#i thought i'd just use it as a display piece but like it works and i lowkey dig it

[a-bitch-made-fullmetal]

the newest addition to my fma collection! saw this babey on offer and immediately thought it kind of slaps. it was very cheap and listed as "very used", so I didn't expect much, but it's decently heavy and surprisingly I really enjoy the concept of a wrist watch with a lid lol. I would have to remove a link of the band for it to fit my wrist, and I'm looking into staining it silver because I really dislike the colour, but it might become a regular wardrobe staple!

[dduane]

The Bad Armor Drinking Game

In the digital art dep't...

So, having just sorted out the new figure for Queen Eftgan in the Middle Kingdoms books, I spent most of last week (while continuing to recover from the household upper respiratory infection) doing preliminary planning for the visual of a scene from The Door Into Sunset in which all the MCs are out on the battlefield. The big battle (or the final one of a sequence) will be the next day, and last-minute tweaks are being made to strategy and tactics. Which means putting most of the our-side protagonists together in a command tent, bent over a table covered with maps. (The "sketch" for this scene is over here.)

But sweet Goddess in a bucket, the shopping I had to do to make sure I had those guys' armor the way I wanted nearly drove me around the bend. From the digital artist's POV, the main problem with this is realistically arming the female characters. And the reason for this is simple: Almost all of it that's currently available from Daz is crap.

There are a very few notable exceptions. In Eftgan's case, for example: she's wearing the female-fighter version of the male-fighter harness that Herewiss has on. Sickleyield and Moonscape Graphics have done good work here.

But almost all the other female-use armors available at the moment? Argh. It had been ...a few years, I guess? since I last went armor-shopping. Last week I'd hoped there might at least be some new possibilities in the Daz shop. But instead I found so much more useless crap than before that I was tempted to start day drinking. And by evening, there were enough drink-triggers to start my very own drinking game.

I am not going to illustrate the triggers enumerated below, as I don't want to embarrass the artists. But if you look at the items turned up by this search, you'll have little trouble finding the things that would have left me in a drunken stupor within an hour or two.

My baseline: if I'm going to buy digital armor, either for male or female characters, it has to be something that I myself wouldn't be embarrassed to show up wearing at a swordfight. Otherwise, I start hitting the virtual bottle.

So I'd drink when I see:

Armor that fails to cover or at least protect vital vulnerable areas. Not just vital organs, but seriously important places like the insides of thighs and arms, the throat area, etc. (And yeah, I know and enjoy the various webcomics that illustrate, for humor's sake, the idea that the more bare flesh a female warrior displays, the safer they somehow are. But I'm dealing with the "realistic" side of combat here. Yes, some of my characters are magic workers, but the reason they go out and get themselves armor is so they don't have to waste precious magical ability dealing with something that steel will manage perfectly well without them having to think about it.)

Armor that should serve a useful protective purpose but nonetheless doesn't because it's been twisted by the armor maker, for design purposes, into a shape that means it's now essentially useless. Drink, for example, on seeing an example of "Silly Pauldron Syndrome:" i.e., shoulder pieces that will not only not protect you from a shoulder cut, but will direct it toward the space between neck and shoulder. ...Drink again if the pauldron also somehow blocks your view of what's going on around you. Another drink for pauldrons, gorgets or neck pieces that poke your eye out when you turn your head.

Armor covered with decorative doodads that do nothing but get in your way or serve as something for your adversaries' weapons to catch on. The proper purpose of armor is to deflect blows away from vulnerable areas, not to catch and keep them there. No one is going to waste expensive metal (and armourers' labor time) on decorations that are a liability. Anything that would catch a thrusting sword? Drink. Drink twice if spikes are involved.

Poorly thought-out attachments to armor (loincloths, capes, etc), Drink if these would inevitably trip you or otherwise interfere with you if you tried to run in them: or that would make it easier for an attacker—especially from behind—to pull/knock you down and kill you. Two drinks if the attachments are asymmetrical. (Because, what, this is supposed to help somehow?) And drink for loincloths in general, because, FFS, why.

Boob armor. If you're a woman who's fought with the sword at all, you know that unless you're absolutely dead flat in front, you bind up somehow to get the frontage safely restrained before the action begins. Armor that purports to separate your breasts into two different casings is simply idiotic. All that it does do is signal that you're female. (And you're doing this why, exactly? On a this-world battlefield, this strikes me as nothing but a recipe for trouble.) One drink for boob armor. Another drink for conical boob armor that would make even early!Madonna look askance. Two drinks for boob armor that covers only the tops of the boobs. Honestly, WTF!!

And: Armor that just looks silly. Armor that makes you go "Oh FFS, give me a break now" and look away. Two drinks (or more) for armor that covers hardly any of your character, but for which the designer is possibly charging you even more than for an intricately made and well thought-out piece of work with a lot more protective real estate.

...(sigh) So many drinks. And so little armor worth having. ...Anyway, I got away from that series of shopping sessions with my sobriety intact. Small mercies.

But let me show you something hilarious that came up along the way.

Very, very few of the people making and selling armors on Daz betray any sign of a sense of humor in their marketing images. The rig below, though, popped up suddenly and reduced me to gasps of helpless laughter.

This, I kid you not, will come up in that "armor" search above. Let's be charitable and refer to it for the time being as "fighting gear".

I haven't shown you the best of this, though. These two figures weren't alone. There was another.

This guy should be an example to us all. He's thinking, "They're gonna make me go out there wearing some stick-on leather nipple straps and half a rug from IKEA? Fine. I'm gonna make it work." ...And he not only owns it: he rocks it. This is a badass of some kind or another, and he has my sword, or axe, or whatever.

All I can say is: Good on the product designer for doing something genuinely funny for a change: because at that point, I seriously needed it.

(sigh) And now back to work.

ETA: A quick note per various recommendations of others online doing this kind of analysis: Thanks, but I don't need to go outside the household for more of the same. I'll just yell up the stairs to @petermorwood, who probably has some that's way more acerbic than mine. :)

[romancherry]

caged in silk (3) — picnic date

pairings ➝ dark!joel miller x dark!javier peña x dark!marcus acacius x female!reader

summary ➝ a nice picnic during a perfect sunny day is turned into something unexpected when javier starts to seduce you. and when he is done, it's joel's job to clean it up.

warnings ➝ explicit smut, soft!dark content, fingering, oral (f!receiving), pussy eating, squirting, overstimulation, heavy praise kink, breast play, nipple play, pet names (especially good girl), guiding and talking reader through orgasms, kissing and making out, all of this happens out in the open in their backyard so it's immoral public behaviour, dirty talk, swearing, 18+, MINORS: DO NOT INTERACT.

word count ➝ 4.900

author's note ➝ hello everyone i'm back with another update on this story! never thought i'd make it lol. i've been busy with college and my inspiration dimmed but i finally gathered the time necessary to write another chapter. it's a bit on the longer and more descriptive side. i tried my best to incorporate every detail i had imagined and i hope i didn't confuse you. if you enjoyed this, please leave a comment or repost! my heart fills with love every time i read your supportive reactions 🩷

do NOT repost, reupload, translate or plagiarize my work.

it had been a week since your failed escape attempt. a week since you had fought tooth and nail, trying to slip away from them, only to be caught and dragged right back where you belonged. 

you had been defiant, full of fire, spewing curses at them and threatening to make their lives hell. but now? now, you peacefully sat between them in the backyard. 

a picnic. their attempt at smoothing things over, at making you comfortable. 

the checkered blanket beneath you was soft, and the spread they had laid out was impressive: lemonade, fresh fruit, cheese and pastries, along with some beer bottles for them to enjoy. 

it was domestic, almost normal. if someone looked from the outside, they’d think this was just a group sharing a lazy afternoon together.

but you knew the truth. 

javier sat on your left with a protective hand resting on your thigh, thumb lazily tracing circles over your bare skin. marcus was across from you, sitting comfortably on a folding chair, reading a newspaper through his sunglasses with a beer in his hand. and joel was just a few feet nearby, tending to a couple of pork ribs on the grill.

it was almost laughable how much they tried to make you feel content here. it’s absurd how they went back to playing house after filling your mind with honeyed threats. don’t try to run again, sweetheart. it won’t end well for you. your place is with us. you belong here, you just don’t see it yet. 

“you’re awfully quiet, sweetheart,” joel said, turning his head towards where you and javier laid on the blanket, studying you.

you stabbed your fork into a piece of fruit, shoving it into your mouth before responding. “what am i supposed to say?” 

“attitude,” marcus warned.

“looks like someone’s feisty today,” javier teased, and you could peak with the corner of your eye just how smug and amused his smirk was displayed on his stupid face.

“why don’t you try an’ relax, hm? it’s a beautiful day, baby. sunshine ‘n all,” joel suggested. and he wasn’t wrong. today’s weather is indeed the only reason to smile. the grass is greener, butterflies are in the air, the sunrays are glowing upon you, making your eyes hurt a little. the colours are vibrant and the ocasional breeze makes it a little easier to breathe through the smell of barbecue and smoke.

too bad the company’s ruining everything. this would’ve normally been the perfect day for you if you hadn’t been in the presence of your captors who changed the course of your life drastically and expected you to fall in line quickly. bend and mold to their every decision and routine while learning to not cross their boundaries.

“what’s in that pretty little head of yours, darling?” javier interrupted your train of thought, his hand smoothing over the plump flesh of your thigh, a bit too uncomfortable for your liking. “i don’t like seeing that frown on your beautiful face,” he added, his words almost genuine. with his hand still warming your thigh, his other hand came up to brush a stray hair off your face and lock it behind your ear, revealing more of your cheek to him.

“eres tan hermosa, mi amor,” he whispered sweetly, and you just realized how close he got to you.

you slightly and carefully turn your head in his direction, and your nose almost brushes his. his gaze immediatelly follows your mouth and studies your anxious breathing. the way your throat barely constricts when you swallow. how you try to make yourself seem unaffected by his presence; not only the warmth and confidence he emanates, but how he’s so open with his desire and admiration for you just by the expression of his eyes alone.

his eyes slowly rise to meet yours, and before you can shy away from the overwhelming eye contact, he gently cups your cheek and brings your lips to his.

your shock comes to life through a light squeak, a sensible moan, and javier proudly swallows it whole. he doesn’t wait for you to give him permission. the moment his tongue breaks the barrier of your lips and meets your own, his chest fills with lust.

he kisses you like he’ll never get another chance; greedy, passionate, posessive. he makes love to your mouth, worships your tongue and ocasionally moans shamelessly at how warm and familiar you feel, like you’ve done this a thousand times before. he laps at every inch you didn’t willingly give; teeth crashing, lips burning, noses touching – and before you can stop yourself, your hand unconciously grabs his shirt, and his body moves itself by instinct, scooting impossibly closer to yours, searching for more. demanding more.

he forces himself to break the kiss, and he does it so annoyingly slow. his teeth drag your bottom lip with him as if daring you to seek his touch further. his lips completely depart from yours and create distance between you.

his eyes run over your every feature, taking in your shaken state. you’re obviously dizzy and flustered, your glossy eyes and slightly red cheeks giving you away to his predatory gaze.

“seems like someone’s having fun,” marcus breaks the silence, the deep, intimidating tone in his voice snapping you out of the trance javier put you in.

you can see in the corner of your eye that joel’s attention shifted as well, from the preparation of the meal on the grill to the heated situation between you and his younger brother.

you search for a glimpse of jealousy and posessiveness in his gaze, but you don’t find any. he looks… interested. amused. curious to see if you will let your guard down again.

his eyes roam over your body and analyze the slight tremble in your naked thighs. you silently curse them for the creativity they put into choosing the delicate sundress for you today. yellow, thin… questionably short.

you realize the choice for your attire is no sudden coincidence. they planned on making you give in. how much, you didn’t know. it was up to them to decide on how many bricks they were going to knock out of your walls. their games of seduction were limitless, and if you weren’t careful… if you let them have their way with you – you know they’ll absolutely ruin you. and you didn’t want that. didn’t want them to have that power on you.

you snap out of deep thought and carefully shimmy away from javier’s body. but he’ll have none of that.

“where are you going, princesa?” javier asks, placing his hand on your thigh. he doesn’t need to apply any pressure to let you know you can’t go anywhere further.

“nowhere,” you fake confusion in your voice, trying to hide your true intention. trying to hide the fact that you indeed wanted to get away from his overwhelming attention.

of course your lies couldn’t get past him. he’s a former agent, for fuck’s sake. if you’re searching for a master manipulator in this house, first person you think of is javier peña. you play his games; he doesn’t play yours.

“now, now, hermosa… you gave me a taste, you know you can’t leave me like this,” he taunts, his intentions clear.

“what would you want me to do?” you question, your irritated tone making it clear you won’t break easily. that you’re not his puppet, his personal hooker that he payed for in order to forget about his problems.

“attitude, sweetheart. watch your tone,” marcus warns. of course he had to lecture you.

“it’s alright, brother,” javier excuses you. he is being suspiciously sweet. “i don’t think our sweetheart meant any harm. did you, baby?” his question is a test. a subtle dare – act impulsively on your frustration and feel the consequences. play his game, by his rules – and maybe you’ll have a shot. maybe you’ll rise in his eyes; make him proud. make yourself worth accounting for next time marcus wants to teach you a lesson.

“no. i meant no disrespect,” you comply. and you don’t miss the growing smile on javier’s face.

“good girl. very good girl,” he appreciates, running his hand through your flowing hair as gentle as possible. a gesture of kindness. a praise. a glimpse of what could happen – what could be – if you choose to submit. “why don’t you come sit between my legs, hm, baby? you’ll be more comfortable here.”

his invitation makes your stomach turn in disgust. you know what he wants, what he seeks. he moves his legs apart to make room for you and you don’t let him wait, moving carefully in the space he created. you’re grateful he didn’t demand you to straddle his lap.

you place your ass as far away from his crotch as you can while you gently lay the weight of your back on his chest. you position your head on his right shoulder, urging him to cradle you, which he does. he removes the barrier your hair created between your faces, guiding it on the opposite side. his breath is heavy and heated on your cheek, and as if the situation couldn’t get more overwhelming, he sneaks his left arm around your waist, circling it, sticking your body to his, making it harder to breathe, to move, to escape him.

you need some means of grounding. a way to cope with the anxiety buzzing in your bones and boiling your blood, your patience. how dare he touch you this way? make a show of your submission and compliance in front of his brothers, for the first time ever? what does he hope to accomplish?

you gather in fists the material of the dress which innocently rests on the side of your thighs, right below the delicate curve of your hips. it’s a way supposed to help you calm down and stop anticipating what’s to come next. to sway you from the overthinking train of thought which is threatening to keep rising your panic.

javier notices the way your body tenses, and he frowns. he doesn’t like it – doesn’t enjoy the fact that you’ll think he’s going to hurt you, violate your privacy and independence. he merely wants to take care of you and help you relax. he quickly figures that maybe this isn’t the best place to do it – in front of the watchful and hungry eyes of his brothers. but he can’t take it back now. all he can try is to make the pain go away. to coax you into opening up and become vulnerable for him – for them.

“shh, baby, relax. relax,” he whispers while carefully massaging the length of your arm with the unoccupied hand. gentle strokes of his fingertips rise goosebumps in their path while going up and down, up and down, doing a better job than you expected. “don’t be afraid, i won’t hurt you. i could never hurt you,” he promises, but his words feel empty to you. meaningless. deceitful.

you feel the wet press of his lips right on your temple and you shiver. he is so gentle, too gentle. treating you like a fragile piece of ancient, romantic sculpture. he surely must think of you like that – consider you something, someone, worth protecting and appreciating. worthy of love.

“you smell divine, mi amor,” he inhales ocasionally, taking deep breaths of your scent – the floral detergent in your dress, the remnants of the shampoo and conditioner in your hair. even the natural scent of your skin, though subtle, is enough to make javier’s head spin.

his hand removes leaves your arm and trails dangerously lower, tracing the line between the bottom of your dress and the inside of your thigh. the occasionally cool breeze flows in your direction, bothering your thin dress and lifting it merely an inch off of your legs. each time that happens, you’re sure that marcus can see the center of your panties and the way they stick like second skin to your pussy, squeezing your throbbing clit.

javier struggles to hide his amused smirk each time he touches you, teases and plays with your imagination by threatening to dip his fingers lower. to enter new territory and sink between your legs to where you want him most.

“so soft, baby. soft as silk,” he murmurs into your ear, his praise followed by a gentle peck to your earlobe, “can’t believe something as sweet as you rests in my arms. you like that, baby? feel safe?” he urges you to answer, to respond in kindly to his advances so he can take your pleasure as a sign to go further.

you shudder at his honeyed praise and force to swallow a lump down your throat so you can speak. “yes,” it’s more of a moan than a proper word, “feels… nice.”

“good, baby. i’m glad you like it,” he nips at your earlobe, and the unexpected distraction presents an open door for his hand to quickly trail further down your dress and dissapear right between your legs. you only notice the sudden intrusion when you feel your body moving without your own accord – your legs slightly parting, making room for him to graze the tip of his index down the center line of your pussy, nudging your clit, and then pressing on your hole, through your panties.

you gasp in both pleasure and anxiety at the gesture, so you try to protect yourself. to shield what little dignity you have left by ending things before they progress into something worse, more serious.

in a pathetic attempt to close your legs, he intervenes by syncing the tight hold his arm has around your waist with the quick move of his feet rising from the blanket and surround your own from the inside, preventing you to close them further.

once you’re securely caged between his frame, he nudges your feet to open up more. encouraging them to move, little by little, towards the edge of the blanket. towards the exterior.

you saw this coming. and that’s even worse than being clueless and not anticipating it – because you knew what he would do, and you did nothing to stop it.

“please, javi. you said you won’t hurt me,” you pleaded, and you hated the inevitable tremble in your voice.

“poor baby, no. this isn’t what you think it is,” he reassures, his words matching his attempt at grounding and soothing you in his hold by kissing all over your temple and massaging the inside of your thigh, backing away slightly from your dripping pussy to make you feel less threatened. “i don’t want to hurt you, baby. i swear. if you let me, i’ll make you feel so, so good.”

you feel the way his heart beats against his chest, the rhythm vibrating in your backbone. he is equally anxious too; he really wants you to enjoy this. to not view it as a punishment. because even if you did nothing extraordinary to earn this treatment, you deserve to feel good too.

“i’ll make this pretty pussy so happy, sweetheart. make you happy too, happiest you’ve ever been. if you’ll just let me…” his promise ends with a pause, giving you time to think if you really want to give in.

the question is – are you stupid enough to refuse, or so weak you just approve?

is it really a sign of weakness, though? to just give in? to let yourself be caressed by him and feel the pulsing desire of his brothers who are desperately waiting for their turn?

all of this is under your control, if you think about it. they punish you for your dissapointing behaviour and shower you with affection as a reward for behaving like a proper lady. like how their proper lady should behave.

you don’t need a gun to assert dominance or make them listen. you hold their wills in the power of your hands.

“yes, javi. please,” you whisper.

“what did you say, baby? please repeat, i didn’t hear it, i swear,” he pleads with you, sounding desperate, not taunting, like before. he genuinely didn’t hear you – or he did, but he just didn’t expect you to comply so easily. so willingly.

“please, javi. wan’ you to make me happy,” you lick your lips, turning your head so your lips ghost his earlobe, and he shudders slightly at the brief contact. “make my pussy happy. pretty please?” you plead innocently, the tone of your voice rising slightly, sounding as if you’re the spoiled daughter of a rich man. pairing your encantation with the submissive doe eyes you present, you give him an impossible deal to refuse.

“good girl, baby. the best girl,” he lets out a ragged breath in relief, his fingers making quick, delicate work of arranging your panties to the side, moving the obstacle out of the way. “don’t have to ask me twice, babygirl. would do anythin’ for you and your pretty pussy.”

a surprised gasp leaves your lips as he guides two fingers through your slit from bottom to top, gathering the wetness he encountered at your entrance to the surroundings of your clit. “oh, mierda, cariño. you’re soaked. is it because of me, hmm?” he presses a kiss to the corner of your eye while rolling your clit between his index and middle finger.

“ah, yes javi. yes,” you admit shamelessly, moans blessing his ears each time your little bundle of nerves receives additional stimulation when he pinches your clit.

“that’s right, baby, sing for me,” he urges you, his patience slipping with each passing moment as his resistance crumbles. the resistance implies forcing your legs even wider, making your knees bend abruptly before shoving you full of three fingers and making you scream while squirting all over his hand and the blanket below.

your eyes go wide when he eases his middle finger inside your tight hole. you’re both surprised that the act itself met not one single obstacle; his finger just made its way in like your walls were invisible, like your pussy saw it coming and decided to expand itself to make room for him, to accommodate everything he had to give.

“please, oh fuck yes,” you moaned shamelessly now, not bothering to hide the building pleasure javier caused right in front of his brothers in their own backyard. he responded in kind, loving the way you felt so comfortable letting yourself go – letting him know you love the way he touches you.

“such a tight pussy, baby. see how she hugs my fingers? hm? imagine it was my cock instead,” another finger joins in, making it two – stuffing you full, yet you can’t get enough. “would you prefer my cock, sweet girl? do you think it’ll fit?” his teases are back, but you pay them no mind. in fact, you love them. paired with the expert moves of his fingers fucking your vagina until your eyes roll in the back of your skull – it’s fucking amazing.

a soft laugh escapes his lips when you don’t bother to answer his question. you actually can’t seem to, really – he can tell you’re on the brink of orgasm by the way your chest rises and falls and your abdomen constricts along with your toes curling.

“no, i guess it won’t fit, cariño. not when you’re this fucking tight, sweet girl. jesus fuck,” the hand which was previously surrounding your waist changes its location to your right breast, squeezing it through the fabric and causing your soft nipple to rise to a little peak. it wasn’t enough, though. he needed to feel the softness of your skin and properly pinch your nipples. so his hand makes its way to your neckline and shimmies right underneath it in a desperate hurry to cup your naked breast and feel the angry little nipple in the palm of his hand. he gives you a squeeze which is a little rougher than intended before caging your nipple between his thumb and index to give it a proper rub and twirl, making you choke on your own moan.

“yes, javi, yes! please, more! don’t stop, don’t ever stop. gonna cum so hard…” you sob, feeling your vision blur and your cheeks getting wet a second after that.

fuck, you went feral. him and his brothers are so grateful they all witnessed the fact that you’re visibly into nipple play, and not only – breast play entirely. he makes quick note of that and stuffs it deep into his memory before continuing his rough administrations to your nipple compared to the loving strokes and poundings of his fingers in your cunt.

“then cum, sweetheart. go on. go on, little dove. thaat’s right, give me what i want. let go, let go. such a sweet little girl, lettin’ me take care of her. wanna see your poor pussy cry too, baby, not just your eyes. come on, baby, soak my fingers.”

he didn’t have to tell you twice. even though the rhythm of his fingers did not (thankfully) change, keeping you right where you’ve been all along, on the bridge of bliss and orgasm, his words were enough to send you over the edge as you closed your eyes and came around his fingers violently, your whole body trembling in his careful hold in contrast to your throbbing pussy pulsing out your release, gushing around his fingers and wetting the blanket with splash after splash as he guided you all the way through it, his arm tightening around your breast, making sure you never leave this safe heaven.

after you came down from your high, your body gradually relaxed and his fingers sadly parted themselves from their home. he let you close your legs and he even pulled the bottom of your dress as low as he could afford it, since most of the material was bunched underneath your bare ass sticking embarasingly to the wet blanket.

you open up your eyes to see marcus turning his gaze from you and back to his newspaper, trying his best not to seem affected by what just happened. but you know better, and judging by the immense bulge he unsuccesfully hides from you, you just know he wants nothing more than to make his way between your legs and stuff you full of his cum until you’re left shaking. he wouldn’t even need to take down his pants all the way through from how quick it would all be over. he practically witnessed how javier struggled to fit two fingers inside your cunt – his cock would basically choke.

joel was none the wiser. he was struggling to hold back even more than marcus; his fists were clenched at his sides, his jaw clenched, mouth closed shut along with a voluminous jugular vein pulsing furiously right beneath the tanned skin.

but you caught the red in his cheeks. he was visibly flushed, nervous and needy. eager to get a taste of you.

and so he did.

you stop breathing the moment he stalks towards you with a predatory look on his face, determined to dull the curiosity, grasping for something to claim from you.

all air is suddenly knocked out of your lungs when joel kneels in front of you and manhandles your legs apart, revealing your glistening pussy to his own gaze once more. she was all puffy and a bit swollen from before, the walls around the entrance pulsing and clenching around nothing as the opening looks much more evident and even wider than a few minutes ago.

“javier treated ya well, babygirl. took care of this lil’ girl jus’ right,” joel says, his deep, dominating tone making shivers crawl up your spine. “should clean her up. can’t leave her all messy.”

it’s all he says before diving head first into your cunt and licking all the juice dripping down your thighs and pussy. your ragged moan urges him to press on, despite your desperate attempts at begging him to take it slow on your overstimulated pussy. he doesn’t give a damn about your hands tangling and pulling his hair; he thinks it’s so fucking hot and it turns him on impossibly more, his cock aching for release in the confinement of his annoying boxers.

“mmm, ‘s right. goood girl,” he moans into your pussy, the vibrations adding more intensity to your building orgasm.

“you’re gonna cum on joel’s tongue, cariño? make a mess all over his face just like you did on my fingers?” javier whispers into your ear, the hand that warmed your breast starting to stir over the plump flesh to gather attention to your tortured nipple once more.

“yes… mmm, fuck yes. p-please, feels so, so… ah!”

“shh, that’s right, babygirl. let go. give it to joel, niiice and slow, thaaat’s it.”

your second orgasm practically makes you see stars. it comes fast and unexpected, crashing over you in the blink of an eye and lasting so long you wonder if you’ve gone blind. joel’s tongue fucks in an out of you, your poor hole trying to clench onto the thick muscle in an attempt to grab him and never let him go as he patiently laps up all your release with a content hum.

he presses a gentle kiss to your clitoris when he’s done. you can’t, won’t, open your eyes again. you don’t need to look at him to know the painful look he probably has on his face because he wishes he could do it all over again. never depart his face from between your legs.

his mind races to various ways and possibilities of making you cum on his face. next time, he’ll definitely make you ride his nose while making love to your pussy with his tongue and mouth. bringing you to several orgasms until you beg for him to put you out of your misery and sink himself into your tight warmth until you’re nothing but a whimpering toy.

one day, he thinks. one day, you’ll succumb to all of their wants and desires.

because you’ll be addicted. to how they make you feel, how they take care of you. to their smell and touch. to them. it’s all just a matter of time, which you and them have plenty of. because you’re never leaving them again.

[swappedandtrapped]

Swapping Research - Part 1

Starting to try and use AI for translations to English. I don't like it, but writing in English is exhausting.

Part 2 here Part 3 here

Marcus Chen gripped the bathroom sink, staring at his reflection in the fluorescent-lit mirror. "Trapezium, trapezoid, scaphoid, lunate, triquetrum, pisiform…" The naming of hand bones did little to slow his racing heart. Organic chemistry in thirty minutes. Dr. Zhang's infamous molecular mechanisms exam.

The bathroom door banged open. Tyler Reeves filled the doorframe, six-foot-three of basketball glory in team outfit, a crumpled paper in his hand.

"Thought I'd find you in here." Tyler's voice echoed against the tiles. "Pre-exam ritual?"

"I was trying to make sure I remember everything for the exam," Marcus said, straightening and adjusting his wire-rimmed glasses. "Some of us can't coast through life on jump shots."

Tyler's smile disappeared. He held out the paper: a formal notice from the university. "They said I'm on academic probation. One semester to get my GPA above a 2.0 or I lose my scholarship."

Marcus scanned the notice. "I told you to drop Evolutionary Biology. You needed to start with—"

"Not the point, Marcus." Tyler ran a hand through his too-long hair, his usual confidence replaced by a mild sense of desperation. "I need help. Not tutoring. Something… different."

"I have an exam in 30 minutes, and my med school interview next week. Whatever this is—"

"My cousin Alex," Tyler interrupted, lowering his voice as someone entered a bathroom stall behind them. "She's doing this neuroscience PhD thing. Consciousness… transfer. Temporarily."

Marcus stared at him. "You're describing science fiction."

"It's real. She's been mapping neural pathways, testing it on rats. They're… they're switching brains, Marcus. She needs human subjects." Tyler leaned closer, voice urgent. "Twenty-four hours. That's all. I just need to know what it feels like."

"What what feels like?"

"To have a brain that works right." The words tumbled out, raw and unfiltered. Tyler glanced around, then continued quieter: "I don't really like to talk about it. I'm dyslexic. Bad. Words swim around, flip backwards. Dad refused to get me tested.

Marcus remembered high school, Tyler recording lectures instead of taking notes, always asking to study together but never reading aloud. The pieces clicked into place.

"Tyler, I'm sorry, but consciousness transfer? It's just not possible."

"It's real. She's proven it. Just twenty-four hours in your body. To read and prepare without feeling like drowning, so I can maybe actually get something into this thick skull" Tyler's eyes held a desperation Marcus had never seen. "Please. I'm out of options."

Marcus thought of his carefully planned week, his interview preparation, his parents' expectations. "This is insane."

"One day. Then everything goes back to normal. I promise.

---

Alex Nguyen's "lab" was a repurposed storage room in the neuroscience department basement, filled with humming equipment that looked cobbled together from different decades. Monitors displayed brain scans in pulsing colors..

"The procedure is non-invasive," Alex explained, her undercut hairstyle severe under the fluorescent lighting. She adjusted electrodes on a strange helmet apparatus. "Consciousness mapping uses quantum entanglement principles to create a temporary neural signature exchange."

Marcus eyed the setup skeptically. "This can't possibly have IRB approval."

Alex's eyes flicked to Tyler, then back to Marcus. "We're in the theoretical testing phase."

"She means 'no,'" Tyler translated.

"The risks are minimal," Alex continued, typing rapidly on a keyboard. "Temporary disorientation, mild synesthesia, possible dream disturbances. The transfer nullifies and reverses naturally after approximately twenty-four hours."

"Has anyone done this before? Human subjects?" Marcus asked.

Alex's slight hesitation told him everything. "You'd be the first complete transfer. But the animal studies are promising. Rats with trained maze behaviors maintained those memories in their new bodies."

"This is crazy," Marcus muttered, but didn't leave. Something in Tyler's desperation had touched him. The vulnerability beneath the confident facade.

"Please. I wouldn't ask if there was another way." Tyler said quietly.

Marcus thought of their childhood: Tyler defending him from bullies in elementary school, the effortless way he navigated social situations that left Marcus paralyzed with anxiety. Maybe he owed him this.

"Twenty-four hours," Marcus said firmly. "Then we switch back, no matter what. I have that interview next week."

Alex gestured them toward two reclined chairs. "You'll be unconscious for approximately thirty minutes during the transfer. When you wake, you'll be in each other's bodies."

As Alex attached electrodes to his temples, Marcus felt panic rising. "Wait. How will we prove this actually worked? That it's not suggestion or—"

"Tell me something only you would know," Alex suggested. "Something you can repeat back afterward."

Marcus thought for a moment, then leaned over to Alex and whispered, "I secretly watch 'RuPaul' when I'm stressed."

Alex grinned. "The drag show? Seriously?"

"Don't judge. Tyler, it's your turn."

Tyler hesitated, then whispered something that made Alex's eyebrows rise.

"Didn't expect that," Alex said. "Ok, now that that's done, are you Ready?" Alex asked, hovering by the switch.

"No," Marcus admitted.

"Do it anyway," Tyler said.

The electricity began as a gentle hum at the base of Marcus's skull, spreading outward. Panic fluttered in his chest as the room blurred. His last thought was a desperate recitation—trapezium, trapezoid, scaphoid, lunate—before darkness pulled him under.

---

Marcues' consciousness returning felt like being yanked from deep water. He gasped, his body feeling impossibly wrong: longer limbs, different center of gravity, a dull ache in the right knee. His stomach heaved, and he barely managed to turn before vomiting on the floor.

"Easy," came Alex's voice. "Disorientation is normal."

Marcus looked up, vision swimming, and felt a primal horror unlike anything he'd experienced. Across the room, his own body was sitting up, looking at its hands with wonder. His face, but not his expressions, not his movements.

"Holy shit," his voice said from his body, Tyler's inflections all wrong in Marcus's mouth. "It worked. It actually worked."

Marcus tried to stand and staggered, unfamiliar muscles responding differently than expected. He reached up to adjust glasses that weren't there, fingers touching unfamiliar features. Tyler's features. His new nose, his soft lips, his beard scruff…

The violation went deeper than he'd imagined. Not just wearing someone else's skin, but inhabiting their flesh completely, feeling their physical pain, seeing through their eyes.

"Twenty-four hours," he managed to say, Tyler's voice emerging from his throat. "Not a minute more."

His own face looked back at him, wearing Tyler's crooked smile. It was real. Marcus wasn't in his own body anymore. And the raw, visceral wrongness of that fact threatened to drown him completely.

[artbysconnor]

RenDog x Louis Vuitton

18/18 of LifeStyle: A Life Series Fashion Zine!!

-

Last, but most certainly not least, we have the Red King Mr. RenDiggityDog himself. I knew the instant I saw the reference for this pose that it would be what I use for Ren - the model had the perfect amount of charisma and attitude, and I think it fits him just perfectly. And before anyone asks, no, I didn't draw the pattern on his shirt by hand! I pulled it, and most of the repeating patterns for this whole series, directly from the item or brand site I was working with, to save time and my wrist (and my sanity).

-

(Click through for my Sappy Conclusions under the cut)

And with that (except for a special little bonus illustration vis a vis the unused Bdubs piece), we are finished with the LifeStyle zine. All 18 of the official pieces have been posted, almost exactly a year after I first saw a red shirt in the window display of an Armani store and started to compile a list of designers and brands on my phone notes app. The pieces are laid out here before you on my socials. A print copy of the zine sits on my bedroom shelf.

I really, truly could not have imagined the amount of love and support this community has poured out for these pieces. I am being 100% honest when I say I thought I'd be posting these into the void. Every single effusive tag, ever positive comment, and every single like means so much to me, from the bottom of my heart, especially for a project that was as passion driven as this one was for me.

This is the first time I can say that I've truly finished a long term project of mine, despite having ups and downs and stops and starts in between, and it feels surreal to be stepping away and calling it complete. But I also know that the community loved it just as much as I did, and it's made me even more passionate about wanting to make and do more moving ahead both for the MCYT and Life Series fandoms and far beyond, into my own original stories and crafts.

So here's to many more, for me and for all of you! Thank you so much for all your amazing support!!!!

[mx-pastelwriting]

Slow Dance With You

DARYL DIXON X GN! READER

SUMMARY: While making dinner with some light music on Daryl shyly asks you for a dance. WARNINGS/TAGS: Fluff, Established a Relationship, Dinner, Cooking, Reader can cook, Slow Dancing, Kissing

Quickly moving the newly chopped ingredients from the board to the pan hearing them sizzle loudly, rapidly the aroma fills the home air, signaling dinner has started.

Dinner not being the only thing to fill the air, enjoying the slow music that fought to win over the noise of dinner—sadly failing, making the new sound of footsteps non-existent. Just as the pan's cries died down, a surprise came to your cheek, feeling a stubbed kiss alerting you to Daryl's arrival home.

"Hey to you too," you blushed, turning around, taking in his tired eyes and soft smile before returning the cheek kiss. Moving his sweaty hair out of the way, allowing his blue eyes to be on full display—the same blue eyes that greeted you every morning in the dim sunlight.

"Why don't you go get cleaned up, I'm sure I'll be done by then." You motion to the bedroom, but he doesn't nod nor budge. Watching as he looked as if weighing something in his mind, "You know you can tell me anything," reassuring Daryl, fortunately being just enough for him to whisper.

"Speak up Day," softly correcting as not to discourage him. "It's nothing," but he gives up, your attempt failing, ending up spooking the turtle back into his shell.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but I'd like to know what you're thinking," you soothe, tucking away a piece of hair, allowing you to see his embarrassed state.

"Can we slow dance?" Daryl whispers just loud enough to hear over the music, causing a smile to grow on your face. Giving him no time to have second thoughts, you take his hand leading away from the kitchen, making sure to also turn off the heat.

In the living room next to the record player, the next track played, setting a new mood; its romantic tone made it easier for Daryl to loosen up. Intertwining one of your hands with his while the other rests atop his shoulder, slowly you both sway along, though not without some toes being stepped on.

After a few tender minutes, forgetting the hand placement, resting your cheek against his chest, still swaying with the music. Daryl doing the same, only atop your head, with no regrets about asking for this tender moment.

"Was it Carol?" Your question cuts through the moment and his thoughts, leaving the air in silence for the gear in his mind to work. "Yeah," he whispers, having realized what you meant. Guessing from some of your relationships, tender ideas were thanks to Carol's encouragement.

Softly laughing at the admission, breaking away to look into his gentle eyes. Daryl moved in first, setting a kiss into motion, meeting his dry yet soft lips with his hands having a mind of their own. Breaking the kiss with a laugh, calming down looking into his eyes again.

"Wanna help me make dinner?" cutely nodding at your ask, both moving back into the kitchen, still having the rhythm of the music. Daryl's help being somewhat useless, as his arms stuck engulfing you, refusing to even look anywhere but at you.

(Listened to "Slow dance" from adventure time over and over, highly recommend!)

Hello, I hope you enjoyed if there is any grammar mistakes or misspellings sorry about that feel free to let me know in the comments, have a great day/afternoon/night!

♥ mx-pastelwriting does not consent to their fanfiction being copied, copied & credited, translated, used in videos and/or audios, screenshotted, used in AI.

Fanfiction is protected under copyright law when plagiarism is involved. If you plagiarize my work, either a piece or whole in any language, I will take legal action. Inspiration or the same idea does NOT apply to this, only word-for-word plagiarism in any language.

𝙏𝙖𝙜𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩: @walker-bait-1973 @sophieissleepy @writtenbyhollywood @bfintaks @reidsbookcase @callsignwidow

[billthedrake]

LINEAGE (PART TEN)

"Hey, Dad," Junior said as I was almost out the door for work. He was still his workout clothes from his morning gym time with Braden.

"Yeah, buddy?" I asked.

I'd been feeling things out with my eldest son since we'd started fooling around. We had Brade's blessing, and about once a week our son joined us in the marital bed. Still, I second guessed myself. It felt right, and yet it didn't.

Only now, Junior... I don't know, he just looked hot as fuck. Self-possessed for a young man his age and yet innocent, emotionally open. A lot like Braden was when I first started up with my son-husband. I was so caught up in taking in his cute-handsome features and jockish looks that it took me a second to notice he was holding a folded piece of paper.

"I wanted to give you this."

I took the paper. "What is it...?"

I started opening it but Junior stopped. "Can you open it later, Dad?" he asked. He seemed embarrassed or something.

"Why?" I wasn't trying to be a bossy father but well maybe I was.

"Please, Dad. Just wait till you get to the office or something."

"All right," I said. stuffing it into my inner suit coat pocket.

I started to lean in for a goodbye kiss, then heard the sound of Evan or maybe Keith's door opening. I gave a shrug. "Rain check?"

Junior smiled. "Yes, sir." I could tell he was enjoying the little secret we had. "Later, Dad."

"Later buddy."

I did as Junior requested and waited until I got to the office. Then I unfolded the paper and read my son's distinctive handwriting.

"DAD'S HOUSE RULES," it read.

Then below were a numbered list.

1. Dad's relationship to Daddy comes first. I'm not here as competition.

2. One-on-one time with my Dad is limited to once a week.

3. Dad and Daddy may invite me to join them. I'll be grateful for that trust each and every time.

4. No displays of affection in front of my brothers, or out in public.

5. School and homework come before sex.

6. I'll never be too old for one of my father's lectures.

I had to chuckle. I'd talked about about some of this with Junior and apologized for lecturing him. This was his way of taking what I'd told him and accepting it, even adding more to the ground rules. I don't think I'd ever been so impressed with Junior and his maturity. I pulled out my phone and dialed him.

"Hey Dad," he said. His voice was nervous.

"Hey kiddo," I said. "I thought I'd catch you before class."

"Just heading to home room now."

"I won't keep you," I said. "I just want you to know that you wrote was perfect, Son."

"Yeah?" I could hear the smile on his face.

"Absolutely. OK if I share this with your Daddy?"

"Of course," he said.

My office door was shut, so I ventured to say, "I love you, kiddo."

"Love you, too, Dad."

I hung up with a proud parental smile on my face. And a rock hard erection in my trousers beneath my desk.

***

I got home early that day, with perfect timing. The twins were down for a nap, and Braden was shirtless in the living room, resting and reading his ipad.

"Hey Dad," he said, looking up in a dreamy relaxation.

"The twins asleep?" I asked quietly.

My son nodded. "Thought they wouldn't ever tire out today. Damn, twins are exhausting."

I felt bad. "We can always take a break on making them a brother," I said. I meant it, too. As much as I wanted another son, real bad, Braden's health and sanity came first.

Brade just grinned and leaned forward on the couch. "I want you to put another set of twins in me, Dad... triplets even."

Goddamn, my husband knew how to turn me on, and I knew that even if he meant every word, he was saying it get me going. Indeed he had a smirk as he reached forward and felt up my trousers to paw at the hardon forming in the crotch. "I love making my father hard," he said softly.

Brade and I got off on sex in the living room or the common areas of the house, since with five boys we didn't have much chance. "You always do, Son. You've given me so many boners." Already I was unzipping, and reaching into work out my cock. I took another second to guide my underwear fully tucked beneath the balls, allowing my excited genitals to stick out fully for Brade's appraisal.

My hunky son-husband felt up that erection, taking his time and barely moving his eyes from my dick. "I know you don't think I mean it, Dad, but I'll start taking those fertility pills if it gives us multiples." The Fiedlers had mentioned their luck with those pills. Indeed, Adam Fiedler at 78, was now pregnant with his boyfriend-son's kid.

I croaked out a half-formed word of approval, even as Brade started taking my cock into his mouth. I placed my hands on my hips and looked down, watching in pride at how good he was at this. I had the best fucking husband in the world.

Braden started sucking nice and slow, sensually making love to my dick with his mouth, until he worked more of my meat into the back of his throat and gullet with each bob. He wasn't gonna get me off, not yet, but he damn well could have once he decided to.

But he pulled off and gave my dick an adminiring gaze. "Is Junior getting better at sucking you?" he asked.

"Some, yeah," I replied. It felt kinky as hell to talk about our son in the middle of sex. "He's certainly giving it his all."

Now Brade's eyes flashed up to meet mine. "I bet. I felt it was like a year of sucking you before I got my technique down."

"I loved every minute, you know that son." I about guided his head back to take care of me again, but I had a better idea. I pulled Junior's note from my inner suit pocket and handed it to Brade. "Here... read this."

My son looked at me with a bemused surprise but took the folded paper and opened it to read. As he did, I slowly stripped off, folding my suit jacket over a spare chair, slipping off my tie, and unbuttoning my dress shirt.

"God," Braden said. "We raised a good kid, Dad."

"That we did," I smiled. "I got so hard reading that," I admitted.

"I bet," Braden said. "I'm leaking now." He leaned back and spread his legs and indeed I could see a big wet spot on his shorts where the tip of his dick rode up the thin fabric. "You gotta take him on a date night, Dad. A real one."

I knew what Braden meant. So far "date night" meant just sex with Junior. An hour or less stolen away for private time to explore with my eldest. Usually after a weekend golf outing. But this... the idea made my cock jerk. "What would you think of that, Braden?"

He looked at me with lust and a good dose of trust. "You know what I think, Dad. I think every son in the world should have the chance to have date night with his father."

I reached down and pulled him up. Brade knew what I wanted anyway and was standing up to meet me. We kissed passionately, a mix of romance and sexual desire.

"I still get so turned on thinking of our first one," I muttered finally.

"Yeah... me dropping my prom date off and you taking me out for late night Chinese. Me in my tux, you in your sport coat." He laughed.

"And a hotel room after," I reminded him.

"And that hotel room after... Fuck," Braden growled. He was undoing my belt now, and could surely feel the leaky tip of my cock against the back of his hands. "I definitely want that for Junior. And for any of our sons who want that."

That idea was there, but it was the first time either of us had said it. My prick jerked against Braden's hands, as he shucked down my trousers.

"You think our boys are gonna grow up to be Daddy's boys?" I growled.

Braden looked at me with this intense look of lust. "Maybe not like Junior... but yeah I do, Dad. Dr. Mark thinks that incest desire is genetic but even if it's not... you're just a stud of a Dad. They're gonna go for you."

This was Braden-style sex talk. Wild and out there, pushing my buttons. I didn't care that it was crazy fantasy, I was gonna fuck with this idea in my head. I now peeled Braden's shorts down. "I fucking love being a father, Braden," I hissed. It was a simple and silly thing to say, but it turned Brade the fuck on.

He kicked off his shorts and stepped back to sit on the couch, leaning back into the cushion and raising his legs, spreading them for me to see his furry trench and regularly used pucker which still had some appealing snugness despite our years for sex life together. His dick was hard against his crunched abs and I could see the fullness in his still milk-producing pecs.

"Lube's on the end table," he said.

I gestured to the hall behind me. "The twins OK?" I asked. I mean, they were asleep but our fucks had been interrupted by cries down the hall before.

"Yeah, Dad, but hurry..."

I nodded as I slicked up and got in place. The entry was quick, but Brade adjusted. I think reading Junior's note, then our expanding sex talk, had him in heat.

"Fuck you feel good, Son," I hissed, powering more cock inside his warm guts.

"Fuck me, Dad. Like that... You make me fall in love again with you every single time."

I was getting real into this, and between the priming BJ and sex talk, I wasn't gonna last long today. I got more physical, not hard, but definitely faster and more urgent in my thrusts.

"I wanna knock you up, Brade. Again. And again." Ok, this was my crazy fantasy getting the best of me.

"Triplets? Multiples?" Braden asked, his voice getting soft in lust.

"If you let me Brade, then, yeah." I was fucking harder.

"I'll let you, Dad. Get those pills from Fiedler. Pop them right in front of you to turn you on."

"Goddamn," I hissed. I was THIS close to cumming and trying not to be loud.

"Make you a bunch of new son boyfriends," Braden grunted.

That did it. My body clenched and I went into full-body orgasm. Face flushed, muscled tensed, cock pumping a heavy load into my eldest son. Braden gave a couple of tugs and his own prick fired off.

We uncoupled and kissed softly.

"Thank you, Son," I said, feeling up my son's hunky chest and nuzzling my face against his cheek. I was a little embarrassed for where the fantasy had gone, but instinctively I knew Braden was there for every bit of it.

"That was hot for me, too, Dad. Jesus."

"How much of that was sex talk, Son?" I asked. Brade and I had a way of letting our imaginations run away from us during sex.

He shrugged. "I dunno. Not all of it. We'll figure it out, OK, Dad?"

"Yeah," I said. I gave his chest one more pat. "I'm going to take Junior on a date... this weekend if we can come up with an excuse to the other boys."

"I'll work on that, Dad," Braden said, getting into the co-conspirator mode.

I looked at my watch. "Speaking of... time to pick up the boys," I said. "I'll get cleaned off." This was our division of labor lately. Braden looking after the twins and starting dinner while I did pick up duty for Evan and Keith.

It was a good arrangement, only now I hated to see Braden pick up his shorts and cover that amazing muscle ass.

***

Around 9 o clock that night, I gave a gentle knock. Junior was doing his calculus homework. But he cracked a huge smile when he saw me. There had been a lot of eye contact and knowing smiles over the dinner table, but we hadn't had a chance to talk about his note. The House Rules.

"Hey dad," he said. God, he looked amazing in his knit polo and golf shorts, barefoot on the bed. Tall and hunky as he was lanky. He was so much like Braden and yet a reflection of me, too. The best of both, I thought, humbly.

I shut the door behind me. "I wanted to talk about those House Rules," I said as I stepped up to the bed.

He looked up at me with that crushed out look I was only now beginning to recognize. Leave it to Braden to catch on to Junior's infatuation with me first. "Did I leave something off, Dad?" he asked, eager and innocent.

I reached forward to squeeze his shoulder muscle. "Not a damn thing, kiddo. I just figured I'd let you know what I thought of what you wrote." With that I leaned forward and kissed my son. A peck, until Junior got the picture and opened his mouth for a fuller French kiss.

"God, Dad..." Junior said. "That's fucking nice." Bill Jr was still very much enjoying the freedom to curse around me.

"I'll say, buddy." I massaged behind his hear. He was so cute, just on the cusp of college but already grown up in so many ways. "I don't want to disturb your homework," I said, in a tone that said I very much did.

"I'll get it done," Junior said quietly. He was horny and emotional. I had to remember he was swimming in a crazy amount of teenage hormones.

"House rule number 5?" I asked with a stern poker face.

That made Junior laugh. "House rule number 5."

I nodded. Proud. "What do you think of a date night Saturday?"

"You know I always love that, Dad."

My fingers went down to tease along his neck. "I meant a real date, Junior. Dinner, maybe a hotel stay after."

Junior's eyes lit up. "For real, Dad?... God.... what about Daddy?"

"It was your Daddy's idea," I assured him. "But I very much would be honored if you'd be my date this weekend."

"Do I gotta dress up?" Junior teased me.

"You gotta dress up," I answered in my best paternal voice.

That thrilled him, only he got a worried look. "What about Rule Number 4?" The one about no affection in front of his brothers.

"Your Daddy and I are working on that."

"In that case... I'd fucking honored to be your date, Dad."

I gave him a soft kiss. Junior was becoming a really good kisser. I looked forward to giving him some more lessons on Saturday night.

"What do you think of a down payment, Son?" I asked.

He nodded, dumbly. Maybe one of these days we'd get to the point where Junior didn't patiently wait for me to initiate sex, but for now we had to manage this new thing. Which meant Dad calling the shots.

I gave him a loving grin and reached down to undo his shorts. "You've grown up to be a big boy," I said.

"No bigger than you," Junior replied, daring to reach forward to paw at my sweat pants, which were fully tented up now. I'd fucked Brade earlier but my libido was firing on all cylinders lately.

"Strip, Son," I hissed, taking the initiative to clear the calculus books off his bed.

Junior couldn't take off his clothes fast enough. He was sometimes self conscious about his body, worried he didn't have the muscle of his Daddy, but now that he saw how much I was into his youthful bulk, he enjoyed showing it to me.

I kissed along his leg, working up from the calf to the inner thigh.

"What are we gonna do on Saturday... sexually?" he asked.

"A surprise," I said. "But I want you to think about what you'd like to do with me, OK?"

"Hell, yes," my son said. Then "FUCK!" he cried as I started to go down on him.

I pulled off and clamped my hand over his mouth. The mansion was spacious but his brothers' room was nearby.

I felt Junior lick my hand, which was a sexual neediness I didn't expect. For some reason that turned me on like crazy. I leaned up and pushed down my sweats, showing off my dad cock.

Junior didn't need me to guide him. Horned up, he dove forward and started licking me. I thought of Braden's question early. Our son wasn't nearly so skilled at sucking, but I got off on his enthusiasm. He worked three and then four inches in steady up and down motion.

I finally pulled him off and claimed another kiss.

"Why don't we jerk off, kiddo? I wanna kiss my son while we cum."

"Hell, yes, Dad."

So that's what we did. Our naked bodies settling in side by side on his double bed. Father and son, stroking and making out, our spare hand feeling up each other's nakedness.

"Dad...." Junior hissed as he got close.

"Let it go, buddy... let me see that big boy load of yours." I patted his chest, much like I'd patted Brade's earlier that afternoon.

Junior held on tight to me as he gave it up. Ten heavy shots of Drake sperm covered us both. I growled my approval and met him for a deep kiss, while I stroked out a healthy amount of cum to mix with his.

We caught our breaths and smiled at each other as we came down from our orgasms. "God fucking damn, Dad... I didn't know that would be so hot."

I nodded. "Just wait till Saturday."

That made Junior laugh. "I don't think I can, Dad."

I patted his arm. "I'm serious about what I said. I want you to think about what you'd love to do with me."

"Anything?" he asked. Clearly excited by that prospect.

I shook my head. "I can't say I'll be open to anything, but we should feel free to talk man-to-man."

"Like you and Daddy do?"

"You your Daddy and I did when he was your age. OK?"

"Yes, sir."

Junior's new room had an attached bathroom and we both had big grins as we showered off, kissing some and making out some.

We were still a little giddy as we dried off and slipped on our clothes again.

"That gonna last you till Saturday, kiddo?" I finally asked softly.

"No," he said with a laugh. "Seriously, Dad. You made my week."

"We'll make it an even better weekend."

I checked on Evan and then Keith and made sure they were getting ready for bed. The twins were already put to sleep so when I made it back to my room Braden was there, watching TV in bed, shirtless and if I knew him, naked.

I didn't have to explain what had just happened. My husband intuitively knew.

"I told you he'd love the idea, Dad," Brade said.

I peeled off my T-shirt and took off my sweats. My dick was soft but I loved the way Braden watched it.

"If you're too spent for sex tonight, that's OK," he said. Understanding, and maybe a little turned on by the fact that I was fooling around with Junior.

"Just give me a little recovery time, OK, buddy?" I asked, getting underneath the covers and snuggling up to my eldest son and feeling the firmer, harder nakedness. He was rock hard against me as we pulled each other into a kiss.

"Dad..." Brade finally said. Like he was going to admonish me. Or ask me for something I didn't want to hear.

"What buddy?" I asked.

His hands ran along my naked back. "Can you talk to Fiedler about getting those pills? Like this weekend?"

That did it, my dick was firming up now. "In a rush, are we?" I winked.

Braden smiled and nodded. "Dad, it's been about two years... I want your kid in me again."

I gave him a deep kiss and rolled over on top of him. Braden clung to me needily, wrapping his legs around me. For all that I was loving the new connection I had with Junior, my husband gave me this pure sexual need that was deeper and different.

I humped against him and we made out until I had an idea. It wasn't quite 10 o clock, not too late. I reached over for my phone and while Braden looked on at me with confusion, I called Dr. Fiedler.

"Todd... it's Bill," I said. "No... everything good. We're all set for Saturday... I'm just... " I looked at Braden while I talked to the doctor. "I want to see if you could prescribe us those fertility pills... the stronger dose... I'll have Braden pick up the scrip tomorrow... yeah, thanks a bunch, man. See you at the club... Yeah, good night."

By the time I set down the phone again, I was rock hard. I kissed Braden and using the lube he'd already applied down there, I entered him. Imagining how amazing it would be to make son number seven.

[reidmarieprentiss]

Bridges to Belonging

Part One Part Two Part Four Part Five Part Six Part Seven

Summary: Penelope texts Y/n, Rossi has a dinner party, Y/n and Spencer meet

Pairing: Spencer Reid x fem!reader

Category: Fluff

Warnings/Includes: mentions of virginity and sex (16+), playing never have I ever, teasing from friends, consuming alcohol

Word count: 3.7k

a/n: i am cranking this story out it is going to be finished so fast dear goddd ,, hopefully y'all like it!!! probably like 5 ish more parts is my guess

main masterlist

Y/n was settling in for the night after a long shift at the hospital, kicking her feet up on her coffee table with a glass of wine in hand when her usually dead phone vibrated. 

Hey, Y/N! 😊 It's Penelope from the BAU. Hope you don't mind me texting! Just thought I'd check in and see how my favorite child psychologist is doing. 🌟

Hey, Penelope! Of course, I don't mind :) I’m doing well, just busy with work as usual. How about you?

Busy saving the world, one computer at a time! 🖥️💪 So, tell me, are you still too busy to date, or have you finally joined us mere mortals in the quest for love? 💘

Haha I guess we’re getting right into it. I suppose I am feeling ready to dip my toes back into the dating pool. But I’ve been avoiding it for a while 😅 Awkward first dates are terrifying!

Ooh, exciting! 🥳 But I totally get the fear. Blind dates can be the worst. You never know if you're going to meet Prince Charming or... well, not. 😬

Exactly! And I've been so focused on my career that I haven't really thought about dating in a while. Plus, all my undergrad flings made me a bit wary of anything serious.

Understandable. Sometimes you just need to have fun, right? But now that you’re settled, maybe it’s time for a change? 😉

Yeah, maybe you're right. I wouldn't mind meeting someone who shares my interests and gets my sense of humor.

OMG, that sounds like a dream. Let me know when you find them and send me one too. 💖

Ha! If I find one I will let you know. How does one even go about meeting new people nowadays?

Well… You remember Rossi, right? He’s having a pasta and wine night at his mansion this Friday at 8 pm!! 🎉

Pasta and wine?? Sounds perfect. Thanks, Penelope! I’ll be there, I appreciate you thinking of me :)

Anytime, Y/N! Can’t wait for you to meet the rest of the team. I’ve got a good feeling about this! 💖✨ 

—

The rest of the team? Y/n thought to herself. She had assumed she met everyone already when she went for drinks with Aaron and the team. Maybe they added a new member. Regardless, she's excited to do three of her favorite things, eat pasta, drink wine, and let rich people pay for everything. 

—

The evening sun dipped below the horizon, casting a soft glow over David Rossi’s expansive estate. Nestled in the Virginia countryside, the elegant home exuded both charm and sophistication, a perfect reflection of its owner. The team arrived one by one, greeted by the welcoming scent of freshly baked bread and simmering marinara sauce that wafted through the air, promising a feast of Italian delights.

As Y/n stepped into the house, they were embraced by the warm ambiance of the living room, where a crackling fire in the stone fireplace added a cozy touch. The room was tastefully decorated with leather-bound books, framed photographs, and art pieces that told stories of Rossi’s travels and experiences. Soft jazz music played in the background, the soothing melodies mingling with the lively chatter of the guests.

The dining room was a vision of elegance, with a long mahogany table set for the evening's festivities. Flickering candlelight danced across the table, casting a gentle glow on the polished silverware and delicate china. Each place setting was thoughtfully arranged, complete with fine crystal wine glasses waiting to be filled with Rossi’s carefully curated selection of wines.

On the far side of the room, a sideboard displayed an array of antipasti: olives, cured meats, marinated vegetables, and various cheeses artfully arranged on rustic wooden boards. A large bouquet of fresh flowers served as the centerpiece, adding a splash of color and vibrancy to the room.

The kitchen bustled with activity as Rossi, ever the gracious host, put the finishing touches on a variety of homemade pasta dishes. Large pots simmered on the stove, the fragrant aroma of garlic and herbs filling the air. A pan of lasagna bubbled in the oven, its cheese topping perfectly golden brown. Fresh basil and parsley were sprinkled generously over platters of spaghetti aglio e olio and creamy fettuccine alfredo, each dish a testament to Rossi’s culinary skills and passion for Italian cuisine.

In the adjoining patio, strings of fairy lights twinkled overhead, providing a magical canopy under which the team could relax and unwind. Comfortable seating areas were arranged to encourage conversation, and a small fire pit offered warmth as the evening grew cooler. The gentle rustle of leaves and the distant chirping of crickets added a serene backdrop to the lively gathering.

The evening at Rossi’s house was in full swing. The room was alive with laughter and conversation, and the clinking of glasses mingled with the soft strains of jazz music. The warm glow from the fireplace and the dim lighting created a cozy, inviting atmosphere that wrapped the team in a sense of comfort and camaraderie.

As the doorbell rang, David straightened his jacket and moved toward the entrance with a welcoming smile. He opened the door to reveal Y/N, who stood on the threshold, looking radiant in her deep green dress that highlighted her curves and complemented her confident demeanor.

“Y/N! Welcome!” Rossi exclaimed, stepping aside to usher her into the house. His voice was warm and genuine, filled with the kind of hospitality that made his guests feel immediately at home. “I’m so glad you could make it. We’ve been looking forward to this evening.”

Y/N’s face brightened with a warm smile as she stepped inside. “Thank you, David. I’m excited to be here. The house looks wonderful.”

Rossi gave a hearty laugh. “It’s all thanks to the amazing team I have. Let me introduce you to everyone.”

With a graceful wave of his hand, Rossi guided Y/N into the living room, where the BAU team had gathered. The room buzzed with the energy of friends reconnecting after a long day. Rossi’s arrival with Y/N caught the attention of the group, and they turned to greet her with friendly smiles and nods.

Spencer, who had been deep in a conversation with Derek about a recent case, felt a shift in the atmosphere. His gaze followed Rossi and Y/N as they entered, his attention abruptly captured.

Spencer’s breath hitched slightly as he took in Y/N’s presence. The warm lighting seemed to highlight her natural beauty, and the graceful way she moved across the room was both captivating and disorienting. The rest of the team offered her friendly waves and greetings, but Spencer was fixated on her, his curiosity piqued.

Hotch, noticing Spencer’s focused attention, decided it was time for introductions. He approached Spencer with a friendly, knowing smile and gestured toward Y/N.

“Spencer,” Hotch began, his tone calm and reassuring, “I’d like you to meet Y/N.”

Spencer turned to face Hotch, his heart racing a bit. Hotch continued, “Y/N, this is Spencer Reid. He’s one of our most brilliant team members here at the BAU.”

Y/N extended her hand with a warm, welcoming smile. “Hi, Spencer. It’s nice to finally meet you. I’ve heard so much about you.”

God, even her voice is beautiful. 

Spencer, momentarily taken aback, felt a flutter of nerves as he took her hand. “Hi, Y/N. It’s, uh, nice to meet you too. I’ve heard a lot about you as well,” he replied, his voice tinged with both shyness and genuine interest.

Y/N’s gaze was kind and her smile reassuring, making Spencer feel more at ease. “I hope it’s all been good,” she said with a playful glint in her eye.

Spencer managed a small, tight lipped smile, as he tucked his hair behind one ear and his nerves started to settle. “Definitely,” he replied, feeling a warmth that contrasted with his usual social anxiety.

Y/N leaned in slightly, her eyes meeting Spencer’s with a genuine curiosity. “So, Spencer,” she began, her tone light and engaging, “what’s one thing you’re passionate about outside of work?”

Spencer’s eyes lit up as he considered her question. “Well, I’m really into chess,” he admitted. “I’ve been playing since I was a kid. It’s a great way to exercise the mind and challenge myself.”

Y/N’s smile widened. “I didn’t know that. I used to play chess with my grandfather when I was younger. It’s a fascinating game. Do you have a favorite opening strategy?”

Spencer’s face brightened, and he leaned in a bit more, his enthusiasm evident. “Yes! I’m a big fan of the Queen’s Gambit. It’s a classic and very versatile. What about you?”

Y/N’s eyes sparkled as she shared her own chess experiences. The conversation continued, the two finding common ground and enjoying each other’s company.

Hotch observed the interaction with a pleased expression, satisfied with the introduction. He stepped back, allowing Spencer and Y/N to continue their conversation. The team resumed their chatter, though the undercurrent of excitement about the new connection was palpable.

The evening had progressed into a more relaxed phase as the team retreated to Rossi’s lush backyard. The gentle clinking of glasses and the murmur of conversation blended with the soft rustling of leaves in the warm night breeze. The group had moved outside after enjoying a sumptuous Italian feast prepared by Rossi and Penelope, and now they were settling into comfortable chairs and sofas, each with a glass of wine in hand.

Spencer, still a bit on edge but feeling slightly more at ease, had decided to join in on the wine, especially since Y/N had done the same. The rich, full-bodied wine paired perfectly with the after-dinner atmosphere, adding to the relaxed ambiance of the evening.

Derek, always the instigator of fun, leaned back in his chair with a mischievous grin. “Alright, everyone, I think it’s time for a game. How about a round of ‘Never Have I Ever’?” He looked around the circle with a gleam in his eye, clearly excited about the prospect of the game.

Emily raised an eyebrow playfully. “Oh, this should be interesting. Let’s see who’s willing to spill some secrets tonight.”

Y/N looked intrigued but a bit hesitant. “Sounds fun. I’m game.”

The group settled into a comfortable rhythm as Derek began the game. “Okay, I’ll start. Never have I ever... gone skydiving.”

A few people sipped their wine, including Emily and Rossi. “Guilty as charged,” Rossi said with a chuckle. “Skydiving is quite the adrenaline rush.”

Y/N, who had taken a sip, smiled and said, “I’ve always wanted to try it, but never had the chance.”

Spencer, still holding his glass, observed the interactions with a mix of curiosity and caution. He had never played this game before, not having ever been invited to parties in high school or college, and while he was intrigued, he wasn’t sure how much he was ready to reveal about himself.

JJ leaned forward, looking at Y/N with a grin. “Okay, your turn. What’s something we’d never expect from you?”

Y/N thought for a moment, then laughed softly. “Alright, never have I ever... been to a strip club.”

This time, the whole team, including Penelope, sipped their wine. “Oh, I mean we all have been on multiple occasions for a case,” Penelope admitted with a grin. “It’s a rite of passage.”

Spencer watched Y/N closely, noticing how easily she blended with the group, her laughter and easy demeanor making her approachable. He found himself feeling more comfortable, the game serving as a welcome distraction from his usual reservations.

As the game continued, Derek took his turn. “Never have I ever... gone on a blind date.”

Spencer, who had been carefully sipping his wine, hesitated for a moment before taking a sip. He caught Y/N’s eye and saw her smile warmly. “Well, that’s a new one for me,” she said, clearly amused.

Hotch, enjoying the playful banter, decided to chime in. “I think it’s safe to say that a lot of us have had some interesting experiences with blind dates.”

The game continued with a mix of laughter, surprises, and the occasional sip of wine. As it came around to Spencer’s turn, he took a deep breath, deciding to take a small risk. “Never have I ever... read all the books in a series before the final book was released.”

Y/N’s eyes widened in surprise, and she laughed. “Oh, I’m guilty of that too. I get too impatient for the next installment.”

Spencer felt a small spark of connection, his nerves easing as he realized they shared a common interest. “It’s the only way to avoid spoilers,” he said with a smile.

The conversation flowed easily as the game progressed, with everyone sharing stories and bonding over their revelations. Spencer found himself more relaxed, the warmth of the wine and the easygoing nature of the game creating an environment where he could be himself.

The group settled into their seats even more lubricated with wine, ready for the real revelations. Derek went first, his tone playful. “Never have I ever... been to a nightclub and partied until dawn.”

Y/N, Emily, Penelope and Derek took a sip, with Emily laughing. “Oh, I’ve done that more times than I can count. Nothing like a night out on the town to blow off some steam.”

Spencer seemed slightly more at ease with each revelation. “I’ve never been to one of those. It sounds like an experience.”

The game continued with more revealing questions. Emily, with a mischievous glint in her eye, asked, “Never have I ever... had a one-night stand.”

Spencer was visibly surprised when Y/N took a sip. Y/N gave a small, slightly embarrassed smile. “It’s a part of life’s experiences, but I guess I’ve been more focused on my career lately.”

Spencer nodded, a hint of understanding in his eyes. He was keenly aware of the fact that he was still a virgin, and while he wanted to connect with Y/N on a deeper level, he found himself struggling. She had undoubtedly had more romantic and physical experiences than he had. The thought that someone as stunning and sophisticated as Y/N would be interested in a novice like him seemed almost inconceivable. He was trying hard not to let his insecurities cloud his mood. The way she smelled—like a wet dream—was both intoxicating and overwhelming. Her laughter, so genuine and carefree, only accentuated the gulf between them. Spencer tried to shake off the discomfort, reminding himself to stay engaged.

Derek, sensing the shift in the conversation and relishing the opportunity to provoke more personal revelations, threw out another provocative prompt. “Never have I ever... gone on a vacation just for the sake of hooking up with someone.”

Penelope and Emily took a sip, with Penelope letting out a soft laugh. “Sometimes you just need to get away and see where the night takes you,” she said, a playful glint in her eye.

Y/N, now visibly more at ease and enjoying the shared camaraderie, leaned in slightly, her voice carrying a teasing edge. “I’ve always found travel is more about the sights than the romance. But I suppose the adventure can include a little... spontaneous connection,” she said, letting her words linger with a hint of allure. Her gaze flicked towards Spencer briefly, a subtle challenge in her eyes.

Spencer felt a slight flush creeping up his neck as he realized Y/N’s playful comment was not lost on him. The conversation had taken a decidedly more personal turn. “I’ve never really mixed vacation with... personal pursuits,” he admitted, his tone tinged with shyness. The idea of combining travel with romantic endeavors seemed foreign and somewhat intimidating.

As the game continued, the topics grew more intense and revealing. Rossi, with a knowing smile and a glint of mischief, asked, “Never have I ever... been in a relationship where both partners had different kinks.”

Everyone, even Hotch, took a sip, with Rossi adding, “Sometimes those differences can make things... particularly exciting.”

Y/N, engaging more openly with the group, nodded thoughtfully. Her eyes sparkled as she spoke. “It’s definitely something that can add a layer of complexity to a relationship,” she said, her voice taking on a more intimate tone. “It’s all about finding that balance and exploring what truly works for both partners.”

Spencer, taking a sip and feeling the warmth of the wine begin to loosen his nerves, found himself caught between curiosity and shyness. “It sounds like navigating those differences can be... challenging,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. His gaze remained fixed on Y/N, trying to read the subtle nuances in her expressions. The vulnerability she displayed in her words made her even more intriguing.

Y/N’s smile widened slightly, a mix of empathy and flirtation in her gaze. “It can be, but it’s also part of what makes relationships interesting,” she said, her voice soft but laced with a suggestive undertone. She met Spencer’s eyes with a confident yet gentle look, as if inviting him to share more of his thoughts.

Spencer swallowed hard, feeling a blend of attraction and apprehension. The way Y/N spoke, her casual yet intimate revelations, made him want to know more about her and, perhaps, reveal more about himself. The game had opened a door to a new level of connection, one that both excited and intimidated him.

The night had drifted into a mellow haze as the stars began to twinkle in the sky. The soft hum of conversation and clinking of glasses had subsided into a relaxed murmur as the team lingered in Rossi’s backyard, enjoying the cool night air. The rich aroma of the evening’s wine lingered in the air, adding a heady undertone to the tranquil setting.

Spencer had been engaged in a conversation with Rossi, but his mind kept drifting back to the playful exchanges he’d shared with Y/N. She had been captivating throughout the evening, her laughter and teasing remarks sticking in his mind. He found himself drawn to her energy, even as he struggled with his own insecurities.

As the night wore on, guests began to trickle out, and the ambiance of the backyard shifted to a quieter, more intimate atmosphere. Spencer watched as Y/N, her cheeks flushed with the warmth of the wine, made her way towards him. Her movements were graceful, and there was a certain confident allure in her stride that made Spencer’s heart skip a beat.

Y/N approached Spencer with a mix of determination and vulnerability. She cleared her throat gently, her eyes locking with his in a gaze that was both direct and inviting. The faint glow from the string lights above cast a warm halo around her, highlighting her striking features and the subtle sheen of her skin.

“Hey, Spencer,” she said, her voice soft but laden with an undeniable edge of sincerity. “Can we talk for a minute?”

Spencer, caught off guard, nodded. “Of course, Y/N. What’s up?”

Y/N led him a little away from the remaining guests, her hand brushing lightly against his as she guided him to a more secluded corner of the backyard. Spencer found he didn’t mind the contact too much, he might still wash his hands after. The quiet of the night enveloped them, the sounds of the party fading into the background.

She took a deep breath, her eyes searching his with a mix of hesitation and resolve. “I’ve really enjoyed talking with you tonight,” she began, her voice a touch more vulnerable than usual. “And I have to admit, I’ve been thinking... I’d like to see you again. Maybe for a coffee or dinner sometime? I’d love to get to know you better.”

Spencer’s heart raced as he took in her words. He felt a rush of warmth at the idea of spending more time with her, but the reality of his inexperience and his nerves threatened to overwhelm him. He managed a small, nervous smile, his mind racing through a whirlwind of thoughts.

“I’d like that,” Spencer said, his voice trembling slightly. “I’d really like that. I... I didn’t expect this, but I’m glad you asked.”

Y/N’s eyes softened, and she reached out to touch his arm, her fingers lingering for a moment. “Good,” she said, her tone taking on a more intimate quality. 

Spencer felt a surge of excitement mixed with his usual apprehension. The way Y/N looked at him, with that blend of confidence and genuine interest, made him feel like he was worthy of her attention.

“Absolutely,” he said, feeling more confident. “Let’s definitely make plans. I’d like that very much.”

Y/N’s smile widened, a mix of relief and satisfaction crossing her face. “Great. I’m looking forward to it.”

With that, she gave him a warm, lingering smile and a light touch on his arm before heading back towards the group to say her goodbyes. Spencer watched her go, with a brand new phone number in his pocket, feeling a renewed sense of hope and excitement. The evening had taken an unexpected turn, and he couldn’t wait to see where this new connection with Y/N might lead.

[pastafossa]

Hi Pasta! This might be kind of a weird ask but I need your help as my favorite writer and daredevil authority. I have to write a paper analyzing the ethical and moral frameworks of an organization or piece of media and of course I chose Matt Murdock. I was thinking of doing two main sections, lawyer Matt and devil Matt. I was wondering if you had any scenes or points I could make? I’m not a very good writer (this is an engineering major requirement haha) and I know you’re well versed on this subject. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated! (I also want to connect it to todays current government issues but I’m a wee bit scared to)

FRIEND THIS ASK GOT ME LIKE

Thank you SO SO MUCH and also YOU CHOSE SO FUCKING WELL. Quite frankly I wish DD was out when I was taking my ethics class in college, my prof loved when we used pop culture scenes to illustrate key points in ethical debates, and I've thought more than once about the way I'd have come crashing in through his door holding a foam-covered stack of pages ranting about the ethical implications of Daredevil.

IN OTHER WORDS, I HAVE THOUGHTS THAT MIGHT HELP.

Firstly, you're right: Lawyer Matt and Daredevil both occupy different ethical spaces, which is wild since they're both in the same person. Those two sides are often in opposition, which obviously makes for lovely conflict since Matt's constantly struggling with finding a middle ground.

Interestingly though, a lot of what he does comes down to the same reasoning. Just with two different ways he does it.

For Lawyer!Matt, I'd argue important scenes illustrating his ethical and moral framework would be:

His entire closing statement in 'Rabbit in a Snowstorm' (Season 1 Ep 3 off the top of my head) is an excellent display of how he views the law, why he does what he does in the courtroom: "These questions of good and evil, as important as they are, have no place in a court of law. Only the facts matter. "

Season 2, episode 6 when he's convincing Foggy why they should take Frank's case to prevent Frank from getting the death penalty: "He's a person, Foggy. Like you, like me."

Season 1 ep 10, Nelson v. Murdock is rife with stuff for both Lawyer!Matt's ethics and Daredevil's, but for this one, it's worth considering how he convinces Foggy to leave Landman and Zack: "Is this what you want? To be a part of that? Protecting corporations from people that need help?"

I'd also bring up the examples in S1 and S2 where there's a ton of people who can't pay with money, and so pay with food instead. This is spread across multiple episodes, but it's a telling sign of how Matt truly does believe all should be represented, regardless of ability to pay. It's him helping his community.

For Daredevil's ethics, the three most massive, most telling scenes I'd argue are:

His argument with Frank on the rooftop, Season 2, episode 3. I love this scene so much I have it bookmarked. It is my favorite ethical argument scene ever. They're having an ethical argument that's thousands of years old. Why doesn't he kill? "What about hope?"

Another from Nelson v Murdock, where he talks about the little girl. I have this one bookmarked too, because it's another fucking amazing example of why Matt's ethics are what they are as Daredevil. He believes in the law. He does. And he believes we should be working to fix the system. But the law at present is not enough. "The law couldn't help that little girl... but I could." (SA warning for anyone who hasn't seen it)

Above episode also has the exchange between Foggy, "That isn't fair, Matt," and Matt's reply, "We don't live in a world that's fair. We live in this one. And I'm doing everything I can to make it a better place."

I'd can't remember it off the top of my head but the episode where Matt is examining Frank on the witness stand and sort of takes a sideways tangent into what this city needs. He calls out the corruption of the police, and why the city needs people who will act. He's VERY clearly talking about himself here and not just Frank.

And a tie in for both: his speech at Lantom's funeral about doing what he can for those around him.

I do think if you want to tie it into current events, you can easily do so! The corruption of the cops (S1), the writers drew inspo from a Certain Person in S3 for Fisk (iirc he even says he'll "Make Hell's Kitchen Great Again") including how he leveraged the feds for his own power, the failure of the system with Frank Castle in S2, hell, DDBA swung hard for it again with Leroy Bradford (he says something like "They're willing to spend five times more to lock me up than they are to feed me") and the entire corrupt cop plotline coming back around. The show's always been viscerally real even with the presence of enhanced abilities. Matt lives in a world very much like this one, and with a lot of the same issues. His struggle, in many ways, is ours, I wouldn't be too afraid to acknowledge that even if it's just in general terms since so much of ethics in fiction (and in Daredevil especially) is about seeing what it's trying to tell us about our own world. <3

[icolo]

hi everyone!! my wrist is too sore to draw today, so instead i thought i'd share some of my favorite csp assets + how i like to use them! i also linked some procreate brushes at the end of the post!!

lineart brushes:

SU-Cream Pencil: i swear by this brush and i use it very often!! if you lower the pen density and use a gradient map over it when coloring your drawing, it has a nice effect. that's what i did in this drawing here! i also use this brush like i would draw on paper, so as a sketching tool. recently i've been enjoying blending it for shading. the pics below are drawn on one layer; left is more manga style while the one on the right is from a WIP of my singer sargent study, so it can be used for more realistic styles pretty well!

Found Pencil: another pencil brush that feels really nice to use, created by @/pigpenandpaper.

PS style brushes: a recreation of photoshop's (i believe) default brush. very versatile and also blends well!

analog wind variant pen: a nice pen that i like to use for lineart that is intended to have a bit of a sketch look.

zakutoro real g-pen: i used it for the lineart of this piece. although, it was drawn before i started using 600dpi in my works, so the lower resolution might make it look a bit unclear.

sets of rough pens: great for manga lineart with a rougher vibe; some of them have varying line weight.

coloring brushes:

zaku brushes: very nice and painterly mixing! i definitely recommend it for those who like to leave their colors a bit unblended.

softie marker: as the name implies, it's very soft! i like to use it for blush in chibi illustrations.

analog watercolor brushes: realistic-looking watercolor brushes. i recommend using it with csp's default paper textures, or those i linked below!

993 coloring pen: it's very soft and watery, though it can be made more solid by adjusting the paint density. i actually think it works very nicely for lineart too.

rock dog pen: another soft marker brush i like, that i once again also use for lineart and doodles.

thick coating brush set: recommended for paintings that show brush strokes.

cartoon cloud: don't let the name narrow your vision!! this has to be one of the BEST brushes for painting in my opinion, and of course it's great for clouds and explosions but so so much more!! and it's FREE try it try it!!

decoration/miscellaneous brushes:

neon pen

paper textures

symmetry move brush

close and fill without gaps

rope brush

sphere fisheye guide

flash balloon

speech bubble set: a lifesaving collection for comic artists!! dimensions and line weight can be adjusted by using the operation tool.

gradient map to use in color mode at 15% and another gradient map to use at 20%: the percentage refers to the opacity of the gradient map layer, but they are just the creator's recommendation and i tend to actually increase it. to use gradient map efficiently, i recommend putting all your colors (and lineart if you want) in a folder. then, right-click the folder, select "new correction layer" and then "gradient map". this allows you to modify the gradient map without worrying about affecting the original colors in case you decide not to use it in the end. to import a gradient map from your downloaded csp assets, click the wrench icon next to the name of the gradient set that's currently in use, then select "add gradient set".

you'll also notice that the creator recommends to use their gradients in "color mode". of course, this is also only a recommendation and i suggest trying as many layer modes as you like! to change a layer's mode, simply highlight the layer and click on "normal" (the default mode) and csp will display the available modes.

fruit ninja gradient map: fun to use if you want really drastic/vibrant colors! the names of the gradients are cute too, as you can see in the above screenshot!

BONUS: jeremy fenske's free photoshop brush pack: these aren't csp brushes per se, but they can be imported into the program! excellent for environments, i recommend watching fenske's video on how he uses the brushes to get a clearer picture since there are so many in this pack!!

BONUS 2: my good friend clem has a few brush packs for procreate that are ideal for painting,decorating drawings, and y2k-inspired illustrations, i definitely recommending checking out her shop!

in conclusion i hope this post can be helpful to you!! i tried to explain how to use the brushes as best as i could, but feel free to let me know if anything is unclear!! i hope you will enjoy using them! :D

[yuki2sksksk]

Here's a fun scenario!!!

Basically, maybe in the beginning of season 1 or around Part 2, Nomura accidentally finds a relic that may have belonged to a demon, their demon art being able to control time. She keeps it in the museum for storage to be taken to the Janus Order for study.

Only for A. In events of "Waka Chaka" the relic is broken or activated and the demon uses it to escape to present Arcadia. Or B. After "A Battle of Two Bridges" a museum work mistakes the relic as a display piece and puts it up, leading to the same scenario.

But not just the demon is taken to Arcadia but also the Demon Slayers the had been chasing it, being Tanjiro, Nezuko, Zenitsu, and Inosuke.

The group is not only stuck in the modern era, but we're the land and language is so new and unfamiliar. Even more confusing is the boy in shining armor seemingly protecting some stone "demons".

(finally managed to answer an ask idk what's going on with my blog)

(update: I can answer this one only for now huhhhh anyway)

That's a fun scenario to think of! I also weighted the option of time traveling but didn't think to put a demonic relic 🤔 I once thought of having Yushiro being involved in the Trollhunters stuff starting off with his drawn portrait of Tamayo being hung in the museum (because it's one of his oldest painting and he used very old and antique painting set)

Your idea will be fun to explore! I'd imagine this being set at the option B because wohoo the CHAOS there would be so so messy.

Like in Jim's POV, he suddenly sees four unknown people stumble out of nowhere in eastern clothing and brandishing swords he recognizes as katanas (and the girl doesn't seem human???) and in Tanjirou's POV, he and his friends get transported into another world in the middle of a fight and what what are those demons they don't smell like demons wait WAIT INOSUKE I DON'T THINK THEY'RE DEMONS DON'T KILL THEM YET --

But everyone probably focuses more on the fact that they're people to protect, so Tanjirou and his gang try assisting Jim and the others despite the absolute confusion and language barrier.

The way Bular and the changelings and the goblins suddenly get overpower only by the appearance of four teenagers is bewildering like these kids aren't like Jim and Toby -- they CAN and WILL take lives. This makes Jim and Toby flabbergasted too as they watch the slayers actually don't hesitate in chopping limbs and aiming for the necks.

Surprise surprise Draal manages to have a quick but informative conversation with the slayers in the middle of the fight like he suddenly speaks fluently in Japanese (Nomura let out some Japanese curses as well) and it's a huge help to the others so they can have better coordination in fighting against Bular.

Once the bridge is down and the changelings are gone off sights, Jim and Toby have to stand as a shield of sorts between their troll friends and the slayers because suddenly the katanas are all pointed towards them.

" They don't smell like a demon. " Tanjirou says. " But they are vulnerable to the sunlight as well. "

" Drop your swords! They're not dangerous! " Jim can't help but to snarl. He's exhausted. Draal just has his right arm turned into stone and the others are not left unscathed from the battle.

These new incomers are powerful -- probably the strongest humans Jim has ever seen. They are warriors, he can tell. They have experiences. He's forever thankful that these slayers are on the good side at least.

" Do you eat humans? " The question is directed to the blue troll.

" No. " Draal answers in Japanese, his breath is heavy and tired.

The slayers exchange glances. Zenitsu can tell that there's nothing but truth in their claims. Nezuko doesn't seem alarmed as well. Inosuke decides to let his comrades lead the situation next. Then, they drop down their arms to their sides.

" So, " Toby looks around at the mess, " what now? "

This can probably be a very long one shot or some chapters. I imagine the slayers have to stay in the trollmarket (with Nezuko and all) because staying together is a better option. They'd try to explain what they work as and get accustomed to the modern world.

Inosuke absolutely loves the training ground, cackling as he dodges the swinging blades and leaping over moving tiles. Everyone gets another whiplash at seeing his beautiful face. Zenitsu jumps at every second a troll walks past him but he feels safer around Aaarrrgghh (cause he thought the gentle giant could shield him from danger).

Nezuko spends most of her time sleeping. She surprises some trolls with her strength. They compare her to gnomes, and this sparks out some angry rambling from Tanjirou who keeps claiming that she's a beau.

Tanjirou offers to help Jim in terms of stamina and muscle management with total concentration breathing. Their swordsmanship is different so there's that. Blinky thinks it'd be good to have Jim battling against an opponent with different style fighting and Tanjirou is yet to be defeated. He encouraged Jim and is very humble so he gets along with everyone.

This is all I can think of for now, but this is a joy and interesting idea to think of.

[whochromatic]

I want to buy the Ghost Story Working Characters' lost body parts.

If there was a way to buy everyone's body parts, I wouldn't hesitate to put them in my cart and keep them on display. I want to have everyone's lost body parts. The hand, the eye, the legs, the arm, the mind, the mind, the mind. I wish to keep the parts that my favorites have lost. It doesn't matter which one. I want to take them and replace my parts with theirs. I would rather pay for them than just take them. I want to give what's worth of each and every one of them, but I doubt I could match it even if I were to offer every centimeter of what makes up of me. But either way, I want to keep it all. Please give me their body parts. I want to hold them, stare at them, and put them on me. No amount words can express how much I desire them. Why is this one of the only few mediums that can be used for expression? This world setting is so inefficient. But what can I do? What can I do.

Where can I find the entrance to Death Lane? The section with everyday goods? Surely they have Baek Saheon's eye there, right? I want it. It would be nice to have it, but I'm afraid that I may crush it. If I eat it, I won't be able to see it again. Then, if I take out my left eye, I can put his inside of my socket.

Where can I find Eun Haje hand? Surely the teachers didn't just discard it, yes? How wasteful it would be if they did. They'd have no sense of value at all! How could they just leave the decapitated heads and bodies without storing them somewhere safe?? It would be great if they did. I want to hold Eun Haje's cut off hand. The lines on the palm, the length and width of the fingers, the texture of the skin, the state of the nails..

Kim Soleum's, too. I want his arm. It's so dissapointing that his arm was cooked and dissapeared. Did anyone even get to eat it? Honestly, I would prefer it raw. But even if I were to encounter it in it's cooked state, I would be very pleased. No, how could I say just "very pleased"? Do you know why you beg for even a real glimpse of their parts? It's because you can't. It would take more than a miracle to fulfill your delusions. Yes, I would like to have a taste of it. Kim Soleum who diligently grilled and prepared the meat by himself, from himself... it's everything. I have replayed in my head hundreds of times a feast with his arm in my hands. Every slice ends up in my stomach. God can take any of my remaining internal organs but my stomach.

But as much as I'd love to digest Kim Soleum's arm raw, I'd rather keep it and do as much as I can with it without damaging it. Did I already say that? But how could I bear to damage a holy relic such as it? If possible, I would like to use it in my rituals and worship it and bow and pray to it, and, oh, no, no, yeah. I wish to wear his right arm on my body, but it would be too presumptuous, wouldn't it? It's such a shame that I am nothing more than dust in the face of God. Ah, but my worldly desires... no, this is why should cleanse myself of sins and the thought of committing more offenses. But I truly want it on me. What should I do? Insolent.

Even the parts that will be lost in the future. I would like to buy them. I wonder how much it would cost if I were to genuinely buy them. Would it be priced the same way body parts are usually priced? I'm sure there would be some twists. I'm worried that I wouldn't be able to afford them if it happened... it's so sad. I am crying. Do you see the tears rolling off my cheeks? I don't think you can. Me neither. But even as a piece of text, I mourn the inability to purchase such precious goods. Why must our plane of realities be so distant? I thought it would be possible since I too....me too...

How many more tears must I shed for my desire to be fulfilled? Would they all serve as proper payment for their body parts? I wish not to personally dissect my favorites(oh, but I do. I do.) and aqcuire those that they have lost along the way. After all, wouldn't it be more credible if I did? Not taken by the hands of a parasitic intruder, but by natural flavorings dyed from the story personally crafted by the esteemed creator. I want it. It's so dissapointing. Please let me have them. I will buy them. Take my body and life, but return, give me even a single one. Please? Just one. No, I would to have as much as possible. I beg. This, nature,,, nature.... their boddd yyPPPPPPPPPP

I'm sorry.

[emma23]

Enclosed by fate :

Steven grant x reader

It was supposed to be a routine evening for you, wrapping up your research at the British Museum. As an Egyptologist, your work often extended into the quiet hours after the museum closed, when you could sift through ancient texts without interruption. That night, however, everything changed when you ran into Steven Grant, the mild-mannered gift shop employee known for his vast, if occasionally overwhelming, knowledge of Egyptian mythology.

The encounter occurred in the Egyptian exhibit, where you were carefully examining a recently acquired artifact. Steven, on his way out, paused to admire the artifact as well, his eyes lighting up with recognition. Noticing your intense focus, he hesitated but eventually spoke up.

"Excuse me, but that's a fascinating piece, isn't it?" he said, his voice laced with enthusiasm and a hint of nervousness.

You looked up, surprised to see anyone else still there. "Yes, it is. This amulet has inscriptions that are quite rare," you responded, warming to the conversation.

Steven nodded, his excitement palpable. "Exactly! It's linked to Thoth, the god of wisdom and writing. Did you notice the unique hieroglyphics on the edge? They suggest a ceremonial use, possibly linked to moon rituals."

Impressed by his insight, you introduced yourself, and soon, the two of you were engrossed in a lively discussion. You discovered that Steven's knowledge went beyond just casual interest; he had a genuine passion for the subject, much like you.

As the conversation flowed, you found yourself enjoying Steven's company. He was earnest and kind, his awkwardness endearing rather than off-putting. Little did you know, this chance meeting was just the beginning of a series of unexpected events that would bring you closer together in ways neither of you could have anticipated.

A few weeks later, the museum hosted a special event featuring rare Egyptian artifacts. You were responsible for curating the exhibit, ensuring everything was perfectly in place for the grand unveiling. Steven, as always, was in the gift shop, recommending books and trinkets to enthusiastic visitors.

As the event wound down, you decided to take a final look at the exhibit, double-checking the displays and security measures. Steven, seeing you pass by, waved and offered to help, eager to share more of his knowledge.

Just as you both finished securing the exhibit, an unexpected power outage plunged the museum into darkness. Emergency lights flickered on, casting eerie shadows among the artifacts. You and Steven exchanged concerned glances as the PA system crackled to life, announcing that the museum had been locked down due to a suspected security breach.

"Great," you muttered, trying to keep calm. "We're stuck here."

Steven looked around nervously. "Well, at least we're in good company," he joked weakly, gesturing to the ancient artifacts surrounding you.

Despite the situation, you couldn't help but smile at his attempt to lighten the mood. "True. But I'd rather not spend the night with mummies and relics."

The security team soon confirmed that it was a false alarm, but the lockdown would last until morning due to procedural protocols. With no way out, you and Steven had no choice but to wait it out together.

As the night wore on, you and Steven settled into a quiet corner of the exhibit hall. You shared stories, snacks from Steven's gift shop stash, and your mutual love for ancient history. The situation, while inconvenient, offered a rare opportunity to connect beyond the brief interactions you'd had before.

"Do you think they'd let us keep these artifacts if we stayed here long enough?" Steven mused, his tone light-hearted.

You chuckled, shaking your head. "Somehow, I don't think that's how it works. But it's a nice thought."

The conversation drifted from work to more personal topics. Steven opened up about his fascination with Egyptology, sharing how it had been a lifelong passion. You, in turn, revealed your journey into the field, your love for uncovering stories buried in time.

As the hours passed, the initial awkwardness faded, replaced by a comfortable camaraderie. You found Steven's quirks endearing, and his genuine nature refreshing. Despite the forced proximity, you felt a growing sense of ease with him.

The night stretched on, and with it, an unspoken tension began to build. You couldn't ignore the way your heart fluttered when Steven laughed, or how his eyes sparkled when he spoke passionately about his interests. It was becoming clear that what you felt was more than just friendly affection.

Steven, for his part, seemed equally affected. His usual self-doubt and shyness gave way to moments of surprising confidence, especially when discussing his favorite topics. You noticed the way he would glance at you when he thought you weren't looking, a soft, almost wistful expression on his face.

Despite the burgeoning feelings, both of you seemed hesitant to acknowledge them, perhaps afraid of what might happen if you crossed that line. The museum, with its ancient relics and whispered secrets, became a silent witness to the emotions neither of you dared voice.

As dawn approached, the museum's lockdown was finally lifted. The incident was resolved, and you and Steven were free to leave. The shared night had brought you closer, but also left you with lingering questions and unresolved feelings.

As you prepared to leave, Steven hesitated, seemingly struggling to find the right words. Finally, he looked at you, his expression earnest. "I'm really glad we got to spend this time together," he said softly. "I don't think I would have managed without you."

You smiled, touched by his sincerity. "Me too, Steven. It was... a night to remember."

There was a brief, loaded silence, and then you both left the museum, returning to your separate lives. Yet, the experience had changed something between you, leaving you both wondering what could happen next.

In the following days, you found yourself thinking about Steven more than ever. His kindness, intelligence, and genuine nature were qualities you admired, and you couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more between you, waiting to be explored.

Steven, too, seemed different, more confident and open. You noticed he was more relaxed around you, initiating conversations and sharing more about his life. The connection between you grew, and with it, the unspoken question of what this relationship could become.

One evening, as you were leaving the museum, Steven caught up with you, a determined look on his face. "Would you like to grab a coffee sometime? Outside the museum, I mean," he asked, his voice tinged with hope and nervousness.

You felt your heart leap at the invitation. "I'd love that, Steven," you replied, smiling.

Over coffee, you and Steven talked for hours, sharing more about your lives, hopes, and dreams. The conversation flowed easily, and the connection between you deepened. It became clear that the night at the museum had been a catalyst, bringing you together in ways neither of you had anticipated.

As the evening came to an end, you found yourself feeling hopeful, excited for what the future might hold. The forced proximity had been a blessing in disguise, revealing feelings that might have otherwise remained hidden.

"Enclosed by Fate" had become a phrase you both jokingly referred to when recounting your unusual night at the museum. It was a story that marked the beginning of something beautiful, a relationship built on mutual respect, shared interests, and a deep emotional connection.

As you and Steven walked out of the café, hand in hand, you couldn't help but feel grateful for the strange twist of fate that had brought you together. What had started as a night of inconvenience had turned into the start of a new chapter, one filled with the promise of love and adventure.

[immaturityofthomasastruc]

Every Episode of Miraculous Ladybug Season 5 Ranked (Part 1)

(Meme made by @eddo-tensei)

I'd like to apologize for this post taking so long, and my lack of activity this year in general. I've had a lot of things going on. I've been trying to search for a new career, I've been taking on more hours at work, I've started working out more, and I might be considering going back to school to pursue one of my career options. I've been very busy, and I know this isn't an excuse for the lack of content. I'm going to try making more posts on this blog when I can, because after this ranking post and the movie review, I won't have as many big projects to work on. With that being said, let's get to the main event.

I had very few positive things to say about Season 5, and it'll be reflected here. With Season 4, I at least had some clear outliers for the best and worst episodes, but because so many of these episodes blended together, it's hard to really rank them. At best, there were two or three episodes I thought were good, and not even really good like the highlights of Season 4. So this time, I'll be taking a page from one of Schaffrillas Productions' ranking videos, specifically his Illumination Entertainment ranking video. Rather than rank every episode from worst to best, I'm going to rank them from best to worst.

In a way, I'm giving you the quintessential Season 5 experience, starting off with high expectations before a gradual descent into mediocrity.

#1: Intuition

Season 5 really needed more episodes like this one. A good chunk of the season just defaulted to the same old Akuma of the week formula while Monarch stayed cooped up in his lair as usual. Yes, while it was justified thanks to his Cataclysm wound, it kept the writers from really capitalizing on his expanded arsenal other than giving Akumas powers he didn't need Miraculous to give them in earlier seasons. This episode is built on the three major aspects established at the beginning of the season that the writers should have been focusing on instead of Love Square drama: Gabriel secretly dying, Gabriel having access to over a dozen Miraculous, and Ladybug and Cat Noir needing to fight an uphill battle against Monarch.

For the most part, Monarch's plan is well thought out and the stakes feel high as a result. Not only does Monarch get creative with the Miraculous he has at his disposal, he exploits the heroic nature Ladybug and Cat Noir have by forcing them to choose between saving an innocent astronaut or the people of Paris. The meteor threatening Paris feels like a threat precisely because Ladybug and Cat Noir can't get any help to deal with something this big, and have to deal with it on their own. The fact that Monarch also essentially has a hostage trapped inside Bugfighter helps add to the drama.

This is the episode that arguably does the most with the space power-ups. Ever since they were introduced in the New York Special, they were mostly used by Ladybug and Cat Noir to fly across long distances, and even then, there were episodes where the writers forgot they could have used those forms to resolve the conflict (Crocoduel). Here, because most of the action is primarily set in space, the abilities of Cosmobug and Astro Cat are on full display, and it's a nice shakeup from the usual fights set in Paris.

But the best part of the episode is arguably Gabriel. While he does make multiple questionable decisions (whether they were intended to be seen as stupid by the writers is up for debate), this episode is a pretty decent character piece for Gabriel, and fleshes him out the most this season. Putting aside my problems with the writers changing the rules of the Snake Miraculous specifically so Gabriel can't use it like with the Rooster, Gabriel's behavior and body language really sells the fact that his days are numbered. For most of the season, Gabriel's Cataclysm wound was a mild inconvenience at worst, but this episode shows just why he can't go out to fight Ladybug and Cat Noir himself.

It's pretty ironic in a way. Even though he has fifteen Miraculous and is arguably the most powerful character in the show at this point, Gabriel's paranoia and arrogance prevent him from taking full advantage of his arsenal. Gabriel is so dead set on achieving his goal, he's willing to abuse the Snake Miraculous' power to find a way to win, despite the risks it has to his health. He can't trust any regular Akuma with Second Chance, and even a close ally like Tomoe isn't above being tricked by Gabriel using that same power. It's that same sense of narcissism that leads to his downfall, as while Gabriel has more power than Ladybug, he just can't outsmart her.

It's a really good episode, and was an exception to the kind of lousy writing we got during Season 5, instead of being the norm.

#2: Action

You know, it says a lot about the show when not only is arguably one of the most universally loved episodes in recent memory is the first in years to not have Astruc in the writing team, not only is it not connected to the ongoing story in any meaningful way, but it's also an environmental PSA, episodes that are usually not viewed in a positive light.

The characterization is somewhat strong here. Other than Nino being the one to lead the protests, nobody is really annoying or out of character, which works in the story's favor. There's no melodrama, no Marinette needing to learn some contrived lesson, or no Adrien being portrayed as being right about everything. It's the kids versus Big Plastic, and nothing else.

The thing that makes the story work is that compared to other environmental PSA episodes, it actually acknowledges how complicated of an issue the nature of pollution is. There aren't any characters who want to keep polluting the environment. There are just circumstances in place that prevent them from taking a stand against an injustice like this. Influential figures in Paris like Gabriel, Andre, and Nadja have connections to the company enabling the pollution, and whether it be for financial or political reasons, they're essentially dependent on it.

This kind of approach to the pollution extends to the antagonist, Bertrand. What I like about him is that compared to other rich people on this show, he's not incompetent or actively malicious. He just sees what he's doing as a business, and he can't think of any other ways to make money. He even points out how much plastic is used in modern society and that his company makes plastic for a reason. He's kind of like a less overtly antagonistic version of Mr. Waternoose from Monsters, Inc. in a way. He's aware of what he's doing, but he views profit as more important. The difference is that unlike Waternoose, Bertrand realizes the error of his ways and starts finding ways to change how his company operates.

However, this extends to one of the bigger problems I have with the episode. Because it spends so much time trying to flesh out the opposition's argument, it doesn't really give the audience enough reasons to support the heroes protesting. Yes, it's morally correct to protest, but there's nothing else to make the audience understand why they're in the right to oppose pollution. Considering how this was meant to be used to educate kids on pollution, I guess I can give it a pass for at least doing a decent job getting the point across, even if I personally would have given more of an explanation as to why the heroes are right.

What I can't give the episode a pass for is how the conflict is resolved. For an environmental PSA episode, I cannot for the life of me comprehend why the writers thought it would be a good idea for the Akuma of the week to be defeated by plastic and pollution. Like, my brother in Christ, you're supposed to teach kids about why pollution is a bad thing! Did nobody think about the implications this would bring? Actually, given the other things that happened this season, that probably checks out.

A pretty decent episode if not for the ending polluting the moral.

#3: Migration

While this one is one of the better episodes of Season 5, it still has its fair share of problems.

The most obvious one comes in the lesson its trying to teach with contrasting Bob and Jagged. It clearly wants to talk about redemption and self-improvement, but as I discussed in the overall analysis post, this show really doesn't have a good grasp on writing redemption arcs. For one thing, I really wouldn't compare Jagged becoming a better father to Bob being a selfish asshole because while Jagged abandoning his family was a terrible thing, since it was done more out of selfishness than outright malice. Bob on the other hand, is just a dick who wants to make money because this show's views on the business world make the Ferengi in Star Trek seem nuanced by comparison.

The episode spends so much more time showing how easy it is to be tricked by people rather than showing how important having trust in someone is, and it really muddles the lesson as a result. “See? Jagged changed easily, so that's a good enough reason to justify characters like Bob being irredeemably evil!” If you wanted to teach kids about trusting others, don't have it be in the same episode as the lesson about others taking advantage of your goodwill.

Putting that aside, Luka had a pretty decent swan song that tested his loyalty to Ladybug and Cat Noir. You can really buy his determination to keep their identities a secret from Monarch and his decision to leave his home to make sure this information stays a secret makes sense. Well, as long as you don't count Luka announcing the fact that he knows their identities to plenty of potential hostages and victims for Monarch, but then again, that moron never does anything smart with the intel he gets. We really needed more focus episodes showing the former temp heroes helping out Ladybug and Cat Noir in their own ways, not just having them all form a stupid resistance that does almost nothing useful all season.

The conflict with Gold Record also worked well here. I like how Monarch's simple plan to akumatize Luka turned into a plan to figure out Ladybug and Cat Noir's identities that just happened to use a different Akuma. I'd argue it was done better than in “Truth” because of how the victims aren't just forced to tell the truth, they're thrown out into space, so the stakes are pretty high. I'll admit the way they stop Gold Record is pretty anti-climactic, and you could argue Luka didn't even need to tell Ladybug he knew her identity with out easily the situation is resolved right after he's turned into a record. I think it would have worked better if Luka's secret was that he said he was jealous of Adrien for managing to be the one Marinette loves over him instead of just knowing the heroes' identities.

It's a flawed, but still okay episode to rewatch. It's a good thing Luka knew how bad this season was getting so he headed out the first chance he got. If only he stayed out of Paris instead of becoming one of Su-Han's students offscreen before the finale.

#4: Elation

You know this season is abysmal when, of all things, a Glaciator episode ends up making the top 5, and you know how much I love those episodes.

Of all the episodes to feature the Adrienette drama, I feel like this one had the best execution of it. You can really understand the emotional turmoil Marinette is going through and how hard things are for her. You also get how hard it is for Cat Noir to have to turn down the girl he loves after having so much fun with her. Remember, as far as he knows, he's taking advantage of his status as a superhero to make a move on a civilian like Marinette. The fact that he's aware of this and is willing to break it off himself is a far cry from the entitled little twerp he was last season. While I think Marichat could have been explored more, the fact that it ends here makes for a pretty solid transition into Adrienette becoming official next episode.

Alya also has some decent characterization here. Yeah, she goes against some of the things she said earlier this season, but we get a little glimmer of her Season 4 self by having her realize the error of her ways and actually make an attempt to support her friend. Of course, she goes back to the same old Season 5 Alya, but it's something.

Something I didn't really think about until after I originally posted the review was how confusing the episode's stance on shipping is. Like, we're supposed to side with Marinette and be against everyone trying to dictate who she's supposed to be in love with... but the people trying to tell her who she's in love with are technically right by pointing out her feelings for Adrien. Yes, nobody else knows that Adrien is Cat Noir, but with how much buildup Adrienette has gotten over the years, it's really confusing that the writers are acting like it's weird that people are obsessed with Marinette's love life. Pointing out how annoying Alya and Andre are by refusing to believe Marinette could have feelings for someone who isn't Adrien is basically the pot calling the kettle black.

Maybe if this was a Season 2 or 3 episode focusing on Marinette's growing feelings for Luka, this kind of story could have worked, but as it stands, it's a very confusing stance for the writers to take. Overall, a pretty decent episode.

#5: Evolution

It's the first part of what I like to call the “Remember When This Season Looked Kinda Promising?” Trilogy.

This episode really seemed like there was going to be a change in direction for Season 5 with how it was structured. Rather than immediately go back to the Akuma of the week formula, the characters, for the most part, make choices most people would make if they were in their shows. What does Gabriel do as soon as he gets all the Miraculous in the Miracle Ball? He whips out the Rabbit Miraculous and immediately decides to travel through time to get Ladybug and Cat Noir's Miraculous before they can even stop him. The best part is that Ladybug almost immediately catches onto Monarch's plan and isn't too confused when Bunnix shows up to bring them along. Of course, both Ladybug and Monarch still do stupid things that contradict these smart decisions, but it's the thought that counts.

I like how this episode is taking advantage of its premise and makes it about a race through time to stop Monarch before he screws up history. It's a decent idea to call back to older episodes, but the issue is how they don't really do much to explain why nobody noticed this. Even events where the past versions of the heroes were right there when the current versions were fighting Monarch don't get so much as a mention. I think it could have worked more if they stayed undetected, but during the chaos of the fighting, our Ladybug accidentally sets up things past Ladybug could use for her Lucky Charm. That way, it would help sell the idea of this being more of a self-contained time loop.

Something that I actually thought was clever foreshadowing was when Monarch went back in time to save Emilie. He doesn't just steal the Peacock Miraculous or tell his past self to not use it. He specifically plans to give instructions to fix the broken Peacock Miraculous, as if to say one of its creations is too important to be erased from history...

Speaking of Sentimonsters, Cat Noir and Ladybug have some good teamwork here, confirming that we're finally done with the Cat Dour drama from last season. While I feel like it could have been handled better, I like the idea of Ladybug's guilt being what motivated her to trust Cat Noir with the Rabbit Miraculous, and when they go to see the younger version of Master Fu, they feel more like equals while choosing a Miraculous.

So with all the positive things I had to say, why isn't this episode higher on the list. Well, the thing is that when there weren't moments I enjoyed, most of my thoughts on this episode were like this:

A good chunk of the episode is the characters making stupid decision after stupid decision in order to make sure we get twenty-six more episodes. I can at least buy Monarch getting overconfident with all the new Miraculous he has, but Ladybug and Cat Noir don't get that excuse. They get a total of five chances to get back the Miraculous, but other than just getting the Rabbit back, Ladybug keeps choosing to say she's going to take the Miraculous back instead of just GRABBING THEM FIRST AND THEN GLOATING. There are James Bond villains who think you're taking too long. We're really supposed to see Monarch as a threat when the only reason why he keeps getting away is because the heroes are too stupid to do what any sensible person would do in their position. Seriously, if the Winx Club were the ones chasing Monarch throughout history, they'd most likely be spending more time discussing who's paying for milkshakes after they drop his bruised and battered body off at the police station.

And then there's Monarch himself, who has to be told to go back and save his wife instead of getting the Miraculous to make a wish. The episode tries to imply that Gabriel has more selfish intentions, but the finale pretty much throws that away and makes it so he just misses his wife. I'll give you a moment to process the shock of this show setting up a character arc and doing nothing with it. The fact that he blames Ladybug for his own mistakes is pretty much the only thing that connects the two, since Ladybug acts like Monarch is too powerful to stop in a fight when she kept screwing up chances to take back the Miraculous.

I also really don't like the way Master Fu and Alix were used in this episode. For one thing, if Ladybug and Cat Noir can easily use time travel to borrow Miraculous from the younger Fu, why can't they just do that until they stop Monarch? Yeah, they gave the Rabbit Miraculous to Alix, but why can't they just call her up to go to Fu for some Miraculous Ladybug and Cat Noir need? Speaking of, is nobody going to acknowledge the fact that Alix was just forced to become Bunnix after getting the Rabbit Miraculous? Last season made a big deal about how stressful Marinette becoming the Guardian was, and now we're just okay with Alix being forced to bear what is arguably an even bigger burden?

Overall, while not a terrible start to the season, it still had a lot to work on while still having its fair share of positive moments.

#6: Destruction

Much like with “Evolution”, there seemed to be some improvement here on the writing and characterization, but fell apart towards the end.

I like how Marinette, Alya, and Cat Noir all work together to outsmart Monarch with Alya distracting him long enough to follow the trap Ladybug and Cat Noir set up for him. It's a pretty clever gambit, and it's nice that Cat Noir actually gets to play a part in it. “Evolution” showed that Monarch was too powerful to take on in a fight, so a battle of wits is the best option to stop him, something that fits Ladybug perfectly.

I also like how, once again, the writers explain why Monarch can't use something as powerful as the Rooster Miraculous to win, even if it's a really stupid explanation. But hey, I'm just some moron who thinks that the Rooster Miraculous shouldn't be a diet version of the Power Cosmic.

Something that was very clever was the reveal of the episode taking place before a previous episode, “Multiplication”. It adds rewatch value to earlier episodes, it allows kids watching to figure out what happened without explaining every single part of the twist, and it's something this season really should have done more often.

However, that's where my compliments end here. The main problem with this episode is how the climax pretty much ruins the clever plan Ladybug set up. She takes forever to explain her plan to Monarch in great detail, and we're supposed to be surprised that Monarch managed to escape. She didn't even think to just pull off his Miraculous first and then gloat about how awesome she is. Hell, she somehow showed more concern over Monarch escaping thanks to her incompetence instead of Cat Noir accidentally Cataclysming him. But then again, this is the same person who will try to Cataclysm Monarch several times in the season finale. Something that's also weird is that they set up the idea of Monarch escaping with the Lucky Charm, but nothing ever comes of it. You'd think it would be important with how much emphasis is put on nothing else being able to heal Gabriel, but it's never mentioned in the season finale. It could have been an easy way to show Marinette resolving the conflict, by healing her greatest enemy and giving him the chance to better himself... instead of having Gabriel die and Marinette choosing to wash her hands of the whole “I let the universe end” thing.

This episode also showed just how forgettable the Kwamis are as characters. The show wants to make a big deal about how cruel Gabriel is to have control over them, but none of them have any real personality other than “Annoying toddler on a sugar high”. Even putting aside how insufferable they were last season, there's just not enough in this episode to really get you invested in their plight. Not even Trixx, the Kwami who got the most screentime other than Tikki and Plagg last season, gets a single line here.

This episode had promise, but the way it fumbled the landing really ruined it for me.

#7: Multiplication

I swear, I didn't intend for the first three episodes of Season 5 to be ranked like this in chronological order of all things. It was a happy accident, almost miraculous if you will.

Anyway, this episode was okay. It was a decent follow-up to “Evolution”. I like how it's more of a slow character piece for Marinette as she tries to deal with her guilt and conflicting feelings for Adrien after the betrayal. This was the few episodes that I feel really nailed the emotional moments with Marinette this season. There's no overdramatic dialogue, there's no exclusive focus on Adrien (at least at first), and it's played 100% seriously. I also thought it was a decent idea to have the people of Paris prepare for the worst with Monarch, even if it went nowhere. Even the Akuma was handled pretty well, as it allowed the writers to show off the gimmick this season with Ikari Gozen using Multiplication while Ladybug and Cat Noir get to show actual teamwork for a change.

But the problem with this episode was how nobody really seemed to care about the threat Monarch poses. Not only does Alya go back caring more about Marinette's love life, not only does everyone else in Paris seem to forget about Monarch after a few weeks, but Adrien's only role this episode is to realize his feelings for Marinette instead of thinking about the role he also played in Monarch getting all the other Miraculous. Yeah, who cares about serious introspection from someone who spent an entire season trying to show he's just as capable a hero as his partner while inadvertently being part of the reason why she lost her other allies? I want to see him try to kiss someone multiple times without their consent!

And yeah, let's talk about the kissing joke and how it's more than just unfunny, it's almost disgusting with how it's presented. We're supposed to laugh at Marinette for resisting Adrien's attempts to kiss her multiple times when she has every right to not want to be kissed without her consent. The entire joke is that it's happening just as Marinette is trying to get over her feelings for Adrien, but even if she still liked him, it's still against her consent Remember, this is the same show that tried to teach kids about the importance of consent in episodes like “Felix” and “Lies”, yet it never applied to Adrien in this episode, to the point where Alya tries to restrain Marinette so she can't resist or run away.

“But IOTA! It's a cultural thing in France!” Fine, maybe it is, but there's three problems with that. First, Adrien made it clear that he sees Marinette purely in a romantic light, not just as a acquaintance. Second, even if it was meant to be platonic, he didn't do it with Alya or Nino. Finally, if Marinette didn't want to be kissed the first time, that should have been it.

I don't care how socially stunted Adrien is, or how much everyone in the entire world ships Adrientte, if you see someone looking like this when someone is trying to kiss them:

DON'T SMILE, AND MAKE THAT PERSON RESPECT HER PERSONAL SPACE!

It's just such a terrible joke to make, and it this is coming from the season that tries to tackle serious issues like mental health and child abuse. How this episode didn't run into controversy like “Ephemeral” did, I'll never know. Just not a good episode, yet somehow, this still made the top ten.

#8: Perfection

This is an episode that had a decent Akuma, a pretty wholesome resolution, and... uh... Yeah, that's about it.

Of all the Kagami-centric episodes the show has ever done, this is the one that really shows us how she thinks. Because of the high standards her mother places on her, she believes that she can't have friends, and she has only herself to rely on. I like how rather than just default to her being constantly angry while akumatized, she's much more depressed, and most of the damage she causes is unintentional. Granted, I don't get how Monarch thought a giant cloud monster who can't see a thing will be able to get Ladybug and Cat Noir's Miraculous, but I still like how Ryukomori is presented.

On the other hand, despite being a Kagami focused episode, the writers somehow forgot what Kagami was like. She's usually a no-nonsense person who can see through lies and deception with ease, like what happened when she dumped Adrien in “Lies”. Here, she takes things so literally thanks to Lila's “friendship test”, I'm pretty sure Amelia Bedelia would tell her stop taking things so literally. The fact that this isn't just a one-off occurrence doesn't help at all.

If there's anything I could take away from rewatching this episode, it's that I finally understand the problem with this show's humor. The cow bit made me realize just how often this show will drag out its jokes to pad out the runtime, and the cow joke is a perfect example. It's mentioned a total of five times during the first half of the episode. It would have been just an unfunny joke if it was just a one-time thing, but the writers will take a joke and repeat it multiple times until it becomes incredibly annoying. It's like if Patrick kept asking Squidward if mayonnaise was an instrument in that one SpongeBob episode. The joke stops being funny if you keep reusing it over and over again in such a short timeframe.

The song Adrien sung before the Akuma was also incredibly forgettable and comes out of nowhere. I don't even get why they had him do this when Luka is usually characterized as the musician. Even Marinette is surprised Adrien can suddenly sing. Besides, I think we can all agree on what the perfect love song that would sweep Marinette off her feet is.

But yeah, for an episode titled “Perfection”, it's anything but.

#9: Protection

Again, I didn't intend for the direct follow-up to “Perfection” to be ranked right below it. I also want to clear up any confusion people have with this one, since Season 5's episode titles have been hard to memorize for some people. “Perfection” was an episode where Kagami got akumatized thanks to Lila's lies, only for Ladybug to peacefully resolve the conflict thanks to the power of friendship. “Protection” was an episode where Kagami got akumatized thanks to Lila's lies, only for Ladybug to treat her like any other Akuma because the power of friendship was meaningless. I hope I made things easier for you.

This is such a nothing episode. Pretty much everything that happens here is either reused from previous episodes or will continue to be used for the rest of the season. Gabriel tries to break up Adrienette, Lila is a liar, and Kagami is an idiot. There's just nothing to talk about here. The only thing that really stands out for me is the brief moments Marinette and Adrien shared as a couple. They're cute and have believable chemistry, but they're so few and far between. Nothing is accomplished in this episode, and even the stuff with Kagami and Lila is pretty much dropped after this.

Even the Akuma was forgettable. It's just Riposte with a meat cleaver and a diet version of Penalteam's powers. It lacks the emotional weight the resolution with Ryukomori had. It feels like these episodes were meant to be the same one, but were split up to fill the 26 episode count. Overall, just a boring episode, yet still one of the season's better outings if you can believe it.

#10: Jubilation

Yes, this is the one that made the top ten. I'm just as surprised as you are.

Putting aside the dream scene, the episode had some decent ideas, like Marinette struggling to deal with the stress that comes with being Ladybug, and other ways Gabriel can use the Alliance rings to his advantage. Even Cat Noir's emotional reaction to having to leave the dream was decently executed, even if there was no buildup to it. This is the kind of stuff I think we should have gotten more of this season, more character focus and Gabriel actually being a competent villain.

With that being said, there's still a lot of problems here. Socqueline comes out of nowhere, Mr. Damocles' portrayal here doesn't match up with how he is in other episodes this season (much less “Derision”, Socqueline's only other episode), and the dream sequence was creepy as all hell because the animators didn't have enough money to design older models for Ladybug and Cat Noir so they wouldn't be teen parents.

Just an average episode with a few memorable parts, for better or for worse.

#11: Reunion

Riddle me this, my dear readers: How do you write an episode where you want to utilize a fictional version of Joan of Arc, but can't include the visions from God or how she was burned at the stake, the two most well-known things about her? The answer? Turn her into a generic knight who speaks broken English even though she's supposed to be French, duh!

I don't know how you manage to take a concept like Joan of Arc being a former superhero and screw it up this much. She's pretty much only there to bitch and moan at Marinette, essentially body shames Adrien, and only becomes relevant because the Akuma of the week happened to be asking questions about history.

There really could have been done more with the Reunion concept, but this is the only time this season where it's used, and I'm sure it has nothing to do that Joan of Arc's model was used in “Ephemeral”. But when has the show ever come up with excuses to reuse older models this season? I mean, besides young Master Fu in “Evolution”, the other temp heroes in “Determination”, Mister Bug and Lady Noire in “Passion”, and Scarabella in “Revelation” that is.

This episode also tries to tackle conspiracy theorists with Jalil, but it fails because you understand where he's coming from. He is literally the only character in the entire show to think, “Hey, isn't it kind of fucked up that my little sister was forced to become a guardian of time before she graduated middle school while not even getting to say goodbye to me, her only brother?” Yes, the moral isn't a bad one, but Jalil isn't wrong to be paranoid about Ladybug given how she evidently never talked to him about this, much less give Bunnix the chance to say goodbye herself.

The Akuma also really made no sense for Jalil. If he's supposed to be seeking the truth, why is he asking random historical trivia questions? How does knowing the year Sputnik was launched into space relevant to finding out if Ladybug is honest or not? It's almost like the writers have already created multiple Akumas with powers connected to honesty, so this is an overused idea (Oni-Chan, Truth, Lies).

It's just a very forgettable episode, much like how much the writers just forgot the Reunion idea for the rest of the season. Seriously, did anyone remember Plagg gave Adrien a Kwagatama at the end of this one?

#12: Passion

In my opinion, this was the episode that set up two of the biggest problems with Season 5: Extremely contrived Love Square drama and Nathalie's incompetence preventing her from ending the conflict then and there.

While I'm glad we're finally getting a Nathalie focused episode, the issue I have with it is just how the writers are clearly trying to portray her with Adrien's best interests in mind, she still doesn't do anything to actually stop Gabriel other than complaining about how evil Gabriel is while still going along with his plans. She willingly accepts an Akuma from the same man she's claims she's protecting Adrien from and still follows his plans for absolutely no reason. Why Gabriel still keeps her around, much less trusts her with an Akuma, is beyond me.

Rewatching this episode made me realize just how pointless Nathalie is this season. It feels like the writers needed to have Nathalie oppose Gabriel but didn't know how to do that without having her rat him out to Ladybug and Cat Noir. All they really had to do was have her fall into the same coma Emilie is in, and it would not only take her out of the picture. That way, it would remove any concern that Nathalie could expose Gabriel and it would better justify Tomoe's inclusion this season. Instead, a good chunk of this episode is Nathalie and Gabriel making it clear that they hate each other while still choosing to work together for no reason.

The actual backstory for Nathalie was okay. I like how she's more than just some secretary who was informed of the Miraculous and later teamed up with Gabriel, instead being a treasure hunter who specializes in locating magical artifacts like the Miraculous. It's a clever bit of character development and I like how it ties into her Akuma form for the episode. Of course, it's somewhat ruined by the fact that we still don't know why Gabriel and Emilie wanted to find the Miraculous in the first place, not even after five seasons.

Putting aside Nathalie generally being an idiot, the rest of the episode was pretty mediocre. It's more Love Square drama, with Marinette's concerns about how her feelings for Adrien led to Monarch getting fifteen Miraculous being brushed aside as her denying how she really feels. Only now, the episode is going out of its way to make it seem like all Marinette can do is all but lust over whoever she's in love with, in this case, Cat Noir/Mister Bug. Because actually acknowledging character flaws and how they affect the narrative while playing them for laughs is how Miraculous Ladybug rolls. Decades from now, episodes like this will be commonplace, I just know it.

The Akuma fight was also pretty lackluster. I don't get why Safari's arrows only targeted Ladybug and Cat Noir, and only Ladybug and Cat Noir while they were transformed instead of, you know, targeting their Miraculous. It just felt like a cheap excuse to get some more mileage out of the Mister Bug and Lady Noire models. Well, that, and more of Lady Noire prioritizing her romantic feelings over the mission at hand.

While I can appreciate the attempt to flesh out Nathalie's character, it's not enough to salvage this episode.

#13: Deflagration

Before I start this section, can anyone tell me why the hell it's named a chemistry term of all things?

The wiki claims that it's referencing what Tikki and Plagg do in the episode, but I don't think that continuously creating and destroying stuff counts as deflagration. Then again, I'm some schmuck on the internet, not a chemist.

Anyway, this episode is clearly trying to come across as an event, but nothing is really accomplished here. Marinette and Adrien already got together in the last episode, the Akuma didn't do anything to advance Monarch's plan, Zoe's character development as Kitty Noire is nonexistent, Alya being exposed for the third time ends up being pointless since Scarabella appears in “Revelation” a few episodes later, and no progress is made in stopping Monarch. It's just one big fight scene that lacks real tension because Monarch is reduced to a joke in this episode.

Monarch is seriously dogpiled by several middle school students, and the show still expects us to take him seriously as a villain. I can at least buy Sole Destroyer, given how Chloe is supposed to be seen as harmless sometimes, but the main villain getting beaten by kids with no superpowers? It just really breaks the suspension of disbelief. It'd be like if Kevin McCallister somehow defeated Godzilla with one of his traps. You're not impressed by Kevin taking him down, you're asking why Godzilla went down so easily.

This was the episode where the writers started making dumb blonde jokes by making it so Chloe doesn't understand the meaning of the word “Generous”, and it's just as unfunny as it sounds. Not only is this hypocritical because this “girl power” show is now using one of the most misogynistic writing tropes in history, it's the same episode with a title named after a chemical reaction that most children watching don't understand. Chloe didn't even serve a purpose this episode because nobody ever fought Sole Destroyer onscreen. It's just another “Ha! She's blonde and rich, so that means she's dumb!” joke... which came before a certain episode that showed her as being capable of pulling off several complex schemes to torment Marinette.

I also love how despite making a big deal about them being worthy to be Ladybug and Cat Noir's replacements last episode, Alya and Zoe are taken out of commission before the action even starts. I feel like the episode could have at least been elevated if Alya and Zoe at least tried to help. It would have better justified them temporarily replacing Ladybug and Cat Noir instead of the cheap ratings grab it was.

But yeah, it's a pretty dull episode, and the only reason why I don't have more to say is because the first part has more glaring issues in my eyes.

Part 2

[shiny-jr]

hiii (again) Shiny!! it's (c.ai) creator anon here, and I completely understand your point. i get it, since even as a creator, ai keeps me a bit hesitant from posting occasionally because of those people who use it for nsfw and other sketchy stuff. (which is why I test run my bots beforehand to ensure no one can bypass their filters.

if it weren’t for a few friends, I probably wouldn't post there (I rarely do), but for the most part, it’s just an occasional thing for me (which is why I asked since one of them suggested I make a bot based on your damnation AU).

long story short, I saw your comment about how people don’t share the bots they create, and I thought I should probably share one I found since you’re the creator of the AU. the bot creator is named “downthe_rabbithole,” and their display name (though I’m not sure what c.ai refers to it as) is cecili. i’m pretty sure it’s by that one ‘ask’ that you got in regards of someone creating a Ruggie bot there? (at least, that’s my assumption.)

i'm not sure if you mind at this point about the bot, but I thought it was at least a bit worthwhile to share it with you (if it became unimportant to you at this point, since the message is old, just pretty much disregard what I said.)

on another note, I’ll take you up on your offer to create a piece of writing or fanart related to an AU (probably from the ‘I didn’t ask to get isekaid series’ since that’s what introduced me to your blog)!! I’m not sure when I’ll be finished, however, since I want to try drawing a piece from every dorm's part.

Also, I can’t wait for your Empyrean AU!! Everything you create is so unique and really interesting.

I might message back or comment from time to time in the future, but overall, thank you so much for your response, and I wish you a great start to your weekend!

- creator anon

(wow that's a really long message...)

Oh, I see. Well, this is something I thought I included in the last response but apparently I didn't. Or maybe I did, but I didn't notice. But here it is again: if someone previously asked my permission to make a bot and I said yes, I'm not gonna ask them to take it down since I gave them permission before and they gave credit. And like I mentioned in the last post, I'd just really prefer for bots based off my work to not be made anymore in the future.

I'm fairly sure that the user you mentioned is likely the one that asked for my permission a while ago. I checked it out, and if the user sees this, know that I encourage your own writing. I read the greeting from the bot, and it isn't half bad. There's potential there. So, if the user were to see this, well, I hope you would consider taking up writing.

As to you, anon, I'm really happy I could actually encourage you to write or make fanart! If you'd ever like to share, feel free to do so. I'm always interested in seeing what others have to make. Messages like yours, very polite and kind, just make my day. I'll always be glad to hear from you and others.

Since you mention the Empyrean AU, I've been considering posting just the prologue (ten or so pages) but it still might be too early. Although I guess I could do it, depending on how many people want it. Even though it's not a lot.

[slutty-transformation-stories]

A Twisted Fate part 2

Eric trudged home after another exhausting day at work, steeling himself for the loneliness that awaited him. Ever since Alice turned into a brainless bimbo and left him for Adam, his high school bully, the walls of his house echoed with emptiness.

Opening the door, Eric froze. There she was, sitting on the couch next to his older sister Emily, who wore an unsettlingly vacant smile. Alice's eyes met his, a cruel smirk playing on her lips. Before Eric could react, Adam swaggered in from the kitchen, his gaze filled with malice.

"I told you I'd ruin your pathetic life," Adam taunted, his voice dripping with venom. As Eric watched in horror, Emily's transformation began - her body morphing, her features distorting into an exaggerated caricature of beauty, her tits inflating, with her ass slowly doubling in size, her skin darkens like she has a cheap fake tan her red hair grows longer and lips puff out ready for cock.

In a sickening display, Adam took both Alice and the new bimbofied Emily, now Emi, right in front of Eric. He wasted no time in stripping them both naked.

Adam then proceeded to use their bodies in every way imaginable. He fucked their tight pussies, one after the other, making them moan and beg for more. He filled them up with his thick cock, again and again, causing them to cry out in pleasure.

Emi and Alice were in heaven. They had never felt so desired, so used, so completely and utterly filled. They craved Adam's dick, and they couldn't get enough of it.

As Adam continued to fuck them, he could see the look of pure ecstasy on their faces. He knew they were his to do with as he pleased, and he reveled in the power he held over them.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, Adam was ready to cum. He pulled out of Emi's pussy and shot his load all over her face, making her moan even louder. He then did the same to Alice, making her scream with pleasure.

Emi and Alice lay there, completely spent. Tears welled up in Erics eyes, his heart shattering into a million pieces.

Just when Eric thought his nightmare couldn't get any worse, the front door swung open, and his mother walked in, a look of shock and horror etched on her face.