#like having a video leak from the nest

[luvbug724]

here’s the thing about thea calling it jeans “old tricks.” we’re given more than ample clues to fill in the blanks. jean refused to let anyone else in the nest know he was raped. he and kevin painstakingly covered up after riko because they were too proud to let anyone in on the abuse they faced. thea has no reason to suspect assault— ive said it before, but there’s no crime unless jean speaks up.

i see the claim that jeremy knew it was statutory rape so thea should have, but jeremy is in california, from california, born & raised. the age of consent is 18, as opposed to 16 in west virginia. jeremy is operating under a different legal framework. but look at the scene as a whole: it’s not important that jeremy believes it was statutory rape, because that accusation leads to jeans revelation that he never consented. it may not have been statutory under west virginia law, but it was rape. thea and jean have never had that conversation, and if jean has it his way they never will.

thea looks at jean and she has no reason to see a victim, but every reason to see a teenager she cares about making bad decisions that hurt him. jean himself tells her they were just mistakes. that’s how her “old tricks” sentence comes across. she’s tired. it sets her apart from the rest of the ravens— that’s far more compassion than any of the current line up gave him.

[threeacttragedy]

Entry 18: The One Where Two Roads Diverged in a Wood of GIFs and Written Words

“Lukola Crisis Hotline. How may I be of service?”

Me: Houston, we have a problem.

Dad: Do tell!

Me: You won’t believe who showed up last night! –

Dad: Oh, my goodness! Oh, my goodness! Whoa! I don’t know what to say! Wait – let me grab my Coke and my smokes. <waiting> Okay, I’m back. So, Misty appeared out of nowhere with Thang?! Well, this just got fun! <laughing>

For clarity’s sake, my father tends to give everyone a pet name. Some of the pet names are funny; some are quite cruel. But if they help him remember who the players are in this fandom (and in any other situation), I’m game to play along. Plus, his pet names tend to add a little comedy relief to whatever is being discussed, especially when it is not an outwardly funny subject.

In Lukola-Land, Luke is “Thang” (it’s actually “Thing” – as in the hand from The Addams Family – but my dad’s accent muddles the pronunciation into “Thang”); Nicola is “Ireland,” for obvious reasons; Antonia is “Misty,” for, umm, the Clint Eastwood movie, “Play Misty for Me;” and Jake is – well, Jake is actually just “Jake” because my father finds the USS Jakola offensive. In fact, when I was discussing the recent fandom events with him on Friday evening, my dad was genuinely shocked to learn the Jakolas still existed. His pet name for the Jakolas is “Fucking Stupid,” by the way.

Moving on to the matter at hand –

There’s been so much “noise” over the past few weeks that, when taken collectively, it is rather eye-opening. We’ve got Luke’s mother posting on Facebook about “Luke’s girlfriend…from Cyprus.” The leaked funeral video and photos (by allegedly Luke’s family). The Best in Show pap pictures of Nicola and Jake. The “just friends” interview. The disappearance of Jake (because he’s rehearsing for a play) and the sudden reemergence of Antonia.

If you’ve noticed from my recent entries on this blog, I have obviously found most of what has happened of late to be comical and not worth putting into written word. Instead, my thoughts have been dumped into GIF stories. To be honest, I was rather disappointed I couldn’t put this last part – Antonia emerging from the misty edges of the forest – entirely into a GIF story. Her reappearance was like a certain Bond villain coming back to life for the seventh time. In other words, it was total cringe. But it also altered an otherwise slow burning campfire into a motherfucking forest fire.

Me: Thoughts?

Dad: I need some time to think about this one – and a cigarette. Or two. Call me back in 15 minutes.

“Psychotic Fan Rescue Center, at your service.”

Me: You’re a dumbass.

Dad: <laughing> Well, this is insane. It makes no sense and it’s a convoluted mess. Why bring Misty back? She was killed off two seasons ago.

Me: No shit, Sherlock.

Dad: Hell, maybe this has all been a nest of vipers.

A nest of vipers? Ah, yes, the idea that we have a group of venomous snakes thrown into the same close-quartered trench – in an every-man-for-himself type situation – each taking strikes at the others whenever their backs are turned.

In Entries 1, 13, and 15 – with an emphasis on “Entry 13: The One Where the Ashes Blew Towards Us with the Salt Wind from the Sea” – I wrote about what the Lutonia narrative could look like, if real. I will not rehash in detail those entries here, but I will link them at the end of this entry if you want to read, or reread, them.

Now, the General Audience almost certainly didn’t pay a lick of attention to Antonia when she appeared alongside Luke at the Boss event held January 30 (she’s always just been a Face in the Crowd). But the sudden reappearance of Antonia stopped the Lukolas dead in their tracks because – like my dad said – she was seemingly killed off two seasons ago.

The Lukolas have suddenly found themselves at an intersection of confusion and, likely, a bit of distress. The long and winding road we’ve been traveling along has diverged into two paths – and, no, you cannot travel both.

The problem with the Lutonia narrative has always been that Luke has never formally acknowledged Antonia as his girlfriend. In fact, Luke had the perfect opportunity to do so when he posted about the Boss event on his Instagram grid – but he did not. I could rationalize the idea that Luke and Antonia wanted to keep their relationship private after the Papsmear misstep if it weren’t for the fact that Antonia has been historically loud in her social media posts. We spent the summer and fall with insinuation post after insinuation post from Antonia. Yes, all those posts that alluded to her being with Luke without any actual evidence that she was, in fact, with Luke. By the time Antonia got to “Pasta-gate” in mid-November, the Lukola fandom barely even blinked before dismissing her as, well, the antagonist from “Play Misty for Me.” And this leads to something even more problematic for the USS Lutonia – Luke has never rescued Antonia from being ridiculed and torn apart by the fandom. My dad would call – and has called – Luke a cad for this.

Jumping to the other side of this misshapen triangle, we have Nicola and her Assassin (my dad’s pet name for JVN). Assuming Lutonia is real, the only logical answer for Nicola’s behavior is that she has spent months trolling Luke, Antonia, and <gasp> the fandom. Nicola herself has admitted to being chronically online and, at a minimum, being aware of fan edits – so much so that during the London premiere she commented that she and Luke “can’t do anything” without the fandom reacting to it. Therefore, I will call “foul” on anyone who tries to persuade me that Nicola was unaware of, at a minimum, how the Lukola fandom had reacted to the Claddagh ring, Chaos Week, and the October airplane posts. JVN openly mocking Antonia on social media with, for example, their Slick Back Bun routine only added fuel to this fire.

For shits and giggles – and so I can get to the bend in this road – we will roll with my dad’s “Nest of Vipers” theory for a moment. We will concede that Lutonia is real, which, in my opinion, makes Luke the absolute worst boyfriend in London and Antonia a woman who doesn’t mind being treated like roadkill. It also, unfortunately, makes Nicola and Fan Favorite JVN come off like online bullies – with the only plausible reasoning for the bullying being that Luke and Nicola are at odds with each other. No, I take that back – they’re not at odds with each other – they’re seemingly at war with each other. I’ll even amp this up a bit and throw in the suggestion that, assuming Lutonia is real, Netflix & Co. is aware of the strife between its two Polin actors and are protecting their asset with blurred Polin-Lukola posts to pacify the fandom. Dun-Dun-DUNN! And yes! That was a sly nod to Jake.

Me: Thanks for that. You just made Luke into an absolute prick and gave Antonia’s starring role in “Play Misty for Me” to Nicola.

Dad: Hey, I’m not the one who dug up Misty! That was all Thang!

Me: Then why does everyone say Luke is the nicest person? Nicola, his co-stars –  

Dad: All lies.

Me: Would you STOP?!

Dad: But I’m serious! Thang could be a complete pig behind closed doors and Ireland could be on the verge of a psychotic meltdown because, uhh, maybe she’s obsessed with Thang and pissed he chose Misty.

The unfortunate thing about this Nest of Vipers theory is that I could almost certainly make a convincing argument that it was legit. I’ve always joked with my Inner Circle of Lukolas that no one wants to see me go rogue, especially not – I’ll bite my tongue on that one. But I will emphasize the importance of keeping an open mind when you’re reviewing information. Always consider both sides of the coin. That said, it’s hard to ignore the evidence that was presented to us through the World Tour interviews and behind-the-scenes footage; therefore –

Me: I’m having a hard time believing Luke is someone who wouldn’t protect his girlfriend. He seems to support Nicola online quite a bit. Why wouldn’t he do the same for Antonia?

Dad: <laughing> Fine. Antonia isn’t his girlfriend. Maybe it’s all just a bunch of fuckery like I’ve always said.

“Fuckery” is my dad’s pet name for PR bullshit. If you didn’t pick up on it in previous entries, I am not fond of PR theories. But I also cannot ignore that PR relationships do exist and have for decades (hell, we could go back centuries and find examples of PR relationships across multiple noble and royal families – think about that, naysayers). It was my dad who first sold me on the possibility of Antonia being PR. So, I will consider this road to PR-ville in the same manner as I did the Nest of Vipers theory – with this PR theory having perhaps the better claim.

I mentioned earlier that the General Audience almost certainly paid little attention to Antonia’s existence at the Boss event. Although some people may find what I’m about to say a bit unkind, it doesn’t make it any less valid (and I’m not saying it to be cruel): Antonia, in the overall scheme of things, is of very little importance to the General Audience. She has less than 15 thousand followers on Instagram, even after being connected to a man who has almost three million. However, oddly enough, that didn’t prevent the Daily Mail from dropping a story which predominantly focused on Antonia within the same timeframe that images from the Boss event were being dropped on the Internet. It also didn’t prevent video footage of Luke and Antonia at the Boss event from being leaked online almost immediately – even when there were undoubtedly more famous celebrities attending the event. I’ll be realistic with this next comment, too: Luke may be relevant to the Bridgerton fandom, but that does not mean he is significant to, say, People Magazine’s average reader. So, why the sudden burst of publicity at this event?

I waited to write this entry to see what Luke did with the exposure from the Boss event. Would he finally put Antonia on his Instagram grid? Would he put her in his Instagram stories? Would Antonia post pictures from the event on her Instagram grid or stories? Would Luke unambiguously acknowledge a relationship with Antonia?

Although Luke posted to his Instagram grid and stories about the event, he did not include Antonia – at least not directly. The closest he came to including Antonia was via an Instagram story – on which he did not tag her – of a black screen with a link to a Boss TikTok that included images of Luke and Antonia from the event. The TikTok did not tag Antonia either. Luke did not post Antonia’s image to his grid or his stories.

And Antonia didn’t post about the event at all.

I wasn’t sold on a PR narrative when I started writing this entry, but my eyebrows raised when I saw Luke’s “black screen” Instagram story. This was either Luke attempting to circumvent the Lutonia narrative while throwing Antonia a bone, or it was Luke being an absolute douche of a human being. And, if it’s the latter, Mr. Newton needs to check himself into Assholes Anonymous.

I will concede that a couple of mutuals put up a few stories about the event (which disappeared after 24 hours) and Boss included (and tagged) Luke and Antonia in an Instagram and TikTok reel – without formally identifying Antonia as Luke’s girlfriend. On a side note, Luke could have reposted either of these reels – which tagged Antonia – but he did not. Luke also did not like this Boss Instagram reel with Antonia in it (and he does not have a public TikTok account), but Luke did like a separate Boss post of him and David Beckham (without Antonia). The only news outlets that called Antonia Luke’s “girlfriend” were rag-mags like the Daily Mail and Hello, both of which put an emphasis on Antonia. Digital Spy noted that Luke and Antonia “have yet to officially confirm their relationship.” So outside of some tagged reels (that weren’t reposted or acknowledged by Luke) and rag-mag speculation, what did Antonia get from this?

Dad: Publicity.

A single word but one that resonates throughout an otherwise silent wood.

But to be honest, I’m not entirely convinced this was for publicity. I’m not saying I believe Antonia is Luke’s girlfriend either – that’s a whole cauldron of contradictions on its own. I’m simply intrigued that Antonia has her Instagram tags turned off and she has not yet allowed any Boss event tags to appear on her page. So, outside of some junky rag-mag callouts and a few TikToks, what benefit did Antonia receive? And, if Antonia didn’t truly benefit from this appearance (or, at least she doesn’t appear to be reaping the rewards from a girlfriend or PR standpoint), who did benefit?

I mentioned at the beginning of this post that a series of events had happened one after the other over a relatively short two-week period: (1) Luke’s mum mentioning “Luke’s girlfriend…from Cyprus” in a Facebook response; (2) leaked video and photos of Luke from a funeral; (3) those utterly ridiculous pap pictures of Nicola and Jake; (4) Nicola stating she and Luke were “just friends” in an interview; and (5) the sudden summoning of Antonia after exactly six months of being MIA.

As I sat here writing out the events of the past two weeks – and considering the reappearance of Antonia – I couldn’t help but speculate as to whether each of these events was meant to have a specific purpose that didn’t get its desired result.

The comment by Luke’s mother was so far out in left field, most Lukolas chucked it up to being suspicious and dismissed it as such. The funeral pictures and video released by one of Luke’s family members was quickly scrubbed from social media; therefore, just as quickly ignored. The pap pictures of Nicola and Jake were openly mocked across social media as being staged. The “just friends” comment – after almost a year of, particularly, Nicola dodging that phrase – didn’t seem to send many Lukolas overboard. Is it possible that the fandom’s mild reaction to all these events wasn’t anticipated? Which leads me to wonder if Luke and Nicola wanted a reaction and realized the only way they were going to get it was to play the only card they had left – Antonia.  

When you look at the above referenced events individually and collectively, they appear to indicate a push to shut down the Lukola narrative. Why?

They could have shut down the Lukolas before the World Tour even took off. They could have shut down the Lukolas during the World Tour. They could have shut down the Lukolas after Papsmear. Why wait almost a full year to draw the line in the sand? Especially after every devoted Lukola would argue that (mostly) Nicola has left a trail of Swiftie-like clues to insinuate Lukola is real, and that Luke has made a visible effort to remove Antonia from his narrative.

Whatever the reasoning may be, we must admit Antonia’s reappearance had a purpose – and one that we need to respect. I have a hard time believing Luke would voluntarily step in the same pile of dog shit he stepped in back in June without a valid and significant reason for doing so.

And this is where I will draw the line.

I will not speculate further about why Antonia suddenly rose from the ashes of Manderley – and I will not tell you which road to take from here. That’s something you need to do on your own but, be warned that regardless of which road you choose – the one where you conclude Luke and Antonia are a couple, or the one where you decide Antonia is playing the role of PR distraction – the Lukolas are currently fighting a losing battle.

The Lukolas have become collateral damage. They’ve either been caught in the crossfire of an online war between Luke and Nicola (and their respective sidekicks) over, presumably, Antonia; or they’re the unwitting victims of some messy PR bullshit that has resulted in Lukolas being bullied across every social media platform by rabid Jakolas and Anti-Lukes.

Amazingly, though, many Lukolas remain resilient.

When the going gets tough…

But sometimes the tough don’t get going.

Yesterday, someone wrote to me, “Why are we still here? Just when we think something good is finally going to happen we get pushed back down. I’m tired of the dumb games.”

I rarely answer “Asks,” but my response to this comment is:

“Two roads diverged in a wood…”

Two roads.

One road is quite disheartening and the other is shrouded in underbrush.

But what you've overlooked is that there is an alternate path – a third road – the one that brought you to this point.

Turn around.

That road takes you back home – and, if you’re ready to go home, go home. It’s okay. It takes an unbelievable amount of courage to admit you’ve had enough. Remember that saying – “A wise woman once said, ‘fuck this shit,’ and she lived happily ever after.”

Take your time and decide what makes the most sense to you.

Dad: What are you thinking?

Me: Of a poem.

Dad: Oh, which one today?

Me: “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less traveled by…”

Dad: Which road is that…?

P.S. Just for a bit of comic relief at the end of an otherwise somber post (not even Dad could make it lighthearted), I just wanted to say:

I love eating grapes.

IYKYK.

Those links I promised:

[nellasbookplanet]

Book recs: monster romance, part 1

Do you prefer your monster relationships platonic? Check out this list instead!

Do you love The Shape of Water and Beauty and the Beast? Do you always find yourself romancing Garrus in Mass Effect? Enjoy movies and tv-shows like Warm Bodies, He is Dragon, Trollhunters and In the Flesh? Are you intrinsically drawn to Imogen and Laudna in Critical Role? Do you like your relationships complicated and maybe a bit fucked up? Then do I have the rec list for you!

Bonus reading: check out these video essays by la'ron readus, lindsay ellis and princess weekes on the subject of monster romance!

A note: the criteria for “monster” are subjective. I mainly separated monster romance from paranormal romance (meaning vampires, werewolves, fey, etc are excluded unless the book does something especially interesting and non-human with the concept). I may have included books you feel aren’t monstrous enough, or excluded ones you feel are sufficiently monstrous but I don’t agree about. Again, it’s subjective.

A (second) note: I do not as a general rule care for smut, and intentionally curated this list to not focus on erotica (though there are some exceptions). The books are mainly fantasy, horror and scifi with romance subplots or romance subtext.

Axiom’s End by Lindsay Ellis*

It’s 2007, and a leak has just confirmed that the US has reached alien contact. Cora wants nothing to do with it, but as her absent father is the whistleblower who dropped the news the media won’t leave her alone. Even worse, she soon finds herself meeting and being pursued by the alien presence itself as it tries to remain in hiding - and discovering that there is a much larger threat on the horizon.

Dawn by Octavia E. Butler*

After a devastating war leaves humanity on the brink of extinction, survivor Lilith finds herself waking up naked and alone in a strange room. She’s been rescued by the Oankali, who have arrived just in time to save the human race. But there’s a price to survival, and it might be humanity itself. Absolutely fucked up I love it I once had to drop the book mid read to stare at the ceiling and exclaim in horror at what was going on. While it does feature human/alien relationships, it also features themes of coercion and consent, so read with caution. This is NOT a fluffy or traditionally romantic.

Bonus: Butler's Survivor also features a human/alien relationship

Strange Love by Ann Aguirre

After having failed to find a nest guardian several Choosings in a row, Zylar has only one chance left to find a mate. Desperate, he uses a matching service and finds a potential partner off-planet. But something goes wrong, and instead of picking up his intended he accidentally abducts Beryl Bowman and her pet dog from Earth. With it being uncertain if she can ever return - and not having much going for her on Earth, anyway - Beryl decides to take part in the Choosing alongside Zylar. Perhaps, together, they can build a new future. Unlike most other titles on this list, Strange Love does feature a fair amount of smut, but it is creative and alien about it.

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

Sapphic. Rosemary Harper just got a job on the motley crew of the Wayfarer, a spaceship that works with tunneling new wormholes through space. With a past she wants to leave behind, Rosemary is happy to travel the far reaches of the universe with the chaotic crew, but when they land the job of a life time, things suddenly get a lot more dangerous. A bit of a tumblr classic in its day, this is a cozy space opera with an episodic feel and vividly realized characters and cultures. While the romance plots aren't the main focus, there are multiple human/alien romantic relationships.

Cottonwood by R. Lee Smith*

20 years ago, aliens arrived on Earth, neither invaders nor diplomats but refugees. Now they are being kept in integration camps away from the human population, meaning Sarah has never met one before getting a job as a social worker in one of the camps, at which point the true treatment of the aliens at once become horrifyingly clear to her. Sanford, single father, has a decades long plan to flee the prison that is Earth, and maybe with Sarah's help it can finally reach fruition. Includes dark elements such as torture, sexual assault, and pet death.

Bonus: I believe The Last Hour of Gann by the same author is also an alien/human romance

The Summer Hikaru Died by Mokumokuren

Gay, manga, eldritch horror. Six months ago, Yoshiki's best friend Hikaru went missing in the mountains. When he returned, he claimed no memory of his time missing, and went right back to his old life. But Yoshiki knows better. He knows that his friend is dead, and that the creature that returned wearing his face and speaking his words is anything but human. But even knowing this, Yoshiki won’t turn his back on Hikaru, whatever he truly is.

East by Edith Pattou

Young adult, retelling of East of the Sun, West of the Moon. Rose and her family have been hit by hard times; her sister on the brink of dying from illness, food and money running out, and their farm taken away. When a talking white bear appears at their door, claiming the family's fortunes will turn if only Rose comes with him, she can’t refuse. Taken to a strange and near empty mountain castle, Rose must find out the truth of the bear and what he wants from her - and perhaps save him in the running.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust

Sapphic, young adult. Soraya may be a princess, but she's also cursed, her very skin poisonous to the touch. When a demon is brought to the dungeons, Soraya hopes to gain from her knowledge of how to be freed from her affliction. Meanwhile, a boy enters her life, not scared of her like others but rather understanding of who she is. Between them, Soraya will have to choose who she is - princess or monster.

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik*

Historical fantasy with strong vibes of the Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale. Miryem's father is a moneylender, but his inability to collect on debts has left his family on the brink of ruin. Desperate and ruthless, Miryem steps in to take his place, and suddenly the family's luck has turned. But Miryem's reputation of being able to turn silver to gold catches the attention of the Staryk King - a dangerous creature who seems made of ice in body, mind and heart. In her schemes to survive the King's demands, Miryem's actions ensnare a local farmer's daughter as well as the new wife of the tsar. As their fates are bound together, the three girls may change their land forever, for better or for worse.

A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

Young adult. A retelling of beauty and the beast, where ‘beauty’ is a girl brought in from our world to a fantastical one and the narrative focuses a lot on what actually happens to the kingdom when the royal family suddenly disappears, and whether it’s even possible to fall in love with someone you know is deliberately trying to seduce you to break a curse. While the male lead spends most of the novel in human form, there are some scenes which are sufficiently and intriguingly monstrous that I had to include it.

Curses by Lish McBride

Young adult, reverse beauty and the beast. After being conned into falling in love with a man after her money and refusing to marry the much older man her mother chose for her as a result, Merit is cursed by a fairy godling into being a beast. Her curse will only be lifted if she marries someone who actually loves her or of her mother's choosing before her 18th birthday. Scared of being fooled again, Merit employs the charming conman Tevin to help her choose which of her prospective suitors is most likely to make her happy. Of course, nothing goes to plan.

The Cloud Roads by Martha Wells

Moon doesn't know what he is. Having lost his family young he lives on the move, shifting his shape to hide his true form. The only ones similar to himself he's ever encountered are the vicious, bloodthirsty Fell, but he knows he cannot be one of them. When chance leads to a meeting with someone like him, he hopes his days of loneliness are over. But his new people stand against a dangerous enemy, and not all of them welcome Moon's help. A departure from other titles on this list in that it features only creatures, with not a single human on page.

Rose Daughter by Robin McKinley

Beauty and the beast retelling, stays fairly close to the original story but with some interesting twists and well-written characters. After a merchant loses everything to creditors, he and his three daughters move out to a cottage on the countryside, where one of his daughters revives the cottage's rose garden. After he makes the mistake of plucking a rose from an enchanted beast's home and calling its rage upon him, one of his daughter's take his place as prisoner. There, she takes it upon herself to revive a second rose garden.

Bonus: this is McKinley's second batb retelling, the first and more well-known being Beauty

Bryony and Roses by T. Kingfisher

Beauty and the beast retelling, featuring a more lighthearted and modern tone and some hints of horror. After nearly perishing in a snow storm, Bryony takes shelter in a strange magical mansion. Upon leaving, she picks a single rose, putting in motion a dangerous series of events and trapping herself in the mansion alongside a terrifying beast. But the beast is more than meets the eye, and Bryony soon comes to suspect that he is as much a prisoner as she is. Can she figure out and lift the curse that traps them both?

In the Vanisher's Palace by Aliette de Bodard

Sapphic beauty and the beast retelling, novella. When the failed scholar Yên is sold to the dragon Vu Côn to pay off her village's debt, she expects to be killed for the creature's amusement. Instead, Vu Côn whisks her away to a dangerous palace in the spirit world, asking her to teach her two unruly children. There, Yên finds herself growing complicated feelings for her jailer.

Providence Girls by Morgan Dante*

Sapphic horror re-imagining of several of H.P. Lovecraft’s works from the point of view of the women sidelined as victims in the originals. Forced to abandon her not-quite-human children to escape a cult seeking to sacrifice her, Lavinia nearly dies from exposure in the woods. She’s saved by the prickly Asenath. The two women find themselves growing close as Lavinia regains her strength. But Asenath’s own dark past is catching up, as she too begins to transform into something not entirely human. Beautiful and unsettling with heavy body horror as well as more human horrors such as emotional and sexual abuse.

Our Bloody Pearl by D.N. Bryn

A siren who’s been held captive by a pirate is freed, but too injured to survive on their own as their tail has become paralyzed. Another pirate captain decides to help them out and has to work to win their trust. Fairly fluffy and light on worldbuilding and plot (though there is a bit of a revenge story in there), with a focus on character and recovery. m/nb romance with an asexual love interest.

The Shape of Water by Guillermo del Toro & Daniel Krauss*

In 1960s America, Elisa works as a cleaner in a government facility when a strange fish creature is brought in to be studied. An immediate connection sparks between the two, but the creature's time is running short as plans are to vivisect him. Alongside her colleague and her reluctant neighbour, Elisa must find a way to save him before he's laid under the knife.

Cold Skin by Albert Sánchez Piñol*

Horror. A young man fleeing the horrors of war arrives at an isolated island near the south pole, where he is to spend a year as wheater official. His only neighbour is the asocial lighthouse keeper Gruner - at least that is what he thinks, until night arrives and he comes under siege of bloodthirsty monsters from the sea. Now he must find a way to work with Gruner for both of them to survive the year. But as isolation and desperation sets in, sea monsters becomes the least of their worries. Probably the least romantic title of this list. There isn't really any monster romance, but there is monster fucking; do with that what you will.

Mrs. Caliban by Rachel Ingalls*

Novella, 1980s classic. After the death of their son, housewife Dorothy and her husband has begun drifting apart, leaving her lonely in her mourning. When a strange, frog-like sea monster appears in her home, having escaped a science institute and seeking refuge, Dorothy is quick to offer him sanctuary. At once tragic, mundane, and beautiful, Mrs. Caliban will make you question what's real.

Monstersona by Chloe Spencer

Sapphic, young adult. After disaster strikes and her town is terrorized by a monster, sixteen-years-old Riley goes on the run with her dog Tigger and her traumatized classmate Aspen. With a conspiracy afoot and air travel grounded, the two girls set out on a cross-country road trip to reach Riley's dad. But Aspen has a dangerous secret, and the two keep finding themselves followed by a mysterious SUV. Will they reach safety before the harrowing truth catches up to silence them?

The Company of Death by Elisa Hansen*

For those who yearn for a death and the maiden type dynamic. A wild mix of genres, where a zombie apocalypse has struck and vampires gather up humans to keep their food source from going extinct, a robot travels across America with a young man she’s tasked to keep safe, and former-vampire-hunter-recent-zombie Emily teams up with Death himself to stop the apocalypse. Features bi and ace characters!

Bonus rec: the author also runs the youtube channel Maven of the Eventide, where she talks about various vampire media. Check it out!

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion*

R is just your average zombie - maybe a bit more philosophical than most. He spends his days hunting humans and eating their brains for a fleeting glimpse of life, and hanging out in the abandoned airport with the horde. But when eating the brains of the human Perry gains him the memories of Perry's girlfriend Julie, R finds himself unable to kill her. Instead, he hides her from the other zombies. The two grows close, but the war between their kinds is threatening to pull them apart forever.

Hearts Still Beating by Brooke Archer

Sapphic, young adult. Three years after a zombie apocalypse hit, seventeen-years-old Mara comes back to life thanks to a new medication. Still struggling with the guilt of what she did as a zombie, Mara is sent to live with the family of her best friend, who has since turned cold towards her. But with the zombie threat ever-present and one missed dose away from a relapse, public opinion towards the altered is dangerously low, and the two girls' messy feelings are the least of their troubles.

The Hob's Bargain by Patricia Briggs

Living in a land that fears magic, Aren has spent her life quietly hiding her ability as a Seer. But things change when her village comes under attack of raiders - killing Aren's husband and family - and the magic of the wilds becomes unexpectedly unlocked. To save her home, Aren must now not only rely on her own magic, she must also employ the assistance of the newly awakened Hob of the mountain. But the Hob is the last of his kind, and for him to help Aren must first agree to pay his price.

The Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood*

Sapphic, orc main character. Csorwe was never meant to live. Raised to one day sacrifice her life at the Shrine of the Unspoken, her world is shaken when a wizard appears at the end of her intended life and offers her an alternate route at his side. Leaving her old life behind, Csorwe trains to become his loyal servant, fighting and spying on his orders, seeking the approval only he can grant. But he is hiding something, and with the help of the young mage Shutmili, maybe Csorwe will find out what before her life, once again, reaches its end.

Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

Sapphic, cozy fantasy. Viv is done with adventuring and bloodshed. She wants to try something new, something peaceful, and so she hangs up her sword and opens a coffee shop. But running a business comes with its own challenges, especially in a city that's never heard of coffee before. To succeed, Viv will have to build new skills and new relationships, especially as her old life comes knocking.

Honorary mentions AKA these didn't work for me but maybe you guys will like them

Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell

Sapphic and ace. Fantasy horror featuring a The Thing-like monster. Tries too hard to be fluffy and validating to work for me, but the monster lead is truly creative.

The Misadventures of an Amateur Naturalist by Ceinwen Langley

Sapphic beauty and the beast, historical young adult fantasy. Again, too fluffy and lacking in conflict for me.

Secunda by Joanne Kwan

Body-sharing and venom vibes, but too much erotica too soon for me.

Transmission Lost by Stefan Mazzara

A human cargo pilot and an enemy alien soldier get stranded on a dangerous planet and must work together to survive. Interesting premise, but frankly I found the writing to be subpar.

The Orc and Her Bride by Lila Gwynn

Sapphic romance featuring an arranged marriage between an orc and an elf. If you enjoy traditional romance narratives more than I you'll probably like it.

Legend of the White Snake by Sher Lee

Young adult. Gay retelling of the old Chinese legend in which a snake spirit falls in love with a human.

[baji-sideblog]

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

Quinn Arburn

Treats & Punishments

Cw blackmailing (with videos of you two), copying genitalia

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

Quinn tends to spoil you since you’re their jewel and must be spoiled for that. Plus they feel smug about you having a lot of gifts from them seeing as how they usually scent them before giving them to you, so their scent rubs off on you. Keeping you smelling like them more often because of that.

Wether it be random figures, games, or a new console they’re getting it for you. Especially a new console and games so you can play with them. Quinn also gives you a bunch of plushies too mostly dragon ones that they commission to look like them.

“Jewel I got you a new plushie! Huh? You’re running out of room for all of them you can always make a nest of out them. Or oh I know let’s go to the store and I’ll get you a bookshelf so you can fit the plushies on it!”

If you want they’ll take you flying some time on their back making sure to keep you safe. And in winter when it’s nice and cold they’ll keep you wrapped up and comfy so you’ll be nice and warm.

They’re always willing to do goofy stuff with their fire if you ask like using it to cook s’mores or other food. Or since they’re pretty fire resistant they’ll pick up any really hot food for you so you don’t have to worry about burning yourself. Plus if you want to get a piercing they’ll go with you and pay for it. (And most likely get one themself they really like them)

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

The types of punishments Quinn does are of a more social variety that can impact your life if you happen to do something bad in their eyes. They’re more relaxed and patient then Mandus or Rider, but you won’t be able to get away with as much like you can with Luka.

For context as a dragon Quinn has no real gender, dragons use magic to make sexual organs when they want to experience sex or to have kids. Because of that Quinn is able to make a vagina or any kind of dick you wish to experience. And if you ask they’ll copy anything you ask for but you’ll have to pay them back for copying something. Which could be a cute little kiss to allowing them to record you two making love.

And if you ever try to leave Quinn they’re not afraid of leaking out that video of you two together. Blackmailing you into staying with them. And if you trying to get the upper hand by threatening to dox them if they release it, they wouldn’t care because they already had accidentally dox themself a while back.

“Listen I’m not asking for much, just stay with me as my jewel and no one sees it my love. I don’t want to release it, I rather only keep it to myself to savor it forever. But if threatening to release it keeps you with me then it’s worth it.”

Quinn tends to be more manipulative then psychical with you. Guilt tripping you into behaving or even using their media following to keep track of you. Say you’re planning on going on a date Quinn comes up to you concerned saying you have to be careful since their fans very much know who you are and it’s been well established to them how much Quinn cares about you, so they’re remind you in a “worried” manner that if anyone sees you doing something it could hurt you. Since some fans don’t hesitate to try and protect their ships.

“Jewel all I’m saying is you should be careful after all you know just how crazy social media can be especially fans. So why not stay in with me and have fun instead of hanging out with whatever jerk you were planning on being with.”

And since they’re know social media real well they’ll look around for any dirt on potential rivals and blackmail them to stay away from you. And Quinn makes sure to store any information they have on you away for later in case anything happens between you two.

Quinn is a very loving towards their jewel, but if you happen to push things a little too far they won’t hesitate to use what they have against you.

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

[leatherloveandbelle]

Pt 4

She inhales slowly pulling her hand away from her hole exhaling she opens her eyes her urges get worse as she tries not to think about it. She looks in the drawer there’s a notebook labeled repeat daily, nested on a small bag sits a pink egg, and finally what she’s looking for a dildo she snatches it up without realizing and slips off the bed. Her hands push the dildo down her throat as she begins to suck on it she waddles towards the end table pressing the bad against the drawer and pushing her head down until it can’t get any deeper. The drawer slams shut against the pressure and the end table wabbles as she sucks harder and deeper fingers already playing with her clit without her realizing. She pulls her head up and off the dildo to catch a breath but half way through she finds herself back down dildo hitting against her throat. Another breath followed by her cutting it off half way through just to feel the diode pressing into her throat. She’s lost her brain consumed no thoughts to be found all she can do is suck as she feels an intense pressure start building inside her. Sucking and sucking she cradles the dildo with her tongue moving up and down liking all around the tip as she pulls it out to ensure it’s feeling as good as she can make it. Her body begins to squirm she pulls off the dildo and coughs lightly she knows she was about to cum she looks down but she’s still only leaking. Her brains hers again but how why what is this was she trained to edge or something she grabs the dildo off the drawer and makes her way back to the computer. She wasn’t sure how long had passed since she started sucking but the video was over left on an end title card written out neatly it said if you like this slut she’ll be on display soon.

On display what does that mean does it really matter though she thought she needed to get out of here. Thoughts of everything she hadn’t finished started filling her head she needed to clean she needed to fix her car there’s so much to do. Her anxiety started to fill her with an overwhelming fear as she began crying “what is going on… I need to get home I have so much stuff to finish” she cried out at the ceiling. Catching her face in her hands she wept worries tormenting her how could she leave if she can’t walk. Suddenly she heard the door slam open and someone calling out to her through panting breaths “what’s going on why are you crying I herd you yell and got worried” their voice dripping in concern they run up to her and scoop her up into their arms. They walk her to the bed and lay her down it’s ok your ok they sing reassurance into her ear. “Hey hey look at me” they call out tapping her face gently pulling her gaze to look at them. All at once it hit her and she wept that face she knows that face and they’re here for her she cries harder wrapping her hands around their shoulders. “I woke up and was all alone I was so scared I’m glad your here” she muttered burying her face into there chest. “Aww it’s ok I’ve got you” they cooed back to her then a snap “sleep” her head sagged as the person pulled her away “you aren’t to smart are you” they inquired

“No” she mumbled

“Do you remember how you got here?”

“No” she mumbled again

“Good, that means it’s working” they say chipper

*snap* forget

*snap* be a good slut

*snap* drop for me

Her limp body leaned up from the pillow as the swayed forward getting on her hand and knees face buried drooling onto the sheets. They walk towards the desk and grab the dildo off the floor “this won’t due” they say moving to the end table sliding it open grabbing out the notebook and egg and swiftly closing it. They walk around to the other side of the bed and lean over inspecting the leaking hole that she’d just been eagerly fingering and tasting herself from and slid the egg in. A load moan fills the room as the egg goes in and they smile and bite her right butt cheek “god your pathetic” they say throwing the notebook down beside her head…

Note from writer:

Idk idk idk would every bit I want done to me ugghh I’m to jealous of my own story😭 please be patient with me

[chestcongestion]

Demon-to-Demon Ch.5/5: Ha//zbin Ho/tel

Warnings: Contagion, Mess, Plot thread might still be a bit too close to current events for comfort even if it has nothing to do with current events

Word Count: 9,917

This has been a wonderful journey, and it's super satisfying to have wrapped it all up so I can work on new things! This was an absolute joy to write, thank you guys so much for all of the incredible feedback. As always, the fic is under the cut, and I hope you enjoy! Feel free to leave prompts or rqs for certain characters in my askbox.

  “Eh’KzZssCHEW! Eh’ksScHEW! Eh’KSsSHiih!” Charlie’s erratic sneezing roused her ailing friends from their messy slumber. Tiny starbursts of magical fireworks appeared after each sneeze, crackling and popping around Charlie’s head.

“Fuck’s sake- snFF- you sneeze like there’s somethin’ inside you tryin’ to rip its way out,” Angel croaked, rubbing underneath his tired eyes as he tossed Charlie a box of tissues. 

“That’s what it fe-eel’s li-iike…EHH’KSHHHUE! H-HEH’KSssHhiew! Eh’KzZCHEW!,” Charlie replied, pinching a few tissues around her nose and letting loose a heavy, gurgling blow, sneaking a peek at her soiled tissue and wincing in disgust, “Is a’dybody else’s uhb…snff!... ‘stuff’...sorta yellow?” 

“Nope!” Niffty said proudly from her little nest of blankets. 

Angel pulled one of his soiled tissues out of the trash can next to the sofa, peeling it open to look inside, “Uhh… kinda? It’s really pale yellow,” he said, turning his head to cough into his elbow, his spasming chest rousing Husk from his comfortable position pressed against his torso underneath the blankets. 

Charlie flashed Angel with the contents of her tissue, wrinkling her nose with a damp, heavy sniffle, “I thig’k mbine is a little brighter…snRK!,” she said. 

Angel chewed nervously on a slender finger, “Shit, that is pretty yellow,” he replied, “I don’t think it means nothin’, though… it’s probably just cause you’re so clogged up.” 

“Probably… E-EHH’TsSHIEW! ‘Tshhiew! ‘TSssHIIEW!,” Charlie drowsily ran her sleeve under her streaming nostrils, wincing at the friction from the fabric of her pajamas stinging her raw skin, “Oww.” 

“It’s 9 in the morning, 666 News should be starting now!” Niffty announced, turning on the chunky cathode ray television and watching the screen with slight anticipation. 

The 666 News theme leaked from the television set’s speakers, and the transition graphic appeared, only to begin broadcasting a sleeping Katie Killjoy, curled up in bed and feverishly clutching one of her pillows as though it were a stuffed animal. The anchorwoman was snoring heavily, unappealing bags under her eyes and crumpled-up tissues scattered across her bed. 

“Miss… Miss Killjoy, we’re live,” the intern behind the camcorder whispered. 

Katie gave no reply, letting out a hacking cough into her pillow, but still fast asleep, even as the intern attempted to shake her awake. 

“Uhm… we will… we will be back with your update on day number 40 of the Red Spread… after these messages,” the intern said in a meek voice, still hiding behind the camcorder, “Shit… which button do I press to cut to commercial?!”  

The video feed for 666 News quickly fizzled out, cutting to a random commercial for VoxTech night vision goggles. 

“Awww, that was cute, Katie was sleepy,” Niffty giggled. 

“Her and me both,” Angel sighed, wiping his drippy nostrils with a tissue, “I can’t fuckin’ believe I’ve been… Hh… Hhn’Ktshh! Hah’KSshuhh! Ha-ktshhew!...’Ksshhiew!- been sick for almost two months.” 

“I can’t believe it either, this is incredibly suspicious,” Vaggie pointed out as she walked into the parlor with a small bowl of cold water, setting it down on a side table and wringing out the face towel that was resting in it, placing it on Alastor’s forehead and trying not to acknowledge the radio demon’s whimpering response to the cold fabric. 

“Mbaybe we could check to see- snff!- if this has ever happened before,” Charlie proposed, plucking two more tissues out of the box and blowing her nose. 

“I can’t… the library where the historical archive is held is closed to visitors because all of the staff are sick,” Vaggie said with a defeated sigh, “I don’t know where else I could get that kind of information.” 

Charlie gasped, flapping her hands until her excited cheering devolved into a hoarse cough, “Ow… sorry,” she said, clearing her throat, “Mby dad would probably be able to help- snff!- but he does’dt have his phone od hib.”

“Why doesn’t he have his phone?” Vaggie asked, walking over to Charlie’s armchair and gently massaging her girlfriend’s tender, puffy sinuses with gentle fingers.

Charlie blew her nose again in an attempt to regain access to her consonants, “He dropped it on the-ehh…EH’Kshhiew!- the Hellivator, and it got stepped on… I thig’k he’s stayi’g in the Lust ring right now,” she pondered, whipping out her phone and coughing into her elbow, her chest aching, “I cad call Asmodeus, he’s who Dad is visiting with.” 

Multiple rings down, in Hell’s Lust ring, Lucifer was kicking his feet at his makeshift-brother’s kitchen island in his massive penthouse, waiting for Asmodeus to finish drinking his morning coffee. 

“So… I can’t help but notice your little friend isn’t joining us for breakfast this morning,” Lucifer teased, taking a hefty bite of his powdered sugar covered pancake. 

“He’s sleeping in, he checked in with some of my incubi who work in Pride the other day… went straight to bed when he came home, I think he might be comin’ down with something,” Asmodeus replied, nervously circling the rim of his mug with a single finger. 

Footsteps coming into the kitchen made Asmodeus pause, peeking over the kitchen island to see the sleepy face of his cyborg life partner. 

“I wasn’t eavesdropping-” Fizzarolli said, pausing to cough, “-I promise.” 

“G’morning, Short Stuff,” Lucifer greeted with a wave, leaning over the kitchen island to see the imp from his bar stool. 

Fizzarolli shot Lucifer a nervous half-bow, half-wave, “Hi… Your Majesty?” he replied before grabbing a glass from the dish rack near the sink and filling it with tap water. 

“Please, Lucifer is fine, anyone Asmodeus considers family is family to me,” Lucifer said with a smile, taking another massive bite of his pancake, “There’s still a few flapjacks left if you want one.” 

“I’m okay,” Fizz insisted, guzzling down his glass of water before pouring himself another one. 

“Froggie, you good? I think this is the first time I’ve ever seen you choose to drink water,” Asmodeus laughed. 

“My throat hurts,” Fizzarolli said, knocking back another glass of water, “I don’t want it to be something water can’t fix, so I’m just gonna chug until it goes away.” 

“Okay, denial doesn’t work if you acknowledge that you’re in denial, Fizzie,” Asmodeus teased, gently pulling a fourth glass of water out of the imp’s hands and hoisting Fizzarolli into his lap. 

“Those fucking incubus assholes got me sick,” Fizzarolli grumbled, folding his arms with a frown, only to melt into a relaxed smile upon Asmodeus’s warm fingertips massaging his swollen, tender lymph nodes, “Mmm… that feels good.” 

Asmodeus smiled, “Good, glad that helps… you do feel a little warm, though,” he said, cautiously bringing his other hand down and pressing his palm against Fizz’s forehead. 

“I should’ve known those pricks were carrying something, one of ‘em mentioned something going around in the Pride ring, but I didn’t pay close enough attentionn- Hnk’Tshhuh!” Fizzarolli muttered, using a napkin Asmodeus handed him as a makeshift tissue. 

Asmodeus nodded, suddenly remembering a thought he’d had earlier, and turning to Lucifer, “Speakin’ of Pride, I’m surprised your baby girl hasn’t called you since you’ve been here,” he said. 

“She probably has… I don’t have a phone ‘cause mine got crushed on the Hellivator,” Lucifer sighed, “I can’t just make myself a new one because it won’t have cell service… and I don’t remember the numbers of half my contacts list.” 

Asmodeus rolled his eyes, pulling out his phone after it vibrated in his pocket, checking to see who was calling so early, “Oh! Speak of the devil, she’s callin’ me right now!” he said, answering the video call and setting Fizzarolli back down on the floor so he could focus. 

The call finished connecting, and Asmodeus was met with the image of a sleepy-looking Charlie, whose face brightened when she realized that the call had been answered.

“Uncle Ozzie!” Charlie cheered drowsily, smiling at her phone’s front-facing camera and shooting the King of Lust an eager wave. 

“Chucky Ducky!!” Asmodeus greeted, “It’s been too long, baby girl, how’s it goin’?” 

“It’s fide…snfff!... I’b mbaki’g pretty decent progress od mby passio’d project…snRK!...sorry, ‘scuse mbe…eee..Ehh…Eh’kshuu! Eh’KsSshhew! Eh’KzZsschEW!,” Charlie rambled, dabbing at her chapped nose with a tissue after her explosive sneeze, “Sorry…” 

Asmodeus frowned, “Gesundheit,” he said, noticing Charlie’s flushed cheeks and sunken, tired eyes, “Everything okay? You look tired… and you sound like you’re gettin’ a cold.” 

Charlie blew her nose, tossing the damp tissue into the trash, “Yeah- snFF!- I’b a little stuffed up, but I’b fide- EH’DdtshhIEW! EH’Kshhue! Ihh-EH’KSzZshew!... ‘Scuse be,” she said, blowing her nose and wincing at the ache of congestion moving through her raw sinuses. 

“Only a little?” Asmodeus asked, unable to mask his concern. 

“Does it sou’d that bad?” Charlie asked in reply, wrinkling her nose with a dense, heavy sniffle that accomplished nothing, her sinuses fighting the shift in pressure with a squeak. 

“It sounds awful,” Asmodeus said, fidgeting with the fabric of his shirt as worry tied his stomach in knots. 

“I k’dow… I’b sorry, it probably sou’ds ridiculous- snff!- but blowi’g mby ndose does’dt do a’dythi’g… EHh’Tsshew! Eh’KSHHEWW! ‘ksSHEW!...snff-snff!... Oh! That feels a little better,” Charlie croaked, her violent sneeze seemingly popping the cork on her sinuses, allowing her to give her nose a productive gurgling blow, “Phew… that was ni-iice Eihh’KSHHUE! Eh’ksschuhh! Eh’ksschew! Heh’KSshew- ‘Kshhew!- K’SSHHEW!” 

 Asmodeus opened his mouth to speak, but quickly realized that Charlie’s attention had been consumed by her fit. Peering over his phone, Asmodeus shot his makeshift brother a concerned look. 

“I’m finished- snFF!- sorry… phew, that was a lot,” Charlie said with a wet sniffle, the skin around her nose an angry shade of pink, and her nostrils shiny- constantly threatening to leak. 

“You wanna talk to your dad? He’s right next to me, was just in the middle of sayin’ that he can’t get a new phone until he goes back to Pride cause he can’t conjure one with cell service,” Asmodeus scoffed, rolling his eyes at Lucifer from the other end of the counter. 

“Yes, please,” Charlie replied. 

Asmodeus passed Lucifer his phone, getting down from his bar stool and hoisting Fizzarolli in his arms, “While they talk, let’s get you, taken care of,” he whispered, kissing his lover’s neck and smiling at the hoarse giggle Fizz gave in response. 

“Charlie!” Lucifer cheered, staring at Asmodeus’s phone and shooting his daughter an eager wave. 

“Hi Dad- Hh’DddTSHHEW! EH’Kshhew! ‘Kshhew!- Sorry,” Charlie greeted, wiping her nose off with a tissue. 

“Bless you! I’m so sorry you’re sick, Sweetie- I-if you need me to, I can cut my tour short and come back home!” Lucifer said enthusiastically, carefully examining his daughter’s exhausted eyes and her streaming nostrils, “Looks like it’s really takin’ a lot out of you.” 

“I’mb fide- EH’Kshhhue! Eh’kshhew!- Plus, you can’t get back to Pentagramb City, they shut down the Hellivator to the Pride Ring,” Charlie explained. 

“Why?” Lucifer asked, nervously toying with a strand of his hair. 

“There’s this really bad infectio’d going around… snFff! Snff-snff!... it’s really contagious, so they wanted to keep it contained to Pride since it’s already infected  96% of the city,” Charlie replied, shivering and pulling her blanket tighter around her, “Sorry about the camera shaki’g… I’b cold.” 

Lucifer stared at Asmodeus’s phone in shock, “I’m sorry… what?!” he exclaimed. 

“I take it fro’b your reactio’d that this has’dt happened in Hell before,” 

“Nope! No it has not!” Lucifer exclaimed, “Sorry! Sorry, I’m not panicking, I’m not panicking, this is fine!” 

Charlie turned away from her phone to cough, a heavy, barking cough that sounded slightly painful, “It’s okay, Dad, relax,” she said, “Vaggie is planning on heading out to get to the bottom of it! We’ve got this- eh…Eh’ktsshiew!- ‘scuse mbe.” 

“Okay… i-if you’re sure, take care of yourself and don’t be afraid to call Asmodeus again if you wanna talk to me, alright?” Lucifer requested, staring at his daughter’s feverish face and shimmering eyes. 

“Okay Dad, I will,” Charlie replied, “I thig’k I’m gonna take a nap. Talk to you later, Dad.” 

Lucifer waved his daughter goodbye and hung up the phone right as Asmodeus re-entered the room, noticeably impless. 

“Fizz’s head hit the pillow and he practically passed out… so cute,” Asmodeus crooned before regaining focus, “So, what’s up with my niece? I feel bad, she sounded awful.” 

“Somethin’s going around in the Pride ring, apparently it’s gotten so bad that they shut down the Hellivator,” Lucifer said, trailing off at the end of his sentence as he and Asmodeus exchanged a look. 

 “My demons can travel ring-to-ring when the Hellivator is closed by going topside and coming back through a different portal with their crystals,” Asmodeus mumbled, chewing nervously on the inside of his cheek, “And Fizz got sick after meeting up with a bunch of incubi…who were in the Pride ring.” 

Lucifer’s eye twitched audibly. 

“The incubi he met with work distribution at my factory,” Asmodeus said, his tone becoming manic as he paced around his kitchen. 

Lucifer gripped the back of his head with both hands, clawing at his blonde hair, “It’s no big deal, Oz, it only infected 96% of Pentagram City!” he exclaimed, rocking in his seat. 

Asmodeus leaned against his kitchen counter, gripping his phone desperately in his left hand before straightening his posture, “I’m gonna go make some phone calls and I’m gonna try really hard not to panic,” he said, taking a deep breath before leaving the room. 

Lucifer sat alone at the kitchen counter, tracing doodles into the marble with his fingertips, “Let’s hope Maggie knows what she’s doing,” he muttered to himself, “-Vaggie… her name’s Vaggie.” 

Three rings up, back in Pentagram City, Vaggie was preparing to leave the hotel on her incredibly makeshift hero’s journey. 

“Okay, I am going out to try and get to the bottom of this whole thing, while I am gone, Niffty is in charge because she is the most lucid out of all of you, understood?” Vaggie asked the gathering of barely-awake patients as she paced back and forth through the parlor. 

“Got it- Ahh’KsShhiew!-” Angel replied, gently massaging his tender sinuses with his fingertips. 

“There’s a first time for everything,” Husk chuckled from his position nuzzled against Angel’s chest.  

“Okay Niffty, Alastor gets a dose of fever reducer every three hours, I set an alarm on your phone for you and it’s on the wall in case you forget. Everyone else only gets one dose a day at 8pm, got it?” Vaggie asked, brushing Niffty’s bangs away from her face.  

“Kay!” Niffty replied, swiping the back of her wrist against her face to fend off an itch. 

“Behave yourselves until I get back, hopefully I’ll be back with some answers and a way to treat this thing,” Vaggie said with a nervous sigh, “Wish me luck.” 

Angel shot Vaggie a drowsy thumbs up, Husk providing a thumbs up of his own from under the blankets. 

“Good luck Vaggie,” Charlie yawned, draped across the armchair with KeeKee in her lap. 

“Fingers crossed, my dear- snff!- because if your efforts turn fruitless we’re all royally fucked… Hnk’tshhew! ‘Kshh! Hh’kzZhht!” Alastor said deliriously from the loveseat, staring at Vaggie with rheumy eyes. 

Vaggie gave her girlfriend and friends a final farewell and set off towards the Weapons District of Pentagram city. Alastor- when he was still lucid- grumbled about Carmilla almost constantly, chastising her for her unsanitary habits and ‘careless workaholism’ until he was blue in the face, so obviously she was a significant piece of the puzzle. 

After a good half hour of walking through the empty streets, Vaggie arrived at the receiving entrance to the Carmine Weapons Facility, banging on the back door in a way that felt far too familiar. 

“Fuck… how do I open this thing?!” Vaggie asked herself through clenched teeth, jumping up and peering at the surveillance camera attached to the peep hole in the door, “Carmilla- cabron- I know you’re in there!” 

“SnfF! We have a front door y’know,” Clara announced from behind the receiving entrance door as she pulled it up to let Vaggie inside, “Mom’s in her bedroom- Iih’tshuu! Hih’tshhuuw!- ‘scuse me.” 

“Thanks, sorry… keep forgetting I don’t have to sneak in through the back anymore,” Vaggie said, chuckling as she rubbed the back of her neck. 

“It’s fine,” Clara replied, “Mom’s room is on the second floor, furthest door on the right.” 

Vaggie nodded, quietly sneaking up the steps and down the dark hallways until she reached a set of greyish-purple double doors, “Carmine?” she called, patiently waiting for a response. 

“H-hihh…HIH’KtsSHUHH! Hih’KSsSHUH!... Snff!...Come in,” 

Vaggie carefully opened both doors, slipping inside as they closed with a thud behind her, “Miss Carmine, I-” she began, only to trail off upon noticing the sight in front of her. 

Carmilla was wearing navy blue sweat pants and a bleach-stained T-shirt from an old Verosika Mayday concert, her hair was put aside in a slightly-messy fishtail braid, and she was sat up in bed, cross-legged on top of her blankets, playing video games. 

“I didn’t think you’d be into this sort of thing,” Vaggie said, bewildered, “Slaughterhouse V- Collector’s Edition…” 

Carmilla rolled her eyes, not taking her focus away from her game even as she muffled a ticklish cough behind clenched teeth, “I normally don’t have time to play,” she remarked, “I’ve beaten this one twice and I’m going for my third run on a new save- snff!” 

Vaggie winced at the raspy quality of Carmilla’s voice, but said nothing of it, “You seem… surprisingly lucid,” she said. 

“One of the perks of selling things to all of Hell is that you have connections to all of Hell,” Carmilla snickered, gesturing towards her nightstand with her head, still mashing buttons on her controller. 

Vaggie followed Carmilla’s gesture with her eyes, picking up a pink bottle full of blue liquid medicine, “Sloth Pharmaceuticals… you’re taking drugs from the sloth ring?” she asked. 

“Good shit,” Carmilla said, feeling her throat struggle as her voice cracked, wrenching her eyes shut briefly to clear her throat, “Might not be able to fix the rest of me, but keeping my temperature under control has been great.” 

“Nice… can we talk? I have some questions I wanted to ask you,” Vaggie requested, still enamored with the speed at which Carmilla was pressing buttons. 

Carmilla shot Vaggie a brief nod, pausing her game and setting her controller aside before reaching over to grab a handful of tissues, blowing her ‘nose’ until the tissues were damp, “H-hih’tshhuh! Hih’KTSCHUHH!...snFF!” 

“Do you remember anything from the day you got sick?” Vaggie asked. 

“I was-” Carmilla paused to cough, “-on a walk in the Doomsday District, and I went shopping for nail polish… that’s basically iihh- H-hihh’ktshhuh! Hih’ksshh!” 

“Did you come across anyone else who was acting suspicious? Or anyone else who looked or sounded different?” Vaggie asked, trying to piece things together. 

“Nope,” Carmilla replied, grabbing the reusable cup from her bedside table and taking eager gulps from it, only breaking away to cough hoarsely into her elbow before taking another sip. 

“Water?” Vaggie asked. 

“Yes, with mango and honey… and Beelzejuice,” Carmilla said, choking back another hoarse cough and taking a few heavy chugs from her cup. 

Suddenly, as though a gust of air blew through her bedroom, Carmilla shivered, rubbing her upper arms with her large hands and struggling to contain the trickle of mess down her face with a few wet sniffles. Desperate, Carmilla burrowed slightly under her covers, tucking her legs and feet under her blanket and fighting against her teeth to keep them from chattering. 

“Are you okay?” Vaggie asked, her fingertips twitching as she watched Carmilla give a shuddering exhale, noticing the skin on her cheeks was tinged a pinkish-red. 

“My medicine just w-wore off… snff!...I can’t take any more for four hours or it’ll damage my li-Iihh-HIH’KTSCHUHH! Hih’KssHHUH! Hnk’TShh! Hi-IH’KTSsXHHT! Hih’KTSHHUEW!- liver… snFFF!” Carmilla replied, plucking three tissues out of the box on her bed and loudly blowing her ‘nose’ with a resounding honk that sounded like her sinuses were vibrating, “Euch…” 

Vaggie walked closer to Carmilla’s bedside, carefully sitting on the edge of the bed, and reaching out to tuck a strand of Carmilla’s hair away from her fever-warmed face, “Are you sure there’s nothing that happened the day you got sick? I know it’s hard to remember,” she asked. 

Carmilla wracked her brain, briefly turning away from Vaggie to cover a hacking cough with her arm, one throat-scraping cough coming after another until her itchy, sensitive lungs were satisfied and her voice had been thoroughly wrecked. 

Upon regaining her composure, catching her breath, and taking a big sip from her water mixture, Carmilla turned back to address Vaggie, “I uhm-” she paused, clearing her throat with the harshest grunt she could manage, “-when I was out on my walk- snff!- there were pockets of that red mist- Hih’ktshh! Hnk’Txht!- hanging in the air. I stopped twice to smell them because the mist smelled like flowers… I think my throat started to feel sore after the second time.” 

Vaggie grinned, two pieces of the puzzle finally managing to click together in her head, “You have no idea how helpful that is, Miss Carmine,” she said with a bright smile, “I just need to find the source of the mist… and hopefully that’ll bring us one step closer to finding a treatment!” 

“Well- snRK!- ‘scuse mbe… if you’re going to try and find where it’s coming from on foot, it’ll take a long time, at this point the mist covers half of Pentagram City now, you’d need someone who could point and zoom on any random area in town to see if you can find the source,” Carmilla pointed out, her entire body being rattled by a violent shiver, causing her to slide a bit further under her blankets, pulling them up to her chest. 

“I don’t even know if there’s anyone in town who fits that description who’d be willing to help me,” Vaggie sighed, tugging at her lower eyelids in frustration, “This is going to take forever.” 

Vaggie’s grumbling was interrupted by Carmilla’s flat screen television swapping from her paused game to an emergency broadcast of 666 News, the blaring music making Vaggie jump out of her skin. 

“What the hell?! If this jump cut ruins my save file I’m going to-” Carmilla waved a hand in front of her face as her sinuses itched, “-to… to… Hih’Kschhuh! Hih’KTshuhhh! Hi-Ihh’KSHHUuw!... nevermind.” 

“Good Afternoon citizens of Pentagram City, I apologize for the lateness of this news bulletin, our esteemed anchorwoman Miss Killjoy is incapacitated at present, so I, CEO of VoxTech and head of the VoxTech Broadcast Network, will be delivering today’s news!” Vox greeted from the other side of the screen with a charming smile. 

Vaggie stared at Carmilla’s VoxTech television in awe, “I forgot about him… the Voyeurscopes capture footage all over town 24/7,” she muttered to herself, “I have to try and talk to him.”  

“Welcome to day number 40 of the Red Spread, while infection rates seem to have capped out at 96% of Pentagram City, we’ve received word from Imp City and neighboring territories in the Pride ring that infections have raged out of control practically overnight,” Vox explained, gesturing to a bar graph that was next to him on screen, “With the infection coverage added up, The Red Spread has infected approximately 79% of the Pride Ring.” 

Carmilla folded her arms, “I can’t believe he interrupted my game for this… Hi-ihh’KSshhuh!...Hnk’tchew!” she grumbled, scrubbing the back of her hand under her nostrils to wrestle with the ever-building itch in her sinuses.

“While research is still being conducted with an incredibly reduced team, treatment options that completely eradicate infection are still nonexistent,” Vox said, shifting from his usual broadcast grin into something more somber and collected, “In spite of this infection raging on, no severe complications or mortalities have been observed.” 

Vaggie continued watching, scrolling through her phone in between glances at the screen to try and get the location of the Vees’ studio tower on the Northwest side of the Pentagram. After a bit of searching, the studio tower wasn’t very far from the Carmine Weapons factory, she could make it there in about half an hour if she hurried. 

“We are also pleased to announce that due to this ongoing crisis, we have not released our typical programming block due to new material not being filmed with the majority of our staff out sick,” Vox began, clasping his hands together and returning to his charming smile, “so the VoxTech Broadcast Network will be operating free-of-charge for the remainder of this tumultuous time, and our premium network clients will be refunded for the past two months of service. Thank you for your continued patronage, Pentagram City!” 

With those words, the emergency news broadcast ended and Carmilla’s screen returned to her paused playthrough of Slaughterhouse V, which caused her to let out a sigh of relief that quickly devolved into a rough, wheezy cough, that only let up when Vaggie gave Carmilla an anxious pat on the back. 

“I’m going to try and speak with Vox, he might be exactly who I need to help me find the source of the Red Spread,” Vaggie said with a determined look on her face, “Do you need anything before I leave?” 

Carmilla fought back another febrile shiver, sniffling pitifully and burying herself further into her blankets, “Not really,” she yawned, her voice still painfully hoarse, “just turn out the lights on your way out- the switch on the wall- I’m too tired to play with this stupid fever… I think I’ll just take a nap.” 

“Sounds like a plan, rest well,” Vaggie said, brushing a strand of Carmilla’s hair out of her face after she got comfortable under the covers, turning to leave the room and flipping the switch on Carmilla’s bedroom wall to turn off the overhead lights, “Oh… by the way, I made that recipe you gave me, it was good. Thanks again for that.” 

Carmilla yawned, stretching out and clutching her pillow like a stuffed animal, “Don’t mention it… Hnk’Tchew! Hi-Ih’Ktshhew!” she replied drowsily, her eyelids drooping as she slowly fell into a peaceful sleep, her slight snoring audible from behind her bedroom door. 

Gathering herself and preparing for another lengthy walk, Vaggie wandered down the halls of the factory until she managed to find the front door, heading out and following the path laid out by her phone’s GPS system toward the Vees’ studio tower. 

On her walk, Vaggie was stunned by the empty streets, not a person in sight for blocks and blocks, and occasional sniffling, coughing, and sneezing could be heard- albeit muffled- from the windows of the various apartment buildings. 

Eventually, Vaggie reached the revolving front door to the Vees’ broadcast tower, better known as the VoxTech Enterprises headquarters. Crossing her fingers, Vaggie slipped through the revolving door and was surprised to find that the building was still teeming with noticeably-healthy workers and interns… and also a handful of noticeably-ill ones, including the runny-nosed cat demon who was running the front desk on the ground floor. 

“Welcombe to VoxTech E’dterprises- SnFF!- how cad I help you today?” the secretary asked, looking at Vaggie from her desk as she sifted through various papers. 

“I- I’d like to speak to Vox,” Vaggie said with a patient smile as the secretary loudly blew her nose before tossing her crumpled tissue in the trash can next to her desk. 

“You’re id luck, due to the Red Spread- Ih’pshew! I-ihh’pSshew!- his schedule is wide opend… I’ll let hib kdow you’re od your way up- SnRK!- uch, ‘scuse be,” the secretary said, dabbing at her sensitive nostrils with a tissue, her sniffling accomplishing virtually nothing outside of slightly shifting the congestion packed into her head. 

“Thank you… I’m sorry you have to work while you’re sick,” Vaggie said, attempting to offer sympathy, looking a bit confused when the secretary chuckled. 

“It’s fide… I was healthy whe’d I cabe id this mbordi’g… it’s hit mbe like a ton of bricks… Ih’pshew! Ih’pSzzshieww!... I cad’t wait to go home and take a ndice hot bath and crawl into bed,” the secretary replied, giving a wistful sigh before plucking two more tissues out of the box on her desk and pinching them over her sensitive nostrils, “i-iHh’TsSshiew! Ih’pshew! IH’PSshiew!” 

“Bless you,” Vaggie said nervously, watching the secretary pull out another handful of tissues, emptying her sinuses with a heavy gurgling blow, her eyes beginning to water.

“Thag’k you,” the secretary replied, pushing a button on the phone at her desk and waiting until the line clicked to speak, “Mbister Vox, there’s someone here to speak with you- Ih’kshhew!- mby apologies, Sir.” 

“Send them up, I’m on the 30th floor… bless you, by the way, feel free to head home if you can’t finish the rest of your shift,” Vox replied from the other end of the line before hanging up the phone. 

“30th floor, you can take the elevators that are down the hall to your left- SnFF!,” the secretary instructed, packing a few of her items into her purse and tugging a heavy sweater over her frame, shivering slightly, “I’b goi’g hobe.”  

“Thank you,” Vaggie replied, preparing herself to head towards the elevator, “Hope you feel better!” 

“Thag’k you,” the secretary said, wiping her nose and leaving the building through the revolving doors as Vaggie wandered down the path she was given until she approached a row of elevators, hopping on the first unoccupied one she could find and pressing a button to take her to the 30th floor. 

Upon arriving at the 30th floor of the broadcast tower, Vaggie looked around, peeking into a few random studio doors and finding no one, wondering if she’d gone to the wrong floor or lost track of him, when suddenly she ran face-first into a large, lanky figure wearing a blue suit. 

“Oh! There you are,” Vaggie said with a nervous chuckle, dusting herself off, “Hello, Vox.” 

“Ohhh… hello there, you’re the angel girl the princess is romantically involved with, aren’t you?” Vox said with a curt wave, “Any reason in particular you’re in my building snooping around?” 

“I- I know that you don’t really want to speak to me due to my connections with Alastor, but I’m looking for the source of the Red Spread to attempt to find a treatment and you’re the only one with access to every corner of the Pentagram thanks to your surveillance drones,” Vaggie explained, her words rambling as she silently crossed her fingers that her plea was convincing- she’d forgotten to take her spear with her before she left, so she unfortunately had no leverage. 

“Hmm… a noble cause, if ever there was one,” Vox snickered, “Right this way, I’ll have to take you to my secondary surveillance room, the primary one is for my eyes only.” 

“R-really? You’re just- really?!” Vaggie replied, a bit bewildered. 

“Of course, anything to help!” Vox replied with a camera-ready smile, only for his face to soften into something much more neutral and comfortable, “-if you want to know the truth, I’m just happy to be having a conversation with someone who isn’t constantly sneezing.” 

“Haha… it is kinda nice,” Vaggie said, following Vox into the elevator and getting out on the top floor of the tower- the location of the Vees’ personal penthouse, “I honestly don’t know why I’m not sick.” 

“I mean, the answer is pretty obvious, this infection only attaches to demon immune systems- resident of Hell or not, that golden blood in your veins isn’t what the germs are looking for,” Vox scoffed, dusting off the front of his suit with a splayed hand before hanging up his jacket on the wall.  

“That makes sense,” Vaggie said, staring at a recently-healed cut on her thumb that was noticeably a dull gold, bottling up a heavy sigh and deciding to redirect her focus to something else, “what about you?” 

“What about me?” 

“How come you aren’t sick?” 

Vox leaned down until his face was at-level with Vaggie’s before knocking loudly on his head’s glass screen and running his fingers along the array of buttons, wires, and switches on his metal neck, “I don’t have an immune system, or lungs, my soul is basically the only trace of my humanity that I have left.” 

“Oh… that makes sense, actually,” Vaggie said, quietly shuddering upon noticing the 10 foot figure hunched over a kitchen island, draped haphazardly across a bar stool. 

“H-ihh… Ih’psshoo! IhH’Pshhuue! Hiih-Ih’pssshiEW!,” 

Vox rolled his eyes, walking over to the other side of the kitchen island and pinching his lover’s face with icy claws, “What are we doing out of bed?” he asked, his tone warm in contrast with his exasperated and threatening eyes. 

“SnFF!- Mby throat hurts… a’d I can’t find mby replacement Voxxy,” Valentino whined, his consonants dulled heavily by congestion and his red eyes brimming with tears. 

Vox turned to face Vaggie, gesturing for her to wait a moment before turning back to Valentino, “I’ll have Kitty bring you some tea with honey, but you aren’t supposed to be out of bed,” he said, gently wiping the tears out of Valentino’s eyes with a tissue from his pocket. 

“Okay,” Valentino replied, “Help mbe find replacement Voxxy? I can’t see mbore thad two feet ahead of mbe-ee…IHH’TSHUU! Ih’pshew! I-ihh’PSHHEW!” 

Vox blinked, pulling up security camera footage from Valentino and Vox’s shared bedroom onto his screen and scanning the room for a giant stuffed shark he’d bought Valentino to keep him occupied while he was in bed, “Aha! There it is… it’s on the floor on my side of the bed, I’ll have Kitty hand it to you,” he said, gently rubbing the back of Valentino’s hand. 

“Thag’k you Voxxyyy-Yihh’tshhew! Ih’tshhuu! Ih’psshiEW!,” Valentino said, the sharp, squeaky sneezes scraping his sinuses on the way out, “Ohhh… all this sdeezi’g is givi’g mbe a headache.” 

“I know, it’s okay… what flavor of tea do you want?” Vox asked, massaging his lover’s sinuses with his cool fingertips. 

“Ginger- snrKK! SnfFFF!- Ughh,” Valentino replied, squeaking in frustration at the pain building up in his swollen sinuses, “I’b so tired of bei’g sick.” 

“I know, I know,” Vox replied, stroking the back of Valentino’s cheek, “Come on, get up and get back to bed, Kitty will be right in to take good care of you, one of the succubi on staff even went topside to get you some more of this.” 

Vox fished around in his pockets before pulling out a dark blue jar with a teal lid, unscrewing the top and gently wafting the menthol-scented fumes into Valentino’s face. 

“Vaporub!” Valentino exclaimed with relief, dunking two fingers into the jar and slathering the fragrant balm on his chest, his squeaky clogged sinuses suddenly loosening as mess trickled down his face, “Mmm… oh that feels good, thag’k you Voxxyyyi-ihh’pshuu! Ih’pshuue! IHH’PSchhew!” 

“Bless you, bless you, you sound like you’re breathing better already,” Vox said with a smile, patting Valentino on the back and sighing with relief when he disappeared down the halls on his way back to bed, “Phew…” 

“So, where’s your secondary surveillance room?” Vaggie asked. 

“A few doors down, I’ll show you- wait a second,” Vox said, whipping his head around at the significantly shorter figure trudging into the kitchen wearing boxer shorts and a bralette, “Why are you out of bed?!” 

“Don’t shout at me,” Velvette replied, punctuating her sentence with a desperate, wheezy cough as she fought back an aggressive shiver from the chill of the air conditioning, “I’m getting more cough syrup.” 

“You just took a double dose of cough syrup an hour ago,” Vox argued, folding his arms, “You can’t have any more.” 

“I’m a grown woman, I can have more if I want,” Velvette replied, sticking out her tongue and struggling to open the cap on the bottle- a bottle that was not child proof by any means. 

“No, you can’t,” Vox said, plucking the bottle of raspberry cough syrup out of Velvette’s grasp and putting it on a shelf out of her reach. 

“This is bullshit!” Velvette huffed, turning away from Vox to muffle a violent coughing fit into her elbow, “I can’t stop fucking coughing, I can’t sleep!” 

Vox leaned against the kitchen island and shot Velvette an all-knowing glance, “Maybe if you drank something- don’t open your mouth and lie to me, I know you haven’t, I have today’s entire footage reel to prove it- that might help,” he said. 

Velvette rolled her eyes, “I don’t want to, it hurts too much and it’s too cold, I can’t stand having anything to drink right now,” she huffed. 

“Okay, let me rephrase,” Vox said, snapping his fingers as Velvette’s metal drink tumbler- filled to the brim with hot Yorkshire Gold with honey and lemon- appeared in his hand, “you are going to drink this, and you are going to put on some long pajama pants and a shirt with sleeves, and get under the covers in your bed.” 

Velvette opened her mouth to object, but was instead met with another violent cough, “Fiine,” she replied, taking the cup from Vox and taking a cautious sip, her previously cranky gaze melting as the liquid gold cascaded down her raw, scratchy throat, “Mmmm…” 

“Mhm, feels better, doesn’t it?” Vox teased, paying Velvette no mind when she raised her middle finger in response, “Yeah yeah, fuck you too, go change and get back in bed.” 

“Fine,” Velvette replied in between desperate gulps of her tea, walking out of the kitchen and heading back into her bedroom, shutting the door behind her. 

“Okay, I think we’re done with diversions, now we can go look at the surveillance footage,” Vox announced, clasping his hands together and gesturing for Vaggie to follow him as he wandered down the halls of the penthouse until he approached a set of double doors decorated with the VoxTech logo, “here we are.” 

Upon entering the room, Vaggie was bewildered by the massive wall of monitors that showed live footage from the voyeur scopes that hovered in the air all over Pentagram City- not to mention security cameras for basically every business and institution in town due to VoxTech’s virtual monopoly on camera sales. 

“So,” Vox began, cracking his knuckles and sitting in his office chair at the desk against the wall, “Where do you need to look?” 

“I spoke with one of the first people to get sick with the red spread, and she told me that she didn’t start feeling sick until after she went for a walk in the Doomsday district and breathed in that red mist,” Vaggie said, “If we can find the source of the red mist, I think that will be the source of the red spread!” 

“Makes sense,” Vox replied, pulling up every camera he had available in the Doomsday district and scanning each monitor with careful eyes, “Hmm… not that one, not that one either… there’s so much smog everywhere it’s hard to know where to look.” Vox wiggled a joystick on his desk, gently adjusting the position of a cluster of security cameras stationed on the rooftops of a few buildings. 

A harsh cough from the doorway made Vox straighten his posture and turn around, seeing a drowsy Velvette standing in the doorway- now wearing a pair of fleece pajama pants adorned with gummy bears and a long-sleeved pajama shirt. 

“You keep looking, I have to deal with this- Why are we out of bed now?” Vox asked, raising an eyebrow as his voice gained the typical tinny electronic quality that it took on when he felt particularly intense emotions. 

“I need some more m-medicine,” Velvette replied, vigorously rubbing her upper arms and fighting to keep her teeth from chattering, “I-ihh’tssshoo! Ih’tshhew! I-ihh’kxhsshew!” 

Vox rolled his eyes, briefly turning to make sure Vaggie was still attempting to check the screens for the source of the smog, before turning back to address his colleague, “We just had this conversation, you are not taking any more cough syrup… besides, your cough sounds much better, you should be able to get some sleep now,” he said. 

“I don’t need cough syrup… snFF!... I need the paracetamol, I’m freezing,” Velvette complained, the slight and refreshing breeze of the air conditioner making the fashion designer shiver as though she was wading in icy water, her forehead shiny with sweat. 

Vox shot another cautious glance back at Vaggie, before cupping Velvette’s face with his left hand and scanning her body with the infrared filter applied over his eyes until a temperature reading of 103.8 degrees flashed in the corner of his screen, “That is a little high, and the more comfortable you are, the sooner you can get to sleep,” Vox said, pulling a bottle out of his pocket and handing Velvette two tiny square pills, “There you go, that should make you feel better, now get back to bed.” 

“Thank you, V, have fun in your creepy stalker room- Ihh’tshhoo!” Velvette replied, waving Vox goodbye as she headed back to her bedroom. 

Vox approached the wall of monitors again with his hands clasped behind his back, rocking gently on his heels, “Any luck yet?” he asked.

Vaggie shook her head at Vox, continuing to scan the wall of screens with her eyes, squinting against the harsh blue light, until she saw something peculiar on one screen in the left-hand corner of the wall.

“There!” Vaggie shouted, leaning against Vox’s rolling chair and gently shaking it, pointing to the monitor she’d located a clue on, “Right there! Look at how the mist is moving in that shot, see?” 

Vox directed his attention to the monitor and noticed that the red mist was billowing out of the back corner of a building, almost like smoke from a chimney, “That must be where it’s coming from… it’s on Tsunami Boulevard behind the gun store,” he said. 

“Alright! Let’s go, if we hurry we can get there in twenty minutes,” Vaggie said, excitedly bouncing on her heels, only for Vox to grab her by the hand, the two of them vanishing into a crackle of electricity and teleporting to Tsunami Boulevard by way of the surveillance camera pointed at the gun store, “Woah… you can do that?” 

“I can at least, it’s fun most of the time, sometimes you get bored of it and decide to walk, but when urgency is key it’s very helpful,” Vox replied, dusting himself off and peering through the dense cloud of red mist into the alley behind the gun store, “I think there’s something back there.” 

Vaggie walked closer to Vox and leaned over, squinting and straining her vision to make out a dark form behind all of the mist, “There is… let’s keep going, slow and steady,” she instructed. 

Vox took slow, careful steps through the alley, barely making a sound as Vaggie attempted to make out more details of the figure they were approaching, eventually realizing that the something was in fact someone. 

“Someone’s back there-” Vaggie whispered, cupping her hands around her mouth to call out to the figure as they approached it, “Hello?!” 

No response outside of Vaggie’s own voice echoing throughout the alley, but the pair continued to inch their way forward, the figure seemingly unfazed by their presence. 

“It might be a decoy… or a mannequin,” Vox said in a hushed tone as he practically tip-toed forward, having trouble keeping such a slow pace with someone half his height. 

“Helloo?! I know you’re over there… we have some questions for you!” Vaggie called out, her voice still rippling off of the brick walls and echoing for at least another two blocks. 

Silence. 

“Okay, what the fuck?!” Vaggie asked no one in particular, shrugging in frustration as she quickened her pace, deciding she was fed up with the kid gloves technique, “Hey! I know you can hear me, jackass!” 

Vox snickered, sighing with relief as he began to walk with his regular stride while Vaggie stomped ahead, still shouting into the mist. 

“If you aren’t gonna run away, the least you could do is fucking acknowledge me, shithead!” Vaggie exclaimed, shaking her fist at the motionless figure whose silhouette was becoming clearer as the pair got closer, with Vaggie’s tirade being cut off by the sound of a window screen sliding open. 

“Will you shut the fuck up?! I’ve got a killer fucki’g headache and I’b tryi’g to sleep it off,” a cranky demon with particularly long and curly horns called out from his bedroom window. 

“Oh! S-sorry! I’m used to shouting over the city’s background noise,” Vaggie replied. 

“Look arou’d, girl, the ed’tire city is id bed… E-Eihh’kxxhhtt! E-eeihh’kzZzht!” 

“Bless you!” 

“Thag’k you,” the demon paused to let out a barking cough, “Look, I was godda threaten you or somethin’, but I’b tired… so please just keep it down?” 

“I will, I’m sorry,” Vaggie replied, shooting the demon a remorseful thumbs-up, “Feel better!” 

“I wish,” the demon grumbled, shutting his window and going back to bed, leaving Vaggie and Vox to their own devices once again. 

“Kudos to you for acknowledging him, I’d have just told him to fuck off,” Vox snickered, his air filtration system whirring slightly as it processed the dense red mist in the air. 

“People are at their most vulnerable when they don’t feel well… being an asshole to someone when they’re in that state just seems cruel,” Vaggie said in reply, marching forward and attempting to make out the details of the silhouette at the root of the billowing clouds of red mist. 

“Fair enough,” Vox said, readjusting his stride to allow Vaggie time to keep up with him. 

Eventually, after what felt like an eternity of walking- but was only ten minutes- Vaggie and Vox managed to cut through the mist to find its source leaned up against the back wall of the gun store. 

Standing in the alley, unfazed, was a slim demon of average height with hands that appeared to be shaped like pangolin claws, a long scaly tail, and a long face that was covered by an intricate gas mask. The mouthpiece of the gas mask was where the red mist was coming from, leaking from the holes in the mask like a toxic fog machine. 

Vaggie swallowed a bit of embarrassment, as she realized why the demon had been ignoring her loud pleas for their attention- they were wearing a heavy pair of chunky over-ear headphones and bobbing their head as though listening to music. Waving her hand in front of the demon’s face, Vaggie watched them lower their headphones and finally give the pair their undivided attention. 

“What’s up? I’m not a dealer, fyi, I just like this alley, coke guy’s a block down, peyote’s three blocks down, and there’s a weed vending machine around the corner,” they said in a monotonous voice. 

“Not here for drugs, we’re here for you,” Vaggie said, “Who are you?” 

“My name used to be Cassandra Sinclair… but I go by ‘Noxxious’ these days,” 

“Okay ‘Noxxious’, you do know that the shit you’re pumping out is making everyone sick, right?” Vaggie asked, placing her hands on her hips as Vox hovered over the two of them from behind, intimidating Noxxious with a scornful look in his eyes. 

“Well yeah, that was kind of the point,” Noxxious replied, tilting their head to one side. 

“You did this on purpose?!” Vaggie asked, furrowing her eyebrows. 

“Mmhm, turned out better than I expected, no one’s dead, right?” Noxxious inquired, excitement and pride in their voice. 

“Almost the entire city has been sick for over a month!” Vaggie shouted, balling her fists and cursing herself for leaving her spear at the hotel. 

“Oh shit, it’s been that long? I got lost in time, man… it’s been so peaceful,” Noxxious said with a wistful sigh, stuffing their hands in their pockets. 

“If I may ask… why did you do this, exactly? It’s not like you stand to gain anything from it,” Vox asked. 

“Listen for a second,” Noxxious requested, the group listening to the heavy silence of the empty city streets for a few moments, “No cars, no shouting, no footsteps, no talking, no chewing, nothing. It’s wonderful.” 

“You did all of this so you could have some peace and quiet?!” Vaggie asked, “You have headphones!” 

“They weren’t enough, nothing was enough,” Noxxious said through clenched teeth, taking a deep breath, “Mind if I ramble about something personal?” 

Vaggie, in spite of her obvious rage and frustration, simply shrugged at Noxxious, motioning for them to go ahead, turning to Vox and staring at him incredulously. 

“I’ve only been here for six months… when I was alive I hated noise, I’d rather rip out my eardrums than listen to all of the noises overlapping all day, every day,” Noxxious began, straightening their posture, “I realized that people are pretty quiet when they’re sick… they keep to themselves. It made perfect sense.” 

Vaggie gestured at Vox, still puzzled, but decided not to interrupt.

“I went to school for microbiology, and I figured if I could get enough people sick, I could have peace and quiet,” Noxxious said with a determined- albeit hidden- smile, “Except I wasn’t very careful, and I got into a little bit of trouble when my first attempt went sideways.” 

Vaggie and Vox squinted their eyes when Noxxious held up a frayed, coffee-stained newspaper clipping that read ‘Bioterrorist Cassandra Sinclair due to receive death penalty’. 

“Is that your plan?! To kill everyone?!” Vaggie asked, scanning the area for something she could use as a weapon. 

“No! I already said that was an accident, I never wanted anyone to get hurt, I just wanted a break from the noise!” Noxxious explained, near tears, “Look, when I got here after my execution, I noticed this blue stuff coming out of my mask; when people around me breathed in the mist, they would start sneezing.” 

Vox’s face brightened, an impressed smile spreading across his screen, “So you can just infinitely leak mist filled with custom viruses?” he asked rhetorically, “That is impressive, you could have some real sway with that kind of power if you weren’t a walking biohazard.” 

“I don’t want ‘sway’, I don’t wanna hurt anyone, I just wanted quiet,” Noxxious explained, twisting the filtered discs on the end of their mask so that the holes were covered, stopping the red mist at the source, “I can produce an antidote, I promise.” 

“Thank you,” Vaggie sighed, relaxing her shoulders as she watched Noxxious fiddle with their mask, briefly opening the discs and shooting out a puff of blue mist before closing their mask again as the blue mist seemingly clung to the red, slowly spreading through the air.  

“There, that should be enough to get it to stretch across the Pride Ring, and then eventually it’ll disappear on its own,” Noxxious explained, “Once someone breathes it in, they’ll be cured.” 

“Good, things can finally get back to normal,” Vox scoffed, cracking his knuckles before pulling something out of his pocket after seeing Noxxious’s pitiful face, “As a reward for producing the antidote, here’s the final prototype for VoxTech’s ‘DJ Deafener’ headphones, with active noise canceling so good, you can’t hear a train coming.” 

“That’s a good tagline,” Vaggie said, chuckling. 

“It isn’t just a tagline, eight of our product testers were crushed gruesomely by trains,” Vox replied. 

Noxxious carefully placed the headphones on their head and their body immediately relaxed as they reclined against the back wall of the gun store once again, “These are incredible, I can’t hear anything!” they exclaimed, tears leaking from the plastic eyes of their mask, “Thank you!” 

Vox opened his mouth to respond, only to remember that Noxxious was effectively deaf, and opted to shoot the bioterrorist a thumbs up instead as a sudden boom of thunder could be heard overhead. 

“Well, I think I should go spread the good news, haha-” Vox chuckled to himself, “I’d offer to teleport you back to the tower with me, but it’s about the same distance to walk there from here as it would be to walk there from the tower.”  

“No worries, I’ve got it,” Vaggie replied, “Thanks for your help.” 

“Same to you,” Vox said, shooting Vaggie a playful salute before teleporting back to the broadcast tower in a crackle of blue electricity, just as a light drizzle began, raindrops falling on Vaggie’s head as she made her walk back to the hotel. 

Twenty minutes passed, and back at the hotel, the parlor full of drowsy sinners jumped when the peaceful nature documentary they were watching was interrupted by the blaring theme of an incoming 666 News bulletin. 

“That scared the piss outta me,” Angel panted, emptying his sinuses into a tissue with a damp blow, “Wonder what the hell happened this time...snff!” 

“Hello citizens of Pentagram City and the greater Pride Ring, I am happy to announce that a cure for the Red Spread has been found!” Vox’s voice rang out from the speakers of the CRT television, “It has been released into the air for ease of access, take a step outside or open a window and the formula should resolve your infection! Have a wonderful day, and stay healthy! This message was brought to you by VoxTech Enterprises!” 

“Vaggie did it- SnFF!- she figured it out! Yaay…” Charlie cheered weakly, wiping off the drippy underside of her nose, “Who’s gonna get up to open the window?” 

“I got it,” Angel croaked, clearing his throat as he slowly untangled himself from Husk and stood on his two wobbling legs, slowly walking towards the large stained glass doors on either side of the bar and struggling a bit before swinging one open, revealing the intense rain that had developed outside but also letting in a burst of antidote-heavy air into the room. 

Taking a shallow breath through his mouth, Angel blinked and felt his sinuses clearing up, his tender throat healing, and his fever breaking. Angel’s fur was suddenly damp with sweat as he stood proudly and energetically on his own two feet, spinning around to face the rest of the group and flashing a bright smile, “It works! Oh my god, I never thought I’d be this fuckin’ excited to be able to breathe through my coke holes again!” he cheered. 

Niffty took in a brief whiff of air and hurriedly got up from her nest of blankets upon returning to her full energy, “I feel so much better!” she cheered, suddenly wincing upon realizing that she was surrounded by germy blankets and used tissues, “Euch… this is awful, what a mess- gotta take a shower first, wash all the germs off me, then I can clean this up- be right back!” 

In less time than the rest of the group could blink, Niffty had vanished upstairs to shower. 

Husk poked his head out from under the blanket where he’d been resting while cradled against Angel’s torso, taking a sharp breath and purring contentedly as he felt the watery congestion in his sinuses dry up, and his ears unclogged with a satisfying Pop! “Mmmm, that’s more like it,” Husk muttered, slowly moving until he was back on his feet, ignoring the dampness of his sweaty fur. 

“I gotta rinse all this sweat off and condition my fur, you comin’ Pretty Kitty?” Angel asked, attempting to finger-comb some of the excess sweat out of his fuzzy white hair. 

“Right behind you,” Husk replied, following Angel as the two wandered upstairs together to take a hot shower in Angel’s bathroom.

 Charlie inhaled with a watery sniffle, sighing with relief as her symptoms faded away and the tired bags underneath her eyes vanished, “Phew… much better,” she yawned, rubbing her eyes, turning to look at Alastor, who was still deep into a fever-induced slumber, shivering under his blanket whale draped across the loveseat. 

Charlie walked over to the loveseat and lifted up Alastor’s head from the back, gently pinching his chapped nostrils shut to force him to take a crackling inhale through his mouth. Once Alastor had taken an inhale of panacea-heavy air, Charlie backed away, wanting to be sure that Lucid Alastor wouldn’t know she was touching him. 

Alastor slowly rose up from his reclined position, muffling a final wet cough behind clenched teeth and arching his back to stretch, finally in his right mind after nearly two months of fistfighting with his immune system, “Ahh, that was a satisfying nap,” he muttered to himself, only to notice his body was still slick with sweat, and his hair was about half an inch longer than it was when he last checked. 

Suddenly, Alastor was hit with the memory of what had happened before fever rendered his mind blank, and he struggled not to flush with embarrassment, “Whatever transpired while I was indisposed isn’t to be discussed. At all.” he said, threateningly brandishing his microphone. 

“Gotcha! We don’t have to talk about it, Alastor, don’t worry, I’m just glad you’re feeling better!” Charlie said with a jovial grin. 

“Splendid,” Alastor replied, tapping his microphone against the floor before vanishing into his own shadow. 

Right as Alastor disappeared, the double doors to the hotel’s entrance swung open, and a sopping wet Vaggie stepped inside. 

“You did it!” Charlie cheered, rushing over to embrace her girlfriend in a tight hug, “What was causing it? I have so many questions!” 

“A sinner who used to be a bioterrorist was leaking the virus into the air… honestly they were persuaded to stop pretty easily… snff!,” Vaggie explained, dragging the back of her wrist under her nose to scrub away an itch. 

“That’s good, I’m glad the antidote is a mist too, that way pockets of trapped air will sanitize the Hellivator when it starts operating again,” Charlie said, “It’s so nice this is all over, and it’s all thanks to you, Vaggie, I’m so proud of you!” 

“Tha-a-ahh… thanks, Baby,” Vaggie replied, smiling when Charlie planted a kiss on her cheek. 

“Heyy, now that I’m feeling better, I think you deserve a special reward for all your hard work,” Charlie whispered suggestively, kissing Vaggie’s neck and gently pressing her palm against her girlfriend’s thigh, “What do you think?” 

“I uhm… Snff- snff!... I… I-ihh,” Vaggie began, her breath hitching as a tickle built to a crescendo in her nose, “Hi-IIhh’Ddtssheww! Ih’Ddshhoo!” 

Charlie’s aroused smile flipped, concern shimmering in her eyes as she watched Vaggie sniffle against a slightly runny nose, cold rain water still trickling down her face from her soaked hairline. 

“I think I’m getting a cold,” Vaggie groaned, a pitiful look in her eyes as she plucked two tissues from a box on a nearby table and blew her nose with a sharp honk, “Hih’dDtshhew! Ih’DdshhEWw!” 

Charlie’s sensitive heart melted and she scooped Vaggie into her arms, not even pretending to care about the fact that Vaggie’s rain- soaked body was getting her pajamas wet, “Aww, Vaggie… you did such a good job looking after everything, now it’s my turn to look after you,” she said, kissing Vaggie’s forehead, “Let’s get you a hot bath and a change of clothes.” 

“Yaaay,” Vaggie cheered softly, wrapping her arms around Charlie’s neck and trying not to shiver as she was carried upstairs, “I love you.” 

“I love you too, Vaggie,” Charlie replied, gently massaging Vaggie’s back over her wet shirt as the couple disappeared up the staircase. 

[mychlapci]

Single mommy-to-be Sentinel Prime accidentally conditioning himself into getting aroused at the thought of being a good housemecha. Deciding that even thought the pregnancy was a surprise he wasn’t going to be known as some kind of dead-beat failure of a parent, his own pride forcing him to actually study up. Maybe too proud to find a transfluid donor, so he has to take supplements. Of course, they’re administered by valve… and the applicator might as well be a false spike.

Pregnant, desperately horny Sentinel rocking on his new favorite toy as he watches his parenting tips and housekeeping vids, trying to keep from overloading as his hand teases his limp, useless spike absentmindedly. I imagine he’d still be too proud to touch his node, and by the time he’d be desperate enough to try he’d be too round with his bitlet to reach. Biting his lip and whining with need when his next vid ends, the friendly mech narrating assuring him that he’ll “do a great job, carrier!” It’s just more efficient to do both at the same time, learn what he needs to prove he’s the best while getting the necessary nutrients for the bitlet. Anything to get back to work faster, after all.

Those thoughts would fade as the pregnancy progressed, as he grew heavier and hormonal. A mech as strong and brilliant as Sentinel Prime would never be an absent parent after all, never mind the twitch of his valve when he thought about being a good, dedicated mommy. Of course he’d need to stay home until the bitlet weaned, at bare minimum. Breast is best, or so his vids keep telling him as his own pair swell with energon. And maybe in time he’d even realize what he’s done to himself, turned into a perfect, pretty single mommy, but it’d be too late to stop the arousal building behind his panels as the nesting phase kicks in and he starts cleaning the house top to bottom in preparation for the baby. Can’t stop the lubricant from drooling into his closed panel when mechanisms ask to touch his round, firm belly or complement him on his glow. Finally getting his overload as he takes his supplements while he picks out nursery furniture, riding the applicator like a dedicated single mommy should.

…and maybe the vids have some kind of underlying hypnotic qualities to help him along, meant to get him out of the way—whether by the Decepticons or the Autobots. But then again, maybe not.

you are so insane for this (affectionate). the wification of Sentinel continues… i love the word “conditioning” it brings up very exciting fantasies. 

hgrhhh Sentinel watching pregnancy care videos with the toy slowly pumping nutritious fluid into his gestation tank, valve wet and throbbing the entire time, but he doesn’t allow himself to ride the applicator because he’s far too proud to admit, even to himself, that being pregnant turns him on. But it just keeps getting harder and harder to not move the more the videos assure him he’s going to be a great mommy - the words just make him feel so weird and so good, it’s almost… suspicious. But he doesn’t have the time to think about that. Of course he’ll be a good mommy. Who'd be a better fit than him? Slowly, over time, he starts to grind against the applicator, ceiling node crackling with charge, his spike pressurized just enough to hang out of its sheath, but staying limp as his frame directs all attention to his valve. He starts cleaning around the house more, panels leaking a little as he begins to get off to the fantasy of being a good housewife. 

Sentinel using the applicator while thinking about all the people who’ve asked to touch his baby-bump since he’s started to show, imagining how jealous they must be of his pregnancy, how pathetic they are to invade his personal space just to get a piece of this. They must be able to tell he’s going to be a good mommy and are all envious. hgrhhh Sentinel casually browsing furniture for the nursery and riding the applicator like a pro, sinking his valve on it while holding the data-pad up to his face, valve squirting out fluids as he gets closer and closer to his overload. At this point he’s too horny to pretend his node doesn’t throb when he looks down and sees his pregnancy belly. He has to keep riding the applicator, he has to, he needs to get all those nutrients into his tank so that his baby is big and healthy. Maybe he overloads but the applicator is not done pumping, so he has to keep sitting on it while his array quivers, until all the fluids are drained and stored inside of his tank, fingers shaking as he keeps on picking out the nursery furniture. 

[itsscromp]

Peter and Miles with a reader who sets up a Christmas for them after the whole symbiote incident? For them to like de-stress and just have fun!

Peter Parker and Miles Morales x reader

Before I start this story, I want to give my thoughts to the insomniac team who unfortunately suffered a data breach and a whole bunch of Wolverine stuff and personal info got leaked. Insomniac don't let these hackers stop you. Take all the damn time that you need, So this story shall also be dedicated to them. Word Count:1K

The first few months since the symbiote incident were physically and emotionally draining for everyone. You and Miles were busy killing off the remainder of the symbiote nests while Peter was busy rebuilding EMF. The three of you were just exhausted from everything.

One night out on patrol to get the last symbiote nests in the area, you noticed it was starting to get chillier than normal. Landing on a nearby street lamp, You noticed that it was starting to snow. "What the ??" You pulled your phone out and found out... It was December 23rd. "Oh shit" Jesus time flies fast when you're dealing with everything that has happened.

Sitting there you thought if Christmas was just around the corner, you decided to celebrate it with the two. Maybe this will help them de-stress and help them smile again. Opening the group chat you then started to text them.

"Hey guys, Any plans tomorrow ??"

"Just about to finish the latest prototype for EMF" Peter responded.

"Ma is helping F.E.A.S.T, so I'm pretty much free" Miles texted back next.

"Ok, so I only just found out about this, Christmas is in two days. So I thought maybe we could do like a dinner and all that" You smiled at the thought of this.

"Wait, It's Christmas ??" Miles responded rather quickly. Peter only responded using the mind-blown emojis.

"So I guess... You guys are both in ??"

They both reacted to the message with thumbs-up emojis, You smiled under the mask. Swinging back to your apartment to prepare for their stay. Fixing out their guest beds and giving the place a quick clean. Now the biggest worry was Christmas presents, You had to figure out what to get them. So grabbing your coat you went out and window-shopped for a little while. Finding something for Miles instantly, He was always ranting about the new video game that he saw about a month ago. Peter was a little tricky cause usually the stuff he talks about have been quickly sold out. But when passing a pawn shop, You found something in the window...

"Oh my gosh... Spider-Plushie... This must be the test one they gave to Peter..." You rushed inside without thinking and bought it.

Now the gifts were done, while also grabbing a few ones that they may like to. You headed back home and hid them for now.

The next day, you decorated the apartment with tinsel and other wall hangings, soon hearing a knock on the door, revealing to be none other than the two.

"You guys !!" You smiled widely and hugged the two. They gratefully returned the hug back.

"Merry Christmas y/n" Peter said softly, ruffling your head.

"Feliz Navidad" (Merry Christmas) Miles smiled as he entered the apartment. "Man, you went all out huh ??" He turned to you.

"Yeah I might have went a little overboard, but I wanted to save the tree for when you guys got here"

"Well then let's not waste any more time" Peter was eager to decorate the tree. Tree decorating was his favourite Christmas activity. So you got the tree and decorations out, But no tree decorating was complete without music. So pressing play on rocking around the Christmas tree, you all got to work.

It was a fun time, just simply relaxing after everything that had happened. Filled with smiles and giggles, Spending Christmas with your best friends was something that you all needed.

Then came the baking of Christmas cookies and Choc peppermint fudge. As the three of you were making the desserts, Peter grew mischievous and dabbed dough onto your nose. "Wha.. hey !!!" You laughed. "What, I didn't do anything" He smirked as he smeared some on Miles' cheek. "Come on Pete !!" He chuckled as well "You both can't prove anything" And then it turned into a light mini food fight.

Soon after, It was dinner time, Now you didn't have time to rush out for ham and such so the best you could do... Christmas grilled cheeses, They weren't complaining though, you all would've done this over a huge dinner. After a fun-filled night, the two trio headed off to bed.

The following morning, Christmas morning, you woke up to feel a pair of arms wrapped around you. Opening your eyes to find it was Peter... softly sleeping... cuddling you. It looked like he really needed something like this. So you snuggled up to him, both of you getting a much-needed sleep in.

After what feels like an hour AKA 20 minutes, Miles then snuck in and flopped on top of you two. "Guys come on it's Christmas !!!" He smiled brightly like any child would on Christmas day.

You chuckled "Alright alright come on" You tried to get up but Peter wanted to stay for at least another ten minutes, gripping you against him a little tighter softly mumbling. "Peter come on" You tried to squirm out but he only gripped harder, Let him have his cuddles y/n !!

"Miles were gonna be here for a while so I guess try and get a little comfortable" You chuckled as you snuggled up to Peter again. Miles sighed and stayed on top of you both, relishing in sharing the cuddles with you both.

After a few minutes, Peter was now officially ready to get up and the three of you headed to the tree. You started to hand their presents. Peter was the first, Shaking the box slightly and soon opening it.

"SPIDER-PLUSHY !!!!. I can't believe you found this y/n" He smiled up at you.

"I have my moments" You smiled as Miles opened his gift next " Yo !! Lies of P !!!" He smiled brightly.

"Last copy too, so thank god I got their on time" You chuckled.

Then Peter pulled out your gift. This one was from both of them. It looked relatively large, Opening it... Inside was a brand spanking new suit... One that looked like Peter’s old suit.

"You always complimented my suit... So we figured we decided to get you your own version of it." peter said as he saw the wonder in your eyes.

You put the suit back and hugged them both tightly, They were too much. But they were your too much. This was easily the best Christmas you guys ever had.

Taglist: @callofdudes @fun-k-board

[undead-merman]

Day Eighteen: The Call Is Coming From Inside The House

Beta read by @quietmageuietmage on but we both don't know internet lingo, so we used a translator.

Contains Kylar stalking, terrible internet slang, sexting, and masturbation

Ding!

The noise never failed to startle you, ever since you got a cell phone the ring always scared the shit out of you. Tonight though, that sound sent a flood of arousal right through you. Kylar made sure he was your first contact and message. He was insistent on it. You felt bad for everyone else who fought to be in your contacts, but the poor lad didn’t have anyone in his. So right at the top, you saved his name with a little heart.

Now, you're face to face with that heart and a little message.

I miss u ur hom ryt? I cn ’t w8 nmore

You reply as you settle down onto your bed and unfastening your pants with a shuffle of your hips.

Ur alone ryt? In ur bed?

Yes yes YES! You're sure he can feel your desperation with your message. A damn shame you couldn’t call, but with walls so thin and with how nervous Kylar was, you weren’t about to call and the others were too fucking nosey. Plus, as much as you love him, you knew he’d only breathe heavily and squeak as he masturbated.

Another ding and a photo came up. Kylar's leaking uncut cock. It was hard to see with how dark it was, the blackness creeping in and making it somewhat grainy. It was almost funny in a way. Your hand dipped down into your pants and started idly groping.

I din touch lk u asked.

You let him know what a good boy he is.

Pls cn i c u?

You fumble around with your pants pulling them down to your mid-thigh. You were leaking just as much as he was. You let your juices collect on your fingers and pull it away just enough to leave a strand, snapping an artful photo. You gently play with yourself, waiting for a response. You really hope he hasn’t cum yet.

Ping!

Ur so prfct. ru thinking abt me? I kept thinking abt u. U touching urself.

Not the best, but he’s getting there. He’s too cute. Maybe getting him worked up will net you something good? You tell him every little detail about one of your fantasies. A quick send and a hope for the best.

I cud do dat. I'll hld u dwn n watch u squirm. Tie u up so u cn ’t run. Leave ur mouth open tho so i cn hear u. I <3 ur voice. So ns. ur clothes r ns but tey ’d luk btr cut off small scraps and u while yer nakd on my bed in front of me. I'd cum u ova n ova til u couldn’t move. All we'd do is fuckk, we'd eat while still pressed against each other. u won’t be able to leave me ever, forever.

Right after he sent a video of his small fingers digging into the meat of his cock and rubbing it with vigor. It looked somewhat painful with how hard he was gripping himself, but in the haze of lust it made your stomach tingle. He was that excited for you? It only made you want to match his pace. Fuck, he was too cute. His freckled shaft, messy pubes, painted finger nails with chips all over digging into the crown of his cock, his stubby finger digging into the tip.

How desperately you’d like to have that in your mouth, or even desperately slamming into you as he tried to keep his eyes focused on you, but was twisted up from the tightness and pleasure you offered him. He was too cute for his good. You pushed your fingers inside yourself and tried to find the depth of Kylar when he was inside and tease that spot. Imagining him above you now.

You tell him what you are doing, even send a video back of your fingers pushing into your hole, all close up just like he enjoys. You swear you can almost hear him squeak with delight.

But then you hear another noise, muffled but surely there now. You weren’t about to have someone from school taking photos or listening in. You frown and throw your phone onto the bed and move to your closet. Without a missing a  beat, you rip it open, and you see Kylar’s tiny form in a makeshift nest of your clothes. Hands still on his painfully hard cock. His eyes wide and his mouth open with a bit of drool still slowly creeping down his face.

You really should be shocked. You're not sure if it was the force of adoration you had for the little, scruffy man, or the lust still had buzzing over your flesh. Maybe it is the fucked up combination of both? You grab his shirt, and he lets out a string of apologizes filled with dread as his phone clatters to the floor and he holds his arms up to protect himself.

You press a heated kiss to his unguarded lips, you can feel his body go limp

Calmed instantly by your love. He kisses back, lowering his arms and peeking at your expression before latching on with desperation, grinding his cock against your bare leg, and he messily sucks you into his mouth. Tongue and all. He takes a long moment to get an aftertaste of you and your toothpaste before pulling away, tongue still peeking out of his chapped lips.

“Y-your not mad?”

How could you be when the object of your desires is now right there in front of you? You tell him just that and his face flushes even more and you can feel his cock twitch against your thighs. You yank him over to your bed and tumble over, pulling him on top of you with a smirk on your face.

You don’t need any more words. He understands your silent tango and dives in to taste you.

[rivercitytech]

The Smart Home Starter Pack for Real People (Yes Even Renters)

Let’s be honest: when most people hear “smart home,” they imagine some futuristic mansion where everything responds to voice commands and the fridge judges your snack choices. But here’s the truth: smart homes aren’t just for millionaires, tech wizards, or homeowners with renovation budgets. Even if you rent a tiny apartment with suspicious light switches and a cat named Steve, you can still get in on the smart home action, without upsetting your landlord. 1. Smart Plugs: The MVP of Lazy Efficiency Want to control your coffee maker or lamp with your phone or voice? Smart plugs are your new best friend. Just plug one into the wall, connect it to Wi-Fi, and boom, instant smart device. They’re cheap, portable, and require zero commitment (kind of like your last Tinder date). Top pick: TP-Link Kasa Smart Plug 2. Voice Assistants: Your New Roommate Whether you’re #TeamAlexa, #TeamGoogle, or riding with Siri, a smart speaker is a great starter. Play music, check the weather, set timers for your laundry, all without lifting a finger (ideal when you’re elbows-deep in pizza). Top pick: Google Nest Mini (tiny, powerful, cute) 3. Smart Bulbs: Set the Mood (or the Drama) Swap out a regular bulb with a smart one, and suddenly your lighting game is elite. Change colors, dim lights, or schedule them to turn off when you forget (again). Great for cozy evenings or dramatic re-enactments of music videos. Top pick: Philips Hue or Govee 4. Basic Security (Because Peace of Mind = Priceless) If you’re worried about packages disappearing or just want to see who’s at your door (without peeking like a weirdo), smart cameras and video doorbells have you covered. Many are renter-friendly and don’t need drilling. Top pick: Ring 5. Bonus Cool Factor: Smart Sensors & Automation Set your lights to turn on when you open the door. Get a notification if there’s a water leak under your sink. It’s like giving your place a sixth sense, without summoning ghosts. You don’t need to gut your walls or drop thousands to have a smarter home. A few well-chosen gadgets can make your place feel way cooler, more convenient, and even safer, whether you rent, own, or still live with your parents (no judgment). Small changes. Big vibes. Happy smartening! from https://rivercitytech.ca

[aceprochimeny]

Chimney Sweep Inspection in Texas: Everything You Need to Know

Your chimney plays a critical role in your home’s safety and air quality—especially during colder months. Whether you're lighting up the fireplace for ambiance or using it as a heat source, regular chimney sweep inspections in Texas are essential. Neglecting inspections can lead to costly repairs and, more importantly, dangerous situations like chimney fires or carbon monoxide leaks.

If you’ve been searching for “chimney inspection near me” or “chimney inspection and repair near me,” this guide will help you understand what’s involved, when to schedule it, and how to find a reliable chimney pro in your area.

Why Is a Chimney Sweep Inspection Important?

Chimney sweep inspections go beyond just cleaning. They involve checking for:

Creosote buildup (a flammable byproduct from burning wood)

Obstructions such as bird nests or debris

Cracks in the flue or brickwork

Water damage and leaks

Proper chimney draft and ventilation

A certified chimney professional can detect problems early and prevent expensive damage or safety risks.

How Often Should You Get a Chimney Inspection?

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), homeowners should schedule a chimney inspection at least once a year—even if you don’t use it often. Texas weather can cause masonry damage over time, making it important to stay ahead of repairs.

What Happens During a Chimney Inspection?

A typical chimney sweep inspection includes:

Visual Check: The technician inspects the chimney cap, crown, and masonry for visible signs of wear.

Interior Inspection: They examine the flue liner, damper, and smoke chamber using special tools or cameras.

Sweep & Clean: If needed, the chimney is cleaned to remove soot, ash, and creosote buildup.

Safety Testing: Checks for carbon monoxide leaks or improper draft.

Signs You Need a Chimney Inspection and Repair Near You

If you notice any of the following, it’s time to search “chimney inspection and repair near me”:

Smoky smells inside your home

White stains on the chimney exterior (efflorescence)

Black, tar-like buildup inside the fireplace

Water leaks or stains near your fireplace

Crumbling mortar or bricks

FAQs About Chimney Inspections in Texas

1. How much does a chimney inspection cost in Texas?

Prices vary depending on the level of inspection, but basic inspections typically cost between $100 and $250. Additional cleaning or camera inspections may increase the cost.

2. What’s the difference between a Level 1, 2, and 3 inspection?

Level 1: Basic visual check, ideal for annual maintenance.

Level 2: Includes video scanning, used after a chimney fire or home sale.

Level 3: Full inspection with access to concealed areas—used if serious damage is suspected.

3. Can I inspect or clean my chimney myself?

DIY chimney inspections aren’t recommended. Certified chimney sweeps use specialized equipment to detect damage that may not be visible to homeowners. Improper cleaning can also damage the flue.

4. Do I need a chimney inspection if I have a gas fireplace?

Yes. Even gas fireplaces can develop venting issues, carbon monoxide leaks, or blockages. Annual inspection is essential for all types of chimneys.

5. How long does a chimney sweep and inspection take?

Most inspections and sweep jobs take about 45 minutes to 1.5 hours, depending on the chimney’s condition and the inspection level.

[chimneyrestorationofkansas]

Chimney Inspections Done Right – Kansas City’s #1 Choice for Safety & Compliance

When was the last time you had your chimney inspected? Many homeowners in Kansas City, KS, don’t realize how essential regular chimney inspections Kansas City are for safety, efficiency, and compliance with local codes. At Chimney Restoration of Kansas City, we take pride in providing thorough, professional chimney inspections to ensure your home stays safe and warm all year long.

Why Chimney Inspections Matter

A chimney may seem like a simple structure, but it plays a critical role in venting dangerous gases and smoke from your home. Over time, creosote buildup, cracks, water damage, and blockages can create serious hazards. An inspection can uncover hidden dangers before they become costly repairs or, worse, lead to chimney fires or carbon monoxide leaks.

In Kansas City, we experience all four seasons—hot summers, stormy springs, and freezing winters. These extreme weather conditions take a toll on your chimney’s masonry, flashing, and liner. That’s why getting an annual chimney inspection is essential for protecting your home and family.

What Happens During a Chimney Inspection?

At Chimney Restoration of Kansas City, we follow the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) guidelines to ensure your chimney is inspected with the highest level of professionalism. There are three levels of chimney inspections:

Level 1 Inspection:

This is the most basic inspection and is recommended for homeowners who have used their chimney regularly without any issues. We check for obstructions, creosote buildup, and overall structural integrity.

Level 2 Inspection:

A more in-depth inspection, often required when selling a home, after a chimney fire, or when making changes to your fireplace system. It includes a video scan of the flue to detect hidden damage.

Level 3 Inspection:

This is the most extensive inspection, required when serious hazards are suspected. It may involve removing parts of the chimney or surrounding walls to assess structural concerns.

Common Chimney Issues in Kansas City

Living in the Kansas City metro area, chimneys are exposed to harsh weather conditions and environmental factors. Here are some common problems we see in homes across neighborhoods like Overland Park, Olathe, and Shawnee:

Creosote Buildup: A leading cause of chimney fires, creosote accumulates from burning wood and needs to be cleaned regularly.

Cracked or Damaged Flue Liners: A compromised liner can allow heat and gases to escape into your home’s walls, increasing fire risks.

Water Damage: With heavy rain and freezing temperatures, moisture can seep into the masonry, causing cracks, spalling bricks, and leaks.

Chimney Blockages: Birds, squirrels, and debris can block the flue, leading to improper venting and dangerous carbon monoxide buildup.

How Often Should You Get a Chimney Inspection?

The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) and NFPA recommend getting your chimney inspected at least once a year. Even if you don’t use your fireplace frequently, an inspection can identify potential issues caused by weather, nesting animals, or structural wear.

Why Choose Chimney Restoration of Kansas City?

Our team is dedicated to providing top-notch chimney inspection services throughout Kansas City, KS, and the surrounding areas. Here’s why homeowners trust us:

Certified & Experienced Technicians: Our team is CSIA-certified and highly trained in identifying chimney hazards.

Comprehensive Inspections: We use advanced tools, including video scans, to ensure no detail is overlooked.

Affordable & Transparent Pricing: No hidden fees—just honest recommendations and fair pricing.

Local Experts Who Care: As a Kansas City-based company, we understand the unique needs of homes in this area and are committed to keeping our community safe.

Schedule Your Chimney Inspection Today!

Don’t wait until a problem arises—be proactive about your chimney’s health and safety. Whether you’re in downtown Kansas City, Overland Park, Lenexa, or anywhere in the metro area, Chimney Restoration of Kansas City is here to help.

📍 Chimney Restoration of Kansas City📍 15145 S Keeler St, Olathe, KS 66062 📞 Call us today at 913-374-7902🌐 Visit us online at https://www.chimneyrestorationofkc.com

[ebelal56-blog]

What's Holding You Back from Achieving Financial Freedom?

Learn life-changing money lessons in this video. Discover budgeting tips, frugal living advice, and personal finance strategies for a better financial future. If I could go back in time and sit down with my younger self, I’d have a long talk about money. It’s funny how we think we’re invincible when we’re young, like we’ll always have time to figure things out. But let me tell you, there are ten lessons about money that I learned way too late, and I wish someone had slapped me upside the head with them back then. First off, financial literacy. I thought I could just wing it, nodding along to terms like “compound interest” and “asset allocation,” pretending I understood. But I didn’t. Ignorance cost me dearly. If I had cracked open a book or taken a course, I could have built a solid foundation instead of stumbling through the dark. Then there’s saving and investing early. I thought, “I’ll start saving when I have a real job.” Spoiler alert: that real job never came as soon as I thought it would. Life throws curveballs, and before I knew it, I was in my thirties, still playing catch-up. If I had set aside a little each month from the start, I’d be sitting on a nice nest egg now instead of scrambling. Budgeting? Oh man, I used to think it was a straitjacket, limiting my freedom. But it’s a roadmap. I spent years living paycheck to paycheck, unaware of where my money was going. If I had tracked my expenses, I could have plugged the leaks before they sank my ship. Lifestyle inflation? I fell into that trap hard. I got a raise and upgraded my lifestyle instead of saving. New car, fancy dinners, the latest gadgets. It felt good, but now I see it for what it was: a fast track to financial instability. Diversifying investments? I learned that the hard way, putting all my eggs in one basket. When that basket cracked, I was left scrambling. If I had spread my investments, I wouldn’t have felt that gut-wrenching panic when the market dipped.

[game-development12]

How to Optimize Your Unity Game for Better Performance

As the video game industry continues to grow, the competition among video game developers to create smooth, engaging, and highly responsive games is more intense than ever. Unity game development offers a flexible and powerful platform that is favored by many developers around the world. However, one common challenge that often arises is optimizing game performance to ensure players have the best experience possible. In this article, we'll explore several strategies to help you optimize your Unity game for better performance.

1. Efficient Asset Management

Managing your assets efficiently is crucial in Unity game development. Here’s how you can optimize them:

Reduce the Resolution: Use textures that are appropriately sized. Larger textures consume more memory and processing power.

Compress Textures: Unity allows texture compression which can significantly reduce the memory usage without a substantial loss in quality.

Asset Bundling: Use asset bundles to load assets on demand rather than loading everything at the start. This reduces initial load times and keeps memory usage under control.

2. Optimize the Game Objects

The way you manage your game objects can have a profound impact on performance:

Reduce Draw Calls: Minimize the number of draw calls by combining objects that share the same materials into a single mesh.

Use Static Batching: For objects that don’t move, mark them as static. This tells Unity to batch these objects together and reduce the overhead on the CPU.

Active and Inactive States: Deactivate game objects that are not currently in use. Active objects take up processing power even if they are not directly contributing to what is currently happening in the scene.

3. Scripting Performance Tweaks

Scripts can either make or break your game performance. Here’s how to tweak them:

Avoid Frequent Use of Update: The Update method runs every frame and should be used sparingly. Use timers or events if you need periodic updates.

Optimize Loops and Algorithms: Ensure that your loops and algorithms are efficient. Avoid nested loops and look for data structures that offer faster lookups than lists or arrays when dealing with a large set of data.

Use Coroutines for Delayed Execution: Instead of using Update to check for time-dependent events, use coroutines which are less taxing on performance.

4. Lighting and Graphics Optimization

Graphics are often the most resource-intensive aspect of game development:

Use Baked Lighting: Whenever possible, use baked lighting instead of real-time lighting. This can drastically reduce the computational load.

Limit Particle Effects: Particle effects are visually appealing but can be quite costly. Limit their use and optimize their settings like emission rate and particle size.

Level of Detail (LOD) Groups: Implement LOD groups to reduce the detail of objects that are far from the camera. This reduces the rendering load on the GPU.

5. Profiling and Debugging

Unity provides powerful tools for profiling and debugging, which you can use to pinpoint performance issues:

Unity Profiler: Regularly use the Unity Profiler to monitor your game’s performance. Look for spikes and examine what causes them.

Debugging Tools: Make use of Unity’s debugging tools to track down memory leaks and inefficient code paths.

6. Target Platform Optimization

Optimize your game according to the platform it’s intended for:

Understand Platform Limitations: Each platform, whether mobile, console, or PC, has its own limitations and capabilities. Optimize your game based on the target platform's hardware specifications.

Platform-specific Features: Utilize platform-specific features and optimizations. For example, many mobile platforms have specific requirements and capabilities when it comes to rendering and input management.

Conclusion

Optimizing your Unity game requires a combination of good practices in asset management, efficient scripting, smart use of graphics, and regular profiling. By implementing these strategies, video game developers can ensure that their games not only run smoothly but also provide engaging and responsive experiences to players. Remember, optimization is an ongoing process that should begin early in the development cycle and continue through testing and beyond. Happy developing!

[internationalrealestatenews]

[ad_1] In recent times, good dwelling expertise has develop into more and more well-liked, reworking odd homes into futuristic dwellings. From controlling lights and thermostats with voice instructions to making sure the safety of your house by way of clever surveillance techniques, there are infinite prospects for upgrading your property. Not solely does good dwelling expertise improve on a regular basis dwelling, however it could actually additionally considerably improve the worth of your property. Listed here are ten good dwelling upgrades that may just do that: 1. Sensible Thermostats: Sensible thermostats like Nest or Ecobee enable householders to manage their heating and cooling techniques remotely. By studying your preferences and adjusting the temperature accordingly, these units may help save power and cut back utility payments. 2. Voice-Activated Assistants: Gadgets like Amazon Echo or Google House have develop into more and more well-liked fixtures in lots of houses. With the power to play music, reply questions, management different good units, and even order groceries, these voice-activated assistants have develop into important for a lot of households. 3. Clever Lighting: With good lighting techniques like Philips Hue or Lutron, you'll be able to management the brightness, shade, and timing of your lights by way of an app or voice command. These techniques can help you arrange varied lighting moods and even save power by turning off lights mechanically when nobody is within the room. 4. Sensible Safety Techniques: House safety is a prime precedence for householders. Sensible safety techniques like Ring or SimpliSafe provide complete options to make your house safer. From video doorbells and surveillance cameras to good locks and movement sensors, these techniques present peace of thoughts and improved safety. 5. Automated Window Blinds: Sensible blinds cut back the necessity for handbook changes. By integrating with sensors or timers, these blinds can open or shut at particular instances, blocking out undesirable daylight or enhancing privateness. 6. Sensible Smoke Detectors: With superior monitoring capabilities, good smoke detectors like Nest Defend present early warnings for smoke or carbon monoxide in your house. These detectors can ship alerts to your smartphone and even combine with different good units, similar to turning off the HVAC system in case of a hearth. 7. Water Leak Detectors: Water harm might be pricey and aggravating. Sensible leak detectors like Flo or Moen can detect leaks and alert householders earlier than any vital harm happens. These units can mechanically shut off the water provide and assist stop floods. 8. Sensible Irrigation Techniques: Water conservation is crucial, significantly in areas dealing with drought circumstances. Sensible irrigation techniques like Rachio or RainMachine monitor climate forecasts and alter watering schedules accordingly. By avoiding pointless watering, these techniques save water and decrease utility payments. 9. Sensible Home equipment: As we speak, there may be a variety of good home equipment obtainable, similar to fridges, ovens, and washing machines. These units might be managed remotely and provide superior options like meals stock monitoring, recipe solutions, and power effectivity. 10. Vitality Monitoring Techniques: Sensible power screens like Sense or Neurio enable householders to trace their power utilization in real-time. By figuring out energy-hungry home equipment and making changes accordingly, these techniques assist cut back power consumption and decrease prices. Investing in these good dwelling upgrades not solely enhances your on a regular basis dwelling expertise however may also considerably improve your property worth. Potential consumers are more and more drawn to houses geared up with fashionable expertise, making your property extra interesting and marketable in a aggressive actual property market. So, whether or not you

are on the lookout for comfort, power financial savings, or growing your property's worth, good dwelling upgrades are undoubtedly a smart funding. [ad_2]

[gadget-world]

The Wonderful World of Home Automation Systems

Welcome to the fascinating realm of home automation systems! In this modern age, technology has advanced to the point where our homes can be transformed into intelligent, efficient, and convenient spaces. So, let's dive into the world of automation and explore how it can make our lives easier and more exciting.

What is Home Automation? Imagine having the power to control various aspects of your home with just a few taps on your smartphone or even through voice commands. That's precisely what home automation is all about. It involves connecting electronic devices and household systems to a centralized network, allowing you to control and monitor them remotely.

Smart Devices: Home automation wouldn't be possible without smart devices. These nifty gadgets come in various forms and can be easily integrated into your existing home infrastructure. For instance, you can have smart lights that automatically adjust their brightness based on the time of day or your preferences. Smart thermostats can regulate the temperature in your home, ensuring maximum comfort and energy efficiency. Smart locks allow you to lock or unlock your doors without a physical key, providing enhanced security and convenience.

Voice Control: Thanks to advancements in artificial intelligence, you can now control your home automation system with your voice. Smart speakers like Amazon Echo or Google Nest Hub can act as your virtual assistants, responding to your commands to adjust lighting, play music, answer questions, or even order groceries online. It's like having your own personal butler!

Energy Efficiency: Home automation systems contribute to a greener and more sustainable future by optimizing energy usage. With automated lighting and thermostats, you can ensure that lights and appliances are only activated when needed, reducing unnecessary energy consumption. By monitoring your energy usage through smart meters, you can identify areas where you can save power and make informed decisions to be more eco-friendly.

Safety and Security: One of the most significant benefits of home automation is the enhanced safety and security it provides. You can install smart security cameras that send live video footage to your phone, letting you monitor your property from anywhere. Motion sensors and smart alarms can alert you to potential intruders, fire, or gas leaks, helping keep your family and belongings safe.

Convenience and Comfort: Home automation offers remarkable convenience and comfort. Imagine waking up in the morning to the aroma of freshly brewed coffee thanks to a smart coffee maker programmed to start at your preferred time. You can set your home theater system to dim the lights, close the curtains, and play your favorite movie as soon as you say the magic words. With automation, everyday tasks can be simplified, giving you more time to relax and enjoy life.

Conclusion: Home automation systems have revolutionized the way we live, turning our houses into smart homes. They bring unparalleled convenience, security, energy efficiency, and comfort, all at the touch of a button or the sound of your voice. So, embrace the wonders of automation and step into a new era where your home caters to your every need.