulent roasted meats that Gale knew would delight his thief's palate. The aroma of the cooking food filled the air, a tantalizing preview of the decadent meal to come.

After dinner, Gale took the time to draw Tea, a warm, scented bath. He poured essential oils and fragrant herbs into the steaming water, watching as the candles flickered and the scent of lavender and vanilla perfumed the air. He wanted everything to be perfect, a sensual and relaxing experience for them to share. As the bath filled, Gale stripped down to his own robe, the fine silk clinging to his muscular frame. He walked nude and barefoot, as he made his way to their shared bathing chamber. Gale found Tea already undressed, their tiefling features glowing softly in the candlelight as they gazed around at the romantic scene he had created for them.

"Happy Valentine’s Day, my love," Gale murmured, holding out a gentle hand to assist Tea into the hot, fragrant water. As they sank down into the tub, Gale wrapped his strong arms around their waist, pulling Tea's back against his firm chest. "I wanted this day to be perfect, a testament to the incredible bond we share and the love that I hold for you."

Tea leaned back against him, a soft sigh of pleasure escaping their lips as the warm water enveloped their skin. Gale held them close, his hands drifting over the slick, wet curves of their body with a tender, loving touch. He massaged the tense muscles of their shoulders and back, kneading and caressing, until Tea was relaxed and pliant against him. They stayed in the bath for hours, talking softly and playfully as they washed and cleansed each other. They simply basked in the languid intimacy and closeness of the moment. As the night deepened and the water cooled, Gale and Tea dried off and crept between the silken sheets of their four-poster bed. They clung to each other, Gale spooning Tea from behind, his strong arms wrapped tightly around their soft curves. He held them possessively, his hand resting low on their belly, a gesture of ownership and love.

"Sleep now, my heart," Gale whispered, nuzzling into the salty-sweet scent of Tea's damp hair. "Sleep, and dream of the adventures we will share in the years to come." He pressed a tender kiss to their neck, breathing in the warmth of their skin. "I love you, Tea. More than words can ever express."

In the glow of the candlelight, with the comforting weight of Gale's body curled around their own, Tea drifted off into a peaceful, contented sleep. Gale followed soon after, a look of pure, unadulterated happiness and love softening his weathered features as he held his beloved close. In that perfect, tranquil moment, Gale had never felt happier or more complete.

[blessed-curse]

The Energy Drink That Changed Everything:

Extreme Pulse (EXP) – The Drink That Changed Humanity

Origins & Creation (2078):

In 2078, Nikolaev Biotech, under the direction of Arseny and Alexei Nikolaev, launched an energy drink called Extreme Pulse (EXP)—a seemingly ordinary product designed for athletes, gamers, and the general public looking for an energy boost.

Marketed as a "next-generation performance enhancer," EXP quickly gained traction due to its unparalleled effects on stamina, focus, and recovery. What no one realized was that EXP was laced with a heavily diluted extract of Ambrosia, designed to awaken dormant genetic codes in the human population.

Nikolaev Biotech disguised the active compound under the name "Bio-Optimized Neural Stimulant (B.O.N.S.)," claiming it was a revolutionary organic performance enhancer derived from deep-sea superfoods.

In reality, B.O.N.S. was nothing more than Ambrosia diluted to safe levels.

Rise in Popularity (2078–2084):

EXP quickly dominated the global energy drink market, outpacing traditional brands like Red Bull and Monster within just three years.

• Athletes reported unrealistic stamina gains, faster reflexes, and sharper instincts.

• Gamers experienced heightened focus, reaction times, and cognitive speed.

• Casual drinkers found themselves stronger, faster, and more energetic than ever before.

By 2080, EXP had become a worldwide phenomenon, with hundreds of millions consuming it daily. Governments, however, started to take notice when a strange pattern emerged—a rise in individuals developing unnatural physical and cognitive abilities.

By 2082, a small percentage of consistent EXP drinkers began displaying superhuman traits—some subtle, others extreme. Cases of unexplainable regenerative healing, enhanced senses, and even minor telekinetic abilities began to surface.

This led to the first whispers that EXP was not what it seemed.

The Nikolaev Scandal & EXP’s Downfall (2084–2086):

By 2084, Nikolaev Biotech was forced into legal battles when a whistleblower leaked confidential research data linking EXP to abnormal genetic mutations.

Governments launched full-scale investigations, revealing that:

• EXP altered human biology on a fundamental level.

• Some users developed extreme mutations, leading to enhanced abilities but also unpredictable side effects.

• The drink contained biological compounds that did not exist in any known terrestrial organism.

The truth about B.O.N.S. and its deep-sea origins was still hidden, but it was clear that EXP was no ordinary energy drink.

Amidst the backlash, Nikolaev Biotech went bankrupt in 2086, and all production of EXP was shut down. Governments seized all remaining stock and banned its distribution.

However, the damage had already been done.

By 2088, millions of people worldwide had already consumed EXP, and the genetic awakening process had begun.

Legacy of EXP – The Birth of "The Descendants"

Though EXP was discontinued, its effects were irreversible. The drink had kickstarted human evolution, activating dormant genetic sequences in thousands of individuals.

By 2090, scientists had officially classified these first-generation superhumans as “The Descendants.”

Many of the world’s first superheroes and villains could trace their powers back to their exposure to EXP.

The drink had unknowingly reshaped the course of human history, all because of two scientists who believed evolution had stagnated for too long.

Even today, EXP is spoken of in hushed tones, a mythical elixir that forever changed humanity.

Some believe black-market variants of EXP still exist, circulating among underground circles, while others claim that Nikolaev Biotech’s research wasn’t completely destroyed.

If that’s true… the Age of Superhumans may not have been a one-time event.

Author Thoughts:

Extreme Pulse (EXP) was never just an energy drink—it was the catalyst for the modern superhuman era.

[tinydefector]

Would love to see some soft vore with swindle maybe first contact au with a little human he found wandering a warehouse he keeps his product in by themselves

Smuggling

Swindle x human

Word count: 1.8k

Warnings: smut, oral, vore, Valveplug, Giant/Tiny

Edit( had issue with transferring it from my writing area over here so hopefully it's all together this time. The joys)

Swindle masterlist

_____________________

little cries echo from the human swindle had caught, he eyes them through the large Cube he had caught them in debating what he should do with them. Their eyes linger on him wide as if pleading for him to let them go. He wasn't sure how the human had gotten there but he was fascinated by their smaller form

Swindle peered down at his unusual catch through the translucent edges of his containment cube, rotors whirring thoughtfully. The tiny creature writhed within, clawing vainly at the barrier as strange cries emanated from its primitive vocalizer.

How curious that such a fragile thing could have wound up aboard his ship. The Decepticons had little need nor patience for biology beneath their notice. Still, as a businessman, Swindle appreciated any commodity's potential value - and rarity commanded the highest prices on the black market, where only the boldest dared to deal.

"Now now, no need for that racket," he said, tone placating yet laced with calculation. The human stilled at his words, wide optics locking onto Swindle's face with an expression...pleading? Most odd.

Lowering the cube, Swindle gazed within, scanning hastily. Basic carbon-based, bipedal, underdeveloped neuronal network...but sentient nevertheless. His grasping servos gentled upon feeling its erratic organic pulse. Perhaps this catch deserved study before rushing to market. Potential discoveries could revise alien worth beyond raw material.

They curl up on themself, eyes darting around as they watch swindle check his warehouse stock. Small trembles rack their small frame as they try to make themself even smaller. As Swindle surveyed his stockpiles, peripherals noted movement within the containment cube set before him. Curious, he knelt for closer investigation, crimson optics peering through the translucent barrier.

Within, the tiny human had drawn into a quivering ball, trembling violently as large optics darted about the warehouse in panicked disorientation. Clearly, its primitive systems found the vastness overwhelming. How fragile such an alien organism must seem without protective armor, weaponry or even adequate size to impose any will.

Lifting the cube. The human merely shrank tighter, as though hoping invisibility might shield its vulnerable form. An interesting survival mechanism, yet ineffective among their kind. Its continual shaking set oddly on Swindle's sensors.

Crooking a digit, Swindle nudged the cube gently, awaiting response to stimulate and assess this odd creature's potential. What solutions might it improvise under pressure? Fortune favoured the bold and clever, after all.

They shout as they tumble out on the table. Their eyes go wide as they try to bolt across the metal table. Neatly tumbling over the edge. He's curious about the tag on their leg, it held the information on where the human was from, where they were going and what their purpose was for.

As the tiny human tumbled from its confinement, Swindle's keen optics tracked each jerking motion broadcasted by its tag chip and primitive garments. Clearly disoriented amongst the warehouse's cavernous machinery, the thing bolted recklessly across the table, servos scrabbling for purchase on the slick metal.

A sharp gasp escaped them as momentum carried the fragile body over the edge, sending it plummeting toward the unforgiving ground far below. An unfortunate demise would ruin this rare find before its potential could be explored.

Snatching the thing from the air, Swindle brought it close for examination, ignoring its frantic pounding against his braced digits. There - the identification chip embedded in its vest offered tantalising insights into origins and intended fates of this hitherto unknown species.

The human squirms under Swindle's grip as the bot checks them from damage or injuries, moving them close to make sure they aren't broken.  they whimper out. Swindle's optics narrow as he processes the information on the human's leg tag. 

A chuckle escapes Swindle's vocalizer as he holds the squirming human firmly to the table, his grip unyielding. 

The information on their leg tag filters across his processor. 

Species: homo-sapien (human) 

Planet of origin: Terra 1, Earth 

Destination: Vos, Cybertron 

Buyer: offlined 

Other information: 'exotic pet', bid off to the highest buyer or keep them. I don't care.  

"Earth, eh?" he murmured, scanning the encoded lines rapidly. "A long way off course, meatbag. But who said the black market honours authorities' designs, hmm?" The human writhed uselessly, but clever optics observed its every microexpression carefully.

As swindle downloads the language file attached he can finally understand the small squeaks and chirps from them. His audials twitch at the implications, his curiosity piqued by the concept of an 'exotic pet' from Earth being brought to Vos, the city of seekers. It seemed that someone on Cybertron had quite the fascination with organic, soft-bodied creatures. As he downloads the language file attached, the squeaks and chirps they emit start to make sense to Swindle. Their plea for freedom.

"Please let me go," they whimper, their voice carrying a mix of fear and desperation.

Swindle's optics flicker as He leans in closer, his tone low and contemplative. "Now, why would I do that, little human? You see, you've been bought and sold, and it looks like I'm the one in possession of you now. You're quite the valuable commodity, and I must say, I'm rather curious to see just what makes you so 'exotic.'"

Swindle's grip tightens slightly, ensuring they couldn't struggle out of his gasp. He can't help but enjoy the power he holds over them, relishing the control he has in this situation. "Now, don't you worry," he muses, a sly grin playing on his face. "I'll take good care of you, my little 'exotic pet.' Perhaps we can find some... mutually beneficial arrangement."

As the human's plea lingers in the air, Swindle's mind races with possibilities, calculating the potential profits and leverage this situation could bring. For now, they were at his mercy, and he intended to make the most of it. They try fighting against his hold but its useless, only making him chuckle as he holds them to the table.

 'Exotic pet' could mean a lot of things and Swindle was more curious now just what had been intended for the human, but for a human to be set to Vos, the city of seekers he had a pretty good idea. Some Cybertronian had a kink for organics. soft bodies. It was the dead seekers lose now.

Swindle's grip tightens as the human futile struggles against his hold. Their attempts only serve to amuse him, a chuckle slipping past his vocalizer as he maintains his firm grasp, preventing any chance of escape.

A smirk curls across Swindle's face as he contemplates the missed opportunity for the deceased seeker. They had lost out on what could have been a valuable acquisition, but now the human was within his grasp. "Looks like you're quite the prize," Swindle comments, his voice laced with amusement. "I wonder what makes you so special, hmm?"

Their smaller frame lit a fire in Swindle. "What do you want from me? " they whimpered out in the most delightful way. They lean into his servos, they squirm as his digits Begin removing clothes. Swindle intended to test drive them. See what all the fuss was about.

A sly grin spreads across Swindle's face. He takes a moment to savour their squirming, their body responding to his touch. Swindle intends to explore every inch of their being, to push boundaries and test their limits, all while satisfying his own curiosity and desires.

As their clothes fall away and their vulnerability is exposed, Swindle's optics gleam with anticipation. they whine out as Swindle runs his glossa against their skin, arching under his touch as he takes in the sweet taste of their skin, Swindle smirks, savouring the taste of their skin against his glossa. His fingers trace teasing patterns along their body, revelling in the shivers and arches it elicits from them. The sweetness that lingers on their skin reminds him of the finest energon wine or a well-aged high-grade.

"Mmm, you taste as delightful as the finest concoctions," Swindle purrs, his voice dripping with satisfaction. "You're like a rare vintage, my dear, a delectable treat I can't resist." He continues to explore their body with his lips and tongue, leaving a trail of tantalising sensations in his wake. Swindle revels in the power he holds over them, the ability to elicit such pleasurable responses from them.

His hands roam, caressing and teasing, seeking out the most sensitive spots. Swindle's lips curl into a mischievous grin as he trails his glossa between their legs slowly lapping against their skin. He revels in the sounds of their pleasure, the way their breath hitches and their body arches under his touch. His servos roam with purpose, gliding along their curves and tracing patterns As his lips trail lower, Swindle's tongue flicks out to taste the sensitive spots he discovers along the way. He savours the delicious moans that escape their lips, the sweet melody of their pleasure.

"You're so responsive," Swindle whispers, his voice laced with a mix of satisfaction and hunger. With a final, lingering kiss, Swindle pulls back slightly, his gaze filled with a predatory gleam. He knows that he has them right where he wants them, teetering on the edge of overwhelming desire.

"Now, my lovely, it's time to truly indulge," Swindle says, his voice low and sultry. "

His mouth continues to explore their body, his lips and tongue leaving a trail of heat and sensation in their wake. Swindle's hands roam, seeking out every sensitive spot, every place that elicits those delicious reactions. His lips press against their leg as mischief flickers in his optics. 

They lay there shuttering slightly before Swindle takes them further into his mouth. They squeal out as Swindle swallows them. " hey! Let me out!!" They shout and it only makes swindlers chuckle. They cry out again as his tubing slowly drops them down into his tank making an echoing thump as the land. They try to pull themself back up but only get stuck before they land back in the small chamber of his tanks their naked form shivers slightly. 

"Now, now, there's no need to get all worked up," Swindle taunts, his voice smooth and sly. He relishes in the control he has over the situation. He takes a moment to appreciate the sound of their voice echoing within his tanks, a reminder of their helplessness.

 "I'll make sure to take good care of you. After all, you're quite the valuable asset." With a satisfied chuckle, Swindle returns his focus to his work. The human squirms and moves around in the tight confines of Swindle's tank, banging their fist against the inside, It echo's lightly. “Let me out, Let me out !” Swindle's grin widens as he hears the muffled sounds of struggle within his fuel tank. The echo of their fist banging against the walls only adds to his amusement, fueling his desire for control.

"Oh, you're quite the feisty one, aren't you?" Swindle taunts, his voice laced with a mix of amusement and superiority. "But I'm afraid all that struggling won't get you anywhere. You're securely locked away, completely at my mercy."

He takes a moment to savour the sounds of their frustration, "You might as well settle in" Swindle continues, his voice dripping with smugness. "Perhaps if you behave, I'll consider letting you out," Swindle teases, his voice filled with false promise. "But for now, you're mine to keep."

___________

Taglist: @angelxcvxc

Let me know if you wish to be added to the tag list

[andrea-lyn]

I know so many people have shared their own sentiment about the watcher situation and I'm basically jumping into an overfilled pool, but I literally can't stop thinking about this one from the business side of things, so pls have some ramblings. behind a cut bc boy did this get long

All of this is just armchair observations as someone who's been in marketing, optimization, and had my fair share of budget-strapped projects over the years, and who is currently working on strategies to drive growth via marketing:

If it's purely about money - before any of this, they should have exhausted their existing options. Maybe hire a dedicated marketing person to develop a growth and content strategy around Patreon to drive value. Beyond that, use that marketing person to drive awareness campaigns to get people to Patreon with a goal to 5x your Patron count, because there was definitely untapped potential there

If it's about content - every artist has their right to make what they want, but when you start asking people to pay for it, now you have to do your research. Do a survey with a substantive response rate to understand if people even want the shows that you want to produce. Again, you have a right as an artist to produce what you want, but asking your fanbase to pay for things that they don't want is a lot. This is when you need sponsorship help (or seed money and tbh, I'm not ruling out that they don't have some of that behind the scenes). I saw a comment that summed it up really well that when Buzzfeed was paying for Worth It, there was a small thrill of seeing them spend a company's money, but now it's the subscribers money. At that point, if you actually want to be marketable and successful, you need a pulse on what people are willing to pay for vs want for free. If you're spending all your money on high production values for shows that maybe 10% of your audience want, it's wasted resources

I won't speak to the staffing levels because there's likely a lot of nuance there, but I will say that there are probably workflow and resource improvements that could've been done to at least make the staff levels more efficient. This comes down to someone in a process role, which might have been done! Obviously I don't have a peek under the hood and I know they've discussed restructuring before, but this is a matter of scale and goes back to the second point -- there's a lot of 'if we build it, they will come' mentality here, but again, if you're not building what they want ... no, they won't, especially when Dropout and Netflix and Disney+ and other subscribers are building right beside you.

If they were dead-set on this, then should have hired a marketing/PR person to plan this launch for them. Dropout, anecdotally, is an example I go back to. I still remember seeing the stings at the end of videos about it and I remember going 'hey, I'm not going to pay for that' for years. But they were deliberate in their strategy of posting content, they didn't immediately shove behind the paywall, and they built up a catalogue with content that it did then make sense to pay (and a reasonable rate for the value!). The abrupt launch without a content plan to communicate value was an odd choice. I also think that survey I mentioned before should have delved into willingness to pay so they could actually understand where the ceiling kicks in and where no matter how much people want to pay that might not match up with what they're willing to. You'd get your average price there and then you could realistically do a workback schedule to understand the content you can produce, which could have then be used to create a content pipeline

Honestly, I think it all comes down to them wanting to pursue their dreams and more power to them. I love that they have a mission statement to make television quality videos -- but here's the thing, you have an existing audience and given the reaction, it's becoming clear that your mission statement and your audience's core wants of your product don't align, which means that something has to get sacrificed ...and unfortunately, in this case, I think it's the goodwill of a large portion of the audience that gets the knife because I really don't think this one's getting walked back

Like I said earlier, I do have some suspicions that maybe there's seed money or financial backing in this from investors (they solicited this in the past), but they've lacked a clear strategy around growth and marketing to buffer their finances in the past and it doesn't fill me with a lot of optimism that things will change because they're behind a paywall. For those who intend to subscribe, I think it's great and I think that it proves that yes, there is going to be an audience for them -- it's just always a question of numbers and whether that audience is their target to break even. I had suspicions their big announcement was this and I was honestly planning to subscribe too until I saw the price point and the lack of future scheduling news. Unfortunately, given the amount of subscriptions I already have, it didn't make sense, but if it were cheaper and there was a more robust content plan, I probably would be there too.

[runawaycatwalker]

Part 23. Contracted Liberation

<< First | < Previous | Next >

Description below the cut

Gabriel bangs his fists against the wall.

Gabriel: Nothing.  No sign of Adrien.  No leads.  And my arsenal of tools is completely ineffective.  My thumb on the mayor to control the police's search?  Marketing initiatives backed by a global brand?  The powers of the most feared supervillain in the world?  All useless!  And just to twist the knife, my akumas have started dying before they can evilize anyone!

Nathalie interlaces her fingers and looks away, in thought.

Nathalie (internally): It sounds like Catwalker has been using his Cataclysm preemptively.  Best not to point that out to Gabriel right now, though.  We shouldn't target Catwalker so soon after my truce with him and Ladybug.  Even if the heroes don't know how to contact Adrien, remaining cordial with them may open doors later on.

Nathalie points outward.

Nathalie (aloud): It's possible that the police who have been investigating Adrien's disappearance have been nearby often enough that they're shooting akumas on sight.  Perhaps you should consider going back to akumatizing those without any connection to Adrien?

Closeup of Gabriel gnashing his teeth.

Gabriel: Unacceptable!  I must find my son!

As Gabriel continues to bash against the wall, Nathalie comes up behind him.

Nathalie: If Adrien has any sort of agency right now, he might see all the akumas targeting him as a reason to stay in hiding.  Let up on that and he might consider Paris safe enough to come home.

Gabriel flings out his arm dramatically as a vein pulses in his forehead.

Gabriel: And if it wasn’t his choice?  Stopping my pursuit for even a moment could result in him slipping through my fingers permanently!  I will only stop using my akumas to search for my son when he is back under my roof where he belongs!

Nathalie puts her cellphone up to her ear.

Nathalie: Very well.  I'll make some calls.  If you need an akuma who is upset about Adrien, we can make one...

Nathalie (internally): One who will keep you busy until I figure out what to do next.

Cut to Kagami seated on the pink cushions in the ditch that comprises the seating area of Gabriel’s atelier.  She folds her hands over her lap on top of her notebook.

Nathalie: Thank you for meeting with me on such short notice, Kagami.

Kagami: You asked my mother to send me here.  How could I refuse?  I assume this is about Adrien?

Nathalie: It is.

Kagami: I suppose you want to involve me in a publicity stunt for your 'Find Adrien' campaign?  Is the 'kidnapping' story you fed the press no longer working?

Nathalie: This has nothing to do with marketing, I assure you.

Nathalie sits on the other side of the seating area and reads off something from her tablet.

Nathalie: Our 'Find Adrien' inbox received a peculiar anonymous tip: 'You have security cameras, go check the footage!'  We did.  Our security cameras caught nothing.  Just Adrien entering his room after he returned from his fencing lesson.  Nothing else.

Closeup of Nathalie’s face, her eyebrows accusatory.

Nathalie: It's strange that we acquired those security cameras from Tsurugi Industries, isn't it?

Nathalie puts down her tablet on the seat beside her.  Kagami folds her arms.  On the center block between Nathalie and Kagami, an assortment of Find Adrien posters have been placed, including a large billboard design near where Kagami is sitting.

Kagami: You think my mother had something to do with this?

Nathalie: No, Tsurugi-san would have no motive for hacking her product or absconding with Adrien. But you might. You would have been one of the last people to see him.  You had the opportunity to coordinate a plan with him.  Not to mention that you have a history of encouraging Adrien to go behind his father's back.

Kagami: So do a lot of his friends.  Blame them for hacking your cameras, I wasn't involved.  But if I had been asked, I would have helped Adrien flee this place.  He shouldn't have to put up with living by his father's rules anymore.

Kagami folds her arms and grins evilly.

Kagami: Frankly, I'm happy that he finally grew enough of a backbone to actually act.  There's nothing you can do to stop him now.

Cut to the back of the atelier by Emilie’s painting.  The hole for Gabriel’s secret elevator is open, inside of which the head of Shadowmoth is poking out of.  Shadowmoth taps out a message on his cane.

Nathalie (internally): This isn't working.  Kagami's not overwhelmed by emotion, she's just smug.  I'm out of my element here.  I've gotten used to defusing situations before they become a problem, not inflaming them.  Gabriel's far better suited to being a provocateur.  He knows what buttons to push and won't let anyone get in his way for long.  But since he insisted on hiding nearby to sic his akuma on her before anyone can interfere, I get to be the one to ruin someone's day...

Cut to a closeup of Nathalie’s tablet as it beeps with a new text message.

Nathalie (internally): Hmm?  A new message?

Shadomoth (text message): I left some stronger motivation for you in the Find Adrien inbox.  Use it. --🦋

Nathalie (internally): Gabriel, what are you up to now? *sigh* I guess I'll just have to go along with this...

Nathalie holds up her tablet and reads from it.

Nathalie (aloud): Oh my.

Kagami: What now?

Nathalie’s tablet: Banner: FIND ADRIEN.  From: villain@dummy.com. We have Adrien Agreste in our clutches and are going to unalive him and you can't do anything about it!  Muhahahaha!

Nathalie: A ransom message just came through.  They're threatening to kill Adrien.

Kagami: To kill...?

Nathalie passes through the door out of the atelier.

Nathalie: Excuse me, I need to... speak with Mr. Agreste about handling this development.

Nathalie (internally): That should be enough motivation, right?

Cut to a closeup of Kagami opening her notebook, where she has taped a picture of her and Adrien and preserved a dried rose.

Kagami: Adrien didn't choose this?  This whole time I assumed that he ran away, but he really was kidnapped?

Kagami holds the rose in her hand, teary eyes clenched shut and teeth gritted.

Kagami: Whoever took him needs to pay for what they've done!

From the elevator hole, Shadowmoth raises out his hand and unleashes an akuma.

Shadowmoth (internally): Yes!  I can feel her anger now!

Shadowmoth (under his breath): Go, my akuma!

The akuma makes contact with the rose in Kagami’s hand.

Shadowmoth: Hello, Oni-Chan.

Cut to Nathalie eavesdropping from just outside the atelier, looking startled.

Nathalie (internally): Wait, Oni-Chan?  He was supposed to make her Riposte again, not—

Cut back to Kagami as the light mask illuminates her angered face.

Shadowmoth: The boy you so deeply care for is in grave danger.  I'm giving you the power to track down the last person who saw Adrien Agreste.  You will make them powerless to do anything ever again.

Kagami: With pleasure, Shadowmoth.

Below is the same image as above, only without text:

[ask--lysandre]

(OOC post yet IC monologue posting, from Discord)

I feel my pulse beat and buzz through my head as I set down the rotomphone in my hand, I'm shaking, I am not stable despite sitting in bed with my Pyroar by my side. I have been exposed by... myself. I never thought there'd be a day where I would find myself tearing me to shreds and exposing me to the world, those who I want to impress, as I am. I've never felt more scared in my life. These people have gone tooth and nail to defend me, but they shouldn't, and they don't know who they defend. I am not the person I say I am. They don't know who I am. I am a liar and a cheat, I stand in the crowd and infect the rest with who I might be.

I find myself turning against the sheets, my lungs caught in my chest as I try to fall asleep and calm down, but I can't, I am clothed yet feel naked in everyway, my mask has been removed and I no longer have the ability to protect who I am. My Pyroar huffs next to me and comes closer for cuddles, and that's what I need, I need the comfort I will never get from others. I turn on my back and let my Pyroar rest ontop of me with his head upon my chest, and I scratch his chin idlely as I think over who I am and who I will be.

I only started out running Lysandre Labs as an ex-Professor's student, with my merit there yet almost no one following behind me except my university friend, Xerosic. He managed to get his scientist friends to back me up, and I built an empire of a company that is well respected and loved. We started with biological research, and we have made it to production lines that connect all of the Earth, and soon we will be producing our own pharmaceuticals for half the price other manufacturers do. My goal is there, it has been met and surpassed, and I should be pleased. But I'm not, I want more, not money wise, I don't feel greed, I just feel a need to shoot higher. By getting into the area of work that I am in, I have realized just how far people will go to rule the world, the market, over everyone.

Money drives my colleagues and competitors' hopes and dreams, unlike my own, and I can only stare at them with disgust as I build my own empire that lives to support others. I am loved by my peers and employees and the community, yet I fear the people who stand at the top of the corporate world. They have torn through nature itself and have began to produce and manufacture in ways that destroy ecosystems and tear apart our atmosphere. It's disgusting. And people praise them for this. I find it detestable. I am not like others. I am my own person. I lack the amount of greed others do. In my charitable events and donations, I have realized just how far people will go to have what they want.

People will beg for more than they'll ever need, they'll steal and kill for it, and expect sympathy from others for it. I can only watch in horror as it happens, as people lobby my company to produce more and in more eco-harmful ways, and I can only politely turn them down when I want to personally kill them myself. The world is beautiful in history, images that paint our landmarks tell of a time so beautiful and I can only wish I lived amongst them. My ancestors lived in a Kalos that lacked hate and greed, and modern people have ruined the beauty of my homeland. I refuse to live like this. Many others do as well, and that's when I formed Flare.

We weren't supposed to be bad people. We aren't bad people. We protest those who stand at the top and laugh down upon us as they cause war and filth to invade our precious planet. We work to return the land to the Pokémon to those who need it more than us. We were even starting a fund to support an archaeological team to revive Pokémon that had gone extinct in the past. I suppose it all changed when they brought up the spirals of Geosenge. Those spirals that are covered by rock and dirt, yet tell a story beyond us.

I unearthed the original plans for it, the ones that my long gone ancestors had made, and I became so fascinated with it.

Using the powers of Xerneas or Yveltal, the spirals can bring life back or decimate it completely. It's a wonderful device, and I planned to keep it under the earth, as it was not supposed to fall into the wrong hands. I suppose those wrong hands were mine. My wretched hands, those that tear those I love away in search of my own dreams. I brought my plans to extract pieces of it to research its powers to my lab technicians, and its power is beyond what any have seen before. The elements it is purely made of is only found in mega stones alongside it. I suppose I have become fascinated with both Mega Evolution and it, as the love of my life studies and uncovers the science behind this evolution.

I'll have to bring up the spiral to him one day. I haven't properly hung out with him in a long time. We are both so busy, he's the regional professor and I'm just a business man. I wish I could tell him how I felt, who I am, but I am fearful of the person I will become. I fear myself. I think meeting another version of myself is revelational and a sign from the gods that I should change.

Should I even mention how I talked to a poor Pory earlier? I feel horrible. I sounded like a horrific person as I tore them apart for not knowing, but we all don't know at some point. I assume I just felt protective over a friend. I fear I've shoved them away as well. I contacted them afterwards, and they seemed... upset. Extremely upset. They were quiet to me, something atypical of them. I suppose it could be the stress of their teacher being almost deathly ill, and I'll comfort myself with that, but I'll internally believe that I have upset them. Now with the new threat of my alter interacting with those I want to respect me, I am struck with fear and grief beyond my control. I fear the worst. I can only hope for the best. As I close my eyes to rest, I can only beg that life changes in my favor, and I blink away tears of despair, for I am the person I have feared my entire life.

At the end of the tunnel, I see a man I never thought I knew, and the ending is my personal hell.