#(julian smith voice) I MADE THIS FOR YOU

[kamisama1kiss]

The ninja reaction to an intense fight between them and their lover??? 😭🙏

The angst is crazy, I will do it since I love my silly lego men and Nya (girl power). PLEASE, I felt as if I kept repeating myself doing this 😔 sorry guys

~~~

{ Ninjago Headcanons } Thier reaction to an intense argument

~Lloyd Garmadon~

His first instinct was to jump into trying to calm the situation, even if he was the who snapped into the argument or not. Even if he is more on the calm side, he could lose his temper if everything continues to go left.

It wouldn't last long, but when it does happens he tries to keep collected but usually ends up walking away if it gets too much for him. (Dont worry, he is only gone for top, maybe 20 minutes)

~Kai Smith

Simply would be shocked in the start, immediately jumps in to trying to find the problem, but some of his anger could get the best of him. There is never a time when he wants to argue, but he just can't handle such conflicts if he happens to already, but more on the moody side of the time being.

He would never raise his voice. Maybe upset, yes? Feeling hurt, maybe? Depends on why you're arguing. But raising his voice or turning physical is something that would NEVER happen.

~Cole Brookstone~

Flinched at first, confused at why you'd be upset, not understand what could have caused it. Taking a deep breath while talking in a gental tone, wishing to not make you further upset. His lover is a main priority in life, which meant he would be very patient.

Even if he didn't agree, he would let you speak out everything to then come with pointers to tell his side.

~Zane Julian~

Lord, someone save him. He does understand responsibility and could tell simply that by your nature, you've been more on edge. When his lover finally spoke up about it all, it came out more aggressive them he could imagine. Simply, he would try to soothe you to calm down.

Talking a more rational approach, giving you a drink and a seat. Even though he was upset, he'd prefer to sort it out and then lash back out.

~Jay Walker~

Not even for a moment did he consider it was him at fault, would argue back without even it register it in his mind. Eventually, having you left only made him pout as when he thought about it for himself, only to actually finally notice how dumb he was being about his reaction.

Would try to find you with a small little gift to hopefully make you happy before talking it out.

~Nya Smith~

She had the same tempor as her brother but more calmer, yet she could get a bit snappy. But as her lover, her first instinct was to find the problem and fix it. She'd definitely had a frown trying to pry its way up as arguing was never her cup of tea, it was definitely hidden though.

No matter what the situation, she wouldn't dare to leave until everything was talked about and figured out.

~~~

I AM BACK!! I am starting to feel better to write again as writers block decided to slowly wither away finally. Hope you enjoy!!♡

[peachy-panic]

Wrong Place, Wrong Time (pt. 3)

Takes place directly after this.

WARNINGS: BBU, power dynamics, talk of corrupt prison system, past noncon

The mug of tea that Ezra made for Jaime sits, cooling and untouched, on the coffee table. Jaime has opted for a spot on the rug, curled in on himself with his knees hugged tight to his chest. Sebastian and Ezra follow suit, of course, sinking down across from him, but it doesn’t escape anyone’s notice—his instinct to place himself on the floor. At least he isn’t kneeling anymore.

Sebastian aches at the sight of his red-rimmed eyes, at the hollowness in his voice, at the memory of him shaking and terrified on the hardwood, forever seared into his temporal lobe. He aches to make this right, and he prays, helplessly, that he hasn’t just watched every brick they’ve laid together crumble before their eyes. 

“Would you like to ask us anything, Jaime?” Ezra begins, and Sebastian is once again grateful to have him here, ever the voice of reason.

Jaime’s swallow is loud enough to sound painful. “You don’t have to explain yourselves to me.”

He’s so closed off like this, even harder to read than usual. Is it resentment in his voice, or defeat? Sebastian doesn’t know how to reach him. 

“I rather think we do,” Ezra counters.

Jaime looks quickly to Sebastian, then down at his knees. “I don’t know what to ask.”

“Okay,” Ezra accepts easily, and Sebastian chimes in with an encouraging nod. “Would it be alright if I asked you a question? With the caveat that you do not have to answer.”

“Okay,” he agrees without looking up. 

“Has Julian—has Handler Hernandez—ever hurt you?”

Jaime’s eyes snap to him then, surprised. Ezra must spot the impending panic that Sebastian sees as well, because he raises a palm to clarify. “I know the rules against speaking about your training. I hope that you can still trust that we will never betray your confidence, but as I said, you don’t have to answer.”

“You…” Jaime begins, then falters. “But he’s your friend. Why would you believe me?”

Sebastian feels like he’s been shot in the chest. 

“You are my friend, too,” Ezra says easily. 

“Your word means everything to me, Jaime,” Sebastian adds. Those brown eyes turn on him, and maybe it’s just wishful thinking that they aren’t quite as guarded this time. “I will always believe you.”

Jaime stares at him. His gaze has never felt so heavy, as if he’s trying to see past the layers of Sebastian’s skin in search of the truth in his promise. Then, slowly, his eyes go unfocused. 

The silence goes on long enough to worry Sebastian. A hundred different possibilities come to mind, spiking his blood pressure. The idea that Jaime is bracing himself to tell them that Julian is, in fact, one of the monsters in his nightmares makes Sebastian want to peel out of the house after him and put his hands around his throat. It doesn’t matter that Julian could probably break Sebastian in half on a good day. If Jaime even implies that Julian has been hiding behind his history with the resistance as a means of abusing trainees under the radar, Sebastian will fucking—

“He didn’t,” Jaime says quietly, pulling Sebastian back to earth. “I… He… He isn’t my primary. We didn’t interact all that often, but when we did…” He shakes his head. “He wasn’t one of the handlers who crossed a line.”

Handlers, plural.

He doesn’t even think that Jaime is aware of the word choice that has sent Sebastian spiraling all over again. Multiple handlers. Multiple handlers have “crossed a line” with Jaime in that facility, a few hundred feet away from where Sebastian works. It’s not… He can’t call it a surprise. He remembers clearly the day in the clinic showers, seeing fresh bruises on Jaime’s skin, marked in places that left no room for questions. And the day in the facility bathrooms, when Sebastian walked in just as a handler was walking out, leaving Jaime alone in a stall. 

And, of course, he has had suspicions about Smith from the day he met him. Watching the way he interacts with his trainees is telling of what might happen behind closed doors. But hearing it out loud sits heavy in his chest. More than ever, he wants to burn that building to the ground with every handler locked inside. 

“That’s… good,” Sebastian manages, even though it’s a disgraceful choice of word.

Ezra nods in agreement, though. “I didn’t expect that he would have, but I wanted to hear it from you,” he says. “I have known Julian Hernandez for a long time, Jaime. I understand how it looks to you right now, but he is a good man.”

“He is one of them.” Jaime looks to Ezra when he says it, a fire in his eyes he has never shown Sebastian, wouldn’t dare turn on the person who holds his contract (or someone he also considers one of them—did he mean handlers or anyone who works there? That’s a spiral for later).

“Yes,” Ezra says evenly. “Officially, he is. And if he wasn’t, I never would have escaped.”

A stunned silence falls over them. Sebastian didn’t know that, either. 

Ezra reaches up to run a finger over the raised scar behind his ear, then looks from Sebastian to Jaime. “He helped remove the tracker himself,” he says. “Without him, we couldn’t have kept the removal undetected. It’s designed to be a bulletproof plan—it can’t be done without someone on the inside taking a risk. He never hesitated to help me.”

Jaime, mirroring him, raises a hand to touch the spot behind his ear where his own tracker is embedded in his skull. Sebastian’s stomach turns at the reminder, and he watches something like terror and wonder pass over his expression. 

“His story is a complicated one,” Ezra says. “I would like to tell you about it, if you’d like to hear it.” 

Jaime nods, and Sebastian leans in, just as eager to hear.

“Julian was in prison before I knew him,” Ezra begins. “He grew up in less than ideal circumstances and got wrapped into the wrong crowd. They got him into a lot of trouble when he was young, but it was all he knew. He was in and out of juvenile detention, and when he turned eighteen, he got a charge that stuck. He was sentenced to twenty years in prison.”  

Sebastian thinks about the playful way Aria nudges her shoulder against Julian’s when they’re together at the table, the way Julian moves so carefully around Ezra, as if he knows his very presence could be a trigger. Sebastian has been wary of him from the beginning, but even still, it’s hard to picture him as a hardened criminal. 

“This all happened right around when WRU was at its most precarious,” Ezra continues. “After the uprisings and public outrage against the Romantic sectors and the stories of extreme abuse coming to light. They were struggling to recover their image enough to stay afloat until the tides turned back in their favor, and they were specifically struggling to employ handlers. Nobody wanted to risk their reputation like that. They tried offering generous sign-on bonuses and increased salaries, but it still wasn’t enough to get them back where they needed to be. 

“Someone had the idea to create a pipeline from the prisons—a program that would train inmates who showed particular strengths and promise to become handlers as part of a contracted term, as an alternative to serving their time. Julian was one of them.”

Ezra looks from Jaime to Sebastian, clocking their looks of mirrored surprise. 

“I know that doesn’t make him clean,” he says. “It was a difficult situation, but it was still a choice that he made. For what it’s worth, he didn’t know much about the system at the time. And more to the point, he regretted it from day one. But backing out of the contract would have added ten years to his sentence. So he stayed.

“Aria met him within his first year. Really, she tracked him down. Pursued him. She had been searching for me for years. She knew I had disappeared into the system—that’s a story for another day. And she knew she needed someone on the inside to get me out. Julian was her way in. The way Aria tells it, he jumped at the chance. By then, he was eager for any way to make a bigger impact for the people suffering in that place.” He turns to Sebastian. “Reminds me of someone else I know.”

“Is that…?” They both turn at the sound of Jaime’s voice. He shrinks back a little at the attention, then clears his throat. “Sorry. Never mind.”

“What is it?” Sebastian says gently.

He opens his mouth, lips moving as he tries to form the words. He can’t look directly at Sebastian when he says, “Is that why you started working there? Because you wanted to help?”

(Okay, so it’s a spiral for right now).

Sebastian blinks. Behind his eyelids, he sees a flash of memory—nearly a year ago, lying on the floor of his apartment with a bottle of wine and an open laptop, looking at the job listing that would change his life forever—and he feels so pathetic. 

He has this sick feeling that if he told Jaime that his reasons for applying were entirely selfless, only for the purposes of helping from the inside, he would believe him. 

Sure, it was always his intention to help as much as he could once he was there, but he knows it would be a magnanimous lie to say it was anything but fear that led him to the WRU website that night. His grace period for loans was up and he was stuck without a job, completely alone in the world. Desperate was the word he would have used for that night. That was before he met people like Jaime, who taught him what real desperation looked like. How could he look him in the eye and say that now?

“I was never trying to be a hero,” he says finally. “I wish I could tell you something different. I guess…” He swallows. “I guess, like Julian, I always intended to help, but it started with a self-serving motivation. I can’t pretend otherwise.”

As the words leave his mouth, he feels so small. Now it is he who has to look down. Somewhere in the course of the past few months, Jaime has become the most important person in his life. He finds it impossible to face his judgment

“Thank you,” Jaime says, surprising him. “For being honest.”

Sebastian shakes his head, feeling a little nauseous. “Please,” he says. “Don’t… don’t thank me.”

“I…” Jaime looks at him, hesitating, then seeming to draw strength from the silent approval on his face. “I never knew what to make of it. Of you being in that place. Sometimes I still…” He shakes his head, closing his eyes. “When you come home, I can smell it on you. That place. And it… It’s hard.”

Guilt eats through his stomach lining, threatening to dissolve him entirely where he sits. I’m going to quit, the thought comes to his head without hesitation. I will quit tomorrow. Right now. I will email in my resignation, no two weeks, no notice. I will never violate Jaime’s home, his safe space, with that nightmare again.

But it’s not that simple, is it? Without his connection to that place, will he jeopardize his chances of renewing Jaime’s contract? Without another job lined up right away, will he be able to pay for it? And what happens to the dozens of other patients he will leave to Greer’s cruel hands?

This isn’t the kind of decision he can make in a split second of emotion. Not anymore. 

From now on, though, he will shower before he leaves work. He will bring an extra pair of clothes and only leave them in the car to change. He can do that much at least. 

“I’m so sorry,” Sebastian says.

“But you did help me,” Jaime says. “You do, I mean, presently. Obviously. I’m… I’m here. But back then, I mean. In the facility. You helped me so much.”

“It never felt like enough.”

“It was everything to me.” The intensity in his words draws Sebastian’s eyes back to his. “You kept me alive in that place. I’m glad you were there.”

It’s hard to take the words at face value when some part of him fears that Jaime is saying them out of some sense of obligation. But the worst thing he can do now is take any more agency away from Jaime by discounting anything he has to say. 

Before he can respond, though, Jaime asks, “You really would have believed me? If I told you that Handler—that your friend had hurt me?”

That requires no hesitation on Sebastian’s part. “I would have killed him myself.”

Jaime stares at him for a few seconds, nods, then finally wraps his hands around the cup of tea on the coffee table. Surely it’s cooled to room temperature by now, but he looks content as he takes a sip. 

“I’d like to say one more thing,” Ezra adds, gracefully ushering himself back into the conversation. “Jaime, nobody brought you here, into this circle, with explicit intentions of doing anything except making you comfortable and happy. Nobody is here to pressure you in any direction, especially with something as risky as this.” Ezra leans forward, fixing him with an earnest stare. “But you need to know that if you said the word, we would move mountains to get you out.”

****

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[spineless-lobster]

My thoughts about the newest Christmas special!!!! (Spoilers, duh)

first things first, AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

This is literally everything I could have asked for from a Ghosts episode!!! I will be going chronologically so I can somewhat organise my thoughts

AAAAAA Pat it watching the new scouts!!!!!!!!! This means so much to me!!!!

Okay but like the gasp I let out when it showed how Alison got a hold of the VHS tapes!!!!

Mike being exactly like his parents is so cute and funny lol

Fanny is such a girlboss for, ahem, "not leaving"

YES!!!!! PAT AND CAP BEING DRAMA TEACHERS!!!!!

I love how much the Captain thrives in his stage manager role

"Baron Hardup" is such an underrated joke omg

I had to look up was a "bluey" was because I'm sure Julian wouldn't bring up the Australian kids show about a little blue dog

Screaming and crying and throwing up was my reaction to the home videos because that hit me so hard

Pat's reaction to being made fun of in the tape: "I don't want to watch it anymore" FUCK 😭😭😭

I relate to Pat on so many levels

"Forty feral ferrets frolicking in France" is the new "The butler burnt the butter but the bacon bore the brunt" and I'm living for it and I WILL memorise it like how I did with the butler one

I love how optimistic Alison is in this episode even while stuck in traffic!

HUMPHREY'S BODY AND ROBIN HOLDING AND SWINGING HANDS IS SO 💖💖💖💖💖💖💖

MY VIZ-I-ON!!!!

CAP'S LITTLE DANCEY-DANCE OMG!!!!!!!

Robin comforting Pat is one of my favourite scenes in this episode (I have a lot of favourites lol) I always love seeing Robin be all wise and comforting and it's shown perfectly here

"On one hand, my darling daughter. On the other, my beloved wife." OMG THEY DID NOT JUST HAVE JULIAN SAY THAT 😭

YESSSSSS!!!! THE FIRST AND ONLY GOOD LORD FROM CAP!!!!! FINALLY!!!!!!!

I relate to Kitty with having all the pressure to be perfect being put on her

BING BONG!

"I'm just gonna phone home- I'm E.T." HILARIOUS DELIVERY!!!!

ALL THE PLAGUE GHOSTS 💖💖💖💖💖

Okay but the voice Cap puts on during Kitty's breakdown is making me go feral

Cap's Spice Girl speech is the gayest thing I've ever seen and I love that so much for him

"Shine like a star!" NEW DAILY AFFIRMATION JUST UNLOCKED!!!!

THE CAPTAIN BEING A DAD TO KITTY OH MY GOD!!!!!!!

I KNEW IT!!!! I KNEW THEY'D MAKE HIM THE FAIRY GOD MOTHER!!!!!!!

The way Mick got so invested in the panto lmao

This is great Fanny/Julian content btw

He put the "fairy" in fairy godmother let's just say that

✨Slwing!✨ WAND NOISES!!!!!

Cap is THRIVING in his role GOOD FOR HIM!!!!!

KITMASSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!! OH MY GOD YESSSSS!!!!!!!!

Bonus sound effect from Humphrey <3

The shoe lmao

FIRST ON-SCREEN GHOST HUG AND IT'S A KITMAS HUG OMG YESSSS THIS IS EVERYTHING!!!!

The "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" has both "In The Bleak Midwinter" and "Sorry Song" vibes I love it!

"Moonah so big you can almost touch it!" ROBIN I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!

As a proud owner of Risk Cap getting Risk means so much to me

Thomas sobbing to The Smiths is such a mood

FUCK! THE REST OF THE TAPE IS SO 😭😭😭😭😭

FUCK! PAT'S CRYING!!!! 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

I will be religiously rewatching this episode. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk

[kikuism]

wanted to talk about the songs i'm currently hooked on, esp since for once they're all english songs and i can actually say something other than 'ooh nice sounds!'

barbarism begins at home—the smiths: the guitar and bass riff in this is insaneeee and the way he's yelping??? crazy. one thing i really like about the smiths is how simple their lyrics are, you don't need a phd trying to figure out what they're saying. 'a crack on the head is what you get for not asking, a crack on the head is what you get for asking' well yes barbarism does begin at home! i've always loved the guitarwork in the smiths but this was the song that made me delve deeper into johnny marr’s work .... he's tooooooooo good

i want the one i can't have—the smiths: the yearning in this song makes me crazy... 'he killed a policeman when he was 13 and somehow that really impressed me', 'a double bed, a stalwart lover for sure, these are the riches of the poor', 'and if you ever need self validation just meet me in the alley by the railway station, it's all over my face' hello?????@+$+_

some girls are bigger than others—the smiths: the guitar riff in this song is so light and pretty, downright angelic, and then the lyrics are BOOBS! they were so funny for this. i genuinely cannottttt stop listening to this it's so addictive. THE RIFF. and why does it suddenly get soooo romantic at the end: send me the pillow, the one that you dream on, and i'll send you mine???? what the fuck. the outro lasts a full minute and i listen to it every time because the riff is that gorgeous

bigmouth strikes again—the smiths: the iconic joan of arc lyric <3 another sillay song....the imagery is so wacky. 'and as the flames touched her roman nose her walkman started to melt'??? and it just Sounds great too ughhhh another excellent guitar riff.... they're really unmatched when it comes to that funky addictive rock sound....the high pitched backing vocal is also so fun.

partners in crime—the strokes: what are they talking about <3 but it sounds sooo good esp the ending ohhh!! for me the strokes and the smiths are on opposite ends of the spectrum in that their lyrics aren't as clear but the sound is sooo good. i also love his voice in the higher register i love when a guy's voice gets higher in pitch i must say that's what makes the smiths delightful as well

under cover of darkness—the strokes: for me this is a classic rock song <3 like it almost makes me smile when the chorus kicks in. really love that slight gritty texture in his voice at 'are you okay?' and love how it's a long note too it scratches an itch in my brain

ode to the mets—the strokes: the moody wistful rock ooooohhhh yeeeaahhhh. the way the drums come in it's soooo good. the gritty texture on his voice in 'i needed you there, i didn't know'. it sounds so angsty i love it

instant crush—daft punk: this is ear candy for me can you believe this is my first daft punk song. it's so funky and fun and ofc julian casablancas's high notes and i love how the effect on his voice is just right without being overdone it's so great, my favorite bit is 'one thousand lonely stars hiding in the cold'

one way trigger—the strokes: as a falsetto lover this is music to my ears lmao and the ending is sooooo!!!! i don't wanna be in there with you i don't wanna be in there without your loving either

love you to—the beatles: when i heard the sitar my eyes bugged out like in tom and jerry.....that's sooooo cunty of them. i'm obsessed with the hypnotic rhythm of this song. 'each day just goes so fast, i turn around it's passed' real.....

taxman—the beatles: such a fun song omg.....'if it gets too cold i'll tax the heat if you drive a car i'll tax the street if you take a walk i'll tax your feet' these are lyrics for the People! they were so cunty for namecalling the taxmen in this song...i wonder how mr. wilson and mr. heath felt about it

sun king—the beatles: the hypnotic rhythm of this song is sooooo good like it just scratches my brain in such a nice way, especially when they start blabbering gibberish, that's my fave part <3 it's actually soooo good like it literally doesn't make sense

[hauntnowpod]

We're in week three of our crowdfunding campaign, and we've got more voice actors to introduce you to!

Jess "Bear" Winston is back as the voice of Alicia, Eulalie's boo (pun intended) who has some long overdue family business to attend to this season...

From Alicia in TWWHN to Kaan in On The Line... the vocal expansion of their talent is on rise... Please check them out on their soundcloud as well as their streams on www.twitch.tv/Moukeni! Feel free to say hi!

Jordan Alekzander Moore joins us this season as Howard!

Jordan is a voice actor from Memphis, TN doing primarily character work in animation and video games while also writing poetry and comedy.

Julian Dailey joins our haunting this season as one of the voices of Poltergeist 0. Dun dun dun. Julian's takes with Maritza made me GASP and they'll do the same when you hear them!!!

Julian Dailey is an afro-latino voice actor based in Pittsburgh, PA. He completed an Acting degree at Northwestern University and has studied under stage and voice actors alike, such as Scott Burns, Tommy Rapley, and Cassandra Lee Morris. Julian has been a featured voice on several shows including The Sheridan Tapes, Tales From the Fringes of Reality, and Tales of the Echowood. In his free time, you can find him sinking hours into video games and animated shows without blinking.

Kira Apple is back as our favorite incorrigible undead Narrator (and Mary... whose role deepens this season in an exciting, spoilery way).

Kira Apple is a part-time voice actor and full-time cat wrangler. Her voice work includes the role of Jack St. James in Superstition, Katya Harper in Electromancy, and Cybilene in Inn Between. A bookseller at Charis Books & More, the oldest independent feminist bookstore in the US South, Kira also volunteers at the PAWS Atlanta Cat Cottage and enjoys video games, reading romance, scifi, and fantasy, and playing TTRPGs.

We're so delighted Kirsty Woolven is returning as one of the voices of The Apartment AND the voice of Fidelia!

Kirsty Woolven is a voice actor based in the Midlands. You can hear them in several audiodrama podcasts such as: The Secret of St Kilda, Apollyon, Devoid of Space, Shadows At The Door and The Sheridan Tapes. When not in the booth, they can be found on stage, playing Animal Crossing or writing! For more info, their website is at: https://kirstywoolven.carrd.co/

Lindsay Zana is returning as Danny, who has quite the character arc this season!

Lindsay is an LA based actor and singer with a love for Shakespeare, Musicals and audio dramas. When she's not emoting behind a microphone, she can be found singing with Top Shelf Vocal, filming self-tapes, or chilling with her husband and puppy.

Madi Opincaru joins us this season as City Ghost and Poltergeist 5!

Madi loves giving voice to a variety of characters in podcasts, games and animations, with occasional dabbing into narration. When she's not recording she enjoys playing D&D and indie games, reading and napping with her cats.

Maria Corcobado joins us this season as FF House Ghost 3 and FF House (those pesky abbreviations again! You'll have to listen to find out what they're for).

Trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art: Mary Shelly (Bloody Poetry), Duckling Smith (Our Country's Good). Winner of the Lilian Baylis Award. Classical roles include: Lady Macbeth (Macbeth), Titania (Midsummers Night Dream) Chorus (Henry V). Nominated for Voiceover Newcomer of the Year at the One Voice Awards 2022. Radio work includes: Let's Write a Story (Radio 3), Something Understood (Radio 4). Recent Audio Work: Ignited Melodies (Audible), Nya (Department of Variance of Somewhere, Ohio), Monogabliss (Kolbold Blue Productions).

Maritza Rodriguez voiced Ylena last season, and she's back this season as one of the voices of Poltergeist 0. I CACKLED with horrified glee when I heard her and Julian's takes. STAY TUNED!!!

Maritza's bio is short and on point: Bringing art and creativity into the world one step at a time!

Marlon Dance-Hooi joins us this season as Chief Inspector Turnbubble!

Marlon is a Eurasian Australian Actor and Voice-over Artist. He has been performing in some form or other since early childhood. His breakout role in the King and I (alongside the legendary Hayley Mills) instilled a love of the craft and a passion for theatre. He continued on stage in multiple South Australian productions throughout high school and college, and after completing degrees in Arts and Law embarked upon a professional acting career. Moving to Sydney and then Singapore, he worked on everything from live theatre and Fringe shows to feature films and television, appearing on four Singaporean TV series and several award winning short films. Throughout this period he worked tirelessly on his craft, tutored by working actors Sam Haft, Chum Ehelopola and Kamil Haque and learning Meisner, Adler, Chekov, Improv, Suzuki and Meyerhold techniques. Marlon is also a skilled impressionist and has lent his smooth, articulate and versatile voice to 8 animated series, including the award-winning Netflix show Oddbods, and several animated feature films, in addition to dozens of ads, corporate videos, podcasts and animated shorts. In his spare time he is an avid roleplayer, creating fantasy worlds, as well as a fan of manga and speculative fiction.

Mary-Anne Stanek joins us this season as Sister Prudence (a character who is pure delight, in my book).

Mary-Anne is a student, part-time tutor and voice actress based in South-Western France.

Michelle Sellers joins us this season as Tricia.

Michelle Sellers is a voice actor based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Before voice over, she was an infectious disease research scientist but a disability took her out of the lab and into the studio. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her family doing most anything as long as they are there. You can find her on Twitter @VO_Bowtiekitty

Please help make them all welcome, and if you can share our crowdfunding campaign:

[evelynmlewis]

Friendly reminder that Earth’s Champion, my 50K fic about Shiro’s year in Galran captivity, is still up on fanfiction.net and ao3. :)

Here’s an excerpt from the fic:

___________________________________

The Galra – he had listened to their speech and heard this one called a Lieutenant – opened the cell with a palm. The blue screen dissolved.

One of the Galra kicked the purple shirt. “Put it on.”

Shiro stood up and carefully donned the ragged garment, eyeing the two aliens.

“Time to go.” The Lieutenant leveled a blaster at him. As Shiro stepped outside the cell, for the first time since Kerberos, he could see Matt Holt. The boy was crouching in the back of cell four, and he’d put on the purple shirt already. His eyes fixed on Shiro. He looked terrified.

The other Galra moved on to Matt’s cell, opened it, and pointed his blaster at Matt. “Come.” He had none of the careful intensity with which the Lieutenant managed Shiro, however, and Shiro had the feeling they both knew who was more dangerous.

They exited the cellblock. Shiro risked a glance behind him (to the prod of a blaster) and saw that the other aliens from their cellblock were being led along behind them. They were a motley bunch.

But he wasn’t able to get a good look at them until they reached their destination. It was only a few halls away, and it was a sort of holding room. The floor was sand, and the ceiling sloped upwards from where they’d come and downwards toward a closed, pentagonal door. He glanced at the ceiling. The underside of bleachers. He could practically feel the weight above, and the vibrations of movement.

Even as they’d approached through the halls, he’d heard the noise—a dull, building roar, a heavy sound that he recognized. Crowds. Shouting.

The raw anticipation of a sporting event was like a pheromone that permeated the air, bleeding through the walls and infecting the entire company. Shiro’s nerves reached a crescendo.

The Galra had vacated the waiting room. The rest of the aliens trembled. They weren’t gladiators, he realized, any more than he or Matt were. He could hardly take stock of them all.

          There was a lime-green fleshy alien with leaf like protrusions sticking from the sides of its head. Next to it was a green frog-like alien, then an alien with fish lips and four arms, and an antennae-like protrusion from its forehead. There was a blue and white spotted alien with floppy ears like a dog. There was a bulky, lizardlike magenta alien.

           There were three humanoids as well, of indeterminate gender. One had pale yellow with webbed fingers, another two were of the same kind, with rock-studded skin. They had already been here when he and Matt arrived. He had the feeling that they were from cells 1 through 3.

And lastly, there was a pink, six-armed creature with a little beak that reminded him of an octopus. Each arm was sticking through the sleeve of a gray suit and a purple shirt not unlike the ones he and Matt were wearing.

He had only to hear it whispering to the fish-lipped alien before he realized who it was.

“Yeah, that’s him.”

“From cell five?” the fish-lipped alien whispered back with some apprehension, but not quietly enough. Shiro ignored them.

“Yep.”

“The guy who was shouting in the cell last night?” the magenta lizard grunted. “I bet he’ll be an absolute beast in the ring.”

Now, hang on. That wasn’t fair. He’d been tired, hungry, kidnapped, and Musha had mocked him. But they were afraid. Of him. And suddenly his idea morphed into something solid.

          The pentagonal door slid open, and the dull roar turned into a sharp one. The sand stretched out flat over an area about the length of a football field. And it really was like a football stadium. There were four spiked pillars in the center. The walls of the arena sloped outward, and above them were bleachers so vast they looked like great planes. The stadium must have seated… Shiro’s mind wasn’t in a state to estimate. Ten thousand? The audience was a technicolor blur. He could smell their sweat.

The aliens huddled back. Figures appeared in the doorway. Sentries.

One of the sentries leveled a bladed weapon at the yellow-skinned humanoid that Shiro could only take for a sword. It had a semicircular blade affixed to its end that looked deadly as any scythe.

“You first,” rasped a synthetic voice.

“Wh—I—no!” Relative to the others in the room, the creature’s face was expressive and easy to read. He saw the panic in her? His? eyes. But the sentries came into the waiting chamber, and forcibly separated the denizen of cell one from the rest of the group. They dumped him in the sand outside the door, and a grated portcullis fell across the pentagon.

They could still see the ring, but they could not interfere.

The alien staggered to its bare feet. There were fins on its ankles. “I’m unarmed,” it was pleading with the sentries. “I don’t even have claws or teeth. Please!”

But the sentries had already powered down for the fight. He could see the purple light leaving their eyes.

The crowd roared, and Shiro’s eyes fell to the far side of the ring. There another pentagonal door had opened.

“PLEASE WELCOME…” It was the booming voice of an announcer.

“THE VICTOR OF THE YEAR 1023 EMPIRE CHAMPTIONSHIPS… MYZAX!”

There was an even greater roar, and Myzax emerged. They went on and, on, hardly dying down until Myzax reached the center of the ring. The yellow-skinned alien still had not moved from its position near the door.

“FIGHT!”

Myzax began to lumber towards them. Shiro watched him. He was not the quickest or most agile opponent. He had gray, leathery skin, and an ugly orcish face that gave Shiro the impression of low intelligence, though the assumption was likely prejudicial. His biggest strength appeared to be that he was armed.

He was at least 12 feet tall, wearing spike-studded gauntlets and a breastplate. But most importantly, he was carrying a torch-like wand. This weapon held a ball of sizzling purple energy.

The function of the weapon soon became apparent.

The amphibious alien was forced to dodge as Myzax swung the torch. The energy ball came flying across the arena, and smashed into the wall, where it disappeared.

From there it was more throwing and dodging. The alien didn’t even try to fight back. It was painful to watch, and Shiro knew it could only go on for so long. All the while Myzax kept lumbering closer and closer, until he had the alien cornered against the wall.

Shiro tried to stop watching. He really did. “Matt,” he said. “Don’t look.” Matt looked away, but then looked again through squinted eyes.

In the end, it was the gauntlet, not the orb. Myzax brought it down with a crushing blow. They heard the crack of the amphibian’s spine, and a horrific squeal.

The aliens in the waiting room recoiled. Matt let out a choked breath.

Myzax lumbered back to the center of the ring.

“AND… MYZAX REMAINS THE CHAMPION!”

Sentries were already swarming out to remove the alien’s body.

“NEXT UP! BALMERANS FROM THE PLANET BALMERA!”

Shiro’s stomach turned. This was sick blood sport. How could they enjoy this? The two rocky aliens were already standing up.

“I see we go together,” said one of them in a distinctly female voice.

“Indeed, sister,” said the male one grimly. “We shall approach him from either side. Perhaps we can win.”

Shiro perked up a little. Whatever they saw wouldn’t be pleasant, but these rocky aliens clearly had some fight in them.

The grate slid up again, and the sentries appeared, but the Balmerans didn’t wait to be prodded. They barreled out into the ring. Then, true to their word, they went separate ways, the sister to the right, the brother to the left. Myzax turned back and forth, trying to track both of them. Maybe this was going to work.

The sister stopped, and made some sort of taunt, with a yell that he couldn’t hear over the shouts of the crowd. Myzax took the bait. Focusing on her, he raised his torch.

Meanwhile, the brother lowered his head, capped with a dark helmet-like bone protrusion. He charged for Myzax’s back with a powerful head-butt, like some kind of hornless bull. The blow connected with the gladiator’s thigh, and he staggered. The energy ball flew, but it was misaimed.

The sister took the opening to come running in. She tackled his left while the brother grabbed for the torch. The aliens in the holding room held their breaths.

Myzax shook himself like a dog, throwing the Balmeran sister away from him. He swung his weapon downward and, not even bothering to throw the energy ball, plunged it into the Balmeran brother’s face.

There was a sizzle and the loud SNAP of energy. The brother fell away. His face was… not even a face anymore, just a blackened lump.

Even despite the general noise, they could hear the sister scream. She staggered back to the arena wall. She seemed frozen, unable to move as the gladiator raised that torch again. And then, with the practiced ease of a professional batter, he threw the ball. This time his aim was true.

The crowd roared again. A general aura of doom settled more heavily over the rest of the prisoners.

“WELL WELL FOLKS, YOU’RE IN FOR A TREAT! NEXT UP WE HAVE A NOVELTY SPECIES FROM… PLANET OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN! … AFTER THE COMMERCIAL BREAK!”

Cell four. Matt.

The commercial break was an opportunity for the sentries to more thoroughly clean up the arena, and concessions to be sold. Myzax retreated briefly.

“I’m not gonna make it,” Matt said tremulously. “I’ll never see my family again.”

Shiro was biding his time, watching the sentries. There could only be a few more seconds until the end of the commercial break. “You can do this,” he said, putting his hand on Matt’s shoulder. Anything to encourage him in the moment, but he couldn’t explain his plan out loud. He could only hope Matt would understand.

Shiro braced himself for what he was about to do.

          The gate withdrew to the ceiling. One of the sentries stepped in again and pointed that sword straight at Matt, who gasped.

            That was his cue. He bellowed, and leaped forward, grabbing Matt by the shoulder. He shoved the younger boy backwards into the sand, then went from under the sentry’s arm to wrest the sword from its grasp. The creatures were surprisingly unstable.

           Still inside the gate, he wheeled round, brandishing the sword. The aliens recoiled from him. Musha showed confusion, the rest only terror. “This is MY fight!”

           These Galra seemed to respect bloodlust. Well, maybe they’d let him get away with this.

           Sorry, Matt.

          He turned on Matt, and swung the sword at him below the knee. He winced internally at the ripping of fabric, the thin line of blood, and the absolutely shocked look on Matt’s face.

           “I want BLOOD!!”

          Shiro pounced on Matt, who was already on the ground. With his face only inches from Matt’s, he dropped the mask for the only second he had. “Take care of your father.”

           As comprehension dawned on Matt’s face, he felt sentry hands on his shoulders. And, still holding the sword, Shiro was dragged backwards into the ring.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/20507648/chapters/48669032#workskin

[magician-apologist]

@yesmaamyam​ -Julian smith voice- I made these for you.

[stateofloveandnegan]

All Grown Up II - Negan Smith

Here it issss, the second part. I really enjoyed writing this and I hope you enjoy reading it! I felt this was a good way to end it, but if anyone is interested in more parts to this story, please do let me know! 

pairing: negan x reader

short summary:

Your community comes across a community known as Alexandria. You come along on a visit to this new found community. What you never expected, was to see a familiar face living there; your old gymnastics teacher, professor Smith.

warnings/notes:

the reader is about 25 in this story. age gap relationship.

word count: 2.4k

Part one

Part two

Part three

MASTERLIST

“Welcome home.”

That sounded odd to Negan, considering he’d never been to Safe Haven, but it made him smile, nonetheless. “Thank you.” His voice was rather soft, almost a whisper, and you practically melted right there, his hands still holding your form ever so lightly.

After a moment of gazing into his eyes, you blinked. “C’mon, I’ll give you a tour.” When you finally looked away from him, you noticed some of your friends giving you knowing grins, which you brushed off with a roll of your eye.

Moving away from the older man, you smiled at him again. “Let’s start over here and then go around.”

Negan agreed and followed you around as you showed him the entirety of your home; Safe Haven. It was refreshing to him, to see a new place with new faces. No one judging him for his past.

When you’d gone through the whole community, with an occasional stop here and there, you eventually made it to your house. “You have a beautiful home here, (y/n). Thank you for taking me in.”

For someone you used to know as a cocky ass teacher, he had turned very soft. Or it had just always been buried deep inside him. Either way, it was nice to be able to see that side of him. Sure, in the past month or so, you’d definitely seen that cocky side as well, and you had to admit; you loved it. There was nothing like that gentle sound in his voice, nothing that made you as calm as when you heard that.

“There’s something else… since there aren’t any homes free, I was going to offer mine. I have a spare room with a couch that can be used as a bed, too. Unless you’d rather stay somewhere else?”

A little laugh left Negan’s lips as he shook his head, “That sounds perfect.” His smile made you feel a little something inside, but before you could put too much thought into that, you walked up to the door and opened it for him. “Come in.”

After showing him around the house, you felt quite hungry, and as a thank you for giving him this opportunity, he offered to make you both dinner. Much to your surprise, he was an excellent cook, managing to make something very special.

“This is delicious, Negan.” You said after a moment, your eyes meeting his while the two of you sat at your dinner table. He smiled and mouthed a silent ‘thank you’.

Perhaps it was a little awkward, to suddenly be so free in each other’s presence, and to know that you’d be together almost every day from now on. But it was also exciting; you couldn’t wait for it all.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Negan’s voice pulled you back to your dinner, a light blush of embarrassment creeping up your neck as a chuckle left your lips, “Sorry… I was just—I was thinking about how nice it is to have you here.”

A smile entered the older man’s face, looking down at his empty plate as he nodded. “I’m glad to be here.”

That smile… God, that fucking smile had your knees weak every damn time. You were lucky you were sat down on a chair, or your legs would’ve surely given in.

“It’s quite funny, isn’t it? Us… sitting here, eating dinner together. I never thought I’d meet anyone from before again, let alone my old gym teacher.”

“Jesus (y/n), don’t remind me I was your teacher.” A soft groan left the man’s lips, his hand moving up to cover his face. His reaction had you laughing a little and you slowly got up, moving to gather your plates so you could clean up.

When you stood close by him, he removed his hand from his eyes and looked up at you, “Let me help.” but you shook your head at his words, “You already cooked, I’ll clean up. Go get cosy in the living room, have a good look around. There’s some books and stuff.”

He tried very sweetly to get you to agree to him helping you clean up, but you weren’t having it and promptly sent him out of the kitchen, a smile on your lips as you watched him finally go.

Cleaning up the kitchen didn’t take very long, considering it was only the two of you and a few pans and knives. Soon enough, you finished up and left the kitchen, as well. When you got closer to the living room, you smiled when you heard some music playing.

Not very long ago, you were on a run and found a record player and some records, still all in good shape. With some arguing, you managed to keep it for yourself, giving it a nice spot in your living room.

When you heard which song was playing, you had to laugh. It was such a cheesy one, but you loved it. It was an old 80s record: Lady In Red by Chris de Burgh.

As soon as you appeared in the doorway to the room Negan was in, his hand reached out for yours and he gently pulled you closer. Your heartrate picked up at the action and sudden closeness of your bodies, eyes slightly widened.

“Relax.” His voice soothed you, making you relax in his grip as you moved your own arms up around neck. “Just follow my lead.”

You did as he told you, following his lead. Soon enough, you had the moves under control and your body loosened up a little, a smile appearing on your face.

Negan was a good amount taller than you, yet it felt like your faces were mere inches apart from one another.

When you looked up, you noticed Negan was already looking at you and you felt your cheeks heating up. Ever since that first time you saw him in Alexandria, you started falling for him, and now you were in it, deep.

His gazed flicked down from your eyes to your lips, making your heart almost jump out of your chest. Unwillingly, your gaze did the same, really focusing on his lips and the way they were ever so slightly parted.

You were already absentmindedly moving to stand up on your toes, when Negan suddenly pulled away, leaving a cold space behind where his body was just pressed against yours.

It only really hit you what happened when Negan moved towards the record player to turn the thing off. “It’s getting late, (y/n/n). We should go upstairs.”

The realisation of what was going on made your chest ache, a small frown appearing on your forehead, which you quickly hid when your eyes met his again. A small chuckle (that absolutely didn’t reach your eyes) falling from your lips.

“Yeah, let me get you some clean bedsheets for your bed.”

Feeling like you were suffocating in that room, you quickly left to go upstairs and make Negan’s bed. He really… really did just pull away the moment you were about to… kiss? Yeah, that’s exactly what happened. Your eyes closed for a moment while you stood by his bed, the sheets in your hands.

Fucking hell, what were you thinking? What the hell were you thinking? Now everything would be awkward as fuck, just because you couldn’t keep your little crush to yourself.

The sound of someone clearing their throat had you opening your eyes. “You need any help?” It was Negan, of course it was. You quickly shook your head, giving him a smile, “No, I can manage this, don’t worry. You can go use the bathroom now if you want.”

He nodded at your suggestion and left you be again, making you sigh out deeply as you got to fixing his bed.

When you were done, you left to go to your own room. You gathered the clothes you would sleep in and waited until you heard Negan leave the bathroom.

What you hadn’t anticipated, was the fact that he could’ve possibly slept shirtless. So when you saw him standing in the hallway, in just some shorts, you felt yourself freeze on the spot.

There was definitely some awkward tension, despite both Negan ad you trying to act as if nothing happened. “It’s all yours.” He eventually spoke up, smiling while pointing at the bathroom.

“Thanks. If there’s anything else you need…”

He shook his head, his dimples on display making you melt. “I’m good, thank you. Sleep well, (y/n).”

You returned the wish of a good night, before slowly disappearing into the bathroom. After doing your thing, you returned to your bedroom and slipped into your bed.

Another deep sigh left your lips before you let your eyes fall shut, sleep soon consuming you.

The next day, you were up early and that turned out to be a good thing when one of your friends, Julian, came to find you and ask for your help. There was something wrong with one of the barriers holding the wall up by the gates, so you went to work and got it fixed.

It was already noon when you saw Negan’s figure walking around the grounds. He was holding some gardening tools, so you figured he offered to help with planting new crops. It was nice of him, to start working and helping the community so quick after his arrival.

The day went by in the blink of an eye. Before you knew it, you were half sitting, half lying on the couch. Dinner had been something easy today and Negan was just finishing with cleaning up before he joined you.

Even though there was some tension between you two earlier, it seemed to be all gone now, which you were very grateful for.

The couch was just big enough for the both of you to fit on, though not without your bodies touching. Your mind was going back to last night, but you closed your eyes and managed to think of something else before you got too into it.

You had no idea what Negan was doing, but when you opened your eyes, you saw him looking at you in deep thought. He didn’t even realise you caught him staring at you before he blinked.

“Everything okay?” you asked gently, making him let out a soft laugh. Something seemed to be on his mind.

Before he answered, he sighed. “I was an idiot last night.”

His words caught you off-guard; did he mean— “I don’t know why I pulled back. I didn’t want to, that’s for fucking sure.”

So, he did mean that. “It’s okay, Negan. I shouldn’t have initiated anything, I was a bit lost in… well, in you, I guess.”

There was no reason to beat around the bush anymore, was there? An embarrassed look entering your face, but he was quick to shake his head. “No, you did exactly what I was hoping for. I just chickened out.”

Once again, his words had you surprised, and the look on your face made him laugh. “Yeah, you heard that right.”

You burst into a soft fit of laughter, moving to sit up a little while your laughter died down. “So… if I were to do it again, you wouldn’t pull back?”

He shook his head.

Well, that made you nervous. But a good nervous. Like, the kind of nervous you get when you get ready for a first date you’re excited for.

Slowly, you scooted closer to him, until your side was practically pressed up against his side. He already turned his body a little; the position would make it easier for you to reach him.

Your heart practically jumped out of your chest with the rate it was beating at, but you pushed your insecurities to the side and moved closer and closer to the man sitting beside you, until your faces were only inches apart, again.

Negan must’ve noticed your hesitation because he was the one to make the last move. Your lips connected in a warm and soft kiss, Negan’s hand gently meeting your face. His fingers were rough as they traced over the side of your face.

You sighed out softly into the kiss, slowly moving yourself closer to him. He got what you were getting at and lifted you up just enough so you could slip into his lap, your arms wrapping around his neck again. Your fingers slipped into the hair at the nape of his neck. The action earned you a soft groan from the man sitting beneath you.

When you pulled apart, you were breathless. your faces remained close, and the feeling of Negan’s beard tickling your chin made you chuckle, which in return, caused him to chuckle.

One of Negan’s hands gently pushed your face back just enough so his eyes could meet yours, “That’s what should’ve happened last night. I even tried to set the mood with the cheesy fucking music.”

That made you laugh, your fingers playing with his hair at the back of his head. It was so soft. “I love it when you smile.”

God, he was on a roll, wasn’t he? Managing to make you feel so good and safe, and managing to make you blush like an idiot. “Thank you. I could say the same about you, you have a beautiful smile.”

Now it was his turn to look down, as if he was shy. The action was endearing, it made your heart skip a beat. Leaning in, you pressed your lips against his forehead.

The two of you stayed like that for a while. Holding each other, sharing kisses and loving glances. The moment was more perfect than you could’ve ever imagined it to be, but like everything, it had to end.

It was already really late and you both had a busy day on the planning for tomorrow, so it was time to go to bed. Before you went upstairs, though, Negan grabbed your hand, that signature grin of his back on his face.

“You making me sleep on the couch again tonight?”

“Woah, woah, tiger.” You laughed at his words, nudging him lightly. “Not so fast. Step by step. Soon enough you’ll be allowed in my bed.”

You finished your words with a wink at him. He was only teasing, and so were you, you both knew that. But to say the idea of him holding you at night while you were sleeping didn’t sound appealing was a lie. In fact, you couldn’t wait until the moment he would do just that.

[doubleattitude]

Radix Dance Convention, Las Vegas, NV: RESULTS

High Scores by Age:

Rookie Solo

1st: Mila Renae-’Soldier’

1st: Melina Blitz-’The Poet Creature’

2nd: Aliya Yen-’Loyal, Brave & True’

3rd: Sebastian Mancini-’Guerrerio’

4th: Dylan Reuss-’Lost Boy’

5th: Bella Mendez-’Pump’

6th: Emma Acosta-’Lip Gloss’

7th: Lexi Yeackle-’I Will Wait’

8th: Kaiya Carrillo-’Love Shack’

8th: Rylan Farrales-’Stand In The Light’

9th: Enslee Moore-’Ooh Child’

10th: Olivia Caylor-’Queen Bee’

Mini Solo

1st: Kinley Cunningham-’Glam’

2nd: Fiona Wu-’Red Dust’

3rd: Joy Line-’Broken Dreams’

3rd: Carrigan Paylor-’Orange Colored Sky’

3rd: Karyna Majeroni-’Pistolet’

3rd: Keelyn Jones-’Slowly Fading’

3rd: Fiona Sartain-’The Way You Move’

4th: Starr Castro-’Bang Bang’

4th: Peyton Szuberla-’Glacier’

4th: Addison Price-’We Will Not Give In’

5th: Madelyn Murphy-’Desierto’

5th: Roxie Onellion-’Drifting Down’

6th: Esprit Frank-’Grains’

6th: Claire Gestring-’On The Mast of Faith’

7th: Tiara Sherman-’Cielo’

7th: Jenna Le-’Matters to Me’

7th: Cerys Cogswell-’Pure Imagination’

8th: Jacob Barrow-’Shifting’

8th: Aurora Brady-’Hit The Road Jack’

8th: Cha Cha Shen-’Here I Come’

8th: Alyssa Mastroianni-’Crippled Bird’

8th: Leah Munson-’Copy Cat’

8th: Claire Hansen-’By The Roses’

8th: Peyton Nowacki-’Angels to Fly’

9th: Annabella Atkinson-’The Dutch Girl’

9th: Eden Hawkins-’Shadow’

9th: Olive O’Connell-’Live Like Legends’

9th: Ella King-’Like A River’

9th: Tatum Brady-’Fall Creek’

9th: Oliviana Mancini-’At Peace’

10th: Leighton Brandt-’Legs’

10th: Annie Carlson-’Young’

Junior Solo

1st: Kylie Kaminsky-’The Offering’

2nd: Brooke Toro-’As The Dust Settles’

2nd: Coltrane Vodicka-’Moon River’

2nd: Alita Kneeland-’Spine

2nd: Makaia Roux-’Unbound’

3rd: Alexis Mayer-’Vivid

4th: Emmy Claire Kaiden-’Eyesore’

4th: Naia Parker-’Lit’

5th: Bella Kidder-’Feeling Good’

5th: Hope Edwards-’Gravity’

5th: Lucy Cavender-’Material Girl’

5th: Isabelle Zorrilla-’Orion’

5th: Kira Chan-’Pump’

5th: Kendyl Fay-’To Build A Home’

5th: Aaliyah Dixon-’Toxic’

6th: Mackenzie Kleveno-’Lost It To Trying’

6th: Taytum Ruckle-’Perfect Lie’

6th: Anabel Alexander-’Plans We Made’

7th: Victoria Johnson-’Genius’

7th: Aedyn Bekker-’New York State of Mind’

7th: Brianna Gorksi-’Night Sky’

8th: Kendall Jundt-’Awakening’

8th:Lexi Godwin-’Debut’

8th: Casey Cheung-’I Remember’

8th: Ava Hill-’Shallow’

9th: Izzy Wadington-’Final Solution’

9th: Jovie Leigh Ugerio-’Ring Them Bells’

10th: Madison De Dios-’On My Mind’

10th: Clare Loftus-’Restless Night’

10th: Delaney Bojorquez-’Tessellate’

Teen Solo

1st: Ashur Taylor-’Relax’

2nd: Cydney Heard-’Black Mourning’

2nd: Gianna Mojonnier-’Inside Outside’

2nd: Olivia Magni-’Moonlight Sonata’

2nd: Coco Saul-’Transportin’

3rd: Jadyn Saigusa-’Wonderlust’

3rd: Emily Madden-’Vibeology’

3rd: Calli Perryman-’Still Running’

3rd: Michelle Cheng-’Sinking’

3rd: Georgia Ehrlich-’On My Mind’

3rd: Tyler Chiyuto-’Llarona’

3rd: Blanche Arnold-’How To Be Your Own Person’

3rd: Ava Lynn-’Everything’s Alright’

3rd: Addison Middleton-’Dark Dissonance’

4th: Charlotte Cogan-’You’

4th: Hailey Meyers-’Standing Still’

4th: Isiah Bowens-’Miss You’

4th: Avery Hall-’If I Think’

4th: Luke Barrett-’Eden’

4th: Emma Donnelly-’Departure’

4th: Ava Kendall-’Always On My Mind’

5th: Zuzu Duchon-’Twelfth of Never’

5th: Angelika Edejer-’Toxic Thoughts’

5th: Riley Platenberg-’Talking Points’

5th: Annabelle Mang-’One Small Step’

5th: Sabine Nehls-’No Regrets’

5th: Ella Montano-’Lonely’

5th: Natalie Bowen-’I Think I’m Alone Now’

5th: Cade Clark-’I Can’t Move’

5th: Berlynn Gonzalez-’Hero’

5th: Courtney Chiu-’Fever’

5th: Drew Rosen-’Exhalation’

5th: Rachel Polizzotto-’Entrapment’

5th: Raven Alanes-’Confusion’

5th: Mikaella Lopez-’Blues-y’

5th: Izzy Howard-’Amen’

6th: Sophia Oppegard-’You Can’t Leave’

6th: Elle O’Donnell-’Slowly’

6th: Lily Godwin-’Ode to Divorce’

6th: Aubrie Stoehr-’Now I Cry’

6th: Sofia Mah-’Life’

6th: Mia Ibach-’Koladi Ola’

6th: Piper Rovsek-’Innate Abstraction’

6th: Sakura Amano-’I Love You’

6th: Sophia Albornoz-’Even When It Hurts’

6th: Sammi Chung-’eight’

6th: Ella Sheppard-’Do You’

6th: Ally Cheung-’Cut The World’

6th: Kate Seleno-’Curtain Call’

6th: Kayla Harrison-’Crumbling’

7th: Kennedy Blazek-’Zilla’

7th: Libby Haye-’Work Song’

7th: Katelyn Neasham-’Touch’

7th: Sebastian Hsu-Kwan-’Scat’

7th: Lauren Pond-’Satellite Heart’

7th: Aleyna Laba-’Playdoh’

7th: Linda Diaz-’Paper Moon’

7th: Maya Krajicek-’Idea for Strings’

7th: Kennie Shen-’Feeling Good’

7th: Jenna Tarry-’Down The Line’

7th: Ava Thorp-’Blue Notebook’

7th: Emma Hellenkamp-’Blackbird’

7th: Felix Fulton-’A Dream I Can’t Forget’

8th: Dempsey Foxson-’Vain’

8th: Carys Ashby-’The Empress’

8th: Angelica Keamy-’Research’

8th: Melina Gurich-’Net Works’

8th: Raina Wu-’Looking In’

8th: Alexis Olson-’Just Say That’

8th: Gabi D’Ambra-’In For the Kill’

8th: Piper Camm-’Drones’

8th: Scotlynn Potter-’Cinematic Plea for an End’

8th: Ava Saremaslani-’Canvas’

9th: Maile Cochran-’Tesselate’

9th: Jera Linkins-’Put Your Records On’

9th: Kayla Seitel-’Monster’

9th: Alexis Ahn-’Brighter Days’

9th: Brayden Owens-’Tux’

10th: Addyson Smith-’Ecdysis’

10th: Presslie Novits-’Let Me Entertain You’

10th: Siena Riga-’Naked’

10th: Mandy Boaz-’Pink’

10th: Brooklyn Piano-’Solitary’

10th: Destiny Harris-’Up’

Senior Solo

1st: Alex Shulman-’In System’

1st: Ella Horan-’Silk’

2nd: Jade Bucci-’Sacrifice’

3rd: Alexis Weldner-’Release’

3rd: Jemoni Powe-’Second Thought’

4th: Brianna Sanchez-’Stolen’

4th: Charlotte Foldes-’You Forget Everything’

5th: Izzy Burton-’Gimme’

6th: Mallory McKenna-’I’m Lonely’

6th: Julian Menendez-’Note to Self’

6th: Kennedy Barry-’The Distance Between’

7th: Makaila Teagle-’Breathe Into Me’

7th: Vanessa Valenzuela-’Poem About Death’

7th: Bailey Holt-’Rose Water’

8th: Emmy Cheung-’Nostos’

8th: Alex Andrada-’Still In Love’

9th: Nina Sawaya-’All I Wanted’

9th: Lauren Polizzotto-’Distant Echos’

9th: Reese Willis-’Godspeed’

9th: Hannah Averbuck-’Got2BReal’

9th: Savannah Laughton-’Nostalgia’

10th: Izabel Hurtado-’Film Credits’

10th: Aleialanee Ponce De Leon-’Mirrored Heart’

10th: Megan Chie-’You’

Rookie Duo/Trio

1st: Studio Fusion-’Kansas City’

1st: Danceology-’Time of My Life’

2nd: Bobbie’s School of Performing Arts-’Tomorrow’

3rd: Notion Dance Concepts-’MILK $’

Mini Duo/Trio

1st: Mather Dance Company-’Respect’

2nd: Murrieta Dance Project-’Midnight Train’

3rd: Studio X-’Vogue’

3rd: Bobbie’s School of Performing Arts-’We Are’

Junior Duo/Trio

1st: Bobbie’s School of Performing Arts-’And So It Is’

2nd: Bobbie’s School of Performing Arts-’Inception’

3rd: Danceology-’Celloopa’

3rd: Evoke Dance Movement-’Everything Is In Line’

Teen Duo/Trio

1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’Make Me High’

2nd: Danceology-’Busy Signal’

3rd: Danceology-’Smile In The Rain’

Senior Duo/Trio

1st: Bobbie’s School of Performing Arts-’Refuse’

2nd: Studio Kin-’The Night We Met’

3rd: Studio Kin-’Never Love Again’

Rookie Group

1st: Danceology-’Ladies Room’

2nd: Mather Dance Company-’Fabulous’

3rd: Danceology-’Kingdom’

Mini Group

1st: Mather Dance Company-’Hot Stuff’

2nd: Danceology-’Happy’

3rd: Evoke Dance Movement-’Searching For...’

Junior Group

1st: Orange County Performing Arts Academy-’Wind It Up’

2nd: Danceology-’Give Yourself In’

2nd: The Rock Center for Dance-’Over The Edge’

3rd: Orange County Performing Arts Academy-’Sing Sing Sing’

Teen Group

1st: Danceology-’Dream of Dreaming’

2nd: The Rock Center for Dance-’Heavenly Bodies’

3rd: West Coast School of the Arts-’All Coming Back’

Senior Group

1st: Mather Dance Company-’We The Soldiers’

2nd: Mather Dance Company-’For All We Know’

3rd: Studio Fusion-’Coconut’

3rd: Academy of Nevada Ballet Theatre-’Those That Follow’

Open Group

1st: Community Dance Training-’The Place You Left’

Rookie Line

1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’Inanna’

2nd: The Rock Center for Dance-’Suite Tea’

3rd: Studio Kin-’SK Crew’

Mini Line

1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’6 Out of Six’

2nd: Motion State Studios-’Sisters’

3rd: Danceology-’Time Passing’

Junior Line

1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’All Good People’

2nd: Danceology-’Just Got Paid’

3rd: Danceology-’Backbone’

Teen Line

1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’Cadance’

1st: Danceology-’My Hands Are Always Cold’

2nd: The Rock Center for Dance-’Hey!’

3rd: The Rock Center for Dance-’Dark Winter’

3rd: Studio Kin-’Hustle’

Senior Line

1st: Mather Dance Company-’Prisoner’

1st: Mather Dance Company-’Voice of God’

2nd: Danceology-’It’s Weezy’

3rd: Bobbie’s School of Performing Arts-’I’m The Hero’

Mini Extended Line

1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’Settle Down’

2nd: Danceology-’Ballroom Blitz’

3rd: The Rock Center for Dance-’Jump Jump!’

3rd: Danceology-’Mary Poppins’

Junior Extended Line

1st: Evoke Dance Movement-’Hold Your Own’

2nd: Evoke Dance Movement-’Better Than Ever’

3rd: Evoke Dance Movement-’Purse First’

Teen Extended Line

1st: Danceology-’Not Today Satan’

2nd: Evoke Dance Movement-’Adios’

3rd: Danceology-’Cha Cha Heels’

Senior Extended Line

1st: Danceology-’Above Below’

2nd: Danceology-’Burn Up The Dance’

3rd: Danceology-’Night Thirst’

Mini Production

1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’Mambo Baby’

Junior Production

1st: Danceology-’Rich Girl’

2nd: Danceology-’Blind Faith’

3rd: Danceology-’Level Up’

High Scores by Performance Division:

Rookie Jazz

1st: Danceology-’Ladies Room’ 2nd: Mather Dance Company-’Fabulous’ 3rd: Studio Kin-’Look Out Weekend’

Rookie Ballet

1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’Suite Tea’

Rookie Hip-Hop

1st: Studio Kin-’SK Crew’

Rookie Contemporary

1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’Inanna’ 2nd: Danceology-’Kingdom’

Rookie Lyrical

1st: Notion Dance Concepts-’Firework’

Mini Jazz

1st: Motion State Studios-’Sisters’ 2nd: Mather Dance Company-’Hot Stuff’ 3rd: Danceology-’Ballroom Blitz’

Mini Ballet

1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’The Invitation’ 2nd: Danceology-’Scarf Dance’ 3rd: Danceology-’Polinaise’

Mini Hip-Hop

1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’Jump Jump!’ 2nd: Evoke Dance Movement-’Get Up’ 3rd: Studio Kin-’Pure Water’

Mini Tap

1st: Danceology-’Happy’ 2nd: Danceology-’Luck be A Lady’ 3rd: Danceology-’Word Up’

Mini Contemporary

1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’6 Out of Six’ 2nd: Evoke Dance Movement-’Searching For...’ 3rd: Danceology-’Time Passing’ 3rd: Bobbie’s School of Performing Arts-’Fading Images’

Mini Lyrical

1st: Mather Dance Company-’Roar’ 2nd: Elite Dance and Performing Arts Center-’Beautiful Thing’ 3rd: Studio Kin-’Lighthouse’

Mini Musical Theatre

1st: Danceology-’Mary Poppins’ 2nd: Studio Kin-’Mean & Green’

Mini Ballroom

1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’Mambo Baby’ 2nd: Danceology-’Favorite Things’

Mini Specialty

1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’Settle Down’ 2nd: The Rock Center for Dance-’Salient’ 3rd: Evoke Dance Movement-’I Think I Love You’

Junior Jazz

1st: Danceology-’Rich Girl’ 2nd: Evoke Dance Movement-’Purse First’ 3rd: Orange County Performing Arts Academy-’Wind It Up’

Junior Ballet

1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’Over The Edge’ 2nd: Danceology-’Paquita’ 3rd: Danceology-’Passarinjo’

Junior Hip-Hop

1st: Danceology-’Level Up’ 2nd: Evoke Dance Movement-’Lose Control’

Junior Tap

1st: Danceology-’Just Got Paid’

Junior Contemporary

1st: Danceology-’Blind Faith’ 2nd: The Rock Center for Dance-’All Good People’ 3rd: Evoke Dance Movement-’Hold Your Own’

Junior Lyrical

1st: Mather Dance Company-’Anything Worth Holding’ 2nd: Mather Dance Company-’Salvation’ 3rd: Elite Dance and Performing Arts Center-’You Will Be Found’

Junior Musical Theatre

1st: Danceology-’Black Friday Fiasco’ 2nd: Elite Dance and Performing Arts Center-’Nicest Kids In Town’

Junior Specialty

1st: Evoke Dance Movement-’Better Than Ever’ 2nd: Danceology-’Backbone’ 2nd: Danceology-’Give Yourself In’ 3rd: Orange County Performing Arts Academy-’Sing Sing Sing’

Teen Jazz

1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’Shadow Work’ 1st: Orange County Performing Arts Academy-’Boom Pow’ 2nd: Bobbie’s School of Performing Arts-’Feeling Super Down’ 3rd: Murrieta Dance Project-’Sweet Melody’

Teen Ballet

1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’Dark Winter’

Teen Hip-Hop

1st: Studio Kin-’Hustle’ 2nd: Evoke Dance Movement-’Diva’ 3rd: Studio Kin-’All That Matters’

Teen Tap

1st: Danceology-’Mr. Blue Sky’

Teen Contemporary

1st: Danceology-’My Hands Are Always Cold’ 2nd: The Rock Center for Dance-’Hey!’ 3rd: The Rock Center for Dance-’Heavenly Bodies’

Teen Lyrical

1st: West Coast School of the Arts-’All Coming Back’ 2nd: Mather Dance Company-’Overdose’ 3rd: Mather Dance Company-’Out of Hiding’

Teen Musical Theatre

1st: Danceology-’Not Today Satan’ 2nd: Evoke Dance Movement-’Singular Sensation’ 3rd: Elite Dance and Performing Arts Center-’Footloose’

Teen Ballroom

1st: Danceology-’Cha Cha Heels’ 2nd: The Rock Center for Dance-’Movimento’

Teen Specialty

1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’Cadance’ 2nd: Danceology-’Dream of Dreaming’ 3rd: Danceology-’Passage’

Senior Jazz

1st: Mather Dance Company-’Prisoner’ 2nd: Danceology-’Night Thirst’ 3rd: West Coast School of the Arts-’How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore?’

Senior Hip-Hop

1st: Danceology-’It’s Weezy’

Senior Contemporary

1st: Mather Dance Company-’We The Soldiers’ 2nd: Academy of Nevada Ballet Theatre-’Those That Follow’ 3rd: Danceology-’Above Below’ 3rd: Studio Fusion-’Weight of Silence’

Senior Lyrical

1st: Mather Dance Company-’Voice of God’ 2nd: Mather Dance Company-’For All We Know’

Senior Specialty

1st: Studio Fusion-’Coconut’ 2nd: Evoke Dance Movement-’Terrified’

Senior Ballroom

1st: Danceology-’Burn Up The Dance’

Best of Radix:

Rookie

The Rock Center for Dance-’Inanna’

Danceology-’Ladies Room’

Mather Dance Company-’Fabulous’

Studio Kin-’SK Crew’

Notion Dance Concepts-’Firework’

Mini

The Rock Center for Dance-’6 Out of Six’

Bobbie’s School of Performing Arts-’Fading Images’

Evoke Dance Movement-’Searching For...’

Danceology-’Happy’

Mather Dance Company-’Hot Stuff’

Motion State Studios-’Sisters’

Junior

Evoke Dance Movement-’Hold Your Own’

The Rock Center for Dance-’All Good People’

Danceology-’Rich Girl’

Orange County Performing Arts Academy-’Wind It Up’

Mather Dance Company-’Anything Worth Holding’

Bobbie’s School of Performing Arts-’Hey Hi Hello’

Motion State Studios-’Always, Forever’

 Murrieta Dance Project-’Luminous’

Teen

Academy of Nevada Ballet Theater-’The Great Realization’

Danceology-’Not Today Satan’

The Rock Center for Dance-’Hey!’

West Coast School of the Arts-’All Coming Back’

Bobbie’s School of Performing Arts-’The Need for One Another’

Studio Kin-’Hustle’

Murrieta Dance Project-’Memories’

Elite Dance and Performing Arts Center-’Change’

Mather Dance Company-’Overdose’

Orange County Performing Arts Academy-’No Ordinary Love’

Evoke Dance Movement-’Adios’

Senior

Mather Dance Company-’We The Soldiers’

Evoke Dance Movement-’Terrified’

Murrieta Dance Project-’Echos’

Bobbie’s School of Performing Arts-’I’m The Hero’

Danceology-’Above Below’

Academy of Nevada Ballet Theatre-’Those That Follow’

Studio Fusion-’Coconut’

West Coast School of the Arts-’How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore?’

Studio Standout:

Studio Kin-’Hustle’

Mather Dance Company-’We The Soldiers’

Evoke Dance Movement-’Adios’

Elite Dance and Performing Arts Center-’Change’

Danceology-’Not Today Satan’

Bobbie’s School of Performing Arts-’I’m The Hero’

The Rock Center for Dance-’Hey!’

[kamisama1kiss]

Heyy! I have a request for you. I really like your content. I read a lot of your headcanons.💗

Uhm maybe, can you make headcanons that how would the ninjago ninjas react to their patner (reader) breaking down/getting upset because they accidantly triggered their trauma. Like the reader had childhood problems or was in a toxic relationship or anything you like.

I hope you have a nice day!<3

I really appreciate your support for OUR page!! You're all super sweet 😔🫶 but now I will give some angst for you all to enjoy and nibble on!!

~~~

Ninjago Headcanons { Triggerd past }

~Lloyd Garmadon~

° Immediately kicking himself but would immediately stop whatever it was and take his time to understand, communicate with you to sooth the situation.

• Making sure to give comfort in the best way he can without triggering you, such as getting you a cup of water and wrapping a blanket around for ground and comfort. Holding hands and rubbing his thumb against the back of his lovers hand, grounding them further.

~Kai Smith~

° Pausing his every move to careful place a hand on your shoulder, asking what was bothering you and bringing you into a hug. Kissing his lover on the top of their head, as an apologizeing for his carelessness around them.

• Listening to them speaking and hearing out every inch of inspiration as I rubbed his hand up and down your back, being more mindful in the future. Joking threatening if there was someone he'd need to beat up for having caused you this... he was half-heartedly serious about it.

~Cole Brookstone~

• Playing with your fingers in a sign of comfort and distraction, having had a few of his own, made him more understanding of how to comfort and speak. His voice was low and smooth to the ear, letting you cry it all out while he stayed by your side.

° Made sure to get you something to snack on and a warm blanket with a movie, wishing to distract you with media he knew you loved. But mentioning it after to talk about it wishing to know what made his lover to react like that.

~Zane Julian~

• He genuinely was stunned on what to do, rerunning the thoughts of how he could help for a mere moment. Reaching to hold your hands and keeping close by for when the mood lifted slightly, whispering soft little comforting phrases with giving your hands small squeezes.

° Doing breathing techniques and having his lover follow until it was back under control, then trying to communicate what the issue could be caused by.

~Jay Walker~

• Panicking was his first thought, but seeing you get worse from his panic made himself snap into control. Grabbing some water and putting it next to you and cracking small joked to distract in the moment.

° Having an arm wrapped you for a side hug, speaking like usually hoping that he showed no matter what, he'd never leave your side even in such a vulnerable state.

~Nya Smith~

• It wasn't the first time she'd seen you like this, and god, it shattered her every time. Taking breathing techniques and letting you fiddle with the sleeve of her shirt or bracelets if she wore that, having your focus on her only.

° When she got to you better, she'd make sure to speak calmly and show nothing but relaxation so as not to spike the already stressed lover of hers. Being in front of you to cover from any other praying eyes around that could be trying to peek.

~~~

Sorry for the delay!! But here it is 🫶 if anything bothered you, let me know, and I'll fix it. Hope you all enjoyed reading another headcanon!! ♡

[ilyamatic]

Let Me Get What I Want

Song: Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want by The Smiths

“Oh my, it seems that someone replaced Andrico with a cuddlebug.”

Andrico giggled as he wrapped himself tighter around Julian. It had been a stressful week, between reports, meetings, and trying to seem as casual with Julian as possible. As much as he hated to admit it, he had gotten sloppy. Caught up in the thrill, the excitement, dare he say romance, made it easy for him to forget all that he had to lose. Running into Dr. Akujuo was a harsh reminder.

But in that moment, it all seemed miles away. He was full of good food and good wine, the taste of it still dancing on his tongue, making his mind float. Across from the bed were large bay windows leading out to white sandy beaches and the Emerald Sea. Moonlight bled through gazy curtains, bathing everything in a silvery light.  And in his arms laid the most beautiful man ever to exist. Andrico looked up at Julian from his spot on his chest. 

He wanted to nuzzle the bridge of his nose. He wanted to kiss the smattering of tiny freckles that rested there. He wanted those dove grey eyes to never leave his. He wanted to keep that soft smile all to himself. He wanted-

“Andrico? Are you okay?” Julian asked.

It flowed out of him like water.

“I love you.”

Someone once said a drunk mind speaks a sober heart. Andrico supposed it might be true. He certainly was drunk enough to blurt out something he couldn’t even admit to himself. He could feel his smile turn dopey.

Julian looked at him like he grew a second head for a moment. Then, he laughed, the sound ringing hollow in the quiet room.

“You are so full of shit.”

“What? No!” Andrico pulled himself up so they could be face to face. “I mean it. I love you.”

Julian got quiet, all his forced mirth gone. He could see gray eyes track along his face, searching. After a few moments, he felt a warm palm against his cheek.

“Tell me in the morning,” Julian whispered.

Andrico’s brow furrowed in confusion. “But I’m telling you now-”

“Please,” the other man’s voice cracked. “Tell me in the morning.”

He could do no more than nod. If the light of day was what his love needed, then he would wait.

(In the light of day the birds will sing and the waves will crash but Andrico would not say it again. In the light of day, popping aspirin and nursing the worst headache known to man, he wouldn’t remember he said it at all.)

[raccoonpoptart]

i just imagined julian singing this to mc bc he would be the type to listen to the smiths but HATE morrissey so here we go short fic even tho i have stuff sitting in my ask box

gender neutral

warnings: mentions of death in the song and in this fic bc angsty boi is dramatic but make it. simp julian bc it’s the end of september, smoking

julian x reader (modern au where he has a band bc. why not)

❦

“This next song goes out to a special someone in the crowd tonight,” Julian held his hand up in attempt to quiet the crowd. “The one and only stunning y/n, I love you with my whole heart. You’re everything to me. So anyway, here’s a dumbass Smiths song!”

The crowd went wild with cheers and laughter. A blush painted y/n’s face as they stood in the front row, closest to the stage. They stared up at their boyfriend on stage and giggled as they saw him wearing his stage getup. Who knew someone could make leather pants look so good?

The band played with such passion and drive, but nothing could top the way Julian sang. He sang with so much love and devotion, warmth and something close to desperation.

And if a double decker bus crashes into us

To die by your side

Is such a Heavenly way to die

His voice rang through the room, people screamed his name but he could only look at y/n with adoration every so often.

And if a ten ton truck kills the both of us

To die by your side

Well the pleasure the privelege is mine

As the song came to an end, you couldn’t help but laugh at the lyrics. Of course he would choose something like this, but it still meant everything to them. Y/N blushed as they smiled knowing he meant every word of it, no matter how melodramatic.

There is a light that never goes out,

there is a light that never goes out...

~

Y/N took a drag from their cigarette and smiled at the sky. They leaned against the wall next to the back exit of the venue, thinking back to the song and laughing.

Driving in your car

I never, never want to go home

Because I haven’t got one

Julian felt like home. Every day y/n was able to spend with him felt like everything good in life combined, every good memory and feeling all in one. He felt like the sweet air after the rain, the calm of midnight...he’s everything to y/n. But they couldn’t help but still feel a little insecure. They could never understand why he was with them.

“Y/N!! My darling!” Julian’s voice called out as he noticed them. He excused himself from the group and made his way over.

Y/N quickly pushed away their thoughts and put out their cigarette to give Julian a proper kiss. “Hi, sweetheart! You did amazing, i’m so proud of you!” They held his face in their hands and smiled.

He blushed and grabbed their hands. “Thank you, love...I’m just so happy you’re here,” he placed a soft kiss to their forehead and continued. “Do you want to go somewhere?”

“Um, sure? Where?” They intertwined their fingers with his and tried to keep up with his pace, since he is almost 70% legs.

“The fields. I’ll drive.” He smiled.

~

Moonlight bathed Julian’s face as he stared into the distance, his chest rising and falling with each breath. Y/N couldn’t help but stare at the beautiful man, wondering how they got so lucky. They sat on a blanket together, hand in hand, just looking at the stars in comfortable silence.

“Y/N, can I tell you something?” He avoided eye contact, but still moved closer.

They smiled and kissed his cheek. “Of course, lovebug. What is it?”

Julian cleared his throat and shifted to face y/n, still looking anywhere but their eyes. “I know we’ve been together for a while now, but I just...” he trailed off and bit his lip.

“Sweetie, you can tell me anything,” They grabbed both his hands and left soft kisses all over his face. “I promise. It’s just you and me.”

Smiling softly, he finally met y/n’s gaze and nodded. “I know. I just wanted to tell you that you’re everything to me. I adore you so much, everything you do for me is always so amazing and I can’t see myself without you.” He kissed them softly, moved some hair out of their face and continued.

“I’m so happy that you’re with me. You’re the most amazing person i’ve ever met, everything you do is perfect. You’re so strong and you’ve come so far. I’m so, so proud of you! I know we’ve never said it...” He nervously played with the hem of their shirt.

Y/N’s heart started to flutter, and they smiled softly. “Julian...”

He took a deep breath. “Y/N, I love you. I really, really do. You’re so wonderful and i’m so lucky that I have you in my life. I love you!”

“Julian, I love you, too...I’m still not sure why you’re with me, but I never want you to leave me. Now that I have you, I never want to be without you. I love you so much.”

❦

(and end bc uhhhh i dont feel like writing more) HOPE U ENJOYED THE CHEESE

[thearcana-junkie]

Hi! If that's okay can i request Asra with a psychic apprentiece/MC? I have lots of ideas but not the skills tro write them hdjshsis

Took me a second to realize you said Psychic (As in see’s the future) and not Psychotic as in; Insane. Haha! Bid dumb on my part. Anyway—

It’s completely unedited, my wrist hurt to much from writing.

Main Six With A Psychic MC

—Nadia—

You had a vivid nightmare one night— Nadia was ubducted by men in theif clothing. When you woke up you sat there for a moment before shrugging the dream off, after all who doesn’t have nightmares of loosing their loved ones? You continued the day and forgot about it.

That is until Nadia mentioned going into town for some fresh air, this was normal, every once in a while she’d feel smithed by the constant aid of her staff at her beck and call so she’d escape to see her beautiful city.

However something didn’t sit right with you, you tried giving her every reason under the sun for her not to go out— all ranging from “If you want some fresh air we could go outside and have a picknik.” To the extreme “Nadia! I don’t think you should go out in your condition, you look pale!”

All of which Nadia gave simple resatlutions to. “well we could but alternatively we could dine at some of the little rest runts you’ve told me about by dear.” “What are you going on about?? I feel fine, i look fine— Why don’t you want me to go into town??”

YOu broke down and told her about the dream and the sinking feelings. Magic was magic— it worked in very mysterious ways, after all she herself wasn’t a stranger to visions. She thought it over, if this dream was indeed a vision she couldn’t let the insueing crime go unpunished so she made a proposition. “We‘ll go out for dinner but we’ll go he other route into town. I’ll send a decoy carriage thats exsacly how you describe on the route you had in your dream. If anything happens the guards in the carriage will handle it and we’ll still have a lovely day out.” She hummed happily. YOu agreed and had your date. Needless to say you were right and the decoy was attacked— the men were captured.

Nadia takes strange feelings and weird dreams very seriously. She knows you’d never cry wolf on her safety— even if your just worried.

—Asra—

Now that you were back in his life he was so very happy!

He knew when he started teaching you about magic again that you had deffinately gotten stronger— His thoughts confirmed when you defeated the devil something no one had ever done before. However he never suspected psychic abilities to be added to the list.

You started having very vivid dreams, it started with just little small weird ones you’d mentioned here and there. Asra took it as merely a coincidence that the baker would be out of his famous pumpkin bread after you mentioned earlier that morning something along the lines of “Hey i had the weirdest dream! The baker ran out of pumpkin bread, he never runs out of pumpkin bread... Maybe i was dreaming about that because WE’VE run out of pumkin bread— which by the way could you be a dear and get some while your out??”

Then it wasn’t just dreams. While walking around the market with Nadia— Nadia exscused herself to go look at something she figured you and Asra weren’t interested in so she’d do it by herself. However you insisted that you and Asra join her because it was the ‘friendly thing to do.’ The three of you were jumped in an assasination attempt on Nadia— the only way it was avoided was because the two most powerful magicians happened to be there at her side, When Nadia asked how you knew to insist on coming with her to keep her safe you simply put; “I had a feeling...”

Asra pieced the prices together. It was never mentioned but you and your group of friends all siliently acknolaged the fact you were psychic and they took your vivid dreams or sudden feelings serious.

—Julian—

Julian was awoken one night from your loud whimpers. When he rolled over he saw you grasping at your pillow and drenched in a cold sweat. Just as he was about to shake you awake your eyes snapped open and filled with tears. “Darling— Darling what happened? It’s okay, its okay, okay?” Julian was just about as frantic as you were when you hugged him.

You describe your horriable nightmare; Julian was in an alley not to far from the rowdy raven, the alley was so small that with his legs laying stretched out in front of him his foot laid flat against the wall he faced, he was putting pressure on a gash in his abdomen. Julian sat there groggily laying his head against the brick wall he was propped up against. You knew that, though the bar was close, it wasn’t close enough for him to walk at the rate he was bleeding and the place you both shared was even further.

Julain hugged you tightly while quietly comforting you. In his mind he chocked it up to the memory of when he saved you from the vampire eel’s in the alley way, the memory turning itself into a nasty nightmare retelling for your own torture. He hated that you had to deal with that, Just as he was about to suggest getting up for the day so you didn’t have to go back to sleep and risk having another nightmare (A habit he had picked up from those sleepless nights he had before he met you) He noticed your quiet whimpers had stoped— replaced by a soft snore. He smiled and laid you down before snuggling next to you. You held onto his hand like a lifeline while you slept. (He stayed awake a little longer to make sure you weren’t going to have another nightmare.)

A few nights later Julian grabbed his jacket with a sigh off the hanger. It was like a weekly ritual that he’d go to the Rowdy Raven to have fun before coming back to a romantic bath with you however tonight he looked less then ecstatic when he pulled on his leather jacket. You and him weren’t fighting really, more like arguing. You didn’t want to go because of the dream you had nights before— However Julian being the ever educated man he is he firmly believed that it was just a normal bad memory twisting itself into a nightmare. “Julian, It was different though! You didn’t have the mark, you weren’t wet from the drain, it wasn’t even the same alley or even the place on your body as the eel bite—“ You continued on in a frustrated manner as you followed him. You’d been following him to get him to change his mind ever since he got up that morning. Julian tuned around quickly to you. “Darling!” Julian exclaimed loudly to get your attention all while letting a little anger slip into his tone, this quickly quieted you since he never normally yelled especially at you. He let out an exsasperated sigh as he cupped your face gently with his hands. “There’s no way a person can predict the future, I’ll be fine, it was just a bad dream and your just getting worried over it. Now— I love you, i swear I do, and I promise I’ll be careful.” Julian reasoned softly before he gave you a quick kiss to your lips. When he pulled away and you still looked worried, possiably even more so, he frowned a little. “A-And, If I’m not back by 11 on the dot you have my full permission to send the Calvary after me to drag me home.” He smiled a little as if to coax you to a smile as well. “Okay.” You mumbled while a soft smile played on your lips.

He hadn’t even been gone but half an hour when that nagging feeling of danger came creeping up your neck yet again. For the first five minutes or so you tried to shake it off as you just being worried but when it didn’t budge you took Asra’s advice; “If you ever have a feeling, don’t ignore it.” So you headed out the raven. Along the way you came upon a familiar place, on familiar cause you’d been there before but familiar because you’d SEEN it somewhere. Your dream, the particular spot you were standing on was just in the foreground of your dream, it was just as lifeless as in the vision. You started looking for the alley way until you found it, you peeked into it to see just what you’d seen in your nightmare. Julian streatched out across the alley way, granted he wasn’t as groggy or bloody as you remember— maybe you’d gotten there sooner then in your dream? He grunted softly while pressing onto the wound, his voice startled you out of your thoughts. Honestly he wasn’t too surprised to see you when you ran over to him to help heal him. That you could do. “How’d this even happen!?” You snapped at him, “Being overly heroic.” Julian laughed out through the pain, he could tell you were mad that he hadn’t taken you seriously.

Now at home, all cleaned up and healed, Julian Devorak set’s out to apologize by making you feel like you’ve gone to heaven. He makes a mental note that not everybody is as paranoid as him and that when you say somethings off he should most deffinately take your word for it.

—Muriel—

You and Muriel were out in town with your friends. Everything was going smoothly— well as smoothly as normal with Julian trying desperately to befriend Muriel, Nadia who wanted to do so many things ranging from walking in townsquar to having dinner despite Muriel wanting to go home. Asra constantly stopping at every stall that caught his eye or roped in by a salesman when he himself knew Muriel hated being in the VERY public stalls. However what made all of this bareable was you who held his hand tightly and periodically checked in on him or helped him out by steering everyone away from certain things or distracting Julian. Well that and the fact that this only happened once in a blue moon. Sure he’d come out with you to get the things they didn’t have at home or to visit Asra but the whole group only ever came out to town together once a month since everyone was always so busy.

everything was normal, Muriel trudged behind everyone with you beside him, or at least you were beside him until you came to a dead stop. While everyone else continued their meaningless banter Muriel turned to see what had caught you eye, only to see you staring blankly forward. “(Y/n)?? ...Can you hear me?” Muriel asked as he waved a hand in front of your face. This was new, you’d never done anything like this before or even remotely similar. Suddenly you blinked and looked around as if you didn’t know where you had been. Asra picked up on the strange feeling and turned to see what was up, this gained Nadia and Julians attention as well. “Hey what’s up?” Julian asked with a raised brow as him and the rest closed in on you.

Your features flooded with fear, “Something bad’s going to happen...” You said quietly, “What? Like you have a bad feeling??” Julian asked, You shook your head. “You.. You saw something?” Asra questioned further, you nodded harshly. “what’d you see?” Nadia asked curiously. Your eyebrows knitted together in concentration before you finally formed an answer; “Fire and... Feathers?” You questioned yourself as you thought back on your vision. Muriel stayed out of the conversation while your freinds asked more questions you couldn’t give straight answers for, you looked up when he felt something splash him. The sky was getting dark, not from nightfall but from a very dark cloud. Before he could even draw attention to it a loud roll of thunder downpour of water did it for him.

Suddenly the pieces clicked in your head when the sky flashed white. “Oh gods! The hut! We have to get home!!” You exclaimed, muriel and Asra seemed to come to the same conclusion you did as evident when you three took off towards the forest in the heavy rain. Nadia stayed behind to call for a carriage but julian followed as well cluelessly.

Just as most of you suspected; when you reached the hut everything was engulfed in flames due to lightening from the first rain of the dry season striking the dry leaves. IT was impossiable to put out a fire this size so you all settled on looking for the chickens and Inanna

LUckily the hunt was finished quickly when Muriel called for her, she answered back quickly. Julian found her hiding under a damp bush to hide from the fire— along with her was the baby chicks and two chickens. It was a small portion of the chickens you and Muriel had but apparently it was all she could save from the chicken hut that was also engulfed in flames. Inanna was burned but the chickens all seemed fine. Muriel carried the large wolf carefully, you carried all the baby chicks, and Julian carried the two hens out of the forest to safety. Nadia was waiting at the forest edge with a big carriage for all of you to get into.

Nadia took everyone back to the palace for the night. You felt horriable about Muriels hut but he didn’t;t seem to mind all the much. To keep your mind off it everyone talked about how crazy it was you had a vison. “Yeah... I feel bad— maybe if i had pieced it together faster we could have saved the hut.” You frowned. “...It’s fine... You can;t stop lightning, If it wasn’t for you the chickens and Inanna wouldn’t have made it out. “ Muriel said quietly from where he sat in the big room. “But aren’t you a little upset about all your stuff?” You questioned. Muriel blushed and shook his head— He wouldn’t ever say it out loud, but as long as you and the animals were okay thats all he cared about.

—Portia—

Portia teased you for having a ‘psychic’ ability when she noticed you’d alway steer her out of danger or move a specific chair so she wouldn’t bump into it later that day. You played it off as you just cleaning up and knowing her well enough to know when she was about to hit something or fall over something.

One day portia was cleaning Lucio’s wing with the other servants. You had been Nadia and Asra all day. POrtia was carrying a big stack of laundry down the stairs, she slipped on one of the last steps only to be caught by you. “Hey!... wait, what are you doing here?” She asked while looking up at you. “Ah well...” You smiled, “They insisted on coming this way.” Asra hummed.

Portias eyes sparkled as she gasped, you knew what was coming. “So you ARE psychic!!!” Portia laughed, “No i just.. I just wanted to go this way and i saw you carrying that hazard.” You made up some exscuse. POrtia didn’t believe it though.

For the next few days she would follow you around secretly.

She found out that you not only protected her from danger but the rest of your freinds as well. Stopping them before a servant with a stack of clothes came around the corner suddenly, telling them it’d be better to stay and have tea with the rest instead of going to the rowdy raven, even going as far as to hide muriel and Julian when Lucio would pop into the room randomly while looking for one of them for some stupid matter. But none of this was ample cause to accuse you of lying to her about not being psychic.

In defeat she sat by the fountain one evening. “Your looking rather down for soemone who’s naturally bouncing off the walls.” Asra’s voice hummed. “Ive been trying to catch (y/n) doing their psychic thing so they’d finally tell me but so far its not really working out...” Portia sighed, asra sat on the fountain with a smile. “I’ll let you in on a little secret, They are.” Asra hummed, Portia shot up. “I KNEW IT!! But why did they lie??” She exclaimed then questioned. “Well, they don’t like people to know. If everyone knew then they’d be coming to them all over for stupid reasons and they’d be cautious over everything.” Asra explained, “buuut the rest of the group knows.” She huffed, “Yes... But not because they told them. Because of experience and because they come to me and I tell them. (Y/n) Doesn’t know they know.” Asra said softly. Portia thought for a moment before thanking him and continuing with her day.

She doesn’t let you know that she knows and she doesn’t push the subject anymore. It’s just like a silient acknolagment.

—Lucio—

Lucio loved magic, especially your magic! But he had to admit— Being able to tell the future just seemed a little impossiable but he did trust you.

So when you told him you didn’t want him out because of a bad feeling you had he laughed and shrugged it off by pridefully saying “Your just being a worry wart my dove! Or perhaps your jealous I’ll pick up some escort?? No need to fear my love, i love you and you only.” Lucio smirked playfully. You seemed agitated that he dismissed it so easily, this hadn’t been the first time he’d ignored your feelings like this.

Normally he blamed it on a coincidence, bad timing, you over heard it while you were half asleep. BUt that didn’t mean bad things still didn’t happen.

And even now when you were so advently telling him not to go— Ha! You telling the count what to do?! The mere thought of being bossed around, even for safety, made his blood boil.

YOu were both angry when he left to do what he pleased. even so, the thought of you being so concerned for his wellbeing that you’d start fighting with him was really off putting for Lucio... He took a sword if not to just calm his worries you’d put in his head.

“someone’s going to kill you! Why don’t you just listen to me damn it!?” Your voice creeped into his mind as he walked in the dark. “You were walking down the main street.” You tried remembering exactly everything you said as he walked the path you mentioned. You couldn’t possiably know what was going to happen! He refused to believe he’d just had a fight for no reason. “There was a loud click and a machine— one I’ve never seen before. It could fit in your hand and shot something like an arrow but small.” Thats just Crazy!

Click

Lucio heard it like a bell in a quiet room, maybe it wasn’t so crazy. “It hit you in the head.” Lucio remember your quivering voice as if you had scene it first hand.

His metal arm flew in front of his face just before a bang similar to a firework went off followed by a loud THINK as the bullet from the shadows ricocheted off Lucio’s golden arm.

He’d be damned it he died like this.

[patrickjonesblog]

Top Albums of 2020 - #5 to #1

Hey! Thanks for clicking thru to the top 5, if you’re reading this first, what on earth have you done, how did you get here? You’ve missed my pre-amble and numbers 10-6. Click here to read that first.

5 - Deep Down Happy - Sports Team

The best new British band I’ve heard this year. The only other debut in my top 10, it’s these cheeky chappies. They take me back to peak Britpop era, early Blur, Shed Seven. Really smart, funny lyrics with a sound you don’t really hear much anymore. There’s so many tunes on the album, a real achievement for a debut.

4 - Quickies - The Magnetic Fields

Billions laughed and no one cried, the day the politicians died. Leave it to Stephen Merritt to write a song that encapsulates how most people feel right now about the people who lead the world. Quickies is another concept album from The Magnetic Fields, this time all the songs are short and snappy, the longest song coming in at 2:34 and the shortest 18 seconds. You wont feel short changed though as there’s 28 little vignettes here, which showcase TMF at their sharpest.

3 - Song Machine, Vol 1 - Gorillaz

It’s staggering that Gorillaz have been going 22 years and yet are still relevant, let alone churning out some of their best work to date. Albarn continues to work with artists that continue to innovate and make the band fresher with every album. The man is a solid gold treasure. Song machine was born in lockdown, announcing collaborations as singles with a different artist for each song. The Genius of Gorillaz is they bring together artists and genres into one concept that shouldn’t sit together, yet somehow they do (Elton John, Peter Hook, Robert Smith) sit alongside indie stalwarts (St Vincent, Joan as Police Woman, Beck) add into that the usual eclectic mix of Hip Hop MC’s and what you have is a truly astounding album. But its Albarns songwriting at the heart that makes these 17 tracks the best Gorillaz album in their 22 year history.

2 - Serpentine Prison - Matt Berninger

I haven’t seen this in many top 10 lists this year, and I get it, it’s nothing earth shattering. But there’s something about Matt Berninger’s voice that comforts me, and this is the most distilled Berninger you can get. His first solo album, he put Booker T Jones on production duties as it was originally intended to be a covers album of soul tunes, but through the process he kept writing and the soul tunes recorded were shoved to a bonus LP and what you get is a soul-tinged, accoustic solo album, which is so smooth and beautiful, its the perfect tonic for a horrible year. 

1 - The New Abnormal - The Strokes

In truth, any of the top 4 could be my number 1 this year, they’re all so strong. But I like the romanticism of The Strokes comeback the most. You could kinda tell they’ve been doing Strokes-by-the-numbers the past couple of albums and I’d all but written them off. But out comes Bad Decisions and it felt more urgent, Julian sounded like a man who had his mojo back and was enjoying being with the band again. The album cemented that, its 9 tracks and I’m glad they didnt try to round it up to 10. Its tight af. They stretch their muscles a bit in tracks like Eternal Summer and Ode to the Mets which are less obvious musically to what you’d expect but still at the core The Strokes. For a short period in the early 2000′s they were the best band in the world, The New Abnormal proves that they can be again.

Honorable Mentions

There were some critically acclaimed albums like Sault, Phoebe Bridgers, Taylor Swift that I really enjoyed as well this year but wanted to call out some of the lesser heard albums that just missed out on the top 10.

Caribou - Suddenly - ARGH I forgot this, it should be in the top 10, but I cant squeeze it in. God this is hard. Go listen to this beautiful dance record, its amazing. Let’s call it the joint 10th best album of 2020. FML.

Haiku Hands - bonkers, hilarious, indie-dance debut. Definitely check out Manbitch, Not About You and I See You Baby. Listening again now and.... ok its the joint 10th best album of 2020. FMLFML.

Sylvan Esso - Free Love - Contains my fave track of the year in Ferris Wheel, its a great album that would have made the top 10 on a normal year.

Say Hi - Diamonds and Donuts - One of the first albums I listened to in 2020 thanks to a cracking track called Happy as a Clam. Lo-fi synth pop.

Other mentions go to Everything Everything, Car Seat Headrest, Will Butler and Jessie Ware, if I had more time and wasn’t listening to the above I may have enjoyed them more.

What a year though!

LISTEN

Best of 2020 - Songs

Best of 2020 - Albums

Like what you heard in 2020? Follow my 2021 playlist as I add my fave tracks to it throughout the year.

[lgbtqreads]

This is an annual feature that runs a little differently from the rest on LGBTQReads, as the post builds on itself each year and new titles/sections are added with asterisks. These books are all queer titles by Black authors, the vast majority of which star Black main characters. (Obviously this isn’t remotely exhaustive.)

Sites

Sistahs on the Shelf – SotS is run by Rena, a Black lesbian who reviews Black lesbian books. You can also follow on Twitter at @SotS!

WoC in Romance – this is a site highlighting all Romance written by WoC, but there’s a page just for LGBTQ Romances. It’s run by Rebekah Weatherspoon, whose name you may recognize as being a prolific author of LGBTQ lit herself! You can follow on Twitter at @WOCInRomance, and make sure you check out their Patreon; link is in the pinned tweet!

Black Lesbian Literary Collective – To nab from their site, “The Black Lesbian Literary Collective creates a nurturing and sustainable environment for Black lesbian and queer women of color writers.” Looking for more reviews of Black lesbian fic? Ta da! The site is new, so it’s not packed with posts just yet, but there is already an active radio show linked to it. Find them on Twitter at @LezWriters.

The Brown Bookshelf – this is a site dedicated to Black kidlit; here are the posts that come up if you search LGBT.

Books

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*=new additions this year

Middle-Grade

Hurricane Child by Kacen Callender (Stonewall Award Winner)

King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender

The House You Pass on the Way by Jacqueline Woodson

Young Adult

The Wicker King by K. Ancrum*

The Weight of the Stars by K. Ancrum

The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta* (Stonewall Award winner)

This is What it Feels Like by Rebecca Barrow

Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron*

A Phoenix First Must Burn ed. by Patrice Caldwell

This is Kind of an Epic Love Story by Kacen Callender

Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender*

Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert (Stonewall Award winner)

Until You Came Back by Jay Coles

Jake in the Box by Ryan Douglass

Pet by Akwaeke Emezi (National Book Award finalist)

The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimons

Full Disclosure by Camryn Garrett

The Secrets of Eden by Brandon Goode

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland

Yesterday is History by Kosoko Jackson*

You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson*

Rise to the Sun by Leah Johnson*

Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann

If it Makes You Happy by Claire Kann

37 Things I Love (in No Particular Order) by Kekla Magoon

A Blade So Black by L.L. McKinney

Escaping Mr. Rochester by L.L. McKinney*

Home and Away by Candice Montgomery (Bi LI)

By Any Means Necessary by Candice Montgomery

The Stars and the Blackness Between Them by Junauda Petrus (CSK Nominee)

Odd One Out by Nic Stone

Running with Lions by Julian Winters

How to Be Remy Cameron by Julian Winters

The Summer of Everything by Julian Winters*

The Beauty that Remains by Ashley Woodfolk

Black Enough ed. by Ibi Zoboi

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NA/Adult Contemporary

The Way Back List by Lily Anderson*

Once Ghosted, Twice Shy by Alyssa Cole

A Prince on Paper by Alyssa Cole*

Hamilton’s Battalion by Alyssa Cole, Courtney Milan, and Rose Lerner

A Hundred Thousand Words by Nyrae Dawn*

Here Comes the Sun by Nicole Dennis-Benn

Patsy by Nicole Dennis-Benn

For Sizakele by Yvonne Fly Onakeme Etaghene

Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo*

Work For It by Talia Hibbert*

Speak No Evil by Uzodinma Iweala

The Spies Who Loved Her series by Katrina Jackson

The Welcome to Seaport series by Katrina Jackson

Neighborly by Katrina Jackson*

The Summer We Got Free by Mia McKenzie*

She Called Me Woman ed. by Azeenarh Mohammed, Chitra Nagarajan, and Aisha Salau

Under the Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta

When We Speak of Nothing by Olumide Popoola

You Make Me Wanna by Nikki Rashan*

Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers*

Real Life by Brandon Taylor*

F*ths by G.L. Thomas

Sugar and Ice by Brooklyn Wallace

Tailor-Made by Yolanda Wallace

Treasure by Rebekah Weatherspoon

So Sweet by Rebekah Weatherspoon

Xeni by Rebekah Weatherspoon

Bliss by Fiona Zedde*

NA/Adult (Speculative)

Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James*

To Terminator, With Love by Wes Kennedy

Shatterproof by Xen Sanders

An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon

The Deep by Rivers Solomon*

The Root by Na’amen Gobert Tilahun

Better off Red by Rebekah Weatherspoon

Every Dark Desire by Fiona Zedde

Comics/Graphic Novels*

Bingo Love by Tee Franklin

Check, Please! by Ngozi Ukazu

Memoirs*

All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson (YA)

How We Fight for Our Lives by Saeed Jones

Redefining Realness by Janet Mock

Surpassing Certainty: What My Twenties Taught Me by Janet Mock

Poetry*

The Tradition by Jericho Brown

When the Only Light is Fire by Saeed Jones

Black Queer Hoe by Britteney Black Rose Kapri

Reacquainted With Life by KOKUMỌ

The Black Unicorn by Audre Lord

[insert] boy by Danez Smith

Homie by Danez Smith

Featured Authors

Katrina Jackson

Candice Montgomery

Julian Winters

Kayla Ancrum

Rebecca Barrow

Kacen Callender

Brandon L.G. Taylor

Rebekah Weatherspoon

Discussion Posts

Where is the Queer Black Male Voice in YA Lit?

Have more to share? Add them in the comments!

Black History Month 2020 This is an annual feature that runs a little differently from the rest on LGBTQReads, as the post builds on itself each year and new titles/sections are added with asterisks.

[momentsinsong]

Moments In Song No. 027 - Hunter Hooligan

Music speaks to all of us, regardless of where we come from or what we’ve been through. Whether it be from 50 years ago, or today, music has the ability to liberate us from the mundanity of the world. Hunter has spent half their life learning about the special role music plays in our lives and used that understanding to propel their artistry forward. We talk to them about their deep dive into the history of music, the unconditional support of their Grandmother, and the importance of Pop.

Listen to Hunter’s playlist on Apple Music and Spotify. 

Words and photos by Julian.

________________________________________________________________

Julian: When I was listening to your playlist, I noticed that there were two very distinct halves to it. That first half is much more upbeat, dancy, techno almost, there’s some disco in there. Very much a four on the floor type of feel. And then that second half is very much more slowed down, and has that singer-songwriter/acoustic type of feel to it. Is that what you were going for when making your playlist?

Hunter: I love making playlists. I am that person who would make friends mix CDs and stuff like that. Every one would be so carefully curated. That’s why I was having such a hard time [Laughs]. Thinking about narrowing down my music taste into 10 songs, I was like, “Wow! This is big.” You know what I mean? I think there was a conscious effort to order songs a certain way. Even when I’m making my projects I am very conscious about the song placement, the tracklisting, I’m very very thoughtful and purposefully about it. I sent you one version of the playlist but I made like six versions that were totally different. It’s just because music is my life. I was trying to think of songs that were really important to me, songs that I loved my whole life, songs that are pretty new to me. I was just trying to find a balance of the songs that I like and also trying to make it make some semblance of sense. 

When you were making the different versions of your playlist, how do you know once you’ve made the final one? What was the deciding factor?

Even up until the night I sent it to you, there were like 15 songs on the playlist. I was like, “I can not believe I have to cut 5 of these songs!” I think every one of those songs is a doorway into my taste. Every single one of those songs is a good signifier of so many other songs that are similar to it that I like. 

So you’re saying like, this one acoustic Amy Whinehouse song is the entryway to a bunch of other singer-songwriter stuff you like. Or this Charli XCX is an entry way to more feel good poppy stuff you like. 

Yes, exactly. And so I think I kind of looked at it like a hallway with 10 doors and each door was to a room of infinite other amounts of music I love. I wanted to pick songs that were important to me, and songs that were special to me. Even the Charli XCX song which isn’t that old, and the FKA twigs song which also came out last year, they’re representative of so much more music I like, and what I like about music right now. 

Which is what?

What I really like about “Gone” is that it is so carefully crafted as a Pop song, as far as the production goes. And lyrically it has the structure of a Pop song, there’s verses, there’s a chorus. I love that it is a collaboration. I think collaboration is everything. What I love about that song in particular is that it’s so expected, production wise, as a Pop song but the lyrics are so bizarre. The chorus-- there’s something very impenetrable about the lyrics of the chorus. There’s something really so dissociative about the lyrics, but it’s still so catchy and so emotional. You feel it. Even though I have no idea what the song is talking about. I think there’s clues as to what they’re singing about, but I think it’s something you feel more. They almost sound to me like an A.I. wrote them. Like if you fed an A.I. a bunch of Pop songs and then it spit out a chorus to its own Pop song, that’s what it would sound like.

I always feel like Charli XCX has always straddled the line between, “I can sing the catchiest, poppiest hook you’ve ever heard” but on the flipside “I can take you down to some artsy, weirdo, off the wall type stuff.

And that’s what I love. I really love artists that straddle that line, for today. I love people who are versatile, who are brave, who are shapeshifters. People who are not afraid to be incredibly straight-forward and simple, but also thoughtful and crafted. I think it’s really cool.

I definitely agree with you on that. We’re definitely seeing a resurgence of female pop artists who fall into that lane. If you think about Lorde, or Billie Ellish, or Tinashe, they straddle that line. That’s what you like about the new songs, what about the old songs on your playlist? What are some of the songs on there that you’ve loved forever?

“I Feel Love” by Donna Summer, to me, is one of the best songs ever written. It’s one of the best dance records ever made. It’s brilliant. The production is incredible. The vocal is incredible. It all just hits you so right. To think that this song was produced in the 70’s is mind blowing. I listened to that song and I’m like, “This sounds futuristic now.” 

For me that song is a doorway into the music that surrounded me as a child. My parents had a really versatile taste in music and played a lot of stuff. My mom and I would do weekend Spring cleanings and she would load up the 6 CD stereo system and we would crank everything from Aretha Franklin, to Elton John, Aerosmith, Tupac, she loved everything. I think I inherited this excitement for music from her. 

She also loved 90’s dance music that was on the radio when I was little. She would go to club nights at The Depot and get mixes from DJs and play them in the car. Also when I was really young, my family is all in N.A., and at the time they would put on these dances as a way for people in recovery to go to a safe space that wasn’t a bar or rave where they might find alcohol or drugs and relapse, and enjoy the music. My family would take me, and I was like 7 or 8, and the music there was just… that the first time I heard “I Feel Love.” So much 90’s dance music that I love now was played at those dances.

How does you starting out at 7 and 8 going to these dance parties evolve into the taste of music you have now?

I started working in studios when I was 13, and that’s when I really decided that I was going to make music. 

When you say working, you mean in the actual studio?

Yeah early on I would bring in my songs, you know little things I would record. I would write with other people, I would ask to come and sit in on a session.

So this was a job you got or did you know someone in the studio?  

So I started taking voice lessons and through my voice teacher got connected to different producers and engineers. And in my mom’s previous life, she was married to the original owner of Hammerjacks, which is a legendary Baltimore nightclub, so she knew people from then who were musicians and who had their own studios and spaces like that. I kind of just really made it a point to be in those places. Around that time I also felt like I wanted to have an education in what American music had always been, and so I started really early on listening to the first records ever made, which were anthropological in nature. From there I became really in love with Blues. 

I wasn’t able to fit her on the playlist but she was there up until the very end, Bessie Smith. I mean this is someone who we’re talking about who was making music almost 100 years ago. I listened to her records and would sing them all the time. I feel like I learned so much about singing from her. She was so ahead of her time. From her ideas about her stage shows, to being a black queer woman, singing Blues in the segregated south, she was brilliant. She’s a forever artist to me. 

I had this idea of giving myself an education of what Pop music in America had been over time. Because Pop music is just whatever is popular. Through that I listened to Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey, Dinah Washington, Billie Holiday, and then from there Eartha Kitt and Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Janis Joplin, Tina Turner, and I just kept following the times. Through that I heard so much music I had never heard before. I felt like music had this endless possibility of being anything.  

And this was all on your own? You just decided to do this one day?

[Laughs] Yeah this is just what I did. I didn’t have a lot of friends. You know it’s the whole “queer youth” storyline. Outcast, freak, bullied, blah blah blah. I would spend a lot of time by myself and music was my friend. I wanted to know everything about it.

So you’re building your background knowledge with this research, gaining access to this studio, then decide to make your own music. What was that process like?

When I was really little, I would take songs off the radio and write new lyrics to them. So it would be the same melodies and all of that, but I would just write my own song. When my parents divorced, there was a lot of change and chaos in my family and just in my life, and that’s when I started writing my own original songs. That was when I was 13. Then I would take the original songs that I wrote to my voice teacher and she would help me put chords to them and create these songs. A lot of times it would be me singing this melody to her, and she would fiddle around with the piano a little bit and then we would come up with a chord progression we liked and record them on a cassette tape. Once I had a couple of songs there that I really, really liked, she suggested that I record them in a studio. She worked things out with my family and for my birthday they bought me studio time.

That’s like the best gift ever!

I know! It was this amazing, brilliant thing. It was my grandmother. My grandmother always supported my music and me singing. I had a job really young, around 13, working at a snack bar. But it wasn’t enough for studio time. And honestly she paid for most of the studio time when I was young. She was a domestic worker. She would scrub people’s toilets and then turn around and give me $150 for a day in the studio. And that was never a question. 

What do you mean it was never a question?

She was never, ever like, “I don’t know if I can do this. I don’t know if this is worth it.” Never. The sacrifice she made for that was never lost on me. I knew, even then, what that meant. To have someone who is working so hard, literally barely making enough to survive, support you. I don’t think I realized, that young, how poor my family was. I did know we weren’t wealthy by any means, so the fact that she would do that is amazing. I’m never not going to make this worth it, for her. If I were doing it for me, I would’ve walked away a long time ago. This industry is terrible. It’s full of people who will steal, people who will cut you out and leave you in the dust.  I’ve lost a lot of skin in this game. The reason I do this is for my grandmother, my family, my ancestors. 

My family is Native and has really been through it, for a long time. We have nothing to show for it. Every person in my family has experienced intense trauma, and I have as well. If this was all about “Look at me! I’m so talented,” if this is what it was about for me-- hell no. I would be a happy real estate agent at this point. It’s about making all of this sacrifice and trauma my family has been through mean something, and putting it into art. Maybe one day I’ll be on a Grammy stage, and maybe one day I’ll be dead in a ditch. I don’t know. But I do know that my life is for my community. People like me. People who can relate. At the end of the day that’s what’s important to me. 

Do you take the history of your family and the sacrifices they’ve made, the vulnerabilities and emotions shared from the music you enjoy, and good old fashioned pop sensibility and incorporate all of those into the music you’re making now?

Definitely. For me, Pop music is about a feeling. There’s no pretext. You don’t have to know the story, you don’t have to know the language, you don’t have to know anything about it before you hear it. But when you hear that Pop song, you feel it. And that is universal. That’s why we see this huge rise in K-Pop. There’s not a parallel rise in people being able to speak Korean. People don’t always know what K-Pop stars are singing about but they feel it. Pop music is a feeling, a communication that transcends language barriers, time barriers, space barriers. That’s why Pop is what I’m aiming for. I want to connect. I want people to feel like there’s space for them in the music. 

The music that I’m making now is coming from a place that is newer for me to create from. It’s authentic to what I’m feeling now and where I feel like so many people are at in the world. There’s a lot of pain. There’s a lot of exhaustion, anxiety, depression. I want to make music that makes people feel like they’re powerful. Like my new song “Metal Me.”  To me that song is about personal power. Those sounds, that production, it feels powerful. I want people to feel like they can conquer their demons and fight everything against them. If I can make somebody feel powerful with a song, that’s it. 

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