#i like that this seems like an irl thing when it was not

[funkycoloured]

| STRESS RELIEF - DEAN W.

NOTES . . . I have to be up in around 2 hours to work a full day at the barn and I'm too anxious to sleep so I wrote some smut 🙃 strawberry girl is still in the works but this is just a quick thing to pass time

WORD COUNT . . . 845 exactly.

SUMMARY . . . After a stressful day of driving for hours on end hunting down a monster, you and Dean indulge in some much needed stress-relief. (y'all fuck).

WARNINGS . . . literally just smut so MDNI!! f!reader, unprotected sex (don't do this irl), cowgirl, soft sex, petnames, a little bit of cockwarming, basically no plot, I think that's it but lmk if I missed anything, written in regular text under the cut cause I'm blind as hell, NOT proofread

The bedsprings of the motel room's mattress creaked in rhythm with your movements, groaning underneath the shared weight of you and Dean. Your breaths came in soft pants, eyes shut in bliss as you fucked yourself on his cock, the tip nudging that spongy spot inside of you that your fingers never managed to reach. You both had been going at it for a while, a creamy ring forming on the base of his cock — a mess created from your shared orgasms. Dean's eyes were glued to your breasts, watching the supple flesh as you bounced on him. Your thighs were aching, shaking slightly from the effort it took to keep yourself upright. You were already tired to begin with, the stress of the long day wearing you down, but that wouldn't stop you.

Dean seemed to notice your silent struggle, the way you weren't riding him as smoothly as you were just moments ago. Your hips stuttered, nails digging into his chest where your hands once lay flat for support. A choked, desperate little whine escaped you, and he took that as his cue to step in — despite how pretty you looked, skin sweaty and features twisted in a mix of exhaustion and pleasure.

“Shh, I got you, baby,” Dean spoke, voice breathless, as his hands clasped your hips. When he squeezed the soft flesh, the coldness of his ring was a contrast against your heated skin. His gripped tightened, his brows furrowing as his lips parted in concentration. He lifted you up, and down, slamming you back onto his cock. You cried out in pleasure, stars bursting behind your eyelids as he let out a low moan of his own. “Y'need me to help, huh, sweet girl?”

“Yes, please, De-”

Dean interrupted your breathy plee, planting his feet flat on the mattress. His grip on your hips tightened, fingers leaving indents in the fatty flesh, and using it as leverage to lift you up and down. His hips buck wildly for a moment, but it only takes a few seconds to work into a rhythm that has you both moaning in pleasure, hips thrusting up in time with his movements dragging you down. You collapsed against his chest, moaning in his ear as you clenched around him, walls fluttering in response to the new deep, quick pace.

“Mmh, there we go,” Dean cooed, his own eyes falling shut, lashes kissing against his freckled cheeks. The cheap metal headboard thumped against the wall, sounding off in tandem with your little whines and gasps. Dean's hands eventually left your hips, arms wrapping around you to hold you close, one hand cradling the back of your head as it rests against his chest.

The fire in the pits of your lower stomach grew, walls fluttering and clamping around his cock like a vice. “Fuck, baby-” He hissed, brows furrowing again. He knew you were close, and he was determined to get you there before he broke. “C'mon, baby,” Dean grunted, the hand he once had on your back sliding across your ribs and to your front. His middle and ring finger find your swollen clit, calloused fingertips rubbing the sensitive bud in circles.

The shrill moan you let out makes his heart skip a bit, his cock throbbing inside of you. He cursed again. “You're gonna be the death of my, baby.” His voice is whiny, and his thrusts stutter, faltering as he works hard to get you to the edge.

“De- Dean! Holy fuck, ‘m gonna…”

“You gonna cum, sweetheart? You gonna cum all over my cock? C'mon, baby, do it. Let go.”

And with that, you did. His cock nudging your g-spot, his fingers on your clit, warm breath against your ear and the creaks of the bed down to the wet squelch of your pussy made your orgasm hit you like a tidal wave. You scream out in pleasure, burying your face into the crook of his neck. Dean's hips come to a stop as he spills himself inside of you, the seed from his earlier climax slowly seeping out of you and down his cock, to his balls.

It was quiet, heavy breaths mingling together as you both basked in the aftermath of pleasure. If Dean wasn't so tired, he might've been a bit worried about just how loud you were. A noise complaint was worth it. He panted, arms wrapping around you tightly as he softened inside of you. One of his hands stroked your head, shaky lips pressing a kiss against your temple.

“You with me?”

“Mhm.”

“Good,” He whispered, carefully lifting you off of him to lay you down on the bed. Dean was quick to press a kiss to your forehead when you winced as his cock slid out of you, sticky white seed spilling out of your spent hole. “Did so good for me, baby,” His voice is soft as he speaks again, pulling you close to his chest. Dean knows he needs to get you cleaned up, but a short moment of peace was well-deserved.

[whereisten]

French Maid

Summary: You feel a bit jealous after Johnny shows off his body at Paris Fashion Week. Are you really prepared to be the girlfriend of an idol as hot as he is? You're unsure. Johnny, however, reassures you that you're all his, surprising you with an interesting gift once he gets back.

Pairing: Idol!Johnny x female reader

Genre: smut, some angst in the beginning, fluff, comedy?

Warning: jealousy, cursing, stalking mention, smut: Johnny is a pervert in this, not irl! role play, dry humping, handcuff usage, sense play, fingering, oral sex, dirty talk, praise kink, penetration (unprotected sex), size kink, overstimulation, edging, rough sex (spanking), camera usage.

Work Count: 5.7K

(A/N: HAPPY JOHNNY DAYYYYY WOOOOO!! our shining star was born on this day 30 years ago omgggg im cry. I started this right after his appearance at Fashion Week last year when he wore that open jacket thing for Acne, and decided to finish it for his birthday! It's mostly smut (surprise!) but he is very loving as well. I hope you enjoy it!! ❤️)

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“And do you have to show your tiddies off every time?” You flail your arms about as you walk through your apartment.

Johnny just got home from his Paris fashion week trip. He stunned hundreds of thousands of people with his dashingly good looks that you’re all too familiar with. And while you are happy for him, you can’t help but feel jealous. You have to share your gorgeous man with the world every now and then and it stings.

Johnny simply laughs and places his bags down. “You know how it goes, my love, gotta give the people what they want.” He then hears a loud exhale from the kitchen.

“What about a nice decent suit? You know, the old Patrick Bateman look? And then you put that pen in your mouth like do you know how many germs were on that?” 

You close the fridge door and pour orange juice out for him to drink along with the breakfast you made for him.

He sighs and leans back slightly while sitting on the edge of his bed, the smell of bacon and pancakes fills his nose. “It smells amazing in here.”

“Well, yeah you can’t survive off of croissants and baguettes, so I prepared something for you before I head to work.”

His eyes open. Shit…work. He’s jet lagged out of his mind from this quick round trip, he forgot it’s a normal weekday for you. A work morning to be exact.

He gets up and heads to the table.

“Can you call off?” He runs a hand through his hair.

“No..unfortunately it’s my turn to show off my tiddies at work.” You sip your coffee and lean back in the dining chair so your cleavage pokes through your button down shirt.

Johnny raises a brow. “Ohh..so it’s like that, huh?”

You nod before smirking. “Yeah..”

He shrugs and bites into his pancake. “I won’t stop you, but I will ask if you’d like to help me take a shower before you go..” he rolls his neck and looks onto you with low eyes. “I’m just so jet lagged, you know?”

You scoff. “Get one of your googly-eyed superfans to do it, they’ve already seen most of your naked body.” You get up from the table and head to the bathroom to finish your makeup.

“Don’t be like that, sweetheart!” Johnny chuckles. He seems to be pushing it too far with you lately, giving fans a glimpse into what you have the privilege to see at any time. He knows it makes you feel special, the truth is, you are. But just because fans see him like this every now and then doesn’t mean they can be his girlfriend. They’re not even close. You know this.

He knocks on the wall beside the bathroom door after finishing breakfast. 

“That was really good..thank you.”

“Eh.” You say while finishing your lipstick.

“You sure you don’t wanna spend some time with me today? I don’t have any schedules til tomorrow..I’m all yours.” He smiles and leans his head against the door as he takes in your beauty.

“No.”

He pouts. “Come on, sweetheart, you know I’m only yours, right?”

You put the lipstick down and turn to him. “Are you?”

He nods and steps closer, but you brush past him into the bedroom.

He sighs, taking his t-shirt off over his head as you put your shoes on.

“Check the suitcase before you leave.” He yells out over the sound of the shower running.

“Huh?!” You hesitate to grab your purse.

“You didn’t think I’d come back from the city of love empty handed, did you?”

You unzip his luggage and see a large white gift bag inside. A smile creeps across your face as all sorts of possibilities come into your mind. A new purse? A cute pair of shoes? A painting from the Louvre? Who knows!

But as your hands pull out what’s inside, your smile starts to fall slightly. The box is light, too light to have shoes or a purse inside. Not even a gown could fit in there.

The sparse and scanty pieces of clothing inside make your head tilt. “What the hell is this?” The shower is too loud for Johnny to hear you.

*clink*

Something drops out of the bundle.

Fluffy…handcuffs? 

“Oh.” Your eyes widen.

You start to arrange the pieces in a way you think makes sense and there it is. A slutty French maid outfit with a bustier and stockings to match. There are cat ears and a clip on tail that causes you to chuckle. But it’s strange because..it’s not in your size..it’s in his.

You can’t contain your laughter. You step back from the bag to clutch your stomach. Johnny had truly outdone himself this time.

A few minutes later he comes out of the bathroom with just his towel around his waist and his hair still wet. He doesn’t look around for you, figuring that you’re at work by now.

His head tilts when he sees the outfit laid out on the bed neatly. He laughs to himself. “And she still went to work..”

You clear your throat. “No I didn’t..I’m right here.”

Startled, he turns to see you standing in the bedroom doorway. You’re wearing your red lingerie set with the matching lace gown over it. And he silently goes crazy when he sees the red garter belts hugging your thighs tightly, making a mental note to remember to drag them off with his teeth later.

He swallows hard. “You called out..for me?”

You smile and nod. “Yeah..you’ve got some making up to do..work can wait.”

He blushes then rushes towards you with his arms out. “Babe..you look amazing.”

“As do you..” you look up at him over you now. You finally kiss him after holding back all this time, holding his warm face in your hands. He kisses you passionately, turning his head to swallow your tongue like waiting for what feels like centuries. You moan as your bottom lip meshes with his and your body becomes weak. He holds your ass tightly in his large hands.

As he pulls away for a short break, spit falls onto your chin. You push yourself up closer to him, wanting, no, needing more. Kissing was another talent the giant had, only you knew that. He lunges forward again, moaning against your lips before biting it suddenly. You whimper, your hands reach around his back and rest on his broad shoulders.

But you can’t forget what you really want. You pull back. 

His mouth falls open as he breathes heavily. “What’s wrong? Too hard? Too messy?” He's already doubting how good he makes you feel.

“No..no it was perfect, Johnny, you’re perfect..”

His eyes crinkle and he leans in again, but you back away.

“Put that on first..” you whisper while staring at his lips now red with your lipstick.

He nods. “Oh..you want me to do that..now?”

You look up with round, boba like eyes that you know he can’t resist. “Only if you aren’t too tired..”

He shakes his head. “I’m never too tired for you, baby.” 

He practically gallops towards the bed, but turns to you. “Can I get some privacy please? I’ll call for you when I’m ready.” He says with a sass you never imagined he could have.

You nod and close the door, then sit patiently in the living room. You’d never made love to man in a feminine cosplay before, but you were excited for some reason. A 6-foot something man is wearing a slutty costume just for you. Does it get any hotter than that?

A few minutes later you hear a knock. “Housekeeping!” Johnny calls out.

You laugh and walk in. The white and black dress hugs his waist perfectly over the bustier and his tail clings to his back side.

His toned thighs stick out from under the *very* short hem of the dress, barely being held together by his own lace garter belt. You never imagined he’d look amazing in stockings. But he’s Johnny, of course he’d look good.

He has a feather duster in hand. He pays close attention to the dust on your lamps and nightstand and you’re wondering if he’s taking the role play a little *too* seriously. 

Nonetheless, you play along too. “Excuse me…you missed a spot.”

Johnny nods and rushes to your side where you point to a spot on the dresser. He stares intently, moving the feathers over the spot. 

“Hmm lower..there’s another spot.”

He nods and bends down to see.

“I don’t see the spot, ma’am” he says innocently.

“Oh you’re really bad at this.” You chuckle then move to stand behind him.

You grab his waist and push onto his ass. “Lower..bend down.”

With one hand, you reach around his front side and under his skirt; just brushing over his tip.

“Oh!” He jumps at the feeling of your soft hand on him.

He stands up straight then turns around to you. “I got it.”

“Hmm I think it took you too long to get, why should I have to tell you how to do your job?”

Johnny smiles as you try to be intimidating. It’s cute, and he can’t stop his heart from racing. What’s your plan with him all dressed up like this? He’s not sure, but it feels good to not be the one in charge.

“I think it’s time you were reprimanded for your failures.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“You’re..filling this out” you laugh out while looking at his double d’s pressed together in the black and shiny bustier.  

“Thank you, it’s a little uncomfortable , I can’t believe you guys do this every day.” He smiles widely, then lowers his face down towards yours. 

You step back. “No no..on the bed.”

He crawls onto the bed quickly, giving you a glimpse of his ass in the red thong that came with the costume. You turn your head and laugh, but quickly regain your seriousness.

You pluck a feather from the duster while humming to yourself. 

He lays down on his back, leaning on a few pillows as he watches you climb over him. 

“Safe word?” You ask him.

He nods. “Vanilla.”

You nod.

“Hmmm where should we start?” You say as his hands roam over your ass, pushing the hem of your night dress up slightly.

“I’ve been very bad..what will you do to me?” His honey brown eyes are wide and stare at you intensely, but they don’t hide the fact that he’s biting his rouge stained bottom lip and squeezing your ass. It’s like he’s begging to be punished.

You smirk back and grab the handcuffs.

“Well of course we’ll have to restrict your freedom first. Show me your hands.”

He lays his arms out towards you. You slap on one cuff, then lean over him so you can wrap the chain around a small section of the headboard. 

The second cuff locks around his wrist, keeping his arms above his head and attached to the headboard so you can get to work.

You sit back and smile at him. “There..much better.”

Just barely hidden behind the veil of your lace gown and lingerie is your gorgeous body above him, it’s his religion. He needs you like the Earth needs water.

“Damn..I wish I could touch you.”

“Only good boys get to do that.” You lean down and kiss him, hovering over his crotch, just high enough to not touch him yet.

“Hmm..” you lean forward and press your lips against his. As expected, he dives into you, exploring your tongue and lips like it’s the first time.

You widen your legs a bit more so your opening finally rests on his lace-covered dick. The thin fabric of your thong and his thong and skirt being the only things to separate your skin.

You move back and forth slowly while caressing his arms above his head.

He tugs against the cuffs, already begging for a little more friction between the two of you down there. He groans when he realizes he can’t get you to press down harder.

You pull away. “Tsk tsk so impatient, you said you’re all mine for the day right?”

“Yes, but give me a little more, please baby..I need you…ahhh..just..a little..lower.”

“You need me?” You pout, distracting him from the fact that you’re pulling his bustier down to reveal his nipples. You then dangle the feather above one and circle around it. 

“You’re so pretty with red lipstick, baby” you say to him.

“I think I should add some more..” you kiss and suck on his neck slowly while playing with the feather, coating his skin with hot, breathy whispers in between. “What do you need from me?”

He draws in a sharp breath, feeling the delicate feather dance around his sensitive nipples.

“I need you..need you so badly..”

His head falls back as he feels your soft lips place wet kisses along his body. 

“Be more specific..”

He pulls against his handcuffs and pants. “Your body..fuck me please..I need it.”

You grind down onto him harder, feeling his shaft hard as a rock against you.

He groans. “That feels good baby.”

“Does it?” You look up at his clenched jaw line. “Should I go lower?”

He nods. 

“But first…” you flick your tongue out on top of his nipple and around it, gaining a shaky breath. His head falls back. You lick and suck harder as you find his cock below you. You run your hand down his abs, applying just a bit of pressure then dip your hand into his thong, stroking him slowly, so slowly he groans and bites his bottom lip. The sensation of your warm mouth on his chest is different for him, but feels good.  

“Please..more, sweetheart..a little faster.” He bucks his hip up in an effort to push you to go faster. 

“I bet you wanna feel me around you..”

You can feel him twitch under you.

You lick your lips. “What if I don’t let you cum tonight?”

He frowns. “Baby..” he whines “but I’ll be a good boy for you..I-I’ll do anything for you, you know that.”

You caress his desperate face with your hand and look into his large eyes. “Sweetheart..you couldn’t even dust the nightstand properly.”

He licks his lips. “I'm sorry, baby, give me another chance. I’ll make it up to you..just take these things off.” He pulls forward again. His tone grows dark with that last statement. It’s as if he isn’t asking, but is demanding you take them off.

You’re really riling him up. You chuckle and lean forward.

You kiss his neck, but make sure not to bite his skin, his manager would kill both you and him if he showed up to work with a necklace of hickeys.

“You like it when I touch you, huh?” You whisper into his ear.

He nods quickly before moaning. 

“How about when I taste you?”

He nods again and watches as you lower your face to his hips. You flip his skirt up and kiss his tip.

“Fuck..” a breath leaves him once your round lips circle his tip and lick the pre-cum leaking from out of it. It’s more than you’ve given him so far, but it still isn’t enough.

His abs flex as he breathes heavily.

You draw a long stripe up his shaft. “How is it, baby, still good?”

“Yes..so good..just a little more..”

“You gonna beg for me again?” You tease him and lick once more.

He fidgets. “Yes, baby, please, I’ll do anything.” You hear the chains of the handcuff struggle against the headboard. “Just let me see you.”

With your head hidden under his skirt, he can’t see the satisfying way your mouth takes him in. He can’t see you choke as he enters your throat over and over. He truly did not think about the ramifications of wearing such an interesting costume for you, and it’s starting to annoy him.

“No can do, my love..” you swallow him now, bobbing up and down while using your two hands to cover what can’t fit.

He can hear you gag and see your back arch as your ass sticks up in the air for him to look at, and it almost makes him feel better about not seeing your head. But he still tries to get out of the handcuffs.

He fills your throat up, making you choke, but you struggle through it, moaning to send vibrations that you know will push him along.

He moans. “That’s it..yes..keep going..”

You move faster as he curses.

You can feel yourself growing hotter. You could just bounce on it to bring you both to your long awaited release, but that would be too easy. Today is different.

He groans louder and before he can finally release, you pull up from him and take his skirt off of your head.

He frowns. “Baby please..” he begs as he pants.

You shake your head while breathing heavily. “Do you think you deserve it?”

He nods “Come here, let me taste you too.” You’re not surprised he wants to do the 69 position on a random morning, but today is not that day.

You chuckle and lift his skirt over your head again.

He draws in a sharp breath. “Yes..”

You continue to bob your head up and down. He nearly loses it when you swallow him whole, but he focuses on breaking his handcuffs quietly, loudly groaning to cover up the clinking sound of plastic.

The sounds you make are lewd. Your mouth and jaw become messy, spit building up as you work on him. He’s so close, but just like before, you pull off of him.

“Ohh..oh my God..” he shuts his eyes tightly. “I don’t know how much more I can’t take, baby.” And you can tell he isn’t lying because of the way sweat coats his forehead. But you know you get the most out of him after denying him for a bit, so you truly have no regrets.

You wipe your mouth with the back of your hand. “That’s too bad..should we just stop now?”

“No! No.. baby, at least, let me taste you please..I know it’s dripping down your legs by now. Don’t you want me to help you with that?” He asks so innocently, and you fall for it. Your throat was sore and needed a break from taking in his monster dick after all.

You remove a pillow from behind his head before kneeling over his face and lowering yourself carefully. You then push the fabric covering your opening to the side.

He moans loudly. “Yes, baby..just like that.” You start to ride him and throw your head back while he moans against you. His mouth kisses you just as well as it did before. Only this time, his tongue licks over that one spot. You know you’ll see stars soon. You close your eyes and gasp. 

You don’t notice that he’s broken the plastic handcuffs easily because he still has his hands around the headboard.

You aren’t putting all your weight on him and it bothers him that you aren’t relaxed although he’s begged you to be many times before when he’s asked you to ride his face. So, he takes matters into his own hands.

He pulls free and flips you over, holding both wrists tightly so you can’t push his head away.  

Your eyes widen. How and when did he break-free? You grunt. 

“Ohh you’re that impatient..what a bad boy.” You ruffle your hand through his hair.

He lifts his head up and looks onto with dangerous, low eyes. You’ve never seen him so..hungry. 

“Yes..I’ve been waiting since I departed that airport.” He practically growls. Oh, you’re in for it now. Your pathetic, pleading puppy eyed boy just left the building. He takes another deep dive, licking and kissing you like he’s been aching for the opportunity. 

You moan. 

He takes a break so he can lean back and chuckle at the shock in your eyes. He then hooks his fingers into the waistband of your thing and drags it down your legs.

“Been thinking of how deep I want to go, how tight I’m gonna hold you until you can’t think of anything but me.” He dangles the wet fabric in the air on one finger then holds it to his nose. “Ahh fuck…you smell amazing.”

Your legs try to close as you become more aroused by his pervy actions, but he holds you open with his knees prying you apart.

He takes in a deep breath to drink in your natural scent. “I haven’t done this in a while”

You bite your bottom lip.

“When you invited me over the first time, I stole that frilly pink and purple panty of yours…” he leans forward again and kisses your stomach while looking up at you. 

“It smelled delicious..” he kisses your thigh next. You tremble as his hands hold your waist.

He then speaks over your pussy. “The first night..I held it to my nose as I came into my hand.” his tongue draws a stripe along your slit. You gasp.

“Johnny..” you whimper.

“The second night..I did the same thing only this time..I watched you through the window..you were getting undressed after our date that night. I left you with just a kiss because you weren’t ready yet..but I made sure to leave your blinds open. You started putting lotion on your body..and I wished it were my hands..”

He uses his index and middle finger to open you up more then dives in again, licking more vigorously as his nails dig into your soft, warm skin to hold you still.

“That’s..wrong.” You grind onto his face while moaning out.

“And yet, you’re still here..I think you like having a pervert eat you out..” he kisses your thigh again.

“Johnny..l”

“You should know I still have it..and I take it with me for every trip.” He then moves his head faster, his tongue exploring every inch of you.

“Johnny..I’m close, fuck.” You move your hips in circular motions to get more friction against your sweet spot.

“Go ahead ..I’ve been waiting.”

Your back arches, it’s all becoming too much for you, but before you can push his head away. He grabs your hands.

And when you finally climax on his wonderful mouth, he continues to hold both wrists with one hand and attaches the handcuffs to them with the other.

You lay in the plush bed, panting as you come down from it all.

“Ahh what a beauty.” He kisses the inner part of your thighs and kneels in front of you. Your eyes open and reality sets in that you’re the one that’s bound now.

He watches you as you look at his tip peeking beneath the skirt, then laughs at you for being so lustful for it. He unclips his garter belt and slides his thong off before tossing it to the side where yours is.

He then lays down beside you, propping his head up with one hand.

His fingers trace down your abdomen gently as he opens your cover up and unhooks your bra from the front so he can see all of you. 

“Now..it’s time for room service right?” He bites into your thighs and listens to you moan.

He pulls your bra down and kisses your nipples. He then picks up a feather and delicately circles around your hard nipples now to return the favor. 

You draw in a sharp breath. “Johnny..” 

He watches the way you shiver and goosebumps raise. Your legs tighten while you fidget. You bite your bottom lip, unsure of how much teasing you can take. 

He drags the feather up and down your abdomen. You close your eyes tightly. 

“Nuh uh look at me.” He pinches a nipple to get your attention. “I’m giving you 5 star service, don’t look away.” He chuckles and runs his thumb over your bottom lip

“Next on my to do list..hmmm should I fuck you?” He drags the feather down your abdomen and to your hips, his eyes tracing over your curves. Over every inch that drives him wild.

You nod.

“Speak when I’m talking to you..” his eyes grow dark suddenly. This was the power Johnny had. He could easily turn the tables on you in seconds..even while wearing furry cat ears. He put this comical outfit on to trick you into thinking you’d be in control this time. But no..oh no, you were so wrong.

“Y-yes.”

“Yes what?” His fingers replace the feather now. Tracing down your belly and to your apex. He cups your pussy then presses his middle and ring fingers in while sliding up and down.

You look down at his veiny arm, but his other arm sneaks around head, his hand holding your chin to turn your face back to him. 

“Look at me..I won’t ask you again.” he growls and it sends chills down your spine.

You bat your lashes and look into his eyes. you whimper as his fingertips dig in deeper. 

“Fuck me, Johnny” 

“Hard or soft?”

At this point, you’re mindlessly rutting against him, moving against his hand as you chase your climax greedily.

You shake your head. “It doesn’t—doesn’t matter, just fuck me..please..” you beg so beautifully it’s like music to his ears. And with that combined with how silky wet you are, he almost loses it, but instead he pulls his fingers out and massages your clit.

You throw your head back. “Fuck..I’m gonna..”

“Y/n..tell me what you want.. I have to make sure you’re satisfied with the service, don’t I?” His fingers move faster as he speaks over your open mouth.

You lose your breath, panting as you’re about to crash again. He already knows your answer, but he wants to hear you say it, wants to hear you beg for it. He slows his movements.

“Johnny please..I just…”

“You don’t get to cum until you answer the question.” He starts to speed up again, knowing you can’t possibly hold back.

“Hard!! I want it hard!” You finally scream out and with that your climax crashes over you. Johnny chuckles as he watches you make a mess while squirming in his arms.

He kneels over you again and grabs his phone from the nightstand beside the bed.

“I miss you so much when I’m away, I want to have something to keep me company.” He takes a picture of you while he rests in between your legs. 

He then flips you over, makes you arch your back but puts a pillow under you.

“Are you ready for me?” His hands caress your ass.

You hold yourself up on your elbows with your wrists bound in front of you. “Yes.” You whine.

He enters you swiftly. Slamming your ass against his hips.

You cry out and fall forward after the harsh attack. He didn’t give you a chance to adjust, but he stays in so he can feel all of you. You can already feel tears coming to your eyes after the initial pain of penetration.

He holds onto the headboard for stability then takes another picture of your body from this angle then tosses his phone. “Perfect.”

He grunts as he drives into you, staying for a moment before pulling out to do it again. You whimper, your body growing weak under him already. You start to feel yourself open more, but it’s still not enough.

“Johnny!! Ahh! You’re too big, it hurts..”He’s thick and long, all you can do is cry into sheets as he stretches you. Fortunately for him, he knows you’d really say the safe word if you were uncomfortable, so he keeps going. 

“Keep whining, it only makes me harder.” He growls.

“Please..I don’t think I can...” your chest heaving as you try to collect your nerves.

He spanks your ass, causing you to yelp and cry harder. “You wanted the biggest and best because you’re greedy..right?”

All you can do is whine.

“Making me do all this just because I missed a spot.” He then holds your waist to turn you on your back so he can see you drooling with glossy eyes. 

“And now you want me to stop? It’s too late, baby..I’m gonna make sure you’re too full to ask for more.” Your breasts, pushed together after resting in-between your bound arms, move beautifully with each rough thrust and your moans grow louder. 

You look even better with your hands tied together, so he notes how he likes this restricted look on you. Normally, you’d be swatting his hands away or digging your nails deep into his back. You’re completely at his mercy this time, you’re basically his pretty doll to fuck as he pleases, to touch as he pleases.

He cups a breast with his cold hand and rubs his palm over your nipple. His tongue licks his bottom lip as he squeezes you gently. You moan his name again. You feel pretty and adored under his gaze. You may get upset with him sometimes, but only he could make you feel this good.

He then lowers his hand down to your stomach. 

“Look at my girl, you take me so well, you kept this pussy warm for me, right?” He throws a leg over his shoulder and the new angle finishes you. He holds your ankle with one hand then presses his fingers into your cheeks with his other hand. 

“You should see yourself right now..crying and drooling..you’re making a mess..but it’s just how you like it, right?”

He snaps his hips even harder. The headboard knocks against the wall repeatedly and a small part of you starts to worry about the noise complaint you’ll receive later. You breathe heavily and whine louder. He groans louder in response. Yup, definitely gonna get that complaint.

He makes you feel more and more empty headed with each passing second. Your eyes roll to the back of your head. Only mousy noises escape in between the sounds of him entering you deep. You feel dizzy, but in complete bliss.

He tilts his head and smirks. “You had so much to say earlier, cat got your tongue?” 

Yes, he’s a bit corny, but something about Johnny ruining you while wearing a skimpy costume and skirt makes this all hotter. His nipples are hard and stick out above his lowered bustier while his small waist is neatly cinched. His skirt covers where your two bodies meet but it doesn’t matter, you can still hear him pounding into you like he wants to build a new bed from IKEA later.

“Ahh Johnny..” you whimper once more, your voice going up several pitches while your breath is caught in your throat. His hand lets go of your cheeks and caresses your other breast.

“You crying for me? You’re so wet..Still too much for you?” His thumb plays with your nipple.

You shake your head.

He smiles sadistically. “That’s my girl.”

The hand on your ankle slides down to the inside of your knee, he leans down closer to your face, pressing your knee into the bed beside it. You had no idea you could be this flexible until you met him.

He kisses your ear then whispers. “I saw so many beautiful women but all I could think about was you. I need you baby, keep me in..fuck..” He bites your neck hard. 

Curse words flow out of his mouth as he gets ready to climax with you. His hand squeezes your waist, holding you down while you tremble with him still deep inside.

You practically yell his name as you ruin the sheets under you.

He quickly opens your handcuffs then lays down beside you, giving you long strokes instead of his short, harsh ones. “How is it baby, is it good?” He fondles your breasts while hugging you tightly from behind. He decides it’s time to switch to soft. 

He has enough energy to keep going hard, but in this moment, he wants to let you feel loved, because you are. He drapes your leg over his then massages your belly, inching closer and closer to your apex. He reaches your clit and draws deep circles slowly.

He kisses your neck and whispers. “Tell me I’m a good boy, baby..I make you feel good, don’t I?”

You can’t do anything but nod fervently. 

He starts to go faster. “Baby..please..say it for me.”

You moan, your hand reaches around behind you and to his hair. “Y-You’re a good boy..so good.”

His hips move faster, the sound of skin slapping against skin combined with both your whimpers fills the air.

“It’s good like this, right? I love you, baby.”

Your eyes shut tightly. “I love you too..so much!” A sudden burst of pleasure overwhelms your body. You shake in his arms.

“I’ve got you..breathe with me..good girl..” he whispers and slows his pace while cumming with you. You breathe deeply then turn your head to kiss him. His arms wrap around your waist as you both climax finally, the combined essence gushing out of you like never before.

“That’s it..my pretty girl.” He pulls out before kissing your ear. “I missed you.”

You groan and pant. “I missed you too, baby.”

“How are you feeling?” He kisses your neck.

“I’m..let’s just say I don’t think I can go to work tomorrow either.”

He takes in the scent of your hair. “Ooo in that case, shall we have another go?”

Your eyes widen. He just destroyed you, you're not even sure if you can stand up straight for more than 5 seconds. “Slow down there..we gotta clean up first.”

“Okay!” He lowers himself to the apex of your legs, his hands slowly parting your thighs as he wets his lips.

“Johnny..baby, that’s not what I mean.” 

He drags your garter belt down with his teeth while looking up at you.

Your head falls back, but it’s too late, he’s already “cleaning up” and within minutes you’re gripping his hair and crying til you’re hoarse.

The End

[1withestars]

🛸⋆☆˚.⋆ nct dream as high school students

sophomore year!dream

mark

the guy that sits in the middle of the class like middle middle

very chill (chill guy epitome)

turns in all his assignments mostly on time and gets A’s on all of them

BUSYYY he’s part of the student council (may or may not be president OR vp)

stays until school’s closing time; he’s either in his class or in the library

his desk is organized

listens to music 24/7 (headphones in allllll the time)

part of the basketball club but doesn’t compete (he’s too busy man)

everyone’s crush…

pen spins pen spins pen spins

renjun

spends his free time in the art room

sits closest to the door

is also part of the student council

his desk is messy but like the kind of full of books and stationary messy

fashion icon, best dressed

makes origami creations in class

he doesn’t really like wearing his glasses or contacts so he’s just squinting throughout lessons

falls asleep at his desk while working in the middle of the night

theatre kid (non-derogatory)

big ass water bottle he brings everyday and fills it in 2 period intervals

jeno

sits beside the wall in the middle-back-ish row

very smart jock

brings a quite large backpack but the only things in there are his laptop, some crumpled up assignments, his water bottle, gum, a single pen, and probably his airpods

stays up at night playing games so always end up being sleepy throughout the next day

sleeps in class and probably has a hoodie to use as a pillow

games in class on his phone

is always on his device whether it’s for taking notes or not

perfect scores in pe

hates the school lunch so he orders delivery food almost everyday. every other day, he doesn’t eat

comes late to school when he doesn’t feel like it

haechan

very popular but sorta annoying in a good way

flirts with everyone, especially with the guys

sits next to mark to annoy him

has a mountain of overdue assignments of subjects he doesn’t like and then (forcefully) speeds run those assignments before the teachers finalise the report card scores

is in the dance team

is also part of the school band

codes and learns coding for fun

most probably has beef with the most random people ever

always has snacks in hand and shares with the class

plays dti during breaks

jaemin

procrastinates but still gets his work done (does his work 30 mins before deadline)

dgaf but get straight a’s in each subject

very back, very corner

surprisingly outgoing despite his idgaf front

low profile and no one can seem to find his socials but the people who sees him irl fawns over him (he's so pretty omg)

at least a cup or two of coffee a day

spaces out a lot

airpods in during lecture, doesn’t bother covering it up though

eats in class

goes to the gym after school

chenle

in the basketball team

best friends with all his teachers

sits super close to the teacher’s desk

he’s probably in the music room playing the piano after school

submits assignments on time

bounces his leg at any given time

fidgets fidgets fidgets

either walks or rides his bicycle to school

hangs in the basketball court after school

never late to school

jisung

wears hoodies all the time even if it’s hot

sits at the back in the middle

also sleeps in class

is also in the dance team, he’s even assistant captain

asks chenle for help with his assignments

talks to himself quietly

holds his pencil/pen rather uniquely 

cannot sit still so he’s most definitely fidgeting or doing something during lectures

quiet™

his mom packs his lunches

back w another hc!! i love writing headcanons :)) if you've noticed any changes from my last post that i edited probably like 1000 times, i learned how to do the gradient text thing and im obsessed w it. have an great rest of your dayyyy (interactions are greatly appreciated!)

[vidavalor]

re: dust-- etymologically tied to words also relating to smoke/mist/vapor. Dust in the 'ashes to ashes' sense but also dust in the sense of you have to dust to clean/preserve/start fresh. Idioms related to dust are about revolution and sex-and-death.

To "bite the dust" is to be killed, used as one of the most famous examples of sex-and-death/destructive sexual metaphor by Queen in "Another One Bites the Dust" (aw, take it/bite the dust/bite the dust, yeah...). It's a sex-and-death metaphor in a song that is also about a very literal, deadly problem that was related to sex during the very long earlier days of the HIV pandemic.

To "kick up the dust", though, is to cause an uproar. It's to disturb the settled order of things, which is necessary for things to change. You kick up dust when you're dusting. Without Gabriel kicking up the dust in Heaven and in the bookshop, nothing would have ever been able to change. Dusting is saying nah to Armageddon just as much as it's, uh, literally dusting the books in the bookshop. 😂

Another idiom we say that means basically the same thing as to "kick up some dust"?... "To upset the apple cart." The tomato, known in England until the 18th century, as "the love apple"...

The Oslo Revival album:

Come On Over to Our Third Floor Apartment

We’re Having a Party

Just for You

Four in a Bed

Have This Drink

It Doesn’t Taste Weird

We’ll Take Care of You

We Love You

You’re One of Us Now

Together Forever

Couple of different ways of looking at this, though I absolutely agree with your impression of the creepy feel to it. Like you said, it can go in different directions with wildly different meanings, and both the story and the etymology of the words chosen supports that.

For instance, the same set of words in these song titles that gives us the creeps because it sounds very much that it relates to ideas we're having about love bombing and Crowley having fallen into Satan's web also can be interpreting using the same words to have different meanings, including a much more positive one, and all interpretations are likely correct at once.

So, first, there's the positive meaning of how this relates to Gabriel's story. When you say it aloud, "Oslo Revival" actually sounds like "Our Slow Revival", meaning a return to trying to go more slowly after the anxiety of Armageddon (even if that anxiety is still present in S2). A revival can also be an awakening, which would then kind of refer to all of the angels and demons as a whole.

What is offered in our slow/oslo revival? The album title-- to "come on over to our third floor apartment." As you pointed out, this is a very American way to put this. "Come on over" is American in rhythm and Americans say 'apartment' rather than 'flat.' America can be symbolic of freedom and liberation in the story so we could say that the lure of those things is what draws people in. (Would be helpful if we were living up to that irl but I digress. *sigh*)

Depending on who is doing the inviting, this can be good or it can be awful. You can have a positive experience-- like Gabriel being safe in the bookshop-- or you can have the worst kind of experience-- like Crowley and Beez did with Lucifer. There's also the different floors thing that "third floor apartment" brings up that has to do with a difference between how the U.K. and the U.S. measure floor levels. Since we have all this stuff with lifts/elevators, it seems especially relevant in S2.

In the U.S., we have a thing that I understand doesn't really exist much in the U.K. known as "the ground floor," which is what is just known as the first floor in the U.K.. The idiom "getting in on the ground floor" comes from this-- it means starting with a project or a business from its inception.

I bring it up because this means that what a "third floor" is in the U.S. is different from what one is in the U.K.. In the U.S., it can go: ground/1/2/3, etc., while, in the U.K., it would be more like: 1/2/3, etc. The third floor in the U.S. is what the U.K. would call the fourth floor.

In some countries, there's actually no recognized fourth floor at all. It's considered unlucky so it's skipped entirely and the third floor is then beneath the fifth floor. So, hidden in the third floor/fourth floor apartment thing might be a nod towards the deception present in the creepy way this is all phrased because the idea is that the offer to "come on over our third floor apartment" is really that it's a fourth floor apartment that doesn't exist. Might go along with the idea of the offer in The Final 15 being as bullshit as it seems.

On the other hand, if you take it just as the third floor in an American sense? And in a residential sense? Sometimes, basements are counted as a floor in a house so a third floor apartment would be one floor up from the street level floor of a residence. It's essentially the upstairs in the bookshop, like where Gabriel was staying in S2.

So that brings us to the rest of the song titles. What is being offered? To "have this drink" that "doesn't taste weird." While the love bombing take on this is chill-inducing because of the connotation that the drink is laced, one, other meaning of the word weird is supernatural, stemming from The Wyrd Sisters of Macbeth, who are inspired by the goddesses in control of fate.

Ironically, the same word that very much does have a creepy connotation that is implying that the one who drinks the drink is going to experience a loss of control actually also comes from a word related to the supernatural that is historically related to control.

If you apply that bit to the Gabriel scenario, then a drink that doesn't taste weird is the hot chocolate. It doesn't taste supernatural-- it's a bit of the human world and a relief to Gabriel. It also doesn't taste strange or gross to him. One of the first things we see in his first scene is how put off by tea he is. Aziraphale offers him something else, instead, and he loves it. In this take, the same words that echo something dark are also underscoring something that is not creepy but sweet. Both Crowley and Aziraphale give Gabriel hot chocolate during S2 and it's just cute. It's Gabriel experiencing some of the joys of the human world and getting free from the oppression of Heaven.

We can also apply this a bit to the scenes relating to offered drinks and how respecting a person's choice over them illustrating who places an emphasis on autonomy and consent and who doesn't. Our main characters all do.

Gabriel is emphatic about making sure that Beez doesn't feel pressure to drink and Crowley is fine with Aziraphale not wanting wine in Uz. No one forces Muriel to drink tea, just offers it. Same with Gabriel and the hot chocolate. This is all healthy and provides a contrast to the scene that isn't towards which the season builds-- The Coffee in The Final 15, when there is an implicit pressure for Aziraphale to drink it, further suggesting who Our Villain might be. It's framed as a choice but we can all feel a sense of Aziraphale being trapped.

This is when the wording of the rest of the tracks on the Oslo Revival album comes in, too, because what's the benign result of the offered drink being accepted in these cases? We love you/You're one of us now/Together forever, per the album track titles.

The same words that feel eerie when we're on the love bombing track of this are also sweet if we're taking more the Gabriel-like track with it. The reassurance of we love you-- which, when genuine, is lovely. We love you, you're not alone, you can have a rest and some food and drink here, we'll take care of you. We'll help you. We'll all be a team-- we'll be friends, together forever. That's awfully literal, too, for the supernatural entities 😂 They've got Gabriel now for eternity. What else is in the tracks?

How about the "four to a bed." One original meaning of bed is a garden bed. Etymologically, the track title is also saying that being friends puts you all in the garden together and, since the garden can be paradise, it means that it's nice to be there with people you care about and not alone but... since a garden can also be a bit of a trap if you can't figure out how to get out of it, it can refer to letting in friends and helping each other get out of each other's Edens, bookshops, and M-25 burning rings of fire.

I think that the "four to a bed" part also refers to how if you let someone in, you bring with them the people they have let in, too. All season long, an element of Beez is literally flying around the bookshop because Gabriel brought them along. Giving Gabriel the hot chocolate when he came on over to the two oslo revival's third floor apartment means that there's now four in a metaphorical garden together-- Crowley and Aziraphale and Gabriel and Beez.

So, that's the positive take on it, right? But then there's also that a bed was also a word for a grave at one point-- four to a bed, as in everybody's in the same boat and they're all in trouble. (It's also in keeping with a lot of the sex-and-death happening in the wordplay in different spots throughout.) There seems to be a sense in there of getting into how someone's struggles can affect those around them?

There's also the "We're Having a Party." Party is a funny word because it means a gathering of a group of people but, etymologically, it's actually related to dividing and separating people. I'd say that's definitely what Our Villain was trying to do in The Final 15 but a party in The Meeting Ball sense of unity-- something more positive-- is then the same words working in the story of our main characters. As you pointed out already, the "We'll Take Care Of You" that means just that when we're talking about our kind main characters also has the level of being mafia speak for killing somebody.

What do you think is happening in the scene when Crowley falls to the ground in pain in Tadfield?! I find your thoughts about Satan and Crowley really interesting and sorry if you've already mentioned it but I think I've gobbled up all your metas on the subject and didn't see it. Thank you 🤗

Hi there! 💕 Thanks for reading & asking. I have an assortment of Christmas cookies to share. *gets the plates* Sugar feels extra necessary for Satan-related Crowley meta...

Let's talk about that 1.06 scene you mentioned where Crowley is dragged to the ground by Satan in Tadfield, what it has to do with a motif throughout both seasons around a thing known as proskynesis, and how all of that is relevant to The Final 15 in S2.

TW: rape (mentions of the non-consensual possession-as-rape allegory).

Note: Themes of bodily autonomy and its relationship to freedom overlap between Good Omens and Terry Pratchett's Discworld and that's the main reason why some of us are still here, not giving up on this rare, A+++ survivor story, despite also wanting to hurl a certain, other person once involved with it into an active volcano. Considering the topic, I felt the need to just mention that at the start.

Sooo... let's talk about what the scene in your ask has to do with a bunch of other ones, including that scene in The Final 15...

Good Omens has a few scenes that are dealing with a thing known as proskynesis. If you're unfamiliar with this, it's a word describing rituals of reverence and worship in royal courts, as formed originally in various parts of the ancient world, like Persia, Greece, and Rome, as well as rituals involving religious worship across many different religions.

Aspects of proskynesis exist into the present in different ways in different cultures. For societies that are monarchies, proskynesis is at the root of rituals regarding how subjects in those societies address royalty. Everything from kissing the ring of high-ranking clergy in some churches to doing the same with some mafia leaders has historical ties to this. Things like bowing and curtsying customs in Victorian England can also be rooted back to proskynesis.

There are also elements of it in everyday manners and customs in societies that you wouldn't think would have any connection in the modern world to things like this. In many democracies, for instance, as in many other countries of the world, the custom of getting down on one knee to propose marriage is actually rooted in proskynesis, even if the partnership is (hopefully) more equal in today's societies.

The Japanese, who have an intricate system of bowing as part of the social expectations of their society, are a great example of how proskynesis elements have evolved to not necessarily be related to royalty or religious worship but also form the roots of manners between people throughout all classes of a society.

The rules of proskynesis in a society or a religious group varied in details a bit between cultures but has always had the same, general, wide gap between different types of actions.

As a general rule, there's a polite head bob of a bow on one end of the spectrum of proskynesis, with different bows then getting progressively lower and more intense, until we're closer to the other, more extreme end of the spectrum. That end involves kneeling at the feet of the king or in worship of a deity. The absolute, opposite end of that spectrum from that polite, head nod/bob of a bow is fully prostrating, which is lying fully on the ground, and what of this is tied to the scene in your ask, as we'll look at here.

The sketch below is a good, simple visual of what I mean:

[User: Arseni on Wikipedia]

What's interesting to note here is that when you look at the above sketch and see different movements in it that are associated with different religions, these things came to those religions by first being associated with the royal court of ancient Persia and then being adopted, in part, into Greece and Rome. What physical worshipping in a religious way looks like to this day was adopted into different religions from how humans were showing deference to other humans as royalty.

One, big debate in Christianity is actually what kind of proskynesis was given to Jesus. The word is found in The New Testament but Jesus is the perfect example of the blurred lines here between venerating a human being and treating one like a god.

There are different levels of proskynesis for religious figures, with saints and the like being ok to venerate but proskynesis involving full worship supposed to remain only for God. What kind of treatment Jesus received or should have received and what he thought about it is a matter of debate. Is he a carpenter or is he a king of kings, right? Is he human or is he supernatural... or is he both?

Crowley and Aziraphale struggle with this, too, but what they wind up doing is not technically proskynesis but it's arguably a lot better. They bear witness to Jesus' suffering and murder. They show him empathy and respect. The scene we see shows them talking about him a bit, as two people might do at any wake or funeral or the like for ages to come.

When it came to royalty, what kind of proskynesis you would perform would be dependent in different courts on your rank and your relationship to the king. You might be expected to grovel with some really low bows if you were of low rank or to have a more modest bow or to kiss the king, if you were of higher rank. The lower ranked people were expected to go lower in their bows and do more work with all of this, in order for even the chance of being recognized by the king or another high-ranked royal.

When Crowley mocks Beez, addressing them formally as Lord Beezlebub, he does a formal bow, complete with the proper foot positioning-- you can see him step into it from how his hips move. He bows almost to the waist, complete with flourishing hand gestures that are showing mock-fealty and deference to the Grand Duke of Hell by sarcastically treating them as if they were a king.

This scene which, as we'll see, is related to the one in your ask, is only one example of a couple of Crowley sassing the fuck out of someone, specifically by using proskynesis. It also adds to the chilling nature of the scene in your ask by having occurred just a matter of moments prior.

Beez lets it pass entirely because they're really only Lord Beezlebub in an attempt to project power enough to try to survive Hell. Their title is more about self-protection than it is about an expectation of deference-- which is something that Crowley also knows and is at the heart of the mockery.

Like Aziraphale, with his respectful bowing to his friend in gratitude for the sushi in 1.01, Crowley has no issue with a polite, non-religious, non-royal version of proskynesis. If worshipping the humans is wrong, Crowley and Aziraphale don't wanna be right. They don't revere individual humans as kings or gods but they do revere humanity itself as a whole in that way. They show polite respect to those sharing that with them or educating them in it.

They also do that with one another. Crowley's soft, polite nod of a bow to Aziraphale when they meet in Eden is gentlemanly. It's respectful but not in a way that isn't just treating Aziraphale as an equal. Nina gets a similar treatment when they meet in S2.

Crowley still does something similar into the modern era with Aziraphale-- note the little nod/bow when Aziraphale accepts his lunch invitation in S1.

This is all very much on the egalitarian end of proskynesis; it's in where it basically formed parts of the foundation of gestures related to having good manners in different societies. It's respect and acknowledgement between people who view and treat one another as equals, as is the case with Crowley and Aziraphale.

Their relationship is one that is built around equality, free choice, and consent. Therefore, when Crowley apologizes in S2 in another scene that is related to the one in your ask by being an intentional, totally opposite contrast to it, Aziraphale can barely contain his laughter at Crowley's mock-submissive dance. The dance, in many ways, is really a satire of proskynesis.

Crowley is doing this "yes, my king" dance for Aziraphale with tongue firmly in cheek. The dance is poking fun at the difference between general submissiveness, which Crowley loathes and likes to mock, and voluntary sexual submission with one another, which different scenes have shown us that they both periodically enjoy as some light fun from time to time.

Aziraphale is desperately trying not to laugh long enough to reply with equal humor in his dry, self-aware, soft dom voice. He can't resist smiling a bit and mimes a kiss at Crowley-- seeing Crowley's droll mocking of proskynesis-- which is etymologically linked to words related to kissing and which can involve it in different stages-- and replying by bestowing upon Crowley a kiss.

Aziraphale is intentionally doing something that isn't really the result of proskynesis when in the royal circles that Crowley is referencing with The Apology Dance. The subject is meant to seek the king's favor and would be the one, if ranked high enough to warrant such a relationship with royalty, who would kiss the king-- not the other way around. By miming a kiss at Crowley, Aziraphale is meeting Crowley's mocking of inequitable aspects of proskynesis with some mocking of his own by being miming a kiss at Crowley, who is his equal and partner.

There's also a droll joke in there where the only royal subject of a king who could reasonably have expected a kiss from the king, if maybe not always in a public setting, was the king's queen. So, Crowley's whole mocking Apology Dance has a joking, "yes, my king" vibe to it and Aziraphale's response is to show equal humor towards and affection for the person who is-- in all senses of the word-- his queen.

The end of Crowley's dance is a combination curtsy and what's known as a bow-and-scrape-- the thing from which the phrase "to bow and scrape" comes. The scrape is the movement of the foot behind a person across the floor, done to be able to go lower to the floor on the bow.

To "bow and scrape" was to basically grovel in this really overly demonstrative way for favor with the king, in the hopes that he'd be impressed by your humiliating submission enough to bestow favor upon you. The phrase now refers to doing a large amount of work or groveling to someone in a position in authority, usually with the suggested reward likely not forthcoming.

The second word in the phrase-- scrape-- also contains the word for the thing Crowley has survived at the hands of that fucking monster, Satan, who lives for the demons to bow and scrape for his favor. That's intentional on Crowley's part-- the end of this apology dance is also a visual pun on the word scrape, which contains the word rape, and this while he's doing this mocking dance that is a perfect example of how completely different and very healthy his relationship with Aziraphale is by how he is free to be this hilarious, sassy shit with his partner versus the forced subjugation by his assailant.

You might think that wordplay-- visual or otherwise-- involving the word rape is a bit dark. I won't disagree with that but I just want to briefly show you other examples of it that I've noticed so you can see what they're showing as the rationale for it between Crowley and Aziraphale. It's actually more of an empowering thing when you see other examples of it that are in other scenes.

Crowley and Aziraphale's cant vocabulary-- their invented hidden language-- uses a lot of words-within-words, just like how rape lives within scrape. If you consider that, you might also notice a couple of foods that recur in Good Omens that also are related to this. In Crowley and Aziraphale's language and in their life together, food is food but food is also figurative language for sex. Their healthy relationship and all the food and sex that is part of their life together is their answer to the traumas they've both suffered.

It's sensual, mindful living that focuses on healthier, positive experiences that help them to provide one another with a quality of life that the pain of Heaven and Hell does not. As a result, some frequently mentioned food and drink is held up between them as examples of the loving, enjoyable, pleasurable relationship with one another that they have that stands in contrast to Heaven and, especially, Hell.

Crowley enjoys wine, right? Which is made from? Grapes, as Aziraphale orders in 1601...

The opposite of the rape-related issues that Aziraphale unintentionally triggered in Crowley in 1793, for example, is what he then offers him for lunch-- both figurative and euphemistic crepes.

Not coincidentally, that's also what Aziraphale suggested the day after Crowley was assaulted by Satan on the night Armageddon began-- the crepes of Paris, 1793-- and Crowley, as we could see, was all for it:

Another covert reference to this is Aziraphale's magic trick of changing a turnip into an inkwell. It's a metaphor on a couple of different levels but one of them is that the word rape overlaps with a type of plant that is also called that and is the category name for a group of plants and vegetables, the most famous of which is the turnip.

Turnips are also a pretty clever food metaphor for rape. They have been in existence for forever and are, horrifyingly, really common, but no one-- no one lol-- has ever really wanted to eat a turnip. They're not a terribly appealing food and I would wager that if you lined up every person on the planet and asked them to name a delicious food no one-- at all-- would say the turnip.

So, adding that into the etymology of the vegetable being tied to the word rape, then turning "the common turnip" into "an inkwell"-- when sea creatures, like octopi, are often sources of ink, and 'well' meaning both healthy and a flowing source of liquid? It's Aziraphale making a magic trick that is a metaphor for him helping Crowley heal from the rape-related inorgasmia referenced subtly in a few, other scenes, and which is the subject of the Fish meta, if you're interested in that.

Anyway, the healthy, humorous, proskynesis-mocking apology dance is one of the scenes that serves as a direct contrast to the scene in your ask where Crowley is forced to the ground by Satan in Tadfield. That scene involves the other, more extreme end of proskynesis, which is number 6 on the sketch near the start of the meta: prostration.

To be clear: how people want to worship in any way, if they do, is no one's business, so long as it's not harming anyone else. There's nothing inherently wrong with any of this if it's of someone's free will. The scene in your ask, though, doesn't involve free choice, it involves forced subjugation, which is from where the horror of it comes.

Prostration involves lying flat and face down on the ground with your arms outstretched. It involves kissing the feet of the king or the ground that you believe belongs to the deity you're worshipping.

Prostration is complete submission. It's basically a rejection of any sense of self in full deference to the king or the deity.

In Hell, all the demons are seen as belonging to Satan. Several of them, like Hastur and Shax, refer to Satan as "our Master." They are all seen as Satan's subjects and his property-- all known as a collective referred to by Hastur in S1 as The Fallen, as we also looked at in relation to Aziraphale being Mr. Fell in this meta.

In Heaven and Hell's view, The Fallen do not belong to themselves but to Satan. Crowley's sense of autonomy and his relationship with Aziraphale are secrets he keeps because of how they conflict with Hell, where he's not supposed to have any other desire but to live to serve his rapist, who believes that he owns him.

All of Crowley's mocking of anything more than a polite nod when it comes to proskynesis is more than just being generally anti-royalty and anti-authority. The root cause of all of it is Satan.

In the scene in Tadfield, Satan is forcing Crowley to first kneel and, then, to prostrate, before him.

When Crowley clutches one hand to his chest and uses his other hand under him to keep himself an inch or two above ground, he's doing so in an effort to resist fully prostrating.

He's trying to keep his hands from being pulled out in front of him and to keep up enough to keep his lips from kissing the ground in forced subjugation to Satan.

This is probably the darkest scene in the show-- even darker, maybe, than 1.01's scene of Satan attacking Crowley in The Bentley-- because this is a whole new level of horror here. Crowley is shaking with the pain of fighting for enough control over himself to keep from prostrating any more than he is being forced to. This is happening with other people present-- including Aziraphale and kids, including Satan's own kid-- with the obvious humiliation factor being part of the attack.

Unlike in 1.01, when Satan took complete control of Crowley to a point that he couldn't speak, he's left him that ability in this scene, getting off on hearing Crowley protest. This scene shocks because the 1.01 scene of Satan attacking Crowley, and subsequent scenes reinforcing the non-consensual possession-as-rape allegory throughout the story, lead the viewer to believe that this is how it will always be referred to in the story. It lulls us into a sense of complacency where we think we know what the show will do, which has the desired effect of making this scene, in which they shift that tone pretty dramatically, all the more impactful and terrifying.

Furthering the allegorical here is that Crowley is outmatched, power-wise, for the most part, but is putting up a fight. He's moved by an assailant against his will, quite violently. He's dragged to his knees and then pushed forward to the ground. He's in pain and distressed, he's lost control of his body, his legs end up splayed, he pulls in on himself as much as he can, and he's repeatedly saying the word no. I think it might be pretty much impossible to make a scene full of more direct correlations to rape than this scene. They're doing so to really underline this survivor story with Crowley that is running through so many of the other scenes.

Crowley grabs his right leg when he is forced down to the tarmac, presumably because that's the side that is being forced to move by Satan to drag Crowley to his knees. It's possible, though, that this might be also be an allusion to the aftermath of 1827.

When we saw Crowley in 1862 in the scene that functions as him still trying to deal with what happened in 1827, Crowley was carrying that cane that many think was more than a fashion statement. Something that could cause Crowley periodic pain, while also still allowing for other scenes in which he pretty clearly isn't in any pain, is the possibility that, in the 1827 aftermath, Satan broke one or both of Crowley's legs.

As any of us who have ever broken a part of our human corporations know, they can often be painful long after they heal and frequently subject to weather and stress. It's possible that Crowley had recurring pain for decades and might still into today. This is all speculative but why else might this idea also fit?

Possibly just because there are so many scenes in Good Omens that are nothing but Crowley just walking freely or hopping, owning his human body by sauntering around on the legs that are often symbolic of his life as a human of Earth, as he very notably doesn't have them in snake form... and his snake form is something that he associates negatively with his fall and Hell.

Crowley's walk at any given time is related to his sense of empowerment and, sweetly, there are also a bunch of scenes of Aziraphale just gazing at Crowley as he walks around. Including, darkly, the one that was happening when Crowley was dragged to Hell in 1827:

The scene related to this that I like best, though, is when Crowley and Aziraphale both get one over on Satan and The Metatron by successfully hiding Gabriel in S2. They grin at one another as Crowley hops down from the chair, fully in his body, landing gracefully and happily on the legs that, whether once broken or not, we have seen in 1.06 ripped out from under him by Satan before.

Hell also has some Godfather-referencing, mafia-like nods in different scenes in the series and breaking someone's legs is kind of classic mob stuff but, really, I think it's more tied to the whole forced subservience snake thing. Crowley, telling Aziraphale that he'd changed his name to one we learn in S2's Job minisode is associated for Crowley with freedom, autonomy, choice, and Aziraphale...

...from one that is "a bit too squirming-at-your-feet-ish" to Crowley. It's a comment made more horrifying when 1.06's scene in Tadfield makes it clear that this isn't just a metaphor here-- Crowley's unwillingness to be Crawly and his discomfort with being a snake makes even more sense once we have this scene in Tadfield that sees Satan knock his human legs out from under him and force him into literally squirming like a snake at his feet.

No wonder why Snake!Crowley has a tendency to prefer roaring like a lion when transforming into a snake-like monster, like he did in the paintball scene...

Crowley and Aziraphale working to reframe and claim The Serpent from Crowley's negative associations with being a snake is something I talked about in the other meta I posted recently, should you also be interested in that.

The other thing of note when it comes to this scene of Satan trying to force Crowley to fully prostrate is then the fact that, while we've looked at the horror that Crowley is experiencing here, there are some other scenes that are subtly referencing positive life experiences that can be associated with this same type of position, if the situation is consensual and of someone's free choice.

They're also the exact types of things that can be complicated by having been assaulted. Lying face down are obviously both common sexual and sleep positions, for instance...

In S1, one of the scenes that got cut was supposed to be Crowley waking up from a nap in his flat. The script book says it was supposed to be that Crowley was sleeping on the ceiling in his bedroom, which also looks to be how they were filming it from the picture of it that exists. DT filmed it standing up, presumably so that they could flip the shot around and make it look like Crowley was sleeping on the ceiling. In addition to the heat-seeking snake aspect of this, there's some interesting psychology that may be at work here.

Crowley's flat in S1 was not owned by Crowley-- Hell owned it, as we can see even more in S2-- and he was not technically safe in it. Hell isn't great with boundaries and, although Crowley had structured the flat to make it so that he might have some warning if someone were to come through the front door, there was no guarantee that they would do that. Crowley sleeping on the ceiling in the bedroom in his flat might suggest that he did so, at least in part, to try to have an advantage over someone who might show up in his flat.

It might suggest that Crowley likes to sleep on his stomach but he felt too vulnerable to do that in the bed in his flat so the only way he could make that happen there was to sleep on the ceiling, where his position would potentially be a bit more advantageous. Where Crowley likely does not have that issue is in the bookshop, as he's much safer there.

In another area of life? After 1.06 showing where the proskynesis theme was leading in that season, this scene below is then retroactively given another layer:

As looked at before, Aziraphale's hand gestures here are actually massage movements. His dialogue is also full of massage-related puns-- need/knead, back, practice. Probably also not coincidentally? In addition to just being fun and relaxing, massage is also often suggested by therapists working with couples where one or more partners has been assaulted, as it can be therapeutic on a variety of levels. The scene is suggestive of Crowley being comfortable with a variety of different kinds of pleasurable prostrate positions with Aziraphale, which stands in obvious direct contrast to the horrors of Satan.

So, here's where we're going to end this by talking about some mirroring to the scene in your ask with The Final 15, especially through using etymology. The word proskynesis comes from the Greek and is a combination of pros (meaning: towards, in this case) and kyneo (meaning: kiss). Some translations of it actually wind up being less "towards the kiss" more along the lines of "to kiss in the presence of."

Yeah... There's a word in the mix in this story that means "to kiss in the presence of" and that feels pretty relevant to the last few minutes of the most recent episode we've seen, no? 😂

In the S1 finale, the season's recurring moments of proskynesis lead towards the Tadfield scene, in which we watch Crowley wind up forcibly prostrated before Satan and resisting a kiss with everything he's got. While he'd do that anyway, what's the biggest reason as to why he was in that moment? Aziraphale, right?

It's because Aziraphale is right there and this is all already more than horrible enough. Crowley does everything in his power to retain enough control to resist this kiss because he is absolutely not kissing the Earth Satan claims is his, in forced deference to him, with Aziraphale watching.

Poor Aziraphale can't do anything about this in the moment that it's happening. He can't go to Crowley without giving away that he's Crowley's partner. They've been terrified for a long time that Satan would kill Crowley if he found out about them and, based on what we've seen of how violent and dangerous Satan is, it doesn't seem like that fear is at all unfounded.

By S2, Crowley and Aziraphale are becoming a bit less of a secret but the people who they are letting in are ones they feel are trustworthy. None of them have any affiliation with Hell or Satan. The one person around them each a bit that does have affiliation with him-- Shax-- is the one they're both still attempting to fool.

The S2 mirror of the proskynesis/"kiss in the presence of" moment from 1.06 of Satan attacking Crowley in Tadfield and Crowley resisting the kiss in front of Aziraphale involves these same three characters again... but some aspects of it are-- as they would be with a mirror-- shifted around a little.

In 2.06, it's Crowley with a kiss again-- but, this time, it's Aziraphale that he's kissing. Instead of being the person who is watching the kiss be resisted, Aziraphale is the recipient of a kiss that Crowley is actually willing to give.

Aziraphale, like Crowley in 1.06, is mostly resisting the kiss. While Crowley pushed to resist it entirely in S1 for obvious reasons, Aziraphale isn't put off by the idea of kissing Crowley in general but, in S2, is resisting it as much as he's able to do so.

Why?

Because Aziraphale knows with almost complete certainty that it's Satan watching them through the window.

[wendichester]

I need to ask because I want someone else’s perspective on this, what kind of nicknames do you think dean would say to his significant other? I feel like baby/babe would be more like sam to say to his own significant other—at least to me, I might be wrong, idk—i feel like if they’re alone, maybe dean would call his significant other something cheesy, but if someone else is around, I believe he would keep it “classic”, like sweetheart. Maybe I think that way bc dean’s Impala is named baby, but now I don’t know, rn I’m kind of spiraling about this nonsense and confusing myself lol

okay but this is such a good question! i love you for sending me this 🩷

in my opinion, dean is definitely a nickname kinda guy. from the way he casually calls every single woman he runs into sweetheart, darlin', or doll to the fact that he saves crowley's contact as 666 (or even something as simple as calling sam sammy all the damn time), it's clear that pet names or nicknames are second nature to him. they're a part of his charm, almost a mix of flirtation, habitat and a means of keeping people at arm's length while still making them feel special--at least on the surface.

now, when it comes to someone who actually matters, someone he's built something real with, I feel like the nicknames would evolve.

in the early stages--when you're just friends--dean would probably lean into playful teasing nicknames, especially if there's an inside joke between the two. he'd find something unique, something that sticks. mostly likely something to get under your skin in that smug, shit-eating way of his. i see him as someone who'd use brat a lot. sunshine if dealing with someone chipper (specially in the mornings). names like these. simple, commonly used, but that he'd only use for you and you only. these would be casual, easy to throw out around sam or even strangers, because at this stage, there's no real vulnerability attached to them. sometimes, he'd used them even in a annoyed or slight mocking tone.

but as things progressed--as you became his person--the pet names would grow more intimate, more meaningful. he'd still keep the classics because those would never really leave his vocabulary, but they'd be spoken in a softer and affectionate way. babygirl seems like something he'd often use, something that rolls off his tongue when he pulls you close or murmurs in your ear. i can also see beautiful slipping through his lips when he's feeling completely lost in infatuation, but only in private--never in front of sam, never in a moment where he might get caught being too soft. i feel like, despite everything, dean would continue guarding his emotions around his lil bro. the idea of being vulnerable in front of him still unnerving.

now i definitely agree with you on the baby one. it just feels off-limits. baby belongs to the Impala and we all know how Dean is nothing if not sentimental when it comes to his car. if he'd ever say it, he'd either have to be wasted, dead tired, or caught up in the heat of the moment where the word would just slip. babe on the other hand, i could see it being used when he's frustrated--an exasperated "babe, c'mon!" when he's losing patience or he's trying to reason with you.

overall, i think dean's pet names would reflect your relationship and how close/intimate you are with him. to the rest of the world they would seem like nothing--just another layer of his charm--but to you, they'd be something deeper. something special. a way of saying I see you, you're mine, you matter. without ever having to say those words out loud

p.s. did i get too carried away with this? 100% but I have no friends to discuss supernatural with irl so--please share your thoughts with me and send me more questions ehe 😙

[sunfire-shield]

I think a fascinating part of Terry’s character is how isolated he was implied to be when he met Claudia. Like, there are a lot of clues as to how separate Terry already was from the Earthblood elves, such as the way that, when they’re hiking through the Drakewood, Terry identifies it as being close to where he grew up, and the first thing he starts talking about his struggles growing up, and the fact that his community didn’t respect his gender identity. This seems to be the only case of a queer character feeling ostracised from his community for his queer identity. Like, the scene is superficially similar to when Astrid comments that “my star was never hidden, even if others couldn’t see it”, it never feels like the Celestial elves rejected her, just that for a while they couldn’t see (pun unintended), and that’s been cleared up now. She has a positive relationship with her people and culture right up until the whole “we have information that could prevent the end of the world but won’t divulge it” thing. Instead we find Terry living in the wilds, and he shows no interest in rejoining his people, unlike how Rayla longs for her homeland during her period of exile. Our brief experience of the Drake Riders also highlights how different Terry is from the peak standard his culture has (I think the Drake Riders are a distinct group among Earth blood elves but still, we can extrapolate), and this further demonstrates how Terry was feeling more and more isolated from his culture and community. And then, he meets, befriends and dates the elf hating human dark mage Claudia

Now, Claudia is also extremely isolated when she meets Terry, albeit in different ways and for quite different reasons: geographically, she is very separate from the community and culture she grew up with by the fact she’s hiding out deep in Xadia with only her father’s corpse and the disembodied spirit of a vengeful Startouch elf speaking through a worm for company, but she’s also isolated ideologically because she’s doggedly hung on to the us vs them tribalism and bigotry that her society, under King Ezran, is actively attempting to move away from. This creates rifts that are difficult to bridge when she reunites with other characters from her past, such as her brother. Now, while we’re not shown Claudia and Terry’s meeting, the social isolation these characters are experiencing is a compelling reason why they might bond to each other in the first place, especially in the reasonably stable period of time that is the timeskip where it is easier for them to focus on the things they have in common, such as their goofy senses of humour and dogged loyalty, and they can support each other through their loneliness. A friend I was discussing this with irl described it like they have “bonded to each other in the place of other community”, which I thought was a great way of wording it

Anyway I just think their whole relationship and the implied ins and outs of why/how they bonded in the first place is really interesting to speculate on and a real highlight of arc2 for me

[jaimetheexplorer]

Two more thoughts I have after reading some takes:

First, there's a lot of talk of Helena "betraying" Mark/Helly by pretending to be Helly, but I think an element that will inevitably be coming up is o!Mark "betraying" Mark/Helly in a similar way? Just as Helena "stole" Helly from Mark (and Mark from Helly) the night they spent together, o!Mark will be "stealing" Mark from Helly (and Helly from i!Mark) the more he reintegrates and is no longer just i!Mark.

Granted, o!Mark had no clear idea of what was going on inside other than knowing his innie is "found love" with someone, so it's less questionable than Helena being completely aware of what's going on and inserting herself on purpose. But still, I feel that he is in some way imposing his desire to see his wife (and all the risks of reintegration) onto his innie with no consideration for how it might disrupt or destroy whatever life he has going on in there, or affect the people he knows in there. So is this really that much different from Helena imposing her desire to experience human intimacy and connection onto Helly, and onto Mark as a consequence? Sure, o!Mark might not think of his innie as "not a person" to the same extent Helena thinks of hers, but he still seems to think of him as a "lesser person", one that is just a tool for him to deal with his grief.

I feel like trying to find the good guy and the bad guy in this story quite a pointless endeavour that is beyond the point of the narrative, especially when it comes to trying to find "good' and 'bad' between 'innie' and 'outtie'. Because that's the whole point: the more "distance" you have from another person, the less you will tend to care about their life and feelings over your own or those of people closer to you. That happens IRL too, like... how many of us think of ourselves as "empathetic" and righteous but then buy stuff and consume things that are produced with violations of human rights, either unknowingly or because we don't care to check that much? Or if you had to choose between curing your mother or your child and an acquaintance or a complete stranger, which one would you choose? Are you the bad guy or the good guy in these situations? Neither. I think Severance just takes this kind of stuff to the nth degree because this "distance" is between different versions of the same person, rather than between different people.

I read different interpretations of the Kier lore regarding his twin and which one is supposed to be the innie and which one is supposed to be the outtie, which is the "real" Kier and which one isn't. Again, I think trying to identify which is which is missing the point. I think the point is precisely that you could look at it either way. The fact that we can’t tell who the innie is and who the outtie is, and who is “pure” and “impure” is the whole point. That that the line between identities (and therefore autonomy and goodness/badness) can become VERY blurred and messy and up to interpretation.

[canmom]

altered states of mind explored so far

LSD ✔️- currently a favourite after two trips. highly sensitive to input, needs to be treated carefully with a degree of 'ritual'. benefits a lot from interesting company and artworks to look at.

mushrooms ✔️- only done once but great fun in company

other psychedelics - todo. wanna go to a rave at some point

weed ✔️- it's nice to vibe on with friends, not particularly inclined to go out of my way to get it otherwise

alcohol ✔️ - it's ok, but i really do not see what the fuss is about, except that i guess that it's the only popular drug that's legal for weird historical reasons.

adhd stimulants❔- not been allowed a high enough dose to be effective. hopefully will get a better try in glasgow

ssris ✔️- still on these fuckers, i go a bit mental whenever i forget to take them and not in a fun way sadly

'sub space' ✔️- recently found out how fun this is, need to explore this one a lot more :3

'top space'/'domme space' - todo, doesn't come naturally (you'd be shocked to hear) but want to explore when i have more exp

hypnosis - todo, learning about this one recently, seems very promising

roleplaying games ✔️- it's not usually thought of like this but i think getting really into character or really creatively vibing as a DM/MC is an example of an altered state of mind, and a really fun and often meaningful one. probably related to...

adhd hyperfocus/'creative flow' ✔️ - wrt computer games, programming, writing, playing music, doing maths etc. - absolutely great when you can figure out how to activate it. very unpredictable. does not always fixate on what 'you' (see: mild plurality question) would want it to, so it's not exactly a superpower. but tbh the things that activate this are what my life revolves around.

social connection ✔️ & loneliness ✔️ - the last few years prior to moving here I was very isolated, and my landing in Glasgow was kind of rocky. the contrast makes it really noticeable how much an evening with friends will change my mood and feelings about the world. not having enough irl social contact reliably leads to....

getting really neurotic about stuff/emotional flashbacks ✔️ - a frequently recurring state of mind, and sadly not a fun one. much more likely to end up here with ssri withdrawal. recognising it as a state of mind is helpful though because i can then think about what activates it/how to transition to another state

movement ✔️ - cycling, flying a glider (years ago now), going on one of those fairground rides that spin you around really fast, dancing, roller skating, tai chi - it feels really good to move, and be in control of that movement through space, to tie it to other stimuli such as music, etc etc. movement in a virtual space is pretty good if the interaction is sufficiently textured, but irl movement hits more of your senses including your physical sense of acceleration/proprioception, and is thus more powerful.

encountering art ✔️- this covers so much. but think of 'getting lost in' a book or 'getting really absorbed in' a film. for a time you are caught up in a flow of emotions and connections driven by the provocative thing you are encountering. this is a big reason why we do it, after all.

intense fever ✔️- illness can be a pretty intense drug (c.f. 18ft leash - scouts honour)! it's funny to talk about 'being high on covid' but the analogy is there, thanks @cean-untitled for pointing out the analogy. since you don't get to choose when you go on it or prepare in the same sort of ritualistic way and your body is usually in a bad way at the time, the results are often less fun, but can still be pretty dramatic and powerful.

sleep ✔️ fatigue ✔️- as xkcd put it, to 'go comatose for a few hours and hallucinate vividly'; fatigue is also a common and very abruptly arriving state of mind these days.

lucid dreaming - todo

i'm sure i could think of more, or divide these up more granularly, but i think this serves to illustrate the unifying frame here.

[bonedo-enthusiast]

toxic 𐂐◯𓇋 (hts)

i got inspo from lettuce by f5ve to write this--would recommend giving it a listen. :)

desc: when you confront taesan about his changed behavior, you don't expect what comes out of his mouth next. (taesan asks reader to dom him for the first time. 🤭)

warnings: smut, mdni!, some angst at the beginning, some fluff at the end, sub!taesan x dom!reader, masochist!taesan x sadist!reader, praise, degradation, temperature play (using a cold object), biting, oral (both receiving), p in v, no protection used (but pls do irl!), taesan is a brat, orgasm denial, cum eating, voyeurism/exhibitionism(?), use of some pet/nicknames (sannie, sweetie, baby), afab!reader but no pnouns used + lmk if i missed anything as always!

wc: 2,074

taesan was the perfect boyfriend–always doing you favors, giving you compliments, and randomly giving you gifts. but then he started working at a new job, and that’s when everything seemed to change. it was almost like overnight, the sweet thoughtful boy that you once knew was now distant and cold toward you. eventually, you had had enough.

“taesan, what the fuck?” you asked him after he got off work, brushing past you to go to the bedroom.

“what?” taesan asked in turn, not even looking at you.

“why have you been acting so toxic lately? what’s changed?” 

he turned around with a scoff, you putting your hands on your hips. “me? toxic?”

“um, yeah. all of a sudden, you don’t wanna spend as much time together and you hardly ever compliment me anymore. so, like i asked, what’s changed?” you paused. “are you cheating on me?”

“what?” taesan looked offended. “of course not.”

“okay, then spill the beans.”

“fine. fine, i’ll spill the beans.” he straightened up, looming over you. “it’s ‘cause you don’t care.”

“huh?” now it was your turn to scoff. “i don’t care? why on earth would you think that?”

“because…” he faltered, a break in his nonchalant mask. but then it was back. “you never do any of the things you do for me. it always feels like i’m putting more effort into the relationship. and, well, my new friends at work have made me realize that.”

“oh…” you frowned, softening. “i never thought of it like that. in fact, i never really thought of that at all. i’m… so sorry, taesan.” 

he let out a soft sigh, running a hand through his hair. “no, i’m sorry. this is kind of stupid. i should’ve just talked to you about it like a grown man.” 

“and i should’ve realized that you were doing more for me than i was for you. we both made mistakes.” you smiled up at him, placing a gentle hand on his cheek. “is there anything i can do to make it up to you, love?” 

“well… actually, there’s another thing.” taesan said, looking a bit flushed.

this made you quirk an eyebrow in curiosity. “what is it, sannie?” 

“there’s no easy way to bring this up.” his eyes shifted down to the floor. “i… i want to try something different in our… relationship.” 

“okay…” you said, nervousness bubbling up inside you. “what do you mean?”

taesan mumbled. “i want you to dom me.”

“what?!” you jumped back in surprise, not expecting those words to come out of his mouth.

“we don’t have to.” taesan said quickly, sighing again. “sorry, forget i even mentioned–”

you silenced him, pulling him down and crashing your lips into his. taesan let out a soft moan, breaking away from the kiss soon after. his cheeks were red as he began to stammer out something, but you cut him off by kissing him again

“you’re so fucking hot, taesan.” you murmured, catching his bottom lip in between your teeth. he visibly shuddered, looking at you with lust when you pulled away. “strip.” 

“but i wanna see you fi–”

“i said strip.” you said, making him feel small with your gaze even though you were physically smaller. “safe word is banana, okay?”

taesan nodded and bit his lip, quickly taking off his t-shirt and sweats. he paused at the waistband of his boxers, looking at you. then he slowly slid them off too, his cock springing up from the motion. your eyes gravitated toward it and you instinctively reached out, wrapping a hand around it. taesan sucked in a breath at the contact, maintaining your gaze. 

“go into the bedroom and wait for me. i also want to try something.” you said, letting go of his dick. 

taesan smirked. “oh? and what might that be?”

“a surprise.” you headed into the kitchen after taesan entered your shared bedroom. you walked to the fridge, opening the freezer and rummaging around in it until you saw it. you kept a metal spoon in there for your skincare but a while back you had wondered what it might be like to use something cold in the bedroom. you personally enjoyed the way lube felt due to its coolness, so it didn’t sound too far fetched to you. 

you closed the freezer and headed to the bedroom, opening the door to find taesan on the bed with a hand pumping his cock.

“taesan, what the fuck are you doing?” you asked sternly.

“i’m–hah–jerking off, what does it–mmh–look like?” taesan stumbled over his words, biting his lip.

“did i say you could do that?”

“you d-didn’t say i couldn–ah! y-y/n… f-fuck!” taesan let out a loud groan as his body shuddered, spurts of milky white falling on his thighs and the sheets below him. 

you let out a disappointed sigh, coming to sit beside him. “taesan… look at me.” you grabbed his chin, forcing him to make eye contact with you. “you should know you’re not supposed to do anything to yourself unless i tell you to.”

“whoops.” taesan replied with a shrug, smiling cheekily at you. 

you rolled your eyes and pushed him down so he was laying on the bed. you hovered over him and placed the cold metal spoon against one of his nipples, his back slightly arching as he let out a moan.

you giggled. “oh? does my baby like that?”

“sh-shut up…” taesan murmured, his words contrasting with the neediness in his eyes. 

“that’s no way to talk to me.” you said, moving the spoon to his other nipple. he moaned again, shivering a little. “apologize.” 

“no…”

you trailed the spoon down his stomach to his dick, stopping just at the base. he let out a louder moan and you gave him a look.

“o-okay, i’m s-sorry, fuck…” 

“there we go. that’s better, don’t you think?” you smiled sweetly at him and removed the spoon, replacing it with your warm hand. 

he sucked in air between his teeth, shuddering again. “y/n, i need you… now.” 

“mm, i didn’t hear a ‘please.’” you said, wrapping a limp hand around his cock before releasing it, toying with him.

“p-please, y/n! please.” 

“i don’t know if you deserve it. after all, you’ve already cum before i’ve even had a chance to. that’s rude, don’t you think?” 

“i said i’m sorry, okay?”

“not about that. and not about your attitude, either.” you kissed his neck, causing him to squirm a little. 

“well, i-i am! sorry. for all of it.” 

“you know… they say that actions speak louder than words.” you slid off your shorts and panties, feeling the cool air hitting you. taesan practically salivated, his eyes immediately going to your cunt. 

“fuck…” he groaned, instinctively reaching for his dick.

you swatted his hand away. “nu-uh. exhibit a. you are not sorry.” you swung a leg over his lap, hovering just above his dick. “guess i’ll have to make you sorry.” 

you sunk down then, sucking in a sharp breath as he stretched you out with no preparation. taesan threw his head back with a grunt, his hands resting on either side of your thighs. you paused for a few moments, using the time to litter kisses along his neck. you sucked and nipped at the skin, causing red and purple marks to begin blooming. when you felt ready, you sunk the rest of the way down and bottomed out with a soft moan. 

“so beautiful.” taesan mumbled. “making me feel so good…”

“oh, baby, we haven’t even started.” you lifted off of his cock before slamming back down, knocking a gasp out of him. you tried to contain your own noises but ending up failing. taesan didn’t seem to notice anyway with the way he was struggling keeping his eyes open. 

you picked up the pace, fucking yourself on him like your life depended on it.

“y/n, i-i might cum soon.” taesan stammered out between gasps of air. 

“no, you won’t. not until i say.” 

“please… please please please.” taesan whined, causing something deep inside you to awaken at this unfamiliar tone.

“you heard me, slut.” you said, grabbing the spoon from earlier and placing it against his nipples. 

he gasped loudly. “c-cold, f–aah! y/n, please. i can’t–i can’t hold it in!”

you slid off of his cock, sitting on his thighs. taesan whined at the loss of contact. “no! y/n, p–”

“stop your whining.” you said sternly. “look at you. i’ve never seen you so pathetic.”

“i-i need you.” taesan said pitifully, his eyes desperately searching yours. “need you so bad.”

“you just don’t listen, do you?” you let out a dramatic sigh before leaning down and taking his dick in your mouth.

“yes! y-yes! thank you so m–fuck!” taesan bucked his hips as you gently nibble the base of his cock.

“oh, does my baby like that?” you teased. “you are so dirty, aren’t you?” you continued sucking him off, swirling your tongue around his tip. 

“f-fuck, y/n, i’m gonna c–” you let his dick fall out of your mouth as his body began tensing. “no!” he whined again, looking frustrated. “i was s-so close, y/n!”

“i know. but like i said, i haven’t even cum yet.” you leaned back and inserted a finger inside your cunt, letting out a soft moan.

taesan’s eyes nearly bugged out of his head as he leaned forward, about to touch you.

“nu-uh, no touching. either me or yourself. just watch.” 

he frowned as he leaned back, biting his lip in frustration. you began pumping the finger in and out of yourself, letting moans and curses tumble out of your mouth. when you inserted another finger, taesan let out an audible moan. 

“should i go faster, baby?” you asked him with a smile. 

“yes, faster.” taesan nodded enthusiastically, knowing that the sooner your orgasm came, the sooner his would too. 

you let out a giggle and fingered yourself with more intensity, your eyebrows furrowing with pleasure. you felt the knot in your stomach tighten until it finally exploded, your juices coating your hand. 

taesan let out a groan, staring at your fingers as you pulled them out of yourself. 

“wanna taste, baby?” you asked, bringing your fingers up to his lips. 

he guided your fingers into his mouth, sucking on them while maintaining eye contact with you. once he sucked them clean, you removed them. “fuck, you taste so good…” 

“thank you, baby. are you ready to cum now?” 

“yes, please.” taesan leaned back some more as you lined him up with your entrance. you sunk down again, bouncing up and down on his cock harder than before. “oh sh-shit, y/n!”

you leaned down and kissed him. you tasted yourself as your tongues danced around each other. he grabbed the back of your head, needily deepening the kiss. then his body tensed up again and his movements stopped as he let out a loud moan. you felt him cum inside you, the warm liquid filling you up even more. 

he fell back panting but grunted again as he felt you continuing to move. “i-it hurts!”

“i know, sweetie, but you like it, don’t you? besides, i should get to cum again too.” you cooed, brushing the hair off of his forehead. 

you continued riding him until you also came, your cunt clenching around him. taesan involuntarily shivered at the feeling before wrapping you into a hug. 

“i really am so sorry for treating you like that.” he said after a few moments. “i feel like a dumbass.” 

“i’m not going to disagree.” you joked, grinning at him. 

“yeah… yeah.” he let out a short laugh. “i love you.”

“i love you too.”

-

a few weeks later, taesan came home to find that you weren’t there. he read the note you left on the kitchen table: “be back soon. going to the store. :)”

he walked into the bedroom to change into more comfortable clothes when he saw a vinyl sitting on the bed. his eyes lit up as he approached it, seeing another note from you: “i hope you know now that i care. sorry for calling you toxic… <3”

taesan let out a giggle and took the vinyl out of its sleeve, popping it on the record player against the wall. he sat on the bed and listened to the soft music, finding his smile growing wider and wider.

a/n: i feel like this was all over the place at times, but i hope you all enjoyed nonetheless. i love the idea of a bratty taesan and idk this just checked all my boxes. (yes this was kind of self-indulgent but that's okay.)

[pbaz7]

was going through an insane crash out yesterday and the tenn game was just the cherry on top. really needing this rn lmao.

“Go back to sleep, pretty.”

tearing up alr

“You’re lucky you look like your mama, you know that?”

if their kid does end up looking like azzi that little girl is about to be spoiled beyond anyone's wildest dreams

“Yeah, yeah, I know. You’re more important,” she sighed, giving her tiny hand a gentle squeeze.

🥹

“She thinks I don’t know it, but she’s been running my life since I was fifteen.”

azzi had her on a leash for nearly a decade atp

“I swear, she could tell me to do anything, and I’d do it. No hesitation,” Paige admitted, a small smile tugging at her lips. “And now you? I just know you’re gonna be the same way. I’m gonna be in trouble with you two. Probably broke.”

at least she's aware!

“And you? You’re the best thing we ever did…”

ever better than getting that 2025 natty?! (let me stay delusional)

Azzi’s heart melted.

how could it not

Azzi watched in disbelief before shaking her head. “Oh, this is ridiculous. She’s already got a favorite.”

p tends to have that effect on people unfortunately (fortunately)

Aliana was sound asleep, bundled up in her little UConn onesie, oblivious to the fact that she was about to make her first official appearance in Gampel Pavilion.

uconn fan since BIRTH quite literally

Azzi sighed, shaking her head as a small smile pulled at her lips. “I still can’t believe we call him Grandpa now.”

oh em gee this is adorable. geno pls get ur act together and stop making game losing calls and maybe this can happen irl!

“Oh. My. God,” she gasped, eyes wide with shock and excitement.

still extra and dramatic all these years later

her fingers already moving to undo the straps.

can't even call you out for the double entendre bc this is genuinely so adorable

Ice shook her head, laughing. “Oh, you already on that parent logic, huh?”

girl math parent logic

just Paige and Azzi, tucked into each other like they were back in college, stealing moments in between practices.

just thinking about them being so cute and annoying during practice and lit tearing up. I can't have it be over guys😭

Paige tightened her hold, letting out a small hum of satisfaction. “I missed this,” she admitted. “Just… holding you.”

longing for simpler times right with p and az... oh how I miss Hopkins p

“You’re my wife. Meaning you’re irreplaceable, Bueckers.”

literally can't imagine either of them with anyone else

When they pulled away, she whispered, “God, you’re beautiful.”

azzi almost looks like ai she's so perfect. like sometimes I wonder if she's real

Paige smirked. “I do know. But please tell me more.”

she's just the same

“Yeah, but when she doesn’t want to sleep unless she’s on your chest?

this trait seems to be hereditary then...

Paige pulled out the tiny noise-canceling headphones and carefully adjusted them over Aliana’s little head.

just thinking of kate martin holding her nephew with those stupid little headphones over his head

The moment people noticed the baby in Paige’s arms, the volume somehow got even louder.

cuz they know that little girl bout to be playing for them in like 17 years

After a moment, Paige sighed and carefully, almost reluctantly, shifted Aliana into Azzi’s arms.

this is so dad watching the Super Bowl core

Paige smirked. “Guess she likes messing with you already. Knew she’d be just like me.”

azzi got TWO of these hoes to deal with. someone give her an award for patience

“I get it, baby. Auntie Nika is a lot sometimes.”

would NEVER in a million years trust nika with my kid... but love that for p and az!

but they’re practically vibrating waiting to meet you.”

me core I fear

“She was always putting me first. It didn’t matter how much pressure she was under, how exhausted she was from practice—she always made sure I felt loved.”

azzi stop talking before I start sobbing

You and me? We’re the luckiest girls in the world.”

and a tear rolled down my cheek🥹

Paige leans in and presses a quick but lingering kiss to her lips, not caring in the slightest about the people around them.

just one of these is all I want! it doesn't even have to be on the lips guys just a cute little kiss on the forehead at the draft or smth

“I mean, can you blame me? I bagged the most beautiful woman in the world and we have the cutest baby ever. I think I’ve earned the right to be a little cocky.”

I mean she does have a point...

Paige and Azzi both chuckle at the comment. Paige leans in slightly toward Azzi, murmuring, “They’re already trying to recruit her.”

knowing who her parents are you can't blame em

“Move over, CD. Let me see my granddaughter.”

gramps is so sassy lmao

a familiar but unexpected face appeared beside them.

wait im scared

“You and Azzi still going strong, huh?”

who is this ugly hoe..

As soon as the woman was out of earshot, Azzi turned to Paige. “I thought we were done with your groupies at this stage.”

nah that's just what comes with marrying Paige bueckers

Now, Azzi was straddling Paige’s lap, her arms draped lazily over Paige’s shoulders as they kissed.

OH?!

“Doesn’t change anything,” she said, her voice low but firm. “You know I can’t do it.”

yeah im on team Paige here I would efintley not have sex in front of my kid lmao... no matter how young they are

Azzi let out a laugh just before Paige kissed her again, pulling her under the warmth of the water, their laughter fading into something softer.

can't even be mad I was robbed cuz this is adorable

ugh I love pazzi as parents so much

truly still in shambles about yesterday

dare I say I knew we were gonna lose from before the game even started...

anyway author, as usual, I love you

-🍉

tearing up alr

everybody said this 😭

ever better than getting that 2025 natty?! (let me stay delusional)

exactly you see the vision..yup..yup

oh em gee this is adorable. geno pls get ur act together and stop making game losing calls and maybe this can happen irl!

please luigi i need you to get it together

azzi almost looks like ai she's so perfect. like sometimes I wonder if she's real

this is so real

would NEVER in a million years trust nika with my kid... but love that for p and az!

i wouldn’t trust any of them with a child

and a tear rolled down my cheek

sorry 😬

just one of these is all I want! it doesn't even have to be on the lips guys just a cute little kiss on the forehead at the draft or smth

man gimme something please

also i’m letting that game drift from my memory permanently ✨

[wisteriahyacinth]

@fhfnejd @alwaysstreetsahead thank you for caring 🥺😭😥 here is part 2. Going more in depth.

I think the main reason why I'd struggle to be friends with everyone is because of the timing. The best way I could describe it is if you wanted to make friends with a stranger at a funeral. Like, you know you're never gonna see them ever again, but the timing to make friends is SO BAD.

I'd also like to add that I have like 0 social skills online and irl, so there's that. I overthink, get intimidated easily, and I always wonder if my friends are actually my friends. Like.. lukewarm friends aren't a consept to me. You're either a friend, or not.

First off, Luke:

I feel like he already has such a disconnect with everyone at camp except for Annabeth. He probably saw everyone as a duty or a responsibility. He'd probably be nice to me, as he was nice to pretty much everyone, even Percy. He literally stole stuff just for him. But I feel like I'd wonder if he'd see me as a friend, which probably wouldn't make me think we were. We could bond over parent stuff cuz duh, but then again, I don't think we'd be close so I wouldn't consider him a friend.

Next, Percy. He gives off not the energy I'd vibe with. He's.. mischievous? Trickster-y? Not necessarily a person I'd gravitate toward. I'd probably avoid him. But if I didn't avoid him, again, I'd probably feel bad for trying to comr up to him when he's mourning over the loss of his mom. Then of course after TLT he's like super popular and busy and stressed. I don't think I'd have the courage to walk up to someone like him. He's charismatic and charming. Not a person I'd feel comfortable yapping my interests to.

Annabeth: knowing Athena kids and their fatal flae of pride, I'd probably.. really dislike her? I'd feel threatened and unhappy. But again if I wanted to walk up to her, she's again super intimidating. She's an amazing strategist and fighter even before the og series. Like.. i know for a fact that I'd suck at everything demigodly, (despite the quiz saying im an athena kid, which NO I WANNA BE A HERMES KID, I AM NOT SMART) and i don't think Annabeth would want to be friends with me. She also just seems really cold. I feel like what would happen is that we'd meet at the arts and crafts area or library, and she'd either look very busy, or if I tried to talk to her, she would probably look uninterested and I'd overthing, causing me to ignore her forever (EVEN IF THE QUIZ SAYS SHE'S MY SISTER)

Jason: there are 2 ways we could go about this. Either im a roman camper or a greek camper. Let's start with roman

Roman- if I was a Roman camper, I assume I'd be put in the worst cohort. Perfect since Jason belongs there. BUT! Knowing his reputation, he'd probably really intimidate me. Like yeah, he tried his goddamn best to be down to earth, but I have the strange feeling that he'd be.. like Mai from ATLA? Just, trying his best to be down to earth and normal, but also walking a tightrope to use his power and influence to make things better. He has to be rigid and stiff for people to respect him enough to make changes. Like.. maybe I'd be friends with him, but I try really really hard to be friends with someone. This might cause him to think that I have bad intentions when in reality, im just insecure. He'd probably be friends with me, because I know I'd be like at the very bottom of the rank, but then again, i feel like I'd worry if our friendship was genuine.

Greek- If I was greek, I'd probably just seem him come into camp one day using the roman names of the gods. Which probably would put me off, but i don't think it would stop me from wanting to be friends with him. I just think that with him being all busy with the quest and stuff, that I'd have no time to get to know him and that I'd still probably be intimidated by him. If not by him, then I'd probably be scared of Piper hating me for wanting to be friends with him.

Piper: Knowing me, I'd probably try to make friends with Jason first. This could make her potentially dislike me. But if I didn't, I don't know if I'd have enough in common with her to be friends with her. Just thinking about her character, I don't know if she'd be willing to listen to be ramble about random things. It'd probably be like with Annabeth, where I try to talk to her, then I end up not knowing how to continue the conversation, and then overthink causing me to just completely avoid her.

Leo: I might actually become friends with Leo, assuming he isn't stuck in his cabin? Like.. he seems funny, and I know for a fact that I'd see through his facade cuz I RELATE BRO. Like, I may not know WHY, but I know we'd relate to each other. He seems charming enough for me to want to get to know him, but also not very cold or judgemental, which may make me inclined to talk to him. I just don't know if we'd have much of a friendship cuz duh, main characters have too interesting of lives and basically forget friendships with characters that aren't main characters. :(

Frank: Frank seems to be.. normal and approachable. Like.. he doesn't strike me as a person whp would judge me for being weird. And I feel like we'd relate to not associating with our godly parents. Like i took the quiz and got Athena, but i associate more with hermes. Because strategy n stuff, i suck at, but Luke in TLT described Hermes kids as jacks of all trades and masters of none, which feels perfect for me. Just like how Frank felt like he didn't fit in with the typical child of Mars stuff and preferred to be seen as a child of Apollo.

Hazel: She also seems like Frank, very sweet and nice and normal. She doesn't seem like she'd judge me. She might scare me a bit because she can be very strong, but hey, that just means that if she saw me feeling insecure about my friendship with her, she'd reassure me strongly.

Grover: I might become friends with Grover? The only thing is that I wonder if I'd feel secure. Because like.. what if he only became friends with me because of his job of being a protector?

Silena: I think I'd become friends with her. She just seems like a sweet person. All she wants to do is make things better. Especially with the Aphrodite rite of passage. She seems to be a good person who will do the right thing when it's needed.

Will: I don't know, because again, he has so many responsibilities. He'd probably intimidate the hell out of me. And the timing too! I could have made friends with him in like.. TTC? But.. I dunno.

Nico: HOW WOULD I MAKE FRIENDS WITH THIS GUY?? HE'D SCARE THE HELL OUT OF ME. Like.. there's a chance that I'd want to be friends with him. He's a loner, im a loner, it makes sense. But also.. i imagine him to just look constantly unhappy. I feel like I'd fear him getting angry at me. I'd probably try to talk to him about.. something? Maybe something nerdy if I snooped enough to know that about him? But I really don't know if he'd be willing to listen to me talk about Superman for 2 hours.

Reyna: Reyna is just like Jason. She's just.. so stiff and rigid. Like.. she just looks so intimidating. Assuming im a roman in this scenario, when she first gets to camp, she's probably already very skilled. I could have tried making friends with her, but then again, she was like Jason. A perfect candidate to be preator. Someone who is seen like that is very responsible, very put together. Aka, the perfect person to scare me away and make me feel self-conscious. I'd probably have a better chance making friends with Jason compared to Reyna.

Rachel: There's just no way. She's like.. a minor celebrity or something? Rich and powerful and an activist. I could very well have become friends with her talking about activism stuff, but she's also rich and well, she just seems like a person who'd make me insecure again.

Thalia: There is literally no time in which a regular camper could talk to Thalia. She gets revived then is sent on a mission to get Nico and Bianca. Then there's the whole quest in TTC then she becomes a hunter. WHERE IN THAT TIME AM I, A REGULAR CAMPER SUPPOSED TO TALK TO HER?? Also she's punk.. I feel like she'd scare me away. Like.. maybe I'd think really hard to talk to her. But then i feel like a convo with her might fizzle out and make me overthink again.

Is there anyone im missing? I really dunno if I should make a part 3 lol

[fayewoodss]

unfortunately their con merch seems to usually be a bit disappointing so I don't think you're alone in that! there's a reason the critique is usually "bad designs". if you want to talk about it I think people will know you're coming at it from a place of wanting it to be better

(besides, we know the dream branding payoff is that it's great quality, so ultimately I'm okay with it being mostly bad designs)

I've mostly seen con talk on twitter where the discussions is OVERWHELMINGLY positive about the art and design. Now that I know the artist is Lauren, their head designer, I do feel more comfortable critiquing it because my first thought was they commissioned a kid/teen to do the art and I wouldn't feel comfortable giving them a critique.

Lauren is a great graphic designer and we see that in the regular DT merch but also the con merch. The layout of the panels in the comic, the use of text, overall composition are great for both the poster and the shirt. There are a few things design wise that show a lack of understanding for comic creation, but I'll give her a pass there because she isn't a comic designer and not within the industry of comics, so most of her design mistakes or misplacements are rookie mistakes and don't detract from the overall compositions. I think it's worth noting, but again, not the main point of my critique.

The main problem is the art.

Now, regardless of skill and technique, art is important and anyone and everyone should be allowed to create and share. But when you are creating art as a professional, critique is a requirement of the job and necessary to being an artist. The internet and how it approaches art culture is very anti-critique because they see critique as inherently negative criticism, not constructive feedback. So, when I saw the overwhelmingly positive response, I felt like sharing my opinion would immediately be shot down or misinterpreted. But I am a professional artist. I went to school for art. I am still very active in both the online and irl art communities and even have my work currently showing in a gallery, where I recently received praise and critique for. My opinion and my critique are not the end all be all and everyone is allowed to come to their own conclusions, but I very heavily preface with this because I need people to know I am coming from a place of good faith and genuine knowledge in the subject matter.

So, when I look at the actual art for the merch, my first thought is, "they should've hired an artist and not a designer." The main problem is that the art shows a lack of skill and understanding for illustration. The figures are awkward and stiff. The faces are asymmetrical and fail to properly convey likeness to the Dream Team. The linework and shading is sloppy and rushed. The biggest detractor to me with all of this is that everything appears to be heavily traced.

Now, people get up and arms about tracing. Tracing is a tool. It is by no means a bad tool or "cheating," and it is and will always be very important to art and illustration, but there is a difference in using tracing as a reference versus using it as a crutch. The merch art uses it as a crutch and this is obvious because of all the reasons I stated before: the figures are stiff and the movement is not gestural, the linework is sloppy and focuses more on getting in certain details rather than following lines that would be natural to the poses and the light source, and specific clothing items like Dream's harness and cape and Sapnap's shoes seem slapped on top of the figures without a reference and knowledge of perspective and construction. Another big arrow pointing to tracing is how the bodies and heads do not match up with the posing as the heads and bodies were clearly traced separately and then added together later. Note the lack of necks and, again, misunderstanding perspective and movement.

I think to best catch how this is traced without thought or editing is to look at the faces and the hands and see how the lines don't make sense for naturally capturing a figure.

I also think the shading and coloring are very poorly done and outright sloppy. The shading has a graphite texture to it which in the world of comics is just not a common texture. Comics were traditionally ink and traditional shading is very heavily graphic and focused on hard black shadows. For the merch art, this sorely sticks out more as it's right next to graphic linework and solid spots of color that were likely added via paint bucket tool. It breaks up harmony in the piece and instead of having the intended effect of drama, it's messy. On top of that, there are a lot of points where the color of the shading leaves the linework in a way that is clearly unintentional and does not add to the pose or movement of the characters.

A great resource for line work and graphic shading is Framed Ink. My copy is in storage, so I just pulled these from Amazon.

I also think the design of the characters could use some work in recognizability and communicating their powers more. Dream is obviously flying and has a cape in his signature green, but what about his mask? The smile is his brand and is undeniably important to his identity as both a character and a content creator, but it's completely missing from his character. George is the most recognizable and has the clout goggles and Supreme shirt. His powers are clearly communicated and play off his name well, but why are the goggles clear and what is with the clocks on his shoulders. The design choice there adds more confusion to his abilities and character. And Sapnap... Well.. Sapnap is ginger and that's all I'll say there.

To sandwich my critique with a bit more positive, I think the concept is very effective and fun! I like the idea of putting them into the comic world and making them superheroes. It's cheesy, but it has a great sense of playfulness and nostalgia, and might even have the ability to bring in a new audience if they continue with this idea. I've said before that I think Dream could really capitalize on the graphic novel/comic industry if he were to bring some of his Minecraft stories, or other ideas, to that format. Obviously he would have to remove Minecraft from it to avoid copyright, but my point still stands. I know this is likely a one-off merch design for the special event, but I think they could really play off the superhero idea, and if they get a good artist that can actually do comic work (pick ME, choose ME, love ME!!! /ref /j), they could make a short and fun comic run that I think a lot of people would enjoy. Again, all they really need is a competent artist and some character design changes to clearly communicate their story and it would be awesome!

It's important to recognize that comics are digital now and there is a lot more variety in tools and textures that are used, but since this is trying to emmulate classic comic art, I think it's important to share the traits and history of traditional comics. There is a lot of a bad comic art in the comic industry, of course (coughrobliefeldcough), but there is still and understanding of comics and comic culture within bad comic art that is lost in the Dream Team merch. Below I'm sharing some photos that show a wide range of comics and comic resource books that cover a wide range of traditional to modern to cult/zine comics. I was actively referencing them writing this and want to clarify that the world of comics is very broad and ever changing, but when they are referencing the classic superhero action/adventure story, there are certain standards and traditions in play.

Some pages from Spider-Man 1965, specifically notice the use of black as graphic shading, graphic and clean line work, and also minimal backgrounds to make the characters stand out more.

Kick-Ass Volume 1 for an example that isn't classic superhero, uses modern comic coloring, but still consistent with line work and incorporating it into movement and shading. Sorry about the blood, this comic is very fucking violent.

[werew0lfhours]

Ok, I'm in this screenshot, and I feel the need to explain the actual situation.

Now, this was when Courtney was really crashing out about Ant donating two dollars to Lily when she basically wished death on him. Objectively, that's funny as fuck, but Court is a heavily traumatized woman who is now more present on the internet and had possibly begun to relapse. She had a bit of a crashout, and said some very harsh things towards Ant.

I use the discord as a place to yap. Most people in there know me as the "yaoi" guy. I treat the discord as a place where I'm with like-minded people. I hang in the "Lily thunderdome" because General can be a bit much for me lmao.

I had gotten on when Shrimp (That's what we'll call them) posted the screenshot of the comment. Immediately, I was disgusted and thought something was up. With the "0 seconds ago", I immediately asked them if they sent the comment. Multiple times. Until I got an answer.

When they responded in that last screenshot that they did, I very firmly told them that was unacceptable and tried to get everyone to focus on telling Shrimp to *log off*. Once Shrimp was gone, everyone, and I mean *everyone* all agreed that what they had said was disgusting and way too far. When Shimp later entered the chat with a clear mind, they understood what they did was wrong, sent Courtney an apology, and apologized in multiple ways.

How Shrimp has responded when this is brought up again leaves a lot to be desired, but I do not know this person irl. If this was someone I knew in real life, I would probably be more harsh towards them to try and help them grow past this experience.

We are not perfect people, but from what I see in this *one* discord I'm in, we all know when to check an internet stranger.

I'm checking you, Stardust. You're not helping anyone. This really seems like you have a vendetta against one person. That isn't healthy. Take the advice I gave to Shrimpy; Log off and take a lap.

The goalposts would move because Lily isn't wrong that they really just want her to kill herself. And as Sai and Ant have repeatedly proven, they want to make some money before she does.

I've said before that short of dying, there's nothing Lily could do to appease the mases. For many it's not really about bringing her to justice or losing her YouTube channel. They just need people to farm content from or someone that is acceptable to laugh at and Lily is a good lolcow.

I can't say for sure if people want her to kill herself, but I can't imagine too many being sorry that it happened.

[forgettable-au]

FORGETTABLE-AU (page 82-85)

THAT LAZYBONES!!

[BEGINNING] [PREVIOUS] [CONTINUE]

[macdenlover]

we don’t acknowledge enough how dee used to be a pageant winner when she was a kid and how much damage it did to her. she worked her ass off and got recognition for being pretty and talented at a young age and it was the only source of self esteem she could garner in a family that constantly berated and talked down to her. she sought after that external approval because it was the only way she could prove everyone around her wrong. her dream of being a performer didn’t come from a self-aggrandizing delusion— she genuinely showed a lot of potential when she was younger. but she went through an unflattering puberty and her spinal condition got worse and that natural talent she had as a kid plateaued way too early. the “former gifted kid” dilemma. she slowly lost the thing that promised her that she was good, but she was so desperate to keep holding onto it that she tried anyway. again and again and again no matter how much people made fun of her because it was always about proving them wrong. but after a while she couldn’t jump anymore without anticipating the way it feels when she hits the ground face first. self-sabotage became her way out, choosing to rather live in the fantasy of her own unrealized potential and blaming those around her for her lack of success, than having tried and crashed again. she’d rather buy lottery tickets over and over and never scratch off the numbers than to see that she lost. that self-sabotaging behavior bled into other aspects of her life too, from friendships to relationships to therapy. her own short lived success is what made her grow into embodying the cycle of failure.

[icewindandboringhorror]

Pages from trying to keep a little sketchbook-scrapbook type thing going for two weeks lol. I gave myself specific rules in hopes they might all end up more cohesive/consistent seeming, but alas, scribbly chaos reigns, it seems